The Clarion, Vol. 82, Issue #5 - Sept. 28, 2016 - Brevard College

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The

Clarion

Volume 82, Issue 5

clarion.brevard.edu

Web EditionEditionSERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935

Look for ‘The Magnificent Seven’ review on page 8! September 28, 2016

Students protest shirt regulations By Jessica Wiegandt Arts & Life Editor

Evenings at BC are not typically known for being extremely eventful, but when sophomore Malynne Petoia and freshman Olympia Poplin went topless outside of the Caf during dinner one evening, the student population was immediately notified via social media. “It was crazy,” Petoia said, “Everyone had their phones, using Snapchat and acting like this was some sort of disgusting sight. There were people lined up on the Caf windows, Snapchatting, and that kind of got me mad.” Petoia said she and a few friends were standing by the smoking station near Beam on Tuesday, Sept. 13, when she decided to lower her dress and stand outside topless. “I’ve been on this thing where I’ve really strongly believe girls shouldn’t have to cover themselves up,” Petoia said, “And it’s not even the boob. It’s the nipple. Girls can wear shirts that are really low cut, sexualizing the boob, but can’t show the nipple.” According to Petoia, she was standing with her friends and felt really hot, so she pulled down the top of her strapless dress, revealing her breasts. “But I didn’t make a big deal out of it,” Petoia said, “I didn’t shout ‘I’m taking my shirt off!’ I literally just slipped it down and then Olympia did it too and there was so much attention given all of a sudden that I got mad.” Petoia then began shouting at passersby to take their shirts off, saying it didn’t matter what gender they were because it’s the same thing. “Then one football coach came by and asked me to pull my dress back up because I was ‘making him uncomfortable’,” Petoia said. “That made me get up in his face a little bit because why am I making someone uncomfortable? Is it because I have girl nipples?” Poplin joined Petoia at this point and said she followed suit to support her endeavor. Poplin said her participation wasn’t as noticed as Petoia’s as she wasn’t filmed by students or given as much attention. “People overreacted,” Poplin said. “She wasn’t trying to be sexualized but that’s the way some people took it. It’s frustrating. If guys can take off their shirts, why can’t girls?” Campus Security reported to the scene not long after the interaction with the coach and asked Petoia to pull her dress back up. She then

began to ask what they would do, knowing they couldn’t physically touch or restrain her. “I got mad and fiery and I was flicking them off but at that point I was already leaving, so I just got in the car and we drove away,” Petoia said. Several days later, Petoia had a meeting with Dean of Students Debora D’Anna, discussing her and Poplin’s conduct on school property. The report D’Anna had received, according to Petoia, said she had been running around campus topless. “The most motion I remember doing was when I turned and did a little dance but I wasn’t running around campus,” Petoia said. “I wasn’t trying to sexualize my boobs, it was actually the complete opposite. I was trying to show everyone that it’s the same as if a guy took off his shirt, like, it should be the same.” Petoia’s spark for her social statement began last year when she was a freshman at BC. “Honestly it’s because I was lazy and I had stopped shaving. This one guy in my art class started saying stuff like ‘Hey, Malynne, shave your armpits.’ and stuff like that and over the summer my family started telling me to shave,” Petoia said, “It kind of got me mad. Just because I’m female, doesn’t make me different.” One day, Petoia said she was outside tanning with her friends and all her male friends were shirtless and she wanted to be as well. To her, it wasn’t an ordeal for a female to be topless, but she knew social standards weren’t in line with her beliefs. This led to Petoia’s controversial picture that was posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram over the summer. Within 20 minutes, the picture

was removed from all platforms except Twitter, due to “sexual content.” In the picture, Petoia was shown topless with both of her breasts showing. “Yeah there’s a picture of me and my tits on social media, it went up and it was deemed ‘too sexual’ for Facebook and Instagram,” Petoia said. “That wasn’t the point of the picture. It wasn’t supposed to be a ‘sexy’ photo, it was meant to be a statement to empower women.” She received negative feedback online from former peers in high school, some saying they were tired of seeing such a “nasty” picture on their feed. “There was one girl that put up the picture of the Little Caesars dude because I look like him or something, saying ‘no sexism needed’ as her caption,” Petoia said. “You’re a girl! I’m f*****g standing for you.” Several people on campus have told Petoia they wouldn’t personally do the same thing she did, either online or on campus. Petoia said it doesn’t matter what an individual would do personally, she chose to make her statement in the way she did and she doesn’t regret it. D’Anna met with both students to talk about the situation on campus, later passing the judicial decision for reprimand on to Director of Residence Life Michael Cohen. None of the personal student information quoted was released by D’Anna or Cohen, simply the description of the situation. “A student with strong convictions around women’s rights decided she wanted to voice her opinion by exposing her breasts,” D’Anna said. While this was done out of protest, the act See ‘Students protest’ page 4

New residence hall officially has a name:

Stanback Hall

Photo courtesy of Brevard College

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Tuesday as the new residence hall was named Stanback Hall, in honor of longtime Brevard College trustee and financial supporters William C. Stanback and his wife, Nancy.

