June 6 2013

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

XXXDAY, MONTH THURSDAY, JUNE 6, XX,2013 2013

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Van-dwelling Duke responds to Turkey protests grad rolls out book

by Sophia Durand THE CHRONICLE

After leading an unconventional lifestyle for over two years, Ken Ilgunas— who received his masters in liberal studies in 2011—chose to emulate philosopher Henry David Thoreau with an experimental Duke experience.

A student of history himself, Ilgunas was inspired by his own personal history when he chose to live in a van for the duration of his Duke graduate education. llgunas said that prior to applying to graduate programs, he had lived a relatively atypical lifestyle— in addition to living in Alaska for two and a half years, he had also travelled with Canadian voyageurs who dressed in 18th century garb, paddling 20 miles a day in birch bark canoes and eating salt pork and pea soup every day. As a result, Ilgunas said the idea of living a conventional lifestyle in Durham was not appealing. Ilgunas documented his experience of living in a van in a memoir published last month, titled “Walden on Wheels: On the Open Road from Debt to Freedom”—a spinoff of Thoreau’s book “Walden.”

“I had lived a pretty rugged lifestyle, and the thought of coming to grad school and moving into an apartment and hanging curtains and buying a rug to tie the room together was just unthinkable,” he said.

After graduating with a degree in history and $32,000 of debt from the University of Buffalo, Ilgunas, a New York native, attempted to find a journalism job to pay off his debt. He was rejected from 25 paid media internships before moving up to Arctic Alaska—the northernmost region of Alaska that consists largely of tundra—to become a tour guide and start a new life. Despite low wages, Ilgunas benefited from free room and board, which allowed him to save every dollar he earned to pay off his debt.

“I learned two things on this journey—the first was that I never wanted to go into debt again, and the second was that I wanted to go to a grad school program,” Ilgunas said. “I just really missed the stimulating college culture.”

After spending over two years paying off his debt, Ilgunas applied to three graduate programs—Duke, Wake Forest University and Wesleyan University.

Ilgunas ultimately chose Duke because it was the most affordable and Durham’s warm weather seemed enjoyable after two years in the tundra.

Supercameras created by engineers in the Pratt School of Engineering are in the process of being made available to the public.

The gigapixel cameras can take much larger, higher resolution and more interactive images than cameras currently publicly available.

Aqueti, a Durham based start-up, was created as a spin-off of the University’s research and design project with the purpose of releasing the technology into the market. The cameras were created by the AWARE program—a collaboration between Duke University, the University of Arizona and Distant Focus Corporation.

“It’s going to change the way we think of images so far,” AWARE Project Manager Steve Feller said. “With this, you can zoom in and out so much. There’s a lot more information, a lot more ways to experience the images. It’s going to change the way people interact with images into something that you explore and play with.”

A standard DSLR camera is 25 megapixels, but the gigapixel cameras designed by AWARE take images of 250 and 750 megapixels, Feller said. Of the gigapixel cameras AWARE plans to release, these cameras are the lowest resolution: a medium resolution camera is expected to be completed next month, and a high resolution camera, eight times more powerful than

SEE VAN-DWELLER ON PAGE 5

SEE CAMERA ON PAGE 6

by Elizabeth Djinis THE CHRONICLE

With recent protests in Istanbul spreading throughout the entire nation of Turkey, members of the Duke community, especially those with a

connection to Turkey, have expressed concern at the country’s situation.

The current turmoil in Istanbul began Friday with a peaceful civilian protest against the erection of a shopping mall in one of the city’s last

SEE TURKEY ON PAGE 4

SPECIAL SP SPEC PECIAL ALL TTO O TTH THE HE CH C CHRONICLE HR H RON ONICLE ICL CLE

Duke supercamera to be made public

by Raisa Chowdhury THE CHRONICLE

TORI POWERS/THE CHRONICLE

Engineers in the Pratt School of Engineering have created a supercamera, which will soon be available to the public.

ONTHERECORD

Grant Hill and his legacy, Page 7

remaining parks. The demonstration quickly became violent, however, after police threw tear gas at protesters in Taksim Square, a central meeting point in the city. The forceful nature of these government methods has

“Today, this protest is no longer about a park. It’s about democracy.”

—Merve Tahiroglu in “Turkish model of democracy? See column on page 11.

Moral Monday attracts protesters to Raleigh, Page 3

2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

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Mega Moral Monday ...................................................................... photos by Sophia Durand

People from around North Carolina protested at the General Assembly Monday. They waved signs and chanted against bills proposed by the Republicanled legislature.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013 | 3

‘Mega Moral Monday’ results in mass arrests

by Danielle Muoio THE CHRONICLE

RALEIGH—Swarms of people gathered outside of the North Carolina state legislature Monday afternoon in a protest that concluded with the most arrests since the movement began in late April.

Known as “Mega Moral Monday” for its largest crowd yet, over 1,000 people gathered in the sweltering heat behind the Legislative Building on Halifax Mall to protest a wide array of bills being proposed by the Republican-led General Assembly. Upwards of a hundred people entered the Legislative Building, and police used two 50-passenger buses to shuttle those arrested to Wake County Jail. Supporters of the movement who chose not to go inside encircled the perimeter of the building to show support for the movement.

“No one is coming up here for fun.

No one likes being resisted with handcuffs,” NAACP President Rev. William Barber said. “But we believe we have a constitutional right, Article 1 Section 12, to instruct our legislature. And we are doing that publicly.”

The movement began Apr. 29, but ended only in thirty arrests. The protests Monday ended with around 150 arrests, with police taking almost two hours to completely arrest all of the protesters inside the building. This led to a total of 300 arrests since the start of the protests.What do you think?

The civil disobedience campaigns will continue throughout the month of June.

Among those who attended the protest was Reeve Huston, associate professor of history, who wore a green band around his wrist to show his intention of being arrested. Lining up with protesters outside the General Assembly, Huston noted he had no fear going into the building because he was part of such a gigantic crowd.

“I’m fighting for equity in taxation and democracy, and that means making it easier for people who vote the least to vote, not harder,” he said.

As protesters marched into the General Assembly, North Carolina residents remaining outside of the building chanted messages of support, such as “Forward together, not one step back.”

Protesters continued to sing and chant in the rain as they waited to see those who got arrested. Crowds did not fully disperse until around 8 p.m., when the last bus was shuttled off.

