BUZZSAW TOUCH MY BODY NOVEMBER 2011
Corporations United Inside the Supreme Court decision that bolsters Big Business
The People Price Tag How consumers keep human trafficking alive
Life on a Pedestal Reflections from the “trophy black girl”
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BUZZSAW Buzzsaw presents...
EDITORS’ COMMENT
The BODY & soul Issue My body is too big for you. Its weight demonstrates my sloth. It tells you how lazy I am, how slobby I am. (“Unhealthy Myths,� p.6) My body is too dark for you. Its color determines my class. It shows how much money I have, how intelligent I am. (“My Life as the Trophy Black Girl,� p. 16) My body is too sexy for you. Its beauty determines my value. It conveys my desire for you, my attraction to you. (“Reclaiming Our Bodies,� p. 5)
Ministry of Cool Prose & Cons Sawdust Design Art Website Seesaw Marketing Production
This is how you view my body. This is what you demand my body to be. Therefore, this is what my body is. Or is it? Can my body break free from the box into which you have forced it? (“Coloring Outside the Lines,â€? p. 10) 0\ ERG\ LV DVVLJQHG , PXVW IXOĂ€OO WKH H[SHFWDWLRQV RI LWV color, its size, its gender. My body has a history. I must struggle to break away IURP WKLV KLVWRU\ ² WR WUDQVFHQG WKH H[SHFWDWLRQV RI LWV color, its size, its gender. 0\ ERG\ LV WDQJLEOH ,W LV WKH DJHQW RI D UHDO SHUVRQ ZKR WKLQNV DQG IHHOV ,W LV QRW D FRUSRUDWLRQ DQG LW VKRXOG KDYH PRUH ULJKWV WKDQ D FRUSRUDWLRQ ² QRW WKH VDPH ULJKWV DV RQH ² WR SDUWLFLSDWH LQ WKH SROLWLFDO SURFHVV (“Incorporating the First Amendment,â€? p. 12) 0\ ERG\ LV QRW D SURGXFW ,W FDQQRW EH VROG ,W LV QRW D commodity. (“Shining the Red Light On Sex Work,â€? p. 14) My body is mine. I will decide how I use it. I will decide how to change it. I will decide how to live.
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
News & Views 8SIURQW
Adviser Founders
Kacey Deamer Alyssa Figueroa Emily Miles Carly Sitzer David Lurvey Catherine Fisher Danielle West Daniel Sitts $QLND 6WHSSH David Lurvey Adam Polaski Andrew Rivard Francesca Toscano Zachary Anderson, Chelsea Hartman, 0HUGLQD /MHNSHULF Gena Mangiratti Meagan Mcginnes, Partick Morey, Joey Naftol, Jenni Zellner Jeff Cohen Abby Bertumen Kelly Burdick Bryan Chambala Sam Costello Thom Denick Cole Louison James Sigman
Buzzsaw is published with support from Campus Progress / Center for American Progress (online at CampusProgress.org). Buzzsaw is also funded by the Ithaca College Student Government Association and the Park School of Communications. Our Press is our press. (Binghamton, NY) Buzzsaw uses student-generated art and photography and royalty-free images. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editorial staff or of Ithaca College. Feedback and contributions should be sent to buzzsawmag@gmail.com. Front cover by Daniel Sitts & Anika Steppe Table of Contents photo by Jess Hock Center spread by Daniel Sitts & Anika Steppe Ministry of Cool divider by Alex Cunningham Prose & Cons divider by Anika Steppe Sawdust divider by Colleen Cunha
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WRITE US Our magazine exists WR LQVSLUH WKRXJKWIXO GHEDWH DQG RSHQ XS the channels through which information is shared. Your comments and feedback are all D SDUW RI WKLV SURFHVV
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Table of Contents
WRITE US Our magazine exists to inVSLUH WKRXJKWful debate DQG RSHQ XS the channels through which information is shared. Your comments and feedback are DOO D SDUW RI WKLV SURFHVV Reach the editors by email at:
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Table of Contents Upfront .........................................................4 Selected dis-education of the month.
Ministry.of.Cool ........................................15 Arts, entertainment and other things cooler than us.
Prose & Cons ............................................20 6KRUW ÀFWLRQ SHUVRQDO HVVD\ DQG RWKHU DVVRUWHG OLHV
Sawdust ......................................................22 Threatening the magazine’s credibility since 1856.
Seesaw ........................................................27 Print media is dead. Check out multimedia on the web!
BUZZSAW
check out our daily content at:
WWW.BUZZSAWMAG.ORG
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buzzcuts
All Bodies Are Not Created Equal According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 25 million Americans are restricted in life by disabilities, and according to the Council for Disability Awareness, 1 in 4 of present 20-year-olds will be disabled before they retire. But even 20 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, HMWEFPIH TISTPI GSRXMRYI XS JEGI WMKRM½GERX VSEHFPSGOW XS WYGGIWW ,IVI´W E FVIEOHS[R SJ NYWX E JI[
55,000
In America, fewer than Americans currently receive treatment in psychiatric hospitals.
500,000
Nearly mentally ill men and women are serving time in U.S jails and prisons.
INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE TO PROFOUND HEARING LOSS:
~59,000 under 18
~679,000 over 18
- Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
# OF STATES THAT REQUIRE HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS TO PAY FOR HEARING AID:
10%
of blind children learn Braille today in schools
85%
19
0
- The National Association of the Deaf - The American Speech-Hearing Association
under 18
over 18
of blind children attend public schools were few teachers know Braille.
2015
The year by which the National Federation of the Blind hopes to have doubled the number of Braille readers. - The National Federation for the Blind
> 68 million people worldwide stutter. - The Stuttering Foundation
4 out of 10
adults who stutter say they have been denied a job, promotion or school opportunity.
82 percent
of children have been bullied or teased about their stuttering.” - Advance Magazine
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
33.6% of all deaths
in 2007 were caused by cardiovascular disease.
2,200: The average number of American adults who die from Cardiovascular disease every day.
~250,000
# of Americans spinal cord injured
117,500
41.2%:
# of Americans with spinal cord injuries considered to quadriplegic
36.2%:
Average lifetime cost for quadriplegics injured at the age of 25
Percentage of people with some college education who have a healthy weight. Percentage of people with only a high school education who have a healthy weight.
$1.35 million
- University of Alabama National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 2002
- Journal of the American Heart Association
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Why SlutWalk is about more than just taking back the word By Adam Polaski
O
commitment to reducing our culture’s stigma of sexual violence. She does so by sharing her own story of sexual YLROHQFH ZLWK KHU SHHUV ´,I HQRXJK SHRSOH JHW XS DQG VSHDN LW VHQGV VXFK D SRZHUIXO PHVVDJH DERXW DOO RI WKH GLIIHUHQW SHRSOH ZKR are affected by this,â€? Shorey said. “An HQWLUH VSHFWUXP RI DJH DQG JHQGHU DQG lifestyles are affected by this.â€? 6KRUH\¡V VSHHFK DW 6OXW:DON ZDV GLUHFW DQG SRZHUIXO ´:KHQ , ZDV , ZDV UDSHG DQG GUXJJHG $QG ZKHQ I came home, my mother told me that I deserved what I got because I was dressed like a slut. That is not DFFHSWDEOH :H FDQQRW DOORZ WKLV NLQG RI WDON WR DIIHFW WKH SHRSOH ZKR KDYH EHHQ KRUULĂ€HG DQG WHUULĂ€HG E\ WKLV FULPH Âľ /DWHU 6KRUH\ UHĂ HFWHG RQ ZKDW VKH JDLQV IURP SDUWLFLSDWLQJ LQ PDUFKHV OLNH 6OXW:DON ´, OLNH WR VSHDN WR VKRZ WKDW ,¡P QRW WDNLQJ ZKDW KDSSHQHG WR PH OD\LQJ GRZQ Âľ VKH H[SODLQHG ´,¡P WU\LQJ WR XVH LW WR SURYRNH VRPH DPRXQW of change.â€? For some women, like Solana &ODXGLR $OEDUUDQ VSHDNLQJ ZDV DQ HVVHQWLDO SDUW RI WKH UHFRYHU\ SURFHVV Claudio-Albarran, a senior at Cornell 8QLYHUVLW\ ZDV UDSHG E\ KHU \HDU ROG ER\IULHQG ZKHQ VKH ZDV $IWHU years of subconsciously refusing to deal ZLWK KHU H[SHULHQFH VKH KDV LQ WKH SDVW \HDU UHDOO\ EHJXQ WR FRSH 6KH OHG WKH entire contingent of Cornell marchers, including members from the Women’s Resource Center, in the SlutWalk. ´7KDW ZDV P\ Ă€UVW WLPH HYHU VKDULQJ my story at a march with that many SHRSOH Âľ VKH VDLG FDOOLQJ WKH H[SHULHQFH ´WKHUDSHXWLF Âľ ´,W¡V RQH RI WKRVH WKLQJV
Check out Seesaw’s SlutWalk coverage @ buzzsawmag.org
I think, that you never really get over, but you can kind of work through the emotions that are attached.â€? From listening to the dozens of testimonials from Ithaca’s event, it became clear that for many, SlutWalk is not about reclaiming the word “slut.â€? Claudio-Albarran, for LQVWDQFH Ă€QGV LW PRUH LPSRUWDQW IRU women to “reclaimâ€? their bodies — to DVVHUW WKDW WKH\ DUH QRW SURSHUW\ DQG to declare that they are allowed to H[SHULHQFH SOHDVXUH “For me, the march was about bringing awareness to the fact that victimblaming should never be something WKDW¡V DFFHSWDEOH Âľ &ODXGLR $OEDUUDQ said. “Women should be able to dress WKH ZD\ WKDW WKH\ ZDQW 3HRSOH VKRXOG be able to act the way that they want —to act without fear of being hurt.â€? ´(YHQ WKRXJK P\ H[SHULHQFH ZDV bad, I feel like there’s some good that can come out of it,â€? Claudio-Albarran H[SODLQHG ´3DUWLFLSDWLQJ LQ WKLQJV OLNH 6OXW:DON LV D SDUW RI WKDW , WKLQN that by working through those feelings and understanding them fully — not DFFHSWLQJ ZKDW KDSSHQHG EXW PRUH coming to terms with the fact that it KDSSHQHG WKDW LW VWLOO DIIHFWV PH EXW that I’m still here — I can still move forward.â€? ____________________________________ Adam Polaski is a senior journalism major who knows that “noâ€? means no. Email him at apolask1@ithaca.edu.
