(02/11/13 5:00am)
A refugee is someone who has been mistreated in some way, forcing them to move from their home. As part of 'Deis Impact, Students for Environmental Action and Students for a Just and Stable Future, an offshoot of SEA, set up a "refugee camp" behind the Shaprio Campus Center, hoping to convey to students the need to care about climate change and how it affects human beings across the globe, their "home." The demonstration comes at the same time as the SJSF divestment campaign, which, according to SJSF member Dorian Williams '13, "has become a national movement of students to get their colleges and universities to pull their endowments and investments out of companies that are holding fossil fuels." Divestment was especially relevant during 'Deis Impact, as the effects of fossil fuels impact less developed areas. Environmental disasters affect everyone differently, and the poorer populations have a harder time recovering. Not everyone has the resources to start over after such disasters like the one happening in the Maldives today, said SJSF member Jacklyn Gil '14. "Right now we are seeing massive devastation in countries that are more vulnerable to climate impact and climate crisis," said Gil. It is estimated that there will be around 50 million climate refugees by 2020, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. The refugee camp was inspired by the shantytowns that college students set up to protest apartheid South Africa in the 1980s. The SEA refugee camp represents the lives of the countless people already displaced by natural disasters, and those who will be in the future. "The modern-day equivalent of a shantytown would be a refugee camp," said SEA President Lisa Purdy '14. The camp was built without any funding, making it more authentic. "A shantytown looks the way it does because the people who are constructing it use whatever material they can find," Purdy said. SJSF members built the camp with items they borrowed or found in the trash and from the free section on Craigslist, creating the feel of a makeshift refugee camp. They used wooden pallets and a tarp to create the main tent structure, with a smaller tent suspended on string and signs sporting messages about divestment and climate change. Students were able to enter the main tent and take educational materials about the campaign.The refugee camp attracted the attention of students and faculty alike as they walked by. "I was intrigued by the creativity of the display, even though I wasn't sure what it was about at first," Naomi DePina '16 said. Some stopped to take a closer look or snap a picture and learn more about climate change by reading the signs. SJSF members took turns standing in front of the camp with their divestment petition, hoping to get signatures and explain the purpose of the demonstration. On Wednesday, the Brandeis Divestment Campaign hosted a "Hot Planet, Hot Chocolate" event at the campsite. Students, braving the cold, sat in a circle with hot chocolate, in mugs that they brought from their dorms, and talked with members of SEA and SJSF about divestment and climate change. A variety of environment-related songs and poetry were also performed, adding to the camp atmosphere. The camp was set up on Feb. 1 and was scheduled to remain set up through the rest of 'Deis Impact, but was taken down on Friday due to the blizzard. Turns out, even an environmental demonstration can be affected by the weather. SEA wants students to take the messages that the camp represents beyond 'Deis Impact. As Purdy explained, "we need to keep moving forward because we have a lot to do in the next four years." The club hopes students can take steps in their personal lives to reduce their footprints on the environment. Such activities include recycling, biking or walking instead of using a car, or more inventive ways of that might not immediaditely come to mind, such as not eating soy products or using homemade laundry detergent, according to Purdy. Joining with other students who care about the same issues can help spread the message on campus and beyond. "I hope to continue my work with groups like this," said Rohan Bhatia '14, treasurer of SEA. Bhatia is representing Brandeis at Swarthmore College on Feb. 24, to talk to members of different divestment campaigns at other universities. The aim of the camp was to convey the severity of climate change and how it will affect people, and help students realize they can make a difference. "We hope that people begin to appreciate the severity of climate change more, and really hope that it encourages people to push for more change, call for our university to divest, and speak out on this issue," said Williams.
(02/05/13 5:00am)
Happy February, pop culture-ites! But is it really happy when there's no news in celebrity land?! No bombshell cheating scandals, no baby-bump speculations, not even a little engagement rumor! For the longest time, the only news I was working with was Fox's announcement of the summer's new talk show, Kris, hosted by none other than Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner (no joke, they're taking over television). So, forgive me for the slow news week folks, but here goes! Shocker, shocker everyone-Rihanna and Chris Brown are an item ... again. In this past week's Rolling Stone, the Barbadian songstress acknowledged the renewal of her relationship with the guy who physically assaulted her less than four years ago. Ri-Ri told the mag that "if it's a mistake, it's my mistake," and explained that she reunited with Brown because it was "important" for her happiness. This interview marked the first time that the 24-year-old singer publicly discussed the possible public reaction to her coupling. I'm all for supporting girl power and following your heart rather than the opinions of an anonymous mob of fans, but I don't have such a great feeling about this duo... With the Academy Awards in sight (Feb. 24 for those of us who have the patience for it), Disney has officially released "Paperman" for free viewing on YouTube. The animated short, posted on the web last Tuesday, is nominated for Best Animated Short Film and has already racked up over nine million views! The black-and-white film follows a man, a woman and a swarm of paper airplanes, combining traditional illustration with computer animation-I'd recommend it as a definite must-see. In some not-quite-pop-culture news, Lindsay Lohan's a big sis again ... kind of. This past Wednesday, Landon Major Lohan joined the eclectic fam. Landon is the son of Michael Lohan, Lindsay's dad, and his girlfriend, Kate Major, making the tyke Lindsay's half-brother. But this isn't her first half-sib; Michael fathered a daughter with another woman while still married to Lindsay's mother. Talk about a mess. Anyway, while Lindsay's pop was busy welcoming his newest child into the world, Linds was at court in Los Angeles-no surprise there. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I can't leave you folks without mentioning the biggest water cooler gossip of the past few weeks-the lip-sync. Don't pretend you think I'm talking about the Ashlee Simpson Saturday Night Live debacle; I'm referring to Beyonc?(c)'s err ... karaoke performance during President Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 21. Everyone was blown away by the diva's rendition of America's national anthem-until a representative for the U.S. Marine Band revealed that the musicians played live for every song except B's. MAJOR UH-OH. With her anticipated Super Bowl half-time performance just around the corner, it seemed like Beyonc?(c) was really in a mess. But during a news conference this past Thursday, the Grammy-award winner made sure the public didn't get the wrong impression. She stepped on stage, asked the audience, "Would you guys mind standing?" and belted out a live performance of "The Star Spangled Banner." #WINNING *
(02/05/13 5:00am)
