MARCH/APRIL 2013
TRUTH AND TWO STAPLES
BINGHAMTON REVIEW
...GOES TO
WASHINGTON
Inside this Issue: OUR STAFF TALKS ABOUT GOING TO CPAC -PROFESSOR MISCONDUCT OUR SECRET CONSERVATIVE CONSPIRACY!!! POPE FRANCIS - ZEN FEDERALISM -
Binghamton Review
P.O. BOX 6000 BINGHAMTON, NY 13902-6000
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FOUNDED 1987 • VOLUME XXVII NUMBER 7• APRIL 2013 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jacob L. Hayutin Managing Editor Daniel D. Milyavsky Treasurer Samuel P. Bondy Copy Desk Chief Larry P. Gerchikov Associate Editor Nicholas Fondacaro Editors Emeriti Aaron Ricks Mark Soriano Contributors Nicholas Fondacaro, Katie Dermigny, Roy Kwak, Josh May, Justin Hayet, Sean Glendon, Ross Marchand Patriarchs of the Review Louis W. Leonini Adam Shamah Friends of the Review Dr. Aldo S. Bernardo The Leonini Family Mr. Bob Soltis WA2VCS The Shamah Family The Grynheim Family The Menje Family The Leeds Family The Lombardi Family The Packer Family Mr. Michael O’Connell Binghamton Review is printed by Our Press in Chenango Bridge, NY. We provide the truth; they provide the staples.
From the Editor...
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his past month has been exceptionally eventful. On the weekend of March 15th, five of our staff members traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. Every year some of the most influential people and organizations rally together to learn from one another. It is considered to be one of the most prescient events for determining the direction of the Republican party. This is especially true concerning the outcome of the straw poll for most favorable presidential candidate. It is considered a great honor to be invited to speak and the results of the straw poll usually influences the Party’s ultimate decision for a Presidential nominee. For example, Governor Mitt Romney won the straw poll in 2012 and before him, Congressmen Ron Paul of Texas won in 2010 and 2011. This year his son, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, defeated Fox News favorite Marco Rubio by a slim margin. This
outcome beckons a libertarian shift within the party in preparation for 2016, or at least until CPAC 2014. Some considered it to be very controversial that Governor Chris Christy of New Jersey was not invited. While the mainstream media adores him for his bipartisanship and high approval rating, It seems that core conservatives view him as more of a political sell-out than a future leader. In other far more frivolous news, a foolish last minute write-in candidate for S.A. President, incited campus gossip, indicting the Review as a conspiratorial cell seeking to take over the school via S.A. positions. His pathetic attempt to promote himself, by attacking us, unfortunately did not prevail. But, it did make for a hilarious follow up letter-to-the-editor in Pipe Dream. Mr. Weintraub told me personally that we would publish our response, but if he does not, we made sure to provide it for your convenience on page 10 of this issue. B
Our Mission Binghamton Review is a non-partisan, student-run periodical of conservative thought at Binghamton University. A true liberal arts education expands a student’s horizons and opens one’s mind to a vast array of divergent perspectives. In that spirit, we seek to promote the free exchange of ideas and offer an alternative viewpoint not normally found on our predominately liberal campus. It is our duty to expose the warped ideology of political correctness that dominates this university. We stand against tyranny in all its forms, both on campus and beyond. We believe in the principles set forth in this country’s Declaration of Independence and seek to preserve the fundamental tenets of Western civilization. Finally, we understand that a moral order is a necessary component of any civilized society. We strive to inform, engage, and perhaps even amuse our readers in carrying out this mission.
Contents
CPAC Watch....................................4 By Dan Milyavsky
What You Missed...............................5 By the Editors
The Review Goes to Washington.......6 By the B.R. Staff
Professor Misconduct.........................8 By Nicholas Fondacaro
Conservative Conspiracy..................10 By the Editors
The Pope? Forget that Guy...............12 By Katie Dermigny
Zen Federalism................................15 By Jacob L. Hayutin
A True American Hero.....................17 By Roy Kwak
Cyprus Hill.....................................19 By Sean Glendon
Swatting in Binghamton..................21 By Nicholas Fondacaro
Not Alone Against Iran....................23 By Josh May & Justin Hayet
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CPAC watch Dan Milyavsky Junior Student of Biology CPAC: Tons of Young Conservatives, Mindless Clichés and Crazy Theocrats, but still some Hope Let me start by saying that I am incredibly grateful to have been able to attend CPAC, minus the cost of the $40 ticket and some food, for free. For this I thank the Binghamton Review, and since our two main funding sources are the Student Association and the Collegiate Network, I’d like to thank the students as well, even if the student fee you have to pay is mandatory and you didn’t have a choice in the matter. I’ve watched CPAC speeches on TV before, so in terms of the main speeches in the Potomac Ballroom, I knew what to expect. Most were full of clichés and rather hollow and vapid. Common lines included blaming the liberals for everything and repeating how great America is over and over again. The main stage that was televised was full of theatrics. I was very excited to meet Senator Mike Lee of Utah. He was gracious and actually willing to talk to the people around him; he is truly a humble man. (I happen to like basically every Mormon I meet. Just ask our former editor, Aaron Ricks.) I didn’t expect to run into any US Senators, so I didn’t know at first what to ask him. At first, I awkwardly asked him how he was doing, to which he gave a surprising honest answer of “ehh, I’m alright.” I then asked him if I could ask a very stereotypical libertarian question, concerning the recent successful efforts in Colorado and Washington to 4
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legalize (rather than just decriminalize) marijuana. He said that had he been a voter in those states, he probably would not have voted for the referendum, but he didn’t think the federal government should be involved with setting pharmaceutical policy at all, and that each state should have its own FDA like organization, and that this would allow for the most innovation in medicine. While I personally disagree with drugs being illegal even on the state level (I think it is a gross violation of individual liberty), at least Senator Lee’s position was a constitutional one and not blatantly hypocritical like Obama’s decision to raid medical marijuana dispensaries for dying cancer patients in California. Remember, Mike Lee is a Mormon who doesn’t even drink coffee. Barack Obama boasts in his book that he has snorted “blow” and smoked marijuana. Another speech I enjoyed was David Keene’s, who is now the president of the NRA and the former president of the American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC. He gave an interesting historical perspective about how historically the Old Guard of the Republican Party has always resisted new entrants. The East Coast Establishment (people like Nelson Rockefeller) resisted Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, but they broke in anyway (fortunately). Then Barry Goldwater resisted the Religious Right and people like Pat Robertson and Pat Buchanan, and they also got in (extremely unfortunately). Now, people like Ron and Rand Paul are drawing tons of young people to the liberty movement, and by extension to the
