The Summa Vol. 4, Issue 6
University of St. Thomas
Thursday, November 17, 2011
ustsumma.wordpress.com
Celts for Life, Knights host Adoption Celebration
A Fair Day for Fun and Speeches
Photo by David Markus
At the Adoption Fair, student volunteers work game booths, providing entertainment for children. The local community pitched in to create the adoption fair to celebrate National Adoption Month.
David Markus News Editor The University of St. Thomas hosted the Celebration of Adoption: A Loving Choice fair on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Multiple organizations sent representatives to the fair in an attempt at raising awareness of the availability and the advantages of adoption. “It was the adoption fair, and celebration of this month as being National Adoption Month,” said Carlie Bejarano, the Vice President of the
Celts for Life. “It was hosted by Alternatives in Motion, Catholic Charities, and the Gladney Center for Adoption; co-sponsored by the Center for Cultural Renewal. Bejarano and other members of the UST community worked with the off-campus groups to bring the fair to campus. “I think, in the end, more people came than we thought were going to, and it ended up being a very successful event,” said Freshman Holly Merta, “and hopefully, it
will have raised awareness in the community so that, in the future, it can be held at Discovery Green and a lot more people can come, and a lot more children will end be being adopted as a result.” The festivities focused on presentations by speakers about the adoption process, as well as the benefits they received from either being adopted or adopting children. “We hear a lot about abortion and obviously carrying the baby to term, but adoption is an issue that a lot
of people don’t talk about,” said Bejarano. “So, I think that the promotion of adoption as a loving and viable option for mothers was the main reason why the Celts for Life decided to help this event.” While adults were given the opportunity to listen to the speakers, there were also several carnival games available for the entertainment of young children. “There [were] bean bag throws for the kids; there was a sandbox full of treasure that they could dig and find different prizes and keep them,” said Bejarano. “There was face painting and food.” This year was the first time that UST hosted the event. Nevertheless, volunteers noticed that there was a good level of attendance for the fair. “[The] entire area in front of Crooker was filled with people who were listening to the speakers, and there were a good many kids around the activities,” said Bejarano. “I couldn’t give you an exact number.” The unique opportunity to present information for adoption stemmed from the university’s Catholic identity,
ADOPTION, Page 2
Former US Ambassador to Qatar gives lecture Stephanie Hernandez Staff Writer
On November 2, 2011, the Center for International Studies and the International Studies Society hosted a lecture, entitled, “Old Rivalries, New Plats: Mideast Power Relations After the Arab Spring.” Former United States Ambassador to Qatar, Chase Untermeyer, was the presiding speaker. Dr. Nivien Saleh, Assistant Professor of International Studies for Middle Eastern politics. Approximately 50 people attended. Amb. Untermeyer served as Ambassador of the United States to Qatar from 2004 to 2007. His previous foreign policy experience includes service in the United States Navy, as well as working for the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush, Sr. The Ambassador first explained the three different ways that Ambassadorship can be attained. “Two-thirds of all
ambassadors are career diplomats, called foreign service officers. It is a very challenging and difficult career, but the people that are admitted go on to have one of the most interesting careers in the United States government,” said Amb. Untermeyer. “They rise through the ranks like people in the military, and after a time, Foreign Service officers can be selected to be an Ambassador. Under the Constitution, all Ambassadors must be selected by the President, and confirmed by the Senate.” The lecture continued with a discussion of his former posting as Ambassador to Qatar. “They have been very active in their foreign policy, by leading the way and pushing for collective action against Mohamar Khadafi in Libya,” said Amb. Untermeyer. He also explained the democratic and educational efforts of Qatar, who has brought in numerous Western universities such as Cornell, Georgetown, and
International Experience
Photo courtesy Jan Smith
Chase Untermeyer served as the US Ambassador to Qatar, frequently traveling to Doha, the nation’s capital.
Northwestern to establish satellite campuses there in Qatar. “You may well now the story of a young man, Mohammed Bouazizi, a trained engineer who couldn’t find work, and who in, December 2010, set himself on fire,” said Amb. Untermeyer. The Ambassador’s example exemplified how the endemic employment in the
Middle East set off a chain of events in Tunis. “[Bouazizi’s] one act symbolized the feelings of so many other Tunisians, so that when Bouazizi died, the people took to the streets in remarkably short order, and the Ben Ali regime was ousted,” said Amb. Untermeyer. “That act in the closing days of January 2011 is what immediately sparked
»INSIDE
THIS ISSUE » Opinion
Waterboarding Two writers take on the controversial issue in a headto-head. Page 4-5
» Features
Surviving Life A meningitis survivor, Senior Leslie Meigs works to bring awareness to campus, abroad about all things health related. Page 7
» Entertainment
A New Recipe Tired of the same old turkey? Learn what else to do with turkey other than put it between two pieces of bread. Page 10
» Sports & Clubs
President’s Note Read an open letter from SGA President, David Torres, concerning financial matters. Page 11
action across the neighboring regions, such as Egypt, where the long-time regime of Hosni Mubarak was brought to an end.” Further discussion of the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings segued into an assessment of the other revolutions that took place in the Middle East to the present day. “The Arab Spring is primarily an economic and social uproar. A lot of people say it’s a desire for democracy and political reform; those things were part of that uproar, because in order to get those economic reforms it did require a change of government,” said Amb. Untermeyer. “But it was not a call for democracy so much as it was a cry for justice and economic opportunity.” At the end of the lecture, students were given the opportunity to ask the former ambassador questions. “I’d like to get your take on the implications these revolutions have on US interest in the Middle East,”
QATAR, Page 2
2
News
The Summa
Water cups now on tab
A Quarter Cup
Photo By Marium Nisa
In Crooker Center, students will find signs that detail the “New Water Pricing,” including the new cost of different cup sizes. This change in prices have caused students to act differently with water usage.
Marium Nisa Staff Writer Recently, the Celts Dining Hall implemented a new policy: charging customers for glasses of water. “It’s true,” said Aramark Dining Director Dillon Drake. “Crooker will now be charging students for water. It went in effect last week [November 1st].” Charges are based on the cost of the Styrofoam glass sizes, with the small at $.25, medium at $.45, and large at $.55. “We have to pay for lids, cups, and straws. Students are welcome to bring in their own cups or bottles to get free water, but if they use the to-go cups, they have to pay,” said Drake. Students, however, are not fond of the change. Certain individuals from the student body expressed their frustration with the new water charge. “I think it’s stupid,” said Haya Abdel, a junior who lives on campus. Haya’s comment echoed the response of almost all of the students during an informal dinnertime survey of students dining at the Crooker Center. “They [students] barely want to come to Crooker anyway,” said senior commuter Danny Shebaclo. “These outrageous charges are giving students another reason to eat off campus.” Jonathan Pham, another UST commuter, claimed to be confused about the policy. “There needs to be a sign that says water is free if I bring my own cup. The ‘water pricing’ sign has me assume I
have to pay for filtered water,” said Pham. The other question many students had was if the costs were even legal. The answer seems to be yes. “Water isn’t free,” replied pre-law student Amber Morrison. “The school pays the city for water, so charging the students for water helps cover the cost. That sounds legal to me.” After some research, I discovered that, indeed, the practice is legal, unless one lives in Arizona, where it is illegal for any established food service to charge someone for water. So what’s to be done with so many disappointed reactions? SGA President David Torres offered his own ideas on whether anything can be done to remove the charges and allow students to enjoy the privilege of free water once again. “Seven people have complained. Charging for water is ridiculous,” said Torres. “Water is a basic need that should be supplied. I’m going to talk to [Mr. Drake].” Students who study at a private institution pursue an already expensive education, with the cost now augmented with being charged for water. However, think of it this way: by paying for Styrofoam cups, one is becoming aware of the amounts of plastic each person uses every day. By bringing one’s own cups or reusing the same one for multiple meals, one forcefully (through this capitalistic approach) disciplines oneself to become more wary of the economic and ecological.
