ECCO October 2011

OCTOBER Â 2011

observer THE Â OFFICIAL Â STUDENT Â NEWSPAPER Â OF Â ESSEX Â COUNTY Â COLLEGE

SINCE Â 1968

THE Â STUDENT Â VOICE

OCCUPY WALL STREET By  Christian  Blair

O

ccupy  Wall  Street  (OWS)  sprang  to  life  on  Saturday,  September  17th  with  around  a  thousand  people  walking  up  and  down  Wall  Street  refusing  to  leave.  They  still  have  not  left.  In  two  weeks  the  crowd  grew  so  large  they  moved  to  nearby  Zuccotti  Park  (former-­ ly  Liberty  Park)  and  set  up  camp.  By  September  28th  the  Transport  Workers  Union  of  America  (TWU  Local-­100)  voted  solidarity  with  the  protestors.  Soon  after,  they  received  the  full  endorsement  of  the  American  Federation  of  Teachers  (Local  1839).  Similar  protests  have  sprouted  up  all  over  the  country.

0DLQVWUHDP PHGLD RXWOHWV KDYH EHHQ KDUG SUHVVHG WR GH¿QH D VSHFL¿F JRDO RI 2:6 EHFDXVH WKH PRYHPHQW KDV SXUSRVHO\ VKXQQHG WKH simplicity  of  a  soundbite.  [See  Page  4]

Essex Student Found Dead in Hudson River By  Rodrigo  Perez

 Deibi  Nepomuceno,  a  resident  of  Passaic  and  a  student  from  Essex  County  College,  was  found  dead  in  the  outskirts  of  New  York  City,  by  the  Hudson  River  in  mid-­September.  The  student,  20,  left  his  house  on  Friday,  September  16th,  en  route  to  the  college  to  buy  his  books  for  classes  despite  him  not  having  a  scheduled  class  for  that  day.  Nepomuceno  “nev-­ er  made  it  to  his  destination,â€?  said  Detective  Gabriel  Guzman  in  a  report  by  the  NorthJersey  QHZV +LV IDPLO\ ÂżOHG D PLVVLQJ SHUVRQV UHSRUW RQ 6DWXUGD\ ZKHQ WKHLU VRQ GLG QRW UHWXUQ KRPH IRU WKH QLJKW +H ZDV GHVFULEHG DV D ³¿YH IRRW WHQ ZLWK EURZQ H\HV EODFN KDLU PHGL-­ um  complexion,  and  last  seen  wearing  glasses,  blue  jeans,  and  black  sneakers.â€?[See  Page  2]  Â

Honk Your Horn for Jobs By  Theodore  Ezike  As  you  all  may  have  heard  or  experienced,  our  country  is  going  through  some  of  the  worst  economic  times  since  the  Great  Depression.  If  one  were  to  watch  a  cable  news  channel,  they  would  see  that  the  issue  is  indeed  the  most  discussed  and  pondered  problem  today.  With  unemployment  at  approximately  nine  percent  in  the  United  States  and  zero  percent  job  growth,  the  outlook  for  most  Americans  looks  bleak  at  best  without  radical  changes  to  our  social  and  economic  policies.  [See  Page  5]

Welcome Sixth President of ECC Dr. Edythe M. Abdullah

By  Contributing  Writer

 Convocation  2011  kicked  off  the  academic  school  year  with  a  very  special  ceremony,  one  that  the  college  hasn’t  seen  in  many  decades— the  investiture  of  a  new  president.  The  investiture  of  Dr.  Edythe  M.  Abdullah  as  the  sixth  president  of  (&& LV HVSHFLDOO\ VLJQLÂżFDQW VLQFH VKH LV DOVR WKH ÂżUVW IHPDOH SUHVLGHQW of  the  college.   In  an  atmosphere  of  academic  pomp  and  circumstance,  the  Investiture  Ceremony  began  when  ECC’s  esteemed  faculty,  draped  traditionally  in  colorful  academic  regalia,  slowly  marched  into  the  beautifully  trans-­ formed  ECC  gymnasium  to  the  sound  of  composer  Johann  Pachelbel’s  “Canon  in  D  Minor,â€?  while  the  honored  guests  on  the  dais  stood  re-­ spectfully.  As  the  Investiture  Program  unfolded,  many  well  known  Essex  County  dignitaries   happily  made  their  way  to  the  microphone  to  endorse  both  the  new  president  and  the  historical  success  of  Essex  [See  Page  5]

IN THIS

ISSUE

Joachim: From ‘Art Kid’ to Website Owner.... 2 Student Development Cen-­ ter Preps Students for Job Market....  3 Occupy Wall Street....4 Honk Your Horn for Jobs....5 Halloween Safety Tips....6 Seventh Annual Constitu-­ tion Day at ECC....7 Horrorscopes....8

Essex  County  College  303  University  Ave.  Newark,  NJ  07102

PAGE Â 2

OCTOBER Â 2011

OBSERVER

Joachim: From ‘Art Kid’ to Website Owner By  Tsahai  General

The  Student  Voice  of   Essex  County  College  Essex  County  College 303  University  Ave. Newark,  NJ  07102 eccecco@gmail.com Editor-­in  Chief Rodrigo  Perez Layout  Design  Editor Michelle  Longmore Business  Editor Collis  Marrow Copy  Editor Yulieth  Cordero Staff  Writers Salomao  Becker Christain  Blair Theodore  Ezike Elaina  Garret Tsahai  General Leonita  Rexha Humanities  Faculty Co-­Advisors Eileen  DeFreece Jennifer  Wager

Essex Student Found Dead CONTINUED Â FROM Â PAGE Â ONE

The  report  was  broadcasted  from  the  Passaic  Police  Department  to  other  police  departments  in  an  at-­ tempt  to  expand  the  â&#x20AC;&#x153;non-­stopâ&#x20AC;?  VHDUFK LQ KRSHV RI ÂżQGLQJ KLP  Detective  Andy  White  and  spokesman  of  the  Passaic  Police,  said  the  body  was  found  intact  on  Tuesday,  September  20th,  after  a  bi-­ cyclist  spotted  the  body  and  imme-­ GLDWHO\ QRWLÂżHG WKH 1HZ <RUN 3ROLFH Department  (NYPD).  The  NYPD  ruled  the  death  as  a  suicide.  Much  speculation  spread  around  campus  about  the  missing  student  and  con-­ troversy  over  the  ruling  from  the  NYPD.   After  his  family  was  noti-­ ÂżHG WKH\ KHDGHG RYHU WR 1HZ <RUN where  they  were  asked  to  identify  the  body  that  matched  the  descrip-­ tion  made  by  the  report.  The  Nepo-­ PXFHQR IDPLO\ FRQÂżUPHG WKH ERG\ as  their  son. Â

 Many  people  assume  art  students  are  â&#x20AC;&#x153;ston-­ ersâ&#x20AC;?  or  hippies  with  a  nonchalant  outlook  on  the  life.  They  question  their  job  opportunities  that  lay  ahead  for  these  students  and  assume  that  the  only  career  path  available  for  them  is  teaching.  Of  course,  these  people  are  forgetting  that  it  was  an  artist  that  had  to  design  the  layout  for  billboards,  magazines,  and  even  web  pages  that  we  navigate.  In  addition,  remember  that  artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  design  the  clothes  we  wear  on  our  backs.  The  spectrum  of  opportunities  set  ahead  for  these  artists  are  vast  and  Anthony  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indyâ&#x20AC;?  Joachim,  owner  of  his  own  website,  did  not  hesitate  to  take  full  ad-­ vantage  of  these  opportunities.  With  his  knack  for  drawing,  painting,  photography,  and  editing,  Indy  majors  in  graphic  design  at  the  Art  Institute  of  New  York  City.  Indy  grew  up  in  West  Orange,  New  Jer-­ sey,  so  his  art  career  began  in  Essex  County.  Indy  has  always  had  a  talent  for  drawing.  Between  developing  his  own  comic  strip  in  middle  school  and  drawing  himself  and  friends  on  sketch  boards,  he  realized  his  pencil  was  his  tool  for  success.   Throughout  his  life  Indy  was  never  a  fan  of  change  and  had  a  terrible  time  adjusting,  but  within  the  art  community  he  did  have  to  alter  his  methods.  Though  he  favored  drawing  with  a   pencil,  after  mas-­ tering  color  he  transitioned  to  a  colored  pencil,  then  ZDWHUFRORU DQG ÂżQDOO\ WR VFXOSWXUH 'XULQJ KLV VHQLRU year  in  high  school,  he  developed  his  own  website  to  display  the  things  he  was  passionate  about  (art,  mu-­ sic,  fashion,  etc).   When  photography  was  introduced  to  him,  he  became  relatively  good  shooting  photographs.  For  a  young  man  who  has  vision  problems,  he  has  a  keen  eye  for  detail.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  literally  have  the  worst  vision,  but  when  it  comes  to  art  and  designs,  I  am  a  hawk.  I  wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  leave  a  piece  alone  until  Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m  happy  with  it.  It  may  take  a  month,  but  I  wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  leave  it  aloneâ&#x20AC;?  said  Indy.  As  a   photographer  he  takes  pictures  and  holds  photo  shoots  for  artists  and  designers  alike.  He  met  Sai,  the  co-­owner  of  his  current  websiteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; coolikedatâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;via  twitter.  It  was  fate  that  had  the  two  collaborate.  Whenever  school  gets  overwhelming  and  he  is  unable  to  update  his  website,  Sai  keeps  it  up-­to-­date.   The  site  was  originally  about  music  and  fash-­ ion.  However,  the  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Artâ&#x20AC;?  tab  was  recently  added  to  expand  the  site.  Indy  made  it  clear  that  his  website  is  not  a  blog,  but  instead  a  brand.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m  not  a  person  who  likes  change,  but  because  it  can  not  be  helped,  I  am  constantly  changing  and  if  I  change,  so  does Â

CooLikeDat.â&#x20AC;?     In  the  submissions  page,  the  up  and  com-­ ing  artists  are  able  to  send  him  music  to  review  or  critique.  Neither  the  site  nor  the  submissions  page  is  for  negative  feedback.  However,  if  he  happens  to  dislike  a  certain  aspect  of  a  song  he  lets  the  art-­ ist  know  and  it  is  then  up  to  the  artist  to  revise  the  comment.  Indy  is  not  a  producer,  but  he  is  a  tastemaker,  a  critic.  The  sites  present  publicity  is  in  some  effortless  ways.  Before,  promotion  was  a  necessity  via  verbal  promotions  and  throwies  (promotion  stickers),  but  now  he  has  a  regular  fan  base.  When  asked  how  the  site  would  help  to  fur-­ ther  his  art  career,  Indy  made  it  clear  that  the  site  allowed  him  to  make  connections  internationally.  The  January  2011  issue  was  dropped  a  few  months  DIWHU WKH ÂżUVW \HDU DQQLYHUVDU\ RI &RR/LNH'DW 7KH second  magazine  was  dropped  in  April.  Indy  had  made  connections  with  up-­and-­coming  music  art-­ ists,  visual  artists,  and  designers.  Between  the  ages  of  17  and  19,  Anthony  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indyâ&#x20AC;?  Joachim  made  an  enormous  amount  of  progress  with  a  site  that  he  built  up  from  scratch  and  he  owes  it  to  his  vision  and  hard  work.

