VOL 120, Issue 8 - November 3rd, 2022

SF FOGHORN
EST. 1903
05
SFFOGHORN.COM
FOGPOD
NEWS
NIA RATLIFF
Staff Writer
ASUSF Senate proposes
resolution demanding
period products in
campus bathrooms.
@SFFOGHORN
06
SCENE OPINION SPORTS
See five spooky looks
from Fright Night.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 2022 • VOL. 120, ISSUE 8
09
School shooting
spotlights Michigan’s
gun culture.
12
Dons Basketball gears
up for the 2022-23
season.
SHARED STRUGGLE: IRANIAN ACTIVISM
REACHES THE HILLTOP
Mahsa Amini’s Death Sparks Protest
San Francisco activists join the global movement for Mahsa Amini. PHOTO COURTESY OF USF IRANIAN STUDENT UNION
Flyers that read: “If you’re a feminist, look up #MahsaAmini” and,
“Mahsa Amini killed, aged 22, by Iran’s morality police for an ‘improper
hijab’” with attached QR codes have spread across the Hilltop over
the last two months.
On Sept. 13, Mahsa Amini, also known by her Kurdish name, Jina
Amini, was arrested in Tehran, Iran for not “appropriately” wearing the
hijab, a headscarf that is compulsory for women in Iran.
Accusations and eyewitness accounts claim the “Guidance Patrol,”
Iran’s morality police that enforces compliance with the Islamic dress
code, brutalized Amini while in their custody, leading to her death.
The Iranian government has since issued a statement claiming Amini
suddenly suffered a heart attack and brain seizure due to prior existing
health issues.
Amini’s family has denied these claims. Amjad Amini, Mahsa’s
father, said to BBC News, "they are lying," and that, "she has not been
to any hospital at all in the past 22 years, other than for a few cold-related
sicknesses.”
The circumstances surrounding Amini’s death immediately
sparked controversy, and Iranian citizens took to the streets to protest.
Protesters were seen shouting, “women, life, freedom” and “death to
the dictatorship,” in videos that have circulated from the protests. At
the center of these demonstrations, Iranian women have led the way,
burned their hijabs, and cut their hair in solidarity with Amini and in
opposition to the enforced dress codes.
The news outlet Iran International reports that protesters have
been arrested and subject to various forms of violence and mistreatment,
being tortured and held in inadequate facilities. According to the
article, since the start of the protests, “at least 253 people including 34
children have been killed by government forces.”
The Foghorn interviewed students and faculty on the Hilltop to
understand their perspective on this issue. The Foghorn granted full
anonymity to one of these interviewees for their safety as they have
direct ties to Iran. This is following a number of influential Iranian
figures who have been under threat of arrest or banishment from Iran
after supporting protests. Other students are referenced by their first
name, for similar safety concerns.
Charly, an Iranian student and senior international studies major,
said “it’s sad, but it’s hopeful, too, to see so many people finally be like
‘this is enough,’ and using Mahsa’s death as a symbol of hope and unity.
“It speaks to a lot of the Persian experience, everyone is able to see
themselves or someone they love in Mahsa.”
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03

02
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
STAFF
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FOGHORN
Freedom and Fairness
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ZOE BINDER
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MEGAN ROBERTSON
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Opinion Editor
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General Reporter
JORDAN DELFIUGO
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General Reporter
TALEAH JOHNSON
tjohnson1@dons.usfca.edu
SUBMISSION POLICY
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STAFF EDITORIAL
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
TO TWITTER?
GRAPHIC BY MORGAN LEE/GRAPHICS CENTER
It's official: Tesla tycoon Elon Musk has
closed the deal to purchase Twitter for $44 billion.
Musk’s acquisition marks a turning point
in billionaire spending, departing from the
norm of the wealthiest using their companies to
make large purchases. Think Mark Zuckerberg
who bought Instagram via Meta, and Jeff Bezos
who bought Whole Foods with Amazon.
Under Musk’s buyout, one man now holds
the reins of a platform used by 240 million
people. This raises a multitude of questions in
regard to Twitter’s future, an important one being,
will Musk allow hate speech and misinformation
under the guise of free speech?
Since their inception, social media platforms
like Twitter have been subject to the circulation
of misinformation due to algorithms
that manipulate users into only seeing like
minded accounts. While for certain hobbies
this might not be a problem, it can be dangerous
when users look to social media as a primary
source for news coverage and forming opinions
on controversial topics. Twitter specifically has
been under fire for its algorithm promoting misinformation.
