ORBIS Amplifying Vanderbilt’s Progressive Voices
Vol. 10/No. 3/Nov/2010
The triumph of ignorance?
Jim Ray on defense spending and imperialism, pg. 4
In THis Issue
a note from the editor
It’s November again, and in spite of a disappointing midterm election, we should take heart in the wealth of privileges and opportunies that we have as college students. At the same time, it is important to remember and support the disenfranchised at home and abroad. In this issue of ORBIS, we confront some of these uncomfortable realities while offering analysis of the election and forecasts for the future. The Hustler broke a disheartening story about a Beta Upsilon Chi brother who was kicked out of the fraternity because of his sexual orientation. On the Op/Ed page, we ask some tough questions about tolerance and accountability on campus and in fraternity culture (pg. 11.) There have also been a disturbing situation this month at the Clairmont Apartments, which are located off Murfreesboro Pike. The immigrant community who have made Nashville their home are being menaced by changes of ownership and aggressive law enforcement, and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition has gamely stepped up to the plate with help from the American Civil Liberties Union to offer support (pg. 5.) Andri Alexandrou criticizes the inflated rhetoric that modern conservative movements have coopted through viral videos, chain letters and other irresponsible rhetoric (pg. 8.) Meghan O’Neill also discusses intellectual decline, but with her sights set on the education system (pg. 11.) Aimee Sobhani offer election coverage and an outlook for the next two years (pg. 10.) Dylan Turner interviewed Vanderbilt professor of political science Jim Ray on the defense budget and imperialist temptations. The elections were a sign that work lies ahead, but don’t lose hope. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Published with support from the Center for American Progress/Campus Progress Online at http://www.campusprogress.org
ORBIS
03. Spotlight: Engineers Without Borders By Steven Harrison
04. Jim Ray discusses defense spending By Dylan Thomas
05. ICE, Metro PD raid immigrant housing By Jon Christian
06. Dining, SPEAR debut reusable Eco-Shells By Michael Yarbrough
07. The Edgy Vedgy: Veganize your dorm By Sarah O’Brien
08. Tea Party deforms election debate By Andri Alexandrou
09. Hookup culture: a feminist perspective By Michael Yarbrough
10. Election results indicate bleak future By Aimee Sobhani
11. Condemn homophobia at BYX By Orbis staff
Amplifying Vanderbilt's Progressive Voices November 2010
November 2010
co n t en t s
Page 2 • ORBIS
Volume 10, Number 3
Jon Christian Editor-in-Chief
Carol Chen
11. We’re actually getting dumber By Meghan O’Neill
Associate Editor
Stacy Schlumbrecht Web Editor
Aimee Sobhani
Commentary Editor
Andri Alexandrou
“The Flip Side” Editor
Meghan O’Neill Features Editor
Thomas Shattuck
Distribution Director
4427
number of American military deaths in Iraq since March 2003 Cover design: Jon Christian, Andri Alexandrou
Erika Hyde
What is Orbis?
Questions, comments, concerns? E-mail us at vanderbiltorbis@gmail.com. E-mail submissions to the address listed above, or send to Box 1669, Station B, Nashville, TN, 37235. Letters must be received one week prior to publication and must include the writer's name, year, school and telephone number. All submissions will be verified. Unsigned letters will not be published. Orbis reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. All submissions become property of Orbis and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc., of which Orbis is a division.
Orbis aspires to change the atmosphere on Vanderbilt's campus and provides a voice for liberal, multicultural and minority viewpoints. This publication strives to inform the public about issues that these groups face as well as to promote diversity and unity within our community. It is a forum for discussion of social, political and religious commentary relevant to Vanderbilt, the nation and the world. Orbis was founded by a coalition of students seeking to raise consciousness about diverse ideas, cultures and backgrounds in our society. We hope to challenge the existing social atmosphere at Vanderbilt and promote a rebirth of acceptance.
Editor Emeritus
Editorials represent the policy of Orbis as determined by the editorial board. Letters and commentary pieces represent the opinions of the writers. Please recycle.
