9 8 2011

Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969 w September 8, 2011 w Volume 45, Issue 3 w georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown

VOICE 9/11

A DECADE LATER

2 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

comments of the week “New South student center will never happen – it was promised in the last ten year plan, believe it or not. GU is failing to support its students both extracurricularly and off campus, and this interview is proof of how disconnected the administration is from the student body ” — Mike “President DeGioia (and Todd Olson) discuss China, campus plan, Healy Pub, and more”

“Class of 2015 starting early to one up the Class of 2014 it seems.”

—Steven “BREAKING: Fire in Harbin Hall”

“This is a bizarre premise. Either it is a new shuttle service being provided to help students get safely to their desired destinations, or the University is Czechoslovakia and the ANC is Nazi Germany. “ — Rational Student “M Street Shuttle: SafeRides or Sudetenlands?”

“The Trust Fund Mafia strikes again!”

—Jacob “Public Safety Alert: Threatened assault near Henle

Village”

Talk Back

blog.georgetownvoice.com || georgetownvoice.com

Voice Crossword “Hilltoppers” by Scott Fligor

Across 1. Oscar Wilde: “___ can survive everything but a misprint” 6. Newton, e.g.

10. Food thickener 14. “The Eagles” guitarist Joe 15. “The Big Easy” 16. Unclothed 17. Course with Shelly and Dickens

answers at georgetownvoice.com 19. Exhaust 20. Crack team?: Abbr.

21. Vomit precursor 22. Laudatory works 23. Bryn ___ 24. Troll 25. Nostalgic beginning 31. Shed ___ 32. Cupid 33. Like some diamonds?

36. Theater award 37. Like 11-down 39. Simple 40. Three-in-one Med. specialty 41. It holds the line 42. Class 43. Uninvited guest 46. Zero 49. Land of limericks 50. Sicilian spewer 51. It increases with every shot 54. “Take on me” band 57. Hit man 58. See 57-across 60. Poet Silverstein 61. Pete Sampras or Andy Roddick 62. Last year’s NSO theme 63. 2003 epidemic 64. Actress Thompson 65. Snooped

Down 1. Dumbfounded 2. Window section 3. Bond girl Kurylenko 4. Foreigner’s class 5. Jon Krakauer’s “Into ___” 6. Injury-free 7. Outdoor education prg.

8. Tennis’s Nastase 9. Something to save?

10. Second triumvirate member 11. Jersey Shore stereotype 12. Relevant 13. Actress Witherspoon 18. Like logs 23. Affirmative slang 24. Fuel 25. Restrain 26. Lots 27. Lincoln likeness 28. Campus center 29. North end?

30. Follow 33. Impulsive 34. City near Padua 35. Textile employee 37. To be, en Madrid 38. Give permission 39. Leisure 41. Informant 42. Parking garage?

43. Wise bits?

44. It’s abbreviated “c.”

45. Mideast currency 46. Science locale 47. ___ Sketch 48. Derisive glance 51. Art degrees: abbr.

52. Old treasure chest 53. Woodwind item 54. Play divisions 55. Roll call reply 56. Admitted Yankees’ steroid user 59. Keanu Reeves role

ARE YOU A LOGOPHILE? Share your love of words and help us write crosswords.

E-mail crossword@georgetownvoice.com

editorial

georgetownvoice.com

VOICE the georgetown

Volume 45.3 September 8, 2011 Editor-in-Chief: Tim Shine Managing Editor: Sean Quigley Blog Editor: Leigh Finnegan News Editor: Holly Tao Sports Editor: Daniel Kellner Feature Editor: Kara Brandeisky Cover Editor: Iris Kim Leisure Editor: John Sapunor Voices Editor: Kate Imel Photo Editor: Max Blodgett Design Editors: Michelle Pliskin, Catherine Johnson Projects Editor: Rob Sapunor Crossword Editor: Scott Fligor Assistant Blog Editor: Ryan Bellmore Assistant News Editor: Neha Ghanshamdas Assistant Sports Editors: Abby Sherburne, Kevin Joseph Assistant Leisure Editors: Mary Borowiec, Heather Regen Assistant Photo Editors: Julianne Deno, Matthew Funk Assistant Design Editor: Kathleen Soriano-Taylor Contributing Editor: Nico Dodd

Staff Writers:

Nick Berti, Geoffrey Bible, Rachel Calvert, Mary Cass, Emma Forster, Kelsey McCullough, Sadaf Qureshi, Adam Rosenfeld, Melissa Sullivan, Nick Thomas

Staff Photographers:

Sam Brothers, Jackson Perry

Copy Chief: Aodhan Beirne Copy Editors:

Claire McDaniel, Kim Tay

Editorial Board Chair: Jackson Perry Editorial Board:

Gavin Bade, Rachel Calvert, Ethan Chess, Sean Quigley, J. Galen Weber

Head of Business: Keaton Hoffman The Georgetown Voice

The Georgetown Voice is published every Thursday.

the georgetown voice 3 MADE IN CHINA

New MLK memorial dishonors his dream While many have heralded the unveiling of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial on the National Mall as a major milestone for race relations in America, the way it was constructed is an injustice to King’s vision. The selection of a foreign architect, foreign materials, and unpaid foreign labor were unacceptable choices for a memorial to an American icon.

The greatest problem of the monument’s construction was the selection of Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin to complete the memorial. The selection was an insult to the many talented American sculptors and architects who could have executed the project. The fact that a foreign designer was chosen to create a permanent tribute to MLK on the Mall, the center of American historical remembrance and a place to showcase the best of America, is disrespectful to American taxpayers and

to King’s legacy. Unlike the other edifices that grace the symbolic center of our nation, King’s memorial is not Americanmade. The Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument were constructed from Colorado marble and Maryland granite and sandstone respectively, while the MLK memorial was constructed with Chinese marble.

Another disappointing aspect of the affair was the use of free Chinese labor to construct the memorial. The laborers who assembled the memorial worked for “national pride” and no financial compensation. While the Civil Rights movement has been framed in more idealistic and lofty terms, King also strove for economic equality and labor rights.

All across the United States, skilled laborers are looking for work. Some of them could have easily been employed on

this project. Although choosing American labor would not have made a significant impact on the national unemployment rate, it is the responsibility of our government to support the American worker.

Moreover, the failure to use American labor does injustice to King’s championing of workers’ rights.

The memorial’s unfortunate construction reminds us that our government and society remain imperfect, as they were in King’s time. Americans must not passively ignore this dishonor to King’s legacy, but instead use the controversy of the monument’s construction to analyze our current societal ills. This memorial must not serve as a physical declaration that the conversation about, and struggle for, racial equality is over in America. Rather, it should leverage King’s legacy to bring his ideals into sharper focus.

FAILURE TO LAUNCH

University wireless remains inadequate For years, Georgetown students have been waiting for an expanded and protected wireless internet network on campus, a standard service at most universities. When University Information Services announced the launch of SaxaNet, a comprehensive campus wi-fi network, in July, it seemed the days of spotty wireless were finally over. But only weeks after the rollout of the new network, it is already clear that students will still have to wait for good wireless coverage: SaxaNet’s range is limited, and the network frequently malfunctions, which means that UIS’s work is far from done.

In recent years, students have frequently complained that because of the absence of wireless internet access in many residence halls, such as Harbin Hall or Village A, they could only access the internet using a media adapter cord or by purchasing a router of their own.

Non-university routers are not permitted

by UIS, however, and were often blocked if discovered.

SaxaNet has improved the situation for some, but done little for many students on and off campus. Students in Harbin Hall now have access to wireless internet through SaxaNet, but many students in the Southwest Quad still cannot connect to the network. Students in Henle Village have reported problems with the connection, while other parts of campus lack coverage completely. The goal of a single secure network that can be accessed anywhere on University property is still painfully far from being realized.

Equally troublesome is the fact that SaxaNet is not compatible with all operating systems. Students who have installed the most recent “Lion” update to Mac OS X, for example, have found that SaxaNet functions poorly, if at all, on

their computers. It remains unclear when these students will have full access to the network, or whether SaxaNet will be able to function on future updates to the operating system.

After much delay and frustration, SaxaNet has brought secure wireless to many students on campus. But when a new network has been six years in the making, it’s reasonable to expect it to function on all major operating systems and for its coverage to be virtually comprehensive. Instead, Georgetown students returned to campus to find a hodgepodge of frequently dysfunctional wireless networks, from SaxaNet to HOYAS to GuestNet, but still no single, secured, and functioning network. If UIS and the University think that SaxaNet has put an end to student complaints about the state of wireless at Georgetown, they are mistaken.

SCIENCE SCHMIENCE

This newspaper was made possible with the support of Campus Progress, a project of the Center for American Progress, online at CampusProgress.org. Campus Progress works to help young people — advocates, activists, journalists, artists — make their voices heard on issues that matter. Learn more at CampusProgress.org.

Mailing Address: Georgetown University The Georgetown Voice Box 571066 Washington, D.C. 20057

Office: Leavey Center Room 413 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 20057

Email: editor@georgetownvoice.com Advertising: business@georgetownvoice.com Web Site: georgetownvoice.com The opinions expressed in the Georgetown Voice do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University, unless specifically stated. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Editorial Board. Columns, advertisements, cartoons and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or the General Board of the Georgetown Voice.

The University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression of its student editors. The Georgetown Voice is produced in the Georgetown Voice office and composed on Macintosh computers using the Adobe InDesign publishing system and is printed

by Silver Communications. All materials copyright the Georgetown Voice. All rights reserved.

On this week’s cover ... September 11th Cover Design: Iris Kim

Obama disappoints on environmental policy Last week, President Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to drop proposed revisions on existing ozone regulations. Ground level ozone is the primary component of smog, which is known to worsen a variety of respiratory ailments from asthma to bronchitis to emphysema.

The current standard has existed since 1997 and is inadequate to protect public health, according to EPA scientists. Despite this, the president abandoned the new standard, claiming he wants to reduce regulatory costs for businesses.

The biggest problem with the debate is a fundamental misunderstanding of the costs of regulation. According to the EPA, these ozone regulations would have cost anywhere from $20 to $90 billion a year, but this money would not simply disappear from the economy. As these pollutants are removed from American cities, the costs of the disease and death caused by

them would decrease as well. Middle and lower class families, the primary victims of pollution-linked illnesses, would have more money to spend on things other than medication and hospital visits.

Besides saving thousands of lives, better ozone regulations are a sure-fire economic stimulus for the segment of society that is most likely to spend the money. In addition, considering the increased demand for environmental technologies needed to cut ozone emissions, the need for a transition to a more sustainable national growth model, and the eventual quality-oflife improvements for cities with less smog, it seems like this would be a slam-dunk policy. Unfortunately, these points fell on deaf ears in the White House, and the public will continue to suffer because of it.

It’s worth noting that many of President Obama’s recent pro-business additions to his staff have opposed public pro-

tections like this in the past. Chief of Staff William Daley, for instance, fought against the original regulations as head of the Commerce Department in 1997. This conservative influence is not only harming the public but also weakening the President’s chances of enjoying strong support from his base as the next election approaches.

