Month: November 2019

Categories
Letter From The Editor Opinion

OK, Racist

Back in April, the Commercial Appeal‘s Daniel Connelly broke a story about Criminal Court Judge Jim Lammey’s reposting of numerous racist articles on his Facebook page. The repost that got the most attention was a column called “Stop With the Golems Already” by noted Holocaust denier David Cole. Cole called Muslim immigrants “foreign mud,” went on to denounce Jews for encouraging such immigration, and said they should “get the f—- over the Holocaust.”

Other anti-immigrant and racist articles that Lammey reposted were from alt-right websites, including Breitbart.com. He also posted a mugshot of a Hispanic man that claimed, incorrectly, that immigrants were responsible for more crimes than American citizens.

How did we learn all this? It seems Lammey accidentally made his Facebook page public. Oops. OK, Boomer.

Compounding the problem is the fact that Lammey is regularly called upon to render judgment on Hispanics and other immigrants in his courtroom.

The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct looked into the situation and issued a ruling this week that stated: “After a complete and thorough investigation, and under the limited and specific facts of this case, the Board acknowledges that there is no proof that you made any statements that were anti-Semitic, racist, or anti-immigration. … However, during the investigation it appears that some of your Facebook posts were partisan in nature, which is a clear violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct.”

In legal terms, this is called a slap on the wrist with a wet piece of linguini. And it’s appalling, frankly.

But Lammey’s actions pale in comparison to what was discovered about presidential advisor Stephen Miller this week. A cache of 900 emails between Miller and a former Breitbart staffer (who had a change of heart about her racist views) was released to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Simply put, the emails revealed Miller to be an unabashed white supremacist. In the emails, which were sent in 2015 and 2016 when Miller worked as an aide for former Alabama Senator Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions, he persistently urged Breitbart to publish anti-immigrant and white supremacist propaganda, pushing specific authors, articles, and racist screeds from alt-right websites.

Miller often referenced a Calvin Coolidge-era policy that lowered immigration numbers by using discriminatory eugenics-based quotas aimed at Italians, Poles, and other Eastern Europeans, who at the time were considered nonwhite and inferior.

Miller also sharply criticized the removal of Confederate monuments and flags after alt-right killer Dylann Roof murdered nine people in a South Carolina church. What a great guy.

In 2016, Sessions came to the White House as Trump’s attorney general, and for two years led the implementation of the administration’s immigration “reform” policies, which famously included a Muslim ban, a horrific (and ongoing) family separation policy at the Southern border, the mythical border wall with Mexico, restrictions on “sanctuary cities,” and other measures designed to reduce immigration from “brown” countries.

After Trump fired Sessions, his aide de Mein Kampf, Miller, took over and continued the administration’s assault on immigration — legal and otherwise — including such measures as deporting undocumented veterans of our armed services, doubling the cost to complete the process for obtaining citizenship, and petitioning the Supreme Court to reject the DACA program for undocumented immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as children.

When the news broke about Miller’s emails, 75 congress members and more than 50 civil rights groups called for his resignation. The White House responded by saying the attacks on Miller were “anti-semitic,” which, while unsurprising, takes a particular kind of gall.

Miller is unfit to hold public office. Every day he stays in the White House is a stain on this presidency. But in a world where most Americans are suffering from “scandal fatigue” and an ongoing impeachment process that’s dominating the news cycle day after day, Trump’s in-house nazi may get a pass.

Miller’s racist emails are the kind of thing that would, and should, get you fired from pretty much any job you can think of — except maybe a Criminal Court judgeship in Memphis.

Categories
Sports Tiger Blue

#16 Memphis 68, Little Rock 58

CREDIT: Larry Kuzniewski

The Tigers win over Little Rock Wednesday night at FedExForum can be looked at in one of two ways. Memphis improved to 4-1 on the season despite falling behind the Trojans 9-0 and again shooting the ball miserably (5 for 21) from three-point range.  Or you can look at the win improving the Tigers to 2-0 without one James Wiseman, with 10 games remaining on what has been established as a 12-game suspension for the country’s top-ranked freshman. (The NCAA announced the penalty shortly before Wednesday’s tip-off, a nine-game suspension extended to 12 games because Wiseman appeared in three after being initially classified as ineligible. Follow?)

