Volume 97, Issue 25

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2 May 2013 Volume 97 Issue 25

SPECIAL ISSUE | SOCIAL JUSTICE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Muthersbaugh

2

HEAD LAYOUT EDITOR Ricky Barbosa

2

introduction

HEAD COPY EDITOR Cedric Thiel HEAD PHOTO EDITOR Josh McKinney

Emily Muthersbaugh

CONTENT DIRECTOR Philip Duclos NEWS EDITOR Jaclyn Archer

Editor-in-Chief

RELIGION EDITORS Rob Folkenberg Daniel Peverini COLUMNIST Rebecca Brothers CREATIVE WRITING EDITOR Kayla Albrecht OPINION EDITORS Elliott Berger Grant Gustavsen Nathan Stratte FEATURE EDITORS Braden Anderson Elizabeth Jones James Mayne Christian Robins CULTURE EDITOR Grant Perdew DIVERSIONS EDITOR Eric Weber TRAVEL EDITOR Megan Cleveland HEALTH & WELLNESS EDITOR Karl Wallenkampf SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Spencer Cutting

As individuals living in a developed and privileged country, it is difficult to see social-justice issues as relevant and immediate today. While we are educated and globalized enough to be aware of human-rights violations around the world, our lifestyles are sustained by unjust behavior.

One of the challenges in approaching the issue of social justice is that it is difficult to define or contain. Some behavior that may appear just is not.

Some just and unjust practices coexist in close proximity. However, I hope the

difficulty in understanding or defining an issue never deters us from examining and exploring it.

For the purpose of this special issue, we are defining social justice as efforts that work to counter violations of basic human rights around the world today.

These human rights include things like a right to life, food and water, and a fair trial, as well as freedom from torture and slavery. But it also includes basic human rights often overlooked, like the freedom of movement, that is, the ability to determine where one will physically

be, or the freedom of communication, which purports that each human should have access to communication both with and by others.

In this social-justice special issue, our aim is to raise awareness of human rights violations occurring around the world today and to give our readers tools to live more responsibly in light of this information. Along with our regular sections covering issues relating to social justice, we are also featuring contributions from students, professors, and lawyers from around the world.

I hope you are challenged by the information and perspectives you find and are inspired to discuss and act in ways that promote responsible and sustainable living.

FOOD EDITOR Amy Alderman SPORTS EDITORS Trevor Boyson Tye Forshee THE HEEL EDITOR Julian Weller STAFF WRITERS Amy Alderman Casey Bartlett Karina Gomez Hilary Nieland Annie Palumbo LAYOUT DESIGNERS Allison Berger Alix Harris Greg Khng Cory Sutton COPY EDITORS Amy Alderman Rebecca Brothers Carly Leggitt Ryan Robinson DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Alex Wickward OFFICE MANAGER Heather Eva

Photo by Eric Sanders

Context

3–7

News ASWWU/Admin Week in Forecast

Photo by ciararobs

Perspective Contributor Snapshots Religion Column Creative Writing

SPONSOR Don Hepker EDITORIAL BOARD Braden Anderson Jaclyn Archer Elliott Berger Philip Duclos Rob Folkenberg Grant Gustavsen Elizabeth Jones James Mayne Emily Muthersbaugh Christian Robins Julian Weller Nathan Stratte AD SALES MANAGER Brenda Negoescu aswwu.ads@wallawalla.edu

8–14

Photo by Josh McKinney

Feature 15–17 Saving the World, One Like at a Time — or Not Contributor

Photo by sxc.hu user lockstockb

Life 18–24

Culture Diversions Foodie Science & Tech Travel Sports Health & Wellness Contributor The Heel

If you are interested in contributing to The Collegian, contact our page editors or the editor-in-chief at aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu. The Collegian is boosted by regularly incorporating a wide range of student perspectives.

Cover Photo Credit: Josh McKinney, Ricky Barbosa The Collegian is the official publication of ASWWU. Its views and opinions are not necessarily the official stance of Walla Walla University or its administration, faculty, staff, or students. Questions, letters, and comments can be mailed to aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu or emily.muthersbaugh@wallawalla.edu. This issue was completed at _:__ a.m. on 2 May 2013.

The Collegian | Volume 97, Issue 23 | 204 S. College Avenue | College Place, WA 99324 | collegian.wallawalla.edu

NEWS

More Than Just a House Casey Bartlett Staff Writer

Eight a.m. to 10 p.m. — this is a typical workday for a farm laborer from March through June. Nearly all of those 10 to 12 hours of work are spent bent over picking asparagus. All day, day after day — 10 hours bent over, picking asparagus. Then begins summer, onion season. To beat the heat, the farm laborer will begin his day at 3 a.m. and work the field until the weather demands that he stop. After dusk, the farm laborer will return to the onion fields to work once again into the evening, again putting in 10 to 12 hours of work every day until October. The farm laborer does all this for $250 or less: between $10,000 and $13,000 annually.1 Much of the fresh produce found in the grocery stores and restaurants in the valley was harvested and picked by these farm laborers.

This is their profession.

Thankfully, many of these individuals,

who set the standard for hard work in order to provide for their families and give a better life to their children, have a home to which to return after their long days of work. This home comes courtesy of a community called Farm Labor Homes. At Farm Labor Homes, there are 128 units, of which 60 were built in 2011.

According to Renée Rooker, executive director of the Walla Walla Housing Authority, 60 more units are currently boarded up and ready to be demolished to make way for 68 new units scheduled to be constructed starting in September, with a move in of qualified families set for the following summer.

Only qualified families live in Farm Labor Homes. To qualify, at least $3,050 of the total annual income must come from agricultural work. There are also income limits depending on the family size. In other words, housing is offered to the people who most need it.

Farm Labor Homes is currently overseen

by Walla Walla County Housing Authority, but there is a soon-coming merger with Walla Walla Housing Authority. According to Kate Bobrow-Strain, chairwoman of the board of

commisioners for WWCHA, although WWCHA is the county housing authority, it has only one location for homes: Farm Labor Homes. She also noted that WWHA already has funding for the new units. “WWHA has more resources and abilities to help Walla Walla County,” said Bobrow-Strain.

The WWHA has been active in the education of tenants for the upkeep and maintenance of their new homes. They have set high expectations on the community to maintain itself in a presentable fashion. In a 2011 interview with the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin’s Sheila Hagar, Rooker noted that inspections are done to ensure that the homes are being kept up and that overcrowding will not be allowed.

Through housing, organizations such as the WWCHA and the WWHA work hard to provide houses worthy of being called homes for those without whom our standard of living would alter.

1. These figures come courtesy of Lisa Vazquez, manager of Farm Labor Homes and wife or mother of two farm laborers.

France Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage Hilary Nieland Staff Writer

Gay marriage and the right for samesex couples to adopt children were recently legalized in France, which became the 14th country to do so. The New Yorker has called it “arguably the most politically significant” country to pass national legislation allowing same-sex marriage.1 The bill was extremely divisive, however, and instigated major protests in Paris. While the bill was under consideration, thousands of people filled Parisian streets to oppose its passage, often resulting in violence.2 In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage.

Following the Dutch example, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Denmark, Uruguay, New Zealand, and now France have legalized gay marriage.

context

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BY THE

NUMBERS

14

Age of a Jamestown girl who was likely cannibalized during the 1609–1610 winter.

2.5%

Amount of the GDP the federal deficit is expected to be by 2015.

Some regions in Brazil have legalized gay issue, saying, “not only is it right and fair, but Dollarsconsistent — Where Do They marriage, and in the United States it Student is legalTuition also withGo? our Constitution,” and in Connecticut; Iowa; Maine; Maryland; that, “It is very important for us to remember 46 percent — University Employment Massachusetts; New Hampshire; New York; we’re a nation in which everybody’s supposed 30.8 percent — Scholarships Vermont; Washington; and Washington, to be equal before the law.”6 He has expressed Number of atoms in the D.C.3, 4 for(repairs, all maintenance, states legalizing 28.2 percent — support Miscellaneous electricity, same-sex natural gas, communications, library holdings, computers and computer licensing) world's smallest movie. marriage, but he has also made clear that he As the momentum increases for supporters believes the issue should be dealt with at the of marriage equality, it becomes necessary state level. to examine the issue in the context of social

130

justice. As each country or state legalizes same-sex marriage, it declares that marriage is a right that should be extended to all consenting adults. Many rights and benefits are extended to legally married couples. In the United States, spouses have the right to visit each other in the hospital, to make medical decisions for each other in the event that one is unable, to obtain joint insurance, to file taxes jointly, and many other benefits.5 In locations where same-sex marriage is illegal, homosexuals in committed, longterm relationships are unable to benefit from the same civil rights as married couples.

President Obama has spoken out on the

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010 there were 646,000 same-sex–couple households, 115,064 of which have children.

However, only seven percent of those samesex–couple households are in states which legally recognize same-sex marriage.7

http://tinyurl.com/c4eud6g

Currently, just over half of Americans think same-sex couples should have the right to marry, and “60 percent of Americans think the federal government should legally recognize existing same-sex marriages and provide them the same federal benefits the government provides to heterosexual married couples.”8 ­

Number of Americans who believe surveillance cameras are a good idea, according to The New York Times and CBS.

46%

Footnotes on page 5t y Uni versi Employment

78%

30.8%

Scholarships

4

context

ASWWU/ADMIN

SENATE UPDATE

Old Business G.L. 26 — ­ Elections Manual Revision G.L. 27 — ­ Constitution Revision Recommendation to the ASWWU P.L. 89 — ­ Nathan Stratte for Opinion Editor P.L. 90 — ­ Karina Gomez for Staff Writer P.L. 91 — ­ Zach Munroe for Project Manager

Breaking Down the University Budget

76%

of total budget

17.1% 6.9%

of total budget

of total budget

}

}

}

Tuition

approximately $43 million

Numerous other sources, including but not limited to: dorm/village life rental income, private gifts, investment income

North Pacific Union approximately $3.9 million

Major Budget Distributions (per VP area of responsibility)

Academics — $18,388,746

Financial Administration — $7,714,849

Advancement ­­— $929,241

Presidential & Athletics ­­— $621,249

Marketing & Enrollment — $1,739,580

Student Life — $2,478,942

Student Tuition Dollars — Where Do They Go?

28.2%

46%

University Employment Key:

Miscellaneous

30.8%

"Miscellaneous" includes repairs, maintenance, electricity, natural gas, communications, library holdings, computers, and computer licensing

Scholarships

F.L. | Financial Legislation G.L. | Governance Legislation P.L. | Personnel Legislation Senate meets in WEC 217 on Thursdays at 9 p.m.

