10 18 2012

VOICE the georgetown

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COLLEGE DEAN AND PROFESSORS CLASH OVER SEMINAR CHANGES PAGE 4

HOYAS LOOK TO BRUSH AWAY WOES AGAINST COLGATE PAGE 7

HISTORY BOYS IS A HIT PAGE 10

Georgetown University’s Weekly Newsmagazine Since 1969  October 18, 2012  Volume 47, Issue 10  georgetownvoice.com

Working for the working poor

2 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

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Voice Crossword “At the Dais” by Tyler Pierce

puzzle answers at georgetownvoice.com 35. Aryan preceder 38. Take up again 39. 10/16 event in New York 43. Saturday morning cartoon, usually 44. Lion’s den 45. Opposite of post46. With a gun on you 47. Direct 50. Bro’s sib 53. Type of soup 54. Lode load 57. Blue participant in 39 Across 62. Sweet pickle 64. Pinocchio, at times 65. Pains 66. Particular, for short 67. Fringe 68. Partners of whorls and arches 69. Warmonger 70. Views DOWN

ACROSS 1. Con job 5. Gulp 9. It has two hands but no legs 14. Bananas 15. Meat of a vegetable 16. Crapped out used car 17. Like wings 18. Successively

20. Red participant in 39 Across 22. Casual attire 23. “I got it!”

24. Blue 25. Electric device with four electrodes 29. Flowering plants in the family Araceae 34. Biblical suffix

1. Cole ___ 2. Place-name for islands in areas with Scandinavian influence 3. Antioxidant-rich berry 4. Pestle partner, in a lab 5. Random 6. Lush 7. Tabloid twosomes 8. Lake Volta’s country

9. Henry of early American politics 10. Authorize 11. Leave out 12. Draw near 13. Joint with a cap 19. Comedy about a teddy bear 21. However, when texting 25. Prefix with -hedron 26. Early anesthetic 27. -ometer preface 28. Carbon compound 29. “___ you kidding?”

30. Confederate soldier, for short 31. Not suitable 32. D.C. rider 33. Win every game in a series 36. Genetic stuff 37. Norse war god 40. Good name for a lawyer?

41. Conclude 42. Punt 48. The Matrix role 49. Russian rodents 50. “My gal” of song

51. “Fighting” mascot 52. Greek-Irish supermodel Georgia 54. Birthstone after sapphire 55. Puerto ___ 56. Audio effect 57. Low voice 58. Hammock cord 59. Assistant 60. One of three Nativity visitors 61. Mars, to the Greeks 63. Ballistics stat

ARE YOU A LOGOPHILE? Share your love of words and help us write crosswords.

E-mail crossword@georgetownvoice.com.

editorial

georgetownvoice.com

VOICE the georgetown

Volume 47.10 October18, 2012 Editor-in-Chief: Leigh Finnegan Managing Editor: Keaton Hoffman Blog Editor: Vanya Mehta News Editor: Gavin Bade Sports Editor: Kevin Joseph Feature Editor: Connor Jones Cover Editor: Neha Ghanshamdas Leisure Editor: Mary Borowiec Voices Editor: Claire McDaniel Photo Editor: Lucia He Design Editors: Amanda Dominguez, Madhuri Vairapandi Projects Editors: Christie Geaney, Cannon Warren Puzzles Editor: Tyler Pierce Assistant Blog Editors: Morgan Manger, Isabel Echarte Assistant News Editors: Julia Jester, Matt Weinmann Assistant Sports Editors: Chris Almeida, Steven Criss, Keith Levinsky Assistant Leisure Editors: Will Collins, Julia Lloyd-George, Kirill Makarenko Assistant Voices Editor: Sara Ainsworth Assistant Photo Editors: Julian de la Paz, Matt Thees Assistant Design Editor: Lauren Ashley Panawa

Staff Writers:

Sara Ainsworth, Maitane Arana, Jane Conroy, Alex Lau, Jeffrey Lin, Shom Mazumder, Caitriona Pagni, Paul Quincy, Heather Regen, Abby Sherburne, Melissa Sullivan, Fatima Taskomur, Ambika Tripathi

Staff Photographers:

Rebecca Anthony, Max Blodgett, Matthew Fried, Kirill Makarenko, Tim Markatos, Gavin Meng, Tess O’Connor, Larissa Ong, Andres Rengifo

Copy Chief: Tori Jovanovski Copy Editors:

Patricia Cipollitti, Grace Funsten, Morgan Manger, Rina Li, Sonia Okolie, Caitriona Pagni, Ana Smith, Dana Suekoff, Kim Tay, Suzanne Trivette

Editorial Board Chair: Rachel Calvert Editorial Board:

Aisha Babalakin, Gavin Bade, Patricia Cipollitti, Nico Dona Dalle Rose, Katerina Downward, Keaton Hoffman, Julia Jester, Linnea Pittman, Cole Stangler, Galen Weber

Head of Business: Aarohi Vora Business Staff: Sara Ainsworth, Zoe Disselkoen, Meghan Fitzpatrick, Charmaine Ng

The Georgetown Voice The Georgetown Voice is published every Thursday.

This newspaper was made possible in part with the support of Campus Progress, a project of the Center for American Progress, online at CampusProgress.org. Campus Progress works to help young people — advocates, activists, journalists, artists — make their voices heard on issues that matter. Learn more at CampusProgress.org.

Mailing Address: Georgetown University The Georgetown Voice Box 571066 Washington, D.C. 20057

Office: Leavey Center Room 424 Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 20057

Email: editor@georgetownvoice.com Advertising: business@georgetownvoice.com Web Site: georgetownvoice.com The opinions expressed in the Georgetown Voice do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, faculty or students of Georgetown University, unless specifically stated. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Editorial Board. Columns, advertisements, cartoons and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or the General Board of the Georgetown Voice. The University subscribes to the principle of responsible freedom of expression of its student editors. The Georgetown Voice is produced in the Georgetown Voice office and composed on Macintosh computers using the Adobe InDesign publishing system and is printed by Silver Communications. All materials copyright the Georgetown Voice. All rights reserved.

On this week’s cover: “Kalmanovitz Initiative” Cover Photo: Tess O’Connor (COL ‘15)

the georgetown voice 3 SWEAT IT

University should sever contract with Adidas Last week, the Georgetown Licensing and Oversight Committee recommended that the University sever the tennis team’s contract with Adidas. In September, Georgetown Solidarity Committee delivered its second letter to President DeGioia encouraging the University to end the Adidas contract in protest of the company’s treatment of workers. The University should abide by the LOC’s recommendation and continue to be mindful of the labor practices of the companies with which it does business.

GSC inaugurated the campaign last spring, after Adidas made it clear that they would not give severance pay to the workers laid off when the PT Kizone factory in Tangerang, Indonesia, closed.

Adidas subcontracted to the factory to produce its university sports apparel, and when it closed, Adidas refused to take financial responsibility for the workers’ severance.

According to GSC’s original letter, this decision violates the University’s Code of Conduct for Licensees—not to mention Indonesian law. The Code of Conduct requires all contractors to pay terminal compensation.

In an email sent to Vice President of Federal Relations Scott Fleming, Adidas representative Gregg Nebel wrote, “At the end of the day, what we intend to do with relief aid through PT Lidi could cost hundreds of thousands but it will be spent for the most relevant and expedient needs.”

It is not company policy to pay severance to workers who are laid off after their contract ends with the factory. However, Adidas has a responsibility to its workers. At a minimum, it should ensure that they are afforded a modicum of financial stability in the wake of an unpredictable, mass termination such as this.

It should make no difference that these workers are subcontracted, rather than directly employed by Adidas.

TESTING 123

The termination of Georgetown’s Adidas contract could encourage other universities to sever their ties with the company, a domino effect that would exert incredible pressure on the company to change its business practices.

In 2009, the University was one of the first schools to sever its contract with Russell Apparel, pursuant to a similar GSC campaign.

Soon after, over 100 universities followed suit.

The company ended up rehiring the scores of workers who were laid off after Russell’s Jerzees de Honduras closed its doors.

As a Jesuit institution, Georgetown has a responsibility to pressure its business partners to use fair labor practices and only invest in socially responsible enterprises. That starts with the University increasing transparency in its business dealings and publishing the full contents of its investment portfolio so that potentially unethical practices can be scrutinized. Practicing social justice in its business relationships is the least Georgetown can do to further workers’ rights.

Benefits outweigh home HIV test concerns On Oct. 9, an in-home HIV test called OraQuick went on sale in the District after becoming the first test of its kind to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This test is not without its critics, as some HIV/ AIDS activists fear that patients who test positive at home will not actively seek out treatment and social services designed to help them cope with their infection. However, the public health benefits to be gained from more accessible testing outweigh these concerns.

OraQuick testing involves a painless cheek swab that yields results that are as accurate as those produced in a hospital or clinic in as little as 20 to 40 minutes. Selling for $40 at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, OraQuick is also affordable, an important benefit since HIV disproportionately affects the poor.

Besides simply increasing access to testing, OraQuick could also work around negative stigmas that can be associated with getting tested. Much in the same way

that home pregnancy tests empowered women to take control over their own health in the 1970s, a test like OraQuick allows people to avoid the public assumptions associated with entering an HIV/ AIDS clinic to receive a test, for example.

Magic Johnson, a national face of the fights against HIV/AIDS, believes OraQuick will do a lot to make people more comfortable to get tested. “When you think about the black and brown community, the stigma behind HIV and AIDS in our community ... [not wanting] anybody to see us walk into a clinic or to the doctor’s office, this kit will help,” Johnson told The Huffington Post.

At 2.7 percent, the HIV/AIDS infection rate in D.C. is on par with Rwanda’s and higher than those of Haiti, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia. A generalized epidemic, HIV/AIDS impacts roughly 17,000 D.C. residents. Given that an estimated 10,000 are unaware they

carry the virus, simply increasing the number of people who get tested is an important step in the right direction. The hope is that anyone who tests positive will take measures to prevent spreading the infection to sexual partners.

Home testing does come with a higher risk of misdiagnosis if the test is performed incorrectly. Homes also lack the immediate counseling and informational services that are typically provided by hospitals and community clinics in the case of a positive diagnosis. These concerns underscore the need for comprehensive awareness campaigns that destigmatize HIV/AIDS, making in-clinic tests less onerous.

With so many residents unaware of their HIV status, anything that will give people a chance to learn that they have HIV and seek early treatment should be seen as a positive development in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

CIRCLE CIRCLE, DOT DOT

Female education combats poverty, sexism Last week, Georgetown Circle of Women launched a campaign to raise awareness and mobilize students to advocate for the advancement of female education around the world. As one component of its campaign, the group encouraged members of the Georgetown Community to finish this equation on paper: Girls + Education = _________.

Students’ answers ranged from the powerful—“progress” and “opportunity”—to the witty—”more men in the kitchen” and “more Tina Feys.”

This is a worthwhile campaign because it focuses students’ attention on a tangible project that has far-reaching implications.

The correlation between female education and economic development is a statistical fact, although skeptics debate the direction of causality in that relationship. The United Nations accepts that educating women is one of the most effective ways to alleviate poverty for entire families, as it allows them to pursue higher paying jobs.

At the root of the issue, unequal education is an effect of gender discrimination.

Allowing women to attain the same education as men helps undermine this systemic patriarchy. Female empowerment in general gives women greater agency—to control their own fertility and careers, for example.

As one of the signs from the Circle of Women campaign puts it: “Girls + Education = common sense.”

