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(03/09/21 8:08pm)
On Jan. 1, 2020, many of us rang in the new year with booze in one hand and our best friend in the other.
On Jan. 9, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a mysterious coronavirus related to pneumonia. This announcement proved an unassuming start to a devastating year.
On Jan. 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control confirmed the first Covid-19 case in the U.S.
On Jan. 31 the WHO issued a state of Global health emergency.
On March 11 the WHO officially declared Covid-19 a pandemic.
On March 15, 2020, Breonna Taylor was murdered in her home.
On that same day, California became the first state to issue a stay-at home order.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered in the streets of Minneapolis.
People all over the country took to the streets, enraged by his death. Their peaceful cries were met by tear gas and rubber bullets from unmoved, unsympathetic policemen. Their calls and activism met with empty words by most of the politicians who claimed to represent them.
On June 2, 2020, most of you posted a black square on Instagram for Blackout Tuesday. That may be all that you did — the definition of performative activism. Now due to the circumstances that the world found itself in, posting may have been all you could do.
As the pandemic raged on, rushing to the streets became harder for people to justify. By fall, streets once filled with “BLACK LIVES MATTER” signs and people of all ages and races coming together for equality were empty.
On Dec. 11, 2020 the first Covid-19 vaccines became available. A return to normalcy finally seemed like more than a pipe dream.
Many of us saw this as the first steps towards the old lives we long for. Just over the horizon, we could see masks coming off; bars and restaurants reopening; flights to see our loved ones within reach.
Within many of us, there is probably a knee-jerk reaction to throw aside the year we have just endured and finally enjoy life. But if we have learned anything from 2020, it is that there is much work ahead.
On Dec. 22, 2020, Andre Maurice Hill was murdered in his car by police after a non-emergency 911 call.
On Jan. 6, 2021, the capitol was stormed by an angry, white, racist mob.
Donning shirts with anti-Semetic symbols and attacking the very blue lives they told us mattered more than our own not three week prior, these traitors were allowed to saunter into a woefully unprotected Capitol Building.
When I was there on June 5, 2020, the National Guard looked down from the steps of the Capitol Building at a crowd begging for equality. We walked for hours in the blistering heat, putting ourselves and our families at risk because our justice system had made it painfully clear to us that being Black is a crime.
They would not have hesitated to throw us to the ground, force us onto our knees and cuff every last one of us if we made one misstep. Even as I write this, I know that is a painfully optimistic view of what may have happened.
This is the America we live in today.
This is the America that will persist if we fail to take action. If we let our imminent freedom become more important than the lives of a suffering, silenced people. This is America’s normal.
I know I must sound like a broken record. But when the travel restrictions are lifted and the bars open once more, do more for the Black Lives Matter movement than a fist emoji in your Instagram bio.
Now that you can go back to work, try to donate what you can to organizations that provide legal aid and support to communities most affected by police brutality. Next time there is a Black Lives Matter protest: go! Walk to your state’s capitol, peacefully, and show your legislatures that this is a movement, not momentarily sparked by another tragic death of yet another unarmed Black victim, but an ongoing demand for justice. Get on your phone and call your congressman, your mayor, your local legislatures, and demand justice. Be aware of the legislative decisions being made in your community and do what you can, whatever you can, to make your voice heard.
You’re about to gain your freedom back. Do something with it.
(10/29/20 9:59am)
“Great News: BIG TEN FOOTBALL IS BACK,” President Donald Trump announced via Twitter on Sept. 16, confirming that the most prominent college football division would return for a nine-week season starting in late October.
(10/29/20 9:54am)
This election is the 26th presidential election in which women have been able to vote. As we get closer to Nov. 3, we need to reflect upon the history of voting in the United States. Today’s troubling times far too closely resemble our dark past.
When George Washington was elected, only about 6% of Americans were actually eligible to vote. The privilege was reserved for white, Protestant men over the age of 21 who also owned land. In fact, it wasn’t even until 1856 — five years before the start of the Civil War — that white men were allowed to vote regardless of land ownership status. Fourteen years later, that privilege, though it should have been a right, was constitutionally expanded to all men regardless of race through the 15th Amendment.
At that time, the thought of a Black man taking to the polls and casting a ballot was controversial and horrifying to many Americans. We all know of America’s dark past — of Jim Crow laws and the poll taxes that followed the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. Voter intimidation was practiced without shame.