Republican Party, and moss covered statists like John McCain are trying to stop him – and thankfully failing. I also appreciated getting to meet many other young conservatives and libertarians, and the many venues where free food and drinks were available. I’m especially hopeful when I see many Southern Christian conservatives realizing that they don’t need the government to enforce their moral code, and that libertarianism and religiosity are fully compatible. Finally, what I hated most about CPAC is the Republican Party’s, and conservatives in general, terribly counterproductive and hypocritical tendency to correctly criticize for playing identity politics with minorities and women, and then doing the same thing with devoutly religious Christians – who also constitute a minority of Americans. However, there is hope that Republicans and conservatives understand this. No matter how many idiotic and false statements he made about the Declaration of Independence, being some kind of Christian manifesto and for the government to impose antiquated religious views on all Americans, Rick Santorum was never even close to winning the Republican nomination. And despite the fact that you saw his Patriot Voices activists everywhere, those of us who Stand with Rand showed them who’s really boss, as Rand Paul won the straw poll with 25% of the vote, whereas Rick Santorum was in third place with single digits. B
MARCH/APRIL 2013
What You Missed By the Editors
* My Dad was upset with me for failing to publish his response to my article on Social Security and Medicare in the January 2013 issue, so here it is. He’s talking about my distinctions between the pockets of the federal and state governments: I’ve said that since the “pockets” were divided by LBJ - it’s impossible to change the policies. Therefore, I was shocked and disgusted with politics. I’ve said that mom’s friends who have never voted in the election (not to mention giving donations) came out as smarts, when I came out a loser. BTW, to amuse your readers, you could publish this as your “reader” reply to the article. I’d like to encourage readers to email responses, whether positive or negative, to any article they read to editor@binghamtonreview.com. We’ll make sure to actually publish them promptly. Sorry, Dad. Since I’m a pre-med student, thanks for being willing to pay for me to stay in school for the rest of my life, though! * North Korea’s government seems to really be on the edge of totally losing it. Just the other day, Supreme Leader Kim Jung-un (who easily has the chubbiest cheeks in international politics) announced that North Korea will restart a nuclear reactor, with the underlying threat of wiping Seoul off the map. Luckily, newly minted Secretary of State John Kerry brought the fear of God into their hearts: he called it a “provocative act” that is “a direct violation of their international obligations.” What a frightening man! North Korea's Dear Leader must have have been shaking in his boots upon hearing that one! * Elsewhere in the world, a Saudi man who has been convicted of www.binghamtonreview.com
stabbing a man in the back and paralyzing him, has been sentenced to be paralyzed himself! A tooth for a tooth! Maybe next time we should try this in America. The next time we arrest someone for doing cocaine we should....yeah, I guess it wouldn’t really work with victimless crimes, now would it? * I was enough of a prick to give myself my own section for my CPAC review. It’s amazing what you can get away with once you get promoted. * The Associated Press has, in its stylebook, recommended that reporters stop using the term “illegal immigrant. It says that :illegal’ should describe only an action, such as living in or immigrating to a country illegally,” rather than a person. To the AP’s credit, it has previously rejected the idiotic term “undocumented immigrant” as rightly inaccurate. Most of the illegal immigrants in the country have documents; they’re just false. However, the same can probably be said for a majority of college students under 21. * The city of Stockton, CA has received permission from a judge to proceed with Chapter 9 bankruptcy. It is the most populous city in America to ever go bankrupt. It went bankrupt as a result of pressures caused by excessive pay and benefits for government workers. The unions that represent these workers are deeply involved in electing the city government officials, so they essentially can milk the taxpayer for as much money as politically feasible. Doesn’t sound much like sustainable policy. * Republican Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois has followed in Rob
Portman’s footsteps and become the second Republican Senator to endorse gay marriage. Woohoo! Maybe if people don’t think Republicans are homophobes, they’ll actually considering voting for them! I am not saying, and I do not for a moment believe, that opposition to gay marriage equates to homophobia or bigotry. However, liberals and Democrats have tricked many people into thinking this way, just as they managed to convince the public that there is some kind of imaginary War on Women going on. * In the aftermath of the Newtown shooting, Connecticut has rushed to enact a series of unwise gun control laws that would have done nothing to prevent the tragedy that happened at Sandy Hook. While I sympathize with the desire to do something to prevent another unbearable tragedy like this, some measures in the law, like having a registry of weapons offenders, would have done nothing to prevent Adam Lanza or his mother, who had no such offenses, from obtaining a weapon. Maybe they should simply restrict those on psychoactive drugs from obtaining licences? *A writer at Reason Magazine compares Obamacare to the Iraq War. The Iraq War, Shikha Dalmia argues, cost $1 trillion and produced a quagmire abroad. Obamacare cost over $1 trillion and creates a quagmire at home. The difference, I would argue, is that while the Iraq War eventually ended, Obamacare, and it’s horrible effects on medical care in the United States, seem to be here to stay. Had the Iraq War never happened, perhaps Hillary Clinton would be in her second term right now, and instead of sliding more and more into statism, we'd just have a repeat of the 90's. If only.B
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The Review Goes to Washington Josh May Freshmen Student of Arabic & Political Science My first time going to CPAC was one of the greatest experience of my political life. For years I have watched debates, speeches and election results, read analysis articles and even participated in a grassroots primary campaign entirely online. The distinguishing factor between these activities and CPAC, however, was the simple but powerful fact that all that I had known as a theory was real and live, right in front of me- no longer a theory. From bumping into great American heroes like Allen West, Bob Vander Plaats or Robert Spencer in the hallways to actually having lunch and dinner (and more than a few photographs) with personal hero Senator Rick Santorum. The entire experience was almost surreal, and the energy and charisma of the many speakers was multiplied by the truly extraordinary chance to meet some of the great personalities shaping conservative policy today. I left CPAC even more energized and committed to defending timeless conservative principles than when I arrived.