Irma Stein, an 87-year-old Chatham County resident, attended the event with the Raging Grannies, a peace activist group. Wearing a floral dress and straw sunhat, Stein said the Raging Grannies came to protest the legislation using song.

“We are raging because we are angry with what the legislation is doing,” she SEE MORAL MONDAY ON PAGE 5

Calling All Musicians!

High school students join summer classes

by Carleigh Stiehm THE CHRONICLE

High school students will be joining undergraduates in the classroom during Duke’s second summer session.

The Summer College for High School Students—open to rising juniors and seniors—will allow students to take for-credit college courses.

The $7,450 program will be running for the first time this year, and will offer 23 academic courses to students. The students will live in Few Quadrangle for the duration of the program.

A similar program, known as Pre College, was discontinued seven years ago, said Nicki Charles, director of international student recruitment for summer session of Duke continuing studies and summer session. The original program was longer, more expensive and did not offer students the ‘community’ atmosphere of college, which led it to be discontinued.

“Honestly, I feel that we have listened closely to students, adapted to their needs and kept the integrity of Duke standards as these students will be studying with Duke undergraduates,” Charles said.

This year’s program will work in conjunction with the Duke Talent Identification Program, which offers services and programs to fourth, fifth and sixth grade students who exhibit advanced intellectual abilities, Charles said.

“Duke TIP was so popular that we wanted kids to have another opportunity for a longer and more authentic college experience,” Charles said.

Students can choose from a wide array of academic courses, ranging from an econom-

ics course on game theory to courses from the theater studies department, Charles said. The program also offers five not-for-credit enrichment courses in the evening, which include intensive language study in English or Chinese, a course on preparing for success in college, a leadership class and a course in the fine arts.

Students who choose to take the language courses will have the opportunity to practice with native speakers in the program.

Duke looked at other university summer programs, such as Harvard and Stanford, when designing the Summer College for High School Students, said Paula Gilbert, associate dean and director of Duke continuing studies and summer session.

“We researched programs offered by peer institutions and then designed a program that takes into account the Duke context,” Gilbert said. “Thus, while our program will be of a similar type to others, the Duke Summer College for High School Students will also be unique in terms of its particular aspects.”

In addition to taking one four-week intensive class during the day, students will receive academic support from the Thompson Writing Studio.

“Students will receive two hours of academic support every day,” she said. “Adjusting to the rigor of a college course can be hard, and we didn’t want them to come here and then just leave them on their own.”

Of the 105 participants in the program, about 50 percent are international students, with the majority from China, Charles said. He

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TURKEY from page 1 changed the original goal of the protests, which now serve as a critique of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo an’s increasingly interventionist regime. Elected to his third term as prime minister in 2011, Erdo an has overseen a number of reforms, including those that have lead to significant economic growth. In his most recent term, however, his establishment of controversial policies, such as restricting alcohol sales, as well an anti-abortion stance, have lead some to question whether democratic Turkey is becoming too authoritarian.

Serkan Yolacan, a fourth-year graduate student in cultural anthropology, has witnessed the unrest firsthand while visiting family in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Although the recent events may seem sudden, Yolacan said that conflict has been brewing for a long time.

“I don’t think anybody really expected these events, and that’s the beauty of it,” Yolacan said. “It’s more about an outcry of the form. The general spirit was the outcry over the authoritarian nature of the government.”

The media’s depiction of the protests has painted a picture of escalating tensions between the secular, modern Turks and the traditional, Muslim citizens, but this is not really the case, Yolacan noted. He added that to portray it as thus only perpetuates an old stereotype while clouding the issue at the heart of the matter.

“Police brutality is not exaggerated,” Yolacan said. “People fear that it’s turning into a police state.”

Ali Denker, a resident from Istanbul who has witnessed the protests, emphasized the enormity of the situation.

“This is no longer about saving a tree, it is about taking back our personal freedoms,” Denker said. “We are here because of the government’s intervention on our lifestyle, public and private freedoms, the oppressive policies, and the Prime Minister’s persistent use of disproportionate force to clear the crowds.”

Although Turkey is experiencing some unrest, the situation is by no means an “Arab Spring event,” said Erdag Göknar, Turkish-American assistant professor of Turkish studies and the academic director of the year-long Duke in Istanbul program and Duke in Turkey summer program. He emphasized that the situation is very different because Turkey is an established democracy and the protests are working from within an existing system, whereas the Arab Spring revolutions were intended to create democratic systems in states that had been living under functionally autocratic regimes. “[The Turkish protest] is a great democratic process,” Göknar said. “It is wonderful to have space where people can gather and air their grievances....

We need to see protest and sometimes protest is not a grave danger to the democratic process.”

Turkey has often been presented as a successful model that many of the “failed societies” in the Middle East and broader Muslim world should follow, but the protests over the last few days have emphasized that the model itself is flawed and leaves room for improvement, said Timur Kuran, professor of economics and political science and Gorter family professor of Islamic studies.

Due to initial delayed media coverage by many of Turkey’s largest media organizations and the country’s status as the state with the most imprisoned journalists, some feel there is reason to exercise

caution before choosing a side in the happenings.

Nabeel Hyder, Trinity ’13 who participated in the Duke in Turkey study abroad program last summer, said he has been following the events in Turkey closely and noted that it is important to be wary of news reports as all involved parties in the protests may be “compromising truths” to better serve their goals.

Although he disagreed with the Turkish police’s use of force during the peaceful protests, he noted that the current government has not been an entirely negative organization and has had significant support from the public in the past.

“A lot of the minority people are saying that the leaders are acting like dictators, but this party has been elected by popular vote three times and has brought on international and economic prosperity,” Hyder said. “All the blame is not necessarily accurate.”

The conflict has led some to wonder what will happen to Duke’s two study abroad programs in Turkey, one of which is a six-week summer opportunity entitled Duke in Turkey that is scheduled to begin July 1.

Göknar said the summer opportunity will go on as planned. He noted that Duke in Turkey’s location at Bogazici University keeps students away from the tumult as the campus is in a different region of Istanbul than the protests. He added that he does not think the protests will be long-lived. Still, due to a few worried notes from future program participants, Goknar said that he has sent out an email to participating students detailing the problems in Turkey and explaining that students will be unaffected, but that the events in Turkey are being closely monitored in case some-

thing changes.

