I 8, V 43

Outlook The American University of Beirut

AUB Freedom Club

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Vol. XLIII, No. 8

| Friday, Nov 19, 2010

AUB Secular Club

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| The Independent Student Publication Since 1949

Speaker’s Corner Starts off on a Strong Note Amir Bitar Contributing Writer

U

SFC’s first Speaker’s Corner for this year took place on Wednesday, November 4 at 12:00 pm with the topic being “The Effects of Politics on Student Elections at AUB.” Fourteen students have originally signed up for the debate; nine of which, in addition to two additional students from the floor, eventually showed up, took to the podium, and spoke to a crowd of over a hundred students.

The event was anticipated with a fair degree of opti-

mism; Dr. Talal Nizameddin, Acting Dean of Student Affairs, expressed his belief that “there will be a chance to discuss hot topics in a civilized way.” He added, “We know we have adult university students and we expect that everyone will show responsibility.” Nadine Hamdan, Acting Vice-President of the outgoing USFC, noted that last year “the subjects that we had were neither really AUB-related nor really student-related.” She believes “it is always better to target what we live through

and face here in AUB,” and was thus hopeful the choice of topic will lead to a more satisfactory student involvement.

The majority of the students who spoke were unfavorable of the effects politics had on student elections and, consequently, on student life on the whole; six out of the eleven speaking students were expressly against the politicization of student elections.

Mark Bou Mansour most arcontinued on page 2

AUBites engaged in Speaker’s Corner debate

(Photo by Antoine Salloum)

SRC Campaigns Kick Start this Year’s Elections Dalia Hosn Staff Writer

S

o it begins again, Student Elections are right around the corner, as the Student Representative Committee candidates launched their campaigns Monday, November 15, in front of West Hall.

While the political turmoil in the country has everyone on edge, one of the main concerns for the AUB Elections is whether or not the political affiliations of the various candidates will prove unfavorable for the university. However, the first day of campaigning has passed smoothly, though perhaps that is simply due to the absence of one of the main competitors.

Students at Work won last year, and apparently they’re “still working.” Many of the running candidates said that they were inspired by the efforts of last year’s SRC in their campaign against the 15-credit policy. Pierre Khoury (OSB Junior) said, “We saw the work that was done last year and we’re going to do the same this year and better.” Furthermore, when it came to the integration of politics in the elections, Khoury said that it was “because we can work together outside of AUB, politics makes us a group and allows us to work better. In the end we’re all friends.” A similar sentiment was expressed

by Bilal Daher (FAS SophSRC campaign flooded with candidates, lobbyists, and voters

continued on page 2

(Photo by Nadi Nassar)

INSIDE

Correction: Due to imprecise notes taken by the reporter, an interview with Dr. Ata Elias published on 9 November 2010 contained several errors and a misquote. Outlook deeply regrets the errors and fully recognizes its responsibility to correct them. We apologize to Dr. Elias and our readers. A corrected version of the article will appear shortly.

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Arts & Culture Message from the Students’ Rights Club

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Arts & Culture Speaker’s Corner Spotlight

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Campus News

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AUB Holds First Speaker’s Corner for Year 2010-11 continued from page 1

ticulately summed many of the arguments up when he said, “What political affiliation does is that it disables, overrides, and renders independent active thinking useless. So we end up voting for people not because of what they want to do but rather what they’re affiliated with.”

Other major points, mainly advanced by Mario Abou Zeid, Samer Bu Jawdeh, and Omar Nawfal respectively, were that SRC elections have become a reflection of what is outside rather than the will of the student body, that Lebanese parties’ conflicts are being imported on

continued from page 1

omore). He had no problem expressing that he supported the March 14 movement, as he believed that politics in the elections “can help with the unity in the university.”

The general idea seems to be that since the Lebanese political scene is failing to work together, the students of AUB are trying to prove themselves superior. Ultimately, their political affiliations are thought of as “the spinal cord and backup” that supports the candidates, says Lea ElHalabi, supporter of the Students at Work. Whether that actually is the case however, is something that can surely be debated.