For any questions concerning the budget, contact Steve Rose or Glenn Carter. For questions concerning finances and scholarships, contact Cassie Ragenovich in the financial services department.

NEWS

Grounds for Change Annie Palumbo Staff Writer

There are 130 million coffee drinkers in the U.S. who, every year, consume one-fifth of the coffee produced in the world. Coffee is the largest food import to the U.S. and is the second-most-valuable commodity after oil. Given the huge demand for coffee in the United States, the rights of those producing the coffee beans often goes unnoticed.

The world’s largest producer of coffee is Brazil, followed by Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico. Coffee prices currently average $0.50 a pound, which is, more often than not, lower than the cost of production. On many farms, plantation owners provide a place for workers to live, usually in substandard shacks. Workers are also provided with food, although often at an inflated price. In many places, workers leave their homes to live on the plantations until the end of the season. Workers on large plantations in Guatemala make less than $3 a day and are forced to pick 100 pounds of beans or more every day. Workers often return home at the end of the season owing the plantations money due to the high cost of living. If the workers don’t return the next year to pay back their debt, men are sent to force them back.

Thomas Reese and Mary Setner, the owners of the Walla Walla Roastery, are doing something to change the working conditions of many around the world.

When choosing coffees to purchase, they consider how plantations owners treat their workers and how they sustain the land.

They believe that paying coffee producers living wages provides workers with the opportunity to improve the lives of their families, and in turn workers continue to work every year, eliminating worker turnover and creating a quality product.

There are two main types of coffee: robusta and arabica. Robusta is cheaper to produce and is used by larger coffee corporations who buy in large quantities and are more interested in turning a profit than improving the coffee system. Reese

buys beans from smaller coffee estates that produce arabica beans. The beans are more expensive, but the quality is better, and working with small estates ensures that Reese knows the working conditions of the plantations from which his beans come.

A few years ago, Starbucks was pressured into offering fair trade coffees in their shops.

They did this on a minimum scale: In 2006, only six percent of its coffee was certified as fair trade. Starbucks sells so much coffee that in order to become completely fair trade, a major overhaul to all of coffee production needs to happen. As it currently stands, there is not enough fair trade coffee in the world to meet the demand Starbucks faces.

Reese credits the Internet in part with the changing face of coffee production. People can go online and see farms, workers, and in what kind of conditions the workers live. No longer can big companies hide behind the anonymity of cheap labor and poor working conditions. Coffee shops like Stumptown in Portland, Ore., make all of this information available on their website, so the consumer is aware of what he or she is purchasing.

Over the years, Reese has formed relationships with the owners of the plantations, and in the fall plantation owners from El Salvador are coming to Walla Walla. Reese believes that workers who are paid well will produce better coffee. He works specifically with farms that grow their beans organically and have set up clinics and schools for kids.

Locally owned coffee shops are a staple of the Walla Walla Valley. So next time you are craving an iced sugar-free hazelnut soy latte, consider a fair trade–certified enterprise like the Walla Walla Roastery.

It may be a little more expensive, but our coffee consumption choices will help shape the future of coffee production.1, 2 1. ssireview.org/articles/entry/the_problem_ with_fair_trade_coffee.

2. fairtradeusa.org/products-partners/coffee.

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Child Slavery and the Chocolate Industry Karina Gomez Staff Writer

Located in downtown Walla Walla, Bright’s Candies has provided the valley with chocolate and candy since 1934. Bright's orders chocolate from many different, bigname providers. According to the current owner and manager, Paul Jenes, Bright’s uses chocolate from Guittard for their chocolates in the glass cases and boxes. Their imported and domestic specialty chocolate bars come from numerous companies including Theo, Droste, Sharffen Berger, Madacasse, Vosges, and Green & Black's.

While knowing the suppliers of businesses like Bright’s is essential to understanding how personal junk-food habits affect social justice around the world.

Cocoa production is one of child slavery’s greatest endorsers. The world's leading cocoa producer Ivory Coast, a country on the west coast of Africa, manufactures nearly 40 percent of the world’s chocolate.

The U.S. Department of State estimated that out of the 109,000 or more children that work in the country’s cocoa industry (under very poor conditions), 10,000 are slaves.1 These child slaves predominantly work for three of the world’s leading chocolate companies: Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland (both based in the United States), and Barry Callebaut (based in Switzerland).2 However, slavery isn't the only thing these companies have in common. All three are members of the World Cocoa Foundation, an organization that works to “promote a healthy, sustainable cocoa economy that benefits everyone from producer to consumer.” WCF members include Clif Bar, Starbucks, Mars, Kellogg’s, Hershey’s, and Nestlé, a company which has faced many lawsuits concerning child-labor laws.3 None of Bright’s chocolate providers have been linked to Ivory Coast or child slavery. Guittard, Bright’s main chocolate

provider and a member of the WCF, is also a member of the Cocoa Livelihoods Program and licensed by Fair Trade USA, whose certification, according to their website, “strictly prohibits slave and child labor.” Theo, America’s first organic and fair trade chocolate factory, is not a WCF member but is Institute for Marketecology certified for fair trade. Green & Black's is also organic, not a member of WCF, and fair trade certified by TransFair USA. Madécasse, a company that was a result of the founders’ 10-year Peace Corps experience in Madagascar, both harvests and makes chocolate in Madagascar; while not fair trade certified, Madécasse makes an effort to go beyond fair trade certification requirements.

The production of cocoa is not the only factor that affects human rights issues such as child slavery. It is important to know the source of consumer goods because consumerism plays a large role in official and unofficial fair trade. Supporting fair trade companies by consistently purchasing their goods is a simple action any consumer can make to support ethical business practices. Conducting simple research to find out where chocolate comes from can help; companies like Bright's will do business with more fair trade companies as fair trade becomes more widespread.

Footnotes for "France Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage" 1. newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/04/momentum-and-gay-marriage-from-paris-to-scotus.html.

2. france24.com/en/20130421-france-parisanti-gay-marriage-adoption-protest.

3. bbc.co.uk/news/world-21321731.

4. freedomtomarry.org/states.

5. marriageequality.org/get-the-facts.

6. cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57576700/ obama-same-sex-marriage-constitutionalbut-an-issue-for-the-states.

7. cnn.com/2012/05/11/politics/btn-same-sexmarriage.

8. cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57576444/ poll-60-think-federal-govt-should-recognize-same-sex-marriages.

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context

ADS

ww

ASWWU Super Weekend Friday May 31

ASWWU Yard Sale Alumni parking lot | 2-5pm Agape Feast KRH lawn | 6-8pm

Saturday June 1 Afternoon at Rooks Rooks Park Fashion Show/Date Auction Village Hall | 9pm

Sunday June 2 Spring Jam KRH lawn | 1pm

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WEEK IN

FORECAST Photo by Flickr user Garen M

Thursday

2 May 73° 46°

David Beckham Was Born in 1975

Friday

3 May 75° 50°

Peacemaking Weekend Panel

Vespers: Fred Riffel

Battle of the Bands

82° 54°

Harp Recital: Katharina Gref 4 p.m.

FAC

Distinguished Scholar Lecture: Dr. Sharon Stoll 6 p.m.

FAC

Photo by Aurella Aung

Monday

6 May 79° 52°

77° 48°

ASWWU Ice Cream Social

8 p.m.

University Church

5 May

4 May

Peacemaking Weekend Presentation

7 p.m.

Outside University Church

Sunday

Saturday

Peacemaking Weekend Steel Drum Concert 12:15 p.m.

Walla Walla Land Title Plaza

Photo by Greg Khng

Photo by Eric Sanders

Photo by Flickr user Cascadian Farm

10:30 a.m.

CTC 105 4 p.m.

CTC 105

7 p.m. ($4 Admission) Davis Elementary Gym

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Tuesday

7 May 86° 57°

Photo by Kate Gref

Wednesday

WWU Board of Trustees Meeting

CommUnity: InTents

InTents: Macy McVay

Portland

11 a.m.

University Church

InTents: Lucas Smith

InTents: Toan Quach

Off-Campus Housing Workshop

7 p.m.

Kretschmar Lawn

7 p.m.

Kretschmar Lawn

7 p.m.

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6:30 p.m.

Off-Campus Housing Workshop CTC 105 6:30 p.m.

CTC 105

8 May 73° 54°

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perspective $75,000

CONTRIBUTOR

What About Capitalism?

Shane Akerman Contributing Writer

Wherever there is talk of “social justice,” certain well-meaning patriots will start to get nervous. Whenever poverty is spoken of as an evil which ought to be overcome, they will ask: “What about capitalism and the free market?”

So, what about capitalism? Perhaps it makes the most sense to begin with a definition, since many of these types of conversations break down precisely because there is such confusion as to the meaning of the term “capitalism.” Some will say that capitalism is best understood in terms of its protection of certain freedoms. The child with a lemonade stand is the image conjured by the term “free market.” The child is free to go out and acquire the lemons, the water, and the sugar to make some tasty lemonade. You and I are free to buy the lemonade, compensating the child for both the goods that were used and his or her labor in actually making the product.

Mission Mozambique Fundra ising Progress

The Atlas is now selling Mission Mozambique T-shirts for $15 (half of the proceeds will go to the fundraiser).

If this is capitalism, then what is there to critique? We ought to be free to buy the lemonade, and the child ought to be free to sell it. Unfortunately, capitalism is not the equivalent of a giant system of lemonade stands.

Capitalism, not surprisingly, cannot be understood apart from capital. Capital is not just money. It’s “accumulated goods devoted to the production of other goods.”1 In other words, the owning of capital is what separates you from, say, Paul Allen — co-founder of Microsoft and owner of the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers. You (might) have enough money to go to a professional sports game; Mr. Allen, on the other hand, has enough money to own the team so that, in order to watch the game, you have to pay him.

How is such a huge disparity possible?

Here, in my opinion, is the basic problem with capitalism: It allows people to own the labor of other people. When you go to a Seahawks game, what are you

going to see? The players, primarily, but we understand that there are also costs involved in the upkeep of the stadium, various utilities, and so on. A lot goes into putting on a football game. I get that. But what sense does it make to say that one man is allowed to own the labor of other (highly talented) men and women? Paul Allen contributes nothing to the success of the team in terms of playing, coaching, or managing of any kind. Nothing (you will say) except the money to pay the players and coaches and managers. But where did he get that money in the first place, except by profiting from the labor of other workers elsewhere?”2 Let me say this plainly: It is not possible for a single person to do billions of dollars’ worth of production or service.