A 2018 study found that fake news
reaches more people than factual information
does on Twitter.
“When people in positions of power and the
public start to echo extremist rhetoric, it's even
more likely that we're going to see real-world
consequences,” said former Rutgers University
institute of politics Director John Farmer.
San Francisco witnessed these consequences
this past week with the brutal attack of House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 82 year-old husband
Paul Pelosi. On Friday at 2 a.m., David DePape
broke into their home and attacked Pelosi with
a hammer. Now in custody, authorities have
revealed that DePape has a long internet history
with QAnon, an internet conspiracy theory
phenomenon associated with anti-semitic statements
and paranoia over perceived anti-white
racism.
Studies across the world have concluded
that a strong link exists between online speech
and acts of violence targeted towards marginalized
people. In the last decade, numerous tragedies
like the 2015 Charleston church shooting,
the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, and
the 2019 Poway synagogue shooting have unfolded
testifying to the power of misinformation.
In a statement, Musk assured users that
Twitter will not transform into a “free-for-all
hellscape, where anything can be said with no
consequences.” But, as we have seen, violent
rhetoric never remains within the echo chambers
of our digital world.
Since Musk’s buy out of Twitter, racist
trolls have taken to the app to test the limits of
free speech. As reported by the Princeton-based
Network Contagion Research Institute the use
of the N-word increased by 500% in the 12
hour period following Musk’s acquisition. In
response, NBA player Lebron James tweeted, “I
hope he [Musk] and his people take this very
seriously because this is scary
AF. So many damn unfit
people saying hate speech is
free speech.”
This year, Twitter began
testing out the experimental
program “Birdwatch”
where a small, select group
of users can fact check tweets
and provide context notes to
Tweets which may not directly
violate Twitter community
guidelines but do
present false information.
Who knows if this program
will become more accessible,
or even survive under Musk’s
leadership.
As we watch and wait to
see what will happen to one
of the world’s main sources
for news, we wonder what
the future of news sharing
will look like on Twitter.
Given Musk’s record as a
“free speech absolutist,” we
hope that he will protect the
platform from becoming a
den for racism and white supremacy.
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
Iran has seen waves of protests and uprisings
against the Islamic regime for accusations of state violence
over the past two decades. The Iranian Green
Movement of 2009 began as a series of non-violent
protests in major cities against the election of Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad to the presidency and accusations
of a rigged election. In 2011, there were protests
curtailing the Arab Spring, a series of pro-democracy
uprisings across the Middle Eastern region protesting
human rights abuses and systemic oppression. In 2019,
“Bloody November” began as protests against rises in
fuel prices.
Internationally, people have expressed their solidarity
with Iran and support for the Iranian peoples’
struggle for liberation through domestic protests, and
social media campaigns intended to spread awareness.
Doreen, a second-year international studies student,
and board member of the Iranian Student Union
(ISU), said the ISU has attended protests as an organization.
Since Amini’s death, the ISU has gone to protests
in Berkeley, as well as the human chain protest at
the Golden Gate Bridge. They encourage digital forms
of protest too, “any pictures, any videos that you see
on your Instagram, you should do everything in your
power to really spread that information,” said Doreen.
Media censorship in Iran has been pervasive the
past few years, with the government shutting off all access
to the internet during the 2019 protests. Doreen
said a purpose of their advocacy is to combat the stifling
of information, and to amplify voices on social
media that may otherwise be suppressed and censored
by the Iranian government.
A third-year biology student, and member of the
ISU, whose name has been removed for anonymity
and safety, said that “it’s very easy when you’re apart
from your community, which is on the other side of
the world, to feel like maybe things are dying down.”
Protesting and spreading information via social media
has been their way of showing solidarity with Iranian
citizens.
“I feel this guilt of [being] worried about exams
while I have distant relatives who are worried about
the cost of living, their rights, their ability to speak up
against the government,” they said. “It’s difficult to find
balance.”
Despite the tragedies that have come from the
protests, many find the movement hopeful and distinct
from prior ones, due to its magnitude. Doreen said that
“it’s about all of the injustices that are happening because
of the Islamic Regime” and that Amini’s death
was the tipping point for many. “It started off as protests,
but is now more of a revolution against the Islamic
Republic as a whole.”
Professor Nora Fisher-Onar, associate professor
and director of the masters in international studies, said
that this movement should be an example for other societies
battling oppressive forces.
“When you see, in the context of decades of repression,
ordinary people willing to risk everything in
the pursuit of honor and dignity, it’s really quite moving,”
said Onar. “It should be a wake up call to people
in Italy, and Sweden, and France, and the United States.
