Sep. 5, 2012 issue of The Chronicle

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T D A I LY AT D U K E U N I V E R S I T Y

The Chronicle

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

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Tuesday’s t Top Tweets

@DukeChronicle

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first celebrity sighting at #DNC2012: City of Durham 4 Mayor Bill Bell

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chants of “Four More Years!” fill the floor of Time Warner Cable arena #dnc2012

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@MichelleObama “I love you Michelle!”—audience member

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My most important title is still Mom-in-Chief,”—Michelle Obama, eyes watering

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t Follow more Chronicle DNC coverage online

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@DukeChronicle @DukeShutter

#DNC2012 #AskChron #chronteam #chrondnc

ELIZA STRONG/ THE CHRONICLE

See the DNC in photos, page 4

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTH YEAR, ISSUE 10

WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM

DNC OPENS WITH PROTEST, PRAISE

Political groups and policymakers flock to Charlotte for Obama

by Nicole Kyle and Jack Mercola THE CHRONICLE

CHARLOTTE — Eighty-degree heat and 96 percent humidity could not stop both the public and political masses from descending on downtown Charlotte as the Democratic National Convention kicked off its first official day of business Tuesday.

Most prominent on the DNC’s campus were the demonstrations of which most were centered around social issues, particularly abortion and marriage equality.

A group of Planned Parenthood representatives coordinated a rally outside the NASCAR Hall of Fame Tuesday afternoon to support the coverage of birth control under the Affordable Care Act. Their campaign played on President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign slogan, “Yes, we can,” by incorporating a round birth control dispenser into the 2012 logo and underscoring the image with the slogan, “Yes, we plan.”

Less organized though equally as conspicuous were different sets of anti-abortion advocates protesting outside of the Charlotte Convention Center. The protesters—all men—held signs saying that SEE RECAP ON PAGE 6

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

First lady Michelle Obama spoke about her family at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte Tuesday evening.

Michelle: Being president ‘reveals who you are’

by Nicole Kyle THE CHRONICLE

CHARLOTTE — Mitt Romney may not be President Barack Obama’s biggest threat when it comes to competing for the hearts of Americans.

First lady Michelle Obama began her remarks at the Democratic National Conven-

tion by noting that she and her husband “will always have your back.” If the crowd’s reactions to the first lady’s heartfelt anecdotes and down-to-earth demeanor are any indication, the feeling among Democrats is mutual.

SEE OBAMA ON PAGE 12

Duke Arts Annex Exhibit depicts plight of Afghan refugees in Greece opens to the public

by Emma Baccellieri

by Kristie Kim

THE CHRONICLE

THE CHRONICLE

A new photography exhibit documents the harrowing plight of Afghan refugees in Greece.

Located in the John Hope Franklin Center, the exhibit— Walking in Quicksand—uses photos to explore the plight of Afghan emigrants in Greece. According to an exhibit statement, Afghans are the most-exiled people in the world, and many go to Greece, the first entrance to Europe from the Middle East. The Greek asylum system, however, has proved itself unfit to handle so many refugees, so most Afghans are trapped, living

The Duke Arts Annex opened its doors this week to students, faculty and Durham residents, creating a buzz around the new meeting place for the campus arts community.

The University created the new space in a 10,000 sq.-ft. former medical storage warehouse located off Burch Avenue and Campus Drive, between Smith Warehouse and the Freeman Center. A key mission of the Arts Annex is to make the arts opportunities on campus more accessible to the undergraduate community, said Caitlin Shaw, coordinator in the University Center Activities and Events.

“We’re hoping to make [the Arts Annex] the central place on campus where students—regardless of

SEE AFGHANS ON PAGE 12

CHRIS DIECKHAUS/ THE CHRONICLE

A new exhibit in the John Hope Franklin Center by photographer Zalmai shows Greece’s inability to accommodate Afghan emigrants.

whether they are majoring or minoring in the arts—can come and explore their creativity,” Shaw said.

The bustling open house Tuesday evening featured student dance performances and spray paint and photo activities. The center plans to host programs throughout the academic year, which will be open to all Duke students, in order to advertise the opportunities available there, Shaw added.

UCAE director Chris Roby emphasized that the key to the development and success of the arts center is student leadership.

“This step is encouraging dance groups to organize themselves and coordinate their rehearsal times and their own big shows,” Vice President SEE ANNEX ON PAGE 6

2 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

THE CHRONICLE

Tuesday at the DNC, in short Mayor Castro tells of his own American Dream

by Jack Mercola THE CHRONICLE

CHARLOTTE — A rising star in the Democratic Party, 37-year-old Julian Castro urged Americans to act familially and support one another in his keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

Castro, the mayor of San Antonio, was introduced by his identical twin brother, Joaquin Castro, who is vying for a U.S. House seat this November. Joaquin noted that his brother has spent the past three years as mayor working “tirelessly” to honor the needs of the people of San Antonio.

San Antonio, ranked

as the nation’s top performing local economy in 2011 by Milken Institute, has burgeoned under the leadership of Julian Castro. This is mainly due to his strong investment in pre-K programs and a recent bond initiative that created jobs through infrastructure projects like roads, parks and flood protection, he said.

“Texas may be the one place where people actually still have bootstraps,” Julian said. “And we expect folks to pull themselves up by them. But we also recognize there are some things we can’t do alone.

We have to come together and invest in opportunity

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention Monday.

today for prosperity tomorrow.”

He warned listeners of the dangers of the Republican Romney-Ryan ticket that “just doesn’t get it,” arguing that they would abandon the idea of investing in a shared American prosperity and pummel the middle class.

“Of all the fictions we heard last week in Tampa, the one I find most troubling is this: If we all just go our own way, our nation will be stronger for it,” he noted.

Before speaking about his own family’s version of the American Dream, Castro emphasized the importance in investment in public education—widely praised in his home city— in order for all Americans to reach their full career potential. A graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School, he said he knows as well as anyone the importance of governmental investment in Pell Grants—something that Mitt Romney would decrease.

Castro did not shy away from discussing the discrimination and socieconomic barriers that he and his family had to overcome as Latinos.

“My mother fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone,” he said.

Pundits say selecting SEE CASTRO ON PAGE 6

Latino delegates plan for battleground states THE CHRONICLE

CHARLOTTE — Although flustered by the stifling humidity, Washington state delegate, Antonia Gonzalez, did not hesitate to debrief the highly anticipated hispanic caucus Monday.