SPOTLIGHT
November 2010
ORBIS • Page 3
Engineers build infrastucture around the globe By Steven Harrison Staff Writer
It’s easy to harshly label our overworked engineer friends at Vanderbilt as shut-ins who focus on schoolwork all the time. This stereotype doesn’t account for Engineers Without Borders, a student organization dedicated to applying the practical side of engineering to help developing communities. For over five years, Engineers Without Borders has been active at Vanderbilt as a division of the national non-profit Engineers Without Borders USA, which was founded in 2002. In addition to servicing the immediate Nashville community in projects like Tools for Schools, Engineers Without Borders takes a different approach than most student organizations in that the club directly extends its reach outside of the United States. The majority of Engineers Without Borders’ work concentrates on designing and planning an engineering project in a struggling area that requires clean water, electricity, or educational facilities. This vast undertaking can take more than a year to arrange and can require a substantial amount of funding. The process behind a successful mission can be arduous and time-consuming, but Engineers Without Borders is determined in its efforts to launch an effective project. Since 2007, members of Engineers Without
Borders have been working on the group’s major project: establishing a clean water system with an electric pump in Llanchama, an isolated community located on the outskirts of Iquitos, Peru. In 2002, a doctor from the University of Alabama-Birmingham made a trip to the area to investigate malaria and found an abundance of pathogenic bacteria and intestinal parasites due to a lack of clean drinking water. Seizing upon this study’s results, Vanderbilt’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders decided that their engineering skills could be put to use by fixing the broken water system that causes so much sickness in the region. Small teams comprised of Vanderbilt students, p ro f e s s i o n a l e n g i n e e r s , a n d o t h e r E n g i n e e r s Without Borders USA members made two separate assessment trips in March 2008 and January 2 0 1 0 t o v i s i t P e ru a n d o b s e r v e t h e c u r re n t situation. These crucial assessments provided important evaluations of the community and measurements such as well depth and flow rate. They also served as an opportunity to educate the villagers of Llanchama on how to properly operate a water pump. Engineers Without Borders has worked tirelessly since the last assessment trip in January to raise funds for an implementation trip tentatively scheduled to depart within the next three months. An implementation trip would be the culmination of the prior assessment trips in that members would be able to start building a new
source of water for the village of Llanchama. The ultimate goal of the implementation trip would be the sustainability of a clean-water piping system to run effectively for years. By the end of November, Engineers Without Borders hopes to raise $7,000 in order to send a student/engineer team to Llanchama, Peru for its project. Engineers With Beers, a fundraiser held at the Frayed Knot last April, and the sale of Engineers Without Borders water bottles helped raise money for the project last s e m e s t e r. T h i s s e m e s t e r, o n S e p t . 2 7 , C h i l i ’ s donated 10 percent of all checks presented with an Engineers Without Borders flyer to the trip’s funding. The organization has also recently set up an online donation site at http://vuewb. chipin.com/vanderbilt-ewb that allows visitors to track financial progress. A p p e a l i n g t o a b ro a d r a n g e o f Va n d e r b i l t students, Engineers Without Borders provides a unique outlet for using the engineering skills l e a r n e d i n t h e c l a s s ro o m i n a re a l - l i f e s e t ting before graduation. In addition to offering interested engineers a preview of working life after Vanderbilt, the organization also engages socially conscious non-engineers with its focus on struggling communities. To get involved and find out more, join the Vanderbilt Engineers Without Borders Facebook group for updates on chapter meetings and upcoming events or e-mail vanderbiltewb@gmail.com to sign up for the list serve.
Campus Progress’ annual National Conference in Washington, D.C. brings together 1,000 students and dozens of leading speakers (including past keynote speakers Bill Clinton and Barack Obama) for issue discussions, skills trainings and networking. We also hold DC, regional, and campus trainings on journalism, media skills and grassroots organizing. Visit http:// campusprogress.org/national_conference/ for more. Engineers Without Borders work to install a well in Llamancha, Peru Photo courtesy of EWB-VU
Go green, and join ORBIS online Read articles, send feedback and join the community vanderbiltorbis.com ~ facebook.com/vuorbis
Page 4 • ORBIS
Features
November 2010
Imperialist temptations and the defense budget: ORBIS interviews Jim Ray, PhD compare it to the annual income of the United States in terms of what it generates through revSTAFF JOURNALIST enue and taxes, that’s 80 percent just on defense. So I think the economic effects are substantial, and Jim Ray is a Vanderbilt professor of politiI think it creates a temptation to solve problems cal science who leads courses in United States with military force. That’s part of the reason the foreign policy and international politics and United States decided to attack Iraq in 2003 - it serves as the director of undergraduate studies assumed its military force was so overwhelming for the Political Science department. His research that it could deal with Saddam Hussein easily. focuses on international conflict, the causes of The same thing happened in Afghanistan to some war and interstate conflict and the relationship extent in 2001, and now, Obama has come to some of democracy to conflict. In addition to his work conclusion that the way to deal with the problem as a professor, Ray served as president of the is to move in with greater force and try to reform International Peace Science Society from 2001and renovate Afghanistan. 2002. ORBIS: Is such a large defense budget likely to ORBIS: During the Cold War, the United States make the United States safer, or does it make us a had a clear incentive to maintain high defense target for terrorism? spending. Why does the United Ray: There are trade offs, and States continue to spend so much I wouldn’t say it doesn’t have on defense, and does this affect any beneficial impacts or that it our international policy? does nothing to make the counRay: In the wake of the Cold try safer, but it also tempted the War, the Department of Defense United States to get involved in came up with the idea that the Iraq, which led to Guantanamo United States should take advanand CIA guard prisons and a tage of the unique situation that combination of what I think had occurred and accumulate so anyone would label mistreatmuch military power that not ment of detainees and torture of only would the United States be some suspects. That, combined stronger than any enemy or comwith the United States becoming bination of enemies, but it would such a large target as a result of be so much more powerful that its large defense establishment, nobody would ever try to catch certainly can make the country up with the United States. That less safe. idea was put on the shelf in ORBIS: Is the United States response to objections during the likely to reduce defense spend1990s but brought back in light of ing in the future? 2001. That’s a driving intellectual Ray: I’m inclined to think force. There are economic forces, that it may well be forced to such as the fact that the United reduce defense expenditures, States has been fighting two wars largely because of economic for a very long time, and there are problems. It’s going to have to corporations that benefit. But the bring defense and other expendriving idea behind the size of ditures and the federal budget the defense establishment is that under control; at some point in the United States should seize the not-too-distant future we the opportunity to establish such will reduce substantially our predominance so that no other Jim Ray is concerned that a large defense budget facilitates imperialist temptations defense budget because we will nation will ever try to catch up. Photo: Dylan Thomas find it necessary. ORBIS: How large are the mil-
By Dylan Thomas
itary and defense expenditures of the United States in comparison to other countries? Ray: It’s hard to calculate because nobody knows how much the Chinese are spending, for example; most defense budgets are secretive. But it’s commonly asserted that the United States spends more on defense than the rest of the world combined, and I think that’s not an unreasonable statement. What are the effects of this imbalance? Should it be a matter of concern? In the wake of this election with all the focus on economic problems, I think it’s a concern economically. The United States government has a real problem with the size of the defense budget and with budget deficits. If you take the size of the defense expenditures of the United States and
Got ideas for columns and news reporting? Come to the next ORBIS meeting! Nov. 18, 7:30pm, Sarratt 363
immigration
November 2010
ORBIS • Page 5
Raid on apartment raises human rights concerns By Jon Christian Editor-in-chief
Local police and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents descended on the Clairmont Apartments complex Oct. 20 in a raid during which they apprehended between 20 and 40 individuals. According to eye witnesses, the ICE agents acted aggressively, breaking doors and windows and failing to display warrants before forcibly entering living units and detaining individuals. “They were already here when we pulled up in a car,” said a woman who observed the raid. “And as soon as he got out of the car they asked him for ID. He didn’t have any, and they arrested him and put him in the van immediately.” Conflict has been building at the Clairmont Apartments for some time. In July, Tritex Real Estate Advisors, Inc. purchased the property after the previous owners defaulted on their loan. Under Tritex’ ownership, Greystar Real Estate Partners took over management of the housing facility. It wasn’t long before living conditions at the complex began to decline, with residents complaining of mold problems, a pest infestation, widespread leaks and in some cases a suspended water supply. Clairmont Management did not reply to maintenance requests in a timely fashion, and residents became concerned. “[Clairmont] has never been a very pretty place, but it’s been getting progressively worse: maintenance issues, infestations of bedbugs, cockroaches, rats and maintenance problems. They basically suspended maintenance of the apartments,” said David Morales, communications coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrants and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). “In particular, they completely neglected the immigrants that are living there. So people would be complaining of mold, water leaks, and maintenance didn’t do anything about it.”