This past year, as a culmination of a 12 year commitment, I became an Eagle Scout-the highest rank achievable within the Boy Scouts of America. Most of my years with the Boy Scouts of America were sponsored by Reformed synagogues, which were progressive and tolerant towards all scouts and parents, regardless of their sexual orientation. However, something that always marred my experience was that the national organization was-and still is-openly bigoted against the homosexual community. When I was a young scout, my family and I were involved in a troop that was unofficially sponsored by a progressive Episcopal school. One year, the troop wanted to actively recruit membership from the school, and the school responded that they were not comfortable engaging with an organization which discriminates. In reality, all the troop leadership needed to assuage these fears was to admit that the national policy is nonsensical, and in turn assure the school that the discriminatory policy was not being actively enforced. Instead, the conservative troop leadership, sticking to its guns, sent back a condescending letter to the school elucidating on the difference between "morals" and "principles". Burning the last bridge towards gaining new members, and alienating many current members as well, the old troop slowly withered and died. I hope the same will not be said of the national organization for similar reasons. This past week, the national executive board of the Boy Scouts of America announced that it was reviewing their discriminatory policy, which currently excludes any gay people from being members or leaders. This even applies to children who had joined the organization at a very young age. According to the national board, if these boys come out at a later point, they are immediately dismissed from the program. The policy is wrong for two distinct reasons. First, the rationale used for the exclusion of gay scouts is that lesbian gay bisexual and queer leaders, or gay scouts, may not be "appropriate role models," according to the BSA's website. Essentially, the age old clich?(c) is that there is something wrong with being a homosexual, and thus, we must save our children from being exposed to it. Such a frame of thinking is dangerously reactionary, seemingly still stuck in a 1980s era of homophobia. Second, the exclusion is possibly illegal. Though the Supreme Court affirmed in the right of the BSA to openly discriminate in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale in 2000, when a gay Eagle Scout sued the organization after being dismissed following his coming out, the court also forced to recognize how the Scouts are subsidized by tax dollars from the government. The BSA regularly holds meetings at public schools and other government buildings, hosts conventions on military bases for little-to-no rent. This means that our tax money is indirectly being used to fund this discriminatory organization, and with it, its discriminatory policies. I maintain great respect for the Boy Scouts, both for its members and as an institution, just how I have always maintained great respect for this country's armed forces, even in spite of a similar prejudice held against homosexuals until 2010. Scouting provides myriad benefits for young boys, teaching them valuable leadership skills. Unfortunately, that message has been hijacked by the religious right in favor of conservative-style family values. This would not be the first time the BSA has updated its membership qualifications behind the rest of the country. It was not until 1974 that the last segregated scout troop was integrated. Further, women were not allowed in leadership roles until 1988. In both of these instances, societal pressure finally overcame discriminatory policies, which the organization insisted was absolutely necessary to the survival of Scouting. Black scouts and white scouts can now attend meeting side-by-side, and women may now become leaders; homosexuals should be able to follow suit. The original scouting organization, in the United Kingdom, has no similar ban on homosexuals. Neither do the Boy Scouts of Canada, Australia or Germany, to name a few. Additionally, the Girl Scouts of America maintain no such policy. However, the Boy Scouts of America, in perhaps one of the sadder examples of American exceptionalism, still sticks to the delusional idea that homosexuals are not "morally straight" or clean. For the record, the term "morally straight," with regard to scouting, is not in any way related to sexual orientation. It is with great hope that the Boy Scouts of America executive board votes to end this discriminatory policy once and for all. *
(02/05/13 5:00am)
Australia. Canada. Denmark. Eritrea. Estonia. Finland. France. Germany. Israel. North Korea. Lithuania. Netherlands. New Zealand. Norway. Poland. Romania. Sweden. The one thing that unites this group of 17 countries is their military policy. Women can serve in military combat roles in all of these countries. At long last, the United States is joining their ranks. Women have been part of the United States military since the Revolutionary War. Some worked as nurses and others disguised themselves as men to fight for their country. During both World War I and World War II, women joined the army as nurses and intelligence officers. By the time of the first Gulf War, more than 40,000 women were deployed in foreign combat, 15 of whom were killed by enemy combatants. Today, women make up around 15 percent of the armed forces. They serve in almost 95 percent of all army occupations. Two brigadier generals are female. Over 100 women have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, up until just last week, women were prevented from officially serving in close-combat roles even though thousands of women have fought in close combat with enemy troops. It is time for women to be recognized as a major part of the United States military and in turn, allow them to take these combat roles. Women already serve as fighter pilots, artillery experts, engineers, sailors, everything but front-line soldiers. They have fought valiantly alongside their male counterparts, and have died for their countries. I applaud Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and leaders at the Pentagon for ending the archaic ban on women in certain combat positions. This is the 21st century. The United States is a global leader. We should be setting examples for the rest of the world, especially when it comes to gender rights and equalities. Women and men work side by side in factories, schools, law firms, government and in the armed forces and combat service, it should be no different. As a country, we should be able to move from discrimination in employment that is based simply on gender. Our troops are from all backgrounds, races and religions. Gay troops can openly serve. Gender should no longer be an obstacle to service. A common argument against women in combat is the physical strain required of soldiers. However, the military has certain physical requirements. If a man or a woman can meet them, he or she can enlist. This new policy change isn't going to do away with the physical requirements or make our soldiers less physically fit. In fact, studies by the Pentagon have found that while women have less upper body strength than men, they do have stronger legs and are less likely to get injured in the line of fire. I may not be a soldier, but I hope that in the line of fire, there are more important things to worry about than what gender your comrade is. There is also a clear and present positive externality that could come from having women serve to the same extent as men. The military has a strict code of conduct and obviously, adding women is not going to weaken it. If anything, this new policy change should strengthen that code. Rape is endemic among the armed forces, and in fact is still under-reported. Women who are sexually assaulted can be dishonorably discharged and their attackers never receive punishment. Perhaps if more women serve in combat positions and rise in the ranks, the military will be more focused on the issue of sexual assault, and will have to address it and help the victims more than they do today. Once women serving in combat is the norm and not the exception, men will hopefully see these women as their comrades and will treat them with due respect. The United States has been slowly but steadily moving towards gender equality. Allowing women in combat positions is just one more step. *
(02/05/13 5:00am)
* The good times continue to roll for the Judges. * The men's and women's fencing squads made a statement against their Division I foes at the Eric Sollee Invitational on Sunday, securing four and three victories respectively. The impressive result followed a collective eight-win performance at the second Northeast Fencing conference Meet at Brown University on Jan. 26. * Men's ?(c)p?(c)eist Michael Zook '13 noted that the squads fought well and displayed great persistence, especially against top squads such as No. 8 Duke University and No. 9 University of Pennsylvania. * "We definitely won all the matches we should have and even dominated some of them," he said. "It was a hard-fought effort against Penn and Duke, and of course, I don't think anyone feels bad about that. Overall, the day was a good success." * The Judges looked to channel their momentum into a heated first-round bout against the Stevens Institute of Technology. * The men's saberists started on the right foot with an 8-1 victory. ?ap?(c)eists Zook and Ari Feingiersch '16 then earned another two wins to continue the successful campaign. It appeared that the Judges were well on their way to a seismic victory that would set the tone for the rest of the day's bouts. * However, the rest of the journey proved to be quite formidable. While the ?(c)p?(c)eists and foilists struggled in defeats to Stevens, the men prevailed by a 16-11 margin. * Foilist Caroline Mattos '16 reeled off four successful bouts in a 6-3 victory over Stevens, but from here, the women lost the momentum in a 16-11 loss to the Ducks. * Brandeis proceeded to encounter a much more imposing challenge, then squaring off against top-ranked Duke. While the men and women ultimately failed to procure a win, losing by 15-12 and 20-17 margins, respectively, several individual fencers turned in strong performances. Saberist Jess Ochs-Willard '15, foilist Julian Cardillo '14 and ?