It’s not just confined to the Middle East.”
Chair of the international studies department,
John Zarobell, said that the kind of oppression Iranians
are facing now isn’t too different from oppression
in the United States. “It really in that way doesn’t matter
that their government is portrayed to be completely
different than ours,” he said. “What we see is a power
being abused, the police are not acting responsibly, and
I think it’s really great students have come together and
said we want to promote this as a shared struggle.”
Protests against the Iranian government erupt in downtown San Francisco. PHOTO COURTESY OF USF
IRANIAN STUDENT UNION
Mahsa Amini is remembered around the globe. PHOTO COURTESY OF USF IRANIAN STUDENT UNION
03
NEWS

04
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
NEWS
USF ANNOUNCES NEW DATA ETHICS FELLOWSHIP
MEGAN ROBERTSON
Staff Writer
Living in the digital age, we are more intimately connected to technology than
any other era. Every tap on your phone gives tech companies information about
you. Your phone knows every message you have ever sent, every word you have
spoken to Siri, the speed you drive at, your location, and your mood.
Americans are spending over eight hours a day on screens, new studies show.
With so much time spent online, many have begun to wonder what happens with
all of this data.
The Bay Area is the birthplace of the online landscape today, and is home to
nearly 8,000 influential tech companies. Because of its proximity to this climate,
USF has founded a new data ethics fellows program on a donation from Craig
Newmark, the founder of Craigslist.
As a part of the Center for Applied Data Ethics, two activist scholars are
tasked with designing a new ethics curriculum for data science students on campus:
Christina Boyles, an assistant professor at Michigan State University, and Nantina
Vgontzas, who is coming from a postdoctoral fellowship at New York University.
Boyles’ interest in data ethics comes from her work in grassroots activism after
environmental disasters in Puerto Rico. She said that “many of the government
agencies use data as a way of determining who has the most need.” Her focus at USF
is the intersection of community, disaster, government, and technology.
Vgontzas’ passion comes from labor work around technology. “I've been a labor
movement activist since college. Now, there is the use of technology to further
control workers movements,” they said. “I’m very animated by the question of how
workers are building power in contemporary capitalism, looking at the algorithmic
organization of work at Amazon.com.”
Vgontzas and Boyles will spend the next year developing their curricula to be
used in data science courses in the fall of 2023.
78% respondents in a Foghorn survey said they do not think students are well versed in protecting their data.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN ROBERTSON/SF FOGHORN.
“We're often feeding data into a surveillance machine that is then being used
and processed in ways that we might not sign up for,” Boyles said.
To get a better understanding of what data privacy concerns exist on the Hilltop,
the Foghorn circulated a survey on Instagram. Although none of the survey
questions required a response, out of 21 respondents, 11 people gave their full name,
17 people gave their email, and 14 people gave their personal phone number. This
personal data, in the wrong hands, can be used in identity theft and online scams.
These students, while giving their data away, may be somewhat conscious of
the fact that they are in jeopardy. Fifty percent of respondents said they do not consider
themselves safe online and 78% of respondents said they do not think students
are well versed in protecting their data.
Vgontzas saw some of these same concerns in their time working with students
at NYU. “They're being trained in the technical know-how of engineering and designing
online platforms, but they are wondering at the end of the day, where's that
data going?” they said.
Boyles said she wants students to “push back against that surveillance machine.”
“I'm really hoping that students start to identify moments where surveillance
is happening, to understand what the risks of that might be,” she said.
Boyles also said that even university required apps and websites can cause
harm. Canvas LMS, which USF students use to turn in their coursework, was sold
to a private equity investment firm in Dec. 2019. The company has said they are not
going to sell user data, but that promise is not legally binding.
During the Foghorn’s interview with Boyles, she pointed out that Zoom, the
application the interview was conducted on, “has one of the most loose privacy
policies, where they're really allowed to do anything with the recordings. So as we
use this tool, they could take this recording and use it in commercials, or they could
sell our data to third-party data brokers.”
According to the Foghorn’s survey, some students on campus are not thinking
about the data implications of the platforms they
choose to use, let alone the ones they are required to.
Eighteen of the 21 respondents use Google
Chrome and Gmail as their primary search engines
and email hosts, despite extensive evidence that Google
does not care about respecting users’ privacy. In 2018
it was revealed that the tech giant would track users’
locations, even with location history turned off.