Larry Kuzniewski

Precious Achiuwa

“It’s business as usual,” said Tiger coach Penny Hardaway during his post-game press conference, yielding no emotion in answering questions about his reaction — or his team’s — to the suspension. “I’m glad to have a number [of games],” acknowledged Hardaway, while adding, “I think James should be on the floor.”

The Tigers could have used Wiseman against Little Rock, especially early in the game when they missed their first eight shots and committed nine turnovers by the midway point of the first half. Down 17-9 with just over eight minutes to play before halftime, the Tigers gained a spark from freshman forward D.J. Jeffries who hit six of nine shots and scored 15 points in 12 minutes off the bench before the break.

Having taken a 28-23 lead at the half, Memphis extended the advantage to 10 points (35-25) early in the second half and never trailed again. The Trojans pulled within four points (58-54) with less than four minutes to play, but Precious Achiuwa attacked the rim for a dunk, stole the ball near midcourt, and fed Lester Quinones for a layup to double the lead and secure the win. Achiuwa finished with his first college double-double (16 points and 12 rebounds) in 30 minutes of action.

“Kinda got the feeling that these kids were taking Little Rock for granted,” said Hardaway in describing the pregame atmosphere in the Tiger locker room. “It wasn’t the same energy. Don’t know why. Don’t have any excuses. I’m kind of glad we got behind early; I wanted to see what my team is made of. I wanted to see who was ready for the moment. We knew Little Rock would be pretty solid. I was pleased that we ended the game really well.”

Alex Lomax (7 points, 7 assists, 4 steals) and Isaiah Maurice (9 rebounds, 4 blocks in 15 minutes) provided support in the comeback win, suggesting the group effort required to fill a void like Wiseman’s. But outside shooting remains a trouble spot, the Tigers now having hit only 13 of 60 three-point attempts over their last three games.

Larry Kuzniewski

Penny Hardaway

“They’ve just got to keep shooting,” said Hardaway. “I think it’s in their heads now, because they’re turning down shots. If you’re shooter, you gotta shoot until you make. I don’t want them turning down shots to drive into the lane. You gotta shoot with confidence.”

The Tigers return to FedExForum Saturday for a noon contest with Ole Miss. It will be the first of four games against “Power Five” competition during the Wiseman suspension, with North Carolina State (November 28th), Tennessee (December 14th), and Georgia (January 4th) looming. The U of M is appealing the penalty, according to a press release, the hope being a reduction in the number of games Wiseman must watch from the Tiger bench.

“Guys gotta grow up,” said Hardaway in looking at the next 10 games without his star center. “That energy James brought — offensively and defensively — is not going to be there. It’s going to be huge for us to get the game plan, go out there with the energy, and do it collectively, as a group. Depend on each other, and be confident we can go out there and get it done.”

Categories
News News Blog

Check Out the Flyer’s New Pickup Location Map

People are always asking us, “Where can I pick up a Flyer?” Well, now we can just point them — and you — to our snazzy new interactive pickup-location map. Check it out here! 

Categories
News News Blog

Bus Rider Union: Rapid Bus Route ‘Long Overdue’ Here

CREDIT: Justin Fox Burks

Justin Fox Burks


A leader of the Memphis Bus Riders Union said a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is “long overdue” in Memphis.

Officials announced earlier this month that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) is receiving a $12 million federal grant to create a rapid bus line here.

The $12 million Better Utilizing Investment to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant will partially fund Memphis’ Innovation Corridor, an eight-mile stretch between Downtown and the University of Memphis.

The BRT line, dubbed mConnect, will be the first in the region.

Proposed BRT route


Justin Davis, organizing coordinator for the MBRU said “it’s really important that we’re talking about changing the city’s infrastructure to accommodate transit better and making it easier to use with new stops and new technology.”

However, he said many bus riders are frustrated that most of the recent efforts to improve the city’s transit have been focused in Midtown and Downtown.

“We still have many neighborhoods where service is so unreliable and inaccessible that people can’t even get to Midtown or Downtown in a reasonable amount of time,” Davis said. “Midtown and Downtown already have the most reliable service. We need high-frequency service going north to south and bus routes that directly address the needs of low-income folks, people of color, and people with disabilities.”