Students Voice Their Opinions to the Student Government By  Rodrigo  Perez

 The  Student  Government  Association  held  LWV ÂżUVW 2SHQ )RUXP LQ WKH &ROOHJHÂśV FDIHWHULD RQ Thursday,  September  29.  During  the  one-­hour  ses-­ sion,  Alton  Drummond,  the  President  of  the  Stu-­ dent  Government,  welcomed  students  and  encour-­ aged  them  to  express  their  concerns  about  changes  they  would  like  to  see  implemented  throughout  the  college.   A  plethora  of  suggestions,  ranging  from  EHWWHU TXDOLÂżHG WHDFKHUV WR PRUH HIÂżFLHQW J\P equipment,  were  announced  by  various  students,  who  approached  the  table  and  joined  the  execu-­ tive  members.  A  microphone  was  given  to  anyone  who  wished  to  make  complaints  to  overpower  the  sound  coming  from  students  who  were  conversing  in  the  outer-­bounds  of  the  cafeteriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  pit.  However,  Ruth  Antwi,  one  of  the  senators,  told  students  they  FRXOG ÂżOH D FRPSODLQW LQ WKH 6*$ÂśV RIÂżFH ORFDWHG RQ WKH VHFRQG Ă&#x20AC;RRU RI WKH &ODUD ( 'DVKHU &HQWHU using  one  of  the  complaint  forms  in  case  they  felt  uncomfortable  expressing  their  thoughts  out-­loud.   [See  Page  7]

Bullying Caused Suicide

By  Leonita  Rexha

In  todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  society,  teenage  suicide  is  a  major  problem.  Every  year  there  is  about  10  suicides  out  of  100,000  young  people.  Everyday  there  is  about  11  suicides  and  every  two  hours  someone  is  dead  due  to  suicide.  This  theme  is  explored  in  the  novel  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thirteen  Reasons  Whyâ&#x20AC;?  by  Jay  Asher.  It  is  about  a  teenage  girl,  Hannah  Baker,  who  com-­ mitted  suicide  due  to  bullying.  Clay  Jensen,  a  classmate  who  had  a  crush  on  Hannah  Baker,  faced  turmoil  when  he  discovered  that  he  was  one  of  the  thirteen  teenagers  who  were  responsible  for  Hannah  Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  death.  Before  Hannah  %DNHU FRPPLWWHG VXLFLGH VKH VHQW RQH FDVVHWWH WR HDFK RI WKH WKLUWHHQ SHRSOH WKDW LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFHG KHU VXLFLGDO WKRXJKWV explaining  what  each  person  did  to  hurt  her.  Clay  Jensen,  being  the  last  person  mentioned  on  the  cassettes,  followed  in  Hannah  Bakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  footsteps  and  faced  all  her  pain,  as  he  confronted  what  he  did  to  hurt  her.  This  novel  is  a  reminder  of  how  most  events  in  life  cause  a  ripple  effect;Íž  every  action  has  an  effect  and  that  effect  not  only  hurts  you,  but  it  hurts  others  around  you.  Asher  displays  this  ripple  affect  very  well.  His  novel  helps  readers  understand  that  no  matter  how  collected  and  high  spirited  a  person  may  seem  on  the  outside,  there  may  be  something  troubling  going  on  the  insideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;troubles  that  may  eventually  lead  to  suicide.  m  v ESSEX  COUNTY  COLLEGE  OBSERVER

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OCTOBER Â 2011

Student Development Center Preps Students for Job Market By  Sybil  B.  Wormley

 Imagine  going  into  your  next  interview  IRU D MRE ZLWK D FHUWLÂżFDWH WKDW LOOXVWUDWHV \RX have  the  necessary  skills  for  entry  level  employ-­ ment.   Seem  like  a  dream  come  true,  well  you  can  make  it  happen,  just  like  so  many  other  students  have  recently  done.   The  Student  Devel-­ opment  Center  (SDC,  formerly  Career  Resource  Center  (CRC))  provides  an  opportunity  for  students  to  achieve  a  National  Work  Readiness  &UHGHQWLDOV 1:5& FHUWLÂżFDWH ZKLFK GHPRQ-­ strates  they  have  competency  in  4  critical  skills  areas;Íž  Listening,  Situational  Judgment,  Problem  Solving,  and  Reading  Comprehension.   The  credentials  were  developed  by  the  Department  of  Labor,  in  partnership  with  50  businesses  through-­ out  the  United  States,  who  established  the  exami-­ nation  to  determine  if  potential  employees  had  the  necessary  skills  for  entry  level  positions.   The  NWRC  examination  is  taken  in  4  parts,  requiring  a  total  of  approximately  4  hours  to  complete,  and  a  student  must  pass  each  section  with  a  minimum  VFRUH RI WR DFKLHYH D SDVVLQJ JUDGH $ FHUWLÂż-­ cate  is  presented  to  students  upon  completion  of  all  4  sections  of  the  examination.  Given  the  current  competitive  job  mar-­ NHW WKH FHUWLÂżFDWLRQ FDQ SURYLGH VWXGHQWV ZLWK an  advantage  when  seeking  employment.   The  SDC  wanted  to  maximize  the  opportunity  for  students,  especially  considering  many  are  enter-­ ing  the  summer  job  market.   They  made  a  con-­ certed  effort  during  March  and  April  to  encour-­ age  students  to  take  the  examination.   As  a  result  of  tremendous  team  work  by  the  core  SDC  team,  including  Sybil  Wormley,  Fatima  McMahon,  Vir-­ ginia  Genardi  and  Rahman  Karriem,  and  key  de-­ partments  throughout  the  college,  especially  the  Business  division  including  Chairman  Michael  King  and  Professor  Carlos  Rivera,  the  student  results  were  tremendous.   The  chart  below  shows  how  many  students  participated  and  illustrates  the  focus  that  was  made  on  serving  students  over  the  past  two  months.   Given  everything  that  was  going  on  throughout  the  College  over  the  past  few  months,  it  is  impressive  to  have  so  many Â

students  participate.   In  fact,  the  level  of  student  participation  in  FY  2011  was  over  50%  higher  than  in  FY  2010,  which  is  a  great  indication  that  students  are  recognizing  the  value  of  getting  â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;work  readyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  and  sets  the  stage  for  even  greater  participation  in  the  future.     The  results  for  the  FY  2011  were  outstand-­ ing.   During  FY  2011  a  total  of  126  students  passed  WKH H[DPLQDWLRQV DQG UHFHLYHG D FHUWLÂżFDWH 7KLV LV an  increase  of  over  two-­hundred  percent  from  the  previous  year  (FY  2010  38  students  passed  all  four  examinations).   Overall  students  passed  the  creden-­ tial  examination  at  a  rate  of  seventy-­six  percent,  ZKLFK ZDV VLJQLÂżFDQWO\ KLJKHU WKDQ WKH WKLUW\ WZR percent  pass  rate  from  the  previous  year.   This  rep-­ resented  an  improvement  in  student  passing  rate  of  RYHU RQH KXQGUHG ÂżIWHHQ SHUFHQW 7KH WUHPHQGRXV increase  in  student  performance  is  based  on  several  factors,  including  a  focus  on  working  with  Work  Study  and  Business  majors,  both  of  which  have  solid  backgrounds  in  work  readiness  preparation,  either  through  practical  experience  and  or  course  work.  Kudos  to  our  Essex  County  College  students  for  their  tremendous  results!  The  SDC  is  pleased  with  the  results  from  this  year,  and  are  looking  forward  to  building  on  this  yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  success  in  the  coming  year.   It  was  great  that  so  many  students  saw  the  value  in  the  creden-­ tials,  and  the  SDC  is  looking  forward  to  the  oppor-­ tunity  to  continue  to  work  with  several  departments  throughout  the  College  next  year  to  encourage  student  participation.   In  addition  to  the  increase  in  student  participation,  the  students  achieved  sig-­ QLÂżFDQW LPSURYHPHQW LQ \HDU RYHU \HDU WHVW UHVXOWV `Additionally,  the  SDC  has  formed  a  strategic  partnership  with  the  Business  Department  to  ensure  VWXGHQWV FRQWLQXH WR EHQHÂżW IURP WKLV RSSRUWXQLW\ Stay  tuned  to  hear  more  exciting  news  about  the  NWRC  in  the  coming  year.   Take  advantage  of  the  services  offered  by  the  SDC  to  help  you  get  ready  for  the  job  market!

Students Create â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gay-­Straight Alliance Clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; By  Rodrigo  Perez

 September  marked  Tyler  Clementiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  one-­ year  death  anniversary  after  he  plunged  into  the  George  Washington  Bridge  as  a  result  of  a  breach  of  privacy  from  his  roommate,  who  broadcasted  Tylerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  intimate  sexual  encounter  with  another  male  student  online.  By  October  of  last  year,  his  GHDWK KDG EHHQ RQH RI ÂżYH JD\ WHHQ VXLFLGHV² all  attributed  to  sexual  orientation.  Tolerance  for  taunting  and  bullying  across  campuses  throughout  the  United  States  had  not  been  addressed  and  it  prompted  people  like,  Dan  Savage,  a  columnist,  to  begin  YouTube  videos  aimed  at  the  LGBT  (Les-­ bian,  Gay,  Bisexual,  and  Transgender)  community  to  create  hope  and  prevent  further  suicides.  The  President,  Barack  Obama,  among  other  celebri-­ ties  and  notorious  personalities,  took  part  in  the  It  Gets  Better  Project,  which  became  an  internation-­ al  movement  composed  of  self-­submitted  videos  encouraging  teens  to  avoid  suicide.  Now,  Essex  County  Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Gay-­Straight  Alli-­ ance  (GSA),  a  student-­formed  organization  seeks  to  adopt  these  ideals  to  create  an  LGBTQ-­friendly  community  across  campus.  The  club  seeks  to  edu-­ cate  the  LGBTQ  community  alongside  other  com-­ munities  to  establish  a  relationship  that  is  founded  on  love,  respect,  and  understanding.  This  club  is  non-­exclusive  to  LGBTQ-­identifying  mem-­ bers.  Salomao  Becker,  one  of  the  co-­founders  is  a  straight  ally  and  hopes  that  other  straight-­ally  students  will  hop  on  board  to  support  their  peers.   The  executive-­board  members  of  the  club  took  part  in  Essexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  annual  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Welcome  Back  Cook-­ outâ&#x20AC;?  in  mid-­September  to  promote  the  existence  of  the  newly  founded  organization  and  recruit  members.  Their  table  was  adorned  with  different-­ FRORUHG Ă&#x20AC;\HUV DORQJVLGH 6NLWWOHV²PXOWLFRORUHG pieces  of  candy  whose  motto  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Taste  the  Rainbowâ&#x20AC;?  LV HDVLO\ LGHQWLÂżDEOH WR WKH FRORUV LQ WKH UDLQERZ Ă&#x20AC;DJ²DQG FXS FDNHV PDGH E\ RQH RI WKH FR DG-­ visors,  Professor  Williams.  Both,  Professor  Wil-­ liams  and  Professor  Wager  expressed  great  inter-­ est  and  support  for  the  organization  when  asked  to Â

be  advisors.  The  executive-­board  members  and  the  advisors  met  a  week  prior  to  the  Cookout,  rushing  to  get  the  paperwork  done  in  a  time  sensitive  deadline  to  establish  the  organization  in  time  for  the  Cookout.   The  GSA  will  slowly  establish  safe-­zones  throughout  the  Fall  and  Spring  semesters.  These  safe-­zones  are  areas  within  the  college  that  support  and  welcome  all  students  regardless  of  sexual  ori-­ entation.  The  Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  ultimate  goal  is  to  make  the  entire  college  a  safe-­zone.  They  will  campaign  against  bullying,  educate  members  about  the  LG-­ BTQ  community,  and  host  national  recognized  days  such  as  National  Coming  Out  Day  and  World  Aids  Day.