Campus News Hurricanes, history, and Hillary versus Donald

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The Clarion

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September 28, 2016

Q&A with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley By John B. Padgett Contributor

Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley answered questions from a select group of students and faculty last week on a variety of subjects ranging from Hurricane Katrina, the challenges of researching and writing history, and the state of the 2016 presidential race. “It’s brutal out there,” he said, calling the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump “the dirtiest, nastiest in American history.” Other races, such as the 1800 race between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, have been nasty, but this year’s race, he said, “seems particularly degrading.” Brinkley met with around 30 students and faculty Thurs., September 22, in Scott Commons of the Porter Center in a Q&A that was prelude to his more formal lecture that evening on Theodore Roosevelt as a wilderness crusader. Brinkley was on campus as this year’s guest for the J. R. McDowell Speaker series, sponsored by the Transylvania County Library Foundation and Brevard College. During the afternoon session, Brinkley made some references to Roosevelt, but he spoke mainly about things more personal to him, including his boyhood travels to this area to visit the homes of two of his favorite writers: Thomas Wolfe in Asheville and Carl Sandburg in Flat Rock. Brinkley got personal too about his book “The Great Deluge,” which he wrote about Hurricane Katrina. When the hurricane struck the Gulf coast in 2005, he was living and teaching in New Orleans, but rather than evacuate and likely get stuck in gridlock traffic, he decided to stay. “That was a bad decision on my part,” he said. In the flooding that followed the storm, Brinkley aided in rescues as a first responder. When the waters receded, even though he was an eyewitness to the devastation, he wrote the book more as a historian or journalist. “I poured my heart into writing that book,” he said, hoping to capture the “spirit” of what it felt like to be in New Orleans at that time. Asked about his work as a historian and writer, Brinkley revealed it is pretty simple: he feels guilty if he does not write at least several pages every day, even (or especially) while traveling. That work ethic, he admits, makes leisure time somewhat problematic. “Going to a resort for a few days and doing nothing is my idea of hell,” he said. Brinkley talked mostly, however, about the 2016 election. The red-blue divide in America

between Republicans and Democrats is indicative, he said, of a “deeply broken political system.” Trump’s rise to become the nominee for the Republican Party defied the expectations of nearly every pundit, journalist and political scientist in the country, he said. Brinkley also alluded to some of the challenges reporters face in covering the Trump campaign. “It’s almost impossible to fact-check him because he says something false almost every minute,” Brinkley said. He noted that North Carolina this year is very much a bellwether of the national race for president. “This is a crucial state for Trump,” he said, because any gains in the polls in North Carolina would be a sign of Trump making national inroads. Brinkley spoke about the importance of the debates, including the first one that took place on Monday. A frequent guest on CNN, Brinkley said after leaving Brevard, he would travel to Hofstra University to do on-air commentary over the weekend and on Monday leading up to the debate. Presidential debates, he pointed out, are historically recent additions to presidential politics—the first ones to be televised were in 1960 between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon, but the next one did not happen until the 1976 race between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. Today’s debates are very telegenic events, he said, in which pundits pay undue attention to things like body language and “winners” and “losers” are often based upon statements or behaviors perceived as mistakes. This year in particular, the first debate between Clinton and Trump was being marketed as a kind of “heavyweight bout,” Brinkley said, but debates remain important because they mark when some voters first begin to think seriously about the race. Brinkley compared Clinton and Trump to past presidential candidates, noting Hillary most resembles her husband and Barack Obama, while Trump is reminiscent of Ross Perot, George Wallace, and Joseph McCarthy—the Wisconsin senator who in the 1950s became the public face in Congress of the so-called “Communist witch hunt.” If Trump were to win the election, Brinkley said he thinks he would be forced to build the wall on the Mexican border if only because it has become such a centerpiece of his campaign— though Brinkley noted, it might not simply be a physical wall. As for some of his other stated plans as president, Brinkley said he thought a president Trump would face some resistance

from within the bureaucracy of the government from enacting them, and other promises Trump might back away from on his own accord. One reason the polls have been so close this year, he said, is that neither candidate is very likeable, and many of their shortcomings are of their own making. Clinton’s campaign has been rather tepid and she has so far failed to excite young people to support her, Brinkley said. As for Trump, “politicians usually don’t win by name-calling everyone in their own party,” he said, referring to Trump’s frequent run-ins with other Republicans. Trump does have a narrow path to victory if he can win the states of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and one or two other battleground states, Brinkley said. Based on current polls, Brinkley said he thinks it is most likely that Clinton will win, but as a historian, he expressed concern about the outcome of this year’s election. “We’ve never had this much of a fascist come this close to becoming president,” Brinkley said.

Photo by John b. Padgett

Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley hosted a Q&A session with students in Scott Commons of the Porter Center on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Opinion

