The Eagle — April 1, 2010

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A message from The Eagle

NEWS SURVIVOR STORY Woman shares her personal story about rape at AU page 4

EDITORIAL AU WEIGHS IN Students express discontent and support for recent Knepper column pages 2 & 3

SCENE SECRET SERVICE AU professor joins director Oliver Stone to remember forgotten history page 7

AIR WAVES The National Air Guitar Championship comes to D.C. page 8

SPORTS

The fact of the matter is that The Eagle did not approach the publication of Alex Knepper’s most recent column entirely correctly. For this, we are sorry.

The editors involved in the decision to publish, Editor-inChief Jen Calantone, Managing Editor for News Charlie Szold and Editorial Page Editor Joe Wenner focused on whether or not this newspaper should censor Knepper’s opinions because they were controversial. We decided that it would be bad form to censor opinions based solely on the controversy they would cause, especially when the opinions focus on something as important to a college community as the issue of date rape.

We stand by our decision to publish controversial opinions and will continue to publish opinions that a majority or minority of the campus community find wrong and potentially offensive.

However, we should have demanded that Knepper’s column be written in a tone befitting such a serious issue. With a topic as controversial and emotionally charged as date rape, we should have ensured that the column was written in a manner that would have engendered constructive conversation. Instead, it inflamed an already sensitive issue and emotionally harmed many.

We have heard back from editors of newspapers, past editors of college publications and many have said similar things: it should have been more thoroughly edited. It should have been improved. This is true, and we regret confusing better editing for censorship. We apologize for our mistake and will do our best to ensure that it will never happen again.

The basic problem with what we published, and the impetus for our reforms, is that we violated the Society for Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. There is a provision in there that says simply, “Minimize harm.” By publishing this column we caused undue and unnecessary harm by allowing more bombast than reason, more insults than debate.

Because of the seriousness of the issue and the potential for a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue arising from Knepper’s opinion, The Eagle believes that we should have published a counter-point to Knepper’s opinion in the same issue and also provided the legal definitions of date rape as well as resources for women and men affected. In this way, we could have supported Knepper’s right to express himself and ensured that the debate would be more healthy and informed.

We will be doing our best to make up for the original mistake by publishing lists of resources today, as well as a more respon-

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the EAGLE 252 Mary Graydon Center 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 Newsroom: 202-885-1402 Advertising: 202-885-1414, x3 Fax: 202-885-1428 E-mail: editor@theeagleonline.com Classifieds: adbox@theeagleonline.com

sible take on the issue of date rape. We also encourage readers to check AU’s Student Handbook for the university’s policies concerning sexual assault. In this way we hope to fix a debate we partly broke.

Part of our decision to publish was based on faulty and incomplete policies regarding our editorial control over columnists. Because there is a high turnover of editors at college newspapers, often policies shift and change from editor to editor. As a result, some policies that should be well defined are instead a hodgepodge of previous editors’ personal policies stapled together. This has worked relatively well in the past, but has clearly reached its limit.

One such “hodgepodge” policy regarded columnists.

A newspaper primarily publishes staff editorials, articles, opeds, letters to the editor and columns. Staff editorials represent the opinions of the editorial board and are written by the editorial page editor. As such, they represent exactly our opinions and we take full responsibility for what is said. Articles are in the news, Scene and sports sections of the newspaper and are, ideally, supposed to be completely factual and devoid of opinion.

A column is something completely different and extremely tricky. Columnists are hired by the editorial page editor at the beginning of the year and are ensured space in our newspaper once every two weeks. Previously, we have taken a hands-off approach with columnists, precisely because they explicitly do not represent The Eagle. Columnists mostly devote three to four hours every two weeks toward writing their columns, while some members of the Eagle staff can spend anywhere from 20 to 50 hours per week working on this newspaper. Now, we see that despite our insistence that columnists are not on staff and do not represent our views, we are perceived to tacitly support what we publish.

To ensure this does not happen again, The Eagle must make a pragmatic move: understand that our columnists are partly seen to represent the newspaper and take more responsibility for what we publish. Until we have a specific policy to do this, The Eagle will be temporarily suspending the publication of all opinion columns. It is important that we first focus on getting back to doing what a newspaper should be doing — namely, reporting the news. Furthermore, we will be defining and codifying policies regarding columnists. We will be speaking with all columnists currently writing for our paper and explaining the new policies as they are developed. Until the policies are written and until the columnists understand the new requirements, we

will not publish columns.

Letters to the editors and op-eds represent the views of only those with their byline attached and no one else. They will undergo the same editing and will meet the same criteria as columns in the future. Due to the extreme importance of letters to the editor and their role in allowing the community to give feedback to this newspaper, we will continue publishing them, even before we have completely defined the new regulations.

At The Eagle, we do strive to be the “independent voice” of the student body. For us to more accurately represent all ideological spectrums on campus, we implore those who feel underrepresented to apply for columnist and staff positions on The Eagle next year. A diversity of voices is important in a newspaper and we need the help of the student body to make this happen.

Another topic of controversy has been our policies regarding comments on our Web site. Again, this is a situation where our policies are not defined well enough and need clarification. Usually, the Eagle staff informally moderates comments and ensures that comments deemed offensive or threatening are removed in a timely fashion. This does not work when a story receives over 100 to 200 comments in short periods of time. Again, we were in a situation where our policies could not withstand the reality of our situation. We will be working to create a comprehensive policy regarding comments on our stories. Furthermore, we will be adding features to flag posts deemed offensive.

As for our decision to turn comments off on Knepper’s column the morning it was published — at that point, comments were clearly turning in dangerous directions and there would be no editors to monitor what was said overnight. It was a tough decision and, again, it just proves to us again how important it is for The Eagle to better and more openly define certain nebulous policies.

Again, we stand by our right to publish controversial opinions. However, we sincerely apologize for the harm that this column caused. Speaking with people that have been affected by this column and listening to their stories has personally affected everyone on staff. The intention was not to harm, though we clearly did. We take responsibility for this mistake and will make sure — through new policies and new perspectives learned — that this does not happen again.

—THE EAGLE’S EDITORIAL BOARD

D.C. colleges look to capitalize on new census numbers

New sexual assault policies considered

By MEG FOWLER

By MEG FOWLER

Eagle Staff Writer

SUCCESS

APRIL 1, 2010 VOLUME 84 n ISSUE 44

Thursday is Census Day, the official day on which Americans filling out their 2010 census forms should base their residential and familial information, according to Ben Marcus, Chairman of the D.C. Metro University Student Alliance.

If AU students list their D.C. address as their place of residence on the form, the AU Student Government may be able to obtain a sought-after student discount on the Metro transit system, according to Student Government President Andy MacCracken.

He works with Marcus on the Student Alliance, an organization of student leaders from 13 colleges and universities around the D.C. metropolitan area, on which he sits as vice president.

The Metro discount is one of several initiatives that could be enabled through student participation in the census. It will be possible because the D.C. municipal government receives funds from the federal government based on the census count, according to Marcus. D.C. will get $3,700 per District resident counted every year for ten years, he said.

The Student Alliance has been working with city council members for the past couple of months to promote the interests of college students, and the 2010 census is the opportunity for college students to show the importance that the city council should place in their interests, according to MacCracken.

“I think not a lot of people realize how much of a college town we actually are ... If we can prove that the students are worth it for the city to really invest in and spend their time on, which we’re absolutely worth that, I think we’ll see some benefits start to come through,” MacCracken said.

“The reality is [the D.C. government] needs us right now for the census and we need them for a number of things to improve student life in D.C.” Students comprise almost onesixth of the population of D.C., according to a release by the Student Alliance. Assuming that every one of the approximately 100,000 students in the District fill out the census listing D.C.

as their place of residence, Marcus estimated that D.C. will receive $370 million of federal funding every year for the next 10 years for its student population.

One problem with students’ census participation is the confusion over how college dorms will actually be counted, according to Marcus. There has been miscommunication on that issue and colleges are all doing it differently, he said.

Students living off campus should have already received their census form in the mail, MacCracken said.

Students living on campus should also expect to receive census forms in their mailboxes within the next week or two, according to Nick Sabato, assistant to the executive director in AU’s Housing and Dining Programs who is helping to facilitate the census process at AU. The very mobile student population has been difficult to include in the census because students often think they count in their parents’ form, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site. However, students actually should fill out the form to indicate where they live nine months out of the year, according to the site.

For many students, that location is at school.

Obtaining the discount for students to use the Metro transit system is high on both MacCracken’s and Marcus’s lists of priorities. MacCracken has started to discuss it with D.C. councilmember for Ward 3 — where AU is located — Mary Cheh and Marcus has begun to try to contact the offices of councilmen-at-large Michael Brown and Phil Mendelson.

MacCracken and Marcus are also working to facilitate students’ right to affordable off-campus housing and to empower students to obtain local representation in their Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.

“Over the course of April, you’ll see a lot of ramped-up efforts to do some [census] education,” Marcus said. “The more the students are engaged, the more likely it is that the city will want to pay attention to students and want to treat the students as a priority for them.”

You can reach this staff writer at mfowler@theeagleonline.com.

Eagle Staff Writer Last week, a proposal was submitted to Vice President of Campus Life Gail Hanson that would add definitions for terms involving sexual assault in the Student Conduct Code, such as “stalking” and “consent,” and would differentiate between the charges students receive for different types of sexual assault.

The proposal, entitled “Sexual Assault and Misconduct Procedures for Students,” was written, reviewed and submitted by the policies subgroup of the Sexual Assault Working Group, a group of AU students, faculty and staff working to improve the university’s approach to sexual assault, according Sarah Brown, director of Women’s Initiative.

In their recent letter to the editor, Hanson and Provost Scott Bass alluded to the proposal, calling it “an enhanced statement of rights, responsibilities and resources related to sexual misconduct.”

The proposal is under “active review” and approval is expected before the semester ends, according to Hanson and Bass’ letter. The full text of the document will be released to The Eagle and published when it is approved.

The amendment makes demarcations between the charges for different types of sexual assault that would appear on students’ records from the Office of Student Conduct. It differentiates between sexual assault, sexual harassment and harassment and intimidation, according to Deputy Director of the Student Advocacy Center Julie Mills.

Mills sits on the Sexual Assault Working Group representing the Student Advocacy Center.

Currently, all records on a student disciplinary record for sexual assault are the same.

“You could have fondled somebody and you could have raped somebody, and at the end of the day, you would end up

with the same charge,” Mills said.

“Your sanctions would be different. That’s all taken into consideration. But that is what would go on a disciplinary record.”

The policy also clarifies what constitutes consent, which is currently defined in the Conduct Code as “words or conduct indicating a freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or to participate in sexual activities.”

The Conduct Code goes on to indicate what does not constitute consent.

“Sexual contact will be considered ‘without consent’ if no clear consent, verbal or nonverbal, is given; if inflicted through force, threat of force, or coercion; or if

“Sometimes a person may feel so intimidated they can’t say ‘no.’”

– Jennifer Dorsey Co-Director of Stop the Violence Against Women

inflicted upon a person who is unconscious or who otherwise reasonably appears to be without the mental or physical capacity to consent,” the Code currently reads.

Mills said the amendment to the Code will describe different scenarios that are often mistaken for “implied consent.”

“For example, if you accept to go on a date with someone, that does give you consent to accept any sexual activity,” Mills said.

“Whatever you’re wearing does not imply consent.”

Campus groups that have reviewed the proposal include the Main Sexual Assault Working Group, the Department of Public Safety and members of the

Conduct Advisory Board Committee. The CABC includes the Residence Hall Association, the Graduate Leadership Council and students in the Student Government.

“We tried to incorporate as many groups as possible so that what we’re submitting now ... answers everyone’s questions,” Mills said.

Kyrie McCauley-Bannar and Jennifer Dorsey are co-directors of the Stop Violence Against Women department of Women’s Initiative and they sit on the Policies subgroup of the Sexual Assault Working Group with Mills as WI representatives.

McCauley-Bannar and Dorsey said that consent can take many forms.

“Sometimes a person may feel so intimidated by a situation that they can’t say ‘no,’” Dorsey said. “But they make it very clear with their body language ... that they’re saying ‘no.’”

McCauley-Bannar said she thinks the definition of consent should focus on not just what means “no,” but also what means “yes.”

“Just out of respect for each other, [partners] need to wait for that confirmation,” she said.

Lastly, the proposed amendment looks to go further into specifying students’ rights and the responsibilities that the university has in providing resources to make students feel safe after incidents of sexual assault.

Work on the proposal began in the fall 2009 semester and it is hoped that the proposal will be approved in time to be implemented this fall, according to Mills.

Eagle staff writer Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report.

You can reach this staff writer at mfowler@theeagleonline.com.

EDITORIAL

APRIL 1, 2010

JOE WENNER n Editorial Page Editor EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com

JEN CALANTONE n Editor in Chief Editor@TheEagleOnline.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Due to the considerable number of responses to Alex Knepper’s recent column, we have expanded this section to display as many student reactions as possible. For more responses, visit www.theeagleonline.com.

Editors should have prevented publication

Knepper gives The Eagle a bad name

Allow me to add my voice to the slew of e-mails you are no doubt receiving criticizing your decision to publish Alex Knepper’s most recent column. You have defended your decision on the grounds that it provokes useful dialogue and that to not publish the column would amount to censorship. I believe that both claims are wrong.

In any society, there are broad community standards that define acceptable public speech. In ours, such standards are among the most relaxed in the world, and I believe this is a good thing. There are still standards, however.

You would not publish a column that advocated murder or pedophilia. Would this be considered censorship? Mr. Knepper’s column essentially countenances date rape, which the vast majority of society believes is no different than any other kind of rape. The idea that censoring such an article would set a bad precedent gives credence to an illogical “slippery-slope” mentality. I doubt that this would be a case in which “first they came for the rape apologists, and I said nothing.”

I am also skeptical that giving voice to Mr. Knepper’s illogical rantings does anything to promote useful dialogue. For those who agree with him, it is likely to legitimate their views. It also serves to re-frame the debate on the matter.

Because Mr. Knepper’s views are considered so outlandish by most, the “reasonable” moderates will now be seen as those who are further to the right in this debate than they would have been previously. This resembles a similar debate taking place over topics such as climate change and health care. How much of a voice should one give any lunatic whose argument lacks logical cohesion and statistics?

You are the editors of the student newspaper, and you have the power to prevent something like this from being published. You should use it. Instead of some sort of feeling of false-enlightenment, I believe that this episode has made The Eagle appear extremely immature, acting like a petulant child and saying whatever will bring it the most attention, regardless of merit. You are correct that this is a legitimate topic to discuss, but the way in which you have gone about discussing it is shameful.

I hope that you think more carefully about the implications of this column and that you consider much more carefully what you decide to print in the future. I hope that there is a movement to reduce your funding in the future, as this seems to be the only truly effective way to express disapproval with your publication.