(c)p?(c)eist Zoe Messinger '13 each earned two crucial victories against the Blue Devils, which proved a good measuring stick which the Judges were able to measure their progress. * The Judges sought revenge on New York University. And they were able to extract the justice that they sought, defeating their University Athletic Association rival by 17-10 and 15-12 margins. * Messinger and foilist Noah Berman '15 defended their UAA honors from the previous week with match-clinching bouts. Mattos earned another three victories while the men's saber squad cruised to an 8-1 victory, earning seven straight individual wins. The men continued to gain steam, defeating Haverford College by an 11-point margin. * ?ap?(c)eists Harry Kaufer '13 and Justin Kwon '16 recorded three wins en route to an 8-1 victory. Saberists Adam Mandel '15 and Ochs-Willard also paved the way for an imposing 7-2 win. These two scores contributed to an impressive 19-8 victory. * Mattos and Messinger each contributed three victories en route to a 17-10 defeat of Haverford. * Meanwhile, the Judges breezed past Yeshiva University with an imposing 51 victories, conceding a mere four points in the process. * Brandeis looked to make the finishing blow in a duel against the premier UPenn squad. However, the Judges still had work to do. While the women's foilists and ?(c)p?(c)eists contributed a total of three victories, the saberists gave the Quakers a run for their money. * Messinger and Emmily Smith '13 displayed their experience, closing to within one point of UPenn. Ultimately, though, Brandeis could not complete the comeback, losing by a tight 5-4 margin in the closing hours of the tournament. * Berman, Cardillo and foilist Ethan Levy '15 each earned two victories against the Quakers, but from there, the Judges' weapons could not pierce UPenn's seemingly impenetrable armor. * Zook noted that this experience against Division I opponents would prove to be crucial in future meets, especially against key opponents in the Beanpot Tournament such as Boston College and Harvard University. * "We have shown we can definitely pull weight against our Division I opponents," he said. * "It's a smaller sport, and with a lot of experience, you learn from quite a variation of skill levels." * The women will next travel to the New Jersey Institute of Technology this Saturday to square off against the hosts, Stevens, Temple University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. * Both squads will join together to compete in the Beanpot Tournament on Feb. 12, hosted at Boston College. * Zook concluded with a belief that the Judges have the requisite skill to succeed against their regional foes. * "It would be great to have a strong performance at the Beanpot," he said. "If we can take out BC and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and give Harvard a good fight, that'd be wonderful. We've certainly got the talent."
(01/29/13 5:00am)
This past Tuesday's Israeli legislative elections for the 19th Knesset gained relatively little international media attention despite the immense effect on the United States' and European Unions' Middle East politics and policies in the coming years, most notably with regards to Iran's alleged pursuit of obtaining nuclear capabilities. When first announced in October, the elections received much attention, but once international news outlets discovered that Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party would merge with Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party in order to form a unified right-wing front, and in so doing, making it almost impossible for anyone but Bibi to take the prime minister's office, international interest plummeted. Many prematurely categorized the next government as one that would continue to follow the "status quo" in its relations with the Palestinians and its progress in the peace process. Outside of a few articles on Bayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennet's rise in popularity among Israeli voters, most notably in the form of a sizable article in the New Yorker which emphasized his radical views on how to deal with the Palestinians in the West Bank, there was an absence of news about Israel in the international media, which is otherwise fascinated by every aspect of Israeli politics. The results of the elections show how na??ve the media can be. Yair Lapid's centrist Yesh Atid party was crowned last Tuesday as the clear winner in this year's race. While the Likud-Beiteinu ticket was by far the popular winner, it received significantly fewer seats in the Knesset than originally expected, while Yesh Atid received double what they predicted to gain just days before the elections, and three times as many as began campaigning began. Lapid's party is now situated as the second largest in the country and has essentially been given the power to form the coalition that will govern the State of Israel. Yesh Atid, which was founded less than a year ago by a popular television host and whose candidate list consists of respectable community leaders, none of whom have previously held positions in the Knesset, is now in the driver's seat in deciding who will govern the United States' number one ally. I mention the lack of experience in Lapid's group not to delegitimize the party but rather to emphasize the absurdity in the lack of coverage that the international media has paid to this election. This being said, a deeper look at Yesh Atid will show that rather than keeping the Israeli government in the status quo, it is in a position to actively assist in shaping the country's policies. In every aspect, Yesh Atid is considered a centrist party. Every single one of its political stances is aimed at reaching the middle ground of the Israeli political spectrum, which it's capable of claiming, as none of its members have ever been affiliated with any other political party. The backgrounds of the party's eligible Knesset members are vast, and the central theme of Lapid's campaign has been to unify and improve all of Israeli public life. As an example, Lapid, who is commonly categorized as anti-religious due to his father's views of separating religious and public life in Israel, picked to fill the second spot on his candidates list Rabbi Shai Piron, who helped establishe one of the largest hesder yeshivot, a religious institution that combines Jewish learning and army service in the country. After the previous election in 2009, Tzipi Livni, who led the centrist party Kadima, which actually won the popular election but could not form a coalition large enough to rule the Knesset was forced to head the opposition party. Centrist political parties have always been a big part of Israeli politics, but unfortunately, after Livni began her mission of opposition to Netanyahu's leadership, her "centrist" views quickly slid leftward in order to oppose the right-wing hold on the government. This has created a scenario in Israel that seems all too similar to that of America: Right vs. Left. At times, the polarization that has formed in Israel over the past few years has shown signs of transforming a political spectrum that was once nicely distributed from one extreme to the other into one that is weighted on both sides, pulling those caught in the middle to one end or the other. The media saw this polarization continue to worsen and judged that the elections were not worth covering. However, they missed the boat on Yesh Atid. The day after the election results were announced, rumors began flying that Lapid would join an "obstructive bloc" that would contend for a chance to rule the government in a similar situation to what happened in 2009 when Livni won the popular vote, but could not take the office of the prime minister. Lapid quickly and firmly denied these rumors, stating that he would join the coalition with Likud-Beiteinu. He essentially stated that he would not take part in undermining the public opinion, which evidently preferred a center-right government. Rather than side with the left-wing bloc, which would cause an eventual leftward slide to right-wing opposition, and theoretically position Lapid as a potential prime minister, Yesh Atid claims that it will hold steady in the center. Lapid has now placed his party in a position to add an effective centrist view to the government. Rather than compromising its ideology in order to gain power, Yesh Atid will have the opportunity to make a significant change within a coalition that has shifted and been pushed to the right. By choosing to work with, rather than oppose, the most popular party in the country, Lapid and Yesh Atid will finally be in a position to bridge the gap between the right and left camps and begin dissolving the polarization which has been ravishing Israeli politics.