Clinton edges out Trump in First Debate

September 28, 2016 | The Clarion

By Calum McAndrew Editor in Chief

Where do we start? Like time itself, let us start at the beginning. Donald Trump took on Hillary Clinton in the first Presidential debate on Monday, Sept. 26, and well, it’s Wednesday, and we’re all still here. Let the record show, our continued existence does not detract from the absolute absurdity of the event, which was a lot like watching two relatively small dogs fight over a relatively small, crumbling stick, while an even smaller dog unconvincingly barked at them to stop the madness. The first two dogs are obviously the Presidential nominees, Clinton and Trump, and neither of them really appeared to live up to the job they were gunning for. The eventual winner, if we want to use such a choice word, appeared to be Clinton. Donald Trump, dare I say it, looked like the next President of the United States of America for a short while, and then he started speaking. Some of his claims were simply bizarre, while some others were obviously dreamed up on the spot. The most outrageous claim of the entire debate unsurprisingly came from the mouth of Trump, as he attacked Clinton on the fact she had been “fighting ISIS for her entire adult life.” If this is true, I have to say I’m impressed at the fact a five year old has that level of commitment to fighting an international terrorist organization. On top of this, Trump claimed it was smart of him not to pay federal income taxes. Clearly, there are a number of things wrong with this. Not only has a Presidential candidate ripped off the American people for personal gain, but this one had the audacity to admit it. If this doesn’t highlight his inexperience, then nothing will. Politicians rip off people and deny it all the way to the grave, Donald. Catch up. Clinton on the other hand missed chance after chance throughout the evening to bury Trump. She smiled, laughed, and made some questionable, potentially cringe worthy quips in response to his rants and rumbles, but it never really seemed like she did enough to completely topple her woeful opponent. Trump harked on about the need for ‘Law and Order,’ in the country, repeating the phrase over

and over without any detail on how to accomplish this, or even what it meant. There seemed a pretty obvious response to all of this for Hillary, and even despite one time in her rebuttal using the word ‘program,’ she never once made a joke about Trump plagiarizing a TV show name. Of course, a member of the Trump family plagiarizing something is hardly news anymore. This wasn’t even the worst of her glaring errors. This moment came when the topic of Trump and his past business deals came to the forefront. She spoke about his attitude and mannerisms, and specifically detailed all the people he had ever ‘stiffed.’ Surely, if she were going to mention the people Trump had stiffed, the most efficient response would have been to pull out a Slovenian high school yearbook. What does go in Clinton’s favor however is that she, unlike her opponent, appeared composed and experienced throughout the debate. She gave the viewers detailed policy proposals throughout, and showed a temperament that appeared worthy of a Commander in Chief. Trump, unsurprisingly disagreed with this, disapproving of Clinton’s stamina and temperament, and hailing himself as having those qualities in abundance. “I think my strongest asset by far is my temperament,” said Trump, which if true, is surely his strongest endorsement of Clinton to date. The debate, in general, followed the script everyone imagined it might. Trump did his best to appear Presidential, but even still let slip a few horrific mistakes. By claiming he saw Clinton lose her temper off stage, he appeared petty and desperate, and furthermore, saying that he held back on a vicious attack of the Clinton family did not achieve the humanizing effect he may have hoped it might. Clinton never threw out many surprises either. She was always going to be prepared and educated on the topics at hand, but whether this did anything to increase her popularity might be up for debate. She may have defeated Trump on the evening, but with two more debates to come, she will need to find another gear to defeat the Republican nominee. They won’t get any easier for her, as the attacks are likely to become more and more personal, and perhaps even more vicious. A stronger ability to kick Trump when she

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has him down might prove crucial in maintaining her lead in the polls all the way through to November. It was Lester Holt, the moderator, however, who managed to produce the line the American people would be most likely to identify with. This is even despite going MIA about halfway through it. “We have to move on,” he said to the candidates as they squabbled over a birth certificate, or some Miss Universe model, or the fashion in which they plan to send drones into the Middle East. Lester Holt summed it up very nicely. Yes, let us please just move on. How does 2020 sound?

the Clarion Senior Staff Editor in Chief . . . . Calum McAndrew Managing Editor . . . Kaelyn Martin Copy Editor . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . Michael Heiskell Arts & Life . . . . . . Jessica Wiegandt Sports . . . . . . . . Campus News . . . . Layout & Design . . . Emma Moore Faculty Advisor . . . . John B. Padgett Brady Andrews Bryant Baucom Tucker Fry

Other Staff Jordon Morgan Alex Perri Jeni Welch

The Clarion is a student-run college newspaper produced by student journalists enrolled at Brevard College. Unsigned editorials represent the collective opinion of the staff of The Clarion. Other opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff or administration of Brevard College.

All correspondence should be mailed to: The Clarion, Brevard College, One Brevard College Drive, Brevard, NC 28712, or send E-mail to [email protected] clarion.brevard.edu

 Letters Policy: The Clarion welcomes

letters to the editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for length or content. We do not publish anonymous letters orw those whose authorship cannot be verified.

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Mr. and Mrs. Smith file for divorce; irony ensues By Michael Heiskell Opinion Editor

Before you read this, please just take a moment of silence. Okay, are you done? Then let’s just jump into this. After two years of marriage, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have filed for divorce. Or in other words, Tyler Durden and Lora Croft are no more. Now, wipe those tears off the page and let’s try and figure this out together. On Sept. 19, 2016 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie split. The couple had been together for over 12 years and had been married for two years. Together, they had been raising six children. The celebrity power couple has always been a staple on the red carpet as well as on the silver screen. There has been a storm of news reports and accusations laid down after the story broke. Both parties are fighting for custody of the hundreds of children they adopted. Everyone remembers the first time they found out. A shadow hangs over the nation that could only be removed by repeated viewings of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Even that masterpiece of a film isn’t enough to brighten the spirits of our mourning country and it won’t for a long time. In all the horrible celebrity splits this young nation has endured, this one hurts the most. The reasoning behind the split is still mostly debated, but many sources believe that Pitt was dangerous around the kids. Anyone who has seen “Fight Club” can attest to that. In that movie Brad Pitt fights random strangers and blows up an entire building. That doesn’t sound like a safe environment for children. Then again, Jolie’s penchant for raiding tombs isn’t exactly a daycare either. It’s tough to say who was at fault here, but they both should probably stop with all the dangerous stuff around the kids. In the end, this story barely affects any of us. Sometimes, celebrity gossip can be an escape from the craziness of our world. Society puts these insurmountable expectations on them, and when they don’t live up to them, the people riot. Sometimes we need to stop and remember that they’re just people like us. Significantly richer people that have almost 200 million dollars resting on the divorce case. Yikes.

