1 Editor: Rachael Bancroft

Editorial Board George Albert Patricia Allen Kerry Drohan Rebecca Griffin Richard Norwood Bruce Riley Thomas Schaefer

Cover Artwork Sarah Austin

Production Staff Cindy Pavlos

Powerful Futures Start Here

2 Table of Contents

Seashells on the Seashore Irina Merzlyakova...... page 4

Colony Collapse Disorder Anny Abrantes...... page 6

The Awakening and Feminism Kaylee Bergstrom ...... page 10

A Cathartic Conspiracy Tara Feldman...... page 18

Community Policing Adane Atkinson...... page 24

Racism: A Time and Place from a Witness' Perspective Joe Thorpe...... page 31

Domestic Violence Amber Tubbs ...... page 38

Causes and Effects of the NFL's Concussion Crisis? Patrick Grant...... page 43

Adult Obesity in the United States Zhivka Yancheva...... page 46

Colorblindness in the Age of Diversity Brianna Kauranen...... page 49

Quiet Study Virginia Johnston...... page 58

3 Irina Merzlyakova ENL 101

Seashells on the Seashore: The Fate of the Ocean

Shelling on the beach is one of the most relaxing and fun activities that one can do on hot summer days or perhaps on splendid fall evenings before sunsets at the seashore. Accompanied by the ocean breeze and calming sound of waves, shell picking brings joy and creates unforgettable memories for years to come. Unfortunately, seashores are changing tremendously all over the world; it seems that this enjoyable pastime might be replaced by trash picking in the near future. Exemplifying this trend, in late July of 2018 on Montesinos Beach in the capital of the Dominican Republic, people witnessed a shore full of plastic waste, from cigarette butts to plastic bottles and takeout boxes (Karasz). As reported by the New York Times, approximately sixty tons of garbage washed up on the land in just one week. Images were shocking, but according to the locals, “it happens pretty much all the time if there is a strong rainfall or a storm” (Karasz). The locals’ sentiment demonstrates the frequent recurrence of this event. Plastic waste is a significant problem that is rapidly expanding all over the world. In order to understand the scale of the plastic pollution problem, it is important to examine the makeup of plastic, the yearly production of plastic, and the amount of plastic waste that reaches the ocean. Today’s world seems unimaginable without plastic. This versatile material can be found in a variety of products from clothing and household items to construction components, packaging and more. Many different types of plastics exist today, but there is one thing that they all have in common; all are made of large molecules made up of repeating units called polymers (Barone). This chemical structure defines plastic as lightweight, strong, flexible, moisture resistant material that can soften and be molded into almost any shape (Le Guern). Furthermore, the ease of processing plastic makes plastic production relatively inexpensive (Le Guern). However, because of its properties, plastic is resistant to natural biodegradation processes such as decomposition. There are no microbes that can recognize plastics as food and break them down (Le Guern). As a result, at the end of their life, plastics accumulate in landfills and the natural environment, like the ocean (Geyer at al.). Plastic production has continued to rise over the course of the past half century. It was introduced to the public for the first

4 time in 1907, and released to global production outside of the military in the 1950s (Geyer at al.). Since then, annual production of plastic increased almost two hundred-fold from two million tons in the 1950 to 381 million tons in 2015 (Ritchie and Roser). Cumulatively, by 2015, the world had produced about 7.8 billion tons of plastic (Ritchie and Roser). Matthew Taylor, in his journal article, provided an excellent visual interpretation of this number: if all of this plastic were spread out over a height of about 10 inches, it would cover the size of Argentina, the world’s eighth largest country. According to Roland Geyer, an environmental scientist, if production continues to increase at the current rate, the world will be producing thirty-four billion tons of plastic materials per year by the end of 2050. As a result of plastic’s durability and resistance to degradation, this material is accumulating all over the planet. The risk of plastic entering the ocean depends on the way it is managed. Plastic waste can be handled in three ways: it can be discarded, recycled, or incinerated. Unfortunately, most plastic—fifty-five percent of the world’s production—is being discarded (Ritchie and Roser). About ten percent of it ends up in oceans-roughly eight million tons per year; this colossal quantity would be “equivalent to five grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world” (Le Guern). Because plastic does not degrade, after entering the ocean from coastal regions, it migrates towards the center of ocean basins. Over time, currents swirl plastic litter to form “garbage patches,” vortices of waste (Le Guern). Several garbage patches float throughout the world’s oceans (Le Guern). The most well-known one is the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch," a soupy mix of plastic-filled seawater that spans 1.6 million km2 (Ritchie and Roser). Given the prevalence of discarded plastic, garbage patches will continue to rapidly expand (Ritchie and Roser). Ultimately, plastic is one of the most heavily-produced man-made materials in existence (Geyer at al.). World addiction to this durable, easy-to-manufacture, and inexpensive material is becoming a real concern. Plastic is a world problem. It does not matter which country produces the most plastic or mismanages its waste. Because of the absence of boundaries in the ocean, plastic can wash up on any shore. For this reason, it is important to look at plastic pollution as a global problem and unite all forces to improve waste management to keep oceans and seashores clean.

5 Works Cited

Barone, Jennifer. “An Ocean of Plastic.” Scholastic, 17 Apr. 2017, scienceworld.scholastic.com/issues/2016-17/041717/an­ ocean-of-plastic.html#1050L. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019. Geyer, Roland, et al. “Production, Use, and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made.” Science Advances, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 19 July 2017, advances.sciencemag. org/content/3/7/e1700782. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019. Karasz, Palko. “Wave after Wave of Garbage Hits the Dominican Republic.” The New York Times, 23 July 2018, www.nytimes. com/2018/07/23/world/americas/dominican-republic-garbage. html. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019. Le Guern, Claire. “When the Mermaids Cry: The Great Plastic Tide.” Coastal Care, Santa Aguila Foundation, Mar. 2018, plastic-pollution.org. Accessed 12 Feb. 2018. Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Plastic Pollution.” Our World in Data, Sept. 2018, ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution. Accessed 12 Feb. 2019. Taylor, Matthew. “Plastic Pollution Risks ‘Near Permanent Contamination of Natural Environment.’” The Guardian, 19 July 2017, www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/19/ plastic-pollution-risks-near-permanent-contamination-of­ natural-environment. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019.

Anny Abrantes ENL101

Colony Collapse Disorder

Large scale losses of honey bees in recent years have perplexed beekeepers and researchers alike. This mass disappearance of honey bees has been referred to as colony collapse disorder (CCD) (vanEngelsdorp et al.). Since CCD was first reported in 2007, researchers have conducted numerous studies in an attempt to pinpoint the cause of this mass disappearance of honey bees, though no single cause has been detected, suggesting CCD is a multifactorial syndrome (Gifford; vanEngelsdorp et al.). These factors include mites, viruses, and pesticides that are believed to manifest, and symbiotically exploit

6 immune system weaknesses, eventually leading to a colony collapse (Gifford; vanEngelsdorp et al.). Neonicotinoids and Varroa destructor mites are thought to be the principal contributors to CCD. Since honey bees play a crucial role in agriculture, the ecosystem, and indirectly, the economy, the effects of CCD are destructive. Originally thought to be safe for bees, a new class of insecticides has emerged as a silent bee killer (Hopwood et al.). Neonicotinoids, also referred to as neonics, are currently the most commonly used insecticide worldwide (Hopwood et al.). This class of insecticide is systemic, which functions by direct absorption into the fibers of treated plants (Hopwood et al). They are frequently applied as seed coatings, soil drenches, irrigation or direct injection, and have a considerable half-life of 200-1000 days (Goulson; Hopwood et al.). Neonics may persist in soil several seasons after initial application, leading even untreated plants to absorb chemical residue (Hopwood et al.). Due to the systemic action of the insecticide, neonics are also found in the pollen and nectar of these plants (Goulson). There are several routes of neonic exposure to bees, but the most prevalent are through consumption of tainted pollen or nectar, and direct contact with residual insecticide (Hopwood et al.). While the levels of neonics through pollen and nectar are not normally lethal to honey bees, they are known to cause several sub lethal effects, including negatively affecting bee immune systems and hindering foraging and homing abilities (Goulson; Hopwood et al.). A weakened immune system leaves the bees more susceptible to mites and viruses, while impaired homing abilities cause bees to become disoriented and unable to get back to their hives (Hopwood et al.). This may explain why the colonies are seemingly abandoned, despite there being abundant food stores and healthy queens. A deadly parasitic mite is often considered the honey bee’s worst enemy. The parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, is one of the greatest threats to honey bee populations (Gifford). Though the mite alone is not the cause of CCD, it is thought to be one of the primary triggers of honey bee decline (Gifford). The varroa mites affix to the bees by perforating their head or abdomen (Gifford). The mite-ridden bees are subsequently brought into the colonies, furthering the infestation by penetrating and reproducing in bee larvae (Gifford). A varroa mite also weakens the bee’s immune system, leaving it more susceptible to viruses like deformed wing

7 virus (DWV) (Dainat et al.). DWV causes wing malformation in developing honey bee pupae, leaving adult bees incapable of flight, and leading to a premature death (Locke et al.). The V. destructor mite acts as a vector for DWV by lowering colony immune systems and directly infecting the hosts with the virus (Locke et al.). These factors collectively work to weaken and eradicate colonies. The role of the honey bee in the ecosystem is remarkable, though underappreciated. They execute one in eight pollinations, making them the most essential species of pollinator in the world (Wong). This is a massive achievement, considering the honey bee is one of thousands of species of pollinators (Wong). In June of 2013, a Whole Foods store in Rhode Island removed just over half of their produce from shelves (“This Is What”). All the produce removed was derived from pollinator dependent plants, in an effort to highlight the significance of pollinator species like the honey bee, and the urgency of their decline (“This is What”). If honey bee populations continue to decline without resolution, foods like almonds, broccoli, cherries and apples will cease to be mass produced and increase to exorbitant prices (Holland). The loss of honey bees leaves the world poorer, hungrier, and much less diverse. Honey bees are inconspicuously significant contributors to the economy. The economic cost of these vanishing bees is immense, considering they contribute an estimated $15 billion dollars in agricultural productivity alone (The White House). The colony losses have also cost US beekeepers as much as $2 billion, and have increased the price of bee hive rentals 300% (The White House). These costs are ultimately passed on to consumers as increasing food prices. The decline in pollinators also poses a threat to food security. Honey bee pollination contributes to over 30% of US crop production, and at least 90 commercially grown crops in North America (The White House). Staple foods like fruits, vegetables, coffee and teas would need to be imported from countries not as affected by CCD, furthering the US dependence on trade, and increasing overall food prices for consumers (Gifford). CCD is a complex issue affecting bee colonies around the world. No single element led to the emergence of CCD; instead, it is believed to be caused by a combination of factors that include mites, viruses, and insecticides. Bees are essential to the ecosystem, and a major contributor to US economy and food sources. This epidemic requires further research to be fully

8 understood, though it is evident that a world without healthy bee colonies is devastating. The impact of colony collapse disorder is an urgent matter that should not be underestimated.

Works Cited Dainat, Benjamin, et al. “Dead or Alive: Deformed Wing Virus and Varroa destructor Reduce the Life Span of Winter Honeybees.” American Society for Microbiology, Dec. 2011, DOI:10.1128/AEM.06537-11. Gifford, Chelsea. Colony Collapse Disorder: The Vanishing Honeybee (Apis Mellifera). 2011. U of Colorado Boulder. Scholar University of Colorado Boulder, scholar.colorado. edu/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1915&context=honr_theses. Goulson, Dave. “An Overview of the Environmental Risks Posed by Neonicotinoid Insecticides.” Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 50, no. 4, Aug. 2013, DOI:10.1111/1365-2664.12111. Holland, Jennifer S. “The Plight of the Honeybee.” National Geographic, 10 May 2013, news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/2013/13/130510-honeybee-bee-science-european-union­ pesticides-colony-collapse-epa-science/. Hopwood, Jennifer, et al. How Neonicotinoids Can Kill Bees. Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, 2016. Xerces Society for Invertebrates Conservation, www.xerces.org/ wp-content/uploads/2016/10/HowNeonicsCanKillBees_ XercesSociety_Nov2016.pdf Locke, Barbara et al. “Persistence of Subclinical Deformed Wing Virus Infections in Honeybees Following Varroa Mite Removal and a Bee Population Turnover” PloS one vol. 12,7 e0180910. 7 Jul. 2017, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0180910 “This Is What Your Grocery Store Looks Like Without Honeybees.” Whole Foods Market Newsroom, 14 June 2013, media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/bees. VanEngelsdorp, Dennis, et al. “Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study.” PLOS One, 3 Aug. 2009, doi:10.1371/ journal.pone.0006481. The White House, Office of the Press Secretary. Fact Sheet: The Economic Challenge Posed by Declining Pollinator Populations. 20 June 2014. Obama White House, obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/20/ fact-sheet-economic-challenge-posed-declining-pollinator­ populations.

9 Wong, Kathleen. “Role of Honey Bees in Ecosystem Pollination.” University of California Natural Reserve System, 16 Jan. 2018, ucnrs.org/role-honey-bees-ecosystem-pollination/.

