We are a weekly, 12-13 issue a semester paper run entirely by a student staff under the advising of faculty member Judi Hetrick. We do our best to cover not only campus activities and happenings, but local news relevant to our campus. We will continue to expand our coverage in the hopes of gathering more news and opinions from students and Richmond locals alike.
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FRIENDS OF HEYMANN GREIVE LOSS
RYDER COMSTOCK
MARIAH KENNEDY
guest writers
Sometime in the past week, my dad sighed and said he felt as if we had been sent off to Earlham to get our hearts broken. This is certainly not the first time we’ve grieved together, and I understand how family, friends, and alumni must feel watching our beloved community go through this yet again.
Yet as we gathered in Fell House this week, we all talked about how there is no place else we would rather be right now. The tremendous love and support we have felt cannot be explained in words - it has manifested itself in obscene amounts of homemade food, in warm hugs, in music and movie marathons, in visits from two-legged and four-legged friends, in photos and memories, and innumerable cups of tea.
We occupy a strange place right now as we hope and pray for our friends Lenore and Graham and mourn the loss of our dear Tracey. While we miss our friend deeply, our hearts go out to the family and friends of Lenore and Graham - we are encouraged with every positive bit of news and we hope to see them smiling on campus soon.
We have many comforting memories of Tracey - from first meeting her in the fall of 2009, to cooking delicious vegetarian (and later, not so vegetarian...) treats, to hearing her infectious, joyful laugh when she thought something was inappropriately funny. There are few moments in our lives when we’ve been happier or more joyful than when we were dancing with Tracey.
Few people are as welcoming and reassuring as our friend, and we’ve found through shared stories that she really was the glue that held us together. She has blessed us with letters, pictures, journals, music, and videos to sustain us and we are grateful for how well she documented the things that made her happy. We feel very lucky and very close to her still.
Those hoping to share stories or memories with Tracey’s friends or family can come by Fell House at any time. Donations can be made in her memory to The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose at http://www.cdm.org/Tracey.
Thank you for all your love and support this past week. We are grateful and blessed to be part of the Earlham Community.
I heard the news of the accident just hours after it happened. Sitting in Mills with my girlfriend, her friend passed us on his way out for a cigarette and asked if we had “heard the news.”
He smelled faintly of beer, and I knew it was college night in the depot district. “The news” had to either mean there was an accident or some lame piece of gossip.
I hoped for the lame piece of gossip.
But he told us–incorrectly–that there was an accident and that Tracey and Graham were in the hospital, and there was a “third, unidentified body” still at the scene.
A silent, solemn, sheet of grief fell over me, and I decided it was best to just go to bed. Back in Co-op Hall, I ran into an equally solemn Alex Cook who asked, “How are you doing?” in that way that really means “How are you coping?”
Unsure of who had more information, I asked him what had happened. He said there had been a train accident, and when he mentioned Lenore’s name, a sick, nervous dread made its way into my stomach and tried to push its way up my throat. Praying my first source was wrong, and not wanting to cause panic and grief, I didn’t say anything about it.
I spent the night with him and some more of Lenore’s close friends, curled up on a bed watching Portlandia to keep our minds from going to bad places. My girlfriend and I went downstairs to make pancakes before going to bed, starting the flood of communal comfort foods in Co-op that weekend.
By Friday afternoon, of course, we all knew the situation. We all grieved for Tracey, and prayed for Graham and Lenore in intensive care. I’ve never known Tracey or Graham personally, but my heart, along with all the hearts of Earlham, go out to Tracey’s family, and with Graham as he makes his steady recovery.
I met Lenore last fall when she needed a ride home to St. Louis–my hometown as well. We’ve become good friends since then, and she continues to blow me away by her natural presence, her nonchalant confidence in her sincere and goofy self.
In Co-op, we’ve been grieving the temporary loss of a cherished community member who dedicated herself to making Co-op the fun, creative, and productive community it’s supposed to be.
It’s hard not to sound cliché when talking about people you miss.
Lenore never fails to bring a smile to someone’s face with her lovably absurd sense of humor or her enthusiasm about…anything and everything. A few days before the accident, Lenore gave me a full presentation on river otters, the entire time so excited she sounded like a kid in a toy store trying to get their parents to buy them something.
“It’s very obvious there’s a presence missing,” said Zoë Stringer, the co-coordinator of Co-op events with Lenore.
The weekend after the accident was spent comforting each other. After the candlelight vigil on Friday night, Co-op members came back to Wilson to cook each other food, play Nintendo 64, and cuddle up and just be there for each other all night.
On Saturday we, and other non-Co-op friends of Lenore, made a big “We love you, Lenore” sign and took a group picture with it before going inside and, again, cooking for each other for the rest of the night. The picture will be sent to Lenore in the hospital whenever we’re allowed to.
Sunday’s typical Co-op family dinner and consensus became an open potluck for anyone who wanted to come and share thoughts and feelings about anything about the tragedy.
The feeling of community I sense at Earlham—and in Co-op especially—is overwhelming. Never before have I felt so personally responsible for the well-being of my friends, and felt it so reciprocated.
I’ve never had a time in my life that I’ve felt so sure I’ve found true friends as I had this past weekend. Co-op Hall is short an important community member for now, and Earlham is missing a dear friend.
Derek Brennan is an undeclared sophomore and can be reached at [email protected].
This article is a subjective account written from the perspective of a Co-op student in the same community as Lenore.
Top Photo: Senior Annie Taylor donates blood for the drive held in honor of Tracey, Graham, and Lenore. She was one of many to donate blood in the Comstock room of Runyan on Wednesday, Nov. 24.
Bottom Photo: President David Dawson looks over and fills out his blood donor information as he waits in line during the blood drive held in honor of the recent train accident that lead to the death of one student and the hospitalization of two others.
Hurricane Sandy, which pummeled the upper-East Coast a few weeks ago, caused mass destruction not seen in the United States since Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana in 2005. In the midst of a tragedy of their own, Earlham students are nevertheless rushing to aid those affected by Sandy’s wrath.
Junior Jese Stetson challenged the Earlham community, through social media, to pitch in to help with Sandy relief.
His challenge has been met with overwhelming responses.