Regardless of the political affiliations of the candidates, many are motivated to better the lives of the students. Theresa G. Fiani (FAS Sophomore) said that “I want to express my political affiliations and help the student body at the same time.” Likewise, Bilal Derian (FAFS Agriculture 1) is working towards providing better rooms and computer labs for the students to work, supplying better tutorials for the computer pro-

campus and are hampering all attempts for significant change in AUB, and that, ultimately, the tensions resulting from politicization has

tically concluded that “this cannot be the maximum level of intellect AUB can reach when it comes to politics!”

led the AUB administration to start removing students’ rights to be active members of the AUB community. Fouad Badaoui expounded the argument by focusing on the rather disappointing intellectual merit current political activism in AUB exhibits. Referring to the scenes of trivial shouts exchanged between the masses of students in front of West Hall, he sarcas-

On the other hand, three speakers were unequivocally arguing in favor of politicizing elections. Politically affiliated candidates, Fares Trad most prominently asserted, never served their political goals at the expense of their duties as student representatives. Political affiliations and competitions, Trad argued, “mobilize the students and challenge them to

produce better results; independents, on the other hand, would practically lose momentum as soon as they get to office.” Toufic Haidar also

“we are all, from all political sides, friends and maintain very healthy relationships.”

grams, and making sure the students are able to get good internship and career placement opportunities. In a confident tone, he says, “We’re Students at Work and we’re going to win.”

The only other group that was to campaigning Monday was The Alternative Front who is adamant in their desire to divorce politics from the elections. “We’re trying to get as far away from politics as possible, we have our own principles and ideas, we’re not just going as a prearranged group with its ideas handed down to it. We’re advocating Individualism, Ideas and Action,” said Rakel Mezher (FEA Engineering 1). She goes on to describe the way in which their group is advocating for a closer relationship with their voters, transparency in their agenda, being a keystone. “We want you to meet your candidates before you vote for them. So it’s not just a name that you tick because of politics, it’s a face that you know,” said Mezher.

However, The Alternative Front seemed well aware that their independent stance may not earn a lot of votes. Despite that, Mezher declared that “we can’t

noted that, in spite of all the political tensions in the country and on the day of the elections, “we are all, from all political sides, friends and maintain very healthy relationships. Thus, we in AUB present the good example of political activism in Lebanon not the wrong one. We are, after all, portraying a civilized face of Lebanon.”

Toward the end it seemed

Students at Work gather before their stands

change the system in Lebanon, and it’s not like we can introduce an idea like secularism to people who are completely used to the way things are. But if we don’t start with education itself then we can’t advocate for change. Keep in mind that most great thinkers came out of AUB.” In the end, they’re hoping that once the curtains close, people will be less inclined to follow

the mainstream, “when you go in to vote, there will be a curtain and it’s just you and your conscience. Just keep in mind who’s working for the university and who just wants to win to please the outside,” said Ali Noureddeen, a supporter of the Alternative Front. As previously mentioned, the stands that were designated to the Order out of Chaos candi-

as if there was an agreement that, aside from political partisanship during SRC elections, students should be engaged in politics and should most of all work toward establishing a deep and constructive dialo gue to try and find solutions for the problems Lebanon is facing.

Moderator Mr. Hani Hassan of the Civilization Sequence Program concluded the debate and left the crowd with what he thought to be “the most important question” that came out in the entire discussion: “Do you want to continue as AUB students to be a reflection of the outside, or do you want as AUB students to be the injection to the outside?”

(Photo by Antoine Salloum)

dates remained stark empty, with only their name hanging overhead. Thus, regrettably, none of them were available for comments. Whether this is a triumph of chaos or a smart tactical move on their part, only time will tell. Hopefully by Wednesday’s elections we’ll all have a clearer picture of everyone’s position and platform and we’ll all still be around to vote.

Nov 19, 2010

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Message fron Students’ Rights Club (SRC) President Fouad Badaoui

In order to provide better representation for student activism on campus, the Students’ Rights Club, in collaboration with Outlook have requested from each student Club involved in the SRC elections and in Lebanese politics to write an article. The goal is to introduce these clubs to the student body, clear out any inconsistencies and hopefully provide an open doorway into further progressive discussions among students, be they politically oriented or not.