President Obama needs to realize the power he has to influence the national environmental dialogue. His aversion to effective regulations makes the environmental crises this nation faces seem less pressing. Even so, countless citizens are sickened each year by pollutants in our air and water, our wilderness is being eaten up at a frightening rate, and the global climate continues to warm. These problems will only get worse until a president insists on finding solutions. Many people hoped Barack Obama was that president. So far, it looks like he is not.

news

4 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

Healy Pub talks to continue between University, students

by Holly Tao After working on the design plan and the rough cost estimates for the proposed Healy Pub this summer, students in the Georgetown University Student Association’s Healy Space Working Group will be meeting with University President John DeGioia in the coming weeks to discuss a revised vision of the pub. While DeGioia and Vice President of Student Affairs Todd Olson expressed doubt about the viability of the Healy Pub project due to concerns about serving alcohol to students, the working group says that the revised plan should assuage the University’s concerns about the pub.

Colton Malkerson (COL’13), the chair of the GUSA Finance and Appropriations committee, which oversees the Healy Space Working Group, said that he was not surprised by DeGioia and Olson’s comments.

“It demonstrates that he isn’t necessarily [familiar] with the revised proposal,” Malkerson said.

“I think it’s clear from the interview that DeGioia and Olson have a conception of the pub as Rhino in the basement of Healy and that’s certainly not what the proposal calls for.”

The revised proposal lifts the emphasis from the “Pub” and puts

it back on “Healy.” Malkerson said the primary function of the proposal was to bring students back into the iconic Healy building and to make it a focal point of student life. The building hosts classroom space and administrative space, but the working group said there are not many reasons for students to enter the building otherwise.

The proposal would turn a currently unused office space area into a restaurant and study space for students.

Malkerson cited the Tombs and Epicurean as two institutions located near and on campus, respectively, that serve alcohol and limit the consumption of alcohol to students who are 21 years or older. He says the University’s main concern is the kind of atmosphere the pub would create in the Dalgren area and Healy Hall.

“Again, it’s not Rhino, it’s not Thirds. It’s not going to be a crazy ruckus,” Malkerson said.

The Healy Pub Working Group worked on rough sketches for the pub over the summer. They envision the space to be a “dimly-lit, wooden setting” lined with couches and decorated with University archival materials. The pub would also have a private room that can be reserved by any student or faculty member, as well as a separate lounge for quiet study and a raised platform for performances.

The working group has also determined that the financial feasibility of the project is sound with $3.23 million already allocated to the Healy Pub project from the Student Activities Fee Endowment Reform. The group estimates that the total cost for the pub, including construction and licensing fees, would be somewhere between $1,276,800 and $1,344,00.

“We [have the money to] completely remodel the space, move the offices, and set up the infrastructure,” Malkerson said. “Essentially the only thing that is missing

is the green light from the University administration, and that’s certainly key to the proposal.”

Although the University has expressed doubts about the feasibility of Healy Pub, an update submitted by the working group said the University has “agreed to respect the process and hear a full presentation of the proposal on its merits.” The meeting may take place as early as two weeks from now.

The GUSA FinApp Committee has also made progress on implementing a solar panel

system on 43 University owned townhouses, and will be holding a referendum on the solar panel project in the fall.

“It’s a wonderful proposal, and students will see the immediate effect. I think that while there is a lot of focus on Healy Pub, students shouldn’t lose sight of other projects,” Malkerson said.

If the Healy Pub Proposal does not pass, the allocated funds would go to the Georgetown University Social Innovation & Public Service Fund and the New South Student Center.

Plush couches and wood finishing are planned for Healy Pub, not underage raging.

Courtesy Georgetown university

September 11 a catalyst for better vets programs at GU

by Neha Ghanshamdas Prior to September 11, 2001, Georgetown was virtually bereft of a military veteran’s presence. The campus was still brimming with anti-military sentiments, remnants from the Vietnam War. Today, a number of organizations and support groups for both soldiers on active duty and veterans exist on campus: Hoyas for Troops, Georgetown University Student Veterans Association, Georgetown Allies, and the Georgetown University Military Association. But that wasn’t always the case.

Dr. Barbara Mujica, a professor of Spanish at Georgetown University and the faculty adviser to GUSVA, has been a witness to the change in sentiment towards veterans on campus over the past ten years.

When her son, Mauro Mujica-Parodi III, attended University as an undergraduate (before 9/11), he and his roommates were met with hostility when they put up an American flag in the dorm room.

“There were students who made horrible comments and tried to tear it down,” Mujica said. “There was no consciousness of a veterans’ presence at Georgetown [before 9/11] happened.”

Mujica-Parodi was commissioned the day after he graduated from Georgetown and served with the Marine Corps in Iraq from 2004 to 2008.

Even after 9/11, Mujica said there were almost no traces of veteran related activity at Georgetown.

“I went on the Georgetown website and typed in ʻveteranʼ and nothing came up,” Mujica said. “The first thing I started

to do was organize a webpage.

Now Georgetown is a member of GUSVA [and] the organization is being run by veterans.”

Mujica dedicated 80 percent of her non-teaching time to veteran-related activities and worked closely with former GUSVA president Erik Brine.

Founded in the spring of 2009, the Georgetown chapter comprises over 300 veterans and boasts a veterans office with a part-time coordinator on staff.

Mujica is confident that a full veteran’s center will eventually be established at Georgetown.

“The campus has really turned around [and] 9/11 was the catalyst,” said Mujica.

Donna Hernandez (SFS ʼ13), married to a veteran and active member of Georgetown Allies, a group which facilitates civilian-military dialogue on campus, was a freshman when her husband was deployed.

“Now even if [people] are against the war [they] will support our soldiers. Before, veterans were seen as 60-year-olds from Vietnam. Now they may be in your classroom,” Hernandez said.

With the tenth anniversary approaching, she plans to pay respects at Arlington cemetery.

“Itʼs a personal subject for us because there are actual number lots we want to visit,” she said.

“Georgetown has changed a lot, especially in the last few years,” Vice President of GUSVA and U.S. Army veteran Dillon Behr said. “I donʼt know that there was a veteran presence before 9/11, but it has opened its doors up to veterans as a whole.”

The University’s progress in veterans’ support has prompted other schools, like American University and Florida Atlan-

tic, to contact Georgetown for advice about setting up veteran support groups.

A veterans support group meets once a month and includes people from the Academic Resource Center, Student Health Center, Provost’s Office, the admissions office, the financial aid office, the registrar ’s office, and the School of Continuing Studies.

However, Behr said there is still work to be done for veterans at Georgetown, where veterans’ aid is still less than at other schools.

“Itʼs not enough,” he said.

“We need to increase the amount of yellow ribbon coming from Georgetown.”

On September 11, a prayer vigil will be held on Healy Lawn, followed by the second annual 185 For Heroes event on Saturday and a 5k run/ walk on Sunday.

news

georgetownvoice.com

Crowd control concerns at Club Lau

by Holly Tao As hundreds of students waited to enter Lauinger Library for the Welcome Week and What’s After Dark’s “Party at Club Lau” around 11:00 p.m. last Saturday, Department of Public Safety officers tried to corral students into a single line, but some students say that the officers’ actions that night nearly caused a mob scene.

Sean Keady (COL ’13) had been waiting to get into Lauinger for 30 minutes before the DPS officers came out of the library to organize the line. According to students, the line was 10 people deep at that point, and there were roughly 100 people crowding around the front of the line near the entrance, with more students straggling towards the back of the line. The crowd of students stretched from Lauinger to Healy Hall.

“Students weren’t particularly rowdy,” Keady said. “There were just a lot of people. They weren’t confronting DPS officers and they weren’t trying to push their way [into Club Lau].”

Mark Stern (COL ’13), who was also on the line at that time, said the students were moving in place and were rowdy, but no one was pushing or shoving. “They were excited,” Stern said. “People come to Club Lau to be part of a part of a Georgetown community. People were talking to each other… [the atmosphere] was very much in the spirit of the community.”

At 11:00 p.m., DPS officers came from inside the library and

demanded that students form a single line. The officers shouted at students with bullhorns to control the line, sometimes getting into their faces with the bullhorn. While some students decided to leave the situation at that point, other students started pushing and shoving each other to get a place in the line.

Stern described the situation as “a few bullhorn shouts away from a mob scene.” Both students said the DPS officers were aggressive with the students from the moment they emerged from Lauinger. However, there were no physical altercations between the students and the officers.

Vice President for University Safety Rocco DelMonaco, Jr. was not available for comment.

Keady said that many students had been drinking, which did not help the problem. “My overall perception was that the DPS officers were not trained to handle the situation. I don’t think there are many events on campus [of this size], and there are not many opportunities for the officers to crowd control,” he said.

DPS and students tango in the moonlight at Club Lau.

Let students serve students The Healy Pub proposal took a major hit this past week following the Voice and The Hoya’s biannual interview with University President John DeGioia and Vice President for Student Affairs Todd Olson. Despite meetings conducted by the Georgetown Univerity Student Associations’s Finance and Appropriations Committee that solidified the design and space for the Healy Pub, DeGioia and Olson seemed to indicate that the plan to bring back the pub was most likely dead on arrival.

“I think the notion of trying to catch the Healy Pub—I think this is a blast from the past,” DeGioia said. “But this is not relevant, it doesn’t really fit the current con-

ANC 2E-SMD 04 commissioner Jake Sticka (COL ’13), who was also present at Lauinger, said he would be filing an official complaint about the handling of the line in front of the library. As of Wednesday evening, Vice President of Communications Stacy Kerr said that the University had “not received any complaints regarding the behavior of officers on Saturday evening.”

Kerr encourages students to make a formal complaint if they do have concerns with how situations are handled by DPS officers.

“Safety of all students is our top priority and we take every case seriously,” said Kerr. “This is why we have a process for students to make a formal complaint.”

Stern, however, felt the incident at Lauinger was out of the norm.

“I think the extremeness of incompetence in handling the event was out of the ordinary. There are some DPS officers who abuse their authority and this was one of the times. I think this proves we need to get a better dialogue about [DPS] officers’ authority on campus and how it is used on students.”

text. […] I just don’t think that the Healy Pub is part of the picture for addressing student space at Georgetown.”

It should not come as a shock to anyone who is at all familiar with the ways of the Georgetown administration that the idea to bring back Healy Pub would be shot down, but it is disheartening to see this response following the initial proposals for the New South Student Center.

The Smith Group, the architecture firm hired by the University to create the NSSC, presented its initial proposal to student leaders in a forum hosted by Olson in early July. Space allocated for a pub, or at least a lounge where alcohol is

MAX BLoDGett

served, was a prominent component of the design.

