n
The Official Campus Newspaper of Swarthmore College Since 1881 VOL. 137, ISSUE 10
The Phoenix THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
TODAY: Mostly sunny. Chance of rain: 10%. High 55, Low 40. TOMORROW: Chance of showers with wind. Chance of rain: 60%. High 50, Low 37.
SWARTHMOREPHOENIX.COM
Three Sisters, Triple the Fun By JEANETTE LEOPOLD Living & Arts Writer
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
The announcement of Robert Zoellick ‘75, former president of the World Bank, as the headlining commencement speaker outraged some students.
Students Clash Over Commencement Speaker By SARAH COE-ODESS News Writer
When Swarthmore announced that alumnus and former President of the World Bank and former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Robert Zoellick ’75 would be the 2013 commencement speaker and recipient of an honorary degree, students responded in a multitude of ways. While many students, especially seniors, questioned why someone who was affiliated with the Bush administration and associated with the war in Iraq deserved to speak at commencement, others contested these perceptions of Zoellick. “I think that Swarthmore shouldn’t have a litmus test in terms of the politics of a commencement speaker or honorary degrees,” said Sam Sussman ‘13, who feels that Zoellick was an appropriate choice. “Swarthmore should be an ideologically diverse school. Part of what this episode shows is the real weakness of not having more conservative voices on campus.” Samantha Bennett ’13, who also is in favor of Zoellick’s speaking at commencement, does not think the controversy represents a political divide on campus, though. “I wouldn’t call this particular issue a partisan issue, especially considering Zoellick is a liberal himself, but his association with the Bush administration certainly prompted a lot of the extreme responses,” she said. “Instead of looking at associations — with Bush, Goldman Sachs, etc. — perhaps it would be better to look at the facts.” Still, Facebook comments by seniors include that Zoellick was a “major architect and strongest proponent of the Iraq war” and that “that the administration is wrong to use honorary degrees as a political tool for future favors to the college/recognition/an act that encourages
potential alumni donations.” Will Lawrence ’13, who has been an active opponent of Zoellick’s speaking, declined to comment. An equal number of comments defending Zoellick exist online. Sarah Dwider ’13, who has been active in the Facebook debate about the topic, feels that not everybody has handled the situation appropriately. “With the exception of some comments online, I think students have made an effort to be considerate,” Dwider said. “However, I think a lot of times Swarthmore students forget that their classmates come from a lot of different backgrounds and experiences. This isn’t just a debate in a classroom but something that involves students’ families and their lives outside of Swarthmore. I’m always a fan of having face-to-face conversations where people can better un-
“Blaming Robert Zoellick for the Iraq War would be like blaming Alice Paul for closing Essie Mae’s early.” Sam Sussman ’13 derstand each other with fewer miscommunications. I don’t think this happens nearly enough around controversial issues at Swarthmore.” Sussman feels that the issue with the Facebook debate is not necessarily people’s words but rather their lack of research. “Blaming Robert Zoellick for the Iraq War would be like blaming Alice Paul for closing Essie Mae’s early,” he said. “They’re vaguely related but have noth-
ing to do with each other. Swat students are really reflective, gifted people. I think part of it has to do with how the campus is disjointed and unrepresentative. The failure to explain exactly what Zoellick did wrong, the assumption that he was responsible for the Iraq War, and the fact that radicals on campus can go from the fact that he’s conservative to that he’s responsible for the Iraq war without research is indicative of the lack of discourse and judgment on campus.” While Bennett agrees that some Swarthmore students do not have their facts straight, she can see why people might oppose his speaking for other reasons. “There is certainly a good deal of misunderstanding, and Swarthmore students know better than to make accusations without having done the proper research beforehand,” she said. “One could certainly make other arguments about Zoellick’s decisions while leading the World Bank, for example, but these were not the ones immediately brought up.” What Sussman and Bennett do agree on, however, is that it will be interesting to hear how a Swarthmore alumnus gained so much political power and how being a Swarthmore graduate contributed to that success. Bennett also added that her father, as an alumnus who was Zoellick’s classmate, was also excited to hear him talk. Because of the divide among seniors and the propensity for students to express themselves online, Dwider, with the help of Dean of the Sophomore Class and Director of the Intercultural Center Alina Wong, organized a meeting for students to express how they felt this past Wednesday. “When this year’s honorary degree recipients were announced, a lot of students I know were surprised to see that Robert Zoellick was chosen alongside [entrepreneur and humanitarian]
Fear not, students of Swarthmore. Your weekends of plodding wearily from a highly contentious frat party to a socially acceptable Paces party are over. Those moments of gazing mournfully at LPAC on your way from the Science building to Sharples, wishing that if only you had time to pop in, beautiful art would be happening right there in front of your eyes, no longer needs to end tragically. Yes, Swarthmore, it’s true. After an unbearable hiatus of four long weekends without a Theater Department play, we have a reprieve. Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” will be performed this weekend, April 5 at 8 p.m., April 6 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and April 7 at 2 p.m. on LPAC mainstage. If you’ve been paying any attention to the bathroom stalls, you already know. “Three Sisters,” directed by guest artist Richard Hamburger and translated by Paul Schmidt, is this year’s Production Ensemble play. Production Ensemble (you will remember last year’s “Ivona, Princess of Burgundia” and “Farfetched Fables,” that play with the screen and Jessie Cannizzaro, the year before) is a mandatory class for theater majors, open to non-majors as well, whose aim is to put on a play. Costumes, set, sound and lighting are done by professional designers who double as faculty members; the stage manager is professional as well, and every other year the school hires a guest artist to direct. “Three Sisters” is about “a family trying to come to terms with its changing identity as it goes through a series of personal and financial struggles,” summed up Nathan Siegel ’15, who plays Chebutykin, an army doctor. Michelle Johnson ’16, who plays Masha, gave more detail: “The plot follows several years in the lives of the Prozorov family as a military unit visits the town and lives there. You see how those people interact with the sisters’ lives and affect their story arcs of getting work and dealing with mari tal issues.” Masha is one of the sisters. “She is very outspoken and kind of doesn’t give a shit about what other people think,” Johnson said of her character. “She likes to challenge other characters because everyone is so passive in the play and she gets very restless.” The other sisters are Olga, played by Madeline Charne ’14, and Irina, played by Casey Ferrara ’14. “I think we have a really great cohesive cast,” Siegel said. This is good, because although the three sisters are the pivotal characters, “the show is really ensemble based,” according to Johnson. “My favorite part of working on this play has been working with the cast,” Johnson said. “The play itself is frustrating because of the difficulty that Chekhov poses in the vast intricacy of his characters; you Continued on Page 7
Continued on Page 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NEWS
LIVING
OPINIONS
SPORTS
This year’s Queer and Trans Conference (QTC) explored issues of class justice and conceptions of work with events and performances, like a lecture with artist Eli Clare.
Courtney discovers what it means to ‘dress like a poet,’ as Noel Quiñones ’15 displays his creative style and its reflection of his role within the slam poetry scene.
The Phoenix EdBoard supports making Greek organizations open to all genders and giving them the same resources available to other student groups.
Despite the dismal rain, the golf team came out on top at Monday’s Swarthmore Invitational, with an impressive combined score of 315.
QTC 2013 Explores Meaning of Work
PAGE 3
Swat Style: How to Dress Like a Poet
PAGE 8
From Referendum to Democracy
PAGE 13
Golf Victorious in Swat Invitational
PAGE 16
PAGE 2
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix STEVEN HAZEL Editor-in-Chief KOBY LEVIN Managing Editor PARKER MURRAY Managing Editor The News Section AMANDA EPSTEIN Editor DANIEL BLOCK Assistant Editor ANNA GONZALES Assistant Editor SARAH COE-ODESS Writer COLE GRAHAM Writer AIDAN PANTOJA Writer TIFFANY KIM Writer TOBY LEVY Writer The Living & Arts Section ALLI SHULTES Editor TAYLOR HODGES Assistant Editor COURTNEY DICKENS Writer MIREILLE GUY Writer AXEL KODAT Writer JEANETTE LEOPOLD Writer MAYRA TENORIO Writer VIANCA MASUCCI Writer SERA JEONG Writer IZZY KORNBLATT Columnist DEBORAH KRIEGER Columnist CATHY PARK Columnist
KIERAN REICHERT Columnist DAVID TOLAND Columnist PAIGE FAITH SPENCER WILLEY Columnist ZOE WRAY Columnist DINA ZINGARO Columnist YENNY CHEUNG Artist ELIZABETH KRAMER Artist RENU NADKARNI Artist PRESTON COOPER Puzzle Master The Opinions Section AARON KROEBER Editor PATRICK AMMERMAN Columnist TYLER BECKER Columnist PRESTON COOPER Columnist CRAIG EARLEY Columnist Nathaniel Frum Columnist PATRICK HAN Columnist Nehmat Kaur Columnist HARSHIL SAHAI Columnist The Sports Section DANIEL DUNCAN Editor SCOOP RUXIN Writer JAMES IVEY Columnist IBIDAYO FAYANJU Columnist
Layout NYANTEE ASHERMAN Editor YENNY CHEUNG Editor MIREILLE GUY Editor CAMI RYDER Editor SOLA PARK Editor Photography JULIA CARLETON Editor RAISA REYES Editor JOSHUA ASANTE Photographer MARTIN FROGER-SILVA Photographer JULIANA GUTIERREZ Photographer AKSHAJ KUCHIBHOTLA Photographer KATY MONTOYA Photographer ADRIANA OBIOLS Photographer SADIE RITTMAN Photographer HOLLY SMITH Photographer JUSTIN TORAN-BURRELL Photographer ZHENGLONG ZHOU Photographer COURTNEY DICKENS Videographer Copy JOYCE WU Chief Copy Editor SARAH COE-ODESS Editor SOPHIE DIAMOND Editor JOSH GREGORY Editor ALICE KIM Editor AKSHAJ KUCHIBHOTLA Editor ALEC PILLSBURY Editor CAMI RYDER Editor
Business PAUL CHUNG Director HARSHIL SAHAI Director ERIC SHERMAN Webmaster DANIEL BLOCK Social Media Coordinator ALLISON MCKINNON Circulation Manager The Phoenix is located in Parrish Hall, Offices 470-472 500 College Ave Swarthmore, PA 19081 Tel 610.328.7362 Email editor@swarthmorephoenix.com Web swarthmorephoenix.com Please direct advertising requests to advertising@ swarthmorephoenix.com. The Phoenix reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Advertising rates subject to change. Mail subscriptions are available for $60 a year or $35 a semester. Please direct subscription requests to Harshil Sahai. The Phoenix is printed at Bartash Printing, Inc., and is a member of the Associated College Press and the Penn. Newspaper Association. The Phoenix is printed at Bartash Printing, Inc. The Phoenix is a member of the Associated College Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
JULIA CARLETON / THE PHOENIX
Mixed Company performed Friday at Lang Concert Hall on March 29th.