Focus on Communication The Communication’s Club Special to Outlook

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ur actions define us; therefore a political momentum is not necessary.

Our political ideals, are not uniform. To each his own. A dominant perspective, yes, but not a ruling one. Our

work in and for the club are of income to the university, the general student body, and each of our members as part of that same body. An income on several levels; Cultural, Social, and political awareness, as well as the direct revenue of upholding student rights and representation.

Activism is politics, but not one that must extend to a political stance on everything and anything. From our political dogma, one thing is carried out religiously inside the AUB campus walls; start with the micro to affect the macro. If you want to end hunger in the world, feed a

hungry child in your building, before you embark on a million dollar global campaign. AUB is our building, our home, it is our “micro”.

It is our work site, it is where our duty as a club lies.

Our job description is not that of a support structure for a political party. We are

Focus on Discovery

an entity within ourselves, we make decisions, we carry them through. From us, for us. If you ask us for our job description, what we want to do, we hand you our election platform, for it is our manifesto. That is what we have done, what we do, and what we will keep on doing.

The Discovery Club Special to Outlook

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ounded in the fall of 1936, during the French Mandate over Lebanon, the Lebanese Kataeb Party believed since its early stages in an independent, sovereign and pluralistic Lebanon that safeguards basic human rights and fundamental freedoms to all its constituents. As such, the Kataeb became a main guarantor of the idea of Lebanon as a refuge for the oppressed minorities of the Arab East and struggled for preserving Lebanon as a liberal outlet where Eastern Christianity can socially, politically and economically flourish in peace with its surrounding.

Throughout various stages of Lebanon’s history, in times of peace and in times of war, the Kataeb has sacrificed and lost thousands of its members in defense of man, freedom and peace in Lebanon.

As part of its significant reorganization, the party has been attracting new members from several universities through the “Discovery Club”, a club whose main goal is to transmit and expose the visions of the party by organizing political events.

Yet it also provides its mem-

bers and the rest of the university students with entertaining, cultural and social events. The Discovery Club in AUB was launched in 2009 and has made good progress since then: besides its successful “welcome back party” in Spring 2010, its contribution to Outdoors in 2009 with food and games stands, and its charity sale in association with SOS last Christmas, it has organized a political conference with MP Samy Gemayel who discussed the

Lebanese political system.

Interestingly, and as opposed to the majority of the political events in AUB that trigger disputes among students, the event was characterized by the mutual respect between Gemayel and all the students from the different political parties. And that is exactly the message that the club is trying to show in AUB: a message of free, respectful, and democratic dialogue between the different clubs/ parties in the university and,

consequently, in Lebanon.

Today, the AUB Discovery Club is focusing on three main goals: -Organizing creative events on and off-campus to entertain students and introduce them to the “Discovery Club” -Initiating dialogue between different political parties and exposing the party’s vision of Lebanon -Expanding its representation in SRC, since it believes that its candidates have the appropriate skills to work for

the benefit of the students and the AUB community.

Finally, the AUB Discovery Club, although new, succeeded in gaining the respect of the students and preserving its integrity. It hopes, through its work on campus, to reflect the image of the party that fought for Lebanese sovereignty and liberal values and to remain a living icon for the prospective generations to uphold.

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Focus on Freedom

The Freedom Club Special to Outlook

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he Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is an extension of the Lebanese phenomenon that began with a long journey filled with struggle on which General Michel Aoun embarked. This journey continued throughout his office as head of the Lebanese Government in the late 1980’s.

The FPM phenomenon manifested itself in a heightened awareness among the Lebanese people of foreign conditions and their outcomes.

With pioneering, humanistic and brave conduct, the FPM opposed the occupation of Lebanon domestically and internationally and presented many sacrifices while defending its freedom, sovereignty, independence, and the dignity of its people.

