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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 39
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Yeasayer completes Spring Weekend lineup Racial controversy over poem Experimental indie band ends conference early Yeasayer to energize Spring Weekend concert with experimental vibe
Poem using text of Michael Brown’s autopsy report provokes anger at “Interrupt” conference
By ZACK BU SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Yeasayer, an experimental indie rock band, will open Friday’s Spring Weekend concert, Brown Concert Ag e n c y a n nounced on its blog Tuesday. Though BCA released the rest of the lineup Monday night, it withheld the name of the final performer until Tuesday due to contract negotiations. “We had one little thing to tweak with the contract to confirm them,” said Danny Sobor ’15, publicity manager for BCA. “The timing didn’t work out perfectly but we got the contract ironed out and they are totally down, booked to play.” Yeasayer has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the experimental arena in recent years. In 2008, the band toured with MGMT as well as Beck, who won multiple Grammy Awards this year. After dropping their second album, they appeared in major music festivals, including Coachella. The band also made appearances
By ANDREW DECK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
REVIEW
Speakers specializing in poetry, fine arts and literary studies gathered at the Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts this weekend to explore the impact of digital culture at the third “Interrupt” conference. But these conversations were largely displaced by controversy over poet Kenneth Goldsmith’s performance of a poem that uses text from Michael Brown’s autopsy report. The conference focused in part on “uncreative writing” — the poetic style pioneered by Goldsmith, who attended the Rhode Island School of Design, teaches poetics and poetic practice at Penn and was named the Museum of Modern Art’s first Poet Laureate. With the unprecedented number of texts available in the digital age, Goldsmith focuses on refashioning preexisting texts instead of creating
ARTS & CULTURE
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Yeasayer’s constant effort to integrate different music genres including pop, rock and electronic keeps their music sounding fresh. on major entertainment shows in- Next Top Model,” “The Good Wife” cluding Conan O’Brien’s late-night and the 2012 hit film“Pitch Perfect.” talk show and Late Night with Jimmy Yeasayer is part of a growing group Fallon. Their music has been featured of contemporary musicians who blur in multiple television and film pro- the lines between music genres. ductions, such as “90210,” “America’s » See YEASAYER, page 3
new ones. During his Friday night performance entitled “The Body of Michael Brown,” Goldsmith used the preexisting text of Michael Brown’s autopsy report. Goldsmith projected an image of Brown’s high school graduation photo and recited the autopsy report with only slight alterations, changing the order of the text and translating the medical vocabulary into layperson’s terms. He detailed explicit images from the report, notably the entry and exit wounds of the bullets, and ended the piece with the autopsy’s description of Brown’s genitals as “unremarkable.” Many audience members and other performers felt “profoundly uncomfortable” following Goldsmith’s performance, said co-organizer Francesca Capone GS, who is studying literary arts. Two other scheduled performers expressed reluctance to present, and so organizers decided to end the event early, Capone said. Many conference attendees criticized Goldsmith, a white male, for appropriating a black body for his poetry, thereby aestheticizing racial violence. “As much as 20th century art and literature would like to promote the » See INTERRUPT, page 2
Panelists unpack public Sweet deal at Ratty delights students gelato master perception of military Italian offers workshop to Participants aim to facilitate advanced understanding of military among millenials By CASSANDRA COLE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Why do the best soldiers in the world keep losing? Four speakers grappled with this question, posed by James Fallows in his recent Atlantic article “The Tragedy of the American Military,” at a panel Tuesday at the Watson Institute for International Studies. A crowd of about 50 community members from Brown and the U.S. Naval War College — which has an ROTC partnership with the University — filled the Joukowsky Forum for the panel, entitled “In and Out of Uniform: Civil-Military Relations Reconsidered.” Panelists presented a wide range of perspectives on Fallows’ assertion that American civilians’ lack of deeper understanding of the military leads to limited oversight and accountability for the armed forces.
INSIDE
Lindsay Cohn, assistant professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College, dissected Fallows’ argument that the military is dangerously isolated, partisan and unrepresentative of the U.S. population. While the military is indeed partisan, she said, Fallows’ other claims are largely untrue. Addressing the issue of partisanship, Cohn noted that only the officer corps are largely Republican, while the enlisted corps are much more diverse. Contrary to popular belief and Fallows’ argument, the poorest 20 percent of the U.S. population is “the only quintile that is underrepresented in the military,” Cohn said, adding that “people with family ties to the military, who are also more likely to be Republican, are no more likely to feel that the wars were worth fighting.” The relationship between civilians and the armed forces is more complicated than it may seem, she said. Lauren Sukin ’16 told The Herald she was particularly interested in Cohn’s claim “that people from the South and people in poverty aren’t » See MILITARY, page 3
accompany on-campus film festival By GRACE YOON SENIOR STAFF WRITER
In collaboration with the Department of Italian Studies and Brown’s second annual Il Cinema Ritrovato on Tour film festival, Brown Dining Services hosted a demonstration of gelato preparation — including a tasting of each flavor — in the Sharpe Refectory Bakeshop Monday and Tuesday afternoons. Owners of Il Gelatauro in Bologna, Gianni Figliomeni P’18 and Angela Lorenz ’87 P’18, came to campus to offer students a sample of their famous gelato. The icy treats were made in the afternoon and distributed at the Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts prior to the Il Cinema Ritrovato film screenings on both days. Lorenz began planning their involvement in the event last September, when she was asked by Massimo Riva,