News
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 3
The Phoenix
QTC Explores Meaning of Work By ANNA GONZALES Assistant News Editor
The annual Queer and Trans Conference (QTC) brought together activists, scholars, and performers this past weekend to address the theme of work as it applies to the lives of queer and trans people. Each year, QTC chooses a theme around which speakers and events are focused, ultimately seeking to highlight the work and voices of queer and trans people whose identities are marginalized by the mainstream gay rights movement. Camille Robertson ‘13, a member of the QTC planning committee, explained that the goal of this year’s conference was to create a program of events centered around class justice, as well as to think through the meaning of work and to expand its definition beyond paid work. Highlights of the conference included a lecture and a workshop facilitated by Eli Clare, an influential genderqueer and trans scholar, activist, and educator, who addresses issues of disability, gender, race, class and sexuality in his work. His visit was wellreceived by students, many of whom have read Clare’s work in the classroom. “I’ve adored his work since I first read it, so getting to hear him talk about it and watching the way that he does lectures and makes them accessible was amazing,” Robertson said. Clare’s lecture explored the connection between the history of circus tent freak shows and bodily differences, resistance, and exploitation. In addition to the lecture, Clare also held an open lunch discussion and workshop around the theme of stealing and reclaiming bodies, which fit into his larger work exploring the meanings of oppression and bodily differences. The workshop made use of storytelling, visual content, and journal writing to explore questions of bodily oppression, thievery, and resistance, across a variety of identities and communities. Addressing the theme of work more directly, the conference also brought speakers from the Philadelphia chapter of the Sex Worker’s Outreach Project (SWOP) to campus, which Laina Chin ’16 saw as a highlight. SWOP is an anti-violence campaign and national social justice network, dedicated to securing and protecting fundamental
COURTESY OF SWARTHMORE QTC WEBSITE
Dorothy Allison, a speaker at this year’s Queer and Trans Conference, which focused around the theme of work as it applies to the lives of queer and trans people.
human rights for sex workers. The project attempts to end violence towards and stigma against sex workers through education and advocacy. The SWOP speakers discussed sex work as a real, legitimate occupation, explained Chin, a member of the QTC planning committee who worked with other members to bring SWOP to campus. “A lot of times, representations of sex work in different medias and in life make it seem really dirty and disgusting,” Chin explained. The SWOP members sought to counteract this notion, asking attendants to write down their immediate associations with sex work and then helping the audience to deconstruct these notions. Chin also found the presentation interesting because the two SWOP members had both done sex work, and one was a current
‘Zoellick,’ continued from page 1 Tralance Addy ’69 and [novelist and social activist] Lorene Cary,” Dwider said. “I originally planned this meeting to discuss why some students were disappointed with the college’s decision to honor Zoellick and to figure out a constructive way to communicate with the college why it felt like an inappropriate choice.” Around 25-30 showed up to the meeting. While those presence debated substantially what Zoellick’s role and association with the war in Iraq were, little consensus was reached, according to Bennett. She also said that both sides brought up positive and negative actions of Zoellick, including his role with the Free Trade Agreement in Central America and his role in trying to end the genocide in Darfur. Another point of discussion at the meeting was how Zoellick’s speaking out affect the comfort of the audience at commencement. While the question of
whether the audience would be comfortable with people’s protesting against Zoellick, many reached a consensus that a protest that would disrupt the general ceremony was inappropriate and that a commencement speaker does not define the entire event. Opponents suggested that having someone in the field of political science speak would inevitably bring conflict, no matter who, but proponents responded that Zoellick is the primary choice for anyone related to international relations. Bennett added that someone at the meeting claimed that the committee said that Zoellick was an obvious choice for an honorary degree. Unlike other schools that base their commencement speakers on prestige and popularity, Swarthmore chooses its commencement speaker among the Swarthmore alumni who receive an honorary degree that year.
sex worker. “I would not have assumed that either of them were sex workers,” Chin said. The presentation helped Chin and other attendants examine and interrogate their own stereotypes around sex work. Acclaimed writer Dorothy Allison also lectured over the weekend. Allison’s writing includes themes of class struggle, sexual abuse, child abuse, feminism, and lesbianism, and her lecture at the conference focused on mythic queer culture. “She talked about myth in our lives and how we survive by mythologizing, but how myths surrounding certain people are still an issue,” Nora Kerrich ’16 explained. Allison also explained that the myth of the normalized queer and the idea that queerness can be removed from its radical roots and meanings was dangerous, which Kerrich found particularly interesting. In connection to the theme of work, Allison contrasted two different work experiences, setting the story of how she survived as a scholarship student in college by working eight hours a day with chemicals which burned the skin off her hands against her work as a writer and a columnist, for which she receives higher pay and greater respect than for her cleaning job. “She encouraged more discussion about why people are paid what they are paid for the work they do,” Kerrich explained. For Robertson, a large group of returning alumni was another highlight of the weekend. “It felt really different that other Swarthmore events, because more often than not, current students were less than half of the people in the room,” she explained. “Having that intergenerational dialogue and the many perspectives really brings a lot of energy and a different tone.” Robertson also saw dialogue between presenters as a major success of the conference. “Eli Clare and Naomi Finkelstein had a great conversation, because they’ve done disability work about queer disabled people
in other conferences together,” Robertson recounted. This type of dialogue-creation and coalition-building is one of QTC’s main goals, Roberston explained. “Within the group, queer/trans are huge umbrella terms and identities, and because we take a very multi-issue approach we are able to create some unity,” she said. Rather than a vertical hierarchy with officer positions, all 13 members of QTC work within a horizontal structure, take turns planning agendas and facilitating meetings, and join together in ongoing working groups called pods. This multi-issue approach, along with QTC’s horizontal organization, help to build a coalition and make for a productive conference each year. “Within the planning community we work as a group, and it does feel like a coalitional space,” Robertson said. “We want to put our voices together and we want to listen together, and that’s one of the most exciting things about the conference, bringing in presenters who get to have conversations and be in dialogue, with the conference serving as creating space for that.” In addition to Clare, SWOP, and Allison, the conference featured lectures on sex work and on the queer homeless transition into the queer workforce; workshops on reproductive justice and disability ally work; re-screenings of lectures and a screening of a documentary about black transmen; and performances by Roots & River Philly Collective, a branch of a larger organization for queer artists of color, along with a performance by Cirque Manikk, which brings together circus arts, music, dance and culture to create a modern circus of the human body. Robertson and other organizers felt that the conference went over well. “We got a lot of positive feedback from a lot of presenters, and from attendees also, which was really great. Overall it felt like a really big success,” she said.
PAGE 4
News
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
Week in Pictures
SLAP Lobbies for Employee Rights By AIDAN PANTOJA News Writer
COURTESY OF AINSLEY PARRISH
Waldo greeted students from the top of the Science Center on April Fool’s Day, courtesy of the Engineering Department.
JULIA CARLETON/THE PHOENIX
Nina Kogekar ’13 performed a rendition of Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio” in the Mixed Company concert on Friday night.
The Swarthmore Labor Action Project (SLAP) has hosted a myriad of events on campus during the past two semesters, with the ultimate aim of working establishing justice and dignity in the workplace. According to the college’s website, SLAP has been working for “with mushroom workers from Kennett Square, supporting their campaign to fundraise for a new community center in which their union can meet.” During the past two semesters, the organization held two staff appreciation events, as well as invited various notable activists to campus to speak to students about SLAP’s current campaign. According to the mission statement, SLAP “envision[s] a society in which all people have empowering, fulfilling work and dignified material conditions.” One of the upperclassmen in the organization, Ben Wolcott ’14 decided to become involved with the Swarthmore Labor Action Project when he realized that “its campaigns would be a great way to concretely work towards economic justice.” A previous member of SLAP, Raisa Reyes ‘15, decided to get involved with the organization because she feels that “workers’ rights, at all levels, affect the entire work force.” Reyes asserts that “joining in the effort to improve working conditions helps improve the conditions of individuals’ lives and the ethic and standard of how people should be treated as individuals and workers in the United States.” According to Wolcott, the organization held a Staff Appreciation Pancake Breakfast in Shane Lounge in early March, as well as a Queer Homeless Transition into the Queer Workforce, which was held in the Scheuer Room towards the end of last month. This lecture included talks by Jay Toole and Juliet Johnson on “the challenges that homeless people who identify as queer face while searching for jobs,” according to the event’s flyers. Linda McDougall, director of dining services at the college, said that she, along with an extensive group of dining hall workers, attended the pancake breakfast. McDougall said that the dining hall workers appreciated the gesture, as well as the greater cause of SLAP. At the start of the semester, SLAP also held a POWER petition (Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower, and Rebuild) in Sharples Dining Hall. In addition to these various organized events on campus, Wolcott explained that SLAP have had students dress up as notable activists, including Upton Sinclair and Alice Paul, and pretend to give speeches from these characters’ points of views. These characters will visit campus again to talk to students during study breaks about SLAP’s most recent campaign: working with staff and faculty to try to get childcare benefits. SLAP will also be hosting a Chow & Chat About Childcare on Campus event in Science Center 105 on April 9th at 2:00 p.m. Wolcott is confident that the organization has “succeeded in making the college define which labor practices the operator should follow in the [proposed Swarthmore Inn] and will continue to advocate for workers’ rights if there are not adequate protections.” Wolcott is optimistic about the future of the organization and the most recent campaign for childcare, expressing his confidence in SLAP’s ability to “win tangible benefits for [both] staff and faculty.”