Davis said many parts of the MATA system still need “significant repair.” There need to be more conversations about finding a dedicated funding source for MATA. Dedicated funding will give the system “stability,” he said, making the network “better for everyone, not just the people who will benefit from this BRT line right now.”

At a community meeting on Monday, officials revealed details for the project to the public looking to gather feedback. The public has until December 2nd to comment on the project.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2021 with service beginning in 2024.

Here are some other preliminary facts about mConnect:

• The route will include 30 modern transit stations that are well-lit, covered, and ADA accessible

• Buses will arrive every 10 minutes during peak hours.

• All of the buses will be electric and equipped with vehicle health monitoring, collision avoidance, and predictive maintenance technology.

• WiFi will be available at the stations and on-board.

• Dedicated bus lanes will be created on portions of B.B. King Boulevard and Second Street.

• Buses will have traffic signal priority along the route.

• Other features include mobile ticketing, automated voice announcements, and real-time security cameras.

Officials seek feedback at public meeting Monday


The total cost of the Innovation Corridor is $74 million. The largest portion of the funds, $39 million, are federal dollars. Another $12 million comes from the BUILD grant, $18.5 million from the city, and $4.5 million from the state.

Memphis’s project is one of 55 in 35 states to receive a portion of the 2019 U.S. Department of Transportation’s $900 million BUILD grant.

The Innovation Corridor was identified as a potential high-capacity transit corridor by a 2004 MATA study. The study, Midtown Alternative Analysis, looked at transit needs and the potential to provide a higher quality service within Midtown and surrounding neighborhoods.

Categories
News News Blog

Proposed Change in Fire, Police Residency Requirements Amended

The Memphis City Council continued its discussion Tuesday about lifting the residency requirements for the city’s police and fire personnel, but with a few changes.

The original ordinance, sponsored by council members J. Ford Canale and Gerre Currie, would allow voters to choose whether or not Memphis Police Department (MPD) and Memphis Fire Department (MFD) personnel should have to reside in the city or county, or if they should be allowed to live up to two hours away.

Tuesday Canale proposed four amendments to that ordinance. The first is developing a point system that would create preferential hiring for officers living within the city. The second is implementing a take-home car program for officers living in the city.

The third amendment would change the language of the ordinance, allowing officers to live in bordering counties or within a 50 mile radius instead of the originally proposed two-hour radius.

Finally, Canale recommended that the department only hire outside of the county when the department dips below a full complement of about 2,500 officers.

“We have one goal and only one goal in mind here — to get more men and women to serve the citizens of Memphis,” Canale said. “We’re not on a mission to hire people who don’t live in Memphis. We’re on a mission to put men and women on the street to protect Memphis.”

Councilwoman Cheyenne Johnson questioned why MPD is not able to find enough applicants within the city to fill its roles.

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MPD Director Michael Rallings said police departments across the country are experiencing a recruiting crisis and are challenged to find qualified applicants.

MPD Major Sharon Cunningham told the council that of the 13,000 MPD applicants since 2016, only 470 completed the entire application and training process to become officers.

More than half of those who show interest in becoming an officer either never turn in a completed application with the required documents or never show up for the next step in the hiring process.

Of those that do follow through, “Cunningham said 56 percent don’t make it through the physical ability test. Additional applicants are lost after a background check, psychological evaluation, and medical exam.”


After making it through each of these tests, applicants still must graduate from the Police Training Academy. Cunningham said potential officers are often lost here due to injuries.

Rallings added that retention is also an issue, as MPD officers are “highly skilled” and often recruited to work in other departments across the country or here at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO).

“What does the Sheriff’s office have that we don’t?” Councilwoman Jamita Swearengen responded.

Working for the SCSO is “very different,” Rallings said, noting the county’s lighter workload and lower call volume. “You can’t even compare the level of work. It’s like comparing apples and oranges.”

Shifting the focus away from recruiting efforts, Councilman Berlin Boyd told his colleagues that recruiting more officers won’t change the crime demographic in the city, unless the root cause of poverty is addressed.

No votes have been taken on the ordnance yet. If approved by the council after three votes, voters will make the ultimate decision on the ballot next fall.