While most of the signs produced by members of the Georgetown community promoted Circle of Women’s message, some featured sexist messages that indicate the importance of this type of awareness campaign. One sign read, “Girls + Education = Wife.” Another, “Better hamburgers in the kitchen.” These kinds of responses indicate a complete irreverence for the severity of the cause. Furthermore, they actively codify the very restrictive gender roles that hamper female education.

Education isn’t a privilege, it is a right.

As beneficiaries of a formal higher education, Georgetown students should be

mindful of the intersection between prejudice and educational inequality.

This campaign comes at a critical moment.

Last Tuesday, 14-year-old Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai was attacked on on her way home from school. Yousafzai was shot in the head and is currently in critical condition in London.

Despite her age, she is admired in Pakistan for her blog, which promotes gender equality in education. Since the incident, the Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility of the attack. The group’s leader, Ehsan ullah Ehsan said in a televised statement, “Whom so ever [sic] leads any campaign against Islam and Shari’a is ordered to be killed by Shari’a.

It is not merely allowed to kill such a person, but it is obligatory in Islam.”

These are the kinds of attitudes that awareness-raising campaigns like the one conducted by Circle of Women can help combat. Regardless of the tangible economic benefits of equal education, defeating sexism is a worthy goal unto itself—one that Georgetown students should embrace, not mock.

news

4 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

Deans and professors clash over seminar schedules

by Vanya Mehta This semester, Dean Chester Gillis of Georgetown College has cut the number of seminar courses that may meet once a week dramatically, inciting significant discontent from many faculty members.

Any professor’s request for a course to meet once a week for 2.5 hours must be approved by the Dean. “The rules are rules,” Dean Gillis said. “[Professors] can make a case, but I’ll make the decision, and generally I say they should meet twice a week.”

The Dean’s default position illuminates a stark divide between himself and the faculty over the most effective way to teach seminar-style, upper-level courses. “The issue is, pedagogically, is that the best way to run a seminar?” said Government professor Harley Balzer. “I think the faculty member ought to have the choice…I know a lot of my colleagues have expressed the same concern.”

University Registrar and Assistant to the Provost John Pierce said professors have the opportunity to go through their department chairs to express their

disagreement with the policy. “If professors feel that their views need to be expressed to the Dean, I know that the [department] chairs have an equal opportunity to do that,” he said.

Pierce added that in 2011 the policy was approved unanimously by the executive faculty, and the consensus was that “an excessive number of such once a week courses are not pedagogically sound.

Everyone agreed to those policy guidelines,” he said.

In the past year, Dean Gillis has slashed the once-a-week course count roughly in half. According to data provided by the University Registrar, in the fall of 2010, 34 courses in the Government Department met once a week and the History Department held 29. This semester, Gillis approved 12 once-a-week courses for the Government Department and 18 for the History Department.

This semester, there are approximately 49 once a week courses in International Affairs.

These typically go through the School of Foreign Service.

Senior faculty from the SFS declined to comment on why the

school’s policy is less stringent with once-a-week courses.

Professor and Chair of the History Department Carol Benedict believes that most upper-level History courses are better suited to meet once a week.

“I think most History professors find the once per week format more suitable because students have time to actually read the assigned book carefully, to prepare their thoughts for discussion, to reflect on the reading and discussion afterwards, and therefore to get more out of the class,” Benedict wrote in an email.

Dean Gillis argues that meeting twice a week with students would increase faculty-study contact hours.

“I want faculty presence and availability to students,” he said. He argues that professors who consistently choose to hold once a week courses will choose not to commute to campus frequently enough.

John Bailey, Chair of the Government Department, feels comfortable with the Dean’s policy. “I personally see both sides, but if that’s the position of the College, even though I can see the other side quite clearly, they’re being somewhat flexible about it,” he said. “If it were a

straight-up vote about whether or not we should have a default towards twice a week, I would say yes for a couple reasons. It’s just hard to keep our energy up for two and a half hours, I’ve taught a lot of classes that go that long…and we absolutely need a ten minute break.”

Bailey added that there is a possibility some professors do not know they can request to hold a course once a week in the first place. “I can think of one case where someone didn’t agree with the policy but knew about the policy and therefore was submitting twice a week classes and only later did it come out, did I tell him that oh, you can apply, you can ask.

There may be this kind of latent interest that’s not fully revealed.”

Exceptions can be made, but only for professors with compelling reasons. “If we had a well-known, high-value, adjunct professor who can only teach on Monday nights for two and a half hours because he’s running the federal government, then that would make sense because that is his or her only instance where they can come to campus. But for ordinary faculty, that’s not the case,” Dean Gillis said.

Adjunct professors who are straddling multiple jobs between Georgetown and other universities in the D.C. area, however, do not see the same exception.

“It would have to be someone who was compelling. Adjuncts are great, I’m not devaluing what they do, but if they’re not the most powerful person in their field, we’re not necessarily arranging our schedules for their convenience.”

At its core, the rift between professors and the top-level administrators lies in a pedagogical debate over the most effective way to teach higher level courses.

While the Dean asserts that seminars can still offer the same educational experience in a twice a week format, many professors vehemently disagree.

“As it is, Georgetown seminars are too short. Making them shorter still sabotages the purpose of the format,” Matthew Rudolph, a professor in the Government Department, wrote in an email. “Lecture halls should soon be empty. Rooms with rows of chairs instead of seminar tables serve mostly to earn tuition, not to teach.”

Georgetown Energy to install solar panels on 43 University townhouses. The group was initially started “to consult local neighbors about going solar,” said Dan Mathis (SFS ‘13), the group’s executive officer and head of the solar project. With the reform, “we realized we could make a difference with the amount of money that was available to students” Mathis said.

The current plan is to install panels on seven townhouses for a total cost of $45,000. Although the proposal originally called for installation on 43 houses, the age and design of many of the roofs decreased

the viability of that project. “The way a solar panel works, it clamps onto the seams, but if it’s a certain material you can’t clamp--you have to drill, which has liability issues,” Mathis said. “So, they cut it back to seven which they knew had had their roofs replaced in the last fifteen years.”

As a part of this project, students in townhouses will no longer pay a variable electric bill.

“The main change is a new housing billing structure that was implemented this fall, under which townhouse students pay a flat fee for housing each semester, similar to students in Georgetown’s other on-campus housing,” wrote Audrey Stewart, Director of the Office of Campus Sustainability, in an email to the Voice.

“Before what [the University] would do is send the utility bill after a couple months to the students,” Mathis said. “The way the model is setup to work there is a fixed payment for each student who lives in the house. That payment is going to based on the average of the last 20 or 30 years.”

The difference between the payments students make and the electric bill for the townhouses with solar panels will go to GU-

SA’s Student Activities Fund. “The project is expected to generate about $82,000 in revenue to GUSA over the 20-year life of the project, or about $3,000 per year during the first several years, with increases in the future as regional electricity rates rise,” wrote Stewart.

The contract was awarded through a competitive bidding process. “We sent out requests for proposals to a bunch of solar providers, and we had a few companies come back. It’s a pretty specialized industry,” said Colton Malkerson (COL’ 13). Solar City and one other company responded with proposals. “All the students, GUSA, myself, Georgetown Energy, and facilities looked at all the proposals,” Malkerson said. “We determined Solar City was the best.”

“This week, the solar program will be submitted to the [Advisory Neighborhood Commission] and [Old Georgetown Board],” Malkerson said. “Essentially, we are expecting a really smooth regulatory approval process. OGB is primarily concerned about how it will look and you really can’t see the solar panels.”

The presentation before the ANC and OGB will be made by

Solar City. The company did not respond to requests for comment before the Voice went to press, but “Georgetown representatives both from facilities and students will be there when they present to make sure everything goes smoothly,” Malkerson said.

“In total, the project is expected to provide about 20,250 kwh each year – about one third of the total electricity needs for these residences, or enough electricity to power two full average U.S. homes,” Stewart wrote.

Stewart sees the project as a chance to develop a model for future proposals. “On campus, this project will serve as a valuable pilot from which lessons can be applied to future sustainability projects, such as those to be supported by the student Green Fund,” Stewart wrote.

Although the remaining $205,000 of the green fund cannot be allocated until the planned panels are installed, Mathis said Georgetown Energy is full of ideas for the money once it becomes available.

“Overall, we’re trying to partner with the sustainability office with what they’re doing to see how we can make a difference with projects going forward.”

Solar panel proposal moves toward ratification by ANC and OGB

by Matthew Weinmann The recently announced contract between the University and Solar City, a solar power company, is bringing change to students’ utility bills, GUSA’s budget, and Georgetown’s environmental impact, as well as opening the door to future renewable energy projects on campus.

The project is part of the Student Activity Fee Endowment reform passed by GUSA last year. One of the three proposals from SAFE reform brought forward by Georgetown Energy allocated $250,000 to

A total of seven townhouses are set to be outfitted with solar panels.

Tess O’Connor

news

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the georgetown voice 5

LOC suggests Georgetown should sever ties with Adidas

by Isabel Echarte The Licensing and Oversight Committee recommended last Friday that Georgetown end its contract with Adidas no later than Dec. 15, due to the company’s violation of Georgetown’s Code of Conduct for Licensees. The company has refused to pay the $1.8 million owed in severance to workers of the PT Kizone factory in Indonesia for violation of local labor laws.

The LOC decided to make the recommendation to the President’s Office following a report from the Workers’ Rights Consortium, a meeting with an Adidas representative, and demonstrations of student support guided by the Georgetown Solidarity Committee.

Gregg Nebel, the Adidas representative, told the committee in April 2012 that the company would give the workers food vouchers and job placement assistance. Adidas, in a statement to the Voice this week, said that the company would provide $525,000 in “humanitarian aid” with the food vouchers. It also said it would “address the systemic root cause of unethical factory closures.”

“At our request, the Global Forum for Sustainable Supply Chains will convene a summit … to con-

sider options for a private insurance fund,” Adidas announced in the statement. “This unique approach looks to close one of the critical gaps in governance where countries have legislation providing for severance pay, but very few require the employer to make provisions for eventual severance obligations.”

Nike and the Dallas Cowboys, the two other companies using the factory, have paid the severance owed to the workers, and were not included in the LOC’s statement.

Scott Fleming, Interim Chair of the Committee, said these remediation attempts are insufficient in complying with the “letter and spirit” of the Code of Conduct for Licensees.

“Adidas has made what they feel are remediation efforts,” said John Kline, Director of the LOC. “They weren’t really addressing the major nature of the issue. They are trying to do other types of things but not accept responsibility for the severance pay itself.”

In its press release, GSC, which has two members on the LOC, was confident that President John DeGioia will follow the recommendation. The President’s Office was aware of the LOC’s impending action and is “giving it careful consideration.” Georgetown would be the

The unhappy consensus

Keeping in line with the ritual of every election over the last 40 years or so, this fall’s contest is the most important one yet. At odds, we’re told, are two fundamentally different visions of America.

The nation is either on the verge of completing its transition to a socialist economy under the leadership of a fiery anti-colonialist, or it’s on the brink of an unprecedented corporate coup d’état that will set back the great progress of the last four years—depending on which campaign narrative you prefer.

There are indeed some meaningful differences between Obama and Romney, but what debate season ultimately reminds us of is the enormous amount of common ground these two candidates share.

Over the first two debates, Romney and Obama have battled it out over who’s more “serious” about cutting the deficit, each of them playing up their hawkishness on the budget, and criticizing the other for not being “serious” enough. The candidates have

each paid tribute to the beauty of American business—acknowledging nevertheless that some minor regulations are needed. And, of course, who could forget Obama’s swooning paen to the beauty of “free enterprise” and “individual initiative” in his closing remarks on Tuesday night?