According to TIRRC, Crime Suppression Services employees have engaged in systematic harassment of Clairmont residents, including banging on doors and windows at night and asking for identification. After putting up with months of poor living conditions, some residents at the complex began to look at legal options to deal with the chronic neglect, including filing an official complaint. In October, management moved out of the facility and into a local Nashville hotel suite and cut all communication
with residents of the Clairmont apartment. Soon aftewards, ICE agents descended on the complex during the Oct. 20 raid. In light of the increasingly antagonistic relationship between residents of the Clairmont Apartments and the owners of the facility, the TIRRC has questioned the official story. In particular, they suspect that Tritex or Greystar decided it would benefit them financially to get rid of undocumented immigrants housed at Clairmont and worked with ICE and local law enforcement to do so. In addition, they are Crime Suppression Services use cars that look like police cruisers Photo: Jon Christian troubled by reports of maltreatment of residents before and after the raid as well as [immediately]. Why didn’t they do it this time?” abusive behavior by police and ICE agents during the Morales said. “It’s a long press release that they made on the 28th. The statement is very long, but they raid. talk very little about the specifics of what happened there.” After the management of the Clairmont Apartments According to TIRRC, Crime Suppression moved their offices offsite, they hired the controversial Services employees have engaged in sys- Nashville-based Crime Suppression Services (CSS) to provide security at the complex. CSS is a private tematic harassment of Clairmont resi- company whose employees drive police cruiser-style Dodge Chargers outfitted with police-style lights, dents, including banging on doors and two tone color schemes and what appear to be radar guns. CSS markets itself as a “special response team,” windows at night and asking for identifi- although the private company is not part of any state or federal police force. CSS has also drawn criticism from local law enforcecation. ment who are concerned that their police-style cars and equipment amount to impersonation of a police The Clairmont raid has also caught the attention of officer. According to TIRRC, CSS employees have engaged the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is now working with TIRRC to gather information and in systematic harassment of Clairmont residents, respond to allegations of human rights violations by including banging on doors and windows at night and asking for identification. ICE and the Metro Police. “A lot of people are very, very afraid, and that “It feels very fishy. We wouldn’t have been here, doing all this work for the past week if we didn’t makes things difficult,” said Herzfield. “What appears feel that there was potentially something here,” said to have happened here is that some people stood up Tricia Herzfield, a staff attorney with the ACLU of to some really horrible housing conditions, and next Tennessee. “The thing is, it’s really complicated when thing you know there was an ICE raid.” Herzfield explained that with cases of immigration you’re dealing with populations where some are citizens and some are not, and some people are particu- arrests, it can be difficult to even figure out who has been apprehended. Undocumented individuals are larly vulnerable based on their immigration status.” In response to rising criticism, the Nashville not guaranteed access to a free attorney, and it is difMetropolitan Police Department posted a press release ficult for organizations working on their behalf, such on Oct. 28 in which they claimed that the raid had as TIRRC or the ACLU, to gain information about the been motivated by gang problems in the Clairmont whereabouts or well being of arrested individuals. It complex. According to TIRRC, however, this is a tactic is unknown where the arrested individuals are curintended to draw attention away from the issues of rently being held, although they have probably been civil rights violations, discrimination and collusion moved to another state. Although the fate of the people who were taken which surround the raid. No criminal charges have into custody on Oct. 20 remains uncertain, TIRRC been filed following the Oct. 20 raid. “Police like to brag about their gang work. Every hopes that some will be released on humanitarian time they do a gang raid, they put out a press release grounds. It is likely that others will be deported.
lIfeStyle
Page 6 • ORBIS
November 2010
Take your meal on the go with an Eco-Shell By michael yarbrough StAff WRiteR
If you want takeout from a Vanderbilt Dining location today, you have to use a disposable, non-recyclable container which will eventually end up in a landfill. Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Responsibility (SPEAR) is working to change that. SPEAR is working with Dining on a new program called Eco-Shells, which provides a sustainable alternative to Dining’s takeout food containers. A trial program has been put in place so that student interest and use can be evaluated. According to SPEAR president Karen White, however, some implementation issues remain which could hinder full success. “A lot of the reason why students want to do this is because they’re sick of making waste they don’t have to make,” Karen said. The takeout containers Dining uses now cannot be recycled, contributing to the waste of non-renewable resources. SPEAR’s alternative is one that’s been used successfully on over fifty other college campuses across the nation. Eco-Shells are durable, reusable plastic containers that look much like the current takeout containers - a clamshell shaped container, but of a milky, transparent plastic - and which are used in much the same way.