Jacob Hayutin Senior Student of History & Philosophy, Politics and Law This was also my first time attending CPAC. Having no experience and having done little research on the event, I was anxious to see what it had to offer. Considering the recent turmoil of the Republican Party, I was very excited to observe the general disposition of the attendees. Was it going to be filled with stuff old misers or would recent defeats
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encourage a young revolutionary voice to emerge? Going in fearful of a strange combination of the two, I was pleasantly surprised by the prominence of young libertarian minded students. Over half the attendees were under thirty and identified with libertarianism. For me, this provided comfort and hope that the G.O.P. was not going to suffer an untimely death by senility. The highlights for me included; attending a lecture by Senior fellow of the Kirk Institute Dr. George H. Nash, hearing Rand Paul deliver his straw poll winning speech and hearing Arthur Davis, former Democratic House representative from Alabama now neo-con convert, deliver his speech. From almost literally bumping into Newt Gingrich in the Lobby of the Gaylord Resort & Convention Center, to taking advantage of San Diego State’s open bar, It was overall an incredibly educational and fun experience. Sam Bondy Junior Student of Economics During the car ride to my firstever CPAC, I had no idea what to expect of the sentiment of the attendees. To my pleasant surprise, even after the right’s brutal defeat in 2012, the vociferous spirit of conservatism remains unwavering. Reince Priebus is taking charge in analyzing why the loss occurred, and how it needs to change. Figures like Mitt Romney are too boring and old school for the youth to relate to and support. Although I was disappointed
by CPAC’s decision not to invite Chris Christie, many speakers still managed to make similar messages to his, heard messages to his, heard. Politicians such as Wayne Allyn Root stressed the importance of putting up candidates, not like Romney and Goldwater, but like Reagan. 30 gubernatorial seats are held by Republicans, so why are they so unpopular on a federal level. CPAC has enlightened me on many issues and made me feel a strong connection to the conservative party, I went home with a renewed sense of pride. I met many interesting people and look forward to going for years to come. Amanda Baker Freshmen Student of Math, Physics & History At CPAC, there were a myriad of speakers and events that I enjoyed however, my favorite speakers were Paul Ryan and Michael Lee. Paul Ryan gave a compelling speech about America and what we stand for. He continued by explaining the way that we are running our country will not work because the government is too involved. He made suggestions which include: making more goods in America, cutting unnecessary programs and debt so that we can continue to be the superpower. Our biggest fear right now is that America will lose its place as the world’s superpower. Once this happens, China or Russia will take our place. They are not countries that believe in freedoms. People’s lives will change irrevocably and we will lose this respect we have worked to keep for the past 200 years.
MARCH/APRIL 2013
CPAC
Left to Right: Special Guest Ross Marchand, Treasurer Sam Bondy, Editor-in-Chief Jake Hayutin, Contributor Josh May, Contributor Amanda Baker, and Managing Editor Daniel Milyavsky, proudly wearing a Stand with Rand sticker.
Ross Marchand, a Guest Contributor from the University of Maryland. Ross is a junior student of Economics and a Campus Coordinator for Students for Liberty. The curbside of Union Station is always a curious site. On any given day, you’ll see hobos, homos, one-leggers, and boot-leggers. This day, however, is unlike every other day. Amidst all the hubub, there’s a curious mix of twenty-somethings wearing bow-ties and windsor knots. www.binghamtonreview.com
Is that Rick Santorum standing sixty feet away? No; that’s probably just a misguided devotee strutting his man boobs in a sweater vest. I mosey on over to introduce myself to the fellow CPAC attendees waiting for a shuttle, bracing myself for the awkward conversations sure to follow. En route to CPAC, I talk to a Huntsman supporter; I hope he knows how much I pity him. When walking into the conference hall for the first time, its easy to get carried away with the sheer scope of the operation. You’ll see the tinfoil-haters alongside the prospective
Mitt Romneys; the straw-chewers rubbing shoulders with those damned moderates. For the plethora of accents and funny ties, the biggest differences are overwhelmingly generational. This, for sure, is not your granddaddy’s CPAC, replete with reefer madness and gay shaming. This year, attendance at the gay rights forum blew the NOM (National Organization for Marriage) fest out of the water. This is hardly the change thought up by idealistic young revolutionaries, but change nonetheless. B 7
Professor Misconduct
Destruction of the Liberal Arts Part II: Professor Misconduct Nicholas Fondacaro Senior Student of Political Science
When I wrote the first Destruction of the Liberal Arts article I did not think it was going to develop into a recurring series. In the first installment, I wrote about how a student was being verbally assaulted by a professor, and other members of the class, on the 11th anniversary of 9/11 for memorializing the victims. You can read that article here, www. redstate.com/nickfondacaro. Recently, I have come across some information that requires me to, once again, call out liberal professors that abuse their position and victimize their students in the process. On March 13th, 2013 there was a rally on campus to address supposed racisms at Binghamton University and in the SUNY system. The rally was attended by undergraduates, graduates, and some faculty. The goal of this article is not to discuss the premise behind the rally, but to
‘According
to come of the students I talked to, some of them were not of their own free will. They were forced to attend the rally by their professor.’