Delegates who attended the caucus spent a majority of the conversation strategizing approaches in battleground states such as Nevada, Colorado and particularly Florida. These states present opportunities to make key gains in the hispanic voter block, a demographic that many experts identify as a critical to winning the presidential seat.

Gonzalez reiterated the importance of the main pillars of the Democratic Party platform—women’s rights,

health care, gay rights and immigration reform.

“When I’m doorbelling, I tell people to vote for the issues, not the candidate,” said Gonzalez who volunteers in the east part of her home state which she identifies as typically Republican.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, who was also Tues-

day’s keynote speaker, spoke at a event Gozalez attended earlier Tuesday. Gonzalez said she hopes that Castro is able to rally the crowd and viewers around Obama and the Democratic Party.

“It’s just crucial that people go out and vote,” she said.

—from staff reports

CHELSEA PIERONI/THE CHRONICLE

Washington state delegate Antonia Gonzalez attended the hispanic caucus at the Democratic National Convention Monday.

Recent grad works to keep DNC accessible THE CHRONICLE

CHARLOTTE — About 10,000 people are volunteers at this election cycle’s Democratic National Convention.

One of them is recent Duke graduate Derek Mong, and he is helping achieve the convention’s much-talked about goal of being the “most open and accessible” convention yet.

Mong, Trinity ’12, said he works with the convention’s blog and social media presence, where he copyedits, edits photos and writes blog posts. He noted that the 2012 convention is utilizing

more outlets than ever including Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter as well as an online live stream.

This is also the first political convention with an office dedicated to public engagement, he said, the sole purpose of which is to connect with people who do not traditionally tune into the convention.

And for a volunteer job, it takes a lot of dedication, Mong added.

“I get up at 6 or 7 a.m. and work out of the joint press office,” he said. “And during the convention itself, the team produces 15 or so

blog posts per hour.”

The hard volunteer work is worth it, however, as he knows he is part of a historic convention, Mong said.

Although the intense work can keep him in a “Charlotte bubble,” reading the comments and feedback to the content is very rewarding as it allows him and his team members to connect with outsiders and their thoughts about the convention. “[This job] is really giving you an opportunity to connect and meet users where they are,” he said.

—from staff reports

2012 LAW SCHOOL APPLICANTS Please attend one of these workshops on the application process. In addition to an overview of the admissions process, these sessions will deal with essays, recommendations, resumes, and other factors in the application process.

Monday, August 27, 5pm Tuesday, August 28, 6pm Wednesday, August 29, 5pm Wednesday, September 5, 5pm

Located in 130 Soc Psych all days Sponsored by Trinity College of Arts and Sciences Office of Pre-Law Advising

Duke Men s Basketball Student Manager Positions Available Please send resume and cover letter to dukebasketballmanagers@gmail.com. All Duke undergrads are encouraged to apply.

Applications must be received by Friday, September 14th at 5 PM.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 | 3

Two Duke alumni join Charlotte plant offers White House Fellows job creation lessons THE CHRONICLE

Two Duke alumni have been appointed to the 2012-2013 Class of White House Fellows.

Dave Chokshi, Trinity ’03 and Kermit Jones, Law and Medical School ’05, were named by the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships Tuesday, among 15 total fellows. Created in 1964 by former President Lyndon Johnson, the White House Fellows Program was designed to give promising American leaders “first hand, high-level experience with the workings of the Federal government and to increase their sense of participation in national affairs.”

The program is meant to encourage active citizenship and dedication to community service, giving fellows the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of current events and policy formulation. Fellows are selected based on their professional achievements, their demonstrated leadership capabilities and their dedication to public service.

Chokshi, a primary care physician from Baton Rouge, La., graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke, where he was an A. B. Duke Scholar. He earned his M.D. with distinction from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Sc in global public health from the University of Oxford. He is a Rhodes Scholar, a Truman Scholar, a Soros Fellow and a Gamble Scholar.

Chokshi recently finished his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical

School. He has worked with the New York City Department of Health, the Louisiana Department of Health and a clinical software startup company, and has done work for multiple nonprofit organizations aimed at improving global health. Chokshi is a founding member of the board of directors for Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a nonprofit which seeks to provide better access to medicine for developing countries. He has clinical experience in Peru, Guatemala, India, Botswana and Ghana, and he is published in multiple journals on medicine and public health.

Jones, a Mordecai Scholar during his time at the Duke, received his degrees in medicine and law from Duke in 2005.

He recently completed his M.P.A. from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he launched a chapter of Developments in Literacy—a nonprofit organization that has educated more than 16,000 elementary school students in Pakistan and provided guidance on technology use and teacher training.

Before attending Columbia, Jones served as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy, operating with a Marine helicopter casualty evacuation squadron in Iraq. Before his military service, Jones worked as a primary care physician with a rural health service at Christian Medical College in Vellore, India. He also studied AIDS-related public health legislation and the legal consequences of trade at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

—from Staff Reports

by Lori Montgomery THE WASHINGTON POST

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As President Barakc Obama and presidential candidate Mitt Romney debate whether lower taxes or targeted investment would do more to create jobs, they would benefit from a trip to a brand-new manufacturing plant a few miles from the Charlotte arena where the Democratic National Convention is underway.

The factory opened last year after German engineering giant Siemens AG chose this North Carolina city as a hub for making gigantic gas turbines needed to power new electric plants under construction around the globe.

A few years ago, the factory and its 825 jobs might have gone to India, China or another low-wage country.

This time, American workers won out.

And that victory could be instructive as the candidates pledge to energize an economy struggling through its fourth straight year above 8 percent unemployment.

Ask Siemens executives why they placed their bet on Charlotte and they talk about public investments such as the state-funded rail spur that runs through their facility and the city’s international airport, which recently added a fourth runway using $132 million in federal funds.

They talk about the Export-Import Bank, an independent federal agency that in January approved a $638 mil-

lion loan to finance the sale of turbines to Saudi Arabia, helping Siemens beat bids from companies in Germany, South Korea and Japan.

And they talk about the quality of the workforce in Charlotte, where local leaders are retooling the public education system to churn out the engineers and skilled technicians needed to operate one of the most efficient gas-turbine plants in the world.

“A lot of things that were offshored in the past were offshored because of lower-cost labor, but that’s no longer the most important factor,” said Eric Spiegel, president and chief executive of Siemens’s U.S. subsidiary. “The reasons you bring a plant like this to the United States are higher-skilled labor, access to the world’s best research and development, and good, sound infrastructure. All those things together make the U.S. a good place to invest.”