Only nine percent of respondents use a virtual private
network (VPN), which can help protect your data
from being tracked and obscure your location from prying
eyes. Forty-three percent of respondents typically
allow cookies, files that websites send to your device
and to track your online habits.
Kaylee Rameriez, a third-year kinesiology major,
accepts cookies when she is in a hurry. “I feel like no one
is told what you’re really accepting by clicking yes on
the site. So, it feels like it doesn’t really matter.”
While it may feel like all this online tracking won’t
add up to much, or will only personalize your ads,
there are real world consequences to the compilation
of this information. In August, a Nebraska woman was
charged with two felonies for helping her daughter end
her pregnancy, based on Facebook messages investigators
obtained detailing her purchase of abortion pills.
Beyond the government, this personal data can
also be lost to hackers, like last year’s major T-Mobile
breach, which exposed the data of 47.8 million users
— data which showed up again on the dark web, being
sold for $270,000.
Going into this fellowship, Boyles hopes that after
learning about these data concerns, ethical ideals will
become a long term practice for students. “As they go
into their professional lives, we’re hoping that they start
making change in the workplace,” she said. “The power
imbalance that technology has right now needs to be
in a healthier place that really emphasizes people first
— to treat people well as opposed to making corporate
profit.”
Savannah Dewberry contributed to the reporting of
this story.
ASUSF SENATE RESOLUTION PROMOTES
MENSTRUAL PRODUCT ACCESSIBILITY
Period products are few and far between at USF. PHOTO BY MEGAN ROBERTSON/SF FOGHORN
JORDAN DELFIUGO
Staff Writer
Sofia Fontana, the pre-medicine student representative
for ASUSF Senate, presented a resolution
last Wednesday asking that all campus bathrooms be
stocked with menstrual products. The proposed resolution
followed a Sept. 29 investigation by Senate that
found only 17 menstrual pads across all USF bathrooms.
Senate is collecting comments and suggestions
from students prior to voting on the proposal.
A Boston Medical Center women’s health study
cited in the resolution found that one in ten college
students struggle to afford menstrual products each
month. The resolution additionally called on a promise
in USF’s maintenance services to restock these products
daily.
Fontana explained her decision to draft the proposal.
“I think USF should live up to its mission of
cura personalis through accessibility,” she said. As inflation
is on the rise, “expensive sanitary items are even
less accessible.
“Menstrual cycles are also unpredictable, which
could interfere with academics if there is no accessibility
to pads,” she continued. “USF should feel safe,
supportive, and accessible for all, to get what they need
to be personally and academically successful.”
In the proposed resolution, fourth-year student
Isabella del Rosario gave a statement expressing how
this resolution speaks to more pervasive issues of inclusivity
on campus, “Not only is having these products
available to students serving people’s basic hygiene
needs, but also supports the inclusion and uplifting
of various student identities in regards to sex, gender,
age, etc.”
Fourth-year psychology major Ellie Carpenter
has run into a lack of menstrual products on cmapus.
“Most of the times I’ve gone to the bathroom
and needed pads or tampons — actually, I would stay
nearly all of the time — they have not been stocked,”
she said. “The rare times that they were fully stocked,
it was a huge relief.”
Second-year business marketing major Maddy
Schwann shared that she had a similar experience with
this. “A good majority of bathrooms don’t have the
products there in general, but the ones that do seem to
be frequently all gone or nearing close to being gone,”
she said. “I imagine the men’s room and general neutral
bathrooms are equally, if not more neglected.”
Schwann expressed why she feels this resolution is
an especially important one to pass, “It’s very important
for these products to be available because menstrual
cycles are often irregular and hard to predict. Many
women have been in the situation where they need a
pad or a tampon last minute.”
During the Senate’s comment period, students
with thoughts about the proposed resolution can send
a direct message to the Senate’s Instagram @asusf_
senate.
05
NEWS

06
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
FREAKY 'FRIGHT NIGHT'
DINOSAUR
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEN GETCHELL
AND THE SLE MARKETING TEAM
07
FASHION: A LOOK BOOK OF
DESTINY BLACK
Second-year entrepreneurship and
innovation major
USF’S SPOOKIEST EVENING
NORA WARD AND BEN GETCHELL
Contributing Writers
What/who are you dressed as tonight?
“I dressed up as the dinosaur.”
What inspired you to dress as this?
“I saw it on Amazon, it was cheap.”
Who would you not want to run into in a
haunted forest?
“Like a ghost or a demon.”
DARK ANGEL
DEJA WALTER
Second-year business marketing major
SCENE
What inspired you to dress as this?