“Essentially, last Wednesday, I posted a challenge on my Facebook page specifically asking Earlham students if they would be willing to help me load up my semi and head to New York to help with relief efforts,” Stetson said. “Within two hours, the thread, my email, and my phone were blowing up with enthusiastic volunteers from Canada to Florida asking how they could get involved.”
Although the Earlham community has been dealing with a local tragedy over the past week, Stetson’s experiment was greeted enthusiastically by students.
“It’s been very easy to be excited about this project because so many people are ready and willing to help their neighbors on the East Coast,” Stetson said.
“Many of us have friends and family that have been affected by the storm.”
To aid their friends and family who were affected, Stetson and the others involved have planned to do more than just fundraising. A group of students have expressed the desire to travel to the site and participate in actual clean-up.
“There are 41 students signed up to help with fundraising and 14 students signed up to volunteer from Earlham so far, but this has been with very minimal advertising,” Stetson said.
To get the word out about their efforts, Stetson has relied heavily on using social media, but they have plans to extend their advertising to ensure that everyone who wants to assist have the chance to.
“We are calling it S Cubed for ‘Serving Sandy Survivors,’” Stetson said.
“Also, expect to see us tabling in Saga and the Runyan Center in the near future.”
The support for S Cubed has been great so far and should only increase as the message about their cause continues to spread throughout the student population.
“I think it’s amazing to see students who want to help any way they can,” said senior Chris Tillery.
“It’s a great cause and I wish it would be advertised more so others could get involved in any way.”
“I think it’s a really good idea,” said senior Ashlee Herberger, who is from New York.
“My area was not directly affected by Sandy, but I think people coming together and trying to help is a really amazing thing.”
Now that S Cubed has gained the support from the student population their focus has shifted to encouraging administration involvement.
“We are trying to get Earlham to pay for all the expenses of the volunteers,” Stetson said.
100 percent of the funds raised outside of the campus to be given to victims of hurricane Sandy.”
Student clubs are also encouraged to get involved.
“We are wanting all clubs across campus to get involved with the fundraising efforts because we want this to be an all Earlham coalition,” Stetson said.
“If anyone is a member of a club and can help get their club on board that would be awesome.”
Those looking to volunteer can do so by contacting Stetson via Facebook, or by dropping by the Sandy Cubed table.
Nathan Chandler is a senior history major and can be reached at [email protected].
Historian Hochschild discusses WWI-era pacifist movements
ANASTASIA VLADIMIROVA
desk editor
Dayton Literary Piece Prize recipient Adam Hochschild discusses his book To End All Wars during his Nov. 12 address.
In his new book entitled To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918, this year’s Dayton Literary Peace Prize winner Adam Hochschild takes a look at World War I from a rare perspective, challenging prevailing views about the war.
A distinguished author and journalist, Hochschild addressed the book during his presentation “The War That Changed the World Forever and Those Who Refused to Fight In It” on Monday, Nov. 12. According to the author, his main interest was to focus on the people who formed a pacifist opposition movement against the war. “The madness of the war made me interested in other people, in those who refused to fight it,” he said.
Hochschild believes that the way history is traditionally taught allows one to learn about those who fought in war, but not those who opposed or refused to fight in it. “You tend not to learn about the amount of the resistance that is happening when the wars happen,” said Hochschild. According to Hochschild, some 20,000 people refused to go to war and more than 6,000 went to prison. These numbers are important for understanding the size of the opposition movement.
Students and professors had many opportunities to engage with the distinguished writer and journalist, including Hochschild’s visit to the Peace, Memory and Modern Culture class. Here he discussed the battle of Somme, the most crucial battle of World War I, which took the lives of almost 21,000 soldiers in a single day.
Hochschild also discussed the British documentary and war propaganda film “The Battle of the Somme,” which he believes was one of the most significant events in the history of historical movie making. “People could identify with the way troops were living,” said Hochschild. The author also expressed that the film not only allowed people to identify with the suffering of the troops, but also to understand the realities of war better.
Later in the day, Hochschild spent some time talking about his books with faculty and students during the informal reception in the Richmond Room. Those who attended had a chance to ask questions about Hochschild’s work, books, and journalism career.
Allan M. Winkler, a distinguished professor of history from Miami University, was present, and asked Hochschild why journalists tended to write better history books than professional historians. “In every academic discipline, people are trying to write for their peers,” said Hochschild. He believes this is why it is often hard for the general public to read history accounts written by professional historians. Hochschild thinks journalists are capable of reaching out to general public better.
According to Nigel Young, visiting professor of peace studies who helped bring Hochschild to Earlham, said that the author felt very welcomed by the Earlham community, students, and professors.
He also stated the the author’s visit was an important and beneficial event for Earlham community in general.
Anastasia Vladimirova is a sophomore PAGS major and can be reached at [email protected].
Senior art majors receive local recognition
KARA M. RUSSELL
managing editor
Senior art majors Lindsay Pitts (left) and Marcela Pardo pose after last week’s 114th Annual Exhibition of Richmond and Area Artists held at Richmond Art Museum on Nov. 8. Both received merit awards for their photography submissions.
Two senior art majors took home cash prizes and local recognition from the Nov. 8 unveiling of Richmond Art Museum’s 114th Annual Exhibition of Richmond and Area Artists.
Marcela Pardo and Lindsay Pitts were both honored with merit awards in the amateur division.
Pardo received the W. Ray Stevens Jr. Memorial Merit Award of $250 for her photograph “Horizontal Gravitational Force.” Another Pardo entry, entitled “Corpse #1,” earned her a $100 merit award provided by Petal and Stem Garden Club.
Pitts’ photograph “Nude 1” awarded her a $100 merit award. Sixty-five art pieces, ranging from photography and oil painting to mixed media, were in competition for only seven awards given to artists in the amateur division.
Neither Pardo nor Pitts expected their awards. “It’s surprising to have nude photos of men next to a lot of landscapes be successful here,” said Pardo.
She explained that since most of the other submissions were more conservative and impressionist, the recognition is particularly unexpected. “I had my expectations so low,” she said.
Like Pardo, Pitts was surprised by the reception. “I simply make art for myself. It’s my passion in life. It’s never my intention that the work is going to receive any merit,” said Pitts.
Both students were encouraged to enter the exhibition by assistant professor of art, Walt Bistline, who also gives extra credit to students who participate in the exhibit.