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

See Indie Memphis Winners Tonight at Crosstown

A still from Indie Memphis 2019 Best Narrative Short winner ‘I’m The One Who’s Singing’

Still glowing from the success of the 2019 festival, Indie Memphis is giving you a chance to see the short films the jury chose as the best of the fest.

Tonight at Crosstown Arts’ 430 Cleveland gallery is a program of award winners from all over the country. First up is Best Narrative Short winner, “I’m The One Who’s Singing” by Blair Seab McClendon, in which a woman must break the news of a death in the family to her incarcerated brother. Next is the horror/sci fi award, Best After Dark Short, “We Die Alone” by Marc Cartwright. Jas Marie’s seven-minute experimental short “Mirrors” won the Departures category.

Mirrors from NuJas Productions on Vimeo.

See Indie Memphis Winners Tonight at Crosstown

The animation prize went to “Into The Flame,” an occult-themed fantasia by director Sean McClintock.

On the documentary side, grand prize winner Atieno Nyar Kasagam’s “Sidelot” connects land use issues in Detroit, Kenya, and Alabama. The Hometowner documentary award went to “Floating Pilgrims” by director and University of Memphis professor David Goodman.

And finally, the Hometowner Narrative Short prize went to “Soul Man” by Kyle Taubken, featuring an instant classic performance from actor Curtis C. Jackson.

See Indie Memphis Winners Tonight at Crosstown (2)

The show starts at Crosstown Arts’ 430 Cleveland gallery at 7:00 p.m. 

Categories
Music Music Blog

That Other Elvis: Hearing Graceland & The King Anew

CREDIT: Stephen Done

Stephen Done

Elvis Costello

When Elvis Costello and the Imposters took the stage at Graceland last Friday night, the irony was palpable. As it should be, given that this other Elvis is a songsmith and wordsmith of subtle twists and turns of phrase. The fact that he’s also a dedicated fan and historian of Memphis music only gave the irony a more heartfelt touch. This show was nothing if not soulful.

Indeed, when the lights went down and shadows gathered on the stage, the first sounds we heard were exhortations to give our hearts to Jesus and the ecstatic sounds of a genuine gospel band. Then the lights came up and we saw that was all simply a recording, and the band launched into the thundering tom toms of “Strict Time.”

Given that this is the “Just Trust” tour, starting with a track from that LP was not a complete surprise. Nor was the follow-up, “Clubland,” in which the haunts of music scene-makers are cast in a kind of sardonic Cuban son. It’s a tune that allows consummate keyboardist Steve Naive to shine, and shine he did, eclipsing even the glitter laden jacket and hat of Elvis himself.

The bandleader’s whimsical outfit was just one manifestation of the playfulness he brought to the evening, perhaps inspired by the meta-irony of playing literally in the King’s backyard. Dodges, feints, and witty asides were the order of the evening, and such looseness was a perfect foil to some of the thornier content of his back catalog.
Brigitte Billeaudeaux

Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Graceland

Take, for example, song four, coming after a propulsive “Green Shirt.” As Elvis said, “I once found myself sitting next to a woman, and I sang this to her…” With that, he launched into the evening’s first nod to the King. Singing the chorus and song title plaintively, “Don’t…Don’t…Don’t…” Elvis then abruptly cut off the tune with a curt quip, “So I didn’t.” Ba-dum-bum!

Later, he revealed that “the woman” was none other than Priscilla Presley, whom he met on a talk show, as he revealed in his generous between-song banter. Other bits of the King’s history found their way into the set from then on: “Mystery Dance” gave way to a bit of “His Latest Flame;” the coda to “Alison” became a stylized interpolation of “Suspicious Minds;” and the old chestnut “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love & Understanding” even had a bit of “Mystery Train” thrown in.

Other gems of Memphis music history were also present: a full-on rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Cry, Cry, Cry;” a quote from “Mr. Big Stuff” at the end of “Everyday I Write the Book;”  and an especially gospel-drenched treatment of a Sam & Dave tune Costello put his stamp on decades ago, “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down.”

If those references weren’t entirely surprising, the new songs from this composer’s composer certainly were, and they revealed a deeper Memphis influence than any lyrical quotations could. The first new, so far unreleased song was a “campaign song” in a gospel vein, with the chorus of “Blood and hot sauce!”