Restaurant Review: Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live Music By  Christian  Blair

I  have  a  confession.  I  love  dive  bars.  Give  me  a  no-­ frills  joint  to  scarf  down  a  burger  and  a  beer,  throw  in  a  decent  jukebox  and  a  few  local  characters,  and  you  have  my  business  for  life.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m  easy  to  please.  Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  what  initially  drove  my  attraction  to  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Plane  Street  Pub  with  its  run-­ down  exterior  adjacent  to  a  furniture  warehouse.  If  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve  spent  any  time  searching  for  a  parking  space  circling  the  blocks  around  the  Newark  campus,  you  may  have  seen  it  tooâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the  green  awning,  the  funky Â

ESSEX Â COUNTY Â COLLEGE Â OBSERVER

     Â

TWO NEW PLANS MAKE ECC A SMOKE-­FREE CAMPUS AND DELINEATES FIRE SAFETY RULES %\ 2I¿FH RI 0DUNHWLQJ  Communications

 The  new  academic  year  brings  major  changes  for  students,  faculty,  staff  and  visitors  in  that  smoking  is  prohibited  anywhere  on  all  college  FDPSXVHV DQG H[LVWLQJ ÂżUH VDIHW\ rules  are  now  contained  in  a  new  bro-­ chure.       Since  July  1,  smoking  is  prohibit-­ ed  at  the  main  Newark  campus,  West  Essex  campus,  the  ECC  Police  Acad-­ emy  and  all  satellite  locations.  This  wide  sweeping  policy  was  developed  by  a  college-­wide  committee  com-­ posed  of  administrators,  faculty  and  students  that  met  last  academic  year.      Part  of  the  policy  development  in-­ cluded  a  survey  conducted  by  mem-­ bers  of  the  Student  Government  As-­ sociation.  That  survey  indicated  a  majority  of  students  supported  the  no-­smoking  policy.        The  ban  is  designed  for  the  health  of  all  members  of  the  college  com-­ munity  and  visitors,  as  well  as  to  re-­ inforce  the  Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  commitment  to  the  New  Jersey  Smoke  Free  Air  Act.  The  prohibition  includes  the  Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  parking  lots  and  deck,  walkways  and  vehicles  on  college  property.  Viola-­ tors  of  College  Regulation  2-­22  are  VXEMHFW WR D ÂżQH      In  addition,  a  comprehensive  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fire  Safetyâ&#x20AC;?  brochure  outlining  the  Col-­ OHJHÂśV ÂżUH VXSSUHVVLRQ V\VWHPV DQG evacuation  procedures  is  available.  Copies  of  the  brochure  are  available  from  the  Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Department  of  Public  Safety,  located  on  the  main  level  at  the  Newark  campus.       The  brochure  details  in  one  docu-­ PHQW H[LVWLQJ ÂżUH VDIHW\ UXOHV DQG regulations,  including  general  evac-­ uation  procedures  and  evacuating  people  with  disabilities.  The  State  of  New  Jersey  requires  that  theses  bro-­ chures  be  available  to  all  students.      Additional  information  on  both  WKH QR VPRNLQJ SROLF\ DQG ÂżUH VDIHW\ rules  and  regulations  is  also  available  in  the  new  student  handbook. paint  job,  and  darkened  windows.  Maybe,  like  me,  you  were  intrigued  by  the  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live  Musicâ&#x20AC;?  sign  but  couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  be  completely  sure  the  place  was  actually  still  in  business.

Looks  are  deceiving.  If  you  havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  been  there  yet,  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  missing  out  one  of  those  best  kept  secrets  for  live  music  fans;Íž  an  amazing  little  diamond  in  the  rough  featur-­ ing  live  performances  from  internationally  recognized  jazz  greats  from  all  over  the  tri-­ state  area.  Drop  in  any  Monday  night  around  eight  for  a  live  jam.  Regular  contributors  have  included  Beyonceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  saxophonist,  Tia  Fuller,  Grammy  nominated  guitar  virtuoso  Stanley  Jordan,  and  Pianist  and  Rutgerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  grad  student,  Radam  Schwartz  playing  one  of  the  few  Hammond  B3s  in  existence.  You  might  be  lucky  enough  to  catch  regular  patron,  activist,  and  Poet  Laure-­ ate  of  NJ,  Amira  Baraka  take  to  the  stage  for  a  recitation.  The  brick  walls,  wooden  tables,  and  intimate  performance  space  bring  to  mind  beatnik  haunts  and  I  suddenly  imagine  it  all  in  black  and  white  with  Al-­ len  Ginsburg  reading  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Howlâ&#x20AC;?  in  front  of  a  SDFNHG VPRNH ÂżOOHG URRP 7KLV LV WKH NLQG RI SODFH FUHDWLYH LQGLYLGXDOV DQG PXVLF DÂż-­ cionados  treasure.  Credit  goes  to  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  waiter  and  Newark  artist  Raphael  Vaz  for  most  of  the  paintings  hung  throughout  the  bar.  Greg  Salandy  is  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  owner.  He  describes  his  venue  as  â&#x20AC;&#x153;One  of  those  little  jazz  clubs  in  NYC,  in  the  village.â&#x20AC;?

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OCTOBER Â 2011

Occupy WallStreet By  Christian  Blair

 Many  have  been  marching  and  camp-­ ing  there  overnight,  while  others  come  when  not  at  work  or  at  school.  They  chant,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  are  the  99  percent,â&#x20AC;?  illustrating  that  despite  dis-­ parate  concerns,  they  collectively  represent  the  majority  in  a  country  where  one  percent  of  the  wealthy  control  ninety  percent  of  the  economy.  Zuccotti  Park  the  thirty-­three  thou-­ sand  square-­foot  plaza  seemed  so  small.  Maybe  it  just  felt  that  way  because  it  was  packed  so  tight  with  its  new  resi-­ dents.  There  were  no  marches  planned  on  this,  the  23rd,  day  of  the  occupa-­ tion  so  I  was  able  to  experience  the  en-­ campmentâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a  home  for  many  these  past  few  weeks.  It  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  barricades  and  police.  Inside  the  barricades  pro-­ testers  hold  signs,  chant,  play  music,  give  speeches,  and  perform  administra-­ tive  duties.  Some  par-­ ticipants  are  embar-­ rassingly  idealistic,  reveling  in  the  very  act  of  rebelling.  One  young  woman  shouted  from  the  sidewalk  at  tourists  on  a  double  decker  sightseeing  bus  to,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Get  off  the  bus  and  into  the  streets.â&#x20AC;?  Had  that  worked,  it  would  have  been  shocking  and  awkward  for  everyone.  This  is  a  natural  by-­product  of  all  protests,  yet  under  the  surface,  one  cannot  deny  there  is  a  rock  solid  seriousness  at  the  core  of  this  one.  Venture  deeper  into  the  camp  and  one  feels  as  though  one  has  come  upon  a  micro-­ village.  There  is  an  amusing  sign  beside  the  makeshift  sleeping  areas  that  says,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Welcome  To  The  OWS  Zoo!â&#x20AC;?  that  asks  us  not  to  photo-­ graph  the  sleeping  residents  without  permis-­ sion.  Behind  that  they  have  established  a  com-­ munity  kitchen  area.  Members  of  the  group  race  around  rationing  out  meals.  At  one  of  the  entry  paths  stands  an  entire  wall  of  books  that  comprises  â&#x20AC;&#x153;The  Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Libraryâ&#x20AC;?  everyone  is  entitled  to  take  and  leave  reading  material.  Beyond  the  library  there  is  a  communications  center  with  serious  people  tapping  away  at  workstations  (with  printers)!  Some  are  edit-­ ing  and  uploading  video  footage  while  others  are  updating  Twitter  feeds,  Facebook pages,  and  the  OWS  website.  Behind  a  cell  phone  recharging  station  is  a  table  marked  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Press,â&#x20AC;?  where  they  pop  out  various  OWS  buttons  for  sale  at  a  dollar  apiece. Â

7KH\ DUH QRW DOORZHG WR XVH DPSOL¿HUV so  they  have  developed  an  interesting  way  to  speak  to  the  large  crowds.  A  speaker  will  say  a  short  sentence  and  pause  while  nearby  mem-­ bers  repeat  that  sentence  to  everyone  within  earshot.  This  continues  echoing  outward  until  the  message  is  heard  and  then  the  speaker  pro-­ ceeds  with  his  next  line.  All  this  is  punctuated  by  the  near  constant  repetition  of  distant  drum  circles  creating  a  hypnotic  auditory  effect.