Pranksters on April Fool’s Day envisioned a wizarding version of Swarthmore, converting Cygnet to a Marauder’s Map. Mephisto’s and McCabe were also adapted to suit the purposes of the magical-minded hackers.
HOLLY SMITH/THE PHOENIX
News
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 5
The Phoenix
Mary Lyon Basement To Undergo Renovations As Class Sizes Increase, Living Spaces Must Be Added To Accomodate All Students By TOBY LEVY News Writer
Next year, the college hopes to increase the incoming freshmen class size from this year’s 379 to approximately 391. As gradual expansion occurs, members of the administration are seeking to capitalize on any available dorm space that could provide extra housing. As a result, the Mary Lyon Hall (ML) basement is being prepared to house students next year. Vice President for Facilities and Services Stu Hain said that work would be completed prior to the beginning of the fall semester. “We are indeed making the garden level (basement) rooms in ML ready for use next fall,” he said. “They do not need a lot of work, as when we took them out of service, they were in good shape. We will paint them, put in new flooring material, replace lights and replace furniture where necessary.” Additional lighting will be installed in each hallway and all rooms will be painted and patched. Plans for a new student lounge located next to the laundry room, equipped with a TV, cushioned seating, and bar stools are also in the works. Additionally, another resident assistant (RA) will be hired for the hall. Current plans are to offer six different blocks in ML to anyone from the rising senior, junior, and sophomore classes. Renovations and updates to ML’s lower level will continue through the spring and summer in preparation for opening the floor. However, the basement, according to some, is in a questionable state for living quarters.
“I think the main problem is simply that no one has lived there for a while,” said Mercer Borris ’16, an ML resident. “It’s dusty and smells vaguely of mold, and the hallways are dark and eerie.” She also mentioned that the rooms are filled with old mattresses, and a few of the ceilings have deteriorated over time. But Borris said it was still inhabitable. “It isn’t terrible, though,” she explained. “I’’m sure that after a few months of being inhabited, the basement will seem like a decent living space. She also mentioned that because Mary Lyons is built on a hill, the basement is only half underground. The space has numerous windows that allow for natural light to enter. John Lim ’16, another ML resident, echoed Borris’ sentiments. “It’s very old and kind of grungy,” said Lim. “But it mainly has the same feel of the rest of the building. There are cracked walls but its also pretty well lit. I only go down to do laundry, but it’s not too bad.” Varying annual class size can create strain on administration, and only so much dorm space is available. Dean Jim Bock, the head of admissions and financial aid, explained that there would always be enough space for the amount of students accepted, and that in terms of annual class size, the college essentially “looks to replace the exiting senior class.” “Last year,” he said, “There was less room, and we admitted a smaller class, and this year there will be more room, and we are looking to fill to capacity. The renovations in ML allow us to address both issues of current housing tightness and the slightly larger class.”
JULIANA GUTIERREZ/THE PHOENIX
The basement of Mary Lyon (pictured above) will be turned into living space to accomodate increasing student body.
WORK FOR ITS! Information Technology Services is now hiring student employees for Summer and/or Fall 2013 positions. All academic majors and experience levels are encouraged to apply. If you enjoy working with technology and helping others solve problems, please consider working with us. Please visit the online job descriptions and applications: http://www.swarthmore.edu/itsjobs.xml
Living & Arts
PAGE 6
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
CUPSI Showcase By MIREILLE GUY Living & Arts Writer
Last year, Swarthmore students travelled to Los Angeles to participate for the first time in the College Union Poetry Slam Invitational. This year Swarthmore’s CUPSI team will compete again, this time at Barnard College in New York. This year’s team consists of senior Ian Anderson, sophomores Taryn Englehart, Noel Quiñonez, and Julian Randall, and freshman Rose Wunrow, who all placed in the top five of November’s qualifying slam. For some members, this will be their first time participating in the national event, while for others this will be their second performance at the Invitational. According to the Association of College Unions International, the organization which runs CUPSI, slam poetry “is a form of performance poetry that occurs within a competitive poetry event, called a ‘slam,’ at which poets perform their own poems that are judged on a numeric scale by randomly picked members of the audience.” The invitational, which features over 50 schools, runs from April 3 to April 6 and includes workshops as well as the competition itself. “As far as goals are concerned we just want to leave with no regrets and go hard with everything we got,” said Randall, who became involved in slam poetry about a year ago. “It’d be nice to win, but end of the day we really just want to make sure everybody touches the stage and that we leave knowing we didn’t hold anything back.” This past Saturday night Swat’s CUPSI Slam Team previewed their CUPSI material for the Swarthmore community in a showcase of 23 poems. The performance to a packed Sci 101 spoke to the growth in support the group has experienced over the past year. When Quiñons took to the stage, he noted that last year’s showcase was hosted in Paces, a venue of half Sci 101’s capacity. The team’s performance made evident that its members had been working hard for the past four months, perfecting not only poems but their multifaceted delivery. “Preparing the poems for the competition took what felt like forever, but I’m glad because looking at them over and
over again really pushed me to become more thoughtful and honest as a writer,” explained Wunrow. “It’s been a strange mix of empathy and analysis. But the process was also fantastic because we could run whatever we wrote and memorized by our team, and having their fresh perspective on your piece is so helpful.” What makes slam poetry so exciting is the energy and performative style that go into each piece. Saturday night featured solo performances as well as duets and covered diverse topics ranging from identity, love, poverty, family, race, hope, fear, and death. This expanse of topics highlighted the team’s impressive talent. With Randall MC-ing the event, the team’s excitement as well as the audience’s enjoyment was evident. It was obvious that these five Swatties were very much a team, cheering each other on during their performances as well as calling each other embarrassingly revealing nicknames they’d given to each other. By the time each performer had taken the stage a few times, the audience became familiar with each of the poets’ styles. Anderson had impressive artistry, painting imaginative, complex images. Behind the mic Englehert carried a lot of charisma, making it seem as though she were simply having a conversation with the audience (albeit one featuring more rhymes than usual). Quiñones seemed very comfortable on stage, showcasing his broad range of artistic styles. He performed as part of a duet in one piece before quickly moving on to a solo spoken mostly in Spanish. Randall’s metaphors were always very entertaining to hear, performing a monologue in the character of the Old Spice spokesman as an extended metaphor for standards of masculinity. And Wunrow’s expressive performances conveyed the emotion of the poems very well, complementing their content and allowing their meaning to become that much more evident. The 2013 Swat CUPSI Slam Poetry Team Showcase was a big success. As Randall said Saturday, audience members’ brains were full wof metaphors by the end of the night, and it was great. The team clearly had a lot of fun, and carried themselves with a practiced looseness that they’ll hopefully take with them to New York, New York.
Illustration by YENNY CHEUNG
OUTSIDE THE BUBBLE First Friday Edition
The first Friday of every month in Philadelphia is typically celebrated with gallery openings, restaurant specials, musical performances and superb sales. Check out some of the special opportunities this weekend to enoy all that Philadelphia has to offer.
SHOPPING
Sirens Boutique, Scarlett Alley, Arcadia Boutique
Enjoy sales and snacks this Friday at some of Philadelphia’s favorite shops and boutiques. Scarlett Alley, located on 241 Race Street, will preview their Saturday trunk show — featuring jewlery by a local artist — from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Three Sirens Boutique (134 North 3rd Street) showcases finery from Cayetano Legacy Jewelry from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. For those looking for sales, Arcadia Boutique (265 S. 20th Street, 819 N. 2nd Street) will take15 percent off their vintage and jewelry collections while also serving up refreshments.
ART
Indy Hall, The Center for Art in Wood, Imperfect Gallery For baseball fans, Indy Hall’s “Fast for a Catcher” showcases watercolors of key figures — including some Phillies favorites — at its opening reception from 5p.m. to 9 p.m. The Center for Wood and Art (141 N. 3rd Street) charges $20$25 from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday for attendees to create their own woodwork masterpiece in response to Mark Gardner’s “Call and Response” exhibit, and the Imperfect Gallery in Germantown (5601 Greene Street) holds the opening reception of “Bonnie MacAllister: SPECTACLE,” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
COUNTDOWN TO GERMANTOWN Vernon Park
With six months to go until the 330th-year anniversary of the founding of Germantown, Vernon Park (off of Germantown Avenue) offers a slew of activities on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. Local food vendors and representatives of historical societies will set up shop in the park, and live performances featuring poetry, music and dance will take place throughout the afternoon.
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
“Three Sisters,” Continued from Page 1 can’t just see who they are on the page, you have to follow his thought process throughout the play.” If the actors succeed in following these thought processes, this play should be fantastic. The set, designed by Assistant Professor Matt Saunders, is huge — and the audience sits on either side of the stage, essentially forming part of the stage. “I think it’s more realistic in the sense that there’s a 360 degree view,” said Aaron Matis ’16, who plays Solyony. “I can’t say from the audience’s perspective, but sitting offstage and watching the other performers, it gave me a sense of immersion.” “The production is trying to make it feel like we’re living in this world rather than like ‘we’re doing a play,’” said Siegel. Johnson discussed the importance of the
Living & Arts
PAGE 7
The Phoenix
show, saying that, “for young adults in general, it speaks to how important more mundane events can be in life, how earth shattering they can be. Even though that is kind of sad, the play also really focuses on how adaptable people can be and how strong they can be and how they can eventually learn to carry on and live their lives even though they’ve lost their dreams or hopes, and how they kind of shift and adapt to that.” Matis had a more historical view of the importance of the show. “It’s a great play,” he said. “It’s tied into a lot of the Russian culture of the time, and Chekhov is renowned for a reason. He was a revolutionary playwright who introduced the concept of real life onstage, and that’s not something that most plays are able to pull off.” A terrific cast, a talented crew, a classic text, Siegel playing a drunk old man, a director who’s been the talk of the town — these pieces add up to make a show that you won’t want to miss.
ABOVE, Tyler Elliot ’15 and Michaela Shuchman ’16 act in “Three Sisters.” The play will be performed this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in LPAC.