Bistline, who teaches photography, said that entering exhibitions “take[s] a little more work and organization. It’s good training, good exposure.”
Bistline has been working with Pardo for her four years here at Earlham and with Pitts since she was in high school through family connections and the Explore-A-College program.
The Richmond Art Museum’s exhibition gives students an opportunity to present their works to a larger audience, as well as continue the long history of collaboration between the museum and Earlham.
Lance Crow, the museum’s education director, said, “Earlham is a great community partner for the museum.”
Richmond Art Museum has borrowed objects from Earlham for various exhibits, including collections of folk and Quaker art.
The museum also offers internships for Bonner Scholars and students interested in pursuing art and museum studies.
Kara M. Russell is a English and French double major and can be reached at [email protected].
In Hawayan Al-Koubra (1406), Al-Doumairy wrote that striped hyenas were vampiric creatures that attacked only brave people at night and sucked the blood from their necks. In a similar vein—no pun intended—Greeks until the 19th century believed that untamed werewolves would hunt battlefields as vampiric hyenas, sucking blood from wounded soldiers.
Contemporary pop culture’s obsession with vampires aside, hyenas were, and continue to be, cross-cultural allegories. They are often depicted as symbols of aggression and violence—a phenomenon that, like any literary myth, is anything but arbitrary. On the contrary, hyenas—specifically spotted hyenas—are the only species whose female’s genitals are virilized. That is, the female anatomy of a spotted hyena more closely resembles what we understand as male.
In Natalie Angier’s New York Times science column piece “Hyena’s Hormone Flow puts Females in Charge,” “While in the womb, male and female fetuses alike are exposed to extraordinarily high levels of male hormones, particularly testosterone.” Angier’s article was published on Sept. 1, 1992.
In the same article, Angier wrote: “As a result of the androgen bath, both sexes end up with masculine-looking genitals, the male bearing the standard equipment, the female having an extremely enlarged clitoris that resembles a penis.”
The startling female anatomy of spotted hyenas was just one of many topics discussed at the interdisciplinary panel on sexual aggression. Four faculty members from a range of disciplines presented on sexual aggression within the context of their academic discipline.
Each faculty member addressed the question: “How does my field frame the concept of sexual aggression?” The answers were varied, to say the least. The aforementioned hyena example was included in Chris Smith’s presentation on biological sexual conflict. Smith, a biology professor, discussed how scientists understand biological sexes as possessing inherently different interests. This means that males produce enough sperm to fertilize any given embryo, but it is up to the female’s discretion to decide which male is best fit.
One of the themes of Smith’s talk was how many studies have researched the relationship between testosterone, sexual behavior, and aggression. In the hyena example, the female is exposed to high levels of testosterone in utero. Female hyenas also exhibit more aggressive behavior than males. “While feeding on a fresh kill, hyenas spiral toward a frenzy, hardly stopping to take a breath between bloody mouthfuls. There is no cooperative feeding or sharing,” said Angier.
Biology is not the only discipline in which testosterone, aggression, and sexual behavior are linked. Maggie Thomas’ presentation of how sexual aggression is studied in social psychology included examples of “rape myths.” A concept developed by sociologist Martha Burt, rape myths are defined as “prejudicial, stereotyped, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims and rapists.”
Rape myths are socially contextualized, and they range depending on the theory that defines them. One widely accepted rape myth is that rape, which is often characterized by aggression, wins approval, and status rewards.
“In other words, good things come to men who are manly,” said Thomas, assistant professor of psychology. To be clear—Thomas did not posit that rape is a “manly” act, nor did she define rape as an exclusively male act. Thomas discussed how in psychology, aggression is characterized as a stereotypically masculine attribute. Ergo, if aggression wins approval and social status, then acts of rape could yield the same rewards. Thomas pointed out that statistically, rapists accept rape myths to a greater degree than non-rapists.
Catherine Griffith, professor of religion, discussed the prevalence of sexual aggression in a myriad of biblical texts. There are stories of sexual violence in the Old Testament, including the rape of Dinah (Jacob’s daughter) in Genesis 34. Griffith elucidated the fact that sexual violence is condoned in religious texts. In Genesis 19, attempted acts of sexual aggression against male strangers were perceived as a violation of the norms of hospitality.
Trayce Peterson, director of multicultural affairs, discussed sexual aggression within the Earlham community and in society at large. Peterson’s discussion was multifaceted, although there was a single point that punctuated her presentation: sexual violence cannot be attributed to a single perpetrator. Peterson described the perpetrator of sexual violence as being twofold. Interpersonal power differences and social structural issues both perpetuate sexual violence.
“It is clear that institutions support and enable sexual aggression,” said Peterson. Although Peterson was making a statement about institutions in general, there were also specific examples provided by the faculty. Thomas presented a flyer from Miami University that was photographed in a dorm. The flyer read: “Ten ways to get away with rape,” followed by serious guidelines.
Needless to say, the university did not acknowledge the flyer until students publicized it on the Internet. The incident was a testament to the institutional acceptance of sexual violence in this country.
The takeaway message from the panel was that sexual aggression is widespread; it is both current and historical, and it is prevalent both cross-culturally and academically.
In evaluating sexual aggression from multiple perspectives, we may perhaps gain insight in the complexity of the issue and begin to remedy the deeply rooted problems associated with it.
Olivia Thornburg is a senior neuroscience major and can be reached at [email protected].
Subtle survival skills: Milgram experiments ask what's so natural about human nature
KAT'S KRADLE: THE SCIENTIFIC BEAT
Kat Beidler
columnist
Evolutionarily speaking, humans are driven by the need to survive. However, as social structure has become more rigid, methods of survival have become subtler, and people grow more conscientious.
That is to say, nobody’s really sure where “nature” stops and “nurture” begins. Where does responsibility begin and end? When acts of violence or cruelty are committed, who is to blame?
Are humans inherently good, bad, violent, or aggressive? They’re all good questions, and in the mind of Stanley Milgram, ones that required investigation.
Stanley Milgram was one of the most progressive psychologists in mid-20th century America. His experiments attempted to answer these questions objectively, but their results are liable to many subjective interpretations. Specifically, Milgram wanted to know how much authority could override a human’s instinct to care for another.