“It was super last minute and the best last minute outfit is one
where you can throw on a headband.”
Who would you not want to run into in a haunted forest?
“A monster or a bear. A bear!”
BUMBLEBEE
KATHERINE ANTHONY
Second-year computer science major
What inspired you to dress as this?
“I like nature, I have a headband.”
Who would you not want to run into in a
haunted forest?
“I wouldn’t want to see or hear other foot
steps in a haunted forest because the idea of
not being alone is horrible.”
SCENE
MEN IN BLACK
DE’JENA MCLEAN
Fourth-year business major
What/who are you dressed as tonight?
“I am dressed like Men in Black. The whole [CAB] eboard did
a group costume.”
What inspired you to dress as this?
“We all voted, it was very easy, very simple.”
Who would you not want to run into in a haunted forest?
“Any large animal. Bear, moose, deer, Sasquatch — I hate it all.”
CHAINSAW MAN
BERTRAND PANJAITAN
Fourth-year psychology major
What/who are you dressed as tonight?
“I am, the one and only, Chainsaw Man.”
Who would you not want to run into in a
haunted forest?
“The last thing I want to see is a Chainsaw
man. I’d be livid.”

08
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
MICHIGAN AND GUNS GO HAND IN HAND
09
SCENE
First-years Kyra Mullane and Josh Roitman joined the workshop for a relaxing mid-day activity. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH YODER /SF Foghorn
CELEBRATING DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
WITH PAPEL PICADO
HANNAH YODER
Staff Writer
A table covered in cutout scraps of vibrant tissue paper was the aftermath of
Cultural Centers’ papel picado workshop on Thursday afternoon. Students filtered
in and out of UC 4 for an hour and a half to create intricate banners and connect
with Mexican culture, listen to Mexican folk music, and celebrate Día de los Muertos.
Papel picado, which translates to “perforated paper,” is made by cutting designs
into folded tissue paper to make mirrored shapes, which can then be strung
into a banner. These banners are traditionally hung in streets during a range of
Mexican fiestas, but in the United States, they are most commonly associated with
Día de los Muertos celebrations, and are hung among other decorations on ofrendas,
or altars, to welcome the spirits of the dead back to their homes.
While traditional designs are typically elaborate and intricate, featuring skulls,
lovebirds, and flowers — Thursday’s designs were more freeform. Students created
whatever brought them joy — one student even created a scene of an alien abduction.
In some banners, the colors were intentionally chosen to represent different
elements of the holiday: black for grief, pink for celebration, red for blood, white for
hope, and yellow for light.
“When I think of Mexican culture, I definitely think of cyan, magenta, yellow…
really lively colors to show that it's a true celebration of life,” said Dan Perez-Sornia,
assistant director of Cultural Centers.
Cultural Centers invites everyone at USF, regardless of ethnicity and background,
to join in their Día de los Muertos celebrations. “For students that don’t
identify within the Latine umbrella who might be really cautious about cultural
appropriation, we really wanted to break down the barrier and show how easy it is
to celebrate culture and get involved,” said Perez-Sornia.
The Papel Picado workshop was part of a weeks-long series on campus leading
up to USF’s final Día de los Muertos celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 1. Taking
place in McLaren, this event will showcase ofrendas, host performances from Aztec
dancers and various speakers, and celebrate with Mexican food. The community ofrendas
in Gleeson Library and Kalmanovitz Hall will feature papel picado banners
sponsored by the Cultural Center.
As attendees of Thursday’s events take their creations home with them, papel
picado banners will adorn the dorms and apartments of numerous USF community
members who are either embracing their cultural heritage, or excitedly celebrating
a new culture.
TALEAH JOHNSON
is a fourth-year
sociology major.
GRAPHIC BY AVA LORD/SF FOGHORN
MICHIGAN
My Michigan friends and I used to pass the
time by making lists of our high school teachers.
What began as polls of who assigned the most
homework or who had a more chill classroom,
snowballed into the absurd: who had the best (and
worst) dishes during our school’s potlucks, which
Hogwarts house did they belong in, or whose
dinner parties would we attend (Pierson was the
obvious choice — apparently, he laminated his
cocktail menus).
At the top of one particular list was Mr.
Hoffman, a vet who told censored stories about
his life as a military sergeant. It was unanimous:
Hoffman’s room was the best one to be in if a
school shooting happened.