discuss why some of the students that attended the rally were there. I had an opportunity to speak with a few of the people that attended the rally and what they had to say was quite disturbing. According to the students that I talked to, some of them were not there of their own free will. They were forced to attend the rally by their professor. I invited the students to sit down with me and tell me about their experiences at the rally and with their professor. The students told me the professor was Reynaldo Ortiz of the sociology department. The picture is what Professor Ortiz posted on BlackBoard to one of his classes. In all caps it read: “I expect all of you present at the event. It counts as class attendance. No stories/ excuses!” The university’s policy on forced attendance at rallies and other political type events treads a very fine line. The university policy states that a professor can require students be present at a rally to observe. So at first glance, the forced attendance seems like it falls under what is allowed by the university. BUT, there is more to the policy. He also gave his students no adequate warning that they would have to attend the rally. The rally was not in the syllabus
and they were notified only told two days before the event. The university policy states that the rally must be in the syllabus or the students must have ample time to get prepared. The policy also states that students cannot be compelled to actually take part in the rally. A student can be required to go if they have to write a paper, do a presentation, or the rally has something to do with the class. According to the students I talked to, they were made to march around with the crowd, not follow the crowd to experience and observe the rally. Many of the students were also made to hold signs and chant along with the crowd. Students who did not want to chant and hold up the signs felt intimidated and forced. Many of the students felt uncomfortable at the rally because of this. A student was also reprimanded when they smirked after one of the speakers make a comment. Students claimed they were uncomfortable throughout almost the entire event. Some said it was especially uncomfortable when they moved in front of the Cooper Administration building. When the rally moved to Cooper, the crowd began to chant and
Professor Misconduct demand that President Stenger come down and speak to them. According to the students, the crowd got a little riled up when President Stenger did not appear. One of the students I spoke with commented that it seemed a little ridiculous that they expected the president to appear on command. The students were also uneasy because they saw what they claimed to be members of the Black Panthers. The students described a logo on their jackets as the clenched, socialist, fist and a panther on the wrist. One might ask: If they were uncomfortable like they claim, why didn’t they let their professor know and ask to leave? While all of this was going on Professor Ortiz was nowhere to be found. My sources tell me that Ortiz did not show up to the rally until the rally was almost over. In Ortiz’s BlackBoard post, he said that the rally would be what they were doing in place of a normal class period, yet he was late to it. Because of Professor Ortiz’s tardiness, his students were forced to take part in a rally that many of them felt uncomfortable at and felt threatened attending. His absence meant that students could not bring their concerns to him and they were forced to stay. They were forced to stay because they feared for their grades. The BlackBoard post he made clearly states that
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there are no excuses for not being there, and his absence kept them from having any kind of legitimate route for being able to get excused from the rally. I asked the students about what Professor Ortiz is like in class. What they told me describes the typical leftist professor. He shoots down their dissent to his opinions and does not allow for a proper discussion or debate to be had. He also allows for other students to gang up and verbally attack other students in the class, just like the leftist professor in the original Destruction of the Liberal Arts article. So basically Professor Reynaldo Ortiz forced his students to attend and participate in a rally that he ideologically agrees with, and he did not enable students to leave if they were uncomfortable. He failed to give his students ample warning that they had to take part in the rally. His students were subjected to intimidation and harassment, and they could not do anything about it. I
once sat down with President Stenger and asked him about the university’s plan to weed out professors who abuse their powers, hide behind tenure, and are all around terrible teachers. He told me that there basically is nothing they can do or are willing to do to curb radical leftist professors. Clearly something needs to be done. A student should not have to stay in an uncomfortable situation for fear of failing a class or any penalty whatsoever, because their grade is being held hostage. B
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Conservative Conspiracy
Dear Mr. Tennenbaum BR Staff
For sake of your political comrades, I recommend you avoid signing your name on such silly accusations in the future. There is nothing more detrimental to the integrity of a political position than concluding an article with a conspiratorial claim, constructed on an inductive fallacy and littered with emotive diction. At best, such an argument may sway a few extremely uninformed voters. It is true over the years several students have been involved with both the Binghamton Review and the Student Association. It is also true that conservative supportive third-party organizations solicit us, urging us to take advantage of their services. It is even true that some of our staff has taken advantage of these opportunities in the past. However, the fact that you
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jumped to the conclusion of a “shady” conspiracy makes me to think you have been afflicted by a severe case of confirmation bias and have done little research on our organization. When I first became involved with the BR about a year ago, I interpreted the “evidence” you presented a little differently. It proved to me that the Review staff is comprised of exceptionally ambitious students--who not only spend their extracurricular time discussing politics in their articles, but also get involved with campus affairs in order to make a difference. While liberalism is a political ideology, conservatism is a methodology based on principles. One of the principles most highly valued in the conservative community is integrity. Having become friends with Adam Shamah, Aaron Ricks, and Mark
Soriano, I can confidently say that these students are men of integrity. They believe in what they say and their deeds always follow their words. To link third-party influence with “installment” is simply insulting to the free will and intellectual capacity of those accused. Considering their exceptional scholarship, I would bet each of them had a political opinion before they were enrolled in Binghamton University. Furthermore, to credit their successes to the work of these third parties depreciates the value of their work. It was the integrity and ambition of the accused that built their resumes, not some ubiquitous conservative vendetta. If you would be so kind as to read a few of our articles before making harsh, imprudent judgments, you would find that our staff members have very diverse opinions and stances--including Randian libertarians, several prolife Catholics, and even a liberaldemocrat. Also, I’m sure if you took a poll of all students on campus, you would find that conservatives represent a small minority of opinion. So, even if we had the money to hire Jim Messina to personally train our staff for SA usurpation, the electorate would still likely be averse. What does any of this have to do with their qualifications for SA positions, anyway? Special thanks to Quintin Maidment. B MARCH/APRIL 2013
ISI
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The Pope
“The Pope? Forget that Guy” Katie Dermigny, Senior Student of Neuroscience & English
A few months back, Pope Benedict XVI opened a twitter account, @pontifex. Many responses were positive, but with the internet being what it is, even innocuous tweets such as “Dear Friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart” were met with wide array venomous and hostile responses. Many were imaginatively vile, others were simple and to the point, but most succeeded in destroying any notion of civil discourse. But hey, the internet is the internet, and trolls are trolls. It would be foolish for anyone to take to heart the comments of people hiding behind a screen of anonymity. Cut to February 11. The pope announced he planned to retire at the end of the month, becoming the first pope to do so since 1415 and shocking a world that had mostly forgotten that such a thing could even happen. Pope Benedict, who is 85 this year, cited his advancing age as the major reason and stated that he could no longer “adequately fulfill the ministry” entrusted to him. This news was certainly interesting and unusual, but understandable as well. I personally took the news mildly. I liked Pope Benedict. He may not have had John 12
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Paul II’s charisma, but he was a good pope whose academic approach to theology I have always appreciated. If he feels that his retirement is the correct decision for both himself and the church, than that is probably the case. On February 12, the pope was naturally a point of conversation on campus. Sitting in one of my classes, I was not surprised to hear the students nearby me discussing the story. However, I was surprised to hear one student comment on the pope’s retirement by saying, “The
‘The