Uprfront
n the afternoon of Saturday, 6HSW QHDUO\ RQH KXQGUHG women marched across W. Seneca St. in Ithaca, N.Y. Their faces ZHUH Ă€OOHG ZLWK DQJHU DV WKH\ UHFDOOHG D ZHDOWK RI SHUVRQDO PHPRULHV WKDW KDYH moved them to action. Their homemade signs communicated their motivations for marching: “Consent is Sexy,â€? “Don’t Blame a Victim, Change the System.â€? Together in unison, they chanted, creating a wall of sound: “We want sex! Not assault! We want sex! Not assault!â€? 7KH ZRPHQ ZHUH PDUFKLQJ DV D SDUW RI 6OXW:DON ,WKDFD D SURWHVW DJDLQVW UDSH YLFWLP EODPLQJ DQG VOXW VKDPLQJ 7KH FURZG RI SDUWLFLSDQWV ZKLFK DOVR included several men, gathered at Washington Park and marched to the center of the Commons. )RU (PLO\ 6WRQHU D ,WKDFD College graduate, the event was the FXOPLQDWLRQ RI Ă€YH PRQWKV RI SODQQLQJ and organizing. A few months before graduating, Stoner learned about a growing movement called SlutWalk, a FXOWXUDO SURWHVW WKDW EHJDQ LQ -DQXDU\ LQ 7RURQWR ZKHQ D SROLFH RIĂ€FHU said that “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.â€? Like many feminists, Stoner was initially offended by the “SlutWalkâ€? moniker. “I was so turned off, honestly,â€? VKH H[SODLQHG ´, WKRXJKW Âś:KDW¡V D SlutWalk? That doesn’t sound like VRPHWKLQJ ,¡G OLNH WR EH D SDUW RI $OO RI the criticisms that other feminists have had went through my head.â€? But as she read about the intentional irony behind the name and more about the movement, which insists that women should not be relegated to “slutâ€? status IRU RSHQ H[SUHVVLRQV RI WKHLU VH[XDOLW\ she became a follower. Simultaneously, she became a leader, the driving force behind coordinating a SlutWalk here in Ithaca. Some women saw the march as a chance to share their own stories of sexual assault in front of an XQGHUVWDQGLQJ DQG VXSSRUWLYH FURZG 2WKHUV VDZ LW DV DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ WR RSHQ XS WKH FRQYHUVDWLRQ DERXW WKH IX]]\ issue of sexual consent. Sierra Shorey, a senior at Ithaca College and the treasurer of SAFER, RU 6WXGHQWV $FWLYH )RU (QGLQJ 5DSH SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ SDUW EHFDXVH RI KHU
Photo by Zachary Anderson
al the Deaf
Reclaiming Our Bodies
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Unhealthy Myths
Challenging the stereotypes of body size and health By Chris Zivalich
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
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Dr. Deah Schwartz, author of the HWZHHQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW ODG\¡V FUXVDGH WR FKDPSLRQ SK\VLFDO DFWLYLW\ syndicated blog Tasty Morsels, said for children and a host of RXU SHUFHSWLRQ RI ERG\ VL]H PDVNV WKH reality shows whose winners shed realities of health by only using visual PRUH SRXQGV WKDQ VWHUHRW\SHV WKH information. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A kid who is naturally thin but fear of becoming obese continues to OLYHV RQ VRGD DQG SDFNDJHG IRRG haunt Americans. is not necessarily healthy just But what exactly do we mean because he or she looks that ZKHQ ZH DSSO\ VXFK D QDVW\ WHUP way,â&#x20AC;? she said. OLNH ´REHVH"Âľ :KR TXDOLĂ&#x20AC;HV DV D :KLOH PDQ\ KHDOWK H[SHUWV ´IDWÂľ SHUVRQ" $QG WR ZKDW H[WHQW DJUHH WKDW VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW does the designation actually ZHLJKW Ă XFWXDWLRQ DQG SURYLGH PHDQLQJIXO FRQVXPSWLRQ RI KLJKO\ information about a SURFHVVHG IRRGV VSHFLĂ&#x20AC;F UHODWLRQVKLS WR SRVH D KLJKHU ULVN food, health, exercise for life-threatening and mental and issues such as heart emotional stability? disease, body size Our fat-fearing culture is distributed widely SHUSHWXDWHV D ´IDW HTXDOV across the human EDGÂľ DVVXPSWLRQ WKDW VSHFLHV DQG DORQH LV goes unchallenged by U.S. not an indicator of PHGLD DQG SRSXODU RSLQLRQ much besides genetic %HFDXVH ERGLHV SHUFHLYHG diversity. WR EH IDW Âł DSSHDULQJ Not to mention, EH\RQG ´QRUPDOÂľ SK\VLFDO calculating who gets size â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are robbed of dignity to have the â&#x20AC;&#x153;normal and viewed negatively ERG\Âľ LV QRW VR VLPSOH DV UHĂ HFWLRQV RI SRRU OLIH The Body Mass Index â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a choices, the structural and SRSXODU WRRO WR JDXJH ERG\ SV\FKRORJLFDO XQGHUSLQQLQJV mass based on height and of fat-hating culture remain weight measurements â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has largely ignored. been systematically debunked Jeanette DePatie is the as an inaccurate, misleading YLFH SUHVLGHQW IRU WKH UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ RI KHDOWK Association for Size Yet even Michelle Obama Diversity and Health, u w k y Udo advertises BMI on her â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an organization Chinn y b Image 0RYHÂľ FDPSDLJQ ZHEVLWH DJDLQVW dedicated to educating the S X E O L F o n childhood obesity. ´7KH FKDUW¡V LQ HYHU\ GRFWRU¡V RIĂ&#x20AC;FH Âľ health without making weight-based DVVXPSWLRQV 6KH DOVR ZRUNV DV D lamented Ithaca College senior Marin SOXV VL]H H[HUFLVH LQVWUXFWRU DQG VDLG Cherry, who said the chart is damaging she believes we have lost track of to both the body and the mind of SHRSOH WROG WKH\ DUH RYHUZHLJKW IURP what a healthy body means. ´<RX FDQ¡W ORRN DW D SHUVRQ DQG WHOO LW ´7KH\ VD\ \RX JHW SHRSOH PRWLYDWHG that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re healthy,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you >ZLWK WKH %0,@ EXW WKH\ GRQ¡W NQRZ WHDVH DSDUW ZHLJKW IURP EHKDYLRU >\RX ZKDW WKH\¡UH GRLQJ LQ SHRSOH¡V KHDGV Âľ In addition to instruments that Ă&#x20AC;QG@ EHKDYLRU KDV D VWURQJHU LPSDFW catalogue those we decide to be on health.â&#x20AC;? DePatie referenced research â&#x20AC;&#x153;overweight,â&#x20AC;? the U.S. mass media RUJDQL]DWLRQV OLNH WKH &RRSHU ,QVWLWXWH SOD\V D FUXFLDO UROH LQ WULYLDOL]LQJ WKDW IRXQG RQ DYHUDJH IDW SHRSOH ZKR H[SORLWLQJ DQG KDWLQJ IDW ERGLHV H[HUFLVH OLYH ORQJHU WKDQ WKLQ SHRSOH DePatie mentioned that much of WKH 79 SURJUDPPLQJ VXSSRVHGO\ who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. dedicated to healthy lifestyles, is
DFWXDOO\ DERXW UDWLQJV DQG H[SORLWDWLYH entertainment. ´7KH\ HPSOR\ WHFKQLTXHV WKDW are not healthy,â&#x20AC;? she said, referencing SURJUDPV OLNH 1%&¡V XELTXLWRXV IDW shedding reality show The Biggest Loser, in which contestants are H[SHFWHG WR DGYDQFH E\ ORVLQJ WKH PRVW DPRXQW RI ZHLJKW SRVVLEOH ´/RVLQJ HLJKW SRXQGV LQ RQH ZHHN LV not healthy.â&#x20AC;? 'H3DWLH DOVR HPSKDVL]HG WKH LGHD WKDW PXFK RI WKHVH VKRZV DUH SDUW RI a million-dollar industry that does not UHFRJQL]H LWV LPSDFW RQ WKH ZD\ VRFLHW\ FRQWLQXHV WR YLHZ DQG GLVSDUDJH IDW SHRSOH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this sense that you can hate somebody for their own good,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But nobody deserves to be DEXVHG :KLOH SHRSOH VD\ WKH\ ZDQW WR OHDUQ >IURP WKH VKRZ@ LW¡V YR\HXULVP 7KH\¡UH ZDWFKLQJ SHRSOH EH IHG WR WKH lions.â&#x20AC;? At the end of the day, how do we want to assess the state of healthy bodies in America? Will we continue to show news segments on obesity that UHGXFH IDW SHRSOH WR FOLSV RI VWRPDFKV RU OHJV" 8 6 FXOWXUH HVSHFLDOO\ DV D JOREDO SRZHU ZLWK WKH FDSDFLW\ WR KRPRJHQL]H IRRG DQG Ă&#x20AC;WQHVV WUHQGV needs to reconsider the binary framework within which we categorize body sizes as â&#x20AC;&#x153;fatâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;not fat.â&#x20AC;? 2XU SLJHRQKROLQJ RI IDW SHRSOH in the United States continues WR FORJ LPDJLQDWLRQV ZLWK SDLQIXO DVVXPSWLRQV 2XU ´REHVLW\ FULVLVÂľ is really more of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;thinking crisisâ&#x20AC;? that not only fails to thoughtfully TXHVWLRQ WKH V\VWHPLF FRQVXPSWLRQ of bad foods, bad medicines and bad dieting, but also ignores harmful VWHUHRW\SHV EDVHG RQ ERG\ VL]H IXUWKHU marginalizing those who already feel OLNH WKH\ DUH PRUDOO\ FRUUXSW OD]\ RU GLVJXVWLQJ SHRSOH IRU KDYLQJ IDW bodies. __________________________________ Chris Zivalich is a senior journalism major who thinks the biggest loser seems to be our critical thinking skills. Email him a czivali1@ithaca.edu.
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Shades of Justice
How race still plays a role in a guilty verdict By Kaitlin Hulbert
I
17 255
4.8% 0.7%
3.9x
Black defendants are more likely to be sentenced to death than white defendants for murdering white victims.
´,PSURYHPHQWV FDQ EH PDGH SDUWLFXODUO\ UHYHUVLQJ FRQYLFWLRQV ZKHUH UDFH KDV SOD\HG D UROH LQ the criminal defense lawyer, the SURVHFXWRU RU WKH MXURU¡V GHFLVLRQ Âľ Johnson said. But shattering the barrier of silence LV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW VWHS WRZDUG OLPLWLQJ UDFLDO bias in the justice system. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only after witnesses to racial injustice VSHDN RXW WKDW WKH\ FDQ EHJLQ WR FRPEDW WKH SUHYDLOLQJ DWWLWXGHV RI DSDWK\ DQG LJQRUDQFH 0DQ\ SHRSOH HLWKHU GRQ¡W UHDOL]H Âł or refuse to realize â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that racism still UXQV UDPSDQW LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV Black Americans have double the XQHPSOR\PHQW UDWHV WKDQ WKHLU ZKLWH colleagues. Black households are ZRUWK OHVV WKDQ WKHLU ZKLWH neighbors. Black students have less access to quality schools, resources and teachers than white students. %HFDXVH RI LJQRUDQFH JXLOW RU DSDWK\ nothing is really being done about WKHVH GLVSDULWLHV 'LVFXVVLRQV RI UDFH â&#x20AC;&#x201D; let alone of racial inequality â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have become taboo, and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emerged is the idea that if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t talk about it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not there. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the way it works: Even within Ithacaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city limits, racism, violence and the law work together in D GLVWXUELQJO\ V\PELRWLF UHODWLRQVKLS At the end of August, State Street SOD\HG KRVW WR WKH IDWDO VKRRWLQJ of a black man by a white Ithaca SROLFH RIĂ&#x20AC;FHU $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH ,WKDFD 3ROLFH 'HSDUWPHQW WKH DWWDFNHU ZDV H[FHSWLRQDOO\ YLROHQW DQG WKH DWWDFN ZDV XQSURYRNHG :H PD\ QHYHU NQRZ LI WKH RIĂ&#x20AC;FHU ZDV MXVWLĂ&#x20AC;HG LQ WDNLQJ WKLV DFWLRQ because only a handful of articles HYHQ EURDFKHG WKH WRSLF $ZDUHQHVV LV WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW VWHS ZH FDQ WDNH WR HOLPLQDWH racial injustice in the justice system. Yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not being taken at a local level, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not being acknowledged on a national level. Until it is, the only thing we can be sure of is that Troy Davis wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the last man to walk into a courtroom and be reduced to the color of his skin. ___________________________________ Kaitlin Hulbert is a freshman IMC major who wants to start the conversation. Email her at khulber2@ithaca.edu.
Upfront
to be sentenced to death than white GHIHQGDQWV LQ WKH VDPH SRVLWLRQ 0RVW WKHRULHV H[SODLQLQJ WKH SURPLQHQW UROH UDFH VWLOO SOD\V LQ WKH MXVWLFH V\VWHP KRZHYHU Ă&#x20AC;QG WKHLU EDVLV LQ WKH DFWLRQV of society at large. ´'HVSLWH WKH SUHVV WKLV LV QRW D ÂśSRVW racialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; society,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? said John Blume, director of the Cornell Death Penalty 3URMHFW D &RUQHOO 8QLYHUVLW\ SURJUDP WKDW SURGXFHV UHVHDUFK UHJDUGLQJ WKH GHDWK SHQDOW\ DQG EULQJV SURPLQHQW VSHDNHUV WR FDPSXV Amnesty International was one RI WKH NH\ SOD\HUV LQ WKH UHVLVWDQFH against Davisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; execution. Wayles Brown, treasurer of the local Ithaca FKDSWHU RI $PQHVW\ VDLG WKH WKUHH ZKLWH PHPEHUV RI WKH Ă&#x20AC;YH SHUVRQ SDUROH ERDUG WKDW VHQWHQFHG 'DYLV ZHUH SUREDEO\ SUHMXGLFHG Âł ´QRW DJDLQVW DOO EODFN SHRSOH EXW DJDLQVW black criminal defendants.â&#x20AC;? The board, which included two black men, two white men and one white woman, refused to disclose the breakdown of votes that denied Davisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clemency, further fueling the debate over his guilt. Blumeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colleague at the Cornell Death Penalty Project, Sheri Lynn Johnson, said race â&#x20AC;&#x153;affects who is VWRSSHG LW DIIHFWV ZKR LV FKDUJHG ZKR is released on their own recognizance, who is offered a deal and who is charged with death.â&#x20AC;? 6LQFH EODFN GHDWK URZ LQPDWHV RXW RI KDYH EHHQ SURYHQ innocent and taken off death row. 7KLV LV PRUH WKDQ SHUFHQW GHVSLWH EODFNV PDNLQJ XS RQO\ SHUFHQW RI WKH 8 6 SRSXODWLRQ 7KRVH PHQ DQG ZRPHQ ZLOO SUREDEO\ QHYHU KDYH D GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWLYH UXOLQJ as to what truly RACE IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM led to their incarceration, white men were convicted of murders of black men and executed. but that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t black men were convicted of murders of white men and executed. mean that (between 1976 and 2011) nothing can be done to lessen WKH LQĂ XHQFH RI Black males in the United States imprisoned: race on criminal White males in the United States imprisoned: sentencing.