As a political party, the Free Patriotic Movement aims at renewing the political life in Lebanon on the bases of knowledge, ethics, progressiveness and the emancipation of the Lebanese individual. The Party is committed to working under the banner of change and reform.” (tayyar.org, The Charter of the Free Patriotic Movement Party) Gathered under the banner of sovereignty and independence from all occupation, a group of AUBites founded the Freedom Club, in 2004. The club’s main concern at the time was to fight the Syrian occupation of Lebanon through the spreading of awareness on the issue, and the gathering of fellow students sympathetic to the cause. This struggle for “Freedom” is in line with the

mission and principles of the Free Patriotic Movement, as the club’s members have always been staunch political activists, inside and outside AUB. The club contributes actively to AUB campus life by organizing events which spread awareness on national issues such as freedom of speech, media, art, politics, Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons and the Lebanese armed forces, as well as recreational and social events all throughout the academic year. The club has also repeatedly campaigned for other students-rights-related issues, such as petitions to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. The club participates actively in the SRC/USFC elections based on a platform with clearly defines the goals that serve the interest of AUB

students. Many of these goals have been reached or were at least partially elaborated when club members occupied SRC positions over the past few years. Most noticeable were the efforts in the Fac-

ulty of Engineering and Architecture (FEA), wherefrom the demand for the modification of the GPA conversion table has been launched and accomplished.

Focus on Lebanese Mission The Lebanese Mission Club Special to Outlook

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he students of the Amal Movement inside AUB share the beliefs of their brothers and sisters of the Amal Movement, a noble movement founded by Imam Moussa Al Sadr and led by President Nabih Berri.

We, as A.U.B. students believe that: - Believing in the Free Man is the terrestrial dimension of believing in God, the Creator that moderates our daily lives.

- Our great heritage in Lebanon and in the East is full of heroism and bravery. Understanding our past will definitely lead us to build a better future, a future full of Hope.

- We refuse all forms of tyranny, dictatorship and racism.

- We refuse the economic oppression that leads a human being to exploit his brothers.

- National sovereignty is a vital condition of indepen-

dence. Fighting occupation is our duty to preserve Lebanon’s Arabic identity while looking forward for a continuous development.

- Palestine, the sacred land, was and still is a victim of Zionist oppression and subjugation. As Arabs, our duty is to help our Palestinian brothers in their struggle and resistance, especially that the Zionist enemy seeks the division of Lebanon too.

- Our movement refuses segregation among citizens. It struggles hard to help deprived people build a better Lebanon.

LMC is a MODERATE democratic group that refuses to believe in simply black or white; we have founded our beliefs and ideas by trying to look beyond these extremes.

We share the same beliefs as the Amal Movement, some of us are members of this movement others are just supporters. In the American University of Beirut is a small-scaled

image of the Lebanese mosaic. Although some of the students can afford to pay A.U.B tuition fees, a large number of skilled people are deprived of acquiring a high level of education because of their poor economical situation. We believe that our job as students is to make AUB accessible to anyone seeking a high level of education but can not afford it. This sort of injustice is one of the basic factors of inequality in the Lebanese society and therefore should not be ignored or underestimated. Socially, the LMC is a student club destined to fight first and before anything any kind of racism, injustice, inequality and discrimination. We as members look to surpass average student relations among each other trying to establish sisterhood-brotherhood relations simply making the LMC one big family. But above all, what LMC offers to students is the chance to make

a change, to be heard. Every single member is capable of making a remarkable change that could affect the club, the university or even as far as

the Lebanese society. What we offer the students grows beyond university walls, we offer responsibility...

Nov 19 , 2010

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Focus on Secular

The Secular Club Special to Outlook

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he purpose of secularism has never been to eliminate, change or influence religion but rather to put a stop to the abuse of religion through utilizing it in political work as a tool and method of exploiting the population, controlling them and, eventually, in dispersing them.

Sectarian politics in Lebanon has brought us nothing but war, corruption and continuous crisis. Sectarianism has pushed the government and its institutions to the brink of extinction and impotence. This has caused the citizen to lose trust in the government and to be pushed towards further sectarian seclusion as a method of maintaining security, stability.

Secularists have never been put in a position where they

are forced to defend their sect, religion or community.