Ultimately, Yolocan said that the protests are about making a statement and calling attention to the needs of the Turkish people.

“Because [the government] has gotten 50 percent of the votes…the prime minister thinks that he has license to do as he likes and these protests are basically to say no, you are the prime minister of the other half of the country as well,” Yolocan said.

The protests which have largely been lead by college students in Turkey may inspire others around the world, particularly unemployed, young and educated people in Europe and the United States, Kuran said.

“They discovered in the courses of these spontaneous demonstrations that happened all across the country...and they discovered that collectively they can exercise a great deal of power—they can make the ruling party take note of their demands and this provides a lesson, provides hope to young people all around the world,” Kuran said. “If it can be done in Turkey, it can be done in other democracies.”

Raisa Chowdhury and Merve Tahiroglu contributed reporting.

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VAN-DWELLER from page 1 Joining a graduate program was not enough to convince Ilgunas to change the way he had been living, he said. His experiences in Alaska and time spent traveling altered his perspective and challenged the way he used to think. As a result, Ilgunas invested in a van and transformed it into his home for the next three years.

He noted that the price of room and board, transportation fees and other Duke-related expenses would have dragged him back into debt, something he refused to experience again. With this in mind, Ilgunas embraced the van-dwelling life.

What had begun as a way to avoid debt turned into a social experiment to see how little he could live on, he said.

Although Ilgunas did not initially tell his fellow students about his living situation, he wrote about his dayto-day life on his blog, “Ken Ilgunas: Vandwelling.” But toward the end of his time at Duke, he became more outspoken about his living situation. He first presented his story to fellow students in a class he took with English professor Christina Askounis.

“He wrote this essay in my class, and I was really impressed with it,” Askounis said. “I told him that when he got it polished up, he should send it out somewhere.”

After editing the piece, it was published on the front page of Salon.com—an online news website.

Ilgunas also wrote about his van-dwelling experience for his final project in a magazine journalism class taught by Bob Bliwise, Graduate School ’88 and adjunct lecturer at the Sanford School of Public Policy. Ilgunas explored the deep and wide ranging aspects of the history of American individualism for his piece, Bliwise said.

“While his story was so self-referential, it was much deeper than that, and that really showed off Ken’s intellectual range and love of ideas and passion,” Bliwise said.

His pieces in both Askounis’ and Bliwise’s classes serves as the basis for Ilgunas’ book.

Ilgunas noted that his lifestyle does not permit him to sit idly and write. Instead, he travels across America and recounts his experiences. Last year, for example, he walked 1,700 miles from Alberta, Canada to the Gulf Coast. This experience inspired Ilgunas’ second book, “Trespassing America,” which is soon to be published.

Despite writing two books about his experiences, Ilgunas said his profession is still not nailed down.

“The overarching goal is just to live a full and adventurous life and if that leads me into one or several professions, that’s okay,” he said. “It’s not about being financially free but turning your wildest, weirdest dreams into reality. The decision wasn’t entirely economical, it was the thrill of doing something novel and adventurous and bold.”

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

Ken Ilgunas lived in his van while he attended Duke as a graduate student.

ASK US YOUR QUESTIONS. GIVE US YOUR OPINIONS.

MORAL MONDAY from page 3 said. “What more can I say?”

Kim-Marie Saccoccio, deputy director of Lillian’s List—a group that aims to elect pro-choice female Democratsto the General Assembly—attended the protest to see her boss get arrested. She noted that youth should aim to get more involved in the movement because these bills can drastically alter North Carolina’s future.

“The power rests with the youth vote,” she said.

Lynn Knauff, co-secretary of the Orange County Democratic Party, attended the protests to be in solidarity with the movement, but noted that she may choose to get arrested next week.

“For me, I couldn’t stand still any longer,” she said.

“I am an activist and standing back was certainly not the right response to what’s going on in the state.”

Although those who remain inside the General Assembly building are at the highest risk of being arrested, those supporting the movement outside of the building were also threatened with arrest.

Farah Hadjitaghi, a hairstylist from Chapel Hill, was threatened with arrest for touching police tape. After convincing the officer she had no intention of removing the tape, she stayed outside in the rain to thank those who were getting arrested.

“This is my responsibility to come and let [the General Assembly] know that what they are doing is completely against the people of this state,” she said. “I’m trying to be a responsible citizen, that’s who I am.”

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SUMMER from page 3 added that over half of the program’s residential staff speaks Mandarin Chinese to accommodate Chinese students.

“We expect to have a very vibrant community,” Charles said.

“In addition to taking classes, students will have a full residential experience.”

Katya Wesolowski, lecturing fellow of cultural anthropology, said that she was either not told or had forgotten that high school students would be taking her class this summer.

“I was actually quite surprised and disconcerted to realize I had seven pre-college out of nine students registered for my medical anthropology class,” Wesolowski wrote in an email Wednesday.

She added that three students on her roster appear to be from China.

“This is worrisome as I have no idea what to expect in terms of the level of their English reading, writing and speaking,” Wesolowski said. “This being said, I have not made any substantial changes to my syllabus as this is supposed to be a college level course, and I also have a rising senior and a [Master

of Arts] student enrolled.”

Welsolowski added that she is prepared to simplify course reading or make some texts optional if she needs to.

“The class may prove to be an additional challenge, but it may also prove to be particularly interesting and exciting given the diversity of students,” she said. “I find, especially with teaching anthropology courses, that when there are international students the discussions can be extremely rich and provocative.”

Gilbert said that only one or two of the 23 instructors voiced concern about high school students being prepared for the rigor of college courses. She added that the program only accepted students that had the aptitude to be successful in a college setting.

“The application process included personal essays, transcripts, test scores and, in the case of international students, English language test results,” Glibert said. “No doubt there will be a bit of adjustment for both instructors and students in the first few days, but the experience should be similar to firstyear Duke students in their first semester of college.”

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CAMERA from page 1 the current baseline model, will be out by early 2014.

Two of the AWARE cameras were used to take images at this year’s commencement ceremony, and one of over 400 images is available online.

“A normal camera is a very narrow image, so we replicate that, but over the whole field,” said Patrick Llull, a second year Pratt graduate student who designed and optimized the algorithm that allows the cameras to focus in images. “It’s like taking a single camera and taking 36 pictures and putting them together—instead of scanning and stitching them, we’re taking just one picture at the same time.”