My name is Adam Barnhart and I am a senior graduating with a degree in history this-coming May. I have read The Eagle for the past four years and lately I’ve been very sad with the direction that the opinion section has taken.

I am not writing to you to trash The Eagle. Enough uninformed “readers” have done that and it serves no constructive purpose, no matter how much I may sympathize with their concerns. I know that 95 percent of your material is high-quality, engaging material written by excellent writers.

However, your continued support, implicit or explicit, of Alex Knepper is inexcusable and unprofessional. Knepper did not base his claim that, “Feminist religious dogma, long ago disposed of by neuroscientists and psychologists,” on any actual credible scientific studies. His later remarks that: “To cry “date rape” after you sober up the next morning and regret the incident is the equivalent of pulling a gun to someone’s head and then later claiming that you didn’t ever actually intend to pull the trigger... “Date rape” is an incoherent concept...Feminists don’t understand history, psychology, biology or sexuality” are offensive, bigoted, uninformed, and ignorant. There is no credible or professional defense for this language. The fact that both of you knew the outrage and anger that this piece would cause and willingly published it anyway is unbecoming of credible, respected newspaper editors.

Alex Knepper consistently gives The Eagle a bad name. Both of you defended your actions in the name of creating dialogue. That is a noble mission and one that should be pursued with vigor, especially on a college campus.

But there are many more constructive ways to build that community without creating such a negative disturbance on campus. Advertise programs that do conduct dialogue on the hard issues such as sexuality, date rape, consent, racism and political polarization. Use positive, constructive advertising and writing to influence the actions of others, not fiery exhortations against feminism.

I ask that you cease publishing material written by Alex Knepper. Both of you bring up the legitimate point of censorship. No one is asking you to censor legitimate material. But you can’t yell “Fire!!” in a movie theater. When the material harms the community, serves no legitimate, credible purpose, and there are many much better ways to address the issues that Knepper brings up, Knepper’s services are no longer demanded. The AU community has had enough of Knepper and we ask that you please come to your senses and cease publishing his opinions.

You both do a fine job of editing The Eagle. The Eagle’s material is topnotch and superb 95 percent of the time. Please restore my faith, and the faith of many others, in their school newspaper.

Sincerely, Nick Reksten PhD Candidate Department of Economics

Sincerely, Despite shock, censorship unacceptable As a member of the AU community, I, along with many many others was shocked and angered by Alex Knepper’s column. It attempts to blur the line of consensual relationships and acts of rape on innocent women.

Certainly no woman ever asks to be raped, and consent is never something that should be assumed under a drunken haze. Though Knepper’s column certainly stirred up anger, it was even more disappointing to see that the reaction of a few students was to vandalize stands of The Eagle around campus. At a University, the free exchange of ideas should be held paramount. It is morally reprehensible to attempt to silence someone because you disagree with their ideas. Speech codes have been attempted at many universities but continue to fail for good reason.

The staff at The Eagle has taken this opportunity to open up more lines of discussion through a forum, posting of letters and an outpouring of comments on the original column and others. The opposition to Knepper has certainly not been silenced, nor should it be. The marketplace of ideas should be the downfall of Knepper’s column. His views that legitimize illegal behavior will fail against any rational argument.

The real disappointment is in the few students opposed to The Eagle taking action to prevent news from being shared. This was an opportunity for a terrific show of force by AU students. Instead it is an embarrassing display of censorship and ignorance about how college newspapers operate. If every student who was offended pledged to go through training to be a rape crisis counselor, many women would be helped around our community. Knepper only talks of situations in the abstract, but there is a chance to help women that are in real need and those opportunities lie outside the offices of The Eagle or Facebook.

I can expect that people would disagree with what I’m saying, and I would love a conversation with anyone who thinks that. I hate to think that what I say might not reach anyone due to unchecked passion. We cannot legitimately claim to be a community that accepts all people and all ideas if we censor those ideas that we find objectionable.

Pro Deo et Patria, Marc Tomik BA/SPA 2008 No constructive value in Knepper’s column I must say that the “constructive” value of this editorial is practically nonexistent. It reads as a rant or an attack, calling our queer and feminist activists “a sniveling bunch of emotional cripples,” “insular,” and “solipsistic.” I have no doubt that part of the reason there has been so much outrage regarding this article is because of its judgmental name-calling. I am also positive that much of the outrage has sparked from the paragraph about a “woman who heads to an EI party,” but rather than examine the many problems with that — as I am sure there are many others doing just that — I would like to confront the confused logic of this editorial.

One of my major problems with this editorial is its confusion between the physical act of sex and gender theory. How did we get from the social construction of gender to amorphous blobs in the bedroom? What kind of logical progression is that? Last I checked contemporary feminist and queer theory is about how society informs our masculine and feminine genders, not the physical act of sex per se. And none of these theorists presume us to be amorphous blobs — society informs our gender from the very minute we pop out of the womb. Perhaps a little visit with Judith Butler or another respectable theorist would help clear things up.

Being pro-sex and being feminist or queer are not mutually exclusive, and it is rather presumptuous of Knepper to assert that they are. I’m pretty sure that the “Gay Party” is not trying to abolish sex’s passion. Anyone who’s attended events like the Gay Pride Festival will have noticed the copious amounts of condoms available at every turn. It is also presumptuous to say that the “ying and yang of masculinity and femininity” is what makes sexual exploration exciting. This is not the case for everyone. Sometimes it’s when the line is blurred that sex is the most exciting.

Knepper draws a line, with heteronormative roles dominating the bedroom.

Why are masculinity and femininity our only options? Knepper employs the same kind of logic when he asks us to draw a line of demarcation between rape and not-rape, citing date rape as incoherent. Why does everything have to be so black and white? What about the exceptions and the in-betweens?

This is exactly the kind of binary logic that smothers our ability to question the gray areas, and it goes against what academia teaches us. While I respect the right to freedom of speech, as well as difference of opinions, I do not find Knepper’s editorial to be at all constructive. If the editorial had been better written, perhaps it would have been constructive, but as is, its logic is flawed and misinformed, which doesn’t help anyone.

It is one thing to launch a discussion about “date rape” or the lines of consent in sex, but it is quite another to go on an anti-feminist, accusatory rant in which there is a “right” and a “wrong” party. Expressing a difference of opinion is fine, but please do it in a logical and respectable manner. Binary logic and accusatory tones will get us nowhere.

Jenn Dearden CAS 2010

Adam S. Barnhart Support for freedom of thought I would like to personally thank you for not crumbling under pressure concerning Alex Knepper’s article. While I might not agree with its content, I fully support the Eagle’s decision to publish it. As an AU Alumni, my hope for AU’s respect for freedom of speech is minimal. However, with your support of freedom of thought, I have become slightly more hopeful.

Kyle Hartz Keep Knepper on staff I’ve been closely following the backlash against The Eagle for publishing Alex Knepper’s column and I’m sure you have been under a huge amount of stress. I would just like to say that I support the work you’ve done and I believe you should keep Alex Knepper on The Eagle’s staff [as a columnist].

I am writing to express my frustration and concern with the recent Alex Knepper column entitled “Dealing with AU’s anti-sex brigade.” The article, which attacked survivors of sexual violence and activists working to solve these societal problems and inequalities, was offensive and misinformed. Alex Knepper’s voice, though fueled by the pretense of “freedom of speech,” should not be allowed to extend to the realm of hate speech when he is being approved by an editorial board. Until he issues a personal apology to the campus community and is expelled from your staff, I will assume that The Eagle, as a publication, endorses his values and his ideas regarding rape, sexual assault, sexism and misogyny. As a concerned member of this campus community, and as a two-time sexual assault survivor, I refuse to support a publication with those stated values and will encourage others to abandon the paper as well until this situation is remedied.

Samantha Acebal Knepper’s column starts no dialogue I sincerely hope that you both realize how incredibly uneducated you are about the legal definitions of rape, and what dangerous ground you are walking on by implying that your newspaper is starting a conversation about “confusing sexual situations”. You state that opinion pieces like Knepper’s are intended to “start a dialogue.” What, exactly, type of dialogue did you hope to start? Did you want us to all engage in a conversation in which we debated the definition of “rape”? Need I remind you that legal definitions of rape already exist, and that your little campus newspaper is not in any sort of authoritative position to start a “dialogue” about this?

If you are still so confused about what “rape” is, I suggest you contact some local organizations, such as the DC Rape Crisis Center, or Men Can Stop Rape. Or, how about contacting the DC police department, and asking them?

I can assure you that all of these organizations will stand in firm support of rape survivors who have been drugged with alcohol and are therefore unable to legally give consent for sex. In fact, I hope that The Eagle staff members are all willing to chip in some money to send Alex Knepper to a Men Can Stop Rape training. Perhaps those awesome guys at MCSR can help Alex understand the ways in which his privileged position in life has led him down this path of misogyny.

Finally, I am deeply troubled by your insistence that protecting Knepper’s hateful, victim-blaming article is a form of “free speech.” I oppose censorship within reason; however, I oppose hate speech even more, and Knepper’s opinion piece is filled with vindictive and intentionally inflammatory victimblaming rhetoric. Within a public discourse about sexual violence, not all voices should be heard equally. When we are engaging in a public discussion of social justice issues such as rape, we must recognize the very real dangers of allowing victim-blaming voices such as Knepper’s to be given equal footing with educated experts. I view your decision to defend Knepper’s piece as extremely problematic and dangerous. Moreover, your decision to run this type of garbage makes me wonder if you are really committed to “free speech,” or if you are merely interested in increasing your readership. On that point, at least, you have temporarily succeeded: thanks to your poor editorial choices, The Eagle, and the AU community, are receiving a great deal of negative attention on local and national Web sites as Knepper’s mean-spirited words are being ridiculed and criticized by educated and informed anti-sexual violence advocates and other concerned citizens.

Therefore, until The Eagle issues a formal, public apology to members of the AU community, I pledge to boycott your paper and aggressively inform all of my colleagues about your unethical behavior. Additionally, I will be contacting businesses which advertise in The Eagle to inform them that as long as The Eagle editors choose to run such ill-informed and hateful articles, I will boycott their businesses as well. From this day forward, I will think of you, The Eagle editors, as people who chose to promote hateful, victim-blaming rhetoric on AU’s campus. I sincerely hope that in the future, you will choose to educate yourselves about the realities of rape, and the legal definitions of rape, and make wiser decisions about what type of articles to run in your paper.

Mahri Irvine Doctoral Student, AU Department of Anthropology Anti-Sexual Violence Advocate Volunteer, DC Rape Crisis Center

Thanks, Alex Margolis SPA 2011 Editors must resign

Column caused trauma and shame

Your actions concerning Alex Knepper’s column have made me ashamed to call myself an Editor of an American University publication. As Editors, it is your job to protect the integrity of your publication, not ruthlessly exploit it for some quick and sordid publicity. Alex has every right to his opinion, and every right to air it. However, it was your choice to publish his vitriol and to provide him with a forum within the pages of the publication you helm — as opposed to his own personal blog or facebook page, which would have been a much more appropriate venue for him to exercise his First Amendment rights. Therefore the anger and hurt that has resulted from this column lie squarely on your shoulders. His column contained nothing of editorial worth and did nothing to advance the journalistic goals of the Eagle. Surely, you knew this would cause outrage. And you risked the reputation and existence of the publication you lead for — what, exactly? You cannot believe that this controversy has led to any discourse on sexual rights or “furthered a conversation” on that topic. Rather, it has only exposed your own poor leadership skills.

I am shocked that you let this piece leave your editing desk because I know the feelings of pride and protectiveness that come along with being the Editor-in-Chief of a publication. That you would willingly lower the standards of the newspaper so quickly and without any foresight is shameful indeed. Now, it seems like the wisest course of action is to stop covering your own reputations and try to salvage the integrity of your publication.

I’m all for freedom of speech and freedom of the press, but this is ridiculous. I have never ever been more ashamed of my soon-to-be alma mater.

This kid, Alex, is a joke! It’s obvious that this is a stunt for him to get more attention and for The Eagle to boost its readership. I am disgusted! Rape is a serious matter. It doesn’t matter if it’s date rape or marital rape. It doesn’t matter if it’s rape that occurs in a dark alley or in the suite at a fancy hotel. It doesn’t matter if it occurs between two people who are best friends or two strangers. It doesn’t matter if it occurs between two women, two men, or a man and a women. It doesn’t matter what the scenario, if the sex isn’t consensual, it’s rape, plain and simple. I saw your quote in the Washington Post blog.

You thought this article would “foster an interesting discussion”? Did you not think of the trauma and embarrassment and shame it would cause victims of rape to relive? Congratulations, you’ve been successful in raping these people twice! Alex Knepper does not deserve to write for this newspaper, and you my dear, do not deserve to call yourself editor-in-chief.

Sincerely, Rachel Webb Editor-in-Chief American Literary Magazine Both The Eagle and Knepper must apologize

the EAGLE American University’s Independent Student Voice MISSION The Eagle, a student-run newspaper at the American University, serves the student readership by reporting news involving the campus community and surrounding areas. The Eagle strives to be impartial in its reporting and believes firmly in its First Amendment rights.

SUBMISSION AND EDITORIAL POLICIES • Send letters and guest columns to: Editorial Page Editor, The Eagle, 252 Mary Graydon Center, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20016 or EdPage@TheEagleOnline.com. Letters and guest columns must be received by 7 p.m. on the Thursday before the Monday publication, should be typed and must include the writer's name, year, school and telephone number.

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Brittany L. Johnson 2010 Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity responds We, the Brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon, take issue with Mr. Alex Knepper’s article “Dealing with AU’s anti-sex brigade.” We are offended with his portrayal of any person who attends a social function as passively accepting sexual intercourse regardless of actual consent. Going to a party does not mean anyone explicitly wants sex.

Sigma Phi Epsilon prides itself on keeping high standards of decency, community and respect. Rather than submit to stereotypes of the “frat,” SigEp created the Balanced Man Program which teaches members to care for our bodies, our minds and the people around us. SigEp Brothers have subsequently taken alcohol and date n see LETTERS on page 3

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APRIL 1, 2010 n

from LETTERS on page 2

courses in show of support. We are positive that other fraternities on this campus are teaching similar values and should be commended for such. For anyone to throw around terms like “frat” and implications of enabling and threatening student bodies, is an insult to the values and mission that Fraternities provide.

It saddens us that the tragedy of date rape persists in our society and affects all campus communities. The fight to eradicate the violence is not helped by individuals who make over-arching statements that come to the conclusion that anyone who attends a party, fraternity affiliated or otherwise, is consenting to sex. Legally and morally, this is not the case. The most recent large-scale study conducted by the Department of Justice of rape on college campuses, found an average 35 rapes per 1,000 female students over seven months. But this shocking number doesn’t tell the full tale. These are not passive participants to be made light of, they are people. These are not just tragic numbers; they are fellow students sitting next to you in classes.

These are not just sad statistics, they are strong survivors.