But DeGioia and Olson’s main issue with the Healy Pub is that it would be difficult to control the service of alcohol to underage students. “We have not demonstrated in this changed environment that we can manage a pub on campus in the way that the Healy Pub char-

saxa Politica

by Geoffrey Bible

A bi-weekly column on campus news and politics acterized this campus from 1974 to 1988,” DeGioia said. “The alumni who have been enthusiastic about this project forget that in 1985 to 1986, the laws changed.”

That the administration supports an area that serves alcohol

the georgetown voice 5

GU Farmers’ Market returns

by Neha Ghanshamdas Despite the heavy rain that had been falling all day, Georgetown University’s second Farmers’ Market took place Wednesday afternoon in Healy Circle, as students lined up for everything from Belgian waffles to peaches.

The project’s co-founders Breanna Donald (NHS ‘12) and Melissa Gadsden (NHS ’12) imagined the farmers’ market after taking a Health Promotion and Disease Prevention course, and were able to carry out their proposal after receiving a two-year ReImagine Georgetown grant.

A portion of the grant has been used to buy 100 percent recycled bags and organic cotton T-shirts, which are sold to help offset costs of running the market. In addition, GUSA has helped with promotion and providing volunteers. Donald said she also hopes get the Corp involved in sustaining the project.

However, as seniors in the NHS, Donald and Gadsden are concerned about the transition of their leadership positions.

While GUSA has legislation in place for running the farmers market, Donald said, “it would be best if we [continue working] with GUSA and figure out who within our [own] committee would be able to take on such a huge leadership role.”

Donald said she and Gadsden were looking for ways to in the New South Student Center but harbors misgivings about a student-run pub like Healy Pub further illustrates its disconnect with students’ desire for more space. Creating the space in the NSSC run by a corporation rather than by students would defeat the purpose of making the New South project a student center. After all, the support for Healy Pub extends beyond alcohol: students want an area where they can meet and hang out with other students organically.

Furthermore, the University’s misgivings about students serving other students alcohol are unfounded. The Tombs operates only a block off campus and has a staff that consists of a number of undergraduate students, but is also known as being one of the toughest bars in the area for using

expand the program after a successful pilot market last spring, including adding more vendors and collaborating with vendors to create a compost initiative.

Donald also hinted at a seventh special market before Thanksgiving.

“We are working on getting a dairy vendor and another fresh produce vendor, specifically vegetables,” Donald said. A vendor outreach committee, a marketing committee, and a community outreach committee are also in the works, she said.

Most of the same vendors will return, including Whole Foods, the Sweetflow van, Beechwood Orchards, Panorama Bakery, and Les Caprices de Joelle, all within a 200-mile radius of Georgetown. Wednesday’s market premiered Sâuçámobile, an on-the-go selection of international cuisine served to the beats of an eclectic soundtrack.

Surveys distributed last year demonstrated a call for more produce options and green projects. In response, the farmers’ market has collaborated with GUSA on their new compost initiative. Donald said she hopes to turn the market into a community event, involving both members of the University and neighbors living in the West Georgetown and Burleith areas.

“We definitely have taken into account these surveys and are working on improvements,” she said.

fake IDs. Having students serving other students alcohol is not unprecedented, either. Every year, students on the Senior Class Committee undergo training to be able to serve alcohol at SCC events.

If President DeGioia’s concerns about Healy Pub are due to space issues, then the administration’s opposition is understandable and a pub should be pursued in the New South Student Center instead.

However if DeGioia’s opposition is due to legal concerns, then the administration must explain why it has contradicted itself and supported the creation of an area that serves alcohol in the New South Student Center.

Tell Geoffrey how you like your drinks served at gbible@george townvoice.com

sports

6 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

Hoyas roll, dismantle Davidson in opener

by Kevin Joseph This season, it’s all about experience for the Georgetown football team. After defeating Davidson by a score of 20-10 in North Carolina last season, the team tore the Wildcats apart in a 40-16 showcase at Multi-Sport Field last Saturday.

Last season, the Hoyas relied on a number of sophomores, including linebacker Jeremy Grasso. A year later, that experience is coming to full fruition as Grasso and other thirdyear players led both sides of the ball last weekend. After a 2010 season where he and fellow junior Rob McCabe started on the outside, Grasso moved to middle linebacker.

“It was a big change, learning the defense from a whole new position,” the linebacker said. “But, as far as comfort, I’m really comfortable inside and it’s really good to be back there.”

Grasso responded to the move with perhaps the best individual defensive display Patriot League fans will witness all season, recording 3.5 sacks and eight tackles, including 4.5 tackles for a loss and a fumble recovery. The junior’s performance earned him Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week honors, but Grasso remains focused on the upcoming Patriot League schedule.

“It was a big honor. It gave me a little confidence and felt really good,” Grasso said. “I

have to credit my teammates for opening up gaps, doing their jobs. I can’t take the credit myself, it has to go to my teammates.”

Led by Grasso, the defense held Davidson to just 16 points on the evening. Juniors Jeremy Moore and McCabe recorded seven and six tackles each, respectively, to go alongside interceptions from senior safety David Quintero and sophomore defensive back Stephen Atwater. This season, the secondary was touted as the strongest and most experienced aspect of the Hoya defense, but the entire unit stepped up to hold the Wildcats to negative seven yards on the ground.

“We knew that they had a few runs and didn’t do much with it,” head coach Kevin Kelly said.

“Overall, [I’m] pleased with the effort of the whole operation.”

On the offensive side, there was more uncertainty, especially at quarterback, but junior Isaiah Kempf took the reins at starter and never looked back, accounting for one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown on 79 rushing yards and 172 passing yards. Kempf was assisted by the Hoyas’ starting tailback, Nick Campanella, who rushed for 82 yards and three touchdowns less than a week after Kelly predicted a breakout season for the sophomore.

Establishing themselves as mainstays behind center in

Isaiah Kempf tore apart Davidson’s defense with 245 total yards.

JULIANNE DENO

Week 1, Kempf and Campanella gave a great deal of credit to the team’s revamped offensive line.

“It was definitely a team game—our line played phenomenally,” Kempf said. “They only gave up one sack. I didn’t think we were going to run as much as we did but they presented a lot of holes for us to run through.”

Kevin Sullivan, who moved from right guard to right tackle over the offseason, led the line by scoring his first career touchdown after diving on a loose ball in the end zone. The junior ’s debut at right tackle coincided with sophomore James Spaly’s first collegiate start at left tackle, forming a new an-

chor for the Hoya offense this season.

This weekend, the Hoyas begin their Patriot League schedule against a motivated Lafayette team. In the preseason Patriot League Coaches Poll, the Leopards were picked to finish fourth, one spot ahead of the Hoyas. However, Lafayette already suffered their first setback last week, falling to North Dakota State 42-6. But Grasso says the result isn’t an indication of the matchup they will face this weekend.

“Lafayette is a really big game for us,” he said. “They’re going to be a much tougher opponent [than Davidson], but we’re really confident going in from our first game.”

After last season’s 28-24 victory over the leopards, the Hoyas have good reason to be confident. Yet. they are not overlooking their first Patriot League opponent. Kempf and company are committed to winning their last home game until October 22, but perhaps in a different fashion than their ground attack last weekend.

“They [Lafayette] like to load up the box a lot, so we’re definitely going to try to throw it around,” Kempf said.

Georgetown’s air attack could propel the team to a 2-0 start for the second straight year. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday evening at MultiSport Field.

the Sports Sermon “Naw, I mean hell, he is a little freaky I guess.”— Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan on his brother’s foot fetish reaches of a Manhattan skyscraper conference room, hoping to one day wake up and learn that the season would start on schedule.

Now that an agreement has finally been reached, the details of the dispute seem already forgotten: we just want football.

Nevertheless, while fans try to forget about the lockout, it is impossible to avoid noticing the profound impact the late resolution of

Most importantly, while the lockout had threatened to It’s that time of year again, and shorten the regular season, the it couldn’t have come a moment settlement was reached in time too soon. After the long months of for just one preseason game to the NFL lockout, when sports fans be cancelled. But the prospect had little to entertain themselves of a lost season made us cling to with outside of tedious midseaoffseason news more than ever. son baseball and snippets of news Nothing is different about this about ongoing NFL player-owner season besides a few minor negotiations, football is finally rule changes and shorter trainback. With the official start of the ing camps, but after the nearNFL season slated for death experience Pete Rose Central tonight, matching up of the summer, Da bettin’ line the past two Super something about Bowl Champions, the beginning of Dookies Margin Hoyas the Green Bay Packthis fall seems (underdogs) (duh!) ers and New Orleans (favorites) more meaningful.

Saints, America is So this weekNL Hitters Bionic Arm primed for a return Strasburg end, whether you’re Peyton’s Streak to some semblance Kerry Collins Father Time watching Michael of sporting normalcy.

The Field Bad Djokes Vick and the Eagles Djokovic Forget about nauseatbegin their quest for ing questions of revenue sharing the conflict has had on the build- a ring as this season’s hot favorites and salary scales—it’s finally time up to the regular season. Teams or checking out the gripping divito ask yourself every offseason’s were given just a few weeks to sional rivalry between the Baltimost important question: “Are sign players, negotiate with hold- more Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelyou ready for some football?” outs, and release players, leading ers, take a moment to reflect on the Barely a few months ago, the to dozens of Pro-Bowlers and charade that this lockout has been. very existence of professional foot- respected veterans playing musi- The new labor agreement and rule ball was up in the air, all because of cal chairs with their squads. Ev- changes will impact the game on a dispute that seems just as child- ery team was essentially forced and off the field, but few things ish in retrospect as it did then. to make all the personnel moves else constitute any sort of noticeOwners squabbled over how to of an entire offseason just before able shift from previous years. turn their billions of revenue into the start of the preseason, as con- Instead, the buzz leading up the more billions, while the players’ tenders swooped in for missing season has been more consuming fight for even more financial and pieces while other teams sought than ever, which can only mean medical security often sounded to rebuild their teams from the good things in the short term for like they took their six-to-seven ashes of last season. Such a con- the NFL and its fans. When the figure contracts for granted. densed period of high-profile new collective bargaining agreeThough most fans seemed to roster changes offered an armada ment expires in 10 years and we side with the players, few could of talking points and storylines to are faced with yet another locktruly care about the outcome of a ESPN’s talking heads to the casual out, let’s hope not only that the potential deal. Many fans had to fan, enabling the NFL to make a season can be saved, but that it simply turn away as their favorite immediate return to preeminence begins with as much anticipation pastime fizzled away in the high in America’s sporting culture. and enthusiasm as this one.

by Daniel Kellner

sports

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice 7

Soccer overcomes Stanford No.1 Hoyas set pace

by Abby Sherburne One week after the Georgetown women’s soccer team was handily defeated 4-1 by Stanford, the men’s team entered Sunday’s game against the Cardinal with revenge in mind. After a stagnant regulation period, the Hoyas picked up the energy level and took advantage of Stanford’s lethargy when sophomore Steve Neumann scored in the 105th minute to give Georgetown the 1-0 victory in double overtime.

The Hoyas knocked around the ball with Stanford in the first half, with only four shots totaled between the two sides.