KATY MONTOYA/THE PHOENIX
Q&A With Swat’s Favorite Sex Columnist I was having oral sex and the guy I was with came in my eye. Is there a risk of transmitting an STD? I know that I should have been safer but this is not something that I could foresee happening. Any advice? Senior So, I know that this situation may seem a bit odd but, it is not all that rare. Come happens … if you’re doing it right. Don’t be so hard on yourself — after all, being hard on you is what got you in this position in the first place. Okay, but in all seriousness, there is a risk of bacterial infections like chlamydia or gonorrhea being transmitted in this manner. However, these things are usually accompanied by other symptoms like red, painful, itchy eyes or strange ocular discharge. Unless you’re experiencing these things, you’re probably fine. Additionally, viruses such as HepaVIANCA titis B and HIV have an almost negligible percentage of transmisMASUCCI sion in this manner. That’s a long Missing way of saying that you don’t have Parts to worry about being cockeyed. However, even in your short message, I can sense a bit of anxiousness about the whole situation. If it bothers you that much, see a doctor and get it all checked out. What advice can you give about hygiene practices for the ladies? My girlfriend’s vagina has a very strong smell; that’s just the way it is. The doctor says she’s healthy but her smell can be unattractively poignant sometimes. I’ve mentioned it to her a few times but she gets upset and withdraws from the sex. Am I wrong to mention it? I just want the situation to be better for both of us. Dumb boy? No, you’re not dumb, DB. Some women do have particularly poignant smells in their body basement. But before I get started on information about that, I want to make one thing clear. I know that our patriarchal culture and gendered expectations of hygiene give you (and millions of vagina-bashing dweebs) a big arena to complain about your girlfriend’s ‘poignant vag’. However, how frequently do you hear people complaining about the smells of penises? Almost never. This is not because cocks don’t produce unpleasant aromas — any sweaty area of the body secluded from light and air will have a bit of a funk to it. The fact
is that conventional sex roles allow the female body to be critiqued and objectified and the male body valorized. So, before you go complaining about your girlfriend’s musky muff, remember that your scrotum probably smells like goat cheese and she never complains. Why? Because she has done you, her lover, the gracious favor of acquiring the taste of cock and the smells of cock. Being intimate is not only about the feelings of stimulation, but the tastes, sounds and smells of intimacy. Goat cheese is one of those smells — deal with it. Yet, I digress. To answer your question, there are many factors that contribute to the smell of your girlfriend’s vagina. If she does not have an infection, it may be the effects of some of her lifestyle choices that are causing the smell to be ‘poignant’. One of those things is diet — what you put
Being intimate is not only about the feelings of stimulation, but the tastes, sounds, smells of intimacy. Goat cheese is one of those smells — deal with it. into your body is what you secrete from your body. So, if your girlfriend is eating eight onions a day, I can imagine that her stew may taste like French onion. Acidic fruits, especially pineapples, yogurt are supposed to be great for maintaining good vaginal pH. Your girlfriend’s choice of panties may also contribute to the smell — loose, cotton panties, as oppose to synthetics, are breathable and allow vaginas to get a breath of fresh air. Hair also retains sweat and smell — a little trimming of the pubic hair can very effectively alleviate some of this smell situation. Most importantly, your girlfriend should be thoroughly cleaning her vulva every day with mild, unscented soap, and water. She should never, ever clean inside of her vagina or douche. The vagina is a self-cleansing organ and will do the job itself. Manually cleaning the pipes ruins the very delicate balance that the vagina works so hard to maintain by unsettling vaginal flora. This can be a lot to swallow for your girl, DB, and it
sounds like you’ve clumsily broached this topic before. Be sensitive and unimposing when talking to your girlfriend about this. Don’t isolate her — explain that everybody, even you, struggles with the natural smells of the body (mention the cheesy dick thing) and that it’s okay. Of course, it is ultimately your girlfriend’s decision to make changes to her routine. But, I’m sure you could convince her to do it if you did it with her. My girlfriend and I have been dating for more than a year. I love her and we have a good time. The problem is that she has this friend who “really gets her” — they come from a similar background, have similar interest, and can always keep the “most amazing conversations”. Obviously I am a bit jealous, but of late I’ve been questioning whether or not their relationship is strictly platonic. They spend a lot of time together and I’m beginning to feel like this friendship is threatening our relationship. Do you think I have grounds to ask her to stop seeing him? Earl of Sandwich EOS, it sounds like you have a good relationship with your girlfriend. The fact that you’ve been dating for a while and you have a ‘good time’ is indicative of this. If this is the case, I don’t think that you do have grounds to ask her to stop seeing this friend. There comes a time when we must realize and take responsibility for our own ungrounded insecurities. That’s not to invalidate the way that you feel, but to help you understand that jealously and a bit of feeling left out may be more the source of your problem than your girlfriend’s friendship. Just realize that your girlfriend has made her choice — she has decided to be your girlfriend and have a ‘good time’ with you. This means that you’re special to her, backgrounds and interests aside, and she wants you intimately. So, when you start feeling those natural bits of insecurity and experiencing all-toohuman stints of jealousy, remember that you are the one your girlfriend wants and push those nagging thoughts to the back of your mind. A good partner should gracefully deal with their own petty insecurities in a way that doesn’t affect the happiness of the other partner. Friendships like the one your girlfriend is having with this other person are friendships of comfort, established between two people who enjoy having someone who understands where you’ve been and what you’ve been through. Don’t let your jealousy ruin that.
PAGE 8
Living & Arts
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix SWAT STYLE Courtney Dickens
Dress Like a Poet
You’ve probably seen Noel Quiñones ’15 in his element — short-brimmed hat barely covering his dark tuft of hair, rocking a vest and a pair of jeans, voice tense and confident, as he invites you into the world of slam poetry. Painting a vivid picture with words of his life, Noel has prompted you to snap, sigh, or laugh. Noel’s gift of self-expression isn’t only found on the page. Giving just as much energy into his wardrobe, Noel, the Swarthmore CUPSI team member, admits he has heard many times he “dresses like a poet,” and embraces that association. Being a part of the slam scene for five years, he has been awed by the distinctive style of spoken word artists, whose creative assembles at competitions reflect their individuality and enhance their performances. “Dressing like a poet is, by definition, pushing the boundaries” — lyrical and stylish, he explains. But don’t minimize his fashion sense to your stale image of a poet in the basement of a darkened slam venue, clad in ripped jeans and a beanie. A native New Yorker, Noel’s style is a “mix of urban and classy,” paying homage to the city he describes as a place of “everything and anything stylistically.” Pairing faded jeans with dress shoes and graphic tees with the words “I love Hip Hop” on it, Noel blends the eccentric with the clean-cut. Seeing all elements as accessories, he even color-codes his headphones, so as to not throw off the feng-shui of his outfit. While graphic tees are plentiful, you would just as readily see Noel dolled up in a button-down shirt and tie, just because. Noel’s fashion sense, then, is unique and eye-catching. Much like his poetry, his fashion sense is well-composed, blending many items and styles into an entertaining ensemble. It’s hard to believe that his style just a few years ago would have left his audience underwhelmed. Not afraid to push the envelope, Noel deliberately resists the heterogeneity of the South Bronx fashion scene, one where men interchange polo shirts of various shades and jeans overrun by Aeropostale or Hollister labels, topping it off with this or that pair of Nikes or Jordans. However, the staleness he loathes in these New Yorkers could be applied to the wardrobe of his teenage years. “I had an obsession” for “graphic tees from Hot Topic and Pac Sun” especially “the kind that have I’m with stupid and an arrow on them.” To top these not-so-profound tees, Noel would only wear Osiris’ purchased at Journey’s, so much so he was “nicknamed Osiris in high school,” he smiles and recounts. It was not until his dad, whom he considers his fashion icon, forced him to consider broadening his wardrobe from what he deems a strictly “urban” aesthetic. His dad, growing up as a Latino male in the South Bronx and yet securing a job in corporate America, understood how powerful perceptions are. Unwilling to be underestimated, Noel’s father “went to a lot of different places,
combined a lot of different things,” building a financialdistrict employee’s wardrobe from limited means. Noel paints his father as a man who takes his style seriously, managing to put his own flair on the traditional business formal codes of dress. Prompting Noel to have conversations about what fashion means and can say about him, his father prophesied that he would one day “enjoy dressing up” and while the hard-headed teenage Noel denied it, his father was right. Today, Noel incorporates the “classy” pieces his father suggested, stocking his wardrobe with “more vests, blazers, tied and collared shirts” into his urban style. Making an “Iron Man graphic Marvel t-shirt and a vest” work is what “makes my style unique,” he explains. Known around campus for his graphic tees that “always say something deep” and for his rich array of accessories from bracelets, watches, and sunglasses to over 20 hats, Noel’s style seems to yell “expensive.” Despite what it may seem, Noel will very rarely spend a lot on clothing. Shopping in affordable clothing stores such as his favorite 21 Forever, and Urban Outfitters and Hot Topic among others, Noel, like his father, has learned the art of finding gems on a budget. His current outfit reflects his stylish sensibilities. The brown Blackstone “dress boots” (borrowed from his father’s wardrobe) offset the laid-back nature of the rest of the outfit, comprised of his favorite pair of jeans, gray-wash denim with white splattered dots, and a gray beanie. His top, from Urban Outfitters, is a black graphic tee with a neighborhood map of Manhattan in white lettering as its design. To add a pop of color, he incorporates various red accessories, from a bright-red belt with ornate arrow patterns and a Good Wood grizzly bear necklace. This outfit is finished off with a gray jacket with subtle line patterns also from 21 Forever. When asked what his fashion principles were, he shared two. He stressed the importance of dressing well and appropriately. “In the society we live in, you get judged for that. Especially as a person of color ... you need to be able to know what environments you are going into and how you will be perceived,” he explained. Self-presentation, then, can and should be dictated to some degree by the situation one is in. Learning to embrace his suit and tie, Noel will be invited into the world of academia or corporate America. However, what he stressed most was what his father instilled in him, that they key to happiness and confidence is dressing for oneself. Wearing dress socks with an orange accent, his favorite color, Noel explains “no one sees the socks, but they are for me and are something that makes me happy.” While subtle, incorporating small things that are individual to him make him not only look good but feel good.