Mr. Knepper’s arguments may be illogical and hurtful, but he is not the source of the problem in this discussion. Date rape continues to occur with or without Mr. Knepper’s outrageous remarks. All college students must take it upon themselves to stop date rape. Whether that means talking to someone in the Women’s Initiative or the GLBTA Resource Center, participating in Take Back the Night, or even simply listening to a friend without judgment — we can all do something.

Date rape is an appalling epidemic that faces everyone. For ourselves, our friends and communities we must stand up. Instead of blaming the survivor, we can logically examine what causes a person to believe they have the right to another’s body. Instead of making inflammatory statements for personal fame, we can come up with solutions. Instead of blaming fraternities, we can reach out to them as an ally.

It pains us that Mr. Knepper’s article represents many ills of this world. Date rape is persistently robbing our communities of sexual security. The more we learn about the issue of date rape in our community the more active we can become. The more we understand the harm it does and the survivor’s strength, the more we can do to support those affected. The more individuals get invested in this issue, the faster an unwavering collective ‘we’ will stand up against this crime. American University, we must all stand up. We must stand together. Not just to stop hurtful speeches of one writer for The Eagle, but to stop painful actions across our community and across all college campuses. The Brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge our continued support to the community, AU’s survivors, and the collective “we” to educate and eradicate this tragic plague.

The DC Delta Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon The balancing act of journalism While every student at our University has the right to express their views, First Amendment rights come with certain implied responsibilities in their free exercise; namely, if you are in a position of authority where you are giving out information as a member of a media source, you ought to express your views logically and reinforce them with factual assertions. For the powerful freedoms of the press to be treated otherwise is to neglect the tremendous ethical responsibilities writers have to their readers and to the whole community to express any view they choose, but in an accurate and straightforward manner.

I’m suspicious of any direct censorship or line-cutting anywhere, anytime, and The Eagle should let even the most polarizing, outrageous voices be heard, simply because they have the right to express themselves. History shows us that when journalists fear reporting on controversial topics, or editors shy away from publishing controversial articles, built-in biases and slants tend to expand. Thomas Jefferson probably regretted it when he said “a revolution every 20 years or so is good for the people.” Applying that as a metaphor, the question to consider here is simply: when does defying convention become an obstacle to effective journalism?

Benjamin Franklin said that “the pen is mightier than the sword.”

He was right. The power of the press lies not in the disseminating factor of “stirring up opposition” that European royalty so feared in the 18th century, but in the power of ideas to implant themselves in the minds of readers. Once an idea gets in someone’s head, they will remember where they first heard about it. The impact any radical notion makes on someone depends on who that person is. This is why words are so powerful, and for authorities, so dangerous.

Reporters and editors at The Eagle have to exercise a degree of discretion that should do as little as possible to impede on freedom of expression, but, of course, the caveat is that they also need to buy and sell papers and maintain their readership. The Eagle is a fine paper in many ways, usually offering general outlines of both sides to any argument. One of the major failings of the Knepper article was that it was not accompanied by a counter-position, which is expected to come out in Thursday’s edition. The question here is: do newspapers have an ethical obligation to censor or not publish articles that are so inflammatory that they risk promoting an unethical message? AU and The Eagle do not condone Knepper’s message, yet for some of those offended by his article, The Eagle gave his ideas tacit support by publishing them for all to read.

The question that remains for us is this: where do we draw the line between free speech and responsible publishing? Alex Knepper stated Tuesday that he is leaving The Eagle at the end of the semester, which seems to have saved the paper the embarrassment of having to fire him. I don’t think it sets a good precedent to fire someone just because he expressed his opinion. His right to do so is guaranteed in the First Amendment. The issue with Knepper is not that shouldn’t have written what he wrote; there’s no stopping a man bent on getting his name out whatever ways he can. The issue here is where, or if, a school paper should self-censor to prevent outrage or public fury.

Alex Knepper could have used his position as a columnist to advocate for the positive ideas he has, rather than simply garner a reputation as an overtly opinionated, prejudiced writer. Now we won’t get to hear any positive ideas he has about, well, much of anything.

He chose the easy way out; in talking about the “implied consent” of female students interested in attracting male attention, by equating their actions as soliciting for sex, he disregarded the “implied responsibility” of his position. A ‘contributing writer’ is one thing; a ‘columnist’ another. By virtue of his position, the writer sparked a torrent of angry Facebook statuses, thousands of comments, and a Washington Post article. Much good may it do him. He’s succeeded in getting his name in the Post, but his reputation here seems to be already set in stone.

Ryan Hunter 2013 Sigma Chi fraternity responds As the President and Social Chairman of Sigma Chi, a social fraternity here at American University, we were extremely disappointed that the Eagle would publish such an irresponsible depiction of rape. We do not wish to dignify the author’s statements with a direct

I can still remember sitting in a tiny blue chair at a wooden desk in grammar school. The fifth grade curriculum at my Catholic school required us to prepare for the sacrament of Reconciliation. Regardless of how anyone feels about religion, I still maintain that I learned an important lesson that I’ve held onto for the last 12 years.

Human beings are prone to mistakes, indiscretions, sins, misjudgments — whatever your word might be for it. The best way to repent for these shortcomings is to apologize and seek to make right what one has wronged.

Never has this been truer than now. In my life, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. We all have. Most of the time, we never intend to make these mistakes. In fact, we often have the best intentions. Fortunately for most people, their indiscretions are not out in the public eye. But in the job I have chosen, as editor in chief of a college newspaper, any mistakes I make in my editorial judgment are

response and we certainly understand and recognize his right to speak his mind. Our goal is to make sure that our entire campus community understands the seriousness and reality of the dangers associated with this issue.

Unfortunately this danger is a reality to many. It is something that has affected women at not only AU but at college campuses all across the country. This is a very personal issue. To discuss it with this level of disregard for the victims of these acts is morally reprehensible. Our hope isn’t that the campus community gets into a useless debate with the author, but rather to take action to prevent these types of heinous acts from claiming future victims.

As a fraternity on this campus we look forward to working with other groups to promote rape awareness, education and prevention.

Sincerely, Robby Soos, Patrick Elwell Kappa Rho Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity American University

Alumni disappointed with publication standards I edited and wrote for The Eagle’s editorial pages in the early ‘90s. I wouldn’t have let this through, nor would the two editors-inchief whom I served.

Knepper drew a false conclusion that demeans a group of people — women. Full stop.

He’s allowed to say that women who drink a lot and go to a room with a man are telling them they’re ready to screw. He’s allowed to think it and he’s allowed to believe it, whether or not it’s true.

The problem is threefold: 1. It’s disgusting and indicates a loathing and perhaps fear of people who are not Knepper or like Knepper.

2. The statement about women and rape is a non sequitur. His article could have been a well-reasoned exploration of how attempts to make people feel safe and welcome on a largely liberal campus lead to a largely conservative, even puritan environment, and take the fun out of sex. It could have suggested ways to reintroduce the fun and spontaneity of getting it on while not abandoning the desire to make kids feel safe. By diving into a swift, unwisely considered assertion of what rape is and is not, he abandons a new angle on an old story — campus Puritanism — and goes for shock value because he knows it gets attention.

3. Knepper’s editors at The Eagle should not have concentrated on editing the story first; they should have asked themselves if it was acceptable to their standards and the standards of the school, however qualitative the measures are of determining that. At that point, the question should have been whether to spike the story or send it back for a rewrite — not to render it toothless, but to render it coherent. A controversial take on these topics is always welcome.

A shocking take a la Grand Guignol, is a waste of everyone’s time and accomplishes nothing.

What must happen now? I suggest that Knepper get remedial training in writing, editing and reporting, and that The Eagle suspend him for a time. The Eagle should not throw him to the mob, it should help educate him through journalism. As for his editors, they need the same, only more. If no one on the journalism school’s staff or on the newspaper’s staff has the inclination or time, then Knepper and his editors should resign or be fired.

Shame on everyone from top to bottom if that is the outcome.

Journalism is about lifelong learning, including through informed opinion writing. Knepper could have done a great job here. Instead, he hurt everyone whom he wrote about in this story and everyone who touched it.

Robert MacMillan SOC 1995 A different take on Knepper’s column Jeremiah Headen rightly lost the vice presidency of the Student Government over an ignorant Facebook note. Its contents — an ode to hegemonic masculinity — slammed men for claiming their gender identity without fitting into a specific mold. It ended with an unnecessary, all-caps call to raid booty and women from neighboring villages.

The comments on The Eagle’s Web site, mostly by social justice activists and advocates, as well as involved and offended student voices, condemned Headen for being an “anti-queer misogynist” and for undermining American University’s commitment to being a “safe space” for the “gay community.” He was also rebuked for using the offensive term “hermaphrodite” as a substitute for “intersex.”

What a wonderful bunch of voices! I have never encountered a more progressive, open view of human sexuality than at this college.

The willingness of these students to learn about safe and respectful sex here should be celebrated by social justice activists.

Contemporary gender theory, accepted and often revered by social scientists and academics, states that men and women are born autonomous, only to have gender identities imposed on them by socialization and cultural pressure. This is known as “social construction theory.”

Like the other great movements in history, the goal of contemporary feminism and queer activism is not to justify disrespectful acts, but to abolish them at the root. The idea that nonconsent and coercion make sexual exploration exciting has been revisited and revised by modern feminist scholars. Sex isn’t about individual desire, it is about mutuality, respect and pleasure. It’s about excitement, exploration and comfort. Feminism envisions a bedroom scene in which two confident, sexual beings ask each other for consent and ensure the mutual pleasure in an activity rather than risk violating and potentially scarring their partner or partners. Better yet: sex-positively and the belief in consent extend to fetishism, sadomasochism, kink and cross-dressing. How risqué!

For my pro-sex views, I am variously called a misandrist, a feminazi, and — my personal favorite — a “bitch.”

Let’s get this straight: any person who heads to a party and drinks five cups of the jungle juice is unable to provide consent. To justify manipulating someone who is inebriated, taking advantage of someone with physical threats, date-rape drugs, and coercion, and/or disregarding someone’s ability to enjoy or consent to sex is the equivalent of pulling a gun to someone’s back and shooting it in the dark. When you fuck someone who cannot soberly and comprehensively inform you of their comfort in a sexual situation, you’re fucking alone.

“Date rape” is an important concept. Verbal and enthusiastic consent makes dating and sexual relationships easier to navigate without hurting someone else. It’s not clear enough to merely “assume” consent, because the lines of consent in sex — especially anonymous sex — can become very blurry. If that bothers you, then stick with Alex Knepper and his brigade of anti-feminist, pro-rape minions! According to Knepper, you should avoid sex at all costs until you are ready to be harassed, abused, and raped — and then ignored and laughed at.

open for public consumption.

With this in mind, I think it is important that I am held accountable for what was ultimately my decision. The choice to run Alex Knepper’s column was one that was filled with good intentions. While I recognized that his tone was hyperbolic, I decided — based on our hands-off policy on editing columns — that it would create a dialogue. I truly believe in the value of debate and discussion, and these views clouded the possibility that this column may cause real harm to individuals who did not deserve it.

And though I still maintain that with the right tone, all relevant perspectives can create a constructive dialogue, we first need to figure out a more responsible means to do that.

editorial 3 Feminists have reconstructed our understanding of history, psychology, biology and sexuality. To make these truths speak louder and in more specific terms, I would like to recommend my five favorite books about the power of consent, sex-positivity, and gender theory on improving our culture and our lives: “Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape,” edited by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti, “Cunt: A Declaration of Independence Expanded and Updated Second Edition,” by Inga Muscioand Ph.D. Betty Dodson, “He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut, and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know,” also by Valenti, “Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex,” by Judith Butler, and “I Never Called It Rape: The Ms. Report on Recognizing, Fighting, and Surviving Date and Acquaintance Rape,” by Robin Warshaw.

Put down the Ann Coulter and embrace the sexual freedom — and total, absolute, want for respect and safety — of feminism!

Carmen Rios CAS/SOC 2012 Knepper’s writing is hate speech I can say that in my personal opinion I am a strong supporter of freedom of the press. I believe, however, that the power of journalism comes with a responsibility. When a newspaper refuses to adhere to an editorial policy that has any form of adequate standards, regardless of their political viewpoint, they breed discontent among their readership base. The Eagle’s repeated failure to address this issue proactively is to blame for these incidents, no one else. It is, however, in their right to choose whoever they want to publish. It is after all their reputation, relevancy and credibility on the line.

We do have to protect the most vile forms of free speech. However, as students we have the power to question op-ed editing policies and advocate for better quality control. Quality control is defined as standards set by the newspaper with input from various sources, one of which is reader response. It is up to the newspaper ultimately to decide where their standards lie. We have peer-edited scholarly journals and peer-edited opinion columns in newspapers all over America that prevent these types of controversies by setting ethical standards. Such standards are clearly needed in this case.

This is also why it is dangerous to conflate rape apologist language as being something “progressives” or “feminists” fight against.

There’s no community in our great Nation that can claim to not have used rape apologist language; it is that widespread. Progressives and some “feminists” aren’t called out enough for using rape apologist language, and I don’t think they say it any less than conservatives in many cases. It comes down to a question of ethics and not ideology, and how professionals, be they scientists peer reviewing a journal piece or op-ed editors peer reviewing a submission, deal with setting an ethical standard. My proposition is that The Eagle needs to begin looking at their policy regarding language addressing rape and sexual assault and perhaps reconsider their ethical approaches to such language.

In response to the very strong and passionate outrage at rape apologist Alex Knepper’s latest column “Dealing With AU’s Anti-Sex Brigade” [www.theeagleonline.com]), an unidentified student not endorsed by any organization decided to take direct action.

The Eagle has repeatedly refused for months to show adequate sensitivity, compassion, and common decency to the well-being of rape survivors on campus and is complicit in promoting a rape culture where survivors are blamed for the crimes of sexual assault perpetrators.

They have repeatedly failed to adequately work with many organization’s on campus who believe that we can have a strong, free press on campus free to print different viewpoints without allowing hate language which promotes implicitly or explicitly violence against others.

While I am saddened that the inaction of American University’s campus newspaper has allowed outrage to spread to this point, I am hopeful that they will in the wake of recent events reconsider the editorial policies that hundreds of students have been criticizing for over half a year.

A free press is not an insulated press, readers have every right to respond to op-eds they disagree with, but I encourage responses to be in the forms of letters to the editor, submitting their own op-eds and applying to write for The Eagle as a columnist or reporter.

I stand for free speech, not hate speech. It’s time The Eagle took responsibility for their words.

Sincerely, Travis Ballie Kogod/SIS 2010 Women’s Initiative Director Responds to Knepper Late Sunday night, Alex Knepper’s column “Dealing with AU’s anti-sex brigade” was released online. Despite The Eagle’s assertion that Women’s Initiative will “counter Alex Knepper with a column of [our] own,” WI will not use this space to take part in a debate that seeks only to divide the campus community and create controversy.