(01/29/13 5:00am)
Last November, alumna Leslie Aronzon '84 was officially appointed to the Board of Trustees for a four-year term after the Board voted to approve her selection. After being nominated during the summer of 2012, Aronzon went through an extensive process that included an interview with the nominating committee of the Board of Trustees. Following the nomination, interview and discussion among the nominating committee, she was presented to the full board for a vote. "I was thrilled to join [the Board]. I loved Brandeis and have remained active since I graduated," wrote Aronzon in an email to the Justice. "It is a very high powered group of individuals who have taken on great responsibility in guiding the institution. When President Lawrence and other board members asked me about it, I jumped at the opportunity." Her position took effect immediately, as due to the timing of her nomination her term technically took effect the day after Commencement 2012. "At Brandeis I developed an intellectual curiosity that I didn't have before," said Aronzon, quoted in the Jan. 22 BrandeisNOW article. "I had conversations with my peers that I never had with my friends from home. We talked about the [Reagan vs. Carter] election and the issues of the day. It really jazzed me up." Aronzon said that her experience at Brandeis has led to her active involvement since graduation. In addition to her position as the newest addition to the Board of Trustees, Aronzon is a member of the Alumni Association Board and most recently acted as its vice president. According to BrandeisNOW, Aronzon returned to California after graduation, and earned her MBA from the University of Southern California five years later. "I do not work in a traditional job at the moment, I stay home with my three children," wrote Aronzon. "I do sit on other boards and do extensive philanthropic work and lots of volunteering at their schools. My career path was an investment banker. I specialized in bankruptcies and workouts, in particular, distressed [mergers and acquisitions]." Her philanthropic work over the years has included working with the Jewish Free Loan Association of Los Angeles, as stated in BrandeisNOW. According to Aronzon, she plans to remain in her home state of California and will fly to Massachusetts for the four Board meetings that occur in person per year, and plans to conduct meetings over the telephone as needed. Aronzon is just one of approximately 28 current board members who are alumni of the University. Only roughly 10 other members remain who are not University alumni. *
(01/29/13 5:00am)
"Vision is what one has, but visualizing is the active challenge to all of us and that is what we are about today," University President Frederick Lawrence said at the Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World conference on Sunday. Over 200 students from 17 schools across the Northeast attended the conference, which was held to help facilitate discussions about Israel on college campuses. bVIEW is a movement created by students who feel that current discussion about Israel can be polarized and unproductive. Lawrence pointed out that the V in bVIEW stands for visions. There are multiple visions for Israel, and all of them need to be talked about, he said. The conference, as bVIEW content and program director Natan Odenheimer '15 said in the introduction, would help students "think constructively about the future." Odenheimer said he had noticed that students have "difficulty discussing challenging issues regarding Israel." The bVIEW founders believe that in order for positive change to occur in Israel, the discourse on campus needs to be improved. The conference encouraged students, who bVIEW deem as the next generation that can influence the situation in Israel, to voice their opinions in a healthy, open environment. Following the introductory session, bVIEW Codirector Erica Shaps '13 moderated a panel on Israel programming on college campuses. The panelists included Lex Rofes, a senior at Brown University and a student representative on the Board of Directors of Hillel at Brown; Matt Lebovic, senior campus associate at Combined Jewish Philanthropies; Daniel May, director of J Street U; and Larry Sternberg, executive director of Hillel at Brandeis. The first question Shaps asked the panelists was about who plays a major role in dictating campus programming on Israel. Lebovic said that he believes students should make most of the decisions but outside organizations can still be important. Student organized programs can be heavily influenced by activists, Sternberg pointed out. May added that programs do not have to be adversarial in order to be productive. "The most successful student groups are the ones that understand that the university is a political universe," he said. He continued that it is important for students to lead the discussion, but it is impossible for it to be completely separate from the outside world. The panelists were then asked what they would like campus programming to look like in an ideal world. "I think that we learn a lot more when we associate very directly ... with people who differ from ourselves," said Rofe, adding that conferences such as bVIEW allow for the necessary "constructive discomfort." May also said that different ideologies should interact, to make the discussion "intellectually rigorous, diverse and politically engaged." Lebovic said that there can be a disconnect between what students are discussing in America and what is happening in Israel, and he would like to see students continue the discussion by going to Israel to see the situation for themselves. The final question posed to the panelists was whether or not there are boundaries to the discussion on Israel. May answered that there are no limits to who is included; all parts of the population in Israel need to be part of the conversation. There are, however, limits to what should be said in the discussion, he said. "There is such a thing as hateful speech." Sternberg brought up the example of a Knesset debate, where all of the members talk over each other. "The purpose of the convening is conversation. Conversations require listening," said Sternberg. He believes that the extremes should be included if everyone listens to each other. There is a difference between having boundaries on opinions and having them on actions, Lebovic said. "Universities should be able to self-select their members and strategies based on the actions of who wants to [join]." Only expression that leads to violence should be limited, said Lebovic. The questions asked by students, as well as the individual table discussions that followed the panel, reflected the goals of the event as a whole. Students wanted to know what their impact will be on the outside world and how to make that world what they want it to be. Thirty-eight bVIEW student facilitators led the discussions, including Hannah Kober '16. "I think that people should gain a greater understanding of what Israel discussion could look like on campus, as opposed to what is looks like right now, which is very polarized," Kober said.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
As I sat in my elementary school classroom 12 years ago, two planes crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center complex. New York City. Where I spent Thanksgiving, where my dad often worked and the emblem of everything American. Since then, the government has tracked down and killed many people responsible for the attacks, but most prominently spent an entire decade looking for the Al-Qaeda leader in charge-Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), chronicles the CIA's lengthy search for bin Laden and the obstacles it faced. In 2003, young CIA operative Maya (Jessica Chastain) is reassigned to the U.S. embassy in Pakistan where she joins Dan (Jason Clarke) in numerous visits to black sites, where Al-Qaeda suspects are brutally interrogated. Many of the opening scenes of the movie display these graphic, detailed torture scenes-Bigelow does not shy away from the brutality of the alleged torture that occurred throughout the bin Laden manhunt. Naturally, the scenes received mixed responses about the legitimacy of including something that controversial; some even called for the blacklisting of Zero Dark Thirty from the Academy Awards. But, let the record show, I was not surprised or shocked by the torture scenes-it was expected. We know that past and current administrations allegedly turned a blind eye to torture interrogations. It was all in the name of American security, and it is not this movie's job to judge such acts as right or wrong. As a