In 1890, Wyoming became the first state to grant women the right to vote. Eighteen other states, mainly western, followed suit. However, this was not so much because they valued the female opinion as equal but rather because those states saw it as a way of remedying their small populations. 1920 marked the year that women gained the right to vote in all 50 states, though women of color were still excluded. And even in 1924, when Native Americans were given the right to vote, and in 1952, when Asians were given that same right, that didn’t mean that suffrage was truly protected under the law. Voter suppression continued. In 1962, the 24th amendment outlawed the use of poll taxes, but this only applied to federal elections.
On paper, everyone was supposedly given the right to vote, but that right was not formally protected until the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 removed discriminatory barriers that often kept people of color from voting.
That should have been the end of it. Though long awaited, that should have been the end of voter suppression in America. It wasn’t. Today, marginalized communities face blatant voter discrimination. Limited polling and ballot box locations, voter ID laws and felon voter disenfranchisement all aim to disproportionately affect low income communities, people of color, the elderly and the disabled. I wonder how elected officials in every party can look at themselves in the mirror and think they are part of a democracy.
In 2013, the Supreme Court rolled back the pre-clearance provision of Section 5 of the VRA, a mandate that forced areas with a history of discrimination to obtain clearance from the Department Of Justice when attempting to implement new voting policies.
In 2018, the Florida legislature passed laws that force people with felony convictions to pay off any and all court fines and fees before they are allowed to vote. This often prevents lower income voters from being able to vote in elections that directly affect them. The practice starkly reflects the poll taxes of the Jim Crow era. This requirement disproportionately affects people of color, especially black felons in the state of Florida. It is nothing less than blatant discrimination, against people of color in one of the most important swing states, allowing people in power to stay in power.
This year, in the state of Texas, each county is limited to only a single site where ballots may be dropped off, placing an unfair burden on the disabled and the elderly who often have to be far more careful traveling due to the risk of Covid-19 infection. Absentee voting numbers also reveal entrenched racial discrimination. In the state of Texas, Hispanic Americans make up 12% of voters using absentee ballots and African Americans 10%, but they account for 36% and 18%, respectively, of rejected absentee ballots. One cannot look at these numbers without seeing blatant discrimination.
Voter suppression is a long-standing tradition of the American election process. The vote of a Black man or a Latina woman is not a symbol of democracy — it’s a symbol of perseverance and bravery in the face of great adversity. I realize as I write this that much of the Middlebury community does not truly understand what voter suppression feels like, and most likely never will. Regardless of who you vote for, it is your duty as an American to ensure that the choices you make and people you support today will ensure that the marginalized people of tomorrow get to vote safely. You know, the way you get to.
Max Padilla ‘22 is a photo editor for The Campus.
(09/24/20 9:57am)
When I received the news that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away on that clear Friday night, I burst into my house, not knowing what to say, tears already streaming down my face. “Mom! Ruth Bader Ginsburg is gone — mom, she died!” Those were the only words to successfully escape my mouth before my brain was flooded with the realization of all we had lost.
Ginsburg was a pioneer, advocating not just for women’s rights but for equity among us all. She dedicated her life to this cause, knowing that “real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” She used her influence to support trailblazers striving towards equity. Even as she neared her ninth decade, she became a cultural icon and a beacon of hope for a younger generation who often found themselves lost in a world unafraid to betray them.
This is a national tragedy, yet it is a tragedy for all the wrong reasons. We should cry for the powerful life that has been taken from us. We should mourn alongside her family, who has lost so much. But the pain and anguish that so many of us feel is driven less by the grief of losing a national hero and instead by the actions of the man with the orange skin who sits behind a desk he has yet to earn. Ginsburg’s legacy may be eroded by the ascension of yet another far-right judge whose actions betray the ideals of this nation. Just days before her passing, Ginsburg made it clear that her “most fervent wish is that [she] will not be replaced until a new president is installed.”
“I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability. And to help repair tears in her society, to make things a little better through the use of whatever ability she has,” Ginsburg said when Irin Carmon, author of “Notorious RBG,” asked her how she wanted to be remembered. The best thing that may come out of this tragedy is for her wish to be realized — we owe it to her, and ourselves. The best way to ensure that she is remembered and that her legacy is preserved is to use the lessons she has taught us to shape the world for the better.