QATAR Continued... said Senior Austin Stanfill. “How will the economic and military changes affect us as a country, and particularly as a student, how could this shake what’s going to happen to my future in the next few decades?” Stanfill said. The ambassador’s response summed up his view of future U.S. foreign policy regarding the Middle East. “American interests in the region are particularly political, in the sense that we want stability. Our interest [is] also in preventing any other country from having a sway over the region, such as Iran. That also ties into our economic interests; the United States gets about a quarter of our oil needs from this region, such as Saudi Arabia and other oil producing state,” said Untermeyer. “I think we will continue to have a military presence in that part of the world, with an aim of keeping down Iran and the flow of
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Photo courtesy C. Untermeyer
commerce open, so that there is no interruption to the supply of oil.” A follow-up discussed American overseas interests and encouraging democratic development. “Which is better for America to deal with: a proAmerica authoritarian Middle Eastern regime, or an antiAmerican democracy?” said Junior Dominic Kisielewski, an International Studies major. Ambassador Untermeyer responded with an analysis of the balance that must be struck in foreign policy, furthering
national interests while preventing further bloodshed. “There is no clear answer because it’s situational depending upon those countries. But if the alternative to an authoritarian or dictatorship regime that America supported is something other than democracy; if going to cause more violence, or be a theocratic or communist regime that will be hostile to the United States, we don’t want that. That doesn’t mean that we bless the incumbent regime forever and ever, it just means that there is no alternative,” said Untermeyer. “There is an English rhyme that says ‘Always keep a hold of nurse, for fear of finding something worse,’ and this has sort of been the US policy when it comes to these unsavory regimes that we have supported; and its usually that we support not because we like them or admire them, but because something worse would come if they were gone,” said Untermeyer.
Shadwell’s Wake: Poetry and food to abound Staff Writer The world’s worst poetry will be read at the 41st Annual Shadwell’s Wake to honor one of the English-speaking world’s most awful poets. The festivities, and eventual barrage of poor poetry, will begin on November 18, 2011 in Malloy Hall. The English Department satirically named its former abode, a house on Mt. Vernon, after Thomas Shadwell, a seventeenth century poet laureate of England notorious for the poor quality of his compositions. “Students believed the dead poet haunted the house, so in the 70s students organized Shadwell’s Wake as a joke to celebrate Shadwell’s bad poetry, and it soon became the English Department’s yearly party,”
said senior Maria Castenell. Castenell is one of four officers who revived the UST chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the nationally-recognized English Honor Society. Members of Sigma Tau Delta will organize the event, in collaboration with representatives of Laurels, UST’s literary magazine. Laurels members will kick off the open-mic bad poetry contest at the end of the evening’s festivities. “I mostly look forward to the bad poetry and the bad prizes that come with it,” said James Bjacek, previous Shadwell attendee and participant. “I remember someone won a bottle of Siracha sauce last year. I’ve already got my awful reads lined up,” he said. This year, alumni artist Fat Tony, award winner of Houston Press ‘Best Underground Hip Hop’ for three consecutive years,will headline. Alumni
and student band The Beans, who have also been making a name for themselves around the Houston community, will be performing live, immediately followed by the Rice University band The Free Radicals. Everyone is encouraged to bring their friends, family, and distasteful haikus to this free event. “We expect more people this year than ever due to the amount of advertisement we have done. The local bands are supposed to bring a big attraction as well,” said Samantha Treadwell, another ETA officer, about the turn out for this year’s Shadwell. The event is set to kick off at 8 p.m. at Malloy Hall on campus and will run until 2 a.m.. Food and drinks will be provided for free, and students over 21 are encouraged to bring their I.Ds. Contact Sigma Tau Delta for more information.
ADOPTION Continued... and its emphasis on building morally upright individuals through education and inquiry. “I think that being able to present, to have these speakers on UST’s campus to talk about this loving option is a big deal, because here at the University of Saint Thomas, we’re given the freedom to talk about these issues and to promote life,” said Bejarano. “To promote love, and I think this event is indicative of that.” The fair was only one
aspect of the Celts for Life agenda, which covers variety of life issues. “The Celts for Life support life in all of its stages,
from conception to natural death, and adoption is a huge part in caring for children who otherwise would not be able to be raised,” said Merta.
Marium Nisa
Photo By David Markus
The Opinion
“It is madness for the sheep to talk peace with a wolf“ - Thomas Fuller
Relax this Thanksgiving
Sarah Oyarce
Staff Writer Thanksgiving is a great holiday for food and family, which is ironically why many people hate it. Instead of getting excited for the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, they automatically think about the calories, fat and cholesterol they will gain after consuming all the wonderful foods offered at the dinner table. Meanwhile, instead of getting excited to see their families, people are horrified at the thought of spending quality time with their supposed loved ones. When people say that Thanksgiving is unimportant and that it is not as significant as holidays like Christmas, it saddens me to see this holiday go unappreciated. In a society where it is becoming more and more rare to see a family sit together and enjoy a meal, it is important to remember the power of a holiday like Thanksgiving. As many people know, the holiday began when Native Americans lent a hand to the Pilgrims by showing them how to grow and harvest their own crops, as well as other methods of survival. After the lesson, the Pilgrims and Native Americans sat down and feasted together. This event in history is where we get the sense of togetherness that comes along with Thanksgiving. Throughout the years Thanksgiving has become one of the only times of the year in which families celebrate being together and not having to worry about gift buying, because after all, Black Friday starts the day after Thanksgiving. I mean, what is not to love about Thanksgiving? For one, you have all the amazing food you could ever want, whether it is homemade or restaurant-bought. You
have the traditional dishes such as ham, corn, dinner rolls, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, peach cobbler, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and of course, the turkey. You can also make your Thanksgiving dinner a little more unique by adding some of your own family recipes or obscure side dishes. For example, my family has always had Chinese rice at our Thanksgiving table for the past couple of years now. One year my aunt brought it and every year since, we all make sure we have it (especially the kids). Thanksgiving at my house is not complete without Chinese rice. For those of you claiming to be on a diet during Thanksgiving dinner, cut yourself some slack; it is only one day. Let that fourth Thursday in November be your cheat day. Thanksgiving is more than football games and Macy’s day parades; it is a time to give thanks for what you have been given in life. Instead of wasting away hours watching television or on the internet, spend the day catching up with family. Many people seem to forget that the time you have together will not last forever, so you should make the most of it during these special times. Catch up with your aunts and uncles, listen to one of your grandparent’s stories or go outside and play a game of football with your cousins. I especially love Thanksgiving because it is the first holiday in which my whole family is reunited. People might be busy with work or school, but we try our best to be there every Thanksgiving; it really gets everyone in the holiday spirit. So before all of the Christmas shopping on Black Friday, enjoy the relaxation that the Thanksgiving holiday has to offer. No school, just good food and great company.