A visit to one factory cannot fully illuminate the complex matter of job creation, and one company’s choices cannot be extrapolated to every industry and region in the country. But the story of the Charlotte plant highlights the benefit of investing in essential services with long-term effects for a wide range of industries — rather than primarily cutting taxes, as Republicans propose, or showering benefits on certain industries, as the Obama administration has done with the clean-energy sector.

Get ready to make your travel plans The Duke Global Education Fair comes to the Bryan Center on Tuesday, September 11

the e k ur Ma o Y ld Wor sroom!

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n ucatio bal Ed eet ke Glo e to m c The Du n a h your c Duke Fair is es from entativ broad a y repres d er stu ms. and oth progra mestic more! rn a and do le to e fair Visit th 2012, ber 11, e Septem :30 PM in th nter y, a d s 3 Tue t Ce ntil 0 AM u ryan Studen :3 0 1 B from of the r Mall Smith chaefe in the

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Look for your guide to the Fair in The Chronicle on Friday, September 7

4 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

THE CHRONICLE

Seen at the DNC ....................................... a photo essay by Chelsea Pieroni

This week’s Democratic National Convention at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte has attracted everyone from policy makers to protestors. Tuesday— the first official day of the convention— featured a wide array of speakers who spoke in support of President Barack Obama.

1. Women protest outside the DNC wearing shirts that say “This is what a feminist looks like.� 2. Nancy Keenan, president of the National Abortion Rights Action League Pro-Choice America, speaks at the convention. 3. First lady Michelle Obama addresses the floor. 4. Delegates fill the floor, waving signs representing their home states.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012 | 5

5. An audience member cheers for the Democrats.

6. The women of the U.S. House of Representatives promote women’s rights at the convention. 7. Purple Heart recipient Tammy Duckworth praises President Obama. 8. A protester holds a sign declaring that “Jesus is God� outside of the convention center.

#MoreAll-Nighters #MoreCoffee #MoreA’s #MoreElectives #MoreFridaysOff #MoreExtraCredit #MoreStudyBreaks

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6 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

ANNEX from page 1 for Student Affairs Larry Moneta added. “One of the great benefits is that it created a community among the arts.”

The Arts Annex will also serve as the new headquarters for duARTS, an umbrella organization for student arts groups, said duARTS President Sarah McCaffery, a senior.

She noted that the new center will facilitate the mission of the organization to fortify the undergraduate arts community.

Both Moneta and Roby noted that the Arts Annex will provide a stronghold for the arts community, which will be significant in the planning of the West Union renovations.

THE CHRONICLE

“[The Arts Annex] is inspiring us,” Moneta said. “It inspires us to think about what we’re doing in West Union and further the arts opportunities there.”

President Richard Brodhead said that the new arts center demonstrated the University’s ability to innovate.

“It’s really fun that this University can find spaces and transform them into new purposes—seeing the possibility of things where possibility isn’t screaming out,” he noted. “You can be at Duke a long time without any suspicion that this building even exists.”

The new arts center will not only create unity on campus but will also facilitate interaction between Durham and Duke, Roby said.

EMMA LOEWE/ THE CHRONICLE

SIMPLY THE BEST!

Students spray paint and participate in other activities at the opening of the Duke Arts Annex, the University’s refurbished arts facility located off of Campus Drive.

Isaac Price, Durham resident and president of the Burch Avenue Neighborhood Association—a nonprofit corporation in Durham whose mission is to promote neighbor relations—agreed that residents and students may be able to bond over their interest in arts.

The new arts center is a departure from the decentralized nature of the dance program two years ago, noted junior Jessica Ordax, member of dance group Sabrosura.

“We never really did anything as a dance community until last year with the flash mobs—this center will really help with the unity between the groups,” Ordax said.

She added, however, that the location of the building may make it difficult for students to find the new resources. With increased advertising, however, freshmen will be prompted to check out the annex, and once they find the new space, they will assuredly return, Ordax said.

Sophomore Ellen Brown, a member of the dance program and space coordinator for Duke Dance Council, said she was particularly excited about the creation and layout of two new dance floors in the Arts Annex.

Some students who attended the events emphasized the need for the new building within the Duke community.

“It’s really important for the arts to have this space so [arts groups] can gather and not be scattered across campus,” sophomore Addie Malone said. “We have Krzyzewskiville, so we should have this place as the center of the arts.”

cosmic cantina

RECAP from page 1 the DNC “Destroys Unborn Children.” The protestors also displayed excerpts from the New Testament and spoke through megaphone, damning DNC attendees and abortion rights advocates as sinners.

A small group of young people responded by dancing and playing music in hopes of drowning out the anti-abortion protesters by repeating: “Ask me about my beliefs, ask me about my beliefs, and I’ll tell you about my beliefs.”

Even as convention-goers dodged protesters, they stumbled across a number of street vendors sporting more lighthearted pins, shirts and posters supporting Obama. Fan favorites included pins reading “Hipsters for Obama,” “Once

CASTRO from page 2 Castro as the DNC keynote speaker was a strong political move by Democrats to help them garner support from Latinos, a critical voting bloc heading into the election.

Minutes later, in a digression from discussing equality and the American community, Castro choked up while addressing his own family—his wife Erica and their three-yearold daughter, Carina Victoria,

you vote black, you never go back” and “Bartenders for Obama.”

Official convention proceedings began with a call to order by U.S. Rep. Debbie Schultz (D-FL), chair of the Democratic National Committee. Other highlights of the evening included a comedic speech on voter education by Kal Penn, the actor and former associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, keynote address

by San Antonio mayor Julian Castro and closing remarks by first lady Michelle Obama.

Cultural and interest groups caucused Monday and Tuesday, including the Hispanic Caucus, the African American Caucus and Ethnic Council, as well as the Women’s Caucus and Youth Council.

named after Castro’s grandmother.

He said because love for one’s own family can only go so far, Americans must evoke similar compassion to care for each other as a wider family.

“As a dad, I’m going to do my part, and I know [my wife will] do hers,” he said. “But our responsibility as a nation is to come together and do our part, as one community, one United States of America, to ensure opportunity for all of our children.”

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Does the ACC have another rising power in men’s basketball? Visit the sports blog to read about Maryland, which is accumulating a number of top talents.