An AWARE camera costs about $100,000, but cameras used at events like commencement cost $350,000 and are not gigapixel cameras, making the AWARE camera competitive in the market, said Aqueti Vice President Scott McCain, who received his Ph.D. in 2007 from Pratt. Although defense contractors have already produced gigapixel cameras, they are much larger than the AWARE cameras and cost millions of dollars.

Aqueti has been in talks with undisclosed major media companies and is in the process of getting business contracts lined up, McCain said. A plausible business model is to use advertising revenue to make the technology sustainable.

Broadcast networks, such as ESPN and FOX, are the types of customers that would be interested in the cameras, Feller said.

Carolina Zoomin’ is another effort to make the technology available to the public. If the project is able to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter by June 19, Aqueti will go on a road trip with the gigapixel cameras, visiting places that Kickstarter pledgers suggest in North Carolina and taking images that will be available on the Internet. To date, there are 20 backers who have pledged $957.

“People are really interested, but they haven’t bought as much stuff as we wanted,” McCain said. “But we’ve still got some time to get the message out there.”

The road trip would focus on visiting sites such as a boat race or the mountains of North Carolina, where there is normally little commercial incentive due to the small audience and high costs of the cameras.

“Basically as we wind down the government side of this program, we’re spinning off a commercial side,” Feller said. “The idea with the Kickstarter is it’s a way for us to do something that normally wouldn’t make financial sense.”

Future models of the cameras will still produce high-resolution images, but will be much smaller cameras due to improved optical and electronics design, Feller said. There are also plans to eventually use the technology to produce gigapixel videos, he added.

One of the big applications of the technology is an interactive television where viewers can zoom in an out of different parts of a video stream, McCain said.

“When you’re at home watching the game on your TV, phone, iPad, you don’t have to just see what the broadcasters are sending you,” he said. “You could be moving the camera with your fingers to see what the coaches are doing or you could zoom in on the players or out to see the whole field, and thousands of people could be doing this all at once.”

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Grant Hill’s retirement illuminates legacy

by Daniel Carp THE CHRONICLE

When former Duke star Grant Hill announced his retirement from professional basketball last Saturday, he left behind a career that spanned 18 NBA seasons that included seven All-Star appearances, a Rookie of the Year award and five All-NBA selections.

Tack two national championships, two All-American honors and an Olympic gold medal onto Hill’s resume, and he steps away from the game as one of the most accomplished players of his generation.

But what may be more important than the championships and accolades is the lasting legacy Hill has left on the game of basketball at both the professional and college levels.

The biggest stars of today’s NBA are players like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, who pose a deadly combination of size and athleticism with their ability to create on the perimeter. Hill was one of this mold’s original prototypes.

“I think he changed the game in a lot of ways,” said Bobby Hurley, who teamed up with Hill for back-to-back national championships at Duke in 1991 and 1992. “He was a guy who had size at 6-foot-8 and handled the ball like a point guard, made decisions like a point guard and created like a point

guard. When he went to the NBA, I think he paved the way for a lot of players who came after him to see how he played the game.”

After falling in the national title game to Arkansas in his senior season, Hill was the third overall selection in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He spent his first six seasons in Detroit and took the NBA by storm, earning All-Star selections in five of his first six seasons.

By the end of his sixth NBA season, Hill had amassed 9,393 points, 3,417 rebounds and 2,720 assists. The only three players in NBA history to top these scoring, rebounding and assist totals in their first six seasons are James, Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson.

Following Michael Jordan’s second retirement in 1999, the NBA was in search of its next big star. When Hill was traded to the Orlando Magic and given an opportunity to team up with Tracy McGrady, many thought Hill would be the one to answer the call, but ankle injuries put an early end to Hill’s prime. He appeared in just 47 games in his first four seasons with Orlando, and his career was nearly ended by a life-threatening staph infection.

Ultimately, it would be these debilitatCHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

SEE HILL ON PAGE 8

Grant Hill won two national championships at Duke before playing 18 NBA seasons.

TRACK AND FIELD

Duke sends 4 to NCAA Outdoor Championships

by Matt Pun THE CHRONICLE

Hoping to close out a record-filled outdoor season with a few more accolades, four Blue Devils have begun competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Decathlete Curtis Beach, 800-meter runners Cydney Ross and Anima Banks and discus-thrower Austin Gamble are representing Duke as they compete for AllAmerican honors and national championships Wednesday through Saturday at Heywood Field in Eugene, Ore. “This outdoor season, I’ve never seen anything like it in my time at Duke. We’ve had at least one school record every weekend this outdoor season dating back to the last weekend in March so that’s quite a streak to be on,” head coach Norm Ogilvie said. “And of course at this point, these athletes are really good, so for them to top their own school records would result in All-America-type performance.”

The 2012 indoor national champion in the heptathlon, Beach began competing in the decathlon Wednesday afternoon, representing the Blue Devils’ best shot at bringing home a national title.

Beach set four personal records on the day, placing first in the long jump and 400 meters, third in the 100 meters and sixth in the high jump. He faltered with the shot put and placed just 17th. After five events, Beach finished the first day of competition second place with a score of 4,383 points,

JESSIE LU/CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Fifth-year senior Cydney Ross will represent Duke in the 800 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. just six points behind the leader, Washington’s Jeremy Taiwo.

The Albuquerque, N.M. native finished second in the competition at the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships and currently holds the third-best decathlon score in the nation this year, leaving him in a prime position to compete for the title.

“He’s competed in a lot of big meets,

done a lot of big things this spring,” Ogilvie said. “He’s set a lot of school records himself… but this is the big one. [A decathlon championship] is the one he wants.”

To achieve that goal, Beach will have to top two foreign-born freshmen. Texas’ Johannes Hock, originally from Germany, and Georgia’s Maicel Uibo from Estonia.

Each posted scores this spring that topped

Beach’s best 2013 score of 8,011 at the Texas Relays March 27.

But Ogilvie said he would put his money on Beach to claim the crown due largely to his advantage in experience. In order to succeed, both Beach and Ogilvie know that he will have to put up a strong middledistance running performance.

“It’ll probably come to the 1,500 meters,” Ogilvie said. “And Curtis is definitely the best middle-distance runner of the three, so he’ll have to play catch-up. They’ll be ahead on points and the only way for him to win is to come from way back in the 1,500 and… dominate that event. He’ll know what he’ll have to do. That’s one of the fun things about decathlon. It’s all basically a math problem in the end.”