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]This is a warning, a call to action. The life of our nation is still within our own hands: we must remember and apply to our own lives the lessons that she taught us during hers.[/pullquote]
This summer, our nation has endured a long-overdue equal rights movement and an unprecedented pandemic, both ongoing. The murder of George Floyd underscored the systemic racial biases that have brought about surges of protests and continue to consume our everyday lives, but now consistent pressure and action must be taken for justice to be served. Something that Justice Ginsburg knew, “you can’t have it all, all at once,” is a sentiment now more poignant than ever. To achieve a world that belongs to everyone on this earth, we must fight with every year of our life, the way Notorious RBG fought with every year of hers.
We must be inspired by the woman who led us, as opposed to frightened by what the future might hold. Now, many people fear what the world has become, but we must work, step by step, to ensure the world will become the place she helped us envision. We have now reached a point where in not taking action, we allow others to make the world a bad place for us. To protect our nation, we should live out the lessons that she attempted to teach us. We have all the tools. The struggle is to wield them enduringly.
Max Padilla is a photo editor for The Campus and a member of the class of 2022.
(05/07/20 9:51am)
Just over 16% students — 204 total — of the 1,245 Zeitgeist respondents were varsity athletes. According to statistics on the Athletics Department’s website, nearly 27% of Middlebury students participate in varsity sports.
One dominant stereotype of athletes is that they “work hard, play hard.” When rigorous academics meet a big time commitment like a varsity sport, it “can definitely lead to finding a form of release elsewhere,” according to Munya Ra Munyati ’20.5, a member of the men's track team. We wondered if varsity athletes really do “go harder” than non-athletes.
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On average, athletes get drunker than non-athletes, according to Zeitgeist data. About 48% of non-athletes said they tend to “get drunk” when they consume alcohol, compared to 58% within the varsity-athlete population. For some athletes, drinking is a coping mechanism. Varsity sports take up roughly three hours a day — and some athletes recounted the toll that a demanding academic schedule coupled with athletic commitments takes on their mental health. “The more stress that builds up, the more people drink,” said Ra Munyati.
There also seem to be systemic practices that lead to an increased consumption of alcohol. Like most clubs on campus, varsity teams encourage their members to pay dues, the money from which is often used to provide people with hard alcohol. “Freshmen on teams are also given access to alcohol in a much larger capacity than most freshmen,” said women's track member Kiera Dowell '20.
Additionally, varsity athletes are more than twice as likely to “black out,” with 11% reporting it is a regular occurrence. “We like to push the limits of how much fun we can have,” said Pete Huggins ’21. Huggins, a member of the football team, also said that sometimes going out and drinking would turn into a competition of sorts between teammates, something he said was meant all in good fun. Dowell recalled a party after NESCACS her sophomore year that was “was absolutely insane,” but remains adamant when she says that ultimately celebrations like these are “not the leading cause” for the patterns of drinking followed by varsity athletes.
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We also asked where respondents were most likely to spend a Saturday night on campus, and allowed people to pick up to three options. The data elucidated that, generally (and unsurprisingly) much drinking is happening at Atwater. Nearly 83% of athletes reported that on an average Saturday night, they would most likely be found in an Atwater suite, almost three times — 270% — more likely than non-athletes. Put differently, while varsity athletes only made up about 16% of respondents, they represented more than a third — 34% — of Middlebury students who spend time in Atwater suites on the weekends.
Varsity athletes are also more likely to spend time at off-campus locations on Saturday nights. This is not entirely surprising, since senior members of varsity teams often apply for suites and houses and opt to hold team parties there.
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Men's hockey player Mitch Allen '20 felt that Atwater’s popularity among most varsity teams was due to a lack of other options, though he said that it was a less than ideal space. He mentioned that his “team has had an off-campus house for the past two years and that is very much preferred to anywhere else.”
Huggins also said the Atwater trend could be due to tradition. “A team will get a suite and everyone knows to go there,” he said. “There is a small bonding or celebratory aspect to it.”