The second, “Face in the Crowd,” revealed the provenance of the new material: “This is from a show coming your way,” Costello explained, describing a live theater event he’s collaborating on, based on the classic film of the same name. As the songwriter noted, “It’ll be like The Sound of Music, with less Nazis.” 
Brigitte Billeaudeaux

Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee with Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Graceland

Throughout the evening, the sound was a welcome improvement over the murk experienced at last year’s Imposters show. And, if the front man himself was a bit winded at times by the stream of lyrics composed by his younger self, the band was sharp and on point. Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee on background vocals seemed more integrated into the sound than last year, Davey Faragher on bass and vocal harmonies was better than ever, and original Attractions Steve Naive on keys and Pete Thomas on drums rekindled the old driving intensity with aplomb. It was a spirited evening, in which Costello’s vocal chops only got better and better. Once again, he showed that one can find a perfect balance between punk energy and musical craftsmanship, between history and innovation, between irony and soul. 

Categories
Politics Politics Beat Blog

John Ford, Reginald Milton, Eddie Jones, Others to Battle for General Sessions Clerk

CREDIT: JB

JB

John Ford (l); Reginald Milton (r)

The 2019 Memphis city election may have come to a finish with the conclusion of last Thursday’s runoff elections for two city council positions in District 1 and District 7, won by Rhonda Logan and Michalyn Easter-Thomas, respectively.

But 2020, which will be chock-full of elections, is just two flips of the calendar away, and one of the races sure to drawn much attention will be that for the position of General Sessions Court clerk, which will be vacated by current longtime clerk Ed Stanton Jr. (father of former U.S. Attorney Ed Stanton III).

Three of the known contenders for the clerkship are like Stanton, Democrats, and well known JB

Eddie Jones

to followers of local politics. The first name in the hat was that of Shelby County Commissioner Eddie Jones, who filed two weeks ago. At about the same time Commiss9oner Reginald Milton began informing people of his interest in the race .
The two Commisdsioners were just joined on the ballot by former longtime state Senator John Ford, who filed for the race on Monday. Yes, that John Ford, the controversial member of the local Ford political clan who ran afoul of the FBI’s Tennessee Waltz sting in 2005, was convicted of bribery, and served a term in state prison.

Ford formerly served a term as General Sessions Clerk, simultaneous with holding his Senate seat. Having long since regained his citizenship rights, Ford aims to re-establish himself as a public official. Despite his notoriety, he was regarded as someone with an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of state government, and as a go-to legislator for mental health and various other public issues.

Milton, a community organizer and chairman of the commission’s community grants committee, which he brought into being, was a veteran of several political races before his 2014 election to the commission and his 2018 reelection. He greeted the news of Ford’s filing by saying, “I’ve never run an easy race. I’m used to it.”

Confiding that he would make a formal announcement next week, Milton said, “I appreciate those willing to offer themselves for public office, and I look forward to sharing with the public why I feel I would be best suited for this position.

UPDATE: Other candidates for General Sessions Clerrk who have filed or requested petitions though Thursday, November 19, are:

Democrats Deirdre V. Fisher, Gortria Anderson Banks, Rheunte E. Benson, and Thomas E. Long; and Republican Paul Boyd.

Categories
Film/TV Film/TV/Etc. Blog

The Mandalorian

Under that fashionable armor is Pedro Pascal as The Mandalorian bounty hunter.

Star Wars has always worn its influences on its sleeve. Its most direct influence was, of course, the cheap Flash Gordon matinee serials of the 1940s. But George Lucas was a fan of all kinds of movies, like the samurai epics of Akira Kurosawa, such as The Hidden Fortress, which gave its plot to A New Hope; and World War II air combat films such as Twelve O’Clock High and The Dam Busters, which Lucas plundered for the Death Star trench run. In the prequels, he expanded his palette ever further, mounting Ben Hur’s chariot race with rocket pods in The Phantom Menace and a sword-and-sandals gladiator match in Attack of the Clones.

Hovering in the background, as it does in most American action movies, was the Western. The famous double sunset shot from A New Hope is a copy of a single-sunset shot in The Searchers. Put a hat on Han Solo’s vest and gunbelt combo and he becomes a cowboy. Now, with the premiere of the first ever live action Star Wars TV show, The Mandalorian, the Western aspects take the forefront.