Joining Beach for a third consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance, Ross got off to a hot start at the semifinal heats of the women’s 800 meters Wednesday afternoon, placing second behind LSU’s Charlene Lipsey with a time of 2:03.62 seconds.

The redshirt senior returned this year as a student at the Fuqua School of Business for one last season as a Blue Devil and has found plenty of success, winning the ACC Championships both indoors and outdoors, and earning indoor All-American honors in the 800 meters. Ogilvie said that with a strong performance this weekend, Ross could become an All-American SEE TRACK ON PAGE 8

8 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

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HILL from page 7

CHRONICLE FILE PHOTO

Grant Hill is one of 13 players in Duke history whose numbers hang in the rafters of Cameron Indoor Stadium.

fromstaffreports Two Blue Devils to try out for Team USA Rodney Hood and Quinn Cook are among 29 collegiate athletes that were selected to compete for roster spots on the 2013 USA Basketball Men’s World University Games Team. Tryouts will take place June 24-30 in Colorado Springs, Colo. The squad will be coached by Davidson’s Bob McKillop. The games are scheduled to take place July 6-17 in Kazan, Russia.

Four Duke golfers named All-Americans Senior Lindy Duncan, junior Laetitia Beck, freshman Celine Boutier and junior Alejandra Cangrejo earned Golfweek All-American accolades. Duncan was named to the first team, Beck earned second-team honors and Boutier and Cangrejo receive honorable mention distinction. After finishing second overall at the NCAA Championships, Duncan earned her fourth consecutive first-team selection.

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Duke to host powerhouse Connecticut ESPN announced Wednesday that the Blue Devils will host the Huskies at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the 2013 Jimmy V Women’s Basketball Classic. The game will take place Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. It is the second time Duke has hosted the event, which benefits the V foundation for cancer research. Connecticut, led by head coach Geno Auriemma, won its eighth national championship in program history last season and defeated the Blue Devils in regular season action. Duke will square off with the Huskies for the fifth consectuvie season.

Duke alum Ogilvie qualifies for U.S. Open Joe Ogilvie, a 1996 Duke graduate, qualified for his sixth U.S. Open, which will take place next week at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Penn. In his career, Ogilvie has top-25 finishes at the Masters, British Open and PGA Championship

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ing injuries that marked Hill’s NBA career.

“You always wonder, ‘What if he didn’t get hurt?’ Because he was on his way to being possibly one of the top 10 guys to ever play,” said Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel, who played with Hill during his freshman season with the Blue Devils. “Before he got hurt, there was an argument of who was the best player in the world because Jordan was out, and he was very deep into that argument.”

Hill recovered from his injuries and played two more seasons in Orlando, five in Phoenix and one final season with the Los Angeles Clippers. After spending the better part of his career battling through injuries, a 40-year-old Hill retired from the NBA as the league’s oldest player.

Capel said that it was Hill’s competitive drive that allowed him to recover from what might have been career-ending injuries for other players.

“Not one time did I ever hear him say, ‘Why me?’ He was always positive—he thought he was going to attack this and overcome it,” Capel said. “He never made an excuse.”

It was not his injury history, but Hill’s grace both on and off the court that would cement his legacy at Duke.

Hill’s college career is best remembered for two of the quintessential Duke basketball highlights—his 75-foot pass to Christian Laettner in the 1992 Regional Final against Kentucky and the monstrous lob dunk he stuffed home in the Blue Devils’ 1991 national championship victory against Kansas.

But aside from his highlight-reel athletic feats, Hill’s teammates recall memories of their teammate’s quick wit and talents on the piano.

“The word swag didn’t exist—but he had it. Just the way he carried himself, everything he did. There were a lot of guys who wanted to be like Grant,” Capel said. “One of the major reasons I came to Duke was because of Grant.”

Even Hill’s retirement announcement was an example of his easy-going and modest nature. Rather than schedule a large press conference, Hill casually addressed his retirement as a guest on TNT’s NBA Tip-Off by saying, “I’m done.”

One of 13 players to have his jersey retired in Duke basketball history, Hill moves forward from his professional basketball career with a number of options on the horizon. It is speculated Hill’s next career move could be as a television analyst or coach, but Hurley suggested a different path for his former teammate.

“For me, Grant was most likely out of anyone I’ve come across in basketball to be President of the United States,” Hurley said. “He’s articulate, he’s been raised in a great family and he’s got a great education and a good head on his shoulders. He’s always trying to help people and he’s always

TRACK from page 7 outdoors as well.

Ross also may be peaking at the right time. As she heads into the final runs of her collegiate career, the veteran is coming off a personal record at the NCAA Eastern Preliminaries May 23.

“It’s possible she can win the whole thing,” Ogilvie said. “At the NCAA first round in Greensboro two weekends ago, both times, she raced the number one girl in the country [LSU junior Natoya Goule]. Both times, she pushed her to the limit.”

Banks competed alongside Ross in the 800 metes, and was one of just three true freshmen in the field of 24. She finished 17th with a time of 2:08.30 and failed to advance, although Banks posted a personal record at the NCAA first round, clocking in at 2:06.82 and securing the very last spot to advance in each of her first two races at the Eastern Preliminaries.

Lastly for the Blue Devils, Gamble will compete in the discus event Friday. The redshirt junior, who holds the school record in the event, will likely have to increase his distance to qualify for the finals.

Gamble set a school record of 58.07 meters at the Virginia Challenge May 7 but will likely need a 60-meter toss to have a chance at winning the competition, Ogilvie said.

Although each Duke athlete will most likely need to set a personal record to compete for a title this week, Ogilvie said the conditions at Heywood Field will provide a great opportunity to attain those.

“Heywood field in Eugene, Oregon is kind of like the grand cathedral of track in this country,” Ogilvie said. “Some of the great performances of track and field history have occurred here. Adding to that, we have probably the best weather forecast Heywood field has seen I would guess since 1978. That also gets athletes excited, when [they] know they can compete in good conditions.”

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Students should stay politically engaged In most cases, getting valid North Carolina phoarrested is frowned upon. to identification and stop But arrest for reasons of same day registration durpolitical activism—as in the ing early voting. Such laws case of several Duke pro- could disproportionately affessors—merits commenda- fect students at Duke—as a tion and a cerprivate institutain amount of staff editorial tion, student admiration.