MARTIN FROGER-SILVA/ THE PHOENIX
Living & Arts
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 9
The Phoenix
SELECTIONS
When is the moment? Photography by DANIEL Y. CHO
1
4
How are we led into buildings? These photographs of traveled entrances are recognizable despite their abstraction. Taken at night, these buildings look and feel different compared to if they were captured during the day. Without the strong, neutralizingeffect of the sunlight, the buildings are well-articulated: interior light is sharpened in the dark, lit geometrical compositions make each space feel unique, and the concept of entrances is explored by darkened foregrounds. In these four images, I capture the character of an entrance as being more than a way into a building.
4 3
1. Midnight Theater. The back entrance to Parrish welcomes individuals with three larger openings before funneling them through two double-sets of doors. The stage is illuminated at midnight. 2. Directional Arrow. The Lang Music Building literally signals a direction. It is the only structure on campus that has a seesaw-like railing and indented cement pattern that lead up to its main entrance. 3. Rational Chaos. Kolhberg pulls you into the labyrinth of rectangles. The patterning is controlled at the perimeters and becomes progressively chaotic as the eye
moves closer towards the center. It evokes the feel of MIT’s Infinite Corridor.
2
4. Non-centered Center. The main entryway of McCabe does not line up with the rest of the building. Once inside, you must walk right to enter the heart of the structure. This picture captures the non-centered balance of the entrance in relation to where students study. When I allow myself to be directed by architecture – I click
Taken At
1| ...12:00 AM 2| ... 2:00 AM 3| ... 3:00 AM 4|... 6:00 PM
2
PAGE 10
Living & Arts
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
Faith and Doubt in “Downton” ... And Indonesia
in his discussion of this secularization of faith on the show, this absence of explicit God-talk provides an avenue to approach religion’s role in crafting a system of belief and ethics that is accessible to those not belonging to a particular ism. This type of faith in Downton lends itself to reflections about contemporary happenings, specifically in Indonesia and its call to infuse its educational curriculum with an increase in religious teaching.
COURTESY OF PBS.ORG
Housemaid Anna is one of many characters in “Downton Abbey” whose relationship with religion reflects accurately on the time period.
Spoiler alert: This column may reveal plot points from seasons one through four of Downton Abbey, so be aware of possible spoilers. Though it may seem fitting for me, writing a religion column and all, to address the recent appointment of Pope Francis, we will instead take DINA a short television break (literally) to consider another spiritual ZINGARO authority — God — and, what Beyond some argue, his absence on PBS’s Belief Downton Abbey. The show’s reshaping of ‘faith’ lends itself to a broader question: how to address a world with an increasing pluralism of faith perspectives. The second half of this column will consider Downton in light of this issue and specifically, the recent call for Indonesia’s education system to increase religious education. Downton’s flavor of faith For the few unfamiliar with the slew of characters of Matthew, Mary and Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey traces the relationships of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in England during the post-Edwardian era. Amidst the complex dynamics in this early 20th century household, the show serves as a testament to the erosion of the traditional British social hierarchy. The Crawley family is certainly not of the regular church-going variety, whether Anglican or Catholic, which were the most popular religious strands. Though the family communes for regular meals, there is no collective saying of grace and, although season three features two weddings, time in the church is brief (and yes, perhaps shortened even more since Edith abandoned at the altar). All in all, observance of a particular creed or doctrine is absent. Privately, there is no character with a personal relationship with Jesus and publicly, no one spouts theological beliefs or shares a common religious creed with others. Yet, as David Gibson explains in a Religion News Service article, communal recognition of one’s religiosity and one often to be shared with others were not the fashion and “just not the way of the English”. Thus, though many have branded religion as the big elephant in the room, the show’s nuanced presentation of religiosity and casting of God himself as a peripheral presence would seem historically accurate. Unlike upper-class Anglicans such as the Crawleys, intense devoutness instead saturated the lives of English Catholics who enjoyed something of a counter cultural revival at the time. At Downton then, doctrine and theology do not seem to heavily register and when it does, it does so in the form of the anti-Catholicism that was a given in upper-class Anglicanism (ex. Lord Grantham’s dissatisfaction with his grandson baptized Catholic). Callum Brown, a religion professor in Scotland who specializes in secularism in Great Britain, explained that it was considered quite “fashionable to lose faith” in the post-war era. It is this formulation of faith in
Make Your Summer Count Spend Four Weeks in Sunny California and Get a Certificate in Business
Downton that interests me and what Rev. Ian Markham of Virginia Theological Seminary terms as a “crisis of faith.” Markham, the Dean and President of the Seminary, describes the show’s “secular introduction of what the crisis of faith might look like.” For him, religion (though seemingly “invisible”) secures its presence on the show in characters’ use of prayer — Mary prays for Matthew and his war injury in season two (“Dear Lord, I don’t pretend to have much credit with you. I’m not even sure that you’re there. But if you are, and if I’ve ever done anything good, I beg you to keep him safe.”) — and in wielding faith as a coping mechanism. This is a faith not bound to a particular sect or ideology. Anna, the head housemaid whose husband John Bates (also Lord Grantham’s valet) has been wrongly accused of murdering his ex-wife, is perhaps the poster child for this faith. Her refusal to fall into hopelessness
Downton Abbey’s reshaping of ‘faith’ lends itself to a broader question: how to address a world with an increasing pluralism of faith perspectives. and her conviction to seek out the truth embodies for Markham what ultimately bear the mark of religious faith: “Faith is hope even when you are in a predicament of hopelessness.” Thus, even though this “crisis of faith is not explicitly grounded or framed in God-talk,” there is an offering up of faith as a coping mechanism.Yet, part-and-parcel of Markham’s position is the attitude that their lack of spirituality comes at the detriment to the characters. Therefore, he aligns the commotion and disequilibrium of the political and social stage — the erosion of the traditional semi-feudal structure, the Titanic, World War I, the emancipation of Ireland and the vote of women — with the characters’ “spiritual failing.” Similarly, “Telegraph” columnist Robert Colvile hinted at a link between the characters’ struggles and a failing on their part of engage with religious life. He wrote, “Perhaps it’s this godlessness, rather than any malice on the part of writer Julian Fellowes, that explains why Downton’s residents appear to have such a peculiarly cursed existence?” In light of David Gibson’s commentary on the reality of expressions of spirituality in the postwar period, especially for Anglicans such as the Crawleys, this immediate coupling of social and public instability with the Crawley’s lack of religiosity seems hasty and perhaps unwarranted. Instead, as Rev. Markham addresses
A call for “moral development” In early January, a New York Times article — “In Indonesia, Envisioning a Larger Role for Religion in School” — covered the chatter about curriculum changes to increase religious education across the Muslim-majority country of Indonesia. With 240 million people, the nation is one of the fastest developing in Asia and with its upgrades in manufacturing and services industries, along with a maturing business sector. Thus, many fear that the proposed changes that could take place as early as June could stunt the country’s science training and advancement. Srisetiowati Seiful of the non-profit Surya Institute, which hopes to reform Science and Math education in Indonesia, said, ‘‘We’re going to have a lost generation... It’s going to mean fewer researchers, less technology development. It’s Indonesia entering the dark ages.’’ What Seiful terms as the “dark ages” would come with a ‘merger’ of sorts for science and social studies with other classes to allot more time for religious education. Officials who back the changes identify a lack of what they call “moral development” among the country’s youth. Such a deficit, they believe, will lead to an increase in violence and vandalism with the potential to fuel future social unrest and corruption. In November 2012, the deputy minister of education Musliar Kasim endorsed the proposal and said, “Right now many students don’t have character, tolerance for others, empathy for others.” But must tolerance and empathy for others originate from education about a specific religious system? Perhaps, similar to practices of meditation and contemplation that have arisen from the Buddhist tradition, an educational programme of ethics is the answer to this call for “moral development.” If the government recognizes six religious systems — Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism, an ethics borrowing from the teachings could produce an ethics accessible to children within and without backgrounds in specific religious faiths. Similar to Downton’s brand of faith and trust in seemingly hopeless situation rather than professing a particular theology, perhaps this Indonesian curriculum could take similar steps to generate a more secular programme of ethics. A New York Times education blogger Joyce Lau wrote a commentary on “In Indonesia” (link to “Less Time for Science, and More for Religion?”) and questioned her audience: “Do you think religion should be taught in schools? What should be given priority: science classes or faith-based instruction?” In response, I would propose that such a division itself may prove unproductive. Rather than a choice between science classes or faith-based instruction, courses in ethics may be more productive. Rather than teachings exclusive to individuals faiths, a curriculum about ethics that draws from religious theologies also can embrace how science and history intersect with religion. Thus, along with character building, such courses can potentially address religion’s role in a changing world order and the ethical systems of communities. So, along with relieving our Sunday night boredom, Downton also may provide a model of approaching religion when thinking about change and faith and what Markham describes as “an increasingly complex world with intrinsic pluralism of faith perspectives.” Rather than faith belonging exclusively to those who identify with a faith tradition, Downton reappropriates and redefines it: “Faith is interpreting how we relate to each other. Faith is coping with the complexity of our past. Faith is carrying the baggage that shapes us all into the present and doing so in ways that are ameliorated and less damaging. Faith is hope even when you are in a predicament of hopelessness.”