Their advantage, of course, is that they are not Eco-shells,” Karen told me. “This is something that made from a non-renewable resource that will end could save Dining money if there were enough stuup in landfills in endless numbers. Instead, when dents that were part of the program.” Students cannot yet start using Eco-shells simply students are done with their shell, they return the Eco-Shells to the conveyors in Rand where they will by asking for one in Rand. Instead, students must first Continued on pg. 10 be cleaned and made ready for reuse. The next time a student needs a new container, they ask staff for one, which can be filled and taken with them, to be returned later. White said that some features of the program need improvement if the shells are to attain widespread use. SPEAR is working with Dining to identify areas that will test the Eco-Shells before they expand to the rest of campus. For instance, Dining is not yet keeping Eco-Shells behind the counters where meals are served, because there is not presently room behind the counters for any shells. Instead, students must ask staff to retrieve a shell from a storage space in the kitchen. “No one ever showed me the facility in such a way that suggested With the eco-Shell, you can take Vanderbilt Dining food on the go. Photo: Jon CHristian they wouldn’t have room for a few
Orbis recommends: the month in music
Hotel Motel : “The Jed Howse EP” Oct. 23, 2010 Unsigned Hotel Motel describe their music as “pop punk for the socially retarded.” They definitely have the pop punk down: think guitar-driven, melodious punk with old-school punk vocals. Their EP is hard to track down for purchase, but you can listen to it at purevolume.com/HotelMotel.
My Chemical Romance “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” Nov. 22, 2010 Reprise Records My Chemical Romance returns with another concept album that blends the anthemic nature of “The Black Parade” with a faster punk sound. “Na Na Na” is a true fistpumping (but not in the Jersey Shore way) rock anthem, and “Planetary (GO!)” is an interesting mix of disco and punk. This may be the album of the year, as according to Kerrang! magazine, it’s going to “save rock ’n’ roll.”
Your Memorial “Atonement” Nov. 23, 2010 Facedown Records Your Memorial is a hardcore band who layer screaming vocals over smooth, guitar-driven melodies. However, they do it better than most. Check out “Surface,” a beautiful but thrash-worthy track off their new EP. And catch the band when they come to Rocketown, Nashville on December 10 on the Mosh PotaTour with A Plea for Purging headlining and joined by Within the Ruins and The Plot in You.
lifestyle
November 2010
ORBIS • Page 7
The Edgy Vedgy: veganize your dorm room these brands. For cereal and granola bars I eat Nature’s Path; my favorite non-dairy item b r a n d s a r e To f u t t i , E a r t h B a l a n c e , A l m o n d
By Sarah O’Brien lifestyle Columnist
Finding the right foods to eat and making the best diet choices are key to being a healthy vegan in a college setting. When I f i r s t w e n t v e g a n l a s t y e a r, I t h o u g h t i t w o u l d be impossible to find healthy and quick snacks to keep in my room and small dishes I could make to keep in my room. Since then, f o r t u n a t e l y, I ’ v e d i s c o v e r e d m a n y v e g a n c o m panies that emphasize healthful foods, use the best ingredients and are based on whole food ingredients. I do the majority of my grocery shopping a t W h o l e F o o d s a n d Tr a d e r J o e ’ s , w h i c h I l o v e because their prices are great and the quality of the food is phenomenal. Even on the meal plan, it pays to keep healthy snacks around or to take them on the go. Dehydrated strawberries, flattened bananas, Thompson raisins, organic unsalted pea-
I do the majority of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, which I love because their prices are great and the quality of the food is phenomenal. Even on the meal plan, it pays to keep healthy snacks around or to take them on the go. n u t b u t t e r, o r g a n i c f l a x o a t m e a l a n d w h o l e grain bread are all items I pick up almost w e e k l y a t Tr a d e r J o e ’ s . I a l w a y s h a v e s o m e dehydrated fruit, granola and nuts with me in c a s e I g e t h u n g r y. A l s o , I ’ v e l e a r n e d t h a t a d d ing some dehydrated fruit, raisins and nuts to my oatmeal increases the nutritional value of my daily breakfast. The vegan brands that I usually choose f r o m a r e f o u n d a t W h o l e F o o d s a n d Tr a d e r Joe’s; Nectar on campus also carries many of
Never feel as though veganizing your college life and dorm room is impossible - especially on Vanderbilt’s campus. Vandy Dining is great, especially Grins and the Nectar munchie mart. Breeze, Rice Dream and So Delicious. I’ve also become a big fan of Cliff Company products: Cliff bars, Z Bars, Luna bars, (my favorite flavor is S’Mores) and their fruit and nut bars. These are great when you’re short on time between classes, between workouts and when you need a quick breakfast. One of the tastiest products I’ve found is the Mahalo b a r. M a h a l o b a r s a r e m a d e b y G o M a x G o Foods. These candy bars are all-natural, are similar to an almond joy and are a little rich - b u t I f i n d t h e m v e r y t a s t y. I’ve found some of my favorite easy recip e s f o r t h e d o r m r o o m o n Ve g w e b . c o m , w h i c h is the greatest website I know of for vegan r e c i p e s . O c c a s i o n a l l y, f o r b r e a k f a s t , I m a k e myself overnight oats, which are basically just oatmeal mixed with nuts and spices you make the night before and enjoy for breakfast. They’re great when you know you’ll have to eat quickly in the morning and want something healthy to eat. My all time favorite recipe, which I make w e e k l y, i s a c h i c k p e a “ e g g ” s a l a d f r o m Ve g w e b . c o m . I f y o u m i s s e g g o r c h i c k e n s a l a d at all, you’ll love this recipe. All you need is a food processor or a Magic Bullet, and it’s great on toast or crackers. I highly recomm e n d u s i n g Ve g w e b w h e n e v e r y o u w a n t t o find a quick and easy recipe to try out in your dorm room.