ID cards may As reported by The not qualify as a valid voter Chronicle, several profes- photo ID. And with 89 persors were arrested while cent of the student popuparticipating in the “Moral lation coming from out of Mondays” movement— state, many students rely on a campaign to peacefully same-day voting to cast their protest bills put forth by ballot on an issue that could the General Assembly that drastically shape their expewould make drastic changes rience at Duke. to North Carolina. Among The consequences of the policies catalyzing such these voting restrictions protest are new voting laws extend beyond the ballot that could significantly re- box—unable to participate strict Duke students’ abil- in the voting process, stuity to vote. For example, dents could lose their ability a requirement to present to weigh in on social policies

“

Duke-Kunshan is nothing short of being a completely foolish and asinine venture...it was not properly, or for that matter, even close to being adequately thought out, and thus has predictably resulted in one misstep after another...

”

—“Bruce Coleman” commenting on the story “Chinese government bans topics in classrooms.”

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Letters should not exceed 325 words; contact the editorial department for information regarding guest columns.

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DANIELLE MUOIO, Editor SOPHIA DURAND, Managing Editor RAISA CHOWDHURY, News Editor DANIEL CARP, Sports Editor JISOO YOON, Photography Editor SCOTT BRIGGS, Editorial Page Editor CASEY WILLIAMS, Editorial Board Chair JIM POSEN, Director of Online Operations ELYSIA SU, Managing Editor for Online CHRISSY BECK, General Manager EMMA BACCELLIERI, University Editor ELIZABETH DJINIS, Local & National Editor ANTHONY HAGOUEL, Health & Science Editor TORI POWERS, News Photography Editor KELSEY HOPKINS, Design Editor LAUREN FEILICH, Recess Editor ELIZA BRAY, Recess Photography Editor MOUSA ALSHANTEER, Editorial Page Managing Editor ASHLEY MOONEY, Towerview Editor JENNIE XU, Towerview Photography Editor KRISTIE KIM, Social Media Editor LAUREN CARROLL, Senior Editor MATT BARNETT, Multimedia Editor REBECCA DICKENSON, Advertising Director MARY WEAVER, Operations Manager DAVID RICE, Director of External Relations

with as much importance as Amendment One in 2012.

These restrictions exemplify the dire need for political activism and awareness.

The proactivity and determinism of the Duke professors who have been arrested for voicing their civil dissent should serve as examples for students and the broader Duke community.

Not only have they demonstrated their conviction that the legislature is “pursuing a totally wrong direction” with its policies, but they have challenged the community to become engaged in these important matters.

The old adage of leading by example certainly applies to these professors.

Certainly, we are not suggesting that all students get

arrested—to do so would be neither reasonable nor effective. In an ironic sense, getting arrested could be considered a luxury of the wealthy—not everyone can afford the hefty sum to be bailed out of jail. And for risk-averse students in particular, an arrest could mar an otherwise spotless resume.

Although arrest occupies one extreme on the spectrum of civil disobedience that students may need to avoid, we urge students to adopt the spirit of activism underlying such arrests.

During the school year, it is all too easy for students to justify their political illiteracy with claims of being engrossed in their studies and activities. Even now, with

Duke students occupying all corners of the planet during the summertime, staying aware of the political happenings in North Carolina may be challenging.

Staying informed, however, is essential—the General Assembly continues to debate and pass policies throughout the summer.

These laws could significantly influence the students’ lives when they return to campus in the Fall.

For these reasons, we urge students to set aside some time this summer to actively voice their opinions, be it in support or opposition of the state legislature. Or, at the least, we urge students to eschew complacency and stay updated on the state’s political activity.

Personal demons

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CARLEIGH STIEHM, University Editor GEORGIA PARKE, Local & National Editor TONY SHAN, Health & Science Editor ERIC LIN, Sports Photography Editor RITA LO, Design Editor JAMIE KESSLER, Recess Managing Editor THANH-HA NGUYEN, Online Photo Editor MATT PUN, Sports Managing Editor CAITLIN MOYLES, Towerview Editor DILLON PATEL, Towerview Creative Director JULIAN SPECTOR, Special Projects Editor CHELSEA PIERONI, Multimedia Editor YESHWANTH KANDIMALLA, Recruitment Chair JULIA MAY, Recruitment Chair BARBARA STARBUCK, Creative Director MEGAN MCGINITY, Digital Sales Manager

The Chronicle is published by the Duke Student Publishing Company, Inc., a non-profit corporation independent of Duke University. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Duke University, its students, faculty, staff, administration or trustees. Unsigned editorials represent the majority view of the editorial board. Columns, letters and cartoons represent the views of the authors.

To reach the Editorial Office at 301 Flowers Building, call 684-2663 or fax 684-4696. To reach the Business Office at 2022 Campus Drive call 684-3811. To reach the Advertising Office at 2022 Campus Drive call 684-3811 or fax 684-8295. Visit The Chronicle Online at http://www.dukechronicle.com. © 2013 The Chronicle, Box 90858, Durham, N.C. 27708. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior, written permission of the Business Office. Each individual is entitled to one free copy.

W

ithout intending to, I confronted my He kept setting me up to guess where he had own mortality that night. I also came up been over the past year. I interlaced my fingers against a stereotype I did not want to ac- and asked, “Is it something I’m going to get mad knowledge. Is it my own prejudice in assuming at you for?” one word begets another—at least And so he confessed: He had in the eyes of others? Am I wrong for been using crystal meth—a drug trying to be “better” than the majorthat has gained somewhat recent ity in order to avoid falling into this notoriety for its use in the gay stereotype? community.

And I knew. I just knew. am a gay man. Honestly, it is not He continued, “Remember something I am always proud back in May when I had a scare?” of. After all, why would I want Now, in the gay community this to celebrate a non-choice choice— something that has made me feel Benjamin Silverberg immediately means, “There was a chance I had been infected with distanced from my closest friends or, gringo loco even worse, inferior in conservative, HIV.” “But it wasn’t just a scare …

American politics? For all the struggling I have done over my sexuality, I am surprised The doctor called me up—she left me a message, actually—that we should discuss some blood work how quickly it can cut me down.