The second half, however, proved much faster-paced as the game opened up, allowing for better ball movement and 12

more shots. Freshman keeper Tomas Gomez kept the ball out of the net, despite four shots from the Cardinal.

The defensive momentum helped carry the Hoyas into overtime, where they were finally able to finish in front of goal.

Neumann’s goal on Sunday further solidifies his position as the main scorer for the Hoyas. He has scored all three Georgetown goals this season, and he seems to be warming up at the right time. Neumann didn’t score at all during the preseason, and after a tough shutout against VCU, he needed a win.

“He takes that personally,” head coach Brian Wiese said of the loss against VCU. “I think this weekend with Radford

and Stanford he said ‘Enough’s enough, I’ve gotta put the team on my back […] and win the games’.”

That’s exactly what Neumann has done, earning a spot on the Big East and the College Soccer News Teams of the Week.

“He’s got that DNA instinct to put the ball in the back of the net which you can’t coach, you can’t teach,” Wiese said. “You either have it or you don’t. He’s got it.”

The Hoyas will have to be ready for this weekend, when they travel to Michigan to take on Michigan and Michigan State.

These will be the first away games of the regular season, but Wiese is feeling better after this win.

“It’s a big difference between being 1-2 and 2-1. I think it settles us a bit.”

Andy Riemer battles in the midfield to hold possession before the Hoyas’ breakthrough in overtime.

The value of Verlander What does it mean to be “most valuable?” When it comes to MVP awards in sports, no one seems to know. Perhaps that is why Major League Baseball American League MVP race is as deep, varied, and uncertain as it has ever been in recent memory.

Five position players have separated from the pack to establish themselves as firm MVP candidates: Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers, Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox, Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays, and Curtis Granderson of the Yankees. Even one pitcher, Justin Verlander of the Tigers, has garnered considerable attention for the award on account of his stellar season to date.

In determining the MVP from this field of six, consideration must first be given to the state of the team on which the player plays. More specifically, how im-

portant has each player been to his team’s success?

All the candidates besides Bautista are on teams with firm footing either in first place in their division or in the wild card. Verlander and Cabrera have propelled the Tigers to a sizable first place lead in the AL Central with dominant August performances. Gonzalez and Ellsbury have been the best players on the Wild Card-leading Red Sox, and Granderson has had a remarkable season this year with the Yankees.

Statistically speaking, however, Bautista is having a better season than all other candidates, hitting over .300 with 40 home runs.

But the Blue Jays are a mediocre team with no chance at making the playoffs in the brutal AL East.

Bautista’s presence has done little to elevate the Blue Jays, which should exclude him from the MVP discussion.

Of the remaining contend-

MAX BLODGETT

ers, Cabrera ought be eliminated next, because although he is the most dominant offensive player on the playoff-bound Tigers, he is having a rather average year for his lofty standards.

As it has so many times before, the MVP race comes down to an argument between the Yanks and the Sox. Ellsbury and Gonzalez have both been dominant for the Red Sox, but both have suffered notable subpar stretches during

Double Teamed

by Adam Rosenfeld a rotating column on sports the season—Ellsbury during the first half and Gonzalez recently.

While both have done more than enough to compensate for this minor dip in performance, the consistency of Granderson trumps them both.

Curtis Granderson is having a career year for the Yankees. He started showing signs on his true

by Melissa Sullivan After a long summer of hard work and preparation, the Georgetown cross country teams get their seasons running this Friday as the men compete in the Lou Onesty Open in Charlottesville, Va. The women get going the following Saturday in the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational.

The No. 22 men’s team is looking strong heading into this Friday’s meet with the return of graduate student Ayalew Taye, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s Mid-Atlantic Region 2010 Athlete of the Year. Coach Patrick Henner knows the veteran presence of Taye and others will be crucial to the team’s success this season.

“We’ve got a much more experienced team. […] We’ve gotten much stronger,” Henner said.

Meanwhile, the women’s team will begin their quest for a national championship as they emerge from the preseason as the top-ranked team in the country for the first time in school history.

After finishing eighth overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships her freshman year and second as a sophomore, junior Emily Infeld says she is looking forward to having the team back together.

“This summer we were on our own, but I feel like we’re all really excited this year,” Infeld said. “Everyone is just so passionate about it.”

multi-threat potential during his last year with the Tigers, a season in which he reached the elusive 20/20/20 mark in home runs, triples, and stolen bases. This year, that potential has been realized, as Granderson has scored 126 runs while tallying 38 home runs and playing stellar defense.

Many people feel that only position players should be elibigle for the MVP award, and would give the trophy to Granderson. However, Tiger’s ace Justin Verlander is putting together a historically great year, and is certainly worthy of consideration as well.

Verlander has simply been the best pitcher in the MLB for just about the whole season, enabling the Tigers to essentially pencil in a win every five games. He leads the American League in nearly every important statistical category for pitchers, including ERA, strikeouts, innings, WHIP, and wins. Perhaps more important than individual stats, however, is Verlander’s “value” to the Ti-

But due to the strict training program followed by both teams, the results over the next week should not ultimately reflect the Hoyas’ end of season ambitions. By employing a “building up” strategy, the runners will aim for top-end results during the last tournaments of the fall, rather than the early competitions of the campaign.

“We have a training plan that’s going to get us ready for the big meets at the end of the year,” Henner said. “We’re not going to do anything special. The race this weekend is as much about sticking to the training plan.”

Women’s coach Chris Miltenberg agreed, believing the Hoyas’ particular approach gives them an edge heading down the homestretch of the season.

“We start our cross country training a lot later than other teams, to start building back up […] and keep building up until the end of the season,” he said.

Even after the loss of their recently graduated and hugely successful middle distance runner, Renee Tomlin, Miltenberg says he senses something special with the emergence of this team.

“It’s been really exciting to watch the team grow,” he said.

If the Hoyas can continue their progress, there’s a good chance they could be adding to the trophy cabinet come the end of the season.

gers. As of last week, the Tigers were just a .500 team in games Verlander did not pitch. He also has 14 wins in games pitched after a Tigers loss, demonstrating the confidence he injects into his team by gracing the mound.

While there is validity to the argument that the pitchers have their own award in the Cy Young, in a year where there is no clear cut position player MVP, a pitcher deserves full consideration. In this case, Verlander is worthy of both the MVP and Cy Young awards because of his consistency and supreme value to his club. Take Curtis Granderson away from the Yankees and they do not skip a beat; take Verlander away from the Tigers and the franchise would already be out of the playoff race.

Pitchers have won the MVP award before, and given Verlander’s dominance, it’s time for a pitcher to reign supreme once again.

Tell Adam how invaluable he is at arosenfeld@georgetownvoice.com

feature

8 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

The world changed:

Georgetown after 9/11

by Rachel Calvert “I walked past the business center and saw the crawl on the bottom of the television screen that said ‘Flight 77 missing.’ And I did a little bit of a double take.”

Tara Allison [neé Speisman] (COL ‘05), then a newly-arrived freshman, had been released from ethics class earlier the morning of September 11, 2001 because a plane was headed for Washington. At noon, the University had released an email broadcast canceling all classes.

When someone from the bookstore asked if she was okay, Allison responded that she thought her dad was on one of those planes. A former American Airlines employee who worked in the business center escorted her to his office, where she tried again to reach her mother on the phone.

“Nothing was confirmed at that point,” she said. “But I felt like I was in a movie with television screens and voices coming at me from all sides.”

Having finally reached her family and declined to talk to University psychiatrists and priests, she returned to her dorm room and packed a bag. She encountered no traffic on Interstate 95 on the drive from D.C. to her home in Irvington, New York.

Driving across the Tappan Zee Bridge around 7:30 p.m., she could see smoke rising up in lower Manhattan.

On September 13, Robert Speisman’s obituary appeared in the New York Times: “Speisman, 47, of Irvington died on AA 77.”

vvv On the afternoon of September 11, the University set up counseling services in Copley Formal and New South to help students cope with their immediate reactions to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon earlier that morning.

“Grieving is a solitary process,” Charles Tartaglia, thendirector of the Counseling Center, told Blue & Gray at the time.

“But you can be with them while

JULIA SHULLMAN

Students gathered on Village A rooftops to watch smoke rise from the Pentagon.

they’re grieving … It cuts down some of the sense of isolation.”

Living in Washington, Georgetown students felt particularly close to the tragedy. “Being invincible college students, rather than going back to our dorms, we went to the Leavey rooftop, and we saw the Pentagon burning,” Allison recalled. “Smoke was pretty much all you could see.”

That afternoon, soon-to-be inaugurated President John DeGioia met with student leaders to discuss plans for addressing the needs of the student population as the University attempted to anticipate the concerns of an entire community during the unexpected tragedy.

Student associations set up information tables with blood drive registrations, buckets to donate money to Red Cross, and pamphlets detailing ways to cope with tragedy. The University temporarily implemented more stringent security policies. According to Blue & Gray, security was notably increased at places of worship on campus. Police also closed Healy Gates and monitored all other entrances to campus.

The University community tried to make sense of the attacks during the “Day of Dialogue” events held in the ICC Auditorium on September 12 and 13.

Then-College Dean and event organizer Jane McAulliffe said there were between 50 and 100 students in attendance at the event at any given time during the day. “It was an effort to move immediately to get faculty and students into the conversation,” McAulliffe told the Voice at the time. “We are blessed in having such extraordinary faculty expertise in areas relevant to this whole situation. Our first thought in trying to respond to [the terrorist attack] was to try and draw on that.”

On September 12, 2011, the University resumed normal operations. “Activities schedules [continued] as normal, but people are

MAX BLODGETT

Yahya Hendi led the campus in interfaith dialogue in the months after 9/11. coming to them changed,” Tartaglia told Blue & Gray at the time.

“Some people are just scared.

They don’t know if they’re safe.

Their whole world has changed.”

vvv Immediately following the World Trade Center attacks, Georgetown’s Campus Ministry began planning what would be the first of several interfaith services. Yahya Hendi, head of the University Muslim Chaplaincy, was in attendance at the first service, held in Sellinger Lounge in the Leavey Center.

Students and faculty filled the area around Uncommon Grounds, from the Leavey Program Room on the right to the Conference Center on the left, to the windows in the back. “That area, I have never seen it packed for any program like I have seen it for that interfaith service,” Hendi said.

Every faith community— Muslims, Jews, Protestants, Catholics and Hindus—held its own service later that evening. DeGioia also spoke briefly at each service, Hendi recalled. “That was also a very powerful moment,” he said.

The next evening, students

gathered in Dahlgren Quadrangle for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the people who died in the attacks. Students shared prayers from several faith traditions.

“It gave a chance for the entire religious community and Georgetown as a community as a whole to show solidarity in their grievances in this matter,” John Halliwell (SFS ’04), a Muslim student who spoke at the vigil, told the Voice at the time.

According to Halliwell, the event was an opportunity for Muslim students in particular to demonstrate their grief as a community. “We are going out to show this event is just as saddening and outrageous to the Muslim community as it is to every other community,” he said.