Varsity athletes also differ from non-athletes in their sexual/relationship encounters. The survey results suggest that athletes were 12% more likely than non-athletes to have experienced a one-night stand. Furthermore, athletes were more likely to have engaged in consensual sexual activity with more partners. 38% of athletes said that they had engaged in consensual sexual activity with 2–4 partners in the last 12 months, compared to 30% of non-athletes. Additionally, 14% of athletes reported that they had abstained from consensual sexual activity in the last year, compared to 23% of non-athletes.
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Nearly 41% of non-athletes at Middlebury have reported being in a committed relationship. That number slinks back to just over 32% among the varsity athlete population. In other words, athletes were also 20% less likely to have been in a full-fledged committed/monogamous relationship while at Middlebury.
Some student athletes find this data surprising. “At least for track, there is sometimes inter team hookups but often that turns into dating.” said Marisa Edmondson '20 of the track team. “ A lot of my teammates date each other. I’d say as far as I know more people end up dating each other then casually hooking up,” Edmondson continued.
(03/12/20 9:57am)
Middlebury hosted this year’s NESCAC Women’s Hockey Championship Series, which featured Hamilton, Colby, Amherst and the Panthers themselves. The blue-and-white competed against Hamilton College in the semifinals and won 2-1 on Saturday, March 7. In the finals, Middlebury lost to Amherst by a singular point with the final score at 2-1. Despite losing out at the last minute, the Panthers had an amazing season, finishing with a PCT of .906, higher than last years .625 and .875 the year before them. Of the 27 games that Middlebury played, they won 21 and lost only 3. Twice in the season they had a win streak longer than 7 games. The Panthers found enormous success this season, despite 16 of their 27 members being underclassmen. Hopefully the experience from this season will lead to even more victories next year.
(03/12/20 9:57am)
This week part of the Men’s Squash Team competed in The CSA Individual Championships. Two of Midd’s own were selected to compete: Jack Kagan ’20 and Nick Bermingham ’20. Kagan competed in the Malloy North Division, while Bermingham in the Malloy West Division. Kagan lost out Andrew Lee from Trinity College in round 16, but took home the win in the consolation quarterfinals against Drexel’s Jose Lopez. Bermingham also lost out to Owen Davis from the Naval Academy in round 16 but rebounded during the consolation quarterfinals, in a win against Haverford’s Davis Chase. Both Panthers, however, were eliminated in the consolation semifinals. Kagan fell to Bowdoin’s Deven Kanwal while Bermingham lost to Brown’s Maximo Meyer.
Editor’s note: Jack Kagan is a sports editor for The Campus. He was not involved in editing this article.
(03/05/20 11:26am)
In perfect fashion on Carnival Weekend, the Panthers just keep on rolling.
The women’s hockey team defeated the Trinity Bantams in the NESCAC Quarterfinals, 4–1, and will advance to the semifinals and play Hamilton. Hamilton, ranked fourth, stands between Middlebury and a seat to the conference championship. History appears favorable to be on the blue-and-white’s side; Middlebury hasn’t lost a game to Hamilton in the past two seasons. In fact, one past match included a 3–1 victory against Hamilton in the NESCAC Semifinals last year. If Middlebury wins, they’ll go on to play either Colby or Amherst, who are playing one another in the other semifinal matchup.
(03/05/20 11:23am)
The Men’s Squash team travelled to Harvard this weekend to play in the CSA team nationals. Middlebury faced Amherst in the quarterfinals and the blue-and-white managed to snag the victory by a score of 6–3. The Panthers also emerged victorious in the semifinals against the Navy Midshipmen, 5-4. Unfortunately, the men lost out to Williams, 5-4, in the finals on Sunday. This weekend, two Panthers, Nick Bermingham ’20 and Jack Kagan ’20 will go on to compete in the CSA individual championship at the University of Pennsylvania. Though they had a rough start to the season, the men’s squad has gained momentum in the past few weeks. Hopefully, it continues onto the individual championships.
(02/27/20 11:40am)
The Panthers finished up their regular season this weekend, snatching two away wins against Bowdoin. The defeat of the Polar Bears cemented Middlebury’s incredible season, as they won the first game 3–0 and the second 3–1. The women’s squad is still ranked first in the NESCAC conference, winning 14 conference games and 19 total games. They’re also ahead of the second ranked team, the Colby Mules, by five games. Additionally, the victories against Bowdoin ensured that the blue and white remained perfect on the penalty kill this season. They’ll begin their postseason this Saturday at home against Trinity, who is currently ranked eighth of nine teams in the NESCAC.