ARTS & CULTURE
SAM KASE / HERALD
Gianni Figliomeni P’18, co-owner of Il Gelatauro in Bologna, visited Brown to hold a demonstration and tasting session at the Ratty Bakeshop. professor and chair of the Department of Italian Studies, to import the gelatos that she and Figliomeni have made for Bologna’s Il Cinema Ritrovato for the past four years. Riva, along with students participating in the Brown in Bologna program, had the chance
to taste their gelatos over the summer, which inspired the idea, Lorenz added. Faithful to its name — “cinema rediscovered” — the festival mainly celebrates films from more than 100 years ago, as well as films from the ’50s » See GELATO, page 3
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
SPORTS Baseball strikes out against URI Tuesday, crushing team’s hopes for second win of the season
UNIVERSITY NEWS Staff member stuck in smoking elevator in Health Services before police respond
COMMENTARY Rotenberg ’17: Students must place facts before narratives in sexual assault cases
COMMENTARY Kenyon GS: Americans should not patrol patriotism by strictly controlling use of the flag
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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Health Services elevator traps staff member » INTERRUPT, from page 1 Smoking, stalled elevator system prompts evacuation of Andrews House Tuesday By KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A custodial staff member was stuck in a malfunctioning elevator in Health Services in Andrews House Tuesday around 2:30 p.m., said Paul Shanley, deputy chief of police for the Department of Public Safety. At 2:26 p.m., DPS received a call that a fire alarm had sounded in Health Services and “there was a person stuck in the elevator,” Shanley said. Representatives from Atlantic
Elevator South Co., Inc., Providence Police Department officers from the Brook Street branch and DPS officers arrived on the scene, Shanley said. The Providence Fire Department found smoke rising from the basement maintenance room attached to the elevator shaft, he added. The smoke came “from an elevator motor which activated the fire alarm” and prompted the building to be evacuated, wrote Lynn Dupont, associate director of Health Services, in an email to The Herald. The elevator was stuck between the second and third floor, Shanley said. Responders broke the glass window to the elevator door to “reach in and finagle with some of the cables” in order to deliver the custodial staff member to safety, he added.
“It’s unknown at this time when the elevator will be back in service,” Shanley said, adding that The Fire Department is “used to responding to people stuck in the elevator,” he said. “This isn’t the first time they’ve been caught in this situation.” Shanley added that he had not heard of the elevator in Health Services malfunctioning prior to Tuesday. Following the incident, Health Services resumed full service by 3:30 p.m., Dupont wrote. Multiple staff members at Health Services declined to comment. The Providence Police Department, Student and Employee Accessibility Services and Atlantic Elevator South Co., Inc. could not be reached for comment by press time.
erasure of the author, as Goldsmith does, he is enacting a history of violence and appropriation of marginalized bodies,” said Rachel Ossip ’15, a fifth-year student in the Dual Degree program. “This is linked to an author’s position and privilege, which cannot be ignored,” Ossip added. “Art should never be an excuse for racial violence.” Goldsmith chose not to participate in the discussion following his performance, said John Cayley, co-organizer of the conference and professor of literary arts. One performer began and then stopped her performance, walking off stage while saying “Never mind, I don’t know what I was thinking,” Ossip said. Audience members’ reactions during the discussion ranged from mild critique to anger and condemnation, she said. Cayley and Capone said they had no prior knowledge of the content of Goldsmith’s performance, as they did not screen the text beforehand. They added that they believed they should place “confidence and trust” in all of the artists attending the conference, including Goldsmith. Cayley wrote in an email to Goldsmith, “neither ‘Interrupt 3’ nor Brown was in any way responsible for your choice of performance or for the reception of what you chose to perform.” Criticism of Goldsmith’s performance erupted on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter in the wake of the event. Goldsmith
tweeted that he had even received a death threat. In a March 15 Facebook post defending his piece, Goldsmith wrote, “It is a horrific American document, but then again it was a horrific American death.” The absence of “editorializing” allows a document to speak “for itself in ways that an interpretation cannot,” Goldsmith also wrote on Facebook. As the controversy further ignited online, Goldsmith wrote on Facebook Tuesday that he requests that “Brown University not make public the recording of my performance … There’s been too much pain for many people around this and I do not wish to cause any more.” Saturday’s scheduled events proceeded as planned and included a presentation on “ffabschrifting,” a new artistic movement that brings attention to the form in which texts are presented. The day also included a presentation from Johanna Drucker, professor of bibliographical studies in the department of information studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. The conference concluded Sunday with an open discussion that included prepared responses from attendees. In the wide-ranging conversation, Goldsmith’s performance became a jumping-off point for a discussion of underrepresentation of people of color in poetry, fine arts, higher education and the “Interrupt” conference itself. Despite “tremendous efforts to diversify the program,” organizers’ inability to do so reflects the issues of diversity in the arts, Cayley said.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 • PAGE 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Panelist Martin Cook, professor of professional military ethics at the Naval War College, expressed his hope for improved military understanding.
» MILITARY, from page 1
GRACE YOON / HERALD
One of Gianni Figliomeni’s P’18 signature desserts is a Charlie Chaplin-inspired chocolate hat. Composed of marshmallows with chocolate coating and coconut sprinkles, the treat resembles Chaplin’s iconic derby hat.