This column is not directed at Alex Knepper, but to The Eagle and to the AU community.

To the Eagle — It is irresponsible and shameful of you to use rape to generate readership. This is not a fun argument about an abstract concept between Alex Knepper and the crazy feminists. Real people, both women and men, hurt physically and emotionally because someone took control of their body without their permission. And real people hurt when their experiences are trivialized by the hate speech your organization chose to print. The Eagle owes sexual assault survivors and their friends and family, along with the rest of the AU community, an apology.

As students and as human beings, we have the right to attend a party without being sexually assaulted. We are entitled to wear what we choose to, to have a drink, or to move to a new space with an acquaintance without fearing for our security. We are the only ones who can decide with whom and when we will have sex —passionate, spontaneous and consensual sex. If you don’t feel that you gave consent, you have the right to feel violated. You also have the right to talk to someone about what was done to you, even if you don’t want to report it to AU or the police or go to counseling. The DC Rape Crisis Center (http://www.dcrcc.org/) can help you explore different options so that you can decide which path will best help you heal.

I’m relieved to see that students and faculty alike are upset and angered by this column. However, I hope that we don’t allow our anger to grow into hate. Rather than allow The Eagle to divide us and waste our positive energy debating their columnist, let’s use our anger to build a safe and empowering community for men and women alike. I hope everyone will come out to Take Back the Night this year (Monday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Amphitheatre) to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. This is a powerful space where we can come together and demonstrate that these are things we care about eradicating from our home at AU. We can change our community from one of indifference to one of safety and love.

Sarah Brown Director of Women’s Initiative

This has been an emotionally draining week, but I cannot deny that this has been a remarkable learning experience. When I think about all the people who have approached me and told me that they support my decision, I feel unbelievable gratitude. Even for those who have told me that I made a horrible mistake — I am so grateful for the constructive criticism.

Your thoughts, letters and conversation have made us re-evaluate a flawed process. In a perfect world, we would have had this process figured out long before the column was published. I can’t make the promise that this kind of controversy will never happen again. However, I hope that the conversation will focus on the topic, not the editorial decisions of The Eagle.

So, in addition to our editorial board’s apology, I

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

would like to do so personally. I sincerely apologize to those who have been hurt as a result of my inability to make Knepper’s message more clear and contextual. This was never my intention. I hope the campus community can discuss important issues in a manner that is constructive and productive in the future. Please, bear with us as we make the necessary changes. I know there are many people who will be angry with us for apologizing, but the point is that we need to repair our process. It is an issue of ethics and accountability, and as student journalists, these are the most important of principles.

Sincerely, Jen Calantone Editor in Chief

the EAGLE

APRIL 1, 2010

news 4

Survivor shares her personal stories

VOICE OF HOPE

By MEG FOWLER Eagle Staff Writer An AU student who did not wish to be named is the survivor of two sexual assaults allegedly perpetrated by fellow AU students. She agreed to share her stories with The Eagle, because she wants people to understand that rape is more common than many believe.

DATE RAPE

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

John Wanda, president of the Arlington Academy of Hope, spoke Tuesday on the building of sustainable communities. The event was sponsored by Professor Gemma Puglisi’s public relations portfolio group.

The first time she was sexually assaulted, she was at an off-campus fraternity party, and the other occurred on campus, she said. The first incident involved a vague acquaintance. The second involved a close friend.

The first month of her freshman year, the girl found herself at a fraternity party after her friends had already left. She had a lot to drink, she said, and she saw an older guy who was a familiar acquaintance.

“It was kind of like the situation [to which] people like Alex Knepper say, ‘It’s your fault,’” she said.

At first, she was unsure about whether it was rape or not.

“I do sort of wonder, was it rape?” she said. “It was really, really fast, and I really didn’t know what happened at the moment.”

But then she realized it had to be rape for two reasons. The first was that she was going in and out of consciousness when it happened.

“One ... I was completely incapacitated,” she said. “Two ... I was ripped apart. I was bleeding probably for three days,” she said.

The girl did not report the incident that occurred her freshman year because of all the stereotypical “freshman-gets-raped-at-a-frat-

party” stories that she had heard before, she said. When she called a friend from home for support, he said, “If you’ve been drinking, I can’t help you,” she said.

“People say, ‘If you’ve been drinking, it’s your fault,’” she said.

She has never officially reported this rape case.

STRUGGLING WITH THE SYSTEM The second rape occurred in an AU dorm and was allegedly done by a friend, who was her oncampus co-worker and fellow AU student.

This time, the AU student reported the rape case to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department about four months after it happened.

During the time in between the rape and the report, “we pretty much acted like nothing happened,” the AU student said.

The man who allegedly raped her had been her closest male friend for months and was “probably one of the most ever-present people in [my] life,” she said.

So she tried to deal with it in the same way she dealt with her first rape - by putting it in the back of her mind. But it didn’t work.

“I didn’t like being around him.

It made me sick to my stomach, but I ignored it,” she said.

When she finally reported the case to MPD, it took MPD six weeks to report it to AU’s Department of Public Safety and three months to provide her with an advocate, according to the student.

When she officially reported the rape on campus, she met with Human Resources to look at removing the alleged perpetrator from his job. But when he met with HR, he denied the rape incident. He did not lose his job because there was insufficient evidence for HR

to fire him, she said.

He was suspended for a period, but she had to work with him for two months before he finally left the job, she said.

“This is one of the reasons I’m graduating early. AU, in general, is just a toxic environment” because it is so easy to run into the alleged perpetrators of her rapes and other people associated with the incidents.

Jennifer Dorsey, co-director of the Stopping Violence Against Women department of Women’s Initiative, said that it is common for survivors of sexual assault to be too intimidated by the process of reporting the case and pressing charges.

“It’s amazing — in a bad way — how many more [instances of sexual assault] happen [than are reported],” Dorsey said.

Victims are not required to report their cases, but AU needs a full-time advocate in order to help facilitate the process, Dorsey said.

This was true in the case of this survivor.

“When I needed help, I didn’t have it,” the rape survivor said.

But she has been able to move on and become stronger because of the process, she said.

The AU student is thinking about presenting a testimonial at the Women’s Initiative event, Take Back the Night.

“I think that’s the therapy I have left to do,” she said.

You can reach this staff writer at mfowler@theeagleonline.com.

See the facing page for more information.

Housing and Dining expands gender-neutral housing at AU

By NANCY LAVIN Eagle Contributing Writer Housing and Dining decided this semester to expand gender-neutral housing options for the 2010-2011 academic year to include coed rooms in AU-rented Berkshire Apartments, according to Housing and Dining Assistant Director of Operations Jennifer Alvarez.

In addition to the Berkshires, students are able to select coed rooms and suites in Nebraska Hall and Centennial Hall, a policy that has been in effect since the 2009-2010 academic year.

“We are committed to being responsive to the needs of the AU community and are keeping current on how other campuses are piloting and implementing new programs and options,” Alvarez said.

AU’s inclusion of gender-neutral living options on campus follows a recent trend of colleges across

the country. Stanford, Cornell, the University of Michigan, Wesleyan and Haverford are among 50 other schools now offering coed rooms, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Despite the wider offerings for coed housing, some AU students are still choosing same-sex living situations. The current number of students at AU who choose coed suites and apartments is very low, according to Alvarez.

But Housing and Dining will still “spend significant time understanding current demands and projecting future needs so that we can be responsive to the dimensions and needs of each student living in the residence halls,” Alvarez said.

Some students living in coed housing next semester see advantages to the new option.

“I believe it is not the gender, but rather the personalities, that make a successful group of roommates,”

Abby Matousek said, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs. Moustek will be living in an AU-rented apartment in the Berkshire apartments with Leslie Kodet, a junior in SPA, and Phil Cardarella, a sophomore in SPA, next semester.

Kodet agreed that coed living options are more inclusive for all.

“Friends should not be restricted from living together because of a difference of gender,” Kodet said.

Some students said they feel that coed living situations are better than single-sex environments. Katlyn Miller, a 2008 AU graduate, lived in a coed suite in Nebraska Hall her senior year and said she liked having the experience of living in a coed environment.

The discussion on gender-neutral housing at AU first arose through a 2007 Student Government Senate Bill sponsored by AU alumna Jillian Rubino, who created and sponsored

several bills dealing with transgender issues during her time in the Senate.

Rubino’s 2007 bill advocated for the inclusion of trans-gender rights in housing policies, The Eagle previously reported.

Eventually, the bill included coed housing options for all students, not just those in the AU GLBTA community. Both Student Government and Housing and Dining realized the necessity of offering gender-neutral living options, specifically to underclassmen because they are more likely to live on campus, according to Alvarez.

Despite the bill’s passage in 2007, Housing and Dining did not offer coed options until the 2009-2010 academic year. The need to get approval from senior administration officials, combined with lengthy process of integrating the idea into Housing and Dining policy, caused the delay, according to Housing and

Dining.

In the 2009-2010 year, a Residential Community Cluster on Centennial 5 allowed students in the GLBTA community to live in coed suites and use gender-neutral public bathrooms. Though the same RCC did not re-apply for the fall 2010 semester, a new community cluster on gender identity and sexual orientation will exist next fall, according to Alvarez.

Despite the enthusiasm some students had for coed suites and apartments, others, especially freshmen and sophomores, were more hesitant to embrace the idea of coed rooms in their housing selections for the 20102011 year, according to Alvarez.

“Realistically, it may be that the small space of a shared room is just too tight to handle a coed situation,” Miller said. “There are certain privacy and personal space issues that are harder to maneuver when sharing a

single room with a coed partner.”

Coed rooms are especially complicated when romantic couples room together, Kodet said. “[But] same-sex couples can live together and go through these situations though, and the university doesn’t blink twice,” she said.

The university plans to explore more opportunities for gender-neutral housing in the coming years, according to Alvarez.

“There are many dimensions that determine the success of a person’s living environment, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer to these challenges,” she said.

You can reach this writer at news@ theeagleonline.com.

the EAGLE

APRIL 1, 2010

news 5

Citywide Statistics

10000

Here is a list of resources for anyone seeking more information or help involving sexual abuse:

8000

AU Counseling Center Monday and Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Wednesday through Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

INFO: Counselors are available for counseling, self-help resources, referrals to private care, workshops and discussion groups to help students gain the skills and insights they need to overcome problems they may have.

CONTACT: Call 202-885-3500.

Aggravated Assault Forcible Rape

6000

4000

2000

0

DC Rape Crisis Center www.dcrcc.org Open 24/7 INFO: The center helps rape survivors and their families heal from the aftermath of sexual violence through crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy. A trained counselor is available to provide a supportive, listening ear to rape survivors 24 hours a day, through the crisis hotline.

CONTACT: Call 202-333-RAPE REPORTING: Mandatory, if child abuse is involved.

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998' 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Second Districts Statistics

250 200

Aggravated Assault Forcible Rape

150 100

National Sexual Assault Hotline www.rainn.org Open 24/7 INFO: This national hotline serves people who have been affected by sexual violence. The hotline routes callers to their nearest rape crisis center for assistance.

CONTACT: Call 1-800-656-HOPE REPORTING: Mandatory, case by case

50 0

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

AU Statistics

20

DPS Reported Forcible Sex Offenses

Rape Crisis Hotline www.rapecrisis.com Open 24/7 INFO: Provides immediate crisis care, support, and hope to those individuals and families affected by rape.

CONTACT: Call 210-349-7273

15

10

5

0

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

KRISTEN POWELL / THE EAGLE

BY THE NUMBERS — In D.C. aggravated assault is more common than forcible rape, according to the MPD’s Web site. In 2008, the Second District of D.C., in which AU resides, saw the largest number of aggravated assault cases it had in eight years. AU’s DPS keeps records of the number of reports of forcible sex offenses it receives; these are not representative of the total cases of rape at AU per year because many are not reported.

Gay and Lesbian National Hotline www.glbtnationalhelpcenter.org Monday through Friday: 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. PST Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. PST INFO: Call center that refers to over 15,000 resources across the

country that deal with LGBTQ issues.

CONTACT: Call the hotline at 1888-843-4564 REPORTING: Not mandatory.

Legal Resource www.legalmomentum.org INFO: Provide local resources and limited individual legal assistance for women.

CONTACT: Call 202-326-0040 or fill out the legal assistance form on www.legalmomentum.org.

National Sexual Violence Resource Center www.nsvrc.org Monday through Friday: 8 a.m.

- 5:30 p.m.

INFO: Provide information relating to sexual violence, including a large legal resource library. This is not a crisis hotline service.

CONTACT: Call 717-909-0710 or toll free 877-739-3895 National Center for Victims of Crime www.ncvc.org Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

INFO: Call center provides resources to over 8,000 victim service programs across the country, not all related to sexual assault.

CONTACT: Call 1-800-394-2255.

REPORTING: Follow mandatory state reporting policies.

Self Harm - Boys Town National Hotline Open 24/7 INFO: Help for youth and their families and friends who are affected by self-harm issues. Help available to both genders.

CONTACT: Call 1-800-448-3000.

REPORTING: Mandatory. Will not ask for personal information, but if it is disclosed in a potential mandatory reporting situation, it will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Special thanks to Sarah Brown of Women’s Initiative for providing some of these resources.

AU faculty restructure manual

By CHRISTOPHER COTTRELL Eagle Staff Writer AU’s Faculty Manual is undergoing the most significant changes it has seen in decades — changes that are long overdue, according to Professor Stephen Silvia, former chair of the Faculty Senate.

The manual, a document concerning procedures for hiring, promotion and tenure, has become outdated and lacks certain characteristics that could take AU to the next level of achievement, Silvia said.

One of the things it lacks are provisions for hiring senior faculty with tenure from outside universities.

AU had no means of incentivizing professors from other universities because no language or provisions existed in the manual to lure someone to AU who already had tenure elsewhere. This caused AU to miss out on many opportunities to improve its academic base, Silvia said.

“So we wouldn’t be able to get people at mid-career who were superstars under that old system,” Silvia said. “AU has been probably more like the Kansas City Royals — whenever anybody got good, another university would make an offer and that person would end up going off to the Yankees.”

Virginia Stallings, chair of both the Faculty Senate and the ad hoc committee for revising the Manual, said she was very happy with the proposed revisions because they provide policies that support active scholarship and will help attract and

retain talented faculty.

“The current manual did not clearly define processes for workload and had a top-down framework for making important decisions that affect departments and schools,” Stallings said in an e-mail. “The new manual focuses on responsibility and decision-making at the lowest effective level. It provides a well-defined process for giving faculty credit for all the work that they do outside of the classroom.”

Additionally, the Faculty Senate wanted to make decisions regarding promotions and tenure less prescriptive and more discussion-based. Such decisions have traditionally taken a very rigid path and excluded input from a faculty’s colleagues, however relevant this input might have been.

“This way you would need to have a discussion. You would really have an assessment of the pros and cons,” Silvia said. “Faculty would be more vested and thinking about their colleagues that should be promoted and [they would] take more responsibility for these difficult decisions.”