In a strict sense, then, it is not possible to earn billions of dollars. What can we say, then, of billionaires? They own what they have not earned, but have gained at the expense of others. In short, they have stolen it. Capitalism is, in this sense, a more complex and humanized form of slavery. Few live in luxury at the expense of a laboring multitude. Some are compensated quite nicely for their service, but this was also true for some slaves.

And there are always exceptions — those with rare talent, determination, and a bit of luck who rise to the top of a capitalist economy. This is akin to those slaves who happened to be able to purchase their own freedom. Most of us, however, will live and die as wage workers — if we’re lucky, that is. It is quite likely that for the rest of your life your labor (if you can find it) will be owned by someone else.

As one who believes in freedom, I cannot support capitalism. Genuine freedom does not entail the right to turn human labor, and thus human life, into a commodity.

More importantly, I cannot support capitalism as a Christian.”3 The most basic claim of Christianity is that God walked this earth as a man from Galilee with no home, no change of clothes, and no wealth of which to speak. Therefore, to see the world from “God’s point of view” is to see

it from the perspective of those who are disadvantaged, to see it from the underside of society.”4 When capitalism is described as the “best” system, we must ask: “Best for whom?” It is certainly not the best system for those women and men who will work demeaning and physically taxing jobs their entire lives, just in order to try to provide for their families, never able to see the full fruits of their labor because their labor is owned by another.

The demand for social justice must therefore be more than a plea for charity.

Charity allows the rich to assist the poor in such a way that the very wide gap between rich and poor remains in place. Likewise, social justice is not about building up the welfare state; keeping a system that requires redistribution means that there will always be an unjust distribution in the first place.

Therefore, in 2013 the call for social justice must first be a call for a new imagination. The first step in overcoming capitalism is to denounce the lie that there are no alternatives. There are alternatives: anarcho–syndicalism, libertarian socialism, economic democracy, situationism, autonomism — the list goes on and on.5 Those of us who are willing to call evil by its right name stand in a long line of great women and men of revolution.

Inspired by the past and driven toward a better future, let us move forward with more creativity, more courage, and more determination than ever before.

Shane Akerman is a graduate student in theology at La Sierra University and holds degrees from Southern Adventist University (B.A.) and Claremont School of Theology (M.A.).

1. merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capital.

2. To get a better understanding of the history of that first accumulation of capital (hint: child labor, enslavement of Africans, genocide of Native Americans), see the Wikipedia page on The Primitive Accumulation of Capital at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primitive_accumulation_of_ capital.

3. Just like with militarism, racism, sexism, and homophobia, systems of hatred and exploitation find moral cover by adopting Christian language. And unfortunately many Christians, especially in America, are duped by this false gospel.

4. See Matthew 25.

5. Now you have some terms to Google.

CONTRIBUTOR

On Privilege and Repentance

o are rside ribed st for stem work theirMatt Burdette ovide Contributing Writer e full bor is I am skeptical of the phrase “social justice.”

Despite the wonderful intentions of those who use it, it strikes me as a phrase that is mustmeaningful only in a context of privilege. The arity.sheer fact that I am writing this, and the fact or inthat you’re reading this, suggests that we live in weenprivileged, material conditions, and that will wise,affect how we think about this. g up that But why must we start with such a problem thereright at the outset? Why problematize n theourselves, when presumably we are interested in addressing the problem? Does not our efforts for justice suggest that we are guilty of ocialinjustice? new ming This is particularly vexing for Christians. thereWe are regularly told that Jesus calls us to tives:serve the poor and the oppressed. But in this lism,very formulation we have already suggested, nism,however implicitly, that we — the “us” — are on.5not the poor and oppressed, and that Jesus is vil bycalling us to serve “them,” whom we have also great(perhaps inadvertently) defined out of the Christian community. This is strange indeed, especially considering the fact that the Bible wardoverwhelmingly teaches the exact opposite — withthat Jesus calls his people, who are the poor and moreoppressed, to strive for justice, which involves liberating those who are wealthy and powerful from Lord Mammon.

(or, the Turn to Justice)

egrees Our problem is that we are the rich people and who think that we are the exception, the ones who figured out how to squeeze into the kingdom through the eye of a needle. Our temptation is usually to say that we are not the rich and powerful, or to say that, God forbid, we are the poor in spirit. But this temptation must be resisted. If you have the choice to eat three meals a day, if you grew up in a neighborhood where you were not expected to sell or use drugs, if you never wondered if you’d end up working in a factory making clothes or toys for foreigners, if you own an iPod or a car, you are rich and powerful.

In this world, the wealth of some always means the poverty of others. The privilege of some always means the powerlessness of others.

For evidence to support this claim, one needn’t look any further than the distribution of wealth in the United States.

So what are rich and powerful Christians to do? My suggestion is that, before all else, the first step is to uncover the ways in which we are privileged and to learn the ways in which our privilege has shaped the ways that we think about privilege. In more overtly theological language, we must first repent.

Repentance here doesn’t mean throwing away your iPod or dropping out of college, both of which would be plain stupid. Rather, repentance here means a change of mind. Our great challenge is that we are literally unable to imagine the world differently. Even if we are clever enough to critique charity, implicated as it is in the inequalities perpetuated by capitalism, we must not revert to a charity of intellect. One should ask, for example, why I, a doctoral student, am more qualified to write this reflection than a person who lives outside under a bridge. Surely I know nothing about the problems of privilege compared to such a person, and yet it remains that we are trained to listen only to voices who are privileged. We do not think poverty is a problem until the rich say it is. We do not think sexism is a problem until heterosexual men say it is. We do not think racism is still a problem until a white person says it is. We do not think capitalism is a problem until an economist says it is. I could go on, but surely we get the point by now.

It is true: We must work for justice. But justice begins with judgment, and judgment must begin in our own house. Filling the valleys begins with bringing low the mountains. Let us work for justice, and let us begin by addressing our own injustice.

Matt Burdette, a graduate of La Sierra University, is a doctoral student in theology at the University of Aberdeen.

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OPEN POSITIONS Atlas Barista Video Editor Ad Sales Manager Graphic Designer Marketing Assistant

Fundraising Team Photographer Mount Ash Editor Mask Editor Senate Secretary

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COLLEGIAN

POSITIONS Assistant Editor Head Layout Editor Head Copy Editor News Editor Featured Content Editor Opinion Editor Sports Editor Religion Editor Outdoors Editor Diversions (Humor) Editor Travel Editor

Science and Technology Editor Food Editor Local Editor Arts and Media Editor Backpage (Heel) Editor Creative Writing Editor Columnist Layout Designer Copy Editor Distribution Manager Office Manager

How to apply: 1. Download application from ASWWU website.

2. Send your résumé, application, and cover letter to aswwu@wallawalla.edu.

3. Wait for your interview.

Look for more ASWWU positions opening throughout spring quarter.

10

perspective

CONTRIBUTOR

Social Justice — Amnesty Club Greg Dodds

History Department Chair Amnesty Club Sponsor For over 1,500 years, pilgrims have made their way to Holy Island in the North Sea just off the coast of northern England. On this windswept island, which can only be reached by a causeway at low tide, are the ruins of the once-great Lindisfarne monastery. In the summer of 2005, Terrie Aamodt and I led a group of students to this outpost of Christian history to listen to the stories of Viking raids, scribal monks, pilgrimage, pastoral worship, and even the final destruction brought by Henry VIII’s reformation.

“The club has joined nonprofits, such as the Walla Walla Children’s Home Society ... to fight for social justice.”

There is beauty and inspiration in this place, but it is mixed with many stories of human suffering and the footprints of so many pilgrims who hoped to find healing and solace.

Relaxing with students on the rocky beach at Lindisfarne that Sabbath afternoon, our conversation gradually shifted from the stories of the past to how a greater understanding of global history and social justice could make a difference on the campus of Walla Walla University. I think it fitting that it was on that beach, surrounded

by a millennia of human ruins, that students Jen Drake and Sophia Hamilton were inspired to start the Amnesty Club, which functions as a student chapter of Amnesty International.

What the club has accomplished over the past eight years is remarkable. As the faculty sponsor of the Amnesty Club I have been amazed, every year, by the passion, dedication, and care with which the students in the club have been determined to make this world a more humane place. They have campaigned and raised money to help fight human trafficking, shelter local abused women, protect young girls from prostitution, help orphans, educate the children of migrant workers, and promote fair trade, among many other causes. In these efforts the club has joined nonprofits, such as the Walla Walla Children’s Home Society and international aid agencies, including Amistad, to fight for social justice.

The Amnesty Club at WWU has three objectives: 1) raise awareness on campus about global and local human rights issues, 2) provide social gathering events for students who share an interest in learning more about global events and human rights, and 3) do something each year, as a group, to make the world a fairer and more just place.

As the faculty sponsor of the club, I have been amazed, every year, by the passion, dedication, and care with which the students in the Amnesty Club have been determined to make this world a more humane place.

They have campaigned and raised money to help fight human trafficking, protect local abused women, protect young girls from prostitution in India, and promote fair trade on campus, among the many other causes they have engaged with over the past eight years.

“The students in the Amnesty Club have been determined to make this world a more humane place. ” Students join the Amnesty Club to make a difference for others, especially the abused and oppressed in the world, but I have seen something else, too. Learning about social justice has also changed the students. They are different after getting involved and, in some cases, it has led to careers related to social justice. It has also changed me. Being a part of the Amnesty Club has made me a better teacher, a better person, and a better Christian. Nothing makes me prouder of WWU than when I see students learn how to engage with major issues in our world and then roll up their sleeves to make a difference.

To get involved with the Amnesty Club or to hear more about the club’s spring projects, which includes advocacy against domestic violence, email me at gregory.dodds@wallawalla. edu or email the club’s co-presidents, Amy Hellie and Becka Hanan.

R M Club Officer Elections Positions: President Executive VP Financial VP Marketing/PR/HR VP Spiritual VP Media VP To run for an officer position contact Amy Hellie at amy.hellie@wallawalla.edu.

Upcoming Events May 3: Peacemaking Weekend Student Readings | Land Title Plaza (1st and Main) 12:15 p.m.

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He I oft street (Club Prize Raffle) Howe wome May 16: Iced Coffee and Tea the el in Front of Ad Building would Tomá Sharing information about fair trade, child sponsorship, five-y her k and club projects happe lived.