Mr. Hoffman’s safest classroom accolade
was inspired by the Washtenaw County’s Active
Shooter Training Program my high school teachers
did. Under the watchful eye of their trainers,
teachers practiced survival tactics in school shooting
simulations using “Home Alone”-esque tricks to stun an “intruder” armed
with a starter pistol. The training uses the A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform,
Counter, Evacuate) method to teach educators, churches, and government
workers how to stay alive until authorities arrive. The program is credited to the
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department but the program is active on many
campuses in the Metro Detroit Area, including the University of Michigan.
Over the years our drills began to feel tedious, but the reality of what the
drill meant became clearer with each school shooting. It felt like my peers and
I were waiting for our time. On Nov. 30, 2021, Oxford High students, an hour
away from my old school, faced theirs.
Allegedly, then 15 year-old Ethan Crumbley shot and killed four of his peers
with a handgun his father purchased for him days before the shooting. The Oxford
community lost Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, and Hana
St. Juliana because of an “early Christmas present.” Nearly a year later on Oct.
29 2022, Crumbley pled guilty to 24 felony charges: four counts of first-degree
murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, 12 counts of felony use of
a firearm, and one count of terrorism.
According to CNN, Ethan’s teachers raised warning signs about Crumbley
watching footage from real shootings, researching bullets, and expressing violent
ideation on his schoolwork. Despite meetings between Crumbley’s parents and
school officials, Ethan Crumbley fell through massive cracks.
CNN has covered Crumbley’s trial where expert witness Jillian Peterson, a
forensic pathologist and associate professor of criminology and criminal justice,
described a slow, monotonous “build-up” that led to a crisis point. Peterson said
the “crisis point is often a suicidal crisis where the perpetrator is hopeless and
isolated and no longer cares if they live or die. During that crisis point, their
behavior is changing, they’re acting differently and the people around them are
noticing that they are acting differently.”
In a highly unusual court proceeding, Jennifer and James Crumbley now
face charges of four counts of involuntary manslaughter. The basis of the Crumbleys’
charges is the failure to act as responsible caretakers and committing gross
negligence during their son’s crisis point despite Ethan and school officials urging
for psychiatric help. At the time of writing, it is unclear if James Crumbley will
face federal charges for supplying his underage son with the handgun.
This tragedy doesn’t point to a complete lack of gun laws in Michigan. According
to Everytown, a non-profit organization focused on advocacy for gun
control and against gun violence, Michigan has sensible laws that require background
checks for gun permits and prevent individuals with assault, violent misdemeanors,
hate crime, or felony convictions from owning guns.
There are cracks in legislation that do not account for an epidemic of young
men using gun violence as a deadly way to be heard. Ethan Crumbley’s interest in
guns cultivated by his parents is not novel. Although Crumbley’s mental health
raised red flags, the culture Crumbley, Crumbley’s victims, and every Michigan
student is raised in has intrinsically linked guns to our communities’ identities.
Michigan students and educators
sit at a crossroads of enthusiastic
gun culture and the reality of school
shootings. I wish I could describe
one coming-of-age moment where I
first saw a gun but they were always
there. My mom's attempts to limit
my brother’s and my exposure to
guns in an open-carry state were in
vain. Despite my brother’s desire, she
wouldn’t allow us to have toy guns,
so in basements and backrooms, we
would play with our cousin’s. I knew
who I pretended to be when I held
the plastic replica straight and who
I was when I cocked it to the side.
I saw real guns at county fairs and
at Walmart during my dashes to the
toy aisle. The three of us would ring
in the New Year tucked away from
any windows listening to a cacophony
of fireworks and gunshots.
Gun control is a problem that
adults can solve. The only tool minors
have at their disposal is their
voice — their deaths are not enough
to incentivize adults to vote with
their best interests in mind. I’m still
unpacking my opinions on gun control
but I’m certain of this: the safety
of children in schools should be
prioritized over any hobby, gift, or
right. Rest in peace Madisyn Baldwin,
Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, and
Hana St. Juliana.
OPINION

10
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
HOW MY COUSINS KEEP ME GROUNDED
DONS WEEKLY ROUNDUP
11
OPINION
NIVEDITA GHOSH is
a fourth-year biology
major.
Growing up, the most difficult task in our
household was getting six children to go to bed
by 10 p.m. While one escaped to the kitchen, another
would run upstairs; two would hide behind
curtains and the rest just ran from one room to
another. They all had one demand: six bedtime stories
before closing their eyes. Did any adult in my
family have enough patience to narrate six stories
everyday? Certainly not. But the children refused
to understand. Storytime gave us an opportunity to
tease each other, make faces if the adult was dozing
off, and laugh until all were tired enough and started
yawning. This nightly routine was just a glimpse
of life with my cousins.