Pope? Good, that guy’s a bastard.’ Pope? Good, that guy’s a bastard.” To the intended recipient, this statement was seen as neither bold nor excessive, and certainly not incorrect. No logic was given to explain the reaction, but it seemed no more thoughtful than the many scathing remarks hurled at the pope’s Merry Christmas tweet. Except this wasn’t a nameless, faceless,
internet troll, but instead your average, run-of-the-mill student. How does an ordinary person drum up hatred for someone who does not affect them, is respected by millions of other Americans and over a billion people worldwide, and whose main message is one of peace? It seems unlikely that a news piece on the Dalai Lama would be met with equal disgust. But because the values and teachings of the Church are often at odds with the media and the increasingly progressive American culture, it is neatly cast as an archvillain in the progressive narrative. In a society otherwise governed by the dictates of political correctness, this presents a unique opportunity to openly denigrate a highly respected religious leader without fear of censure. Since the announcement, the media has eagerly looked to find fault with the pope. Instead of celebrating the idea that the highest authority of one of the largest organizations on earth would willingly step down from that power, an act that is both humble and inspiring, they have searched high and low for scandal. It is apparently impossible to accept the idea that an 85-year-old man would find the task of leading the Catholic Church difficult to carry on. A tally of news reports from ABC, CBS, and NBC MARCH/APRIL 2013
The Pope
found that of 112 reports about the pope’s resignation, 87 included the word “scandal.” 32 times, anchors and reporters suggested the Church must modernize and change, a call that is not made of other religions around the world, but is instead reserved for Catholicism as it does not adequately conform to the views of the media. ABC in particular continually injected comparison with the Dan Brown novel “The Da Vinci Code,” a fiction book whose fame comes in part from sensational descriptions of the Catholic Church, despite it having no bearing whatsoever on the current topic. When no scandal surfaced, they were forced to resort to articles like the one that recently appeared on Yahoo! News, observing that the Pope’s pension would be mildly larger than the average monthly social security payment for Americans and taking particular pains to remind readers it was a “sweet deal” they would not be getting. Similar stories ran on CNBC and other news sources. A more fitting comparison, and one certainly more relevant to the American people, would be a comparison of pensions between public and private sector workers, or perhaps between the average congressman and the average American instead. This attitude trickles down to
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‘This attitude trickles down to the point where many people who may know next to nothing about the church and its ministries know at the very least it is a backwards institute that can have no positive influence on society.’ the point where many people who may know next to nothing about the church and its ministries know at the very least it is a backwards institute that can have no positive influence on society. It defines marriage as being between a man and woman; therefore it is homophobic. It opposes abortion; therefore it is anti-women. It preaches that sex is best reserved for the state of marriage; therefore it is repressive and controlling. And the final nail in the coffin, the Church is run by a group of old, predominantly white men, the widely accepted hallmark of depravity. Little attention is given to the fact that worldwide, the Church is estimated to provide about 25% of all AIDS care. In Africa the estimate jumps to 4050% and in very rural Africa, Church clinics are often the only ones available.
In the 1980s, at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, Catholic hospitals like St. Vincent’s in Manhattan were among the first to treat those afflicted by HIV and AIDS. In 1989, protesters chained themselves to the pews of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in protest of the Church’s stance on AIDS education, prevention, and homosexuality. While they crushed communion wafers in defiance, nearby Catholic hospitals were providing care to their sick and dying AIDS patients. Similarly, little attention is brought to Catholic run shelters for battered women or abused children such as the Covenant House, also located in New York City, which rescues, protects, and cares for teens on the streets of New York who have nowhere else to go. The Catholic pro-life argument is shrugged off as
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The Pope
a patriarchal attempt by an old, sexist institute to extend its sphere of control directly into the bodies of freethinking women and ensure that they remain enslaved to their reproductive systems. The serious discussion it presents about the value of life and the attempt to protect it at all stages is disregarded. Additionally, the Church’s teaching on abstinence until marriage is regarded as too outlandishly antediluvian to even been contemplated and the worthy message of preventing the banalization of sex is completely lost. Finally, critics of the Catholic Church turn to the very serious problem of sexual abuse by priests. This of course warrants media coverage and discussion, but the acts of individuals are not properly separated from the Church as a whole. When a terrorist murders countless innocents in the name of Allah, great efforts are rightly made to remember that those terrorists do not represent the millions of faithful, prayerful Muslims living in peace. However, when a priest commits unspeakable acts to innocent
‘While they crushed communion wafers in defiance, nearby Catholic hospitals were providing care to their sick and dying AIDS patients.’ 14
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children society sees this as final, damning evidence that the ideologies of the Catholic Church have no place in modern society and that these horrific acts are accurate representations of everything wrong with the religion. There is incredible good in the church beyond the scandals that afflict it, but few are willing to point that out. We’re told one of the tenets of modern American society is acceptance and mutual respect. In practice, this tends to be acceptance and respect for those who fall into ideological line. Media bias is an oft-cited conservative line. And while the left grows weary of hearing it, the repetition doesn’t make it any less true. The teachings of the church are often ideals of human behavior based on the teachings of Christ. The countless number of kind and charitable acts done across the world in the name of Christ and in the spirit of Catholicism are connected to the leaders of the church, and none more so than the pope. It’s entirely possible to disagree with both
him and his philosophical positions and still recognize that Benedict XVI, much like his predecessor John Paul II, has been a powerful advocate for peace and charity. As Catholics welcome in the new Pope Francis, there is hope amongst them that this aspect of the church will be brought back to the forefront, as it should be. Francis I, whose papal name was inspired by the venerated St. Francis of Assisi, is known for both his humility and his close connection to the poor. Speaking of his decision, he cited that fact that St. Francis was a “poor man, a simple man, as we would like a poor church, for the poor.” Pope Francis is not going to change teachings of the church to fit the desires of the American media, or even of some American Catholics. But if his statements regarding the role of the church are sincere, then he is going to be an excellent pope. This writer, for one, wishes Pope Benedict well during his much deserved retirement and luck to Pope Francis during his historic papacy. B MARCH/APRIL 2013
Zen Federalism
Zen Federalism
Jacob L. Hayutin Senior Student of History & Philosophy , Politics and Law Federalism requires meticulously pruning like one of Mr. Miyagi’s delicate bonsais. Since the ratification of the Constitution, especially in response to economic turmoil and war, the reach of central power has broadened and its branches have grown entangled. This criticism served as the thesis for Senator Rand Paul’s address at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Where, every year the various factions within the G.O.P.
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rally together to learn from one another. Paul is a libertarian, slightly more conservative than his famously ideological father, who could potentially fill the party’s authority vacuum on the road to 2016. Senator Paul’s criticism was inspired by the discrepancies between President Obama’s definition of liberty in his campaign and his subsequent actions as executive. Most recently, Obama signed the National Defense Authorization
Act of 2013, allowing for the indefinite detainment of U.S. citizens. Thank God, although federalism may no longer be operating up to code, our accessibility to information makes analyzing politics easier than ever. The tradition of oratory has survived in democracy because it keeps our political skies clear for smoke signals like this one. It warns us that our valiant Commander-inChief has reached his moment
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‘The balance
of liberty and tyranny relate like temperature. Liberty is the absence of government in the same way cold is the absence of heat.’ of catharsis, in the pursuit of a Lennonian, “Imagine there’s no countries;” brand of immigration reform. Although his campaign rhetoric promised blanket amnesty for all undocumented citizens and won him a major victory in a key demographic. He has subsequently taken a more clandestine approach in dealing with the rule of law, that consequently degrades the meaning of citizenship.