The debates have reminded us that Obama and Romney are both in favor of a governmentsubsidized, privately-run health care plan, the massive transcontinental Keystone XL pipeline, and keeping existing gun laws on the books. They also both want to crack down on undocumented immigrants. Employing a phrase that would’ve set liberals into a frenzy had it come from his opponent, the President tactlessly bragged about deporting “gangbangers.”

In fact, this kind of language isn’t all that surprising coming from an administration that has deported more immigrants than any other residency in U.S. history.

A week earlier, in the extended

third university severing ties with the company, following Cornell University and Oberlin College.

In addition to the LOC’s recommendation, GSC protested in Red Square in April and delivered two letters to the President’s Office, one in April and one in September, suggesting the school terminate its contract.

“While it might not make a huge impact financially for Adidas if we terminate the contract,

Georgetown was the second university to cut the contract.”

Georgetown chose not to renew the sportswear contract with Russell Athletic in Feb. 2009 because the company was accused of closing a Honduras factory in effort to prevent unionization. Several other universities also severed ties, leading to the company’s decision to reopen the factory that November.

“The University, as happened in the case of Russell Athletic, has

GAVIn MenG

GSC members deliver their letter to President DeGioia about the Adidas contract.

I think the fact that Georgetown would be making this gesture to show Adidas that we do care about these issues would be an example for other universities,” said Julia Hubbel (COL ’15) , member of GSC and LOC. “In the past Georgetown has also been a leader in these issues. There was a campaign against Russell, which had a factory in Honduras, and discussion of foreign policy, Paul Ryan and Joe Biden expressed unending support for Israel, celebrated the “achievements” of the ongoing war in Afghanistan, and beat the war drums on Iran. One can only imagine the genuinely chilling agreements Obama and Romney will come to in the foreign policy debate next week.

Union Jack

by Cole Stangler

A bi-weekly column about national politics and policy But in addition to the issues they’ve agreed to on in the debates, it’s worth recalling the issues that haven’t surfaced at all over the last few weeks—questions related to civil liberties, the War on Drugs, the future of public education and its mostly unionized workforce, or raising the federal minimum wage for the first time in more than three years.

For all of the liberal media’s talk about the Occupy movement shaping the election dialogue, there hasn’t been a single question

shown that it really takes seriously the principles involved in licensing manufacturers who license our logo,” said Joseph McCartin, Executive Director of Georgetown’s Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. “It was a clear evaluation of what we believe is the right way to treat workers.”

To further improve the University’s ability to adhere to its Jesuit posed about economic inequality.

Presumably, Obama and Romney are in broad agreement on these matters as well. Through the two parties’ ownership of the Commission on Presidential Debates, Republicans and Democrats negotiate a pre-debate contract that often determines which questions can and cannot be raised.

To be fair, there are some meaningful differences between the candidates—most notably, on social policy. There are also key distinctions that lie less in the individual candidates’ personal views than in the voting blocs and class interests that their parties represent: Democrats are, for historical and political reasons, generally more accountable to minorities, women, the LGBT community, labor, and most of the working class. Republicans are more accountable to the Christian Right, disaffected swathes of the white working class, and smallbusiness owners. These distinctions matter and still impact policy.

Nonetheless, the debates speak to the frightening consensus of both parties’ leadership on issues

values and, through this, advance workers’ rights, the LOC is looking into the Designated Supplier Program, according to Kline. The Worker’s Rights Consortium has suggested this approach as an alternative to responding to the abuse of workers’ rights in a case-by-case basis.

Kline said the goal of this program is to consolidate manufacturing in fewer, more easily monitored factories that provide a living wage and good conditions. He said this would prevent cases, such as Adidas’s refusal to pay, so that the University would not have to react after the fact as is how such decisions are currently made.

According to the LOC, the recommendation marks the end of its work with the Adidas case.

Although all the administrative channels have been used in this effort, GSC maintains that students can and should still demonstrate support for the termination of the contract to ensure that the administration follows the committee’s suggestion.

“Just because we’ve cut our contract that does not mean the workers in Jakarta are being paid,” Hubbell said. “The workers themselves have not yet achieved success and we can’t celebrate until that happens.”

that extend from the economy and the workplace to the environment and foreign policy. As the power of corporate America grows, bouldering over the remnants of our welfare state and quelling resistance to the destruction of our planet, the American political consensus is likely to expand in the future, eliminating almost any hope of systemic societal change from inside the political system.

In a time when the country truly needs a new direction, both parties continue to lurch toward soggy centrist policies that hold little promise of stimulating the economy, stemming the tide of ecological destruction or keeping Americans safe from violence at home and from abroad. If there’s one thing the last two debates should show us, it’s that while there’s a lot of attention wasted on the differences between the two parties, the fact is the distance between them is functionally very small and only keeps getting smaller.

Spark a debate with Cole by emailing him at cstangler@georgetownvoice.

sports

6 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

Soccer bounces back with Marquette victory

by Steven Criss After losing their last two conference matches to University of Connecticut and Notre Dame, the No. 6 Georgetown men’s soccer team (13-2, 4-2 Big East) played a crucial game last Saturday against a Marquette team (12-1, 3-1) thenranked second in the nation.

Georgetown controlled the ball early in the game, keeping possession on Marquette’s half and pushing up hard on offensive attacks. One of the earliest true opportunities came up short in the 27th minute, when freshman forward Brandon Allen received a through ball inside the 18-yard line but was pulled down by a defender, resulting in a controversial no-call. A tough Georgetown defense forced Marquette to play mostly long balls in the beginning with few of them resulting in shot opportunities.

The Hoyas got on the board though in the 22nd minute, when junior midfielder Steve Neumann received a free kick just outside the corner of the 18 yard box. He played the ball in the air and senior defender Tommy Muller was able to get a head on it, deflecting the ball past a diving keeper and into the far post.

Georgetown kept the pace up, keeping constant offensive pressure on the Marquette defenders.

After several goal attempts, including a ball from Neumann to Allen that was headed just wide right of the goal, senior forward Andy Riemer was given a yellow card in the 28th minute for a cleatto-cleat slide tackle. Marquette’s shot off the penalty was snagged out of the air by sophomore goalkeeper Tomas Gomez.

The Hoyas made another scoring attempt in the same minute when a center slid through the box and Neumann fired for the bottom corner, but the shot was stopped by a diving save.

In the 35th minute, a Marquette

cross was knocked out to a midfielder standing on the 18-yard line, who shot the ball just out of the reach of Gomez and into the bottom right corner to tie the game at one apiece.

The second half was barely underway when Allen was tripped one yard outside the goal box. Neumann slotted the shot right around the wall and into the bottom right corner of the goal, putting the Hoyas up again early.

The defense pressured hard on many of the scoring opportunities, giving Georgetown an extra offensive push on Marquette’s four-three-four formation.

“We got both our goals on set pieces today,” said Coach Brian Wiese of the team’s opportunities.

“I’ve been absolutely laying into our guys all year because I said why aren’t we any better on set pieces...and today you’re playing against maybe one of the better teams in the country on set pieces and that’s how we win the game.”

Marquette then picked up their offensive pressure, but the Hoya defense held strong. Freshman midfielder Cole Seiler saved a possible Marquette goal by sliding in front of a shot and clearing it out. The ball was crossing the half line much more frequently as the clock winded down but the defense was able to contain any drives.

Gomez also did his best to delay time in the final minutes by taking water and requesting different balls from the line aids.

With just two minutes left, Nealis and a Marquette midfielder both went for a ball in the air, resulting in a head-to-head collision that left the opposition’s player bleeding from his forehead. Nealis continued to play while the other player was taken out of the game.

Marquette was given one last corner, but despite bringing up their keeper the ball was cleared out by Georgetown’s defense, ending the game in a 2-1 Georgetown win.

Jimmy Nealis pushes hard up the field to aid offensive efforts.

MATTHEW FRIED

“They did a great job in the last 10, 15 minutes withstanding Marquette’s push and just to clear out all the set pieces, corners, and free kicks from midfield that they were dumping in. Just to handle all those is definitely great for our defense and great for our confidence going forward,” Neumann said of the defense stepping up late in the game.

Handing Marquette its first loss of the season and improving Georgetown’s record to 122-1 was huge for this team. With only three games left during the regular season and all of them conference games, Georgetown needs to keep up the high pressure play in order to make it to postseason play. Their last home

game will be the last game of the regular season against Seton Hall on Oct. 27.

“I thought the guys had a real discipline performance today,” Coach Wiese said. “I thought it was a hard game, [Marquette] makes it hard to do some things but I thought we were unlucky to just have two goals in at the end.”

the Sports Sermon “It’s true. It was witnessed in the dugout. The whole thing is true.” -A Yankee team source on A-Rod propositioning a woman’s number during a playoff game.

Baltimore made things entertaining and had a legitimate shot at an upset if not for a couple of dominating performances from C.C. Sabathia. One could also credit that to the Baltimore pitching staff, but now that the Yankees find themselves in a significant hole against the Tigers, one has to point to their lack of hitting as the main culprit.

This season was certainly different from when New York regained its place atop the baseball universe in 2009. There was a changing of the guard, quietly, when Robinson Cano became the focal point of the offense.

Mark Teixeira struggled mightily from the beginning of the season before picking things up, while Alex Rodriguez suffered through

have been compounded by his knack to get up in crucial situaA grueling six-month seations. Bases loaded with one out? son that produced 95 wins is Don’t worry, A-Rod can and did considered pretty successful in a find a way to screw that up with lot of people’s minds, especially a three-pitch strikeout. Down to when the end reward is a divitheir last out? Rodriguez will suresion championship and entrance ly screw it up, let’s pinch hit him to the postseason. My Mets, for for Raul Ibanez (who miraculously example, would be thrilled with tied the game with a homer). that result, considering their disHis struggles, though sigmal fourth-place finish and gennificant, belie the comprehensive erally horrid outlook. struggles of the Yankee lineup.

Over in the Bronx, though, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderanything short of a World Series son, and Nick Swisher—all mainis a failure. It’s a reputation which stays in the heart of their batting my cross-river Queens brethren order—have struggled tremenfind quite elitist and even a reflecdously in the postseason. The tion of fair-weather fandom. (Yes, pitching has been fine, but even we’re bitter and not that successYankee fans deserve a little better ful. I still have the Giants to fall than an utter offensive collapse. back on.) After all, once the BombAs if things weren’t bad ers start struggling enough already, Pete Rose Central even a little bit, the Derek Jeter’s broken Da bettin’ line “boo” birds come out ankle at the beginin full force at Yankee ning of the ALCS Dookies Margin Hoyas Stadium. put the final nail (underdogs) (duh!)

That said, I have a (favorites) in the coffin on the great deal of sympaseason. Their capYankees Vegan Prince tain, leadoff hitter, Tigers thy for the Yankees’ Patriots plight right now. Part shortstop, and most Russ Seahawks of it is a peculiarField Indoor swing constant contributor Federer ity with me, but if the was suddenly gone.