The Senate established an ad hoc committee in Oct. 2008 that began proposing revisions to the manual for April of the following year.

The goals of the revisions are to write a new manual consistent with AU’s new strategic plan and to make AU more competitive as a university, Silvia said.

The process has involved more than 50 meetings with various academic units in all of AU’s six schools and four university-wide town hallstyle gatherings. The manual is cur-

rently in its third draft.

While the Faculty Senate typically convenes only once a month, it has been forced to meet weekly to address time demands and the massive amount of feedback it has received from faculty members.

“We’ve been really going out of our way to be as transparent as we can be,” Silvia said. “At a university, getting everyone involved is important.”

Silvia added that universities are unique in that they are able to be much more inclusive than the private sector, where someone might get fired for expressing dissent.

“It’s much more participatory,” he said. “That’s one of the benefits of being at a university ... Trying to work together, that’s how you get people to buy into it.”

Stallings commended the overall process, stating that there are very few instances in academia in which the faculty has been allowed to write its own manual.

“The draft has gone through substantial revisions based on faculty input,” she said in the e-mail, noting that the current draft is a product of more than 300 comments collected from faculty and faculty administrators.

“This draft is truly a Faculty Manual,” she said.

You can reach this staff writer at ccottrell@theeagleonline.com.

President Neil Kerwin and Board of Trustees Chairman Gary Abramson invite you to attend a question-and-answer session on Monday, April 12, 2010 5:00pm – 6:00pm Ward 2

the EAGLE

APRIL 1, 2010

news 6

AU Central to combine Financial Aid, Registrar

By HELEN KILLEEN Eagle Contributing Writer AU Central, an office in charge of answering student questions regarding course registration and financial issues, will open July 1, according to Director of Operations Jonnel Clothier.

AU Central will integrate the three offices of Financial Aid, the Registrar and Student Accounts that have in the past been referred to as AU’s own “Bermuda Triangle” by students.

The project, first approved by the AU Board of Trustees in February 2009, establishes a brandnew office space, cross training for existing staff from the three offices and the institution of a new student portal.

Overseeing the operation are Clothier and Betty Douglass, AU Central’s interim director, who was brought out of retirement specifically to oversee the office’s construction.

Douglass described the purpose of AU Central as a one-stop center in the Asbury building.

“Students won’t be put in the position anymore where they need to self-diagnose,” Douglass said. “You won’t need to think about which office you need to go to, you can just head straight to AU Central.”

The eight staff counselors that will work at the AU Central office will be able to utilize tools that were previously unavailable.

When students go into AU Central to get their questions answered, counselors will be able

to pull up a screen that has the student’s financial aid, registration and tuition history, according to Clothier.

“It’s a ticket that travels with you and prevents students from being forced into a position where they need to explain their problem multiple times as they are shuttled from office to office,” Clothier said, “[It’s] like a medical history.”

The office space in Asbury for AU Central comes complete with 10 offices for the counseling staff, two assistant director offices, an office for the secretary and one for Clothier, who will take over for Douglass starting July 1.

Both Douglass and Clothier believe that AU Central will be an answer to many of the complaints that have come up in the past few years about service in the “Bermuda Triangle.” Douglass cited the most recent Campus Climate Survey, a report released by the Office of Institutional Research every year. The CCS has shown much criticism of student services over the past few years.

“AU Central is a direct response to the complaints voiced in the Campus Climate Survey,” Douglass said. “I think students will be very pleased.”

According to Clothier and Douglass, the eight staff members of AU Central will have completed cross-training that will give them the ability to counsel students on all aspects of their accounts at AU. “The staff will be more like general practitioners rather than

specialists,” Douglass said.

While AU Central will pull staff and resources from the offices of Financial Aid, Student Accounts and the Registrar, the three original offices will remain intact for the most specific of questions that AU Central is unable to field. However, Douglass and Clothier hope that such instances will be few and far between.

Student Government President Andy MacCracken said he is very excited about the prospects of the new office.

“I’m very pleased with the outlook for AU Central,” MacCracken said. “It will finally make how student services are supposed to work in theory [into] a reality.”

MacCracken’s only concern was for the transition period as current students adapt to the new system.

“I worry that if AU Central does not communicate the changes it will bring, it might cause confusion in the short run,” MacCracken said.

Douglass and Clothier shared his concern, saying the system will take some getting used to but will be a much more efficient and simple way for students to manage their campus accounts.

You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.

KELSEY DICKEY / THE EAGLE

WHEELIN’ IN — D.C. is planning to increase its bike lanes from 45 to 80 miles. A section of Pennsylvania Avenue running from the White House to the Capitol will even ban cars from its middle lane.

D.C. adds bike lanes to downtown area

By NICOLE GLASS Eagle Staff Writer

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

A NEW AU — Nate Bronstein, right, sitting with Student Government President Andy MacCracken was elected SG president March 24. Bronstein’s plans for AU include improving AU’s sense of community and making better connections with other colleges in D.C.

Getting to know SG Prezelect Nate Bronstein An inside look into his life and plans

By JULIA RYAN Eagle Staff Writer Student Government President-elect Nate Bronstein did not have any interest in politics or the world beyond his own backyard until the events of Sept. 11 started him thinking about bigger issues.

“As stereotypical as it sounds, 9/11 really got me into what was going on in the world around me,” Bronstein said.

Bronstein’s interest in politics began to pick up in earnest the following summer after he read a magazine article which argued that, at that point in time, society could only be saved by human ingenuity.

“I remember reading [the article] and thinking, ‘Boy, I hope my generation is up to the task,’” Bronstein said. “Then I realized — hey, I should be up to the task.

I realized my role to play in all of this would be through politics — mobilizing others to make a difference.”

Bronstein, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and School of International Service, became student body president of his middle school and then went on to high school where he was active in the student government and was again elected student body president.

Bronstein said his biggest goal

as SG president is to strengthen AU’s sense of community. The greatest thing about AU students, Bronstein said, is that each student comes in with their own talents and passions. But AU students need to work harder to make a difference as a student body, he said.

“I want students to go from saying, ‘I will change the world,’ to ‘we will change the world,’” Bronstein said.

Bronstein has a number of projects planned for his presidency. He will work to get AU better connected to the D.C. MetroUniversity Student Alliance, an organization that fosters dialogue between student government representatives from colleges across D.C. Bronstein hopes to use this organization to collaborate with other D.C. schools on events like concerts and music festivals.

He also wants to establish a community service coalition and to increase the number of student liaisons that report to the SG. Bronstein said the community service coalition will be “a whole new department with constant programming for service.”

The department will streamline the process a student has to go through at AU to organize for a specific cause. It also will connect students with other students who want to work on a cause, according to Bronstein.

He said he hopes the liaison initiative will help the SG better understand the needs and concerns of specific groups at AU. The liaisons, who will report directly to the SG secretary, will each focus on one particular student issue and report to the secre-

tary about that issue.

Bronstein hopes to get liaisons for the Inter-fraternity Council, the Panhellenic Council, student athletes and various clubs and organizations across campus. But Bronstein also stressed that he is open to suggestions for new liaisons.

Bronstein promises he will be significantly different from his predecessor, current SG President Andy MacCracken.

“I’m more about getting out there,” Bronstein said. “During my campaign I would run up and talk to people. I ran around wearing a cape for a campaign video.

The loudness that I have — and I know I’m a loud person — is probably the biggest difference.”

Bronstein said his “loudness” will help him with outreach and transparency. Along with keeping in touch with various student clubs and organizations, he said he will talk to average AU students on a regular basis.

Bronstein has a lot of plans for what he wants to do personally when he graduates from AU. Bronstein said he will go to law school, but “not to be lawyer — just because it would be a great tool for me to have when I go into politics.”

Bronstein listed a number of possibilities for after graduation ranging from teaching to firefighting. But he said that politics is his real passion.

“I’ve wanted to be a politician since I was 10 years old,” Bronstein said.

You can reach this staff writer at jryan@theeagleonline.com.

D.C. is working to become more bicycle-friendly as more bicycle lanes are being added to downtown streets.

The District Department of Transportation is also expanding its bicycle rental program, SmartBike D.C. D.C. already has 45 miles of bicycle lanes on its 1,200 miles of streets, but the goal is to increase this to 80 miles, according to The Washington Post.

The center of Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol may soon be converted to a bicycle-only lane, according to the Post. The bicycle lanes will be installed within a month, in order to have the road ready for the summer bicycling season, according to DDOT. D.C. has the sixth-highest percentage of bicycle commuters in the country and this number doubled in the first eight years of the 21st century, according to the Census Bureau.

The DDOT has already made some changes towards expanding SmartBike D.C. One is the installation of more than 1,000 bicycle-parking racks in the city.

The department has also created a Bicycle Master Plan, which will establish high-quality bicycle

Nate Bronstein Hometown: Ardmore, Pa. – a small town five miles west of Philadelphia Major: Political Science/International Studies major, Spanish minor, trying to also make a creative writing minor

facilities and programs over 10 years, according to the DDOT Web site. The DDOT is developing innovative bicycle infrastructure in downtown D.C. and has looked at other cities, like New York and Montreal, for bicyclefriendly designs and ideas, according to the DDOT Web site.

Carol Foster, director of the AU’s Bike Lending Program, said making D.C. more bicycle-

“D.C. and AU can become models of sustainability for the rest of the country.”

– Carol Foster

friendly will cause students, herself included, to rent bicycles more often.

“One of the most common reasons students don’t use the rentals is because the D.C. streets and sidewalks are too narrow for riders to feel safe,” she said. “I think it’s great that D.C. is ... allowing for safer bike travel. It’s

imperative that D.C. becomes more cyclist-friendly so that riders are encouraged to choose a more sustainable, healthier form of transportation.”

Foster also said the bicycle lending program encourages sustainability nationwide.

“I think that by providing better bicycle infrastructure such as lanes, sidewalk widening and bicycle racks, D.C. and AU can become models of sustainability for the rest of the country,” she said.

Student Government President Andy MacCracken enjoys bicycling and said he hopes to take advantage of AU’s bike lending program soon.

“Back in Colorado, I was an avid cyclist. I biked everywhere,” he said. “While I’m all set up to use the Bike Lending Program, I haven’t taken advantage of it yet.

I definitely should because I miss biking.”

MacCracken said that not only does he enjoy it but that there are also a number of benefits to bicycling over walking or driving.

“I tend to walk everywhere a lot, but there are definite advantages to biking if you want to get somewhere quickly when there’s a lot of traffic, be green and get some good exercise,” he said.

You can reach this staff writer at nglass@theeagleonline.com.

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APRIL 1, 2010

THE EAGLE'S ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION

CAS professor to tell America ‘Secret History’

By ALEXANDER GRABOWSKI Eagle Contributing Writer

Courtesy of WARNER BROS. PICTURES

REMEMBER THE TITANS — Louis Letterier has directed a remake of “Clash of the Titans,” which stars Sam Worthington and Liam Neeson. The new production relies heavily on CGI effects, losing the analogue charm of the original film. The end result is an underwhelming spectacle of lost potential.

Plot loses in ‘Clash’ with tech

By BRYAN KOENIG Eagle Staff Writer

CLASH OF THE TITANS

C

The bigger they are, the harder they fall, and with a name as big as something calling itself “Clash of the Titans,” perhaps this movie was doomed — even prophesied — to fail. And much like the Greek myths of prophesies past, everything it does sets itself up to fulfill its promised failure, a reality only made worse by how overly serious it tries to take itself.

“Clash” tells the story of Perseus, played by Sam Worthington as an Aussie-tongued fish-outof-water with ample amounts of fight left in him. Perseus lives in an Ancient Greece besieged by angry gods. Himself a demigod, Perseus’s father is a disenchanted Zeus (Liam Neeson) who is egged on to punish humanity’s transgressions by his scheming brother, Hades (Ralph Fiennes). Hades plans to let loose the Kraken, a vast, monstrous creature, on the

city of Argos. As usual, it is up to Perseus and a team of soldiers to find a way to stop the city-sized creature.

A remake of the 1981 version with then-dazzling stop-motion special effects and starring Harry Hamlin, this “Clash” was directed by Louis Letterier. The Frenchman is a hit-or-miss auteur in his own right, with both the capable storytelling of “The Incredible Hulk” and hammy action of “Transporter 2” under his belt. “Clash of the Titans” is something in between the two — not terrible, but certainly disappointing for the lost potential of what could have been an energetic sword-and-sandals flick with an impressive cast and pleasing visuals.

The actual result is a film that does not live up to its name.

The clash is underwhelming, the supposed titans inspire no awe and any clash of titans that could have happened is lost to characters with the scantest of motivation or dimensions. The lacking character is not due to the cast; all appear to be trying their hardest. Unfortunately, the actors must contend with a script that calls on them to employ vast

amounts of exposition to try and make up for a barely-there plot.

Story points are either discarded or simply turned on their heads with nary an explanation and just more dribble of vomited, distracting exposition.

In some ways, “Clash” strikes a bit of a balance between what are admittedly good visuals and a plot that cannot contain all the sense it doesn’t make. Worth note is that, while they are good, the visuals are not great or awe inspiring. Not without entertainment, the action is admittedly decent and the visuals usually track. The film even boasts a few bursts of humor.

What it doesn’t boast is a great deal of sense. Perhaps homage, perhaps merely laziness in crafting that most elusive of film accomplishments — an original plot that actually makes sense — this “Clash” does little more than transplant all the elements of the original. But it didn’t simply tell the exact same story; that would be too easy. Instead it tossed those elements up in the air and played connect the jagged edges where they fell, letting gravity decide the mangled descent into needless story filling. No, that’s

‘Shrugged’ shows opinions better swayed than forced FICTION DICTION

ERIN CRANDELL Oh Ayn Rand, philosophical genius with a multitude of zealous followers. And “Atlas Shrugged,” your ultimate masterpiece, which I am certain you spent most of your life constructing. People either love it or hate it, but I decided that I would live through it and see for myself. I mean, if a book is 1,074 pages long and people actually read it, then it should be a significant read. Additionally, a lot of people that read the book enjoy it. This was the decision that I made in the beginning of August 2009.

Since then, Rand has punched me in the face. Repeatedly. Every time there is a 30-page monologue I cringe in anticipation. However, in spite of the rants about the greed of humanity and a blatant disregard for the environment, it was still a very compelling story.

This book is about capitalism.

And the rise of industry. And the strength of the human spirit. It has undying optimism about a world that we could achieve without corrupt politicians.

Of course, this reminded me scarily of Republican pleas for less government intervention in the economy. The characters of “Atlas Shrugged” would be cring-

ing at Obama’s new health care bill, and other attempts to monitor big business. This is part of the reason that this book made me think long and hard about everything it proposed. In any case, this book is as relevant today as it was when it was first written in response to communism.

The setting is New York at the peak of its industrial strength.