Ryan Hess
Respect for Modern Literature Staff Writer
As is my wont—and it is a good wont, or else it would not be mine—I am going to begin this little article with a quotation. We will have no ado about it, for I never make ado unless to do so is completely necessary. Yes, let us have it out right away. It goes thus: “When men cease from reverencing letters, society is doomed.” Now, that sentence comes from the writings of one of the most important men of letters of the last century, Hilaire Belloc. I would say more about him, but I know that I have here to deal with an audience of students and professors in a Catholic university, men and women who keep well abreast of such things—better, by far, than anyone else—and who need no help from me. Instead, I will content myself with commenting on the text itself. When it comes to that, there are two things with which we have to be concerned. On the one hand, there is the veracity of the thing; on the other hand, there is its style. Regarding the latter item, little needs be said. It is typical Belloc: straightforward, lucid, well-worded, and so on. And now that I consider it, neither does much need to be said about the other thing—I mean, about whether it is true. For Belloc said it, so it must be: anybody who has read him (anybody with sense, that is) could tell you that. What remains to be discussed is of what application this saying is to society today, around ninety years after it was written. And that, I think, is a pretty serious matter. Let me tell you why. It is because we have ceased from reverencing letters, and that means that our society is doomed. I know that must sound like a wild conclusion, but
it is perfectly logical. The only two ways to get around it that I can see are (1) to say that Belloc is wrong or (2) to say that I am wrong. Both of these objections are obviously false, but let us think about the second one anyway. I say that we have lost our reverence for literature, and objection number 2 is that we have not. That is simple enough. Now as to why it is false… Our society is one where everybody can read, but where nobody actually does so. Go up to any man on the street and ask him how many of the great classics of literature, ancient or modern, he has read. Provided that he even knows what you are talking about, you will probably be able to count them on one hand. But you will not get that far, because men today cannot tell the difference between a classic and a nonclassic. They lack the power to judge for themselves, and so they rely on others to make their judgments for them. The result is that, if you ask somebody to name a classic author, you are more likely to receive an answer like “Virginia Woolf” than, say, “Washington Irving.” And that is deplorable. It starts, this learning not to be able to tell the good from the bad, when we are children. Take Washington Irving, for example. We are all familiar with the stories about Rip Van Winkle and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but hardly anybody knows where they came from. He wrote them. They are part of his SketchBook, and they — as they are told there — are exquisite, some of the best stuff I have ever read. But no one knows about them because we receive all of our literature at second-hand: either by way of television or through the medium of “adapted” or “retold” works. I need not dwell on the pernicious effects of the
The Summa
Rebecca Mechler • Editor-in-Chief
3800 Montrose Blvd. • Houston, TX 77006 • 713.525.3579
David Markus • News Editor
University of St. Thomas Student Newspaper
The Summa is the official newspaper of The University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. It has a circulation of 2,000 copies. The Summa is a student run organization, whose purpose is to inform, comment, and interpret events of local, national, and worldwide importance. This paper serves as an open forum of student expression and welcomes letters from the UST community. All submitted materials will be printed at the discretion of the editorial board. The Summa is dedicated to serving as a model of ethical journalism, acting with honesty, objectivity, and integrity.
former device, which is an invention of the Devil; but the latter is something of which all of us should be aware. It is a common practice nowadays for “classics” to be sold for children that are not actually the books themselves, but rather the main storylines of them in a condensed and simplified form. It is even done with stories that were already written for children. I have an adapted version of The Wind in the Willows before me right now. It is trash, and it is also insidious: you cannot even tell what it is by looking at the front cover. The same thing is done for college students. I need not rail against you about that though, for we at UST know better than to wither our minds by using SparkNotes. This — our lack of appreciation for good books — is only one side of the coin, however. The other is that we no longer produce anything worthwhile. Our language has become so vitiated by the tyranny of false ideas and the proscriptive linguists that, even if there were a public capable of appreciating it, our writers would lack the power to produce anything that could endure. Look back at the quotation that I began with: how would it sound if it came from the pen of a modern newspaperman or novelist? Allow me to render it in modern English: “When people stop having respect for literature, a culture like ours is in trouble.” I think I have given a fine example of the way it would be written today. Everything that might be offensive to the twenty-first century mind has been expunged: all that sounded religious or dogmatic, that was not gender-inclusive, or that might have been unmindful of cultures unlike our own has been removed. And that is what remains. We really are doomed.
Jeremy Heallen • Faculty Advisor
Chelsea Ferramosca • Opinion Editor Michael Brannon • Photo Editor Katherine Casey • Features Editor Katie Thomson • Entertainment Editor James Ramos • Media Editor Jacqueline Sanders • Sports and Clubs Editor
Staff Writers & Photographers Claudia Arguelles • Samrat Bhattacharya Nadine Fahmy • Stephanie Hernandez Ryan Hess • Dominic Kisielewski Sean Kriger • Abigail Nava Melyssa Navarro • Sarah Oyarce Jihane Rodriguez • Becky Tapia Douglas Tobar • Hien Tran Chris Michels • Fransisco Montes
4
Opinion
The Summa
American Exceptionalism
James Bjacek Guest Writer The term “American Exceptionalism” is a hotly debated term today. Most people believe that it is a set of beliefs based upon a glossedover version of our nation’s history. From this view both radical jingoist and the political left base their support or disdain. However, I would argue that American Exceptionalism is not about glossing-over our nation’s history to prove that it is infinitely better than any other nation and has never made mistakes. This view seems flat and overly nominalist. Instead, I would say that the concept is a metaphysical concept, something that comes from the spirit of the American people. A true believer in American Exceptionalism would objectively look at America’s past and judge that, yes, we made some mistakes, but that does not ultimately define us. We can overcome the wrongs of the past with our positive attitude and willingness to embody the virtues in our civic life. This attitude can be summed up as follows: “As an American, I strive to live out the virtues that the nation is reputed to uphold, if we, as a society, fall short of these virtues then we should not see it as something that should
burden the people’s hearts, but as a challenge to renew ourselves and to strive to do right in the world.” We must also remember that what we strive to do in Exceptionalism is excel in virtue. If we do not have this positive orientation, our society loses its life. We cannot persevere, nor strive for the common good, if we do not have an optimistic outlook about our role in the world. Every time I hear President Obama, or anyone else for that matter, moralize about how arrogant or wrong-headed American Exceptionalism is, I feel like they expect us to bend our heads down and go about our life in a constant state of deep depression. Does a depressed person ever make clear-headed decisions? Is a depressed person ever motivated to go beyond what is expected of them? Most often this is not the case. If a society is a collection of individuals, does not the same principle hold true? Thus, I contend that a society that is weighed down by opprobrium is hardly the fiber for human flourishing. To a great extent, American Exceptionalism is based on the Classical Virtues and the Christian Tradition, the same mixture that produced the Renaissance. The idea of Humanism was that man had a positive role in the life of the
world and that he is inherently oriented to do the Good. Yes, America may have done some bad things, but overall our spirit strives to do the good, and I believe that overall, our effect on the world has been mostly positive. If we did not think in this manner, if we lacked this metaphysical strife, would we have been able to stop the political forces of Soviet Communism, or to spearhead the Allied Powers in defeating the Axis Powers? No. If we tucked in our tails and stared at the ground because someone pointed out a few of our moral flaws, we would never have had the will to stop the Third Reich, whom most people saw was morally wrong in all its founding principles. Even the saints had great flaws, but we do not remember them for their flaws, rather for the ultimate good they did. Remember, St. Augustine of Hippo may have had a sex-addiction, but he strived to improve himself with his strongest virtues and eventually overcame that terrible addiction. He went on to be one of the most influential Christian writers ever, and no one in our society would ever call St. Augustine “that sex-addict.” So too must we, as a society, practice our best virtues to overcome our most grievous vices.