Mets are out of contention, I se- an injury-riddled year that really Watching the Yankees without cretly desire success for our cross- showed the wear and tear of a 20- Jeter is borderline painful. With town rivals. But the other part has year career in baseball. each at-bat, I’m expecting a pato do with how far they have fallen Rodriguez, of course, had been thetic strikeout or feeble groundin just a couple of weeks. the scapegoat of numerous failed out. Jeter seemed to be the only A 95-win season, and one in postseason runs in the Bronx prior guy not swinging for the fences which they dominated through- to 2009. Merited or not, his post- on every pitch. out, should have led directly to season struggles became enhanced But, as the Yankees do evsome postseason success. Sure, because of the incredible numbers ery year, they will go home for they took their licks along the he compiled just months before the winter (barring a miraculous way—a season-ending injury during the regular season. Oh, and turnaround) and come back with for Mariano Rivera, the greatest there’s also his monstrous salary, at some expensive new players in the closer in baseball history, princi- $29 million this season, with five middle of the lineup. But problems pal among them. The rotation had more seasons left. like a declining Rodriguez and a a number of question marks as It’s not as if he had a great reg- rehabbing Jeter and Rivera remain. well, but with the Red Sox strug- ular season; while he still put up With a veteran group like the gling so much, the Yankees just power numbers, the success was one GM Brian Cashman has conhad to overcome the upstart Ori- bridged by injuries and struggles. structed, there’s a small window oles and Rays to take the division. Nevertheless, his dismal perfor- to win another championship. It For all the Orioles did to com- mance in the postseason became hasn’t closed yet but a lot has to go pete with the Yankees, there was the storyline once again. right for ultimate triumph. Unforalways a significant talent disparThere is some comical tunately for the boys in pinstripes, ity, only natural with the Yankees’ schadenfreude going on with A- just about everything that could go expensive collection of stars. Still, Rod’s trials. His abysmal at-bats wrong this season did.

by Kevin Joseph

sports

georgetownvoice.com

the georgetown voice 7

Colgate awaits hapless Hoyas Swimming makes splash

by Joe Policcino On a beautiful fall day for football, the Georgetown Hoyas (3-4, 0-1 Patriot League) lost to the powerhouse Lehigh Mountain Hawks (7-0, 1-0 Patriot League) 17-14.

The Hoya defense was the story of the day, forcing seven Lehigh turnovers, including four interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Senior cornerback Jeremy Moore led the effort with three interceptions and a fumble recovery, returning an interception 80 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter.

“The defense did a heck of a job against a very good offense,” said Head Coach Kevin Kelly following the game. “We just didn’t score when we had the opportunities.”

The Hoyas got off to a quick start, capitalizing on a Lehigh fumble early in the first quarter. Sophomore quarterback Stephen Skon led the Hoyas on a four-play 31-yard drive that culminated with a Nick Campanella 2-yard touchdown run, giving the Hoyas a 7-0 lead with 9:51 remaining in the first quarter.

The Georgetown offense was able to move the ball effectively early

in the first half but had nothing to show for it, as the players had a difficult time converting in critical thirddown situations. Junior running back Dalen Claytor led the effort on the ground for the Hoyas with 10 rushes for 47 yards. However, early in the second quarter, Claytor was sidelined with a shoulder injury and did not return for the rest of the game.

After both teams exchanged a series of punts for the rest of the first quarter and early second quarter, Lehigh took advantage of a Hoya fumble on Georgetown’s own 31. Lehigh sophomore quarterback Michael Colvin then led the Mountain Hawks on an eight-play 31-yard drive ending in a 1-yard touchdown run by Lehigh running back Zach Barket, which tied the game at 7-7 with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter.

For the rest of the second quarter, it was the Jeremy Moore party on defense. He intercepted a Colvin pass in the flat and returned it untouched 80 yards for the Georgetown touchdown giving the Hoyas a 14-7 lead with 3:52 left in the second half.

“I just look to make plays for the team,” Moore said after the game. “I

Aaron Aiken struggled in his limited playing time last Saturday.

JULIAN DE LA PAZ

Changing my tune on the Irish

I wasn’t raised to hate Notre Dame like some people, I just always hated them of my own accord. I hated that they were always on NBC even though I had never seen them have much success. I hated that every year, so many analysts (specifically Lou Holtz) would come out and say that this was Notre Dame’s year even when they had no good reason for saying so. I hated that probably half the people I knew loved them, even though few had actually gone to Notre Dame. I hated the uptight traditions and their independence from a conference, and the seeming arrogance that I supposed was intrinsic.

I prayed (despite my assumption that God is a Notre Dame fan) that they would keep on suffering year-in and year-out and that all of their so-called fans would just have to keep saying, “I guess we’ll just have to wait till

next year.”

But here we are, week eight of the college football season, Notre Dame’s ranked fifth in the first BCS standings of the year and still undefeated, and instead of cursing them, I think I’m actually rooting for them.

The Irish have turned it on this year not because of an easy schedule (they’ve played three ranked teams so far this year and are slated to play two more); they’re winning because they have some great talent. The team’s defense has been one of the best in college football, it’s ranked 11th in turnover margin, and it seems as if the quarterback carousel is working in the team’s advantage. Everett Golson, by stepping up and taking the reins of this football team, has been able to take some of the pressure off Tommy Rees, who seems a little more comfortable not having the weight of carrying college

was just at the right place at the right time. I try to be a spark for the team.”

Lehigh came out of the gates rolling in the second half to tie the game at 14. Colvin, after throwing 4 interceptions in the first half, rebounded nicely as he led the Mountain Hawks on a nine-play 76-yard drive to start the half, which culminated in a 1-yard TD run from Lehigh running back Keith Sherman.

Lehigh kicker Jake Peery converted on a 29-yard field goal, giving the Mountain Hawks a 17-14 lead with 10:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Both teams battled to a stalemate until the Hoyas last chance came with the ball at their own 21 and 1:22 remaining in the game. Skon showed great poise in driving the Hoyas to the Lehigh 38-yard line.

“Stephen did a heck of a job,” Coach Kelly said. “He did exactly what we asked him to do.

After a pair of scrambles by Skon to the Lehigh 23 and a Campanella run to the 20, the Hoyas sent out MacZura to tie the game at 17 with 3 seconds remaining in the game.

However, a bad snap caused MacZura to miss his potential game-tying 37-yard field goal wide left.

“Its frustrating for our players, our seniors, our coaches to lose a game like that,” Coach Kelly said.

“It’s a five-game season now. The thing we have to do now is keep winning football games. We have to keep doing what we’re doing. I told our players it was a great effort today.

On Saturday Oct. 20 the Hoyas look to rebound from this disappointing loss in upstate New York against the Colgate Raiders. football’s most storied franchise all on his shoulders. Rees instead has been a vocal backup, helping the younger Golson learn some of the tricks of the trade, which has allowed him to get back to the basics and regain some selfconfidence.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

by Alex Lau A bi-weekly column about sports Of course, the credit can’t all go to the players; coach Brian Kelly might be the most important reason this program has been turned around. For the first time in the past decade, Kelly has allowed the his players to enjoy playing for the Fighting Irish, and the players are finally more enthused about finding ways to win, than finding ways not to lose. Despite a more

by Chris Almeida The Georgetown men’s and women’s swimming programs first dipped their toes in the water in mid-September, but things really got kicking with the first dual meet at Delaware on Oct. 6.

Though the Hoyas lost the meet overall, there were several strong individual performances.

“We’ve only had two meets, and I am pleased with how we’re doing,” Head Coach Jamie Holder said of the season so far. “I think were ahead of schedule, compared to last year.”

The Delaware meet showcased much of the young talent on the team, especially freshman Austin Evenson who won the 500 and 1,000-yard freestyle. Other freshmen standouts Cal Rhode, Erin Timochenko, Maryellen Campbell, and Nicole Tronolone placed in the top three in their respective events. “I was pretty impressed with some of my freshman performances,” Holder said.

“They were in close races. I was pretty happy with how they did.”

Several upperclassmen also showed up at the pool, achieving a slew of top-three finishes.

Of note were junior Lauren Opatrny’s win in the 200-yard individual medley and junior Christian Kilgore’s first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.

“We started off the season pretty strong. At Delaware last week, we had a strong performance,” said women’s captain and senior Christina Daquila. “I don’t think it’s necessarily where

laid-back approach and a players’ coach reputation, Kelly is not afraid to step up when players step out of line; he’s already suspended a number of key players, such as Rees and Cierre Woods, for things such as violating team rules and getting in trouble with the law. This combination of fun and discipline has brought Notre Dame football to life again.

So the evidence is there that Notre Dame is good, but where’s the evidence as to why I’m happy about it? I’ve realized that maybe it’s important to have a team with such a rich tradition, that’s been struggling for close to two decades to compete with the top teams in the country, to actually have a legitimately strong football team again. People want to see Notre Dame be good again because they either want to see the Irish win, or want their own team to beat a good Notre Dame squad. Everyone loves to compare the old days with the cur-

we want to be, but we had some good races, so that was exciting.

I think we have a really strong team. We have been working really hard in the weight room and the pool to have a good season and to be ready for the Big East.”

This weekend, the Hoyas travel to Baltimore to take on Towson. “Right now we’re focused on training hard,” Holder said. “Obviously we’re going to put in our best lineup to deal with Towson, but we’re aiming on improving for the end of the year.”

The swimming season runs for about six months, requiring the athletes and coaching staff to maintain a high level of fitness and morale for an extended period of time. The Big East season begins at the beginning of November, and is mixed in with meets against schools from throughout the region up until the Big East Swimming and Diving Championships in late February and early March.

“I think one of the biggest challenges is just to keep positivity up through all of the dual meets,” said Daquila. “We have a long season, so we need to focus on keeping spirits high and keeping our minds ready when were at practices and in the weight room. We want to win as many meets.”

With the season only beginning, Coach Holder is optimistic.

“We want to keep getting faster every meet, and just use each one as a stepping stone to the next level. I anticipate that we’re going to continue to improve as a team.”

rent season; with Notre Dame at its best, college football is able to do this, by having the longtime top dogs face off against the new top dogs. The Irish are fun to love and fun to hate, and it’s more fun to do both when they’re good.

Obviously, Notre Dame isn’t out of the woods yet. The team had the fortune of playing two of its first three ranked opponents at home, but the boys will have to go on the road to face their last two toughest opponents in Oklahoma and USC, both of which tend to attract large, noisy crowds. It’ll be tough for the Irish to make the national championship with that type of schedule, but the team has already been successful in changing fans’ perceptions, as well as the way the players view the school they play for, and that’s a step in the right direction.

Change your opinion on Alex at alau@georgetownvoice.com.

8 the georgetown voice

feature

october 18, 2012

feature

georgetownvoice.com In dealing with sensitive issues such as worker movements and labor rights, education plays an essential role in instructing future leaders on how to deal with these concerns. Public approval of labor unions in the U.S. remains at a historical low, with only 52 percent of the population having a favorable opinion of them, according to a Gallup poll released in August.

“People, particularly in the United States, don’t really support the notion of unionization or they look at it as something which decreases efficiency,” said Katerina Downward (SFS ‘14), an active member of the Georgetown Solidarity Committee. “They don’t really understand the nuances of the importance of the right to unionize, and the integrity of labor, how important respect for the workplace is in actually creating a harmonious environment.”

A labor of love

Kalmanovitz and the fight for labor rights

By Lucia He

Several groups of men stand scattered around the Home Depot parking lot on a chilly October morning in Brentwood. They are not the usual customers looking to redecorate their homes or buy gardening supplies, but rather day laborers testing their luck trying get a job for the day.

“We come here every day of the week.

Sometimes, if we have luck, we get a job for two or three days,” Alfredo said in timid Spanish. He came illegally to the U.S. from El Salvador 20 years ago and has since stayed in D.C. earning meager wages as a day laborer. Due to his status as an undocumented immigrant, he did not offer his full name.

According to the National Employment Law Project, even though the economic recovery since the late-2008 recession has recuperated 3.3 million jobs out of the 8.1 million lost, low-skill, low-wage jobs constituted 58 percent of these gains.

“The economy is transforming and so is the American workplace, with the rise in casual and part-time labor, a decline in middleincome jobs, and a long-term transition from manufacturing to service-sector jobs,” explained Jennifer Luff, the Research Director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor.