The main character, Dagney Taggart, exudes the kind of fine ‘20s industrial, feminist glamour that I always aspire to. Everything is seeped in the mechanical American Dream, where hard work always brings results. Hank Reardon is a symbol of an American Dream come true, while antagonistic politicians wish to bring him down. Those antagonists are the non-believers in the Puritan ideals that our country has tried to uphold since its independence.

If hard work were not rewarded at all, we would simply end up becoming a very feudal society.

However, the characters of this book are not very fully developed. In the 1,074 pages, they never had any kind of significant development other than a distinct revelation at the very end.

The main characters were ruled by reason, intelligence and pride.

Their virtues were virtues that Rand herself idolized in humans, and stressed multiple times they are lacking these in her contemporary society. There are clear bad guys and clear good guys: the ones who change their values to adapt to the system and the ones who leave the system rather than change.

not a typo. “Clash” only tries to tell a story; in reality, it merely fills it.

Really, we should have recognized the warning signs when the decision was made to retrofit the film for 3D, delaying its original release date by a week from Friday, March 26 to April 2. The retrofit, while not terrible, is unneeded and cannot save the movie from visual effects that can be replicated by films with the benefits of modern computer graphics. The real point is that Warner Brothers decided the film was worth retrofitting, at best a sign of their greedy leap onto the 3-D bandwagon, and at worst the result of a total lack of confidence in the film’s ability to engage audiences otherwise.

Ultimately, “Clash of the Titans” will be remembered as yet another unnecessary remake that thought it could cover up a halfhearted plot with pretty but heartless visuals — if it is remembered at all.

You can reach this staff writer at bkoenig@theeagleonline.com.

Bringing the United States’ forgotten past to the forefront of television viewers’ minds, AU professor Peter Kuznick is joining movie director Oliver Stone to create a 10-part Showtime series.

Meant to expose the lesser-known history of the country, “Secret History of America” will premiere this coming fall.

Kuznick, who has been a history professor in AU’s College of Arts and Sciences since 1986, said the project to create the series began several years ago when Stone was in D.C. scouting locations for his film “Pinkville” about the Mai Lai massacre.

One night during that trip, the director and the professor shared dinner, during which Stone first proposed a documentary on what’s left out of history books, according to Kuznick.

Kuznick has brought a couple of students on board for assistance with the series. One is Cindy Gueli, who received her PhD from AU in 2006.

The other is AU PhD candidate Eric Singer, who is currently writing his dissertation under Kuznick’s direction and teaching history at the University of Baltimore.

Kuznick asked Singer to be a chief researcher three years ago. He accepted without hesitation.

“I just fell in love with a lot of the controversial issues Peter brought up in class,” Singer said. “When he asked me for help, I couldn’t say no.”

The series starts off at the point in American history that is Kuznick’s greatest passion: the nuclear arms race.

“The history of the nuclear arms race is the greatest insanity of the post-war period,” he said. “[It was] the buildup of nuclear destructive capability in a way that can, and has, threatened the existence of humanity and animal life as well.”

Following the first part, the series will examine American expansionism in the 19th century, specifically the Spanish-American War and the counterinsurgency in the Philippines, Kuznick said. However, most of the series spans from World War II to the present.

“The series will also highlight the unsung heroes that spoke out against ill actions by the government and sparked revolutionary movements,” Singer said.

Kuznick said that, despite the title,

people looking for a discussion of conspiracies will be disappointed.

“We use the title ‘Secret History,’ but it’s not secret in the way people think of secret,” Kuznick said. “It’s just unknown to the public. It’s history that the government has tried to hide from the people and has been published in newspapers.”

Kuznick told the History News Network that the biggest motivation for working on the series was the prospect of reaching a large audience — an audience of millions — rather than a hundred historians.

“We love this country, we love what this country’s given us,” Kuznick said. “But we want to show the dark history of the United States because we think that this country could be so much better and can be playing a more positive role around the world.”

While the prospect of reaching such audiences is thrilling, the process of making a documentary has been difficult, Kuznick said.

His outline was continuously rejected due to the amount of information he wanted the series to include, according to Kuznick. He said it was also difficult balancing entertainment value with sufficient evidence.

Despite the absence of supporting information in the series, Kuznick has supplemented the series with a book of his own by the same title. He said that most of the facts and sources missing from the TV series will be included in the book.

Though Kuznick said his collaboration with Stone is very exciting, it is not the first time the two have worked together. Their relationship began long before the series in 1996 when Kuznick first began teaching his AU history class “Oliver Stone’s America,” he said.

Since 1996, Stone has made several appearances in Kuznick’s class.

Stone is one among such notable class speakers as Daniel Ellsberg and Bob Woodward.

Kuznick’s former student, Vincent Intondi, an AU alumnus who graduated in 2009 and is now a full-time professor at Seminole State College in Orlando, said he is excited about the series.

“Kuznick will give people another chance to reevaluate the history that has been spoon-fed to them from K-12,” Intondi said. “Kuznick and [Stone] are showing a side of history too often ignored.”

You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

‘THE TRAGICAL TALE OF DR. FAUSTUS’

Do I really believe that our society is really so abhorrent that it encourages corruption without dissent? Of course not. There are protests every other day or so in this wonderful city that we live in. For health care or against health care, everyone wants to put in their two cents. We are not about to lie down completely and let our country go to ruin just yet.

That is my personal optimism in the American spirit. This is the American spirit that was gone in Ayn Rand’s industrial society.

We stress every day to future generations that our individualism and our innovation is what makes every single human on this Earth worthy of attention.

This is where the human potential lies in our eyes, and Rand takes it a step further. The sign of our own humanity is our ability to reason with our problems and create. I agree with that. I just did not need to have that fact forced upon me as though I were a baby reluctant to be fed.

Rand crammed values down my throat with Dagney Taggart and that industrial railroad company of hers. It manipulated my emotions very successfully, and even though it was entirely too long, I enjoyed it. And it was definitely worth my year’s worth of reading.

I feel so worldly now.

You can reach this columnist at thescene@theeagleonline.com.

KATIE BURNS-YOCUM / AU PLAYERS

The AU Players are putting on a production of Christopher Marlowe’s “The Tragical Tale of Dr. Faustus” April 1 and 2 at 8 p.m., and April 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the Katzen Black Box. The play tells the story of Faustus and his deal with the devil as he weighs the options of good and evil. Katie Ryan plays Good opposite Sean Sidbury’s Evil, both fighting for the soul of Ryan Korn’s Faustus. Tickets are $5.

the EAGLE

APRIL 1, 2010

the scene 8

Activist culture combats youth complacency PUMPIN’ IRONY

KATRINA CASINO

Courtesy of PLUS ONE MUSIC

GUITAR HERO — Starting in 2003 as a small competition, the U.S. Air Guitar Championship has become an international affair. This year, the 9:30 club will welcome air guitarists, such as Lance The Shred and Big Rig (pictured above), in a regional competition on April 10.

Silent musicians get air time

By MICHAEL W. RICHARDSON Eagle Staff Writer It’s happened to all of us. You’re in your room and you think the door is locked. You’re finally getting into the groove and then, bam! Your mother, father or roommate busts into the room and everybody feels very, very embarrassed.

But there’s good news: you don’t have to be embarrassed by playing air guitar anymore.

At least according to the men and women behind the U.S. Air Guitar Championships. This event, being held all around the country, is seeking to find the country’s single best air guitarist. Each regional competition finds a local winner, who then competes in the nationals in a different city each year for the title of U.S. Air Guitar Champion. The U.S. championships are currently on their seventh year after a small show premiered in 2003.

“We all just thought we were gonna get drunk, and just videotape ourselves being kind of crazy,” David “C-Diddy” Jung, the 2003 air guitar champion,

said in a press release. “But there was more media than there was competitors, so we knew this was going to be humongous.”

And while the media coverage often verged on condescending, the interest the tour stirred up in people cannot be denied.

The competition went on to inspire a 2006 documentary “Air Guitar Nation,” which follows C-Diddy across the country and then to the international championships. As the years went on, more and more people showed interest and the competition ballooned to include almost a dozen cities.

The 9:30 club will host the regional competition, which consists of two consecutive rounds, on April 10. The first round consists of contenders rocking out to 60 seconds of a song of their choice. The second round has them playing to a surprise song chosen by the judges. So, if the first round is ballet-like in its intricate choreography, the second round consists purely of spontaneous creative energy and not a small amount of alcohol-fueled shenanigans. Make-believe instru-

ments must be limited to the guitar, so you won’t find the new Keith Moon or John Bonham anywhere in sight.

Like the best stagecraft, performers choose tongue-in-cheek names to use while on stage. Past contenders include Shreddy Mercury, McNallica, Derek Not-So-Smalls and 2009 champion William Ocean. The contest is equal parts goofy humor and serious competition.

“The road awaits, and this year we’re hittin’ it like Tiger Woods,” a press release announced. Performers are judged based on three criteria: technical ability, stage presence and an ineffable quality only known as “airness.”

Competition is serious. Just recently, The Fro, Dixie regional champion, had to drop out of competition because of a toe injury sustained while practicing his routine. This is not a freak accident either. In the Brooklyn regionals in 2008, performer Bettie B. Good lost her toe after falling through a plexi-glass awning onto the stage.

She managed to clinch the title before being rushed to the hospital. And Hot Lix Hulahana, the 2008 champion,

fractured his thumb during the last round of play.

Performers have good reason to put their bodies on the line. The U.S. Champion goes on to play at the Air Guitar World Championship, representing the red, white and blue against international opponents. In a bit of wishful thinking, the international championship claims that, “According to the ideology of the Air Guitar, wars end, climate change stops and all bad things disappear, if all the people in the world played the Air Guitar.”

Last year France took the title, so the American’s are revved up to take back the crown.

If all that practice in your room makes you think you have what it takes to represent the District, apply to enter. And even if your shredding skills may not be up to muster, learn from the masters when the Air Guitar Championships come to the 9:30 club on April 10.

You can reach this staff writer at mrichardson@theeagleonline.com.

Lack of spark extinguishes ‘Exploding Girl’

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer

THE EXPLODING GIRL

D

With a title that is beyond misleading, “The Exploding Girl” is a slow-moving, nearly plotless film.

Written and directed by indie filmmaker Bradley Rust Gray, the movie is both beautiful and unbelievably boring — a deadly combination.

The film centers around a 20-yearold college girl named Ivy played by a doe-eyed Zoe Kazan (“It’s Complicated,” “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.”) She comes back home to New York City for spring break to a quaint little apartment she shares with her mother. However, Ivy has epilepsy, a disorder that causes her to have seizures randomly, especially when she’s under stress. While at home, her close friend Al (Mark Rendall) needs a place to stay, so she offers him her couch. The two are close pals and

spend the majority of their time together, having darling picnics and going to small house parties. There’s a friendly chemistry between the two, considering both of them are awkward and soft-spoken. As the film goes on, you see the development of Ivy’s character and gain insight into the problems she faces. It’s a delicate portrait of the life of a sweet girl with epilepsy. However, it’s not graphic or shocking; rather, it unfolds slowly, displaying her issues in an artistic way.

Unfortunately, the film is painful to get through. Ivy is a darling character, like a miniature Zooey Deschanel in nearly every way, but without the quirky and vibrant personality. Ivy is sweet and kind, but fails to grasp the audience’s attention.

But this can’t just be blamed on Kazan, who fulfilled the identity of her character. The heft of the blame goes to writer and director Gray, whose script did not match the lovely cinematography. The dialogue is kept mainly between Ivy and Al and is painfully awkward and slow. It seems

as though the film was trying to stay as realistic as possible, but it just tried too hard to be indie and artsy.

Though not always a bad thing, in this case it becomes irritating because of the amount of times the words “like,” “um” and “OK” were used.

Hardly anything said was very interesting and most of the conversation ended up being completely pointless in every way. If you didn’t like watching “Twilight” because of the dialogue between Edward and Bella, you will utterly despise “The Exploding Girl.”

Another exasperating factor was the Sofia Coppola-esque filming. The only director who can handle overly long shots and really push aesthetics on the audience is Coppola herself. As a result, the film went about everything in the wrong way. The movie is only 79 minutes long, but felt so much longer because of all the extra shots and lengthy footage. The scenery itself is fascinating, but since it was filmed in New York City, that is almost a given.

Conversely, the best thing about

the movie is that it at least manages to capture New York City at its loveliest, staying true to the springy atmosphere. If you enjoy watching movies merely for aesthetics, there are a few glittering moments in the film such as the adorable outfits worn by Kazan and a rooftop scene that is both peaceful and startling in its beauty.

But it just isn’t enough for a fulllength film. After watching the film and taking in the scenery for so long, it starts to become clear that this film is not propelled by any sort of real story. Film aficionados, be warned: there’s just no point, no falling action and no real conclusion. The most interesting thing about this film is its ill-fitting title.

“The Exploding Girl” is forgettable and tries way too hard to resonate with its audience. There is no way to connect to it, and it leaves you feeling lost and shocked with just how pointless it all is.

You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.

Dissent: it’s a theme I’ve covered in this column all semester.

I’ve discussed it in the context of hipster history (hipstory, I suppose) — bandanas, skinny jeans, flannel — they’ve all at some point been donned as signs of solidarity, as separation from and statement against the mainstream. But their meanings now have largely been stripped of significance and appropriated into the fashion of the contemporary hipster, leaving histories of rebellion in their wake hidden under the guise of — you guessed it — irony. And although individuals sporting this style may catch a lot of flak, hipsters are not what’s threatening our generation. Rather, they are indicative of a much bigger, much more harmful issue: complacency.

It is easy for us to take for granted the freedoms we enjoy as a result of our predecessors’ struggles. Because of this, it is even easier for us to assume that these struggles are over, that all those nasty “-isms” don’t exist, and that there is little to nothing left for us to fight or defend. We have watched the most radical generation in our nation’s history age fall into conservativism, and we have watched the generations after that follow their lead, assuming either that the fighting is done or that it is futile.

But there is a greater stirring in our lives. It is a wave of recognition that some things (many things) are still just not right.

We are the most highly educated generation that our country has seen, and as a result, we recognize injustices — whether they be the inadvertent results of misinformation, or atrocities spurred by ignorance or motivated by hatred.

Our generation does not know exactly what it is fighting for; we do not have one single cause, but honestly, it’s nice to see someone care about anything anymore.

The only thing worse than the passive aggressive Hobbesian nightmare that is Internet fighting is passive progressiveness — the ability to realize injustice but the inability to speak up or take action. Perhaps the dissident publication Adbusters said it best: “This is our decisive moment. Either we wallow in debt as passive observers of history and pray that technology will eventually solve all our problems or we actively seize power and deal with the consequences.”

Despite all the controversy we (as a community and a generation) have been experiencing (potentially the largest understatement of my AU career), I am more than proud to have participated in and witnessed the way that various communities have overcome their differences and united in response to that which they oppose.

We have realized that it is

not about the differences in our personal solutions but about the greater problems that we all have in common.