But I’m gay 24/7. It’s an integral part of who in the office. Yeah, right. Blood work.”

Without ever saying the words that he had beI am. So to this end, I feel most at ease with my so-called “own kind.” They, too, share the same come HIV-positive, my friend had guided me to (potential) secret. What other, single issue could the conclusion. Guilty by association. I was speechworry me any more to reveal? So pair me with an- less, unable to offer a solution or even meaningful other guy my age. That’s a start. If we share the comfort. I had known him “before and after” insame religion or basketball allegiance, I feel more fection. The two things could not be further apart at home. If he’s gay too, then I feel an unspoken in my mind—my friend and HIV. I struggled to understanding. As a physician, though, I worry face the (un)reality.

I felt badly for him, but then I got mad at myabout giving unfair attention to people “like me.”

Nonetheless, I also feel a responsibility to protect self for feeling that way. I tried to decide if I should feel or act differently or if our relationship was the them.

And as a physician, there will be times when I same. It was and it wasn’t.

I wished to have some emotion—any emotion. fail to protect my patients. As a human being, I will likewise fail to protect my friends and peers. I worried that a gay man with HIV was fulfilling Sometimes this will not result from anything I did a stereotype. I was angry for his choices but also or did not do. Even so, I will still feel awful. Draw- angry for how that reflected on a minority coming the line between fault and guilt should be clear munity that had to bond together. As soon as I enough, so why have I taken on responsibility that realized that I had felt something, I deemed it “inappropriate” and tried to cast it away. I didn’t is not mine to take?

It all started because I was hungry. (There was, know what to do. My mind raced through a virtual of course, a lengthy prologue of which I was bliss- phonebook, trying to identify a confidant who fully unaware.) I was driving back home to appease could help. Whereas my friend had months to get my empty stomach and to see an old friend who used to his new “status,” it was a heavy surprise for had been incommunicado for a year and who had me, and I didn’t want to bear the load alone. just reestablished contact. Two birds, one stone, I There is something unique about a personal friend acquiring an illness. This was a new “stathought.

Emerging through the drafty diner door, my tus” for me, too. I could no longer hear, see, taste, friend looked the same as the day we first met, smell or feel. Relief, anger, fear, sadness and hope some five years prior—two teenage boys decipher- were my new five senses.

“I still love you,” I said before leaving the diing their sexual orientation. Either my memory of his past hugs failed me, or he squeezed me tighter chotomous roadside diner and confessional.

As I walked back alone to my car, all I could do than usual this time.

Have you ever sensed when something is not was take note that the weather had gotten warmer right? You wonder if maybe you are being a little and that the violet crocuses had come out. paranoid, but you’ve got an uneasy feeling that cannot be attributed to the greasy diner bacon Benjamin Silverberg is a second-year graduate stuburger you just wolfed down. dent and practicing physician. His biweekly column will

I

THE CHRONICLE

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013 | 11

commentaries

A Turkish model of democracy The war for California

W

hat began as a peaceful protest last week the world has seen it too. in Istanbul to save a park from being deToday, this protest is no longer about a park. molished has turned into a much larger, It’s about democracy. It’s about the freedom of anti-government movement in a matter of days. expression, freedom of peaceful assembly—both Over the weekend, protests were held in 67 of the freedoms that were under attack in Turkey this 81 Turkish provinces, in addition to international weekend, if not before—and the consequences of demonstrations in New York City, Chicago, Wash- the growing influence of the JDP on Turkish instiington D.C., Montreal, Paris, London, Zurich, tutions. To think of democracy as merely a system Berlin and Vienna. of political elections would be the biggest mistake At dawn on Friday, May 31, Turkish police con- we could make today. ducted a violent raid against the All of this comes at quite a pivprotestors demonstrating in Tak- Merve Tahiroglu otal time in history considering sim Gezi Park. The demonstration last year’s Arab Spring. During this quickly grew into a massive protest movement, many posed Turkey as guest column with thousands of people gathering an example of democracy—a secuin Taksim Square. The police responded to pro- lar, democratic republic with a high majority Mustestors using water cannons, rubber bullets and lin population—to these Middle Eastern nations gas bombs—thrown not on the ground, but at un- in revolution. Although none of these countries armed civilians. As demonstrations spread to the seemed interested in adopting the secularism of capital city of Ankara, gas bombs were reportedly Turkey, these revolutionaries were eager to follow thrown into crowds from helicopters. One protes- Turkey’s footsteps in their countries’ transitions tor, Mehmet Ayvalitas, died of injuries on Sunday, to democracy. I witnessed such remarks in a numwhile at least 3,000 people have been injured and ber of speeches made during the World Political more than 1,700 arrested since the protests be- Forum in Istanbul last summer. Many questions gan. These numbers are expected to rise as the troubled me the day I heard those speeches, but protests continue. there was one in particular that I couldn’t shake One of the most significant questions that has off: “What democracy in Turkey?” Looking at Takarisen from this crisis is why the Turkish media sim Square today and the dismissal of this crisis by (with the exception of local news channel Halk the Prime Minister Erdogan, I am now able to ask TV) would not report on these developments dur- this question out loud with thousands of protesing the first five days of the protests. Among the tors on the streets asking it with me. Perhaps it is channels that chose to ignore the protests was fair to say that we should think twice before setCNN Turk, despite the fact that CNN Internation- ting Turkey as an example of democracy. al was one of the first foreign news organizations airing footage of the clashes. Over the weekend, So, what now? We cannot know what sort of pictures and videos of the violence have appeared real change these protests will bring to Turkey across the Internet through foreign media com- in the short run. It would be highly presumppanies and social media networks. Some Turkish tions to believe that Erdogan would resign over news channels finally began reporting the events this, as many protestors have been demanding— on Tuesday, after Turkish Prime Minister Recep and his doing so would not be good for Turkey Tayyip Erdogan left the country for a four-day in the long run. Nevertheless, those concerned tour of North Africa. about the increasingly powerful JDP regime and This total absence of the freedoms of press Turkey’s future should consider the events of the and expression does not come as a surprise to the past week as a positive thing. This uprising has Turkish people, who have been living with limited brought together people from all backgrounds, freedom under the government of Prime Minister ages, classes, religions and political views. ConsidErdogan for many years now. Never before, how- ering the nearly 50 percent of votes the JDP won ever, have these denials of basic freedom been so in the most recent elections, it’s fair to say that the apparent on an international scale. scope of this movement has been unprecedented, According to the Committee to Protect Jour- and the mere fact that the movement occurred is nalists, in 2012 Turkey had the largest number of a step forward for Turkey. More importantly, the journalists in jail worldwide, ahead of both Iran pictures and videos of the police brutality, Erdoand China. The ruling Justice and Development gan’s dismissive response and derogatory remarks Party, to which Prime Minister Erdogan belongs, in regard to the protests and the Turkish media’s has successfully won three elections in a row and reluctance to cover these events have all been has ruled Turkey for 10 years. This political stabil- openly communicated to the rest of the world. As ity has allowed the JDP to realize great achieve- my mother’s wise friend Deniz put it, “Today we ments, including a strengthening economy. It has, live in the age of globalization and information. however, also given the ruling party more power Conventional, political solutions are not workthan any other political party in Turkey has had ing anymore.” The mass communication of these since the adoption of the multi-party system. Am- events through news outlets and social media has bassador James F. Jeffrey and Soner Cagaptay, provided tangible evidence to support the Turkish director of the Turkish Research Program at the people’s concerns about the country’s future and Washington Institute, have said that, throughout diminishing democratic values. Even if not immeits rule, the JDP has achieved “almost complete diately, one day these protests could make a huge dominance of the Turkish political space through difference for Turkey. appointments to the high courts, the military and the bureaucracy, as well as growing influence over Merve Tahiroglu, Trinity ’13, is from Turkey and the media, NGOs and the business community.” was a member of the Turkish Students Association at The people of Turkey have witnessed the implica- Duke. tions of this growing power over the past 10 years.

