The Justice, February 7, 2017

ARTS Page 19

SPORTS Tennis comes away with first win 16

RISING ABOVE

FORUM Examine results of violent protest 11 The Independent Student Newspaper

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Justice

Volume LXIX, Number 17

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

CAMPUS EVENT

NOBLE TRUTH

Panel addresses legal aspects of Trump travel ban

■ Administrators and legal

experts spoke about the effects of the executive order restricting international travel.

By peri meyers JUSTICE senior writer

With President Trump’s recent executive actions regarding travel in and out of the country come many unknowns for international and immigrant students, a panel of speakers said on Wednesday.

“I have to say, I have probably as many questions as I have answers,” said Provost Lisa Lynch.

Signed on Jan. 25 and 27, the executive orders, “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States” and “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into

the United States,” respectively, showed that the president would fulfill two major campaign promises: to deport undocumented immigrants and to restrict Muslim entry into the United States. In addition, the first order would withdraw federal funding from the municipalities known as “sanctuary cities,” which do not prosecute undocumented immigrants living there.

The second order restricted travel from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

In a Jan. 27 document released

by Politico on Jan. 31, the State Department “provisionally revoke[d] all valid nonimmigrant and immigrant visas of nationals” from those countries, exempting only foreign officials, representatives of NATO, and those deemed “in

See TRAVEL, 7 ☛

BRIEF

University signs legal brief opposing Trump executive order The University joined seven other Boston-area universities in signing a Feb. 3 amici curiae brief in the Boston U.S. District Court opposing President Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order banning travel from seven countries with large Muslim populations.

The ban was reversed one day later on Feb. 4 through State Department actions, after a Washington Judge halted the order, according to a Seattle Times article from the same day.

In the brief, the universities — which also included Tufts University, Boston College, Boston University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Northeastern University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute — asserted that the ban undermined academic exchange.

Under the ban, travel was restricted from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. However, the executive order also spelled uncertainty

for those traveling under work or student visas, and many were left stranded abroad or unable to travel home while the ban was in place.

These consequences undermined the schools’ commitment to serving the world through innovative teaching and research, the brief asserts.

“That effort depends on maintaining a consistent pipeline of the most talented students and scholars from around the world, who bring with them unique skills and perspectives that inure to the benefit of their classmates, colleagues, and society as a whole,” the brief reads. “And after receiving first-class educations in the United States, the benefits flow in the opposite direction, as those students and scholars take back to their countries the lessons and values they learned here.”

—Abby Patkin

ANNA SHERMAN/the Justice

INCLUSIVITY: During her remarks, Rebecca Walker spoke about incorporating different identities in the fight against injustice.

Keynote examines using identity to make change ■ Author and feminist

Rebecca Walker addressed the community for the 'DEIS Impact keynote address.

By Peri meyers JUSTICE senior writer

People must show compassion, engage with their communities and understand their identities in order to change the world around them, Rebecca Walker told students on Tuesday at the ’DEIS Impact keynote address.

An activist, writer and mother, Walker is known for her work on third-wave feminism. The website of Third Wave Fund — an organization which Walker helped found — defines feminism as “explicitly connect[ing] women’s issues to issues of race, sexuality, class and ability.” One of Walker’s earlier books, the memoir “Black, White, and Jewish,” describes her own struggle with identity and belonging.

Three speakers preceded Walker.

Intercultural Center Director Madeleine Lopez opened the event, followed

by University President Ron Liebowitz and Student Union President David Herbstritt ’17.

Lopez spoke about the importance of “celebration and joy … in our activist lives” and invited students to celebrate the ICC’s 25th anniversary on April 29. Liebowitz lauded the University’s social justice festival, which is now in its seventh year.

Herbstritt spoke about the nature of social justice, something which carries many definitions, depending on who one asks. “Identity cannot be curated top-down,” said Herbstritt, emphasizing the need for student-led activism.

Walker’s speech itself concerned recent political and social events like President Donald Trump's election, the translation of identity into action and the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

“I think I speak for many of us in the room when I say we are living in extraordinarily frightening and dispiriting times,” said Walker.

She praised efforts nationwide to work together and push back against injustice, later pointing to the airport protests against President Trump’s

travel ban as an example. Only by dedicating themselves to and promoting “values of justice, peace and freedom,” she said, can people effectively resist “those who seem to be addicted to tyranny, conflict, chaos and control.”

Walker also talked about the conflict between striving for social justice, showing compassion for those with whom one disagrees, and having compassion for oneself.

“I want to use my experience in this body, in this time, to hold onto the knowledge that I am not alone in my understanding of what is happening and that while my feelings of despondency are often great, they will, like all other feelings, pass,” Walker said.

“And surely as they do, they will be followed by a resurgence of my will to survive and my determination to make the world a better and more just place.”

“When the initial tumult in my mind clears, I will remember once again that I have cultivated the skills and language necessary to fight this battle, to right this terribly off-course ship,” she added.

In order to clear that tumult, sur-

See DI, 7 ☛

A Look at Representation

Gaining Mojo

Emeriti Relations

 Rebecca Walker spoke about her role in addressing intersectionality in the show “Transparent.”

 The men’s basketball team won one of two games over the weekend to snap their losing streak.

The faculty examined the role of emeriti professors at the University during Friday’s faculty meeting.

FEATURES 9 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

Waltham, Mass.

Let your voice be heard!

Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org

INDEX

SPORTS 16

ARTS SPORTS

17 13

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 OPINION 8 POLICE LOG

10 2

News 3

COPYRIGHT 2017 FREE AT BRANDEIS.

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TUESDAY, FEbruary 7, 2017

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NEWS SENATE LOG

POLICE LOG

Senators discuss school spirit initiatives and green efforts during weekly meeting

Medical Emergency

The Senate convened last Sunday to discuss new club charters and swear in new senators. The senators pushed up their regular meeting time for the Super Bowl.

After a round of applause for the new senators joining the Senate after Thursday’s elections, the meeting began with a brief presentation from Brandeis Entrepreneurship, a club focused on letting students pursue their own business ventures.

The club approached the Senate for chartering to fund and cater events and provide seed money for the club’s entrepreneurial ventures. Citing a lack of clear outreach and club structure in a lengthy discussion, the Senate declined to charter the club by a slim majority.

Each committee chair then took a moment to announce the meeting dates and times for their committees.

In executive officer reports, Student Union President David Herbstritt ’17 swore in three of the new senators, including Midyear Senator Dana Brown ’20, Senator-at-Large Matt Smetana ’17 and Ziv Quad Senator Brandon Stanaway ’19.

During committee chair reports, members of the Executive Board expressed an interest in working with the Club Support Committee to improve the recognition and chartering application process for new clubs.

E-Board members also expressed an interest in establishing Senate representation for international students and for working with the Graduate Student Association to better represent the entire student body.

The Sustainability Committee reported that they had begun planning initiatives and breaking off into groups to work on making Brandeis a more sustainable campus.

In senator reports, Executive Senator Hannah Brown ’19 reported meetings with constituents who expressed concerns about the University’s school spirit, especially when compared to Ivy League schools.

Brown discussed plans to increase Brandeis school spirit by encouraging people to wear Brandeis apparel on Fridays, possibly with the incentive of free food at the Stein.

Members of the Club Support Committee said that they wanted to commit to making the process of becoming and remaining a recognized club better in the future.

Smetana and the Sustainability Committee chair, East Quad Senator Elijah Sinclair ’19, discussed initiatives to work on reducing energy consumption by the Light of Reason installment outside the Rose Art Museum.

Other issues raised in individual senator reports included improving organization the mailroom, expanding club workshops and continued efforts to increase the availability of vacuum cleaners in residence halls.

With Thursday’s election, Smetana, Dana Brown and Stanaway are the first three new senators to join the Senate this semester.

The Ridgewood Quad Senate seat, the Charles River/567 Senate seat and the Foster Mods Senate seat remain vacant, to be filled in a later round of elections.

Jan. 30—University Police received a report of a party in the Foster Mods who cut their finger while preparing a meal.

BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.

Jan. 31—University Police received a report of a party in the Epstein Building who had possibly had an epileptic seizure. Cataldo Ambulance staff treated the party on scene, and the party refused medical transport.

Feb. 1—Staff members in the Stoneman Infirmary requested transport for a party to undergo a psychological evaluation at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. University police assisted Cataldo Ambulance staff, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley without incident.

Feb. 1—A party in Rosenthal Quad reported that they had a high fever.

The party was treated by BEMCo staff with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 3—A party in Reitman Hall reported that they were feeling ill.

The party was treated by BEMCo staff with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 3—A staff member in Usdan Student Center reported that they were feeling faint.

The party was treated by BEMCo staff with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 3—A party in Ziv Quad reported that they were suffering from an allergic reaction from a peanut allergy and had self-administered an EpiPen. Cataldo Ambulance staff transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

Feb. 3—University Police received a report of an ill party in a Sherman Function Hall bathroom.

BEMCo staff treated the

party with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 4—A party in Rosenthal Quad reported that they were suffering from the flu. The party was transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care.

Feb. 5—University Police received a report of an intoxicated party in East Quad who was breathing but unresponsive.

Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care.

Feb. 5—A party in Usen Hall requested BEMCo assistance for flu-like symptoms and vomiting. Cataldo Ambulance staff transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

Disturbance

Feb. 3—A party in Rosenthal Quad reported that there was loud music in the area. University Police found no distur-

HEATHER SCHILLER/the Justice

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Feb. 3—A staff member in the Lown Center for Judaica Studies reported that they had received a suspicious call involving a relative.

The call was deemed a fraud scheme, and University Police compiled a report on the incident.

— Compiled by Abby Patkin.

Local elementary school evacuates after robocall bomb threats reported

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

Other

BRIEF

PRINTING FOR A CAUSE

—Spencer Taft

n An Arts article reported that student band In Flux performed without vocals. It was actually Congress of Babs that performed without vocals. (Jan. 31, page 18).

bance upon arrival.

Feb. 4—University Police received a report of loud music in Ridgewood Quad.

The suite occupants complied with requests to turn the music off.

Feb. 4—A party in the Charles River Apartments reported that there was loud music in the area.

University Police found a small party upon arrival. The music was turned off and the group dispersed without incident.

Students used 3D printers to build prosthetics during a ’DEIS Impact event on Thursday afternoon in the Usdan Alumni Lounge. The event also featured a presentation on the technology behind the prostheses.

No bombs were found at Plympton Elementary School — located approximately two miles from campus — after a series of robocall threats forced the school to evacuate on Thursday, according to a Feb. 2 email from Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel.

According to the Waltham Police blotter, the threat was reported at approximately 11:12 a.m. on Thursday.

In the email, which went out to the University community, Flagel wrote that Plympton was one of several public schools in Massachusetts and New Hampshire to receive similar robotically generated call threats last week.

He added that no bombs were found in the elementary school, and students returned to class shortly after.

“We have received no such calls at Brandeis,” Flagel noted, attaching a Jan. 18 email from Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan regarding telephoned bomb threats received at Jewish community centers around the country.

Jewish institutions in at least 17 states were targeted with threats in January, according to statistics cited by the Boston Globe in a Jan. 18 article. “[We] want to … reassure you that our campus police continues to work closely with area law enforcement in response to these ongoing issues,” Flagel wrote.

This is not the first time that Waltham public schools have been the target of bomb threats.

In January 2016, Fitzgerald Elementary School was forced to evacuate when a caller stated that they were going to detonate a bomb in the school, according to a Jan. 19, 2016 Waltham Patch article.

—Abby Patkin

ANNOUNCEMENTS Welcome Night

The Brandeis Asian American Student Association would like to welcome new and current students to the Brandeis campus.

Stop by and learn what BAASA is all about.

Refreshments will be served.

Today from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Intercultural Center Swig Lounge.

Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

Every cell is sexed, every person is gendered and every organism is stressed.

Whereas sex refers to a multi-dimensional construct that includes genes, anatomy, gonads and hormones that collectively define us as male or female, gender refers to an array of socio-culturally constructed roles, orientations and identities that further influence within-sex variations in stress and coping.

Diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are also related to unique sets of experiences that correspond with health

inequalities that are the focus of Columbia University’s Dr. Robert-Paul Juster’s current postdoctoral research.

In this talk, Juster will share with the Brandeis community his transdisciplinary research program that nuances sex, gender and sexuality in relation to stress biology and mental health throughout lifespan development.

Thursday from 12 to 1:30 p.m. in the Usdan International Lounge.

Six Minutes in Berlin

This event will focus on the 1936 Olympic games, held in Nazi Germany, and their significance on the world of sports and journalism.

Michael J. Socolow, the event’s speaker, is a media historian whose research centers upon America’s original radio networks. He is an associate professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Communication and Journalism at the Uni-

versity of Maine. His scholarship on media history has appeared in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Technology & Culture and other scholarly journals. He is also a former broadcast journalist who worked as an assignment editor for the Cable News Network and as a freelance information manager at the Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games.

Thursday, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in OlinSang American Civilization Center, room 201.

Têt Festival

Têt is Vietnamese for “Lunar New Year,” which is the biggest holiday for the country. Traditionally, people will clean their homes to start the new year fresh. Join the Souteast Asia Club in the celebrations with games, food and a live lion dance.

Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

the justice

ADMINISTRATION

General Education gave recommendations for new education requirements.

By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE editor

The Task Force on General Education has recommended five curricular themes to be implemented as the University’s new educational requirements for first-years and the student body at large. These new requirements will encourage students to think critically and develop foundational literacies, according to a handout circulated by the Task Force.

“The goal of a Brandeis education is to prepare students to be engaged, successful and impactful in their chosen fields, in local and national issues, and as global citizens,” the handout reads. “The new Brandeis General Education curriculum will provide core knowledge and skills through a set of curricular themes that build through first year experiences and major specializations.”

The Task Force brought these proposals to the University community through a series of open discussions with students, faculty and staff. During the last such session on Wednesday evening, a group of seven students spoke with three Task Force members: Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren, Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for Undergraduate Education Elaine Wong, and Profs. Derron Wallace (SOC) and David Powelstock (GRALL).

According to the handout circulated at the discussion, the five proposed curricular themes include 21st Century Changes and Challenges; Foundational Literacies; Schools of Thought; Health, Wellness, and Life Skills; and Global Citizenship.

These themes are all “fluid” as of late, Birren said, adding that there are still many steps before the recommendations become policy.

One student at Wednesday’s discussion asked whether these requirements would change the total number of credits required for graduation.