Kaylee Bergstrom ENL206

Editor’s note: The following is a condensed version of a longer essay. A description of Chopin’s biography has been excluded so that this essay could be included in this collection. The Awakening and Feminism

Introduction The Awakening by Kate Chopin is an early example of American feminist literature. Published in 1899, Chopin’s work features a young woman named Edna Pontellier. While on a vacation with her husband Leonce and her two sons, Mrs. Pontellier meets Robert Lebrun with whom she forms a deep connection. It’s on this vacation that Mrs. Pontellier undergoes her “awakening.” She begins to act out against society and her own husband, as she goes on to have affairs and even moves out without his knowledge. Two close friends of Mrs. Pontellier, the maternal Adele Ratignolle and the independent artist Mademoiselle Reisz, both try to influence her. However, in the end she is unable to follow either path and forges her own by taking her own life, unable to return to her old life. The Awakening was truly a feminist novella due to Edna’s behavior in comparison to the etiquette of the late 1890s 1899 Criticism When The Awakening was published on April 22, 1899, it was met almost entirely with harsh criticism. Critics and the public alike were aghast with Chopin’s main character, Edna Pontellier. Attacking its sexual content throughout the next year, magazines across America were full of warnings against picking up the novella, and these harsh words effectively spelled the end of Chopin’s writing career. As noted in an article in Gale Biographies: Popular People, “The Awakening was received with indignation when it appeared in 1899. Critics claimed that Chopin was a pornographer and her novel was immoral and even perverse” (“Chopin, Kate”). For example, one critic from The Outlook wrote, “...the story was not really worth telling, and its disagreeable glimpses of sensuality are repellent” (“Novels and

10 Tales”). While just over a century ago The Awakening was only shamed or discussed in hushed whispers, today The Awakening is applauded for its take on early feminism. As Stephen Bray and Sarah Fredericks note in their article, “Reactions to the Chief Characters in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: Positive, Negative, and Miscellaneous,” “Serious academic attention to Kate Chopin’s The Awakening really began to build in the late 1960s and has proliferated ever since... Many critics discuss Edna in positive terms” (Bray and Fredericks). It was written too soon for the general public in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Chopin’s ideas were seen as being too radical. Today, one could read the novella and miss many of the most scandalous points simply due to the changing horizon of expectations. Several critics from the 1890s suggest that Edna Pontellier is at fault for everything in her own life, instead of pointing out how society traps women into feeling as though they must fit in one cookie-cutter shape, one of a diligent wife and mother. A review from Public Opinion says that, “... we are well satisfied when Mrs. Pontellier deliberately swims out to her death” (“Book Reviews”). Another piece written by a critic for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reads, “At the very outset of the story one feels that the heroine should pray for deliverance from temptation... one thinks that her very suicide is a prayer for deliverance from the evils that beset her, all of her own creating” (“Notes from the Bookland”). This passage claims that Pontellier kills herself to cleanse herself. However, she actually ends her life as a means of escaping from the restraints of society, as she is unable to meet with the demands expected of her as a woman. Another trend of criticism in response to The Awakening was to directly criticize Chopin herself instead of simply her novella. One critic from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat writes, “It is a morbid book, and the thought suggests itself that the author herself would probably like nothing better than to ‘tear it to pieces’ by criticism if only some other person had written it” (“Notes from the Bookland”). Claiming that Chopin would also criticize this piece, had she not written it, makes the large amount of criticism feel like a bandwagon that critics are hopping on instead of voicing their honest opinions. This trend can also be seen in an edition of the Providence Sunday Journal, in which a critic writes, “The purport of the story can hardly be described in language fit for publication. We are fain to believe that Miss Chopin did not herself realize what she was doing when she wrote it” (“Books of the

11 Week”). This criticism isn’t as scathing of a review as some of the others. Instead the writer jokes that Chopin didn’t fully understand what she was writing at the time. Both critics suggest that even though Chopin’s work all contains similar themes regarding feminism and a woman’s place in society, she either didn’t mean or didn’t know what she wrote or would have criticized someone else’s writing of the same nature. While the last two notable trends in critiques against The Awakening were rather extreme and harsh, not all critics responded like this. Some critics were more generous with their reviews than others. For example, a critique of The Awakening published in The Mirror reads, “There is no fault to find with the telling of the story, there are no blemishes in its art, but it leaves one sick of human nature and so one feels cui bono” (Porcher). This critique is one of the least harsh, as it gives a more balanced review. While it does point out how one feels upon finishing their reading, the critic did admit that the story-telling of the art was free of any errors. “Cui bono,” the feeling this reviewer says readers had, translates from Latin to “to whom does it benefit?” In this way, the critic suggests that there is no real winner in the end, simply an annoyance with human nature. One can assume that the human nature the reader is supposedly left feeling sick of is Mrs. Pontellier’s. However, this implies that her way of thinking and acting is something to grow tired and sick of, as if the need to be oneself and be accepted in society is something to be annoyed with. In response to these harsh comments and many more, Chopin sent out a statement to be published in Book News, in July 1899. Her statement is largely unapologetic. As she states, “I never dreamed of Mrs. Pontellier making such a mess of things and working out her own damnation as she did... But when I found out what she was up to, the play was half over, and it was then too late” (“Aims and Autographs of Authors”). It was apparent that Chopin would not apologize for the scandalous nature of her novella. Instead, Chopin joked that the character of Edna Pontellier got away from her. Just as many of her other pieces dealt with early points of feminism such as women’s rights in society including in marriage and post-marriage, The Awakening was no different. Chopin knew what she wrote, meant what she said, and wouldn’t take it back. Etiquette Most of the early criticisms against Kate Chopin’s The Awakening were about her main character, Edna Pontellier. While

12 some did criticize the content of the story, the vast majority were about the scandalous nature of Mrs. Pontellier. However, what makes Mrs. Pontellier such a scandalous character? She goes against multiple societal norms to start. As stated by Jennifer Gray in her article, “The Escape of the ‘Sea’: Ideology and ‘The Awakening,’” “The hegemonic institutions of nineteenth- century society required women to be objects in marriage and in motherhood, existing as vessels of maternity and sexuality, with little opportunity for individuality” (Gray). While society tried to force women like Edna Pontellier to be an object, Mrs. Pontellier wanted to be her own self. There are three main rules of etiquette that she breaks during The Awakening. These rules include but are not limited to: “avoid all causes for complaint,” giving all to your children, and hosting reception days in the correct manner (Wells 143; Stall 144; Hartley 144). While today, these rules might seem frivolous, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, these and many more rules of etiquette were extremely important. They laid the groundwork for upper class women in society to know what was and wasn’t acceptable. Yes, these rules were quite suffocating, but in the context of the novel at least one character, Madame Adéle Ratignolle, is still able to not only survive but thrive in these conditions. Edna Pontellier is able to thrive by herself for a short while; unfortunately in the end she is unable to live in a society where her every move is judged by individuals who haven’t undergone a similar “awakening.” Her suicide serves as a grim reminder of how far women trapped in a bad situation will go to gain their freedom. “Avoid all causes for complaint” consists of three main ideas, all of which revolve around the advice to, “never let your husband have cause to complain” (Wells 143). These ideas claim that a woman’s first duty is to her husband, that said woman must agree with her husband on all manners, and the home the couple resides in must be kept tidy and attractive (Wells 143­ 144). Mrs. Pontellier not only effectively leaves her husband for other men, but she also disagrees with him constantly, moves out, and rents her own house without his approval. After Mrs. Pontellier’s awakening, she finds herself truly realizing how restrictive marriage is. In a time when being married means the wife is property of the husband, Mrs. Pontellier yearns to be her own property. Indeed, being tied to one man is too much for her. When questioned by her doctor on a stroll through town as to whether she’ll be travelling with her husband once he returns from

13 business, she claims, “I’m not going to be forced into doing things. I don’t want to go abroad. I want to be let alone” (Chopin 112). No one can control what she does or where she goes. Furthermore, she starts to understand that happiness can be found in places outside the home, such as with Robert Lebrun and Alcée Arobin. Mrs. Pontellier’s relationship with Robert doesn’t enter the realm of romance until after his return from Mexico. While they did have a close relationship while at the Grand Isle, their attraction to one another only truly blossoms when distance forces them apart. In his absence, she begins see Arobin, a well- known playboy. It’s with Arobin that Pontellier experiences a sexual awakening, empowering her even further to be with and do with her own body what she wishes. Once she and Robert reunite however, their relationship does not last long. Robert seems keen on taking Mrs. Pontellier as his own, while Mrs. Pontellier is looking to be completely independent, to not belong to anyone. Mrs. Pontellier claims herself as her own by saying, “I am no longer one of Mr. Pontellier’s possessions to dispose of or not. I give myself where I choose” (Chopin 109). Despite her overwhelming feelings for Robert, she refuses to legally belong to him. This is one of Mrs. Pontellier’s strongest moments, in which she chooses herself over her feelings, herself over the happiness of another. For once, Mrs. Pontellier has begun to put herself first. One of Mrs. Pontellier’s strongest acts of rebellion against her husband is when she decides to move out. A passage from the same etiquette book says, “The home... is the very center of her being... beyond which she has comparatively small concern” (Wells 144). Indeed, she finds herself overwhelmed living in a house he has bought, surrounded by his own things, where she herself is one of these things. So, she takes her savings and moves into a small house down the street with a single servant. What makes this rebellious act even stronger is the fact Mr. Pontellier is not informed until after she begins living there. As Mrs. Pontellier admits to Mademoiselle Reisz, “I am going to move away from my house… I have not told [Mr. Pontellier] yet” (Chopin 81). In a time where women are to ask for permission for everything, this act is an extremely scandalous one. Giving your all to your children consists of one sole idea: that any mother must give all to her children, everything else is secondary in comparison. This rule of etiquette goes even as far as to say, “If [the mother] has the true mother-heart, the companionship of her children will be the society which she

14 will prefer above that of all others” (Stall 144). Mrs. Pontellier is constantly seen by others as an ineffective mother. Even the author, Kate Chopin, makes this one of Pontellier’s first traits, summarizing her by saying, “In short, Mrs. Pontellier was not a mother-woman” (Chopin 11). Edna knows and understands this, never trying to change herself to benefit and properly care for her children. While other mothers, such as Adéle Ratignolle, constantly care for and are happy to be around their children, Mrs. Pontellier is relaxed without them, so much so that when she recalls how her children had spent part of their summer away with Pontellier’s mother, she doesn’t miss them, and even thinks, “Their absence was a sort of relief...” (Chopin 21). In the conclusion of the novella, as Mrs. Pontellier is approaching the water that she will proceed to drown herself in, she thinks back to her husband and children. In this final scene, she now understands that, “... she would never sacrifice herself for her children... they need not have thought that they could possess her, body and soul” (Chopin 115-116). The very idea of having to completely give oneself to one’s children is exhausting to a woman like Mrs. Pontellier. She needs to be free to do things her own way, by her own decision. However, this etiquette norm suggests otherwise. Mrs. Pontellier would not be kept a slave to the whims of her children. Her body and her soul are hers, and in the end, it is better to be lost at sea than to be tied down to them. Reception days are a designated day of the week in which the upper-middle class wife expects and cares for various guests that visit the home. The main ideas of this rule of etiquette include that the woman must reflect her husband, maintain his position and standing, dress well and be prepared early in case of early visitors, and finally, “let nothing, but the most imperative duty, call you out upon your reception day” (Hartley 144). Mrs. Pontellier, one reception day, decides she has better things to do with her time than to wait hand and foot on others. When Mr. Pontellier comes home from work, he notices she does “...not wear her usual Tuesday reception gown; she was in ordinary house dress” (Chopin 52). At first, he assumes she must have changed after her reception day, but Mrs. Pontellier quickly reveals that she, “...simply felt like going out” (Chopin 53). In going out, she missed several important visitors and is harshly reminded by her husband that she must observe, “les convenances” (Chopin 53), in order to remain a high member of society. These reception days reflect one’s position in society and especially reflect one self’s position to their husband.

15 However, Mrs. Pontellier doesn’t understand what the big deal is. To her, she wishes for a day out by herself and takes one, which was another instance of her breaking social norms. Conclusion Kate Chopin published her masterpiece, The Awakening, ahead of its time. Edna Pontellier, the main character of The Awakening, breaks many social etiquette norms of her time. She does not give her all to her children, she skips important reception days, she disagrees with her husband, moves out without his permission, and has multiple extramarital affairs while he is on business. In the late Victorian era, the radical feminist notions and themes exhibited in this novella were too shocking for critics of the time. Critics attacked not only the novella but Chopin herself. Today, the novella is applauded as one of the earliest pieces of feminist literature. While Chopin may not be around to see her masterpiece finally gaining the positive reviews it so rightfully deserves, her work paved the way for future authors to publish their own pieces, no matter how radical they were for the time.

Works Cited “Aims and Autographs of Authors,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in Book News 17, July 1899, pp. 612. “Book Reviews,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in Public Opinion 26, 22 June 1899, pp. 794. “Books of the Week,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in Providence Sunday Journal, 4 June 1899, pp. 15. Bray, Stephen Paul, and Sarah Fredericks. “Reactions to the Chief Characters in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening: Positive, Negative, and Miscellaneous.” Critical Insights: The Awakening, Nov. 2014, pp. 40–59. EBSCOhost, Accessed 03 May 2019. “Chopin, Kate.” Gale Biographies: Popular People, edited by Gale Cengage Learning, 1st edition, 2018. Credo Reference, Accessed 03 May 2019. Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Herbert S. Stone & Co, 1899.