(02/20/20 11:33am)
The women’s hockey team continued their successful season, notching two wins this past weekend. They defeated Williams 4–0 on Saturday and 3–1 on Sunday as they finished off their home portion of the season.
Maddie Leidt ’21 shined throughout the weekend, scoring a total of three goals in the two games.
Middlebury is currently ranked atop the NESCAC with a record of 12-1-1. The panthers have outperformed the other teams by a mile, winning four more games than the second and third placed teams (Amherst and Colby, respectively)
Their season will end this weekend against Bowdoin, ranked 5th in the conference. Over the past few years, the ladies have generally succeeded in beating out the Polar Bears.
(02/20/20 11:32am)
The men’s team played Amherst, Bates and Trinity at Bowdoin this weekend. The boys redeemed themself from the last few weeks, bringing home the win from Amherst 6–3 and Bates 7–2, but lost to Trinity, 8–1. Middlebury placed third in the NESCAC championships for the fifth year in a row. In two weeks, the boys head to Bowdoin to compete in the CSA team championships. The men’s team has usually performed relatively well at the team championships, winning the majority of their games played in the last three seasons they’ve competed in the match.
(02/13/20 9:21pm)
The Panthers lost to Bates, MIT and Virginia over February break, but pulled out wins against Bowdoin, Colby and Tufts. Though they redeemed themselves last week, the Panthers are having a less successful season compared to last year. At this point last season, they had played 18 matches and only lost 5. This season, they’ve played 14 matches and lost 9.
For clarity, at this point last year, the team’s PCT was .722 and this year it’s .357. Middlebury heads to NESCAC championships this Friday at Bowdoin, though it is not yet known against whom they’ll be facing. In the past five years, the Panthers have made it through the NESCAC championships, taking third place. Hopefully, the Panthers will go into this series to build on and expand their past successes.
(02/13/20 9:18pm)
The second-ranked Panthers took a few hits over winter term, having lost to Plattsburgh State, 4–1, on Jan. 21 and to Hamilton, 2–0, on Jan. 31. The blue and white, however, turned the tables on Hamilton the following day and won 3–0.
The Panthers rounded out the break with a two-game win streak, beating Trinity 4–1 in their first game and 1–0 in the second.
Women’s hockey will continue their season against Williams, a team with whom they’ve struggled in the past. Last season, the Panthers lost to Williams in all three matchups.
“Going into this weekend, we have to make sure we’re doing all of the little things right that add up to the big things,” said Sidney Porter ’20. “Staying strong in the D-zone and getting pucks to the net will be a big focus all week.”
(01/23/20 11:16am)
Second-ranked women’s hockey pushed their winning streak to seven-games before it was ended by first-ranked Plattsburgh State. On Saturday, Jan. 11, the Panthers triumphed over Endicott College 3–0. Madie Leidt ’21 won the race with the first goal in the first period and Delanie Goniwiecha ’23 scored twice in the second period. On Friday, Jan. 17 and Saturday, Jan. 18, Middlebury went 2–0 in two consecutive games against Wesleyan with a final score of 3–1 in both games. Leidt, hungry for the win, scored early in the game on Friday, and twice on Saturday.
The Panthers, however, suffered their first loss at the hands of Plattsburgh State, 4–1, on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Middlebury entered the second intermission down 3–0, but a goal by Eva Hendrickson ’22 a minute into the third period prevented them from being shutout.
(01/23/20 11:15am)
In November, the Panthers started off strong. However, they struggled this month to bring home a win. Since Jan. 5, Middlebury has taken on 8 teams and walked away with only one win against Amherst this past Thursday, 9–0. They finished off the long weekend by losing 6–3 to Franklin and Marshall College and 5–4 to Brown. By this time last year, the men’s team had competed in 12 matches and walked away with 10 wins. For reference, last season, the Panthers defeated Brown and Williams, two teams that beat them this month. It is worth noting that the order of the schools they played are very different from years past. The Panthers played most of the schools that they traditionally lose to earlier this season than last, and schools they generally beat, the Panthers have yet to play. The Panthers look to this weekend for another opportunity to compete. The team will take on Bates this Thursday, Jan. 23, who they have beaten at least the last three times they’ve played.