The Kalmanovitz Initiative is a Georgetown-based think-tank and advocacy group which also sponsors regular service outings such as the Day Laborers Exchange. The initiative supports research on issues of increasing national significance—how labor will fit into the 21st century economy.

“The American labor movement, like its counterparts around the world, is transforming in response to these changes, and it’s a fascinating moment to study and think about what role workers can and should play in governing their workplaces and the economy,” Luff said.

According to Denise Brennan, chair of the Department of Anthropology and Faculty Fellow of the Kalmanovitz Initiative, these changes in production and labor have largely left migrant workers behind.

“In today’s recessionary economy, what has become normalized are low-wages, no overtime, unprotected working conditions, job insecurity, and no benefits,” Brennan said.

“This has become expected and has been framed as an accepted business practice. And it is unacceptable.”

The Day Laborer Exchange is one of the many programs offered by the Kalmanovitz Initiative which seeks to mitigate these problems by carrying out its mission of developing “creative ideas and practical solutions for working people that are grounded in a commitment to justice, democracy, and the common good.”

Standing next to Alfredo is Georgetown student Jamie Ramirez (COL’15). He holds a small booklet that reads “Basic English for Day Laborers—Inglés Básico para Jornaleros.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, Ramirez joins a few other Georgetown students to inform workers of their rights and teach them survival English through the Kalmanovitz Initiative’s Day Laborer Exchange Program.

“These are people that are trying to make it out in America. They are away from their families, and there’s also a lot of language barriers.

They need help,” Ramirez said.

Although Georgetown holds itself to a high standard of labor justice through the Just Employment Policy, students interested in labor rights complain that the Univer-

sity’s academic offerings in this area tend to be limited.

“In my experiences as a Georgetown student, I’ve found that there are few academic and extracurricular resources to seriously engage with worker justice,” said Tessa Pulaski (SFS ’15), a board member of Hoyas for Immigrant Rights. “However, I have found an opportunity through the KI that has allowed me to pursue real advocacy opportunities regarding labor rights.”

The Kalmanovitz Initiative was launched in the fall of 2009 with a gift of $5 million from the Kalmanovitz Charitable Foundation, which was established in 1987 after the death of Paul Kalmanovitz, a wealthy brewery owner and real estate developer.

“One of the reasons they chose Georgetown is because part of the University’s mission is a commitment to social justice, and these concerns for labor, labor unions, for the working poor, for people that might not be able to defend for themselves,” said Nick Wertsch (COL ’09), Program Coordinator for the KI. The Kalmanovitz Initiative has become an integral part of the University’s administration, and runs projects focusing on “empowering leaders” and “incubating innovation.”

Service projects offered to students by the

Susy Jivotovski (COL ‘15) interacts with day laborers at the Brentwood Home Depot.

TESS O’CONNOR

Initiative include the Day Laborer Exchange Program, the Domestic Worker Outreach Program, and an Alternative Spring Break trip focused on worker justice.

“The Kalmanovitz Initiative does a great job at engaging students with labor issues and issues relevant to the working poor, students who might not necessarily originally be drawn to those issues,” said Vail Kohnert-Yount (SFS ’13), the Vice President of Georgetown University Student Association and longtime member of Georgetown Solidarity Committee.

Kohnert-Yount was part of an International Trade class that incorporated the Day Laborer Exchange as part of its Community Based Learning component, a partnership put forward by Kalmanovitz.

Besides offering service opportunities to students, the Kalmanovitz Initiative also sponsors research and activism, which distinguishes it from similar organizations, such as the Center for Social Justice.

“What I think differentiates us with a lot of programs at the CSJ is that there is a large advocacy component to what we do,” Wertsch said. “We are not just trying to create service opportunities where a student shows up, puts out their time and that’s sort of the end of it. In a lot of ways we are trying to encourage students to take a more active role around these issues.”

With this objective in mind, the Kalmanovitz Initiative also offers a Practitioner Fellowship Program, Faculty Summer Research Grants, and an Undergraduate Fellowship Program.

“A lot of our work concerns bringing together practitioners, researchers, and students,” said Joseph McCartin, Executive Director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative. “I think our special mission is to bridge the gulf between the real world and the university and these issues.”

To Donald Cohen, a Practitioner Fellow of the Kalmanovitz Initiative, one of the ways to bridge this gulf is through research.

“We know that one of the most important solutions is to give workers power to negotiate with owners and those rights are being eroded,” Cohen wrote in an email to the Voice. “More research and discussion is essential if we are to find new ideas and educate the public.”

Joe McCartin, Executive Director of KI.

LUCIA HE

The Kalmanovitz Initiative identifies 15 courses related to labor offered by the University. Among these are Anthropology classes focused on the correlation between migration and labor rights, and others related to the regulation of the workforce in the global economy.

Over the past few years, student movements advocating for labor rights on campus, such as the campaign to unionize Leo’s workers and the campaign to terminate the University’s sportswear contract with Adidas, have also increased the visibility of these issues on campus.

At the same time, however, students and activists identify a disconnect between the level of student interest in labor justice and the number of academic offerings in the subject, especially for an institution that prides itself in promoting the Jesuit ideal of “Women and Men for others.”

Pedro Cruz, a Ph.D. student at Georgetown and Graduate Assistant at the Kalmanovitz Initiative, sees a need for increased curricular commitment to labor issues.

“The United States for the longest time was the major industrial nation in the planet and has a great history of labor organizing,” Cruz said. “I think there should be more courses in the curriculum that inform about

these issues, not only at the U.S. level but also at the global level. That would be a field many students in Georgetown would be interested to know more about.”

While the College and the School of Foreign Service offer students the opportunity to focus their studies in areas such as Education or Justice and Peace Studies through minors and certificates, there is no comparable offering for students interested in labor rights.

Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations enrolls over 900 undergraduate students who focus their studies on issues of domestic and international labor, making it the only school in the United States specifically devoted to this field at the undergraduate level. Other institutions offer programs in Industrial and Labor Relations, including New York University, Rutgers University, and the University of Massachusetts Boston.

The Kalmanovitz Initiative is working to change Georgetown’s academic approach to labor rights, and is examining creating a program similar to those that Georgetown’s peer institutions offer.

“A number of the faculty who teaches labor related courses have begun to talk among each other about creating some kind of formal recognition for people who want to do this kind of study,” said McCartin.

According to McCartin, faculty from across the four schools have already shown interest in constructing the program.

“It’s just a matter of getting the momentum to actually do it,” explains McCartin. “[Awareness of labor rights] is definitely limited on campus,” Pulaski said.

“A lot of the classes don’t really highlight anything about the workers’ rights. The University needs to make a much better job focusing on that.”

Downward recognizes the need to increase the number of courses dedicated to labor rights, but she also takes issue with the way that some courses are taught.

“Economic courses at Georgetown really all propel the same agenda of presenting things in such an academic way that you don’t see the human face to economics, which is labor,” she said.

To Pulaski, the University has a responsibility to promote student activism in such issues as labor rights.

“The campus needs to put the Jesuit values into action a lot more. I always struggle with learning about social justice and then not being able to see it,” she added. “Georgetown, especially the SFS, is a very internationally-minded place where people are not even willing to go to Columbia Heights or Petworth. People love to sit in the ivory tower and theorize about poverty in Africa.”

For McCartin, Georgetown already demonstrates a progressive approach toward labor rights.

“Georgetown is really ahead of the curve compared to many other colleges and universities in starting to grapple these issues,” he said. “In one way, you can see this in the University’s own labor policies with its own workers; it has gotten very progressive policies in those areas.”

Georgetown is also the only member of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities that has instituted a labor standard as stringent as Georgetown’s Just Employment Policy, a policy “committed to providing fair and competitive compensation packages for University employees and full-time contract

workers who provide services on its campuses.”

On Oct. 13, representatives from the Kalmanovitz Initiative and the University gathered with other members of the AJCU to discuss the possibility of the association adopting similar just employment guidelines.

“We believe that a just employment policy that is in line with the Jesuit values, that prioritize how people are treated, should be the heart of any school’s policy,” Wertsch said.

As a relatively young undertaking, Kalmanovitz’s main challenge has been to increase its visibility on campus. Even though membership in the Kalmanovitz Initiative has doubled since its founding and enrollment now stands at 40 people, this figure is miniscule compared to the over 550 students who participate in weekly tutoring and mentoring activities in the city as part of programs such as D.C. Reads and D.C. Schools.

“I would like to see campus awareness of the Kalmanovitz Initiative expand, because I think they are an incredible resource on campus,” said Erin Riordan (COL ‘15), member of GSC. “A lot of students aren’t necessarily aware of the work they do or the opportunities that exist through the KI.” One of the factors that has greatly hindered the expansion of the KI in the past few years has been the insufficient number of faculty members interested in participating in the project.

“It’s going to be interesting to see in the next few years how they establish a foothold on campus—which they already have—and they grow from there,” Kohnert-Yount said.

In the past two years, the Kalmanovitz Initiative has accepted two to three student fellows a year, and this year its directors expect to expand its research opportunities to twice as many students.

“Part of our goal is to get more faculty and more alumni at Georgetown involved in our work. The more people from the community who are willing to work as mentors for

the georgetown voice 9 these programs, the more students we could involve in them,” McCartin said.

However, another problem lies in the nature of the specific programs themselves.

When interacting directly with workers, more volunteers are not necessarily better, as is the case of the Day Laborer Exchange Program and the Domestic Worker Outreach Program.

“If we took larger numbers of students, it can throw off the dynamic at the program site if too many students are trying to approach workers at the same time,” Wertsch said. “Sometimes smaller groups are able to more effectively interact with workers in this kind of a setting, and this has an impact on the number of spots in the program.”

As the Kalmanovitz Initiative enters its fourth year at the University, it looks forward to expanding its engagement with the Harrison Institute for Public Law, furthering the collaboration with the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard University Law School, and continuing to promote the implementation of a Jesuit Just Employment Policy.

“I am very optimistic of this beginning.

We are only three years old, and I think that it has expanded pretty quickly, developing a lot of useful avenues of engagement for people,” says McCartin. “I am optimistic that this will grow as we go forward.”

Watching the students get into the van that will take them back to Georgetown, Alfredo smiles with satisfaction.

“You know, even though I’m too old to start learning English now, I like it when you [students] come here,” he said. “Sometimes it is good to be treated as a human being. There are many things to change in this country, but watching you come here gives me the hope that someday you’ll be standing in the place where Romney and Obama stand now, and will be advocating for the rights of people like me.”

Additional reporting by Gavin Bade and Connor Jones

TESS O’CONNOR

Jocelyn Fong ( SFS ‘14) teaches immigrant workers survival English as part of the program.

leisure

10 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

Don’t be smashed while watching Ponsoldt’s Smashed

by Will Collins Heartbreak and alcoholism are placed in front of a crystalclear lens in James Ponsoldt’s Smashed. All too real, Smashed follows Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s increasingly sober Kate as she comes to terms with her alcoholism at a pace that mirrors the arduous 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program in which she enlists. Weaving together elements of a rom-com with those of a serious drama, the film operates on the wave of recent years’ sadcore comedies like 50/50 and Funny People. This fresh, composed film will have viewers reconvening with their own lives as they amble out of the cinema, saying, “Damn, I’m glad that’s not me.”

The story revolves around Kate, an elementary school teacher who realizes her alcoholic tendencies through a series of embarrassments. Only when her co worker, played by the fantastically awkward Nick Offerman, proposes Alcoholics Anonymous as an outlet does Kate try to get

better. From here, the soberingup Kate wholly destroys her life.