The Mandalorian, created by Iron Man director Jon Favreau and a team which include The Clone Wars’ Dave Filoni, is set in Star Wars’ equivalent of the frontier, the Outer Rim. The title character comes from the same warrior culture as Boba Fett, who apparently prize armor couture above all else. Pedro Pascal’s titular Mandalorian With No Name has yet to even take his helmet off, but he’s already hit a few choice Western tropes, like breaking a wild horse (in this case, a toothy biped lizard-thing), a rowdy bar fight that turns deadly, and a gatling-gun enhanced town square shootout. The details, such as the hero’s pitchfork-shaped energy weapon, which references the original Boba Fett cartoon from the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special, put it in sci fi drag, but at its core, the show is basically Bounty Law from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

Werner Herzog as The Client.

The House of Mouse has a lot riding on this Lucasfilm production, which is the flagship show for its new Disney+ streaming channel. It’s clear from the cinematic sweep of the pilot that no expense has been spared. Pascal is appropriately stoic, and he’s surrounded by colorful characters. Chief among them is the legend Werner Hertzog, whose appearance as a former Imperial official who offers a big money job to the Mandalorian is used to establish the post-Return of the Jedi setting. Taika Waititi appears in the pilot as the amusingly literal bounty droid IG-11, and Carl Weathers is our anti-hero’s agent. So far, the show’s biggest problem is its lack of a decent female character, which is unfortunately consistent with the Western blueprint.

The pilot ends with the revelation of the biggest Western trope of all: the worldly gunfighter seemingly finding his humanity when forced to travel with and protect a young innocent. It has proven quickly that it can deliver on the thrills front, but the jury’s still out as to whether Favreau and company can deliver depth.

The Mandalorian

Categories
News News Blog

Students Rally Behind Rhodes Grad Who Says Sexual Assault Case Was Mishandled

CREDIT: Facebook/Rhodes

Facebook/Rhodes

A Rhodes College student group is rallying behind a recent graduate who went public last week, expressing her disappointment over the way the college handled an allegation of sexual assault she made last school year.

Culture of Consent is planning a rally for Tuesday, November 19th to protest the college’s response to the allegations, saying the school tried to buy the silence of the alleged victim, Emily [last name withheld], a 2019 graduate of Rhodes.

“Intentional manipulation of survivors within Rhodes Title IX Office and other offices across the country happens too often,” the group said in a press release, “Culture of Consent has heard story after story like this, and it’s time to say no more. Emily has asked us to make her story known so that others don’t have to go through this.”

In a letter addressed to Rhodes College president Marjorie Hass and posted online, Emily said she is writing the letter to “say how disappointed I am in my alma mater for how severely it mishandled my sexual assault case.”

The six-page letter dated November 15th details many “glaring issues” the former student noticed in the school’s process of handling her case.

Emily was raped in February, according to her letter. “My assailant, John Doe, was a friend.” Emily reported the incident a month later to Rhodes’ Title IX office after learning that the same assailant had assaulted another female student at a Valentine’s Day event.

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Emily said working with the Title IX office was “tedious.” She also noted that many of her communications “were disregarded, not answered properly, or entirely dismissed.”

“I was left in the dark for the entirety of my process because there was no one in the administration who was checking in with me to ensure that I was being treated with respect,” Emily said.

The former student said she was not given a hearing date until 124 days after she first reported the assault. Then, a day before the hearing was scheduled to take place, Emily received a call from the Title IX office saying that a settlement had been reached in a related lawsuit filed by the student accused of assaulting Emily.

“As you know, your hearing ultimately did not go forward because the parallel lawsuit was resolved with the respondent not being enrolled at Rhodes now or in the future, which is comparable to the maximum sanction of expulsion that he could have received as a result of your hearing,” reads a portion of an email sent to Emily by Title IX coordinator Tiffany Cox.

The Title IX office offered to reimburse Emily for expenses related to the hearing that didn’t occur. After the student sent an itemized expense list to the school, totaling just under $3,000, she was told she would have to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to receive reimbursement.