Birren responded that the recommended themes would not change the 128 credit requirement, adding that the impact on students’ schedules would not be “wildly different,” due in part to cross listing and double

counting courses.

“Any discussion about the overloading of the students who are doing double, triple minors and majors? …

Because it’s Brandeis,” University President Ronald Liebowitz asked in response to Birren’s presentation of the recommendations at Friday’s faculty meeting.

Birren responded that her hope is that “students will feel like they are getting skills that will allow them to maybe have flexibility to not do as many majors” once the requirements are put in place.

During Wednesday’s discussion, Ben Margolin ’17 asked the members whether the Task Force had considered merging University Writing Seminars and writing requirements with some of the proposed changes.

UWS and writing intensive classes, he asserted, are unpopular among a large portion of the student body.

Powelstock responded that he believes students still benefit from basic writing instruction — and, as such, UWS courses will remain as is — but the second writing intensive course might be reformatted to better suit students’ individual majors.

Matt Smetana ’17 voiced concern to Task Force members regarding “Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability,” one of the potential courses under the 21st Century Changes and Challenges requirement. Smetana questioned whether this class — one of many possibilities under the new theme — would be the only requirement for students to learn about climate change as undergraduates.

Margolin also asked the Task Force about the Global Citizenship theme, asking if study abroad experiences could fulfill this requirement. Wallace responded that studying abroad would likely not fulfill the requirement, as “experiencing an issue abroad is not the same as analyzing it critically.” Many students who travel abroad spend a large amount of time in packs of American students, he asserted, and a classroom experience would thus contribute better to a student’s scholarship. Wallace concluded the discussion by asking community members to approach the Task Force with any suggestions or recommendations regarding the proposed requirements. “We are genuinely open and wishing to craft something intriguing to students, faculty and staff, so we welcome your thoughts,” he said.

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PROPOSED CHANGES

Task force presents new recommended requirements ■ The Task Force on

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MORGAN BRILL/the Justice

MAKING CHANGES: Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren discussed proposed new class requirements at the faculty meeting.

Profs discuss status of emeriti at the University ■ Faculty members

discussed issues with the University’s emeriti system during the faculty meeting.

By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE editor

The University must put more consideration into what role its emeriti professors play in academics and administration, faculty and staff members asserted during Friday’s faculty meeting.

The discussion centered on an amendment to the Faculty Handbook regarding emeriti representation on the Faculty Senate. The proposed additions, which establish an emeriti representative seat, also indicate that the position would be non-voting and ineligible to serve as the Faculty Senate chair or on the Faculty Senate Council.

While most faculty members agreed that the eligibility constraints regarding the chairperson and Faculty Council were called for, many took issue with the emeriti representative’s nonvoting status.

Prof. Sarah Lamb (ANTH) argued that if an emeritus faculty member runs for election, they are most likely doing so because they want to serve the community and thus should have a vote. Moreover, she said, this proposed change would allow emeriti faculty to vote and be represented in the Senate, whereas under the current structure they are not.

Another faculty member recalled some objections to the amendment voiced at a previous faculty meeting, citing the issue of emeriti faculty being able to vote on the Senate but not

in faculty meetings. Additionally, she said, some established and widely-respected emeriti could be seen as more influential or intimidating.

Lamb replied that she does not think emeriti would have undue power over others, also citing the fact that emeriti would only hold one of the the Senate’s 18 seats.

Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) told the faculty that she had heard the non-voting clause described as ageist, implying that older faculty are only conservative or more regressive.

However, she said, she has also heard that many younger faculty members see emeriti as constantly needing to be brought up to speed on the University’s issues and as more interested in preserving the University’s past than in driving its future. However, Brooten added, another way of thinking about how to create a more racially diverse faculty is to “consider the reasons for which faculty retire late.”

“I hypothesize the following: the faculty love their work, they love to be connected to the University community and don’t have the resources to retire, especially in light of the fact that Brandeis … doesn’t provide for health and dental insurance in retirement,” Brooten said.

“If the connection to the community could be strengthened so that faculty feel less as if they were leaving the community and more as if they were transitioning to a new location in it, and if the University could provide more attention to the benefits, … then perhaps more faculty would retire, which would open up positions that could be filled by a more inclusive faculty,” she said. “The underlying question here is: who has a voice, and whose voice is heard?”

Brooten concluded her remarks by saying that she fears emeriti faculty will not run for the Senate if they see the seat to be a “second class” one.

Additionally, the faculty read a second amendment to the Faculty Handbook, which would require the University president to confer with the Faculty Senate Council during any future searches for provosts.

This amendment, faculty members explained, is intended to ensure that the Senate is kept in the loop during crucial administrative hires.

The faculty also discussed establishing a standing committee to review promotions to full professor within the tenure structure, as well as new faculty appointments to tenure. This committee would disperse decisionmaking power now concentrated in the hands of Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren, which she called the “evil dean” model. Moreover, the committee — which would likely be comprised of faculty with some understanding of a potential tenured professor’s area of study — would also allow for a deeper discussion of an individual’s work.

The faculty then heard proposed curricular themes and requirements from the Task Force on General Education, launching into a lengthy discussion about what those requirements should entail. The meeting concluded with a presentation from Prof. Daniel Bergstresser (IBS), the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees. Bergstresser discussed the Board’s approval of a $50 million bond to cover the construction cost for the residence hall that will replace Usen Castle. Given the University’s need for newer dorms, this decision was not a controversial one, he said.

Campus event

First female chess grandmaster faces off against locals ■ Susan Polgar, the first

female chess grandmaster, shared her life story during an event on Wednesday.

By Sabrina Sung JUSTICE Editor

Though chess enjoys worldwide acclaim as one of the oldest and most popular strategy games for people of all ages, competitive chess remains a heavily male-dominated sport. Susan Polgar, a five-time Olympiad champion and the first woman to earn the title of Grandmaster through tournament points, is seeking to change that.

On Wednesday evening, Polgar shared her life story with members of the Brandeis community as part of the ’DEIS Impact social justice festival. Prof. Shulamit Reinharz, Ph.D. ’77 (SOC) and Polgar discussed the latter’s

identity as a third-generation Holocaust survivor. “All four of my grandparents were very fortunate Holocaust survivors,” Polgar said, “unlike 300 members of my family.”

She told Reinharz and the audience about growing up in post-war Hungary with grandparents who had survived Auschwitz and parents who were children of that survival. Polgar described how, to them, their circumstances were never an excuse to give up in life. “On the contrary, it was used as a motivation,” she said, “to show that we don’t give up, that we persevere, that … our actions and results speak louder.”

Heavy, lingering anti-Semitism marked much of her childhood in Hun gary in the 1970s, but Polgar expressed hope that younger members of the audience would take lesson from her stories. For example, she said her grandparents’ hardships were humbling and

taught her gratitude. “Compared to their problems, my problems are nothing,” she said. “What really matters is to put it in perspective.”

In her conversation with Florence Graves, the founding director of the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, Polgar shared her father’s belief that “any healthy-born child is a potential genius.”

Polgar elaborated that her father had a theory that all future geniuses were children who started specializing in a subject or talent from a very young age. When Polgar stumbled upon a chess set and showed interest at four years old, her father felt that the game was “the perfect subject.” Chess was a game that most anyone could play, being “gender-neutral, size-neutral and inexpensive.”

However, Polgar emphasized that more than any innate talent, it was her parents’ support that allowed her to

thrive. She recalled how she first fell in love with chess, with her father as her first mentor and opponent. “He made [the game] sound like a fairytale,” Polgar said, before describing the first time her father took her to a chess club.

This opened into a panel discussion about the gender-exclusive nature of chess, as Polgar articulated her experiences and feelings with sexism throughout her career. She quoted comments thrown at her in her childhood, when she was told to “go play dolls,” as well as the excuses made to exclude women from competition by claiming that “women’s brains are smaller” or “women can’t fight for four hours.” Polgar then asserted that these comments did not discourage her, instead leading her to wonder why she couldn not be the one to prove them wrong.

She remarked on male competitors’ disbelief at her victories, laughing, “I

have never beaten a healthy man!”

The panel then opened the floor for questions from the audience, and several individuals asked how one would go about cultivating a child’s interest in chess. Smiling, Polgar advised: “Be patient. Believe in the power of hard work and perseverance,” and encouraged them to let their children enjoy the experience of chess without rushing them. To aspiring chess players, she emphasized the importance of objective assessment and consistent practice. As a life philosophy, she warned the audience to “not give up at the first difficulty” and to “not get used to the habit of giving up.”

After the event, ten individuals had the opportunity to play chess against Polgar in a simultaneous exhibition, chosen by a raffle.

The majority of chosen players included younger children who were in attendance with their parents.

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Campus Event

MASTER OF CHESS

Discussion centers on genetic ethics questions ■ Students from the

University’s Master of Science in Genetic Counseling spoke on the ethics of testing.

By Michelle Dang JUSTICE Editorial Assistant

With progressive technological developments in genetic screening and gene therapy on the horizon, four students from the University’s Master of Science in Genetic Counseling program discussed the perceptions and ethical concerns regarding their profession as part of ’DEIS Impact on Thursday.

“People have 25,000 genes that code for one to multiple functions …. the three pillars of genetic counseling are to create awareness of knowledge of genetics, to respect the sensitivities of patients and attitudes of clients and to inform people with the fullest possible genetic information that we have at the time,” explained Meera Clytone.

However, “as genetic knowledge increases, there becomes the concern of how much information is too much,” said Clytone.

New clinical services have greatly expanded the information that can be given to a patient.

Whole exome sequencing, collected through a blood sample, can identify an individual’s entire genetic sequence — or life blueprint — which is then screened for mutations that could explain the patient’s disorder.

“It’s kind of a ‘Hail Mary pass’ in genetics,” said Kathryn Schwarting, used when counselors have already tried a series of selective screening and elect this final option to screen everything.

However, “We find out information we sometimes weren’t looking for, called “incidental findings” — and the question becomes, ‘Well, what do we do with this information?’ Do we tell the patients? And what do patients do with this information?” said Schwarting.

In other instances, a genetic counselor may also find “variants of uncertain significance,” which may have no guidelines in place, yet “the patient has the right know of such risks,” said Aman Mann.

Stephanie Laudisi spoke on prenatal screenings and the ethics regarding termination of pregnancies under early identified disorders.

“You may have heard of [noninvasive prenatal testing] as the gender test, but it’s much more than that. … It’s not just a test where we’re finding the gender — this has a lot of implications,” said Laudisi.

Similar to whole exome sequencing, NIPT may tell parents about any predisposed genetic disorders and also about general characteristics and features about their future child. Whether parents elect to continue pregnancies or termination of pregnancy based on this information, Mann said, will increasingly challenge people to take into account “what disability is [considered] a disability.” There is a large

ethical debate surrounding the point at which the line should be drawn for intervention, Mann said.

Laudisi emphasized that it is a genetic counselor’s role to be nondirective. “Our job is not to tell the patient what to do. Our job is to provide enough information for the patient to make an educated decision for themselves and then to support them through that process.”

Additionally, panelists discussed accessibility inequities, as current diagnostic testing and treatment pathways often come with a large price tag.

“We’re talking about genetic counseling in the traditional sense, which is in the clinic, … and now there’s just this explosions of [genetic counselors] working in laboratories, for insurance companies, or in marketing,” said Laudisi.

Thus, demand for these services is increasing and requiring education and exposure among the general public Laudisi concluded.

“There’s definitely a need out there, and hopefully as more people are aware of the profession and what, as a profession, we have to offer with these new technologies and all ethical concerns we talked about, we hope to address as the healthcare field in general and then as genetic counselors, as well,” concluded Mann.

The event was sponsored by the Brandeis chapter of United Against Inequities in Disease as a part of the ’DEIS Impact festival for social justice.

Myths and Ms. An Intergenerational Play about Reincarnation & Abortion

By Rosie Rosenzweig Resident Scholar, Women’s Studies Research Center Starring: ​Annette Miller Of Shakespeare & Co.

Directed by ​Ronn Smith

ADAM PANN/the Justice

Susan Polgar, the first female chess grandmaster, faced off against community members on Wednesday during a ’DEIS Impact event sponsored by the Chess Club.

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Salon, Table Reading and Talk Back: Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 7:00 p.m.

Brandeis University, Women’s Studies Research Center, (WSRC) 515 South Street, Waltham MA For More information email: rrosenzweig@brandeis.edu

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CELEBRITIES FOR A CAUSE

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News

By Junsheng He JUSTICE Contributing writer

JOYCE YU/the Justice

NOTORIETY: Prof. Michael Strand (SOC) discussed the attention that celebrities can bring to social justice activist causes.

Professor looks at role of celebrities in social justice Celebrity looked at the effect celebs have on social justice movements.

By emily blumenthal JUSTICE contributing writer

While society may hail celebrities for bringing awareness to important social issues, their passion for the causes may be one side of a doubleedged sword, according to Prof. Michael Strand (SOC). Strand opened up his class, Sociology of Celebrity, to the University community and local high schoolers as part of ’DEIS Impact College, which places emphasis on incorporating social justice into the classroom.

Celebrities can draw attention to struggles for social justice and empower those who may not have the power to fight for these causes, Strand said. A celebrity sponsorship can also broaden the movement and make it more inclusive, as more people can identify with the movement and feel empowered to support the cause.

A broadening of a movement, however, can be fatal to the cause, he said. “When you draw attention away from the main cause, it makes it so it doesn’t get attention anymore,” local 12th grader Keith Mukire said. Celebrities may also not be the right people to speak out about a cause if they are not personally affected by it or if they are not as educated about the topic.

However, Strand believes a celebrity’s involvement can also increase media attention and thus make a conflict “sexier.”

Audience member Izabella Nickel ’19 gave the example of Shailene Woodley getting arrested during the protests against the construction of

5

Documentary focuses on Korean refugee crisis looked at efforts to help refugees fleeing from North Korea.

the Dakota Access Pipeline. Though the protest was about Native American tribal lands, the media covered her arrest much more voraciously than the other protesters, and her involvement was praised by activists.

In the case of Shailene Woodley and DAPL, Strand said, “it changes the movement’s concerns, in a way; it becomes more about indigenous rights and environmental justice.” “[Celebrities] live in Hollywood, not North Dakota — they have to justify why they’re there. If they don’t live there, they have no specific sake of being in a place like Standing Rock; they have to kind of house their involvement in this more general discourse. This is not about these specific people; it’s about indigenous and environmental justice,” Strand said.