Regrettably, it looks like the Federal Treasury will not be the only victim of Obama’s progressive misallocation of resources and authority. Where bad fiscal policy depreciates the value of money and one’s labor, the degradation of citizenship tips the balance of liberty and tyranny, a far more heinous offense. The balance of liberty and tyranny relate like temperature. Liberty is the absence of government in the same way cold is the absence of heat. There is nothing more telling of Obama’s hot disposition towards
lawmaking suggest our federalist experiment has drifted into an uncharted penumbra of its psychedelic conception. As a libertarian student, I am the first to acknowledge the residual moss of social fundamentalism on all roots of the G.O.P. and how it makes the Millennials abscond from any notion of allegiance. However, I believe in this day and age, the good natured yet outmoded policies supported by many social conservatives, to be pragmatically innocuous. It was no organization of churches or mandate, but my personal
‘It was no organization of churches or mandate, but my personal upbringing, within the greater arch of social history that allowed for me to grow up in the socially egalitarian culture that is my generation.’ federalism than the change in his mood. Since his last campaign he seems to have traded in his sans culottes for the drapery of a stoic. His stoicism is evident in his empty threat to veto the Gitmo clause, before he signed it and his tardy equivocation on the domestic drone debate. Have we forgotten the unprecedented interpretation used by the Supreme Court that upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act? These novel methods of
upbringing, within the greater arch of social history that allowed for me to grow up in the socially egalitarian culture that is my generation. If Republicans want to have any chance at significantly pruning central expansion in 2016, they are going to have to Stand With Rand. This will require them to take a leap of faith, that my generation is capable of being individually responsible across the board on all issues, even if we are all a bunch of Buddhists. B
A True American Hero
Robert M. Morgenthau A True American Hero
‘Now, at ninety-three years of age, Mr. Morgenthau has come out of retirement’ Roy Kwak Freshmen Student of English Rhetoric
Robert M. Morgenthau has done more for the New York Community than most people could do in two lifetimes. He has taken on several infamous cases over his thirty-five years spent as the district attorney of New York County and successfully cleared the names of five teenagers suspected of
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assaulting and raping a woman in the notorious ‘Central Park Jogger Case.’ Mr. Morgenthau pounced on the case when, in 2002, someone confessed to committing the crime. The convicted men were released soon after, and many people have remarked this was the case that made Mr. Morgenthau’s
name. Aside from the Central Park Jogger case, Mr. Morgenthau has put murderers and corrupt businessmen behind bars; making New York City a safer place for all. Now, at ninety-three years of age, Mr. Morgenthau has come out of retirement to voice his concern over a man who may have been
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‘But sometimes your morals and values just won’t let you lie down, and a stronger conviction takes hold of you; the same kind of conviction that pushed the ninety-three year old, retired prosecutor out of his bed and onto the stand to see that justice is dealt.’ wrongly convicted and held on death row for twenty-four years Now, Mr. Morgenthau is joined by eminent former prosecutors Gil Garcetti and E. Michael McCann in his fight for justice and a fair trial. Garcetti spent thirty-two years in the Los Angeles district attorney’s office while McCann held the title of district attorney in Milwaukee for thirty-eight years. The trio is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reexamine the appeal of the death row inmate and convicted criminal William Ernst Kuenzel. The appeal was brought up by Kuenzel’s defense team in February of 2012, when new evidence was uncovered that may change the outcome of the trial. To the surprise of the defense team and to the aforementioned power trio of prosecutors, however, the appeal was denied in August later that year after it was decided the evidence was not convincing enough to prove the petitioners innocence. Mr. Morgenthau didn’t come out of retirement at
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ninety-three years old for any old murder trial. He is fighting for the fair trial all people are guaranteed in this country. Newly acquired evidence should be scrutinized and looked into regardless of the situation and regardless of who the defendant is. The official document released by the court of appeals rejects the possibility of another appearance in court by dismissing all the recently discovered evidence as irrelevant and unimportant. In the words of Mr. Morgenthau, “It’s so wrong to say there’s presumption of guilt because he was convicted once – without the newly discovered evidence.” This is a man who has been locked up for twentyfour years with impending death lingering over his head the entire time; the least he is entitled to is a chance to plead his case. Some people are content with the amount of time and energy they’ve put into helping the community and their city. Some people reach a certain age when they think to themselves “I’ve done enough,” and commit
the ongoing struggle against crime to the next generation. For others, however, the fight is never over; the fight doesn’t end until they’ve given everything to their cause. Robert M. Morgenthau, Gilbert Garcetti, and E. Michael McCann are ages 93, 71, and 77 respectively. They stand fast in their belief of fair trial for everyone and will continue to stand fast so long as they can. These men know there is a good chance the man they are trying to defend was rightfully convicted back in 1987 but stubbornly refuse to rule out the possibility that he’s innocent in the face of this recent evidence. Sometimes, uncertainty and apathy plague your mind and it’s easier to keep out of the fray. But sometimes your morals and values just won’t let you lie down, and a stronger conviction takes hold of you; the same kind of conviction that pushed the 93 year old, retired prosecutor out of his bed and onto the stand to see that justice is dealt. B
MARCH/APRIL 2013
Cyprus Hill
Cyprus Hill
‘Cyprus is the Russian Equivalent to the Cayman Islands ’ Sean Glendon Freshmen Student of Finance Bailouts happen. After 2008, every American should know what a bailout is. In 2010, Greece was bailed out. Greece was bailed out again in the years following and now there’s talk of Greece “needing” another bailout. Oh, how Greece has fallen since the days of Alexander the Great. Enter Cyprus. Cyprus is the Russian equivalent to the Cayman Islands: it’s where members of the Russian oligarchy hide their money to avoid taxes when they’re not busy downing Russo Baltique and doing other rich Russian things. In other words, if Mitt Romney ran for President of Russia (it’s technically possible), the liberal media would have attacked him around the clock for his offshore accounts in Cyprus. For those who haven’t had a geography quiz in a few years, Cyprus is a small island nation located in the Mediterranean Sea. When the US mortgage crisis affected the global economy, Cyprus was hit especially hard. Their economy contracted by 1.67% in 2009 and entered a recession that it is yet to recover from. Increasing unemployment led to an increase in unemployment