16 Gray, Jennifer B. “The Escape of the ‘Sea’: Ideology and ‘The Awakening.’” Southern Literary Journal, vol. 37, no. 1, Fall 2004, pp. 53–73. EBSCOhost, Accessed 03 May 2019. Hartley, Florence The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness. The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton Et Company, 2018. Excerpt. Originally published in Philadelphia: Evans, 1860, pp. 76-77. Heininge, Kathleen A. “Chopin, Kate (1850 1904).” Ireland and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History, edited by James P. Byrne, et al., ABC-CLIO, 1st edition, 2008. Credo Reference, Accessed 03 May 2019. “Kate Chopin.” Authors and Artists for Young Adults, vol. 33, Gale Biography In Context, Accessed 1 Apr. 2019. “Notes from the Bookland,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in St. Louis Globe-Democrat, 13 May 1899, pp. 5. “Novels and Tales,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in The Outlook, 3 June 1899, pp. 314. Porcher, Frances “Kate Chopin’s Novel,” The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in the Mirror 9, 4 May 1899, pp. 6. Sylvanus Stall, What a Young Husband Ought to Know. The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Excerpt. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton Et Company, 2018. Originally published in Philadelphia: Vir Publishing, 1897, p. 293. The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Wells, Richard A. Decorum: A Practical Treatise on Etiquette and Dress of the Best American Society. The Awakening: An Authoritative Text, Biographical and Historical Contexts, Criticism. Excerpt. Edited by Margo Culley, W. W. Norton & Company, 2018. Originally published in New York: Union Publishing House, 1886, pp. 248-49.

17 Tara Feldman English 102 A Cathartic Conspiracy

The United States’ accomplishment of putting man on the moon is arguably the most significant triumph of the twentieth century. Yet, some dispute the legitimacy of this achievement, contending that the 1969 moon voyage was an impossible feat. In 2009, the Lunar Orbiter captured photos of the moon’s surface that clearly show the Apollo landing sites of the decades prior, including the American flag planted by Aldrin and Armstrong (Morrison). Despite this evidence, suspicions of a hoax remain. By examining the social climate of when this theory was presented to the public, it is clear that the conspiracy gains momentum during times of social unrest. The reason why this theory still exists is not due to its credibility; it is because this belief acts as a coping mechanism for those who are desperate to feel a sense of control, allowing them to make sense of their senseless world. A year before the moon landing, President John F. Kennedy said: We chose to go to the moon in this decade, and do other things, not because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win. In the years following JFK’s historic speech, US citizens would be faced with his assassination, the Cold War with Russia, and the Vietnam War. In 1969, Richard Nixon became the 37th President of the United States. Seven months later, the goal set forth by JFK was achieved. On July 22nd, 1969, the US was the first nation to put man on the moon. With a revived sense of patriotism, the American people finally began to see a glimmer of hope for the future, something that had not been felt in almost a decade. Two years later, the Watergate scandal rocked the nation. On November 17th, 1973, Nixon declared to the American public, “I am not a crook.” In his speech, he adamantly denied tax evasion accusations and his involvement in the burglary and wiretapping of the Watergate office building. However, Nixon had been secretly recording meetings within the Oval Office, and these recordings told a different story. Nixon ordered the CIA and FBI to raid the Democratic Party headquarters, steal classified documents, and then covertly bug various offices and phone lines. To avoid charges 18 of abuse of power and obstruction of justice, Nixon resigned from office on August 9th, 1974, and the American people were left stunned by this level of deceit. Amidst this time of turmoil, Bill Kaysing published his book, We Never Went to the Moon: America’s Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle. The manuscript portrayed the 1969 moon landing as an elaborate hoax. Kaysing claimed the United States was desperate to win the space-race with Russia, as well as distract attention from the Vietnam War. He alleged that NASA did not possess the capability to send a man to the moon, so they fabricated the moon landing on a secret stage set in the Nevada desert. As a former Rocketdyne employee, Kaysing eluded to knowledge of intel regarding Rocketdyne’s Saturn V launch rocket vehicle, which was used in the Apollo 11 mission. He insisted that the Saturn V launch missile was incapable of surviving the heat from the radiation belts that surround the earth’s atmosphere. He questioned the dark background of the mission’s photographs, pointing out that there were no visible stars or planets. The publication also focused on the peculiar way the American flag seemed to wave on the lunar surface, citing that the flag would never wave due to the moon’s vacuum-like atmosphere (Redfern 48). According to Kaysing, this proved that the Apollo mission was a secret government cover-up. However, Bill Kaysing is far from a credible source. He validates his authority by declaring that he is a former employee of Rocketdyne, but Kaysing’s credential offers little to support his self-proclaimed expertise (Farley 35-36). Kaysing was a librarian and writer, not an engineer. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in English and held the title Head of Technical Publications while employed by Rocketdyne. Moreover, he resigned from the company in 1963, seven years before the Apollo 11 mission (Windley). In truth, Kaysing had no affiliation with the Apollo 11 mission or the Saturn V, and he lacks the education and training to determine the ability of NASA or their spacecraft. Throughout his manuscript, Kaysing fixates on minor aspects, insisting that they confirm a massive government cover- up. The result is a compilation of hasty generalizations derived from inductive reasoning. The American flag that was placed on the moon was altered to withstand the atmospheric pressure. Aluminum rods were sewn into its material, allowing the flag to retain its upright appearance. Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong had difficulties inserting the flag into the moon’s surface and

19 accidentally bent the rods (“Apollo 11 Hoax”). This is why the flag had a rippling appearance. The suspiciously dark background can also be explained. Ray Villard, news director for the Space Telescope Science Institute at Johns Hopkins University, thinks that “these claims prove only one thing; conspiracy theorists know less about photography than a high school freshman joining the camera club” (Villard). He reminds Kaysing and his followers that it was daytime on the moon. He states that the Apollo footage is consistent with an extremely bright light source: the sun reflecting off of the lunar surface. The reason why there are no visible stars or planets in the photographs is due to the camera’s fast exposure settings, which helped to limit the brightness of the sun’s reflection (Than). Still, according to Kaysing’s 1974 publication, “About thirty percent of the adult population of the United States does not believe that this country has landed astronauts on the moon” (Kaysing ). As time passed and political tensions eased, so did the belief in this conspiracy. By the mid-90s, the US was experiencing a booming economy. Record budget deficits transformed into budget surpluses, and inflation and unemployment rates were at an all-time low (“The Clinton Presidency”). Interestingly, the results from a 1999 Gallup poll show that only six percent of Americans doubted the moon landing (Newport). In 1993, Fox premiered its hit series The X-Files. The show, which centered around the Area 51 phenomenon, kick- started the paranormal craze of the 1990s and introduced a new generation to ideas of government cover-ups and conspiracies. Each week, viewers watched in anticipation as the series’ protagonists rebelled against villainous high-ranking officials, uncovering countless government fabrications while in search of the truth. The X-Files was one of the most popular programs in Fox history, averaging 20 million viewers per episode (Kissel). Because of this success, Fox producers asked X-Files star, Mitch Pileggi, to narrate the 2001 documentary Did We Land on the moon? (Shermur). Coincidently, this program aired the same year as the September 11th attacks. The Fox documentary gave producer Bart Sibrel and Bill Kaysing access into the living rooms of over 15 million viewers (Villard), finding new converts in the generation born after the 1969 Apollo mission. Although the show claimed to want “viewers to decide for themselves” (Shermur), the material was skewed in favor of Kaysing’s rash generalizations and included only token

20 responses from NASA’s spokesman. This was the first time that a major network presented a conspiracy scenario without any legitimate form of rebuttal (Villard). NASA historian and writer, Ray Launius, believes the documentary style of the program created a sense of false realism, “raising the moon hoax to new levels, giving it legs and credibility that it did not have before” (qtd. in Dunn ). In the proceeding weeks, the headlines of newspapers, such as USA Today, further endorsed this conspiracy, and NASA was quickly bombarded with phone calls. For years, the agency had taken the high road, refusing to validate this theory with a comment. However, Fox’s program forced their response to Kaysing’s allegations (Dunn). Issuing a one-paragraph press release entitled “Apollo: Yes, We Did,” NASA officials stated: To some extent, debating this subject is an insult to the thousands who worked for years to accomplish the most amazing feats of exploration in history, and it is certainly an insult to the memory of those who have given their lives for the exploration of space. (qtd. in “Why Do People” 5). In 2003, Fox aired the documentary for the third time. In the following months, the US invaded Iraq in search of weapons of mass destruction. However, the intelligence proved to be flawed; Iraq had no nuclear weapons. Once again, the American public was faced with times of turmoil and government distrust. By 2004, a Gallop poll estimated 20% of all Americans, and 27% of Americans ages 18-24, had serious doubt regarding the moon landing (“Why do People” 4). Psychological studies help to explain the cause of this sharp increase. Dr. Roland Imhoff, professor of social and legal psychology at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, believes that psychological stressors instigate a willingness to accept hoax theories. He concludes that “individuals who suffer from enduring, long-lasting deprivation of control over important life outcomes show a higher tendency to believe in conspiracy theories” (Imhoff). His findings also provide insight into the psyche of conspiracy mongers like Bill Kaysing. Imhoff studies the connection between conspiracy beliefs and the desire for uniqueness and power and explains that these individuals obtain a bolstered sense of control and assertiveness from propagation (Imhoff). Dr. Jan-Willem Van Prooijen, associate professor of applied psychology at VU Amsterdam, agrees that threats such as death, anxiety, and uncertainty provoke a vulnerability. He surmises that

21 “conspiracy beliefs help citizens, who feel powerless or voiceless, to understand complex and distressing social events” (Prooijen). In short, elevated levels of government distrust and social unease create a highly susceptible environment. Prooijen’s research indicates that the belief in conspiracy theories can provide a scapegoat, which can alleviate feelings of fear and anxiety that typically manifest during times of social unrest. To prove this theory, Dr. Prooijen and his colleague Dr. Michael Acker tested the impact of controlled manipulation. Their study contained three test groups and centered around Amsterdam’s metro. Group A was asked to discuss a situation that occurred while on the metro where they had complete control, and Group B was asked to detail an experience on the metro where they had no control. Group C, the control group, was asked to describe what they had eaten for dinner the night before. The three groups were given articles about the construction of the metro. Some articles contained fact, while other articles described a corrupt system, money laundering, and a lack of regard for public safety. Each group then rated the articles on a scale from strongly disagree to agree strongly. The results revealed that the Group B participants, the group who was asked to recall a time where they had no control, were significantly more inclined to believe the fabricated metro stories. Prooijen and Acker conclude, “The extent in which people are able to exert control over their social environment is closely coupled with their desire to make sense of this environment. Such sense-making motivation is a central ingredient of belief in conspiracy theories.” Dr. Prooijen adds, “The people who believe in conspiracy theories are deeply concerned about the future of society.” From the demise of Nixon’s presidency to the initiation of the Iraq war, these concerns have been reinforced by a government that has historically distorted the truth. The Apollo 11 conspiracy was presented to the public during tumultuous times, distracting anxious citizens with a necessary red herring. The sociological functionalist perspective explains that function and dysfunction are of equal importance to society. As dysfunctional as it may be, this theory has become a cathartic notion for many, helping to mitigate intense feelings of anxiety and panic in a world that is out of control.

22 Works Cited

“Apollo 11 Hoax Photos: 8 Moon-Landing Myths Busted.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 17 Aug. 2018, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/ apollo-11-hoax-photos--8-moon-landing-myths-busted/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019. “The Clinton Presidency: Historic Economic Growth.” National Archives and Records Administration, clintonwhitehouse5. archives.gov/WH/Accomplishments/eightyears-03.html. Accessed 4 Apr. 2019. Dunn, Marcia. “NASA Aloof from Moon Madness.” Daily Telegraph [Sydney, New South Wales, Australia], 27 Dec. 2002, Infotrac Newsstand, link.galegroup. com/apps/doc/A95789934/GPS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GPS&xid=a7bd703e. Accessed 1 Apr. 2019. Fraley, Craig. Why There’s Doubt: Moon Landings. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 3 Nov. 2016. Imhoff, Roland, and Pia Karoline Lamberty. “Too Special to Be Duped: Need for Uniqueness Motivates Conspiracy Beliefs.” European Journal of Social Psychology 47.6 (2017): 724-34. Academic Search Premier. Accessed 2 Apr. 2019. Kaysing, Bill. We Never Went to the Moon: Americas Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle. Mukelumne Hill Press, 1976. Kissell, Rick. “Ratings: ‘The X-Files’ Premiere Scores for Fox; CBS’ Patriots-Broncos Game Draws 53 Million.” Variety, 25 Jan. 2016, variety.com/2016/tv/news/ratings-the-x-files­ premiere-patriots-broncos-cbs-1201687791/. Accessed 1 Apr. 2019. Morrison, David. “Moon Hoax Resolved: New Lunar Orbiter Images Show Moon Landers, Astronauts’ Tracks.” Skeptical Inquirer, 2009, p. 5. Science in Context, link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A211173630/GPS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GPS&xid=1756fbc8. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019. Newport, Frank. “Landing a Man on the Moon: The Public’s View.” Gallup.com, Gallop, Inc., 20 July 1999, news.gallup. com/poll/3712/landing-man-moon-publics-view.aspx. Accessed 4 Apr. 2019. Prooijen, Jan ‐ Willem, and Michele Acker. “The Influence of Control on Belief in Conspiracy Theories: Conceptual and Applied Extensions.” Applied Cognitive Psychology, vol. 29, no. 5, Sept. 2015, pp. 753–761. Accessed 1 Apr. 2019.