Celebrities also tend to focus on issues that don’t affect their position in society and avoid issues that threaten the status quo — like classism — and issues that may affect their popularity, such as religious issues and abortion. One of Strand’s points was that celebrities find it “easier to ally with ‘distal’ social movements in which they can justify their involvement.”

One example is the Occupy Wall Street movement, in which there was no celebrity involvement due to the fact that it would have affected their position in society.

Strand also said that it is “extremely difficult for celebrities to advocate credibly for structural change.” They tend to advocate for a charitable fix because structural change could jeopardize their power and wealth, he said. This results in celebrities forming their own charities, such as the Mark Wahlberg Foundation for Opiate Awareness, an example given by Waltham High School student Loretta Mugisa.

When a celebrity starts their spon-

TUESDAY, february 7, 2017

CAMPUS EVENT

■ “The People’s Crisis”

■ The session of Sociology of

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sorship of a certain social issue, they tend to personalize it, Strand added.

For example, Taylor Swift advocates for feminism but makes it about herself and her female friends. “You need your actions to reflect what you say,” one audience member said. In the case of Taylor Swift, she tweeted her support for the recent Women’s March on Washington but did not actually march.

Another audience member said that when a celebrity starts to sponsor a cause, they bring their past with them, which can hamper the cause.

In some cases, critics can decry the celebrity’s past as a reason not to support the cause, which ruins the chances of those who are trying to advocate for it, they said. If the celebrity missteps, all of the media attention is on that, which further destroys the cause.

In his lecture, Strand also discussed the meaning of power and its sources. He defined power as “the capacity to influence or control the behavior or beliefs of other people.”

He gave examples of the government, military and social movements as examples of sources of power. When he opened the event to audience discussion, audience members spoke about the powerful social capital that celebrities wield.

Though these sources of power are very important, Strand said that celebrities “have a unique capacity to influence processes of social change.”

He said that celebrity power is detached from “institutionally derived sources,” like the government, and that it brings great public attention to certain causes.

“There is no celebrity without a cause. I can’t think of any celebrities who don’t have a cause [or] … charities they support. You have to have a celebrity sponsor,” Strand said.

Along a dim mud path in southeast China, a van roams around. A figure gets off after a while, scanning a remote village late in the night, when only some sparse dog barks can be heard.

This dramatic scene is the beginning of not a novel but of “The People’s Crisis,” a documentary on North Korean refugees, shown by the Brandeis chapter of the student organization Liberty in North Korea on Friday night.

Following the tense scene of rescuers searching for recently-defected refugees, the documentary moves on to show the entire process of rescuing North Korean refugees, from planning in LiNK Headquarters in Los Angeles to traveling with refugees across China through Southeast Asia, approximately 3,500 miles.

“Lack of human rights” and “famine” are among the top motives for escaping North Korea, as indicated by the survivors’ oral accounts in the documentary. “If I get caught now, I would be sent to North Korea and either get beaten to death or imprisoned for life,” said Minsung, an 18-year-old teenager who fled from North Korea alone. Minsung addressed the camera with a slightly trembling voice, but when he recalled his parents feeding him an extra spoon of porridge while they themselves still suffered from starvation, he sobbed. His cry of “[One] only lives on this earth once, so I want to live like a human being” came up again in a discussion about

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human rights after the screening.

Another subject which triggered a heated debate after the screening was “woman trafficking” on China’s border with North Korea. Due to the previous one-child policy, there are fewer women in China, which makes women refugees more vulnerable to trafficking because of their uncertain legal status.

Rie Ota ’18, the social chair of the Brandeis branch of Liberty in North Korea, pointed out that female refugees were not necessarily unaware of the danger of being trafficked prior to defecting from North Korea. After weighing the pros and cons, many would still rather flee than be tied up under the regime, she said.

As part of the ’DEIS Impact festival for social justice, the event Being a Refugee, Being a Rescuer focused on the social justice and human rights aspect of the North Korean refugee crisis.

However, this issue, as Brandeis LiNK President Justin Sunwoo Kim ’17 stated, is not only a social problem but also an international political challenge, one far more complicated than merely a refugee affair. The origin of the conflict can be traced back to the split of Korea in 1948 and the complex notion of unity that has existed since the Korean Peninsula was unified in 668 A.D. When it comes to how the rescuers in the film operate, “Courage [is] always a good start,” Kim remarked. He mentioned Ryan Downer, the director of “The People’s Crisis,” who has devoted himself to helping the refugees fleeing from North Korea. Downer was once jailed for six months in China for rescuing North Korean defectors and constantly faces other dangers and injuries throughout his efforts. “But the courage doesn’t have to be like that,” noted Kim, “as long as you are willing to act.”

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THE JUSTICE

DI: Walker speaks about ‘noble truths’ CONTINUED FROM 1

vive and “die a good death,” Walker said, people can look at the Four Noble Truths. The first truth is that life is suffering from change and habituation; the second, that the suffering stems from people clinging to stability; the third, that they can end that suffering by recognizing the reality of change; and fourth, that by following the teachings of Dharma, they can liberate themselves.

Walker then spoke of her own personal noble truths. First, she said, one must recognize that the world is brimming with noise, distractions and ideas. Everyone is vying for hearts and minds, draining away time, energy and peace of mind, she said, adding, “And it will never end.”

Still, Walker pointed out, there is a way out of the “programmatic thinking” that creates suffering. Instead of depending on others for direction, people can ask themselves: “What do I bring to the table?”

People should also be conscious of how they use their energy, she said, as they only have so much of it in their lives. Even after recognizing those noble truths, the process remains an uphill struggle.

“You may not see the result tomorrow,” she said. “You may not see it next week. You may not see it in your lifetime. But standing up for the human good will manifest at some point, and even if it does not, it certainly will not if you don’t do your part to make it so.”

Additionally, Walker stressed the long-term nature of activism. She praised Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) for speaking out against Justice Clarence Thomas’ nomination for the Supreme Court. Though Thomas was ultimately appointed, she said, Hill nevertheless impacted the national discourse on sexual harassment. “We almost took [Trump] down based on his treatment of women,” she said. “That is a massive success, and it has not been erased because of what followed.

It is in the hearts and minds of people.

It is not going away. And that is why we must always stand up, because we do not know when the outcome of our effort is going to manifest.”

Walker wrapped up her speech by throwing in a fifth noble truth: Do not give up. “That, to me, is the embodiment of dignity and the perseverance of the human spirit,” she added. “And once we give up, there’s really nothing.”

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, February 7, 2017

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CASINO NIGHT

AARON BIRNBAUM/the Justice

Students joined the Brandeis Chinese Cultural Connection on Thursday night in the Intercultural Center Swig Lounge for classic casino games and non-alcoholic cocktails.

TRAVEL: Immigration lawyer looks at implications of ban CONTINUED FROM 1 the national interest” on a “caseby-case basis.” It would also stop the admission of Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Madeline Cronin, an immigration lawyer from the firm Iandoli, Desai & Cronin, discussed the nuts and bolts of the system before and after the executive orders.

She noted the impact that the visa ban would have on universities and businesses, as worker and student visas — such as B-1, F-1, H-1B and J-1 — were not exempted from the executive order.

“I thought it would take longer, because usually things are thought through, and usually people are consulted and agencies are asked, ‘How will this affect people? How

will this work out?’” Cronin said.

“But it was just overnight.”

On Feb. 3, according to a BrandeisNOW report, the University announced that it and seven other universities in the area had filed an amici curiae brief calling for a federal judge to push back against the travel ban.

As of Feb. 4, the State Department has reversed the visa ban, Reuters reported. Washington Judge James L. Robart had blocked the executive action the day before, the article said.

The ban would have put international students from the seven countries in an uncomfortable position, one in which they would not be able to study abroad or visit family at home.

It presented problems for other

nationalities, too, Cronin said. The executive order also called for the suspension of the Visa Interview Waiver Program, which exempted some applicants, such as students renewing F-1 visas, from the required in-person interview.

“I do expect that visa interviews are going to be delayed indefinitely for all nationalities,” said Cronin, noting that the list of banned countries was expected to grow.

While the visa ban has been reversed for now, the section on refugees remains to be addressed.

“If you hear people saying, ‘Oh, the refugees, this is what should have happened a long time ago, we shouldn’t have let all people in, they’re just letting people in’ — that is absolutely false. They wait and wait and wait,” she said. Refugees

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seeking to come to the United States already face a “stringent vetting process,” she pointed out — one that can sometimes take up to ten years.

With regard to the other executive order, the fate of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals remains up in the air.

According to the slideshow shown by Cronin, the Obama administration had already deported more people than his 20th-century predecessors combined, and the immigration courts had extensive backlogs.

Cronin also described the history of the sanctuary movement, which began in the 1980s when hundreds of religious congregations declared themselves safe havens for those fleeing violence in Central Ameri-

ca.

The question of whether the University could function as a sanctuary campus also came up.

Chief Diversity Officer Mark Brimhall-Vargas emphasized the importance of the privacy of affected students.

“Is it better to draw the attention of a hostile administration or not?” asked Brimhall-Vargas.

Intercultural Center Director Madeleine Lopez agreed, pointing to the need for affected students to initiate those private conversations.

“You are all, especially as students, experiencing fear, especially the fear of the unknown,” said Lopez, addressing those affected. “And that is an unjust experience that has been imposed on you.”

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features

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 ● Features ● The Justice

just

VERBATIM | TOM BRADY The true competitors, though, are the ones who always play to win.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1891, the Great Blizzard began, which would eventually contribute to the death of 200 people.

The largest recorded tsunami, with a height of 1,720 feet, occured in 1958 in Alaska.

KIRBY KOCHANOWSKI/the Justice

UNTOLD STORIES: Kathy Kleiman discussed her documentary on the six female programmers behind a military computer.

Pioneering Programmers Kathy Kleiman discovered the untold story of the women behind one of the first computers

By Kirby KOchanowski JUSTICE Editor

It all started with a photograph.

Kathy Kleiman noticed an image of women surrounding the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer, one of the first ever electronic computers. She was curious about their role, but was told by the cofounder of the Computer History Museum that the women were little more than models hired to show off the computer in promotional photos. When Kleiman realized the true role the women played in creating the functioning ENIAC, she was astounded.

Kay McNulty, Betty Jennings, Betty Snyder, Marlyn Meltzer, Fran Bilas and Ruth Lichterman were the six women responsible for programming the ENIAC. To tell their story, Kleiman began to research the women and eventually helped to create the documentary “The Computers.” On Saturday at noon, as part of ’DEIS Impact, Kleiman hosted a Q & A following a screening of the documentary.

The event, “Overlooked STEM Women: Gender Justice Then and Now,” was hosted by Brandeis Encourages Women in Science and Engineering.

World War II and the subsequent loss of many young men to the war opened many jobs to women.

The United States Army during this time needed mathematicians to create ballistic firing tables.

Based on data gathered regarding weather and target distance, the arc of a missile had to be changed to ensure accuracy.

However, most male mathematicians had already been hired by the government and were working on other tasks like the Manhattan Project.

The positions for “computers” were then opened to women.

Over 100 women were hired to calculate these trajectories, including McNulty, Jennings, Snyder, Meltzer, Bilas and Lichterman. However, it still would take over 40 hours for a single equation to be solved.

The government therefore embarked on an ambitious project to create a machine which could calculate equations faster than any human ever could. This project was the computer ENIAC. Though most of the computer itself had been built, the army still needed people to code the machine.

This is where the six women came in. Though they weren’t initially given security clearance to see the machine, the women were expected to figure out how to code ENIAC based on electrical diagrams they were given. They were expected to figure out the role of 18,000 vacuum tubes and 3,000 sockets, which all had to be connected with cables.

Sadly, ENIAC wasn’t completed

before the end of the war. As young men returned home, many of the jobs that had been held by women were returned to the men. However, the army begged the ENIAC coders to stay and finish their work. They had figured out how to code ENIAC on their own; they were pioneers in the field of computer science.

And eventually, they achieved success. “It wasn’t like they set out on a course to [develop a new field]; they were just trying to respond to needs,” Kleiman said.

Even after ENIAC was completed, the women programmers helped to transition the next generation of computer coders. Despite these successes, the story of these women went untold for decades.

“The world needs to know who its pioneers are,” Kleiman said.

Uncovering the untold story of these coders was Kleiman’s undergraduate thesis at Harvard University — “My never-ending thesis,” she laughed during the Q & A. Kleiman was able to connect with many of the programmers and developed personal relationships with them.

And to the audience members who often come to Kleiman with stories of their aunts and grandmothers who were also pioneers, Kleiman ended with a piece of advice: “Please record them. There are tons and tons of fascinating stories out there. …

If you find them, record them.”

KIRBY KOCHANOWSKI/the Justice

A DAUNTING TASK: The women had to figure out how to program ENIAC based on electrical diagrams.

the justice ● Features ● TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

Looking Through “Transparent” Rebecca Walker considered her role in the Amazon Prime show

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

CANDID CONVERSATION: Rebecca Walker (right) talked about the need for the inclusion of women of color’s voices in the media.

By SARAH SCOTT JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

What is progressive television?

Are we really making progress? And how can the trend toward inclusive entertainment be continued and solidified. The ’DEIS Impact Festival hosted a screening of the Emmy award-winning Amazon Prime show “Transparent,” followed by a discussion panel featuring ’DEIS Impact keynote speaker Rebecca Walker.

Other panelists included Dr. Aliyyah Abdur-Rahman (AAAS), Brie McLemore M.A., Alex Montgomery M.A. and Ruth Galaviz ’17. Walker is a renowned champion of third-wave, inclusive feminism and progressive television. Including her creative involvement with the development of “Transparent,” some of her recent television projects include “One Mississippi,” “Black Cool” and “Black, White, and Jewish.” The screening and paneling explored and discussed the importance and impact of progressive and inclusive television.

“Transparent” focuses on the life of a Jewish family whose father comes out as a transgender woman. According to Rebecca Walker, who has worked with show creator Jill Holloway, the show is based off of Holloway’s own experiences with her father who came out as a transgender woman at the age of 65. “Transparent” is acclaimed for its awardwinning performances, story and important social messages, winning three Emmys and one Golden Globe.

Rebecca Walker recalled her experiences working on “Transparent” and the evolving television industry. Recently, Walker changed her focus from authoring books to the film industry. She believes that television is proving itself a better means of modern communication.