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benefits, which ultimately lead to an increase in state debt. Since Cypriot banks heavily invested in Greek bonds, the 2011 decision by the European Union for a haircut of about 50% on these bonds, the Cypriot financial system couldn’t absorb the cost. The size of the financial sector of the Cypriot economy meant that a bank collapse would destroy the economy. In September of 2011, Cyprus’ credit rating was downgraded by all of the major rating agencies. Like many nations before it have experienced, and like many nations will experience in the
future, Cyprus had reached the verge of collapse. When you’re desperate, you’ll do anything to save yourself. You’ll get on your knees and beg if that’ll help. And that’s exactly what Cyprus did. When Cyprus couldn’t get the funding needed from Russia, it reached out to the European Union and International Monetary Fund, eventually striking a $10 billion dollar deal. You would think that a fairy tale ending follows and Cypriot folks live happily ever after, but that’s never how it is in real life. There was one part of the deal that received controversy and
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many headlines. Have you ever been in a barber and seen a little kid crying because he doesn’t want his hair cut? He kicks and screams while Mommy reassures. “Everything will be okay. They’re only going to take a little bit off” she says. In the end, the kid really has no say in the matter and the hair is lost. Now just imagine that you’re the little kid in the barber’s chair. And that hair? It’s your bank account. For the citizens of Cyprus, and all of those rich Russians, this has become a legitimate concern. As part of the bailout deal, a levy of 6.7% for deposits up to €100.000 (the cypriot insurance ceiling) and 9.9% for higher deposits was announced on all domestic bank accounts. Account holders would be compensated with shares in the banks as a result. As account holders made a run to the banks, measures were put into effect to limit withdrawals severely. After nationwide protests, these terms were rejected by the Cypriot parliament. An alternative deal was presented, without the need of parliamentary approval, which would preserve insured deposits, up to 100,000 Euros, without a levy but would lead to the shutdown of the Cyprus Popular Bank (the nation’s second largest bank) and allow for haircuts of up to 40% on uninsured money. The European Union, International Monetary Fund and Cyprus are setting a dangerous precedent. Up until this event, the money of depositors has been protected through economic 20
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crises in debt-stricken countries. This changes everything. It’s not a stretch to say the next time a nation in the Eurozone needs a bailout, possibly even within the year, a similar deal would be struck. The next time things get rough economically in a country, it wouldn’t be very surprising to see people pulling their money out of their accounts early as a preventative measure. As depositors look for a safe place to store their money, they may find their answer in Bitcoin (a decentralized virtual currency) and precious metals such as gold and silver. The biggest concern here is that individuals are being held accountable for government failures. The United States of America is 16.75 trillion dollars in debt, and we are still refusing to acknowledge a spending problem. At this rate, it is only a matter of time before we find ourselves in a similar predicament as Cyprus if we don’t change our spending habits. Running a trillion dollar deficit is irresponsible and will eventually have negative repercussions. What if those repercussions end up including a deposit levy? Senator Tom Coburn, a member of the Senate’s banking committee said that “Congress’ decision to steal from our entitlement trust funds is a Cyprus-like theft from programs like Social Security and Medicare” but doesn’t foresee a similar drama unfolding here. Cyprus’ banking system was bloated in relation to its overall economy
and unlike European nations, the United States issues the currency in which its debt is denominated so it cannot be forced to default or abandon its currency. Was the haircut a one-time thing? Most likely not, as the European Union has discovered a way to quickly raise money to pay off debt from economically unsound nations (at the expense of the individual). Should Americans lose sleep over an immediate threat of a deposit levy here? Most likely not, but the thought shouldn’t be eliminated completely. Regardless of what the future holds, the thought that a political organization or government can confiscate the money in your personal bank account should leave a bad taste in your mouth. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently responded to a question about the likelihood of a deposit levy in our country. He responded by saying that it was unlikely, but focused the majority of his answer on the FDIC and how “they are very proud of the fact that no one has ever lost a dime in insured deposits.” As of January 2013, the FDIC insures up to $250,000 dollars, so anything beyond that could be up for grabs. Essentially, the United States is promising that the 250,000th dollar of your life savings isn’t going anywhere, but what about the 250,001st dollar? Mr. Bernanke, that sounds like a dodge to me and isn’t the reassurance the American people were looking for. B
MARCH/APRIL 2013
Swatting in Binghamton
Political Coercion on Campus: Swatting Comes to Binghamton Nicholas Fondacaro Senior Student of Political Science
Liberals often pontificate about how we need to raise the level discourse of our political conversations. They claim they want to get rid of “fiery rhetoric” and stop the demonization of people and policies. Liberals talk the talk but they do not walk the walk. As with everything in politics liberals want conservatives to do all the conceding while they continue with business as usual. Lately you see this with the debate on the sequestration. They claim conservatives want “dirty air and water”, “no police”, and “no fire departments”. You also see it when it comes to the debate on the 2nd Amendment. Liberals use rhetoric like “They care about guns more than kids” and “NRA is pro-murder.” Liberals do not have any intention of giving up using fiery rhetoric or their demonization of conservatives. They are actually intensifying their assaults on conservatives and they are taking no prisoners. Lately their attacks have been more than just on television or in the pages of periodicals. Liberals have taken to using tactics designed to intimidate and terrorize their political opponents. The tactic they www.binghamtonreview.com
have started using is known as “swatting.” No it does not entail a flyswatter. It is a very terrible and dangerous action that puts the victim in danger. I myself have recently become a victim of swatting. Before going into my story I want to inform people on what swatting is. As I stated above swatting is meant to intimidate and terrorize the victim. It does this by using the police as their tool. A swatting usually starts with the perpetrator placing an anonymous call to the police. Often the caller uses a Skype like program that masks the original IP address. The caller sometimes masks the number being used as the victim’s home phone or cell phone. The caller then claims to be the intended victim and claiming they have hostages or just killed a love one. The call is intended to provoke a response from police and have them mobilize a SWAT team, hence the term “swatting.” Being that police think they are moving into and active shooter/hostage situation they are on edge. It is very terrifying when cops surround your home decked out in full combat gear. And being that cops are on edge going into the situation there is