23 Redfern, Nick. “Apollo: Flights of Fancy?” NASA Conspiracies: The Truth Behind the Moon Landings, Censored Photos, and the Face on Mars. New Page Books, 2011. p. 43–56. Shermur, Michael. “Fox Goes to the Moon, but NASA Never Did the No-Moonies Cult Strikes.” Tufts University: School of Arts and Science, Department of Chemistry, Tufts Chemistry Department, 19 Mar. 2017, chem.tufts.edu/science/Shermer/ E-Skeptic/MoonHoax.html. Accessed 7 Apr. 2019. Than, Ker. “Apollo 11 Hoax Photos: 8 Moon-Landing Myths Busted.” National Geographic, National Geographic Society, 20 July 2009, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/ apollo-11-hoax-photos--8-moon-landing-myths-busted/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2019. Villard, Ray. “Did NASA Fake the Moon Landing? To Quash Any Lingering Doubts as to Whether or Not We Went to the Moon, Astronomy Is Setting the Record Straight, Once and for All.” Astronomy, July 2004, p. 48. Science in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A116597599/GPS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GPS&xid=1ccd284e. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019. “Why Do People Persist in Denying the Moon Landings?” National Air and Space Museum, National Air and Space Museum, 1 Apr. 2010, airandspace.si.edu/stories/ editorial/why-do-people-persist-denying-moon-landings. Accessed 3 Apr. 2019. Windley, Jay. “Bibliography - Bill Kaysing.” Clavius, www.clavius.org/kaysing.html. Accessed 2 Apr. 2019.

Adane Atkinson ENL108 Community Policing

Although community policing has been around since the 1970s and 1980s, the concept of community policing is just now being implemented in areas such as New York City due to the recent increase in crime rates. Once community policing policies were implemented in 2013, the NYPD saw the major felony crime rate drop 5.3% across the city (Lortz). This is an indication that modifications in police policy, “to support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime”(Lortz) has led

24 to a decrease in violent crime and property crimes. Furthermore, with the increased use of community policing and strategies that promote community action, such as co-production and social media involvement, the gap between communities and the officers that serve them can be mended. America’s style of policing is questionable when it comes to the number of civilian deaths. Ta- Nehisi Coates states, “In America, we have decided that it is permissible, that it is wise, that it is moral for the police to de-escalate through killing.” Coates affirms that there are countless unjust criminal acts, such as the excessive number of murders that are being committed by the police officers that are sworn to protect and serve communities. Coates believes that police officers should not have the power to take lives. According to Coates, police officers should be held to the highest of standards. In addition, Coates’ logic is that “Criminals and random citizens are not paid to protect other citizens; police officers are. By that logic, one might surmise that the police would be better able to mediate conflicts than community members.” In order to do this, police must be trained to recognize the needs of the community. For example, Janet Cooksey believes she could have de-escalated the incident that left her 19-year-old autistic son dead. Coates explains that Quintonio LeGrier was shot and killed while wielding a baseball bat outside his father’s home. According to Coates, LeGrier was seen as a threat. In response, officers acted by shooting LeGrier seven times, and in doing this, they took the life of that young man and a nearby neighbor. Coates argues that these lives were taken due to the paranoid style of American policing. In closing, Ta- Nehisi Coates believes by killing innocent community citizens, police officers delegitimize themselves and what they stand for–to protect and serve. Multiple law enforcement offices have agreed to adopt a new form of policing called community policing, but in fact, these methods aren’t being used at the projected rate. In the TED Talk, “I Love Being a Police Officer, But We Need Reform,” Melvin Russell states that law enforcement is experiencing a huge crisis. Community policing entails that law enforcement policies should never have been “us vs. them,” (Russell) but rather, both parties should work as a unit. Russell suggests that intersections should be put in place, so officers could meet and get to know all classes, races, and creeds of the people who really make up their communities. Melvin Russell explains that the mantra across 25

our nation is to “protect and serve.” While most departments are extremely proficient at protecting their community, often they are lacking in the aspect of serving their communities. On the other hand, Russell believes that police departments must treat community members like “they’re our customers; like they’re our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers” (Russell). Then, communities will develop balance. Russell also mentions that members of the community have put too much responsibility on law enforcement. For instance, he explains that the police are called for issues such as kids playing basketball in the street, or the neighbors’ music being too loud. According to Russell, parental figures in communities should be tasked with handling simple matters, rather than calling in police officers to reprimand behaviors that are basic safety and neighborly courtesy issues. There are multiple strategies being put into place to make neighborhoods safer. Dr. Tracie Keesee introduces another solution to neighborhood crimes. She states that there is a better way to guarantee public safety, and this is called co-production. Co- production between the police force and the community means bringing police officers and people in the community together so new ideas and experiences can help produce a better way to solve problems and conflicts. For example, in New York City, a community communicated their concern about neighborhood speeding. Subsequently, the appointed Neighborhood Coordinating Officers (NCO) looked at solutions such as increasing speed bumps and signage to deter this civil violation. Keesee believes using this new method of co-production will create a new and more efficient type of public safety. Keesee also explains that along with co-production, officers must learn about implicit bias, which is an assumption or stereotype that influences decision making. According to Keesee, good tactics are being implemented into police training to prevent incorrect decisions made purely from biases. Furthermore, Dr. Keesee points out that the way officers are treated in the department might also impact how they treat or behave with others in the community. Keesee also introduces the concept that there are good and bad people in every community, and we must accept this. In closing, Dr. Keesee leaves her audience with three fundamental ideologies. First, she states there’s no more “us vs. them.” Second, she explains that we must move past bad history, and last, “We must acknowledge that no action is no longer acceptable” (Keese). 26 To fix the broken bond between law enforcement and the communities they serve, the concept of using social media to improve community involvement has been widely discussed and even put into place in certain areas. According to Kaveh Waddell, the Seattle Police Department is taking to social media by using an application called Nextdoor. Nextdoor allows community members to speak-out privately online about their concerns over nearby events, crime trends, and overall policing. According to Waddell, Nextdoor only allows public employees access to community pages such as the Seattle Police Department. Waddell states that only these permitted members of the public “can see replies to their posts, and message privately with individuals—but they can’t see the rest of the chatter on a community page or read private messages that users have sent to one another.” Furthermore, in doing this, Nextdoor protects the opinion of its users. In 2014, when cooperation between Nextdoor and the Seattle Police Department began, according to Waddell, community members expressed their concerns about police bias; consequently, to correct this, officers took to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr to release information regarding crimes, events, and the agency itself. These efforts highlight the department’s wishes to be more transparent. In closing, Waddell believes if the Seattle Police Department maintains their presence in the community, they will develop a new form of policing called “micro-community policing." This form of community policing uses local data provided by the public to make crime fighting more efficient. Therefore, it can build collaboration and trust between citizens and police. An aim to build collaboration may also result in a different attitude. Research shown in the article, “The University of Queensland Research Aims to Improve Police Legitimacy with Citizens” states that researchers at the University of Queensland developed and tested a text-script to see how the public would react to a more formal and friendly approach from police officers when it comes to common traffic stops. According to Lorraine Mazerolle, Sarah Bennett, and a well- established team, they affirmed that a falsified script can create and increase the public’s trust in police and law enforcement. The aim of this unique script was to “empower police in Australia to inspire mutual respect during street-level exchanges and help people understand the reasons for police actions” (“University of Queensland”). Mazerolle also finds that “Other states in Australia are using the

27 QCET script on more drivers during random breath tests, a trend that police officials say is reducing by half the number of alcohol-related accidents and saving an average of 96 lives per year across the country annually” (“University of Queensland”). Certainly, this proves that the QCET script has made a difference in the number of drunk driving related accidents. Mazerolle also mentions that “Police will say we’re here on the street because we want to make sure people can get home safely at night,” (“University of Queensland”) or “They’ll tell a person they’re not being singled out, but there have been complaints in the area about break-ins or other criminal activity. Or they’re pulling people over for traffic infringements because of traffic deaths in a certain area” (“University of Queensland”). Here, Mazerolle is saying that surrounding conditions may change the way local police approach certain road or legal violations in a particular area and explaining the situation to citizens will help build trust and understanding. In addition, Mazerollle also explains that even though the QCET principles were making a visible difference in communities, Mazerolle and her team were soon dismissed by departments on the claim that, “fair treatment was already a precept of police training” (“University of Queensland”). In closing, the QCET concepts, techniques, and scripts have been adopted by multiple organizations worldwide and are included on the U.S Department of Justice’s web page. In addition, a number of these tactics have been used by road police in Scotland and at airports in England as terrorist intervention tactics. To this day, the QCET script is being altered and modified by Mazerolle and her team to improve the tactics police use to deal with more uncommon police stops like those involving the autistic or mentally ill. Finally, although reforms have been implemented to prevent unlawful shootings, shootings continue to sweep the nation. For instance, Nathalie Baptiste argues that even though the Cincinnati Police Department has implemented positive reforms demanded by the Department of Justice, American Civil Liberties Union, Black United Front, and community leaders, Cincinnati continues to suffer from police shootings against black males and poor minorities. Baptiste expands upon this by explaining that although the Cincinnati Police was declared a model police agency by the United Attorney General

28 Loretta Lynch in 2015, this does not mean that Cincinnati is completely free of abusive police practices and the wrongful taking of Black lives. Despite reforms, “In 2014, police officers shot and killed three people--all black males. And in June of 2015, two blacks were killed by police in Cincinnati--the first two such deaths this year” (Baptiste). These reports are just one example of police shootings. In 2014, officers shot and killed 101 unarmed minorities, which reveals that reforms put into place weren’t making a change. In response to these shootings, riots and Black activist protests erupted in Cincinnati. As it became more and more transparent that the reforms set into place weren’t making changes, several local groups committed to reform. These leadership groups first took action by establishing the Citizen Complaint Authority (CCA), which “investigates serious interventions by police officers including, but not limited to discharging of firearms, deaths in custody, use of excessive force, improper pointing of firearms, improper search and seizures, and to resolve all citizen complaints in a fair and efficient manner” (Baptiste). In response, forming the CCA was a major step for the Cincinnati Police Department which strived to improve police-community relations and enforcement of new police procedures. Furthermore, Baptiste emphasizes how social media shed new light on police brutality and created much-needed data. In closing, Baptiste states that the Cincinnati Police Department is not what ideal policing should look like, but its reforms in community relations, new protocols and training, and goals in better transparency are a step in the right direction. Without doubt, police reform is a major civil and human right that needs to be addressed in this county. Community Policing has shown that there are equally efficient techniques that could be implemented to local police agencies to promote coproduction between communities and the neighborhoods that surround them. Along with new procedures, the development of a friendlier approach to policing helps officers responding to incidents diffuse the situation before applying force. In closing, research shows that community policing has positive results and should be used nationwide to help promote safer community settings.

29 Works Cited

Baptiste, Nathalie. “Urban Policing Without Brutality: Cincinnati has Emerged as a Role Model of Policing Reform--but Even the Best-in-Show has a Long Way to Go.” The American Prospect, Summer 2015, p. 62+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A422059873/ OVIC?u=mlin_s_capecc&sid=OVIC&xid=28466fe7. Accessed 6 Mar. 2019. Coates, Ta-Nehshi. “The Paranoid Style of American Policing” The Atlantic, 4 December 2015 www.theatlantic.com/politics/ archive/2015/12/illegitimacy-and-american-policing/422094/ Accessed 20 Feb. 2019. Keesee, Tracie. How Police and The Public Can Create Safer Neighborhoods Together.” TED, 16 Oct. 2018, www.ted.com/ talks/ tracie_keesee_how_police_and_the_public_can_create_ safer_neighborhoods_together/transcript. Accessed 10 Feb. 2019. Lortz, Mitch. “Community Policing: Lower the Crime Rate in Your Jurisdiction.” Everbridge, 21 Apr. 2017, www.everbridge. com/blog/community-policing-lower-the-crime-rate-in-your­ jurisdiction/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2019. Russell, Melvin. “I Love Being a Police Officer, but We Need Reform.” TED, 3 Feb. 2016, www.ted.com/talks/melvin_ russell_i_love_being_a_police_officer_but_we_need_reform/ transcript. Accessed 1 March. 2019. Waddell, Kaveh. “The Police Officer ‘Nextdoor” The Atlantic, 4 May 2016, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/05/ nextdoor-social-network police-Seattle/481164/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2019. “University of Queensland Research Aims to Improve Police Legitimacy with Citizens.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 25 Jan. 2019, p. A29. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A573714972/ OVIC?u=mlin_s_capecc&sid=OVIC&xid=6193a835. Accessed 21 Mar. 2019.

30 Joseph Thorpe ENL 206 A Raisin in the Sun Racism: Time and Place from a Witness’ Perspective A Memoir

A Raisin in the Sun Tensions around housing segregation and labor inequality were at a violent breaking point in Chicago’s South Side in the late 1950s. Loraine Hansberry’s seminal domestic drama A Raisin in the Sun, a play based roughly on her own life experience, spotlighted this injustice (Nowrouzi et al. 2269). Various versions of the play exist. The edition discussed here was published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc in London (2018). Hansberry unfolds the story of the Younger family, several generations of African- Americans spanning from the matriarch, Mama Lena Younger; her son Walter and his wife Ruth; youngest sibling, Beneatha Younger; and Walter and Ruth’s son,Travis. The plot takes the poverty- stricken Youngers from a squalid kitchenette apartment through their transition to a new home in a white neighborhood that aims to keep African-Americans out by way of a housing covenant. Themes of assimilation and identity, aspirations, love, family, faith, and dreams between the characters create a broader context of the internal struggle for the definition and acceptable means of freedom of the African-American community.