And this past weekend, with the overt juxtaposition of silence in the Turkish media and frontpage stories in the rest of the international media,

Read more columns and letters to the editor online at dukechronicle.com

S

ince the passage of the Affordable Care Act just over three years ago, the heated debate surrounding the law’s effects on health care and insurance boils on between its critics and proponents. The controversy has recently settled on California, where a relatively large uninsured populace resides—more than 20 percent of the state’s population—making the Golden State especially vulnerable to rising prices as the ACA is implemented.

But if California can comply with the law without breaking the bank, the argument goes, so can the rest of us.

The battle began last week when Covered California released a press statement Chris Bassil suggesting that the premiums submitted by insurers for 2014 “ranged from 2 human action percent above to 29 percent below the 2013 average premiums for small employer plans.” Covered California is a state-based, health insurance exchange market adopted as part of President Obama’s health care law. Supporters of the ACA took this information as an opportunity to declare victory, trumpeting the cost-saving effects of the law.

“This is a home run for consumers in all regions of California,” exclaimed Peter Lee, executive director of Covered California. “Our active negotiating … will benefit all Californians by making health care affordable.” The New York Times, the New Republic and the Washington Post’s “Wonkblog” all had similar things to say. Economist Paul Krugman, who called California “the law’s most important test case,” wrote that the rates were “surprisingly low” and celebrated “unexpected success.”

Conservative and libertarian critics, however, remain unimpressed. “This good news is not as good as it might sound,” wrote Peter Suderman of Reason magazine. As Suderman and a number of others were quick to point out, the at-most 2 percent increases in premiums quoted by Covered California were based on misleading information, including comparisons of the rates that small businesses paid this year with the rates that individual purchasers will pay next year. Critics argue that it would be more informative and accurate to compare the individual purchaser rates from 2013 with the new individual purchaser rates for 2014. Lanhee Chen, a Hoover Institute research fellow who also served as policy director for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, did the math—finding that for an average, 25-year-old male, insurance premiums will increase anywhere from 38 to 53 percent in the next year. Avik Roy of Forbes magazine calculated even more dramatic numbers, arguing that premiums will go up 100, 116, 123 and 146 percent for several different plans and demographics. “If anything,” concluded Suderman, “concerns about big premium increases remain legitimate.”

That may be true, but things only get more complicated from there.

For instance, Ezra Klein of the Washington Post argues that Roy and others based their numbers on “teaser rates” that private insurance companies post online. However, a quarter of consumers do not receive these rates due to various pre-existing conditions. Klein’s most important contribution, however, comes when he attempts to put the scope of this debate into perspective.

“We’re talking about a small fraction of the American health care system,” he writes in a recent column. “In 2014 … 2.5 percent of the population is expected to buy insurance through the exchanges. By 2023, that will rise to … eight percent.” In the case of California’s individual plan premiums then, what started as a potentially interesting case study undertakes a disproportionate degree of significance. Despite the reality that few are likely to sway in either direction, critics and supporters alike are viewing California as the crucible in which the entire ACA will be either fortified or forgotten.

One disturbing corollary to this is the degree to which such vague information has been touted as indisputable proof both for and against the ACA. Although a bird’s eye view of the debate leads an open-minded observer to no obvious conclusions, a series of close-up encounters with all of the different, opposing spins that have been put on this data may be enough to cause an explosion of the head for more impressionable on-lookers. Of course, this sort of universal emphasis on a contentious statistic is not unique to the debate over health reform. Whether it is an issue of ambiguous health insurance premiums, rising interest rates on the US ten-year, falling rates of gun violence or stagnant rates of college graduation, one could be forgiven for believing that statistics—like tacky clothing—are made in a convenient, one-size-fits-all manner.

Now, none of this is to say that statistical evidence is not useful, or that it doesn’t have its place in social, economic and political debates. But it‘s worth questioning how much stats really means in a conversation—whether it be on health care, on the economy, on guns, on higher education—in which most of the involved parties have already made up their minds. Paul Krugman and Ezra Klein support the ACA because they believe it will lead to better health outcomes for the poor and uninsured; thus, they are unlikely to speak ill of it no matter how much it may inflate premiums for the healthy and wealthy. Avik Roy and Lanhee Chen, on the other hand, oppose the act because they believe it will make our health care system less equipped to deliver care to those who need it most—and probably cannot be swayed even in the event of falling premiums.

If all that’s the case—and a brief survey of each writer’s online canon suggests that it is—then how much weight does the war over one state’s health insurance premiums actually hold anyway?

Chris Bassil, Trinity ’12, is currently working in Boston, Mass. His biweekly column will resume in the Fall. You can follow Chris on Twitter @HamsterdamEcon.

12 | THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2013

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