» GELATO, from page 1 and ’60s that have been lost over the years. Figliomeni also incorporated the “rediscovered” theme into his sweets, by revisiting a dessert cookbook from 1911 written by gelato shop owner Giuseppe Grifoni, Lorenz said. Figliomeni recreated some of the classic flavors with his own flare. In addition to sharing the gelatos, Figliomeni and Lorenz presented a confetti candy they invented: Charlie Chaplin miniature chocolate hats. In honor of the opening of Chaplin’s movie “The Adventurer” in Buffalo, New York, 100 years ago, this dessert features cashews, coconuts, chocolate and marshmallows — four of Chaplin’s favorite foods — melded into a single creation that resembles Charlie Chaplin’s signature derby hat, Lorenz explained. Lorenz said their shop, Il Gelatauro, is “very popular among the local people” in Italy. “It is much better when universities and elementary schools are in session,” she said, adding that Italians do not
» YEASAYER, from page 1 Groups like Yeasayer and Vampire Weekend have found their niche in blending electronic components with rock riffs, making their music appropriate for jam sessions as well as mellow hangouts. Established as an experimental rock band in 2006, Yeasayer’s current members are Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, Anand Wilder and Cale Parks. In its 2007 debut album, “All Hour Cymbals,” which Pitchfork recognized in its Top 200 Albums of the 2000s list, Yeasayer colors the music with
eat as much gelato as Americans in the winter, and so gelato sales can be affected by inclement weather. One thing that makes the gelato unique is the owners’ sensitivity to their choice of ingredients. The shop imports ingredients from locations including Bolivia, Tahiti and a town in Italy that guarantees the best kinds of pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds, Lorenz said. “You just have to care about getting the freshest ingredients possible,” she said. “I’m really glad that I came to the workshop and discovered how much difference individual ingredients can make,” said Dan Haugh ’16. Another highlight of the event was the nature of the supplies that were specially chosen and brought to the Ratty Bakeshop for the demo. Cattabriga, an Italian ice cream engineering company, lent a gelato machine to the workshop valued at $40,000. The company has only just started selling this model in the United States, Lorenz said. The structure of the machine — its vertical orientation and specially designed moving parts — ensures that no
air bubbles form in the gelato, Lorenz explained. A boiler machine used to prepare ingredients for certain flavors was also shipped from Italy to North Carolina and then to Providence, she added. “It was really fascinating to learn about the scientific processes” behind making gelato, said Anne Gentry ’15. Gentry, who frequented Italian gelato shops while abroad in Bologna, said she was happy to revisit these familiar delights while obtaining an informative perspective on the process. In particular, she noted the significance of the choice of machines and unique temperatures for each flavor of gelato. “Many of these students never spent time in dining services, so being in the basement of Ratty to have this experience with a world-class gelato maker, eating and creating these flavors — I hope it’ll be one of their lasting memories of Brown,” Lorenz said. The final gelato demonstration and tasting session will take place today at 1 p.m. and the last film screening, at which gelato samples will be served, is at 7 p.m. in the Granoff Center.
religious overtones. With intermittent appearances of instruments such as the sitar and oud, coupled with continuous chanting, spontaneous humming and the singer’s vocal hysteria, the band creates its own eccentric version of a contemporary rock choir. Yeasayer’s second album, 2010’s “Odd Blood,” inherits the kind of experimental spirit that often creates classics. Through outlandish synthetics, like those heard in video games and pop melodies, “Odd Blood” spawns psychedelic indulgence, nourishing their music ideology. Yeasayer is unstoppable in
advancing experimental ambitions. Its subsequent album, “Fragrant World,” rediscovered an R&B style, while its live album, “Good Evening, Washington D.C.,” ventured back into abstract forms of experimental music. It’s hard not to be mesmerized by the kaleidoscopic variations and unexpected seasoning of the band’s distinct elements. “Yeasayer are a dancable band that combines electronic and pop and rock music,” Sobor said, adding that the band’s presence will create an “even more fun and a more enjoyable concert Friday night.”
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overrepresented.” Sukin said she has seen many military recruiters visit schools in the South, and she believes Cohn was “underplaying the regional representation” in the armed forces. Cohn stressed the importance of ongoing public debate and better education as a foundation for a better understanding of the military. By emphasizing science and math over history, philosophy and politics, “you’re not doing democracy any favors,” Cohn said in the question-and-answer session following the panel. Martin Cook, professor of professional military ethics at the Naval War College, agreed with Cohn that the U.S. military is not well-understood by civilians, though he added that it “is respected and honored at a distance.” “It is too easy to allow our out-ofsight, out-of-mind force to go into harm’s way” and think “thanking them at the airport” is enough repayment, Cook said. This mentality results in repeatedly deploying “the same individuals” and allows the government to use the military “with impunity,” he said. Julia Stern ’08, founder and executive director of The Service Project, drew on her experiences attending Brown and working in Washington, D.C. to explore the relationship between millennials and the military. She cited her own lack of knowledge of the military as a Brown student as an example of the disconnect between young people and the armed forces. “If this super-connected generation is not willing to reach out and communicate … particularly in situations of national security, that is going to become a much more exacerbated problem down the road,” Stern said. The final panelist, Catherine Lutz, professor of anthropology and international studies, discussed the portrayal of “war weariness” in the media since 2006. She argued that the term “war weariness,” which has been used most frequently to describe the American public but also in reference to the U.S.
military, Iraqis and Afghans involved in conflict, is a “passive descriptor” that acts as “a muted stand-in for suffering.” Lutz identified two possible explanations for war fatigue in the American public: general tiredness of hearing the same story repeated in the news and an actual ideological opposition to U.S. intervention in other countries. Jim Gardner ’65 MA’68 told The Herald he attended the panel because he hoped to learn more about issues surrounding civil-military relations, adding that he believes the Naval War College is one of the best places in the world to study foreign policy. Gardner served in Vietnam but took a leave of absence from the Navy to attend Brown, where he participated in the naval ROTC. Jessica Katzenstein GS said she attended the event because she is interested in the 1033 Program, which transfers surplus military equipment to the police. Katzenstein said she was “surprised to see the diversity of opinions” represented on the panel, adding that she had only made assumptions about figures on civilian representation in the armed forces before the panel. The event, titled “In and Out of Uniform: Civil-Military Relations Reconsidered,” was cosponsored by the Watson Institute and the Naval War College. The event included two panels followed by a conversation with Fallows via video.
UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
St. Patrick’s Day in University history 1964 In anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day, 700 college students, including several from Brown, gathered at the Commodore Hotel in New York City for a “sex orgy,” The Herald reported at the time. Students engaged in “drinking and brawling” and threw Bibles, lamps, ashtrays and other furnishings out of the hotel windows. Attendees also broke windows, smashed an elevator door and sprayed each other with fire hoses. The week before, a similar event had taken place in Indianapolis. Students from New York University, Princeton, Villanova University, the University of Massachusetts and other colleges were also in attendance.
1992 Heather Seal ’94 urged students to “do something wild and don’t get smashed off your arse this St. Patrick’s Day” in a Herald opinions column. Seal wrote that the image of the “drunk Paddy Irishman” remained a pernicious stereotype, though students often laughed it off. She proposed that students instead use the holiday to learn about Irish culture by reading the work of Irish writers or listening to Irish musicians. In the same issue, The Herald published a letter from David Phemister ’94 urging the University to permit kegs during Spring Weekend. Phemister argued that kegs were the most environmentally friendly way to consume beer, especially if students also used reusable mugs.
2007 Facing a weekend that featured both St. Patrick’s Day and the Queer Alliance’s Starf*ck party, administrators prepared for an increase in students requiring emergency medical care, The Herald reported at the time. The University rented a second ambulance to attend to students at Starf*ck, said Margaret Klawunn, then associate vice president for campus life and dean of student life. Eight students required emergency medical care in 2005, the previous time Starf*ck was held, she said. Klawunn identified Starf*ck and St. Patrick’s Day as “two events in which students are likely to drink irresponsibly.” Department of Public Safety officers searched Alumnae Hall, where the party would be held, for illicit substances, and there was a large security presence at the event. Additionally, Health Services led a campus campaign against the overconsumption of alcohol.
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
BASEBALL
Bruno strikes out in quest for win With loss against U. of Rhode Island Tuesday, Bruno maintains one win for the season By MATTHEW BROWNSWORD SENIOR STAFF WRITER
After taking two trips deep into the Southeast, the men’s baseball team took a much shorter visit to the University of Rhode Island Tuesday, hoping to achieve just its second win of the season. Unfortunately for the Bears (1-10), this was not to be the case, as URI (3-6) jumped all over starting pitcher Jake Spezial ’17 early and never relinquished the lead after the first inning. After giving up two early walks, Spezial gave up a double down the left field line to Mike Corin, allowing the two runners on base to score. Nick DeRegis did some damage on the basepaths in the second inning, getting to first on a bunt single and stealing two bases. Jordan Powell knocked DeRegis in with a single up the middle in what turned out to be the game-winning run for the Rams. The third inning was more of the same, as Derek Gardella walked for the second time and advanced to third after Corin was hit by a pitch and a ball passed catcher Mark Sluys ’18.
Mike Sherburne flied out to center, scoring Gardella, and then Corin scored on another wild pitch. Taylor Wright ’15 came to the mound in the middle of the third for Spezial and let up a triple to DeRegis, and then a Matt O’Neil groundout scored DeRegis. Wright went three and two-thirds of an inning before Dante Bosnic ’18 came in for his third appearance of the year. “As a staff we’re just trying to give our team a chance to win the game,” Wright said. “We think our offense is good enough to make up early deficits, so if we can hold the opponent at bay, we think we have a chance to win.” Wright gave up two runs: one after the Bears chose to get the double play instead of trying to get a runner out at home, and another on an error off of a pickoff attempt. Bruno did not get on the scoreboard until the eighth inning, when Sluys walked and advanced on a ground out and two passed balls to cross the plate. It looked like it could be a big inning for Brown after Robert Henry ’17, Noah Shulman ’16 and Will Marcal ’15 all reached base. But Dan Kerr ’15 grounded out to first, leaving the bases loaded. Sam Hauser ’17 pitched one scoreless inning in his first appearance for the Bears. The team desperately needs someone to step up and solidify its
bullpen — after Tuesday’s game, the team ERA improved from 10.06 over the previous 10 games to 9.00. Brown tacked on another run in the ninth after Henry walked for the second inning in a row with the bases loaded, plating first-year backup catcher Sluys. “Rob has been huge for our offense as a table setter as the leadoff guy when he’s always on,” Wright said. “It gives us early momentum in the game, and he gives our offense a lot of confidence by putting pressure on their pitcher early.” In only his third appearance for Bruno, Sluys went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs. But the Bears again stranded three runners, as Shulman grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game. “We have a lot of good players, and we’ve shown some good signs so far this year,” Wright said. “We’ve played some good teams early in preparation for the Ivy League schedule, and the goal is to win those games. We’re close to putting together complete games and series, so by the time the conference starts we should be clicking.” Bruno has nine games in nine days scheduled over spring break, with a trip down to Washington, D.C. to face Georgetown and George Mason before starting Ivy League play the following weekend.
C R E AT I V I T Y S O A R S
2009 About 30 Providence residents gathered at downtown bookstore Ada Books to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a reading of James Joyce’s short story, “The Dead,” The Herald reported at the time. Over the course of an hour and a half, 19 community members took turns reading the story aloud. The event was organized by Matthew Lawrence, founder of the website Not About the Buildings and a former Brown Bookstore employee. Lawrence started the website in 2006 in response to the possible closing of several Providence Public Library branches. Though the branches survived, Lawrence continued to use the website to organize readings, book clubs, writing workshops and other literary events around Providence.