Opinion

Students protest The Clarion

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September 28, 2016

Continued from Front page

violates the student code of conduct, which was why Petoia and Poplin had to meet with D’Anna and Cohen. “Our judicial system is set up to be an educational process,” D’Anna said, “He [Cohen] will talk with the student[s] about the situation and decide on sanctions. There are a variety of sanctions that are possible. We want this to be a learning opportunity for the student, not a punitive process.” Petoia said she met with Cohen and felt the decision made was fair. Both students are expected to write a 3-5 page paper based on the movement of Free The Nipple, a campaign attempting to desexualize the nipple and gain gender equality globally. “I’ve had a lot of meetings with people about

this, and I’m prepared for continued attention,” Poplin said. “Basically the gist is that while people here support this endeavor, it wasn’t necessary for us to take our shirts off on campus. This wasn’t the place for it.” Petoia said she is not upset with the assigned paper but instead is excited to learn more about the movement and how to go about enacting her beliefs in a safe and sanctioned way. “I would love to start a chapter of this campaign here. We could have a Free The Nipple day where everyone walks around topless. It felt great to walk around in the daytime without my shirt on,” Petoia said, “It’s so freeing. It gives a sense of equality for everyone and that’s important to me.”

September 28, 2016 | The Clarion

Arts & Life

The Umbrella Revolution continues in Hong Kong

By Ariana Welsh Contributor

Similarly to thousands of other students across the world, 18 year old Glacier Kwong started attending classes at the start of a new semester in the winter of 2015. Kwong had the standard daily routine of listening to lectures, doing assignments, and working part time. Yet Glacier Kwong’s opinions on the new semester were quite different from others. “Attending lectures again actually feels really good,” Kwong wrote in an article published by CNN, “Getting back to school is also a relief because I no longer have to worry about being hit by a police baton or being sprayed with pepper spray or tear gas. And now I don’t have to sleep on a solid concrete floor.” Kwong is the founder for Keyboard Frontline, an organization campaigning for internet freedom, and was an activist for Hong Kong’s famous, millennial-led Umbrella Movement from 2014—2015. Starting in 1997 when the region was transferred from British Control back to Chinese control, Hong Kong began operating under an agreement in the Basic Law, the constitution signed jointly by Britain and Beijing. “One Country, Two Systems.” Hong Kong was to remain a free, capitalist society without communist rule, while still being under the possession of China. The Basic Law outlined further agreements for Chinese rule, which are still active today—Beijing’s socialist policies are not to be practiced in Hong Kong; the freedom of Hong Kong residents is inviolable and unlawful arrests are prohibited; citizens have the basic rights of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and demonstration, and freedom to strike, among others. Most specifically in the Basic Law is Article 45, which writes that the Chief Executive of Hong Kong must be elected through “universal suffrage…by a broadly representative committee in accordance with democratic procedures.” In August 2014, Mainland China declared that the long awaited 2017 election for Chief Executive would involve voting only on a preselected pool of candidates. Angry Hong Kongers who had dealt with impositions of the Mainland Chinese government before, including the previously protested mandatory Moral and National Education program many considered a forced attempt at indoctrination, gathered in the streets to show their disagreement with the announcement. The majority of the protesters was composed

of students and their university groups, such as Scholarism and Occupy Central with Love and Peace, leading the charge for a free election and full democracy. Police attacks, which involved student activist arrests and included the use of tear gas and pepper spray, only served to incite the protesters and coin its name: the Umbrella Movement, named for the umbrellas used to protect against police tear gas. A year later, after heightened violence between citizens and police, the Beijing government still hadn’t respected protesters’ requests. The numbers of Hong Kongers dwindled as activist leaders backed down from the brick wall they faced. Yet the backlash from Beijing continued into 2016 with arrests of famous student leaders Alex Chow, Joshua Wong, and Nathan Law in August. The charge, unlawful assembly and incitement, led Human Rights Watch to comment on the “violation of rights to peaceful expression.” Yet any assumptions by Beijing officials that the democracy “paratroopers” would back down was incorrect. An election for positions on the legislative council (LegCo) of Hong Kong this September resulted in six seats given to some of the youngest government officials in history—including 23 year old Nathan Law and 25 year old Yau Wai-Ching. Approximately four other seats were given to activists who previously campaigned for full democracy. Several of the individuals are operating under new political parties, including Youngspiration and Demosisto. It is easy to feel powerless as a young adult, yet these Hong Kong heroes stand for freedom against a tyrannical government has proven the power of Millennials across the world through our generation’s determination, tenacity, and passion. Considering students like Joshua Wong and Yau Wai-Ching will face many more challenges in Beijing and Hong Kong’s tug of war for democracy, it is imperative that young adults, regardless of nationality or location, use our idealism and strength to impact the world and help fellow students, such as Hong Kong’s student activists, to crusade for better. “As a Hong Konger standing here…I ask all of you from all over the world, please help us,” said one Hong Kong student protestor in 2014, “All of you who were born in democra[tic] states…have free election rights. But we don’t. Please help us.”