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FOOTBALL

Fans in Daniels joins Blue Devils in the NFL the stands

by Tom Gieryn THE CHRONICLE

Saturday marked the lowest opening crowd under Cutcliffe

by Andrew Beaton THE CHRONICLE

In Duke football coach David Cutcliffe’s most notable season-opening win since taking over in 2008, the fewest fans of any of his season openers were there to see it.

Although fans were lacking, student attendance was a bright spot at Wallace Wade Saturday.

When the Blue Devils defeated Florida International 46-26, 31,117 fans were in attendance—including 2,715 students— which represents 91 percent capacity for the student section, Mike Forman, the football team’s director of marketing and promotions, wrote in an email Monday.

“Seven football Saturdays can be great for a university, not just a football program,” Cutcliffe said. “That’s what I would like to see grow.”

Duke has opened its season at home in each of Cutcliffe’s five seasons with the team, averaging 32,676 attendees. The home openers have been the most highly attended games in three of Cutcliffe’s four full seasons. The lone exception was during a mid-season game in 2010, when 39,042 fans crammed into Wallace Wade DAN SCHEIRER/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

SEE ATTENDANCE ON PAGE 8

After leading Duke’s defense last year, Matt Daniels went undrafted but signed with the St. Louis Rams.

Blue Devils leave room to improve Duke got everything it could have asked for out of its season-opening win.

The Blue Devils overcame some early lapses and looked sharp in a 46-26 victory against Florida International. They showcased an arsenal of offensive weapons, created Daniel turnovers in key spots and most importantly, came away with a win in front of its home crowd in dominating fashion. Don’t be fooled by how easy the Blue Devils made Saturday’s win look, this is not the same team that lost to an anemic Richmond squad in the 2011 season opener—Florida International is a strong football team.

Duke has the potential to be a strong football team too. But if the Blue Devils want to be able to compete against the top talent in the ACC—and teams like No. 25 Stanford this weekend—they will need to address some glaring weaknesses on the defensive side of the ball.

To their credit, had the Golden Panthers not tacked on two touchdowns in the final 1:19, the Blue Devils would have left Wallace Wade Stadium with a 30-point win against a team that received top-25 votes in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.

But Duke must not become complacent and needs to recognize its weaknesses in order to achieve its potential.

Although last weekend’s shellacking

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may have looked effortless on the surface, there were many signs that Duke’s defense has much room for improvement. The Blue Devils were actually outgained by the Golden Panthers, who amassed 513 yards of total offense, though some of those came on the second-team defense with the game safely out of reach.

The defensive line provided adequate pressure on quarterback Jake Medlock, sacking him four times, but the Blue Devils struggled when Medlock was flushed from the pocket, allowing him to use his feet and buy extra time to find open receivers.

Duke tackled poorly in the game’s opening possessions, allowing Florida International to turn short gains into big plays because of the Blue Devils’ inability to wrap up. Head coach David Cutcliffe freely admitted to these struggles, and attributed some of this rust to the injury-ridden team’s cautious approach in training camp.

“We knew we hadn’t had as much live work or live tackling as you would have liked to have in camp, but everyone was well aware of our numbers. We didn’t have a choice,” Cutcliffe said.

Despite its issues with tackling, a major positive Duke can take away from its seasonopening win is that it made timely stops and forced turnovers when its back was against the wall. The epitome of “bend but don’t break”, members of the defensive and special teams units forced fumbles and blocked kicks when the team needed a stop. The Golden Panthers were 9-for-18

on third down for the game, but the Blue Devils even got a stop on fourth down in the red zone in the first quarter, which provided a major shift in momentum.

“You knew they were going to get yards, and they caused a lot of problems too,” Cutcliffe said. “You don’t know, if you are opportunistic, which plays are going to save the game.”

Because the Blue Devils will face tougher opponents as the season wears on, starting with Stanford, they cannot fail to wrap up bigger and stronger players that comprise some of the nation’s best offenses. They cannot allow opponents to march down the field and rely on waiting until the last possible second to get a stop. But they will need to continue to capitalize on their opponents mistakes and force timely turnovers. A little less bend on the defensive side of the ball will allow Duke to break their weaker opponents early and compete with the stronger ones until the game’s waning moments.

The Blue Devils have already showed they can dismantle a good football team, now they need to show they won’t lay down against a top-flight opponent. As the team travels to the west coast this weekend, it fully understands that Duke has not defeated a ranked opponent on the road since 1971.

The team the Blue Devils defeated that day was Stanford.

“I certainly think they need to understand that they have a chance,” Cutcliffe said.

On April 25, 2004, the New York Giants used the 203rd overall pick in the NFL Draft on offensive tackle Drew Strojny, who was just months removed from a 2-9 season under head coach Ted Roof at Duke. Seven drafts went by without another Duke player being selected, but with the 2012 draft on the horizon, it looked as though there was one player poised to break the streak— safety Matt Daniels.

As pick after pick went by, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe kept Daniels posted on the phone calls he was receiving from NFL coaches, and it began to look like a postseason knee surgery might not deter interested front offices.

“Teams starting calling me around the fifth round, telling me that hopefully they plan on picking me up with their next pick or something like that,” Daniels said. “But a lot of people just see that as a recruiting tactic so that if they don’t end up picking you, you’ll consider them in free agency.”

In the end, Daniels took the free agency route to the NFL. After the draft, any college senior who is not picked becomes a free agent, eligible to sign with any team.

And as soon as the draft concluded, every phone in the Daniels home began ringing off the hook.

“I was talking to one team, told them to hold on, talked to another, tell them to hold on, talk to another,” Daniels said. “It was just out of hand and ridiculous. You just have to make a decision so fast.”

Ten minutes after the draft, a deal was done. Daniels officially became a St. Louis Ram. Not all of Duke’s NFL hopefuls were able to latch on with a franchise so quickly.

Kyle Hill, a four-year starter at left tackle, had to prove his health in tryouts for several teams before getting an invitation to a training camp.

New England Patriots training camp had already been underway for more than two weeks when Hill received a phone call from the team saying he had a flight to Boston that night for a tryout the following day. On August 9, nearly two months after Daniels signed in St. Louis, the Patriots announced Hill’s signing.

Training camp is a grind for veterans and rookies alike, but it is a whirlwind experience for new players.

“It’s not that bad,” Daniels said. “But then again it is that bad. We’re talking waking up at six and going back home about 10 o’clock.”

The long days were appreciated by a latecomer to camp like Hill, who donned pads for the first time since a November 14, 2011 matchup with Virginia in which he suffered an avulsion fracture of his right shoulder.