Advertising The Summa Newspaper offers a variety of advertising options. If your business is interested in advertising in our publication, please contact our Business Manager at (713) 525-3579 for more information or email us at thesumma@stthom.edu Ad Size
Dimensions (in)
Ad Rate
Ad Rate Color
1/8 - Business Card
4.875 x 3.625
$50
Not Available
Quarter Page
4.875 x 7.5
$100
$150
Half Page
10 x 7.5
$200
$300
Full Page
10 x 15
$400
$600
Letters to the Editor The Summa welcomes letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni. Please include your name and classification or position. Anonymous letters will not be printed. The Summa reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and inappropriate content. E-mail The Summa: thesumma@stthom.edu
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Evil at GITMO
Dominic Kisielewski
Staff Writer Our current post-9/11 world has left a dichotomized impression upon Americans, in which it is us versus them. “Them”, of course, is the terrorists who are hell-bent on destroying the American way of life, which encompasses democratic rule of law, freedom, and a respect for human dignity. In response to the post 9/11 world, we have set up institutions and waged war to defend this way of life. However, it is my belief that in fighting these terrorists we, ourselves, have begun to destroy the American way of life by straying from the principles that define us, which can be symbolized through water-boarding. This symbolization occurs, for in utilizing water-boarding, we stray from our democratic rule of law and are in error with our notion of the common good. As a nation built on the democratic institution of law, it is fitting to begin the discussion of water-boarding on its legality, specifically in regards to torture. According to the United States Code of Law, torture means, “an act committed by a person acting under the color of law specifically intended to inflict severe physical or mental pain or suffering upon another person within his custody or physical control.” With mental pain or suffering defined as, “intentional infliction or threatened infliction of severe physical pain or suffering…or the threat of imminent death.” The central debate with regards to water-boarding is whether or not it is a form of torture. To set a basis for discussion, water-boarding is essentially the simulation of drowning. Although water boarding does not inflict severe physical pain in the sense that the victim is not killed, it does inflict mental pain, for it does inflict the “threat of imminent death.” With drowning, images of death usually come into mind, and since the victim is being blinded, they do not realize that the simulation is in fact that – a simulation. If one, based on this logic, determines that water boarding is illegal, they must be weary of the dangerous precedent it sets, for it is slowly deteriorating the rule of law, a major key to democracy. However, many
still argue that it is legal. In arguing for the use of water boarding, many supporters will argue that there is no legal record of it taking place, for it is done in CIA camps, such as GITMO. However, by concealing the records with regards to “national security,” one must assume that something in regards to water-boarding is being hidden, for a healthy human would react negatively to something bad. Hence, the government, assuming it’s made up of healthy individuals, is acknowledging that there is in fact something questionable, to state the least, about water-boarding. With the realization that waterboarding is bad, a discussion can be started as to whether or not the government is properly pursuing the good when it implementing waterboarding. From my education, I am thoroughly convinced that the human will is naturally inclined towards good, which is presented in a hierarchy, such that the good of caring for family is above pets. As human beings, we sometimes have a misconception, or disordered hierarchy, as to what good means. Water boarding is a great example of this. The good that individuals believe is obtained by waterboarding is the protection of American citizens. However, we also view the protection of the rights of the accused as an important good that we need to strive towards. A key question that arises here is where in the hierarchy the two rights are located. For me, as an American, the protection of the accused ranks higher for two reasons: they are innocent until proven guilty, and by violating the rights of the accused, we fail to be Americans; hence, the phrase “Give me liberty or give me death” loses its power. Furthermore, let me state a simple question to emphasize my point of waterboarding: how would you feel if your loved one was water boardered? Clearly, one would note discomfort with this notion, regardless of whether your loved one is innocent or guilty, which brings to the surface that this action cannot be good. In committing and accepting water-boarding, I believe that we have a misconception of what is the better good, which for me is the most important point in regards to whether we should allow water-boarding.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Opinion
Water-board Away
Chelsea Ferramosca Opinion Editor There has been a lot of controversy in America over the last decade about the interrogation techniques our military uses at Guantanamo Bay. The controversy has centered around one thing; water-boarding. Human rights activists from all over the world, including America’s own ACLU, have denounced the military’s use of the enhanced interrogation tactic, claiming it to be a form of torture. You can probably guess what my opinion on the subject is, but I wanted to write an article to clarify why I feel the way I do and why I think it is, unfortunately, a necessary tactic for our nation’s military. Water-boarding is an enhanced interrogation tactic that works one of two ways. The most common way is to strap the prisoner flat on his back to a table, covering his head with a thick black cloth while playing loud music. This takes away any sense of sight, hearing, and ability to move, while the music disorientates them. A towel is then pulled tightly over the prisoners’ face and water is slowly poured over the mouth and nose area. The less common, and more dramatic, way is to repeatedly dunk a prisoner upside down in a pool of water while his hands and feet are bound.
Each method is conducted in intervals of 15-30 seconds on, 15-30 seconds off, allowing the prisoner to get enough air into their system to stay alert, but psychologically weakening them at the same time. The overall idea of water-boarding is to give a prisoner the feeling that they are being drowned, without inflicting any severe physical damage. The average person would spill their darkest secrets after only a few seconds of this tactic. However, the prisoners at GITMO are not only trained to withstand enhanced interrogation, but with such little regard for their own lives, most prisoners are prepared to fight to the death. Unfortunately, this makes water-boarding necessary to obtain vital information. Do I consider waterboarding to be harsh? Of course. But do I think it is torture? Absolutely not. The detainees at GITMO are not having limbs cut off or their finger nails pulled back, they are simply being broken down emotionally in order to get the information needed to save lives. Some of the most valuable information learned at GITMO was aquired from the mastermind of 9/11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Upon arrival at Guantanamo, Mohammed refused to answer any questions until he was granted a lawyer, as was his “constitutional right.” Cute, huh? What he failed to understand was that even if American laws protected noncitizens who commit acts of terror against our country, they would still be null and void in Cuba. After withstanding several other means of interrogation, such as extreme temperature exposure and stress positions, Mohammed
was subjected to several months of repeated waterboarding. By the end of these months, he admitted to planning several terrorist attacks over the past three decades. Target countires were Israel, America, Korea and Panama, while individuals included Pope John Paul II, and several Israeli leaders. Would I brag about the fact that America is forced to use these enhanced interrogation tactics? Never, but they are necessary for our country’s security. We are fighting a war against an ideology that glorifies men as martyrs after death. To obtain information we must manipulate the most basic human instinct: survival. This instinct can only be reached after the prisoner has been broken down. I don’t think this is cruel or unusual, especially considering the fact that we are dealing with terrorists who are suspected of plotting against the United States, or working for those who do. I tend to put American lives before any others. What also needs to be taken into account is that we are not told everything the military has discovered through water-boarding. There is much that we don’t know for the sake of our nation’s security. Therefore, we must put our trust in the fact that our government is doing what is needed to protect America, as well as the free world. Who knows how many 9/11’s have been avoided due to the information gathered at GITMO? It is unfortunate that America is forced to waterboard, I know that, but September 11 was worse. Nothing changes the fact that it is necessary, whether you chose to face that reality or not. In my opinion, if it saves just one American life, waterboard away.
Jose Boliver
The Summa
5
Just a Smile Guest Writer
The semester is coming to an end, and all of us are feeling the stress of getting to the finish line. It is a great feeling to have, the one after we turn in that final, the feeling that it is “done.” Such as what I am looking forward to having (sorry professors). During this season it is important for us, as people of faith, to recognize how blessed we are: blessed to live in a great nation, attend a great university, have our health, and have friends that care about us. At St. Thomas, family is something that is recognized every day. My mom always says that “recognizing our blessings is the main training of humbleness.” This holiday season let’s work on being witnesses of hope. How can we do this? To be a witness of hope is very simple: just provide smiles! Yes, that is right, provide smiles. During those cold mornings, give a huge smile to someone that is walking through the Academic Mall. It will make their day as well as definitely yours for doing so. When someone cuts through the line in the student lounge, give them a smile. Drivers who do not put on their turn signals while driving? Give them a smile. Someone sitting in the library, trying to cram as much information into their mind as possible before the big test? Give them a smile. Someone that looks lonely sitting at Crooker, just give them a smile. It is so simple. Just a smile can show us that life is good and remind us of how blessed we are in the most difficult and stressful of times.