whole, the 157-minute film left me in awe of the stellar acting, intense plot and masterful directorial vision. I was never bored, never checked my watch and never even questioned the length of the movie. The plot was fast-paced enough to keep viewers entertained, yet the drama and suspense added the substance that typical action movies lack. Though many critics may argue against the film's historical accuracy, I believe that Zero Dark Thirty is an outstanding portrayal of real events that changed the politics and culture of the United States. We know the real story, but Bigelow's adaption brings a realistic insight into this historical event. To avoid any spoilers, I can't go into detail about my favorite, standout scenes, but there are some shockers-moments that caught me completely off guard. There are also emotional appeals, leading to the turning point where Maya's search for bin Laden becomes more of a personal vendetta. In that same vein, Chastain explodes on the screen in her role. As a rising star, Chastain completely blew me away in her complex portrayal of a woman often in dangerous situations, following her own intuition despite the adversity she faces. Even when no one else believes the leads Chastain has on tracking bin Laden, she sticks to her guns and doesn't give up-nonstop for ten whole years. As for the supporting cast, Clarke's ruggedly handsome appearance mixed with badass, no-nonsense attitude make a great counter to Chastain's tough, yet feminine demeanor. His interactions with Ammar (Reda Kateb), the prisoner, are especially compelling and the two characters build an interesting cat-and-mouse dynamic. Despite the brutality, the scenes are incredibly believable and I really enjoyed watching Clarke's more psychological interrogations of Ammar, like teasing out information in return for food or cigarettes. By the time bin Laden's compound in Pakistan is stormed by special forces, the movie spirals rapidly through the raid of the building. They encounter over a dozen people in the massive house as they painstakingly search through every room for the target. This introspective into the life of bin Laden was surprisingly touching and gave a sense of humanity to one of the most hunted men in American history. I strongly recommend Zero Dark Thirty, not only as a highly entertaining movie, but also as something every American should be aware of. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and the subsequent capture of bin Laden are an integral part of American culture and I believe this movie does both events justice.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Between running to class, balancing extracurricular activities and maintaining some sort of social life, college students barely have spare time-let alone time to watch hours of television. In honor of the new year, with so many television series back from hiatus and even some new shows celebrating their winter premiers, four Justice editors have compiled their favorite TV shows (or at least those that are worth watching). Consider this your four-step guide to televised bliss. What do you think? Check it out and tune in! 'Girls' displays real life HBO's new series Girls certainly made waves at the Golden Globes, but not all viewers are convinced of its merit. The show, which follows a group of twenty-something post-college white elite living in a stereotypical hipster neighborhood in Brooklyn, can sometimes hit a bit too close to home. The graphic, rather awkward sex scenes and the fallible, irrational characters are both easy to criticize. Yet it is the rawness of the show that, if you can bear to watch it, makes it so relatable. After all, real life includes making poor decisions and learning from them. The girls struggle in their romantic relationships, but the true beauty of their characters is found in their interactions with each other. Each female character represents a different personality that resonates with the audience: Shoshana represents a certain na??vet?(c); Marnie comes to terms with her own loneliness, dealing with rejection for the first time in her life; Jessa is that free spirit we are all somewhat envious and skeptical of; and Hannah demonstrates what it means to struggle with reaching adulthood, being cut off from her parents and losing her jobs. Writer-director Lena Dunham, who also plays Hannah, describes a double-standard in society's expectations for girls. They pursue men who treat them badly, balance their personal finances poorly and act unprofessionally at work. The behaviors are bad, but the characters are not. The writing encapsulates what has traditionally defined Jewish humor-a low self-worth and high self-confidence. Despite their flaws, Dunham hopes that ultimately the audience is rooting for them. With the new winter premier, and ratings as high as ever, it seems we all have the faith in Dunham's characters that she hoped for. -Robyn Spector 'Mindy' sasses up doctor drama Since last fall, Mindy Kaling's show The Mindy Project has fully captured my attention with its subject matter, witty writing and superb acting. On the show, Mindy plays an Ob/Gyn working with two other male doctors, creating a great dynamic for each episode because Mindy is the complete opposite of the two male doctors. The supporting cast surrounding Mindy is dynamic, adding a lot of depth to the show that some TV shows lack. The two receptionists are complete opposites, and the male nurse Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) could probably have an entire show based solely off of him-he is completely nuts and 100 percent amusing. What I find most appealing about The Mindy Project is that it seems very honest. While some aspects of the show (Mindy crashing her ex's wedding and giving a drunken toast to the couple) are probably somewhat embellished for comedy's sake, I find myself believing that these incidents are based off of ones that Mindy experienced in her own life. In the same vein as HBO's Girls, the more realistic (a.k.a. not perfect) characters add to the honesty and allure of the show. As much as I love HBO's huge hit Sex and the City, the lives of those four women were often too neatly packaged. In The Mindy Project, the characters have dilemmas that us "normal" people have. While some critics of the show complain that the problems Mindy faces are too relationship-focused for such a strong female character, I find it's the opposite: Mindy is a strong female character and she isn't afraid to go out and find exactly what she wants from a relationship. Luckily for us, her journey in her personal and professional life makes for great television. -Marielle Temkin Perry resurrects himself in 'Go On' As a Friends lover, I started watching Go On hoping Matthew Perry would continue his role as a witty and hysterical character. In his new role as Ryan King, a big time sports reporter, he attempts to cope with the loss of his wife, Janey. In doing so, he joins a therapy group containing anything but ordinary characters, all of whom are dealing with some sort of a loss, ranging from the death of a cat to the death of a child. The group, which is lead by Lauren (Laura Benanti), who has no formal training, somehow manages to encourage the members to lean on each other, creating a family-like bond and support system. They help one another move on through weekly get-togethers and supporting each another in and out of their meetings, including birthday celebrations and family events. While he has struggled to transition to new roles after finding success with Friends, Matthew Perry makes the leap brilliantly into this comedic, yet realistic series in which he once again immerses himself in a television pseudo-family. In Perry's past role, he was one of the six gifted actors who equally contributed, but in Go On he establishes himself as the clear star. Initially skeptical of joining this group of misfits, Ryan soon finds he's more like them than he thought and ends up establishing himself as their new leader. They seem to idolize him, not only because he is a famous sportscaster but also for his phenomenal sense of humor. With his "too good" attitude Ryan ridicules the group members for their strange characteristics, yet also pokes plenty of fun at himself along the way, and joins in their antics. Although Perry excels at his role, the show's plot, while often humorous, can seem uncreative at times. All of the plot's most basic elements have been seen before, such as a lonely, successful man searching to find love, and a seemingly strange group of people who happen to get along. Overall, Go On is a simple yet immensely satisfying show. With the seemingly depressing theme for a show, the writers do a great job of deciding what about the subject of loss is funny and what is just sad. It may not have won any Golden Globes, and I'm not sure it should, but I still find the time to keep up with the episodes. -Rachel Burkhoff First family isn't all it's cracked up to be NBC's new comedy this season has been compared to The West Wing and Modern Family, two masterful shows in their respective genres. But 1600 Penn, a sitcom based on a fictional first family and their life in the White House, doesn't live up to the promotional hype. The show has funny moments but it largely disappoints due to predictable and caricatured characters. 