USC Marshall School of Business intensive 4-week Summer Business Program gives students an edge in today’s competitive job market. Open to non-business majors only: recent graduates or college juniors and seniors Taught by faculty from the internationally ranked USC Study business principles in 5 key areas: leadership & communication, strategy & organization, finance & managerial accounting, marketing, and operations Add USC Marshall to your resume (213) 740-8990 summerprogram@marshall.usc.edu marshall.usc.edu/summer
APPLY NOW! SESSION DATES: July 8 - August 2
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
Living & Arts
PAGE 11
The Phoenix
Our Fashion, Ourselves: Eclectic Art at Penn’s ICA the likes of which he’d never seen.” It’s the “White Petals Surround Your Yellow case that when we put on our fashion, we Heart,” on view until July 28th at the adopt a motto about ourselves, and the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute fact that we fall in love with that motto of Contemporary Art (ICA), considers is not exactly vanity. It does, however, rea topic that has often been discussed veal who we are, just as paintings reveal in our postmodernist, institution-andthe identity of their painters. society-questioning age: how fashion With this brought to my attention, I relates to our narcisstic tendencies as thought about why certain artworks had human. But the exhibition itself proves a strange appeal to me that others in the to be incredibly more complex and diffishow did not. cult to ponder than what that topic norOne such piece was a three-minute mally garners. black and white digital video made in This is not the kind of exhibit that 2012 by fashion photographers Inez obviously promotes its conclusions and van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Mataallows viewers to pat themselves on the din called Vogue Paris Studio. With the back for being clever and “above it all” song “Coyote” by Paul Cary playing in while they wittily discern how the art on the background, the short video consists display criticizes our self-absorbed soof a single woman who appears to be a ciety. I’m not even sure if I understand fashion model that stares at the camera the meaning of this exhibition, because wearing different outfits in each shot. She I think that the nature of it is such that makes a few different gestures and poses it will provoke different reactions, even in different positions, her eyes haunting emotional ones, in each individual when she looks up at us. About 20 secviewer. onds in, we suddenly see this woman’s There is no sense of an A-list celebrihead unnaturally extend upward, as if ty starring in this show, which is usually COURTESY OF MUSEUMPUBLICITY.COM invisible hands are stretching her head the case when one visits an exhibition in “Nonplus.” Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven. Collage, drawing, and mixed materials on paper, 2012. like putty. Her mouth opens as if the flesh a museum. You can usually tell that there is melting off her face. In the next shot, is one artwork on display that is considered more valuable than the others, with larly fitting as an accompaniment to the phoses serves as the inspiration for its another distortion occurs, with her waist all the additional piece, and I’m not even entirely certain title. In the exhibition brochure, an ex- narrowing to an impossible width. Her pieces serving of how that quote pertains to the exhibi- cerpt from Metamorphoses that details neck soars flamingolike, and then her ZOE more as accom- tion. What it does speak to, I think, is the the story of Narcissus and Echo, a boy fingers extend out as she turns to look at paniments to the ineffable power that fashion style pos- who fell in love with his own reflection the camera. WRAY and a nymph who fell in love with him. The movie passes by in what feels like major piece on sesses for everyone. When Narcissus died from starvation thirty seconds, and I don’t know why this Since every human who can afford Aesthetic display. Even if Apperceptions there is no sense them has to pick their clothing, they all and lack of sleep after staring at himself specific art piece captivated me more of one work car- engage in the definition of their style, for so long, his body disappears, and all than anything else in the exhibition. And rying more im- which is one of the clearest indications of that is left in the place where he once I expect that this is the type of show that portance or expectation than the other who we are to the strangers we encounter gazed is beauty, “a flower with a circle of will captivate each viewer dramatically white petals round a yellow center.” differently. works, usually there is at least a sense of in everyday life. But as the notes from the Associate As social beings, our ability to acquire This show feels like a workout for the name-dropping occurring because some artists whose work is on view are much social capital is a skill on which we prob- Curator of “White Petals Surround Your brain. It doesn’t go down easy and takes ably spend nearly all of our energy, and Yellow Heart,” Anthony Elms, remind more thought than usual to understand. more famous than the others. Here, museum-goers don’t just circle our fashion choices are one of the prima- us, “[Narcissism] is self-evaluations at Sometimes this can indicate a show is around an individual work specifically ry ways that we work to gain the kind of the work place, profile pictures for you simply so ridiculous, it defies logic or unwhile everyone else picks up the atten- social capital we desire. Naturally, then, social media, and looking at yourself in derstanding. But I suspect that this show tion of a few stragglers. You can also usu- we tend to settle on a personal style that the mirror leaving the house. Oscillat- has some kernels of truth buried fathally tell which works are considered more we really like, something that we can live ing between branding, self-recognition, oms down, requiring an ample supply of important by the curators based on how with every single day and is one that we sexuality, political uniform, and status, mental shovels to dig it up to the surface. much information accompanies them. can fall in love with. Thus we tend to fall our adornment always reflects a chosen If Monet and Renoir, whose art certainly If the exhibition brochure, the caption in love with our wardrobes; it is the clos- position in and with society. And that isn’t superficial or overly abstruse but is position projects what we value. Remem- and immensely popular, are art’s favorite next to the painting and the audio tour est that most of us get to making art. ber, the mythic figure Narcissus initially hits, “White Petals Surround Your Yellow Because of this tendency, the exhibiall burst with words about that one artdidn’t think he was transfixed by his own Heart” is a penetrating deep cut. tion has a focus on narcissism, and the work, then you know that the museum reflection in the pond, but by a beauty story of Narcissus from Ovid’s Metamorfeels quite proud of itself for being able to display it in their building. None of this exists in “White Petals Illustration by RENU NADKARNI Surround Your Yellow Heart.” None of the artists represented are particularly famous — no Damien Hirst sharks or Jeff Koons pink panthers here — and no one’s piece gets a prominent space in the large, high-ceilinged and cement-floored gallery. As a result, we as viewers are not primed with any expectations about what is especially important for us to appreciate here, nor do we have to worry about what we might be missing if there is a certain art piece we don’t “get.” We are left completely alone with our thoughts and ideas. The only hints that the show gives as to what it is trying to tell us are esoteric quotes that accompany some of the artworks under their descriptive captions. One particularly perplexing example comes from Zachary Lazar’s novel Sway. It accompanied an assemblage of sorts that included an umbrella covered in shiny black sequins and was garnished by a black top-hat that perched on top of the umbrella as if it was wearing it: “Style has an aura that words only diminish. The words follow, trying to explain, but the glamour fades in the glare of opinions and ideas. There is no more Lucifer now, no more Prince of Darkness, no more Angel of Light. There is a return to what was always there before, the silence.” I’m not sure why the curators of this exhibit found this quote to be particu-
PAGE 12
Opinions
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
Gun Control Legislation Stalls in Senate
Debate Exposes Rifts in Democratic Party and Unease of Moderate Republicans
COURTESY OF Getty Images
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a major proponent of comprehensive gun control legislation.
After the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut last December, many expected Congress to put aside its dysfunction temporarily and pass a limited but not inconsequential package aimed at PRESTON regulating the sale COOPER of firearms. HowevInside er, three and a half Capitol Hill months have passed since the massacre, and a gun control bill has yet to come to a floor vote in either chamber. The centerpiece of the current Senate plan is a mandate for universal background checks on would-be firearm owners. This is the least controversial measure that has come to a debate; a CBS News/New York Times poll taken in January found that 92 percent of those surveyed support universal background checks. Among households with NRA members, support for universal background checks is nearly as strong, with 85 percent in favor. For a number of reasons, though, the measure has failed to come to a vote. Not least of these is a movement spearheaded by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to include an assault weapons ban in the legislation. The Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee passed Sen. Feinstein’s measure by a party-line vote, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) ultimately elected to drop the measure from the final Senate package. Feinstein, a liberal Democrat from a
solidly blue state, announced, “I’m not going to lay down and play dead” on the legislation, vowing to keep fighting for an assault weapons ban. Reid, though, decided to drop the ban due to the risk that it would torpedo the gun control package should it come to a floor vote in the Senate or the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The Democratic Party’s control of the Senate hinges on its ability to win seats in Republican-leaning states. While a fair share of Senate Democrats — including all on the Senate Judiciary Committee — represent very liberal states, there are also dozens who represent moderate or conservative states. Should the final gun control package come down too far to the left, these Democrats may defect and vote against the legislation. Feinstein and Reid are emblematic of these two breeds of Senate Democrats. Not only does Feinstein hail from a strongly Democratic state, she also has a personal interest in passing a gun control package. In 1978, Feinstein discovered the body of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to political office in America, moments after he had been shot and killed. Since the assassination, Feinstein has relentlessly pursued gun control legislation, authoring the 1994 ban on assault weapons which has since expired. Reid, by contrast, has received support from the NRA and represents a
perennial swing state. In 2010 he waged a tough reelection battle against Republican challenger Sharron Angle. Though Reid will not be up for reelection in the upcoming cycle, many Democrats will, some representing more conservative states. These include Mark Begich (D-AK), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Pryor (D-AR), and Kay Hagan (DNC). Already facing fierce battles, these Democrats will be reluctant to vote for a package that reaches too far in the eyes of their constituents. In the current Congress, the Democratic leadership has seen defections from this group on routine votes like budget resolutions. Reid’s refusal to include Feinstein’s provision, then, is understandable. In addition, Reid will need votes from moderate Republicans to clear the 60-vote threshold required to overcome a filibuster. Vice President Joe Biden, who worked with many senior Republicans during his time in the Senate, has held private meetings with many over the course of this week, likely to discuss the gun control legislation that has become a priority for the Obama Administration. But many, notably Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), have been reluctant to support the legislation. Graham said he would not vote for the Democrats’ package but would also not support a filibuster, a tacit signal that he is not opposed to it but fears outright support would bring a primary challenge from
the right in 2014. Republicans and Democrats alike have also expressed concern that passing the legislation too fast and with a slim majority of votes would expose it to criticism and potentially a legal challenge, as was the case with President Obama’s healthcare law. The Obama Administration has made gun control and other social issues such as immigration priorities for the second term. Given the unexpected emphasis in the 2012 presidential campaign placed on social issues, President Obama will naturally be looking to populate his legacy with reform on these persistent issues. Earlier this week, Obama made a trip to Connecticut, the state of the Newtown massacre. The state legislatures in Connecticut and Colorado, another state which experienced gun violence last year, are soon expected to pass more comprehensive gun control packages. However, such far-reaching legislation is more difficult to accomplish on the national level, and the previous months’ debate exposes the reality that the Democratic party is more expansive than the very liberal politicians found in Connecticut and California, and their interests are more diverse. Mr. Obama and the Senate Democratic leadership will have to accept that the gun control plan may have to stop at background checks, or else the whole package risks defeat.