Having lived in a joint family throughout my
childhood, cousins occupy a large chunk of my life
and childhood memories. We are a noisy bunch —
teasing and criticizing each other for every little
thing. Today, even though our educational and
professional obligations have scattered us across
the world, our cousin bonds and rituals remain the
same, thanks to social media.
Now, all of us are living in different countries for various academic and professional
responsibilities. Seldom do our schedules match well enough that all of us can
meet in person, maybe once or twice. But be it crossword sessions, or video calls; we
make sure to talk at least four to five times every week.
On some days, all of us are just online, absorbing each other’s comforting presence,
in silence. The silence has allowed me to express unspoken emotions, or just
open up about loneliness. And then someone cracks a ruthless joke, lightening the
mood. The bedtime story tradition has now changed, with each of us narrating incidents
from our daily lives during video calls. These opportunities have been extremely
therapeutic and reflective, helping me to revisit incidents and observe them from a
different perspective, through my cousins’ feedback.
According to a study conducted by researchers Ping Chen and Kathleen Harris,
people who have deep, positive family relationships have significantly lower levels of
depressive symptoms than those who have less positive adolescent family relationships.
For me, my relationship with cousins gives me a sense of deep-rootedness and
sense of belonging even when I am several thousand miles away from home. It gives
me the strength to find familiarity in the unfamiliar and take up new challenges as I
move towards a new future.
Work, education, responsibilities, and commitments drive us at maddening
speed. Oftentimes, I am caught up in coursework so much that I forget to catch up
on my favorite books, doodle, or just listen to music. However, on these very hard
days, during cousin chat sessions, I return to my eased self and my cousins remind me
why balance is important.
“Did you read the fifth chapter of ‘The God of Small Things?’ It broke my heart,”
my elder cousin starts without waiting for anyone to rant or get gloomy. “None of you
read anything this week? Nonsense! How I wish I could punch your faces through
the screen!”
Social and emotional bonds help us to ease up and slow down. My strong bond
with my cousins is an important testimony to that and I am extremely grateful for it.
In a recent chat session, one of my cousins reflected: “No matter how much we fight,
I think we will continue chasing each other even after passing away, fighting and
pulling each other’s leg in the Land of the Dead!”
The men’s soccer team hopes to bounce back this month. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS M. LEUNG/DONS ATHLETICS
SPORTS
GRAPHIC BY MILLY TEJEDA/GRAPHICS CENTER
JOHN PAOLO
Staff Writer
It was another busy week for USF athletics, with cross country, volleyball, and
men’s soccer all competing. The men and women’s cross country teams raced in the
WCC Championship this week, along with women’s volleyball defeating Loyola
Marymount University, and men’s soccer falling to Santa Clara.
The women’s cross country team performed well in the conference championship,
placing second overall behind Brigham Young University. Third-year Ruby
Smee placed highest for the team, coming in third place out of the 95 runners
with a time of 19:51:1. With such a performance, Smee was named to the All-
WCC Cross Country Team for the second year in a row. Next best for the team
was graduate student Zoe Wassell who placed 14th overall with a time of 20:40.6.
Second-year Grace Copeland and fourth-year Baneet Bains were not too far behind
Wassell in 15th and 16th place.
The men’s cross country also had an impressive performance in the WCC
championship, finishing sixth overall. Graduate student Ed Buck finished highest
for the team, coming in 21st place out of the 84 runners with a 22:53.7 time. There
was a significant gap between Buck and the rest of his teammates. First-year Daniel
Abramowicz was second best on the team with a 52nd place finish, with third-year
Ben Preddy finishing right behind in 53rd place to round off the top three USF
runners.
The Dons also found success on the volleyball court this past week. The team
traveled to Los Angeles to face off against LMU, in a game that USF won in four
sets. LMU secured an early lead, winning the tightly contested first set 25-22. The
Dons responded in dominant fashion, controlling all of the next set, winning 25-
18. The third set was a back and forth battle that had USF down 24-21 at set point.
But the Dons were able to hold on and regain the lead, winning the set 28-26. USF
was in complete control in the fourth set, dominating LMU 25-14, and took home
the victory. Graduate student Claire Crijns and second-year Maria Petkova both
played pivotal roles in capturing the win for the Dons. Crijns finished the game
with a team high 13 kills and five blocks and Petkova finished with 11 kills, five
blocks, and two aces.
The men’s soccer team did not have the same results as volleyball, losing 3-1
at home against Santa Clara. Despite leading the game in total shots 16-9 and
corner kicks 10-0, the Dons were unable to capitalize on the chances they created.