MATTIO MOBILIO / HERALD
An art installation near the Whiskey Republic floats high in the spring winds as snow melts away in Providence, easing the job of sanitation crews and city employees.
TODAY
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 • PAGE 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
menu
r a i s e yo u r v o i c e
SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Gourmet Grilled Cheese BLUE ROOM Mediterranean Pocket Soups: Hearty Country Vegetable, Tomato Florentine, Baked Potato ANDREWS COMMONS Pizzas: Thai BBQ, Honey Boo Boo, Mushroom Madness
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Cheese Ravioli with Pink Vodka Sauce, Polynesian Chicken Wings, Vegetable Egg Rolls
Vegan Curried Vegetables, Tortellini Angelica, Bok Choy Grilled with Olive Oil
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Chicken Fajitas, Vegan Black Bean Taco, Vegan Mexican Succotash, Potato Salad
Eggplant Parmesan, General Tso Chicken Stir Fry, Pork Pie French Style, Boston Cream Pie
sudoku
ELI WHITE / HERALD
Trans activist, artist and writer Reina Gossett led a workshop on social justice organizing. She also gave a lecture about her work in the LGBTQ and trans prison abolition movements.
comics P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ‘17
RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Los Angeles Times Puzzle c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
ACROSS 1 Cellist’s need 4 North of Colombia 9 P.T. goal 14 In a style resembling 15 Make less dangerous 16 Clear 17 Hipster 18 Inspiration for a chewy candy 20 Doglike scavengers 22 Bird on Australia’s coat of arms 23 __-di-dah 24 “Frasier” role 25 Run __: find 28 Horns banned at the 2014 World Cup 31 Tons 35 Nobelist Pavlov 36 Visual greeting 37 Peruvian wool sources 38 “Yo, how’s things?” 39 Colorful island dresses 41 Game show VIPs 42 Umpteen 44 “Hometown Proud” supermarket chain 45 Give (out) 46 It’s a wrap 47 Yoga-inspired athletic apparel brand 49 Actor Piven of “Entourage” 51 __ trip 52 Master 55 Kyoto cash 56 Hammerheads, e.g. 59 Dish at a 37Down 63 Electron-deficient particle, e.g. 64 Varnish resin 65 Pet problem? 66 Alias lead-in 67 Crashed, so to speak 68 Closer 69 Morning salmon DOWN 1 One of music’s Three Bs 2 Maker of Regenerist skin care products
3 Steam 4 Contemporary electronic music genre 5 Weighty obligation 6 Howard’s best friend on “The Big Bang Theory” 7 “Storage Hunters” network __TV 8 Bonfire leftovers 9 Turndowns 10 Misspeak, say 11 Swag 12 Where Bhutan is 13 “Little Women” woman 19 Rock genre 21 Any thing 25 Felipe of baseball 26 Element in a rechargeable battery 27 Hydromassage facility 28 Travel papers 29 Soft palate dangler 30 Plenty, to texters 32 Timeless 33 __-ovo vegetarian 34 Krupp Works city 37 Island bash
39 Do-it-yourselfer’s nightmare 40 Homely 43 __ Mahal 45 Start of something big? 47 Delaware tribe 48 Presidential debate moderator Jim 50 Seminary subj. 52 Big primates 53 Select 54 Fencing blade
56 Golf great Ballesteros 57 Gorilla who learned sign language 58 Junk food, in adspeak 60 Official at a base 61 Commonly used base 62 “Ideas worth spreading” conference acronym
Ampersand | Wasita Mahaphanit ‘18
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
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calendar
03/18/15
TODAY 5:30 P.M. “SHOULD BROWN HAVE A WINTER TERM?”
12:00 P.M. STUDY BREAK IN THE MEMORIAL ROOM
Students, adminstrators and faculty will have the opportunity to discuss the possibility of implementing
Curricular Resource Center peer advisors will answer students’ questions about group independent study projects, independent concentrations and leaves of absence. Faunce, Memorial Room
a winter term at Brown. Salomon 001 6:30 P.M. “FEMIN-ISH: AN MPC WORKSHOP ON MAINSTREAM LIBERAL FEMINISM”
This workshop, moderated by Minority Peer Counselors, will explore several aspects of liberal feminism, critiquing its definition, intersectionality and discussing possible alternatives and improvements. Smith-Buonanno 106 8:00 P.M. PROVE IT: MAN UP OR STEP DOWN
By Ryan McCarty ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
03/18/15
TOMORROW
Hosted by Brown Sexual Health Education and Empowerment Council, panelists will explore, define and challenge different conceptions of masculinity. Salomon 001
2:30 P.M. READING BY POET JULIA FIERDORCZU
Julia Fierdorczu, a Polish writer, poet and translator, will read from her work as part of the Writers on Writing series. McCormack Family Theater 4:00 P.M. “BLACK COMMUNITIES AND THE POLICE: ON THE MEANING OF FERGUSON”
Four scholars will review and discuss the long-term signifcance of the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri last August. Watson Institute, Joukowsky Forum
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
EDITORIAL
Cleaning up social media pages With spring break coming up, students should exercise judgment when posting incriminating pictures, statuses and videos on social media. When students post pictures of themselves participating in illegal or questionable activities, their online presentation could reflect poorly on Brown’s image. With that in mind, students should delete or refrain from posting potentially inappropriate material on social media. As college students, we have the right to make our own decisions when it comes to drinking, smoking or other activities. But we have to be wary of making these decisions public because social media is increasingly how the world interacts with the Brown community — it is far more common than brochures or that John Krasinski ’01 video, unfortunately. Many of our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts can be linked to Brown, and how we portray ourselves online could jeopardize the way outsiders feel about the institution we represent. In particular, we are all connected to high school friends on our social media pages, and we must keep in mind that our online behavior affects their perception of our university. Perhaps that Facebook friend chooses another university over Brown because he is intimidated by the pictures of parties that far outnumber the pictures of classrooms. Perhaps your friend’s parents see some unsavory images online and encourage their son or daughter to consider another school. Take the case of Patrick Schwarzenegger, a student at the University of Southern California. He was recently pictured taking body shots off a classmate in Cabo. His activity, while common for college students over spring break, is now public and directly affects people’s impressions of his university. But as these images circulate online, people form their own opinions. Some students might be clamoring for the opportunity to go to USC. More commonly, however, parents are probably terrified at the thought of sending their children to the school. Its academic reputation is immediately eclipsed by one photo. We are not celebrities, but these images are important reminders that our online presence is an important factor in public perception. Following simple procedures and rules would prevent inappropriate social media posts. Maybe underage students could avoid pictures with red solo cups — an indication to parents and high school students that there was probably alcohol at that event. Additionally, students could avoid posting pictures of themselves clearly intoxicated; these portrayals potentially allow social media users to make their own negative inferences. Finally, Brown students should never post offensive, harmful material. It is not that the world does not know these things go on in college, but social media presents a lopsided view of our community. Hopefully, these cautionary measures we have laid out are not seen as a limitation to our personal freedom. Rather, they reflect a sense of satisfaction in properly representing our university. Students should simply be aware of their online presences in order to be more careful in the future.