Opinions
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 13
The Phoenix
From Referendum to Democracy
Illustration by EMMA WAITZMAN
Students Have the Opportunity to Create a More Inclusive System STAFF EDITORIAL
On Monday, after almost two months of petitions and deliberation, students will finally be presented with a referendum on Greek life. This may be the greatest opportunity we as students have to affect the future of Swarthmore. It is time for the Greek system at Swarthmore to be reformed, in keeping with the college’s efforts to maintain a safe, inclusive campus. Monday’s referendum will present students with six questions, all of which pose serious questions that deserve the consideration of the student body. In particular, The Phoenix supports voting ‘yes’ on Questions 2 and 5, which may be the most important steps to dealing with the issues posed by fraternities and sororities on campus. The Phoenix wholly supports voting in favor of Question 2, which asks: “Do you support admitting students of all genders to sororities and fraternities?” The passage of such a resolution would open up both fraternities and sororities to all students, regardless of gender. Greek life should be as inclusive as any regular campus organization, where gender should be no boundary. There is little conceivable reason why any campus organization should be closed to certain people on the basis of gender. Not everyone identifies within the gender binary, or with a gender at all. These differences must be respected, and no one should be made uncomfortable by institutions on the basis of their their gender. Yet Greek organizations on campus maintain policies of only admitting students who identify as male, in the case of the fraternities, or female, in the case of the sorority. This sort of gender-based exclusion should have no place at Swarthmore. Students should be free to join the organizations they choose to without having to think about their gender. Gender should not be a consideration. What interest do Greek organizations have in maintaining their present gender exclusivity? The passage of this resolution may violate the charters of those Greek organizations affiliated with a national organization, currently Delta Upsilon and Kappa Alpha Theta. It is not our intention to advocate for this side effect. We encourage the national organizations of Delta Upsilon and Kappa Alpha Theta to move themselves from gender exclusivity, to accept members regardless of gender, or at least to allow the Swarthmore chapters to do so. Beyond this, The Phoenix urges everyone to vote in favor of Question 5 of the referendum, which asks: “Do you support having no campus buildings expressly for the purpose of housing Greek organizations?” The passage of this question would level the playing field, putting Greek organizations on equal footing with all other student groups. We see no reason why Swarthmore’s fraternities should maintain their dedicated spaces as they do now. No other student organization
has a wet space, and building, to themselves. There is nothing that distinguishes them such that they ought to receive special treatment. The fraternities should be treated as any other campus group, they should not have additional privileges. At the moment, Delta Upsilon and Phi Psi control two of the four major party spaces on campus, with Olde Club and Paces open for anyone to reserve. This is a monstrous imbalance. The fraternities should have no greater access to party spaces than any other group. If they are to host parties, they should have to reserve the spaces the same way as anyone else, and anyone should be able to reserve any party space. The current Delta Upsilon and Phi Psi houses could be used for many things on campus if they were open to any group. They could remain party spaces, à la Olde Club, and allow all groups greater opportunity to host events. Or they could be converted to any number of other purposes. The campus at large could benefit from these spaces if they were not each controlled by a single group, full time. We see no reason why Greek orgnizations should be given preferential treatment by the college; what makes them different from any other student group. As such, they should be required to act like any other student group. They should not have dedicated spaces, these spaces should be open to anyone and any group. They should not be permitted to discriminate on the basis of gender; students should be permitted to join whatever organizations they want, without having to consider gender at all. These changes to Greek organizations would make them more equitable and inclusive. Beyond these two questions, we encourage everyone to consider the questions posed by the referendum, and to vote on the issue. There are many competing opinions as to what the future of Greek life should be at Swarthmore: the only way to have your voice heard is through your vote.nizations should be given preferential treatment by the college; what makes them different from any other student group. As such, they should be required to act like any other student group. They should not have dedicated spaces, these spaces should be open to anyone and any group. They should not be permitted to discriminate on the basis of gender; students should be permitted to join whatever organizations they want, without having to consider gender at all. These changes to Greek organizations would make them more equitable and inclusive. Beyond these two questions, we encourage everyone to consider the questions posed by the referendum, and to vote on the issue. There are many competing opinions as to what the future of Greek life should be at Swarthmore: the only way to have your voice heard is through your vote.
LETTER, OP-ED & COMMENT POLICY Letters, opinion pieces and online comments represent the views of their writers and not those of The Phoenix staff or Editorial Board. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all pieces submitted for print publication for content, length and clarity. The Phoenix also reserves the right to withhold any letters, op-eds or comments from publication. All comments posted online and all op-eds and letters must be signed and should include the writer’s full name. Letters are a minimum of 250 words and may not exceed 500 words. Op-eds are a minimum of 500 words and may not exceed 750. Letters and op-eds must be submitted by 10 p.m. on Monday, and The Phoenix reserves the right to withhold letters and op-eds received after that time from publication. Letters may be signed by a maximum of five individuals. Op-eds may be signed by a maximum of two individuals. The Phoenix will not accept pieces exclusively attributed to groups, although individual writers may request that their group affiliation be included. While The Phoenix does not accept anonymous submissions, letters and op-eds may be published without the writer’s name in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of the Editorial Board. An editorial represents the views of a plurality of members of the Editorial Board. Please submit letters to: letters@swarthmorephoenix.com or The Phoenix Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081 Please report corrections to: corrections@swarthmorephoenix.com Letters, corrections and news tips may also be submitted online to the paper by clicking “Contact” on the Phoenix website.
Opinions
PAGE 14
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
Chinese Muslims: Tensions Mount Between Han and Hui As I mentioned in the previous column about Meiri Anto’s experience growing up in China, the Chinese government officially recognizes 55 ethnic minorities within its borders in addition to the Han majority. As I said, my parents and I belong to the ethnic Korean minority (Chaoxianzu), the 14th most populous minority in China, while Anto is part Han, part Korean, and part Manchu (Manzu), the third largest ethnic PATRICK group. The second largest minority HAN are the Hui people, Asian a predominantly Persuasion Muslim, Chinesespeaking ethnic group defined to encompass all Muslim communities within the country’s borders not included by other ethnicities in China. Numbering approximately 9.8 million, the Hui are scattered more evenly across the geographical landscape of China than most ethnic minorities in the country but are mainly concentrated in the Ningxia, Qinghai, and Gansu provinces. These areas are situated along the transcontinental trading route known as the Silk Road, which resulted in strong influences from Persian and Middle Eastern culture in addition to influences from Han culture. Last year, I deferred admission to Swarthmore for a year and backpacked through Southeast Asia with my friend Monica Ma. Born in the United States, she was born to a Chinese mother of Han descent and a Hui father from Yunnan province in southwest China. In January of 2012, I travelled from Beijing to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, where much of her extended family lives. Often working in his studio in Kunming, Mr. Ma is a leader in the Hui community in Yunnan as a prominent painter, architect, and multimedia Muslim artist. Although relations with the Chinese state seem relatively peaceable today, he has much to say about the latent tensions between the government and the Hui minority since the Chinese Communist Party assumed control of mainland China in 1949. According to Ma, growing antagonism festers beneath thinly-veiled facade of racial harmony proclaimed by government slogans like “The 56 ethnic
groups are one family.” “On the surface, it seems as if relations are just but in actuality, the Chinese government is very nervous about the Hui minority,” he explained. He expressed both distrust of the Party and its own distrust of the Hui people. Ever since relations between the Party and the ethnic group began, the Chinese government acted on its fear of ethnic unrest and rebellion by placating the Hui. “From the beginning, they were worried about the Hui. Thus they gave special benefits to the Hui to appease them.” These benefits were important at a time when food and supplies were scarce. “When China was very poor and living conditions were hard, the government rationed meat, oil, fabric, and other supplies,” Mr. Ma recounted. “A male could only eat 25 kilograms of rice a month. You would be lucky to eat meat once a week. We often just ate a few vegetables. Meals would often be vegetarian.” To curry the favor of the Hui in building the country, Chinese government officials gave the Hui slightly larger rations of important necessities such as meat and oil, instigating resentment and backlash from the the Han majority. To this day, the government has even sponsored affirmative action in employment and industrial opportunities such as exclusive government contracts in mining certain areas and construction jobs in large-scale manual labor projects. Yet the Chinese government’s attitude of suspicion still persists toward Hui communities in China. “They are very nervous. At first glance, the government seems very calm but in fact they are very anxious about this issue,” Ma commented. Perhaps incidents of violent unrest feed the Party’s anxiety over ethnic relations. In November of 2004, for instance, 148 people of Han and Hui descent died in an armed ethnic conflict between Nanren (predominantly Hui) and Weitang (largely Han), two neighboring rural villages that had coexisted for centuries in Henan Province in central China. Beginning as a simple traffic accident between a young Han motorcyclist and a Hui laborer on a tractor, the small incident quickly devolved into an all-out race riot between mobs equipped with shovels, hammers, and Molotov cocktails. Hui across the country rushed
A Hui man from Central China.
into the town to support their Muslim brethren and a local imam even reported finding one of his followers beheaded in a rice paddy ditch. As Ma put it, “they are worried even a small spark could start a big fire.” Historically considered one of the most moderate and peaceful Muslim minorities in China, the Hui are beginning to become more restless about the Chinese government’s repression of their freedom to practice their religion. Clearly the Communist Party needs to revisit their domestic policies toward civil rights and race relations between the scores of ethnic minorities and the dominant Han majority. Though growing quickly into its new role as a global economic superpower, the People’s Republic of China still has a long way to go by way of social
COURTESY OF PRAY4HUI.COM
development and political liberalization if it wishes to join the exclusive international club of industrialized, liberal states that it seeks to outcompete. Despite China’s unmatched macroeconomic growth and success, perhaps it behooves the leadership to recognize the nation’s need to “catch up” to the rest of the world in terms of sociological progress and human rights protection. A country with a history as complex and troubled as that of the United States may not be the optimal model for such social progress, but China must recognize the importance of prioritizing the expansion of, what Swarthmore alum Robert Putnam ‘63 terms “social capital” as well as real capital if it is to sustain itself as a healthy polity in the long run.
IS NOW HIRING!