As Metaphor The members of the Younger family have a representation beyond their lineage within the family unit. Mama Younger is symbolic of the African-American’s Southern struggle of racism and perseverance. Mama has carried the experiences of the African-American north, during the Great Migration, attempting to instill values of Southern African-American culture in this northern community. Walter and Ruth’s characters suggest the struggle of the first generation of Southern Blacks born in the North to compete in a system where white American modes for achievement dominate the means for success and fulfillment of one’s dreams for themselves. This conflict leads to both a challenge between Walter’s northern cultural perspective and Mama’s southern values causing Walter internal grief at his failure to amount to manhood within a system that denies African-Americans upward mobility.

31 Beneatha, whose connection to her Southern Black heritage is challenged and expanded by her education, is determined to rise above the complacency she sees in her family and the African­ American’s role as servants in society. She is defiant of her place in her culture and the racist oppression of white America’s limitations for African Americans. Travis Younger embodies the hope and future of Black Americans and is the reason for his parent’s despair at their present situation (Nowrouzi et al. 2269). Historical Context The play is both a metaphor for the struggles of an internal shifting of African-American identity and a redress of grievances—a complaint to society about the abysmal conditions for Blacks’ circumstances in Chicago’s South Side. The outcome of A Raisin in the Sun has the Younger family defying the segregated housing divide and epitomizing a rising slogan of the Civil Rights Movement, “We Shall Overcome.” The racism of Mama’s Southern roots was overt and lawful. Slavery, lynching, Antebellum sharecropping, and Jim Crow laws that had oppressed African-Americans since their captive arrival in America had spurred the flight of scores of African Americans north. These African-Americans experienced life and death ultimatums and, coming to a land of new promise, held fast their caution of white society while clinging to the attitudes that had kept them alive this long (Murray). In the North, new methods of racism were propagated by more subtle laws and practices such as redlining— racial discrimination in financial practices of banks and other institutions—and housing segregation, like new Mason Dixon lines, maintained by covenants of white homeowner associations (Murray). Both designed to repress the opportunities for African- Americans to achieve higher standards of living. Chicago had a history of race riots during the time Hansberry lived there. African- Americans attempting to secure housing outside of the black ghetto were met with angry mobs and were victims of bombings (Race Riots). Wherever racism existed (and still exists) it is always underscored by violence which causes exceedingly cautionary practices within African-American communities in terms of manners and behaviors when interacting with whites and authority (Davis). Critical Analysis To show how Hansberry brings about the analogy of the Younger family as representations for the African-American’s complex struggle for success, analysis of the character’s dialogue,

32 the symbolism of the house plant, and a gardening hat gifted to Mama from grandson Travis will bring light to the overarching motifs of race and transition in the play. A Raisin in the Sun opens early morning with the family ritually rising and preparing for the day. The Younger’s South Side Chicago apartment is described as cramped and worn. Already too small for the extended family of five, the Youngers share a bathroom with another family. Poverty is the theme that serves as the backdrop for the play. Several things are determined in this scene. The reader learns of the short financial ends of the family and that bus fare and nutritious food are deficient commodities. Walter and Ruth Younger, married and in their thirties, have a hostile relationship, but still stand on a foundation of commitment and love. The Younger sister, Beneatha, is a collegiate undergrad with ambitions of becoming a doctor. The driving plot point comes when revealing that a significant sum of money is soon to be paid to the Youngers. The check is for the life insurance settlement of the, assumedly, recently deceased Father Younger. This money will alter the family’s circumstances forever, the conflict being how? While all agree the money belongs to Mama Younger, both Walter and Beneatha have aspirations, and they see the money as their currency to achieve. Beneatha’s wish to fund her schooling is agreeable to all, but Walter, whose life is stagnant working as a chauffeur, is scheming to invest the money in a liquor store with two other unknown men. Walter is on a mission to improve his standard of living given the means he sees available to him. Even though Walter has no training in business, he views this opportunity in entrepreneurship to provide the material things in life to his son and his wife, telling Mama he, “want[s] so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy…” (Hansberry 53; Nowrouzi et al. 2269). Walter intends to achieve his success by earning money through the kind of business with which he sees white people operating, accepting the American dream on its surface (Weales). Walter aspires to be like, “them white boys…turning deals” (54). In a moment of hope, Walter, addressing young Travis, shares about the future he has planned for them, and, in turn, he is speaking to the new African-American generation of the North, “You wouldn’t understand yet, son, but your daddy’s gonna make a transaction…a business transaction that’s going to change our lives” (83). Walter asserts his belief in his liquor store venture as being the only viable means of getting ahead and rejects his

33 family’s notions. Here again, Walter represents the lack of vision the African-American community sees for itself, saying, “[t]he world’s most backward race of people, and that’s a fact” (22). In response to Mama’s assertion that having freedom is the only success the African-American community needs, Walter says, “… it was always money Mama. We just didn’t know about it” (54). Walter moves ahead with his business scheme despite his family’s protestations. Beneatha and Ruth disapprove of Walter’s idea, adding to the tension. The three have just finished arguing over this when Mama Younger enters, reprimanding them for making such noise early in the morning. Here the author introduces the symbol of a, “…feeble little plant…” (23). Mama Younger’s first act upon rising from sleep is to assess the plant’s health and environment. Her dialogue about the plant is sandwiched between addressing her children and Ruth, “My children and they tempers. Lord, if this little old plant don’t get more sun than it’s been getting it ain’t never going to see spring again. (She turns from the window) What’s the matter with you this morning, Ruth? You looks right peaked” (23). Mama’s care for the plant is the reader’s first glimpse of the metaphor for the plant as a symbol for its significance to the condition of the family. When the lens pulls back, Mama’s care for the plant, a metaphor for the immediate and prospective conditions of her family, also serves to describe the fearful conditions of the African- American community. Mama tends to her children as she is part of the roots of an African-American heritage qualified by dignity and strength. Mama personifies the soil and roots that have managed to persevere through turmoil and now provide sustenance to the growth of a new generation she sees in need of her guidance. Mama’s Southern ethic of the African-American plight--that freedom and survival of the race are what determines success-­ provide the context for the drama, while her children provide the action in their determination for new ideas and possibilities of achievement for the African-American race (Murray). With Walter gone to work and Travis at school, that leaves the three women, Mama, Ruth, and Beneatha in the scene. When Beneatha enters, several conflicts occur between her and Mama. They argue over Beneatha’s expensive habit of acquiring and abandoning hobbies; the qualities of a proper suitor for Beneatha; and, at what becomes a new theme, Beneatha’s atheist protest under Mama’s Christian roof. The disputes fold into the next

34 reference to the ailing house plant. Mama confides to Ruth, after Beneatha leaves for school, that there is a rift between her and her children, the cause of which she does not understand. Ruth suggests the children are merely “strong-willed.” Hansberry writes Mama’s retort, “(Looking at her plant and sprinkling a little water on it) ‘They spirited all right, my children. Got to admit they got spirit Bennie and Walter. Like this little old plant that ain’t never had enough sunshine or nothing and look at it...’” (35). The author replies first in the stage direction where Mama sprinkles water onto the plant, a metaphor for the care she provides for the family, and Mama replies with the comparison as earlier, likening the plant to the children. The sunshine is an allusion to some component essential to well-being that her children are not receiving. The plant here is a symbol for Mama’s aspiration that her family becomes well again. Mama’s gentle care for the plant expands the motif of Mama as the matriarch of African-American culture from the South tending well to the children of the new northern frontier. These children are not receiving, or rather are being denied, the components necessary for the opportunity of economic mobility— the needs they require to achieve the quality of living they see their white counterparts acquiring with the ease of privilege; like that of a structure that constructs itself almost out of thin air providing them with support. The children do not yet see that the inaccessibility for aspirations along those lines is the cause of their suffering. Mama, whose hopes are straightforward, only sees a need for survival, not understanding why the children are branching off in directions she cannot understand. Hansberry represents this in Mama’s dialogue saying, “In my time we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if we could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too... Now here come you and Beneatha... You ain’t satisfied or proud of nothing we done” (54; Murray). Since the introduction of the symbolic house plant, Mama has given a share of the insurance money to Walter and has bought a new house for the family to live. The Youngers are overjoyed at what Mama has done until Mama reveals the house is in a neighborhood on the other side of the segregation line, where it has been implied several times that African-Americans crossing this boundary have been victims of bombings. Despite this, the family seems to choose to ignore the danger and move in anyway. When an unexpected visitor arrives seeking Mama, she is not

35 home, Walter stands in her place to discover the nature of the man’s business. He is Mr. Lindner, who represents the housing association of the white neighborhood where the family is set to move. Lindner informs the Youngers that the neighborhood is offering to buy them out the cost of the house. He is polite in telling the Youngers they are not welcome in the white neighborhood. Walter refuses the offer and sends Lindner away. Despite the face of racism having announced itself in the Younger home, the family’s attitude is one of pride, standing together in refusal of its attempt to bribe them of their dream, and a jovial atmosphere pervades. The Youngers celebrate Mama’s purchase of the new house and award Mama with gifts. Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha collectively present Mama with a set of gardening tools, a step closer to fulfilling Mama’s dreams of starting her home garden at the new house. The card attached, written by Ruth, contains an allusion to the character Mrs. Miniver, a movie character from the film of the same name, who faces the blitzkrieg of the Nazis in England during the 1940s with the same strength and fortitude with which Mama has endured through her experiences with racism in the South. Travis Younger gifts Mama a comically “ludacris and considerably oversized” gardening hat. The hat carries with it Southern connotations, and the rest of the family mocks it as more Scarlet O’Hara than Mrs. Miniver. Mama stifles their jests and praises the gift for the sake of her grandson’s pride (96). After Lindner’s visit, the gardening tools can be interpreted to represent breaking new ground, not only for the Younger family, but for the advancement of the African-American community, despite the direct presence of white Americans' attempts to forestall their strides. The hat itself and the allusion to O’Hara carry with it a disgraceful Southern connotation of slavery, cotton-picking, and African-American apathy in the old South order. Mama rejects these notions and, wearing the hat with pride, she again displays an acceptance of her Southern roots, not of stigma or shame, but as a source of strength and pride in African-American culture and as perseverance against all the odds (Murray). In the next moments, the climax of the story begins to rise. One of Walter’s friends and partner in his liquor store venture arrives and informs him that the third man involved has taken the money and skipped town. The family is devastated by this, and Walter is blamed for having lost such significant a resource. In the next hour, Walter’s mood has soured to the state of the world, and 36 he calls Lindner back, planning to accept his offer. However, when Lindner returns, Walter has a change of heart remembering his proud heritage, and he again sends Lindner away. The Younger family swells with great exuberance over Walter’s actions and rejoices as they prepare to leave the tiny kitchenette apartment for good. In the denouement of the play, the Younger family’s possessions have been carried out. Mama takes a moment alone collecting the room in her eyes. Overwhelmed, Mama exits, and in the stage direction, “The lights dim down. The door opens, and she comes back in, grabs her plant, and goes out for the last time” (120). Conclusion Mama’s last act, like her first, uses the symbolism of the plant she has carried through hard times to represent her chilren. The plant represents the self-fulfillment of her aspirations. In the end, Hansberry reconciles the Younger family and the African- American community of their differences in determining what constitutes success for them. Family unity and remembering the roots of their culture has brought them to a place of new horizons where they can flourish from feeble plant to a garden of prosperity, always in the face of the threat of violent oppression, while invoking the sentiment, We shall overcome.

Works Cited

Davis, Ronald L. F. “Racial Etiquette: The Racial Customs and Rules of Racial Behaviour in Jim Crow America.” California State University, Northridge, files.nc.gov/dncr­ moh/jim%20crow%20etiquette.pdf. Accessed 14 May 2019. Hansberry, Lorraine. A Raisin in the Sun. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2018. Murray, William. “The Roof of a Southern Home: A Reimagined and Usable South in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun.” The Mississippi Quarterly, vol. 68, no. 1-2, 2015, p. 277+. Literature Resource Center, link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A503310039/GLS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GLS&xid=bf3de9ed. Accessed 6 May 2019. Nowrouzi, Tayebeh, et al. “In Search of Equality: A Dream

37 Deferred for African Americans in A Raisin in the Sun.” Theory and Practice in Language Studies, vol. 5, no. 11, 2015, p. 2269+. Literature Resource Center, link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A446637382/GLS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GLS&xid=82183f14. Accessed 6 May 2019. “Race Riots.” Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2005, http://www. encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/1032.html. Accessed 14 May 2019. Weales, Gerald. “Thoughts on A Raisin in the Sun.” Drama for Students, edited by David M. Galens and Lynn M. Spampinato, vol. 2, Gale, 1998, Literature Resource Center, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1420014252/GLS?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=GLS&xid=78c99f8c. Accessed 6 May 2019.