While many shows are receiving recognition for inclusion, Walker recalled the conflicts which arose in the creative process. While working on “Transparent,” Walker recalls that her “first note on the show” regarded the issue of race. She expressed concerns about the “fairly fetishized” black male characters on one episode.

Walker made a brief appearance on the screened episode, and hoped that her presence would add nuance and “authenticity” to the characters of color in the show.

Walker explained how to move forward with television representation.

She hopes that while addressing the issues that face the transgender community, there is the acknowledgement

and exploration of race and class. She notes that this has not yet been accomplished in the realm of television.

However, she believes that with the talents and industry recognition of the show’s creator, “Transparent” has the ability to accomplish this. Walker further articulated that this is a common industry issue; while there is creation of space for new narratives, change and growth is still necessary.

Working on a number of shows, Walker revealed her experiences in pitching sessions. “They don’t want to make the same mistakes, they really don’t,” she said. Walker explained the ability of the inclusion of a woman of color’s voice in the creative process to educate and create exchange. “We don’t want a black woman in a care-taking position, we don’t want a black woman in a housekeeping position,” Walker said.

According to Walker, shows about multiracial families are imperative in the industry, and despite the emerging popularity of these progressive shows, there is plenty of room for a variety of new stories. When Walker’s producer told her about emerging multiracial family shows, Walker responded that “our show is our show.” She told the audience that television has an abundance of cop and medical shows without a negative audience response.

“They hear us now,” Walker asserted.

She told the audience that the previous election affected many in the television industry and that they “want to get it.” They want to create more inclusive narratives and characters.

As a result, an industry desire emerged to create change in some form, and voices of color are imperative for this goal. “We have to be at

the table,” she states. However, she further explained that one has to be prepared with their experiences and unafraid to articulate their ideas.

Walker concluded with her personal and recent recollection of developing a black female character for the show “One Mississippi.” With her personal voice in the show’s creative process, Walker was able to highlight the importance of this complex character of color. However, the character’s role is not directly educational.

She hopes that the character can educate without carrying that “burden.”

During the panel, Montgomery asked Walker about the important but problematic aspects of Black TV in the 1990s and today. To the delight of Brandeis students, Walker replied, “If you’re not going to Boston [for the marches] to save the world, I think you should think about writing TV.”

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

TRANSGENDER IDENTITY: Television shows like Amazon Prime’s “Transparent” depict the lives of transgender people and their loved ones.

9

10 TUESDAY, February 7, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE

the

Justice Established 1949

Brandeis University

Carmi Rothberg, Editor in Chief Mihir Khanna, Managing Editor Morgan Brill, Deputy Editor Michelle Banayan, Jessica Goldstein, Noah Hessdorf and Sabrina Sung, Associate Editors Abby Patkin, News Editor, Kirby Kochanowski, Features Editor Amber Miles, Forum Editor, Jerry Miller, Sports Editor Hannah Kressel, Acting Arts Editor Natalia Wiater, Photography Editor Mira Mellman, Layout Editor, Pamela Klahr and Robbie Lurie, Ads Editors Rachel Sharer, Online Editor, Jen Geller and Avraham Penso, Acting Copy Editors

EDITORIALS Assess proposed general education changes The Task Force on General Education has proposed several changes to the current general education requirements for Brandeis undergraduates, according to a Jan. 27 email from Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren. This board commends the University on initiating this long-overdue process of evaluating the needs of students and how best to guide them through their careers at Brandeis. However, select proposed changes to the core curriculum are shortsighted and unnecessary.

As per the current proposal, certain parts of the general education requirements will remain unchanged.

This includes the physical education requirement; the schools of thought requirements, such as creative arts and social science; and the University Writing Seminar program.

This board supports retaining the current schools of thought requirements, as well as the physical education requirement, but we recommend that UWS be established as a requirement that students can fully test out of, just as one would with Composition, allowing students who enter Brandeis with established writing backgrounds to pursue other interests.

This would shrink UWS class sizes and ensure that the course is better tailored to those enrolled.

The task force’s proposal outlines additional changes to the general education program, such as incorporating Writing Intensive, Oral Communication and new Digital Literacy components into students’ curricula so that they can fulfill the requirements within fields that pertain to their studies. Since Digital Literacy would vary from major to major, we hope this addition would provide students with further knowledge pertaining to their intended field of study while not imposing extra classes onto their major or minor requirements — it would ideally be an added component to certain classes that may have more technical aspects to them.

However, the proposed inclusion of three additional required noncredit modules — mind and body balance, navigating health and safety and life skills — is likely to consume a good amount of already limited student time. While these skills are undoubtedly useful to have, and while we certainly encourage the University to offer classes in these areas, we oppose the implementation of these modules as additional requirements.

Mandating students to attend such programs undermines the value of the information imparted in them, as students who would be interested in learning such skills would go out of their way to obtain them, while other students may attend only to show face and add to their participation grade rather than fully invest their efforts into mandatory courses in which they have little interest.

The proposal of introducing a shared first-year experience is also unnecessary, as such classes already exist in the form of optional firstyear and senior-year seminars.

The presented structure for this requirement is untenable and would be impossible to implement in its proposed

Evaluate Brandeis curricula state. Furthermore, if students are interested in the interdisciplinary courses considered under this requirement, they have more than enough opportunities to take one or more of the courses that address 21st century challenges currently offered at Brandeis. Instead of tacking on these requirements to their schedules, the University should grant first-years the latitude that a liberal arts education affords and foster the opportunity for them to pursue a variety of interests, which may give rise to future career paths — arguably the primary purpose of a university education.

This board recommends that the University consider collapsing its proposal to add what ultimately amounts to six required courses to the “Global Citizenship” aspect of its general education initiative. According to Prof. David Powelstock (GRALL), the DeisUS requirement that the University plans to integrate will encourage students to “explore the historical and contemporary experiences, interests and perspectives of a wide range of groups and institutions that have shaped and have been shaped by life in the United States.”

This board recognizes that, especially in the current climate, such additions to our curricula are critical. The DeisUS requirement, in addition to the already established non-Western requirement, should be sufficient to fulfill the intended goal set forth by the Global Citizenship initiative.

To that end, we recommend that the University consider abolishing the language requirement. Students cannot learn a foreign language to the point of retainable fluency in three semesters, and if they decide that a foreign language is critical to their career path and future success, it is up to those students to design their course load to match those desires.

Furthermore, a foreign language is no longer part of the quintessential liberal arts education, and it is high time that our University requirements be altered to reflect that.

It is clear that certain general education requirements do provide students with further knowledge pertaining to their chosen areas of study and do enrich their education without costing them a semester that could be invested toward achieving a new minor or exploring a new interest.

However, other proposed amendments will likely hold back students more than help them. Brandeis prides itself on providing students with the flexibility to delve into an interdisciplinary array of studies; the Brandeis Undergraduate Admissions website boasts, “Nearly half our undergraduates pursue a double major, often in fields on opposite ends of the academic spectrum.” This board understands that these changes are intended to make us happier, healthier and more well-rounded students, but additional classes and requirements would only further constrict us and our ability to explore a variety of avenues and disciplines, cheapening what is otherwise a strong liberal arts education.

SARA FULTON/the Justice

Views the News on

On Jan. 26, the scientific journal “Cell” published a paper describing human stem cells that were injected into a pig embryo. An international team of researchers led by the Salk institute successfully developed the embryo for four weeks before terminating the experiment — making it the longest living of its kind. While this advent is is a breakthrough for scientists addressing a worldwide organ shortage, some critics have expressed concerns regarding the possibility of animals developing human organs. What do you think of this recent development, and do you believe the possible benefits of this technology outweigh the moral concerns one may have?

Abraham Cheloff ’18 The ability to not only inject but also develop human stem cells in another model organism is a giant step forward in the race to create organs, as opposed to waiting for a match. If scientists are able to expand this research to the extent that adult stem cells could be used, we would have a negligible rejection rate and easier access to organs at the time of need. However, growing animals for organ harvest provides the same ethical dilemmas as growing them for slaughter. It is hard to see where the line will be drawn.

For instance, if a neurodegenerative patient has human neurons grown in a pig, but by the time the neurons are ready for harvest the pig has developed human-like capabilities such as thinking and feeling, would we still be willing to harvest those neurons? This shouldn’t end scientific advancement, but we must be cautious.

Abraham Cheloff ’18 is a Biology Undergraduate Departmental Representative. He is also a teacher’s assistant for General Biology Lab and does undergraduate research in the Miller Lab.

Ricky Brathwaite ’17 I do agree that there are some ethical dilemmas; however, the ends justify the means in this case. The implications this novel research can have are unfathomable. The benefits for sure outweigh any ethical dilemmas that I have seen presented. Like the article said, “Every 10 minutes a person is added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. And every day, 22 people on that list die without the organ they need.” Currently, there are more than 122,000 people on the waitlist for any particular organ in the United States alone. I don’t see how people can stand by and think this is alright. If you aren’t going to do something about saving these people’s lives, then why halt, criticize and denounce those who are willing to?

Ricky Brathwaite ’17 is a teacher’s assistant for General Biology Lab and the vice president of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science.

Prof. Paul Miller (BIO) If someone has a heart transplant, do they end up loving the donor’s spouse? No, because our ability to love depends on our brains, not our hearts. It is coordinated neural activity across our brains that gives rise to consciousness, which is the most important aspect of being human. Unfortunately, my own church has mistakenly made the attribution of full human rights depend upon the relative location of specific molecules of DNA rather than on the capacity for consciousness, which makes us full humans with spiritual potential.

So the important question becomes: “Is a conscious being harmed?”

A group of cells is not conscious, nor can any organ other than the brain give rise to consciousness. If the chimeras develop more fully, then the answerable question will be “Do they have porcine or human brains?” If porcine, then harvesting them for human organs to save lives is more ethical than the current practice of harvesting pigs for non-essential meat.

Prof. Paul Miller (BIO) is an Associate Professor of Biology.

Prof. Benjamin Sherman (PHIL) A common objection to such experiments runs something like this: Growing human organ inside a pig is wrong because it is unnatural to combine species in this way. It is true that, in the wild, human organs do not grow inside pigs. But that is not much of an objection. Every new technology is something that did not previously appear in nature.

There may well be ethical problems, but they are mostly familiar ones.

We should consider how much suffering the experiments cause their subjects and whether the benefits are worth it. We should consider the risk of the new biotech altering the ecosystem. And we should carefully monitor how the human cells develop in pigs —if a pig fetus developed a human brain, for instance, that would raise some new ethical issues. I see nothing inherently wrong with the experiments, as long as they are conducted with sufficient care.

Prof. Benjamin Sherman (PHIL) is a Lecturer in Philosophy.

THE JUSTICE ● fORUM ● TUESDAY, february 7, 2017

11

Evaluate the efficacy and morality of violent protest By judah weinerman JUSTICE contributing writer

Unless you have been living under a very enviable rock, you are doubtless aware that Donald Trump was inaugurated as president on Jan. 20, and ever since, the American public has been letting its voice be heard, with up to 4.6 million protesters marching on Jan. 21 alone, according to a Jan. 23 article in the Atlantic.

Richard Spencer is best known for coining the term “alt-right” and holding a post-election conference where the attendants put their arms out at a 50 degree angle and screamed “Heil Trump!” until they went hoarse, according to a Nov. 20, 2016 New York Times article. Spencer has been in the news quite a bit as of late, and it is not even for his usual callings for ethnic cleansing, which he does frequently, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Instead, his new 15 minutes of fame are thanks to a video that has been all over the news and social media and has led to a new fight over an agesold question: Is violence a legitimate means of civil resistance?

In the video, he is seen ready to give his usual, dead-serious diatribe about how terrible Black Lives Matter is and extol the values of unified whiteness when a hooded figure runs up to him and sucker punches him in the back of the head. Immense amounts of schadenfreude over seeing an absolutely repugnant individual reap what he sowed aside, the aftermath of this has been far murkier. Spencer’s assault, along with fellow right-wing firebrand Milo “Would you rather your child have feminism or cancer?” Yiannopoulos having his University of California Berkeley rally shut down and his talk canceled after a full-scale riot broke out over his presence, has reignited a centuries-old debate among activists seeking to use protests as a means of change.

On the one hand, you have the more traditional liberal wing that argues that this only helps the alt-right’s cause, allowing conservatives to label the entire protest movement as one full of “anarchists” or “looters” or whatever horrible buzzword is in favor that month and delegitimize major efforts like the Women’s March and Black Lives Matter protest with a simple “but they’re violent!” In that sense, nonviolent protesters follow in a tradition of civil disobedience stretching all the way back to Gandhi and Thoreau.

No discussion of nonviolent protest in American politics is complete without acknowledging both the accomplishments and

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values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the Civil Rights Movement. King’s view on protest was that attempting to achieve equality through violence would prove futile as a means of change, because any meager gains made with such extreme tactics would be nothing compared to the widespread animosity and distrust such violence would breed. Shutting up a particularly loud racist or wrecking a vocally segregationist restaurant would not be worth losing the nascent trust and sympathy of the white majority whose representatives in Washington were the only ones who could make any semblance of racial equality on a national level a reality. As King wrote in his Letter From Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

For much of his public life, King disagreed with groups like the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam, which felt that the olive branch approach had failed and that the only answer to white bigotry was to respond with force. Their descendents are the explicitly anti-fascist and much less cohesive group whose members range from liberals completely opposed to Trump to actual communist revolutionaries.

Within the broader “antifa” sphere there exist factions given names like “Code Black” and

“Black Bloc” who derive meaning less from the distinctive black getup that gives them their labels and more by their willingness to use violence to make a point. Whether that point consists of punching Spencer for putting on his usual harassment shtick, pepper spraying Vice founder Gavin McInnes when he tried to give a lecture in support of “white chauvinists” at New York University or even Shia Labeouf — yes, Shia Labeouf — being arrested for attacking a man who shouted “Hitler did nothing wrong” during his anti-Trump demonstration, the reason remains the same: a belief that fascist rhetoric should not be allowed to enter the American mainstream at any cost. These acts, while indisputably illegal and well beyond the limits of normal political discourse, are being committed against people who hold equally violent ideologies. If the alt-right worldview is predicated on violence against marginalized groups, antifa protesters argue, those groups responding in kind is hardly surprising.