No matter what you’re looking for there is always a way to find a vegan version of some food you love. I highly recommend Ve g w e b , T h e P o s t P u n k K i t c h e n ( t h e p p k . c o m ) a n d Ve g n e w s ( v e g n e w s . c o m . ) G o o g l e i s a l s o a powerful tool for finding different vegan blogs and websites to find some recipes and ideas for dorm living. Never feel as though veganizing your college life and dorm room is impossible - espec i a l l y o n Va n d e r b i l t ’ s c a m p u s . Va n d e r b i l t Dining is great, especially Grins and the Nectar munchie mart. Off campus, I espec i a l l y l o v e F i d o ’ s o n 2 1 s t Av e , T h e D o g o f Nashville, Calypso Cafe and Mediterranean Cuisine (which is on the card). Nashville has many great restaurants on and off campus t h a t a r e v e r y v e g - f r i e n d l y. H o p e f u l l y s o m e o f these tips were helpful, until next time, keep l i v i n g m e a n i n g f u l l y.
Progressive mixed drink: BP Blowout
Photo: Jon Christian & Stacy Schlumbrecht
~1 part clear rum ~2 parts blue curaçao ~Splash of Jagermeister Sail the ocean blue by mixing the rum and curaçao thoroughly in a rock glass. Uh oh! BP’s been slacking off on those pesky federal safety regulations. Splash in the Jagermeister and prepare for universal backlash.
Want to write lifestyle content for ORBIS? Drop by our next meeting and see what we’re all about. Next meeting: 7:30pm, Nov. 18, Sarratt 363.
Page 8 • ORBIS
Features
November 2010
New conservative movements deform debate By Andri Alexandrou EDITORIAL STAFF
Around election time, my father likes to call me out on my wayward liberalism. He’s the type who propagates political manifestos in the form of viral emails, usually written in rhyme or boldtype, italicized and brightly-colored font. The one he sent me a few weeks ago purported to have been written by a “pastor ’s wife” (how adorable). It demonizes Obama and the current state of national affairs in a creepy biblical tone that puts Obama as the figure of Jesus—“the one”—sent to rescue us and proclaim himself the harbinger of hope and change. Eek. First off, let’s not talk about the thematic inconsistencies and hypocrisy that comes out of perverting a text, like the Bible, which is supposedly geared towards helping others. Let’s not mention that a specific political agenda is being presented as the word of God.
First off, let’s not talk about the thematic inconsistencies and hypocrisy that comes out of perverting a text, like the Bible, which is supposedly geared towards helping others. Rather, let’s talk about the general spirit of the Tea Party, where the modus operandi seems to be to attack Obama’s personal character and experience, to tout health care and education reform as Marxist policies, to dismiss cooperative foreign policy and cultural awareness as anti-American and to distort the immigration debate beyond recognition. Essentially, they want us to believe that all the recent controversial legislation has amounted to a personal assault on the rights of the common American. Who are these common people? These chain-letter political diatribes claim to represent the voices of a muted minority of rational, homegrown people from Everytown, USA. They push the vocabulary of our founding fathers, of freedom and liberty. What vague terms. Sure, the founding fathers used them, but they were actually writing an actual declaration of independence to actually break free from an oppressing colonial power and to become their own nation. These Tea Party guys, they’re just a political party. If they put their program in terms that everyone else uses - economy, immigration, foreign
policy - they’d just fall into the background. They heighten their language and diminish their core values to get the popularity vote. Take the Tea Party’s rhetoric concerning the Constitution. Dale Robertson, founder of the Tea Party, says on www.teaparty.org, “the Constitution is inherently conservative, not the party. I believe there must be a beacon to the masses who have lost their way, a light illuminating the path to the original intentions of our Founding Fathers.” Who can argue against the constitution? No one. But what happens when we go back and read the Federalist Papers and see how the authors explicitly chose to create a minimalist document that would evolve with the country as times changed? Where are you, Tea Party? Where are you, pastor ’s wife? If I learned this in my high school U.S. History class, then you must be trying really hard to forget. Best of all, the humble “people,” personified by Joe the Plumber, come to their wits end at one last misdeed. Rising unemployment? Marxism? Devaluation of the dollar? No. It’s when the “world” taunts the Americans as having become a Socialist and - gasp - a second-rate power. Unfortunately, it’s people like this that give Americans their bad reputation. They create a yawning gap between Americans and everyone else in the world, and perpetuate the idea that Americans are self-absorbed. Most of us, liberals and conservatives alike, hold a global perspective that sympathizes with the many cultures of the world that are no better, no worse, and not necessarily so different from our own. Even more perplexing is the Tea Party’s fear of becoming a “second-rate power.” It’s laughable, actually. If anyone thinks the world still operates in terms of world powers, then he must have been
Viral emails and conspiracy theories fuel the growth of the Tea Party.