Q WKH *HRUJLD %RDUG RI Pardons and Paroles reversed their decision to execute Samuel Crowe two hours before his scheduled execution time. Three years later, the Board did not reverse their controversial decision to execute Troy Davis. Both men committed crimes in Georgia. Both men were convicted of Ă&#x20AC;UVW GHJUHH PXUGHU %RWK PHQ¡V SOHDV were heard by the same board. The only difference: Crowe confessed WR KLV FULPH DIWHU QHDUO\ \HDUV LQ SULVRQ ZKLOH 'DYLV PDLQWDLQHG KLV innocence until his death. That, and Davis was black. The 13th th and 15th amendments PD\ KDYH EHHQ UDWLĂ&#x20AC;HG QHDUO\ years ago, but the United States is still not free from racial bias. Disturbingly, LW PD\ EH ZLWKLQ WKH SUDFWLFHV RI WKH criminal justice system that this is PRVW DSSDUHQW ´7KH HPSLULFDO HYLGHQFH LV RYHUZKHOPLQJO\ SHUVXDVLYH Âľ VDLG 'U Samuel Sommers, a Tufts University SV\FKRORJLVW VSHFLDOL]LQJ LQ UDFH SV\FKRORJ\ DQG ODZ ´,Q MXULHV charging decisions, outcomes of cases DQG GHDWK SHQDOW\ VHQWHQFLQJ UDFH SOD\V D VWDWLVWLFDOO\ PHDQLQJIXO UROH Âľ The U.S. Bureau of Justice found in SHUFHQW RI DOO EODFN PDOHV LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV ZHUH LPSULVRQHG FRPSDUHG ZLWK SHUFHQW RI DOO ZKLWH PDOHV %HWZHHQ DQG white men were convicted of murders RI EODFN PHQ DQG H[HFXWHG ZKLOH black men were convicted of murders of white men and executed. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, black defendants who murder white victims are 3.9 times more likely
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The Beef with Beef
Commercial meat industry practices not so appetizing By Jess Santos
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BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost scary how large of D UROH WKH EHHI LQGXVWU\ SOD\V in American society. Beef is SUDFWLFDOO\ DQ\ZKHUH WKDW IRRG LV DYDLODEOH 7R PRVW SHRSOH WKLV PD\ QRW VHHP OLNH D SUREOHP +RZHYHU there are many hidden issues EHKLQG WKH EHHI LQGXVWU\ HVSHFLDOO\ concerning the environment and human health. 2QH RI WKH ODUJHVW LPSDFWV WKDW beef has is on global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, SHUFHQW RI RXU JOREDO PHWKDQH emissions come from the beef industry. -XOLD /DSS DQ DVVLVWDQW SURIHVVRU LQ WKH 'HSDUWPHQW RI +HDOWK Promotion and Physical Education DW ,WKDFD &ROOHJH VDLG WKH VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW SHUFHQWDJH LV GXH LQ SDUW WR WKH animals themselves. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cows are gassy creatures,â&#x20AC;? said /DSS ´7KH\ SURGXFH PHWKDQH ERWK in their manure and their bodies, and just by virtue of the fact that meat FRQVXPSWLRQ KDV JRQH XS JOREDOO\ ZH DUH SURGXFLQJ PRUH PHWKDQH ZKLFK i s also true in other farm animals.â&#x20AC;? Methane
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is a dangerous greenhouse gas that LV URXJKO\ WLPHV PRUH HIIHFWLYH LQ WUDSSLQJ KHDW LQ WKH DWPRVSKHUH than carbon dioxide, according to the EPA. Ruminant animals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; cattle, VKHHS EXIIDOR DQG JRDWV Âł DUH RQH RI the largest sources of methane in the DWPRVSKHUH EHFDXVH WKHLU GLJHVWLYH V\VWHPV SURGXFH WKH JUHHQKRXVH JDV PDNLQJ WKHP VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW FRQWULEXWRUV to global climate change. Unfortunately, that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the beef industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only affect on the environment. Concentrated animal IHHGLQJ RSHUDWLRQV &$)2V DUH DUHDV where cows, or other animals, are SDFNHG LQWR DQ H[WUHPHO\ VPDOO DUHD SURGXFLQJ D ODUJH DPRXQW RI ZDVWH ´7KH >&$)2V@ ZDVWH QHHGV WR EH treated as a toxic substance because RI LWV KLJK GHQVLW\ Âľ VDLG /DSS (PLO\ 6KDZ FR SUHVLGHQW RI 6ORZ Food Ithaca College, said CAFOs are not only bad for the environment, but also the quality of life for the animals LV DOVR H[WUHPHO\ SRRU ´1RW RQO\ DUH >&$)2V@ GLUW\ EXW theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re horrible living conditions for the cows,â&#x20AC;? Shaw said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They are SXPSLQJ WKHVH FRZV ZLWK KRUPRQHV and antibiotics and this is what SHRSOH DUH eating. Then, all of >WKHLU ZDVWH@ is going into the water s y s t e m and the air.â&#x20AC;? CAFOs a r e
dangerous to the local environment EHFDXVH RI WKH VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW DPRXQW RI ZDVWH SURGXFHG ,I LW OHDNV LQWR the water system, water treatment SODQWV PD\ EH RYHUZKHOPHG LQ managing such a high concentration of chemicals found in the waste, WKHUHE\ SROOXWLQJ WKH ZDWHU DQG SRLVRQLQJ LQGLYLGXDOV ZKR GULQN DQG use it. According to the Center for Disease Control, states that have a ODUJH QXPEHU RI &$)2V H[SHULHQFH WR VHULRXV ZDWHU SUREOHPV SHU year as a result of the waste. $QRWKHU SUREOHP ZLWK WKH EHHI industry is the destruction of local ELRGLYHUVLW\ %LJ SURGXFHUV VSUHDG their cattle farms across the globe, XWLOL]LQJ FKHDS ODQG LQ GHYHORSLQJ nations. However, the land cleared is often rainforest or some other GLYHUVH ODQGVFDSH $ *UHHQSHDFH UHSRUW ´6NDXJKWHULQJ WKH $PD]RQ Âľ stated that the Brazilian government DWWULEXWHV SHUFHQW RI $PD]RQLDQ deforestation to the beef industry. 5DLQIRUHVW DUHDV DUH D VLJQLĂ&#x20AC;FDQW source of life for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ELRGLYHUVLW\ (YHQ GLVUXSWLQJ RQH VSHFLHV¡ OLIHVW\OH DQG SRSXODWLRQ FDQ be enough to have a detrimental effect RQ DOO RWKHU VSHFLHV OLYLQJ QHDUE\ LW due to the interconnectedness of food webs. The beef industry also has negative effects on human health. )RU LQVWDQFH IRRGERUQH SDWKRJHQV are common in the commercial beef industry because it is easy for an LQIHFWLRQ WR VSUHDG EHWZHHQ DQLPDOV 7KLV PDNHV LW GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR WUDFN WKH ELUWKSODFH RI WKH GLVHDVH A large number of cows in a FUDPSHG ORFDWLRQ FDQ SURGXFH D higher risk for disease, such as a dangerous strain of E. Coli, which LV IRXQG LQ WKH FRZ¡V ZDVWH 8S WR IRXU RU Ă&#x20AC;YH PHDW ORWV FDQ FRQWULEXWH cows to one slaughterhouse, mixing the cows together and making it LPSRVVLEOH WR WHOO ZKHUH WKH GLVHDVH originated. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worse is the ground beef used in hamburgers can be made with dozens, hundreds,
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even thousands of cows. According are not given growth hormones or WR WKH &'&¡V UHSRUW WKHUH DUH DQWLELRWLFV RU UDLVHG LQ FRQĂ&#x20AC;QHPHQW DSSUR[LPDWHO\ FDVHV RI E.Coli In the summer, the farmers use infections a year, resulting in over rotational grazing, giving each cow KRVSLWDOL]DWLRQV ,QFLGHQWDOO\ D IUHVK SDWFK RI JUDVV RQFH RU WZLFH WKH &'& DOVR VWDWHV WKDW SHUFHQW a day. of food-borne illness outbreaks are Tina MacCheyne, one of the owners related to the beef industry alone. RI +LJK 3RLQW )DUPV H[SODLQHG The beef industry is also likely to have WKHLU YHUVLRQ RI PHDW SURGXFWLRQ unhealthy effects on consumers due DV RSSRVHG WR WKH FRPPHUFLDO PHDW to the chemicals industry. used when â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we do raising the cattle. S U R F H V V L Q J Âľ Beyond meat, MacCheyne said, ´:H SURFHVV RQH WKH SUHVHQFH RI growth hormones animal at a time LQ GDLU\ SURGXFWV at a small USDA is a risk to human butcher, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just health. that one animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ground beef, not â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are growth hormones thousands like in that occur the commercial naturally in industry.â&#x20AC;? milk, which All of these makes everything factors contribute trickier,â&#x20AC;? said to a healthier -Julia Lapp, Asst. Professor, /DSS ´%XW WKHUH SURGXFW IRU ERWK Ithaca College have been some the consumer and concerns that the environment consuming dairy as well as a that has added growth hormones have healthier life for the animal. DQ HIIHFW RQ RXU V\VWHPV SDUWLFXODUO\ ,I PHDW SURGXFHUV OLNH +LJK 3RLQW with things like cell mutation or Farms are to be the norm, there cancer. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not solid research needs to be a change in consumer behind that, but endocrinologists see FKRLFHV /DSS VDLG WKH FRQWLQXDWLRQ WKDW SRWHQWLDO Âľ RI WKH LQGXVWULDO PHDW SURFHVV LV 7KHVH SUREOHPV FRQWULEXWHG WR ERWK consumer driven. /DSS DQG 6KDZ¡V VXSSRUW RI VPDOO ´:H HDW D ORW RI PHDW Âľ /DSS VDLG VFDOH ORFDOO\ SURGXFHG IRRG â&#x20AC;&#x153;A meat centered diet isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t good for â&#x20AC;&#x153;A more localized system would us as humans and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obviously KHOS ZLWK WKH UHOLDELOLW\ DQG VDIHW\ RI QRW JRRG IRU WKH SODQHW 7KH SODQHW WKH IRRG Âľ VDLG /DSS ´/RFDO SURGXFHUV FDQQRW VXSSRUW WKDW :H QHHG WR EH ZDQW WR SURGXFH D IRRG LWHP DQG LI HDWLQJ PRUH SODQWV 7KH RWKHU SDUW theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re selling to their neighbors and LV WKDW ZH KDYH WKH FKHDSHVW IRRG community members ... they have that VXSSO\ LQ WKH ZRUOG $V $PHULFDQV LQFHQWLYH WR NHHS WKHLU IRRG KHDOWK\ Âľ ZH SD\ OHVV IRU IRRG WKDQ DQ\ RWKHU Shaw believes that buying local SRSXODWLRQ Âľ IRRG ZLOO EH EHQHĂ&#x20AC;FLDO IRU ERWK LWV 6KH VDLG ´>:@H¡UH XVHG WR FKHDS environmental and social effects. IRRG EXW LI ZH GRQ¡W ZDQW WR SD\ ´7KH PRVW LPSRUWDQW WKLQJ LV WKDW much for our food, then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going SHRSOH VKRXOG NQRZ ZKHUH WKHLU IRRG to have a food system that continues is from,â&#x20AC;? Shaw said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buying locally is to do these kinds of things to reduce YHU\ LPSRUWDQW EHFDXVH QRW RQO\ GRHV WKH FRVWV RI SURGXFWLRQ Âľ LW OHVVHQ WKH HQYLURQPHQWDO LPSDFW ___________________________________ ZLWK WUDQVSRUWDWLRQ EXW LW DOVR OHWV Jess Santos is a junior writing ma\RX KDYH WKDW SHUVRQDO FRQWDFW ZLWK jor who was a vegetarian before she WKH SHUVRQ ZKR LV VXSSO\LQJ \RXU wrote this article. Email her at jsanfood.â&#x20AC;? tos1@ithaca.edu. High Point Farms, a small cattle IDUP LQ ,WKDFD LV DQ H[DPSOH RI ORFDO PHDW SURGXFWLRQ 7KH FRZV
â&#x20AC;&#x153;A meat centered HMIX MWR´X KSSH JSV YW EW LYQERW ERH MX´W obviously not good for the planet. The planet cannot support that.â&#x20AC;?
