Category: Uncategorized

By Hamilton Neill

In a surprising turn of events, Congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been elected as the Speaker of the House, marking a significant shift in Republican leadership. This decision came after weeks of internal party conflicts and a search for a suitable candidate to lead the House of Representatives. Johnson’s election has raised eyebrows due to his staunch support for former President Donald Trump and his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. 

“He is not part of the main stream political or legal thought,” Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told Axios. “Truly an aberrant candidate for America, but maybe not for a drowning Republican conference searching for a lifesaver.” 

In this article, we will delve into the background of Mike Johnson, examine his conservative record, and analyze the implications of his election as Speaker of the House. 

Who Mike Johnson? 

A Louisiana native, Johnson embarked on his political career in 2015 when he served in the Louisiana State Legislature. His dedication to conservative ideals and his unwavering support for religious liberty quickly earned him recognition within Republican circles. Johnson’s legal background, having obtained a Juris Doctorate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, equipped him with the skills necessary to navigate the intricacies of constitutional law and advocacy. 

In 2016, Johnson was elected to the House of Representatives, representing Louisiana’s Fourth District. As a member of Congress, Johnson wasted no time in establishing himself as a leading conservative voice. He joined the Republican Study Committee, a caucus dedicated to advancing conservative policies, and served as its chairman. Johnson’s commitment to conservative values, including his opposition to abortion rights, same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ+ rights, aligns closely with the principles of the Republican Party’s base. 

One of the defining moments of Johnson’s political career was his involvement in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. He played a pivotal role in garnering support for a Texas lawsuit seeking to invalidate electoral college votes from several states. Although the lawsuit was ultimately rejected by the Supreme Court, Johnson’s unwavering commitment to the cause garnered attention and praise from former President Trump. 

The Path to Speaker: Johnson’s Rise to Power 

The road to electing Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House was not without its challenges. The Republican Party experienced internal conflicts and a struggle to find a suitable candidate to lead the House. The ousting of Speaker Kevin McCarthy in early October created a power vacuum that needed to be filled. Various candidates emerged, but none were able to secure enough support from House Republicans. 

After weeks of deliberation, Johnson emerged as a compromise candidate. His conservative credentials and loyalty to Trump resonated with the party’s base, while his relative lack of notoriety allowed for a fresh face to take the helm. Johnson’s nomination received a significant boost when former President Trump endorsed him, solidifying his position as a front-runner. It is impossible to discuss Mike Johnson’s rise to power without acknowledging the influence of former President Donald Trump. Johnson’s unwavering support for Trump’s policies and his involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election earned him the moniker “MAGA Mike Johnson.” Trump’s endorsement of Johnson further cemented his position as the preferred candidate among the party’s base.
The Implications of Johnson’s Election as Speaker Mike Johnson’s election as Speaker of the House represents a clear shift in Republican leadership. With his conservative values and close alignment with Trump, Johnson embodies the party’s commitment to its base. This shift could have far-reaching implications for the Republican Party’s agenda and its ability to rally support from its conservative voter base.

As Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson is expected to champion a conservative agenda. His focus on issues such as religious liberty, pro-life policies, and limited government intervention aligns with the core values of the Republican Party. Johnson’s emphasis on constitutional principles and his legal background may also shape his approach to legislative matters.

Johnson’s election is not without its challenges and criticisms. His involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election has drawn criticism from Democrats and some moderate Republicans. Critics argue that his support for baseless claims of election fraud undermines the democratic process and erodes trust in the electoral system. Additionally, Johnson’s staunch conservative stance may alienate moderate Republicans and hinder bipartisan cooperation.

Johnson’s rise to power is closely tied to the support of evangelical Christians. As a devout Christian himself and a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, Johnson has cultivated close ties with evangelical communities. The alliance between white evangelical Christians and the Republican Party has been a defining feature of conservative politics in recent decades, and
Johnson’s election further solidifies this relationship.

Conclusion: Johnson’s Leadership and the Future of the Republican Party

The election of Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House reflects a significant shift in Republican leadership and highlights the enduring influence of former President Donald Trump. Johnson’s conservative values, close alignment with Trump, and support from evangelical Christians position him as a leading figure in the party. As Speaker, Johnson will face the challenges of
navigating a divided Congress and advancing a conservative agenda. The implications of his leadership extend beyond the House of Representatives, shaping the future of the Republican Party and its relationship with its conservative base. Only time will tell how Johnson’s tenure as Speaker will impact the political landscape in the years to come.