7KLV LV -RHO %XUWRQÂśV ÂżUVW GD\ DW 2:6 Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  young  college  graduate  from  Long  Island.  Joel  is  worried  about  paying  back  KLV VFKRRO ORDQV DQG QRW EHLQJ DEOH WR ÂżQG D job.  He  carries  a  sign  that  says,  sarcastical-­ ly,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Glad  my  $50,000  a  year  college  degree Â

got  me  an  unpaid  internship.â&#x20AC;?  Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  trying  to  support  KLPVHOI WZR OLWWOH EURWKHUV DQG D VLVWHU -RHO FRQÂżGHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  pretty  much  only  got  into  school  by  taking  out  a  lot  of  student  loansâ&#x20AC;Śso  its  really  rough,â&#x20AC;?  and  admit-­ ted  his  decision  to  join  the  occupation  did  not  come  about  without  considerable  soul  searching.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;This  isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  a  game,â&#x20AC;?  he  told  me,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;This  is  our  lives  and  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  gotten  to  a  boiling  point.  I  think  this  [may  be]  what  it  WDNHV IRU SHRSOH WR ÂżQDOO\ ZDNH XS 5LJKW QRZ WKLQJV are  pretty  docile  here.  I  mean  you  have  hippies  run-­

ning  around  which  is  cool  I  guess,  and  there  some  cool  signs  but,â&#x20AC;?  he  continued  as  the  smile  ran  away  from  his  face,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  see  tension  in  the  copsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  faces,  and  I  hear  about  the  macing  [pepper  spray]  incidents  and  I  saw  a  video  on  youtube  of  people  getting  beat  up  with  batons...like  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  the  1960s!â&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  Civil  Rights  movement  all  over  again.  I  plan  on  staying  here  for  as  long  as  it  takes.â&#x20AC;?  This  is  a  worried  but  motivated  crowd.  Many  are  frustrated  at  President  Barack  Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  inability  to  bring  about  the  social  and  political  changes  that  were  promised.  Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  also  infuriated  at  a  Republi-­ can  controlled  congress  infused  by  the  newly  elected  Tea  Party  members  that  block  any  of  his  attempts.  Some  point  out  that  Afghanistan  is  now  the  longest  war  in  American  history.  Others  remind  us  that  cor-­ porations  continue  to  receive  credits  and  tax  breaks  despite  outsourcing  jobs  or  moving  their  entire  oper-­ ations  to  other  countries  even  as  America  experienc-­ es  ongoing  persistent  unemployment,  or  the  travesty  WKDW WKH DYHUDJH WHDFKHU LQFRPH LV ÂżIW\ ÂżYH WKRXVDQG dollars  while  the  average  Wall  Street  bonus  is  above  one-­hundred  thousand  dollars.  Detailed  placards  out-­ OLQH WKH :DOO 6WUHHW ÂżQDQFLDO VKHQDQLJDQV WKDW QHDUO\ caused  the  second  Great  Depression.  Charles  Fergu-­ VRQ D ÂżOP GLUHFWRU ZKR UHFHQWO\ JDYH D VSHHFK GXU-­ LQJ WKH 2VFDUÂśV H[DPLQHG WKH ÂżQDQFLDO FULVLV +H VDLG ÂłWKUHH \HDUV DIWHU RXU KRUULÂżF ÂżQDQFLDO FULVLV FDXVHG E\ ÂżQDQFLDO IUDXG QRW D VLQJOH ÂżQDQFLDO H[-­ ecutive  has  gone  to  jail,  and  thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  wrong.â&#x20AC;?  All  the  while,  the  media  seems  preoccupied  by  fear  mongering  fringe  groups  who  demand  to  see  WKH SUHVLGHQWÂśV ELUWK FHUWLÂżFDWH RU IDEULFDWH HODERUDWH UDFH EDLWLQJ QRQ LVVXHV OLNH QHHGLQJ WR ÂżJKW DQ RQ-­ VODXJKW RI 6KDULD /DZ LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFH LQ RXU FRXUW V\VWHP or  blocking  a  mosque  from  opening  several  blocks  away  from  Ground  Zeroâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for  reasons  that  still  elude  me.  The  OWS  movement  is  basically  screaming  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Enough!â&#x20AC;?â&#x20AC;&#x201D;enough  of  the  distractions.  The  single  cohesive  thread  that  binds  these  grievances  is  a  de-­ mand  for  economic  and  social  equality.  They  are  ¿JKWLQJ IRU D OHYHO SOD\LQJ ÂżHOG  Even  though  OWS  appears  to  blame  both,  Democrats  and  Republicans  equally,  it  is  obviously  more  idealistically  aligned  with  progressive  demo-­

ESSEX Â COUNTY Â COLLEGE Â OBSERVER

cratic  solutions.  Some  say  it  is  an  answer  to  the  Tea  Party  that  sympathizes  with  the  wealthy  and  supports  reduction  in  social  services  and  dissolu-­ tion  of  unions  under  the  banner  of  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smaller  Gov-­ ernment.â&#x20AC;?  Others  draw  comparisons  inasmuch,  as  they  are  both  grassroots  movements  borne  out  of  voter  frustration  with  the  status  quo.  Yet,  where  the  Tea  Party  was  initially  seeded  by  conservative  political  organizations  and  then  quickly  co-­opted  and  propelled  by  right  wing  media  outlets  and  pol-­ iticians,  the  OWS  has  no  such  deep  pocket  string  pull-­ ers.  They  seem  to  be  trying  to  walk  D ÂżQH OLQH NHHS-­ ing  powerful  al-­ lies,  such  as  the  unions,  at  a  con-­ trollable  distance.  That  does  not  stop  some  from  specu-­ lating  otherwise.  Republican  prima-­ ry  frontrunner  and  e x -­ G o d f a t h e r â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Pizza  CEO,  Her-­ man  Cain  told  the  Wall  Street  Jour-­ nal,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  have  the  facts  to  back  this  up,  but  I  hap-­ pen  to  believe  that  these  demonstra-­ tions  are  planned  and  orchestrated  to  distract  from  the  failed  policies  of  the  Obama  Administration.â&#x20AC;?  He  proceeded  to  call  the  demonstrators  â&#x20AC;&#x153;anti-­capitalist,â&#x20AC;?  and  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;if  you  donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  have  a  job  and  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  not  rich,  blame  yourself!â&#x20AC;?  However,  there  are  those  like  Massachu-­ setts  Senate  candidate  Elizabeth  Warren  who  seem  to  speak  the  language  of  Occupy  Wall  Street.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;The  people  on  Wall  Street  broke  this  country,  and  they  did  it  one  lousy  mortgage  at  a  time.  It  happened  more  than  three  years  ago,  and  there  has  been  no  real  accountability,  and  there  has  been  no  real  ef-­ IRUW WR Âż[ LW ´ VKH VDLG  Is  your  voice  represented  in  OWS?  No?  If  you  come  up  empty,  try  this  on  for  size:  All  this  is  playing  out  at  the  same  moment  President  Obama  is  trying  to  pass  the  American  Jobs  Act  bill,  which  IDLOHG DV D UHVXOW RI D 5HSXEOLFDQ ÂżOLEXVWHU ,W ZRXOG have  made  investments  to  hire  people  to  repair  and  rebuild  crumbling  schools,  bridges,  and  roads.  It  would  have  provided  a  payroll  tax  cut  that  will  VDYH WKH W\SLFDO $PHULFDQ IDPLO\ ÂżIWHHQ KXQGUHG dollars  in  taxes.   It  will  be  interesting  to  see  how  this  shakes  out.  Will  Occupy  Wall  Street  be  co-­opted  for  po-­ litical  gamesmanship?  Will  it  disintegrate  due  to  lack  of  focus  or  organization?  Will  provocateurs  infect  the  discourse  and  usher  the  peaceful  as-­ sembly  toward  violence?  Will  the  movement  be  judged  poorly  because  some  of  its  people  dress  up  like  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  the  1960s  or  will  it  transcend  like  the  Tea  Party  into  a  strong  political  force,  despite  some  of  their  people  dressing  up  like  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  the  1770s?  Right  now  it  is  anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  guess.  This  drama  unfolds  each  day,  but  a  New  York  winter  is  coming  on  fast.  That  alone  does  not  bode  well  for  a  movement  whose  strength  has  been  in  maintaining  an  outdoor  occu-­ pation.

UPDATE: The  American  Jobs  Act  was  defeated  in  the  Sen-­ ate  on  October  10th,  2011.  The  president  is expected  to  break  the  bill  into  smaller  parts  and  try  again.

PAGE Â 5

OCTOBER Â 2011

Honk Your Horn for Jobs By  Theodore  Ezike

 As  you  all  may  have  heard  or  experienced,  our  country  is  going  through  some  of  the  worst  economic  times  since  the  Great  Depression.  If  you  were  to  watch  a  cable  news  channel,  they  would  see  that  the  issue  is  indeed  the  most  discussed  and  pondered  problem  today.  With  unemploy-­ ment  at  approximately  nine  percent  in  the  United  States  and  zero  percent  job  growth,  the  outlook  for  most  Americans  looks  bleak  at  best  without  radical  changes  to  our  social  and  economic  policies.  Yet  within  the  many  unemployment  statistics  which  are  updated  every  month,  thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  more  startling  fact  that  hits  far  closer  to  home.  According  to  the  Federal  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics,  New  Jersey  is  currently  estimated  to  have  approximately  a  nine  percent  unemployment  rate,  which  is  slightly  higher  than  the  national  average.  Within  those  numbers  there  is  a  twelve  percent  unemployment  rate  in  the  City  of  Newark.  There  is  also  a  nearly  sixteen  percent  unemployment  rate  for  African  Americans  in  the  country,  but  that  number  is  higher  for  Black  men.

With  unemployment  so  high,  New  Jersey  residents  would  expect  government  leadership  to  enact  measures  to  alleviate  the  burden  of  unemploy-­ PHQW EXW JRYHUQRU &KULV &KULVWLH KDV LQVWHDG RSWHG WR FXW XQHPSOR\PHQW EHQHÂżWV DQG ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR GR VR LI KLV HFRQRPLF SODQV JR XQFKDQJHG until  at  least  2015.  He  also  tackled  teachers  unions  and  the  public  education  system,  forcing  New  Jersey  to  lay  off  many  of  their  teachers.  It  GRHVQÂśW MXVW VWRS DW WHDFKHUV XQLRQV DQG WKH VWDWH OHYHO 7KH PD\RUV RI 1HZDUN DQG &DPGHQ ZHUH IRUFHG WR ÂżUH PDQ\ SROLFH RIÂżFHUV ZKR ZHUH XQZLOOLQJ WR JLYH XS WKHLU XQLRQ EHQHÂżWV $W WLPHV OLNH WKLV PDQ\ 1HZDUN UHVLGHQWV DVN WKHPVHOYHV KRZ RXU JRYHUQPHQW FRXOG DOORZ FLWL]HQV WR EH XQHPSOR\HG DQG FXW EHQHÂżWV IRU XQ-­ employment  at  the  same  time.  This  has  led  to  the  start  of  a  small  grassroots  demonstration  in  front  of  the  Essex  County  courthouse,  across  the  street  from  Essex  County  College  called,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honk  Your  Horns  for  Jobs.â&#x20AC;?  Their  message  is  simple:  they  want  a  national  jobs  program  and  if  you  agree  with  them,  then  you  better  honk  your  horn  when  you  drive  by  one  of  the  yellow  garbed  protesters.  Unfortunately,  the  answer  is  not  that  simple.  As  our  federal  government  continually  fails  to  pass  any  substantive  measure  to  make  life  easier  for  the  nearly  ten  percent  unemployed  population,  there  is  no  way  right  now  that  a  federal  jobs  program  is  feasible,  let  alone  practical.  If  you  want  real  change  and  support  the  best  thing,  for  us  as  a  city,  to  do  is  to  start  our  own  local  program  because  this  is  where  we  have  the  most  power.  The  city  and  Mayor,  as  well  as  mayors  all  across  the  country,  will  have  to  plant  the  seeds  of  change  in  their  own  communities  to  help  those  who  are  unemployed  get  back  to  work.

Source:  New  Jersey  Department  of  Labor

One Term or Two Terms?