(11/07/19 10:59am)
Gun control has been a hot button issue for the past decade. With the 2020 election looming on the horizon, conversations surrounding gun control can feel like a dime a dozen. And while it is important to have those difficult conversations, it is equally important to do so correctly. With what is often a lack of proper knowledge surrounding the issue and a lack of proper use of terms, it becomes incredibly easy for conversations to become muddled.
The most common mistake made by both the media and the general public is misidentification of what a “mass shooting” actually is. Anytime there is any shooting anywhere and someone gets hurt, people seem to cry “mass shooting.” Those instances are both horrifying and traumatic, but those aren’t technically “mass shootings.” The Justice Department doesn’t consider an instance a mass shooting unless three or more people, excluding the gunman, are shot and killed in a single episode. Most people (including some media platforms) use the Gun Violence Archive’s definition: Four people, excluding the gunman, must be shot in a single episode. While at first glance this distinction might seem trivial, it actually takes the number of mass shootings from 283 between Jan. 1, 2019 to Sept. 1, 2019 (reported by CBS as of Sept. 1, 2019) to 32 (reported by the New York Times as of Aug. 3, 2019). The disparity in information and numbers makes communication difficult and unproductive, making the possibility of effective and agreeable legislation even more unreasonable. It’s therefore hard to formally prosecute offenders of any public shooting because, as a nation, we’ve yet to provide a legal definition for the term “mass shooting.”
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]Discussions become even more confused when talking about the guns themselves.[/pullquote]
Discussions become even more confused when talking about the guns themselves. When talks of gun control arise, progressives start with the necessity of banning of “assault weapons.” This is problematic, if only because the term “assault weapon” has no real, technical meaning. Some state legislatures have gone so far as to create their own definitions. The state of Connecticut defines assault weapons as “selective-fire firearms capable of fully automatic, semi-automatic, or burst fire at the options of the user.” According to Connecticut’s definition, all “semi-automatic” means is that one bullet is released each time the trigger is pulled and the gun also performs all the necessary tasks that prepare the gun to fire again should the trigger be pulled a second time. The term semi-automatic thereby applies to a wide variety of fairly benign firearms (i.e., many hand guns traditionally used for self defense), in addition to damage heavy guns like the AR-15. Blanket definitions like these make it hard to get gun enthusiasts and hunters on board with current proposals for gun control. The problem of vague definitions is made worse by the fact that they’re not standardized; for example, Virginia defines an assault weapon as any weapon with a magazine capacity greater than 20 rounds. This obvious disconnect between states does not set national gun legislation up for any sort of success. If local legislators themselves can’t even agree on what terms mean, how can we, as a nation then agree on any sort regulation pertaining to those same terms?
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]The definitions we have are not serving us properly.[/pullquote]
Often, when people refer to “assault weapons,” they really mean assault rifles. Assault rifles are mostly used by military and police forces. The technical definition demands that a gun of this status has “fire reduced-power ammunition and can fire in either automatic or semi-automatic modes.” Notably, this definition excludes the AR-15. If that sounds familiar to you, good. The AR-15 is the firearm that has been used in most of the higher-profile mass shootings like Sutherland Springs, or the Las Vegas Strip, or at Stoneman Douglas High School. The AR-15 is not classified as an assault rifle, and it shouldn’t be; the gun only has semi-automatic capabilities. “AR” does not stand for “assault rifle” or even “automatic rifle.” It stands for Armalite Rifle. It is because of its classification that Democrats in Congress push for such severe regulations on guns in general. And I understand that. However, those severe regulations often also require the banning of handguns and hunting rifles. The ownership of both hand guns and hunting rifles are legal in legislation other than the second amendment. Clearly, the definitions we have are not serving us properly. Given the disparity in the types of guns designated the semi-automatic label, it may be useful for us to technically differentiate between those weapons capable of mass destruction and those best served for self-defense and hunting capabilities.