1600 Penn follows President Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman), his second wife Emily (Jenna Elfman) and his five children from his first marriage. Josh Gad, the Book of Mormon star, plays Gilchrist's young adult son, Skip, who has moved back in with his parents after seven unsuccessful years of college. He is a sweet-hearted idiotic buffoon who acts like a kid in a candy shop while running around the White House. Becca (Martha MacIsaac) is a goodie two-shoes, and an impressive and intelligent daughter. However, in a moment of weakness, she makes one of the first poor decisions in her life and doesn't use a condom, leading to an embarrassing pregnancy plastered all over the media. The show has moments of true humor, like when son Josh Gad mouths off at a racist old senator at a public reception--or when he inadvertently lets slip details of his sister's pregnancy to the media. But as much as Gad brings the humor, his character's flaw is that he is too lucky to believe (he secures an international trade treaty by giving a pep talk to a room full of Latin American ambassadors). Aside from Gad, wit is hard to find in the first three episodes of the simplistic comedy that defines 1600 Penn. In all, it's a decent new show for NBC, which is facing some significant losses in its sitcom repertoire. The good news is that the characters have the potential to grow and improve. -Andrew Wingens
(01/21/13 5:00am)
The American narrative is composed of stories of struggle, triumph and coexistence. The promise of happiness and freedom is literally written into the fiber of our country, but it is a promise systematically kept out of the reach of the country's minority populations. Between two of America's most culturally conspicuous minority groups, blacks and Jews, there has been a tumultuous discourse that follows both groups in pursuit of these promises through a shared history of oppression, disparities in the allotment of privilege, rise in socio-political awareness and access to the American power infrastructure. And it is these themes in our history that have led the two groups from zenith to nadir to hiatus over the last six decades. If we posit Brandeis, like all colleges and universities, as a microcosm of society, we can follow these trends in the social interactions between black and Jews on campus. A mass influx of Jews to the North following WWII was met by a mass exodus of blacks from the South-the Great Migration. It was in the North that the first substantial contact between black and Jews was made. Until this point there was little to go on in terms of black and Jewish relations. Out of this northern context grew the first strands of tensions between the two. While both groups faced discrimination, Jews, who typically were seen as white, were in a more privileged position. As Civil Rights picked up during the mid-50s there was massive Jewish interest in the fight against injustice in the South. The majority of whites involved in the movement were Jewish as well as its funders. This is the atmosphere that Brandeis University was created in, the 'zenith of the coalition' both groups drawing on their oppressive histories working together for the greater good. Our University's history offers a unique approach in addressing the need for greater diversity on college campuses. The institution was founded in response to quotas place on Jewish applicants at elite institutions. Since its inception, Brandeis has been dedicated to promoting the virtues of equality and social justice in honor of our namesake Louis Brandeis. But there came a time when more radical identity politics were necessary for the true advancement of the black race and this created an awkward space for white involvement. At Brandeis, the 60s witnessed what was happening at universities throughout the nation when black students voiced their needs and demands in radical ways. Black students forced Brandeis to take more aggressive steps to bridge the gap between diverse communities and different peoples. While there are currently no major tensions flaring, black and Jewish relations, on- and off-campus, are embarrassingly stagnate. We are two sub-cultures that have drifted so far from our beginnings-our world changing marches, our paradigm shifting clashes of opinion. We have become so content in this distance that there is no room for mutual growth. This is dangerous in a society so drenched in hierarchy that silence implies consent. With this in mind, the leaders of Brandeis Black Student Organization, MLK and Friends and the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, have joined together, despite their different interests, to challenge our communities to candid discussion, hoping to change the way black and Jewish students at Brandeis interact with one another. In an effort to 'lay the wood' for these fires, these groups have joined to create a joint pilgrimage to Israel with a delegation of five black and five Jewish students. The aim of this trip is to use education and cultural immersion to bridge the gap of cultural differences and create an environment in which the participants understand each other better, and bond over what brings us together, rather than what separates us. Called Brandeis Bridges, the intercultural pilgrimage will be the first step in enhancing and developing student leaders of various backgrounds knowledge and appreciation for all the Brandeis has to offer -exposing non-Jewish students to the importance of Israel in the lives of Jews around the world, as well as exposing students of Jewish descent to a culture that often goes overlooked on campus with a second pilgrimage to a site of equal importance for people of African descent. Additionally, the trip will expose students to the holiness and history that Judaism, Christianity and Islam holds in Israel. Most importantly, Brandeis Bridges will serve as a vision of unity for current and future Brandeis students to reach out to the strange and unfamiliar. Many say that Brandeis is the microcosm of the greater American Jewish community, a center of thought that produces innovative and forward looking ideas during any given generation. We would like to go further; to see Brandeis become the microcosm of intercultural dialogue on college campuses across the United States. We hope to change the way peoples of different backgrounds, cultures and religions interact with one another. The only way to achieve this is through our common voice and action. Bringing together the Black and Jewish communities at Brandeis will serve as the first step. Alex Thomson and Ryan Yuffe are the co-presidents of Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, Amanda Dryer is president of MLK and Friends, Ra Imhotep is president of Brandeis Black Student Organization and D'Andre Young is treasurer of Brandeis Black Student Organization.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Despite having only one week of training under their belts since winter break, the men's and women's track and field teams had yet another weekend to remember. Following a solid showing at the Dartmouth Relays on Sunday, Jan. 13, the squads turned in several strong performances at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational this past Sunday.