Here is where I have trouble threading the needle on this one: In the most obvious sense, trying to defeat a movement predicated on violent suppression of those deemed unfit by out-violencing them is counter-intuitive to the extreme, which should render the “black

bloc” point moot. Yet, their argument that giving people like Spencer a voice serves no real purpose outside of giving their bigotry a captive audience is a point that should not be dismissed. When internet provocateurs like 4chan and Reddit’s /r/the_donald were allowed to promote extreme racism and misogyny under the guise of “free speech,” they proceeded to harass and threaten anyone who drew their ire and continue to make life hell for journalists and citizens who dare take an opposing viewpoint, according to a June 17, 2016 Washington Post article. Milo Yiannopoulos is still touring college campuses around the country peddling his misogynistic future, Spencer is still spewing his xenophobic lies through Twitter, and conservative media is rapidly coalescing around the extreme reactionist nature of Steve Bannon’s Breitbart.

While I cannot bring myself to endorse violence as a means to an end, we must come to grips with the fact that as long as the alt-right’s apocalyptic vision of racial conflict remains a major component of public discourse, violence will flow freely from both sides. We as a country must figure out a civil way to minimize these voices before they divide an already fractured country even more.

Reject state control of Muslim women’s religious expression Amber

MILES ANONYMOUS KRAKEN

From national security to women’s rights, many western politicians and members of the political right will use any excuse to justify their Islamophobia these days, and more often than not, Islamophobic actions are counterproductive to the values they supposedly uphold. In the case of national security, for example, President Donald Trump’s recent attempt to ban people from seven Muslim-majority countries seems not only legally and morally questionable but also ineffective. According to a Jan. 29 Politifact article, no fatal terror attacks have been linked to people from any of those seven countries since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On a broader scale, the West’s widespread condemnation of Islam as an anti-woman religion represents a shortsighted and ignorant disregard for freedom of religion — a value the United States and many European countries supposedly honor — and the true meaning of feminism.

Both freedom of religion and feminism boil down to individual choice and autonomy: As long as their actions do not hurt anyone, religious individuals should be free to observe and worship as they — and they alone — deem fit; similarly, at its core, feminism is

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— or, at least, should be — about supporting a woman’s choice to live her life as she deems fit. This includes wearing a burqa, niqab, hijab or other clothing item, if she so chooses.

The problem exists when Muslim women feel obligated — by law, social pressure or both — to wear headscarves when they do not want to. Where this is the case, the offending laws or social pressures should be challenged, but in areas where women choose to freely wear a burqa, niqab or hijab, the law and society should not interfere.

“

Islam itself does not inherently challenge feminism; bans of religiously affiliated clothing items do.

Islam itself does not inherently challenge feminism; bans of religiously affiliated clothing items do.

At least 12 European countries have made efforts to ban burqas, niqabs or hijabs, according to a Jan. 31 BBC article. Reasons for these bans range from separation of church and state to patronizing attempts to liberate women from their garments.

Starting with an April 11, 2011 ban on full-face veils in public places, France has continued to attempt restrictions on

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headscarves. Last year, regions of France passed additional bans, this time on “burkinis,” a type of swimwear, but these were later overruled by French courts. The ban on full-face veils remains, however, and women can receive a 150 euro fine — about 217 U.S. dollars — for violating it.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel endorsed burqa bans “wherever legally possible,” according to a Dec. 6, 2016 BBC article. More recently, Austria banned niqabs and burqas in public spaces to supposedly promote ideals of “open communication,” according to a Jan. 31 BBC article.

While reactions to bans have been mixed, Shami Chakrabati, a director of a United Kingdom human rights group, best summarized the problem with these bans, as cited by a July 1, 2014 article in the Guardian: “How do you liberate women by criminalising their clothing?”

As for choosing whether to wear a burqa, niqab or hijab, Muslim women seem divided.

Some view such garments as a sign of modesty or devotion to their faith, while others view them as relics of the past. As two Muslim women explain in a Dec. 21, 2015 Washington Post article, some believe that the hijab “promotes a social attitude that absolves men of sexually harassing women and puts the onus on the victim to protect herself by covering up,” because it perpetuates the idea “that women are a sexual distraction to men, who are weak, and thus must not be tempted by the sight of our hair.” In any case, the decision whether to wear a headscarf must be left to each individual woman.

None of this is to say that no one ever warps or uses Islam to wrong women. However, any religion, including Christianity, can be

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warped in a way that harms people. In fact, as columnist Nicholas Kristof explains in a Jan. 9, 2010 opinion piece, all Abrahamic traditions have a history of using religion as an excuse to oppress women.

To promote women’s rights, one must also promote free will. In the case of headscarves, that means allowing each Muslim woman the choice to decide on her own whether she would like to wear one. Contrary to the belief that Muslim women are so oppressed that they are not allowed to speak or think for themselves — see Trump’s June 30, 2016 comment about Ghazala Khan — most Muslim women around the world believe that they deserve the same legal rights as men, according to an excerpt from the book “Who Speaks for Islam?”

In fact, according to a March 20, 2015 Time magazine article, Muslim women have protested and worked toward equality, just like non-Muslim women. As such, they are clearly capable of deciding whether they want to express their faith through wearing a burqa, niqab or hijab, and they do not need Western governments’ oversight to determine their clothing choices.

Even assuming the best of intentions, banning the burqa, niqab or hijab is wrong, and supporting such bans under the guise of feminism only perpetuates a patriarchal system in which those in power dictate a woman’s decisions. Everyone needs to listen to what Muslim women want before trying to dictate decisions that should be theirs alone to make.

Feminism, after all, is about empowerment, and according to a March 8, 2016 BBC video, many women seeking equality “say that labelling them as victims only makes those battles harder to fight.”

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TUESDAY, february 7, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Oppose Trump’s recent executive action on immigration

By RAVI SIMON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Friday, Jan. 27, exactly a week after taking office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which threw the American immigration system into chaos. Families were separated for hours, protesters gathered in large numbers at major international airports, and judges acted quickly to block parts of the order after suits were brought by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union. Trump’s executive order suspends refugee resettlement in the United States for months, except in Syria, from which refugee resettlement is indefinitely suspended. In addition, the executive order temporarily bans entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Purportedly, the ban will help bolster national security and protect Americans from terrorism. In reality, Trump will accomplish little more than wrecking the lives of properly vetted refugees, making things even harder for Muslims and refugees in this country and casting the lives of green card and visa holders abroad into disarray.

Students at Brandeis are no exception; some are afraid that they may not be allowed to return from study abroad. Whether Trump’s executive order will stand up in the courts is unclear, but we should hope that it does not. The ban is dangerous and unethical, but furthermore, it signals that the nation itself has turned its back on its most cherished values.

Trump sailed to power on a wave of populist anger against a government which was perceived as prioritizing the needs of foreigners and immigrants over white working-class Americans. Trump’s first campaign speech, in which he infamously called undocumented Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “criminals,” made his campaign focus abundantly clear.

First came the proposal to build a wall and make Mexico pay for it, followed shortly by the Muslim ban. On Dec. 7, 2015, Trump’s campaign released a statement urging “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” with the goal of giving “our country's representatives” time to “figure out what is going on." According to a Dec. 8, 2015 CNN article, the proposal was instantly popular among the base supporters of the Republican party. Little more than a year later, the actual ban put into place represents a significant retreat from the extremity of a religious test for admission into the country. Nevertheless, it remains seriously problematic in its approach to Islam, tacitly and blanketly suggesting that Muslims cannot be trusted in this country.

According to a Jan. 29 New York Times article, among those affected by the ban are Iraqi interpreters, who risked their lives to help the US army.

Save the ethical question, however. The claim being made by the Trump administration is that the national security of the country ought be weighed more heavily than the interests of noncitizens. The problem is that the executive order will, at best, benefit national security extremely marginally but, at worst, could seriously impair

ROMAN LOPER/the Justice

national security. According to a Jan. 29 CNN article, there have been zero terror attacks committed by refugees since 1980. Furthermore, a Jan. 28 Vox opinion piece points out that the ban would have done nothing to stop the San Bernardino shooting, the Orlando nightclub shooting, the Boston Marathon bombings, the Fort Hood shooting or even the September 11, 2001 attacks, because the perpetrators of these attacks were not from those countries. In fact, the countries from which Trump wants to ban immigration are functionally arbitrary. While it is true that many of the countries, like Syria and Libya, are mired in civil war, the United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres wisely pointed out, according to a Feb. 1 article from Reuters, “If a global terrorist organization will try to attack any country like the United States, they will probably not come with people with passports from those countries that are hotspots of conflict today.” Even more importantly, as the same Jan. 28 Vox opinion piece points out, terror groups like the Islamic State are not trying to sneak fighters in, because it makes little sense.

Why would ISIS send someone halfway across the globe to a foreign country — where he would have to find guns without getting caught — when they could just use propaganda to inspire Americans to launch attacks instead?

This distinction is critical because, while the ban is designed to stop an insurgent from Syria sneaking through the border, it exacerbates the problem of “lone-wolf” terrorism which has dogged the United States for the past few years. That is, the possible benefits of the ban are far outweighed by its potential to further exacerbate pre-existing tensions with Muslims in the United States. This antagonistic portrayal

of Islam is exactly the sort of material which can become recruitment propaganda for radical Islamic terrorists who seek to portray Islam as being on an irrevocable collision course with the West. The president worsens the situation when he publically appears to agree.

Furthermore, the ban makes it harder to fight these insurgent groups abroad. According to a Jan. 29 New York Times article, Iraqi officials were shocked to turn on the news and discover that the Trump administration had not even bothered to give them prior notice of the ban.

Luckman Faily, Iraq’s former ambassador to Washington, commented that “many Iraqis will feel that the United States does not want a longterm relationship with Iraq.” Alienating our closest ally in the region is not an intelligent new strategy in the war on terror; it is reckless and irresponsible. It is unclear to what degree this ban will affect the war on the ground in Iraq and Syria, but it can only serve to upend key relationships and hurt morale.

Yet even if it could be proven that Trump’s executive action is in the national security interests of the country, this is hardly a sufficient condition to make it morally permissible.

The ban entirely prevents the world’s most persecuted peoples from reaching safety, despite the fact that, according to a Feb. 3 Politifact article, these individuals have gone through one of the most stringent vetting systems in the world. According to an Oct. 28, 2015 Migration Policy Institute report, the country from which the United States received the most refugees in 2015 was Myanmar. For what reason Burmese refugees are not allowed enter the United States for the next four months boggles the mind. Furthermore, the fact that the Trump

administration would attempt to deny legal residents of the United States entry is shocking and likely illegal. There can be no justification for this sort of merciless and cruel xenophobia.

Make no mistake, the Trump administration has the blood of innocent Syrians on its hands — doctors, lawyers and teachers whose lives were destroyed by radical Islamic terrorism, who passed the strictest vetting in the world and who just wanted to give their children a better life in America.

At the onset of war in 1939, the United States turned away ships like the MS St. Louis, which was packed to the brim with Jewish refugees desperate to escape Europe. Jan. 27, the day President Trump signed his executive order, was Holocaust Memorial Day. The world swore “never again,” and yet the parallelism could not be more clear. America holds a long history as a melting pot, a nation of immigrants and a bastion of tolerance. It also has a long history of prejudice and exclusion. Trump’s Muslim ban will go down in history next to the Chinese Exclusion Act and MS St. Louis, a cold-hearted rejection of refugees and desperate peoples on the basis of their differences from us. The political right faces a choice between upholding the value of helping those who cannot help themselves or giving in to Trump’s scapegoating and fear-mongering. Senators such as John McCain and Lindsey Graham have chosen to speak out against the ban; they must be thanked and supported for this. Meanwhile, the political left faces a necessary fight, one that will require a Herculean effort to oppose those on the other side of the aisle who choose to stand with Trump.

The Muslim ban is too far; a line must be drawn in the sand.

Recognize tragedy of the destruction of architecture in war zones By shubhan nagendra JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The headline of a Jan. 20 New York Times article reads, “ISIS Destroys Part of Roman Theater in Palmyra, Syria.” Unfortunately, over the last few years, we have seen a bevy of such news stories coming from the Middle East. The Islamic State’s rampage from Iraq to Syria has not only taken the lives of many but has also destroyed some of the world’s great architectural and art marvels.

This destruction of monuments is not a new phenomenon. ISIS is following in the footsteps of some infamous groups who have destroyed many buildings throughout history: The Taliban blew up the Buddhas of Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001, the Nazis destroyed cultural buildings in Poland in World War II and invaders left Rome in ruins during the Sack of Rome in 410 AD. In dialogue regarding the destruction of architecture, discussion of monuments and common spaces are equally important; the razing of villages and everyday residential buildings that people occupy should be discussed in conjunction with the destruction of ancient monuments.

But why are certain architectural monuments destroyed while others are spared? Looking through history, architectural monuments have been razed for several reasons, one of which is war itself.

World War II and the extensive bombing of London left several iconic buildings, such as Christ Church, in ruins. Similarly, the German city of Dresden was totally destroyed.

Another reason attackers may destroy monuments or culturally significant

buildings is to reduce the other side’s morale.

The Nazis, for instance, razed Warsaw to the ground in 1944 to wipe out Polish cultural heritage after the failed Warsaw Uprising of 1944, according to an April 22, 2016 article in the Guardian. This act of revenge by the Nazis after the Polish resistance was planned meticulously to destroy buildings such as certain churches and palaces that represented Polish identity.

“

We need to shift our focus, because if we continue to worry about the past, there may be no future.

The same is true for the wars between the Romans and Carthaginians; the Romans destroyed the city of Carthage and sold its inhabitants into slavery to prevent any further resistance from the Carthaginians.

Another cause of destruction, one that is controversial among both liberals and conservatives alike, is motivated by a desire to destroy or severely harm religions. In India, the destruction of Babri Masjid, a Muslim mosque, in 1992 by Hindu nationalists is viewed by the liberal and secular voices through a light similar to the one ISIS portrays — destruction of cultural heritage as an attack on religion.

ISIS’ destruction of ancient monuments

is not new. Their destruction of such iconic monuments, such as Baal Shamin or the Roman Theatre, is brutal, but more discussion on the destruction of entire residential buildings or villages is more important — this is the destruction of lives, art and architecture, as well.

Entire villages have been destroyed; residential and office buildings in Mosul, Aleppo and many other cities have been obliterated beyond recognition. This has led to loss of lives. Ancient monuments, however, are the focus of attention on social media, as has been the case with Baal Shamin or the Roman Theater, according to an Aug. 24, 2015 article in The Guardian. A quick Google search of “destruction of common buildings in Syria” and we get a collection of articles on the ancient monuments of Syria. It is justified that we are outraged, but why do we not show the same outrage over the destruction of common buildings?