I have always admired people that are going through difficulties, whether it be the loss of a love one, the loss of job, family problems or health situations, but still keep their heads high. At the end of retelling the stories of their difficulty and problems, they simply finish with a smile. A smile is something so simple and natural, but sometimes so hard for us to do in difficult situations. This holiday season let’s work on being witnesses of hope. Not only by sharing smiles, but by creating smiles! There will be many opportunities to serve our community this season: toy drives, food drives, clothing drives, donations outside the stores, and so on. When we participate in just one of these service opportunities, we help create smiles. All of these service opportunities allow us to give to those who are not as financially blessed as we might be. When receiving the service, whether they be children getting toys or the homless getting a warm meal, it adds one more smile to the world. Helping others is one of the best ways to make us into witnesses of hope. We are sharing the hope, sharing the blessings and sharing the smiles. It does not take much, sometimes just getting out of our comfort zones; but when we do it, there is no better feeling we could have. All of us are called to be creators of smiles and witnesses of hope. Let’s play our part in the St. Thomas family and be a factory of smiles this holiday season. God bless our families, our friends and our University of St. Thomas family. Let’s keep sharing smiles and being witnesses to hope every single day.
Can You Read AND Write?
Then The Summa wants you! We are currently looking for help in all areas including Business Manager, Staff Writers, and Photographers.
6
The Summa
The Features
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Turkeys Gone Wild: Alternative Plans for Thanksgiving Sarah Oyarce Staff Writer What do you think of when you hear about Thanksgiving? Food? Family? Football? Those topics are probably some of the most thought of when one mentions Thanksgiving. For some, that is what they most admire and look forward to about the holiday. But alas, some are tired of the same old traditions and so if you are one of those people looking for something more unique or interesting to do, we have some ideas on how to spice up your Thanksgiving plans. For one, there are a lot of interesting Thanksgiving related specials that come on television besides the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the regular football games, one of them being a cartoon. “I’m going to watch the Charlie Brown special with my dad,” said Freshman Abril Hidalgo. Of course, various TV shows on all networks will be airing Thanksgiving related shows, and if you are a Lady Gaga fan, be sure to tune into her special, “A Very Gaga
Thanksgiving,” on November 24 on ABC. Speaking of parades, Downtown Houston also has its own on Thanksgiving Day. Presented by HEB, the 62nd Annual Holiday Parade will be starting at 9 a.m. So instead of sitting at home on your couch watching the festivities take place, you might want to consider making the short drive to downtown to participate in all the fun the Holiday Parade has to offer, like floats, local marching bands, and live performances. Football is greatly associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, but if you are simply tired of watching it on television every year, this year you might get up from the couch and participate in a game with family, friends and possibley even neighbors. Also, you do not have to limit yourself to a game of football. Families could get together and enjoy a game of basketball, baseball, soccer or maybe even tennis. In today’s society, we are more inclined to sit on the couch and watch the football game or play a video game. Why not get motivated and get active? It is never a bad thing to go outside,
Photo courtesy Stephen Wilke
One Last Showdown
The Texas Longhorns visit the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field in November of 2007 as part of the Lone Star Showdown. November 23 will perhaps mark the last time the Longhorns will visit Kyle Field.
run around and have some fun with good company; after all, many people could use a good exercise after eating all that turkey. In general, sports are a good way to bring the family together and have some fun. You should even consider attending a game instead of just watching it on TV. Freshman Anne Presas said, “I think I maybe will go to College Station with my boyfriend to see the University of Texas vs. Texas A&M game.” If your family includes a lot of children coming into your home on Thanksgiving, it might be a fun idea to do some arts and crafts with them. You
can never go wrong with arts and crafts. Make sure to buy construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue, glitter and any other materials that will inspire your creativity. Another cool idea that the children might enjoy that could be really cool and unorthodox, would be to have a camp out in your back yard. You could have a camp fire and make smores in the moonlight. You could also recreate the first Thanksgiving feast with your family. Quite frankly, it would be really interesting to see half your family dress up as Pilgrims and the other half dress up as Native Americans.
All these ideas would be great fun with families who have small children and who are not afraid of doing something different. Lastly, if you are not interested in just one Thanksgiving dinner, do like Freshman James Ramsey. “I’m going to every Thanksgiving dinner and lunch that I am invited to. I love food, especially free food,” said Ramsey So whether you decide to try out some of our ideas or stick to a traditional Thanksgiving, make sure to have a wonderful time in whatever you decide to do.
AT- A - GL A N CE No. 23 Texas at Texas A&M November 24, 2011, 7 p.m. ESPN, ESPN3 College Station, Texas (Kyle Field) State Farm Lone Star Showdown
62nd Annual Holiday Parade Presented by HEB November 24, 2011, 9 a.m. Downtown Houston holidayparadehouston.org @HoustonHoliday fb.me/HoustonHolidayParade Photo courtesy Lulu
SCAN ME!
Use your favorite smartphone app to scan this QR code to see the 62nd Annual Holiday Parade Route.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Features
The Summa
7
St. Thomas Angel: Meningitis Survivor Brings Awareness to Campus Rebecca Mechler Editor-in-Chief Senior Leslie Meigs is a rather noticable young lady on campus, often times with a surgical mask on. But don’t worry, she’s not infectious, she is spreading the word about health awareness. Meigs uses her own medical history to bring awareness onto campus for a wide range of health issues through the Health Awareness Club. “So, our main goal is to raise awareness about different illnesses or just health-based topics that we feel the students need to know or we feel are prominent in the community that we’re in right now,” said Meigs. After battling bacterial meningitis as a child, Meigs found her whole life changed. “It completely changed the way I lived my life because I spent the next twelve years basically growing up inside of a hospital,” said Meigs. “Coming out of that, as I got older, at the time I didn’t really understand how big of a deal it was, but as I got older, I looked back and saw how big of a deal it was to come out with everything fully functioning
Photo courtesy Leslie Meigs
Standing Up for Our Health
Aftet battling Bacterial Meningitis, Leslie Meigs works for awareness.
except my kidneys.” Despite a 98 percent chance of dying during the illness, Meigs came out kicking with only chronic kidney failure holding her back. Despite the pain it has caused her, she finds strength within it as well. “It gives you power to make a difference, whether it’s in your community or nationwide or worldwide even. I thought that was such a powerful thing and everybody has their experiences and
everybody has something incredible that they go through at some point in their life. I wanted to create the club to kind of show people that you can learn a lot from others,” she said. Meningitis also gave Meigs the opportunity to create awareness and change on a local, state, national and even international level through her work with Meningitis Angels. “The first thing we did was go and start working
on legislation with the state of Texas, for vaccine-based legislation, vaccine awareness, vaccine recommendations, vaccine mandation, all that kind of stuff,” said Meigs. Speaking for legislation has opened up even more opportunities for Meigs. “I got to meet a lot of different companies that are involved with just inspirational speaking in general. I got involved in a lot of different youth groups at different parishes. These people heard my story and they wanted me to share it, and so I’ve spoken for inspirational means, religious means, because obviously when you go through something that traumatic it does impact your religious life greatly,” she said. Meigs’ chronic kidney failure seemed to barely hold her back, but in 2009, complete failure occured and Meigs’ father donated his own kidney to her. Even as a relative newcomer to the transplant world, Meigs traveled this summer to Sweden to compete in the World Transplant Games. She brought home a gold medal in table tennis. “I’d say the coolest part was getting to talk to other
post-transplant people because there were heart recipients, double lung recipients, liver recipients, as well as the kidney recipients. To be able to be like, ‘My medications cause all these problems day-to-day for me, and I’m having to go to the hospital this month on a monthly basis. Is this normal?’ and just talk to them, and make sure that this isn’t just in my head, that everything is as expected posttransplant,” she said. Although she may always have these obstacles, she refuses to let them rule her life as she pursues a major in BioChemistry and a minor in Communication with the hope of one day working with the CDC, which UST has helped her achieve. “Every single one of the professors here have been absolutely wonderful in helping me finish my college career while still coping with post transplant life. Of course everybody doesn’t understand what a transplant entails, but they’re all so willing to listen, and that’s something I would have never expected I’ve never in my life seen a community so understanding, willing to understand.”