living in a nuclear shelter a la Brendan Fraser ’s (dare I recollect this) Blast from the Past. Has no one learned anything from the war in Iraq, when the world’s only remaining “superpower” was ren-
Unfortunately, it’s people like this that give Americans their bad reputation. They create a yawning gap between Americans and everyone else in the world, and perpetuate the idea that Americans are self-absorbed. dered blind in a desert by guys with improvised bombs? If a “superpower” exists today, it’s probably less like the good ol’ red, white and blue flapping proudly on the open seas and more like a juiced-up jock standing in the corner at a chess tournament. The world has changed, folks, and we can’t hold ourselves to standards from the turn of the previous century. My language may be severe, but this sort of punditry pushes and pushes until the only language left is violent. I understand that these people who send emails-and send and send-are not the politicians making decisions on maintaining infrastructure, representing constituencies and balancing budgets. Yet it has become acceptable to communicate political philosophy in this extremist fashion. This common man is too eager to see complex, nuanced debate in terms of right and wrong, black and white, so that he can make the easy decision and take what he sees to be the moral high ground. If anything, this is the crisis facing American politics today: exaggeration presented as simple, honest truth. The last paragraph of the email from my dad is surprisingly germane to my sentiments: “After reading [this] — and before you go into the bathroom to throw up — forward it to your friends and those who care about our country and what is happening Photo: The Inquisitor to it under the rule of Commissar Obamanation.”
FEATures
November 2010
ORBIS • Page 9
Hooking up and playing hard A feminist perspective on campus identify By Michael Yarbrough STAFF WRITER
In the past few weeks, there has been a h e i g h t e n e d i n t e r e s t i n Va n d e r b i l t ’ s “ w o r k hard, play hard” identity - so much that the Va n d e r b i l t To r c h c a l l e d t h e s u b j e c t a h o r s e that’s been beaten to death. I’d like to try to respect this criticism and add something new in the form of a discussion we haven’t had yet. I want to talk about the position of women in campus culture from a man’s perspective. I fear that the highly sexualized treatment of women on this campus must be related to
I fear that the highly sexualized treatment of women on this campus must be related to the dismissive treatment women receive in society in general. the dismissive treatment women receive in society in general. Hooking up, predation, “playing hard” and a social environment that is strongly oriented toward sex are all parts of a larger social structure that values a woman not for her entire being, but for how attractive she is and little else. I can not believe that these attitudes simply vanish upon leaving college and that they have nothing to do with sexism in the workplace, the family and other areas of life. It begins here. How is a hookup culture related to the fact that men are permitted (especially on the weekends) to regard women as less than full human beings? Does this treatment help men forget that their female friends’ intelligence is at least as for-
midable and valuable as that of their male friends? Does this treatment then affect the friendships men share with women and what types of relationships we seek with which girls? And does a hookup culture impoverish the friendships I make with other guys? The time I spend bro-ing with my bros could have been time spent growing more meaningful relationships with them and the girls we chase. I’m not disputing that chasing after women is often a rich activity that allows dudes to explore and grow their own and each others’ p e r s o n a l i t i e s . N o , r a t h e r, I t h i n k t h a t a m a l e culture that’s oriented toward sex on Friday and Saturday will distort how men regard women the rest of the week - for their bodies, and not their minds and personhoods. Of course, women experience the effects of this culture all seven days of the week. Notice that women create and mercilessly p o l i c e c o d e s f o r b e h a v i o r, d r e s s , a p p e a r a n c e and habits based on men’s demands. Is this related to the fact that the vast majority of individuals with eating disorders are women and not men? Does a social environment that is oriented toward impressing boys and girls exclude those who are not astonishingly handsome, or not the right color or shape? A c t u a l l y, I s h o u l d a c k n o w l e d g e ( o r p o i n t out to those who might not think so) that the hookup culture we sensationalize is in fact probably followed by a minority of students on campus. Observe, though, how everyone has it on their minds, and notice how it shapes the rest of the social environment, so that the importance of being sexually expansive is magnified beyond reason. I’m serious that I want partying to be fun. Girls are excellent. Partying? Heck yes. Drinking? Cheers! I’m not arguing that anybody is a bad person, and I’m not issuing condemnations out of puritanism or philistinism. I am concerned about the consequenc-
es for a very secular well-being of women on our campus. I understand that not everybody is guilty of playing the hypermasculine male. But I wonder whether masculinity and the hookup culture are part of a grander structure that makes it more permissible in some men’s minds to mistreat women, or which makes sexism less recognizable for what it is. The discussions about the “work hard, play
themselves as they are reused. And perhaps most importantly, they will not feed the landfills and will promote awareness of environmental sustainability on campus. But White remains concerned that the small issues remaining will make the shells less convenient to use - and therefore used less often - and thereby limit the intended effect of using the shells in the first place. One concern is that students will hoard or dispose of Eco-Shells, decreasing the efficacy of the program. A barcode and scanning system has been proposed but not adopted.
The idea to bring Eco-Shells to Vanderbilt originated with Ben Kahn, Tegan Gregory, Karen White and SPEAR, who introduced the idea to administration over a year ago. Dining entered talks about introducing the shells last semester. Students are encouraged to relay their interest in sustainability and in using Eco-Shells by emailing tegan. gregory@vanderbilt.edu or karen.m.white@vanderbilt. edu. The cost is $5 to opt-in. With more interest and a successful pilot program this semester, Dining will work with students’ interest and change the program so it is easier to use Eco-Shells.
I’m serious that I want partying to be fun. Girls are excellent. Partying? Heck yes. Drinking? Cheers! I’m not arguing that anybody is a bad person, and I’m not issuing condemnations out of puritanism or philistinism. I am concerned about the consequences for a very secular well-being of women on our campus. hard” culture have shown us that we are not judgmental, snobbish or monocultured stereot y p e s . We e m b r a c e m u l t i p l e s t y l e s o f t h i n k ing and living. But I find it curious that we accept unquestioningly as part of our identity a culture that aids and abets degradation, sexism, and discrimination. If we want to embrace a culture that’s very conscious of women’s long-term situation in s o c i e t y, w e a r e g o i n g t o h a v e t o f a c e t h e s e issues.