“We had a good schedule that allowed us to watch plenty of film and study the playbook and have independent sessions with the coach so he could help me with whatever he could help me with as quickly as possible,” Hill said.

Hill’s efforts during training camp ultimately did not translate into a permanent job with the Patriots, who released the 306-pound tackle on August 21, after their SEE NFL ON PAGE 8

8 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

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NFL from page 7 second preseason game. But Hill is undeterred by the first setback of his professional career. He said his experience at training camp only increased his confidence and that he has returned to Durham to continue training.

“Once I get back to where I know I should be for another training camp or tryout, I’m going to take advantage of that,” Hill said.

Two of Hill’s former teammates were also let go during the NFL’s final round of cuts August 31. Wideout Eron Riley, a class of 2009 graduate who had bounced around between several organizations the past few seasons, was cut by the New York Jets, and Cooper Helfet, a tight end from last year’s Duke roster, was shown the door by the Seahawks despite catching two touchdowns in three preseason games.

But five ex-Duke players remained on NFL squads as the deadline passed for teams to reduce their rosters from 75 players to 53.

Patrick Mannelly, a 14-year veteran who serves as a long snapper for the Chicago Bears, and Patrick Bailey, a linebacker and special teams ace who signed a contract extension with the Tennessee Titans in March after five years with the team, will be the longest-tenured Blue Devils in the NFL. Class of 2011 linebacker Vincent Rey retained a spot on the Cincinnati Bengals roster after appearing in all 16 games on special teams last season. The Cleveland Browns released NFL veteran Seneca Wallace in order to retain Rey’s classmate Thaddeus Lewis as a developmental quarterback, and Daniels rounded out the quintet.

Although Cutcliffe will have to wait another year before he has a chance to break the streak of 12 NFL drafts without a Duke name called, the Blue Devils will maintain a presence in the pros until the class of 2013 hopefuls get to training camp.

SHAYAN ASADI/THE CHRONICLE

Although Duke football coach David Cutcliffe thanked the Wallace Wade fans for their energy, Saturday was Duke’s lowest home-opener attendance since he took over.

ATTENDANCE from page 7 to witness the Blue Devils fall 62-13 at the hands of then-No. 1 Alabama.

The game against the Golden Panthers represents the 10th home crowd of more than 30,000 fans in 28 games under Cutcliffe, a feat the team achieved just four times in its previous 47 games.

This offseason, the Duke marketing staff unrolled several new campaigns to sell more tickets and raise awareness about the team, including advertising on the popular internet radio website Pandora.

“There’s a lot of people talking about it.

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Whether they love or hate Duke, it’s good to get the brand name out there,” Forman said. “The number one goal is ticket sales and putting people in the stands at Wallace Wade, but if it’s not going to achieve that, at the very least we’re getting our brand out there.”

The campaign on Pandora has caught the eyes of fans, as seen in responses on Twitter. Although the team saw a spike in sales after launching the campaign in August, a boost is typical around that time, Forman said.

Duke targeted the ads to people within a 50-mile radius based on their IP-addresses.

The Blue Devils are not the first team to advertise on Pandora, Francisca Fanucchi, a spokeswoman for Pandora, which has 54.9 million active monthly users, wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

“Pandora allows campaigns to target based on the registration data listeners give to us— age, gender and zip code—which is very appealing to local advertisers,” Fanucchi said.

The team began its ticket sales earlier than previous years, selling season tickets in December for a holiday push and making another offer near the National Signing Day on Feb. 1. But the marketing team is cognizant that Duke has a “basketball-centric” culture, Forman said, so some of the biggest

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efforts came in April and May after the conclusion of the Duke basketball season.

In addition to the team’s traditional marketing on the radio and in newspapers, the football team’s presence is difficult to miss while driving around the Triangle.

Duke bought large billboards on I-85 and 15-501, the latter of which was made in conjunction with Coke Zero.

“We want to make sure that we hit every possible avenue because we have such a wide demographic of fans,” Forman said. “If people are choosing not to buy tickets, it’s not for a lack of advertising, season ticket information or promotional information.”

During the game, the team entertained fans with fireworks during halftime. The stadium was at its loudest between the first and second quarters, however, when injured wide receiver Blair Holliday addressed the crowd in a video message.

Holliday suffered serious head injuries in a July 4 boating accident with fellow wide receiver Jamison Crowder. Holliday is now receiving treatment at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.

“One of the most pleasing things was how many [fans] were there before kickoff.

That atmosphere does make a difference,” Cutcliffe said. “That meant something to our players.”

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The Independent Daily at Duke University

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Upholding the standard Every Fall, a new group of honor code schools. freshmen is newly introduced We pondered whether the to the three-point Duke Com- sloppy implementation of colmunity Standard that, by their laborative assessment could be very matriculation into the to blame. But we also believe University, they have agreed the large gap between honor to uphold. Yet code ideal and survey data actual student editorial from 2011 sugpractice can be gests that a significant number explained by a more imporof Duke undergraduates are tant reason: Students, the key dishonest in their academic stakeholders in issues related endeavors. to academic honesty, have not In March 2012, the Aca- played—or been allowed to demic Integrity Council and play—a large enough role in the Kenan Institute for Ethics the policy-formation and adjureported that, although the dication process, eroding the rate of flagrant cheating has overall culture of honor. dropped significantly since In recent years, the Duke the last survey in 2005, there University Honor Council has been a 15 to 20 percent has experimented with essay increase in unauthorized col- contests and new slogans— laboration which put Duke YBTT—to get students excitbehind other honor-code ed about honor. The success schools and on par with non- of these initiatives begs the

“

I still feel uncomfortable with professors forcing students to use paper, since each individual has a unique style of learning.

—“CRC” commenting on the story “Some professors restrict laptop use in classrooms.”

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question on even on their own merits: Do most students even know the three stipulations of the Community Standard?

The Honor Council’s very goal of “marketing” the Community Standard is ultimately misguided. A culture of honor at Duke requires structural changes in the honor system, not a snazzier marketing pitch for the current system.

The University of Virginia and Davidson College are two schools where studentled honor systems have led to substantial student buy-in. At both schools, powerful and high-profile student Honor Councils spearhead awareness campaigns and the actual adjudication. At Davidson, this has facilitated the allowance of self-proctored final exams—a convenience afforded from

one peer to another as a sign of trust.