Leon Bridges Debut Album

By Tucker Fry

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Staff Writer Leon Bridges, a 27 year old from Atlanta, Ga. brings back the Soul/R&B music everyone loves. Bridges’ debut album came out in June 2015, but his song “Coming Home” is still hanging on the top 100. “Coming Home” was Bridges’ first album, and from the sales of the album it could be his best. Every track had just enough swing in the music to be Rhythm and Blues, just enough energy to be Soul music and just enough culture to be Gospel music. The song “Coming Home” off his new album was on the top 10 list on Spotify, and the song also reached top 10 most viral track on Spotify. With the new debut album, Bridges did pretty well. One of my favorite tracks on his album was “Smooth Sailin’.” That song has swing that made me feel like I was listening to 1970’s music. From the drums to the saxophone, you can feel the rhythm in the music and you can hear the energy that went into making the album. The most important thing to keep in mind when creating an album is to be energetic. If the whole album is slow and sad then the audience will feel that way. If one was to make an album, they would want to make the songs upbeat, especially for soul music. Bridges writes all his music and performs it just as recorded. A lot of artists change their songs live and most artists don't sound the same live. Bridges is different, he takes the song and improves it live. He is able to sing the exact same and sometimes better than he did on the recorded version. It is early in the music game for Bridges to know which direction he is heading, but from what he has released, possesses a high amount of talent. Bridges has been compared to music wonders like Sam Cooke and Amy Winehouse. If you are looking for an album that best represents a nostalgia then this is the one. It will throw the listener back into the past, and send them dancing across the floor.

Arts & Life

Beasts of No Nation

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The Clarion

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September 28, 2016

A story of inner violence and hope

By Jordon Morgan Staff writer



“Beasts of No Nation” is one of the most intense, brutal, and yet somehow hopeful films found on Netflix. It is a film that illuminates the inner beast within us all, showing the type of cruel violence that humanity can be capable of. Yet it also shows that no matter what terrible things we see or do, there is hope. Set in an unspecified country in Africa, “Beasts of No Nation” follows a young boy named Agu. While trying to live his simple, day-to-day life, he and his family are caught in the middle of a civil war between two factions fighting for control of the government of Africa, the NDF and the PLF. Eventually, it leads to most of his family being killed or separated from him and Agu himself being taken under the leadership of The Commandant (Idris Elba). The Commandant trains him to be a soldier, to kill and fight, and to show no mercy to anyone. “Beasts of No Nation” has a grounded brutality and realism that few films have been able to match. It does not glorify or romanticize violence, it shows you exactly would could happen in a war torn country that has no sympathy for its citizens. Much like Steve McQueen’s films such as “12 Years a Slave” or “Shame”, it pulls no punches and does not flinch when it comes to its subject matter. Subsequently, the film ensures that you take in everything that it puts forward, whether you want to or not. This brutal realism also has an effect on the characters as seeing what they are put through makes everything they do, their emotions, actions and relationships, seem that much more authentic. Agu’s journey highlights this very effectively. He goes from an imaginative, cheerful child to a soldier who does not hesitate to kill innocent civilians along with his enemies. Hesitant at first, but eventually coming to accept and embrace the violent world he inhabits, it’s a chilling example of what happens when someone that young is conditioned to rage and murder. The performances of everyone in the film is top notch, but it is Elba’s Commandant that is the most captivating. Elba plays a man who is eccentric and charismatic, and underneath the surface, even more cruel than the child soldiers he commands. It is someone whom you feel uneasy to be around, but can’t help to hear what he has to

say. Someone who also treats the act of killing as trivial as swatting away a bug would be for the average person. Often times, to him, it is something that needs to be done to achieve his goal, and to keep the peace of his country. From a technical standpoint, the movie is shot in a very grounded style. It doesn’t feature any action scene style camerawork with shaky cam, elaborate angles, or over the top explosions. This makes it so that you don’t become distracted with anything other than what the film wants. Add to it the fact that it also doesn’t

have many of the typical clichés you’d find in a war story. Even though there is untold violence and cruelty found in humanity, there is hope to be found. Through patience, caring and understanding, even people who have taught nothing but cruelty, such as Agu, can leave their dark pasts and deeds behind and embrace the present. They can be taught again the value of human life, to enjoy the company of other people, and to know that there is a better path, a path of joy and peace.

BC hosts annual Chiaroscuro Publication Party By Kaelyn Martin Managing Editor The BC English Department hosted its annual publication party for the college's fine arts magazine the Chiaroscuro on Tues., September 27. Readings began at 7 p.m. in the Frances Pavilion in the Porter Center and featured a number of contributing writers to the fine arts magazine including last year’s editor Benjamin Blevins and Samuel Edwards. Head Editor Michael Heiskell is looking forward to this upcoming issue and is optimistic about creating something students will enjoy to read. “I look forward to seeing the creative works of Brevard College students this year. Each issue of the journal is unique, and together we can create something special this year,” Heiskell said. Along with reading from this year’s publication, guests had the opportunity to win door prizes that were donated by local businesses.

The Chiaroscuro is also looking for contributors to submit their work to go into next semester's publication and a possible artist for the cover of the magazine. “In terms of submissions, we’re looking for art, photography, fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Basically anything in the creative realm,” Heiskell said. Students looking to submit a piece to the Fine Arts magazine or are interested in designing a cover can send their work to Michael Heiskell at [email protected]. “I think people should submit to the Chiaroscuro because it's a great opportunity to get your work out there. Not only that, but it's a long running magazine,” Heiskell said. “Being published in the Chiaroscuro is a way to be a part of something that has been a very important part of the school for awhile now. It's always rewarding seeing your name in the table of contents in a published book.”