Eco-Shells, from page 6: sign up and complete a form. What’s more, in the program’s pilot stage, students can only participate if they first email SPEAR so that they are added to a list so they can then get a shell. Students are given a special sticker to be placed on the Commodore ID, to identify those who have signed up. White said that the program will help cut waste and will save Vanderbilt money on the thousands of takeout containers that are used and thrown away, especially if an Eco-Shell is used in place of a conventional container almost every time. Ecoshells have a higher initial cost, but will pay for
OP/ed
Page 10 • ORBIS
November 2010
The next two years look bleak By Aimee Sobhani COMMENTARY EDITOR
On Nov. 2, the completely expected happened: Republicans made huge gains at both the national and state level. Republicans gained six seats in the U.S. Senate, which will easily allow them to filibuster all the things they hate (which includes most anything associated with liberal ideals) and can now brag about winning the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives since 1948. At the state level, five more states now have Republican governors (meaning the GOP has 29 governors versus the Democrats’ 18 governors), and the number of state legislative bodies controlled by Republicans increased from 36 to 55 - quite a substantial jump. As a staunch liberal, I found the results of the election quite depressing, but I was not the least bit surprised that voters rejected an agenda that has proven to be lackluster for both conservatives and liberals. Conservatives obviously want to rein in our country’s “march towards socialism,” and progressives lacked the energy to come out in full force for the Democrats, who have been frankly moving way too slowly on important social issues. Regardless of political affiliation, everyone is suffering from the lack of an economic policy that can stimulate the economy and create jobs. In my opinion, the next two years look pretty bleak. Let’s be honest: the Democrats and the Republicans are not going to start playing nice just because the
Republicans now have control over the House. Tensions between the two parties are at an all-time high, and the fact that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his main goal for the next two years is making Obama “a one-term president” does not help. With priorities like that, it seems like the Republicans are poised to behave in an obstructive manner so that Obama will not have anything substantial to show for his presidency when 2012 rolls around. I predict the Republicans will go on a bit of a powertrip and immediately try to repeal “Obamacare.” The crazier ones might even try to impeach Obama; remember when a Republican-controlled house impeached Clinton? To be fair though, some trigger-happy Democrats grumbled about impeaching President Bush after they won the House in 2006. Compromise has become a dirty word in politics. Rather than seeing compromise as a legitimate means of ensuring that the country will actually run, many politicians (and some voters) see compromise as an act of weakness. I myself am guilty of this belief: I couldn’t help but be disgusted when Democrats watered down the health care bill in order to win a few measly votes. However, compromise is now more important than ever if we don’t want the government to shut down because honestly, that’s the last thing the U.S. needs during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, on top of two wars. The Republicans’ sweep of state legislatures will also have long-reaching implications. State legislatures in 36
states have control over redrawing district lines based on census data. Redistricting is not politically neutral; often, the party in control draws district borders in such a way that maximizes its chances of winning elections and minimizes the impact of supporters of the opposing party. Despite all the negatives surrounding this year’s elections, there are a couple of bright spots. For one thing, it is good to know that the American electorate is not so ignorant that it will elect an anti-masturbation former “witch” (Christine O’Donnell) and Sharron Angle, whose political stances are mostly based on falsities. Granted, it is concerning that these two individuals even made it on the ballot but at least voters’ anger towards Democrats is not so great that it blinded people from electing two really incompetent people. Another bright spot is pretty obvious: Republicans can no longer blame Democrats for all of this country’s problems because now they will share some of the responsibility. As I mentioned previously, it seems unlikely that the government will do anything particularly meaningful in the next two years, and voters will recognize that the Republicans have contributed to the stagnant state of affairs. Theoretically, this will cause a reversal in the historic gains the Republicans made in the election. I hope my predictions for the next two years are wrong because things in this country need to change as soon as possible, and I, along with my fellow seniors, really need a job when I graduate.
Black represents Democratic holds or gains. Grays represent Republican holds or gains. Photo: Wiki Commons (modified)
OP/Ed
November 2010
ORBIS • Page 11
The BYX stops here A Hustler news article recently exposed that Beta Upsilon Chi expelled a brother because he was gay. There are obviously a lot of reasons why this is disturbing, ranging from the legal to the social and the personal to the institutional. What interests us right now, though, are the moral implications. A Christian fraternity kicked out a member because he wasn’t like the rest of then. Let me say that again so that it can sink in. A Christian fraternity cast out a “Brother in Christ” because he had a different sexual orientation. That’s all there really is to it. Apparently, BYX thinks that it’s okay to operate under a code of conduct that narrowly defines Christian behavior in an exclusive and small-minded way. There are a lot of interpretations of the Christian faith, but not a lot of them would endorse that. And it’s not scriptural, either; let’s get that right out of the way. Imagine if they tried to write a code of conduct that encompassed every petty old testament regulation: no tattoos, no shellfish, and
no killing. Would they expel a BYX brother who joined the army? What’s really going on is that BYX, or at least its leadership, wants to be Christian in a sense
When we act on naive prejudices like these, we are no better than proponents of the Jim Crow Laws who applauded segregation because it had been institutionalized. that excludes people and behaviors with which they aren’t comfortable. It’s a cozy, insulated kind of faith, but it doesn’t seem very rewarding. Obviously there is something worth salvaging,
though, or the victimized brother wouldn’t have come forward. When we act on naive prejudices like these, we are no better than proponents of the Jim Crow Laws who applauded segregation because it had been institutionalized. Let’s hope that BYX’s national management will think it over and come to the same conclusion. And if they don’t, then instead of asking whether BYX was in explicit violation of university terms and by-laws, we should ask why these institutional barriers allow such blatant discrimination in the first place. Although it’s a tension as old as the political process - between what people consider “right” and what is written in codes of law - if there were ever a moment to rethink what we want to be acceptable under the Vanderbilt banner, that time is now. Let’s face this new crisis of civil rights and answer it like we’ve read our history. Discrimination on the basis of color, gender, and sexual orientation must stop.