By Genesis Becerra

My parents were born in Mexico and later moved to the US in their teens. I was born and raised in North Carolina and grew up with a mixture of white and latino kids. As a Mexicana living in NC my Spanish has never been good and I am often referred to as a ‘No Sabo’ kid (A person of latin descent who speaks broken/improper Spanish) by people around me. Lo siento si mi español no es perfecto o si las palabras no me salen bien, but I’m trying.  

Todo mi vida I heard “Asi no se dice” or “Habla bien” Me insultan diciendo que no soy mexicana porque mi manera de hablar español no es correcta pero cuando por fin quiero intentar soy muy naca. Me preguntan “No te da pena por ser pocha” o “Mira como se rien tus tios y tias.” Para qué hablamos si nuestra existencia es una vergüenza para nuestra raza? Nuestra lengua maltrata el lenguaje con las medias palabras que salen.  

Being bilingual es muy difícil. Nunca va a ser perfecto. Growing up learning two completely different languages simultaneously shows when trying to speak and think. Por ejemplo puedo rezar en español , but don’t ask me to read something in Spanish in public because it will take me some time. Puedo chismar hasta decir un chiste, but do not ask me how to say 10,276,675 in Spanish. You can tell me we have 20 miles left pero no se cuantos son en kilometros. Siempre es “como puedes bailar como una mexicana, but then you open your mouth y eres güera?”.  

But there still remains a question…where does this negative connotation come from? A common misconception according to CAPS is that “It is merely a corrupted version of Spanish, the bastard child of two languages” but this is simply not the case. Spanglish is rich in both Spanish and English and is such a creative way for us “No sabos” to express ourselves. The way we can understand each other in such a unique fashion brings us together not only as a race but as a generation. So I ask mi gente, why do we teach  our younger generation that this is disrespecting our culture? Why do we criticize them for being unique? Y luego los mayos se preguntan por qué nosotros, como menores, no hablamos con ellos. So para mi gente que son ‘No sabo’ keep trying and don’t let others tear you down for being unique and keep speaking Spanglish.   

By Adda Prescott, LR Junior, Sports Management major

For Fall 2023, Lenoir-Rhyne University has added two new coaches to the athletics family who have already left quite the impact on their teams.  

Lenoir-Rhyne’s new Track and Field distance coach is Coach Cam Knudsen. Senior distance runner Julia Holdren expressed how much this coach has already made such an impact. Previously their coach also worked with the sprinters and now with this new coach, he is able to give them his undivided attention.  Holdren states “just knowing that he has our full attention and that his workouts are mainly focused on what we need and not so much a guessing game.”  This may help to lead them to more success on the season.    

Although there were rumors about a new hire for distance runners, the official announcement on Instagram pleased Holdren.  She commented “for it to become reality is super nice.”

Coach Knudsen, assistant track coach, has also had to adjust to a new environment just like Holdren and the rest of the team.  Holdren notes that she had to get used to his workouts and his coaching style.  Like Holdren, Coach Knudsen had to pick up on everyone’s skill and abilities so that he will be able to coach each athlete.  LR Track and Field is looking forward to having success now that they have a distance coach, Holdren concludes “There is a lot of potential on this team so hopefully this coach can help these runners reach that full potential.” 

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The LR women’s Lacrosse team s also adjusting to a new coach, the  second coach for this program in two years.  Sally Freisen, a sophomore Goalie on the women’s Lacrosse team is really excited about this season with new coach Shannon Mchale.  Freisen commented “The team this year is looking fantastic.” She joyfully added  “we went over hours last week. This would never happen last year.” This new coach seems to be exactly what Freisen is looking for in order to be successful.  

Coach Mchale has brought this team together, the atmosphere is already way different from last year.  Freisen mentioned there being a lot of “cliques” in previous years, moving forward with Coach Mchale the team chemistry is progressing in a posoitive directiion.    Difficult times bring people closer together, Freisen and her teammates have proven this with the things they have been through.   