By  Collis  Marrow

 For  the  last  couple  of  months,  the  Republican  Party  has  been  advertising  several  potential  ambassadors  for  the  right  wing.  Simultaneously,  the  media  has  been  assisting  them  in  the  downsizing  of  Barack  Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  supporters.  On  multiple  political  news  channels,  ranging  from  CNN,  ABC,  and  Fox  5,  journalists  have  been  criticizing  the  Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  decisions  and  making  a  mockery  of  him.  What  many  citizens  seem  to  forget  is  that  the  county  was  on  a  downward  spiral  towards  a  sea  of  bankruptcy  largely  due  to  the  prior  regimeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  deception.  The  President  himself  is  doubt-­ ful  on  his  re-­election  and  knows  he  has  to  overcome  insurmountable  odds  if  he  visions  himself  as  a  two-­term  President.  On  the  opposite  end  of  the  spectrum,  the  stimulus  package  worked  wonders  for  the  economy:  it  gave  the  nation  a  jumpstart  it  desperately  needed.

In  an  interview  with  ABCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  George  Stephanopolous,  Obama  said  that  he  is  the  absolute  underdog  in  this  upcoming  race  due  to  the  decline  of  the  economy  while  on  his  watch.  He  also  stated  that  he  has  always  been  an  underdog  and  that  the  objective  of  his  views  and  decisions  was  for  the  ordinary  folks  to  succeed  because  they  just  werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  getting  ahead.  As  a  response  to  the  rising  cost  of  healthcare  and  of  a  college  education,  his  approach  about  â&#x20AC;&#x153;changeâ&#x20AC;?  was  for  our  nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  children  to  get  a  better  education.

What  was  the  stimulus  package?  One-­third  of  voters  do  not  know  the  true  outcome  of  this  composition.  This  was  a  strategic  move  to  stimulate  the  economy.  On  September  24,  2009,  the  787  billion  dollar  stimulus  package  was  designed  to  give  life  to  the  economy  while  saving  millions  RI MREV 7KH SDFNDJH ZDV GHVLJQHG WR EH VSHQW RYHU WHQ \HDUV +RZHYHU ELOOLRQ RU ZDV DOORFDWHG IRU WKH ÂżUVW WKUHH \HDUV 7KH SODQ GLG EHWWHU WKDQ LW ZDV SODQQHG ELOOLRQ ZHUH VSHQW RQ WD[ UHOLHI ELOOLRQ RQ XQHPSOR\PHQW DQG RWKHU EHQHÂżWV DQG ELOOLRQ ZHUH VSHQW LQ job  creation  programs.  The  stimulus  for  small  businesses  helped  create  jobs,  increase  lending  from  SBA  and  community  banks,  and  reduced  gains  for  small  business  investors.  The  states  aid  helped  too  but  many  states  were  so  far  underwater  that  their  losses  far  outweighed  the  federal  aid.   The  President  is  facing  another  complex  problem:  he  must  get  Americans  to  put  faith  and  commitment  into  an  African  American  President  for  another  four  years.  As  an  intellectual  whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  conscious  of  the  bias  of  America  towards  people  of  color,  he  knows  that  thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  doubt  in  everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  mind  of  his  re-­election.  The  only  speck  of  a  chance  that  he  has  to  win  depends  on  the  Barack  supporters  who  chose  him  as  their  leader:  they  must  go  to  the  polls  in  herds  and  droves  and  vote  for  him  again.  It  is  sickening  to  see  such  a  powerful  nation  be  so  entwined  historically  to  oppression.  :H PD\ KDYH WR ZDWFK D PRGHUQ GD\ FUXFLÂż[LRQ RQ WHOHYLVLRQ²%DUUDFN 2EDPD WKH ZURQJ PDQ ZLWK WKH ULJKW SODQ  Â

Sixth President of ECC Dr. Edythe M. Abdullah CONTINUED  FROM  PAGE  ONE County  College.  The  keynote  speaker,  Dr.  Steven  J.  Diner,  Chan-­ cellor  and  Professor  of  History  at  Rutgers  Univer-­ sity-­Newark  applauded  the  success  of  community  colleges  in  New  Jersey  today  and  their  expansion  since  the  1960s.  He  noted  how  higher  education  is  moving  away  from  the  elitist  â&#x20AC;&#x153;wealthy  white  maleâ&#x20AC;?  tradition  to  embrace  a  growing  diverse  student  population,  thanks  to  the  availability  of  community  colleges.  Dr.  Diner  recognized  that  â&#x20AC;&#x153;400,000  studentsâ&#x20AC;?  attend  community  colleges  to-­ day  in  New  Jersey.

He  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;ECCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  mission  is  more  vital  than  ever  before.â&#x20AC;?

Dr.  Lawrence  A.  Nespoli  who  is  President  of  the  NJ  Council  of  Community  Colleges  noted,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forty  years  ago  there  were  no  community  colleges  in  New  Jersey.â&#x20AC;?

A  highlight  of  the  investiture  included  the  pres-­ ence  and  comments  made  by  Essex  County  Ex-­ ecutive  Joseph  N.  DiVincenzo,  Jr.  who  made  it  to  the  ceremony  even  though  overwhelmed  by  the  damage  in  the  county  left  by  Hurricane  Irene.

He  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Essex  County  College  is  the  best  com-­ munity  college  in  New  Jersey,â&#x20AC;?  thanking  the  col-­ legeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  former  President  Zachary  Yamba  for  the  cur-­ rent  success  of  ECC.  Turning  quickly  to  the  new  leadership,  DiVincenzo  stressed  the  importance  of  â&#x20AC;&#x153;team  work.â&#x20AC;?  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  not  about  us...itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  about  the  VWXGHQWV ÂżUVW DQG IRUHPRVW ´ KH VDLG DPLGVW ORXG

enthusiastic  applause.

Assemblyman  Thomas  Giblin  echoed  DiVincenzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  call  for  team  work  when  he  came  to  the  podium,  rec-­ ognizing  the  new  president,  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  ECC  faculty  for  the  collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  current  success,  pointing  to  the  college  as  an  important  institution  in  the  state  and  stressing  â&#x20AC;&#x153;working  as  a  team  for  student  success.â&#x20AC;?

It  was  clear  that  many  of  the  invited  speakers  came  with  accolades  and  endorsements  of  the  new  presi-­ dent  and  her  ability  to  boost  the  success  of  ECC. Assembly  Speaker  Sheila  T.  Oliver  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dr.  Abdul-­ lah  brings  new  ideas,  fresh  ideas,  and  lots  of  energy.â&#x20AC;?

Bethany  Baptist  Church  Pastor,  Dr.  M.  William  How-­ ard,  Jr.  called  it  a  â&#x20AC;&#x153;historic  dayâ&#x20AC;?  as  he  looked  forward  to  a  â&#x20AC;&#x153;renewed  visionâ&#x20AC;?  with  our  new  president.  He  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;President  Abdullah  will  guide  the  way  for  tens  of  thousands  of  Essex  County  residents.â&#x20AC;?

Alfred  C.  Koeppe,  President  and  CEO  of  the  New-­ ark  Alliance  called  Dr.  Abdullah  â&#x20AC;&#x153;innovativeâ&#x20AC;?  with  an  â&#x20AC;&#x153;entrepreneurial  spiritâ&#x20AC;?  that  â&#x20AC;&#x153;will  be  required  for  graduates  to  compete  successfully  in  the  21st  cen-­ tury.â&#x20AC;?

After  encouraging  comments  were  made  by  Free-­ holder  Donald  M.  Payne,  Jr.,  also  Council  President  RI WKH &LW\ RI 1HZDUN 'U $EGXOODK ¿QDOO\ VWHSSHG to  the  podium.     Charged  with  energy  and  spirit,  the  new  president  seemed  eager  to  embrace  the  challenges  that  lay  ahead,  intent  on  leading  the  college  safely  into  the  ESSEX  COUNTY  COLLEGE  OBSERVER

21st  century  to  build  on  the  collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  leg-­ acy.   Referring  to  ECC  as  a  â&#x20AC;&#x153;forceâ&#x20AC;?  to  be  reck-­ oned  with,  she  called  on  the  need  to  â&#x20AC;&#x153;re-­ bootâ&#x20AC;?  for  the  future,  reminding  the  audi-­ HQFH WKDW WKH ÂżUVW \HDU VWXGHQWV EHJLQQLQJ Fall  2011  were  born  in  1993,  noting  â&#x20AC;&#x153;chal-­ lenges  of  the  teaching  and  learning  enter-­ priseâ&#x20AC;?  with  this  generation  of  students.  Dr.  Abdullah  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technology  enhanced  innovations  can  serve  our  student  body,â&#x20AC;?  and  in  recognizing  this,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  can  deal  with  the  future,â&#x20AC;?  she  added.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  are  dreaming  the  possible  dreams,â&#x20AC;?  she  boomed  into  the  microphone,  address-­ ing  the  unemployed  in  need  of  skills,  and  the  opportunities  available  to  the  stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  burgeoning  immigrant  population.  Dr.  Abdullah  also  emphasized  the  personal  development  of  students.  She  promised  to  explore  â&#x20AC;&#x153;provocative  new  optionsâ&#x20AC;?  through  questioning  our  abilities  to  â&#x20AC;&#x153;think  outside  the  box,â&#x20AC;?  imploring  faculty  â&#x20AC;&#x153;to  move  for-­ ward  together  with  creativity  and  compas-­ sionâ&#x20AC;?  in  the  teaching  and  learning  experi-­ ence,  stressing  the  importance  of  building  a  new  â&#x20AC;&#x153;babyâ&#x20AC;?  or  student  body,  and  that  fac-­ ulty  educate  in  a  better  or  different  way  to  increase  and  enhance  student  learning.  She  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;We  must  energetically  transport  ECC  COTINUED  ON  PAGE  EIGHT

OCTOBER Â 2011

PAGE Â 6

MOVIE REVIEWS

Halloween Safety Tips By  Elaina  Garrett

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trick  or  treat...smell  my  feet...give  me  something  good  to  eatâ&#x20AC;?  the  children  will  sing  on  October  31.  Halloween  is  a  distant  childhood  memory  made  of  cos-­ tumes,  face  paint,  and  of  course  candy!  As  children,  these  were  our  initial  thoughts  when  anyone  mentioned  Halloween,  but  concerns  now  rise  as  adults.  Halloween  is  intended  to  be  fun,  but  it  can  be  a  day  of  doom  if  safety  is  not  taken  into  consid-­ eration.  As  a  parent  of  two  toddlers  and  D PHPEHU RI D IDPLO\ FRPSULVHG RI ÂżIW\ cousins,  nieces,  and  nephews,  Halloween  is  all  about  trick-­or-­treatingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the  tradi-­ tional  door-­to-­door  candy  hunt  in  search  for  the  best  like,  Reeseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s,  Peanut  Butter  Cups,  Snickers,  etc.   As  parenthood  approached,  I  realized  trick-­or-­treating  was  not  on  my  agenda  for  my  two  young  children  for  this  up-­ coming  Halloween.  After  speaking  with  a  fellow  parent  of  a  four  year-­old  toddler,  I  was  informed  of  the  many  alternatives  for  celebrating  these  ghoulish  festivities.  Here  is  a  list  of  sweet  alternatives  to  celebrate  Halloween  with  your  children  that  prioritizes  safety,  but  still  remain  fun: One:  host  a  Halloween  party  at  home.  Invite  your  childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  closest  friends  along  ZLWK WKHLU SDUHQWV IRU D VLPSOLÂżHG VSRRN\ celebration.  Have  children  and  parents  dress-­up  in  costumes.  To  incorporate  a  semi-­frightening  feel,  create  homemade  spooky  treats  like,  worms  emerging  from  the  ground.  Use  simple  store  bought  gummy  worms  and  crushed  Oreo  cookies  for  the  dirt.  These  and  other  treats  can  be  easily  found  online.