Throughout Smashed, the audience is given short, linked vignettes of drunken humor, elementary school chatter, and married-couple hostility. But the film’s framework brings us

deep worry of Kate’s bad news for her boss by the sound of her breath and the slow swaying of the camera. Her shameful one-night stand with the crack pipe shows itself in the warm glimmer of a back alley, quickly cutting in and out of

IMDB

“Let’s go home, slip into something comfortable, and make some meth.” closer than just a third-person onlooker. Intoxication—be it by alcohol, depression, or even crack—is itself characterized by the visuals. Viewers can feel the

our protagonists’s spectacularly college-grad ramble. The audience’s view is that of someone who is there with Kate, but also of Kate herself.

a love of learning for learning’s sake in his ambitious students striving for acceptance to the top universities in the country.

Hector, as he is known fondly, valiantly battles the powers of conformity and the allure of teaching to the test to leave the boys with lessons that last a lifetime.

Set almost exclusively in the classroom, the play still never fails to neglect the kind of education that inevitably occurs outside. A story revolving around a group of male teenagers would be remiss without a considerable amount of sexual angst, and The History Boys certainly doesn’t skimp in this respect. Themes of homosexuality run throughout, interweaving with the broader concepts of growth and self-discovery at the play’s heart.

In keeping with Mask & Bauble’s 161st season theme of “If You Dare,” History Boys deals with this sense of daring and self-questioning that is also at the core of the upcoming productions Polk and Spring Awakening. Navigating the challenges of growing up is

an education in itself, the play reminds the audience. “[History Boys is] a great play for bringing the relationship between education and self-discovery not only to the stage, but to the forefront of our consciousness,” said producer Allie Van Dine (SFS ’13). The cast and crew do an excellent job of doing both, whether it’s through the actors’ laughable antics or the fantastic use of the stage as the hallowed place of learning.

Set Designer Swedian Lie (COL ’13) chose a rather unique approach to using the space in Poulton Hall. With the audience divided on either side of the room, there are two stages at opposite ends. This tactic “lets the audience choose what to focus on,” Lie said. “It also allows them to see a richer world with more detail.”

The actors do their own part in portraying this rich world through their performances worthy of “top marks.” Adrian Prado (COL ’14) and Taylor Mansmann (COL ’15) are especially noteworthy in their portrayals of Hector and Dakin,

Kate’s husband Charlie, played evocatively by Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul, deepens the overwhelming despair of the film as his character creates an unfortunate crux. Constant drunkenness and an uncanny inability to support his wife pound out a miserable outcome for Charlie.

This same juncture induces a somewhat blunt yet imperative resolution for Kate. Instead of the deterioration of their relationship or Kate losing her job over admitting a drawn-out lie, truly tragic scenes of her waking up on a sidewalk, Donnie Darkostyle, monopolize the emotions of the audience. While Charlie is a central figure, and we do feel sorry for him, there exists a strain of ambiguity towards his presence. He does not come around until it’s too late, and by that time, we’ve become a part of Kate’s struggle.

Awkward lighting and angles aid the edgy humor that makes a few surprise appearances throughout the film. During a scene in which Kate’s co-

worker proclaims his lust for her with poorly-chosen words like “moist,” all we’re given is a car light to see the disgust and shock on Kate’s face. Lighting also does the job of opposing the joy of sobriety over the deep depression of alcoholism: Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are well lit; bar scenes are dark and dingy. The film has an unshaken message, but it handles properly the grey areas of real life.

Reality’s teeth, bright and blackout drunk, come together in the form of Smashed’s beautiful and subtle tale of sobriety and failed love. Biting drama comes from Kate’s critical onlookers, rather than from Kate herself. The camera’s focus on her big, brown eyes tends to put the audience in Kate’s shoes, moving constantly but not always with direction. Bringing these impeccably crafted elements together, Smashed succeeds, like a truly great film, in its ability to effectively communicate true anguish in the moment and produce a lingering sense of unease afterwards.

Prado the very picture of a romantic intellectual, and Mansmann embodying adolescent swagger.

The chaotic classroom scenes are some of the best, disintegrating into rambunctious hilarity over something so basic as a vocabulary question—there’s even an entire scene, conducted in French, that ends with a character losing his pants. The more somber classroom moments, one even

involving a tearful breakdown, reveal the play’s high emotional IQ at the same time. It’s this inexplicable combination of humor and profundity that makes those lessons, and the play itself, memorable.

As the school’s headmaster says at one point, “it isn’t that [Hector] doesn’t produce results—he does, but they’re unpredictable and unquantifiable.”

At the end of the day, it turns out those are the best kind.

Mask & Bauble makes history with The History Boys

by Julia Lloyd-George The most effective litmus test for a fantastic play is often the most basic. Every audience member responds differently, and many will walk away with few lasting impressions of the couple of hours they just spent in a darkened room, watching actors flit across the stage for their entertainment. It’s rare that someone walks away with anything more enduring from that experience it’s only the greatest plays that have this effect, the ones worth remembering.

The History Boys, the Tony award-winning masterpiece by British playwright Alan Bennett, is this kind of play. Following the earnest and often hilarious efforts by a group of working-class schoolboys to win places at top universities, the play turns the concept of education on its head and asks the audience to do the same.

The central figure, an idealistic English teacher who can’t go five minutes without quoting poetry and who ought to have “carpe diem” tattooed on his forehead, attempts to instill

Khadijah Qamar

“Please, if One Direction did it, we can definitely pull it off.”

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“rainbow land is a fictitious place!” — The Campaign

the georgetown voice 11

lez’hur ledger

Bronx emulates N.Y. pizza in D.C. Reviews, Haiku’d

by Alexandra Golway

New Yorkers take pizza seriously. Aware of this, Mike Cordero, a Bronx native, aims to introduce the D.C. area to the classic pizza he grew up with with his new restaurant, Bronx Pizza and Subs. Though part of an overcrowded pizza market in Clarendon, Bronx Pizza clings to its New York roots in everything it does, from the décor to the dough, proving to DMV residents why Domino’s just doesn’t cut it for the prize of a premium pie.

Bronx stands across the street from the Clarendon Metro station, beckoning the hungry traveler with meat and cheese hanging behind the windows, under bright lights that proclaim “NY STYLE PIZZA BY THE SLICE.” In typical New York fashion, the inside of the restaurant boisterously

boasts the owner’s Bronx heritage: photographs of New York and Italian-American icons adorn the walls—the Godfather, Scarface, the Sopranos, the Rat Pack, the George Washington Bridge, and of course the Yankees (who, I assume, dominate the giant television in the corner on game days). The interior serves as a charming homage to New York culture, but it begs the question of whether the New York pride is a gimmick: Does Bronx Pizza cater to misplaced New Yorkers who long for a taste of home, or to Virginians who don’t know what they’re missing?

For what it’s worth, Bronx does serve decent pizza. In this casual restaurant, $2.75 gets you a jumbo cheese slice—hopefully fresh, but most likely reheated from behind the counter. The pizza definitely plays the part of a New York-style

NOrThErN VirGiNia maGaZiNE

The only thing better than a Bronx pizza is a binder full of women.

“Haute Mess” knows best Dear Neha and Julian, The other day I was walking down M Street wearing my salmon chinos, a white button-down, and green loafers. Everyone stared me down and I felt like Dorothy in the land of Oz. Even though it’s already fall, can I still wear my pastels and brights? Is this a faux pas?

- Anonymous Dear Anonymous, It is most definitely not a faux pas. Do not put away those colored slacks just yet! We often associate fall/winter with dark colors and find ourselves transitioning to a dreary dark palette of blacks, grays, and navies. But this season burgundy is the new black, orange is hot, and green has replaced navy as the new staple. Accessorize your brights with heavy winter knits and fall jackets. It’s all about being flexible with your wardrobe, so don’t fret if all you have in your closet is an assortment of

clothes suitable for a Fruit of the Loom commercial. Pair a neutral sweater or a tweed jacket with your salmon chinos, and maybe just swap the green loafers for brown boots.

Dear Neha and Julian, How do you match prints with each other? Florals, graphic prints, stripes, plaids etc. Do they need to have a particular color scheme?

- Hillary Heer (COL ’15) Dear Hillary, We have always been told not to match stripes with stripes or florals with florals, but if there is any time to do it, it’s here and now. You can definitely match prints with each other, and there is a simple way to make a statement. First, there doesn’t need to be a particular color scheme, as long as you don’t go too crazy. Looking at this season’s runway shows, Prada showcased heavy geo-

slice. The cheese and sauce complemented each other well, and the slice wasn’t too heavy on either. The crust was thin and crispy with a soft center; it easily held its integrity when folded in half.

Bronx may not hold a candle to the pizza powerhouses of Cordero’s childhood home, but it makes a satisfying slice.

Bronx sells a few varieties of pie, ranging from Sicilian to barbecue chicken to make-your-own— and all named after different streets in the Bronx, if the customer needs one more reminder of where this pizza draws its roots. The menu also offers calzones, subs, hoagies, and pasta—a few with standout names like the Tony Soprano Over Stuffed and the Michael Corleone Chicken Alfredo.

If your home is Arthur Avenue, Bronx Pizza is nothing to write home about. However, it’s a good place to go with friends if you want to satisfy a pizza craving. Latenight revelers in Arlington will also appreciate Bronx’s hours of operation, as it’s open until 3 a.m.

Monday through Saturday (and until 1 a.m. on Sunday). It’s not New York, but Bronx Pizza is making itself at home in the D.C. area.

Now if only Georgetown could realize that Tuscany isn’t known for its pizza and that Domino’s is a game best played with grandma. metric prints on prints in bold hues and strong cuts. An easy collegiate way to do this would be to rock this season’s floral bottoms, whether it be leggings, pants, or skirts, with striped sweaters or textured tops. Try and keep your look either top or bottom heavy, so if you pick a bold flowery legging, try pairing with a subdued striped knit.

haute mess

by Julian de la Paz & Neha Ghanshamdas a bi-weekly fashion column

Dear Neha and Julian, What is the verdict on Sperrys? No socks acceptable?

- Zach Ashenfarb (COL ’15) Dear Zach, Sperrys are certainly a Georgetown staple, and we want them to be as versatile as possible. To keep the tradition alive all year round, yes, you may want to wear socks.

Chasing Mavericks Please, as if we want To watch yet another Johnny Tsunami.

Wreck-It Ralph Disney destroys its Brand by giving video Game characters souls.

Skyfall Who cares about Bond?

Adele’s theme is the only Reason to see this.

Flight Denzel Washington Crash-lands a plane upside down That’s really bad-ass.

Lincoln The Vampire Hunter Casts doubt on this new so-called “Historical” film.

Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Your favorite vamps Return in the last chapter Of a shit series.

However, the white socks do need to go. Please. Just like you don’t wear white socks with dress shoes, please refrain from using them with any shoe unless you’re wearing trainers and going to work out at the gym. Instead, try cuffing your jeans or chinos (approximately 1.5 inches as per GQ instruction) and rocking a pair of statement socks.

To draw attention to your shoes, pick a fall stripe, quirky pattern, or, better yet, warm wool, to make your Sperrys seasonally appropriate. If you want to get away from the whole Sperry look, we recommend investing in a good pair of loafers that will take you from season to season. They work for everything from a fall evening out to a hot summer day.

Dear Neha and Julian, Are combat boots still trendy?

It seems as though they have been around for a few years now. Is

this just a Georgetown fad? Can I still wear mine this season?

- Kimberly Yam (SFS ’14) Dear Kimberly, Yes. Combat boots are definitely something you want to have in your wardrobe. Although it seems to be a somewhat overdone trend, combat boots are definitely versatile, and so wearable. Transitioning from summer to fall, these boots are a great option for D.C.’s capricious climate. You can wear them with tights or without, printed or solid, jeans or leggings. Given the numerous variations of the classic, you can tailor the boot to your style. Pick either a studded leather, or a classic brown laceup, and, voilà, you are ready for you close-up.