I’ve seen guns serve to destroy, to aid and to protect. I’ve seen them used for sport and art. They are not bad. Dangerous in their nature only if used improperly and not regulated by those who promised to serve and protect. People should be able to use and own certain types of guns within the confounds defined by the law. Self defense via using a gun is legal, so long as the amount of force used is “only the amount of force reasonably necessary to fend off the attacker,” according to Criminal defense lawyer Lauren Baldwin. Hunting largely relies on the use of firearms, and is legal (to certain extents). Gun control is a complex issue that deserves time and meaningful discussion. Please argue, discuss, disagree and object but do so with nothing less than the proper knowledge in hand.
Max Padilla ’22 is The Campus’ senior photo editor.
(09/26/19 9:59am)
Each week, the Campus’ editorial board gets together to talk about that week’s editorial; each member gives input and provides insight. Two weeks ago, that topic was supposed to be about Middlebury’s diversity and demographics.
We very quickly realized that we didn’t know what the word “diversity” meant to us. Did it just mean race and sexuality? Did it include ability and socioeconomic class? How were we going to write this is in a way that didn’t upset anyone? We couldn’t think of one — we thought it best to table the topic.
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]I’ve decided that isn’t good enough.[/pullquote]
Well, it’s been two weeks and I’ve decided that isn’t good enough. I understand that this topic might not be something that we, as a board, can agree on. As a Latina on this campus, I cannot sit idly and watch yet another opportunity to talk meaningfully about race pass by. In all honesty, writing this scares me, and it’s bound to upset someone. That being said, I’d like to change the way people at Middlebury talk and think about racial issues and this may be my one shot.
Race is not an acceptable topic at Middlebury, at least not an acceptable topic of deep, honest discussion. Talks about race aren’t necessarily rare at Middlebury; they happen in JustTalks and with various guest lecturers. However, people waste these and other opportunities and end up only having surface level conversations. Discussions start with everyone sharing stories and parroting facts, and end with some moderator going “everyone has their own truth.” The white guys usually sit quietly to the side, too scared to say anything because they might seem “racist.” That isn’t meaningful conversation, progress is not made that way.
Talking about race shouldn’t be easy. In fact, it should be deeply unsettling. The political atmosphere we find ourselves in should be enough to prove that. Just because talking about race is uncomfortable does not make doing so bad. In the age of “trigger warnings,” that is something we so often forget. Comfort is the enemy of progress, and now, more than ever, conversations about race need to change.
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]From the moment we enter this world we are put into one group or another; whether we are black, white, brown, Republican, Democrat; we are told that the opposing party is in some way fundamentally bad.[/pullquote]
This is a call to have these rough conversations about race, despite the fear and discomfort that so often accompany them. It is only by having these conversations that POCs, like myself, can be seen as human and not just another shade of brown. From the moment we enter this world we are put into one group or another; whether we are black, white, brown, Republican, Democrat; we are told that the opposing party is in some way fundamentally bad. The opposing party need not necessarily be seen as the opposition — it can simply be another group living in the same world. Republicans are told that Democrats want to take their money and their freedom. Democrats are told that republicans are racist, sexist bigots who prey on the weakness of others. White people are taught to fear those who failed to be born with porcelain skin, they’re told that being dark is bad, that it’s dangerous. Black people learn from a very early age that their words do not compare to that of a white person’s — that the fight for legitimacy is a fight, indeed. If you’re Latino, you’re told you’re lazy, stupid, and that you belong elsewhere. If you’re not white you learn from a very early age that this world is not made for you and that every day in one way or another, you will suffer because you dared to be born a shade darker than paper.
It is painfully easy to see the problems with America today. Obviously, being black, white, brown, purple, chartreuse, says nothing at all about your mental acuity or the content of your character; all it says about you is the amount of melanin in your skin. Despite this, we clump together based on nothing more than the color of our skin. While that may bring comfort, this practice is very dangerous.
[pullquote speaker="" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]Talking behind closed doors is not the way to put an end to the injustices POCs face on a daily basis.[/pullquote]
When I was a Preview Days host, my prospie, like myself, was Latina. The first thing she asked me about was POC groups on campus, specifically PALANA — my heart sank. PALANA is not inherently bad, but it can serve as an excuse for POCs to not interact with the rest of the school. I know some POCs see PALANA as a place of refuge from a white populus that at times seems unwilling to interact with the POCs on campus, but I was horrified that she was so willing to hide herself away before even giving them a chance. People put so much stock in the color of their skin, POCs try to make “‘being brown”’ a character trait, they forget that they are so much more than that. I am so much more than that. By grouping together on the basis of skin color they starve the world of their stories.