Two: FRQÂżQH \RXU FKLOGÂśV WULFN RU WUHDW-­ ing.  Restrict  your  childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  trick-­or-­treat-­ ing  adventure  to  your  neighborhood.  Your  child  will  be  excited  to  see  their  neighbors  dressed  in  the  most  frighten-­ ing  attire.  Map  out  your  route  ahead  of  time  and  discuss  this  with  your  child  to  SUHYHQW DQ\ FRQĂ&#x20AC;LFWV RQ WKH GD\ RI WKH holiday.  Be  sure  your  child  is  visible  at  all  times  and  avoid  crowds!  Upon  return-­ ing  home,  have  planned  activities  ready.  A  suggestion  for  a  movie  is  Winnie  the  Poohâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Halloween  Adventure.  Three:  visit  a  local  mall.  This  is  one  of  my  favorite  activities  to  do.  Grab  a  group  of  parents  and  children  and  head  to  the  local  mall.  There  are  dozens  of  stores  and  the  treats  are  not  always   candy.  If  you  start  to  feel  tired  from  walking  around  bigger  malls,  such  as  Palisades  or  Garden  State  Plaza,  there  are  plenty  of  benches  and  seating  areas  to  rest.  Your  toddler  will  appreciate  your  extended  energy.  Short  Hills  mall  has  never  left  a  disap-­ pointed  child  on  my  hands.  Be  sure  to  ar-­ rive  early!  The  most  important  and  neglected  safety  tip  of  all  these  celebration  options  is  inspecting  your  childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  candy  bags  prior  to  enjoying  them.  Search  for  un-­ wrapped  candy  pieces  or  pieces  that  look  damaged.  Look  for  foreign  objects  and  candy  that  may  cause  choking  in  smaller  children.  Also,  look  for  candy  that  your  child  is  allergic  to.  Finally,  make  sure  you  EUXVK DQG Ă&#x20AC;RVV WKHLU WHHWK EHIRUH JRLQJ WR bed.  Stay  safe  and  have  a  Happy  Hallow-­ een!

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moneyballâ&#x20AC;? Screening Movie Review By  Yulieth  Cordero

I  recently  was  invited  to  attend  a  screening  of  the  new  sports  movie  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moneyball.â&#x20AC;?  The  screening  ex-­ perience  is  interesting  for  anyone  who  is  a  little  cu-­ rious.  Let  me  just  start  by  saying  that  it  was  a  new  experience  to  me,  going  to  see  a  movie  before  its  of-­ ÂżFLDO UHOHDVH 2QH RI WKH PDLQ WKLQJV WKDW LPSUHVVHG me  was  the  amount  of  securityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which  was  not  to  be  taken  lightly.  Security  personnel  stood  at  the  doors  making  sure  that  no  electronic  devices  went  into  the  theater  since  we  live  in  an  age  where  the  internet  is  the  portal  for  so  much  pirating.  The  movie  theater  atmosphere  was  optimal,  partly  because  the  crowd  included  movie  critics  and  very  eager  movie  goers  who  waited  in  line  for  nearly  an  hour  to  attend  the  screening.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moneyballâ&#x20AC;?  is  about  the  game  of  baseball  and  the  unseen  side  of  player  trading.  Billy  Beane,  who  is  portrayed  by  the  skilled  Brad  Pitt,  is  the  manager  for  the  Oakland  Athletics,  a  small  market  team  that  must  make  the  best  of  their  limited  budget.  Beane  is  tired  of  losing  his  star  athletes  to  teams  that  offer  to  pay  WKHP PXFK PRUH PRQH\ $V D ÂżQDO UHVRUW KH WHDPV up  with  Peter  Brand,  played  by  the  hilarious  Jonah  Hill,  to  establish  a  team  of  outcast  players.  I  do  not  want  to  spoil  the  movie  for  anyone,  but  I  will  say  WKDW LI \RXÂśUH LQWR GRFX GUDPDV VSRUW ÂżOPV DQG QRQ LQWHQWLRQDO FRPHG\ WKLV LV WKH ÂżOP IRU \RX As  with  all  good  things,  drawbacks  are  to  be  ex-­ pected.  One  aspect  that  bothered  me  throughout  the  ¿OP ZDV WKH UDQGRP H[WUHPH FORVH XSV RI SLFWXUHV I  am  not  sure  how  the  pictures,  which  ranged  from  a  baseball  player  in  the  sixties  to  unsystematic  poly-­ gons,  were  related  to  the  movement  of  the  plot,  and  they  only  lead  to  me  being  dizzy  for  a  few  seconds.  The  other  thing  that  bothered  me  was  the  ending.  It  seemed  to  be  a  bit  incomplete,  but  you  can  be  the  judge  of  that.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moneyballâ&#x20AC;?  was  be  released  nation-­ wide  on  September  23rd,  2011. Â

Movie Review: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saw: The Final Chapterâ&#x20AC;?

By  Salomao  Becker

Hoo,  boy,  where  to  start?  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saw:  The  Final  Chapterâ&#x20AC;?  LV DV LW DGYHUWLVHV WKH ÂżQDO PRYLH RI WKH 6DZ VHULHV The  movie  series  are  known  for  being  extremely  gory  and  for  having  an  overly-­contrived  plot  that  twists  in  directions  the  viewer  could  simply  not  pre-­ dict.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saw:  The  Final  Chapterâ&#x20AC;?  does  nothing  to  im-­ prove  of  the  seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;  formula,  only  providing  closure  IRU XV YLHZHUV ZKR ZDQWHG WKH VHULHV WR ÂżQDOO\ HQG  The  movie  begins  with  a  well  done  gore  VFHQH²D PDQ ZKR MXVW FXW RII KLV OHJ ÂżQGV WKDW KH must  now  cauterize  it  on  a  burning  steam  pipe.  The  scene  is  satisfying  due  to  its  gross  and  convincing  nature.  The  movie  then  transitions  to  a  Jigsaw  game  being  played  in  public  for  an  entire  crowd  to  see.  I  hoped  the  movie  would  keep  moving  in  this  direc-­ tion,  as  the  interaction  that  had  just  occurred  was  fresh  and  interesting,  but  the  movie  quickly  reverted  back  to  its  old  formula.

It  did  not  revert  immediately,  though.  Before  get-­ ESSEX  COUNTY  COLLEGE  OBSERVER

ting  back  to  what  the  series  does  best,  providing  the  viewer  with  stomach  churning  violence,  the  directors  decided  that  it  really  wanted  a  plot  be-­ yond  the  gore.  Weak  acting,  terrible  dialogue  and  out-­of-­place  ambient  music  butchers  all  of  these  VFHQHV , ÂżQG P\VHOI XQDEOH WR WDNH DQ\ FKDUDFWHU very  seriously.  The  movie  aims  high  in  its  attempt  to  create  a  meaningful  and  powerful  dialogue,  but  falls  short;Íž  it  crashes  and  burns  completely.  What  about  the  gore?  The  gore  remains  in-­ tact,  though  it  lacked  creativity.  Either  way,  sans  the  bloodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;which  looked  a  little  too  pink  to  be  be-­ lievableâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all  the  gore  was  well  done,  and  plenty  of  it  was  served  up.The  movie  did  not  have  much  intellectual  substance.  The  interesting  existential-­ ist  message  of  the  movie  is  completely  overshad-­ owed  by  the  gore  and  by  the  weakness  of  the  dia-­ logue.  The  movie  attempts  to  make  some  message  about  life  threatening  fear  being  a  motivator  for  life,  but  the  argument  is  badly  made  by  the  char-­ acters.  Despite  the  series  attempting  to  sound  lib-­ eral  (Jigsaw  plays  a  game  with  a  random  racist  off  WKH VWUHHWV WKH VHULHV IDOOV Ă&#x20AC;DW RQ JHQGHU UHODWLRQV by  consistently  objectifying  the  women  inside  the  movie  in  some  way  or  another.  Whether  through  overly  revealing  costumes  or  through  making  the  women  sexually  attracted  to  the  bravery  of  some  of  the  men  in  the  movie,  the  movie  just  feels  inap-­ propriate  in  its  sexual  content.  The  Motion  Picture  Association  of  America  rated  the  movie  R,  which  requires  any  viewer  under  the  age  of  17  to  be  ac-­ companied  by  a  parent  or  guardian.  The  overall  verdict  is  this:  if  you  watched  WKH UHVW RI WKH VHULHV , VXSSRVH \RX VKRXOG ÂżQLVK what  you  started.  This  movie  is  probably  the  worst  in  the  series,  but  the  closure  is  nice.  Otherwise,  just  avoid  this  movie;Íž  it  is  terrible!  Every-­ t h i n g  but  the  gore  feels  so  low  budget  that  the  movie  is  near-­ ly  unwatchable  when  someone  is  not  being  muti-­ lated.

Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Live Music COTINUED  FROM  PAGE  THREE  The  name,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Plane  Street  Pubâ&#x20AC;?  points  to  the  tavernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  long  history  in  Newark.  The  building  itself  dates  back  to  he  1930s  when  Uni-­ versity  Avenue  used  to  be  named  Plane  Street.

For  years  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;?  was  run  by  Mike  Hamilton  who  named  it  after  his  dad,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skipperâ&#x20AC;?.  Almost  four  years  ago,  Greg  bought  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  from  Mike,  kept  the  name,  and  began  transforming  the  little  Irish  pub  into  a  live  jazz  showcase.  He  admits  â&#x20AC;&#x153;the  exte-­ rior  may  need  a  little  work,  but  what  it  may  lack  in  outward  appearances,  it  makes  up  for  in  authentic-­ ity.â&#x20AC;?  The  crowd  represents  a  nice  mix  of  people  who  work  in  the  courthouses,  Bank  of  America,and  Prudential  alongside  students  and  faculty  from  ECC  and  the  Rutgers  Newark  campus.  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  is  con-­ sidering  a  College  Night  that  mixes  up  the  enter-­ tainment,  with  blues,  rock,  and  R&B  artists  in  ad-­ dition  to  jazz.The  menu  is  as  eclectic  as  the  crowd.  House  specialties  include  the  Bang  Bang  Shrimp,  Mediterranean  Tilapia,  and  a  Warm  Chicken  Salad  with  sautĂŠed  spinach  topped  with  feta  cheese,  or  general  bar  fare  like  burgers  and  buffalo  wings.  Maybe  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  be  lucky  like  me  and  come  on  a  night  when  thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  succulent  complimentary  soul  food  buffet.  Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  leave  full,  inspired,  and  entertained  well  beyond  your  expectations.  Skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Plane  Street  Pub  is  located  at  304  University  Avenue,  Newark  NJ.