Over two hundred thousand Lebanese citizens have lost their lives during the brutal civil war: we now see the result of a bitter reality as sects have distanced themselves off from the rest of their fellow Lebanese; and the present day is still an extension of that past…

We choose secularism because the rise of this country will begin and flourish through a surge of enlightened, intellectual, humanitarian secularism. We choose secularism in order to break the enforced silence and acceptance of the status quo in order to become free people and proud citizens of a nation which provides us with options and choices to live our lives as we wish, guided only by our civil laws and rights.

The Secular Club at AUB has no external affiliation.

We are running in this year’s student elections as truly independent candidates. We are part of a coalition of independent candidates (called the Alternative Front) who are non-sectarian, non-affiliated and free thinking. The events surrounding the proposed tuition increases last May demonstrated the USFC’s poor leadership and representation of the student body. The need for our coalition arose from the failed mediation of this and other student issues. As a coalition of student representatives, we are interested in transparency, accountability, free speech, and equity in higher education. We do not want candidates who are concerned more about the following day’s headlines in the newspapers or on blogs, rath-

er than the actual responsibility and work they are supposed to do in SRC. We are not representing the fractious Politics outside AUB; we are representing YOU as students! We believe our platform’s ideals and actionable items uphold our principles, and we are determined to make progress on some if not all of these issues.

We have more than 50 Candidates in all the faculties.

Already five seats at the FAS GRAD by Acclamation!

In the last 2 weeks we have organized three major events:

- A photo exhibition on the result of civil wars around the world and in Lebanon - A conflict resolution workshop in partnership with the Permanent Peace Moment, one of the well recognized Lebanese NGOs - A Comedy show with Mazen Abdallah “No I am not friends with the Devil: Secularism explained” …and after the elections several events are on the way.

Focus on Social The Social Club Special to Outlook

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he Lebanese Forces was created at first in 1980 as a military wing to defend Lebanon against foreign military interferences on the Lebanese ground. After being part of the Taef agreement, the Lebanese Forces willingly decided to hand over their arms to the Lebanese army in compliance with the Taef agreement1. In 1994 Syria had already occupied Lebanon making it easy for the party to be banned and for its leader to be imprisoned. Despite all of that, the Lebanese Forces continued to struggle in a purely political manner to achieve its main objective: endorsing a strong independent Lebanese government.

Said government cannot be formed without the support of the students that are the

pillar of tomorrow.

The Lebanese Forces Student Association (LFSA) aims toward forming intellectual beings that are aware of the current situation in Lebanon and are fully conscious of Lebanese history in general. It longs to shape future leaders that do not only excel in their studies but are also in the center of the Lebanese political decision-making. In accordance with what has been said, the LFSA’s representative club in AUB is the Social club.

Similarly, this club encourages a better university life for AUB students. Although some of its motives may be political, the main purpose behind this club remains educational. Under the supervision of the Students Affairs Office, the club has grown over the last 6 years and has proven to be success-

ful and unbiased. The club is involved in many activities on campus and participates in the students’ elections in all faculties. For the last few years the Social club has been winning the highest number of SRC seats, thus getting control and power in the USFC. There are no doubts that at the peak of the many achievements the Social club has earned, we find the election of our socialite friend Elias Ghanem as the VP of the USFC during the academic year 2009-2010. Last

year’s USFC achievements proved that the club does not discriminate against certain people but on the contrary sticks to unbiased academic work only: the students’ strike against the tuition increase, the rejuvenation of the class ring ceremony and of the speakers’ corner and the cafeteria sit-in are but minor proof of the strictly academic work made by the USFC. Furthermore, it is important to note that the Social Club operates as part of the Students at Work cam-

paign during the elections.

Other fun activities also take place on campus such as “The Annual AUB Welcome Party”, “The Soap Soccer” in addition to political and debate-oriented ones such as “Presidents of the 10,452” and “Journalism: a Target”.

Finally as the elections are on their way, the club incites the students to trust in the Students at Work campaign once again as they will do their best to achieve their platform as they have done before.