Amber Tubbs ENL101 Domestic Violence

Salma Hayek, a Mexican American actress, producer, and model once said, “If you give me any problem in America, I can trace it down to domestic violence. It is the cradle of most of the problems, economic, psychological, and educational.” Hayek stresses that domestic violence is much more common than people think and is the root of many problems. Sadly, domestic violence is happening so often that it tends to go unnoticed. People sometimes assume domestic violence specifically refers to a man physically abusing a woman; however, this is not always the case. Domestic violence is any kind of abuse caused by one person against another within a relationship. Domestic violence is a sensitive topic that affects all people; it needs to be addressed because it is difficult for the victims to escape, it can cause issues with people’s careers and financial well-being, and the issue is often unrecognized. Domestic violence is an issue that needs to be addressed. Physical, emotional, sexual, and economic abuse is often used to control a partner in a relationship (“Abuse Hurts”). This is very upsetting because the goal of a relationship is to be loved by your partner, not abused by them. Over 1.3 million women are physically abused each year in the United States, according to

38 The Center for Disease Control, which means that one in three women are physically abused by a partner at some point in their lives (“Abuse Hurts”). Although every domestic violence case is different, all abusers use similar ways to keep power and control over their victims (“Abuse Hurts”). Domestic violence is said to develop in patterns and will get worse as more time goes by (“Abuse Hurts”). Abusers tend to be easy going in the beginning of the relationship but as time passes, their behavior gets worse. Victims and abusers of domestic violence can be anyone, of any age, sex, or race. Domestic violence allows the abusers to gain control over their partners. Domestic violence is illegal and violates the right to a happy, healthy, and safe relationship, but many think this kind of behavior is normal. When it comes to domestic violence, it is difficult for the victim to realize that they are being abused and very tough to build up enough strength to completely remove themselves from the relationship. In the TED talk, “Why Domestic Violence Victims Don’t Leave,” Leslie Morgan Steiner talks about domestic violence, her experience as a victim, and why the victims do not leave. Steiner discusses that millions of women, and some men, fall into this “psychological trap disguised as love” every year. She claims that victims of domestic violence can be anyone and explains that it is not only a women’s issue. In fact, over 15 percent of abusers are women. Steiner points out that women ages 16 to 24 are three times more likely to be domestic violence victims as women of other ages and states that in the United States, 500 women and girls of this age are killed every year by their abuser. Steiner states, “Domestic abuse happens only in intimate, interdependent, long term relationships, in other words, in families, the last place we would want or expect to find violence.” This leaves people confused because when people think about families, they think of things like feeling safe, loved, comforted, and committed. Steiner explains domestic violence in stages, with the first stage being to seduce and charm the victim. The second step in domestic violence is to isolate the victim. Next, is to introduce the threat of violence and see how the victim reacts. Finally, she claims, the last stage is to kill the victim. Although victims of domestic violence hurt emotionally, mentally, and physically, research shows that it can actually hurt the victims’ careers too. Ashley Fetters uses several examples of well-known people and their relationships. One example she uses is Robin Givens, who publicly admitted she was scared of her

39 ex-husband Mike Tyson. In the months following their divorce, Fetters states that Givens was thought of as a gold digger and was even called the most hated woman in America. Fetters insists that not only was Tyson given a bad reputation, Givens was as well. According to Fetters, Chuck Finley divorced his wife Tawny Kitaen and retired from baseball the same year Kitaen was arrested for attacking him. Fetters believes that Finley’s retirement had to do with his and Kitaen’s troubled relationship, and because of it, Finley was taken away from something he loved and suffered financially. When it comes to domestic violence, financial abuse is difficult to identify, but research explains how money is used to trap victims. Financial abuse can first appear as a considerate offer to take care of the bills but, eventually, will escalate to a point where the abuser has full control of all bank accounts, credit cards, and paychecks (“How Money”). This means that if the victim does try to escape in a situation like this, there may be nowhere for them to go or no one for them to even turn to for help without access to any money. Financial abusers may even take it as far as ruining their victim’s credit scores by taking out loans, or even cost them their job by harassing them at work (“How Money”). The abuser’s goal is to make the victim depend on the abusers whenever money is needed. Victims feel and believe they are trapped when is gets to a point where they have no control of any finances. Because money plays such a large role in domestic violence situations, people believe that paid leave from work can help victims leave their abusers. According to Caroline Kitchener, about sixty percent of domestic violence victims lose their jobs as a result of their abuse whether it be their abuser harassing them at work, keeping them up all night to purposely make their work day exhausting, or tampering with child care plans. In other words, Kitchener believes that the abusers point for doing this is to mess the victim’s life up and to make them dependent on the abuser. Kitchener reports that ninety-four percent of domestic violence victims experience some kind of financial abuse in their relationship. Abusers will withhold money from victims or may restrict access to their bank accounts (Kitchener). Kitchener is confirming that if the victim wants to leave, they will not be able to afford a place without access to any money. The point here is to again make the victim dependent on the abuser for money. Kitchener believes that having access to money is important in order for the victims to leave their abusers. Domestic violence against men is very common but tends

40 to be ignored because people assume that the male is always the abuser and the female is always the victim. Men are less likely to admit to or report domestic violence incidents because they either feel embarrassed, they are scared, or because they lack support services (Barber). Men like to be viewed as masculine. Men are generally bigger and stronger than women, so they feel if they were to report an incident, authorities will not believe them. According to Barber, men abuse their female partner every fifteen seconds and women abuse their male partners every fourteen point six seconds in the United States. The fact that males are just as likely to be victims of domestic violence is being ignored. People need to change their perspective about the genders in abusive relationships and look at this issue more equitably. Domestic abuse is surprisingly common across genders and the question remains–What makes someone become an abusive partner? According to the article, “What Makes People Choose to Abuse?” when abusers were asked about their childhood, most mentioned witnessing or experiencing some kind of violence in their own homes. The writer of this article points out that children who witnessed domestic violence in their own home were three times more likely to commit domestic violence as adults (“What Makes”). How people think of violence, how violence is aimed at women, and how women are objectified are factors that may contribute to someone being a domestic violence abuser (“What Makes”). Very often, the television people watch and the music they listen to normalizes sexual abuse without people even realizing (“What Makes”). In low-income communities where stress levels are high, there are more domestic violence acts (“What Makes”). It is devastating because people who choose to abuse are no more likely to suffer from a mental illness or drug addiction than those who do not abuse (“What Makes”). Even though the choice to abuse is not easily explained, someone who wants to stop abusing will take necessary steps to do so. Someone who does not take their abusive acts seriously or refuses to see it as a problem will most likely abuse again. Understanding what domestic violence is, having an idea of why the victims do not leave, being aware of the financial issues and career problems it can cause, knowing that men can be victims too, and being familiar with the things that make someone abusive are all essential in order to stay out of abusive relationships. The government needs to become more involved because falling into the trap of domestic violence is a serious issue that can ruin 41 people’s lives or even result in people’s lives being taken. If you are in an abusive relationship or know someone who is in one, just know that you’re not alone. There are resources out there to help get people out of abusive relationships, but people need to realize the first step is to reach out. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1 (800) 799-7233 if you need advice or need to seek help.

Works Cited

“Abuse Hurts.” University of Michigan, 2009, stopabuse.umich. edu/about/understanding.html. Accessed 26 Feb. 2019. Barber, Christopher F. “Domestic Violence Against Men.” Nursing Standard, vol. 22, no. 51, 2008, p. 35+. Academic OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A184744832/ GPS?u=mlin_s_capecc&sid=GPS&xid=facc9e71. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019. Fetters, Ashley. “Domestic Violence Can Hurt Victims’ Careers, Too.” The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2012, www.theatlantic.com/sexes/ archive/2012/12/domestic-violence-can-hurt-victims-careers­ too/265861/. “How Money Traps Victims of Domestic Violence.” The Atlantic, 2019, www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/allstate/how-money­ traps-victims-of-domestic-violence/750/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019. Kitchener, Caroline. “Paid Leave from Work Can Help Domestic- Violence Victims Leave Abusers.” The Atlantic, 4 Aug. 2018, www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/08/paid­ leave-from-work-can-help-domestic-violence-victims-leave­ abusers/566807/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019. “What Makes People Choose to Abuse.” Domestic Shelters, 10 Sept. 2014, www.domesticshelters.org/articles/domestic­ violence/what-makes-people-choose-to-abuse. Accessed 21 Mar. 2019.

42 Patrick Grant ENL101 Causes and Effects of the NFL’s Concussion Crisis

A pro football running back took the handoff from his quarterback, dodged a couple of tacklers, and then suffered a hard blow to his head by a linebacker. His helmet provided some protection against the force of the hit, but he was slow to get up, and the announcer stated that he may have to come out of the game. These hits are a recurring fact and widespread issue in the National Football League because direct hits to the head are causing traumatic brain injuries and players are failing to report injuries, putting them in harm’s way. The consequences to these occurrences result in devastating and crippling effects later in life, including the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE for short. Hits to the head in football can cause concussions, a type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions occur when the brain violently shifts from the front to the back of the head. This movement causes the brain to hit the skull multiple times (Giles). Concussions can sometimes result in a loss of consciousness (“Concussion”). Recovering from a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion can take weeks or months, depending on the individual (“Concussion”). The National Football League (NFL) concussion statistics have been on the rise since the league began taking data in 2012 (Seifert). Concussions are a significant part of the risk that a player takes when choosing a career in the National Football League. Unfortunately, NFL players often stay on the field and continue to play after a hit to the head (Kilgore “After”). Players’ failure to report concussions stem from several factors (Jenkins). NFL players are concerned about reporting their injuries for fear of blemishes on their NFL record (Jenkins). They wonder how those reports will affect their careers in the NFL and whether or not they will lose contracts or financial negotiations by reporting head injuries (Jenkins). In 2017, Gisele Bündchen did an interview on “CBS This Morning” stating that her husband, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, had sustained several concussions (Jenkins). Following that statement, the NFL looked into Brady’s records and discovered that he had no reported concussions and had not been diagnosed with one during his career (Jenkins). Calvin

43 Johnson, a former receiver for the Detroit Lions, has been quoted that he sustained multiple concussions over his career, saying, “I know I’ve got a job to do. The team needs me out there on the field” (Jenkins). Once it is determined that a player has sustained a concussion, they must be taken out of a game. The response made by Johnson that “the team needs me out there on the field” is a typical statement because of NFL players’ egos (Jenkins). A similar statement was made by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who stated, “I’m too important to come off the field”(Jenkins). A study by the University of North Carolina surveyed retired NFL players and found that over 50% of them did not report a concussion they suffered during their career to their medical staff (McMahan). The lack of admission also stems from the fear of financial losses that they may endure from not playing (Jenkins). Another study found that players who had a concussion made $300,000 less and had a shorter career (McMahan). The league needs to further examine and inspect players closely after traumatic hits so their players health and welfare are protected. Players have suffered multiple hits to the head resulting in many with this detrimental, degenerative brain disease. Unfortunately, CTE is only able to be diagnosed once a player has died (“Frequently Asked Questions”). A number of former players demonstrated many signs of brain trauma in the years following their retirement (“Frequently Asked Questions”). Some of the most common effects these players showed were memory loss, suicidal thoughts, aggression, and the onset of dementia (“Frequently Asked Questions”). Several notable players whose brains were donated to science and found to have CTE were Steelers center Mike Webster, Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, and Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez (Natale). In the case of Hernandez, who was only 27 years old when he committed suicide in 2017, his brain was found to have the most severe case of CTE in his age group (Kilgore “Aaron”). He was found to have Stage 3 CTE, which is usually never seen in someone under 46 years old (Kilgore “Aaron”). These players are just a small example of the larger crisis of CTE in the NFL. Reoccurring hits to the head with players suffering multiple concussions, as well as players lack of self reporting of concussion, result in too many players with a diagnosis of CTE. These factors should be scrutinized by the National Football League and the necessary steps taken by the NFL to ensure

44 player safety.

Works Cited

“Concussion : Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments.” Healthline, www.healthline.com/health/concussion. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. “Frequently Asked Questions about CTE.” Boston University, www.bu.edu/cte/about/frequently-asked-questions/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. Giles, Matt. “What Happens To A Football Player’s Brain During A Concussion?” Popular Science, 5 Feb. 2016, www. popsci.com/what-happens-to-football-players-brain-during­ concussion. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. Jenkins, Sally. “Commentary : NFL players drop the ball on concussions.” Portland Press Herald, 24 May 2017, www. pressherald.com/2017/05/24/commentary-nfl-players-drop­ the-ball-on-concussions/. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019. Kilgore, Adam. “Aaron Hernandez suffered from most severe CTE ever found in a person his age.” The Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2017. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/aaron-hernandez­ suffered-from-most-severe-cte-ever-found-in-a-person-his­ age/2017/11/09/fa7cd204-c57b-11e7-afe9-4f60b5a6c4a0_ story.html. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. Kilgore, Adam. “After a bad week, the NFL’s concussion protocol comes under scrutiny once again.” The Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2017. www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/ wp/2017/11/16/after-a-bad-week-the-nfls-concussion­ protocol-comes-under-scrutiny-once-again/?utm_ term=.64d2cb6347fc. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. McMahan, Ian. “Why the future of the NFL may rely on fixing the concussion protocol.” The Guardian, 2 Jan. 2018, www. theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/jan/02/nfl-concussion­ protocol-fixing-tom-savage. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. Natale, Nicol. “5 NFL Athletes Who Had CTE.” Everyday Health, www.everydayhealth.com/concussion/symptoms/nfl-athletes­ who-cte/. Accessed 22 Mar. 2019. Seifert, Kevin. “NFL concussions continue to rise.” ESPN, 26 Jan. 2018, www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22226487/nfl­ concussions-rise-highest-level-league-began-sharing-data. Accessed 31 Mar. 2019.