As the public learned that Islamic terrorists were responsible for the attacks, some Muslim students expressed concern for their safety. Some felt the brunt of Islamophobic sentiment manifested in personal attacks. Some students even approached Hendi with stories of being harassed within Georgetown’s gates. Others related attacks on their hometown mosques.

Hendi thinks Muslim stu-

feature

georgetownvoice.com dents might continue to feel underlying Islamophobia even today. “Even if you have not gone through the experiences, you still feel the anxiety of it, feeling that you could be the next target, feeling that you could be the next person attacked or told to go home, or someone pulling your scarf if you’re a Muslim woman who covers her hair,” Hendi said.

However, Hendi said these incidences were few and far between.

“Muslims felt very much included, protected, catered for,” he said. “From my experience at Georgetown University, the stand that President DeGioia took—and so many deans—was very helpful to send a message that American Muslims are part of the fabric of America, and Georgetown Muslims are part of the fabric of the Georgetown community.”

More frequently, in interviews and in his capacity as head of the Muslim chaplaincy, Hendi has encountered common misconceptions about Islam—mainly surrounding the true nature of jihad, the status of women in Islam, and Shari’a law. Out of this public dialogue, he said, there actually grew a greater collective understanding of the religion and a more vibrant interreligious dialogue on Georgetown’s campus.

The subject was revisited at a panel discussion about the impact of 9/11 six months after the attacks. History professor and Associate Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding John Voll said that while he found Muslim-Christian relations at Georgetown to be remarkably amicable, the aftermath of 9/11 revealed prevalent ignorance about the Islamic faith on campus.

“My experience has been that I found not so much prejudice as ignorance,” Voll said at the panel. “Many non-Muslims among the students, faculty, and staff still know remarkably little about Islam and Muslim life.

Questions about jihad and Islam’s ideas of violence that were raised most of the time arose out of a context of lack of information rather than a condition of prejudice.”

Both Voll and Hendi identified the attacks as a turning point in interreligious dialogue on campus, manifested most tangibly in University-hosted interfaith services and academic discussions.

“It forced Muslims to become more engaged and more engaging with their own faith and with others too,” Hendi said. “So at this time they were doing more work with the Jews and the Christians and the

Catholics and the Protestants. … This is what I heard from the students.”

While Allison transferred to Fordham University for the rest of the semester, she returned to Georgetown the following January. When she came back, she found the campus’s response to the attacks was characterized by a momentary dissolution of ideological barriers. “The reaction to 9/11 was bipartisan,” she said. “It encompassed everyone regardless of cultural, religion, political party. It was a giant community of remembrance and respect and I appreciate that.”

vvv Former Secretary of State and current Georgetown professor Madeleine Albright went to work downtown on September 11, though fear of another attack loomed over her day. “The office that I had at that phase, I had an amazing view of the Washington Monument,” she said in a recent interview. “I think we all spent all day watching to make sure it was still standing.”

But this kind of tragedy was not entirely new to Albright.

Born in Europe, she lived in England during the air raids of World War II. “As a child, I actually would come out in the morning from the air raid shelter and see buildings destroyed,” Albright said. “As much of a shock as 9/11 was, I had seen buildings smoking and falling down.”

But Albright understood that 9/11 was a crude reminder of U.S. vulnerability—one that had a huge impact on the American psyche and altered the national debate with respect to policy as well as philosophical priorities.

“Here we are this huge country between two oceans and all of a sudden it showed our vulnerability,” she said. “I think it actually broadened the debate in many ways. It changed a lot of discussion about what was important to us and what wasn’t. I think academically there has been … more and more discussion about different subjects, and what are the threats and opportunities.”

The reverberations of 9/11 were visible not only in personal grief, but also on a national scale, as the United States dealt with the implications of the unprecedented attack. “9/11 smashed a hole and threw a lock at this illusion of invulnerability that the U.S. had been living in,” Dr. Alan Lipman, founder of the Center for the Study of Violence and clinical psychologist at Yale University, said.

“You’ve got an immediate fear of what has happened and what will happen next.”

Though Albright said de-

bates about security versus liberty are as old as the Republic, she warned, “I think that what I’m most concerned about now, especially as we look at the tenth anniversary, is that we can’t be ruled by the fear factor.”

the georgetown voice 9

WE REMEMBER

vvv Although the memory of 9/11 has perhaps faded with 10 years of distance from the attacks, a campus and a country must come to terms with its persistent legacy—hopefully to learn from the tragedy.

“The thing I’m really hoping for is that we consider who we are,” Albright said.

On Georgetown’s campus, Albright noticed students becoming more civically engaged.

“The thing that happened as much as anything is that all of a sudden there was a great desire and movement for two things,” she said. “There were a lot of students that decided they wanted to enlist and then others who decided they wanted to do more public and community service.”

Then-freshman Allison noticed a different shift in focus on Georgetown’s campus as the the world came to realize the threat of terrorism. “Nobody would take a terrorism class before 9/11,” she said. “After that you couldn’t get into a terrorism class.”

Allison herself went on to take many more terrorism classes—obtaining masters degrees in Homeland Security and Security Studies from the School of Foreign Service. In 2010, she married an Afghan and Iraq war veteran.

“I obviously made some sacrifices in my personal life for the husband that I chose,” Allison said. “I kind of walked away from the D.C. intelligence community. Whether or not I go back to that, I feel that the work that I did at Georgetown and on my own has really helped me to understand what happened leading up to 9/11 and what needs to be done. And with that understanding I am a more educated and less judgmental person. I feel that it’s given me a sense of understanding, which may be the closest thing I ever get to a sense of justice.”

To Allison, that 9/11 might not be acknowledged is a stirring prospect. In fact, she believes that the 9/11 Commission Report should be required reading.

“The first opening weekend of the NFL season happens to fall on 9/11. And I think that a lot of people’s focus is on that,” Allison said. “It’s unthinkable.

It’s forgetting.”

Additional reporting by John Flanagan

Georgetown community victims Stephen Cangialosi (COL ’83) Joseph Eacobacci (COL ’96) Thomas Galvin (MSB ’90) Sara Harvey (COL ’92) Vanessa Kolpak (COL ’01) Matthew Leonard (COL ’84) Sarah Manley (COL ’92) Daniel McNeal (MBA ’00) Lisa Raines (LAW ’82) Jason Sabbag (COL ’97) Joseph Shea (COL ’76) Patrick Sullivan, Jr. (MSB ’91) Edward Brennan III Valerie Silver Ellis Peter Gelinas James Geyer Scott Johnson Gary Koecheler Daniel Shae Michael McCabe Sandi Taylor

leisure

10 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

Damon breathes life into Contagion

by Heather Regen

Don’t panic—seriously. In Steven Soderbergh’s Contagion, the CDC proves to handle a horrifying killer virus with blockbuster-defying competence.

The lab researchers deftly work towards a vaccine, the World Health Organization pinpoints the source of origin with ease, and only Congress appears to fail miserably in its attempt to convene over Skype.

Not to say that Contagion doesn’t live up to its hype— the movie simply frightens in a deeply realistic way. Don’t expect Matt Damon to hijack military helicopters and chase Ebola-infected monkeys à la Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak.

Instead, the movie’s main virus hunter takes form in Kate Winslet, who works for the CDC under Laurence Fishburn’s character, Dr. Ellis Cheever. Cheever and Winslet’s character, Dr. Erin Mears, work to anchor Contagion, which bounces from the U.S. to Hong Kong to Switzerland, true to Soderbergh’s style.

Mears adds a layer of comprehendible science to the movie, explaining the gritty details of the pig-bat hybrid vi-

lez’hur ledger

by Nico Dodd

It was a rainy Wednesday, and I felt lucky to stand under the awning of the Rock N Roll Hotel, staying as dry as I could.

I was nervous because my contact, Raychel Sabath, one of the two founders of Crunkcakes, was out of the office. She did not pick up her phone when I called, and I was beginning to worry that I wouldn’t get what I had driven across town for.

Crunkcakes is a new baking venture started by Sabath and Faith Alice Sleeper. Sabath works in booking at the Rock N Roll Hotel, and Sleeper works at Pug, a bar a block away.

While the District is saturated with stores offering cute little baked goods, the duo’s cupcakes offer a little extra: alcohol. A wide selection ranges from to The Dude (pound cake with Kahlua and vodka), Jim-

rus sweeping the earth. Despite her audience-educating role, Winslet’s character is the movie’s most convincing. Her own cough elicits a greater sense of despair than the inundating reports of flu deaths she counts

lines in Contagion ends far too quickly.

Though Soderbergh shows no qualms in killing off his star-studded cast (just watch the trailer), Matt Damon escapes the virus with the incred-

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” off by the minute. Unfortunately, Cheever sends Mears to the heart of the U.S. outbreak and one of the most gripping story-

my Buffet (key lime cake infused with Tequila and tequila buttercream) and PBR Cake—a munchy-monster made with, of course, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Finally, a young lady carrying an umbrella and a small box walked towards me. It was Sabath. A wave of relief washed over me. She handed me a box of four cupcakes. Two Irish Car Bombs, two Buttery Nipples.

“So am I going to get drunk if I eat these?” I asked.

“You might,” she said. “It depends which ones you eat.”

I was interested to see what effect these would have on me when I ate them. Would I actually feel affected by the alcohol? I don’t even like cupcakes that much. After I graduate from Georgetown, I hope that I’ll never have to eat another cupcake again.

I hid the box under my coat to protect the cupcakes in

ible quirk of immunity. Though used mostly as a window into everyday Americans’ response to the disease, Damon’s charac-

ter Mitch Emhoff creates one of the most heartwarming scenes in the movie.

Understanding his daughter’s boredom as the days of seclusion turn to months, Damon’s character surprises her

imdb

with a beautiful pink dress and a living room hung with twinkle lights. Her boyfriend shows up to make the impromptu prom a

reality, decked out in a tux and a vaccination bracelet. In Contagion, the resilience of the human spirit seems to combat the virus as effectively as the vaccine, a characteristic most apparent in Damon’s performance.

Contagion brings together terrifying stories of epidemic from across the globe, amplifying the horror and reality of the virus. Images of SARS and H1N1 are recalled, and every scene that takes place in an airport induces knowing cringes of the death to come. As population counts fade into view behind backdrops of Tokyo, San Francisco, and London, Contagion reminds its viewers that in just a few mutations millions could be taken by some new disease.

While Soderbergh attempts to build up his characters throughout the movie, Contagion works best as an answer to what would happen today if we were faced with a very real, very deadly virus. Ultimately, Contagion plays out as an excellently produced History Channel special. That is, if the History Channel was not caught up in UFO conspiracies and swamp inhabitants.

Crunkcakes: baking with booze

the pouring rain. When I got to my car, I opened the box and discovered a thick scent of liquor. I closed the box and licked some frosting off my finger. They weren’t kidding.

The frosting from the Irish Car Bomb tasted exactly like Bailey’s.