‫‪Nov 19, 2010‬‬

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‫“شباب املستقبل”‬ ‫نحن هنا‬

‫نادي الشباب‬ ‫خاص بأوتلوك‬

‫‪ 15‬عاما ً هو عمر “شباب‬ ‫في اجلامعة‬ ‫املستقبل”‬ ‫األميركية في بيروت (‪.)AUB‬‬ ‫مسيرة ُولدت من رحم شباب‬ ‫كانوا يرون احللم بـ”مستقبل‬ ‫واعد” يتحقق مع الرئيس‬ ‫الشهيد رفيق احلريري‪ ،‬ويشهدون‬ ‫حتت “سما لبنان الزرقا” على‬ ‫يده املمدودة التي كانت تنفض‬ ‫غبار احلرب األهلية‪ ،‬وتبني البشر‬ ‫واحلجر‪ ،‬وتعيد لبنان إلى العالم‪،‬‬ ‫وتعيد العالم إلى لبنان‪ ،‬قبل‬ ‫أن تغتاله يد الغدر واإلجرام في‬ ‫‪ 14‬شباط ‪ ،2005‬دون أن تدري أن‬ ‫شخصا ً عظيما ً كرفيق احلريري ال‬ ‫حي في‬ ‫ميوت‪ ،‬ولن ميوت‪ ،‬طاملا أنه ٌ‬ ‫قلوب وعقول كل لبناني يؤمن‬ ‫بـ”لبنان أوال ً”‪.‬‬ ‫مسيرة حاملة بدأها “شباب‬ ‫املستقبل” من هنا في العام‬ ‫‪ 1995‬إلى سائر أرجاء الوطن‬ ‫َ‬ ‫يستحيل احلُلم حقيق ًة‬ ‫“حتى‬ ‫راسخة” مع من كان يرى‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫“مستقبل لبنا َن في شبابه”‪.‬‬ ‫مسيرة تظللت بـ”إعتدال” رفيق‬ ‫احلريري و”دميوقراطيته” لتمضي‬ ‫في طريق لم يكن مفروشا ً‬ ‫بالورود‪ ،‬بل بأشواك التعصب التي‬ ‫ما زال البعض يزرعها إلى اليوم‪.‬‬ ‫وتظللت بـ”وطنية” رفيق احلريري‬ ‫و”عروبته” لتطلق مبادرة وطنية‬ ‫عنوانها االنفتاح وتقبل الرأي‬

‫اآلخر إللغاء العصبيات وكسر‬ ‫احلواجز التي تفصل بني طالب‬ ‫اجلامعة الواحدة‪ ،‬ولتشجيع‬ ‫اإلتصال والتواصل بني الشباب‬ ‫من مختلف الطوائف واملناطق‬ ‫اللبنانية‪ ،‬حتت سقف املبادئ‬ ‫والثوابت التي تبنتها بأن لبنان‬ ‫وطن عربي‪ ،‬دميوقرطي‪ ،‬سيد‬ ‫حر ومستقل‪ ،‬وبأن دميومته‬ ‫مرتبطة باحلفاظ على الوحدة‬ ‫الوطنية والعيش املشترك بني‬ ‫اللبنانيني‪.‬‬ ‫مسيرة شباب لم يردعهم‬ ‫إغتيال “الرمز” بقدر ما جعلهم‬ ‫أمام مسؤولية أكبر‪ ،‬يحملون‬ ‫حلم “الرفيق” أمانة في‬ ‫أعناقهم إلى جانب “السعد”‪،‬‬ ‫دولة الرئيس‪ ،‬سعد رفيق‬ ‫احلريري‪ ،‬رغم كل الغدر واحلقد‪.‬‬ ‫لم يفقدوا األمل مبستقبل‬ ‫لبنان‪ ،‬ولم يخضعوا لقوى األمر‬ ‫الواقع‪ ،‬بل صنعوا بنضال سلمي‬ ‫دميوقراطي ثورة األزر‪ ،‬التي هزت‬ ‫ضمير العالم‪ ،‬وحققت للبنان‬ ‫االستقالل الثاني‪ ،‬بفعل تالقي‬ ‫املسلم واملسيحي في ساحة‬ ‫احلرية‪ ،‬حيث كانت أصواتهم‬ ‫تهدر من أجل لبنان سيد حر‬ ‫ومستقبل‪ ،‬ومن أجل العدالة‬ ‫التي ننتظرها من احملكمة‬ ‫الدولية التي ناضلنا ألجلها‬ ‫في قضية استشهاد الرئيس‬