To test this, volunteers of various ages and professions were told that they would be testing the effects of negative reinforcement on memory via electric shock. The test subject was introduced to a confederate, who appeared to be a kind, middle-aged man.
In a rigged drawing of roles, the subject was given the role of “teacher,” administering the shocks, and the confederate was given the role of “learner,” receiving the shocks. The subject then witnessed the confederate being strapped to a chair containing a dummy electric shock device, and was given a 45-volt shock, to demonstrate the various levels of intensity.
A researcher in a white lab coat instructed the subject to shock the “learner” for every wrong answer to a series of random word pairings, and remained in the room for the duration of the study. As the shocks increased, the “learner” appeared to show signs of discomfort, great pain, and finally fell silent.
As the level of the learner’s perceived discomfort (actually a pre-recorded tape) rose, the teacher’s seemed to accelerate in unison. When they asked the researcher if they must continue, they were given various commands, ranging from “please continue with the experiment,” to “the experiment requires you continue, you have no other choice.”
The most surprising and pivotal point in this study is that most subjects believed these statements to be true. Unable to see the nature of their actions, an overwhelming 65 percent delivered a maximum shock well above what they believed to be above a 450-volt shock, ten times the one they had been given. When debriefed, most subjects were initially unable to take responsibility, claiming the researcher was at fault.
Milgram concluded that humans were subject to the influence of perceived authority figures, perhaps as a leftover survival mechanism of yielding to an “alpha,” or dominant, figure. He attributed those who were able to resist as having “residues of selfhood,” stronger personalities, or stronger previous life experiences.
Milgram believed people to be inherently good, but capable of inflicting violence under the command of an authority figure.
There is no known way to predict every facet of an individual’s character, just as there is no known way to predict behavior when under a stressful situation. Few people have a chance to prime themselves for this kind of situation, as hopefully it does not arise too often within their lifespan.
Only by the continued questioning of personal and moral responsibility can one make a morally sound decision in a difficult situation. You need a lot of grit, a lot of character, and a lot of resolve.
So stay in the light, and may the force be with you.
Kat Beidler is an undeclared sophomore and can be reached at [email protected].
For his senior project, theatre major Eric Frysinger will be directing “First Kiss,” a play featuring two 11-year-olds who fall in love. “First Kisses” playwright Jay Hanagan takes his characters, Mary and John, through different experiences as they age from 11 to 72. It is a love story, but full of elements like humor, tragedy, and everyday life.
An important part to Frysinger’s project is casting appropriate actors to take the audience through the emotional story. “The main goal of my project is to develop a creative process that I can use to develop and create characters for shows. Characters already come written for the play, finding appropriate actors is the challenge,” said Frysinger.
After choosing a workable play, Frysinger conducted extensive research. With the Meisner Technique, which involves a series of exercises to improve acting skills, and an abundance of research, Frysinger was well-informed and able to pursue characters on a deeper level. Now in the final stage, Frysinger rehearses with his three actors.
Sophomore Catherine Blencowe is one of the actors working with Frysinger. “He is very enthusiastic about the technical aspects of the play. We are at the phase where we are trying to get the most out of the play and he is working with me to make that happen,” said Blencowe.
The senior project is required of all theatre arts majors, but students have a wide range of plays and forms of expression from which to choose. Frysinger, like other students, developed the project himself and meets with other theatre students and professors once a week.
“We require students to do a senior capstone project and we expect them to take something that interests them but at the same time challenges them,” said Michael White, professor of theatre arts.
Depending on what project a student chooses, a professor with that specialty is selected as an advisor. Frysinger chose Lynne Perkins-Socey as his advisor because his project is more concerned with acting, her primary focus.
“The theatre department encourages us to find projects that will help launch us into our career trajectories,” said Frysinger.
Frysinger’s direction of “First Kisses” will come to life on stage Feb. 1 and 2.
“It has been a good experience and has worked out well for me. The professors here are good, and to top that, there are a variety of courses offered. The range of courses offered is good. While doing the project, no matter what you focus on, whether it be directing or the other technical aspects, the support has been good,” said Frysinger.
Frysinger is now looking for theatre/acting related jobs around the Philadelphia and New York areas. He also has graduate school in mind.
Samarjeet Singh Thapa is an undeclared first-year and can be reached at [email protected].
In the comedown that defines the post-election period, one story that has been far too overlooked is Puerto Rico’s successful statehood referendum. This oversight is somewhat understandable – it’s not as if there’s a lack of political news at the moment.
Between the upcoming Fiscal Cliff negotiations, the David Petraeus scandal, the Department of Justice’s decision about Washington State and Colorado’s marijuana legalization, and Obama’s decision regarding cabinet positions for the Defense and State departments, the President has plenty on his plate.
But that’s just the thing: with all these issues that are bound to get heated and controversial, the Puerto Rico decision is one that could possibly provide a sort of “come-together” moment for the country—a much needed moment after the contentious election.
This issue has everything. It carries a fresh wind of nationalism in a period where citizens in 30 states have filed secession petitions. It has vintage manifest destiny-style territorial expansion—but without the unfortunate war and/or native genocide side effects. And it has real, honest-to-goodness democratic self-determination.
Consider the message this would send: The people of Puerto Rico have spoken, and we graciously listened. At the same time, we would be, in a certain sense, expanding the U.S. “family.” This would enforce the idea that Obama already tried to assert after his re-election: that we are not separate nations of “red states” and “blue states,” but rather a conglomeration of many different peoples with different ideas brought together for the good of all.
Now, it’s not perfect. Bringing Puerto Rico into the union would likewise bring its House and Senate seats, not to mention Presidential electoral votes, into the system in as well. Almost all of which would most likely be Democratic.
That’s a hard sell for the Republicans—especially as they prepare to swallow their bile to meet Obama’s revenue demands in the fiscal cliff negotiations.
However, that’s where Obama’s communications team comes in. As long as they can successfully frame the message as: we are fundamentally a nation of self-determined democratic individuals (emphasis on the small “d”), and that’s exactly what Puerto Rico’s referendum represents, it may be too hard for Republicans to resist for fear of appearing undemocratic.
Furthermore, Republicans would have to consider the current demographics of their base. During the election, Obama overwhelmingly won the support of minorities, while Caucasians generally favored Romney.