Upfront
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Coloring Outside the Lines Why is our cultural identity put in boxes? By Anjali Patel
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
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tandardized tests. College LQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SODFH" DSSOLFDWLRQV 7KH FHQVXV $W Since the U.S. Census now allows WKLV SRLQW ZH KDYH DOO WDNHQ survey takers to check off more than at least one of them. As different as one race, the question has shifted from they may be, they share one question what GR , SLFN IURP why GR , SLFN WKLV" in common: What is your race/ The government asks about race and ethnicity? ethnicity so that federal agencies can For some, this can be answered by acquire the information to monitor D UHĂ H[LYH Ă LFN RI WKH ZULVW ZKLOH IRU FRPSOLDQFH ZLWK DQWL GLVFULPLQDWLRQ others it must be calculated to see if laws. LW SURYLGHV DQ\ SDUWLFXODU DGYDQWDJHV ,WKDFD &ROOHJH¡V 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH RI $GPLVVLRQ or disadvantages. For me it always DVNV WKH TXHVWLRQ EHFDXVH LW LV SDUW HQGHG XS EHLQJ WKH KDUGHVW TXHVWLRQ RI WKH &RPPRQ $SSOLFDWLRQ DQG WKHQ Just pick one. It uses the information was a blatant WR ´WUDFN DQG UHSRUW reminder, on the diversity of the SDSHU WKDW incoming class and I, along with student body,â&#x20AC;? said Eric every other Maguire, Vice President multiracial of Enrollment. SHUVRQ LQ WKH The American country, did Association for not quite Ă&#x20AC;W $IĂ&#x20AC;UPDWLYH $FWLRQ VDLG into the neat that these questions are little categories. FRPSOHWHO\ QHFHVVDU\ It illustrated ´,Q RUGHU WR SURYH s o c i e t y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s discrimination, you have tendency to to have some basis . . . function by you have to have some organizing statistics to gauge to see SHRSOH DV WLGLO\ LI WKHUH LV RSSRUWXQLW\ as it could LQ DSSOLFDWLRQV Âľ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; this or that, said Shirly Wilcher, black or white, Executive Director of A or B â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rarely Photo by Daniel Sitts & Anika Steppe American Association acknowledging IRU $IĂ&#x20AC;UPDWLYH $FWLRQ ´,I \RX room for ambiguity or a grey area. have no data, you have no means of Every checkmark tied my identity to judging whether or not there is equal that little box, a square assessment RSSRUWXQLW\ 6R \HV ZH WKLQN LW LV YHU\ RI P\ FXOWXUDO LGHQWLĂ&#x20AC;FDWLRQ DQG LPSRUWDQW Âľ RXWZDUG DSSHDUDQFH The races listed on the U.S. Census There are many who feel the are: â&#x20AC;&#x153;American Indian or Alaskan discomfort when faced with these Native,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Asian,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black or African questions. The little black letters American,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Native Hawaiian and often serve as a harsh reminder that 2WKHU 3DFLĂ&#x20AC;F ,VODQGHU Âľ ´6RPH 2WKHU RXU GLVDGYDQWDJHV DQG SULYLOHJHV ZH Race,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whiteâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two or more WU\ VR KDUG WR KLGH LQ SXEOLF DUH IXOO\ races.â&#x20AC;? This is not including the listed DFNQRZOHGJHG RQ SDSHU DQG WKDW HWKQLFLWLHV +LVSDQLF RU QRQ +LVSDQLF we must face the consequences of The website for the U.S. Census being assessed by them. Though it GRHV GHVFULEH WKDW WKHUH DUH SODFHV is at times uncomfortable... we must RQ WKH VXUYH\ WR VSHFLI\ \RXU UDFH RU assess and ask the question: Is it a ethnicity, in addition to the ancestry QHFHVVDU\ HYLO" 2U LV LW MXVW D Ă LPV\ SRUWLRQ RI WKH VXUYH\ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR EDQGDJH IRU WKH HYHQ ELJJHU SUREOHP this, the U.S. Census is not asking that these questions have to be asked IRU UDFH RQ D SKHQRW\SLFDO RU HYHQ
genetic level. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Census questionnaire is based RQ VHOI LGHQWLĂ&#x20AC;FDWLRQ Âľ VDLG /LQGVH\ Hixon, a statistician for the U.S. Censusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statistics branch. 7KRXJK WKH OLVW DSSHDUV FRPSUHKHQVLYH LQ WKDW LW FRYHUV HYHU\ race or ethnicity that comes to mind, it FRPSOLFDWHV ZKDW LW PHDQV WR DFWXDOO\ LGHQWLI\ ZLWK RQH RI WKHVH JURXSV $V VRPHRQH ZKR LV SDUW ,QGLDQ , ZRXOG Ă&#x20AC;QG LW GLIĂ&#x20AC;FXOW WR FXOWXUDOO\ align myself with someone who was -DSDQHVH RU &DPERGLDQ \HW ZH DUH DOO OXPSHG LQWR WKH FDWHJRU\ $VLDQ ´,I WKH JRYHUQPHQW LPSRVHG D FDWHJRU\ IRU HYHU\ WHFKQLFDO JURXS Âł thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be a lot of categories,â&#x20AC;? Wilcher said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be too much to manage. :KHQ \RX KDYH JURXSV WKDW VPDOO LW¡V KDUG WR SURYH GLVFULPLQDWLRQ Âľ &ROOHJH DSSOLFDWLRQV DUH VWLOO D different story. ´'RPHVWLF DSSOLFDQWV IURP WUDGLWLRQDOO\ XQGHU UHSUHVHQWHG PLQRULW\ EDFNJURXQGV ÂŤ DUH W\SLFDOO\ VRXJKW DIWHU E\ DGPLVVLRQ RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDOV ZKR PD\ DOORZ VRPH Ă H[LELOLW\ ZKHQ it comes to grades and test scores in order to attract and admit these candidates,â&#x20AC;? said Sally Rubenstone, VHQLRU DGYLVRU IRU &ROOHJH &RQĂ&#x20AC;GHQWLDO an online college-bound community VLWH ´$Q\ VWXGHQW ZKR WLFNV WKH ÂśULJKW¡ PLQRULW\ ER[ PD\ JHW SUHIHUHQWLDO treatment.â&#x20AC;? 2XU VRFLHW\ LV QRW DW WKH SRLQW ZKHUH we can do away with asking for race and ethnicity on these surveys. As ORQJ DV ZH DUH RQ XQHTXDO SOD\LQJ grounds, there needs to be some assessment of the different racial JURXSV %XW RXU SUHVFULEHG UHPHG\ IRU DVVLVWLQJ JURXSV WKDW KDYH IDFHG years of disadvantages is merely DQ DWWHPSW WR EDQGDJH XS ELJJHU VRFLHWDO SUREOHPV $V DOZD\V ZH WU\ WR SDWFK WKLQJV XS ZLWK QXPEHUV DQG calculations. ____________________________________ Anjali Patel is a sophomore documentary studies and production major who is â&#x20AC;&#x153;some other race.â&#x20AC;? Email her at apatel1@ithaca.edu.
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Enslaved by Ignorance 'SVTSVEXMSRW I\TPSMX LYQER XVEJ½GOMRK JSV TVS½X By Kaley Belval
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institutions and law enforcement overlook the illegal work because the contribution to the local economy is of such enormous value. According WR D UHSRUW E\ WKH ,QWHUQDWLRQDO Textile Garment and Leather Workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Federation (ITGLWF), dozens of factories in Asia are still contracted to XVH VODYH ODERU WR SURGXFH FORWKLQJ IRU ODEHOV OLNH 5DOSK /DXUHQ '.1< *$3 &RQYHUVH %DQDQD 5HSXEOLF /DQG¡V End and Levi. +XPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ FRQVWLWXWHV ELOOLRQ RI WKH JOREDO HFRQRP\ According to MosĂŠs NaĂm, editor of Foreign Policy, an amount that size automatically interacts with every sector of the international society. In his book, Illicit, NaĂm argued that FRPSDQLHV JRYHUQPHQWV DQG FLWL]HQV are all involved. Without realizing it, many citizens are continuing the slave WUDGH E\ EX\LQJ FRUSRUDWH JRRGV DQG NHHSLQJ VZHDWVKRSV LQ SURGXFWLRQ On a more local scale, the sex WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ LQGXVWU\ LV WKULYLQJ IRU similar reasons. There are few signs to recognize a woman being forced to ZRUN LQ D PDVVDJH SDUORU RU VWULS FOXE New York state currently has one of WKH EHVW OHJDO V\VWHPV LQ SURVHFXWLQJ KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ LQ WKH 86 6H[ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ LQ WKH VWDWH LV D &ODVV % IHORQ\ XS WR D \HDU VHQWHQFH LQ MDLO DQG ODERU WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ LV D &ODVV ' IHORQ\ XS WR D VHYHQ \HDU MDLO WHUP Rehabilitation for victims is available
DW QRQ SURĂ&#x20AC;W DQWL WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ DJHQFLHV through state law. ,Q 6HSWHPEHU 1< VHQDWRUV &KDUOHV E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand UHFHLYHG D JUDQW IURP WKH U.S. Attorney General in order to FRQWLQXH FRPEDWLQJ KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ on a local level. The grant was bestowed WR WKH (ULH &RXQW\ 6KHULII¡V RIĂ&#x20AC;FH DQG the International Institute of Buffalo to assist in the creation of regional task forces. ´:KHQ ZH Ă&#x20AC;JKW EDFN DJDLQVW KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ ZH FDQ KROG PRUH GDQJHURXV FULPLQDOV DFFRXQWDEOH KHOS YLFWLPV SXW WKHLU OLYHV EDFN WRJHWKHU DQG NHHS PRUH 1HZ <RUNHUV VDIH Âľ 6HQDWRU *LOOLEUDQG VDLG LQ D SUHVV UHOHDVH Free the Slavesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; call to action is clear: EXVLQHVVHV PXVW FOHDQ XS WKHLU VXSSO\ chains, consumers must demand VODYHU\ IUHH SURGXFWV DQG JRYHUQPHQWV and international institutions must toughen enforcement. As legislation DQG HQIRUFHPHQW LPSURYH KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ LV JDLQLQJ PRUH QDWLRQDO attention. But until international FRUSRUDWLRQV UHIXVH WR SDUWLFLSDWH DQG citizens refuse to enable, the slave trade will continue. _______________________________ Kaley Belval is a freshman documentary studies and production major who only buys things that are Made in Freedom. Email her at kbelval1@ithaca.edu.
8VEJ½GOMRK MR 2YQFIVW 27 million 24
The number of slaves in the world today
The number of slaves estimated on average to work for each person
$32 billion
$PRXQW WKDW KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ FRQWULEXWHV to the global economy
79
7KH SHUFHQWDJH RI WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ YLFWLPV involved in sexual exploitation
14,500-17,500 1XPEHU RI VODYHV WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHG LQWR WKH 8QLWHG States each year
146
The number of years since slavery was â&#x20AC;&#x153;abolishedâ&#x20AC;? in the United States
67
7KH SHUFHQWDJH RI WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ YLFWLPV ZKR are women
Upfront