Stay fabulous, Neha and Julian Get fab advice from Julian at rdelapaz@georgetownvoice.com & Neha at nghanshamdas@georgetownvoice.com

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12 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

C r i t i c a l V o i ces

ZZ Ward, Til The Casket Drops, Hollywood Records “I wear a fedora to pay homage to those artists that inspired me,” explains L.A.-based singer-songwriter Zsuzsanna Ward. Growing up in the tranquil town of Roseburg, Ore., Ward was influenced by influenced by an eclectic group of artists, ranging from blues legends Big Mama Thornton and Muddy Waters to Jay-Z. As a result, Til The Casket Drops is a funky amalgamation of hip-hop-laced blues and soul that borders on perfection.

Entirely absent from Casket is the idea of solo instrumentation.

Instead, the LP allows Ward to showcase her spectacular vocal range and versatility (which rivals and often easily surpasses that of pop diva Adele) by effortlessly navigating between

bluesy growls, smooth pop notes, and a hip-hop, staccato rhythm—all within the confines of a single song.

Off the bat, the title track demonstrates Ward’s virtuosity over a steady kick drum and guitar chord beat. As a subdued violin scale builds to the chorus, the haunting, pained vocals inject overwhelming emotion into a confession of everlasting love.

“Put The Gun Down” follows with stark contrast drawn by a guitar harmony and fast-paced tambourine percussion. Ward crescendos to a soulful R&B chorus as she dispenses with the previous song’s sincerity in favor of a snarling plea: “Imma set fire to the whole damn house/Put it down.”

The mid-album “Last Love Song” offers an entirely new look at Ward; the borderline hymnal track, featuring only an acoustic guitar, a piano, and soft strings, has the singer bemoaning a broken relationship in a quivering, gospel-tinged voice.

Collaborations on Casket serve to further bolster the quality of the LP. Kendrick Lamar’s sexually suggestive verse on “Cryin’ Wolf” seamlessly blends with a hip-hop drumbeat and blues guitar runs. Similarly, Freddie Gibbs’s rapping on “Criminal” matches Ward’s R&B vocals

Politics: Only okay if it’s on TV

For the past few months, I have been systematically hiding the posts of certain Facebook friends from my newsfeed for one reason—it’s an election year, and slews of college students from all sides of the political spectrum with access to HuffPo or Fox News think they’re top political analysts. I can’t stand it. So, when I was scrolling through my feed the other day and saw that a libertarian acquaintance of mine had posted a picture of a campaign poster, I almost hit the “hide” button immediately. But I chuckled audibly once I read the actual text on the blue-and-red picture: Ron Swanson 2012.

If you don’t recognize that name, follow these instructions very carefully: Put down this newspaper (or, more likely, close this window on your computer), go to the Internet, and start watching Parks and Recreation from Season 1. Thanks to the deluges of politicking, propaganda, and pub-

lic relations that we’re currently drowning in, the show’s humor will be magnified.

Although it’s often lumped with the rest of NBC’s comedy lineup alongside Community, 30 Rock, and The Office (when it was still funny), Parks and Rec is unique in that, beneath its mockumentary sitcom veneer, it is at its core a satire of American life and politics. Pawnee, Ind., the tiny town whose Parks and Recreation department serves as the setting for the show’s action, is a hilarious microcosm of modern America—its obesity rate is absurdly high; its environment is polluted; its history involves the violent slaughter of native peoples,;and its people are ill-informed, hot-tempered numbskulls.

Trying to placate those people are our good friends at the Pawnee Parks and Rec Department, with a focus on now-City Councilwoman Leslie Knope, played impeccably

by Amy Poehler, whose hysterical

and backing “ooh”s, helped along by percussive piano notes over bouncing kick and cymbal attacks.

Despite being a debut album, Til The Casket Drops possesses the quality of wellcrafted, expertl—produced art expected out of an established musician. With this performance, ZZ Ward is far from writing her last love song.

Voice’s Choices: “Til the Casket Drops,” “Save My Life” —Kirill Makarenko

K’naan, Country, God, Or The Girl, A&M/Octone Records Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar rap of the struggle in Compton, Nas and Jay-Z speak of their incredible journeys growing up with nothing in the streets love for her town (and for sugar) and belief in her ability to become the first female president are the heart of the show. The writers keep her endeavors to protect Pawnee or further her career relevant and reflective of those facing the American people today.

Example: one episode in the show’s fifth and current season

idiot Box

by Leigh Finnegan

a bi-weekly column about television finds Knope attempting to pass a bill limiting the sale of large sugary drinks, à la Mike Bloomberg’s New York soda ban. A session with a woman from a local fast-food restaurant involves Poehler hilariously wielding soda containers big enough to bathe a small child—if blended—and criticizing the woman for selling “water zero,” which neither contains water nor has zero calories. Americans of every political affiliation can chuckle

of New York, and Rick Ross illustrates his rough life as a modern-day hustling gangster. But not one of these prolific artists can touch rapper K’naan’s intriguing past. The creator of Country, God, or the Girl hails from Mogadishu, Somalia, where he lived through a bloody civil war.

While K’naan holds a wealth of powerful, moving stories to tell through his rap—songs from his sophomore album, Troubadour like “Somalia,” and “Wavin’ Flag” still resonate— Country, God or the Girl disappoints with largely unoriginal themes which only hope to be saved by K’naan’s exciting African instrumentals.

In Country, God or the Girl, this unique instrumentation is applied once again in songs such as “Nothing to Lose,” “Simple,” and “The Wall”. But while the tracks on this album are feel-good and fun to listen to, the themes and hooks in the majority of them are extremely cliché. How many artists have songs about not wanting to be “left (behind) in this world”? How many about living life with “nothing to lose?” How many about their “breaking hearts”? At these points in the album, the beats and overat this scene and relate it to the massive sodas they encounter in their everyday lives.

But with content like this, Parks and Rec could easily polarize audiences and turn off people like me who don’t want their sitcoms to taste like The Daily Show. As for weekly comedies that provide social and political commentary, it’s going to take a hell of a lot for any show to surpass South Park in its timeliness and willingness to tackle any and every subject, and a network office comedy should not and cannot assume that role— think about what would happen if Mr. Slave’s slut-off with Paris Hilton were aired on NBC. And that’s where Parks and Rec succeeds best; its satirical elements come with a heavy dose of good old-fashioned funny. Nick Offerman, who plays Parks Department Director and übermensch Ron Swanson so well that I’m convinced they’re the same person, is genius as a government employee who

all sound are indubitably groovy, but the lyrics and themes leave the listener unsatisfied, especially considering the incredible stories and ideas K’naan usually supplies to his audience.

There are a few exceptions to this trend. “Bulletproof Pride,” which features Bono, along with “70 Excuses,” and “The Wall,” are brilliantly moving records. With “Coming to America,” K’Naan returns to the style and attitude he displayed in Troubadour, as he draws similarities between the terrors he has seen in both Africa and North America. Moreover, he touches upon the more abstract idea that evil exists everywhere and affects everyone.

Though the tunes in Country, God or the Girl will certainly inspire a lot of head-bobbing and hip shaking, K’naan’s typically powerful messages are regrettably absent from this album. If K’nann wants to pursue unoriginal themes in his writing, maybe he ought to rap about about epitomizing the American Dream.

Voice’s Choices: “Bulletproof Pride,” “Coming to America” —Nick Maffei hates government, and the everdelightful Aziz Ansari steals almost every episode with his getrich-quick schemes and romantic strikeouts. Poehler, as good as she is, couldn’t carry the show on her own, and the ensemble cast—complete with a rotating series of celebrity guests, including Megan Mullally and, in an upcoming episode, Christy Brinkley—provides the real impetus behind the show’s humor.

When the presidential election is over and the leader for the next four years has been chosen, certain factions of people, most of whom I’ve hidden from my newsfeed, will undoubtedly post the standard “I’m moving to [insert country that really isn’t all that perfect here]” statuses. If I had the choice, I’d escape this whole climate and move to Pawnee—the politics may be just as bad, but at least they have some fun in spite of it.

Send tickets to Pawnee to Leigh at lfinnegan@georgetownvoice.com

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14 the georgetown voice

october 18, 2012

Winter of our discontent: Facts absent from election

by Claire McDaniel Nobody panic when I tell you this, but we’re less than three weeks away from the election. I know. I freaked out when I realized that, too. We’re within a month of deciding who is going to lead a country of over 300 million people for the next four years, and we know nothing about the candidates.

Let me clarify: we know Barack Obama is black and Mitt Romney has hair TV presidents would kill for. We know Paul Ryan loves him some P90X and Joe Biden has a lovely tendency to say “fuck” in front of microphones. We know that Michelle Obama has wonderful arms and Ann Romney has MS, and we’re not even voting for them in November. What we don’t know, however, is everything else.

This isn’t because I’m illinformed. I subscribe to the New York Times, my favorite app is The Associated Press, and I haven’t missed an episode of The Daily Show in over

six months. I’m even watching a live feed of this week’s presidential debate as I write this piece, although you could chalk that up to excellent procrastination skills. The point is, I’m a well-informed voter, and I still don’t know the things that really matter.

From tax plans to employment numbers, these are the most important domestic policies that will face whoever wins in November. These are issues that will affect every single Hoya currently enrolled in Georgetown as we enter the job market after college. And, for the life of me, I don’t know a single number from either candidate’s policy.

I’m not talking about poll numbers, although those are the only ones that seem to ever be mentioned. I mean facts like how our country’s debt is currently over 16 trillion dollars, or how one out of every two college grads are jobless or unemployed. These are numbers that matter, not how much Ann Romney’s last dress cost or

how many police officers are in the president’s motorcade.

This goes beyond numbers, though. Plain, simple facts are absent from this election season.

Anything from blatant falsehoods to obfuscations about policy from both parties are commonplace in the ongoing soap opera we call “being elected president.” I still don’t know what Romney’s tax plan other than his sweeping statements on “revenue-neutral” this and “taxcuts” that. Obama still hasn’t given me a good answer on how to increase job growth. Both campaigns are doing it, and the sad thing is, it’s working.

I’d like to think the American electorate isn’t stupid, I really would. But if one debate performance where our president doesn’t land as many “zingers” as the contender means the difference between re-election or not, that’s just stupid. Frankly, it’s stupid that those things changed poll numbers in the slightest.

I’m not sure if voters realize this, but picking your country’s

president is a bigger deal than picking the prom king. In fact, in Joe Biden-speak, the election is what would be known as “a big fucking deal.” It seems obvious that this quadrennial contest should be taken seriously, with careful attention by voters given to the positions of both candidates. Unfortunately, this is where the election season goes far off the track.

From designated “spin rooms” outside of the debates to Fox News and MSNBC waging war on the airwaves, not to mention angry Internet commenters constantly shouting about who is the best candidate, it seems like the election is more about maintaining personae than explaining how the candidates will govern.

This is unconscionable.

Securing the title “President of the United States of America” isn’t the end all be all, there are four years of actual governing that have to happen after the big showdown in November. Voters cannot rationally decide on a candidate

“expressing themselves,” my fellow Americans created a bubble of security for how I felt about my future. With all of this praise for being able to order at my local Chinese restaurant, I figured Chinese CEOs would be lining my doorstep as soon as I flung my graduation cap into the sky. Last summer, I spent one week in Beijing on my way to Vietnam with my mother. While there, that rosy construct was reduced to rubble. I quickly saw my golden career path of corporate Chinese success decay into com-

peting with qualified Chinese high schoolers for underpaid, if not unpaid, internships.