9 a.m. – noon for m

May 9: Sweet Basil for Club Members

May 28: Sin by Silence Screening

Documentary film screening and local professional panel discussion youtu.be/naGlCwdvVx8

7 p.m.

June 2: Spring Jam Project booth to raise money and awareness

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CONTRIBUTOR

perspective

Rape, Poverty, Murder — More Common Than We Know?

Camille Bascetta

Senior | Health Promotion I never understood how terrible and horrifying sin, social injustice, was until I lived in a place where I could visibly see, audibly hear, physically touch, and taste and smell with my own tongue and nose the intense, horrific human violations, sin, taking place. I was brutally awakened and became consciously aware of witchcraft, rape, violence, murder, death, government corruption, poverty (extreme), and how women were treated as sex objects. My eyes were opened, and I began to see to what I had been blind — why God hates sin so much.

When I came back to America, my eyes were enlarged even more, and I understood that corruption and social injustice are no less present here in College Place, Wash., than they are in Iquitos. Satan has done a very good job disguising sin as normal, everyday popular activities and deceiving humans that these activities and entertainments don’t lead to rape and murder.

It’s so much easier to hide social injustice here with our houses, phones and laptops, cars, and clothes. Most of these things are visually nice and not terribly filthy. They tend to give off an

“Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, and actions lead to results. What you believe is who you become. “ We watch and listen to things that treat humans as “a piece of meat.” We say we hate violence, yet we watch it for entertainment. We say we hate murders and wars, yet we murder and war with our own friends with our words and thoughts.

We say we hate x, yet we turn around and support it by the things upon which we turn our eyes and the things to which we choose to listen.

Thoughts lead to feelings, feelings lead to actions, and actions lead to results. What you believe is who you become. By beholding, you are changed.1 What are you listening to, watching, and thinking about? What we behold we, the beholder, will become. How does an action happen? It first has a thought behind it.

How can we stop social injustice on our own campus? How can we have pure thoughts and love our enemies?

I turn to the Bible because my own understanding is flawed and twisted, for my flesh is sinful. I can only look to the Scriptures inspired by God.2 First, by Adam’s choice, our bodies were sold to sin, disobedience, condemnation, and eternal death without any of our participation.3 We can’t desire God or to do any good on our own.4 It is natural for us to desire these horrific things.

They are pleasure to our sinful flesh.

Second, by Jesus’ choice of living in this flesh, identifying with humanity, suffering temptation and sorrow, and not allowing the new humanity in Him to sin, we are now reconciled back to God. We are bought back and set free from sin.5 In Jesus Christ we receive grace, obedience, righteousness, riches, and eternal life.6 This was all done without our participation.

Third, we have a choice: to choose the mind of the flesh, Satan, or to choose the mind of the Holy Spirit, the same mind Jesus had. To receive the Holy Spirit, we only need to believe. 7 By believing we receive, and it becomes a living reality in our life. We inherit every good choice and all the strength Jesus had to stand up against temptation and to do good. This is a momentby-moment choice of ours, and by the grace and power of Jesus we are righteous.

I now understand why God abhors sin. Sin takes God away from his beloved wife, you and I. Sin leads us to a life of rape, murder, poverty, and eternal death. God told Adam and Eve that if they choose to eat the fruit, disobeying God’s word, they would die.8 Satan’s first deception was that sin doesn’t kill, and if that is the case, then sin isn’t the problem. God is then the problem, and God is the killer.9

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7. John 14:26; Mark 11:14.

8. Genesis 2:16.

9. Genesis 3:4.

10. 1 John 3:16.

11. Romans 13:10.

12. 1 John 3:19.

New study says the best way to sell eco-friendly products is not to mention that they’re eco-friendly.

An inconvenient truth.

President Obama recently said the prison at Guantanamo Bay needs to be closed.

Congress suggests turning it into a Blockbuster to help it close faster.

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God is love.10 God’s law is love.11 God loved us first so that we might love him.12 Social justice lies in your hands. You are free to choose what you want. What do you choose?

1. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

2. 2 Timothy 3:16.

3. Romans 5:12.

4. Romans 3:11, 7:18.

5. Romans 6:18, 8:3; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15.

6. Romans 5:15-20; 2 Corinthians 8:9.

According to a new study, women are attracted to men with heavy stubble.

Bad news for freshmen.

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Here are a few stories from a “normal” day: I often saw a 15-year-old boy walking the street selling touristy trinkets during the day.

However, by night he would sell himself to both women and, yes, men as well. One night, when the electricity went out, a common event that would turn my little country town of Santo Tomás pitch black, a man was able to snatch a five-year-old girl away from her mom without her knowledge and rape the little girl. This happened a couple shacks down from where I lived. A month into my stay, it became normal for me to hear a girl tell me she had been raped.

We say we hate rape, yet we dehumanize humans by our thoughts. We say women and men are valuable and not objects, yet we turn to pornography. We fantasize about them in our mind for our own satisfaction, treating humans in our minds in a way humans should never be treated.

COLLEGIAN WISDOM

=

Iquitos, Peru, is a jungle town on the Amazon River with a population of 500,000 and is only accessible by a plane ride or seven- to 10-day boat trip. I lived there for six months, volunteering at a woman’s crisis center. I was a mom to 17 women and their kids, from age 1½ to age 27, who had been raped, abused, and abandoned.

air that we are all good; we don’t need saving, and no human rights violations happen here at WWU. We begin to live a lifestyle of “no need for a Savior.” We are able to cover up our sin, social injustice, with our luxurious materials.

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Prison inmates have been logging on to Yelp to review their jails.

State Penitentiary > Yakima Motel 6.

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World Wide Web turned 20 years old this week.

Still living in its mom’s basement.

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perspective

CONTRIBUTOR

Photo by Arella Aung

Photo by Ivan Cruz

Photo by Grayson Andregg

Photo by Arella Aung

Photo by Arella Aung

CONTRIBUTOR

perspective 13

#thecollegian @miss_schnell

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by Grayson

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Submit your pictures to us via Instagram by tagging #thecollegian.

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perspective PERSPECTIVE

COLUMN AND CREATIVE WRITING

Traffic Kayla Albrecht

Creative Writing Editor

Asking for It? Rebecca Brothers Columnist

“She’s only a” Prostitute.

A car sighs to a stop by the curb. High heels click against the pavement. “Escort for the evening?”

Never hooker. Remember, never say hooker.

The cops don’t like that. A price. A rejection.

A reflection, piece by piece, materializing as the pavement crackles underneath the slowly spinning tires. And the girl refuses to look as she is revealed to herself and to the world for a moment, transparent, the car’s paint beneath her skin.

“She brings it on herself, the” Whore.

She and 800,000 others. “We need to rid the streets of this filth” instead of finding the filth in its citizens. Hide in plain sight. Do whatever they ask. Sleep in this cot with 10 other women. Don’t wake up. It’s OK; they all have the same diseases.

Remember, half of you are under 16. Don’t ask, don’t tell. Drugs will help the hunger the anger the fear the guilt the despair the pain and no, you can never be numb. Leave your family your culture your language your pride your innocence and no, you don’t own yourself.

“It’s their own fault. They have their” Freedom?

In part of his routine, the comedian Nazareth celebrates the many choices that America offers: “You go into Starbucks, they ask you, ‘Decaf or regular?’ — choice.

You go into the grocery store, they ask you, ‘Paper or plastic?’

— choice. You go out to your car, a guy pulls out a gun and says, ‘Give me your money or I’ll shoot you’ — choice.”

law, so they’re asking for harsh interrogation and bleak prison environments. Others say that women who choose to go into bars are asking for any disrespect they’re shown.

There’s a problem with this mindset, and it might be best illustrated by that last example, which is also called “rape culture.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard insinuations that a girl’s choice of neckline style, skirt length, shoe type, makeup amount, or party location can cause harassment or rape. If I’m interpreting that logic correctly, these people think it’s too much work to protest society’s affirmation of violent masculinity.

Instead, it’s so much easier to point to women’s fashion and recreation choices, say, “There’s the cause,” and believe that once spaghetti straps are banned, the problem has been solved. Could this be correct?

Let’s look to Saudi Arabia for an answer.

If anyone could end sexual violence by controlling women’s dress and activities, Saudi Arabia would be the safest place on earth for women. But is this true? Not even close. A study has been commissioned to find out why this is the case. It’s too soon to say for sure, but preliminary results suggest that rape and harassment are not women’s fault.

“Social justice isn’t about anyone’s past choices; it’s about everyone’s present rights.”

We love having options.

Nobody wants to go to a restaurant where there’s only one dish on the menu or go to a paint store where there’s only one color available. In some situations, multiple choices are equally good. This is why Blue Palm is so wonderful: I don’t have to choose just one of eight flavors; I can have a little bit of all of them. But when we start putting choices on a spectrum of “better” and “worse,” two things can happen. First, this ranking can be beneficial. This is how trial and error works: We look back at our choices and decide how they could have been improved. If I ran a stop sign and got a $200 ticket, I’d probably resolve to make a better choice in the future.

On the other hand, if we hold up our ranking as the only correct one — or, more dangerously, if we insist that people have more choices than they actually do — social-justice issues can arise. Some people shrug off many immigrants’ low wages and dangerous working conditions, saying that those people chose to come to this country, so they should be happy to have any jobs.

Some say that criminals chose to break the

We can’t end sexual violence by blaming women. We can’t rehabilitate criminals by putting them in solitary confinement for years. We can’t solve poverty by condemning people who work all day and still can’t make ends meet. Social justice isn’t about anyone’s past choices; it’s about everyone’s present rights, and the sooner we can focus on those, the easier it will be to mend the world’s inequalities.

feature

James Mayne

Feature Editor

What Is Social Justice?

If you were anywhere near Facebook last spring, you probably remember the Kony 2012 viral sensation. The campaign was exciting and inspiring to many — after all, who doesn’t want to see a murderous warlord brought down? However, it ultimately joined numerous other socialjustice issues that become trends and fade away as people lose interest and move on with their lives. Joseph Kony is still at large in central Africa, as are many other violent warlords who didn’t get a social media campaign directed at them. The manner in which we interact with social-justice issues is worth examining, but first, the term itself must be defined.