No, it is not right that this unification happened at the personal expense of individuals, and no it is not right that anyone must feel responsible for cleaning up the mess that another person or another group has made, but the vigor of response has been simply admirable and nearly unprecedented. We have recognized that the solution is not to walk way from the problem, leaving it for someone else, the solution is to refuse to be silent until satisfied. Talk about “ideas into action,” eh — not bad, right, Kerwin?

We are recognizing that as long as there exists injustice for one, there is injustice for all of us — that once a group’s rights or ability to live safely are taken away, then all of ours are at stake. Yes, in fact, the dignity and safety of one is more important and more powerful than the hatred of others. This is an ideal, and we must fight to make it a reality or else we are being irresponsible to ourselves.

We can borrow from feminist rhetoric — as long as we live in this world, we are survivors, not victims of injustice, and we can either continue to live through it like nothing is wrong or we can take action to correct it. We cannot ask to see our vision realized any longer — we must demand it.

Our rights, our beliefs and our ideologies are not something to be taken and twisted into dirty words used to shame us by those who feel threatened by our liberation. These are ours to value and keep and to empower us to achieve greater things. You cannot claim to know fully (and therefore claim the right to speak on behalf of or judge) the suffering or indignities experienced by an oppressed group unless you yourself are a part of that group, but we can all do our best to act as allies and recognize what is wrong and how to help.

So yes, injustice is everyone’s problem, but I’ll acknowledge that activism isn’t everyone’s solution. Thankfully, we have been given the gift of diversity, so that individuals may utilize their different talents to affect change.

Activism takes many different forms — it is not limited to the picket-sign protest of yester-generation. Activism comes down to who you are on the day-to-day, if you are living what you believe in. The opposite of hate isn’t love — it is justice, fairness and respect.

So if we’re truly going to be defending all those abstract nouns that we believe in so strongly, then all of us — journalists and activists (we have more in common than you think) — must commit to achieving it, not just by discussing it but by owning up to our responsibilities and living it — and there’s nothing ironic about that.

You can reach this columnist at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.

The Week in Fun: Know Your City THURS 1

FRI 27 2 THU

SAT 3

SUN 4

MON 5

TUES 6

Christopher Titus 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: The State Theatre, 220 North Washington St., Falls Church, Va. METRO: East Falls Church (orange line) INFO: With an acerbic act that blends stories of his troubled childhood with great physical comedy, Christopher Titus has put together an act that is equal part pathos and humor — an evisceration of the typical image of the all-American family.

COST: $25 / $30 CONTACT: For more information, call The State Theater at 703-2370300.

Citizen Kane 7 p.m.

WHERE: AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md. METRO: Silver Spring (red line) INFO: Enough ink has been spilled over the years trying to emphasize exactly how important this film is to the history of movies and it’s accolades are well-deserved. One can’t be called a film buff without this one under his or her belt.

COST: $10 CONTACT: For more information, call the AFI Silver Theatre at 301495-6720.

Vampire Weekend 8 p.m.

WHERE: DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. N.W. METRO: Farragut North (red line) INFO: Love them or hate them, Vampire Weekend have left an imprint on the music community that’s been larger than anyone would have expected. Since the group’s latest album hit the charts strong upon release, their distinctive sounds have been hard to avoid.

COST: $28.50 CONTACT: For more information, visit DAR Constitution Hall’s Web site at www.dar.org.

Midlake 8 p.m.

WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. N.W. METRO: U Street/African-American War Memorial/Cardozo (green and yellow lines) INFO: Midlake have released two excellent albums — 2006’s “The Trials Of Van Occupanther” and last year’s “The Courage of Others” — that are equal parts laid-back folk and intricate electric guitar. Come see the act perform at Black Cat. COST: $10 CONTACT: For more information, call Black Cat at 202-667-7960.

Green Jobs Session 6:30 p.m.

WHERE: Busboys and Poets, 1025 Fifth St. N.W. METRO: Mount Vernon Square (green and yellow lines) INFO: For anyone entering the job force and looking to enter the field of environmental studies, come listen to this talk by the authors of “The D.C. Metro Area Green Career & Jobs Guide” to learn all the tips for starting a new career path.

COST: Free CONTACT: For more information, call Busboys and Poets at 202-7892227.

Elvis! His Groundbreaking, HipShaking, Newsmaking Story 9 a.m.

WHERE: Newseum, Pennsylvania Ave. & 6th St. N.W. INFO: The cultural impact of the King is undeniable and the way the news media treated him played a large part in that. As a celebration of his 75th birthday, the exhibit will focus on the performer’s exploits and how the press sensationalized them.

COST: $19.95 CONTACT: For more information, visit the Newseum’s Web site at www.newseum.org.

9

CLASSIFIEDS

APRIL 1, 2010

KUSHAN DOSHI n Business Manager 202.885.3593

CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS CHINESE Learn Business Chinese 8 credits or Chinese in Chinese Business Law 5 credits Summer Program in Beijing www.studyabroad-china.org

LOST WALLET/CELL PHONE! REWARD!

Lilith’s fair ladies take girl power on U.S. tour

Vera Bradley Wallet and Cell Phone Lost 3/23 in Library basement near copier.

REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN. Call 216-961-4847 with info.

tivals like Bonnaroo or Coachella that are two to three-day sleepovers, Lilith Fair moves from city to city in order to give all fans a chance to see their favorite female acts. As of right now, 35 cities all across America and a few dates in Canada have been announced, with D.C. slated for a later summer date. Performers change according to location, so each show is different from the next. In one city, fans can expect to see artists like La Roux, Colbie Caillat and Sheryl Crow, while in other cities, fans can see Erykah Badu, Sugarland and Brandi Car-

SITTERS WANTED $12 or more per hour.

Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com

Gallery forgoes famed flowers in Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit

By OLIVIA STITILIS Eagle Staff Writer With all the sunshine expected this weekend, your skin will definitely thank you for a little indoor time (check out some of the past health columns if you don’t believe it). Outdoors, the National Mall will have plenty of activities this weekend from free yoga to the fan favorite Cherry Blossoms. If you are headed downtown, however, be sure to hide from the sun a bit and leave some time to stop at the National Gallery of Art. In its last weekend on display, the exhibit “Editions with Additions: Working Proofs by Jasper Johns” offers a vast look into the artist’s uses of many types of media from paint and ink to pastels. In addition, the exhibit features 45 proofs for etchings, lithographs and screenprints, according to the National Gallery’s Web site.

Johns’ proofs are split up into two galleries in the museum. The first focuses on his works from the 1960s and ‘70s, showcasing some of the most common themes of his artwork such as body parts, the alphabet and targets.

Meanwhile, the other gallery highlights later works from the 1980s and ‘90s and exudes a much different tone from that of the early selections. These

more advanced works have an autobiographical tone, incorporating family photos and other prized possessions of the artist.

“The works are selected from a collection of approximately 1,700 proofs for Johns’ prints that he has maintained and carefully annotated over four decades,” according to the National Gallery’s Web site.

Not sure Jasper Johns is for you?

Never fear — just head over to the Phillips Collection’s “Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction” exhibit for what’s sure to be a worthy and provocative experience.

Though O’Keeffe is normally associated with her infamous flowers or New Mexican cliffs, her abstract work is remarkable as well. According to a press release from the Phillips Museum, “By assembling works from her entire career, this exhibition reveals O’Keeffe as a painter who adopted abstraction as early as 1915, worked extensively with it throughout the 1920s, and used it thereafter as the foundation for her art.”

The exhibit features over 100 of O’Keeffe’s works from 1915 through the ‘70s including not only paintings and watercolors, but also her sculptures and drawings. Much of O’Keeffe’s early career centered on abstract style, yet as time went on she became more

conscious of how her art was being viewed. Though she kept an abstract undertone, she switched to a much more representational style.

This exhibit is nationally acclaimed and will only be available to see until May 9. For more information, visit the Phillips Collection’s Web site at www. phillipscollection.org.

Offering something a little different, on April 3 the Freer and Sackler Gallery will be hosting the eighth annual “Cherry Blossom Anime Marathon.”

In connection with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Freer will highlight another aspect of Japanese culture with an all-day marathon of anime films. Tickets will be given out on a first come, first served basis a half-hour before each film starts.

Stop by for one or stay for the entire day. However much time you chose to spend, the marathon will without a doubt shake-up your weekend. For more information, visit www.asia. si.edu/events/films.asp.

From classic art to great exhibits and Japanese anime, art museums around the District are offering plenty of options this weekend, so get out there and take in some culture.

You can reach this staff writer at ostitilis@theeagleonline.com.

“EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING! THE WONDER OF THE FILM IS HOW GOOD IT MAKES US FEEL!

Remarkable. ‘Greenberg' scintillates with intelligence and razor’s-edge humor. Ben Stiller commands a kind of awe.”

-JOE MORGENSTERN, THE

WALL STREET JOURNAL

“WICKEDLY HUMOROUS. BEN STILLER LIKE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN HIM,

and a breakout performance from Greta Gerwig.

Marks a return to form for the director, Noah Baumbach, who hit movie heaven with his savage, Oscar®-nominated comedy ‘The Squid and the Whale.’”

-KAREN DURBIN,

ELLE

“I LOVE THIS MOVIE. SEE IT.” -A.O. SCOTT,

AT THE MOVIES

“AN UNEXPECTED GEM! POWERFULLY HONEST, INSIGHTFUL AND POIGNANT! Ben Stiller is superb. Greta Gerwig is pitch-perfect.”

-CLAUDIA PUIG,

USA TODAY

ben stiller is Greta Gerwig

Rhys Ifans

Jennifer Jason Leigh

The highly acclaimed new film from the director of

‘THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.’ Featuring New Music By

“The eclectic range of performers makes it a mustsee for female fans everywhere.”

CAITLIN E. MOORE / THE EAGLE

LADIES’ NIGHT — After an 11-year hiatus, the Lilith Fair has returned to promote female artists everywhere and raise money for various charities. Everyone from Tegan and Sara to Ke$ha will be taking the stage.

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer As summer approaches, music fans everywhere are itching to get tickets to the hottest upcoming festivals. But for those out there who are looking for a bit more girl power, get your tickets to the Lilith Fair.

Founded by Grammy-award winning singer Sarah McLachlan (who you might also recognize from those utterly depressing animal welfare commercials), Lilith Fair is a touring festival headlined by only female or femaleled groups and musicians. After a successful run for three years in the late ‘90s, the Lilith Fair is back for the summer of 2010.

The idea of the Lilith Fair was born when Sarah McLachlan got frustrated at a festival where she was performing. The planners were hesitant to bill two female performers in a row, an act that infuriated the “Angel” singer. So how did she extract revenge? She

created an all-female fest in 1996, using her clout to attract some of the biggest female names in music to come perform. Much like Ozzfest is the mecca for metalheads, the Lilith Fair is the place to be for feminist music-lovers.

But this event is more than just a slap in the face of misogyny. It’s also a successful charity event. For the three years that it ran in the ‘90s, the fair managed to raise $10 million for national and local charities. It was one of the highest-grossing touring festivals, with millions of fans in attendance. This goes to show the power that a festival can have, besides bringing music to the masses.

With a wide range of low-profile indie artists, like soothing chanteuse Cat Power to platinum pop divas like Texan powerhouse Kelly Clarkson (both of whom are performing this year), the fair caters to all the thousands of fans attending the touring festival.

Unlike some of the staple fes-

lile. The only consistency is Sarah McLachlan herself performing at each of these dates.

The Quin twins, known professionally as Tegan and Sara, are slated to perform for most of the tour dates. In addition, riot rockers Gossip are in the lineup. For those who like slower songs, jazzy songstress Norah Jones is on the bill, as is British singer Corinne Bailey Rae. The fair manages to cater to all age groups as well, since classic rockers Heart are performing while Disney cutie Selena Gomez is also on the bill.

And for those who just want to dance, party animal Ke$ha has just been added to the mix. The eclectic range of performers makes it a must-see for female fans everywhere.

For more information on this estrogen-filled festival, lilithfair. com has all the locations and performers. Tickets just started to go on sale so check out the site to see if the fair is coming to a venue close to you this summer.

Chivalry may be dead, but feminism is alive and well, and this is damn sure the place to celebrate it.

You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.

Love avenges ‘Hole’ left in Seattle grunge scene

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer Courtney Love wants to bring grunge back to the masses. Sure, its heyday was in early ‘90s Seattle. But with the announcement that Love’s band, Hole, are reuniting, it’s hard to not want to bring grunge back. Everyone’s wearing plaid anyways, so it’s time to listen to the music that went hand-in-hand with that fashion statement.

Alt-rock has always been grouped together to include any type of rock music that has been deemed “different” and away from any pop influence. But in the early ‘90s, bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana were breaking out and releasing albums that had a distinctly different sound. Their songs were a raspy amalgam of heavy metal, punk and angsty garage rock. Their lyrics were bitter, anti-establishment and sometimes sad.

But with that sound came a whole change in the way teens listened to music. Hair was grown long, clothes became tattered and flannel was the uniform. With the groundbreaking success of Nirvana’s “Nevermind” came a slew of grunge bands closing in on the trend. Pearl Jam’s “Ten” was an instant classic. When it was re-released last March, 60,000 copies were sold in its first week — a huge number

for a re-released album.

After that, Seattle became a grunge mecca, with artists like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains coming out of the city after megarockers Nirvana and Pearl Jam. But it wasn’t the only city out there. L.A. had been a stomping ground for grunge and punk for a while, and out of it came rock band Hole, made up of Courtney Love, Eric Erlandson, Kristen Pfaff and Patty Schemel. After their critically acclaimed album “Live Through This” was released, Hole became major players in the rock industry. It didn’t hurt that Courtney Love was married to grunge rock icon, Kurt Cobain. It also didn’t hurt that Cobain had written a couple of songs for Hole to use.

But now, with Cobain long gone, Hole are back. The band are notorious for containing a different lineup year to year, with members dying and dropping out. This time around, Courtney Love is the only original member, recruiting new bandmates Micko Larkin, Shawn Dailey and Stu Fisher to join her.

Though in recent years, Love has been more famous for her drug debacles and her riotous personality, she’s serious about the music. Love just can’t help but be the quintessential rocker, with her cliché drug habits, screaming vocals and no-holds-barred attitude towards life. In an interview with Spin

magazine, Love relays her dedication to the music, rather than the fame. “...If I’m going to wonder about whether my importance or whatever fades, then I probably shouldn’t be doing this,” Love said in reference to her rock star status.

But in the same breath, Love knows her talent and possesses an aggressive amount of confidence in terms of her onstage persona — which at times is not too different from the way she seems the rest of the time.

“From my generation, there’s probably not a better frontman than me on the planet,” Love told Spin magazine.

And even though numerous producers have dropped from the upcoming Hole album “Nobody’s Daughter” — namely, Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, Linda Perry and Eric Beinhorn — fans are still titillated that the album is finally being released after years of waiting. The album is slated to hit shelves April 23, 2010.