M I R A N DA F R I E L
CORRECTION A March 4 editorial (“Data: A common language for a better Brown”) misstated that the University does not publish student survey results. In fact, student survey results are available on the Office of Institutional Research website. The Herald regrets the error.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“Art should never be an excuse for racial violence.” — Rachel Ossip ’15
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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Challenging master narratives GRAHAM ROTENBERG opinions columnist
The revelations of the past week have shaken Brown’s campus and will undoubtedly continue to send shockwaves as time progresses. As evidenced by the #moneytalksatbrown movement and social media campaigns, Brown’s internal justice system is increasingly perceived as a paragon of injustice and unfairness. I can’t imagine being a victim in a case like this one. The emotional and physical trauma of sexual assault is something that nobody should have to go through, especially when the details of a case are so public. We are, however, in an era defined by narratives and quick judgements that can encompass discussion of emotionally charged issues. Narratives matter. They are definitional, informative and important in establishing how we interface with the world. But they can be allencompassing. Privilege and power dynamics matter, but they do not necessarily mean that somebody is guilty. As a freshman at Brown, one of the first things I learned was the power of narratives. In a first year seminar taught by Senior Lecturer in Education Luther Spoehr called “The Campus on Fire,” I learned about the issues of the 1960s by examining college campuses and considering the ways in which these
micro-cultures distilled larger social issues and brought them to the forefront of national dialogue. Spoehr taught us, through the free speech movement at the University of California at Berkeley, that when we allow our preconceived ideas to define narratives, we open ourselves to rushed judgements and inaccurate conclusions. Undoubtedly, we are the consumers of narrative language, and this isn’t healthy for anyone. In
work on altering the public perception that fraternities are elitist, racist promulgators of exclusivity. But not all fraternities are the same, and we need to use specific examples rather than widespread classifications. Conceptions of justice at Brown have changed. Money clearly matters, and its perception as a driving force matters too; the school needs to work on addressing this issue. But we should not rush to judge an individual simply because of his
— by the school and by us, the consumers of narrative. This case is particularly tragic because the damage extends beyond those immediately affected: For many people, trust in Brown’s ability to handle serious cases is largely gone. I fear for women who have to overcome an incredible burden of proof — not only legal but also social. But I also hope that we as members of the Brown community do not devolve into demonizing indi-
Regardless of guilt or innocence, there has been undeniable psychological harm done to all parties — including the accused — by the school and by us, the consumers of narrative.
some cases, like the recent University of Virginia case that was featured in a discredited Rolling Stone article, the factual truth of the story wasn’t the only thing that mattered. There is still the amorphous conception that fraternities facilitate sexual assault. Though not all fraternities are responsible for sustaining predatory environments, that perception was so salient it went without challenge. We are still feeling the repercussions and trying to understand the inner workings of “privileged” all-male circles. Fraternities are invariably responsible for these notions and are therefore responsible for challenging them. They need to
background, financial privilege and fraternity membership, view them as markers of guilt and allow that narrative to dominate. This is problematic and contrary to what I believe is a key pillar of Brown and what I have learned here: the importance of nuance and challenging dominant narratives. Societally, it is important to question the facts of a situation before drawing conclusions. We must remember and understand that there are human faces and identities behind those involved in the most recent claims. Regardless of guilt or innocence, there has been undeniable psychological harm done to all parties — including the accused
viduals who may not be guilty based on incomplete information about what happened and without a discussion of individualized motives and a clear understanding about the opaque nature of the testing. Wealth and power are not necessarily guilt. Mass opinion of guilty until proven innocent is very problematic, especially in the context of two different people. In a March 9 article, The Herald reported on campus reaction to one of the accused student’s financial ties to the school. But until this issue is further investigated, it is only a question and not a conclusion. But the question itself has raised salient points. Undergradu-
ate Council of Students President Maahika Srinivasan ’15 argues that money played a role given that the student who allegedly served a drink with GHB has a team of two lawyers, whereas one of the complainants “doesn’t even have a lawyer.” Though I do not think that someone who has been accused of administering GHB has any choice but to employ professional lawyers, Srinivasan’s point is well-taken. In cases of such extreme importance, why are we not providing practitioners of the law for both sides? Columbia, after a major controversy of its own, is no beacon for justice in the realm of sexual assault, but the school now provides access to legal counsel for both parties in cases of sexual assault. In order to ensure that complex cases are handled with greater care, they should include at least some semblance of a professional legal structure, because what we currently have clearly failed everyone. I do not have all the answers. I do, however, believe that the people perpetuating the concept that money and privilege equal guilt do not either. Before rushing to narratives that dominate public opinion, it is necessary that we understand a fundamental idea that the truth depends on where we sit.