I know that as a Latina on this campus I’m not supposed to say that, but I cannot condone separating one’s self solely on the basis of race. Talking behind closed doors is not the way to put an end to the injustices POCs face on a daily basis. And I understand how scary and disheartening it is to be judged poorly because I made the mistake of not being white, I know what it’s like to share my story and have it fall on deaf ears, but that does not mean I should not try. The comfort we get from being around people who look like us is not worth ignorance that it fosters in others. Not sharing our story at all is worse than having it falling on deaf ears.
Middlebury is not a diverse campus by any means. However, we do have people who are black, brown, white, gay, straight, trans, male, female, neither; we have people who need time and a half on exams; people who can’t walk a mile in their own shoes. We just don’t have them in equal numbers. And for that reason, we cannot stay in our circles that are made of little more than mirrors of ourselves. Talk. Talk to everyone. Talk to the people who are so different from you it’s terrifying. By not talking, by keeping our doors closed and our walls up, we do ourselves a great disservice. We continue the narrative that promotes fear and misunderstanding when we are too afraid to speak.
(05/09/19 9:53am)
This was a record season for the Middlebury College Women’s Rugby Club. On Saturday April 6, they competed in the Rugby Northeast 7’s tournament. The ladies tore up the field, winning three matches, allowing them to compete against one of the best teams in the nation: Bentley University.
The game was nerve-racking, the score tied until the last thirty seconds of the game. Unfortunately the Falcons stole the win, allowing them to steal a spot in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) Championships.
Bentley dropped out, allowing the Panthers to compete in NSCROs on April 27-28.
The team went to Pittsburgh for the championship. The Northeast Tournament (national qualifiers) was their first tournament of the season. The team had only eight practices to prepare for the tournament, most of the other qualifying schools had their lineups set for months. Co-captain Ellen Colton ’19 recalled that the going to the championship was “exciting, rewarding, and gave us an amazing opportunity to learn from some of the best teams in the country.” Even competing in the tournament meant a lot to the team, Colton continued, “I’m really proud of the team for learning from each match we played and then putting those things into practice, which resulted in us winning both of our matches on the second day of the tournament and finishing 13th overall. We support each other on and off the pitch and I think you could feel that in every match.” As she leaves the school and the team, Colton hopes that this will encourage the club to keep pushing itself. Despite their lack of school resources and experience, they are clearly still able to hold their own on a national level.
This experience meant everything to the Panthers: “Even if we didn’t place first, we all felt like winners walking off the field” said Megan Salmon ’21, rising forwards captain. As a leader of the team, she’s excited for what’s to come. “We have a lot of young talent to work with and this trip to nationals just proved that this was only the beginning for MCWRC,” she said. The championships seemed to light a fire in some of the younger members, first year Miriam Weathers says the end of their season, “felt like such a reward. I think that it will definitely make the team work harder, going into the future. We all want to qualify again, for sure.”
(05/09/19 9:50am)
The Panthers played their last game of the season on Friday, May 3 against Tufts in the NESCAC Tournament. Though the softball season worked hard all season and made it to the tournament, the Jumbos ultimately won the game 2-0, and then went on to win the entire NESCAC Championship.
The Panthers finished with a 4-8 record in the conference and 12-19 record overall for the 2019 season. Last year, the team finished with a 5-6 conference record and a 20-11 overall record.
The team might not have taken NESCACs, but they still had a successful season. Middlebury holds third in the conference for total number of home runs (17) and slugging (.463). Their stats are comparable to those from last season, their on base percentage is .398 in 2019 compared to .383 in 2018 and their batting average is .323 compared to .312 last season. Panther Melanie Mandell ’20 currently holds the highest batting average (.464) and the third highest number of runs batted in (34) in the conference.
As it was the last game of the season, it was the last game ever for senior captains Ally Doll, Irene Margiotta and Liza Tarr, who have all played for Midd since they were first-years.
These seniors will leave the team in very capable hands. The girls can rely on rookies who made waves this season, with a significant percentage of notable plays coming from infielders Sophia Marlin ’22, Sophie Bolinger ’22, Noelle Ruschil ’22 and pitcher Jen McGann ’22.