September 28, 2016 | The Clarion

Senior Spotlight:

Arts & Life

Biking in BC

Profile of Sarah Hill By Florian Peyssonneaux Staff Writer

Traveling 8000 miles to come to Brevard College is what Sarah Hill, the 23 year old from Johannesburg, South Africa did four years ago. She came to BC to pursue her dreams of living in America and biking in the mountains. Sarah Hill is now on her way to complete her last semester at Brevard College. Hill is a professional cyclist in BC, and also a super senior graduating in Psychology and Exercise Science. Hill immediately spoke of the moment when she decided to come to Brevard, so she could live in this area. “Brevard has some of the best trails in the world for mountain biking. The mountains and the forests here are so different from South Africa and I love it,” said Hill. Hill remembers the first day she arrived in Brevard, recalling, “I didn’t know anybody here, I went to the cafeteria I sat by myself. The students from the cycling team came directly to talk to me even if I didn’t know them yet. Now they are my friends, the friends I will have for the rest of my life.” Sarah Hill has a career that is unique com-

pared to most students, she did not know what to do after high school and she thought about dropping out of school, but that was before she chose to come to the America. Hill went to Lees-McRae College for her freshman year, before transferring to BC. The former cycling coach at BC, Brian Sheedy, was a mentor for Hill. He is the person who convinced her to come to Brevard for cycling as, “he knew exactly what was good for me to have the best college experience,” said Hill. Some people in Brevard College community were guides for Hill’s career, like Dr. Chandler, BC professor in Exercise Science “Dr. Chandler’s classes were some of the toughest, but she is also the person I learned a lot from,” said Hill. In December, Hill will officially be a BC alumna and she plans to go back to South Africa. Hill mentioned, “I applied in many Universities back home to complete a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology.” “After I graduate from Brevard College I’d like to come back to the United States, but it doesn’t matter where I go, I will have to stop by Brevard to see the mountains again,” said Hill.

Photo Courtesy of BC Athletic Media Relations

BC Senior Sarah Hill in action in the Tornados latest tournament Lees-McRae College on her way to a fourth place finish.

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Experiential Education

A look into some local businesses By Marshall Bell Contributor

Students of the ORG 209, Small Town Business class were treated to a field trip to downtown Brevard, for an up close and personal look at two local businesses. Rockys Soda Shop and D.D. Bullwinkles opened their doors and allowed students to look around the shop, answering questions about how the business started and how they developed. While they may be two different businesses, they are actually connected by a walkway through the center, and run by the same owner. Rocky’s is a classic soda shop, specializing in hot dogs, milkshakes, and pimento cheese sandwiches. Students were shown how Rocky's tries to not only have quality food but also have an atmosphere that brings the customers back time and time again. Many students have been in the restaurant before, but were given fun behind the scenes information about items in the location that help set up the atmosphere Rocky's has accomplished, such as finding a specialist who makes custom 1960’s style television sets. Nextdoor, DD Bullwinkles sells certain specialized outdoor gear and other interesting items such as luggage, clothing, and sunglasses. Students were shown the type of items that they choose to sell and also showed the class how they were running low on space. This led to the final aspect of the field trip, and possibly the most exciting for many of the students in the class; the showing of the new location for DD Bullwinkles. Due to the lack of space, they are moving and expanding to a new location downtown in what used to be the old Becks building. Students were allowed to look around the new space under construction and were given a glimpse of what is possible for the future of the store. Special thanks to the Perkins family for allowing Brevard College students a behind the scenes look at their businesses.

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Movie Review:

Arts & Life

The Clarion

Staff writer

By Michael Heiskell Opinion Editor

‘Magnificent Seven’

Directed by Antoine Fuqua Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke Western, 133 min. , PG-13

“Magnificent Seven” is a well-made remake that doesn’t live up to either of the films that came before it. “Magnificent Seven” is the story of Chisolm (Denzel Washington) and a group of 6 other cowboy misfits who have to come together to defend a helpless town against the tyrannical Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard). The cast as a whole is amazing. They all have great chemistry and seeing them all together on the screen during the big shootout scene was an absolute joy. Many people were skeptical of the cast when it was announced but I’d say they all succeeded in creating a solid crew, particularly Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke. The two of them were the most memorable of the ensemble, and carried a lot of the scenes. There are some really amazing moments in

this film. The cinematography is downright beautiful and, at times, some of the best I’ve seen this year. There is a scene where the army is riding across the plane and it is filmed with these beautiful tracking shots of the horses and gun toting riders. If you’re looking for a Western with an eye for photography, look no further. The score is also quite good, and represents the last piece by the late James Horner. Apparently he was so excited about the film that he composed the score completely in pre-production and never got to see a shot from the movie. The film felt stale in its approach. It was an unnecessary remake of a remake. If you want this same story, but executed much better, watch “Seven Samurai.” It was remade into an American Western, and then remade as the Denzel Washington-led action festival. It lacks any of the subtlety that the Japanese original had. Violence is a large part of the Western genre, but it is a restrained violence. There is no restraint in “The Magnificent Seven.” Overall, this film was a very fun popcorn flick, though it pales in comparison to the film it remade and the classics of the Western genre. It’s not a bad movie at all, it’s just one that we didn’t need.