It seems like April is a significant month for Love. It is the month that “Live Through This” was released, the month that Kurt Cobain died, and now it is the month that Hole are reborn. And if there’s anyone who should pioneer the rebirth of grunge rock, it’s Courtney Love.

You can reach this staff writer at ydesta@theeagleonline.com.

OF LCD SOUNDSYSTEM

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS NOW PLAYING MOBILE USERS: For Showtimes – Text GREENBERG with your ZIP CODE to 43KIX (43549)

check out The Scene’s blog at www.theeagleonline.com/behindthescene

10

SPORTS

APRIL 1, 2010

ANDREW TOMLINSON n Sports Editor 202.885.1404

Caps should be wary of Trophy’s curse CAPITAL SPOTLIGHT

ANDREW TOMLINSON

PHILLIP OCHS / THE EAGLE

STICKING TOGETHER — The AU field hockey team celebrates after capturing another Patriot League championship. AU has followed up a successful regular season with a strong offseason. They have seven recruits joining the team next year and had 17 athletes named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

FH offseason full of success

By ANDREW TOMLINSON Eagle Staff Writer The AU women’s field hockey team has certainly had a successful offseason. They’ve recruited seven freshman for next year’s squad, earned the third highest GPA in the nation and had 17 players named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad.

AU Athletics announced in early March that Jaclyn Anspach, Keelin Bannon, Jaclyn Beasley, Stephanie Burry, Gina Hofmann, Shelly Montgomery and Costanza Palma had all committed to play for AU field hockey. The class includes two USA Junior Olympians, two players who played on their respective country’s teams and two state champions. Head

Coach Steve Jennings told AU Athletics that the team expects an immediate impact on the field.

“These student-athletes bring a wealth of accomplishments and accolades to our program and we look forward to their contributions over the next four years,” Jennings told AU Athletics. “Individually and collectively, they bring a winning mentality and a commitment to team chemistry.”

On top of the strong recruiting class, AU recorded a combined average GPA of 3.50 during the Fall 2009 semester. They were awarded the Gladiator SGI/NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award.

Only Old Dominion University, which had an average GPA of 3.52,

and La Salle University, who had a GPA of 3.51, finished in front of the Eagles.

The team also had 17 student-athletes named to the 2009 Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad, the most in the nation.

Seniors Carly Boyce, Rachel Carney, Anne-Meike De Wiljes, Savannah Graybill and Emily Stovicek were named to the squad for the fourth time. The other athletes named to the squad are Melissa Casale, Kelsey Davis, Christine Fingerhuth, Evan Fowler, Kirstin Gebhart, Hannah Henninghausen, Lauren McHale, Sarah Millman, Alyssa Poorman, Shelby Storosh, Anne van Erp and Hannah Weitzman.

“Our coaching staff is extremely

proud of the academic accomplishments of this team,” Associate Head Coach Sarah Thorn Krombolz told AU Athletics. “Their continued excellence in the classroom is truly admirable and we also recognize their ability to stand out both in the classroom and on the field hockey field.”

AU will play a slate of spring games to prepare them for the summer offseason. The team will lose six graduating seniors at the end of this year. They finished the 2009 regular season with a 12-9 record and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to the University of Maryland.

You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.

AU’s baseball-deprived start club

By CHARLIE SZOLD Eagle Staff Writer When Ryan Morton thinks about baseball, thoughts of old Yankee Stadium fill his head. His father had season tickets and they would trek from New Jersey to the storied stadium at least 20 times a year.

“I remember walking out of the tunnel and seeing 50,000 fans,” he said. “It was perfect — the warm weather and summer nights. It was amazing.”

Logan Ruppel, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, would make that same journey during the summer months. The Yankees, Yankee Stadium and Derek Jeter are a way of life for many New Yorkers. In Philadelphia, life in the summer is largely centered around the Phillies; in Los Angeles, it’s the Dodgers. For diehards, it’s not just a team, a logo or a player — the sport itself becomes romantic.

Coming to AU is like coming to baseball hell. There is no AU team, no pickup games on the diamond and no mass exodus to Nationals Park on game days. In fact, there is no baseball field on campus, just a combination softball field. It is essentially an allpurpose turf field that harkens back to the days of concrete outfields and lime-green “grass” in the Astrodome.

Last year, a group of freshmen missed the smell of fresh-cut grass, stained baseball pants, the frustration

of a strikeout and the elation of a hit.

As a result, they decided to start a club baseball team.

“It means a lot to get out there and just throw a baseball around, you know?” Ruppel said. “No pressure.”

The club started when a group of students, primarily freshman, were reminiscing about their past exploits on the field.

“We were lamenting the fact that we couldn’t play baseball anymore,” Morton said. “Now we’re playing 15 games this semester.”

Steven Costanza, a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business and the founder of the club, said he came to AU partly because there was no baseball team.

“I knew I would not be able to make varsity, but still loved the game and wanted to play,” he said. “When I decided to start this endeavor last February, I figured that there would be at least a few other guys in a school as large as AU who had similar feelings to me.”

For many, the romance of the game brought them back. Ruppel remembers back to middle school when he knocked in two runs in a playoff game.

“It felt great to be able to contribute,” he said. “I’m excited to be able to do that again.”

Morton still remembers his first — and only — home run. In fifth grade, he was facing the best pitcher in the league — a real “athletic type,” he said.

The pitcher sent a ball right down the middle of the strike zone and Morton knocked it out of the park. He was so excited that he slid into home, even though the ball was still in the outfield.

AU used to have a Division-I baseball team. In 1986, the program was canceled to save and redistribute money to other teams. The players from the discontinued team started a club team that competed against D-III teams, but the club fell apart. In 1997, the club was revived and survived for a few years before disappearing again.

Costanza said it should be easier to keep this club active because they are a member of the National Club Baseball Association.

“By being in this national league with hundreds of other colleges, we will have a built-in schedule of games against near-by schools like Georgetown and the [University of Maryland], College Park,” Costanza said.

The Athletic Department gave the club $500 this year, which was not enough to cover all expenses. Members of the club pay $250 in dues to make up the difference. Despite the cost, the team is able to fill a full lineup.

Costanza is the perfect coach for the team, according to Morton and Ruppel.

“He has the right amount of intensity for everybody,” Morton said.

“There are some people who are not as into it as everyone else and he still

connects to those players really well.

We all have enough reverence for the game of baseball that we don’t want to disrespect it or ourselves by turning in a crappy performance.”

Because everyone is paying dues and playing for the love of the game alone, Costanza tries to give everyone field time.

“Managing a club team is a balancing act,” he said. “I want to beat the teams in our division more than anyone. I make sure to find at least some playing time for everyone who shows commitment.”

The club practices at least three times a week. Last week, the team played their first games, but lost all three.

“We got crushed,” Ruppel said.

Despite the losses, the team enjoyed being on the field again, some for the first time since middle school.

“It definitely got the adrenaline rushing once the lights turned on,” Ruppel said. “It felt like we were in a real stadium.”

The team has small goals for now, like winning their first game.

“If we can get the first win this weekend, then after that we’ll try to win our first series,” Morton said. “If we can do that, it’ll give us some good momentum going into the end of the season.”

You can reach this writer at cszold@theeagleonline.com.

There is a fine line between not wanting the Washington Capitals to win the Presidents’ Trophy — given to the team with the top record in the East — and making sure the team does not collapse down the stretch.

Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators was the Caps’ third straight loss. They fell to the Carolina Hurricanes last Thursday and the Calgary Flames on Sunday. While the three losses should not cause fans to hit the panic button, it is concerning.

Many, including General Manager George McPhee and Head Coach Bruce Boudreau, want the Caps to claim their first ever Presidents’ Trophy. The award may be a false accomplishment, though, since in the last decade only three teams who captured the trophy won the Stanley Cup. Some call it a curse; in reality, it might have more to do with pressing too hard at the end of the year.

Curses and superstitions are no secret in sports, especially hockey. There is the Madden curse in football, whose latest victim is Troy Polamalu; the Sports Illustrated cover curse in college basketball, which just claimed the Northern Iowa men’s basketball team; and in hockey, the Presidents’ Trophy curse, which claimed the San Jose Sharks last year. Unlike the other two curses, though, the Presidents’ Trophy curse can be explained by a lack of rest.

Last year, the Sharks had a strong end to the season, taking nine of their last 15 games.

The late-season run meant their best players were still playing full games, with little rest. It left them fatigued and unable to recover for the NHL playoffs, causing them to be bounced by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round.

The NHL playoff season has been called the most grueling postseason in professional sports.

Not only does it consist of four rounds, but each series generally goes to five or six games and sometimes even seven. In theory, if a team was unlucky, it could take 28 games to win the Stanley Cup. Suddenly, playing your best hockey down the stretch up to playoffs doesn’t sound like a good plan.

This worst case scenario may make many fans say, “Stop playing your stars once you clinch a playoff berth and avoid fatigue.” While that sounds like a fine plan, a team can’t come into the playoffs ice cold either. If a hockey team has no rhythm in their game, regardless of talent level, they will lose early in the playoffs.

The question then becomes, “Where is the line between an end of the season collapse and pedal to the metal hockey drawn?”

Of course, a straight answer would be too easy. Every individual team needs to decide on their own when players should rest. In Washington’s case, Alex Ovechkin and company should

most likely sit out the two games between tonight’s home game against the Atlanta Thrashers and Washington’s showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins. A road game in Columbus against an awful Blue Jackets team and a home game against the Boston Bruins are largely unimportant.

Tonight’s game against the Thrashers, on the other hand, is extremely important because Washington needs to stop the losing skid. Pushing it to four games could lead to a full meltdown. While that sounds dramatic, there are still things the Caps need to do before the playoffs start. Not only do they have to get their power play straightened out, they also have to decide who will start in net. It is impossible to accomplish those two tasks when the team’s best players are sitting in the press box.

The Caps need to play hard against the Penguins because it is their last shot against their rivals before the playoffs. Sweeping Pittsburgh in the regular season would certainly put doubt in the flightless birds’ minds about whether they can beat Washington. If Washington loses to Pittsburgh, the doubts will be in the Caps’ minds.

The Caps need to play hard against the Penguins because it is their last shot against their rivals...

In all reality, barring a total collapse by both teams, they will meet in the Eastern Conference finals. In order to avoid what happened during last year’s playoffs, Washington needs to come in with some swagger. Sweeping the season series will give them the confidence they need.

Now, with all of that said, unlike the rest of their stars, the Capitals must use their playoff goalie more times than their backup down the stretch. It sounds like a contradiction, since the goalie often falls in the category of a team’s best player, but the current questions about who will play in net need to be answered. Unlike last year, there is no secret weapon to come off the bench; both Semyon Varlamov and Jose Theodore have looked bad in their last few starts. Getting either one comfortable in net is extremely important. After all, in the NHL, a team is often times only as good as their goalie.

While the Washington franchise would like the Presidents’ Trophy, the team should be cautious of pushing too hard to get it. Not because there is any terrible curse that comes with it, but because the Caps need to be fresh and rested for their real season — the playoffs. After all, when all is said and done, the team that wins the regular season is never saluted. Only the team that wins Lord Stanley’s Cup is.

You can reach this staff writer at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.

The five strangest superstitions in the modern sporting world FROM THE SIDELINES

BEN LASKY Watch any sporting event and you will surely see at least one player who engages in some form of superstition.

Whether it’s LeBron James tossing chalk into the air before every game or a goalie tapping the goalposts, these traditions happen in almost every sport.

Justin Morneau’s Slurpee: Before every game, Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau must have a Slurpee. It can’t just be any Slurpee, though — it must be a

Mountain Dew Slurpee. It can’t be any old Mountain Dew Slurpee, either. It has to be half “red or orange stuff,” as Buster Olney put it in an article for ESPN the Magazine in 2006.

Of course, just anyone making the drink for him would be too easy. The slurpy must be made by Twins second baseman Nick Punto, who introduced the concoction to Morneau. This superstition may be unusual, but maybe not unprecedented. I’m pretty sure Mickey Mantle had Billy Martin make him a concoction or two before games as well.

Playoff Beards: Every year during the NHL playoffs, players grow (or in some cases, attempt to grow) facial hair and refuse to shave until they win the Stanley Cup or are eliminated.

It is believed that the superstition began with the New York Islanders in

the 1980s, when the team won four consecutive Stanley Cups. Now, you can’t watch a hockey game late in the playoffs without seeing a few players with hair covering their entire faces.

The playoff beard is such a big deal there is even a Web site dedicated to it. The blog, playoffbeard.com, has a “guide to grading the playoff beard.”

The guide shows what a playoff beard should look like in each round of the playoffs.

These beards are not touched throughout a team’s playoff run. They are grown out and not trimmed until they are shaved off after their team’s last game. As a result, players on the Stanley Cup championship team look as if they have not showered in over a month. Please, NHL players — do not make that a new tradition.

Former MLB outfielder and president of the “Steve Bartman Sucks” fan club, Moises Alou used to pee on his hands before games to make them tougher.

Yankees catcher Jorge Posada admitted to doing this as well.

“You don’t want to shake my hand during spring training,” Posada said in an interview with ESPN in 2005.

Both Alou and Posada have never used batting gloves. According to a Slate.com article by Dan Kois, however, peeing on your hands does not make them tougher at all, because urea, which is in urine, makes hands softer.

Nonetheless, this is a gross superstition that needs to end. If it was about luck, it would be one thing. But they actually feel like it is physically helping them play baseball.

Urinating on one’s Hands: This is a real superstition, I swear.

Kidd Blowing Kisses: Jason Kidd used to blow kisses

to his wife Joumanna before every free throw for several years. Before he would shoot, Kidd would dribble the ball a few times, blow a kiss at the basket and launch the ball towards the rim.

In 2007, however, the two got divorced. As AOL Fanhouse’s Brent Pollakoff points out, Kidd may have a new message for his ex-wife. There is a YouTube video taken shortly after the divorce that shows Kidd blowing a kiss, then tapping his back side. Stay classy J-Kidd.

The Trainer Slap: Type in “John Henderson pregame warmup” on YouTube and you will get a somewhat shocking video. It shows the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 6-foot-7-inch, 335-pound defensive tackle John Henderson demanding to be slapped in the face by a scrawny trainer before he takes the field.

After he is satisfied with Joe’s slap, he walks out of the locker room yelling, “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. You gotta make blood come through the mouth.”

You need to watch this video. This is now my favorite superstition. In fact, from now on, before writing any article, I demand that sports editor Andrew Tomlinson slap me in the face.

There are plenty of superstitions I have not talked about. I could discuss how hockey players bounce around during the National Anthem. I could even talk about the Red Sox bullpen drumming with water bottles. It would take days, though, to go through every superstition in sports. For now, these are the only ones worth knowing and, in some cases, avoiding.

You can reach this staff writer at sports@theeagleonline.com.