Duke, where honor is currently more a top-down than peer-to-peer matter, should align itself more with this model. At present, only 10 percent of cases brought to the Office of Student Conduct are passed on to the Undergraduate Conduct Board, which is separate from the Honor Council. First, the latter two organizations should be merged into single entity, and undergraduates should have a larger role in the adjudication process that directly concerns their peers. Second, all cases should go before panels composed at least partially of students selected from the student body at large for something like jury duty.

Other ways of engaging stu-

dents in the ethics of campus life include referendums on rule changes and educating them on the lesser-known but more concrete Duke Community Standard in Practice. In addition, this newly potent honor body should be elected by the students as to be accountable to and representative of its stakeholders. It is worth remembering that the Community Standard originated with Duke Student Government, itself an elected body.

As the experiences of peer universities have shown, students given trust are more capable of being trustworthy.

Once students feel true ownership over the honor system, signing their name under that Community Standard will finally carry the appropriate weight.

Conflict minerals are a girl’s best friend

onlinecomment

Est. 1905

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commentaries

H

istory often repeats itself. Citizens and sover- the DRC, and then use “due diligence” to ensure that eigns in the global community are given an the minerals themselves were mined conflict-free. exorbitant number of chances to improve There are a multitude of pragmatic concerns with upon past actions, with human lives the Dodd-Frank Act, but those most and welfare at stake each time. Yet dealarming revolve primarily around the spite this long collective memory, we future of the artisanal miners formerly find ourselves falling into old, ineffecemployed in mines. Artisanal mining is tive habits. Some faulty trait of human one of the least mechanized industrial nature makes us cling to actions and projects. At just one site called Bisie, the thoughts that we believe inherently lives of 13,000 people were being supto be ethically and socially responsiported by 3,000 miners in 2010. United ble, completely independent of their lydia thurman States legislation that restricts exports pragmatism. Nine years ago when the even from a single mining area has the doubly a lie blood diamond trade threatened the capacity to impoverish thousands. stability of sub-Saharan Africa, the inHaving lost their mining jobs, men ternational community created the Kimberley Process. between 19 and 35 are then forced to find other ways Today, a similar tack is attempting to combat “conflict to make a living. Agriculture isn’t a very appealing mineral” proliferation in the Democratic Republic of possibility—constant instability makes the investment the Congo, with similarly dissatisfying results. of effort and resources in agricultural fields very risky, The Kimberley Process in its heyday focused on and crime presents itself as the best alternative to mintop-down methods of regulation. It required that na- ing. The highest rollers in the Congo are after all the tions certify their diamond exports as “conflict free” members of militias who tax miners. Instead of just by tracing supply lines and providing guarantees for limiting the monetary resources of these militias, minhuman rights in the process. Using mere coopera- ing bans and limits on export opportunities serve to tion and ethical application of purchasing power the provide violent groups with human capital. international community was going to levy real social It’s clear to international observers that in the change. What could go wrong? post-Dodd-Frank era, militias continue to hold just as The government of Zimbabwe excelled in showing much power and perpetuate just as much violence. the international community exactly how many things Miners and their families end up bearing the brunt could go wrong. Using military resources, President of the embargo without economic infrastructure for Mugabe and Zimbabwe’s army forced women and dealing with massive job losses. Perhaps now is the children to labor in the diamond mines of Marange, time to learn from the Kimberley Process and alter and then subsequently sent the diamonds through our method.

Mozambique and South Africa on their way to legitiThat said, a “live and let live” approach would mate destinations. Regional corruption and govern- be disastrous. There are very real and equally unacmental decentralization contributed to the failure of ceptable human rights violations taking place in the the Kimberley Process, and supply-side regulations artisanal mines of the Congo. It is inarguably reducforgot that the people contributing to the violence tionist to view these conflicts as a product of mining, weren’t a pure product of diamond production. In but mining itself exists as a gift and a curse, one of fact, increased regulation hurt the average citizen and many factors in the complex political dynamics of the miner more than the powerful entities controlling region. If the United States and human rights advoproduction. Other factors and power dynamics were cates wish to make a positive contribution they must responsible for affronts to human rights, complex is- apply serious and flexible reforms to top-down efforts sues that could not be addressed with a quick fix. and collaborate with local authorities in the Congo So today we find ourselves with the Kimberley Pro- to actually build stable, non-corrupt infrastructures cess’s kid brother: section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank from the ground up. If you’d rather see a remake of Act. This gem of an act is the Kimberley Process re- “Groundhog Day” than political progress, however, incarnate, and if we’re lucky, section 1502 might just maybe the Dodd-Frank Act is just what you’ve been grow up to be an ineffective top-down piece of legisla- looking for. tion too! When Congress passed it in 2010, the act required that any companies with products containing Lydia Thurman is a Trinity sophomore. Her column gold, tin, tungsten or tantalum must disclose whether runs every other Wednesday. You can follow Lydia on Twitter or not these minerals come from conflict regions in @ThurmanLydia