a possibility that the victim of the swatting may be shot in the confusion. Lately this tactic has been used against prominent conservative bloggers. The victims of these swatting incidences are not bloggers in their mother’s basement. They are very active people in everyday life and the conservative movement. Editor-in-chief of RedState.com and CNN’s own conservative, Erik Erickson was swatted in May of 2012. A lawyer and blogger, from Virginia, Aaron Walker, aka @ AaronWorthing , was swatted in June of 2012. Deputy District Attorney and blogger Patrick “@ Patterico” Frey was also swatted last year. In these cases the swatter, who is suspected to be the same person, pretended to be the victim and told police he just shot his wife. Conservative actor Clint Eastwood was also swatted in February of this year (2013). As anyone that knows me, or is friends with me on Facebook, is aware of; I am very outspoken about my political opinions. I am also very active on Twitter (@NickFondacaro) and I post articles on RedState.com. I often infuriate the liberals I 21
Swatting in Binghamton am friends with or encounter on twitter when I present them with the facts in our argument. Lately I have been posting a lot of memes and articles about guns and the 2nd Amendment. I shared a meme that had a picture of bullets and said something to the affect of “Invest in precious metals, buy lead.” I also commented that I recently bought 180 shares. Someone decided that that was a good enough motive and good enough evidence to call Binghamton University Police and claim I was storing the ammunition on campus. On Tuesday 2/12/13, campus police (1 Officer) came to my, on campus, apartment and said they got an anonymous call claiming I had bought ammunition and that it might be in my apartment. I told them that yes I did by ammo, I had it shipped to a friend’s house
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in Pennsylvania, and it is now at my house (which is over 25 miles away from the campus). All of which is the truth. He asked where I lived and I said Afton (NY) and he said “OH, Afton” which I took to mean that he knew I live locally. He asked me the caliber and I said 5.56. He responded with “so you have a .223 at home?” and I said yes. He then said “It’s one of those ‘assault weapons’.” He used his fingers to quote the words ‘assault weapons’ and used a sarcastic tone of voice. At one point he said something to the effect of “with the way things are now I just have to check into all claims.” He ask if I had anything to prove it was shipped to my friend’s house so I showed him the confirmation email from CheaperThanDirt. com showing where it was shipped to. He asked that I forward him the email to help “calm people
down” and I did. He then asked a final time if I had any ammo or weapons, I said no, he said fine, and then he left. At no point was I ever under arrest. I then took to the internet to inform all of my friends and others in the conservative movement that I was just swatted. I am very thankful for the overwhelming support I received from friends and strangers. I also contacted, swatting victim, Aaron Walker on twitter and asked him what his opinion is about what just transpired. He responded to me saying “IMHO an attempted swatting.” I agree with him. I am thankful that the officers on our campus are reasonable and level headed. I also contacted the head of the Office of Student Conduct, who I know from my work in our student government. He assured me that nothing would come of it and if anything did come up, to call him. The idea that someone would stoop so low as to use swatting to try and shut me up is disturbing. Shutting up your opposition is not how one conducts a civil conversation. I do not know who it was that swatted me but I have my suspicions. No matter who is responsible it is despicable. I am saddened to think that someone would use such a terrible tactic. No matter the reason; the ends do not justify the means. Liberals claim that want a raise political discussions to a higher level. Using tactics like swatting is evidence that they do not. Until liberals stop using terrorist tactics like swatting there is no hope for a change in the discussion. B MARCH/APRIL 2013
Not Alone Against Iran
Not Alone Against Iran Josh May, Freshmen Student of Arabic & Political Science Justin Hayet, Freshmen Student of Political Science
In a time of increasing violence, uncertainty, and threats to America at home and abroad, it can be beneficial to step back and take a broad look at our position on the world stage. Perhaps the greatest of our threats anywhere, is the anomalous concentration of violence in the Middle East. It is a region wracked by civil war, run by brutal theocracies, that persecute minorities and are intolerant to outside cultures and religions. Unfortunately, the Middle East is not Las Vegaswhat happens there will NOT stay there. The tragic events of 9/11 in 2001, 2012 and countless others around the world in between, provide evidence that our enemies abroad not only have a polemic bark, but also a brutal bite. The 20th century Egyptian tanks of the Six Day War have been superseded by a less visible, but far more terrifying threat: the ever present danger of nuclear weapons. Whether the violent threats in the past have been conventional or avant-garde, America has a history of standing strongly in defense of the few nations that share its principles. Our greatest ally in the most turbulent region in the world is Israel. As a world power and ally of Israel the rest of the world pays close attention to the things that we say. But we can do more than be outspoken, with the use of savvy policies we can check these www.binghamtonreview.com
threats and potentially curb the hate and suffering. Israel is one of the few states in the region that practice a sophisticated and modern standard of civil rights. So, we must do what we can, with prudence, to support them. On the other end of the spectrum, one of the most threatening nations in the Middle East is Iran. It’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is a proud denier of the Holocaust who recently published a statement in the New York Times exulting the views of his Supreme leader-- the Ayatollah. “Our dear Imam said that the occupying regime [Israel] must be wiped off the map, and this was a very wise statement.” Liberal critics argue that such claims are taken out of context or blame errors in translation. But when the rhetoric is so consistently vitriolic, hostile, and anti-Semitic, there can be no doubt as to the Iranians’ true intentions. President Teddy Roosevelt was famed for his policy of “speak softly but carry a big stick.” Iran has consistently begged for the big stick. Iran’s loaded threats are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated by the international community. They are made worse by the fact that they will soon accomplish their goals of achieving nuclear enrichment. It is naive to think
that a nuclear program, nearing completion, will not be used to follow through on Iran’s constant threats to Israel. Too many Americans underestimate the implications associated with the prospect of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. A nuclear armed Iran would give rise to a nuclear arms race, in the most unstable region in the world. The Saudis have vowed ominously to complete a program of their own, should Iran complete theirs. Furthermore, Iranian nuclear weapons could be distributed to terror cells throughout the Middle East. It is no secret that these Islamist organizations routinely seek these weapons under the banner of the destruction of Israel and the U.S. Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda are terrorist organizations, reared on Islamist dogma, from cultures that teach hate and violence to their school children in the classroom. The few nations who have the capacity to curb this hateful propaganda and violence, like the U.S. and Israel, are obligated, by a basic moral duty, to do so. This is why we stand with Israel. While the Middle East may seem trivial to the average, complacent American citizen, we must ensure that the Middle East and the world at large, is not bullied by a nuclear-armed Iran. B
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MARCH/APRIL 2013