This year, there’s also a new assistant coach for Women’s Lacrosse. Freisen says, “I can’t wait to see what this new coach will be like.”  Having a new coach this year was no surprise to the team, it was the goal to find a fresh start.  The team struggled to find success with the previous coach. Freisen said, “we rarely did practice over an hour last year regardless if we were in season or not.”  There are a lot of positive things being said, next step is continuing all these things into the season.     

If you want to keep track on how these coaches and their teams do during their upcoming seasons, follow along at the Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics page or on Instagram at Bearsports. 

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By: Aasia McNeil (Sports Management & Communication Major)

For DeAree Rogers, the cliché “There’s a first time for everything” rang true.  The redshirt freshman from Columbia, SC added to the 6 total touchdowns scored to defeat the Falcons in the 2023 home opener. With a final score of 45-7, Rogers secured his first collegiate touchdown. Amid all the adrenaline, Rogers’ main thought as he prepared to receive the kick was, “Dear God please don’t let me drop this.” Although he was not expecting to score so early in the game, he was so confident in his abilities that he told Coach Jacobs that if his teammates blocked well, then it would be a touchdown.

Rogers scored late in the first quarter off a punt return after the defense failed to convert on 3rd down. Rogers knew that his touchdown would be off a punt return. He said that his special teams unit worked extremely hard in practice all week prior to Saturday’s game.    At about the one-and-a-half-minute mark, Rogers took the punt 41 yards down to the endzone. This gave the Bears a 21-0 lead early in the first quarter of the game.

Although Rogers was not the only individual to get his first career touchdown in that game, his efforts set the tone for the rest of the game for him and his team. Rogers stated, “It made me feel good about myself because I didn’t play last year, and I was able to score in the first game of the season on my home turf. For my teammates it made the game more up tempo, and our defense began to click.” The Bears defense triumphed over the Falcons and held SAU to only 3 first downs and only 2 rushing yards on 27 attempts. 

While all the action on the field was unfolding, a teammate of Rogers commented on the atmosphere of the sidelines before he scored. Rashad Yelding   was on the field right before Rogers was given his opportunity to score. In that moment, Yelding stated that he believed that they would have had time to rest before they had to make their way back onto the field for the next play, but Rogers had other plans. “Punt return is a very routine play in football and usually nothing exciting happens,” Yelding said, “so we were surprised when we started to hear all the cheering.” Yelding shared that scoring was especially important to Rogers because he was redshirted last year while recovering from a previous injury.

After hearing about all the excitement that came from Rogers’ coaches and teammates, the atmosphere was mirrored by the student section. Sophomore Adair Rodemaker was among the students cheering as Rogers ran the ball down the field into the endzone. Rodemaker described the energy of the student section as “so exciting.”  With it being the home opener, the student section was packed and Rodemaker expressed that it was just a great space to be in at that moment. 

Rodemaker, a friend of Rogers, knew that this electrifying touchdown would be his career first. Unsure if anyone else in the student section had known about this significant moment, she said, “It was super exciting watching him run into the endzone to score his first touchdown that began his college career.” This moment made the Bears’ home opener win even sweeter.

After an action-packed weekend, Rogers went on to grab the award for his accomplishments from their major win against the Falcons. Rogers is in all of Division 2 football. Rogers has now broken the program record for most punt return yards in a single game with 170 and he has also broken the program record for most punt returns for touchdowns in a single season. He has tied the record for most punt returns for touchdowns in a single game as well.   As of October 2nd, the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears are ranked 13th in a for the best Division 2 football teams in the nation. You can catch the Bears again between the bricks October 14th, Homecoming weekend, against the Barton College Bulldogs.

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By Erran Owenby

Recycling is good for the environment, right? You can recycle plastic, paper, aluminum, and more. Some products that use compostable materials, such as to-go boxes, can break down into compost for the environment. Although it seems like compostable to-go boxes are sustainable, the Tiny Foot Movement found that when compostable materials break down, they produce methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is about 56 times more potent than carbon dioxide, over a 20-year period. Kaley Cross, a Reece Fellow Representative for the LR Environmental Stewardship Committee, explained that when Lenoir-Rhyne University used compostable to-go containers in August 2020, the city of Hickory did not have the infrastructure to compost the containers, so the landfill disposed of them. To address this problem, Cross developed and pitched a reusable takeout program to LR Dining.

sustainability footprint and initiatives,” says John Morrell, the general manager of LR Dining since October 2020. According to Cross, LR purchased about 250 to-go containers from Preserve2Go, a company that aims to make the takeout food experience eco-friendlier and more sustainable by eliminating the waste of millions of disposable to-go containers.