The term “social justice” was originally coined by the Jesuit scholar Luigi Taparelli in the 1840s. For Taparelli, social justice is founded in natural law and manifest when all members of society possess liberty and equality.1 Taparelli’s writings, which drew heavily from the ideas of Thomas Aquinas, significantly influenced the development of Catholic social doctrine, a central element of Catholicism that is characterized

by a commitment to the poor and the recognition of inherent human dignity.2 A modern definition, and one which I think serves the purposes of a general discussion on the topic quite well, is found in the United Nations General Assembly’s The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Adopted in 1948, it lays out a detailed and comprehensive framework for social justice in a global community.

or seen them. Social-justice issues are often brought to our attention via social media or media campaigns. We get passionate about fighting the injustice when we see a shocking story shared on Facebook, but more often than not, we forget about it and move on to the next issue after a few days or weeks.

“We have found The U.N. declaration asserts that a way to live in “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of a First World, all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in consumptionthe world.” It establishes that all humans are born free and equal and should be protected oriented by the law without discrimination. No one should be subjected to inhumane society, while treatment, arbitrary detention, or denied an education. still feeling like Today, social-justice issues are as we are doing numerous as they are complicated. Human trafficking is prevalent throughout the our part to world, even in nearby Spokane, where in May 2012, four people were arrested for remedy social human sex trafficking. Slavery, forced labor, child soldiers, hunger, poverty, and political justice issues.” disenfranchisement constitute a small part 3

4

5

of a very long list of social-justice issues that challenge us. I could use dozens of statistics to make the point that we have a long way to go on many of the aforementioned issues, but chances are, you’ve already heard

The pattern of social-justice issues dominating our conversations, then slipping into obscurity, has perplexed and disturbed me. In our modern world, what does it take to actually help solve some

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of the global issues that we care about? Is clicking “Like” enough? Or buying only Fairtrade products? Or giving money to a non-profit organization? I don’t believe so.

Part of the problem when it comes to most Americans and social-justice issues is that altruism and charity are not enough.

Charity and Consumerism For many Americans, charity functions as the primary conduit through which we interact with social-justice issues.

We donate our old clothes, household items, and sometimes even old cars. We contribute $10, $20, or hundreds of dollars to ADRA or the International Red Cross.

Our capitalist economy has even found innovative ways of combining consumerism with charity. For example, the popular shoe company Toms promises, “With every pair you purchase, Toms will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One.”6 This type of “ethical consumption,” which Starbucks also uses extensively in its marketing campaigns, gives us a nicely packaged way of consuming guilt free — for, as philosopher Slavoj Zizek comments, “when you buy something, your anticonsumerist duty to do something for others, for the environment and so on, is already included into it. ... [The] act of egotist consumption … already includes the price for its opposite.”7 We have found a way to live in a First World, consumptionoriented society while still feeling like we

feature

Charity, whether it be conveniently built in to our consumerism or conscious acts motivated by concern for others, is certainly better than nothing — but it is not enough to solve or even come close to solving major social-justice issues. The Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde argued that charity does not cure the disease: It merely prolongs it. He asserted that “it is immoral to use private property in order to alleviate the horrible evils that result from the institution of private property.” People “try to solve the problem of poverty, for instance, by keeping the poor alive. … The proper aim is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis that poverty will be impossible.”8 If we are to actually work toward solving the problem of poverty, hunger, or any number of socialjustice issues, we must do more than buy eco-friendly coffee or shoes. Charity can help solve immediate, direct problems (e.g., when

someone’s house burns down and they need food, clothing, and shelter), but achieving justice is much more complicated.

Institutions, systems, and societal structures that stand in the way of justice must be altered.

“One of the most difficult things in life is to actually live our philosophies, to take what we believe from the realm of the abstract to practical, everyday life.”

An Uncomfortable Truth At some point, we must make sacrifices that could leave us feeling a bit uncomfortable or just admit to ourselves the limits of our commitment to fighting for social justice. It takes courage to disrupt our lives and fight for what we believe in, courage that many people — myself included — shy away from. One of the most difficult things in life is to actually live our philosophies, to take what we believe from the realm of the abstract to practical, everyday life.

I personally struggle with this quite often. How can I believe in the philosophy of democratic socialism, yet enjoy the fruits of a capitalist economy? I struggle with how to take action and get out of my comfort zone. If I believe that the income inequality in America is an affront to social justice, then why did I sit passively by in 2011 while the Occupy Wall Street movement took off? Am I doing anything about my beliefs other than making Facebook posts?

More often than not, no. The reason for this is that, at the end of the day, I lead a fairly comfortable life, one that I am loathe

LJ US TIC E

are doing our part to remedy social-justice issues.

SO CIA

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social media campaigns

charity

ethical consumption

to disrupt. So until I am willing to disrupt it and actually do something about my beliefs, I need to be honest with myself and realize that I am, unfortunately, only willing to do the little that it takes to feel like I am making a difference without actually doing much at all.

“We want to believe that by altering consumption or by giving up a portion of our income we are fulfilling our responsibilities as Christians and as members of a global society.”

Compared to many other places in the world, we live in a very privileged society, and I think we need to be honest with ourselves. We don’t want to give up our privileges or our comfortable lifestyles, but we want to feel like we are good and ethical people. We want to believe that we can make a difference in the world, that by altering our forms of consumption or by giving up a portion of our income we are fulfilling our responsibilities as Christians and as members of a global society. Writing about his experiences as an inner-city youth pastor in Boston, journalist Chris Hedges writes, “It was a time I dreamed of being good. But this was the idolatry of self, the worship not of God but of my virtue. I had to learn my own complicity in oppression, my own sinfulness, how evil lurked within me.”9 If we are serious about social justice,

feature 17 if we truly think that it is something to be fought for, then we must recognize our own role in perpetuating the systems that keep it from being realized. And, as Oscar Wilde asserts, we must work toward the reconstruction of society.

individuals inspired more people to stand up against racial discrimination, and eventually the movement became strong enough that the U.S. government took action.

Many may argue that Wilde is naïve if he thinks poverty will ever be completely eradicated, and they might be right.

Barring a major social revolution that upends the ever-increasing inequality in both the United States and the world at large, we are seemingly stuck with the system that we have. Solving social-justice issues like human trafficking and poverty requires systemic change. There is no easy solution. The achievement of social justice often requires government intervention, and governments typically don’t intervene without considerable pressure from citizens. The Civil Rights Movement began with individuals putting their necks out and taking risks. Some were hurt, or lost jobs or friends; others were killed. Those

What this means to me is that social justice requires activism, sacrifice, and significant efforts by many people, often over a long period of time. It takes people who live their lives with intention, and I think that this aspect is one that is especially relevant to us as college students.

We have been given the incredible blessing to become educated, a blessing that we should not take for granted. If we take our education seriously, if we use our resources and knowledge to better this world, then we can actually make a positive impact on social-justice issues. One of the most important things that we can do as college students is to learn with intentionality, become aware of the issues our world faces,

What Can You Do?

ask questions and seek answers, and use our creativity and energy to do something to change our current system. As we transition out of college and into careers, we are in the position to choose how we will live our lives and what types of values for which we will fight.

Another option is to drop out of college, build a mass movement from the ground up, and lead a social revolution that will reconstruct our society and eliminate many of the social-justice issues that consistently plague us. That may be a bit extreme — or maybe not. It’s up to you.

1. e-aquinas.net/pdf/behr.pdf.

2. usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholicsocial-teaching.

3. un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml.

4. Ibid.

5. komonews.com/news/local/4-arrested-in-Spokane-Countysfirst-reported-human-trafficking-case-153737015.html.

6. toms.com.

7. thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/558941/RSA-LectureSlovoj-Zizek-transcript.pdf.

8. archive.org/stream/soulmanundersoc01wildgoog#page/n12/ mode/2up.

9. Chris Hedges, Losing Moses on the Freeway: The Ten Commandments in America (New York: Free Press, 2005), 36.

Sowing Indiscriminately Ryan Robinson

its solution, but still ... how am I to live well in tension with it?

I didn’t always know it, but there are people in this world who suffer to sustain my lifestyle. I found out about this fact in high school. One of my teachers would start class discussions about modern slavery and sex trafficking. As it turns out, the fabric in much of my clothing and the semiconductors in my electronics often can be traced to people living under far worse conditions than I. He’d show us videos about kids who dropped out of college to go start orphanages. I remember absorbing all this and thinking to myself, “What am I supposed to do about it? I can’t just drop everything. Is it even possible to get slavery-free electronics?” It seemed that, just by existing in the First World, I was condemning others to life in bondage. 1

Jesus once told a story about facing great and complex problems. But before we get to the story, let’s try to understand its context. In Mark chapter three, things

Sophomore | Biology

The problem of modern slavery is great and complex, and I do not purport to know

“Jesus once told a story about facing great and complex problems.” weren’t looking so good for Jesus. Some teachers of the law came from Jerusalem to denounce him, saying, “He is possessed

by Beelzebul!” Even Jesus’ family wondered

if he was out of his mind.2 As we read, we fear that Jesus’ fledgling ministry will not be able to overcome the obstacles that face it. I imagine that Jesus, too, wondered whether his message would be stamped out.

Then Jesus tells what we call the parable of the sower.3 We typically associate the types of soil with types of people, but instead of doing that, try associating them with obstacles to Jesus’ ministry, things like corrupt systems of government or condemning religious leaders. What Jesus is saying in the parable of the sower is, “The challenges that face the kingdom of God will not choke it out. It is worthwhile to sow a message of love in a world that resists letting it take root.”4 Most of the seed is lost before producing a harvest, but by grace, the seed that falls on the good soil yields a crop multiplying up to 100 times.

I think Jesus was also thinking about modern slavery when he told this parable.

In our time, there are still many obstacles to the proliferation of love and justice.

The very systems that produce our goods reinforce a culture of oppression and injustice. But I think the point is that you keep sowing indiscriminately — trying to live humbly, avoiding excess; trying to do the right thing and to be more kind each day — and you trust that even one seed will take root in good soil.

1. Want to know how many slaves you employ?

Check out slaveryfootprint.org.

2. Mark 3:20–22, NIV. 3. Read it to refresh your memory: Mark 4:3–8.

4. Thank you to Pedrito Maynard-Reid for opening my eyes to this way of seeing the parable of the sower.

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life

CULTURE

The Terrible Truths of Your Shopping List Grant Perdew Culture Editor

While we're sitting cozy in our American living rooms, there're a lot of terrible things happening in the world. We often do our best to forget about them and live our lives as "normal" as we can. But there are many ordinary items we buy all the time that cause horrific consequences on people, and we don't even know. I've compiled a few things we should think twice about before buying. Many of these things happened in the past, but they are still good to be aware of as consumers.