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Few authors would be able to write a New York Times bestselling memoir as a rowdy and uncontrollable ape wreaks havoc on their daily thought processes. For Daniel Smith '99, and his "monkey mind," it has become second nature. Smith, author of the critically acclaimed Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety and a contributor for such notable publications as The Atlantic, The New Yorker and New York Times Magazine, has suffered from a lifelong battle with anxiety. It all began in 1993, the moment in which, at 16 years old, he lost his virginity to a middle-aged woman in an upstate New York motel. Smith's decision to engage in this spur-of-the-moment threesome, and the persistent sexual and moral ruminations that ensued, laid the foundation for his "monkey mind," a mental planet of the apes. From there, his harrowing journey continued as a student in the "epicenter of anxiety" at Brandeis, through his turbulent years as a staff editor at The Atlantic Monthly, and eventually, to a moment in which his ever-growing anxiety extended into the irrational. Faced with an impending libel lawsuit and failed relationship, Smith stood immobilized at the condiments counter of a Roy Rogers restaurant, convinced that a choice between ketchup and barbeque sauce meant life and death. In addition to its critical success, Monkey Mind is groundbreaking, as it is the first memoir to confront the pervasive problem of anxiety in American life. "Although there were many memoirs of depression, there was no book that detailed what it is like to live a life of anxiety," Smith said. "Everyone talked in metaphorical terms about anxiety, either through the lens of clinical or self-help psychology, but no one tethered it to work, family, love and relationships." Anxiety consumed every detail of Smith's life, figuring prominently in his sexual, professional and even routine decisions. It caused him to wear sweat pads under his armpits and chew his cuticles until they bled. Despite all of this, Monkey Mind reads less like a taxing account of anxiety and more like a stand-up comedy routine. Smith noted that this memoir marked a return to an approach he had not practiced since his short-lived stint as a humor columnist for the Justice. He diverged from the hard-hitting stories about anxiety and psychotherapy, and instead, just "wrote funny." "Monkey Mind was something I had not done since my time at Brandeis," he said. "I finally just sat down and reverted back to my humor writing days. While I may have agonized for days, for the first time, I truly enjoyed writing." Yet, after resigning from the Justice, he channeled his nervous energy as a Brandeis student into one of the most anxiety-inducing professions: acting. Smith's involvement with the improvisation group False Advertising caused him to emerge as an entirely different person. He explained that acting allowed him the opportunity to engage with the present and, in turn, dissociate from past and future thoughts that continually plagued him. "Anxiety is related to time," he said. "I always looked forward to something that could be wrong or reflected upon a past mistake. I wasn't anxious on stage because I immersed myself in the present and displaced time. More importantly, I enjoyed myself." As Smith reflected on his college experience, he noted that Brandeis allowed him to establish a system of order and expand his scholarly horizons. "Brandeis signaled to me what would be at the core of my anxiety," he said. "It also allowed me to explore things that presented order and lent me the opportunity to engage in the intellectual world." Smith used that opportunity to his advantage, beginning his professional career as a staff editor in the hallowed halls of The Atlantic Monthly. Anxiety didn't figure prominently into this decision. Smith relished the prospect of working with the mythic giants of literary journalism and, after college, brought the battle to the legendary North End office. "In my college experiences, I discovered that communication was an art form and I wanted to join the priesthood," he said. "I breathed in the air of literary giants and found that journalism was the safe way to get to writing." It wasn't too safe though. After his highly controversial feature on shock therapy for The Atlantic, the prospects of a lawsuit and the intense criticism overwhelmed Smith's tireless efforts to manage his anxiety. It nearly destroyed his relationship with his future wife and threatened his sanity. Yet, after the latest chapter in a heated battle with anxiety, Smith is winning the war. He boasts a storied literary career including the publication of his first book Muses, Madmen, and Prophets: Hearing Voices and the Borders of Sanity, currently holds the Mary Ellen Donnelly Critchlow Endowed Chair in English at the College of New Rochelle and is already in the process of writing a third book. Monkey Mind taught Smith a valued lesson: He learned that anxiety does not preempt the ability to exhibit self-control and change one's lifestyle. "If I could provide any advice for those suffering from anxiety, it would be that you can actually exert discipline and change habits," he said. "It can in fact change how you think to not be a train wreck." For Smith, that means his next trip to Roy Rogers will hopefully be a smooth one.
(01/15/13 5:00am)
This past year, the nation witnessed two major public shootings in the United States. Both the movie theater shooting in Aurora Colo. and the Newtown Conn. school shooting sent waves of emotion and despair through the country.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
Sunday night, the little hall in Slosberg Music Center struggled to contain the music performed by the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra. They played selections from Hansel & Gretel, Vltava (The Moldau) and the "1812 Overture." These three pieces come from three distinct countries: Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. Prof. Neil Hampton (MUS), the conductor said a few words before the "1812 Overture," comparing the concert to a voyage across the European countryside. His comparison seems correct, considering Hansel and Gretel get lost in a German forest, Vltava is a river that runs through Bohemia, part of the Czech Republic and "1812" interprets the French Campaign through the Russian Countryside. The concert began with Hansel & Gretel, an opera based on the story from Grimm's Fairytales, adapted by Engelbert Humperdinck. Instead of hiding in a pit, the orchestra took center stage, with the singers walking on to sing their roles. The singers each acted their parts, but the star of the show was clearly the orchestra. When the music began, I immediately felt a relationship between the forest referred to by the music and the orchestra performing the music. At times I forgot I was in the hall as the sounds took the form of the story. There Hansel was picking berries with Gretel, while the forest was getting darker. The music was condensing time, and the story seemed to pass in stages, with each flux in rhythm referring to another passing hour. When Hansel, Prof. Pamela Dellal (MUS), and Gretel, (Andrea Matthews, Professor of Music at Wellesley), walked on, I was struck by the fact that two older women were chosen to play the roles of children. However, they approached the music with such enthusiasm that I was again engaged in the story, and I could link their two voices to the imaginary children. Tamar Forman-Gejrot '16 sung the "Sandman's Aria" sweetly, changing the mood to the calm night of the woods that invites the children to sleep. The Dew Fairy (Elizabeth Crisenbery, a master student in Musicology) brought with her the morning light to wake the children, singing punctually with the orchestra. The witch (Marion Dry, Professor of Music at Wellesley) was well performed, as the singer seemed to conduct the music with sudden movements of her arms, empowering the witch she was playing. Sitting close to the front, I was hoping she wouldn't mistake me for Hansel. The piece ended triumphantly with Hansel and Gretel pushing the witch into the oven. A nationalistic spirit characterized the next two pieces. "Vltava" is the second of six symphonic poems under the title of "Ma vlast" (My Fatherland) composed by the Czech musician Bedrich Smetana. I have heard this piece many times before, and I always felt it was very personal despite its nationalistic reference. Brought to life again in Slosberg, I felt it maintained its vigor, and the strings kept playing the difficult passages in complete unison. The conductor developed the pacing and included his own interpretation in the piece. When the melody was introduced, it sounded free and almost uncontrolled, like the very river it was describing. Every time the melody retuned the notes sounded more deliberate and definite. This emphasis gave each return to the melody a more developed character. I felt like the piece was maturing during the performance, just as a child's personality traits solidify through the passing years. The "1812 Overture" is a sweeping depiction of the invasion of the French into Russian territory. The piece begins with only a few members of the orchestra, reflecting the image of an army approaching in the distance. Once the rest of the orchestra joins in, the piece is almost frightening in its description of movement, synchronizing rhythms, pointing to the massive movements of an army through wide plains, from the foot soldiers and the cannons, to the officers on their horses. The French national anthem rings in at certain points, identifying the French army through the melody of the music. Electronic canons blast through when the anthem "God Save the Tsar" sounds, reflecting the coming victory for the Russians. The performance successfully brought to life the war between the French and Russians through the music of Tchaikovsky. Overall, I left the concert quite enthralled. These pieces were each played well, and each member of the orchestra seemed engaged in the material. The result was a lively concert and a standing ovation that challenged the very cannons preceding it.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen-from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard "The General" by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