‫رفيق احلريري وسائر شهداء‬ ‫قافلة االستقالل الثاني‪ ،‬كي‬ ‫يعم االستقرار وطننا الذي‬ ‫يريده البعض أن يبقى في مهب‬ ‫الريح‪.‬‬ ‫مسيرة طالب ال تزال مستمرة‬ ‫في النضال السياسي‪ ،‬كما‬ ‫في النضال الطالبي‪ ،‬فقد كنا‬ ‫في “شباب املستقبل” وال‬ ‫نزال في اجلامعة األميركية في‬ ‫بيروت‪ ،‬رأس حربة في الدفاع عن‬ ‫املطالب الطالبية احملقة‪ ،‬التي‬ ‫تؤمن مستوى أرقى من احلياة‬ ‫األكادمية واإلجتماعية‪ ،‬كما‬ ‫كنا وال نزال في طليعة املبادرين‬ ‫إلى إقامة االنشطة الشبابية‬ ‫والثقافية‬ ‫واالجتماعية‬ ‫والرياضية والفنية التي جتمعنا‬ ‫كشباب جامعي يحب احلياة‪.‬‬ ‫واليوم‪ ،‬نحن على موعد مع‬ ‫انتخابات طالبية نخوضها‬ ‫كـ”شباب مستقبل”‪ ،‬كما في‬ ‫كل عام‪ ،‬بكل روح دميوقراطية‬ ‫كي نعبر أوال ً عن إرادة الطالب‬ ‫‪ ،‬ونساهم سويا ً في نهضة‬ ‫هذه اجلامعة العريقة التي‬ ‫نعتز باالنتماء إليها‪ .‬ال يهم‬ ‫من يفوز ومن يخسر‪ ،‬املهم أن‬ ‫تكون مصلحة الطالب أولوية‪،‬‬ ‫وأن تكون مصلحة اجلامعة‬ ‫أولوية‪ ،‬وإال فما نفع االنتخابات‪،‬‬ ‫التي ال نراها مناسبة لتحديد‬

‫األحجام‪ ،‬بل محطة للتنافس‬ ‫الدميوقراطي بني طالب ينشدون‬ ‫مصلحتهم‪ ،‬ويشكلون باعتراف‬ ‫اجلميع بيئة من بيئات صناعة‬ ‫لبنان اجلديد‪ ،‬وصورة مصغرة‬ ‫عن وطن التنوع واالعتدال واحملبة‬ ‫والسالم واحلوار‪.‬‬ ‫ولكن‪ ،‬هي انتخابات دميوقراطية‪،‬‬ ‫فلنشبك يا “شباب املستقبل”‬

‫األيادي‪ ،‬ونخوضها بكل عزمية‬ ‫وإرادة كي نحقق االنتصار‬ ‫املأمول‪ ،‬ون ُثبت حضورنا في‬ ‫اجلامعة كـ”رقم صعب” ‪ ،‬يُثبت‬ ‫للقاصي والداني‪ ،‬أننا لسنا‬ ‫مكسر عصا ألحد‪ ،‬ولن نكون‪.‬‬

‫‪Speaker’s Corner Spotlight‬‬

‫)‪(Photo by Antoine Salloum‬‬

‫‪Fares Trad at the Podium‬‬

‫)‪Civic Welfare League President Samer Bu Jawdeh at the Podium (Photo by Antoine Salloum‬‬

Outlook

Nov 19, 2010

Editorial & Opinion Editorial

The Outlook team Chairperson

Talal Nizameddin

Faculty Advisor

Cleo Cacoulidis

Responsible Director

Antonios Francis

Editor-in-Chief

Rami Diab

Associate Editor

Timmy Malkoun

Editor at Large

Yahia Hamade

Arabic Editor

Mariam El Ali

Photography Editor

Salim Batlouni

Layout Director

John Hajjar

Member at Large

Giovanny Reaidi

News Executives

Heather Jaber Lojine Kamel Mostafa Fadlallah

Web Master

Mohamad Al Medawar

Business Managers

Sally Khalifeh Lara Traboulsi

Staff Writers Fouad Badaoui Caterian Belardi Edrees Elrachidi Dalia Hosn Elie El Khoury Yasmin Fansa Yumna Ghandour Maryam Hoballah Lynn Itani