Chiquita Yes, that banana you're eating probably killed somebody. Well, bananas don't kill people; people kill people ... over bananas. Back in the '50s, the new president of Guatemala was elected and he had plans to distribute land to peasants across the country. The only thing that stood in his way was Chiquita, then known as the United Fruit Company. The government offered them $525,000 for the land, and United Fruit responded with a counteroffer of $16 million. After they refused, UFC called the CIA in to intervene, and with the CIA's help, they launched a massive propaganda campaign

that painted the new president as a communist threat to the United States. Civil war resulted in the country, and bananas became blood money. And it finally all came to an end ... in 1996.

Alternative? Local and organic fruit.

Iams You ask yourself, "What could be wrong with dog food?" Quite a few things, actually. In 2002, an official from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals went undercover at an Iams testing facility to expose harsh conditions within the company. What PETA found makes Michael Vick's shenanigans look amateur. Apparently, animal cruelty from major corporations isn't a problem.

Most of the details you don't want to hear about, but one procedure, for example, resulted in 27 dogs being killed. When PETA confronted Iams about the findings of mutilation and brutality, they tried to turn the tables and blame PETA for the atrocities.

Let's buy another brand of pet food, yes?

Alternative? Organic pet food brands like Merrick, Natural Balance, and Organix.

Dole Boy, what's with bananas on this list?

When several chemical workers for Dole became sterile, tests revealed the cause to be a pesticide that the EPA banned in the United States. Dole made note that they were in South America, not the U.S.,

and continued to use the chemical on crops. The banana workers sought legal advice on how to best proceed with a lawsuit against Dole, but to no avail.

Nicaragua passed a law in 2001 to help the workers gain compensation from companies like Dole that used the pesticide, but as of today, the workers have yet to see a dime of the $400 million that Dole owes them.

Alternative? Local and organic fruit.

Nestlé There's nothing quite like a large glass of chocolate milk, knowing that child slaves helped to bring that to your table. The majority of the world's cocoa supply comes from Africa's Ivory Coast, a place booming with child labor, trafficking, and slavery. When the harsh conditions were revealed in 2001, Nestlé jumped to issue statements claiming they had no idea whatsoever. New legislation would require them to label their products as "slave free," but Nestlé doesn't quite qualify for that, since as Karina Gomez revealed in her article, slavery plays a big part in the collection of cocoa. If that's not bad enough, Nestlé uses palm oil in their chocolate. This is produced by clearing vast amounts of rainforest, endangering the tigers, orangutans, and rhinoceroses that live there. Skip the Kit Kat; I'd stick to fair trade chocolate if I were you.

Alternative? Any local or fair trade–labeled sweet.

Coca-Cola Before I researched this article, I thought of Coca-Cola as the corporation with the fantastic ads with smiling people, Santa, polar bears, and teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony.

But if you worked at one of the bottling plants in Colombia, South America, you'd have a different view. Apparently, working for a union in Colombia is a death sentence. Five union leaders at the Carepa plant were murdered between 1994 and 1996 alone.

In another case, a union executive board member was assassinated by the plant gates for no apparent reason. So, Coca-Cola is really a corporation that condones the slaughtering of their own employees — no big deal.

Alternative? Drink from companies like Izze, Reed's, and Jones.

Inspirations and sources from: tinyurl.com/42evj6z and tinyurl.com/c5qpvl5.

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USA For Africa

FUTURE FLICKS

"We Are the World"

Iron Man 3 — May 3

Tony Stark's world is once again attacked when a new terrorist called the Mandarin comes to the picture. The superhero is forced to start an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution. He must answer the question: Does the man make the suit, or does the suit make the man? Interestingly, the film was originally budgeted at $140 million, but after The Avengers was so successful, Marvel and Disney upped it to $200 million. Let's hope it's as good as they've made it up to be.

It's doubtful any charity single will ever match the financial and social impact of this huge 38-artist collaboration.

water

Punct.

Punk'd

John Lennon "Imagine"

One of the simplest songs ever written, yet one of the most universal and beautiful in its message. Just take a second and imagine peace.

Jay-Z and Bono

"Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" A collaboration also featuring Rihanna and The Edge, this ballad calls to people in need.

Listen online at tinyurl.com/a3cqe5y.

Coldplay

"A Message" Lead singer Chris Martin has always been a huge supporter of charity, keeping "Keep Trade Fair" on his hand at most shows.

Celine Dion, The Game, David & more "Come Together Now" Bowie Where else can you hear a verse by rapper The Game followed by Celine Dion herself? Right here, in this benefit single for Hurricane Katrina.

"Heroes" This powerful anthem has inspired infinite feelings of hope and inspiration to do great things, to step up and be a hero.

YS Y

e e to s, to ea

DIVERSIONS

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New Year's Resolutions Eric Weber

Diversions Editor

I've used up all of my favorite baby names on my cats.

Every day can be Friday if you're really irresponsible.

We all have different things we are passionate about. For instance, I am passionate about Honey Boo Boo GIFs and buyer's remorse for online purchases, and although I may use my Tumblr to post bad pictures of out-of-focus people and animals, with the occasional picture of Lindsay Lohan in one of her rare coherent moments, I think we all could give our social media an update. We all live in a world of constant social media. Twitter, Facebook, hipsters, and Myspace — we are all connected. If you are one of those people who don’t have a Facebook: Good, don’t do it. It's like handholding — it starts out all innocent, and the next thing you know, you’re hitched. But with this connection comes great responsibility, and we have all used our connectivity in the wrong ways. So let’s make a New Year's resolution (just go with it) to find things that can really help this world; we all have friends — USE THEM! (Lord knows I do. ...) Educate them about injustice, poverty, Walmart! The world can benefit from passionate people, so find your cause and make a difference (yes, it’s a cliché, but it’s beautiful).

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FOODIE AND SCIENCE & TECH

Fair Trade & Food Amy Alderman Food Editor

Fair Trade began in North America and Europe in the 1940s when a handful of humanitarian organizations reached out to poverty-stricken communities around the world. These alternative trade organizations cut out the middleman between small businesses and mid to large producers, allowing for more profits to go directly to the developing country. Today, this translates to over one million farmers and workers in over 58 developing countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.1 Conversely, there are many consequences to unfairly traded goods. Just a few of the harmful

photo by stock.xchng user lockstockb

effects may include child labor, worker exploitation, and climate change. Farm workers are likely receiving little to no pay for each workday, therefore prolonging the poverty within their community. Likewise, when farmers are not guaranteed a specific price for their crops, they often become victims of the marketplace. Fair Trade helps alleviate many of these problems.

To become Fair Trade certified, an organization must complete a compliance assessment between partnering agencies FairTrade USA and SCS Global Services. This includes completion of an impact assessment, multiple ingredients product policy, pricing requirements, and meeting standards for apparel and linens, farm

workers, independent smallholders, and small producer organization and trade.2 Although Fair Trade is a great way to help developing communities, some consumers believe there are items on the assessment that may be overlooked. Some coffee consumers state that although the coffee they buy makes them feel good about their purchase, the quality of the product does not taste as good as others because some of the environmental practices on farms are overlooked.3 If you’d like to taste test for yourself, the Walla Walla Roastery offers three Fair Trade–certified roasts, including Nicaragua Segovia, Liberty Blend, and Decaf Mexican

Chiapas. Other certifications you may look for when purchasing coffee include USDA organic, Rainforest Alliance, Smithsonian Bird Friendly, and Starbucks' C.A.F.E. Through your purchase of Fair Trade items on a day-to-day basis, you can help these developing countries, help reduce exploitation, and promote environment sustainability. Among the list of common items you may purchase at the grocery store, the Fair Trade–labeled groceries may include cocoa, coffee, tea, fruit, vegetables, herbs, sugar, spices, honey, and grain.

1. planusa.org/contentmgr/showdetails. php/id/860818.

2. fairtradeusa.org/certification/standards.

3. npr.org/blogs/the salt/2013/04/24/177757797/coffee-fora-cause-what-do-those-feel-goodlabels-deliver.

Recycling Gone Awry Spencer Cutting Science & Tech Editor

Most of us are keenly aware of the rate at which technology is advancing. Consumer electronics are updated especially often, and for those who like to keep up, it means the production of derelict electronics. I myself have three old computers and two of my dad’s old PDAs collecting dust in my room back home, and I’m not alone as a producer of e-waste. In 2007, Americas produced three million tons of e-waste.1 Getting rid of all that stuff is a problem.

Electronics contain a variety of heavy metals — including lead — that are rather toxic, as well as dangerous organic compounds used as fire retardants. Because of this, it’s not a good idea to just throw your electronics away. Not only is it a potential environmental hazard to let electronics build up in landfills, but it’s a waste of valuable raw materials — most notably copper and gold. Unfortunately, it’s much cheaper to

recycle things on the back of human suffering than in a controlled manner. According to a post from ABC, “It costs about €3.50 ($5.30) to properly dispose of an old CRT monitor in Germany. But it costs only €1.50 to stick it on a container ship to Ghana.”2 The conditions at the informal recycling slums are abhorrent. According to the ABC report, electronics are brought in by young boys on wooden carts to be broken and burned in heaps. After the plastic has burnt away, children comb through the ashes for copper wire and anything else of value to sell to intermediate collectors. The slum in Accra, Ghana, is blackened by soot from burnt plastic, and lead taints the water and the land. Similar informal scrap yards exist across Western Africa, China, Vietnam, India, and elsewhere.

The logistics of all of this are pretty convoluted. Naturally, most developed nations have laws against exporting e-waste to places like Accra — but just as naturally those laws have loopholes. For instance, exporting e-waste is illegal in Germany, but exporting used electronics is not. Computers that could

potentially be repaired are considered used electronics. In the case of China, much of their e-waste is imported through Hong Kong, bypassing restrictions.3 This isn’t quite as simple as I’ve made it look, however. Much of the e-waste processed in these nations is domestic. While China does import plenty of e-waste, they produce quite a lot of their own, too: in 2011, 3.62 million tons.4 More surprisingly, Ghana produces up to 85 percent of the electronics they recycle each year (although it is of note that much of that comes from used electronics imported from Europe — as I said, this is all pretty convoluted).5 Noting the high proportion of dangerously

recycled waste that is domestic in origin, the United States EPA is working not only to limit U.S. exports (while a bill was introduced in 2009 to restrict the export of e-waste, it has since died in committee),6 but also to build infrastructure for more responsible recycling in affected nations.7 Along with the United Nations' StEP program,8 they’re working to track the movement of e-waste, promote better handling in countries such as Ethiopia and China, and support the design of more easily recycled electronics. It’s an ambitious goal, but one that we should all support. In the meantime, use this online tool from the EPA to find out how you can responsibly dispose of your old electronics.9

1. inhabitat.com/electronics-recycling-101-the-problem-with-e-waste.