After I got home, I got the cupcakes out of the nearsoaking box and bit into the Irish Car Bomb. The Bailey’s frosting on this cupcake is delicious. The only part I didn’t like was the slight sogginess of the Jameson at the bottom of the cupcake.

The Buttery Nipple, served in a giant condiment cup, came with its own spoon, which I used to eat the creamy, buttery Bailey’s frosting. That, along with the cake soaked in butterscotch schnapps, made for a very rich offering—maybe too rich. I will probably never

latch onto the Buttery Nipple again in this lifetime.

Though alcoholic in content, I did not feel at all compromised by the Crunkcakes.

I’m guessing that the cupcakes soaked up any buzz I could have gotten from them.

I just felt kind of gross for eating two cupcakes.

The tale of fhese four cupcakes ended tragically in Kirstie Alley’s car.

NICO DODD

georgetownvoice.com

“You guys wanna play baseball?”—boogie Nights

Georgetown gone Vogue

by Mary Borowiec It seems every day brings another story of natural disasters or global economic catastrophes. While world leaders may be stalling and losing sleep in search of solutions, what better way is there to combat the looming unemployment reports or the ripples of the debt crisis than to engage in the time-honored and therapeutic tradition of shopping?

This Thursday, Georgetown will host D.C.’s Fashion’s Night Out, designed by Vogue magazine and the Council of Fashion Designers of America “to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry’s economy, and put the fun back in shopping,” according to the event website, with sales and special promotions taking place at over a hundred D.C. stores.

While Fashion’s Night Out might seem geared towards a certain demographic, Georgetown’s FNO includes events, entertainment, and special shopping exclusives that may appeal to people oblivious to the latest fashion trends.

For the social justice-minded, FNO features shopping for a cause, selling T-shirts and tote bags in support of Labels for Love, an organization that pledges to raise awareness and funds for women’s and children’s organizations in D.C. and around the world. On the other hand, the reality TV junkie, or the girl who has had her wedding planned since age five, will particularly enjoy watch-

ing, “Get Hitched at G’town,” a competition that will take place throughout the span of the night.

Things may get rough as 50 couples fight for their dream wedding.

Fashion’s Night Out also provides the perfect excuse to step into your favorite store or boutique, as retailers will be offering endless perks from free makeovers to one-on-one styling advice—with cocktails and sugary treats, to boot.

Be sure not to miss BCBG offering 20 percent off full price items and a special gift with purchase, free makeovers and the District’s best eyebrow waxer at Bluemercury, and For Your Home’s Jewelry Trunk show featuring Turkish treasures at 50 percent off. Lastly, the “Kiehl’s Karnival” features D.J. Sterofaith alongside games, raffles, free samples, and a slew of unbelievable Kiehl’s discounts.

Alongside these “splurge-inspiring events,” many Georgetown restaurants have also partnered

CONCERT CALENDAR THURSdAY 9/8 5 Acoustic Acts Axum’s Listening Room, 8 p.m., $5

Sloan with You Am I Rock and Roll Hotel, 7 p.m., $15

Vivian Girls with Widowspeak Rock and Roll Hotel, 8 p.m., $10

Tuesday 9/13 Mulebone with Jackson (Weathervanes) Iota Club & Cage, 8:30 p.m., $12

Friday 9/9 Peter Bjorn and John with Memoryhouse 9:30 Club, 8:30 p.m., $25 Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band with Sahel Rock and Roll Hotel, 8 p.m., $15 saturday 9/10 Virgin Mobile FreeFest Featuring The Black Keys, Cee Lo Green, and Deadmau5 Merriweather Post Pavillion, 11 a.m.

The Parlotones with Xylos Red Palace, 9 p.m., $15 sunday 9/11 Newvillager with Buildings Red Palace, 8 p.m., $12 Toro Y Moi with Unkown Mortal Orchestra Black Cat, 8 p.m., $15

VICTORIA mILO

Monday 9/12 Starfucker with Beat Connection Black Cat, 8 p.m., $13

wednesday 9/14 David Wax Museum with Pearl and the Beard and Second String Band 9:30 Club, 7 p.m., $20 Thursday 9/15 Fruitbats with Vetiver and Citay Black Cat, 8 p.m., $15 Friday 9/16 Neon Indians Rock and Roll Hotel, 9 p.m., $7 Savage Republic with Tone Black Cat, 9 p.m., $15 Saturday 9/17 Tennis System with Youth Castles and (The Sounds of ) Kaleidoscope Rock and Roll Hotel, 9 p.m., $10 Sunday 9/18 The Shirks with Mean Jeans Black Cat, 9 p.m., $10

Brooks Brothers has not fared well through 2011’s embroidering shortage.

AMC plays the Bad guy

Imagine a character, one you’ve had three long seasons to grow deeply invested in, aiming a gun at another character. Your guy isn’t perfect, and you’ve seen him act in less-than-lawful manners before, but he’s been through a lot, and it reads in his terrified eyes while he holds a gun to a defenseless man’s head. He pulls the trigger, and the screen goes black. End of season three.

Now, it’s hard to get angry at the people behind Breaking Bad for ending the third season like this—it’s a common tactic for suspenseful shows, and coming at the end of a fantastic finale to an equally fantastic season, it’s difficult to believe that any of the 1.6 million viewers felt dissatisfied. But that was in June 2010. Fourteen months later, when we still hadn’t heard

with Fashion’s Night Out in an effort to keep patrons’ stomachs full as they empty their wallets. Attendees can, for instance, indulge in some “Fashion for Nutella” by showing a receipt from a FNO retailer in exchange for a free nutella crepe from Crepe Amour. Or they can sample treats from the latest bakery attempting to encroach onGeorgetown Cupcake’s cupcake turf by munching on some minicupcakes from Sprinkles. FNO has also turned Friday night into a perpetual happy hour, with the “Skinny Girl Night Out” cocktail event at Potomac Wines and Spirits, all night happy hour at Sequoia, and specially priced cocktails at Morton’s Steakhouse.

FNO even goes above and beyond its expectations to entertain with a literal beacon of hope—a hot air balloon over Georgetown.

And to top it all off, try not to get sucked into the event’s climax: a non-violent flashmob.

the georgetown voice 11

from our favorite meth-cookers Jesse and Walter, Breaking Bad’s viewers were jonesing.

The source of the shortage, apparently, was the show’s relationship with its network, AMC. During the summer, there were rumors floating around television blogs about arguments between AMC and the show’s producers, which got so contentious that the show began shopping around for other networks. This not only troubled viewers who wanted their fix, but also confused them quite a bit—Breaking Bad is an incredibly successful Emmy magnet. Why would AMC not do everything in its power to keep it on board?

Sadly, I have no answer to this, but only a related question, which has also been tugging at the minds

of TV fans for far too long: where in the world is Don Draper? Sure, Mad Men viewers love his enigmatic personality onscreen, but they (well, we) don’t really like waiting for the elusive AMC to decide when it wants to let us watch the fifth season. After the end of the fourth in October 2010, well-publicized arguments about

Idiot box

by Leigh Finnegan a bi-weekly column about Television payment for the actors left the show in TV limbo until it was finally renewed in March. Unfortunately, that resolution still forces viewers to wait an inhumane amount of time—until early 2012!—to find out what’s next for the ad men at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

The weirdest part of AMC’s hardball tactics is that these are two of the most successful shows on television, and easily the best the network has on its roster. For a station whose name—American Movie Classics—attaches itself to cinema, AMC’s original programming has garnered so much acclaim in recent years that it’s able to hold its own against cable TV giants like HBO. Last year, it introduced zombie attack series The Walking Dead, which drew a whopping six million viewers for its finale and will soon debut its second season. Their new show for 2011, The Killing, met similar success (although not without losing some fans by the end).

Unfortunately, the success of these new shows seems to be to the detriment of those that first made a name for the network.

Before, if Breaking Bad and Mad

Men fans (or producers, or actors) were unhappy, the network needed to adjust. The shows that kept AMC afloat had all the leverage they needed. And since neither show moved to a different station, we’re left to infer that AMC’s new, big league lineup means that our favorite programs are subject to some good old-fashioned network intimidation.

The strangest—but most relieving—part of the whole thing is that when Breaking Bad finally returned for its fourth season in July, its premiere’s ratings were by far the highest of the series, and the rest of the season has proven arguably one of its best. Maybe there were some strategic machinations behind AMC’s anticipation-building tactics after all.

Ask Leigh her for her meth recipe at lfinnegan@georgetownvoice.com

leisure

12 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

C r i t i c a l V o i ces The album opens with “Too Late Too Far,” a bumping tune that goes a little too far with unnecessary sound effects, but it’s nonetheless a promising start.

Jump to the album’s third and fourth tracks, “The Edge” and “Bang”, and Taylor can be found in his best form. “The Edge” is melodramatic in tone, but its vocals produce a raw sound that many of the other tracks could have benefited from. “Bang” is a haunting piece that showcases Taylor’s discipline in balancing melody with atmosphere.

Yet as soon as Dreams gets going, it has already run out of steam. Songs such as “Rises Silent” and “She Found a Way Out” are unsatisfying, weighed down by noisy, headache-inducing synthesizers that accompany dragging beats—a stylistic choice, perhaps, but a poor one.

“Answer” is a final glimpse at CANT’s potential, and while the production is still too heavy, the track’ neat bass line is enough to keep a listener interested (although, in this case particularly, a sweet sound system is required to hear the artist’s true intentions).

The problem is, while “Answer” would be a solid conclusion to the album, the three tracks that follow

it offer little beyond slow, fuzzy bullshit.

While the album is not altogether disappointing, its misses outnumber its hits. Dreams Come True can be a considered a demonstration of Taylor’s range as a producer, but as a solo act, Taylor comes off as a weird, electro imitation of TV on the Radio. That said, CANT has immense potential, and a sophomore album could succeed—that is, if he embraces his folky roots and shuns the industrialized cacophony that shatters Dreams.

Ignatian seismology

the relationship between religion and science need not be antagonistic.

Rev. Francis Anthony Tondorf, a professor of physics and geology, founded the Georgetown Seismological Observatory in 1911. According to an obituary published in the February 1931 edition of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Soci-

CANT, Dreams Come True, rible Records

Ter-

If anyone in the music industry is on top of their game right now, it’s Chris Taylor. Best known as the bassist and backup vocalist for Grizzly Bear, Taylor has also done behind the scenes work on other well-regarded projects, producing records for Twin Shadow and the Morning Benders. Dreams Come True, the debut album from Taylor’s new solo project CANT, is predictably well-produced, but few of its songs display the songwriting ability that made Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest an indie classic.

Dreams Come True is a decidedly electronic album, featuring drum machines and digitally altered vocals that have more in common with Trent Reznor’s work than Grizzly Bear’s folky, organic palate.

This year’s freshman class literally shook campus with its arrival. The earthquake that struck D.C. during move-in week was entirely unexpected, disrupting orientation events and forcing buildings to be evacuated. In the midst of this minor crisis, University officials employed email, text messaging, and nearly every other conceivable medium to get students updates as quickly as possible.