According to CNN’s exit polling during the election, Obama won 93 percent of African Americans, 71 percent of Latinos, and 73 percent of Asians. The Republicans clearly have a problem here. Fair or not, they have come to be seen as the party for rich, white Americans.
Because of this, Republicans would be wise to think twice before opposing the admission of a largely Latino-dominated state purely on the basis of demographics.
If Republicans want to become a more inclusive party (read: a party that can win national elections), they should do everything they can in order to not appear opposed to Puerto Rico’s entrance for race-related reasons.
Moreover, Republicans would do well to appear supportive of Puerto Rico’s entrance in order to win over Latinos. That, along with supporting immigration reform, will help them win points with a demographic they have a legitimate chance of winning over.
Because the majority of Latinos are Catholic, they generally identify as conservative on social issues. While non-Cubans usually put economic issues higher than social issues, and hence usually vote Democrat, this social conservatism makes them a demographic that the Republicans can win over.
As a result, there would be good reason for Republicans, as well as Democrats, to support Puerto Rico’s bid for statehood. If they were to take this route, it would only verify the idea that Puerto Rican statehood could bring the country together in a way that few other issues of the period can.
But it needs a push. As noted, there are plenty of other issues on hand at the moment that are dominating the attention of government leaders and the media alike, and without external influence, they may not have reason to break from those.
For this reason, President Obama should take agency of referendum, as he said he would prior to the election, and push for Congress to take action on the issue. There is plenty of incentive for him to do this.
In addition to the reasons listed above, adding a state to the union (or two, if Washington, D.C. decides to utilize the situation to push for statehood of their own) will greatly contribute to President Obama’s legacy. Coming into his second term, this is something that will press more and more heavily on him as the term continues.
In short, call it a policy of positivity. Many of Obama’s actions so far have been aimed in the direction of fixing a problem: overhauling a broken healthcare system and financial system, and helping a struggling economy recover.
Many future actions will do the same thing: alleviating the Fiscal Cliff crisis, controlling the effects of climate change, and fixing a broken immigration system. Missing are policies that aim towards making the country better in a new area, not just fixing a problem. Big projects, like the moon landing, new entitlements, or increase in individual ownership, have simply not been in the President’s agenda so far.
In the midst of a host of crises, it would be beneficial to be able to look back and point to Puerto Rico’s statehood as one situation in Obama’s Presidency where the country came together to improve the state of the Union.
Eli Richman is a junior politics major and can be reached at [email protected].
Play it again, Barack: Obama wins re-election, Democrats hold the Senate, Republicans hold the House
ELI RICHMAN
editor-in-chief
The last few years have frustrated the electorate to no end while a frozen, gridlocked Congress created crises and avoided others. And yet, this election, the populace voted to keep all the seats of power in the hands of their current party. That’s not to say the election lacked significant change, however. Far from it. Read on for more detailed analysis of the election results.
Presidential race
Barring extraordinary circumstances over the next four years, just winning re-election was the most significant thing President Obama could do over the course of his presidency. Even if Obama did absolutely nothing legislatively speaking for the next four years, universal healthcare would go through, comprehensive deficit reform would go through, and unemployment would drop.
Healthcare goes through
One way to interpret the victory is as a vindication of Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA). Passing the ACA was the first step, but with such a large overhaul, the implementation of the bill is nearly as important. In the election, the choice was very clear: re-elect President Obama and the ACA goes through. Elect Romney and Congressional Republicans and the ACA either stalls or is overturned.
Obama’s re-election then, means two things. First, it indicates, though doesn’t prove, that voters wanted the ACA to go into effect. Now, there’s some contention about this, as many Republicans analyze the win in the context of Obama’s negative campaigning, but it will nevertheless be taken as a vindication by the administration. More importantly, however, is that Obama’s re-election means that the ACA will be fully implemented. Universal healthcare, that final piece of the New Deal that Democratic Presidents from Truman to Clinton have tried to implement, will finally become a reality in the United States.
Unemployment will decrease
One of the curious campaign lines that was oft repeated this election cycle was Governor Romney’s “plan to create 12 million jobs.” It wasn’t the lack of specifics. It wasn’t the reiteration that his business skills give him the experience to create those jobs. It was simply the fact that with the way the business cycle works, economists were predicting 12 million new jobs regardless of what policies were put into place. In other words, no matter who was elected, unemployment would go down.
Now, that’s not to say that the Romney, or the President for that matter, wouldn’t take credit for it. In fact, it would have made either of them look great. If Romney was elected, it would be seen by the American people as Romney fulfilling his promise and therefore that they were correct to elect him over Obama.
But that’s not what happened. Instead, jobs will keep increasing over Obama’s second term, and will contribute greatly to his legacy. Now, that’s great news for Obama’s chapter in the history books, but it’s also great news for liberals in general. The increased jobs numbers will eventually be taken as proof that the stimulus and Obama’s economic policies were successful. Just as Clinton was able to campaign for Obama by tying the similar policies to the economic boom of the Clinton years, future liberals will be able to point to Obama’s second term as proof that his policies worked.
Deficit reform goes through?
Before his first term is even officially over, Obama and Congressional Republicans will need to come up with a plan to focus on the fiscal cliff. If the past three and a half years are any indication, and I see little reason to believe otherwise, it will be extremely difficult for them to come to an agreement.
Here’s the difficulty: Obama sees his victory as a mandate to raise taxes on the wealthy. Since he campaigned on that line, he sees his win as the voters telling him that’s what they want him to do.
Republicans disagree. As noted, they are of a mind that the win was due to negative campaigning rather than a decision regarding policy. Therefore, there is reason to believe they will not move on the Bush tax cuts, trying to get a repeat of 2010, when Obama eventually agreed to renew the cuts.
If Republicans do not move on letting the tax cuts for the top bracket expire, there is little reason for Obama to move on the sequester. Therefore, with so much standing in the way of agreement, the two sides will likely fail to compromise. Of course “failure” in the context of the fiscal cliff means “comprehensive deficit reform,” since doing nothing means taxes go up and severe budget cuts go into place. So there is that.
Senatorial races
Election night was a great night for Senate Democrats. Not only did the Democrats hold onto the Senate, they even picked up two seats (three if Maine’s Independent Angus King decides to caucus with the Democrats), some of which were extremely contentious. In addition, several states made history by electing their first woman Senator, and at the same time Wisconsin elected the first ever openly gay Senator. Finally, if Majority Leader Harry Reid holds true to his word, this win means that he will pursue filibuster reform.