Some might argue that these ancient monuments will never be reconstructed the way modern buildings can. But can either really be reconstructed? These are people’s homes or workplaces — entire lives were built at the sites of those buildings. Now, they are gone.

The words of twentieth-century French architect Le Corbusier reflect the importance of modern architecture for the common people. In his book “Vers une Architecture,” or “Towards an Architecture,” Le Corbusier wrote the following: “The architecture of today concerns itself with the house, with the ordinary and common house for normal and common men. It lets palaces alone. Here is a sign of the times.”

Contrary to Le Corbusier’s words, architecture of today does not leave “palaces alone.” Common spaces in connection with lives of people have not yet become a constant dialogue, as witnessed on social media. Why is that? The destruction of common places has become a norm in Syria whereas the razing of ancient monuments, such as Roman or Greek temples, is an attack on both Western values as well as tourism.

After all, one reason ISIS destroys so many ancient monuments is to combat their view of the West, according to the art historians who authored “The Demise and Afterlife of Artifacts.” ISIS sees tourism and the West as one, and the ancient monuments as foreign elements.

Reading through articles on the destruction of Syria’s ancient monuments, one gets the sense that our main concern is with the “erasure of Syria’s history,” as a Sept. 2, 2015 article in the Guardian put it. This is a concern, but it should not be the main one. Though it is true that these ancient monuments are an important part of Syria's history, we need to focus more on the present and how lives right now are being affected. We need to shift our focus, because if we continue to worry about the past, there may be no future.

I am not proposing stopping coverage or lessening outrage over the destruction of ancient monuments. Instead, I want to point out what we need to add: concern for the destruction of common spaces in addition to concern for the destruction of monuments.

For what is architecture and art if it does not “[concern] itself with the house, with the ordinary and common house for normal and common men”?

THE JUSTICE

MBBALL: Judges look to build on solid performance CONTINUED FROM 16 team in points this season.

Despite the Judges’ astounding second-half numbers, the team shot a measly 35 percent from the field.

The stat was a long fall from their previous matchup against Emory, in which the team shot nearly 50 percent. The Judges made up for it in their 3-point shooting, connecting at a rate of 42.9 percent on their treys.

The win marks the 205th victory for coach Brian Meehan, an accomplishment which places him first overall for wins in program history. Meehan passes Bob

Sports ● FEBRUARY 7, 2017

13

CRUNCH TIME

Brannum to mark his record of 205153 in his 14 incredible years with the University.

The Judges stand at 7-12 on the season and in sixth place in the conference. With the rest of the season against fellow conference opponents, the Judges will need to win three of their last five to buoy their hopes for a .500 conference record and will need all five members of their starting core to iron out their overall record.

The Judges’ season will continue against Carnegie Mellon University this coming Friday and Case Western Reserve University on Sunday.

WOMEN’S TENNIS Squad starts off spring season strong with close victory The women’s tennis team opened up its second half of the season with a narrow 4-3 win over Bryant University.

The team played its first match since Oct. 22 and was able to rally in singles to overcome tough losses in doubles. This marks the first team win for the season after three tournaments during the first half of the season.

Sabrina Ross Neergaard ’20 handled her opponent well in the No. 1 singles spot with a tiebreak win, 10-3. Haley Cohen ’18 did the same in the No. 2 position, coming away with a 10-3 tiebreak win. Cohen seemed to have the edge with a 6-4 opening set win but could not hold on in the second set, falling 6-2 and forcing a tiebreak.

The Judges were not able to come away with a unanimous decision, falling in two matches against Bryant. Sophia He ’19

●

was overpowered in a 6-0, 6-2 loss, while Keren Khromchenko ’19 fell in a close 6-4, 6-3 match.

The rest of the Judges’ singles wins came with ease, as Olivia Leavitt ’19 crossed up her opponent in a 6-3, 6-2 victory. Michele Lehat ’19 breezed to a win after her No. 6 singles opponent retired to conclude the score at 6-4, 4-3.

Lehat’s win proved to be the game-winning match, pushing the Judges from a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 win.

The Judges lost all three doubles matches, ceding one full point to Bryant. Neergaard and Leavitt fell in a 6-2 loss, while Cohen and He were bageled in their lone set against Bryant.

The Judges will continue their second half against the California Institute of Technology on Feb. 20.

—Jerry Miller

AARON BIRNBAUM/the Justice

ON THE DRIVE: Guard Frankie Pinto ’17 scans the court for passing options against the University of Rochester on Sunday.

WBBALL: Women looking to

grow from conference win CONTINUED FROM 16 three blocks for one of her best performances of the season. Guard Paris Hodges ’17 had a solid showing for the Judges, as well, with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

She was also a perfect five-for-five from the line.

Judges 61, Emory 59 Earlier in the week, Brandeis got out of their funk with an exhilarating victory over Emory University, 61-59.

The squad dominated with 18 more points in the paint than Emory. They were also able to keep up with their opponents on the boards, and this

strong all-around presence down low allowed them to come away with the well-deserved win.

Jackson led the way for the Judges once again and proved on the court why she is one of the two captains of this team. She led the game with 22 points and also recorded eight rebounds. Jackson made her presence known on defense, as well.

She led the game in steals with three and blocks with two as she put on yet another superstar performance.

Fellow captain Hodges stood out in this game, too, for the Judges. She added 12 points, two assists and five rebounds for her team. She was impressive on the other side of the

court, as well, with a pair of steals.

The Judges are only one win away from tying their season total from last year, as they have shown great improvements in five fewer games.

This talented squad can easily come away with a winning record this season to get back on track after last year’s sub-.500 showing. They have an incredibly strong and gifted leadership core that has carried this team so far, and they have a lot to look forward to with their new additions.

Fans have every reason to believe that they can come together as a team to jump to the top of the University Athletic Association conference standings in the near future.

BASKETBALL SWIMMING TRACK FENCING

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● Sports ●

Tuesday, FEBRUARY 7, 2017

15

FENCING

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS Men’s BASKETBALL TEAM STATS

UAA STANDINGS

Points Per Game

UAA Conference

W L WashU

8 0 Rochester 8 1 Emory 5 3 Carnegie 5 4 Chicago 4 5 JUDGES 3 6 NYU 1 7 Case 0 8

W 16 19 14 11 12 7 6 5

Overall L Pct. 3 .842 1 .950 5 .737 9 .550 8 .600 12 .368 12 .333 14 .263

Jordan Cooper ’18 leads the squad with 16.3 points per game.

Player PPG

Jordan Cooper 16.3 Tim Reale 11.2 Robinson Vilmont 9.6 Nate Meehan 7.2

Rebounds Per Game

Jordan Cooper ’18 leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game.

Player RPG UPCOMING GAMES: Jordan Cooper 5.8 Friday at Carnegie Mellon University Robinson Vilmont 5.7 Sunday at Case Western Reserve University Tim Reale 3.9 Feb. 17 vs. University of Chicago Latye Workman 3.4

WOMen’s basketball UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Points Per Game

UAA Conference

W L W WashU 6 2 17 Chicago 6 2 13 Rochester 5 3 14 Carnegie 4 4 15 Emory 4 4 13 JUDGES 3 5 11 Case 3 5 11 NYU 1 7 11

Overall L Pct. 2 .894 6 .684 5 .737 4 .789 6 .684 8 .579 8 .579 8 .579

Maria Jackson ’17 leads the team with 12.9 points per game.

Player PPG Maria Jackson 12.9 Paris Hodges 10.9 Frankie Pinto 8.1 Sydney Sodine 7.5

Rebounds Per Game

Maria Jackson ’17 leads with 7.9 rebounds per game.

Player RPG UPCOMING GAMES: Maria Jackson 7.9 Friday at Carnegie Mellon University Paris Hodges 6.2 Sunday at Case Western Reserve University Sydney Sodine 5.7 Feb. 17 vs. University of Chicago Hannah Nicholson 4.3

SWIMMING AND DIVING Results from a meet at Clark University on Jan. 28.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

1000-yard freestyle

SWIMMER Sam Scudere-Weiss Justin Weissberg Andrew Baker

TIME 11:28.52 11:49.05 12:16.69

100-yard butterfly

SWIMMER TIME Hwanhee Park 1:02.47 Abby Damsky 1:08.26 Fallon Katz 1:17.28

NATALIA WIATER/Justice File Photo

MAKE WAY FOR EPEE: Epee fencer Max Gould ’18 lunges in for the attack on his opponent in a home meet on Dec. 4.

Squads looking to improve upon results ■ The Judges combined to sport a respectable 7-5 record at the Eric Sollee Invitational this past weekend

By NOAH HESSDORF JUSTICE EDITOR

UPCOMING MEETS: Feb. 8 at UAA Championship Feb. 17 at NEISDA Championship

TRACK AND FIELD Results from the Tufts Cupid Invitational on Feb. 4.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s) 200 meter dash

60 meter dash RUNNER TIME Regan Charie 7.19 Lorenzo Maddox 7.42 Michael Kroker 7.77

RUNNER TIME Kanya Brown 27:41.00 Kayla Kurland-Davis 27:81.00 Jessie Moore 27:92.00

UPCOMING MEETS: Friday at Valentine’s Invitational at Boston University Feb. 18 at Division III New England Championship

The men’s and women’s fencing teams were in exciting action this past Sunday at the Eric Sollee Invitational, hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. The men’s side performed admirably, winning exactly half of their six matches against an elite variety of competition. The women’s team recorded an even more impressive result, claiming victories in four of the six matches.

The men began the day by facing off with the Stevens Institute of Technology. In both the saber and foil events, the men dominated, taking each of them by a score of 8-1. Nothing was going to stop these talented competitors. Where the squad fell short was in the epee event, in which they recorded a dismal 2-7 record. However, the performances in the saber and foil were enough to claim an 18-9 victory.

The epee squad showed up in

the Judges’ match against Duke University, while the rest of the team fell short of immense expectations in falling to the Blue Devils, 189. Epee narrowly edged Duke 5-4, while saber lost 3-6 and the foil team was dismantled 1-8. They will need to work on obtaining consistency throughout their squads.

The Judges were unable to win any of the three events in the match with New York University, falling in disappointing fashion by a total score of 19-8.

The fourth match of the day was the most exciting for the team, as they faced off with Haverford College. All three of the events were decided by a mere point, as the Judges captured the saber and foil events 5-4 and won by a total score of 14-13. The team was able to use that momentum to completely dominate Yeshiva University. The saber squad was perfect against YU, going 9-0 during the event, while foil and epee won 7-2 and 8-1, respectively.

However, the Judges were unable to finish the day on a strong note, falling to the New Jersey Institute of Technology by the score of 17-10. The team was able to win only one event against NJIT, which was saber by the score of 6-3.

The women’s side was more impressive than the men on the day,

winning a majority of its matches. It started as it faced off with Stevens, winning 16-11. The squad won both the foil and epee events 6-3, while falling just short in saber by the score of 4-5. Like the men, the women were thoroughly defeated by Duke, this time by a score of 25-2. They were only able to win a game apiece in both the foil and epee events.

Additionally, like the men, the women were unable to best NYU. The Judges fell by a score of 18-9, which was magnified by a 9-0 defeat at the hands of the saber squad. However, the Judges would roll off three consecutive victories after the defeat to NYU, showing that they would not let the loss define them.

It began with a 20-7 victory over Haverford that was punctuated by an 8-1 result in the foil event. After that, the team thrashed YU by a score of 25-2. It won 8-1 in both the saber and epee events, while it was a perfect 9-0 in foil. The last match of the day pitted the Judges against NJIT, a task the team was prepared for. The squad took the victory with an outstanding 21-5 decision.

The men will next be in action on Wednesday, Feb. 15, as they compete in the Beanpot Tournament at Boston College, while the women will be competing first at the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational on Saturday.

PRO SPORTS BRIEF Tom Brady and the Patriots put together the greatest comeback victory in Super Bowl history In what will be called the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, quarterback Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to an unforgettable victory over quarterback Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. As Brady hoisted the Lombardi trophy in his right hand for an NFL-record fifth time, he lifted his fourth Super Bowl MVP trophy in his left.

Brady’s unprecedented comeback, powered by wide receiver Julian Edelman’s miraculous catch, was capped by a sudden-death overtime touchdown by James White.

The Patriots looked abysmal in the first half, their faces plastered with looks of despair.

After a strip fumble in the first quarter, the Falcons capitalized with a touchdown to go ahead

7-0. Ryan was cold as ice, tacking on another touchdown after a passing frenzy to go up 14-0.

The Falcons defense was relentless, pressuring Brady on every play. Their aggressive game plan unhinged Brady’s usual calm composure within the pocket, forcing unwarranted passes all over the field. Despite a brief respite from the defensive onslaught, Brady threw only his fifth interception of the season and first pick-six of his postseason career.

With the Falcons up by 21 and the Patriots needing a score, kicker Steven Gostkowski salvaged a subpar drive at the end of the half with a field goal to cut the lead by three.

Midway through the third quarter the Falcons added the apparent

decisive touchdown. Down by 25, the Patriots were finally able to break through for a touchdown at the end of the quarter, but shanked their extra-point attempt. The woes kept coming for the Patriots, who badly mishandled their onside kick and turned the ball over the the Falcons near the 50-yard mark.

Yet, as everybody knows, the only place to go from rockbottom is up. The Patriots did just that, mounting a comeback bit by bit, starting with a short field goal to cut the lead to 28-12.

Desperately needing a touchdown and a two-point conversion, the Patriots were able to string together the two after the first turnover in three games for the Falcons.

After a bevy of Falcons penalties and a sack for loss, the Patriots

took the field for their final attempt at a comeback. Brady saved the day with a third down completion to set up at their own 36.

Brady’s next throw led to what may be deemed the greatest catch in Super Bowl history, though it has its competitors in David Tyree and Santonio Holmes. Brady’s pass was tipped high in the air, as Edelman miraculously fumbled the ball above the tailored grass and came up with the catch that defined the game.

Despite triple coverage, Edelman was able to haul in the catch and propel the Patriots to victory.

The rest was history, as they call it, with the Patriots scoring on the same drive, forcing overtime and winning the game on a single drive down the field.

Brady ended the game with

nearly 500 yards, tacking on two touchdowns to merit an MVP trophy. After this, Brady will go down in the annals of NFL history as arguably the greatest quarterback of all time. Much to the chagrin of the New York Jets, New York Giants and, as of today, the Atlanta Falcons, Brady’s reign as king will continue. Brady’s Super Bowl comeback is but a small part of the larger frame — that of Brady’s four-game suspension and eventual comeback to Super Bowl MVP. After the Brady suspension and the loss of tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots looked down and out, but if one thing can be learned from this game, it is to never count the greatest of all time out. Ever.