With the Chinese education system pumping out amazing test-takers who are fluent in Chinese and have passable, if not excellent, English, I quickly found my own value to the workforce disappearing. Speaking Chinese was my selling point in the U.S. But in China, it would simply earn me a pat on the back, where my Chinese peers, dare I say competitors, would quickly outshine me.

I thought of all the thousands of flashcards I had made bearing vocabulary ranging from goofy chengyu, Chinese idioms, to “state-run enterprise,” and felt supremely disappointed.

Don’t get me wrong; the opportunities in China are still endless. From 2000, the average income has risen from $760 per person to around $9000.

The Chinese middle class represents a huge untapped market for international companies, and theoretically a surge in jobs for Americans going to China. However, the opportunity gap for Americans across the Pacific is growing slimmer. Most jobs for laowai, or foreigners, are upper-level management positions in multinational corporations that transfer established employees over from other offices. There is a small slice of entry-level

positions available for foreigners, but appropriate matches are already fluent in Chinese and possess some other incredible skill—more than just my study abroad-level knowledge of French and Italian.

This is not to say that I have given up on working in China. Most of the people I met with in China told me similar things: I was going to have to improve my Chinese, to the point where I could contribute at a meeting, but that they had confidence that I would be able to find some opportunity. Some even went so far as to suggest that I simply move to Beijing, Shanghai, or Hong Kong and figure out my career upon arrival. The perfectionist in me wasn’t elated with that uncertain trajectory, but the sinophile in me rejoiced.

If I move to China, it is nearly certain that I will be scraping by on what many of my friends earn as a stipend. It is probable that I will be tossed to and fro in the bustle and insanity of the Beijing metro. It is also highly likely that after a few years, I will return to the U.S., but when I do, I’ll be all the better for it. Not only am I unwilling to see eight years of learning an alphabet-less language go to waste, but I am confident that I will be able to have an impact in my first job in China, and my later career back in the States.

to govern this country if all they know is the vague malarkey being spewed forth by the campaigns.

I know it’s probably too late to change the way this election is being run, that we’re stuck with this horrible, factless limbo. But, I’d like to think that it could change. If the electorate demands answers, then we will get them. If we say we need the unspun facts, then that’s what we’ll get. And if we put our collective foot down and demand that candidates actually explain their platforms to the public, then maybe we’ll get that much better of a president.

You can argue the merits or disadvantages of Big Bird and PBS all you want, but I think it’s Count von Count and his reliance on numbers that we should all be listening to.

Claire McDaniel is a junior in the College. If only there was a way to fact-check the nutrional information of Leo’s food. That tilapia looks mad sketchy.

A laowai’s struggle to adapt or die in the Chinese job market

by Alexandra Eitel Whenever I tell someone that I speak Chinese, I get the usual chorus of “oohs” and “aahs,” and the occasional demand to say “I like to eat hamburgers” in Mandarin.

More importantly, ever since I learned how to say chopsticks and read “fried rice” on a menu, every adult has told me that I’m set, because I have Chinese under my belt and will have no trouble finding a job.

In a country where kindergartners get gold stars for

If you add “in bed” to this one, it gets even more depressing.

AMANDA DOMINGUEZ

On my way back from another interview in Beijing, I spoke with the taxi driver. He was impressed, and even honored that I was learning Chinese. He told me that he often felt disrespected when Westerners came to China. Whereas he was making every effort to learn crucial English phrases, even beyond what was needed of him as a cab driver, he never got more than a weak ni hao and a mispronounced xie xie from American travelers. He thanked me for my effort, and I thanked him for boosting my somewhat shattered confidence.

Regardless of where I end up, I hope that I will show China the linguistic commitment I have made, show them the respect they deserve, and bring deeper understanding of China back to the States. Perhaps my newfound inspiration is coming from the advice of the contacts I met with in Beijing, or perhaps it is just my mother ’s threats of financially cutting me off upon graduation, but I am determined to find a job across the Pacific where I can make a difference, and be made different in return.

Alexandra Eitel is a senior in the SFS. Tempt not a desperate jobseeker, because she will cut you. But, seriously. Don’t do it.

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An iPhone by any other name would be as sweet

by Kevin Meurer “Whoa, what’s that thing?” a friend asked me when I pulled out my phone in Leo’s a few days ago, “It’s like a brick. Why don’t you have an iPhone?” All I could do was defend my phone and show off some of its better features, like a snazzy built-in kick stand. Unfortunately, I looked around the table, and every other person owned an iPhone 4 or 4S, so nobody agreed with me. While I was sitting there, it suddenly dawned on me that, in many cases, not having an iPhone has become somewhat unusual.

The thing is, my phone was top-of-the-line when I bought it a year ago. The HTC Thunderbolt was supposed to be Verizon’s best phone yet. It rocked a crystal clear screen, lightning fast speeds, a thin design, and infinite power in the palm of your hand. I was sold. I had to have it. Then, a cracked screen, endless scratches, and a broken back plate later, my phone suddenly was not up to par. Its awful battery life forced me to install a larger battery in the back, nearly doubling its size.

In just one year, my phone had gone from awesome to awful.

“A droid! A droid! My kingdom for a droid!” Said no one, ever.

KAREN BU

Et tu, Jim Belushi?

On Sunday morning, life was going incredibly well; my weekend included partying on a bus with my Danish friends, conversing with a British drug dealer about his problems getting laid, and hijacking the stereo system at a party (obviously I put on ‘90s music). Then, out of nowhere, I stumbled upon the Thanksgiving Special of According to Jim. From that point on life’s been downhill.

Fun fact: According to Jim ran for eight seasons. Now, try looking at the glass as halffull. In case you are unaware of this show’s existence, you’re probably familiar with Jim Belushi’s unapologetic allegiance to sports, laziness, food, beer, and female subservience. While Jim is ostensibly the portrait of a common American family, the mind-numbing situations coupled with the second-grade level sense of humor make Joe the

Plumber look like T.S. Eliot.

How some Americans stoop this low for entertainment is beyond me. I’m assuming viewers use this show as a form of escape, leaping into a simple man’s simple mind. Still, if watching this show is how you cope with depression, there are healthier alternatives—Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, or The King of Queens. Okay, these are still piece-of-shit sitcoms, but they have their pockets of genius.

According to Jim, on the other hand, has no redeeming qualities. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the show’s deference to obesity, lethargy, and idiocy represent all that is wrong with this country. Sure, these characters could be engaging in worse activities, but they’re too fucking lazy to pick up a gun or kidnap an infant (and what about the planning? Could these feeble-

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When the iPhone 5 came out this past month, I can’t deny that I was immediately tempted to go buy it. I wanted to be in the iPhone club. I wanted to have a phone that was considered “the best.”

Looking back though, I would be making the same mistake I had made with my current phone.

Every time a new product comes out, we are conditioned to think of it as the best that has ever been made. Every product is the “thinnest,” “sleekest” product out there. Those who market these products aren’t wrong. The latest gadget always is the sleekest for at least a week after it comes out. It’s just the nature of the technology market to immediately surpass its latest invention or market it well enough to convince us that it has.

The issue isn’t with advertising or how much people enjoy technology the fact that people enjoy the technology they own, it’s that many of us here seem obsessed with having the newest and best of everything. In only the first weekend, the iPhone 5 sold over five million units. When everyone’s talking about how amazing some new piece of technology is, it

becomes difficult to not get caught up in the excitement.

The new iPhone is impressive, I agree, but inevitably I know that in a couple of months all of us will be obsessed with the next big phone on the market.

An interview recently surfaced on YouTube in which a woman waiting in line for the iPhone 5 was asked why she was waiting. Despite persistent questions, she knew nothing about the phone’s features or even how it worked. The video is hilarious, but poignant: we get a certain thrill from being first, from getting something before our friends. Then, once we have it, we take pride in how great it is.

It becomes an issue of where we place the emphasis in our lives. Before I rush off to go buy the newest gadget, I need to think about whether I actually need it. That is the reason I will likely never convince myself to camp out for a product. If it will be the same as everyone else’s in a month, then the exclusivity of being the first to have it only has temporary value.

As for the iPhone club that all my friends seem to be a part of, it may be a while before I join. While they hassle

minded creatures plan a trip to the zoo, let alone an intricate terrorist attack?)

Then there’s the misogyny.

In the Thanksgiving Special, guess who gets to cook the turkey all day while the rest of the family slouches in front of the television? If you guessed Jim’s wife, bingo.

But with only this tidbit of information, it may be premature to accuse the show of stereotyping.

Want to hear something even more ridiculous? As the story of Jim’s wife unfolds, his obese brother-in-law assumes the source of the satellite disruption is from an army of vengeful turkeys. As I began to lament the devolution of humanity, my fingers simultaneously trembled at this startling reminder: younger brother John Belushi died when he was 33. Jim is now 58.

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of this experience was the setting. I am studying in Copenhagen right now, and for the Danes to see According to Jim as a sort of epochal representation of contemporary America is troubling. Is this some kind of cruel joke on the Danes’ part?

Are they trying to satisfy their high-mindedness by seeing what these purported superior nations are up to? To my relief, I came up with an answer: this show’s basic application of the English language means Danes can use the show as a practical didactic tool for improving their English. Still, According to Jim playing a pedagogic role sends a shiver down my spine.

At the end of the Thanksgiving Special, Jim sits down with his wife. In a clumsy attempt at empathy, he tells her that he felt some indiscriminate feeling

Carrying On

by John Sapunor A rotating column by Voice senior staffers

The gut-wrenching chauvinism becomes fully apparent when the audience sees how Jim treats his wife. After expressing the solitude she feels every Thanksgiving, Jim proceeds to offer no help whatsoever. After a bit more complaining emerges from her lips, Jim starts throwing flour all over the kitchen to make her living hell a little bit worse. To top things off, the wife gets locked on the roof, and Jim only becomes aware of her absence when she destroys the satellite dish. Guess who he’s more concerned with upon this discovery, his shivering wife or his precious entertainment emitter.

me for sending green texts instead of blue iMessages (a neon sign that I don’t use an iPhone), they will just have to wait a little while longer.

Eventually, I probably will buy the phone simply because of overwhelming peer pressure, but it will not be because it is the next big thing, or because the most apt shape to describe my current device is “brick.”

At the end of the day, our technology is actually a smaller part of our lives than it may seem. While many of us feel that we could never live without our phones or our computers, the specific model we own is ultimately irrelevant to our quality of life.

Now, I take a certain pride in my brick of a phone. It may not be the best, but it is unique, and I know that it will still be dependable one year down the road, when all of us are eagerly anticipating the iPhone 6.

Kevin Meurer is a freshman in the SFS. He gets to avoid the condescending Apple Genius asking, “So, how drunk were you when you broke it?” in his gut when she took the whole family, except for him, out to dinner. His wife replies, “Jim, that was loneliness. You felt lonely.” Was this show created for adults whose childhood skimped on Sesame Street or Veggie Tales? Who the fuck has to be taught what loneliness is when he’s 50? Jim, that’s who. And, apparently, the four to six million Americans who tuned in to 182 episodes of this program.

Someone once noted that we’re not really adults; we’re just children feigning maturity.

Well, count According to Jim as an exception to this rule. Nothing is feigned. And maybe that’s admirable. Jim’s problems are simple, but with simple problems come simple solutions. Name a genius who went to the grave completely satisfied with himself--it’s impossible. The “ignorance is bliss” aphorism does not take into account the depth of one’s liveliness, but if there’s a textbook example of someone who may be happier with a myopic worldview, it has to be Jim. Here, ladies and gentleman, is the perfect example of a man who has achieved success despite his own lazy efforts. In other words, a man who has lived the American Dream.