45 Zhivka Yancheva ENL101 Adult Obesity in the United States

Nowadays, obesity has become one of the most serious problems in the United States. The percentage of people who are obese is rising every day. The latest federal data shows that obesity levels within American adults increased 6% from 2008 to 2016 (“Adult Obesity”). The United States tends to have higher obesity rates due to two main reasons: increased caloric intake and decreased physical activity. Obesity has become a serious health problem, even more serious than the opioid epidemic (“Adult Obesity”). One of the solutions to the problem of obesity is instituting school health programs, which have been effective in other countries and are supported by research. Obesity has reached an epidemic size in the United States, so healthy habits need to be taught at an early age through school programs. Currently, more than 65% of Americans are overweight or obese (“Adult Obesity”). The United States government should create a strict health program at schools in all states. Governments are encouraged to accept policies that support healthy diets at school and limit the chance of getting food full of sugar, salt, and fats. The school programs will help educate children about good health habits to prevent the future risk of obesity. Children spend most of their time at school, which means that schools have a rich opportunity to improve healthy behaviors of students and decrease the percentage of obesity in the future (“School Obesity”). Educating students about healthy living based on physical activity and healthy nutrition programs is the way to solve the problem. Schools should concentrate on getting students involved in regular physical activity, include only healthy food offerings at the cafeteria, and eliminate marketing of unhealthy food (“The Current State"). A focus on physical activity and healthy eating at schools will decrease obesity in the future when the children become adults. Japanese schools are a great example of how school health programs can be an effective way to fight obesity. According to a 2006 study from the University of Minnesota, Japan has an obesity rate of less than 4 percent. The statistics show that the calorie intake in Japan is 200 calories less than in the United States (“6 Things”). Japan has a high success rate in keeping children healthy. The decision to give healthy lunches at school helped them to decrease the obesity rates in the country. The lunches include

46 only fresh, organic ingredients and are mostly made up of rice, vegetables, soup, and fish (Fisher). The reason that the program is successful is also the low prices of healthy food at school. Additionally, Japanese schools don’t give students the freedom to choose (Fisher). The students get identical meals, and their schools have no vending machines. In most of the schools, students are not allowed to bring their own food until they reach high school (Fisher). Japan demonstrates that healthy schools can create healthy citizens. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every school should support programs that promote healthy diets and an adequate physical activity level ("School Policy"). The WHO names obesity as a serious current public health challenge that should be addressed in childhood by schools. The “School Policy Framework” recommends a program that contains daily physical education and nutrition classes. Their research shows that a program based on analyzing the status of the students, their activity level, knowledge and food consumption, and creating a nutritional standard for healthy food at school, which should include locally produced fresh vegetables, fruits, whole cereals, rice and fish, is an effective way to prevent obesity (“School Policy Framework”). Despite the evidence that the school health program will work, the possible objection is that after children grow and leave school, they can change their habits. Nowadays, life is becoming faster and people are choosing fast food instead of spending time cooking their own meals at home. However, recent evidence shows that school health programs have a positive effect on an adult’s health status. The health habits that are learned at school have a lasting result on the people in the future (“Effectiveness of School-Based”). Another solution to the problem of obesity can be lowering the price of healthy food. According to federal dietary guidelines, Americans eat more snacks such as chips and cookies, instead of choosing vegetables or fruits, because of the higher prices of healthy food. Therefore, subsidizing agriculture will make the price of healthy food cheaper and more accessible to everyone (Sturm and Yach). However, people’s unhealthy eating habits will not change enough to fight obesity even if the price of healthy food decreases. It’s difficult to change people’s daily routines, especially once they are already adults. That’s why teaching at school about the positive effects of healthy nutrition and physical

47 activity will be the key to a healthy society. Obesity has become a serious problem for everyone and instituting school programs is the best way to create a healthy society. Japanese schools demonstrate how effectively healthy schools can change behavior, and the World Health Organization urges schools to educate students as a way to solve obesity. It is important to look at a solution to the problem of obesity since the rates are continuing to rise. Unfortunately, everyone is at risk of becoming obese, which makes everyone responsible for finding the best way to succeed in fighting this disease. Health education programs at schools are the best way to fight adult obesity in the United States.

Works Cited

“Adult Obesity in the United States.” State Of Obesity, 1 Feb. 2018, www.stateofobesity.org/adult-obesity/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2019. “The Current State of Obesity Solutions in the United States— Workshop in Brief.” National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine, 7 Jan. 2014, nationalacademies.org/ hmd/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/Obesity­ Roundtable/Workshop-in-Brief/CurrentObesitySolutions. pdf?la=en. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019. “Effectiveness of School-Based Intervention Programs in Reducing Prevalence of Overweight.” National Council for Biotechnology Information, Apr. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067935/. Accessed 30 Apr. 2019. Fisher, Max. “How Japan’s revolutionary school lunches helped slow the rise of child obesity.” Washington Post, 28 Jan. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/ wp/2013/01/28/how-japans-revolutionary-school-lunches­ helped-slow-the-rise-of-child-obesity/?noredirect=on&utm_ term=.87f0e677113b. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019. “School Obesity Prevention Recommendations: Complete List.” Harvard School of Public Health, www.hsph.harvard.edu/ obesity-prevention-source/obesity-prevention/schools/ school-obesity-prevention-recommendations-read-and-print/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019. “School Policy Framework.” World Health Organization, www. who.int/dietphysicalactivity/SPF-en-2008.pdf. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019.

48 “6 Things We Can Learn from Other Countries About Obesity.” Healthline, www.healthline.com/health-news/5-things-we­ can-learn-from-other-countries-about-obesity#1.-Consume­ fewer-calories. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019. Sturm, Roland, and Derek Yach. “Eating Better For Less.” Modern Healthcare, 25 May 2015, www.modernhealthcare.com/ article/20130525/MAGAZINE/305259951/eating-better-for­ less. Accessed 22 Apr. 2019.

Brianna Kauranen ENL102 Colorblindness in the Age of Diversity: The Effects of Denying Racial Privilege The Civil Rights Movement took place in the 1950s and 1960s to end legalized racial segregation, disenfranchisement, and discrimination. Despite this movement’s success, people of the United States continue to live in a racially energized atmosphere, where tensions run high. Most people of color agree that they live in a racist society that is undetected by their white neighbors. In 2018, the President, the face of the country, is the self-proclaimed, “least racist person” (qtd. in Leonhardt), but is idealized and supported by white-supremacists for helping to create an atmosphere where they feel their beliefs are welcome. This is, to say the least, disconcerting, but a good example of how racism operates in modern U.S. society. The sad reality is that racial inequality toward people of color thrives in a system of covert racism in the form of colorblindness that tends to privilege whites and disadvantage non-whites. Covert racism runs rampant in modern politics as anti-minority rhetoric that encourages inherently racist, nativist ideals, perpetuating the existence of negative stereotypes and every-day discriminatory practices resulting in disproportionate rates of criminal conviction and incarceration. Racism is defined as “the unequal power relations that grow from the sociopolitical domination of one race by another and that result in systematic discriminatory practices (for example, segregation, domination, and persecution)” (Ugorji). Many are quick to argue that systematic discriminatory practices no longer take place today, as they were eradicated following the success of the Civil Rights Movement, banning practices like racial segregation and overt discrimination. Why then, are tensions in race relations so high in the U.S. today if the Civil Rights

49 Movement was truly successful in abolishing racial discrimination? While it is true that the Civil Rights Movement was instrumental in ending overt structural racism, open discrimination and segregation, racism itself was not abolished (Urgoji). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not successfully eliminate racism, but changed its form, shifting “from overt structural racism to its covert form—encrypted racism” (Urgoji). As Basil Ugorji, author of “Black Lives Matter: Decrypting Encrypted Racism,” writes: The engine (or ideology) that inspired and catalyzed racism was transferred from the state and inscribed into the minds, heads, eyes, ears, and hands of some individual European (white) people. By informal, accumulated cultural heritage, and in practice, racism metamorphosed from its structural principles to an encrypted form; from the oversight of the state to the jurisdiction of the individual; from its overt and obvious nature to a more concealed, obscure, hidden, secrete, invisible, masked, veiled, and disguised forms. This was the birth of encrypted racism in the United States of America against which the Black Lives Matter movement is militating, protesting, and fighting in the twenty- first century. The laws that were in place from the Colonial Era of the United States all the way through the Reconstruction fundamentally changed the way white people viewed and treated people of color. Even though the overt, structural practice of racism was dismantled in the 1960s, the individuals familiar with its structure covertly continue to carry it out. This is partially due to the perpetuation of their privilege, which many are blind to. In the twenty-first century in the United States, white people are blind to the reality of the structural racism that they themselves perpetuate, due partially to the blindness of their privilege and a lack of appreciation for the history that awarded it to them. However, in her article “Marginality and Mattering: Black Student Leaders’ Perceptions of Public and Private Racial Regard,” Veronica Jones writes, “Most Black people are conscious that we live in a racist and white supremacist society. That is a basic state of awareness almost all Black people hold.” Yet, the privilege of being born white goes appallingly unnoticed. As an agent of advantage and immunity, having only

50 benefited from the color of their skin, white people are alarmingly unaware of the systemic discriminatory practices that take place against people of color every day. Having never witnessed overt discrimination or been a victim to it, they are confused when confronted with the fact that they live in a severely racist society. After all, how could we live in a racist country if we served under a Black president for eight years? How could we be racist if we have systems in place, such as affirmative action, to balance potential discrimination and makeup for our history? This way of thinking is called black exceptionalism, and it is what our current system of power relies on (Alexander). Exceptionalism is, by design, misleading. It is evocative of a common debate tactic used by President Trump and his right- wing advocates: What-About-ism. It misguides the argument, and is misrepresentative of the facts that matter. While it is true that the United States elected, and then re-elected, a Black president, people seem to forget the severe backlash he received, based solely on his race, throughout both terms. Although Affirmative Action was put into place to combat racial discrimination, it has not solved racism, or made up for the systemic, institutionalized, socio- structural disadvantages that minorities face throughout their lives. Exceptionalism exists under the umbrella of colorblindness, a concept that a person is not limited by their race and that society does not see race or discriminate. This is the concept that everyone has equal rights and opportunity. Under this concept, encrypted racism thrives. In the age of colorblindness, white people pretend that a person’s race is of no substance, that only their character matters. According to this mindset, society does not take race into account when someone is applying for college, applying for jobs, or being “randomly selected.” Where did the color-blind rhetoric come from? How did it begin? A likely possibility is that colorblindness was born from shame. The Civil Rights Movement forced white Americans to look at their prejudiced history and to compensate for it. Allowing the complete integration of a people that white people spent their lives believing they held superiority over required introspection and moral accounting. From this moral accounting, white people required redemption, as Shelby Steele writes in his opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal: Thus, redemption—paying off the nation’s sins— became the moral imperative of a new political and cultural liberalism. President Lyndon Johnson turned

51 redemption into a kind of activism: the Great Society, the War on Poverty, school busing, liberalized welfare policies, affirmative action, and so on. This liberalism always projects moral idealisms (integration, social justice, diversity, inclusion, etc.) that have the ring of redemption. What is political correctness, if not essentially redemptive speech? It can be argued that embracing colorblindness was commendable, even necessary, in order to move beyond a history of racial injustice. As Jesse Curtis, in his article “Remembering Racial Progress, Forgetting White Resistance: the Death of Mississippi Senator John C. Stennis and the Consolidation of the Colorblind Consensus” asks, “After all, was not colorblindness a marker of racial progress separating the new era from the old?” In truth, he concludes, in claiming colorblindness, “White Americans replaced a complex past of white resistance to racial equality with a simple story of progress that affirmed their separation from that past, and thus, their innocence” (Curtis). Adopting colorblindness in the age of integration allowed one a claim of decency and the rejection of personal fault. Ultimately, how could one accuse a white person of being racist if they “didn’t see color,” anyway?" The issue with colorblindness is that it is ineffective in countering racism. Curtis points out that by using colorblindness to make “racial conflict irrelevant by defining it as something that happened long ago in a different era,” it becomes more difficult to combat it in the present. When you “don’t see race,” you don’t see privilege, you don’t see systemic injustices and inequalities. The solution is simple. In the words of Urgoji, “We have to stop pretending race doesn’t matter.” The colorblind rhetoric, in its ability to absolve white guilt without dismantling the structure of white privilege, is a clever one. Colorblindness is essential to the survival of the power structure put into place in Colonial America, in that under it, the perpetuation of white privilege can slip by, unnoticed. White privilege is “the myriad of social advantages, benefits, and courtesies that come with being a member of the dominant race” (Urgoji). The white man’s tendency to experience blindness to his privilege is directly connected to his blindness to his own whiteness, according to Jacqueline Battalora author of Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today. As Battalora writes, in failing to recognize one’s whiteness, one “fails to capture the significant impact that a white racial status has upon one’s life experience and one’s perceptions.” 52 She continues, “The tendency to miss the racial dimensions of whiteness works to render a white racial status invisible. . . . In its current form whiteness is not even seen, because it has been stripped from dominant conceptions of race.” White people cannot even see the status of their own being, the privileges they have, or the impact this has upon their life experience and perceptions. A white person fundamentally does not have the experience that would allow a complete and conscious comprehension of institutionalized racism because he does not experience its negative effects, and has no evidence that it exists. This is to the extent that some white people, in recent years, even believe that they are disadvantaged because of their race. The presence of exceptionalism in place of overt racism has led to the belief that anti-white bias is even more prevalent than anti-Black bias, and has grown as anti-Black bias has sharply declined (Craig and Richeson). Even the President has been quoted stating, “I think sometimes a Black may think they don’t have an advantage or this and that. I’ve said on one occasion, even about myself, if I were starting off today, I would love to be a well-educated Black, because I really believe they do have an actual advantage” (qtd. in Leonhardt). The belief that white people are at a disadvantage in comparison to African Americans is laughable, but a serious miscalculation that should not be ignored. It is significant in that it shows a basic lack of recognition and understanding of the privilege that white Americans have. As Maureen Craig and Jennifer Richeson, in their article about changing U.S. demographics write, “Indeed, in nearly every important domain of American life, including health, education, criminal justice, and wealth, substantial racial disparities (favoring Whites) continue to persist and discrimination has been found to contribute to these gaps.” Invisible, unrecognized white privilege is the trick that covert racism operates within. It is, in and of itself, as Urgoji writes, “a form of everyday racism because the whole notion of privilege rests on the concept of disadvantage.” Because, on a basic level, as a person experiences privilege for their whiteness, others are therefore lacking in advantage because of their unlikeness. How might color blindness and an inability to recognize privilege create an environment for covert racism? Racial hostility and overt bigotry are not necessary in the environment of a racial caste system. A system as such requires only racial indifference (Alexander). When you operate in a world where racism doesn’t exist, where overt discriminatory practices do not