The reusable to-go containers are made in the U.S.A. from 100% recycled plastic and are also microwavable and dishwasher safe. To receive a container, students, faculty, and staff can pay a small fee ($5) to receive a keychain from the front desk of the Dining Hall. The keychain will allow them to grab a container, use it, and return it to be cleaned and sanitized by the staff. This process allows the 250 containers to be reused repeatedly. Cross says that the fee will hold students accountable for returning the containers. Within the first month, approximately 110 students have access to the reusable to-go containers. Morrell says, “the reusable to-go containers [are] a great first step towards our big initiative of lowering food waste.” The more students that participate in the takeout program, the more sustainable LR’s campus will become.

As Thanksgiving break draws near, Lenoir-Rhyne sports fans have plenty to be thankful and excited for. Including three teams making national playoff runs, and the return of basketball.

Volleyball finished their regular season with a 3-0 home win over Newberry. The win made the Bears final regular season record 19-7, and 14-4 in the SAC. The Bears then hosted the first round of the SAC volleyball tournament on the 16th, where they beat Carson-Newman 3-1. The semifinal round will be at home at 4pm on the 19th against Tusculum.

Women’s Swimming competed in two team events on the 13th at Catawba. They split the events, with a 180-117 victory over Catawba, and a 142-60 loss against #2 ranked Wingate. Lisa Boernigen and Kimberly Scheiber both won events on the day, Boernigen finished first in the 200 Free, with a time of 1:56.19. Scheiber finished first in the 200 IM, with a time of 2:13.58. The Bears next swimming event will be the Fall Frenzy, hosted by Queens University on the 20th.

Women’s triathlon traveled across the country to Arizona to finish in third place at their first ever National Championship appearance. The top individual finisher for Lenoir-Rhyne in the event was Kayla Ribbink, whose final time of 1:09:00 was good for 10th place overall. The entire podium was made up of SAC schools, as Rivals Queens and Wingate finished 1st and 2nd.

Both Men’s and Women’s basketball began their seasons on the road last weekend, and both hosted their first home games against Wingate on the 17th. The men began their roadtrip with a 80-65 loss against Aiken, followed by a 94-86 win against Young Harris. Jalen Johnson led the Bears in the high scoring outing against Young Harris. Johnson made 12 field goals, 8 of them for 3, and added 2 free throws for a total of 34 points scored. The men then beat Wingate in their first home game of the season 75-70. This time the scoring was led by Kevin Kangu. Kangu made 8 field goals, 2 of them for 3, and added 2 free throws for a total of 20 points.

The Women began their season with a 68-62 win on the road against USC Aiken.Emily Harman was the Bears top scorer, making 8 field goals, one for 3, and adding one free throw for a total of 20 points. This was followed by a 67-55 loss on the road against Lander. The Women opened their home season with a 71-68 loss in overtime against Wingate. Harman led the scoring in the home opener with 18 points. The Women’s next action will be an exhibition on the road against Radford on the 19th. The men will be back at home at 2pm on the 20th, against Lees-McRae.

The Bears last home football game of the season was yet another showing of dominance on both sides, as Lenoir-Rhyne beat Catawba 56-3 on the 13th. Grayson Willingham threw 3 Touchdowns to three different receivers. Kellin Parsons, Jordan Payne, and Malakei Sumner all found the endzone on passing plays. Five touchdowns were scored on the ground by four different runners. Deondre Lester, Dan McGee, and Willingham himself are no strangers to running the ball in, but the star of the day was Defensive Tackle Dan Louba. In a rare play, Louba was declared eligible and ran the ball in one yard for a crowd pleasing touchdown that went viral on social media. Chase Allbaugh continued his streak of perfection on extra points. The bears will play next in the playoffs on the 20th, on the road against Bowie States.

Adding to the playoff festivities over the weekend will be Men’s and Women’s Soccer. After taking a pair of heartbreaking overtime losses, both teams still managed to be selected for the National tournaments. The Men will kick off at 3pm on the 19th against Limestone, at the mutual site of Young Harris. The women will take the field at 6pm on the 19th on the road against Catawba.