o you know how many slaves work for you? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the question asked by VODYHU\IRRWSULQW RUJ D ZHEVLWH WKDW HVWLPDWHV WKH QXPEHU RI SHRSOH IRUFHG WR SURGXFH WKH JRRGV \RX XVH )RU WKH DYHUDJH SHUVRQ WKH QXPEHU LV 7KH 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV GHĂ&#x20AC;QHV KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ DV ´DQ DFW RI UHFUXLWLQJ WUDQVSRUWLQJ WUDQVIHUULQJ KDUERULQJ RU UHFHLYLQJ D SHUVRQ WKURXJK D XVH of force, coercion or other means, for WKH SXUSRVH RI H[SORLWLQJ WKHP Âľ 7KLV GHĂ&#x20AC;QHV KXPDQ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ DV D PRGHUQ form of slavery, an underground market of bodies. According to Free the Slaves, there DUH FXUUHQWO\ DERXW PLOOLRQ VODYHV in the world forced to work without SD\ XQGHU WKUHDW RI YLROHQFH )UHH WKH Slaves is a national organization that WDUJHWV LQWHUQDWLRQDO FRUSRUDWLRQV WKDW rely on slave labor in order to raise awareness to consumers who buy IURP WKRVH FRUSRUDWLRQV ´3HRSOH DUH WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHG EHFDXVH WKH\ are vulnerable,â&#x20AC;? said Jess Lutenberg, SUHVLGHQW RI ,WKDFD &ROOHJH¡V FKDSWHU of Free the Slaves. According to /HXWHQEXUJ SHRSOH FDQ EH WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHG easily by asking them one question: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you want a job?â&#x20AC;? Although the majority of human WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ RFFXUV LQ $IULFD ,QGLD and Southeast Asia, the United 6WDWHV LV QR H[FHSWLRQ $FFRUGLQJ WR VODYHU\IRRWSULQW RUJ WR SHRSOH DUH WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHG LQWR WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DQQXDOO\ 7UDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHUV WDUJHW FKLOGUHQ DV \RXQJ DV \HDUV ROG ZLWK WKH SURPLVH RI D MRE RQO\ WR IRUFH WKHP LQWR SURVWLWXWLRQ RU GDQJHURXV IDFWRU\ ZRUN 7KUHDWV RI YLROHQFH GHSRUWDWLRQ DQG GHDWK NHHS WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ YLFWLPV under the control of their bosses. Yet there is no badge for YLFWLPV RI WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ 7UDIĂ&#x20AC;FNHG SHUVRQV DUH RIWHQ ´HPSOR\HGÂľ E\ legitimate businesses and exist in the market as traditional workers. Few signs exist to clue authorities into the violence and illicit activity. Victims often remain unnoticed and the system continues to thrive. In other cases, government
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Incorporating the First Amendment Citizens United court case gives more power to the powerful By Merdina Ljekperic
2
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
KDV EHHQ WKH \HDU RI WKH SROLWLFDO ERGLHV %RGLHV awakened and energized all over the world, starting in the VSULQJ LQ 1RUWK $IULFD DQG VSUHDGLQJ WKURXJKRXW WKH $UDE ZRUOG LQ SURWHVW RI GLFWDWRUVKLS DQG WRWDOLWDULDQ regimes. The energy traveled to the ERGLHV RI 6SDQLVK \RXWK DJDLQVW XQHPSOR\PHQW DQG &KLOHDQ \RXWK LQ the name of education reform. The VRXO RI WKH $UDE 6SULQJ SHUPHDWHG UHSUHVVHG ERGLHV DOO RYHU WKH ZRUOG XQWLO LW Ă&#x20AC;QDOO\ UHDFKHG $PHULFDQ VRLO and melted into an American fall. Bodies across the nation, centered mainly in New York City, have been energized to defend themselves, their ULJKWV DQG WKHLU ORVW SRZHU The irony is that the enemy of these energized bodies is yet another body Âł WKH FRUSRUDWH ERG\ ,Q -DQXDU\ WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW GHFLGHG LQ the landmark case (Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission) that FRUSRUDWLRQV FDQ OHJDOO\ DFW DV ERGLHV and therefore have such rights, mainly those of the First Amendment. In New York, tired souls of citizens have been re-energized against the giant soulless bodies of Wall Street. 7KRXVDQGV RI SHRSOH KDYH RFFXSLHG :DOO 6WUHHW EHFDXVH FRUSRUDWLRQV KDYH RFFXSLHG WKHLU ULJKWV Power Beyond the People 7KHUH LV D ORQJ DQG FRPSOH[ KLVWRU\ RI FRUSRUDWH WDNHRYHU LQ WKH United States, yet this case marks exactly where that control was VROLGLĂ&#x20AC;HG 7KH Citizens United case VWDUWHG LQ -DQ LQ ZKLFK WKH QRQ SURĂ&#x20AC;W FRUSRUDWLRQ &LWL]HQV 8QLWHG ZDQWHG WR DLU DQG SXEOLFL]H D long-form commercial against Hilary &OLQWRQ¡V SUHVLGHQWLDO FDPSDLJQ 7KH SUREOHP KRZHYHU ZDV WKDW LW YLRODWHG WKH %LSDUWLVDQ &DPSDLJQ Reform Act, or the McCain-Feingold $FW ZKLFK SURKLELWHG WKH XVH RI DQ\ SURPRWLRQDO HOHFWLRQ PDWHULDO IXQGHG E\ FRUSRUDWLRQV RU DQ\ FRUSRUDWH RU union money. ,Q 0DUFK WKH FDVH DUULYHG WR
WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW By the following Jan., the newly DFKLHYHG 5HSXEOLFDQ PDMRULW\ VWUXFN GRZQ WKH 0F&DLQ )HLQJROG $FW GHVSLWH DQ LPSDVVLRQHG GLVVHQW E\ VHDVRQHG MXVWLFH -RKQ 3DXO 6WHSKHQV In turn, Citizens United received the right to air the anti-Clinton commercial. The decision, authored by Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, JDYH )LUVW $PHQGPHQW SURWHFWLRQV WR FRUSRUDWLRQV DQG XQLRQV Âł SURWHFWLRQV UHVHUYHG LQ WKH %LOO RI 5LJKWV WR SHRSOH alone. The highest court in the nation HVVHQWLDOO\ GHHPHG FRUSRUDWLRQV HTXDO WR FLWL]HQV ,W JLYHV WKHP SHUVRQKRRG ,W gave them equal rights and their newIRXQG ULJKW WR IUHH VSHHFK DOORZV WKHP WR GRQDWH WR FDPSDLJQV DQG SDUWLFLSDWH in elections. -RKQ 1LFKROV SROLWLFDO FRPPHQWDWRU DQG :DVKLQJWRQ ' & FRUUHVSRQGHQW for The Nation PDJD]LQH H[SODLQHG
KDYH WKH SRZHU RI WKH SHRSOH Âł WKH\ KDYH SRZHU EH\RQG WKH SHRSOH Corporate Body Created by Conservative Party 8QOLNH PRVW SRVLWLRQV RI SRZHU LQ WKH 8 6 JRYHUQPHQW 6XSUHPH &RXUW justices are not elected, but rather DSSRLQWHG E\ WKH SUHVLGHQW -XVWLFHV cannot be removed until they retire RU SDVV 7KH GD\ -XVWLFH 6DQGUD 'D\ 2¡&RQQRU UHWLUHG LQ FRXOG EH marked as the day this case began. The liberal judge announced her retirement soon after George W. Bush EHFDPH SUHVLGHQW %XVK LPPHGLDWHO\ ORRNHG IRU D UHSODFHPHQW ZKR ZRXOG share his own views. He turned to conservative judge Samuel Alito. Soon thereafter, Alito, a conservative, UHSODFHG 2¡&RQQRU D OLEHUDO DQG RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDOO\ JDYH WKH ULJKW ZLQJ D PDMRULW\ LQ WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW ,Q WKH UXOLQJ WKH FRXUW ZDV FOHDQO\ VSOLW EHWZHHQ IRXU OLEHUDO
Protesters are making it very clear that the Bill of Rights does not begin with â&#x20AC;&#x153;We the corporations.â&#x20AC;? WKH SRWHQWLDO WKUHDW WKLV SRVHV WR WKH SROLWLFDO V\VWHP ´:KHQ WKH\ KDYH SROLWLFDO SRZHU DW that level, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very dangerous thing EHFDXVH LW DOORZV D VPDOO JURXS RI VHOI interested institutions to effectively GHĂ&#x20AC;QH RXU JRYHUQPHQW Âľ 1LFKROV VDLG 8 6 FRUSRUDWH SURĂ&#x20AC;WV UHDFKHG DQ DOO WLPH KLJK DW WKH HQG RI UHDFKLQJ WULOOLRQ (YHQ LI RQO\ RQH SHUFHQW of that amount was contributed to a SROLWLFDO FDPSDLJQ LW ZRXOG EH PRUH than any has ever seen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more than 3UHVLGHQW %DUDFN 2EDPD VSHQW RQ KLV FDPSDLJQ E\ PLOOLRQV DQG PRUH WKDQ WKH HQWLUH FRQJUHVV VSHQW RQ WKHLU FDPSDLJQV FRPELQHG 7KLV PHDQV WKDW running elections must now be done WR SOHDVH FRUSRUDWLRQV DQG WR ZLQ said election, will mean to be forever LQGHEWHG WR WKHP :LWK Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO resources beyond the wildest dreams RI DQ\ LQGLYLGXDO FRUSRUDWLRQV GR QRW
MXGJHV DQG Ă&#x20AC;YH FRQVHUYDWLYH ² WZR RI ZKLFK DSSRLQWHG E\ %XVK 2Q WKH conservative end â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito, Jr. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; followed Justice Anthony Kennedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conclusion. Justice John 3DXO 6WHSKHQV ZDV MRLQHG E\ WKH WKUHH other liberal members of the court â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 6WHSKHQ * %UH\HU DQG 6RQLD Sotomayor â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in his dissent. Justice Kennedyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conclusion DUJXHG WKDW SUHYHQWLQJ FRUSRUDWLRQV IURP IXQGLQJ FDPSDLJQ DGV ZRXOG EH D YLRODWLRQ WR FLWL]HQV¡ IUHH VSHHFK DQG WKH ULJKW WR SXEOLF RSLQLRQ EHFDXVH according to the Constitution, citizens KDYH WKRVH ULJKWV DQG FRUSRUDWLRQV DUH PDGH XS RI FLWL]HQV -XVWLFH 6WHSKHQ¡V QRZ IDPRXV SDJH GLVVHQW ZHQW RQ WKH DEVROXWH RIIHQVLYH DJDLQVW .HQQHG\¡V SRVLWLRQ â&#x20AC;&#x201D; denouncing it, attacking it and
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GLVSURYLQJ LW â&#x20AC;&#x153;The rule announced today â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that &RQJUHVV PXVW WUHDW FRUSRUDWLRQV H[DFWO\ OLNH KXPDQ VSHDNHUV LQ WKH SROLWLFDO UHDOP Âł UHSUHVHQWV D UDGLFDO FKDQJH LQ WKH ODZ Âľ 6WHSKHQV ZURWH â&#x20AC;&#x153;The courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision is at war with the views of generations of Americans.â&#x20AC;? Nichols reacted similarly. He H[SODLQHG WKDW the Courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest value is LQ LQWHUSUHWLQJ arcane matters in law, not creating s o m e t h i n g entirely new â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;activist law,â&#x20AC;? as he called it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My sense is that the court very much went beyond its authority,â&#x20AC;? said Image by Erin Irby Nichols. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a lawless decision.â&#x20AC;? The McCainFeingold Act, ZKLFK SURKLELWHG WKH XVH RI DQ\ SURPRWLRQDO HOHFWLRQ PDWHULDO IXQGHG E\ FRUSRUDWLRQV RU DQ\ FRUSRUDWH RU XQLRQ PRQH\ ZDV D ODZ WKDW SDVVHG through Congress. It was created by GHPRFUDWLFDOO\ HOHFWHG RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDOV YRWHG IRU E\ WKH SHRSOH DQG SDVVHG LQWR ODZ through a more or less democratic SURFHVV ,W ZDV RYHUUXOHG KRZHYHU E\ WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW ZKLFK LV HOHFWHG QRW E\ WKH SHRSOH EXW E\ WKH SUHVLGHQW The decision was determined solely by their left or right ideological alignment LQ WKH FRXUW 6WHSKHQV GLG QRW IDLO WR address that in his dissent. Nichols said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only relevant thing WKDW KDV FKDQJHG LV WKH FRPSRVLWLRQ of this court.â&#x20AC;?
6XSUHPH &RXUW ZRQ¡W KHVLWDWH WR overturn these small reforms in favor RI FRUSRUDWLRQV KH VDLG LW ZRXOG EH D mistake not to work toward the goal on all levels. He called for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;multiWLHUHG UHVSRQVH Âľ WKDW DLPV IRU D constitutional amendment, yet seeks local resolutions as well. :KLOH WKH UHVSRQVH IURP WKH 7HD Party Movement differs greatly from WKH UHVSRQVH RI 2FFXS\ :DOO 6WUHHW Williams suggests that it shows that ERWK VLGHV ´DUH SUHWW\ PXFK GHDG FHQWHU LQ WKH H[DFW VDPH VSRW ZKLFK is that they agree that something is ZURQJ ZLWK RXU SROLWLFDO GHPRFUDF\ Âľ In his heated dissent, Justice 6WHSKHQV DOVR PHQWLRQHG WKDW WKH ERUGHUOLQH XQDQLPRXV RSSRVLWLRQ against this decision would transcend SDUW\ SROLWLFV 6WHSKHQV VDLG ´:KLOH $PHULFDQ GHPRFUDF\ LV LPSHUIHFW IHZ RXWVLGH the majority of this court would have WKRXJKW LWV Ă DZV LQFOXGHG D GHDUWK RI FRUSRUDWH PRQH\ LQ SROLWLFV Âľ Lost Souls Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist RQFH ZDUQHG WKDW WUHDWLQJ FRUSRUDWH VSHQGLQJ DV WKH )LUVW $PHQGPHQW HTXLYDOHQW RI LQGLYLGXDO IUHH VSHHFK LV ´WR FRQIXVH PHWDSKRU ZLWK UHDOLW\ Âľ 7KH PHWDSKRULFDO FRUSRUDWH ERG\ has robbed the rights intended for the real bodies. The bodies of the voters have lost the rights given to them by their inherent humanity to WKH Ă&#x20AC;FWLRQDO \HW XQEULGOHG FRUSRUDWH SHUVRQ 5HDO SHRSOH KDYH UHVSRQGHG E\ RFFXS\LQJ 3URWHVWRUV DUH PDNLQJ LW very clear that the Bill of Rights does QRW EHJLQ ZLWK ´:H WKH FRUSRUDWLRQV Âľ ´$PHULFD¡V SROLWLFDO SURFHVV LV riddled with the cancer. The body is Ă&#x20AC;OOHG ZLWK FDQFHU ´ VD\V :LOOLDPV ´, want to rid the body, the American SROLWLFDO ERG\ RI FDQFHU Âł RI PRQH\ Âľ Once again, it has been all about the ERGLHV ,W ZDV WKH SRODUL]HG SROLWLFDO ERGLHV LQ SDUW\ SROLWLFV WKDW FUHDWHG WKH FRUSRUDWH ERGLHV IRUJHWWLQJ entirely about the only bodies that really matters â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our own. They created bodies, but forgot souls. _____________________________________ Merdina Ljekperic is a junior journalism and politics major who is currently only occupying her couch. Email her at mljekpe1@ithaca.edu.