Democrats win big
There’s no question that the Democrats won big, but there is a question as to whether the electorate voted for Democrats or against the Tea Party. In Missouri, Todd Akin’s now infamous “legitimate rape” comment allowed Sen. Claire McCaskill to win what was sure to be a lost seat for the Democrats.
Similarly, Indiana’s Richard Mourdock, who knocked out long-time Senator Dick Lugar in the primaries, lost due to his “God intended” comment, allowing the Democrat, Joe Donnelly, to win. A pro-life, Blue Dog Democrat, yes, but an Indiana Democratic Senator nonetheless.
Virginia’s Tim Kaine, Montana’s Jon Tester, and North Dakota’s Heidi Heitkamp also pulled through with Democratic victories in historically red states.
The ultimate irony of this election is that by forcing more extreme Republicans to win over moderate Republicans in the primaries, the Tea Party may have ensured that Democratic control of the Senate continued. One can only wonder what might have been had they not pushed for Akin and Mourdock.
Women win big
In addition to picking up Democratic seats, several states elected their first ever woman Senator. Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono earned two firsts: first woman Senator from Hawaii and first Asian-American Senator. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin also pulled off two firsts: first woman Senator from Wisconsin and first openly gay Senator. North Dakota’s Heidi Heitkamp, Massachusetts’s Elizabeth Warren, and Nebraska’s Deb Fischer also earned the mantle of first woman Senator from each of their respective states.
Overall, not a bad night for making the Senate more representative of the U.S. population.
Promise of filibuster reform
The final result of the Democrats’ win may also be one for the history books. Assuming he keeps to the campaign promise he made, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will start pursuing filibuster reform as the new Congress gets underway. Ordinarily, this would simply be filibustered by the Republicans, but starting in a new Congress, Reid can take a circuitous route that would allow him to change the Senate rules with “only” 51 votes. Republicans have called this the “nuclear option.”
Now, to be clear, Reid isn’t proposing eliminating the filibuster. He isn’t willing to go that far. Instead, what he wants to do is eliminate the part of the filibuster that allows Senators to filibuster proceeding to debate. They would still be able to filibuster the final vote on a bill.
Other Senators want to go further. Certain Democrats are proposing that Senators would actually have to perform a “talking filibuster”: the political drama that involves participating Senators to talk for as long as they wish to filibuster.
Either way, the move would mark a drastic change in direction on the delaying tactic that has contributed to much of the Congressional gridlock over the past three and a half years -- even when the Democrats controlled both chambers.
House races
At time of writing, there are still a number of House races that are still too close to call. That said, the Democrats are on track to pick up seven seats. That cuts into the Republicans’ majority, but isn’t enough to win the chamber.
It remains to be seen whether Speaker John Boehner will have more room to cooperate with Majority Leader Reid and President Obama in the next Congress. Lacking the possibility of a Republican President, House Republicans may be more willing to compromise, especially with certain Tea Party spitfires like Allen West defeated. That is still very much in the realm of speculation, however.
Ballot initiatives
In addition to the already historical races, the 2012 election will be remembered for a number of extremely significant ballot initiatives. Asked to vote on measures regarding gay marriage, marijuana legalization, healthcare mandates, and even statehood, voters participated in a great deal of direct democracy and set the stage for the next few big federalism battles in the U.S.
Marriage equality
Several states this election had referendums either to ban gay marriage or to pass it. It was a blowout for gay marriage. Every state that had such a referendum came out in favor of marriage equality.
Washington had previously passed a gay marriage law, and the referendum to prevent it failed. Minnesota had a measure to pass a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, which also failed.
Two states also passed marriage equality by referendum. Maine’s measure overturned a previous ban, and Maryland became the first state to pass marriage equality solely by referendum. If we were in need of a sign regarding the direction the country is taking on marriage equality, this election was certainly it.
However, this also extends what is becoming a big federalism fight in the country. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still does not recognize gay marriages on a federal level, and this overrides the state law when it comes to federal benefits. This may be solved during the next Supreme Court session when they rule on the constitutionality of DOMA, but until then it marks one of the biggest discrepancies between federal and state law at the moment.
Marijuana legalized
Several states had referendums regarding marijuana on their ballots, but two -- Washington and Colorado -- took the fairly big step of making it completely legal for recreational purposes. The slogan “Mile High State” just took on a whole new meaning.
The states plan to regulate and tax it like alcohol, and make it legal to sell to those over 21. Oregon had a similar measure on their ballot, but it was not passed.
In addition, two states had referendums on making marijuana legal for medical purposes. This measure failed in Arkansas, but succeeded in Massachusetts.
There are many notable things about these developments. First of all, it is in perfect accordance with the U.N. resolution that states that the global war on drugs has failed, and countries should start moving towards decriminalization and treatment. However, full legalization goes far beyond the step of decriminalization that other states have taken.
This also sets the stage for another big Federalism fight that has already begun. Marijuana is still illegal on the Federal level, so retailers will not be busted by state police any longer, but they can still be shut down by FBI or DEA agents. This has already proved a problem in places like Colorado and California, when medical marijuna dispensaries that are completely legal on the state level have their stock confiscated and are shut down by federal agents. It remains to be seen how President Obama and the Department of Justice will handle this discrepancy in the coming years.
I also find it interesting to analyze the vote margins on the two referenda in Washington. Marriage Equality only won by a four-point margin, but marijuana legalization won by a 10-point margin. This seems to indicate that values voters, at least in the Northwest, are less opposed to marijuana than gay marriage, which I find to be an interesting twist on what we consider values issues.
Welcome, Puerto Rico!
We may soon be one state greater. One surprise of the night was Puerto Rico’s decision to vote for statehood. Puerto Rico’s ballot had a two-part question regarding their relationship with the U.S. First was whether they wanted to change their relationship the the U.S., which won by a slim margin, and second was if they were to change the relationship, how they wanted it changed. Statehood won by a large margin.
It’s less clear what happens next. There are a few factors in the mix. The referendum was a non-binding resolution, which would then require action from whoever governs the island. However, Puerto Ricans also elected an anti-statehood Governor by a very slim margin, so he may not choose to pursue it.