Georgetown is slowly catching up with the technology of the times, but it’s actually an old-school device, which Georgetown abandoned around 40 years ago, that could have predicted the surprising tremors. From 1908 to the mid-1970s, Georgetown was home to five, and then four, seismographs, first kept in the South Tower of Healy Hall. Eventually, this seismological equipment was moved to the basement of Ma-

guire Hall, whose double-brick walls protected against temperature changes and the interference of moisture in measurements.

Why did Georgetown devote so much space to store a pile of metal and electrical equipment?

There’s little sign of it left now, but Georgetown was actively involved in the Jesuit Seismological Association for decades.

Jesuits around the world took interest in seismographs following their invention in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Jesuits have a tradition of translating knowledge into service, and seismographs quickly appealed to the order’s endeavors.

Jesuits viewed seismographs as a form of public service in that they could be used to predict earthquakes and alleviate some of the devastation that they were known to cause. Involvement in seismology was also a practical way of reinforcing the idea that

Voice’s Choices: “Bang,” “The Edge,” “Answer” —John Sapunor

Lady Antebellum, Own the Night, Community Music Yes, it’s country music. But it ain’t about sexy green trac-

Throwback Jack

by Sadaf Qureshi a bi-weekly column about Hoya history ety, Georgetown’s seismological station was “one of the best equipped in the world,” and a 1911 copy of The Washington Post called it “the most complete station of its kind in the country.” A May 1996 article in Seismological Research Letters notes that Georgetown was not alone, however. Jesuit universities across the nation, including John Carroll University, Ford-

tors, farmer ’s tans, or improper grammar. In fact, iTunes first mistakenly labeled all the tracks from Lady Antebellum’s third studio album, Own the Night, as “pop.” Perhaps the trio has begun to head the way of Taylor Swift: cranking out faux-country for a mainstream audience with little respect for true southern rock. Much of the new album, which drops on September 13, is missing the twang of older hits, such as “Lookin’ For a Good Time.” But oddly enough, the group’s transition to an increasingly diverse sound has, for the most part, worked.

The you-left-me-and-I-wantyou-back theme of “When You Were Mine” and “Wanted You More,” along with the awkward, juvenile rhymes of “Dancin’ Away with My Heart,” stand in the face the group’s previous efforts, stifling the southern voice of the band. The heavy reliance on both the piano and keyboard adds more of a pop atmosphere to the album as a whole, keeping it at a safe distance from Lady Antebellum’s roots in pure, satisfying country riffs.

But these three songs do not manage to ruin the remainder of the album, a collection of ham, and St. Louis University, created a collaborative network of seismological stations, and the universities exchanged data and other findings.

One of the proudest moments for Tondorf and Georgetown’s seismograph station came in September 1923 when, according to The Washington Post, the University’s seismographs predicted that an earthquake was about to occur all the way in Japan. Tondorf informed the Associated Press of his suspicion three and a half hours before news of an actual quake in Japan was released. Georgetown’s seismographs had similar success in accurately recording earthquakes that occurred in Italy and South America.

Despite both the success of the program’s findings and its esteemed position within the JSA, Georgetown eventually decided to stop using its seismographs. After the JSA dissolved in 1990, there were fewer faculty

duets accompanied by instruments that give Own the Night a generally authentic country flavor. The mandolin riffs driving the melody of “We Owned the Night” and the oscillating banjo fading in and out of the background of “Friday Night” cannot be identified as anything but sweet, sweet country.

Still, this album should not be entered into the battle between true country fans and the myriad of screaming fan-girls (and fan-boys) fighting for a glimpse of an established country-turned-pop star such as Swift. In the end, Own the Night isn’t really pop or country. It’s better to think of it in terms of the emotions it evokes—sadness, nostalgia, serenity, and joy—and its overarching theme of a “carpe diem” attitude. Fittingly, its final notes leave the listener with the instructions given on the album’s cover: own the night.

Voice’s Choices: “We Owned the Night,” “Friday Night,” “Just a Kiss” —Kirill Makarenko

members and Jesuits interested in continuing the program.

“Without faculty specifically interested in seismology, the Jesuit universities saw no reason to continue to spend money on the operation of their seismic stations, which require regular resources and staff to continue operation,” Dr. David Ebel, director of the Western Observatory of Boston College (which Rev. Tondorf helped establish), said in an interview.

Ebel added that the only Jesuit universities that still have seismologists on faculty are Boston University and St. Louis University.

So while campus panicked as an earthquake lightly shook the foundation of the nation’s capital, there was surely one Jesuit smirking at the fate of Georgetown’s once-mighty seismological program.

Rock Sadaf’s world by reaching her at squreshi@georgetownvoice.com

page thirteen

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice 13

washington, DC craigslist > personals > missed connections > georgetown university

Georgetown University SAC Fair m4w Date: 2011-09-04; 09:15AM EDT Reply to:

Leo’s Entrance w4m Date: 2011-09-05; 03:07PM EDT Reply to:

I saw you wearing a welcome back Jack shirt. You checked We’ve worked together for so many years, yet you’ve out my booth and said you were interested. Can I interest never glanced down. You turn my eternal shrug into a you in some dinner? Or how about some free sunglasses? smile. Suru and Umberto can join in our action anytime.

Seriously we have tons of them left over...

Leo’s Grab N Go m4w

Date: 2011-09-02; 11:46AM EDT Reply to:

Lauinger LL m4w

Date: 2011-09-07; 05:04AM EDT Reply to:

While leaving Grab N Go you felt up my bag to check out We both pulled all nighters on the lower level Wedneday what I had in there. I was sad when you didn’t find anynight. I didn’t talk to you at all but the sexual tension was thing too. You can inspect me for stolen goods anytime. so high. Same time again next week?

Healy Hall m4m Date: 2011-09-06; 07:13PM EDT Reply to:

Lauinger Library, m4w Date: 2011-09-07; 06:22PM EDT Reply to:

You’re my VP of Student Affairs. Tonto to my Lone Rang- I was grinding on you during Club Lau until DPS came and er. Robin to my Batman. Cheney to my Bush. I meant to broke us up. If you wanna finish up where we left off I’ll tell you how I feel after that long night of not communicat- DJ Butta you up in the stacks this Saturday night. ing with the student body about an emergency, but I lost my nerve. If by some chance you read this and feel the same way, I’d love to build a campus with you. ;)

Copley Lawn m4m Date: 2011-09-05; 01:54PM EDT Reply to:

Yates m4w Date: 2011-09-03; 02:33PM EDT Reply to:

For as long as I can remember you’ve been sitting in the I saw you playing some tennis with Andre Agassi. I was front circle while I’m over on a bench across Copley Lawn. about to give you some pointers on your backhand when I really want to sit on your lap but all you go for are your secret service detail tackled me. When you told your Freshmen and sophomores. If you want someone with agent to stop burying his knee in my solar plexus I thought more experience you can checkmate me anytime.

I saw a twinkle in your eye. If you need a mixed doubles partner with Andre and Stef, tell me how many hours I was detained without an attorney.

voices

14 the georgetown voice

september 8, 2011

A child’s vocabulary of terror from ground zero

by Iris Kim I remember hearing the words vividly, sitting in the cafeteria of my Chappaqua, NY, middle school: “Planes have crashed into the World Trade Center. We don’t know much else right now, but we believe it to be the work of terrorists.”

“Terrorist.” I looked around hoping to see some sort of recognition in my peers’ eyes.

I had never heard the word before. It sounded foreign, alien—as unnatural as what was happening on the television in front of me.

Whispers rippled through the cafeteria. Everyone’s mom and dad worked in Manhattan.

Where exactly was the World Trade Center in relation to our parents’ offices? Should we be worried? What was happening?

As time went on, hysterics escalated. When we returned to our classroom, one kid broke down in nervous, hiccupping tears. His mother worked on one of the top floors of one of the towers. We didn’t know

what to say. We were kids. We tried to grasp the situation and assure ourselves everything would be okay. I remember feeling helpless and having no idea how to feel, what to think, or what to expect.

Even going home didn’t alleviate my anxiety. My mom hugged me when I got off the bus and we sat and watched TV together for the rest of the afternoon—the now iconic and still horrifying image of smoke pluming from the deteriorating towers. Who were these people? Why would they do something so horrifying?

What was this even about?

Was this war?

Back at school the next day, we were forced to talk about what happened.

Everyone knew someone affected, and the administration and teachers wanted to help us with any insecurities and fears we were harboring.

In weeks following, there was a lot of rhetoric bouncing around about terrorism. At 11, the concept seemed illogical

and deranged—something I just couldn’t understand and never would. In Social Studies, we abandoned our original curriculum for the rest of September and spent several weeks learning about the Middle East—its geography, culture, and religion. My teacher told us that it would be essential for us to understand certain things in order to fully grasp the inevitable global situation.

So it went for a couple weeks— I could place and name every country in the Middle East and knew the basic tenants of Islam. I went from knowing absolutely nothing to focusing intently. I was forced to look beyond my previous conception of the world.

The decade preceding 9/11 was a charmed era of economic prosperity, relative global stability and, for me, a sheltered childhood. I was born the week before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The concepts of war and terror did not figure into my ignorant childhood. They were far away and didn’t concern

me. They didn’t concern a lot of people.

Do American 11-year-olds now grow up understanding the meaning of the word “terrorism?” They must. Their lives have been spent in long security lines at the airport, with news reports of bomb threats and a lingering overcast assumption that we live in shadow of “terror.” They have probably heard the words “terrorist” and “terrorism” so often while growing up that they seem like regular, commonplace features of the world.

Back then, “terror” was a new enemy for us to hate. Today, it seems just like any other word in an adolescent’s vocabulary.

Last week, when I noticed clusters of people that had evacuated buildings around campus, I just assumed it to be a fire alarm or a bomb threat, as if they were interchangeable. It has been 10 years since the 9/11 attacks, and though our world has changed dramatically in good ways and bad, we have all become more pessimistic and

paranoid. Previous generations would belittle our concerns— they survived the Red Scare and Cold War paranoia, or even further back to the World Wars.

But to a generation, our generation, that grew up in age of innocence, 9/11 was a pivotal moment when things grew to proportions that we could no longer control.

Terrorism is no longer a foreign word for an 11 year old or a 21 year old. It is something that pervades our everyday consciousness. Even though I’ve taken several classes in college dealing with the subject, I am a little embarrassed to admit that I still don’t really get it beyond a superficial understanding.

Deep down, I still think about all those questions I asked myself 10 years ago, though maybe in a less basic way.

Iris Kim is a senior in the College. Her conception of terrorism isn’t the only thing that’s shady: ask her about Saturday night.

Crew coach sets sail, rower lays anchor with a new one

by Isabel Aguirre-Kelly When we come to this lovely institution of higher learning, no matter if we shuffled straight out of boarding school or have never spent more than a few nights away from home, we all look for someone to replace the comfort and sense of calm our parents instill in us.