Upfront
Getting Back the Citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Exclusive Rights ,Q KLV -DQ 6WDWH RI WKH 8QLRQ address, Obama said that the (Citizens United v. FEC) decision â&#x20AC;&#x153;reversed a FHQWXU\ RI ODZ WR RSHQ WKH Ă RRGJDWHV IRU VSHFLDO LQWHUHVWV ÂŤ WR VSHQG without limit in our elections.â&#x20AC;? 2YHU D \HDU ODWHU SURWHVWHUV DOO over the United States have taken to demonstrating against those same
VSHFLDO LQWHUHVWV DV SDUW RI WKH 2FFXS\ Wall Street movement. Now, the ERGLHV RI WKH SHUFHQW KDYH FKRVHQ to use their First Amendment rights RI DVVHPEO\ DQG SHWLWLRQ WR FDOO IRU WKHLU JRYHUQPHQW RIĂ&#x20AC;FLDOV WR EH E\ IRU DQG RI WKH SHRSOH QRW WKH FRUSRUDWH SHUFHQW ZKRVH LQWHUHVWV UHĂ HFW nothing but their own. Jimmy Williams is a former FRUSRUDWH OREE\LVW who is now the executive director of the Get Money Out Foundation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Americans DUH ULSH IRU movement, â&#x20AC;&#x153; Williams said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think America is GHVSHUDWH KXQJU\ >DQG@ WKLUVW\ IRU DQ\WKLQJ WKDW¡OO Ă&#x20AC;[ the system.â&#x20AC;? Due to the SRODUL]HG PDNHXS RI WKH 6XSUHPH Court, the ultimate resolution is a constitutional amendment. It is far from an easy task, but organizations such as Get Money Out Foundation, Move to Amend and )UHH 6SHHFK IRU 3HRSOH KDYH DOUHDG\ moved on the objective. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have structural ability to deal ZLWK LW LQ RXU VRFLHW\ DQG WKH SULPDU\ way to do that is to amend the constitution currently, reasserting WKDW ÂŤ FRUSRUDWLRQV DUH QRW KXPDQ beings,â&#x20AC;? Nichols said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And while WKH\ PD\ KDYH ULJKWV DQG SULYLOHJHV they should not be accorded rights as H[WHQVLRQ RI VRPH GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWLRQ RI WKHP as human beings.â&#x20AC;? Other solutions have been SURSRVHG IRU WKH PHDQWLPH 7KH Obama administration has called for GLVFORVXUH DWWHPSWLQJ WR RUGHU WKDW DOO FRUSRUDWLRQV VHHNLQJ JRYHUQPHQW JUDQWV DQG FRQWUDFWV PXVW SXEOLFO\ GLVFORVH DQ\ SROLWLFDO FRQWULEXWLRQV Organizations like the Center for Political Accountability have called on the Securities and Exchange &RPPLVVLRQ 6(& WR GHYHORS UXOHV WR UHTXLUH WKH GLVFORVXUH RI SROLWLFDO VSHQGLQJ E\ FRUSRUDWLRQV While Nichols fears that the current
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Shining the Red Light On Sex Work
How the prostitution debate reveals unspoken societal problems By Sydney Fusto commodities that can be ERXJKW VROG DQG H[SORLWHG Âľ VDLG .ULVWHQ %HUJ SURJUDP RIĂ&#x20AC;FHU IRU (TXDOLW\ 1RZ an international organization that works to end violence and discrimination against women. Some women HQWHU SURVWLWXWLRQ because they feel WUDSSHG LQ WKHLU Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDO VLWXDWLRQ SHUFHQW RI WKRVH LQ SRYHUW\ LQ WKH ZRUOG DUH ZRPHQ ,Q WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH +XPDQ 'HYHORSPHQW 5HSRUW ZRPHQ DUH VWLOO PDNLQJ SHUFHQW RI ZKDW PHQ make in the same jobs. The average VDODU\ RI D SURVWLWXWH LV 7KH hourly rate for â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-classâ&#x20AC;? escorts is DORQH ZKLOH VWUHHWZDONHUV LQ &KLFDJR PDNH RQ DYHUDJH GROODUV DQ KRXU Âł FRPSDUH WKDW WR WKH IHGHUDO PLQLPXP ZDJH RI DQ KRXU Underlying the debate on the
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
We advertise sex, we hint at it, suggest it and talk about it. But we never seem to want to think about it actually happening. murdered. If it was legalized, the government FRXOG UHJXODWH LW SRVVLEO\ SUHYHQWLQJ DEXVH WKDW UXQV UDPSDQW LQ WKH VH[ worker industry. According to Priscilla Alexander, a contributing writer in the book Sex Work: Writings by Women in the Sex Industry, PDQ\ SURVWLWXWHV ZKR UHSRUWHG EHLQJ VH[XDOO\ DVVDXOWHG while on the job were either ignored or DUUHVWHG 2QO\ IRXU SHUFHQW RI UDSHV DJDLQVW SURVWLWXWHV DUH UHSRUWHG DQG barely any ever end with a conviction. $OVR VH[ WUDIĂ&#x20AC;FNLQJ GUXJ DGGLFWLRQV DQG WKH VSUHDG RI VH[XDOO\ WUDQVPLWWHG diseases could decrease drastically. For instance, the legal brothels in Nevada do routine blood tests and screening for STDs and the HIV virus. Others feel the legalization of SURVWLWXWLRQ ZRXOG RYHUORRN WKH economic issues associated with it. ´>3URVWLWXWLRQ LV DQ@ LQGXVWU\ ZKHUH women and girls are treated as
OHJDOL]DWLRQ RI SURVWLWXWLRQ PD\ EH WKH ELJJHVW SUREOHP RI DOO RXU WDERR WRZDUG sex. &ULWLFV VD\ SURVWLWXWLRQ GHKXPDQL]HV women as strictly sexual commodities. However, if you look at advertisements today, nearly every advertisement uses D PRGHO WR VHOO WKHLU SURGXFWV â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the question of women or DQ\RQH EHLQJ REMHFWLĂ&#x20AC;HG FRPHV PRUH from our culture than necessarily one SURIHVVLRQ WKDW LV VH[ EDVHG Âľ VDLG Maria Shishmanian, a member of IC Feminists. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we want to look at the REMHFWLĂ&#x20AC;FDWLRQ RI ZRPHQ ORRN DW RXU advertising, look at our fashion ads that we have. We are teaching ourselves WR REMHFWLI\ SHRSOH Âľ We advertise sex, we hint at it, suggest it and talk about it. But we never seem to want to think about it actually KDSSHQLQJ ,QWHUHVWLQJO\ HQRXJK WKLV SUXGLVK VH[XDO VWDQFH LQ RXU FXOWXUH VHHPV WR EH KDYLQJ WKH RSSRVLWH HIIHFW LQ
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rostitution is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest and most notorious SURIHVVLRQV 7KH RFFXSDWLRQ has been around since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon to the corners of Seventh Avenue in New York City. 2SLQLRQV RI SURVWLWXWLRQ KDYH YDULHG throughout history. In Ancient %DE\ORQ HYHU\ ZRPDQ ZDV H[SHFWHG WR have sex with a foreigner as a show of %DE\ORQLDQ KRVSLWDOLW\ DQG KHU GHYRWLRQ to her nation. Today, there is extreme FRQWURYHUV\ VXUURXQGLQJ SURVWLWXWLRQ for various reasons. Prostitution is currently illegal in HYHU\ VWDWH H[FHSW LVRODWHG SRFNHWV LQ northern Nevada, which allow legal EURWKHOV 6XSSRUWHUV RI OHJDOL]DWLRQ IHHO WKDW LW ZRXOG SURWHFW WKH VH[ ZRUNHUV E\ SURYLGLQJ WKHP ZLWK D VDIHU HQYLURQPHQW According to OnlineSchools.org, a VLWH SURYLGLQJ LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ YDULRXV SURIHVVLRQV SURVWLWXWLRQ KDV EHHQ deemed â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most dangerous job in the 8 6 Âľ ZLWK WKH KLJKHVW PXUGHU UDWH RXW RI HYHU\ SURVWLWXWHV DUH
ZLSLQJ RXW SURVWLWXWLRQ Iwan Bloch, author of Die Prostitution VDLG ´3URVWLWXWLRQ DSSHDUV DPRQJ SULPLWLYH SHRSOH ZKHUHYHU IUHH VH[XDO intercourse is curtailed or limited.â&#x20AC;? (XURSH KDV ORQJ EHHQ NQRZQ IRU LWV OLEHUDOLW\ WRZDUG VH[ 7KHUH DUH FRXQWULHV LQ WKH (XURSHDQ 8QLRQ WKDW KDYH OHJDOL]HG SURVWLWXWLRQ 7KH 8QLWHG States, for all our sexually suggestive advertising, has long held a suffocating JULS RQ DQ DOPRVW 3XULWDQLFDO LGHRORJ\ RQ ZKDW VH[ LV ´VXSSRVHGÂľ WR EH :H OHDYH EDUHO\ DQ\ URRP IRU LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ DQG LPSRVH D ´RQH VL]H Ă&#x20AC;WV DOOÂľ PHQWDOLW\ RQ VH[ LQVWHDG RI OHDYLQJ LW XS WR WKH individuals to decide what sex is and means for them. Society has long demanded women to walk a straight line when it comes to sexuality. Any deviance IURP KHU VHW SDWK UHVXOWV LQ RVWUDFLVP and judgment from her community and SHHUV 7RGD\ WKH OHJDOL]DWLRQ RI SURVWLWXWLRQ UHPDLQV D FRPSOH[ LVVXH $OWKRXJK WKH OHJDOL]DWLRQ PD\ SURYLGH SURVWLWXWHV ZLWK PRUH SURWHFWLRQ LW PD\ LQ WXUQ QHJOHFW the larger economic structures that IRUFH ZRPHQ LQWR SURVWLWXWLRQ LQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW SODFH <HW XQGHUQHDWK LW DOO RXU VRFLHW\ LV VWLOO WRR WDERR WRZDUG VH[ WR DFFHSW SURVWLWXWLRQ DV D SURIHVVLRQ DQG OHJDOL]H it. In the end, the discussion of whether RU QRW WR OHJDOL]H SURVWLWXWLRQ PD\ actually serve as an illustration of our JUHDWHU VRFLHWDO SUREOHPV RI VH[XDO DQG HFRQRPLF LQHTXDOLW\ DQG RI RXU SUXGLVK UHVLVWDQFH WR LQGXOJLQJ LQ SOHDVXUH ____________________________________ Sydney Fusto is a freshman journalism major who likes to parade around in her 7 ½ inch stripper shoes with gun barrel heels. Email her at sfusto1@ithaca.edu.
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Ministry of Cool
OOL. MINISTRYofCOOL. MIN 15
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My Life as the Black Trophy Girl Living in the bounds of racial parentheses By Crystal Kayiza
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BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
ast year, I graduated from Jenks High School in Jenks, Oklahoma, a predominantly Caucasian community where any deviation from the norm is notable. My graduating class included 600 suburban teens, who began to compartmentalize shortly after entering high school. We were divided E\ RXU FRPPXQLW\·V GHÀQLWLRQV RI success: High-achieving students rose to the top, celebrated as distinct and separate from the rest of the school, I became a member of this elite group whose marked moments of success continually graced the school announcements. Within this social group I found some of my greatest friends and mentors. I was a student, a leader and a volunteer in my community, and I felt a camaraderie and understanding with other
Image by Anika Steppe
students like me. Despite all of these efforts to unite us, I was constantly reminded that I was different: I am not white. I spent years of my public school education feeling alone in the classroom, because I was typically the only African American female, and often I was the only African American at all. My teachers and peers were supportive, but I continued to put VLJQLÀFDQW SUHVVXUH RQ P\VHOI WR perform. My social group was comprised largely of leaders and high-achieving students, and we were the pride and joy of the school, the marketed example of success. Although this group was largely Caucasian, several of us were not, and we acknowledged our shared status as trophies of minority expectations. I became an example of what can happen when a persistent African American exceeds the expectations of her surroundings. On the surface, this seems ideal; I held an advantage over my peers because as the only black face in the classroom, my successes were easily remembered and documented. But one of the negative consequences was a severe case of “trophy” syndrome, which caused me to become obsessed ZLWK ÀWWLQJ LQWR D PROG I replaced one stereotype — the unmotivated, underperforming African American — with a new role: the African American wunderkind. I was on par with my fellow classmates, and yet I could never remove myself from the matter of race. Early on in high school, I prided myself on transcending the perceived stereotypes of my race, but I realized that success didn’t shield me from traditional prejudices. As time passed, I realized that I was becoming known as much for my ethnic diversity as my academic
and extracurricular accomplishments. I found myself stuck on a pedestal that I welded, casted and inscribed. Yes, I pushed myself to achieve, but my community pushed me to become an example of minority success. My obsession with exceeding expectations based on race was quickly replaced with exhaustion. I wanted to be an example to my community, but I also wanted to be known for more than the color of my skin. I loathed that my triumphs were placed into racial parentheses; I wanted to be known as a student who accomplished something without mention of my skin color. I had proven to myself that my race was an asset and not a detriment toward achieving my goals, and through this discovery, I grew to consider myself to be much more than an African American. My character, passions and culture are as much a part of me as the shell that holds them. I would like to think the honors I’ve amassed, the doors I’ve opened and the friends I’ve maintained are well-earned. I am not naïve enough to EHOLHYH WKDW P\ UDFH KDG QR LQÁXHQFH in the opportunities I’ve received, but , KRSH WKDW , ZRQ·W IRUHYHU H[LVW WR ÀOO a quota. Race isn’t an obstacle to be conquered — it’s a perspective to be embraced. The pigment of your skin doesn’t dictate your value within a community. People of color should not be expected to represent the desires of a whole minority community, and wanting to be looked at beyond your race isn’t a trivial request. Using your position as a minority to challenge stereotypes and create new paths for others will only advance the cause for human equality. We cannot get lost in our pursuits to be one-of-a-kind and IRUJHW WKDW RXU ERGLHV GR QRW GHÀQH the content of our character or the worth of our minds. ____________________________________ Crystal Kayiza is a freshman documentary studies major who doesn’t want to spend her life on the mantle. Email her ckayiza1@ithaca.edu.
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Let Me See Your Body Talk The art of non-verbal communication By Amanda Hutchinson
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our mother was right when she told you that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just what you say, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how you say it. Both what and how you say something goes beyond what physically comes out of your vocal folds. Non-verbal communication â&#x20AC;&#x201D; known more colloquially as body language â&#x20AC;&#x201D; provides a deeper, more subconscious level of communication that can actually make or break a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delivery, regardless of his or her speaking ability. Non-verbal communication, which includes not only physical gestures but also eye contact, spatial recognition, and tone and volume of voice, comes from multiple disciplines, including neuroscience and psychology. It is so
´WKH Ă&#x20AC;QJHU Âľ FDQ Imag es b create a lot of unnecessary y An ika S misunderstandings. tepp e These skills need to be built early on, even as soon as one enters the work force, and the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career services are there to assist students in their professional endeavors. Caryanne Keenan, the assistant director of career services at Ithaca College, said that the program offers mock interviews that monitor both content and body language. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the majority of how people communicate,â&#x20AC;? Keenan said, explaining that the Career Services staff works with students and â&#x20AC;&#x153;goes through what each [type of body language] portrays to people.â&#x20AC;? Keenan explained that body language and the registering of such is innate, but it comes easier to some people than others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some people naturally have good interpersonal skills, and others have to be more conscious,â&#x20AC;? Keenan said. She added that many students â&#x20AC;&#x153;totally underestimate the power of eye contact and smiles,â&#x20AC;? which can ensure a positive connection by appearing friendly and approachable. Body language is a key component to all communication whether you are in the United States or the United Arab Emirates, and awareness is key to portraying the proper meaning â&#x20AC;&#x201D; wherever the discussions may be. Experts warn against using it too frivolously or excessively because it might detract from â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or even contradict â&#x20AC;&#x201D; what you intend to say, but for the most part, body language is a natural supplement to what is already being said. After all, as Keenan said, everyone is â&#x20AC;&#x153;always projecting.â&#x20AC;? ____________________________________ Amanda Hutchinson is a freshman journalism major with a simple message: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parlez-vous Français? Konichiwa, come and move-a my way.â&#x20AC;? Email her at ahutchi2@ithaca.edu.