On the U.S. side, Obama expressed support for the referendum, and pledged to respect the will of the people. However, the measure also needs to be approved by Congress. This is a problem for the Republican-held House, as the liberal leaning Puerto Rico would make it even harder for the Republicans to win national elections.
Finally, if Congress were to start considering that approval, there is a good chance D.C. would also ask to become a state. After all, they do have a larger population than Wyoming, but do not have representation in Congress.
This would similarly be a hard pill for the House to swallow, since D.C. is one of the most liberal urban areas in the country. If both territories were to become states in the union, we would end up becoming a much more liberal country in the process. In response, the Republican Party would have to do some soul searching, and perhaps need to redefine parts of their platform.
This is something they may need to begin doing anyway, if the elections of 2008 and 2012 indicate that the demographics of the U.S. are changing enough that the current Republican Party is too conservative to win nationally. Whatever happens, it will doubtless contribute to Obama’s legacy.
Obamacare rebuke
Unlike the other ballot measures, this one is purely symbolic. Wyoming, Alabama, and Florida each had ballot measures outlawing any mandate requiring any mandate that requires an individual or business to purchase health insurance.
This measure did not pass in Florida, but did in Wyoming and Alabama. The message regarding the ACA is clear. but the act itself is entirely meaningless. The ACA, as a federal law, overrides the state law, so it would go into effect anyway.
That said, it creates yet another, let’s all say it together now, federalism battle! By passing a law that directly contradicts the ACA, these states are asking to have a states rights vs. national law fight. Unlike marijuana legalization and marriage equality, however, the ultimate goal is probably not to change federal law, or even avoid it, but simply to make an act of protest against the ACA.
There is another healthcare referendum that actually does have meaning in law, however. Missouri passed a measure that prevents the state from setting up the health care exchange that the ACA calls for.
While this does have an impact in state law, it will not necessarily have a corresponding impact in the implementation of the ACA. Instead, it means that the federal government would come in and set up the exchange instead of the state doing it.
Eli Richman is a junior politics major and can be reached at [email protected]
Joel Lozada Yañez and Winona Hawker-Boehne for Vice President of Nominations
Joel Lozada Yañez
My name is Joel de Jesus Lozada Yañez. I am a senior politics major from Mexico City, Mexico.
In these last four years, I have been involved with Sociedad de Estudiantes Latinos, Model United Nations, Student Faculty Affairs Committee, and the Student Executive Council as Vice-President of Nominations for the year 2011. I am involved in the Senior Gift Committee. This is my second year playing for Earlham’s Football team.
I have served in this position before. This previous involvement, along with additional involvement after the end of my term, allowed me to get more developed ideas about how this role works for the larger community and how this service can be more effective in communication and outreach.
I see the VP of Nominations role as a way not only to represent students, but to empower students to raise their voice and be heard by the administration.
I find it crucial that student representatives represent Earlham’s diversity of opinions, interests, and population.
The VP of Nominations is responsible of keeping track of developments in all committees as well as to communicate these developments to the larger Earlham community.
I have decided to run for one more term because I feel that Earlham is at a turning point, and so are our students and our student government. I feel that Earlham needs creative but feasible ideas, proposals, and solutions. All of which Wynn and me can provide through our experience in building community.
Moreover, Wynn and I are a great fit for position given our experience, ideas, and our love for Earlham. We aim not only to represent you, but to empower you to make a difference at Earlham.
Vote Joel and Wynn! Vote EPIC!
Winona Hawker-Boehne
My name is Winona, but many know me as Wynn or Winnie. I have been involved at Earlham since I arrived as a first-year with Spectrum. I have also been involved with ESG since Spring 2011, when I was appointed to the Curricular Policy Committee.
Since then I have served as a senator for three semesters. I have also been an RA in Bundy for three semesters.
I value this campus, the student body, along with getting the student voices heard and our needs met. Through my involvement I have learned what ESG has done well and I’ve learned what ways to help make ESG the most effective for students.
I see the VP of Nominations position as being a sort of student representative manager role. The VP of Nominations has to be in constant communication with student representatives and needs to be able to offer advice to students struggling in their committees.
The VP of Nominations has to know a wide breadth of students, because they help decide which students serve on Earlham’s many committees.
Student representation needs to be diverse so that all students feel their interests are being represented.
I have decided to run because I believe that my skills could benefit this campus and ESG. I have skills in listening to broad student/campus opinions, helping systems improve for student benefit, and cultivating community.
You should vote for me because my main concern is allowing your voice to be heard and your needs met. My job is not to further my own interests, but to allow your interests to shine through in campus policy.
Meet Nicole Griffin-Medina, Ximena Banegas Zallio, and Sam Embry
Nicole Griffin-Medina, Ximena Banegas, and Sam Embry for Student Body Co-Presidents
Nicole Griffin-Medina
My name is Nicole Griffin-Medina and I am a sophomore from California. I have been involved in Earlham’s Governance Process as a committee representative for the International Education Committee.
This participation allowed me to get involved with Model United Nations, NSO as co-convenor of the International and Multiculutural Committee, and as co-convenor of Homecoming 2012.
I find myself familiar and comfortable voicing student concerns with Faculty and Staff.
I have come to appreciate and value the opportunities that Earlham offers for interested and active students to make a difference in the world around them.
As co-president, I aim to empower as many students to have the opportunity to make these changes possible.
I am part of a dynamic tri-ticket that will ensure that Earlham remains engaged with issues that will affect our diverse student body. We will promote school spirit, cooperation, and dialogue between all students. We will ensure that all students’ voices are heard, considered, and held in equal respect and attention. Our tri-ticket will promote Earlham as a “home” for all of us.
Our goal is to be accessible facilitators and serve as a voice box of our community’s needs and concerns by promoting thoughtful consensus. Moreover, we aim to strengthen our Student Senate. Senate will become the ultimate resource on campus for active student leadership at Earlham and the wider Richmond community.
Ximena Banegas Zallio
My name is Ximena Purita Banegas Zallio and I am from Bolivia. This is my second year at Earlham and I am pursuing a double major in International Studies and Business & Non-profit Management.
I first became involved with student government in my first year by convening the Student Organization Council, of which I am still a member.