—Jerry Miller

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THRUST AND FLICK The men’s and women’s fencing squads fought hard this past weekend at the competitive Eric Sollee Invitational, p. 15.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

ON A ROLL

Women show off talent at home ■ Forward Maria Jackson

’17 impressed with 22 points and eight rebounds in a close win over Emory University.

By Ben katcher JUSTICE editorial assistant

The women’s basketball team put a stop to their four-game losing streak this past weekend after winning one of their two contests.

Brandeis earned their revenge against conference rival Emory University with a close win at home on Friday. This was much needed, as the victory was the first for the squad in over two weeks. On Sunday, the Judges were unable to find similar success at home against the University of Rochester with a hardfought loss to end their week.

Judges 65, Rochester 77 Brandeis finished their week of basketball with a tight home loss against the University of Rochester 77-65. While the squad matched Rochester’s point spread in the second half, they were unable to fully come back from their first half deficit. The Judges out-rebounded

Waltham, Mass.

Rochester by 21 boards but faltered in other areas on the court that resulted in the close defeat.

The Judges turned the ball over seven more times than their opponent, and Rochester capitalized on these mistakes with 18 points scored off turnovers compared to Brandeis’ eight points. The two other areas that stood out the most were points from the line and the benches. The Judges made as many free throws as their Rochester competitors — but on seven more shots, 60.0 percent to 83.3 percent.

Furthermore, the Judges scored a mere two points off the bench, while Rochester accumulated 24 points from their reserves. Despite their strong work on the glass, the Judges were unable to make up for their shortcomings in other vital parts of the game.

Forward Sydney Sodine ’17 had an extremely impressive day as she tied for the team lead with 18 points. Forward Maria Jackson ’17 recorded yet another outstanding double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Jackson was also an absolute monster on defense. She came away with six steals and

See WBBALL, 13 ☛

TRACK AND FIELD

Judges have standout performances at meet

■ Distance runner Emily

Bryson ’19 dominated in the mile run to shatter the school record earlier in the week.

By lev brown JUSTICE staff writer

At the non-scoring Tufts University Cupid Invitational, both the men’s and women’s track and field teams participated in several events, allowing each athlete to work individually on their skills without the pressure of needing to secure a win for the team. On the men's side, Brandeis performed well in the 200-meter dash and the 1000-meter run.

On the women’s side, the top events were the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter dash and the high jump. Additionally, the University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week was awarded on Jan. 31 to Brandeis runner Emily Bryson ’19 for her superb performance in the mile run. Bryson currently holds the best time in the nation for the mile run with a time of 4:52.18 in the National College Athletic Association Division III. For the men, the 200-meter dash was a top event, as it included several Judges who managed to finish with impressive times. Two Brandeis runners were among the top three finishers, including second-place finisher Regan Charie ’19 with a time of 22.96 seconds and third-place finisher Irie Gourde ’17 with a time of 23.10. On top of this success, Churchill Perry ’20 finished in sixth place with a time of 23.41 seconds. Although this was an unscored meet, this event would have surely favored Brandeis in competition had a team score been calculated.

In the 3000-meter run, Brandeis’ Brian Sheppard ’18 finished seventh at 8:54.82.

The Judges also ran well in the 4x400 relay with Jeremy Wilson ’17, Jacob Judd ’20, Irie Gourd, and Erez Needleman ’20 finishing second in 3:34.28.

Perry finished off the day with yet another successful event, finishing fourth in the Triple Jump at 13.86 m.

It was definitely a dominant meet for the men, and with it coming this early in the season, their success should only grow.

On the women's side, several runners were also able to execute in multiple events.

In the 200-meter dash, Kanya Brown ’19 finished fifth in 27.41 seconds. In the 400, Doyin Ogundiran ’20 performed well, finishing third in 1:01.50.

Additionally, in the 800, Madeline Hayman ’20 took 3rd in 2:29.00, and Aubrey Clemens ’20 grabbed 5th with a time of 2:32.00. This was Hayman’s first race after injuring her foot earlier in the year, and, as a rookie, it was also her first ever college race. Winning third was a tremendous accomplishment for her: “I was really nervous to race in my stripes for the first time since my injury but once the gun went off I remembered how much I love racing,” she said. “I'm very excited to race again next week and chip away at my time.” Hayman should be a dominant presence throughout her college career, as she is already performing well as a first-year.

The women also ran well in the 4x200, finishing in second place out of four. The runners were Jessie Moore ’18, Maya Bliss ’19, Kayla Kurland Davis ’20, and Brown.

In the shotput, Brandeis’ Jordin Carter ’18 finished solidly in fourth at 10.59 meters.

MIHIR KHANNA/the Justice

SOFT TOUCH: Forward Jordan Cooper ’18 goes up for the uncontested layup against the University of Rochester on Sunday.

Judges break out of skid with revenge win ■ Forward Jordan Cooper

’18 notched the 1,000th point of his impressive career this past weekend.

By JERRY MILLER JUSTICE EDITOR

The men’s basketball team had a solid weekend, ending their fourgame skid and taking revenge on one of their conference opponents.

Judges 51, Rochester 78 With the Judges coming off a high after a win over Emory University, the team was unable to keep their momentum going in a tough loss to the University of Rochester.

With only 19 points in the first half, the Judges were defeated before the second half even began.

Rochester was up by 27 points and held that lead throughout the second half of play. The Judges rallied and were able to keep up the pace, tying Rochester’s 32 secondhalf points, but were unable to reduce their enormous deficit.

Forward and lead-scorer Jordan Cooper ’18, poured in 19 points to

lead the team for the second game in a row. Despite his performance, Cooper fell just short of his eighth 20-point game this season. Cooper was the only member of the club to hit double digits, a telling statistic for the struggling Judges.

The Judges’ lack of offense proved to be the difference in a game defined by shooting. The team shot 33 percent from the field, while Rochester pocketed baskets at a rate near 50 percent.

Rochester dominated the rest of the stat box, hitting 11 3-pointers on 42 percent shooting, while the Judges connected on a mere 18 percent of their shots beyond the three-point arc.

Rochester also outmatched the Judges down low, boxing out for 40 rebounds against the Judges’ 28.

Last month, the Judges lost to Rochester 67-56 as they dropped their fourth game in a row.

Judges 67, Emory 59 The Judges started off the weekend at home on Friday against Emory. The Judges had recently lost to the Emory Eagles in a 9485 overtime thriller but were able to brush past their opponents in a

tight rematch.

The Judges got out to an early start with a 12-4 lead early in the game. Led by guard Tim Reale ’17, the team was able to stretch their lead to 10 during the half and go into the final half up by five.

Reale contributed eight points and four rebounds during the first half to propel the Judges to their 2722 lead. Reale shot .400 in the first half, excluding his 4-6 free throws from the line.

In the second half, Reale gave up the reins to Cooper, who had an unreal half, pouring in 21 points and three rebounds. Cooper finished the game with a total of seven rebounds and 28 points. Reale and Cooper combined for more than half of the Judges’ points, with Reale contributing another four in the second half.

Cooper managed to take revenge for his previous performance against Emory. Cooper posted a mere four points in eight minutes of play against Emory last week after fouling out of the game. This week’s matchup marked Cooper’s seventh 20-point game this season, a feat that has helped him lead the

See MBBALL, 13 ☛

Vol. LXIX #17

February 7, 2017

RISING ABOVE

>> pg. 19

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ARTS

Waltham, Mass.

Images: Creative Commons and Yvette Sei/the Justice. Design: Natalia Wiater/the Justice.

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THE JUSTICE | Arts i| TUESDAY, TUESDAY, February January 31, 7, 2017

open mic night

Open mic gives stage to political frustrations MICHELLE BANAYAN/the Justice

ASSERTIVE SOLOIST: Arjun Rajan ’20 expresses his anger for politicans who use social justice as a means to acquire votes.

By PERRY LETOURNEAU justice contributing writer

Strings of low white lights hung from a piped ceiling, beckoning passers-by out of the dark and into the cozy Brandeisian enclave of Cholmondeley’s Coffee House, better known simply as “Chum’s.” A small but enthusiastic crowd squeezed into rows of leather couches to attend an open mic night organized

by Brandeis’ literary magazine Laurel Moon in cooperation with the English Department, this past Friday night. Chalk sketches decorated the walls of Chum’s, among them a cartoon dog in sunglasses and a capitalized call to “MAKE AMERICA NATIVE AGAIN.” This mix of lighthearted artistic expression and poignant political commentary reflects the body of work put on stage

by Brandeis friends and classmates

as part of ’DEIS Impact Week. ’DEIS Impact, branded as a “Weeklong Festival of Social Justice,” celebrates and examines the ways in which members of the Brandeis community work to improve the world. Friday’s open mic night sought to explore social justice issues through art, specifically music and poetry. Deis Impact representative Zosia Buse ’20 took the stage to introduce the event.

MICHELLE BANAYAN/the Justice

POLITICAL POET: Clayre Benzadon ’17discusses her frustrations about the current political and social climate in her work during the Open Mic night.

After briefly explaining the festival’s goal to foster social awareness and activism, the night of entertaining and powerful artistry kicked off.

Hangil Ryu ’20, moonlighting under the stage name “HG Komodo,” boldly led the night’s pantheon of artists with his fresh, original rap stylings. Humbly noting that his first song was only finished that day, “Komodo” brought energy and warmth with clever, sociallyconscious lyricism. His first rap dealt with themes of religious acceptance, while his second explored the conflicts of privilege and the desire to do more to better the world. Between songs, he danced playfully, loosening up the audience for the night to come.

Organizing member Clayre Benzadon ’17 came next, reciting her poetry with a mellow, quiet soulfulness. One of her standout poems dealt with the politics of isolation in America, consisting of wordplay and alliteration off of the word “ban.” Invoking public figures like Steve Bannon and alluding to refugees in war-torn areas, Benzadon left a powerful impression.

Ab McCarthy, beaming a warm, welcoming smile, bounded on stage next. McCarthy’s poem “Queer” was among the longest performed during the night but held the audience in rapt attention. With humor, vulnerability and triumphant positivity, McCarthy relayed the experience of discovering her sexuality through crushes on Scarlett Johansson and the animated mechanic from “Atlantis,” and overcoming insensitivity from her peers.

A string of talented instrumentalists followed in the lineup. Arjun Rajan ’20 strode onstage with an acoustic guitar and strummed an original song, expressing his frustration at political figures. He lamented those

politicians who only use social issues as a means of seeking reelection and furthering their careers. Following Rajan, Bethel Adekogbe ’20 smoothly glided into a seat behind an oldschool, wood-framed piano. With an instrumental piece, Adekogbe stirred the audience, starting low and soulful but building to an ultimately more celebratory note.

Bidushi Adhikari ’17 made her performance debut friday night with an original poem. Stunningly raw and vulnerable, Adhikari’s poem discussed the paradox of the United States’ self-given moniker “the greatest country in the world.” She opened up to the audience, speaking of her fears: of political leaders, of objectification, of commercialism.

The open mic night ended lighthearted, as a few brave souls stepped up for some off-thecuff, improvised slam poetry.

Rajan plucked at his acoustic guitar as a backtrack for the improvisers. First among them, Benzadon reclaimed the microphone in a brief discussion of dominant demographics in America, especially those exemplified by the newly elected President Trump.

The final performer of the night was a non-Brandeisian, the bold and confident Yaniv Goren.

Goren swaggered around the stage, comparing actions by the Trump Administration to scientific principles (for example, Trump’s habit of simplifying nuanced issues compared to the subatomic particles that make up the universe).

In a time of political change, unrest, and, for many, fear, Friday’s open mic night served as an affirmation of commitment to social action by the Brandeis community.

With a sense of humor and evident political engagement, the artists of Brandeis reflect the common goals and spirit of the university as a whole.

movie review

‘Split’: Shyamalan’s comeback kid

By Jonah Koslofsky justice CONtributing writer

M. Night Shyamalan used to be somebody. In 2002, after the smash successes of his first three feature films, the writerdirector found himself on the cover of Newsweek. The caption, with no uncertainty, read “The Next Spielberg.” Hindsight is 20/20, and Shyamalan would spend the next fifteen years destroying his positive reputation. His first three outings, “The Sixth Sense,” “Unbreakable,” and “Signs,” were all critical and box office successes, but from there, Shyamalan’s films started getting worse. Then, in 2008, he made “The Happening,” a truly awful movie about Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel running away from killer ferns. And what did he make to follow that trash fire of a film? A whitewashed mockery of one of the most beloved cartoons ever made, “The Last Airbender.” But was Shyamalan done? Nope; his crescendo of garbage only hit its final note in the scientologyfilled, Jaden Smith-starring “After Earth,” which saw Will Smith playing a character named Cypher Rage. Somewhere between the billion dollar budgets and complete creative free reign, Shyamalan lost his ability to tell believable, interesting stories. But with his latest film, “Split,” Shyamalan proves that he just might be worthy of a second chance.

The movie centers around the kidnapping of three girls,

but there’s more going on than first appears; the kidnapper suffers from a heightened version of dissociative identity disorder, with 23 different personalities vying for control of the kidnapper’s body (he happens to be named Kevin). What first comes across as a pretty standard horror set-up almost immediately gets more engaging, mostly thanks to the actors’ performances. “Split” lives and dies on the performance of James McAvoy, who gives life to each and every one of Kevin’s many facets. McAvoy completely commits to the role that I could see a lesser actor dismissing (on account of the role’s inherent silliness). In fact, any time McAvoy was on screen, I really couldn’t take my eyes off of him, and there’s something electric about the energy he brings to the film.

As for the other performances in the film, our protagonist, Casey, is played by Anya Taylor-Joy, who does a solid job as the main kidnapping victim. Shyamalan has clearly been keeping his eye out for recent horror talent, as Taylor-Joy starred in last year’s “The VVitch,” and “Split’s” cinematographer, Mike Gioulakis, also worked on 2014’s sleeper hit “It Follows.” And let me give credit where credit is due — “Split” is an extremely well-shot film.

The director uses more than a few long, plodding takes to escalate the tension in an almost Hitchcockian style. There’s a level of craftsmanship on display here — craftsmanship that produces an extremely visually engaging movie.