September 28, 2016

Pipeline bursts causing gas shortage in southeast states By Brady Andrews

Quite a bit of fun, but very little substance

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Like a scene from an apocalyptic story, people scrambled around Brevard in search of the last remaining drops of gasoline in the United States. Actually, it was just a temporary shortage, caused by a pipeline leak in Alabama. Nevertheless, the struggle was real for people living in certain southeastern states. The states of Georgia, North Carolina and Alaska declared states of emergency. It became an even bigger problem for people whose tanks were unluckily on empty. In some places, it was miles and miles before you could find a station pumping gas, and even then, there were large lines of people waiting to fill up. The leak in the gas pipeline, which runs from Houston to New Jersey was discovered by Colonial Pipeline on September 9, though it wasn’t known how long it had been leaking. More than 300,000 gallons were lost. The incident managers avoided complete disaster but came close to handling mass hysteria. Ecologically, the leak was a miracle with a majority of gas filling a retaining pond, but the biggest problem would remain keeping the public calm. As soon as people were getting the word that there was a shortage of gas, they were heading to the pump to stock up. Meanwhile, people in desperate need of it for weekend travels were uncertain whether they would be lucky enough to stumble upon a pump for miles without bags covering the pumps. Stations were back to ordinary sales by Friday, Sept. 23, but not without seeing an increase in gas prices. The biggest lesson of this fiasco was that in situations like this, whether a relatively minor temporary gas shortage or a zombie apocalypse, people often overreact with a tendency to leave others stranded. Don’t be that person.

September 28, 2016 | The Clarion

Arts & Life

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Meet BC Alumnus Ken Hardwick By Alex Perri Staff Writer

Fly fishing is becoming increasingly more mainstream in Western North Carolina, and one Brevard College graduate is pursuing his dreams in the industry right here within the Brevard community. Ken Hardwick is an alumnus who came to Brevard to get an education, but ended up staying after graduation to pursue a career and start a life. Hardwick graduated in 2009 with a degree in Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education, and he certainly believes that making the choice to attend BC has given him the beautiful life he lives today. “Without question I would not be where I am today without Brevard College,” he said. Hardwick uses the skills he learned while

pursuing a WLEE degree every day in his job as a Fly Fishing guide at Headwaters Outfitters. In 2004, Hardwick came to BC from upstate South Carolina primarily because of the College’s WLEE program, and because the rivers in this region were ideal for his whitewater kayaking passion. When an injury in his freshman year of college kept him out of the kayak and on dry land, a buddy of his suggested fly fishing. He’s been hooked ever since. Throughout college Hardwick worked as a guide for Davidson River Outfitters. After graduation, he headed to Alaska to guide fishing trips. Now, Brevard remains the home for Hardwick and his family. Not only does he call BC his alma mater, he also has two children with his life partner and BC staff member, Nacole Potts (Director for Career Exploration and Development at BC.)

CAB brings Canadian Accapella Group to campus By Brady Andrews Staff writer



EH440, an a cappella group, performed a free concert to an excited and receptive crowd of underwhelming numbers in the Porter Center on Wed., September 21. Campus Activities Board is responsible for the event’s success and possibly its ill turnout. The event was fairly promoted, with flyers and emails, but as the concert got underway, a small group of students were Snapchatting and posting on Instagram to tell their friends to come out. With the rise in popularity in a cappella groups, due in part to the success of groups like Pentatonix and the Pitch Perfect films, there was an eagerness to see how a live group would perform, especially for a free concert. EH440 is an a cappella group from Toronto, Canada. The group includes three lead singers, a bass vocalist and a beat boxer. They are fairly new, but they’ve garnered an ever-growing fan base and have enjoyed success with both their debut album and most recent album “Boss Level” which was released earlier this month. The group performed a mix of original songs and covers. The audience enjoyed singing and dancing along to both familiar tunes as well as wowed by the group’s original work. Early into the night, the group was halfway

through a song when the mics suddenly stopped working. A few knowing glances amongst each other and they adapted to singing without them. The audience was no less impressed, in fact, possibly more so by their professionalism and comfortability on stage. Lead singer, Stacey Kay, who did a good bit of the talking felt incredibly personable while on stage. The dynamics between the performers on stage and between the audience felt very intimate even though the large space felt somewhat empty. A few singers even took time to interact with the crowd, performing amongst the star struck audience. A memorable moment also took place when they sang without their mics, purposefully this time. Their self amplified voices filled the entire space of the Porter Center giving the audience a strikingly intimate and breathtaking performance. After the concert, students gathered around outside to meet the band, buy CDs and t-shirts. Nobody left early but rather took the chance to talk to members of the group. It was a surprising night, especially for those who turned up not knowing what to expect. It was also free which makes it, for those students who happened to attend, a perfect night. Campus activities tend to be a hit or miss. Jot this one down as a hit.