I believe that running is a great responsibility and brings with it a lot of work, but I firmly believe that the student government is the representative voice of the student body. Therefore we should actively use this voice if we want to pursue meaningful changes in our community.
My experience in various organizations has taught me that we have the resources to overcome the problems that Earlham faces, we just need to get involved and get working. Sometimes we complain too much about how things should change, but it all stays in amazing ideas that just vanish eventually. Less words should be said and more action should be taken and this is my way of taking action.
I would put great emphasis on communication from the student government towards the student body. The students should feel that the student government is a vital aspect of student life.
I know for sure that the current student government has been working very hard on this aspect, but it is definitely something that needs to keep improving. Our presidency would consist of a hard effort to make all voices heard and respected.
Sam Embry
Hello, hello, my name is Sam Embry. I am a junior majoring in Sociology and Anthropology and am from New York City. I am the Vice President of the Earlham College Democrats, Vice President of the SOAN club, and play goalkeeper on the men’s varsity soccer team.
On a campus where students are given the chance to be directly involved in the school’s governing process, I think it is incredibly important for students to participate and feel that they are heard. I have seen many students attempt to have their voices and opinions carry significance on campus and would love to have the opportunity to make that happen in a way that produces visible change on campus.
I expect to face barriers and I expect to find the space around them in which students’ can be catalysts. I think that I have the ability to understand and be receptive to the varying communities within Earlham’s larger community and the determination to create a positive environment.
The role of the student government is to accurately represent the concerns of the student body.
Whether students are concerned about the relationship between students and professors, the hiring of new staff, the relationship between differing communities of students, security, residence life, or the state of social life, student government is responsible for representing their concerns.
In connection with student Senate, I would like to create a forum attractive to all students to share.
Robert Awkward and Basil Farraj for Student Body Co-Presidents
Robert Awkward
My name is Robert Awkward. I am a junior majoring in HDSR and Spanish and Hispanic Studies.
I have, through my participation and involvement in various events, activities and committees both on and off-campus, acquired a lot of experience and skills and learned about the role of the student government and the various committees at Earlham.
To mention a few, I have been a member of the Student Senate, the Committee for Campus Life, the College Meeting for Worship Cabinet and the Program Board. I believe that the experiences and skills I have acquired, alongside my passion and love for Earlham, qualify me for the position.
Basil Farraj
My name is Basil Farraj. I am a junior majoring in International Studies and Business and Non-Profit Management. I am participating in the upcoming ESG elections because I believe in my ability to lead, to create effective change on campus, to listen attentively to my peers and to precisely address their issues and concerns. The experience I gained through my participation in organizations and groups on and off campus and my love for learning make me a qualified candidate for this position.
We are both running for the position of co-presidency because we believe that more can be done to increase the level of engagement and participation amongst students with their student government and to ensure that ESG is a true representation of the student body and their voice on campus.
We will work together, as a student body, to address our concerns and ensure that they are not only acted upon, but that those actions reflect the voices of the students, rather than the “essence” of a generalized student populace.
One of the topics that we will be addressing heavily if elected is the relationship between Public Safety and the student body.
We will work with the entire Public Safety staff to provide more accessibility and work towards a more fluid relationship between the staff and the student body. Both of us have worked closely with members of the office and have developed personal relationships that will effectively aid us in our work to come.
Student relationships with the Office of Residence Life are also crucial as we move forward in the next year. We will use the transformations that are occurring throughout the office to our advantage to strengthen new relationships with administrators and incorporate their fresh takes on the Earlham housing process, as well as residence hall living.
Our vision is that these interactions will continue to benefit students with the creation of a stronger student influence on the community.
Changes must occur in Earlham’s housing processes, student weekend activities, the view of the role of Public Safety, and student involvement in their daily environment.With your contributions, we continue to engage together, to strengthen one another.
Abhinav Khanal for Vice President of Communications
Abhinav Khanal
I am a first-year double majoring in Politics and Economics. I am running for the position of Vice President of Communications.
I have grown up travelling around the world. For the past two years, I have been at a high school with 200 students from all over the world, broadening my knowledge of the world and some of the most crucial issues concerning our generation.
I am a very idealistic person and I believe that change is possible only when it is desired.
Therefore, I believe in the idea of a Student Government, which provides the platform for students to bring the change that they deem necessary in their community.
I can use the experience I have in communications in order to create a more transparent student government and bridge the gap between the student government and the student body.
Furthermore, I will have to be involved in Student Government Activities and I look forward to joining fellow students in organizing and becoming a part of such events and initiatives.
Finally, I believe this is one with great leadership and with each leadership position; it is absolutely necessary to lead with example. I certainly hope to do so through my involvement in the community.
I believe that the Earlham Student Government provides a great opportunity for student leaders to develop negotiation skills, which I certainly hope to develop. I want to run for the position of VP of communications, because I hope to create a more transparent student government and communicate with the student body as effectively as possible.
I believe that I have the skills and dedication to become the focal point of communication between the Student Government and the Student body.
One of the things that I look forward to working on as a VP of Communications is creating a website for the Earlham Student Government that would provide more transparent communication between the student body and the College.
Some of the features of the website would include a page on financial records of the student government, discussion forums, updates on new policies, profiles of current Senators and a media section with pictures and videos of the Student Government’s activities. In addition to that, I look forward to continuing the on-going work done by Rossa such as the publishing of EC-Leaks.
Shatha Sbeta and Sonia Kabra for Secretary of Finance
Shatha Sbeta
My name is Shatha Sbeta, I am a first-year from Tripoli, Libya.
I am interested in global issues and my biggest concern at the moment is women’s rights in Libya. Workings with people from different backgrounds and different ideas and perspectives have helped me to look at issues in a different way.
Since I started living abroad independently, I have set a financing discipline for my life. This has helped me develop a strategy to save and think twice before I make a decision about money. That is one of the reasons I was attracted to the position which also makes me feel confident when dealing with money.
I believe in change. I would like to make a change in the Earlham community, to make it a better place by having a more transparent student government in terms of finance, so that students are not being skeptical about the student government’s financial activities.
In addition, this is a great opportunity to get involved in the community and to get to know more people and have a better understanding of school’s policies and its financial investments.
On a personal note, I am going to be studying Politics and, therefore, this is a great opportunity for me to hold such a role in the student government.
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