PAGE Â 7

OCTOBER Â 2011

Seventh Annual Constitution Day at ECC By  Christian  Blair

 Essex  County  College  (ECC)  celebrated  its  seventh  Annual  Constitution  Day  with  featured  speaker  Juan  Gonzalez.  The  award  winning  jour-­ nalist,  author,  and  staff  columnist  of  the  NewYork  Daily  News  discussed  the  blossoming  hispanic-­ american  population  and  its  possible  affects  on  the  U.S.  Constitution  on  September  21st,  2011.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;By  2050,  whites  will  be  a  minority  with  a  majority  that  will  trace  their  origin  not  to  Eu-­ rope  but  to  Latin  America,â&#x20AC;?  said  Mr.  Gonzalez  to  WKH VWDQGLQJ URRP RQO\ FURZG LQ WKH IRXUWK Ă&#x20AC;RRU multipurpose  room.  He  posited  that  this  profound  shift  in  the  ethnic  makeup  of  the  United  States  would  almost  certainly  force  yet  another  look  into  the  controversy  of  The  Treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hi-­ dalgo.  The  Mexican-­American  war  ended  in  1848  with  the  signing  of  The  Treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo.  It  required  Mexico  to  relinquish  525,000  square  miles  for  $15  million  dollars.  This  extend-­ ed  the  United  States  border.  That  land  would  even-­ tually  become  parts  of  many  of  our  southwestern  states  including  Texas,  New  Mexico,  and  Arizona.  Mexican  citizens  who  remained  on  the  now  US  territory  and  maintained  their  property  for  at  least  one  year  were  to  be  given  US  citizenship.  This  last  part  was  never  upheld  and  instead  many  were  vio-­ lently  forced  from  their  land.  Mr.  Gonzalez  pointed  out  that  many  for-­ mer  colonial  powers  who  took  part  in  World  War  II Â

are  all  presently  experiencing  labor  shortages  while  facing  how  to  address  overwhelming  immigration  is-­ sues.  Just  as  France,  with  the  Algerians  and  Moroc-­ cans,  or  Germany,  with  the  Turks,  the  United  States  is  wondering  about  the  affects  of  societal  change  as  it  sustains  immigration  from  Latin  America,  the  West  Indies,  and  a  variety  of  third-­world  nations.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;The  over  all  picture,â&#x20AC;?  he  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;is  that  the  colonized  have  been  coming  back  to  the  colonizersâ&#x20AC;?  and  by  their  sheer  size,  altering  the  long-­held  majorities  in  lan-­ guage,  religion,  and  socio-­political  power  within  a  given  population.  With  the  largest  immigration  origi-­ nating  from  Latin  America  and  a  majority  directly  from  Mexico,  the  shift  will  undoubtedly  raise  consti-­ tutional  questions  allowing  historical  inequalities  to  get  their  day  in  court.  Juan  Gonzalez  is  the  author  of  Harvest  of  Empire:  Insidious  Division  and  Constitutional Challenges  and  co-­hosts  the  radio  and  television  pro-­ gram  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Democracy  Nowâ&#x20AC;?  with  Amy  Goodman.

Student Voice

CONTINUED Â FROM Â PAGE Â TWO

 When  asked  by  the  SGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  President  to  take  the  microphone,  students  immediately  readied  them-­ selves.  One  of  the  earliest  concerns  among  various  students  was  academics.  A  student  received  praise  when  she  asked  for,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;better  tutors  and  better  profes-­ sors.â&#x20AC;?  Another  student,  whose  comment  resonated  with  the  previous,  made  the  executive  boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  eye-­

brows  rise  when  he  asked  about  profes-­ VRUVÂś TXDOLÂżFDWLRQV DQG ZKDW FRXOG EH GRQH when  petition  complaints  were  not  being  addressed  about  their  performance  in  the  classroom.  The  SGA  President  and  Vice-­ President  were  stunned  and  when  they  could  offer  no  suggestion  to  the  problem,  Dr.  Khalfani,  director  of  the  collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Af-­ ricana  Institute  and  sociology  professor,  addressed  the  studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  concern.  He  said,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;talk  to  the  professor;Íž  and  if  that  doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  work,  take  it  to  the  chairperson;Íž  and  if  that  fails,  take  it  to  the  Dean  of  the  college.â&#x20AC;?   A  former  SGA  senator  from  Es-­ sex  and  graduate  of  the  class  of  1993,  Lev  D.  Zilbermints,  took  the  microphone  and  urged  students  to  make  suggestions.  He  in-­ formed  the  crowd  about  the  challenges  he  KDG LQ SUHVVLQJ WKH FROOHJHÂśV SUHVLGHQW WR Âż[ the  water  fountains  throughout  the  school,  which  were  outdated.  Although  he  did  not  JHW WR VHH WKHP UHVWRUHG DQG Âż[HG LQ WLPH as  a  result  of  his  graduation,  he  is  content  to  see  the  change  he  and  other  students  made.  The  President  adjourned  the  meet-­ ing  after  comments  started  dying  out,  but  he  welcomed  students  to  spread  the  word  about  the  upcoming  Open  Forum.  Any  sug-­ gestions  to  improve  the  quality  of  education  offered  at  Essex  and  aesthetics  of  the  col-­ lege  can  be  made  in  the  next  Open  Forum,  which  will  occur  on  October  27th,  in  the  cafeteriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  pit  at  2:30  p.m. Â

The Trouble with Libertyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Christopher Beam

By  Christian  Blair

 An  article  in  New  York  Magazine  by  Christopher  Beam  titled  â&#x20AC;&#x153;The  Trouble  with  Lib-­ ertyâ&#x20AC;?  proved  to  be  a  thoughtful  and  sometimes  humorous  historical  dissection  of  Libertarianism  and  how  its  utopian  ideals  are  unattainable.  Beam  admits  that  the  American  Revolution  was  a  lib-­ ertarian  cause  and  the  Constitution  a  libertarian  document,  but  he  acknowledges  that  our  society  had  to  evolve  and  create  contingencies  beyond  the  libertarian  model  of  a  totally  self-­reliant  citizenry.  Libertarianism  is  essentially  the  idea  that  government  should  do  as  little  as  possible  and  put  forth  the  concept  of  a  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Minarchy,â&#x20AC;?  a  system  of  government  that  provides  national  defense,  lo-­ cal  police,  and  a  judicial  systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and  that  is  all.  Beam  notes  that  this  system  leaves  no  room  for  catastrophes,  unemployment,  sickness,  or  old  age.  Ayn  Randâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Atlas  Shrugged  sells  more  than  800,000  copies  a  year.  Its  message  is  particu-­ larly  attractive  to  young  people  and  tells  the  story  of  capitalists  who  break  from  society  to  establish  their  own  utopia.  It  has  been  called  the  gateway  drug  to  libertarianism.  Beam  quotes  Cato  Insti-­ WXWH VFKRODU :LOO :LONLQVRQ Âł,WÂśV DERXW Ă&#x20AC;RXWLQJ convention  and  rejecting  authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the  political  equivalent  of  an  eyebrow  ring.â&#x20AC;?  The  article  details  the  attempts  to  create Â

utopian  societies  by  idealistic  libertarian  mavericks  throughout  history.  For  instance,  Michael  Oliver,  a  Nevada  real  estate  developer  in  1972  dredged  sand  QHDU D UHHI LQ WKH 3DFLÂżF WR FUHDWH KLV RZQ LVODQG QD-­ tion,  which  he  called  the  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Republic  of  Minerva.â&#x20AC;?  However,  it  was  quickly  conquered  by  the  well  es-­ tablished  nearby  Kingdom  of  Tonga.  Also,  the  grandson  of  economist  Milton  Freedman  proposed  creating  a  mile  long  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Freedom  Shipâ&#x20AC;?  to  house  50,000  people.  His  dream  is  hardly  that  of  a  lone  kook.  The  idea  is  called  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seasteadingâ&#x20AC;?  and  Peter  Theil,  the  libertarian  co-­founder  of  PayPal  has  given  nearly  $750,000  to  the  Seasteading  Insti-­ tute.  One  of  the  subjects  of  the  article  is  Rand  Paul,  a  Kentucky  Senator  and  son  of  presidential  candi-­ date  Ron  Paul.  The  father  and  son  are  staunch  de-­ fenders  of  libertarianism  and  are  pathological  in  their  defense  of  the  party  line.  When  interviewed  on  the  Rachel  Maddow  Show,  Maddow  asked  Rand  if  he  would  have  voted  for  the  1964  Civil  Rights  Act  that  made  it  illegal  for  businesses  to  turn  away  customers  on  the  basis  of  race.  He  responded,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Does  the  owner  of  the  restaurant  own  the  restaurant,  or  does  the  gov-­ ernment  own  the  restaurant?â&#x20AC;?  It  didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  go  over  well  and  despite  the  tenet  of  never  budging  on  principles,  Paul  announced  days  later  that  heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d  have  voted  for  the  Act.  It  was  recognized  as  political  survival  rather Â

than  a  true  reversal  of  conscience.   Beam  suggests  that  the  more  ques-­ tions  you  ask  about  this  perfect  society  the  more  you  realize  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  recipe  for  chaos.  The  inherent  problem  in  libertarianism,  a  group  that  has  no  respect  for  leaders,  whose  core  value  is  â&#x20AC;&#x153;duty  to  one  self  above  all  oth-­ ers,â&#x20AC;?  is  that  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  no  way  to  run  a  civilized  society.  At  some  point  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  need  a  way  to  pay  for  things  so  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  need  a  centralized  bank,  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  need  to  print  money  and  regu-­ late  that  as  well.  What  will  you  do  with  the  unemployed,  the  sick,  or  the  injured?  The  libertarian  model  rejects  a  centralized  bank  and  some  even  favor  letting  a  society  have  as  many  different  forms  of  currency  as  they  wish.   Those  that  fall  between  the  cracks  of  this  society  are  left  to  the  mercy  of  char-­ ity  by  neighbors  who  do  not  seem  to  be  charitable  by  nature.  An  amusing  line  from  the  article  that  sums  up  that  argument  best  is:  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even  if  you  did  somehow  achieve  a  Li-­ bertopia,  you  would  be  surrounded  by  [in-­ sert  expletive].â&#x20AC;?