Ministry of Cool
deeply ingrained in behavior that many people exhibit the most obvious gestures and recognize the most subtle signals without realizing it. First impressions are key because even the smallest nuance can result in a snap judgment. Often, a person will be able to tell if something is â&#x20AC;&#x153;offâ&#x20AC;? almost immediately based on these small cues, without being able to conciously identify what exactly makes that detail not quite right. This phenomenon can be the decisionmaker in many instances. As a component of social interaction, body language plays a large part in everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily lives. A particular sensitivity has to be applied in cultural and professional applications. As globalization
increases, an understanding of body language will be even more vital because of the necessary interaction on both cultural and professional levels. An understanding of non-verbal communication is imperative because the stakes are higher in business; a wrong move could mean the difference between deal and no deal. Body language has a strong footing in culture, changing drastically according to region. Therefore, it is important to keep these differences in mind, particularly in a professional setting. Danette Johnson, professor of communication studies at Ithaca College, said the â&#x20AC;&#x153;use of space, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an acceptable distance and eye contactâ&#x20AC;? are all culturally derived. Johnson also said that, in any situation, it is important to keep in mind that body language is made up of several different parts, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you want to understand what people are communicating nonverbally, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just look at one channel.â&#x20AC;? Ithaca College freshman Sarah Browne studied in Spain her senior year of high school and even though it was a less formal setting than a business negotiation, many of the same aspects applied. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People tended to use their hands and bodies to express themselves much more so than in the United States and other English-speaking countries,â&#x20AC;? she said. She adapted these habits while she was in Spain and explained that her parents noticed an increase in expression and vocal volume when Browne spoke to her host family while talking to her parents via Skype. Many cultures exhibit similar nonverbal communication patterns, such as facial expressions. The differences such as formality, volume or spatial awareness, can create a discomfort that will hinder the proper communication. Even a mistake as simple as giving the â&#x20AC;&#x153;OKâ&#x20AC;? hand gesture in Brazil, where it is the equivalent to giving
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Peek-A-Boob
The sexualization of female Halloween costumes By Carly Smith something similar could happen at Cornell because of their prominent Greek Life. Woodward had the same belief. “I know men expect to see women in little clothing,” Woodward said. “I’m preparing myself for the fact that when I go out [for Halloween], I will be looked at weirdly because I will have an actual costume.” While Woodward dressed up as Rosie the Riveter for the holiday, Halloween City at the Ithaca Mall sold costumes like Sexy Witch, Sexy Cop, Sexy Fireman and Sexy Referee. Costumes marketed at men — Vampire, Pirate and Superhero — covered substantially more skin. Across the country, women’s costumes are designed with as little coverage as possible. The students at Duke took sexualizing women a step further by encouraging them to wear costumes that were sexually appealing. Shishmanian said the most demeaning part of the invitation was that women were expected to dress the way the men described. In Slut!, Tanenbaum describes a slut not as a woman who is sexually promiscuous, but as a negative word that people use to belittle a woman with a casual attitude toward her sexuality or fails to conform to the idea of “normal” appearance and behavior. Not only does society have a double standard toward gender and sexuality, but it also presents two radically different opinions that are held simultaneously: A woman is encouraged to show off her body on Halloween, but at any other time she must dress conservatively if she wants to be respected. Tanenbaum said women can use their sexuality and their femininity as a source of empowerment. Woodward agreed, but not entirely. “Being sexy can empower
women, but I’m afraid Halloween is not about that,” she said. “I know some feminists who will show off their awesome bodies and do it because they love the way they look, or even to hook up with men, but they would never let anyone disrespect them.” Before female empowerment can be applied to Halloween costumes, :RRGZDUG IHHOV WKDW VRFLHW\ PXVW ÀUVW adjust its attitude toward sexuality. “We have to work on the mentality of what it means to be sexy and where the boundaries are before these Halloween costumes can be seen by everyone as empowering,” Woodward said. “One girl may see strength and another girl might see a slut.” While society may not be ready for women being comfortable enough with their sexuality to express it publicly, it feels comfortable in demanding those same people to sex up their wardrobe on Halloween. To the American population, ghosts and ghouls might be easier to deal with than a woman’s sexual empowerment. ____________________________________ Carly Smith is a junior journalism major who refuses to dress as the Sexy Feminist. Email her at csmith7@ithaca. edu. Image by Cecily Brown
BUZZSAW: The BODY & soul Issue
W
omen clad in tight candy striper uniforms and plaid schoolgirl skirts just long enough to cover their important bits are the norm at college Halloween parties. Students in the Sigma Nu fraternity at Duke University sent email invitations to more than 300 female classmates for their Halloween party last year. The beginning of the email read: “Whether your [sic] dressing up as a slutty nurse, a slutty doctor, a slutty schoolgirl, or just a total slut, ZH LQYLWH \RX WR ÀQG VKHOWHU LQ WKH FRQÀQHV RI 3DUWQHUV ' µ To no one’s surprise, some women dressed just as the fraternity suggested. The next morning, bright yellow Á\HUV UHSULQWHG 6LJPD 1X·V LQYLWDWLRQ with a handwritten note: “Is this why you came to Duke?” Grace Woodward, the co-president of IC Feminists, felt sick after reading the invitation. “It’s unfortunate that the titles given in the email, such as nurse and doctor, are all powerful positions women hold that are diminished to sex,” she said. “To take such ambitious careers and ‘sexify’ them kind of sucks.” Maria Shishmanian, a member of the executive board for IC Feminists, was bothered by the message behind the invitation. “I’m all for theme parties, and I’m all for women dressing up however they want and doing what they want with their bodies,” Shishmanian said, “But I don’t like that this invitation sounds like men calling for ‘sluts.’” In her book Slut!: Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation, Leora Tanenbaum recalled one of the many times when she was “sexualized in asexual contexts,” such as on her way to work. Men made kissing noises at her or shouted, “Nice tits!” “For many men, woman equals sexual being, and sexual being means sexually available all the time,” Tanenbaum wrote. Intense backlash to an event such as Sigma Nu’s party has yet to happen at Ithaca College or at Cornell University, but Shishmanian said
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Sense-ual Attraction By Samantha Brucker
I
â&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve fallen in love with the scene again, but it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just because of you. I just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand being your marionette; I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand being so frozen anymore. The freedom from our puppeteer relationship, dictating my reactionary and responsive instincts, was too compelling. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit there waiting on your movements, with wooden limbs and a drawn-on smile. I was numb to your touch, blind to your sight, deaf to your voice, bland to your taste, blocked from your Ralph Lauren scent. The scene has too much to offer, too many sensations pulsating my senses, breaking down all barriers. People have swarmed the dance room, drinks cascading from their slippery hands â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I can never hold on to those damn Solo cups. All you FDQ VHH DUH ERGLHV Ă RRGLQJ WKH VFHQH moving to the music, begging to be touched. And all the while Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m moving in closer. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m making my way to the dance Ă RRU EHFDXVH \RX NQRZ ,¡P D GDQFLQJ machine. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no other place that I am more alive than with those beats, with those people moving so freely. Because when you are liberated from the sunlight, anything goes, there are no rules. I can feel the music take over and I know thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no turning back. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in love again.
Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in love the vibrations of the bass, the movement of our bodies, the taste of that red poison that enhances our freedom while blurring our vision. I know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a good night. I know these beats will initiate the strides weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been thinking about taking towards the bedroom. My strings had been cut from my puppeteer and it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long to walk on my own two legs, letting my hands do what they want. With the music that never ends and the freedom my senses are feeling, I know never again do I want my hands tied down â&#x20AC;Ś not unless I bring the ties. All at once, I can feel again. Your skin on my skin and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all there is. :LWK WKH VWULQJV FXW , KDG EORRG Ă RZing through my body again â&#x20AC;&#x201D; your hands running through my hair and leaving marks on my waist. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll follow your lead, hand stretched out I walk closely behind. The music doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop and the breeze from the door closing moves all along my body as you face to turn me. A playful struggle for control leaves me pressed against WKH ZDOO ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;QJHUSULQW EUXLVHV OHDYing your mark. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing wrong with taking control, in fact, please do. All I want is my hands free to roam the curves of your back. All I want is to leave my mark and there couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be better time than right now. The room darkens and all I can see
is your silhouette outlined from the backdrop of the balcony light. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m watching you move my body as I move mine with yours. Nothing had been this clear in a year, but I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t blind anymore, my sight in sync with your touch and suddenly Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m breathing again. I can hear your heavy breathing down my neck. The music canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t drown me out now, canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t clash with my body screaming out. My third sense revived I can hear you calling out my name and I know my body is coming back to life. With each sense recovered my body breaks from its manikin shell. Even your taste commands me. Pushes me to the limits and breaks the blank wall I had been staring out. The sweetness from your drink heightens my touch, sight, and sound. Your hands, your silhouette, your breath, your taste, your scent, your skin. My senses painted with colors and with the strings cut, my body had awakened wanting more. More of that gin and juice, more of those beats that travel through my spine, more of your silhouette that I can scratch up, more of that glitter that brightens the scene. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even care if we only have one night, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. These senses arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t leaving now, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re back where they should have been all along. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back to a boundless existence, where all that matters is your skin on my skin.
Ministry of Cool
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BUZZSAW; The BODY & soul Issue
CONS. PROSE&CONS. PROS
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Knowing When to Run with Scissors by Adeline Nieto %P[E]W MKRMXMRK LIV JEGI [EW E WQMPI WS FMK WS FVMKLX WS ORS[MRK 8LI [SVPH [EW EX LIV JIIX ERH LIV JIIX [IVI MR XLI GPSYHW &YX XSS QER] RMKLXW SJ ¾SSHMRK GEYWIH XLI ½VI XS FYVR SYX ERH ]SY EVI QMWXEOIR MJ ]SY XLMRO XLI X[MROPI MR LIV I]IW MW ER]XLMRK FYX WXEVW WLSSXMRK E[E] 8LI QEKMGMER LEW WMRGI HMWETTIEVIH ]IX LI WXE]IH PSRK IRSYKL XS LEVZIWX LIV QSSR ERH HVMRO JVSQ LIV [IPP SJ XIEVW )]IPMHW VMWI ERH JEPP EW WLI TSYRHW XLI WTPMRXIVIH ¾SSV 7LI TYPPW EX PSGOW SJ LEMV WPETW X[S WMHIH JEGIW XSRIH PIKW HIPMGEXI EVQW EPP LIV S[R 7LI TSMRXW XS XLI GSRWXIPPEXMSRW SJ JSVQMRK WGEFW ERH WGVIEQW why don’t you exist on hearts? ,IV ZMWMSR FPYVW SYX ERH WLI XYVRW RYQF EGGITXMRK EPP XLEX WLI JIIPW EGGITXMRK RSXLMRK 8LI GEWWIXXI TPE]W VI[MRHW TPE]W VI[MRHW 7LI LEH XLVS[R E[E] LIV LERH[VMXMRK FIPMIZMRK MX [EW XSS VIQSZIH ERH RS[ MX MW XSS PEXI XS VIXVMIZI HMWGEVHIH RSXIW *PMTTMRK XLI TPE]IV PMOI E HMGI ERH RSXMGMRK MX PEGOW E TEYWI FYXXSR WLI WXERHW YT ,IV ZIVXIFVEI EPMKR 8LIVI´W SRP] WS QER] XMQIW WLI GER PMWXIR XS LIV ZSMGI WSYRHMRK WS TEXLIXMG How did I think that was validation? 6IKEMRMRK LIV WIRWIW SRI F] SRI GSQQSR WIRWI XEOIW SZIV +EWTMRK JSV EMV WLI ½WLIW SYX XS KVEF XLI ORMJI VIEH] XS WIZIV XLI HIEXL PMRI ERH FI XLI PMFIVEXSV SJ LIV JVIIHSQ
Graduation, Finally By Audrey Burke
Prose & Cons
I hold the plastic button, click -´Q WS I\GMXIH MX´W ½REPP] LIVI -X´W XLI ½VWX TLSXSKVETL [I´ZI LEH XSKIXLIV WMRGI - [EW WM\ 8LI ¾EWL HSIWR´X KS SJJ FYX - ORS[ MX´W XLIVI - LMX ^IVS 8LI RI\X HE] MR XLI WXSVI QIQSVMIW EVI FIMRK QEHI 7GEVPIX XS ZIVHERX LYIW FPYI GSVR XS HE[R IQIVKI JVSQ XLI TVMRXIV *MREPP] XLI VIGXERKYPEV FS\ MW LERHIH XS QI JVSQ XLI PEH] FILMRH XLI GSYRXIV - LEZI EPP SJ XLIQ FYX - SRP] [ERX SYVW - WII MX - WII XLI HSK[SSH XVII MR XLI FEGOKVSYRH FYX [I HSR´X ETTIEV - HSR´X WII QSQ´W HS[R] LEMV FVYWLIH EKEMRWX Q] FPEGO TSP]IWXIV GET SV HEH´W QEGMPIRX EVQ HVETIH FILMRH Q] RIGO SRXS Q] KS[R GSZIVIH WLSYPHIV SV Q] XSS [LMXI XIIXL KVMRRMRK EFSYX WSQIXLMRK XLEX HSIWR´X I\MWX NYWX XLI LMRX SJ XLEX HSK[SSH XVII LIV TIXEPW JEPPMRK
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BUZZSAW; The BODY & soul Issue
DUST. SAWDUST. SAWDUS
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IC Professor Arrested for Reportedly Blowing Student’s Mind By David Myers
E
Image by Zachary Anderson
conomics professor Jonathan Vondopoulos was taken into custody early last Thursday after reportedly blowing sophomore Jason DePalma’s mind. Several students in Vondopoulos’ 9:25 am “Capitalism in the East” class have also reported that their pre-conceived notions about American hegemony across Southeast Asia and other parts of the world have been “severely bruised.” Sources say the morning started out as a routine class period, with various students on the verge of falling asleep, and “that one kid in the front row” taking way too many notes. But
at approximately 9:42, Vondopoulos’ lecture strayed, and the cavalcade of unadulterated academic bomb dropping that followed was, according to one student, “totally not in the PowerPoint.” “It was far out man,” reported freshman Zeke Droggitis, whose inability to articulate the full extent of his psy-
chological damage is a direct result of Vondopoulos’ intellectual thrashing. “The ending of Fight Club,” Droggitis insisted, shaking his head, “doesn’t even compare.” Vondopoulos’ presentation, which for safety purposes cannot be reproduced in print, reportedly included a used pair of Adidas, a partially ripe banana and a topographical map of southern Mongolia. With these three items, Vondopoulos laid siege to the mental predispositions of one Jason DePalma, whose former assumptions about the nature of cyclical poverty in the East were later discovered scattered on the carpet at the scene of the crime by the 10:40 Forensic Anthropology class. Reportedly at the end of class, while other students were heading for the door, DePalma looked down at his notebook and book bag and continuously repeated the phrase “these are not my things,” in an exasperated tone for little over a minute. When a fellow classmate asked him what was wrong, he responded by taking off his shoes and dashing out of the room. DePalma was later seen standing outside Textor Hall talking to a credit card. The Ithaca College Dean of Hu-
manities and Sciences, So-Anne So, thoroughly assured the public that a VXIÀFLHQWO\ GXOO DQG LQDUWLFXODWH DVsistant professor will be called upon WR ÀOO WKH YDFDQF\ OHIW LQ 'U 9RQGRpoulos’ wake. “Make no mistake,” said So-Anne So, “There will be more readings, more busy-work, and absolutely no further in-class discussion on how the class relates to students’ everyday lives, which I believe is the very root of this tragedy.” Though the Tompkins County Police Department refused to let any member of the press in to interview Vondopoulos, they did allow the professor to release a message - a yellow index card bearing the note: “Help. Please let me telephone my wife and two daughters.” Police graphologists are carefully studying the conspicuous note for any hidden messages or secret codes which may be intended to blow yet more minds. DePalma’s parents could not be reached for questioning, but an undercover source reveals that they have “no comment” for the press at this time. ____________________________________ David Myers is a freshman writing major who watches Momento and The Matrix at least once a week. Email him at dmyers1@ithaca.edu.
