Mental Health | 5
Opinion | 6
Religion | 6
Lifestyle | 7
The detrimental impact of energy drinks
In defense of Colleen Hoover: Misogyny and romance novels
The unpardonable sin
The best (and worst) of Trader Joe’s
September 25, 2024 Collegedale, Tennessee
Southern Accent
Vol. 80 Issue 03
The student voice since 1926
'Your vote is your voice: Use it'
*According to research conducted by Tufts university. (Graphic by Matthew Orquia)
Amy Van Arsdell Contributor Editor’s Note: The Accent is publishing this article, written by a senior history major at Southern, to provide information to students about the voting process and help them prepare for the upcoming elections. This article is informative in nature and not written like a traditional news story. Do you want to make your community and your country better? Lucky for you, this year has an upcoming national election that will be the first presidential election for many students. However, according to a survey conducted by Tufts Univer-
sity, only 66% of college students voted in the 2020 election. Despite youth voting increasing in the 2020 election, overall low youth turnout is likely because many students attend colleges out-of-state and don’t know if or how they can vote. As long as you are over 18 and an eligible citizen of the United States, “YOU CAN VOTE!” Every state has its own deadlines and requirements for voting, so the following is only a rough guide to get you started. Nov. 5 will be here before we know it, and some registration deadlines are even sooner. If you are from a state other than Tennessee, you should learn about the absentee voting process in your home state. This will help you decide whether you
want to register with your home address and vote by mail, or if you would rather register with your university address and vote in person in Collegedale. 1. Register to Vote Unless you live in North Dakota, you’re required to register to become a voter before you can vote. Only 23 states have some form of automatic voter registration, usually through a form at the DMV or other state agency. If you think that you are already registered to vote, it’s worth checking to ensure that you are still registered as states sometimes purge voter rolls. Your state may let you register to vote online, or you may have to mail in a registration application. Thirty-six states
Columnist David French speaks to Southern about the national divide Matthew Orquia Editor-in-Chief Alexis Dewey News Editor On Thursday, Sept. 19, David French, best-selling author and New York Times columnist, visited Southern Adventist University's campus to speak to students, faculty and the greater Collegedale community. During his presentation, titled “A Nation Divided: Where Do We Go From Here?” French discussed what he believes are some of the underlying causes of the country’s internal conflicts. "Our opinions about the other party have only gotten worse,” he said. “We don't just disagree, we have animosity." According to French, division in America is not new, but the depth of people’s hatred for each other has gotten worse and nowadays, people harbor more animosity towards others. French also discussed “lethal mass partisanship,” which is an individual’s belief that the country would be better off if a substantial portion of their political opposition was gone. He cited a statistic stating around 20% of Americans held this belief.
The speech was delivered as part of the annual Lynn Sauls Lecture Series organized by the School of Journalism and Communication (SJC), which aims to enlighten and inspire students, faculty and the community by bringing renowned journalists and newsmakers to campus, according to Southern’s website. Prior to walking on stage at the Iles Physical Education Center, French was introduced by Alexis Dewey, senior communication-writing and editing major. Following his presentation, he was joined by LaTrice Currie, a news anchor and co-anchor for Local 3 News.
Currie was the moderator for the Q&A segment of the event, which allowed the audience to ask French questions through online submissions. While answering the questions, French addressed Christian nationalism, gun control and his expectations for post-election violence. French graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Lipscomb University, then went on to study at Harvard Law School, where he graduated cum laude with a juris doctor degree, according to the New York Times. Over the years, he has worked as a senior coun-
David French responds to LaTrice Currie in the Q&A segment of the event.
Thursday September 19, 2024. (Photo by Preston Waters)
See FRENCH on page 2
also have varying voter ID requirements. To complicate matters, every state has its own voter registration deadline, from as soon as Oct. 6 to Election Day. Vote.org, a nonpartisan organization, will help you check the status of your voter registration and redirect you to your state’s voter website. You can also Google “(Your state) + voter registration.” Registering to Vote in Tennessee To register online, you must have a Tennessee driver’s license or Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security ID. If you don’t, you will have to submit a paper registration application and use a federal photo ID such as a passport
at your polling place. All forms of voter registration must be received by Oct. 7. It’s possible that changing your residency from a different state to register in Tennessee could affect your eligibility for residency-related scholarships and grants. Tennessee only allows absentee voting-by-mail for specific circumstances, including if you’re a full-time student at a university outside of the county where you are registered. If you are eligible, your application for a by-mail ballot must be received by mail, fax, or email no later than October 29.
See VOTE on page 2
DEEP Sabbath returns to Southern's campus Anaya Parker Reporter The Diversity Educational Exchange Program (DEEP) Sabbath returned to Southern Adventist University’s campus on Sept. 14 after the event was held at Oakwood University last year. DEEP Sabbath aims to bring cultural awareness to students across Adventist colleges, according to a previous Accent article. Oakwood University is the only university owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church that is a Historically Black College and University. The university is located in Huntsville, Alabama, about a two-hour drive from Southern. Several of the students who attended DEEP Sabbath are members of Oakwood’s student government, the United Student Movement. Southern’s Student Association (SA) prioritized bringing DEEP Sabbath back to campus this year, according to Edvan Benitez, SA president and senior theology major. This was important to Benitez to show the inclusivity of Southern and teach students about worship and fellowship between different cultures. “We made plans, and we
arranged the budget, and we fixed a date with Oakwood,” he said. “So we could have it back.” SA planned the event in collaboration with organizers of the Renewal service at Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists. Oakwood students attended the service, which included a performance from the Merge choir. “[The choir] was really what I was there for because I knew that Merge was going to be helping with that,” Edward Backer, a Southern senior psychology major, said. “I was excited to listen to some soulful music.” Several other Southern students spoke about how the music at DEEP Sabbath impacted them, helping build a connection between the two universities. During the song service, the audience, which was composed of Oakwood students and the Southern community, stood and clapped along with the music. “What I loved most about this was watching Oakwood students, one by one, getting up in praise to God because of the music,” Larissa Deoliveira, junior theology major, said. “And in this crowd of people getting up was the pastor, too. And that feeling and scene of unity just made my heart melt, See DEEP on page 2