“Rhodes offers reimburse you for your expenses,” Cox wrote in the same email cited above, “in exchange for your agreement to maintain confidentiality: We ask that you agree not to disclose any aspect of Rhodes’ investigation and administration of your Title IX claim, and particularly this letter and its proposed payment arrangement, either privately or in any public forum.”

“I had now been victimized by John Doe and Rhodes,” Emily wrote. “My well-being, like that of other student victims, was secondary to the reputation of the school.”

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Earlier this month, Rhodes received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to enhance its prevention of and response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on campus.

The college will use the funds to create the Coordinated Community Response Team to enhance the school’s response, prevention, and education related to the four crimes above, as well as implement mandatory training and education sessions for students and faculty. The trainings will largely focus on students who live on campus, belong to Greek organizations, or are student-athletes.



Emily said that “sounds wonderful, but I believe how these activities are executed is what will really change the Rhodes College campus for the better.”

Rhodes needs to make their sexual assault policies and procedures better known to students, Emily said. Students should also learn about the meaning of affirmative consent, the definitions of all forms of sexual assault, and the different types of incapacitation.

Emily said she hopes the federal grant will yield “positive changes” at Rhodes, but “unfortunately, my love for my school has been damaged beyond repair.”

“I would be open to having a conversation with the administration, working on program plans, or even coming back for a panel to help current students better understand sexual assault,” Emily concludes the letter. “I truly believe Rhodes College has the potential to improve its Title IX office, but great strides need to be made.”

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Shortly after Emily’s letter went public, Hass responded in an email to the campus community. Hass said it is always the college’s goal to treat students with the “utmost compassion and care throughout the Title IX process.”

Rhodes College

Marjorie Hass

“Our graduate wrote of her alienation and bitter disappointment after we asked for her confidentiality,” Hass continued. “While that was not our intent, it is also not an excuse. We are committed to protecting the privacy of students, survivors, and witnesses, but we fail our students when we value silence over their ability to share their experience.”

Hass said the college is committed to “upholding a fair Title IX process,” and that the $300,000 federal grant will help the school do a better job of preventing sexual assaults, as well as supporting students who are victims of sexual assault and other related crimes.

“I have heard your voices speaking out today about the necessity of improving our culture of consent at Rhodes, and I will continue to work together with all of you on this,” Hass continued. “We need to work toward a culture where these horrible incidents don’t occur.”

#youprobablyknowthem

Culture of Consent launched a campaign to honor Emily and other survivors with the hashtag #youprobablyknowthem.

“We’re doing this for those who don’t report their assaults out of fear that this may happen to them,” the group wrote. “The reality is that most survivors who have gone through the Title IX process have probably had experiences like Emily.

The campaign includes:

• Banner drops around Rhodes College’s campus on November 16th

• Breaking the Silence, a protest via march and demonstration on November 19th

• Fundraising campaign for survivor, Emily, via GoFundMe which launched November 16th

• Week-long flag display in a public quad showing the prevalence of sexual violence

• Flagging the Problem, a flag ceremony and opportunity to learn about the resources available to survivors and allies, on December 2nd

Abbey Bako, president of Culture of Consent said the group’s primary goal of the campaign is to increase accountability on the Rhodes campus.

“Policies and procedures only work as well as the people implementing them allow,” Bako said. “So how do we increase accountability within such a closed system? That’s what we want to figure out.”

Bako said the Breaking the Silence rally, scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., will be an opportunity to channel “productive anger.” It will be a space for students to express their feelings about how the administration handles sexual violence on campus. It will also be a space to figure out how to move forward “as a student body to prevent this from ever happening again.”

The Rhodes Student Government (RSG) also weighed in on the issue, saying that the group “stands discontent with the conduct of Title IX” regarding its handling of Emily’s case.

“We as a school and a community should support survivors and encourage them to come forward not silence them,” the group said in a Facebook post. “We stand with Emily. RSG intends to work toward a better, more comprehensive Title IX education for students and for better resources for survivors on campus. “

According to Rhodes’ 2019 Security and Fire Safety Report, the total number of sexual offenses on campus saw a dramatic decrease between 2016 and 2018. There were a total of 19 reported sexual offenses on campus in 2016. In 2017, that number dropped to four, and then rose to nine last year.