Sawdust
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%VXM½GMEP *PEZSVMRK 'SQTVSQMWIW 4L]WMUYI Woman Goes On Rampage Over Speciality Yogurt By Marc Phillips
B
BUZZSAW; The BODY & soul Issue
eth Alexander considers herself a connoisseur of the Ă&#x20AC;QHU WKLQJV LQ OLIH 6KH ORYHV antiquing, tasting exotic cuisines and spending her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s income at designer boutiques. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve traveled the world with my husband, and I cannot forget the breathWDNLQJ YLHZV RQ 2LD DORQJ WKH $PDOĂ&#x20AC; Coast, and on the French Riviera,â&#x20AC;? says Alexander. When it comes to yogurt, though, this blonde bombshell has a few imperative requests: plain, low sugar, low fat and made with skim milk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing grinds my gears more WKDQ JRLQJ WR :KROH )RRGV DQG Ă&#x20AC;QGLQJ Ă DYRUHG \RJXUWV 'R \RX NQRZ KRZ PDQ\ SUHVHUYDWLYHV DQG DUWLĂ&#x20AC;FLDO colors they contain?â&#x20AC;? says Alexander. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boston Cream Pie? Strawberry Shortcake? I would need to take on an eating disorder to enjoy those sugDU\ Ă DYRUV Âľ Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credentials include receiving a degree in nutritional studies at night school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the chic thing to do now,â&#x20AC;? she explains Sifting through various brands of yogurt in the dairy aisle, Alexander Ă&#x20AC;QGV KHUVHOI VWXFN EHKLQG D PHWDphorical wall â&#x20AC;&#x201D; her preferred yogurt LV PLVVLQJ $OH[DQGHU LV Ă RRUHG
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is literally the worst thing in the history of the world. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even worse than when Lululemon Athletica moved across town. And they had the best workout wear,â&#x20AC;? says Alexander as she leaves the store. The sun VKLQHV RQ KHU Ă&#x20AC;W ERG\ DQG UHĂ HFWV RII her blonde hair. Not accepting defeat, Alexander continues her search after her Bikram Yoga class at the town strip mall an hour later. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My soul is at ease when I taste the deliciously plain nectar of the yogurt goddesses,â&#x20AC;? says Alexander. Alexander says yoga is her go-to relaxation technique when she canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Ă&#x20AC;QG KHU KHDOWK\ \RJXUW RU ZKHQ the housekeeper breaks a cherished item. Alexander explains her displeasure, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to talk to the dairy manager. This is unacceptable, and I will not stand for this grave injustice.â&#x20AC;? Alexander clutches her green canvas grocery bags as she marches into the surburban bastion and attempts WR Ă&#x20AC;QG WKH GDLU\ PDQDJHU $IWHU MRVtling through a family of four, customHU VHUYLFH Ă DJJHG KHU RYHU â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to talk to Laâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;marah the cashier! I need someone with actual power!â&#x20AC;? says Alexander as she rings
the assistance buzzer in the dairy department repeatedly. Matt McAdams, dairy manager at Whole Foods, emerges from the swinging doors next to a refrigerated case. Upon seeing the high-maintenance house wife, he lets out a sigh and rolls his eyes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;am, you come here every week asking for a product we no longer carry. Our vendor no longer accepts special orders.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The customer is always right, so you have to listen to me!â&#x20AC;? says AlexDQGHU GHĂ&#x20AC;DQWO\ â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you try somewhere else?â&#x20AC;? says McAdams, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Otherwise, we have Chobani.â&#x20AC;? ,Q D VXGGHQ Ă&#x20AC;W RI UDJH $OH[DQGHU runs through the store, knocks over end-cap displays, bushels of organic Granny Smith apples, and containers of almond butter. McAdams told Alexander to leave Whole Foods before she was forcibly removed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen the last of me! I need my plain, low sugar, low fat, skim milk-based yogurt to function in life!â&#x20AC;? yelps Alexander. Baggers look at the spectacle Alexander creates. Managers from different departments try to stop the belligerent housewife from destroying more bags of kale chips and agave nectar stands. At last, Alexander exits the store, throws her canvas bags in the back seat of her white Range Rover Sport, and speeds away. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m angry, so I can speed!â&#x20AC;? says Alexander. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I need an emergency appointment with my Energist to realign my â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;chiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? she explains further. Cashiers gather around the frontfacing windows of the store to watch the spectacle. As Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Range Rover makes an illegal left turn, Laâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;marah sighs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;white girl problems.â&#x20AC;? ____________________________________ Marc Phillips is a junior IMC major who is more of a pudding person. Email him at mphilli1@ithaca.edu.
Image By Chinny Udokwu
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Sawdust
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'SVRIPP *VEX +SIW 8SS *EV ;MXL ,YQER 7EGVM½GI By K.C. Weston
R
esidents of Ithaca, NY found themselves dealing with a whole new kind of brotherhood when members of fraternity house Omega Alpha Di were discovered atWHPSWLQJ WR VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH D SOHGJH WR 0RUlador, demon god of babes, brew and unearned success. 3ROLFH VD\ WKDW WKLV LVQ¡W WKH Ă&#x20AC;UVW time they have had to deal with Omega Alpha Di committing some intensely absurd crimes. The brotherhood has a laundry list full of ludicrous offenses that has kept them on the top of Compus Policeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monitoring list (aka â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shitlistâ&#x20AC;?). 2IĂ&#x20AC;FHU -RKQ 'XQSK\ H[SODLQHG WR our writers that no matter how crazy these brothers got, their actions were normally written off as typical frat behavior. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You know, this being a college town, we see a lot of strange things. We were okay with them sneaking ninja stars into the chess teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tshirt gun, because no one really got hurt--besides that one girl. And we were okay with them sending elaborate gift packages of uhâ&#x20AC;Śdefecation to the sororities as an invite to that big Winter Formal. You know, toilet humor. We were even okay when we
found them grilling with meat stripped from a Pre-Med lab cadaver, which was just gross. But this? We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow it.â&#x20AC;? Allen Jones, the pledge who ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FHG KDG LW QRW been for an anonymous tip leading police to the fratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underground bunker, was surprisingly disappointed at not EHLQJ DEOH WR WKH FRPSOHWH WKH VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH (or â&#x20AC;&#x153;rushâ&#x20AC;?). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Man, if I had been sacriĂ&#x20AC;FHG , ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ D EURWKHU IRU life! I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have had to go through Hell Week or do housework chores, or nothing! Oh well, gotta toughen up for rush next year!â&#x20AC;? Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bigâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and would-be fellow brother, Jeff Quartermain, dismissed UHVSRQVLELOLW\ IRU WKH VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH DQG WKH VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FLDO PDUNLQJV FDUYHG LQWR KLV /LWtleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yo, you know, sometimes the Police just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand the way that brotherhood works. Plus, it was all Morladorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea. With 2012 and the world ending, he wanted to come out, and that could only happen with a VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH ,W VXFNHG WKDW LW ZRXOG KDYH had to be my Little, but, you know, you do what you have to do for the brotherhood!â&#x20AC;? Quartermain had no comment about the current investigations that are look-
ing into the private lives of Alumni from their chapter of Omega Alpha Di, who all mysteriously received elite jobs after graduation and happen to be ridiculously successful. Rumors have it that these noted alumni included Mark Zuckerberg, Russian president Boris Yeltsin and Ozzy Osbourne. All have refused WR VKRZ SLFWXUHV RI WKHLU VDFULĂ&#x20AC;FH scars, except for Ozzy, whose were in a place no one wanted to see. In order to be re-established in the next year, the brothers were required to host and conduct a program the college described as â&#x20AC;&#x153;comPXQLW\ EHQHĂ&#x20AC;FLDO Âľ 2PHJD $OSKD 'L sponsored Morladorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Breast Cancer $ZDUHQHVV %HQHĂ&#x20AC;W IHDWXULQJ IUHH mammograms and pink ribbonthemed merchandise. Further reports say that the professionalism of the doctor giving the mammograms was questionable, and that there was never an explanation as to why participants were required to wear blindfolds. ___________________________________ KC Weston is a sophomore exploratory major who swears she checked with Morlador before writing the article. Email her at kweston2@ithaca. edu.
BUZZSAW; The BODY & soul Issue
BUZZSAW ASKS WHY... -8,%'% -7 &)-2+ % &9>>/-00# -X´W 2SZIQFIV QIERMRK MX´W XLEX XMQI SJ ]IEV [LIR SYV WXYHIRX FSH] ½KLXW XLI SRGSQMRK GSPH MR XLI IEVP] morning to celebrate Ithaca Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 drinking IZIRX XLI 'SVXEGE .YK *SV ]IEVW WXYHIRXW JVSQ -' ERH 'SVXPERH LEZI GSQTIXIH ½IVGIP] MR SFPMXIVEXMRK XLIMV PMZIVW F] HIGOMRK SYX MR ÂłWGLSSP WTMVMX´ [IEV ERH pre-gaming pre-9 a.m. 8LMW ]IEV LS[IZIV -' MW QEOMRK E GSRWGMSYW IJJSVX XS WSFIV SYV JIWXMZMXMIW ;MXL SQMRSYW WMKRW XIPPMRK YW SYV ÂąFILEZMSV [MPP FI QSRMXSVIH² ERH XLVIEXIRMRK XS XYVR OMHW E[E] HYI XS XLIMV GPSXLMRK GLSMGI - EWO ;L] -XLEGE# ;L] XV] XS WUYEWL SYV [IIOIRH JYR# - QIER - KYIWW - KIX MX ÂŻ ]SY HSR´X [ERX JEQMPMIW EX LSQI thinking Ithaca College is sponsored by Keystone Light ERH XLI QEOIVW SJ * GO 'SVXPERH ETTEVIP FYX [LEX IPWI EQ - WYTTSWIH XS HS SR 2SZIQFIV # 4VSGVEWXMREXI
WSQI QSVI SR XLEX E[EVH [MRRMRK WGVIIRTPE] - LEZIR´X come up with yet? Catch up from the 3 hours of sleep I KSX HYVMRK XLI [IIO# 3V +SH JSVFMH ½RMWL XLEX VIWIEVGL paper thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now due the Monday after Cortaca? - GER YRHIVWXERH RSX FIMRK EPPS[IH XS FVMRK FIZIVEKIW MRXS XLI EVIRE EJXIV EPP XLI EPGSLSPMGW [IVI EPP LEVH EX [SVO EX XLI 'MVPGIW FYX RS YQFVIPPEW SV RSMWIQEOIVW# 2S[ [LEX EQ - KSMRK XS HS [MXL Q] ZYZY^IPE JVSQ *-*% ;SVPH 'YT # %RH LS[ IPWI EQ - KSMRK XS GIPIFVEXI [LIR Q] JIPPS[ WXYHIRXW WLSXKYR XLIMV [E] XS ZMGXSV] cheer? What am I at a football game or something? All Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to say is we are just taking the Cortaca .YK PMXIVEPP] %RH [LMPI [I GER EPP FI WEJI EFSYX LS[ [I GIPIFVEXI - GER EP[E]W XYVR LSQI[SVO MRXS E HVMROMRK game. -Catherine Fisher
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