53 take place, you exist in a world without racism. The invention of colorblindness “was a characteristic development for a society of ‘racism without racists,’” as Curtis writes. The colorblind ideology encompasses three key assumptions: racial problems are the fault of prejudiced individuals rather than social structures, systemic reform is less important than individual effort, and conversation or public policy that focus explicitly on race is counterproductive (Curtis). Colorblindness is a tool that inadvertently encourages discrimination and the preservation of covert racism by discouraging productive reform to the society in which it thrives. Popular myths about racial progress only deter us from further resolve, sustaining the environment in which encrypted, systemic racism persists. One may ask themselves, is covert racism really that big of a deal? Can it really be as harmful as overt, structural racism? The effects of covert racism can be examined through the lens of our criminal justice system, an effective tool under which it is operated. As Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, writes: Today it is perfectly legal to discriminate against criminals in nearly all the ways that it was once legal to discriminate against African Americans. Once you’re labelled a felon, the old forms of discrimination—employment discrimination, housing discrimination, denial of the right to vote, denial of educational opportunity, denial of food stamps and other public benefits, and exclusion from jury service—are suddenly legal. Rather than rely on race, we use our criminal justice system to label people of color ‘criminals’ and then engage in all the practices we supposedly left behind. Those who are prosecuted and convicted of criminal activity lose a portion of their rights. They do not have the same advantages as other, non-offending citizens. They do not share the same privileges. That’s not that big of a deal, is it? They are, after all, criminals. In a colorblind society, it is easy to shift the blame on the individual, or the “criminal.” It is easy to say that people of color commit more crime, and our incarceration rates are only a reflection of that. But that is not the case. The truth is, the incarceration rates are a reflection of racial discrimination, especially in cases of drug-related convictions. As Samuel R. Gross, author of “Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United

54 States,” writes: The best national evidence on drug use shows that African Americans and whites use illegal drugs at about the same rate. Nonetheless, African Americans are about five times as likely to go to prison for drug possession as whites—and judging from exonerations, innocent black people are about 12 times more likely to be convicted of drug crimes than innocent white people. The main reason for this racial disproportion in convictions of innocent drug defendants is that police enforce drug laws more vigorously against African Americans than against members of the white majority, despite strong evidence that both groups use drugs at equivalent rates. African Americans are more frequently stopped, searched, arrested, and convicted—including in cases in which they are innocent. The extreme form of this practice is systematic racial profiling in drug-law enforcement. With the help of these discriminatory practices in place, the United States has the highest rates of incarceration in the world, a number which has grown from 300,000 to 2.3 million since the Civil Rights Movement. Bryan Stevenson, in his TED Talk, "We Need To Talk About Injustice," points out that this is a country where “[o]ne out of three black men between the ages of 18 and 30 is in jail, in prison, on probation or parole. In urban communities across this country . . . 50 to 60 percent of all young men of color are in jail or prison or on probation or parole.” The covert nature of racial discrimination and racial profiling have made it possible for the current state of incarceration and disproportionate rate in which people of color are convicted of crimes. Through covert racism, in a colorblind society, people of color lose their rights, and our society achieves structural racial inequality once again. Colorblindness is so effective in hiding racism that it is even employed to mask it in its overt form. In the United States, “segregationist elites strategically used colorblind rhetoric throughout the civil rights era in an effort to package white supremacist goals in more palatable form” (Curtis). One man, John Stennis, applied a color blind rhetoric that “both reflected and contributed to a profound cultural shift as white Americans increasingly rejected overt racism after World War II and became colorblind true believers” (Curtis). By feigning colorblindness, segregationist and white-supremacist John Stennis was able to win voters’ support and push his ideological agenda. While

55 pretending to celebrate progress in eradicating racism, he went as far as to attempt to repeal the Civil Rights Act because, “in colorblind America, it was no longer needed” (Curtis). His status as a colorblind politician, a supposed example of social progress and reform, was a tool that allowed his segregationist agenda to be pushed, almost unnoticed. The use of covert racism in politics is not just a thing of the past. In the age of colorblindness, where diversity is “celebrated,” minorities in the United States are given a bad rap, especially when they are not native born. This country is fed a rhetoric in which immigrant minorities are purposefully framed as “job stealers” and “welfare abusers” for political gain (Brown). The effect of this type of politics is an expansion of nativism, which, in 2018, is really just an opaque term for racism. In her article “‘The New ‘Southern Strategy’: Immigration, Race, and ‘Welfare Dependency’ in Contemporary US Republican Political Discourse,” Jessica Autumn Brown writes that this trend was apparent in the last election. As she writes, “candidates repeatedly switched between talk about immigrants or ‘illegals’ and overt or covert signifiers for Hispanic populations, a discursive blurring which reinforces backlash whites’ stereotyped assumptions about both groups.” The use of this frame is too frequent to be accidental (Brown). Reinforcing negative stereotypes and driving in a mentality of “us” vs. “them”, whites vs. non-white minorities, is harmful for obvious reasons, but is a political tactic commonly used, even in its overt form. The President of the United States is quoted using the same device, in reference to Mexican immigrants, with lines such as, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists” (qtd. in Leonhardt), pushing a white nativist mentality by wrongly labelling groups of people in a way that incites fear. Whether it is overt or covert, the use of racist, nativist rhetoric is abundant in modern politics in the age of colorblindness. Modern sociological, psychological, and political science works suggest that, despite an all-inclusive, colorblind rhetoric, the fear of diversity and integration of minorities is very real (Craig and Richeson). The colorblind rhetoric is conclusively misleading and unsustainable, subject to corruption and not subject to catalyzing meaningful social reform. In spite of racism in its overt and covert forms, white Americans are shockingly comfortable in living out the privilege awarded unto them and perpetuate the colorblind myth. If they are colorblind to anything, it is their own whiteness. If real solutions are going to be made, white people in

56 the United States have to stop pretending that race doesn’t matter and take real action against discrimination executed by politicians and the criminal justice system.

Works Cited

Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. The New Press, 2017. Battalora, Jacqueline. Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today. Strategic Book Publishing and Rights Co., 2013. Brown, Jessica Autumn. “‘The New ‘Southern Strategy’: Immigration, Race, and ‘Welfare Dependency’ in Contemporary US Republican Political Discourse.” Geopolitics, History, and International Relations, vol. 8, no. 2, 2016, p. 22+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A462786957/OVIC?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=OVIC&xid=ddc654a5. Accessed 30 Oct. 2018. Craig, Maureen A., and Jennifer A. Richeson. “Information About the US Racial Demographic Shift Triggers Concerns About Anti-White Discrimination Among the Prospective White ‘Minority.’” PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 9, 2017, p. e0185389. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A506877609/OVIC?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=OVIC&xid=ec8970da. Accessed 5 Nov. 2018. Curtis, Jesse N. “Remembering Racial Progress, Forgetting White Resistance: the Death of Mississippi Senator John C. Stennis and the Consolidation of the Colorblind Consensus.” History and Memory: Studies in Representation of the Past, vol. 29, no. 1, 2017, p. 134+. World History in Context, http://link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A493032592/UHIC?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=UHIC&xid=8e404caa. Accessed 20 Nov. 2018. Gross, Samuel R. “Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States.” National Registry of Exonerations. March 7, 2017. http://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Documents/ Race_and_Wrongful_Convictions.pdf Jones, Veronica. “Marginality and Mattering: Black Student Leaders’ Perceptions of Public and Private Racial Regard.” The Western Journal of Black Studies, vol. 41, no. 3-4, 2017, p. 67+. U.S. History in Context,

57 Leonhardt, David. “Donald Trump’s Racism: The Definitive List.” New York Times. January 15, 2018 www.nytimes.com/ interactive/2018/01/15/opinion/leonhardt-trump-racist.html Steele, Shelby. “A Sick Hunger for Racism: Why Can’t Leftists Let Go of the Whole Idea of All-Powerful, Permanent White Bigotry? Because it Empowers Them.” Hoover Digest, no. 1, 2018, p. 158+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://0-link. galegroup.com.library.clamsnet.org/apps/doc/A526575478/ OVIC?u=mlin_s_capecc&sid=OVIC&xid=10d23971. Stevenson, Bryan. "We Need To Talk About Injustice," TED, March 2012, www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_ to_talk_about_an_injustice?language=en Ugorji, Basil. “Black Lives Matter: Decrypting Encrypted Racism.” Ethnic Studies Review, vol. 37-38, no. 1, 2017, p. 27+. U.S. History in Context, http://link. galegroup.com/apps/doc/A525421435/UHIC?u=mlin_s_ capecc&sid=UHIC&xid=a467533c. Accessed 20 Nov. 2018.

Virginia Johnston ENL161 Quiet Study

Hidden away in the corner, in the upstairs of the Tilden Arts Center, Sarah Ryan relaxes between classes with her eyes glued to her laptop. Her earbuds are in and her backpack is by her side, but she is the only one taking advantage of the serene space available to any student. “No one really comes up here,” she said. “It’s super quiet.” Compared to the library or student commons, the room above the Arts Center lobby is uncrowded and peaceful. Expansive windows and a huge skylight bring in natural light. The round table in the center of the room makes it easy for students to share ideas with each other. This is Sarah’s sixth semester on campus, but she’s never had a class in the building. She and her friend found this perfect hideaway in her first year. To get to this location, just find the stairs by the bathrooms on the first floor of the Tilden Arts Center and go up to the second floor. A large round table, some private desks, and soft cushion chairs are waiting to greet any student looking for a 58 place to unwind. As students start to get back into the swing of things for the spring semester, a quiet place to gather their thoughts is a must. Whether one is looking for a new and suitable place to study or just a spot to catch up on Grey’s Anatomy like Sarah, there are a few hidden gems around campus. In her College Experience course, Professor Kristen Traywick promotes the idea of “evaluating your learning experience.” Her students are asked to consider the positive and negative effects of their surroundings on their concentration and figure out what they may need to change. “It’s a ring road so they just go to class and leave,” she explains. “If you have a good spot, you’ll have a good college experience.” According to Traywick, getting students to stay on campus and utilize study areas is important to their success. Traywick is constantly going back and forth between two departments in the upstairs of the North Building. A hallway separates the staff offices and it is one of the spaces students could be utilizing. Private desks line the hall and four cushion chairs meet in the corner. Plants rest along the windows and feed on the natural sunlight that streams across the tile. To find this hall, enter the North Building through the automatic doors and walk through the North/MMWilkens Connector. Go up the set of stairs to the right and then to the left a short hallway with paintings on the wall will lead to the chairs. The views through the windows show the lecture halls and the foliage by Lots 3 and 4. For those with classes in the Lorusso Technology Building, there is a downstairs area on the ground floor that often gets overlooked. Annabelle Pereira had a class on the first floor in the fall semester, but she ventured lower to find a spot to study. Now in her second semester on campus, she catches up on her French 2 homework with books and her laptop sprawled across one of the tables. When she’s not using her laptop, she likes the computer lab that is located right at the top of the stairs. She says that not many people know about it, just like the tables where she studies. “They have better bathrooms,” she said. She giggled about it but insisted that it’s true. She likes the Tech Building because it’s newer, cleaner, and quieter than other places she’s tried. Even though the library has quiet places to study, Annabelle likes that there are usually no other people around. This room with a few round tables and lots of sunlight can be found by entering from the path coming from Lots 10 and 11.

59 If on the first floor of the building, the stairs are across from the classrooms and around the corner to the right. By going down, the stairs lead to this open area. It can be difficult to find quiet areas to study, so one must exploit the spaces found on campus. A couple students were generous enough to share their secret spots but exploring what is available on one’s own is a great way to find a satisfactory place right for everyone.

*****************************************

If you would like to submit your academic writing for the next edition of The Write Stuff -- Submission forms are available from: North 204, your instructor, and online at: https://www.capecod.edu/web/langlit/writestuff

60