2. abcnews.go.com/WN/discarded-computers-poisonous-african-children/story?id=9266722#.

UX6oObXFXms. 3. step-initiative.org/index.php/newsdetails/items/step-green-paper-provides-comprehensive-overviewof-e-waste-problem-in-china.html.

4. step-initiative.org/index.php/newsdetails/items/step-green-paper-provides-comprehensive-overviewof-e-waste-problem-in-china.html.

5. sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210110041.htm.

6. govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/hr2595.

7. epa.gov/international/toxics/ewaste/index.html.

8. step-initiative.org.

9. epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm.

TRAVEL

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The Tourist's Responsibility Megan Cleveland

Travel Editor

Tourism and travel can be powerful tools to promote social justice, equality, and better standards of living in many parts of the world.

Unfortunately for these same areas, tourism can also be one of the most detrimental practices, wreaking havoc on the country’s economy, its native population, and its culture. In order to be a responsible traveler, it is important to understand the impact your travel plans could have on your next destination.

The presence of tourists and a booming tourism industry can be extremely beneficial to an area. It “can serve as a vehicle for sustainable community development by contributing to equity and social justice.”1 An influx of tourists to a community means more money flowing into the local economy. Through tourism, more jobs are created because of the needs of tourists and also services that are provided to them. This income from tourists can be used to develop the local infrastructure and

to promote a better standard of living. These benefits include repairing roads and providing access to education and clean water.

Another benefit of tourism is that it promotes cultural awareness and can help preserve the culture and customs of the community. The interaction between visitors and hosts can help tourists become more aware of the richness of the local culture and will help them better understand their practices and the struggles with which the area may deal. In turn, these tourists will help raise global awareness of the issues that area might be facing — for example, human rights abuses or lack of education. For local residents, tourism allows them to begin to take pride in their culture and to look for ways to preserve it.

Although tourism can be beneficial to an area, it can also be very destructive. Tourism can actually magnify the inequalities present in a community by creating an economy based on tourism. In a community, these inequalities arise when there are some residents who are more able to take advantage of the business tourism brings and to procure a larger share of the profit from tourism. This leaves the others,

less able to take advantage of the opportunity, working low-paying jobs or unemployed.

Tourism can be dangerous to a local economy is several other ways. Tourists create a higher demand for items and cause price increases. This can make things even worse for those already in a tight spot. The United Nations Environment Programme states that “increasing demand for basic services and goods from tourists will often cause price hikes that negatively affect local residents whose income does not increase proportionately.”2 Additionally, the tourism business also has a harmful effect on the local government. Large corporations and developers in the tourist business may pressure the government to put more money into improving the airport, roads, and other aspects of the infrastructure for the benefit of tourists. This causes the government to have to cut spending in other crucial areas such as health, education, and other basic needs in order to accommodate the tourist industry.

Similarly, tourism can result in negative living conditions for locals. The large number of visitors and their activities can produce congestion, drug and alcohol problems,

According to the World Tourism Organization, there are eight guidelines for responsible tourists:3

1 Be open minded when dealing with other cultures and traditions. Be tolerant and respect diversity.

2 Respect human rights. preserve natural environments. Do not purchase products made from endangered plants or 3 Help animals.

4 Respect cultural resources.

Purchase local handicrafts and products to support the local economy. When bargaining for goods, try 5 to reflect an understanding of a fair wage.

Inform yourself about the destination’s current health situation and access to emergency services. This

6 will ensure your health and personal security will not be compromised.

7

Learn as much as possible about your destination before you depart. Take time to understand the customs, norms, and traditions.

8

Familiarize yourself with the laws so that you do not commit any act considered criminal by the law of the country visited. Refrain from all trafficking in illicit drugs, arms, antiques, protected species and products, or substances that are dangerous or prohibited by national regulations.

prostitution, and increased crime levels. Lastly, tourism can cause the displacement of locals to make space to build a new hotel or resort.

How can you help? The best way to ensure tourism is beneficial to other communities and promotes social justice is to become a responsible tourist and support sustainable tourism.

Providing support for sustainable tourism practices is also important in ensuring social justice in tourism. Sustainable tourism practices include taking part in activities that directly benefit the economic development of local communities and that promote respect for different cultures and human rights. Additionally, travelers should seek to adopt habits that protect the local flora and fauna, the environment, and the local cultural heritage.

1. Barton, Alan, and Sarah Leonard. "Incorporating Social Justice in Tourism Planning: Racial Reconciliation and Sustainable Community Development in the Deep South." Community Development 41.3 (2010): 298-322. Print. thecyberhood.net/documents/papers/barton10. pdf.

2. unep.org/resourceefficiency/Business/SectoralActivities/Tourism/FactsandFiguresaboutTourism/ImpactsofTourism/EconomicImpactsofTourism/NegativeEconomicImpactsofTourism/ tabid/78784/Default.aspx.

3. ethics.unwto.org/en/content/full-text-globalcode-ethics-tourism.

As a tourist, it is important to consider the effects of your travels and your behaviors while traveling. Adopting responsible tourist habits and supporting sustainable tourism are great ways to help ensure that human rights are respected and that tourism contributes to equality and social justice in all destinations.

Additional resources: Global Sustainable Tourism Council gstcouncil.org Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism globalsustainabletourism.com Sustainable Travel International sustainabletravel.org U.N. World Tourism Organization unwto.org

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SPORTS AND HEALTH & WELLNESS

SPORTS

United Trevor Boyson

National Sports News The Champions League Final will be between German teams FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund.

The Sacramento Kings are officially no longer relocating to Seattle.

An anonymous football player says human growth hormone use is "rampant" in the NFL.

Women's Softball Classic May 3–5 Friday at 2 p.m.

Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Sunday at 10 a.m.

Sports Editor

Sports have always had an inspirational quality to them. The never-ending struggle against adversity and the inspiring stories that come out of that are a reflection of some of the great things about humanity. Yes, sometimes our rivalries and passions can divide us. Lines are drawn in the sand over what color jersey we wear or for whom we cheer. But sports also provide a uniting quality that runs much deeper than is immediately apparent.

The thing about sports is how intensely they mimic all aspects of being human. The infinite struggles, a pursuit of excellence, and both success and failure alike are all evident. There’s

a reason why we’re drawn to them. Millions of people in America tuning in to football games on a Sunday has the same kind of power as a neighborhood game the kids put together.

This common humanity that sports share, and therefore we share in our experiences through games, unites us in very powerful ways. The Boston Marathon, after the terrible events that took place this year, will mean more than ever from here on out. The city of Boston and the world instinctively united around Boston sports teams, finding solace and strength through otherwise seemingly meaningless games taking place in the days afterward. The bond of that city, and the marathon that was already an important event internationally, is now much stronger and incredibly meaningful.

Egypt, a country full of turmoil in the last

few years, has been struggling to find a new identity with which it can move forward for the people. Due to violence, the local soccer league was shut down. Out of that storm has risen a beacon of hope: Egypt’s national soccer team.

Underdogs, just like the people who decided that their nation needed a new government, the team set out to qualify for the World Cup. In the wake of the Arab Spring, the whole of Egypt and even much of the world have pulled for that team.

In a nation where the people had to rise up against a brutal government, it may seem odd that they would rally behind something so seemingly meaningless. But sports have that ability to unite and rally us together out of problems not even related to what’s happening on the field.

Health and Poverty Karl Wallenkampf Health & Wellness Editor

Have you ever gone out to buy highquality outdoor gear? I did once, and I realized that if I was going to buy anything it had better be high quality because I’d be sleeping outside while I paid off my debt. This unsettling experience set me thinking. If it can be that expensive to get out for recreational purposes (and I usually associate being outdoors with good health), how expensive is it to be healthy in general?

The answer, for some, is “prohibitively.”

I reviewed some literature on the links between health and poverty. It makes sense that poverty would have a negative effect on health, but the reality of the disparity is apparent in the data. U.S. News and World Report published a Gallup report on the state of health and poverty in America. In the report, Gallup reported that almost 31 percent of the poverty-stricken in 2011 told Gallup that they had been diagnosed with depression, whereas only 15.8 percent of those not in poverty reported depression.

Furthermore, on average, those in poverty

had a six-percent higher incidence of asthma and obesity, as well as slightly higher rates of chronic disease.1 Likewise, a study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing found that in a cohort of older African American women, some in poverty and others not, those who were above the poverty level “had higher overall scores on the total [Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile] and higher scores on the exercise subscale” than those in poverty.2 But not only are health and beneficial activity seeming to be in jeopardy, access to care is as well.

Kathleen Peters at the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney studied health screening and cancer detection in disadvantaged populations.

She interviewed women’s health care workers and women who needed such screening and found some unsettling realities. “Findings indicate there is a lack of access to appropriate services for socially disadvantaged women which affects their screening uptake rates.”3 Peters found that disadvantaged women were not only less likely to gain access to the care that they needed, but that this lack of proper access affected how they would decide to proceed

— whether or not they would continue to pursue screening and treatment, I assume.

Peters recommends that nurses and other health care professionals advocate greater access to services and be “more sensitive” in providing that care. Is education the answer?

Perhaps it is, to some extent. Two professors carried out a study on lowincome midlife Koreans, giving them a cardiovascular health–promotion program.

The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, found that while general knowledge was improved and women benefitted by “decreasing biological risks and improving health-related quality of life,”4 the education was generally ineffective in changing their unhealthy behavior.

We all know that education is an excellent and critically necessary first step. One study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior concluded that while grade school and high school staff all noted that we need more education and physical activities in school, there is neither the time nor the funding to make it happen. Thus the study concludes, “Health professionals Continued on page 23

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CONTRIBUTOR

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Conflicting Consciences Karen Scott

Contributing Writer Liberty of conscience is the foundation of human rights and social justice. It alone pertains to the relationship between God and human beings, protecting the beliefs and practices that facilitate that primary relationship.

This makes liberty of conscience a matter of universal importance.