1 1 0 2 f of k o o Chili C
At the third annual Chili Cookoff sponsored by Campus Ministry on November 10, teams competed to take home the coveted title of Best Chili. The Political Science team, the reigning champions from the past two years, did not three-pete, as School of Education’s team “Chili Chili Bang Bang” won both People’s Choice and First Place from the judges. The School of Education’s second team also placed, as did Alumni Relations.
8
The Entertainment
The Summa
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Five books toheconsider picking up over your breaks from school was guilty and executed. Abigail Nava
Staff Writer With the rapid approach of Thanksgiving and Winter Break, there’s a lot of downtime you have to prepare for. Here are a few good, interesting classic reads you’ve got to pick up if you haven’t already during your time off from school. 1. The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas There is a time in life when one feels that life is going nowhere; however, the world keeps moving as if nothing has happened. Edmund Dantès, an honest and humble man with no reading or writing skills, who was about to become captain of a ship, was to propose that same day to his loved one, Mercedes. While giving the exciting news to Mercedes, his childhood friend, Fernand Mondego, plots against Edmund with two other men. Dantès gets imprisoned for 10 years and his family was led to believe that
In prison, Dantès meets an Italian priest who educates him in math and philosophy. The priest dies leaving Dantes with a map to a secret treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo, Dantes manages to escape from prison, leading to many adventures and rewards later in his life. He manages to find the treasure and returns to society as the Count of Monte Cristo, only to find that Mercedes married his “best friend” Fernand Mondego. Devastated, Dantes plans revenge on anybody who wronged him, but overcomes his lust for revenge in the end. 2. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka The Metamorphosis is a great book to reflect on how life changes from one day to another. In this surrealist tale, a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, wakes up as a large insect. His first concern is not being late for work because his family depends on his income. Gregor’s boss and parents take
note of Gregor’s new physical state, and his boss runs away while his family tries to avoid him as much as they can out of fear. Gregor’s new body is destroying parts of the house and his income has dwindled. Gregor is rejected by his family and locks himself in the room where he eventually dies and the family senses relief in discovering Gregor’s death. Here, the reader reflects on how the feelings towards another person can change from one day to another. 3. Source of the Western Tradition (Seventh Edition) by Perry Marvin, Joseph R, Von Laue, Theodore H. Peden This is a history course book; however, its impact should be seen more in the way of it asking its readers to see life. This book depicts the experiences and hopes of many people that would choose Catholic reformation today. There is a warning: some of these writings created such controversies which
shaped the world today, and some readers might still be affected by the controversial doubts. This book teaches that we are here in search of the truth, and the paths to the truth lead us to many doubts; which is okay. A strong faith without a moment of doubt is no faith at all. In this book, the question arises of where the truth lies with regards to rationality or spirituality. It is for you to decide. 4. The Book of Prophecies by Martin-Parker, Carlos There are numerous myths and theories that are proved true or turn out to be assumptions that had a great following of believers. This book provides the prophecies that have been spoken and proven from New Orleans Buddhism to Nostradamus’s prophecies.There are many topics involved such as the monthly guardian angels that accompany you during their designated times or how natural disasters were predicted. After reading the book and all of its
insights to the predictions over time, you will discover that the truth is, “Nobody knows!” 5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë There is nothing better than reading a chilling love story during complementary weather. In the first part of the book, there is the revolting love chain between Catherine and Heathcliff who have known each other and lived together since childhood. Their conflicting desires to stay wealthy crushes their passion and turns it into hate. This initial love story runs parallel to young Catherine’s (Catherine’s daughter) and Hareton’s love, which happens in the second part of the book. The first Catherine is initially in love with Heathcliff, but also desires respect from society, which leads her into confusion. Young Catherine and Hareton, having witnessed the older Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship turmoils, did not make the same mistake.
TV Tracker Katie Thomson
Castle (ABC)
Photo courtesy ABC
Glee (FOX)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
Photo courtesy FOX
Photo courtesy NBC
What it’s about: Writer extraordinaire Richard Castle and NYPD Detective Kate Beckett team up to crack the case in this suave crime drama.
What it’s about: Members of McKinnley High’s Glee Club singing their way through the dramas, pressures, and highlights of high school.
What it’s about: A group of special victims unit detectives work case by case to get justice against sexual preditors.
What’s happened so far?: Kate helps save Castle from a bank robbery that ended in the robbers killing themselves, only to realize that one of the hostages was behind it.
What’s happened so far?: Brittany is hosting an Irish foreign exchange student (Glee project winner Damian) who she thinks is a Leprachaun. Brittany and Santana join Mercedes’ new group.
What’s happened so far? : The unit deals with a tough case against Russian brides who are being trafficked by the Russian mob. Captain Cragen goes in undercover to crack the case.
The Office (NBC)
Once Upon A Time (ABC)
Revenge (NBC)
Photo courtesy NBC
What it’s about: In this modern retelling of the classic Count of Monte Christo, a wealthy heiress wreaks revenge upon the Hamptonites that wrongly sent her father to jail. What’s happened so far?: Emily/Amanda continues to cross off the names of those who wreeked her life, but new problems have arisen that may destroy her entire plan.
Photo courtesy NBC
What it’s about: A satirical group of office employees working together on a daily basis. As bland as it sounds, it’s hilarious. What’s happened so far?: Since Michael left, Andy has been heading the office. Pam is pregnant and tries to get Jim to admit her maternity leave replacement is attractive, while Dwight continues to plan evil schemes.
Photo courtesy ABC
What it’s about: Cast under an evil spell, a town of fairy tale characters does not remember its magical past, although their personalities still shine through. What’s happened so far? : Henry finds Emma, his birthmother, who stays in Storybrooke to help break the so-called spell. It’s fun to see the fairy tale characters modernized to today’s world!
Entertainment
Thursday, November 17, 2011
The Summa
9
A guide to Fall proof skin: protect yourself from dryness and damage forever. It doesn’t! It changes, just like your wardrobe! 2. Use sunscreen - Many skin experts agree that the best way to keep your skin healthy and young looking is to protect it from the sun. One way of solving this quickly and stressfree is to get a foundation and moisturizer with UV protection included such as Olay Total Effects Moisturizer + Touch of Foundation, which not only moisturizes and slightly covers imperfections with its tint, but also protects with SPF 15. For a higher SPF protection, the best buy is Supergoop! SPF 35+ Save Face A.M. Moisturizer water resistant, packed with antioxidants and affordable. Skin heaven! 3. Exfoliate - Walking around with layers of dead cells on your skin isn’t a good look. Make sure you exfoliate every two weeks to get rid of dead cells which make your skin look dull and patchy. You can chose either to buy an exfoliate, or just make one yourself. It’s super easy; all you need for a basic exfoliate
is sugar and olive oil. Mix and rub all over your skin applying some pressure, but with gentle care. Rinse with lukewarm water and there you have it: baby skin. Do not over-do the exfoliating though; doing it too often will damage your skin. 4. Keep showers short and lukewarm - According to experts, exposure to hot water and cold wind is the number one cause of rough, patchy skin during the colder months. Pat yourself dry after the shower and make sure you use a thick alpha-hydroxy body lotion such as Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion immediately after the shower. Alpha-hydroxy acids are those used in chemical peels - different concentrations determine the way in which they can be used. Chemical peels give us a similar result to Microdermabrasion, reducing fine lines and giving a smoother appearance. Also, make sure you put your fruity summer shower gel away and start using a creamy body wash. The less the soap and
the more the hydrating, the better for your skin on the colder season. 5. Give your Skin a Drink – and no, alcohol doesn’t count! Although it is important to drink lots of water, it is also important to keep you skin hydrated. Try a weekly hydration treatment to keep your skin fresh and glowing. Hydration products
such as AHAVA’s Intensive Hydration Mask should be used once per week. Also, Hydrotherapy – soak in a tub with warm water and some mineral crystals or treat yourself to a LUSH Bath Melt and enjoy the sweet aromas while your skin soaks up all the nutrients and you’ll forget about all of your upcoming finals and papers being due.