Graham Rotenberg ’17 can be reached at graham_rotenberg@brown. edu.
Fed up with the flag fights IAN KENYON opinions columnist
Last week, the Internet imploded in yet another chapter of the saga over political correctness in patriotism: Is it okay to photograph a newborn wrapped in the American flag? As Fox News reported, U.S. Navy sailor Rodney Clevenger and his wife Samantha approached Vanessa Hicks, a photographer based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the intent of capturing a patrioticthemed photo of their newborn child. Hicks and the Clevengers, after reviewing similarlythemed photographs on Pinterest, agreed upon a concept: the newborn cradled in Old Glory and held by Clevenger in his uniform. Hicks then posted the photo to her business’ Facebook page on March 8, only to receive thousands of responses. They ranged from supportive to more chilling. The reactions to the posting of the photo highlight a continued streak of hyper-political correctness and hypocrisy that should not surround Old Glory today. Just last week, Old Glory caught news headlines when the Legislative Council at the University of California at Irvine voted 6-4 to remove the flag from the sitting lounge of the student government center. As the Los Angeles Times reported, the decision drew the ire of students, locals and UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman, who spitefully promised protesters, “We will see even more Stars and Stripes at UCI, as we add additional flagpoles near the campus entrance.”
Backtrack to 2013, when Home and Garden Television’s use of an American flag as a tablecloth in a segment titled “Classic Fourth of July Table Setting Ideas” drew outrage from a small — but loud — group of viewers. “No one dies for a tablecloth,” argued one viewer. HGTV eventually removed the segment and apologized on its Facebook account. Old Glory was even a point of debate in the 2008 presidential election. In 2007, President Obama spoke on his decision not to wear a U.S. flag lapel pin. He called the pin a “substitute for true patriotism” and said, “I’m less concerned
It cannot be ignored that the U.S. “flag code” exists: Chapter 1, Title 4 of the United States Code. There is a 14-page 2008 publication by the Congressional Research Service outlining the entirety of Title 4, along with an additional seven pages regarding “frequently asked questions on flag display, use and associated matters.” I quickly skimmed through this document and identified where debate over cases such as the Clevengers’ situation could be aroused. Indeed, under the section entitled “respect for flag,” item (d) states that the “flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding or drapery”
The recent reaction over a lone artistic interpretation of Old Glory cradling a newborn is absolute hypocrisy. Such innovative displays should unite Americans, not divide them.
about what you’re wearing on your lapel than what’s in your heart.” I disagree with President Obama on many issues, but this is one instance in which I understood his rationale. When society vilifies people like the Clevengers, this is a problem. When UC Irvine Chancellor Gillman declares that the already budget-strapped institution will spend more on flagpoles, instead of spending on students, this is an even bigger problem. And when the dialogue of our presidential elections revolves around sartorial decisions, this is a problem of a different scale. The symbol of our liberties and successes has also become a symbol of our shortcomings and failures.
and goes on to identify other dissuaded practices. I have an issue, however, with one constant theme throughout the CRS publication: the chronic use of “should.” Take note, the flag code discusses practices around Old Glory that “should” occur. Using Old Glory as a cradle for a newborn baby is not legally prohibited, and neither is using the flag as a drapery — something I have witnessed on at least one dorm window on campus this year. The code also prohibits that the flag’s likeness be printed on anything used temporarily and ultimately discarded. How many items with U.S. flags printed on them have you purchased? Take a walk into any
big-box retailer around the Fourth of July and ask yourself why there is no outcry over the flag’s use in the context of paper plates, napkins, suggestive swimsuits, temporary tattoos and beer cozies. Certainly, such deviations from the traditional treatment of the flag run contrary to the suggested practices in the code, but if the deviation is positive in intent, why demonize individuals? Why demonize the Clevengers? The recent reaction over a lone artistic interpretation of Old Glory cradling a newborn is absolute hypocrisy. Such innovative displays should unite Americans, not divide them. I am a proud American. My family has sent relatives into multiple wars to defend our land of opportunity. While my personal opinion may differ from that of others, I believe every American has his or her own unique perspective on what patriotism means. And if the Clevengers choose to express their concept of being American by proudly swaddling a newborn in Old Glory, I say, “Why not?” The U.S. flag has many different receptions around the world — some good, and some not so good — so why do Americans bully one another when those doing the bullying share the same love of our country? America faces too many other true problems. Policing patriotism doesn’t need to be one of them.
Ian Kenyon GS is public affairs candidate with the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions, a supporter of liberty and a proud American. He can be reached at ian_kenyon@brown.edu.
ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
This Week in Higher Ed BY JOSEPH ZAPPA, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR
College presidents: Sexual assault happens, but not on my campus An Inside Higher Ed survey of U.S. college presidents found that 32 percent of them agreed or strongly agreed that sexual assault is “prevalent” on college campuses, according to an online report released by the organization. Forty-two percent of respondents indicated they were “neutral” on the statement’s accuracy. But far fewer presidents believed sexual assault occurs on their own campuses. Only 6 percent agreed or strongly agreed that sexual assault is prevalent on their campuses, and 77 percent agreed or strongly agreed that their “campus is doing a good job protecting women from sexual assault,” the report stated. Presidents also expressed the belief that students accused of sexual assault on their campuses receive fair treatment. Ninety percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their institution provides due process for students accused of sexual assault, according to the report. The poll, in which 647 college presidents participated, comes amidst ongoing federal investigations of 101 institutions of higher education for possible Title IX infractions in their handling of sexual misconduct cases, according to the Huffington Post.