THE CHRONICLE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 | 11

commentaries

Apple and intellectual property

Losers are cool now

I

O

n recent news, Apple, Inc. has won a chair, and brings it to market? I am still decisive lawsuit against fellow electron- in control of the resources under my ics and software developer Samsung. ownership, and she has simply gained The lawsuit, which found Samsung guilty control of greater resources for herself, of infringing on a number of Apple’s pat- so no fundamental change has occurred. ents, awarded over $1 bilI am still no victim of theft. lion to Apple, and sent a What if, as in the case of formidably clear message Apple and Samsung, I am to all others in the field. It the first manufacturer of has effectively dictated that the chair, and my neighany imitation of Apple’s bor is a competitor who is products will not be toleralso marketing my design? ated, and that consumers Can it be said that I am should receive all their finnow a victim of theft, since chris bassil ger scrolling and “pinch-toshe is earning profits that human action enlarge” technology from a otherwise would have been single company. mine? No, since this arguAll of this, of course, has been done in ment rests on a counterfactual—that, in the name of property rights. Specifically, the absence of the neighbor’s chairs, a it has been done in the name of protect- consumer would have purchased mine— ing Apple’s “intellectual property rights,” that cannot be proven. a concept that today goes almost univerOf course, the fact that my—or Apsally unquestioned. This is unfortunate, ple’s—property rights are not violated however, as the idea of intellectual prop- does not mean that all this competition erty rests on less-than-sturdy philosophi- still isn’t bad for my business. In order cal foundations, and is not at all clear to to deal with it, then, I might choose to be entirely justified. approach a third-party with the power to As intellectual property lawyer Steph- forcibly intervene in the situation. In toan Kinsella has explained, property day’s world, this power more or less rests rights arise as a means for resolving con- with the state, in the form of intellectual flict over scarce resources. (If resources property legislation. were not scarce but rather infinitely If, as a result of my complaint to the abundant, then everyone would have government, my neighbor is forcibly free access to all goods all of the time, prevented from continuing to sell chairs and concepts such as property and own- based on my design, the situation beership would lose their meaning to us.) comes somewhat inverted. No longer the A proper implementation of property “victim,” I have become an aggressor who rights in any dispute functions by identi- has been awarded a dubiously earned adfying the owner of the good in question, vantage in the sale of such chairs. In fact, who entertains the full authority in de- I have become more than an aggressor. I cision-making over that good. An owner have become a monopolist. of a good can be identified by his relaIn the event of a state-granted monoption to the first possessor of that good, oly, it is typically the consumer who stands and whether the former’s acquisition of to lose the most. If you are the consumer it from the latter was legitimate or ille- in this case, you will now have less access gitimate. The entire notion of property to certain features of my chair—the way rights, then, is derived from the fact of that it rocks, perhaps, or the designs I scarcity in nature. carved into its frame—than you previIn the curious realm of intellectual ously would have had. Furthermore, I property, however, no such scarcity ex- am now able to sell those features, free of ists. This is because ideas, unlike goods any market checks on my business pracand resources, are actually infinitely re- tices, at any price that I wish. It remains producible, which exempts them from unclear, in fact, how anyone other than any consistent theory of either property the new monopolist—like Apple—stands or ownership. To put it more bluntly, I to benefit from this arrangement. can’t actually steal an idea from you, Proponents of intellectual property since my entertaining the idea in no way rights defend the notion on grounds indiminishes your capacity to do the same. cluding the following: Without a frameIn order to better illustrate this point, work for rights in intellectual property, it is useful to borrow a common example there would be little incentive for profrom the literature on this subject. Sup- ducers to innovate, or for large firms to pose, for instance, that I decide to build a pursue expensive and time-consuming chair for my porch. I construct the chair research. As American economist Murfrom scarce resources—previously owned ray N. Rothbard has pointed out, howevby me—and leave it outside. Imagine, er, this is not actually a foregone concluthen, that a passerby spots the chair and, sion, and the burden of proof thus falls admiring it, takes it from my porch. This on them. Furthermore, to the extent that is obviously an act of theft, since I am now this is a legitimate argument, it still does deprived of access to my own property. not justify the practice of protectionism What if, instead of actually stealing for first developers as anything close to the chair, the passerby simply examines actual “property rights.” If such a pracit, and then constructs an identical chair tice is somehow worth salvaging, it badly for herself? Is this also an act of theft, if needs to at least be renamed, and then her chair is built according to my ideas to be justified on some other grounds. and blueprints? The answer, obviously, is It’s possible that the notion of intellecthat it can’t be, since I have not been de- tual property is, upon examination, just prived of any of the scarce resources un- not as ironclad as conventional wisdom der my control. I still have access to my would dictate. Unless, of course, you’re a chair, and the passerby now has access to software developer who’s running out of her own. I also still have undiminished devices to stick an “i” in front of. access to the ideas that went into developing the chair. I have, in effect, been Chris Bassil, Trinity ’12, is currently workdeprived of nothing. ing at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, How does this situation change if Mass. His column runs every Wednesday. You the passerby begins mass-producing the can follow Chris on Twitter @HamsterdamEcon

The Socialites kay, let me counteract all the strange things I eat. With this digital fast “She doesn’t even go here!” re- food diary, I’ve made myself one more marks before they start. It’s true, annoying member of Sergeant Pepper’s Dukies—I am your classmate no longer. I Lonely Hearts Club. am out doing real world things like havWhat’s the appeal? Maybe the selfing a job, sipping soy chais deprecation neutralizes in my apartment nook and the self-absorption, so it waking up sober. I’m not becomes socially accepta college student—I’m a able to make your stream person. of consciousness public.

Nonetheless, I’m a At least we’re not publishself-dubbed Socialite with ing a big thumbs up every a mean case of middle time we get a win. On the child syndrome, and such lindsay tomson contrary, sharing a loss a sickness knows no physican be amusing while also middle child cal boundaries. I am just softening the blow. Does syndrome as desperate for your aptweeting about a rejection proval here in Atlanta as I make it any less pathetic? was in Durham. So, please, love me in the Probably not, but at least you are living way my parents love the sisters who sand- life with a little sense of humor. Everyone wich me. Ignore my social irrelevance and should be laughing at themselves, bejust bask in the glory of my embarrassing cause (trust me) your life is embarrassing quest for attention. and full of failure.

In all honesty, though, can my attenThat’s the lesson I’ve learned in my tion-seeking behaviors be solely attribut- Internet musings and social commened to my birth order? Because I’ve seen tary columns. Writing about how much other contributing factors arise with the boys like me? Conceited. Writing about technology boom. Things like Facebook, how I’m scared to touch boys? Bingo.

Twitter and Instagram are new platforms I’d rather be mocking my lameness than from which I can brighten my spotlight. celebrating my coolness any day, because The same is true for eldest children, twins perfection is annoying—more annoying and littlests alike. And you know what? than social media. So be relatable. Be a IT’S RUINING US. Not only does it am- loser. plify my competitive pool beyond the I truly hope that many of you are rescope of my siblings and pets, but it also sponding to this week’s column topic by makes us horribly unbearable people. In laughing at what a douchebag I am. Like, an attempt to sound interesting, we truly “This girl is ranting about Twitter? Seriall just sound pathetic. ously?” I know . . . I genuinely hate how But in this day and age, patheticisms essential social media is to the fabric of are rewarded with friends and followers. my daily life and our generation. Yet still, The word follower, alone, elicits imagery I can’t separate myself from it. Countless of mindless minions frantically yearning times I’ve considered deactivating my for your next tweet or filtered snapshot. various accounts. But then I vainly realAnd like delusional dictators we deliver ize: “then I won’t be tagged in pictures” each social media snippet with a self- or “my friends won’t see the quirky things inflicted chuck under the chin. Like, I’m doing in Atlanta” or “how will I know “You’re welcome, universe, for keeping people like me when the real world has you up-to-date on my sexless sex life.” no like button?!” I may be an egotistical Have you noticed that flourishing douchebag just like all other wielders of trend of whiny losers all over the social virtual communication applications, but stratosphere? Crazy cat ladies, gluttonous at least I’m trying to use my powers for cynics and boyfriendless bachelorettes good and not evil. I’m not trying to be dominate my twitter feed. Sorry, hot peo- funny, I’m just trying to make you laugh. ple. Your reign over the entertainment So there you have it. Social media has world disintegrated as soon as Paris Hil- simultaneously made me assume you care ton stopped having reality TV shows. Now, about what I’m doing at all times, while popularity is for people who are awkward, also allowing me to acknowledge that unhealthy, lonely and acknowledging it. what I’m doing is sad and weird. It’s why And, hey, I’ve followed suit. Allow me I tweet, why I Facebook, why I Instagram to shame my ancestors by sharing with and why I can’t pull away from my alma you some of the blurbs I once deemed mater’s newspaper. I feel compelled to tweetable: continue dishing out social commentary I just split a bowl of queso with myself. extrapolated from the daily disasters of my It’s sad that the most social thing I’ve life. I’m an attention-seeking train wreck, done tonight is tweet. so I’m tweeting about it. Which makes me I look really pretty when I stuff entire Charlie Sheen, but with bangs. bagels into my mouth.