Santa Clara scored their three goals all in the first half, the first coming in the 18th
minute by fourth-year Oladayo Thomas. Santa Clara’s second and third goals came
in quick succession in the 33rd and 36th minute. The Dons did their best to battle
back but fell short. Third-year midfielder Max Hamelink managed to get the ball
past Santa Clara’s third-year goalkeeper, Felix Schaefer, in the 60th minute to decrease
the lead by only two, but Santa Clara was able to hold on and preserve their
lead for the remainder of the game.
Men’s soccer hopes to bounce back in Spokane, Washington against Gonzaga
this upcoming Saturday, Nov. 5. Two days prior, on the release day of this issue
Nov. 3, the volleyball team hopes to continue their six game winning streak against
a top 25 ranked BYU team at home on the Hilltop.
Students can attend all campus games for free with the use of their One Card.

12
THURSDAY
NOV. 3,
2022
DONS BASKETBALL SNEAK PEEK
CHASE DARDEN
Staff Writer
SPORTS
Graduate students Abby Rathbun, Khalil Shabazz, and Kia Vaalavirta look to solidify their
legacy on the Hilltop. PHOTO COURTESY OF KHALIL SHABAZZ.
Winter is coming which means USF Dons basketball will soon be
back on the Hilltop. Both men’s and women’s basketball tip off their
season on Nov. 7 at War Memorial Gym. The women’s team will kick
off their season at home against Cal State East Bay at 4 p.m., immediately
followed by the men’s team who will play Texas Southern University
at 7 p.m.
The women’s basketball team is coming off a 17-16 overall record
and a 10-8 conference record from the 2021-2022 season. The Dons
made it to the WCC tournament but were eliminated in the second
round by the University of Gonzaga.
The Dons roster has many familiar faces including graduate students
Kia Vaalavirta and Abby Rathbun, as well as star guard Ioanna
Krimili who last season led the WCC and USF in scoring and rightfully
earned All-WCC first-team honors for the second consecutive season.
The Dons also made some notable acquisitions including fourth-year
guards Loren Christie and Amy Baum from the University of Buffalo
and Hawai’i Pacific University.
In an interview with the Foghorn, Krimili talked about her hopes
for her team’s chances. “Both our backcourt and frontcourt have improved
significantly since last season and this year we should be one of
the most competitive teams in the program’s history.
“This season we were picked fourth [in the conference] but that
is nowhere near an accurate representation of the caliber of team we’re
bringing into the conference. We are coming in ready for this season
and the rest of the conference should be too.”
The men’s team is also bringing back nearly the entire team from
last season but made some key acquisitions following the departure of
Dons legend Jamaree Bouyea. Coming off of an overall record of 24-10,
and a conference record of 10-6; the Dons are led by graduate student
Khalil Shabazz who was a key part in helping the Dons make their first
NCAA tournament appearance since 1994. Shabazz is coming off an
efficient senior season finishing second in scoring and being placed on
the All-WCC second team. Shabazz will be joined by key players such
as Julian Rishwain, Zane Meeks, and Josh Kunen.
The Dons also welcome four new transfer students; graduate student
guard Tyrell Roberts from Washington State, second-year seven-footer
Saba Gigiberia from Georgia Tech, graduate student Toni
Rocak from UC San Diego, and second-year guard Marcus Williams
from Texas A&M. The new transfers bring much-needed energy that
the Dons lacked last year.
Shabazz said he’s looking towards the future and setting ambitious
goals of making it back to the NCAA tournament this year. “This
year’s team has a little more depth than last year which will be a good
problem for us, if one guy isn’t having a good night there are eight or
nine other guys whose night it can be.”
Fans are also eager to witness the new backcourt of Shabazz and
Roberts, as Roberts is filling a big role left behind by Bouyea. Shabazz
is excited for his new teammate, and both have learned how accustomed
to each other’s style of play.
“It’s been great getting to know the new guys and finding out how
we mesh on the court. As for [Roberts] and I, it’s going to be fun playing
with someone who has a similar playstyle as me, and the fact that
we both came from Division II schools is pretty cool.”
Prior to their stints with USF, Roberts played at UC San Diego
before transferring to Washington State and Shabazz played at Eastern
Washington before coming to The Hilltop.
As basketball season looms over the Hilltop fans have to wait and
see if the Dons will dominate the WCC and make their way to the
NCAA Tournament in March.
Students can attend all campus games for free with the use of their
One Card.