P\VWHULRXV UHHO RI ÂżOP LQ KLV GDGÂśV EHORQJLQJV 7KDW ÂżOP ZRXOG XOWLPDWHO\ FRQWDLQ D JUHDW GHDO RI QHZV-­ reel  footage  surrounding  the  events  in  Roosevelt  Field.  On  top  of  that,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;400  photos  were  accumulated  by  searching  through  the  archives  of  the  Aviation  Hall  of  Fame  &  Museum  of  NJ,  the  Cradle  of  Avi-­ ation  in  Long  Island,  and  the  Chamberlin  family,â&#x20AC;?  beamed  Tooma.  With  this  treasure  trove  of  historical  records,  he  thought,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Someone  has  to  do  this.â&#x20AC;?  While  on  the  surface,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fly  First  &  Fight  Af-­ terwardâ&#x20AC;?  is  a  historical  documentary  of  aviationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  golden  age,  itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  also  the  story  of  coming  in  second,  UHGHÂżQLQJ SULRULWLHV DQG PDNLQJ WKH EHVW RI VRPH-­ thing  beyond  your  control.  Chamberlin  may  have  PLVVHG WKH FKDQFH WR EH ÂżUVW EXW WZR ZHHNV ODWHU KH EHFDPH WKH ÂżUVW SHUVRQ WR FRPSOHWH D QRQ VWRS WUDQV-­ DWODQWLF Ă&#x20AC;LJKW ZLWK D SDVVHQJHU  Tooma  likes  these  kind  of  characters.  The  NLQG WKDW SHUVHYHUH DQG UHGHÂżQH WKH JDPH +LV PRVW UHFHQW ÂżOP LV FDOOHG Âł6HHNLQJ 1LUYDQD ´ FR written  with  Evan  Marshall.  The  75  minute GUDPDWLF ÂżOP VXEWLWOHG Âł:ULWH :KDW <RX .QRZ /LYH How  You  Should,â&#x20AC;?  is  the  story  of  a  literary  agent  and  his  one  -­hit-­wonder  client,  a  novelist  named  Derek  Wiles.  Both  characters  are  seekers.  Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  searching Â

for  whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  really  important  in  life.  Tooma  sayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  of  Wiles,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  a  sort  of  a  modern  day  Kerouac.â&#x20AC;?  In  what  appears  to  be  a  juggernaut  of  creativity,  Billy  Tooma  is  two  stories  away  IURP KLV FRPSLODWLRQ RI VL[WHHQ VFLHQFH ÂżF-­ tion  stories  for  ME  Publishing  titled,  Shinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Shadow  &  Other  Stories.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fly  First  &  Fight  Afterwardâ&#x20AC;?  has  been  nominated  for  the  National  Aviation  Hall  of  Fameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  2011  Combs-­Gates  Award.   In  addition,  Billy  Tooma  is  being  recognized,  along  with  Humanities  Profes-­ sor  Margaret  Botney  for  producing  a  six  minute  DVD,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;The  Essex  County  Collge  Honors  Program,â&#x20AC;?  which  represents  the  ¿UVW PDUNHWLQJ VWUDWHJ\ IRU UHFUXLWPHQW RI the  College  Honors  Program.

Seeking Billy Tooma By  Christian  Blair

&KDUOHV /LQGEHUJK Ă&#x20AC;HZ KLV 6SLULW RI 6W Louis  from  Roosevelt  Field,  Long  Island  to  Paris France,  on  May  21st,  1927,  winning  the  Orteig  SUL]H DQG EHFRPLQJ WKH ÂżUVW SHUVRQ WR FRPSOHWH D QRQ VWRS WUDQVDWODQWLF Ă&#x20AC;LJKW %XW /LQGEHUJK ZDV not  the  only  pilot  racing  to  make  history.  Had  it-­ not  been  for  a  minor  legal  dispute  impeding  his  launch,  Clarence  D.  Chamberlin  could  have  had held  that  distinction.  Professor  Billy  Toomaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  110  minute  documentary,  â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fly  First  &  Fight Afterward:  The  Life  of  Col.  Clarence  D.  Cham-­ berlinâ&#x20AC;?  is  the  story  of  one  of  aviationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  earlier pioneers  who  came  this  close  to  the  paramount  JORU\ RI EHLQJ WKH ÂżUVW  Billy  Tooma  took  a  moment  out  from  his  busy  schedule  as  an  ECC  faculty  member  in  Eng-­ OLVK WR GLVFXVV KLV ÂżOPV DQG XSFRPLQJ ERRN 7KH \RXWKIXO FRQÂżGHQW ZULWHU GLUHFWRU ZLWK D SUR-­ nounced  widowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  peak  spoke  passionately  and  re-­ called  what  inspired  him  to  pursue  Chamberlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  story.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;I  was  put  in  contact  with  Philip  Chamber-­ lin  (Clarence  Chamberlinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  son)  by  Karl  Petry,  my  ¿OP PHQWRU ´ KH H[SODLQHG 3KLOOLS KDG XQHDUWKHG an  audio  recording  of  his  father  from  1961  and  a Â

ESSEX Â COUNTY Â COLLEGE Â OBSERVER

PAGE Â 8

HORRORSCOPES By  Salomao  Becker

The  holiday  season  is  coming  around  soon,  and  I  have  tapped  into  my  latent,  astrologically  sensing  powers  in  order  to  provide  the  good  people  of  ECC  with  the  most  accurate  horoscopes  for  October  31st.  Aries:  the  universe  enjoys  working  in  ironic  ways,  so  avoid  certain  models  of  cars  this  Halloween.  Seriously,  when  you  are  in  a  Dodge  and  you  suddenly  have  a  Final  Destination  type  vision,  you  will  curse  your  inability  to  follow  my  direc-­ tions  to  your  early  grave.

Taurus:  you  are  clumsy,  exactly  the  kind  of  person  who  would  just  be  a  terrible  china  shop  owner.  Avoid  china  shops  this  October  31st.  Dying  by  glass  is  a  pretty  lame  way  to  go  when  you  have  a  bull  for  a  sign.  This  is  doubly  true  when  you  basi-­ cally  bring  the  end  to  yourself  by  tripping  over  a  priceless  vase.

OCTOBER Â 2011

Sixth President of ECC CONTINUED Â FROM Â PAGE Â FIVE

to  the  next  levelâ&#x20AC;?  meaning  higher  levels.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;This  is  critical  to  our  journey  and  future,â&#x20AC;?  she  emphasized,  adding  the  need  to  â&#x20AC;&#x153;challenge  our  ability  to  meet  de-­ mands  of  students  and  community,  which  will  bring  us  together  to  increase  the  number  of  scholarshipsâ&#x20AC;?  for  students.      A  more  personal  and  intimate  side  of  President  Abdullah  was  revealed  by  Rev.  Canon  Dr.  Sandye  A.  Wilson,  Rector  of  The  Episcopal  Church  of  St.  Andrew  and  Holy  Communion  who  chose  to  share  some  personal  insight  to   Dr.  Abdullahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  life.  Obvi-­ ously  a  dear  and  close  friend  of  the  family,  Dr.  Wilson  VSRNH EULHĂ&#x20AC;\ DERXW 'U $EGXOODKÂśV IDWKHU DQG D VRQ in  Jacksonville  that  could  not  attend  the  Investiture  Ceremony;Íž  she  also  mentioned  a  daughter  teaching  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  who  could  not  at-­ tend.   Dr.  Wilson  also  pointed  to  the  new  presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  handsome  son,  who  was  perched  in  the  front  row  and  stood  to  be  recognized.

7KH ,QYHVWLWXUH &HUHPRQ\ ¿QDOO\ HQGHG ZKHQ 'U Abdullah  lead  the  faculty  out  of  the  gymnasium,  no  doubt  leading  them  toward  continued  success  as  ECC  moves  on  into  the  21st  century.

N

Virgo:  Halloween  is  basically  going  to  be  like  Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Day  for  you,  except  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll  be  in  a  terrible  costume  no  one  will  like.  The  supernatural  horrors  of  the  season  donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  really  care  for  scaring  you,  though.  Your  fear  of  dying  alone  is  enough.

Libra:  what  kind  of  a  Zodiac  is  a  scale?  I  guess  you  should  watch  out  for  bipo-­ lar  killers,  or  something.  I  do  not  know.  Scales  are  not  ironic.

Scorpio:  Halloween  is  the  time  where  your  animal  instinct  to  aggressively  sting  other  human  beings  is  at  its  highest.  This  is  highly  illegal  and  a  terrible  thing  to  do.  We  ask  you  to  please  keep  your  dark  side  to  yourself.

Sagittarius:  stay  away  from  any  source  of  radiation.  No,  you  wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t  turn  into  a  centaur,  but  you  could  potentially  develop  complications  in  the  near  future.  I  just  mentioned  it  because  I  know  you  were  thinking  that  party  at  the  Nuclear  Waste  Storage  Facility  was  going  to  be  tight.

Alton  Drummond  Student  Government  Association

Carla  Alvarez  Phi  Theta  Kappa

Gemini:  good  news,  you  have  no  chance  of  dying  during  this  Halloween  season.  , GR KRZHYHU VXJJHVW WKDW \RX ÂżQG \RXU evil  twin  and  have  a  dramatic  dispute  before  he/she  completely  ruins  your  life.  Finding  an  evil  twin  is  easy.  Look  for  you  with  a  mustache  (look  for  wax  marks  on  your  doppelgängerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  lips  if  you  are  a  woman).

Cancer:  \RX ZLOO GHÂżQLWHO\ IHHO WRR crabby  and  depressed  to  enjoy  the  season.  Stop  being  completely  boringâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this  is  not  how  you  make  friends.  Plus,  if  you  do  not  treat,  we  will  all  trick.  We  go  hard  when  we  trick.  Seriously!

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Arianne  Wallace  Chess  Club

PLACE  AN  ADVERTISEMENT  FOR   SERVICE,  PRODUCT,  OR  EVENT  IN  THE  NEWSPAPER.  IT  IS  A  GREAT  WAY  TO  REACH  THE  COMMUNITY  AND  SPREAD  THE  WORD! CONTACT  US:   ECCECCO@GMAIL.COM Stewart  Viera  Taekwondo  Club

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Capricorn:  candy  corn  is  your  best  friend  this  holiday  season.  It  is  in  your  Zodiac,  dude,  you  should  eat  a  ton  of  it.  You  are  astrologically  protected  from  cavities  if  you  eat  those,  I  swear.

Aquarius:  you  are  the  sign  with  the  vase  in  your  picture,  so  stay  away  from  Taurus  people  on  the  31st.  Seriously,  read  their  horoscope,  that  is  a  lawsuit  waiting  to  happen.  As  an  Aquarius,  youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re  grounded  in  real  life  things.  Lawsuits  are  scary.

Pisces:  you  are  commanded  by  your  dark  lord  to  revive  him  this  holiday  season.  Did  you  not  know  worshipped  H.P.  Lovecraftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s  Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;thulhu?  Of  course  you  GLGQÂśW \RXÂśUH D EUDLQZDVKHG ÂżVK PRQ-­ ster.  Phâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nglui  mglwâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nafh  Câ&#x20AC;&#x2122;thulhu  Râ&#x20AC;&#x2122;lyeh  wgahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;nagl  fhtagn,  and  all  that  good  stuff.

Nicole  Rapista  Rotaract Â

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