As you can see, my account is just an Lindsay Tomson, Trinity ’12, is currently amalgam of sentences rehashing the applying her Duke-developed skills of sarcasm emptiness of my weekend nights and the and awkwardness in the real world.

Do you want to have your voice shape student dialogue across campus? The Chronicle is currently seeking new members for its independent editorial board.

Contact Katherine Zhang at ktz@duke. edu for more information.

12 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

OBAMA from page 1 “I love you, Michelle!” yelled one man sitting on the floor-level of the arena, erupting unapologetically at a moment when the only other voice to be heard in the room was the first lady’s.

By the closing of Obama’s speech, delegates had traded posters reading the campaign slogan “FORWARD” for signs reading “We Love Michelle” that many convention attendees carried in bundles as they exited the Time Warner Cable arena in downtown Charlotte.

Obama wove accounts of her personal upbringing, relationship with Barack and role as a mother to tout the value of democracy while emphasizing belief in her husband’s aptitude for the presidency and support for his policies.

“Serving as your first lady is an honor and a privilege, but back when we first came together four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun,” she said.

Obama reflected on her experiences growing up in a household without a lot of money while noting the bur-

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den of student loan debt that the Obamas faced as newlyweds—examples not likely a coincidence in an election year where 74 percent of likely voters rate the economy as very important to how they will vote, according to a Rasmussen poll released July 5.

These experiences transitioned into a testament of the values that guide the Obamas in both their personal life and as public leaders: gratitude, humility, honesty, Obama said. She added that these are values the president has maintained from the start of his presidency until now.

“I have seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are,” she said. “It reveals who you are.”

Speaking over the roars and ovations from an impassioned audience, Obama noted that the president’s resilience of character equips him to act in the best interest of the nation. She noted the president’s stances on women’s rights, health care, marriage equality and student loans as examples.

“Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it,” she said. “So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say

that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.”

This steadfastness drew not just tears but proclamations of support from audience members, particularly North Carolina delegate Denise Adams. Adams noted that Obama’s recollection of her life experiences align with those of so many average Americans. These parallels have helped Adams identify with the first lady and trust in the immense love and belief Obama has in the president, she said. The remarks gave her hope.

“She came to tell us about our president of the United States from her perspective,” said Adams, a member of the Winston-Salem, NC city council. “[Barack] Obama is a real person with real dreams who always held onto his dream.

He remembers what it was like to be a student, what it was like growing up in a family where our parents struggled, and I can remember those things. She wanted us to know that.”

Another North Carolina delegate, Kennis Wilkins, noted that Obama’s remarks were successful in energizing the party and getting the Democrats prepared for the height of election season. He said that the first lady’s remarks were effective in that they covered the spectrum of American values, ranging from those instilled within a family to the importance of democracy.

“Her remarks covered what it is to be a good person,” he said.

Few have questioned the mass appeal of Michelle Obama, but after this speech it may be stronger than ever before. And in the wake of the Republican National Convention, where Ann Romney delivered a speech many experts considered both successful and relevant, the question remains just how much the wives of the presidential candidates will influence the election’s outcome, particularly as both parties hone in on voters in the middle of the partisan spectrum.

AFGHANS from page 1 in poverty as victims of vicious xenophobia, said Zalmai, the photographer for the exhibit.

Zalmai said the project is especially significant to him since he is Afghan.

“It’s important to understand the problem, but it’s another thing to feel the problem,” he said. “When you feel the problem, you can go further inside of your subjects.”

Zalmai added that it was important to spend time gaining the Afghans’ trust before documenting them. To do so, he informed them that his exhibit was intended to show the world the difficulties of their lives.

The photographs are intended to show the extreme suffering of the refugees, he said. Among the images are those of Afghans living in decrepit makeshift campsites, huddling together to sleep on the ground and dealing with the aftermath of racially-fueled violence.

“It’s a powerful exhibit—it brings home the tragedy in which these people are living,” said sociology professor Gilbert Merkx, director of the Center for Islamic Studies and the Center for International Studies. “Really, it’s a double tragedy— these people have been driven from their homeland by violence and poverty but have come to a country that’s recently suffered an enormous collapse in the standard of living.”

Because many Greeks are scared and unhappy with their current economic state, some are choosing to take their frustrations out on the Afghans, he added.

Due to the European Union asylum policy, the Afghans who come to Greece have few opportunities to leave, according to a statement written by the curator of the exhibit. The EU requires people seeking asylum to attain legal refugee status in the country they enter before they move on to another country. Because there are issues with how Greece assigns refugee status, however, many Afghans remain trapped in legal limbo there.

Greece has been criticized by many international human rights groups for its failure to help refugees, but little progress has been made, according to the statement.

The exhibit’s focus is on the human pain of this situation, however, rather than the details of governmental policy.

“It’s very moving, seeing the beautiful places in Greece juxtaposed with these people’s experiences,” said Melissa Neeley, an employee of the Center.

Zalmai hopes that the exhibit will move people to consider the human cost of the situation in Afghanistan and the way Afghans are treated around the world.

“We think Afghanistan is so far away, but it isn’t,” said Zalmai. “The media is always talking about military operations and fighting, but most of the time we forget the millions of people of Afghanistan who are just living. The photos are important because they give the people here something more human and more real.”