d’hiv. The first half of the novel Staff Writer makes rapid jumps between As with any dramatization 1942 and 2005, as the stories of that tells the events of the both Julia and Sarah converge. Holocaust, the book Sarah’s Sarah’s life as a child rapidly Key is a painful story to endure. comes to an end during her The 2010 movie adaptation, family’s imprisonment: first staring Kirsten Scott Thomas at the Vel’ d’hiv and then the and Mélusine Mayance, had Drancy internment camp. a special re-release at select Any event of the Holocaust theaters in Houston, beginning is heartbreaking to read, November 4. The novel, whose but de Rosnay’s telling of French title is Elle S’appelait Vel’ d’hiv is made vivid and Sarah (Her Name Was Sarah) heart wrenching as the story was written in 2007 by French is experienced by a child. author Tatiana De Rosnay Sarah’s little-girl-voice brings and is a fictional narrative to life the helplessness of the lead by two characters living situation as she gazes with uncomprehending in two different times: Sarah childish, Starzynski and Julia Jarmond. horror at the people dying of Sarah is a 10-year-old Parisian starvation and the cruelty of girl whose peaceful existence the French police. The reader with her parents and four- is pulled in completely as she year-old brother is shattered decries the inescapability of by the Vel’ d’hiv roundup. her situation, as she is forced Vel’ d’hiv, as the event is to face the events happening commonly known, is short around her with adult strength. for Veldrome D’hiver, the The reader feels the changes 15th Arrondissement sports that overcome Sarah as she stadium, where in July of 1942, first feels helplessness, then the French police imprisoned, hatred at the people who without food or water, caused her family’s suffering, approximately 13,000 Jews. and finally determination. Julia Jarmond is an American Sarah eventually escapes the journalist working for an Drancy camp, driven by the English-language magazine need to find her brother, whom based in Paris. She is assigned she hid before her family’s to write a story on Vel’ d’hiv. imprisonment. Upon escaping Sarah suddenly The novel tells the story of the Drancy, suffering and discovery these realizes how being a child two characters endure as they alone in the world would live the experience of Vel’ present obstacles: “Dirty, lost
and hungry, perhaps, but not afraid; she had grown up too much to be afraid,” thinks Sarah, but she persists in her journey back to Paris. Interspersed between the narrations of Sarah’s suffering is Julia’s life as she investigates the event’s of Vel’ d’hiv. Perhaps Tatiana de Rosnay was attempting to offset any feelings of despair from overcoming the reader as she switches from Sarah’s witnessing children being ripped from their mother’s arms to Julia’s droll description of how it feels to be an American living in Paris. We come to know her close friends, how she met her beautiful French husband, almost cliché portraits of
the streets of Paris, and the problems that arise in her marriage when she discovers she’s pregnant. As Julia visits the locations key to the Vel’ d’hiv roundup (the street where the Veldrome was torn down, and the now-inhabited buildings of the Drancy camp), she is confronted by the bland indifference of the French. When asking if Vel’ d’hiv was something they learned about in school, she is met with bored stares and puzzled no’s. Her husband tells her to drop the story, because people will simply yawn and go on to read something else. When she tries to question people who live in the areas where the events occurred, tight-lipped older folk refuse to give answers
to events which they pretend they didn’t witness. Julia’s need to tell a story that people have tried to forget turns into an obsession as her persistent questioning brings back to life a secret in her husband’s family that links directly to the life of Sarah Starzynski. The end result is an emotional rollercoaster ride as the reader lives through Sarah’s grief and Julia’s triumph’s while piecing together long-forgotten secrets. The emotional drama of the words is perhaps too emphasized given the situational context of the Holocaust. Tatiana De Rosnay may have written the book to remind the French people to never again behave with indifference to events they may have preferred to forget. It was not until 1995 that French President Jacques Chirac issued a formal apology for the absurdities of the French police. Without giving too much away, she may have crafted the intentional analogy of a body rotting in the walls of an apartment while its occupants only notice the stench to mirror the behavior of the French people who lived in 1942, and who went about their daily lives pretending not to notice the Jews of Vel’ d’hiv. The story ultimately serves as a reminder to all to never be a passive observer in the face of human suffering.
Jihane Rodriguez
Staff Writer Ladies! The cold months are finally here. Boots, coats, scarves ready to rock! But wait a minute? What about our skin? Dry, red, and patchy? I say no way José. There is always a solution to attaining flawless, goddess-like skin. So here I present you the top five tips to keep looking like a summer mermaid even on cold wintery days (minus the scales, and the tail –oh, you know what I mean!). 1. Know your skin – First things first. Observe for changes! When the weather changes, bringing cold wind and reducing humidity, you may notice your skin type changes along with it. When it gets colder, oily skin might turn normal, and normal skin might turn dry. Make sure you are using the right product for your “winter season” skin type, and remember to reassess once the season changes again. This is a basic step many of us ignore as we tend to think our skin type remains the same
Photo courtesy Americanhealthandbeauty
Sarah’s Key: a heart wrenching, youthful experience of the Holocaust Stephanie Hernandez
Photo courtesy Tatiana De Rosnay
10
The Summa
Entertainment
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tired of the same old turkey? New ways to approach Thanksgiving dinnner Jacqueline Sanders Sports & Clubs Editor As you probably know, dear reader, I am avid about educating people to care for their bodies. Life is much more pleasant when you have the abilities to participate in the activities you enjoy without hindrance or pain. We should keep this in mind as we progress through the upcoming holidays. Holidays are a time to celebrate life, not a time to abuse our physical form, especially during meal time during a holiday feast The turkey is the first focus. Though I am a strong advocate of the Tofurkey, I understand and respect that many people may find the flavor offensive (it sometimes smacks of un-buttered toast if improperly cooked) while others find the mere idea of the Tofurkey to be offensive in general. Turkey is traditional for those who celebrate Thanksgiving and many balk
at the thought of change. But, gentle reader, I am not asking you to change your celebration cuisine. I merely wish to inform you of the existence of Tofurkey and offer a recipe for those who would rather consume a true flesh and bone turkey. Rather than cooking the usual stuffing (known as dressing to some), try filling the turkey’s cavity with green apples and onions. Once the turkey is finished cooking, add a bit of allspice to the apples and onions and chop them with apricots or bits of cooked pumpkin. Serve this over modest pieces of cornbread with a thin layer of butter. You will find you do not need all the butter you would normally use.This is especially true if you use a pumpkin or another gourd, such as the turban squash, in the mix. Winter gourds have a buttery taste that comes out naturally if you cut them open, remove the seeds, and bake them in a dish next to the
Sudoku
Riddle of the Month:
Q: The more there is The less you see What am I? A: Darkness
turkey until tender. Assuming you did not fry your turkey, and assuming you resisted the urge to make fatty, starchy dressing/stuffing for your holiday bird, there is always the question of what to do with the leftovers. The first solution to which we normally resort is the everpresent turkey sandwich. I find these to be dull and nearly proof that our feathered companion died in vain. I have experimented for many years with the post-November turkey sandwich and I have developed some not-so-boring combinations: 1. Turkey, cheddar, apple, and creamy mustard on wheat. This one is wonderful if toasted on broil just until the cheese bubbles. 2. Turkey, provolone, cranberry sauce, and red onion, on wheat. Sometimes, its OK to sneak bacon into this one, but not often and not in excess. This one is pretty good if toasted, but I prefer it
chilled and served alongside a short glass of milk and a dish of left-over green beans or cabbage. 3. Turkey Pumpkin Sloppy Joes. This one is difficult because you should not go out and buy the Sloppy Joe mix in a can. You should finely chop or shred the turkey (works great with those odd bits on the back or deep into the chest near the sternum), and mix it with some tomatoes. Then, add some honey or agave nectar, chili powder, some garlic, some brown mustard, and maybe some onion. This should all be measured to suit your specific taste. Serve it over rolls that are left over from the holiday or over some wheat bread. For Christmas, why not skip the ham and grill some pork chops instead? We’ve been on a burn ban so long that grilling should be celebrated as well. Remember to grill pork chops on low and to season lightly. They dry out fast and
are easily overwhelmed with heavy spices. Eggnog is a big hit at my house every Christmas. Last year, I made it with fat-free milk, Splenda, pasteurized egg substitute, rum extract, and the usual spices. I covered the top in a low-fat whipped cream, and no one knew the difference. In fact, they drank it all. The spiced wine is always a runner-up, and it was last year as well. Instead of sweetening with sugar, I used Splenda, sliced oranges, one sliced lemon, and the usual spices. The same procedure can be applied to wassail, except no sweetener is needed if you use unfiltered apple cider. As always, I have your well-being in mind. Please celebrate responsibly and with respect to yourself, your body, and those around you. Remember that this is the only body you get to use for this life on Earth. You cannot ask for a loaner. Enjoy the cooler weather and I will write you again soon.