As students prepare to leave the University campus for winter break, many are looking forward to the three weeks during which they will be unencumbered by coursework, club listservs and campus jobs. However, too often the long stretch over winter break devolves into an unproductive period. To help students better utilize this period of time, the University can adopt winter sessions of study, more colloquially known at other universities as a January term. By incorporating this optional abbreviated academic semester into the University's curriculum, students will have an additional opportunity to earn credits, study abroad and complete their courses of study. A January term is a concentrated period of study prior to the start of the spring semester that is utilized by students at other universities for a number of reasons. The January term could function as an extended form of the existing Justice Brandeis Semester over the winter break. Whether students want to accumulate credits to graduate early or catch up on their major's requirements in order to graduate on time, a January term session at Brandeis would provide students the flexibility to potentially complete a number of courses in a short period of time. While we understand the economic burden the University would have to undertake to hire professors and employees and to maintain campus facilities for an extended three weeks after the conclusion of the fall semester, there would also likely be a demand for these courses. Students that have studied abroad recently, were on medical leave or generally unable to complete their course requirements would find an extra three weeks of study a worthwhile alternative to not graduating with their class. Aside from satisfying requirements, Brandeis could also include intensive courses or research seminars of interest that may not be available during the year. Given this demand, the January term would also serve as a source of revenue for the University to compensate for the costs of implementing the program. Further, the University should consider using this winter session as a study abroad opportunity, as do the University of New Hampshire and New York University. Currently, the UNH offers a politics course in Costa Rica, a class looking at plant ecology in the West Indies and a Classics course in Rome, among other opportunities. Perhaps the University could offer the Brandeis in the Hague program currently in place for the summer and spring semester during this January term. Students who may not have been able to afford to take an entire semester abroad, could still have a similarly enriching experience over their winter break. Moreover, as the University has recently joined a consortium of other schools in the "Semester Online" initiative, it could consider providing these courses during the January term. Other universities in the consortium would also likely have to participate in the winter session and have a demand for those courses. Washington University in St. Louis, one of the ten schools in the consortium, has a January term for its Engineering program. As the initiative is still in the early stages, we hope the University will consider incorporating these online courses into the January term to further expand on the nontraditional learning opportunities available to students. While we understand this initiative will not be able to be put into effect immediately, other universities like Middlebury College and the University of Maryland have recognized the benefit of the initiative to students. A January term at Brandeis would provide students more convenience and flexibility in their course load than what is currently being provided by the University. *
(12/11/12 5:00am)
Last Friday, a free speech wall was erected in the Shapiro Campus Center by Young Americans for Liberty, with support from Brandeis Democrats and the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union. The groups made a formal request in an effort to spread awareness about and amend University speech codes on sexual harassment. The wall will remain in the building until tonight.
(12/11/12 5:00am)
The Brandeis Academic Debate And Speech Society held a public debate last Friday against the Yale Debate Association during this past weekend's Brandeis-hosted tournament. The public, informal debate, which had no announced victor, examined whether or not Israel should assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists, and, also, if assassination is an appropriate approach. Both the Yale and Brandeis teams are members of the American Parliamentary Debate Association, which is comprised of over 50 universities primarily along the East Coast, including Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University and the University of Chicago. The Yale Debate Association currently holds first place for APDA Club of the Year, while BADASS holds second place. Brandeis acted as the opposition team and chose the stance in favor of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. The Yale Debate Association was left to defend the argument that such assassinations are unjustified. The debate featured one two-person team from Brandeis and one from Yale. Yale Debate Association members Michael Barton and Zach Bakal, both sophomores, who are currently ranked 10th and eighth for APDA Speaker of the Year, respectively, and sixth for Team of the Year, took on BADASS president Russell Leibowitz '14 and Keith Barry '13, who are currently ranked third and seventh for Speaker of the Year respectively, and third for Team of the Year. "We've worked really hard to build our team. It was just a few years ago that we weren't even top 10," said Leibowitz in an interview with the Justice. "We've moved all the way up to second now, which is the highest that Brandeis has ever been in history, so it's pretty cool." After all four speakers completed their arguments, the floor then opened for any of the approximately 45 spectators to make a one-minute speech and convey their own opinions. Barry, for Brandeis, and Barton, for Yale, concluded the debate. Only two students volunteered to speak when the floor was opened; one supported the assassinations and one opposed the assassinations. "We just really want to bring discourse to the Brandeis community, and we thought that holding a public debate ... would really have an opportunity for people to hear about an important issue that's going on now, and start some dialogue about it," said Leibowitz. Leibowitz also made it clear that much of the team's success is due to an emphasis on open participation, and with this public debate the team had an opportunity to get this point across to the University community. "We've spent a lot of time making sure that everyone knows we have an all-comers policy, that we're open to anyone who wants to join," he said. "So people just make a really good group of friends on our team, and that encourages practicing more, going to tournaments and really just building a good environment to people who care." Although no winner was announced and the event was only an opportunity to interest the Brandeis community, both BADASS and Yale Debate Association members were engaged and elated to be a part of this public debate. "Debate is amazing because it allows for an interchange of ideas at a very logical level with lots of different comparative analysis about different arguments and different things people say," said Bakal in an interview with the Justice. "We love coming out here and debating with our friends at Brandeis ... and we really do like being out with them, so it's fun to just come here, but it's also really fun to engage in this debate."