Your parents may drive you up the wall, but I have never come across anyone who was not thrilled at the thought of having a home-cooked dinner with a family member they

love after months of nothing but Leo’s. For the past three years, my sense of calm has always come from my coach, Glenn Putyrae.

In June, my crew team had finished a productive spring season and was heading into the fall with more hope than we’d ever had before. The memories of sleepless nights in Lauinger study rooms fumbling through everything from Human Biology to Intro to Justice and Peace had passed. I had finally found classes that I enjoyed and didn’t drag my GPA through the gut-

You can’t tell, but all the rowers are wearing masks.

FLICKR

ter. My ducks, so to speak, were finally in a row. So you can imagine my surprise when, at the peak of my summer relaxation, I opened my inbox and saw an email from Coach Putryae, my coach of three years, with a startling subject line: “Farewell.”

My college athletic career has been, for better or worse, centered around this man.

Though not without his flaws, he was the person that took note of my successes and supported me when I was at my most useless moment as an athlete. In the spring of my freshman year, after a surprisingly successful fall, I began to feel shooting pains down my shoulder. I went to get it looked at, thinking it was something minor. As it turned out I had undiagnosed scoliosis right in the middle of my shoulder blades, and it was pulling on my right shoulder muscles. The injury would eventually take me off of the rowing machine permanently, the equivalent of a cyclist not being able to use an indoor bike, or a football player prevented from doing strength training.

I have since spent every erg test—team rowing machine sessions—cheering, yelling,

and obnoxiously coaching all those who wanted it. It is only through my teammates and their appreciation and support for what little I can do on those days that I have made it as a senior rower. A critical piece of finding my niche on the team has been the understanding and respect that my coach has given me over the past three years, as he continuously believed that I could be as strong and effective as I was before the injury.

So when he decided that he was leaving to coach at Gonzaga University, it came as a shock to all of us. The summer was spent in limbo for the whole team, waiting to see who the school would pick to replace him. I was desperately trying to avoid this sort of thing for my senior year, but college rarely goes as planned.

There are far too many variables, temptations, and choices for any kind of steady path.

But I guess that is what everyone loves about college—we have our whole lives ahead of us for grand plans and neat and tidy living.

“Control the controllables,” was Coach’s mantra, but it never resonated much until he left us. His leaving was out of our

control, we could fret all we wanted but it would not bring him back. What my team decides to do with this coaching change is all in our attitudes, in our work ethic, and our respect and commitment to each other to get better. I find that this has held true all across the board, be it challenges of a personal, academic, or athletic nature.

I walked into my first rowing meeting of this year nervous, skeptical, and honestly concerned over the fact that the woman now in charge of 20 hours of my week for my very last year as a college athlete knew absolutely nothing about me. But as the energized, friendly women introduced herself and ran through the team requirements—and as soon as she told us to not dress like we were in Flashdance and explained that one of her most important rules was no assholes—I knew it we would be just fine. In fact, maybe we’ll be even better than last year.

Isabel AguirreKelly is a senior in the College. She’ll stroke your boat any day in exchange for some sexy spandex.

voices

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice

15

Great Chinese takeout: Sub-Saharan Africa’s misfortune

by Rachel Braun By now we’ve probably all heard how China is taking over Africa. But it’s one thing to read about it, and another thing to have your water shut off for three months in your dorm in Botswana as a Chinese firm diverts all of the town’s water to its construction site. Everywhere I went in subSaharan Africa, the phantom of China followed me. Scuba diving in Mozambique, I was told illegal Chinese fishing boats had overfished the last tiger shark in the area four months before my arriv-

al. The Chinese-made truck I was hitchhiking in the back of broke down two hours after we crossed the border back into Botswana.

At a bar in Nairobi I met a British ex-Special Forces soldier who was leading the anti-poaching initiative in the Serengeti against—you guessed it—Chinese poachers who were killing unprecedented numbers of elephants for their ivory tusks.

China isn’t taking any chances in Africa—with its Malthusian craving for resources and an economy exploding at break-neck speed, the Chinese are hedging

It’s weird how much Africa looks like New Jersey.

RACHEL BRAUN

She doesn’t even go here My name is Emma and I am an overachiever.

Last week I went out for dinner with a mixed group: some friends, some acquaintances, and a couple of total strangers. During the chips and salsa course, I was chatting with one of the unfamiliars, following the standard get-to-know-you protocol of a first encounter: who are you, what do you do, etc. I think I was explaining one of my extracurricular activities, when one of my friends at the table butted in, “Yeah, Emma is pretty much that kid Max Fischer in Rushmore.”

If you haven’t seen the 1998 Wes Anderson dram-com flick, the Wikipedia entry for Rushmore calls Fischer “a precocious and eccentric 15 year-old ... both [his school’s] most extracurricu-

lar and least scholarly student.”

Ouch, right? I don’t deny it—I am extracurricularly involved. I write this column, have a radio show, I’m a WGTB Music Board member, and I’m the Publicity Director for the GU Art Aficionados. I’ve been a Writing Center tutor, a Voice editor, and this past summer I had four internships (seriously). Listed out like that, I know it sounds ridiculous, but who at Georgetown isn’t overinvolved?

It all started two years ago, during my first SAC fair. A freshman eager to continue my high school passions and define myself at Georgetown, I signed my net ID at about 50 different tables. I’d been captain of my high school soccer team, so I tried out for club soccer. I knew that I just

Let the Voice be your voice. We accept opinions, letters to the editor, personal experiences, and creative writing that are exclusive to the Voice. Submissions do not express the opinion of the board of the Voice. The Voice reserves the right to edit submissions for accuracy, length, and clarity. To submit, email voices@georgetownvoice. com or come to the Voice office in Leavey 413.

Opinions expressed in the Voices section do not necessarily reflect the views of the General Board of the Voice.

their bets by becoming a presence in virtually every African country.

And unlike American investors who flinch at the idea of corruption, poverty, disease, and the thousands of other problems that plague the more volatile areas of Africa, the Chinese aren’t waiting.

South Sudan earned its independence after decades of a bloody civil war on July 9. The bombing hasn’t even subsided in the north and the Chinese are already setting up shop there—oil drilling operations and construction, to be specific. Meanwhile, the only Americans you see there are either humanitarian workers or State Department workers. Everywhere you go in Africa, the Chinese are cutting deals and making moves.

It’s like taking candy from a baby. The African countries have been left in the dust of globalization, and are so desperate for debt relief, credit, investment, and infrastructure that they’re willing to trade the island for a chest of beads and trinkets. With no leverage and few liquid assets, countries in sub-Saharan Africa practically give away their natural resources in exchange for poorly built ministry buildings and roads that crumble within the decade.

In heavily indebted Mozamhad to be part of the Corp. Unfortunately, every other incoming freshman girl also wanted to play club soccer and also had to be in the Corp, and I found myself painfully denied by both.

My father has always called me a “jack of all trades, master of none.” Although he means it as a compliment, it has always tormented me. In a world where “runner-up” is basically synonymous with “loser,” it’s hard to

Carrying On

by Emma Forster A rotating column by Voice senior staffers

feel like you’re good at a lot of things but never the best at anything. These early rejections just served to emphasize that apparent weakness. I could have resorted to binge drinking and master cleansing to fill my extracurricular time, but I decided to look for my niche elsewhere instead.

I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew what I liked— art, music, and writing. I had written for and edited my high school paper, so I went to an open house at the Voice. I ate free pizza, met cool people, and

bique, people had no cash to pay for the infrastructure projects it so desperately needed, so they relinquished their fishing rights in exchange for Chinese construction companies to build them roads, bridges, and dams. Most African countries not only have little idea of the potential value of their natural resources, but they don’t have the technical knowledge or equipment necessary to take full advantage of them. In their eyes, they’re getting a great deal. Meanwhile, the Chinese probably can’t believe their luck—they’re winning the natural resource lottery as African countries bend over backwards to court their trade and investment.

At first I was willing to give the Chinese some credit—perhaps these projects would provide jobs for locals, and money earned on the projects would circle back into the local economy, and the projects themselves would be useful for the local people. Wrong. The Chinese generally import their own workers from China instead of employing local Africans (and I use “workers” loosely, as they are almost all prisoners who would rather work for ten years in Africa than languish in jail in China for twenty-five). They import their own food, and send the money they make back to China in remithave been involved with the paper ever since. When my friend asked me to do a WGTB radio show with her, I agreed, started going to meetings, and became a music board director. I began tabling for the GU Art Aficionados, and before I knew it I was running for a position on the board. Just by doing what I liked, I was able to discover who I was.

At Georgetown, we live in a world of Max Fischers. Everywhere you look, people are starting organizations and running marathons and spearheading efforts to relieve hunger in seven different third-world countries.

It’s easy to get sucked into the overachieving scene, but it’s even easier to feel like nothing you do is worthwhile or good enough. At the same time, it’s important not to become bogged down by too many or too meaningless responsibilities. In Rushmore, Max Fischer was vice president of the Stamp and Coin Club, founder of the Bombardment Society, president of the Rushmore Beekeepers … and he failed out of school. The lesson there isn’t that you should stop spending so much time putting on plays and starting up clubs, but that you shouldn’t do things just to build your resume or to

tances. In short, virtually none of the money garnered on these projects makes it back to the locals. The only Africans who tend to benefit are the corrupt ones at the very top. And the Chinese are willing to go where Americans won’t—they’ll bribe, illegally dump, and turn a blind eye to human rights abuses.

People wonder why there is piracy off the coast of Somalia. Piracy off Somalia started with a group of vigilante Somalian fishermen pirating illegal Chinese fishing vessels that were raping their coast and destroying the livelihoods of thousands. The coast of Mozambique is now so overfished that thousands of Mozambican fishermen who had lived off the sea since time immemorial are now starving. But it’s not just fishing grounds, and it’s not just Mozambique. It’s oil, copper, timber, iron, natural gas, other minerals—you name it, it’s being exploited. To use a South Sudanese expression, Africans are trading their cows for the price of a goat.

Rachel Braun is a senior in the SFS. Despite China’s presence in Africa, Rachel was still fiending for Kitchen No. 1. make others happy. Sign up for what you like, continue doing what you love, and you’ll be satisfied. It’s actually that simple.

Some lucky people go through life knowing exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it. But there are other equally successful people who find the most meaning in multiple fields. Former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder Deion Sanders once told Sports Illustrated, “I’ve always said I love football and that baseball is my girlfriend.” There’s no reason to pick one passion, and you might find that being well rounded is passion enough.

Initially, my instinct was to be offended by being called Max Fischer. I don’t wear a red beret around campus, I don’t have a crush on a wildly inappropriate elementary school teacher, and I (unfortunately) don’t co-star in a movie with Bill Murray. But the more I think about it, being Max Fischer isn’t so terrible.

Emma Forster is a junior in the College. Emma was also denied by match.com and Eharmony her freshman year.

Join

the

VOICE We’re kind of a BFD. Open House: Friday, Sept. 9th.

6:00 p.m. Leavey 413.

Also, there will be pizza...