Puzzles Corner Mid November Crossword
ACROSS 2. On the go morning snack 7. Like honed knives 8. Cash for a sandwich 9. LSU Mascot 12. Name for a poodle 14. Invisible clothes-wearer in Andersen tale 16. “Monty Python’s Life of _____”
17. Sir ____ Belch of “Twelfth Night” 18. Fairy King 19. Red root veggie DOWN 1. The Earth turns on it 3. “Mike and Mike in the Morning” Radio station 4. St. Theresa’s home 5. Bacteria in rare meat
Created By Katie Thomson
6. Browning work 10. Frances ____: Judy Garland’s birth name 11. Godiva choice 13. 19th Greek letter 15. LBJ follower 20. Two-hanky film Answers at www.ust.wordpress.summa.com
The Sports & Clubs
The Summa
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Men’s basketball opens third season with wins
Upcoming Events Thursday, November 17
Poetry & Peace: Michael Longley, Seamus Heaney, and Northern Ireland Cullen Hall 7:30PM - 9:00PM
Friday, November 18 Shadwell’s Wake Malloy Hall 8:00PM - 2:00AM
Tuesday, November 29 UST & HCC Chamber Orchestra Cullen Hall 7:30 PM - 9:00PM
Wednesday, November 30 Deck the Mall Academic Mall 4:00PM - 8:00PM
A Letter from SGA President To My UST Family, This is the first time that I am writing formally to you, and I am glad to take the opportunity to say thank you for electing me again as your SGA President and for the faculty, students, staff, and alumni for making UST my home. To start off, a student wrote a letter to SGA asking if it was true that we spent $4,000.00 on an SGA only party. The funds initially were to be spent on a public event. The answer to this is NO. The money was put back into the pool of money that other SOC’s use for clubs and such. To add to this, SGA will be hosting a planned social at El Pueblito’s on November 30. Please come out for music, dancing, and FREE FOOD! Thank you to all who came to our first townhall meeting. There was a great turnout of students who raised concerns and I will notify everyone when we resolve them, or at least answer them. Students are having a hard time with tuition and the fees. We understand this because we, in SGA, are students. Concerns like this are known throughout and we are constantly trying to find a way to make students lives easier here. Such programs like $5.00 free printing are meant to give back to the students. Another project that is
11
Rebecca Mechler Editor-in-Chief Just as the soccer season began to wind down, the men’s basketball team kicked off their season with wins against Langston and Wayland Baptist. The team, now in its third year on campus, is also in a new conference, which provides further challenges for them. “[It] should be exciting to be in a new conference, the Red River Conference,” said Junior Forward Patrick Graves. “The team is closer and our chemistry gets better and better each year. Our program is greatly maturing and I think we will be successful this year,” said Junior Forward Andrew Graves. The season started November 3 with an away game against Langston University. They won 80 to 75. Travis Lampley scored 25 points as the team high scorer, followed by Andrew Graves with 14. “We went to Langston which was different since it was our first game away we’ve ever had and come out with with a win,” said Andrew. “Free throws were key,” said Patrick. The win against Langston was followed by another against Wayland Baptist in a
home game on November 6 with a final score of 58 to 49. Senior Anthony Medina led scoring in the game with 16 points.The Celts had 20-of-52 from the field, 4-of-15 from behind the arch, and made 14 of its 20 attempts from the charity stripe. “Also, we played well against Wayland Baptist and held onto a win by nine,” said Patrick. After their two opening wins, the Celts fell short against St. Edwards, losing 104-76. Lampley again led the Celts with 18 points. He was a perfect 10-10 from the charity stripe. Lampley also managed six rebounds and four assists. Andrew Graves followed Lampley as he scored 14 points and collected a teamhigh of eight rebounds. Their efforts werre not enough to overcome the Hilltoppers, “It was a tough game against St. Edwards, three point shooting hurt us,” said Patrick. Despite their loss, the team still feels strong going into their next game and the rest of the season. “It will be fun especially since we are in a new conference, Red River, we just need to take our game at a time and focus on what we do and we should be looking solid during the rest of the season,” said Andrew.
Soccer wraps season with wins
Scan Me
For further information on upcoming SGA events, scan the QR code above with any smartphone to be taken to the SGA Facebook page.
underway is the launching of UST’s CollegiateLink site. Next semester, we hope to add this to our resources, which is designed to give every club, department, and organization their own webspace where they will be able to take control of various features without waiting for approval or someone to do the coding. SGA is raising awareness on the need for school spirit. A good amount of students and faculty go home immediately after classes and don’t take advantage of sports events or some of the many extracurricular events. We have SIX varsity sports and we need to support
our Celts! It does make a differences to yell your heart at the games, and the coaches and players will tell you. We have two open Senate seats! Otherwise, if you would like to be part of our Spirit Committee, create traditions, help create programs to benefit students, pose problems and solutions to administration, or even feel like you have been neglected, do not hesitate to contact SGA at sgapresident@stthom.edu. God Bless and GO CELTS!!!! Sincerely, David Torres SGA President
Photo by Nicole Hickl
Rebecca Mechler Editor-in-Chief After a mixed season, the men’s soccer team finished with a win against Wiley College and a successful run at the Red River Conference Tournement. “It was a rough start,” said Senior Nick Boras. “But we came together as a team like never before and turned the season around.”
The game against Wiley also commemorated the graduating seniors. “It was the best season of all my four years here. I have no regrets. I’m looking forward to supporting the future of the program,” Boras said. The team ended their season with eight losses, four tied games, and nine wins, inlcuding a 3-1 run during the tournament.
12
The Summa
Advertising
Thursday, November 17, 2011
UST Alum Owned and Operated
Daily specials for UST Students and Alumni
Daily Happy Hour 3-7 p.m. Daily Bucket Specials Daily Industry Specials
Jackson’s would like to welcome back the UST students and faculty. Have a great Fall 2011!
Hours of Operation Mon-Fri 3pm - 2am
Now Open
Sat-Sun 11pm - 2am For NFL and College Football Games Jackson’s Bar Houston
PresenttUSTTIDDfor: $88DomesticcPitchers $100AbitaaPitchers $122DomesticcBuckets $33Welll&&ShottSpecials $55Pizzas
Wednesdays::Karaokee Wednesdays:
DirectlyyacrosssRichmonddfrommCampus 12055RichmonddAve..Houston,,TXX--713.528.2988