Fight back against rising intolerance By Meghan O’Neill FEATURES EDITOR
In high school, I was the only liberal in my class. Every Wednesday in history, we’d talk about current events and debate domestic and international issues. Almost every week, the debate ended up in a shouting match over abortion, but every so often we talked about something more interesting: the overall state of our country. As someone who considers myself to be mildly intelligent, I often look at our country and wonder at just how unknowingly unintelligent the masses are - even before Jersey Shore. I often brought this up in the debates. How dare I! We live in the greatest country! There is no possible way we could be less intelligent than other societies. Not America. I (mostly) love the United States, but I can’t help observing that every year, our country gets a little more stupid. Someone killed their baby over Farmville last week. Farmville. You can’t tell me that Americans aren’t a little stupid. According to a Gallup poll, 18 percent of Americans believe the sun revolves around the Earth. A majority of Americans can’t even name one of the branches of their own government. People listen to Glenn Beck. I met someone who honestly thought Saudi Arabia was in Iraq. It seems more than a little problematic that we now live in a society in which educated, intelligent people are labeled “elites” and scoffed at by the masses, not to mention governing officials. When I get the chance, I try to go back to my high school and talk to kids about college and offer
my help if they ever need help with applications, interviews, etc. More often than not, unfortunately, I meet kids who think that higher education is a waste of time. They will obviously not need a college degree when they are an incredibly wealthy, international superstar for doing nothing. Sometimes I wonder if it is the education sys-
It seems more than a little problematic that we now live in a society in which educated, intelligent people are labeled “elites” and scoffed at by the masses, not to mention governing officials. tem that is failing us. After all, despite spending more on education (as a percent of GDP) than almost every other country in the world, the United States scores very near the bottom in math, science and reading levels when compared to other industrialized nations. Kids graduate from high school without being able to read beyond a third-grade level (I’ve met some), passed along by teachers and schools who didn’t want to deal with yet another under-performing student. As a TA for my English teacher in high school, I was not allowed to mark off for spelling mistakes, in part
because most students would fail if I did. I think, however, it’s more than just our education system that is making us dumber. It’s society’s outlook on life in general. We seem to be obsessed with “celebrities” who have done nothing of note (I’m looking at you Speidi), and our favorite songs are about getting “slizzard” (not a real word) and how sexy you are, bitch (but not in a disrespectful way, of course). Our bestsellers are books like Twilight, and when I mention books like Pride and Prejudice or even Fight Club, people respond with, “I love that movie!” We abbreviate even short words like “you,” and use “OMG” in everyday conversation. Young people everywhere are convinced that they can be famous and make millions without working hard, or, God forbid, learning anything, and our society seems to reinforce that belief. We celebrate mediocrity and lack of productivity (awards for whoever can text message the fastest?) and disregard true wonders of science and the advancement of knowledge (did you know the Dead Sea scrolls are going digital?). It seems everyone thinks of learning and reading as chores we have to do before we can do the “fun” things. But this methodology is eating the collective American brain. I’m not saying that everyone should read all day and never watch mindless TV and movies (sometimes it’s nice to space out), but maybe it’s time Americans start learning more and watching a little less TV (four and a half hours a day?). We can’t grow as a country if our minds continue to shrink.
THE FLIP SIDE
Page 12 • ORBIS
November 2010
Here’s your next two years, America Rand Paul
Kentucky-R Dr. Politics, heir to the Re(love)ution, and champion of selfish capitalism, Rand Paul will be using Kentucky’s vote to pursue his version of political idealism. Will they relate to the page when he has to face constituents while turning down earmarks?
Let’s see who the GOP has put in place to rescue the economy and cure the faults of a blue government.
John Hoeven North Dakota-R He’s the red-blooded American all these Republicans are talking about. A popular governor and a man vested in the interest of his state.
Dan Coats Indiana-R This guy’s back from retirement to save America. You know, from the old days when we were concerned with the goings-on of the Presidential Privates. If the Republicans want to bring back Old Washington, then they’ve found just the guy to do it. John Boozman Arkansas-R Wants to improve healthcare by opening state lines for insurance. He’s pro environment, but doesn’t want to tax oil emissions. Solution to the oil crisis? Drill, baby drill, but on home turf. He’s a real cowboy politician, facing general problems with his own solutions. Mark Kirk Illinois-R He’s lied about his involvement in the war and being a nursery school teacher. His credentials point to creepmaster. Let’s hope he rides out his senatorship with nothing of note and gets booted out soon.
Alternative Options Nix all this politics and make real good use of pages of print. Make the one true weapon capable of bringing down a foe: a paper sword. 1. Roll several stacked pages of newsprint into a rough cylinder shape, starting at a corner so you’re rolling diagonally. If these concepts are puzzling, retake MATH 133. Tape shut. 2. Loop top down and tape to hold it in place. 3. Voila, sword! You may now fully exercize your rights according to the second amendment.
So where are we now? The recent elections indicate some kind of turn in American popular sentiment. Maybe Democrats were a no-show because they lost the youth vote due to an uneventful midterm election round. Maybe Republicans profited from the Obama’s lack of visible progress. Maybe the Tea Party really is invigorating a sense of democracy for many Americans. Maybe it’s just reactionary. For now, at least, we’ll have to wait and see.