Tala Kardas Wajiha Jurdhi-Kheir Sherif Maktabi Rita Obeid Yasmine Saab Joseph Saba Amer Sare Emile Fares Zankoul

Photographers

Mohamad Alameh Tariq Buhilaigah Dima Hajj Nadi Nassar Lotfi Al Salah Wael Salem Antoine Salloum

Cartoonist

Deedee El Jilani

Outlook is a weekly publication of the American University of Beirut (AUB) and represents the voice of the student body. It is an independent, non-affiliated publication that favors no ethnic, religious, or political group. All columns, articles, and reports are the property of Outlook and do not necessarily represent the views of Outlook or the AUB community. Outlook welcomes all contributions. Authors please include full name, major, ranking, and contact information for verification. Outlook reserves the right to edit all material. © Outlook 1949

7

tions issue, Outlook has joined forces with the Student’s Rights Club (SRC) to

may be in it for the fun and gags and maybe even a few others enter and leave as puppets, but only a minority

“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote” (George Nathan American Journalist, Critic, Essayist and Editor, 1882-1958)

Rami Diab Editor-in-Chief

I

n this issue we present to you something quite original. It hasn’t been common practice to conduct a survey of the opinions and viewpoints of the main active clubs involved in SRC elections in the past and yet this year apart from soon releasing a special post-elec-

bring you this special edition informing you of just who it is exactly that are fueling the elections and campaigning process.

With what intention do candidates nominate themselves for SRC elections?

Need one vote? And what if there isn’t much to vote for?

The answer to these questions may vary from person to person, but one thing’s for sure and that is that we all have a right to vote, a right to representation and a privilege to be heard.

There are some of us who enter elections hoping to get something noteworthy to place on their CVs. Others

of candidates tend to nominate themselves for a difference, for unanimous good and for a brighter future.

These rare lots of people are the true believers in the bounty of life for they know, almost by instinct, that it is only by giving of themselves that they will ever come to give to their community and nation.

To cut a long story short, don’t vote out of peer pressure, ignorance, or sheer desperation. Instead, vote out of a calculated opinion and informed will power. Vote for unity, vote for peace, vote for prosperity, but above all, vote for you.

Op-Ed

Tala Kardas Senior Staff Writer

E

very year around this time, Outlook publishes a series of OpEds written to express a general dislike of the election process at AUB and how they go about, sometimes even encouraging students to refrain from voting because it will be to no avail.

Well, with no offense to any of my colleagues, I have to disagree. Not only does par-

ticipating in elections mean that you are an active member of the university, but it is a vital part of the college experience we cherish.

A lot of students may not agree with what many of the candidates are running for or what goes on after they become elected, but by sitting back and constantly criticizing, we would be doing nothing for the sake of the university or its students.

Campaigning may be considered by some to be a complete waste of time, or even harassment, but in fact, it’s only a reflection of what goes on outside the university’s walls. Getting someone to agree with an idea that completely goes against their beliefs is a difficult task, but it is also a reminder that there are several perspectives on a single issue, something we may have forgotten because we are too consumed with things that don’t matter.

There’s also that excite-

ment that extends until the day after elections, and let’s be honest here, it’s infectious. Sure, walking around in whatever camp’s t-shirts or vests is borderline ridiculous, but campaigning for a friend, or anxiously waiting to see how your vote has affected the way decisions would be made for the following year is something that should not be missed out on.

Should we refuse to take part in elections, we would be the only ones to be blamed for our lack of involvement in student life and any related decisions. It’s true that we live in a country where sectarianism and politics govern everything, but just for once, we can all come together and think about the issues that concern us as students at a higher education institution. Calling elections stupid, pointless, or unimportant would only be making current matters worse.