Some theorists assert not everyone’s conscience should be safeguarded. John Locke was one of these, holding that Catholics’ and atheists’ consciences were unworthy of protection.1 Similarly, the Puritans coming to North America for religious freedom denied it to those whose opinions and worship differed from their own.2 Even today there are people who do not agree with "liberty of conscience," only with "religious liberty." R.R. Reno, editor of First Things, asserts that liberals and nones, seeking to "replace religious liberty with a plenary ‘liberty of conscience’ ... [seem] to expand freedom, but that’s an illusion."3 Roger Williams, a devout Puritan, was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony due to his religious convictions. He believed everyone’s conscience worthy of protection, even Catholics and atheists.4 He believed God reaches every human being through the conscience; therefore, "religious compulsion is pointless, because belief is a phenomenon subject to God’s grace, power and timetable alone. Only God can instill true belief in a human mind and heart. ..."5 As nothing should come between God and the individual heart, protecting liberty of conscience was vital in Williams’ opinion, and he wrote pages on the subject, The Bloudy Tenet of Persecution, for Cause of Conscience (1644) being his most quoted work.

In a 1792 essay, James Madison wrote, "Government is instituted to protect property of every sort," and then noted, "Conscience is the most sacred of property."6 In Memorial and Remonstrance, written in opposition to a bill assessing taxes to support religion, Madi-

son noted that "it is an offence against God" not to recognize "free exercise of Religion according to dictates of Conscience," even for "those whose minds have not yet yielded to the evidence which has convinced us."7 Governments are to protect everyone’s conscience, believer and unbeliever.

The universal protection of conscience elevates the honor and dignity of every human being. One cannot protect the conscience of others, particularly those one opposes, without recognizing that each person is a member of the human race. Christians especially should be on the forefront of protecting everyone’s conscience because we recognize God as the Creator of humanity, creating us in His image. Therefore, we need to recognize every person is created in God’s image, even those with whom we disagree.

Just as we cannot see from where the wind comes or where it goes, we cannot tell when the Holy Spirit is working on a person’s heart or how far God has wooed them.8 Each person is to come to his or her own conclusions and choices9 and is to be persuaded in his or her own mind.

Conflict between competing consciences is probably greater and more fiercely fought than in other fields of social justice. For example, while some consciences hold that employers must accommodate the religious needs of their employees when employees need time off work for worship, others do not.

Some consciences have no problem bearing arms or owning a gun for personal protection; other consciences abhor violence. Some consciences permit contraception; others do not.

While some consciences allow abortion, others shrink from it. Some consciences approve same-sex marriage, while other consciences forbid it. These fierce conflicts between competing beliefs of conscience should not be surprising because conscience deals with the essence of each person’s core identity, the life they choose to live, and their very personal understanding of God. Protecting conscience requires sensitivity, understanding, and often courage. While many working in the area of liberty of conscience have no religious affiliation, Christians should be especially equipped to work

in this field, remembering that each of us is created in God’s image and that God wants each individual to follow Him as a response to His love, and not because of any force, threat, or unduly restrictive law.

Karen Scott, an alumna of WWU, successfully argued before the Supreme Court of Canada that her client not be required to work on Sabbath to retain his job, setting a national precedent for accommodation of religious belief and practice in the workplace. She completed a Master of Studies in International Human Rights Law at Oxford University. Her dissertation focused on protecting religious belief and practice in the workplace and on international human-rights law. She is president of Center for Liberty of Conscience (centerforliberty.org).

1. Locke, John. A Letter Concerning Toleration [1689]. Accessed 30 April 2013.

2. White, Ellen G. The Great Controversy. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1950, pp. 292-293.

3. Reno, R.R., Religion and Public Life in America.

Accessed 30 April 2013.

4. Barry, John M. Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul: Church, State and the Birth of Liberty. Viking/Penguin/Div. of Penguin Putnam (10 January 2012), p. 392.

5. Davis, James Calvin. The Moral Theology of Roger Williams: Christian Conviction and Public Ethics. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p. 20.

6. Madison, James. Property, Chapter 16, Document 23, 29 March 1792 Papers 14:266-68.

Accessed 30 April 2013.

7. Madison, James. Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments [1785]. Accessed 30 April 2013.

8. John 3:8.

9. Joshua 24:15.

Continued from page 22 can respect [time and funding] barriers by holding programs outside of classroom time and finding ways to involve families (e.g., during school events)."5 Health professionals do not need to be the only ones to help in health, though. We as students can volunteer with the Friends program at Davis or engage with young children in outdoors activities. These are excellent avenues of helping encourage healthy behavior.

1. Danielle Kurtzleben, “Americans in Poverty at Greater Risk for Chronic Health problems,” U.S. News and World Report, 30 October 2012, usnews.com/news/articles/2012/10/30/ americans-in-poverty-at-greater-risk-for-chronichealth-problems.

2. Brady, B., Nies, M. (1999). "Health-promoting lifestyles and exercise: a comparison of older African American women above and below poverty level." Journal of Holistic Nursing, 17(2), 197-207.

3. Peters, K. (2012). "Politics and patriarchy: Barriers to health screening for socially disadvantaged women." Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 42(2), 190-197.

4. Kyung Ok, H., Bong Jeong, K. (2011). "Evaluation of a cardiovascular health promotion programme offered to low-income women in Korea." Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20(9/10), 1245-1254.

5. Hammerschmidt, P., Tackett, W., Golzynski, M., Golzynski, D. (2011). "Barriers to and Facilitators of Healthful Eating and Physical Activity in Low-income Schools." Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 43(1), 63-68.

Fashioned FREE Old Cake Doughnut

when you show this coupon.

Limit one per person. Expires May 9, 2013.

No purchase necessary.

Breakfast and Lunch on weekdays, and Spaghetti Night on Wednesday!

Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs.

Wednesday Friday

6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

116 N. College Avenue | (509) 522-2738

Battle of the Bands is Saturday, May 4, in Davis Elementary’s gym at 8:15 p.m. All proceeds benefit Davis!

the heel SUPER JEWEL QUEST

Verbatim

Onions,the quest continues! This week two of three jewels are paper, pictured at sjqww.tumblr.com. Find a jewel, text or email me, and claim your prize.

“This is a religious college. You need to know which way is up.”

— Fred Liebrand, responding to a question about which way was up

“He was in the mood to talk politics, but I just wanted a burrito.”

— Martha Mason

“You woke up your roommate with Wham?! The lunchmeat or the band?”

— Jonathan Duncan “What do you call a person that speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call a person that speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call a person that speaks one language? American.”

— Ron Jolliffe

“I prefer shopping in Portland and Eugene.”

Becky Perdew

“Dang, you can spot that guy’s lower half from outer space!”

— Matt Randall, on someone’s neon shorts and shoes

Where do you like shopping in Walla Walla?

Jewel 1 you’ll find beneath a hood beside a pipe, beside a road.

Think W “ here’s the SAC?” then turn your back, and walk towards books and you’ll be good.

Jewel 2 needs good sleuthing from you: Name profs who taught til ́ 92, ́ whose namesake is a campus hall, and gave a spot to watch petals.

Beneath an egg-and-dart motif, you’ll find in shadows what you seek.

Jewel 3 you’ll see beneath a tree whose single petal shines brightly, and ś not a tree at all, southeastern-most in Sittner field.

“I shop online if I do — or Goodwill.”

Kristina Kosakova

“Goodwill: It can be fun, and you save money.”

Tiffany Nelson

“Bright’s: It brightens up my life when I have bad days.”

Whitney Stertz

“Walmart: It’s diverse!”

Pedrito Maynard-Reid

Hear something funny? Report it! julian.weller@wallawalla.edu

Julian Weller The Heel Editor

Two years ago, after Battle of the Bands, I told my prom-date-cum-friend Carly about going to Walmart to buy costumes for our band’s photo shoot, and she was mad. I was surprised. We’d been raising money for a good cause, and buying costumes was all part of the marketing effort for the event. But to Carly, the ends didn’t justify the means. But why not? Walmart offer low prices for people who need them, right?

One problem Carly has with Walmart is the way it devours small businesses like Smaug does dwarves. Because I like nooks and crannies; meeting new people; having adventures; and short, swarthy men, I do my best not to shop at superstores. I go to

Andy’s, Super 1, and Grocery Outlet for food; Pontarolo’s for art supplies; and buy most other things at thrift stores and online.1 During election season, a lot was made of America’s small businesses, of capitalism’s ability to democratize wealth to the broad middle class, and of rewarding hard work. Lots of that hard work is subverted by superstores.

Here in College Place, many smaller businesses suffered and closed when Walmart arrived. So if you’re going to talk about superstores providing jobs, talk first about the ones they’ve ended. That’s why the excuse “It’s good business” is inadequate. Good business and good ethics aren’t mutually exclusive, and business shouldn’t come at the expense of people (or dwarves). Small businesses and the spread of wealth should be valued much more highly than one hoarding corporate dragon.

But what about the people superstores employ? Here too we find specific reasons to dislike Walmart, whether it be strategically

scheduling employees for fewer hours than will qualify them for health coverage, pressuring manufacturers to bid each other down for distribution contracts (sometimes to the point that their brand manufacturers don’t turn a profit), outsourcing labor overseas, or highlighting deals at the beginning of store sections to create the false image of storewide lower prices. True, Walmart isn’t alone in outsourcing or in bullying manufacturers.

Nor are they the only multinational company with a long and catalogued record of employee abuse. Still, they’re doing very well at those things and are passing the savings on to you!

Aren’t you thrilled?

As a member of a capitalist economy, your money is your voice, and you speak in favor of wherever you spend it. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “We are what we repeatedly do,” and I think we can all do better, must do better, when we realize that consumerism doesn’t entertain the notion of a middle ground.

Undisciplined capitalism destroys its own potential to be a tool for good, and you’re either for it or you’re against it. You’re either paying a company to continue or you aren’t.

There is no gray area with money.2 If, like me, you care about the world around you but are constrained to a student budget, you might be wondering what other choices you have. It’s hard to argue with convenience, but there are plenty of low-priced and environmentally friendly alternatives here in the valley. (Check footnote one for suggestions.)

For this year’s Battle of the Bands,3 I won’t be buying costumes from Walmart. I’ll be reusing and remaking props, and those memories are something I look forward to keeping more than walking through aisles and fighting with a selfcheckout. Keep it real, Onions.

1. Check out tinyurl.com/heelshop for other shopping alternatives.

2. Because, you know, it’s green (not ecologically speaking).

3. Which will be a joy-filled doozy!