U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, spoke about the human rights abuses perpetuated by the United States in the Abu Ghraib prison and in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, as well as America's worsening reputation worldwide, as the University celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day last Monday. "Today the struggle against extremism is being undermined by how America is being viewed in the world," Levin said.

The event filled the Carl J. Shapiro Theater to capacity and drew around 200 more students to watch a live streaming of the speech in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. It consisted of Levin's speech and questions posed to him by a panel made up of Guy Raz '96; defense correspondent for National Public Radio, Prof. Mari Fitzduff (COEX), a participant in the Northern Ireland peace process; Prof. Ibrahim Sundiata (AAAS); and several students in the audience. The event was moderated by Charles A. Radin, a former Middle East correspondent for the Boston Globe.

Levin said that our country needs the support of people around the world as well as information and cooperation of the world to combat terrorism. One person can prevent a terrorist attack if he reports it, Levin said.

The United States used to be represented by the Statue of Liberty, he said, but is now represented by pictures of the Abu Ghraib prison. He then recited a quote by King: "The world stands aghast at the path that we have taken."

"America at its best is a beacon for human rights, . but most of the world sees us in a different way," Levin said.

We will be more secure when we act to win back respect around the world, Levin said, as "it is not just our standing in the world which has diminished, it is our security."

Levin criticized the current policies, which sacrifice ideals of what we see as human rights in order to preserve security, citing how a person can be convicted as an enemy combatant without ever having a lawyer because the evidence against him is classified. Levin also emphasized the need for the government to establish responsibility for what went wrong in Abu Ghraib.

"Anti-Americanism abroad is a serious threat to American national security," said Raz, who asked Levin how legislators would translate that danger into legislation that would alleviate the issue. "Please do not assume that there will not be an effort" to implement policy, Levin responded, saying that such efforts would be thwarted by presidential vetoes and extensions of presidential power beyond what is enumerated in the Constitution.

A student asked if there were ever any situations in which desperate times would call for the curtailment of civil liberties. Levin responded that there is no absolute law regarding this philosophical issue, but that "Government officials should be subject to the same rules of conduct as should citizens."

"You could give me a circumstance . in which I might try and take the law into my own hands," but "the law should hold me accountable," Levin said. "There's no accountability in this administration," he continued. "There's cover-up, there's protection," and laws are passed to protect those who take the law into their own hands, he said.

Levin then responded to student questions from the audience. In response to a question about how to stop American exploitation overseas, Levin said, "We want the Iraqi national government to make decisions regarding allocation of resources" and not regional governments or oil companies.

Ron Kendler '09 asked what Americans can do to restore morality for armed service veterans returning home. "We are going to end this . system where we treat our returning soldiers with less than they deserve," Levin answered.

Students seemed positive about Levin's presentation for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event. "I hope that what he actually said he wants to do is implemented," said Nathaniel Rosenblum '10.

"It was definitely an interesting take on the Martin Luther King Day," Emily Frost '10 said, as the event was about looking at human rights issues and taking them to an international scale.

Eric Alterman '09 said he found that Levin was really articulate and that he appreciated his answers to a lot of questions, but added that he "didn't really feel the connection to Martin Luther King."

Levin's presentation was followed by a dancing and oratory program hosted by Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams, and which included performances by Voices of Praise, Manginah, Nuyorican poetry champion Kayo, singer Tauc, writer Chris Slaughter and North Quad Director Jerome Holland, who performed a liturgical dance to "Still I Rise," a song by Yolanda Adams. Additionally, Jonathan D'Oleo '08 presented King's speech, "The Drum Major Instinct," the last speech given by King before he died.

This year Brandeis celebrates Martin Luther King Day with many events woven together into a four-day event. "We are not the average university. We are not the status quo," Adams said. "You all represent change. You all represent the ability to do. . You all represent making the world a better place.