SAE looks for retribution against U. of Oklahoma After members of the University of Oklahoma chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon were sanctioned by the institution for a racist chant captured on a video that went viral, the brothers are now considering legal action against the university, the New York Times reported Friday. Stephen Jones, an attorney commissioned by OU’s chapter of SAE, told the Times that several members of the fraternity have received death threats. Jones was vague about exactly what recourse the complainants seek, telling the Times that the brothers would like the university to reconsider its response to the incident. Several black OU students told the Times they have been discriminated against by campus fraternities in the past, having been turned away from parties on account of their race. At least one white student countered this narrative, telling the Times that racially prejudiced sentiments were neither voiced nor tolerated at the fraternity prior to his graduation in 2013. The SAE incident has sparked a nationwide Twitter hashtag, #NotJustSAE, which has highlighted the prevalence of racism at campuses other than OU’s.
Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism to admit fewer students, cut staff Reflecting a nationwide downward trend in the number of newsroom workers, Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism will cut down on its staff corps and student body next year, the New York Times reported March 11. While faculty members will not be affected, six staff posts will be eliminated before next fall, and the school will shrink the size of its incoming classes over the next few years, according to the Times. But the drop in enrollment will be implemented gradually and will mark a transition back to a “historical norm” that was disrupted by a sharp spike in applications after the 2008 financial crisis, the Times reported. The adjustment in student body size comes with two major advantages for the school. First, the drop in enrollment enables the school to offer its students “hands-on and intensive teaching,” wrote Steve Coll, the school’s dean, in an email to staff members and faculty members last week. Second, the school may be able to provide more generous financial aid packages for those who attend, possibly increasing the diversity of the program’s students, the Times reported.
Stanford president expounds on online learning at national conference At a Sunday meeting in Washington of the American Council of Education — a group that draws representatives from about 2,000 institutions of higher education nationwide — Stanford University President John Hennessy delineated several steps universities might take to confront the greatest challenges of the day for higher education institutions, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported Monday. Chief among these challenges is the task of adapting higher education to the digital age, said Hennessy, a scholar of computer science and electrical engineering, according to the Chronicle. Though he warned that neither massive open online courses nor flipped classrooms — two techniques in which Brown has dabbled — could instantly solve the issues facing brickand-mortar institutions, Hennessy said both have the potential to enhance the higher education experience going forward, the Chronicle reported. Hennessy said technology will certainly play a role in pushing universities toward his goal for Stanford: “to provide higher education that is affordable, accessible, adaptable and enhances student learning.”
COURTESY OF CABLE CAR CINEMA
The film, which stars and is written and produced by Flight of the Conchords members Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, finds humor in the daily struggles of three vampires living in modern-day Wellington, New Zealand.
Mockumentary humanizes vampire daily life ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ riffs on social struggles faced by out-oftouch undead By EMILY PASSARELLI SENIOR STAFF WRITER
In the past year, the box office has seen movies chronicling life stories of success and describing the accomplishments of older or deceased members of society. In contrast, Taika Waititi’s and Jemaine Clement’s “What We Do in the Shadows” documents the lives of the undead — of vampires living in a flat in Wellington, New Zealand. Waititi and Clement have previously worked together as the faux singersongwriter duo, Flight of the Conchords. Co-writing and co-producing the film, Wiatiti and Clement also star as Vladislav and Viago, two of the three main vampires. In what can best be described as a “mockumentary,” the film finds humor in life’s mundane activities. Audience members will laugh equally at these quotidian events and at the unique struggles of vampires, being
centuries old, out of touch and living a nocturnal lifestyle on a diet of human blood. Viago acts as a mother of sorts, waking up all of his flat-mates for a “flat meeting” to discuss chores and responsibilities: The dishes haven’t been done in five years; the furniture will be permanently red if bloodstains are not taken care of more quickly; the rent is late. The vampires develop a laughable relationship with their mortal servant Jackie, played by Jackie Van Beek, who supplies them “dinner” and acts as their contact with the human world in the hopes of one day gaining eternal life. Older members of the audience will sympathize with the vamps as they attempt to learn modern technology from their sole human friend Stu, portrayed by Stu Rutherford, while younger members will sympathize with the vamps’ poor social skills with the ladies. The film’s abundant and clever humor almost conceals its disjunctive plot. Viago has an unrequited love, the clan is nearly exposed for what they are and a new vampire, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer’s Nick, joins
the flat, altering the dynamics of the group. The plot’s resolutions to these conflicts are too predictable, but the humor accompanying them keeps the film from seeming banal. While “What We Do in the Shadows” documents the vampires’ struggles, it riffs on the common behaviors of humans, portraying ordinary life struggles in the extreme. Audience members may see a hint of themselves in the vampires’ attempts to dress to go out for the evening. Lacking reflections, the vamps rely on their flatmates’ opinions, century-old style and poorly made sketches. The filmgoers will laugh at their own attempts to impress dinner guests as they watch the vamps dump cold, canned spaghetti on their guests’ dinner plates. Waititi and Clement skillfully use their mockumentary of vampire life among mortals as a tool to encourage us to realize the ironic triviality in perceived social obstacles. At least we can eat without committing murder and enjoy the sunshine without being burnt to ash. “What We Do in the Shadows” will be playing at the Cable Car Cinema through April 2.