But this is not a perfect film by any means. “Split” gets a little long and over-complicated in its second act, and while the third act does what it can to make up for the unnecessary moments, “Split” could have come in closer to ninety minutes instead of its actual two hour runtime. There are also a couple of moments when the dialogue comes out a little bit inhuman. Shyamalan has always struggled a little bit with realistic -sounding characters, and there are a couple of beats here where the characters just don’t sound right. It’s hard to describe, but there were a couple of moments in the film in which a character would say a line and it just wouldn’t sound like something a person would actually say. Finally, anyone going into this movie thinking it will be a realistic depiction of mental illness is sure to be taken aback. This is a heightened and highly fictionalized look at a real disease, and while I don’t find it particularly offensive, I can see how someone could take issue with the way dissociative identity disorder is presented.

Regardless, I’m glad to see that Shyamalan is back. He may not be the next Spielberg, but if you’re a fan of horror or looking for a good thriller, I can certainly recommend that you see “Split.” Of everything I’ve seen recently, “Split” actually reminded me most of last year’s “10 Cloverfield Lane,” another tense, bunker-set story about a strong female protagonist escaping from the lair of a crazy person. If that’s your cup of tea, “Split” won’t disappoint.

THE JUSTICE i TUESDAY, January 31, 2017 THE JUSTICE i artsi iarts TUESDAY, February 7, 2017

DAnce

Dance used to discuss body image

YVETTE SEI/the Justice

DANCING DOWN DIVIDES: The dancers use expressive movement to discuss body shaming.

By brooke granovsky justice Staff writer

Two mirrors leaned against the edge of the Levin Ballroom stage, close enough to the four rows of chairs that the audience could almost see their reflections. “Rise Above: An Exploration of Dance and Body Culture” is one of the many ’DEIS Impact events this week. Maria Kulchyckyj ’20 and Olivia “Liv” Molho ’20 enlisted fellow dancers Emily Cohen ’17 and Joanna Martin MA ’18 to help dance and choreograph works that express ideas about body culture. Kulchyckyj and Molho choreographed the first dance, Martin choreographed the second, and all the dancers assisted in the third.

The event opened with a clip of “Ms. Baltimore Crabs” from “Hairspray,” a song whose lyrics about size discrimination in dance set the tone for the following two modern dance performances.

In the first piece, Kulchyckyj and Molho started the dance by posing in front of the mirrors. Turned away from the audience,

they stared into the mirrors while pulling at their clothes, as if their reflections made them uncomfortable. The dance’s goal was clear from the outset: as the ’DEIS Impact website states, “the first dance is focused on body standards and the detrimental mental and physical effects they can have on us.”

As Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” played, Kulchyckyj and Molho’s actions reflected Iver’s lyrics. When Iver sang “staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer,” Molho responded by sliding her arms up her torso, then extending her arms out and away from her shoulders, wrists facing the ceiling. When the second verse asked “Cut out all the ropes and let me fall,” Kulchyckyj fell to the floor and did a spin on her knees. The movement was so fluid that the audience barely had time to register the change in height before Kulchyckyj was back on her feet.

Falling became a theme in the dance, with both dancers rolling onto their toes, collapsing over their ankles and breaking their falls with their hands. In the quieter moments of the song, the pair looked out towards the audience.

As the song picked up, they looked at each

other and launched into a series of jumps, only to fall again and return to the floor. The dance ended the way it started — both dancers by the mirrors — but with Kulchyckyj standing where Molho stood and vice versa.

Martin’s dance was next, set to Andra Day’s “Rise Up.” Martin’s choreography took the understated pain from the previous dance and made it explicit — she smashed her hands from one side to the next, as if hitting down imaginary walls. Martin sliced a hand toward her stomach and doubled over, repeating the movement three times. She covered her mouth and let out a silent scream, the force of the air sending her hands forward and propelling her into a lunge position. As she mimed her scream, Martin looked both trapped and as if she were finally breaking free from something. These actions seemed to recreate the violence against Black bodies that society imposes, not only through body culture and normalized beauty standards but also through more explicit and violent means, such as police brutality.

A theme in Martin’s dance was that of a raised fist, historically a symbol of the Black Power and Black Lives Matter movements.

Martin repeated the move several times with different intonations. First, her fist shook, as if she felt fearful; then, Martin turned the symbol

into a forceful act that sent her head reeling away from her fist; in a powerful choice, Martin also ended her dance with this symbol.

According to Molho, the third dance was “focused on working to rise above this societal pressure to conform to a certain body standard and accepting the way we look.”

Molho, Kulchyckyj, Cohen and Martin danced together, weaving in and out of inventive formations and ending with the four women staring defiantly out towards the audience.

The performance ended with a talkback session. In the talkback, Kulchyckyj recounted how “women are told that their beauty and their body are their number one tools for success.” Molho recalled quitting ballet for hip-hop in second grade, recognizing at an early age that while all bodies belonged in hip-hop, ballet was more exclusive. “[Ballet is the] most shameful when it comes to body standards, because the whole point of ballet is that everybody looks the same,” expanded Molho in response to a question comparing the two genres. When asked about strategies to cope with these pressures, Martin chimed that “self-love is vital, no matter if you are five, 15 or 50,” and stressed the importance of positive body-talk and compliments for people of all ages.

YVETTE SEI/the Justice

LEAPING LANGUAGE: Molho and Cohen leap in their dance, highlighting their technical proficiency.

Stein night

Comedian leaves Stein crowd in stitches By emily rae foreman justice Contributing writer

JOYCE YU/the Justice

CAMPY COMROE: Comedian Sam Comroe jokes about the Tourette’s camp he went to as a child.

Whether students came to the Stein on Friday night for the comedy or the free mozzarella sticks is hard to say; however, no one left disappointed.

The room was packed with people from the time the show started at 8 p.m. to the time it finished around 10 p.m., ending in time to allow returning partiers to freely enjoy their sobering calories in peace.

Even before the performers took their places, students were crowded around the stage area.

All seats and tables were taken as students began to shuffle into standing positions against the bar around the room. Excited chatter continued softly throughout the night, especially in the tables furthest from the performance, in the back of the room.

The show kicked off with a number of short improv performances by the Brandeis group Bad Grammer. Despite the broken microphones at the beginning of the show, the group had both the students there to see the main comedian and their friends who came to support them in stitches.

Bad Grammer kept a quick pace, using a bell to signal the end of a segment, performing improv activities well known and loved by many — such as “pick up line” — and segments with their own

unique twist — such as a “joint Ted Talk” spoof. One skit that landed lots of laughter was similar to the “helping hand” segment in “Whose Line Is It Anyways,” where one group member stood behind another and acted as their arms, blindly trying to act out the scenes that were described to them.

Audience engagement was high as group members asked for words from the audience and wrote down phrases on slips of paper. The group’s humor rung true to the Brandeis spirit as they joked about Bob Ross killing someone’s father, Diva Cups, getting lost on the Gerstenzang roof and the relatable joke “I once dated a tool; he was always hammered, but damn, could he screw.”

The main act of the night was comedian Samuel J Comroe, who came on stage around nine. The 28-year-old comedian currently lives in New York with his wife, after moving from Los Angeles around a year ago.

He described his experience with his television debut on “The Conan Show” by astutely describing Conan as a “tall tropical tree.” Comroe could not have felt more comfortable, or been a more natural act, to have on a college campus. Comroe had a relaxed observational and anecdotal humor that was both quick and incredibly nonchalant.

He was accurate in his spontaneous assessment of the Stein and the Brandeis student body, as he joked about the students’

endless love of mozzarella sticks, the imaginary wall separating the front from the back of the room, the single, randomly placed jersey taped to the pole in the Stein and the microphone — technological difficulties that, as he joked, may as well have been “brought to you

by Radio Shack.”

Comroe’s humor was made more genuine as he shared his experiences living with Tourette’s syndrome. Comroe breached the topic with humor and stories that were honest and insightful, with hints of self-deprecation, that all college students find relatable.

He shared anecdotes of his childhood Tourette’s camp, in which one child’s tic would set off another’s until “it just looked like we were break dancing.”

However, the section of Comroe’s act which was by far the most crowd-pleasing was the questions section, during which he allowed audience members to ask any questions regarding his life, career or anything at all.

Random questions such as “what are your thoughts on snakes?” invoked comedic stories, such as trying to use a garter snake to intimidate a childhood bully, that felt too natural to be completely rehearsed.

Comroe concluded the show by revealing the worst audience question he ever received: “How do you go to the bathroom with Tourette’s?” The night ended with clapping, laughter and very satisfied students.

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TUESDAY, February 7, 2017 | Arts | THE JUSTIce

Brandeis TALKS

INTERVIEW

wf

What did you think of the outcome of the Super Bowl?

Dylan Hoffman ’18

Maria Kulchyckyj and Liv Molho ’20

“I think that, in my personal opinion, it’s an absolute travesty and failure of public policy that the government hasn’t called for an official investigation into the obvious faustian bargain that Bill Belichick made with the devil.”

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

This week, justArts spoke with Maria Kulchyckyj ’20 and Liv Molho ’20, the coordinators of the ’DEIS Impact event, “Rise Above: An Exploration of Dance and Body Culture.”

They performed in the dances and choreographed them. justArts: How did you come up with the idea for the event?

Courtesy of xkcd.com/755

Herlyne Das ’18 “I’m a Pats fan — I’m from Waltham — so I’m extremely excited. Pat nation, Hallelujah, that’s all I got to say.”

Li Qian ’18

“It’s great, I’m truly happy with the result.”

Sarah Steiker ’17 “I didn’t watch it. ... I was sleeping!”

—Compiled and photographed by Natalia Wiater/the Justice.

STAFF’S Top Ten

Top 10 brands of pens for note-taking

By Nia Lyn

justice editorial assistant

For me, nice pens and stationery create the illusion that my life is together and that I am more of an organized person than I actually am.

It’s silly, but I love pens and do a lot of research before purchasing them. I’m totally serious.

1. Muji 2. Staedtler 3. Pilot 4. Zebra 5. Uniball 6. Paper Mate 7. Stabilo 8. Pentel 9. Sharpie 10. Bic

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Leg muscle 5 Indian garments 10 Crazy old codger 14 Like some exams 15 Not obsolete 16 High point 17 Communiqué 18 Toss (something) to, as a baseball 19 Give birth to 20 Learning something the hard way 22 One might instruct you to “Break Glass” 23 Mollusc of land and sea 24 Has-_____ (washed-up celebrity) 25 Its name comes from the Hebrew for “instruction” 28 Fragrant evergreen 30 Roam around 33 Motif 34 Housing for a minuteman?

35 The loneliest number, per a song 36 “____, Pray, Love” 37 Ned’s son on “The Simpsons” 40 Plus sizes 9 “______ To the Rain” 41 “Isn’t ____ Pity” (Geroge (Adele song) Harrison song) 10 Xfinity offering 42 _____ Lanka 11 Like many a vessel 43 Gadget with a “pro” model 12 Character on “The Wire” 45 Board, in multiple senses 13 Office time?

47 NW ____ (part of Canada) 21 Whom an executor talks to 48 Deeply held belief 22 NASA’s field 50 Emo emotion 24 Spell in many a role-playing 51 English prep school game 53 Jerk one’s knee, say 25 Certain statistical assessment 55 Being criticized 57 Coal miner’s warning ... or 26 Chicago airport something found twice in this 27 Bill Hodges in “Mr. Mercedes”, e.g. puzzle 29 Ha Ha Clinton-_____ (Green Bay 61 Tie (up) Packers player) 62 Wavy fabric pattern 31 Feeds the kitty 63 Wild goat 32 Was responsible for a flop?

64 Shortly, to Shakespeare 38 Military order 65 Group that included Mr. T 66 Word before wolf or ranger 39 Gheesling of “Big Brother” fame 44 _______ cri 67 Short rests 46 It marks a colony 68 Cojones 49 Group of four 69 Something on the left side of <, vis-a-vis something on the 52 Ones who tend to feel 50-Across 54 Throat-clearing noises right 55 ______ Bator 56 Grandma DOWN 57 Shred 1 Pore over 58 Black wind 2 (1/2)(bh), for a triangle 59 Contact, e.g.

3 Word after heat or lava 60 Former partners 4 A vessel that’s no longer 62 Guy Montag’s job in “Farenheit 11-Down, perhaps 5 Nightclub dance, perhaps 451” 63 Sketchy show?

6 ______ number 7 Barney, Betty and Bamm- Bamm 8 “My word!”

Maria Kulchyckyj and Olivia Molho: We really wanted our dances to provoke introspection for the people in the audience. For them to watch and relate. The inspiration for the event was just our need to express how we felt, and wanting to create a dance with a story and a meaning.

JA: How did you come up with the performance?

MK and OM: We first choreographed our duet about struggle and then decided to have a dance about overcoming and thought it would be more powerful with more dancers, so we asked two of our friends if they would be interested in dancing with us at the event. Soon after the election, Joanna performed a Black Lives Matter dance at Chum’s, and we thought it would be so powerful if she performed at our event, because while being about Black Lives Matter, it was also about struggle in general and fit very well with what we already had, while also adding new elements to it that we were really lacking.

CROSSWORD COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

JA: Who choreographed the dances?

MK and OM: We started planning this event as originally one piece.

We then decided to do a piece about struggling with body image (“Skinny Love”), and another piece about rising above those standards (“Rise”). Our friend Joanna also choreographed a piece and we asked her to perform her solo for the event.

Choreographing the pieces, we focused on the stories we wanted to tell through our movements. “Skinny Love” was more of our individual struggles with body shaming, and we wanted to represent the turmoil that goes on in our minds when thinking about body shaming. When choreographing “Rise,” we focused on group work and partnering, because we wanted to portray that looking toward others for support is the best way to rise above impossible beauty standards.

SOLUTION COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Solution to last issue’s sudoku

Puzzle courtesy of www.sudokuoftheday.com

JA: What was the goal of this project?

MK and OM: We wanted the audience to think about their individual experiences when it comes to body shaming, and that even though society won’t always accept who we are, we have to start within ourselves.

JA: Why did you choose to do this project for ’DEIS Impact?

MK and OM: We really wanted to take on this project because we wanted to finally have a reaction to all of the body shaming in our lives and wanted people to know that we need to rise up within ourselves in order to change the insane beauty standards that have been normalized in our society. We wanted this to be not only a reaction to body shaming but a celebration of the human body through dance, which in itself is so empowering.

—Hannah Kressel