For a number of reasons, Hardwick says he plans to stay in the area for years to come. The small-town character is perfect for raising his family, the forests and rivers here offer him all of the outdoor recreation he could ever want, and the location is central enough to family, cities, and other vacation getaways that Hardwick says he sees himself staying here for years to come. It is obvious that Hardwick’s passion for his job stems not only from a deep love and appreciation for fly fishing, but also from an equal passion for passing on his love for the sport to others. In a world where technology and information increase accessibility to a previously expensive and exclusive sport, he says he believes that fly fishing has an appeal that other outdoor activities can’t compare. “[Fly fishing] appeals to people who can capture this thing for a moment that is this beautiful creature that nature gives us,” Ken said. “And they can hold it up, take a picture for a second and admire it, enjoy it… then they get to send it back and they don’t have to kill it.” The sport offers something for every angler. Whether it is a better understanding of river ecology, competition, natural beauty, gear fanaticism, or a combination of these things, the popularity of fly fishing is on the rise, and a as a guide, this allows Hardwick to keep passing on his passion. “When you get a beginner and they get to catch a fish, you put a smile on people’s faces. That’s where my gratification comes from.”

Photo provided by Ken Hardwick

Hardwick poses with a client and a big catch.

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Sports

The Clarion

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September 28, 2016

BC capture first win in dominating fashion By Bryant Baucom Staff Writer

The Brevard College Tornados (1-3, 0-1 SAC) captured their first win of the 2016 season against the Apprentice School Builders (2-2) 38-7 behind the dominant performances from Senior fullback Isaac German and the Tornado defense. German led the Tornados offense with 104 rushing yards on twenty attempts along with three rushing touchdowns while the Tornados defense forced five turnovers and held the Builders to 7 points. The Tornados opened up the scoring on the opening drive of the game completing a 14 play, 75-yard drive with a one yard quarterback dive from sophomore Bubba Craven. The Tornados defense would cause a turnover on the first Apprentice School drive as linebacker Josh Allman stripped the ball from the Builder’s tailback. Fred Hendrieth and Axel Easter jumped on the loose ball. Brevard kicker Dayton Rogers would add three points on the board following the turnover

on a 46-yard field goal that at the 2:42 mark of the opening quarter, gave the Tornados a 10-0 lead. The Brevard defense wasted no time forcing another turnover as on the Builders’ second offensive play of the game, inside linebacker Jinsly Jhon would knock the ball loose and defensive end Ashton Woodring would pounce on the football for the Tornados. German used a 13-yard run to cap off the 4 play, 48-yard drive and give the Tornados a 17-0 lead. The Tornados increased their lead to 24-0 in the second quarter following a 4-yard rush by Xavier Brown that capped off an 11 play, 80-yard drive. The defense for the Tornados came up big once again as Casey Shubert recorded his second interception on the season and Brevard’s fourth takeaway of the game. The Tornados took advantage of the interception, completing the 8 play, 58-yard drive with German’s 7-yard rush. The Builders broke through in the fourth quarter, scoring on a 5-yard quarterback run by Terrence Sudberry which completed an 11 play,

71-yard drive. The Tornados capped off their final scoring drive with a 4-yard rush by German that came after the fifth and final takeaway for the Tornados, an interception by freshman defensive back Dontavious Williams. Brevard’s offense was led by German while fellow fullback Karris Johnson rushed for 97 yards on 16 attempts before exiting the game with an apparent foot injury. The Tornados had eight rushers who eclipsed double-digit yards in the contest while receivers Chance Holbrooks and Jarkevius Hopkins led the Tornado passing attack with 13 receiving yards apiece. The Tornados once again excelled in the timeof-possession department. The Tornados offense nearly tripled their time on the field compared to the Builders of the Apprentice School as they had possession for 44:17. Brevard currently ranks 11th in the country in time-of-possession through the first four games of the 2016 season. The Tornados are back in South Atlantic Conference action on Sat., October 1, as they travel to the Volunteer State to face Tusculum at 1:30 p.m.

Tornados defeat Lions 2-1 This week in BC Athletics By Bryant Baucom

Staff Writer The Brevard College Men’s Soccer team (5-3, 2-2 SAC) capped off the week of games with a resilient 2-1 victory over the Mars Hill Lions (3-4, 2-2 SAC). The Tornados tallied the game-clinching goal in the 88th minute via header by freshman Tyler Nelson off of the Camilo Sosa assist. The game’s scoring began in the 39th minute when Brevard’s Gabriel Pastrana sent the ball flying to the back of the net. This came after goalkeeper Heath Turner reeled in a shot from Ian Wu in the 2nd minute of the contest. The Tornados took the 1-0 lead heading into halftime following a total of eight shots and one save from Turner. The second half of the match turned out to be one of aggression. The contest featured six yellow cards being assigned, all of which were

given out in the second half. Brevard’s Ryan McPhillips, Winston Haddock, Gabriel Garcia, and Chris Efenecy were all administered yellow cards in the match. The Lions evened the score at one each with a goal from D Franck Lannaud in the 56th minute off of an assist by F Stian Sanner. Mars Hill narrowly missed taking the lead during the 81st minute after an offsides penalty negated the goal. The Tornados offensive attack featured 17 total shots and was led by goal scorers Gabriel Pastrana and Tyler Nelson along with Jesse Omezi who had three shots. Four Tornados recorded 2 shots in the match. Turner tallied a total of four saves in the contest while recording the win in goal. The Tornados will be back in action on Tues., September 27th at 4 p.m. as they host nonconference opponent, Mount Olive.

Womens and Mens Soccer at Catawba on Saturday Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. respectively. Volleyball at Coker on Friday Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. Football at Tusculum on Saturday Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Cycling at King University on Saturday Oct. 1. Mens Golf at Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate on Monday Oct. 3 and Tuesday Oct. 4.