BE PART OF A SWARTHMORE TRADITION. REPORTERS COLUMNISTS COPY EDITORS STAFF ARTISTS PHOTOGRAPHERS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BUSINESS MANAGERS
APPLY ONLINE AT SWARTHMOREPHOENIX.COM
ABOUT > HIRING > APPLY
Sports
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
PAGE 15
The Phoenix
Widener, Weather Test Track Team By DAN DUNCAN Sports Editor
This past week, the weather might have sparked impromptu renditions of “Here Comes The Sun” among Swatties, but perhaps no one was more excited than the Garnet track and field teams. During last week’s competition at Widener’s Danny Curran Invitational, the athletes finally got decent conditions to work with. This change in weather was actually an important development for the team. “Competing in the fresh air is nice, but it sort of sucks to have to worry about weather conditions (wind, rain, cold, etc),” Rebecca Hammond ’13 explained. This is something that wasn’t a concern during the indoor season: even though air quality can be a concern, overall, Hammond said, “Indoor spoils us when it comes to dealing with sub-optimal conditions.” Most athletes prefer the great outdoors though. Emma Saarel ’14 said running in the sun was “superb,” while Jason Heo ’15 added, “It’s definitely more enjoyable to practice and compete outdoors.” The invitational may not have kept score, but Swarthmore still had several impressive performances. The women were led by Hammond and Osazenoriuwa Ebose ’15, who took third place in the 800 meter run (2:18.70) and shot put (11.67 m), respectively. Hammond’s time placed in the top 10 runs in program history, while Ebose entered the top 10 in the javelin, with a throw of 26.27 m. Other solid Garnet runs came from Saarel in the 5000 meter run (6th, 18:57.18) and Katie McMenamin ’16 in the 800 meter run (5th, 2:20.37). McMenamin also ran an excellent leg of the 4x400 meter relay to help the relay team to a third place finish (4:12.10). Ebose also placed 7th in the discus with a throw of 33.19 m. The men’s team found making it to the top of the results a little harder, but still had
some stellar performances. Heo sprinted to a sixth place finish in the 110 meter hurdles (16.97). The highlight of the meet was the triple jump, where the Garnet placed two athletes in the top eight. Zach Kronstat ’15 took third (12.41 m), while Travis Mattingly ’13 was sixth (11.38 m). Despite less-than-optimal finishes, the team was satisfied with their performances. Saarel said the results of the spring break training trip were starting to show: “We worked very hard as a team over our weeklong training trip, and it has definitely paid off!” Heo added that since, “I wouldn’t say that the spring break meet is the best gauge for our outdoor season by any means,” this last meet was really the first meet of their season, so it is difficult to judge how well people are doing. Several athletes did well by their own standards, at least. In particular, Saarel and Hammond felt the runners in the 5000 meter run did exceptionally, both lauding Zoë Cina-Sklar ’15 for an impressive personal best. Hammond added that Robert Fain ’14 and Spencer Friske ’16 had very fast runs as well, “in spite of the Widener track being exceptionally hard,” making it not optimal for fast runs. Overall though, the team is looking forward to improving more as the season progresses and the flowers bloom. “We haven’t really had ideal conditions for racing yet,” Heo said. “As the weather gets nicer, we’ll be able to make the most of practices and meets.” He added that right now, it is early enough that they are still working on getting stronger. “We’re also looking forward to getting stronger as we continue working with our new throws and weightlifting coach, Coach P.” The distance runners are back in action tomorrow night as they take part in Distance Night at Princeton. The rest of the team will travel to Richard Stockton on Saturday to compete in the Osprey Invitational.
COURTESY OF SWARTHMORE ATHLETICS
Matthew Heck ’13 competed at last week’s Danny Curran Invitational at Widener University.
Stories from Opening Week
SUMMER INTENSIVES IN NEW YORK May 28–June 20, 2013 Four-week Courses and Workshops in Dance, Environmental Studies, Film Production, and Writing – Earn four college credits* – Study at The New School—a legendary urban university in Greenwich Village – Network with top professionals – Collaborate with peers
www.newschool.edu/langsummer
*Check with your college to see if credits are transferable. An affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. Photo: Matthew Sussman.
Baseball season starts with Kershaw throwing a no-hitter and homering for the Dodgers, then Yu Darvish throwing eight hitless innings before eventually having the prospect of a perfect game snatched away. A lot happening in a very short period already and the season isn’t a week old. But while Kershaw’s achievement is fantastic, it is just one interesting thing to happen this week among a whole collection of other appealing stories. Kershaw does deserve credit JAMES though and it gets IVEY the Dodgers off to Out of Left Field a strong start to the season against a current World Series champion of a rival. After the Dodgers invested so heavily in winning now after the trade deadline last season and then again this off-season with the signings of Greinke and Ryu to improve the rotation. Big signings don’t necessarily mean success but they can help. And the Dodgers under Magic Johnson really seem to believe that this is the best time to try and win it all through signing up players on big contracts. It’s a risky strategy but one that may succeed given just how much the Dodgers have invested this off season in improving. The Yankees on the other hand show what big contracts can do to a team if they don’t work out. I’m not going to go off on an A-Rod rant because that has been done often enough: A-Rod is paid too much, produces too little, and is too distracting for the Yankees to be successful with. There is no way the Yankees will be able to pay him off because they gave him a contract too big to fail. So what can the Yankees do next? It all starts with Robinson Cano and the end of his partnership with Scott Boras. The future for the Yankees appears to be in holding onto their players who want to represent
the franchise. This includes bringing in big names to help brand the franchise even further. Having Jay-Z as your friend is pretty cool but having him represent you, or at least his company, in all negotiations makes sense when you’re dealing with the Yankees. The Yankees are set to take advantage of their hometown, and Jay-Z will help in contract negotiations with players he represents because he wants the Yankees to be the best and also for his players to be paid fairly. After the Scott Boras tactics of ramping up prices as much as possible it may be interesting to see whether players on Jay-Z’s label will now move to the Yankees for less than what they would received elsewhere because they want to play for the Yankees. Having agents working for the team rather than purely for the player would be an interesting change and it would certainly keep the Yankees in the hunt for trophies if they could better utilise all the resources at their disposal. No matter which league you look in there are good stories. Some are more unrealistic than others: one of the freshmen on my hall announced that the Rockies would go undefeated this season and that story lasted all of three hours. He then scaled back his prediction to the Rockies winning over 100 games and he has yet to be proven wrong. But whether you are looking at the NL East and how the Phillies will do this season with a fully fit Howard/Utley combo for the first time since 2010 or whether the Toronto Blue Jays can make their new expensively assembled squad pay off this season following the demise of the Red Sox and the Yankees there are so many different stories at this stage of the season and most teams are at least somewhat hopeful of a better year in 2013 than in 2012, unless you are a Yankees fan in which case hard luck.
Sports
PAGE 16
THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 2013
The Phoenix
JULIA CARLETON AND JUSTIN TORAN-BURRELL /THE PHOENIX
Despite Saturday’s loss to Johns Hopkins, the men’s tennis team featured wins in doubles as junior Max Kaye (pictured top left) and partner Max Sacks ’15 defeated the Blue Jays in No. 1 doubles. Women’s softball knocked out defending Centennial Conference champions McDaniel on Tuesday, earning a 7-0 victory over the Green Terror. Junior Melissa O’Connor (pictured top right) tossed seven scoreless innings, including six strikeouts. In Monday’s game against Keuka College, men’s baseball crushed the competition with a 15-6 score, featuring strong performances by freshmen pitchers Joe Warren and Oscar Leong (pictured bottom left). With Tuesday’s win against Haverford, the baseball team extended their winning streak to seven.
Golf Victorious in Swarthmore Invitational By SCOOP RUXIN Sports Writer
After a disappointing weekend, the Swarthmore golf team returned to top form on Monday, winning the Swarthmore Invitational with a combined score of 315. Despite difficult, rainy conditions, Andrew Park ’15 continued his impressive run of play, shooting a 73 to lead the entire field. Park’s performance was a continuation of his impressive play over the weekend at the McDaniel Spring Invitational, in which his combined total of 153 was good for sixth place overall. Along with Park, several other Garnet golfers posted impressive rounds on Monday at the Rolling Green Golf Club. Park, Kyle Knapp ’14, Jeff Wall ’14, Sam White ’14 and Price Ferchill ’14 all turned in impressive rounds for Swarthmore’s A Team. Wall and Knapp each shot 80’s, while White shot an 82 and Ferchill turned in an 83. The group’s performance was enough to edge second place Alvernia by four strokes. Several other Garnet shot strong rounds on Monday. Competing as individuals, Kyle Krainock ’13 and Jake Carter ’13 posted a 79 and an 85, respectively. Krainock’s 79 was the second best individual score for Swarthmore; he and Park were two of just six golfers to break 80 on the day. The Swarthmore B team finished fourth in the
field, shooting a 338 led by freshman Andrew Pak’s 80. Jason Jolliffe ’16, Jeremy Chang ’16, Miles Schuck ’15 and Thomas Kim ’16 rounded out the Garnet B team performers. Jolliffe shot an 84, Chang an 86, Schuck an 88 and Kim a 92. The strong Monday performance was an important bounce back for a Garnet squad that expects to rank at or near the top of the Centennial Conference this season. Coach Jim Heller pointed out, “This weekend we did not do as well as expected.” The Garnet finished in eighth place at McDaniel, tallying an overall score of 650. The Garnet were done in by a disappointing day one of the competition, in which the team shot a 335. This put the team at a deficit that proved insurmountable despite the much improved 315 the team shot on day two. “Our first round score of 335 was not very good, since the course was not too difficult and the weather was nice,” Knapp said. “The second day, the team did much better. I felt the team got the hang of the greens on the second day and was motivated to improve upon a bad first day.” The bright spots this weekend for the Garnet were the top ten finishes by Park and Swarthmore’s lone female golfer, Amanda Beebe ’15, who continued her string of strong performances after winning the Dickinson tournament. Swarthmore finished second in the Centennial Conference last season and is returning four of its five A
Team starters. As a result, the team was picked to finish tied for first in the preseason coaches’ poll. Consequentially, in Heller’s words, “the goal for the spring is to win the conference and go to the NCAA tournament,” something that Knapp agreed with, adding that, “it is an attainable goal as well. All we have to do is consistently shoot in the 70s, and we will put ourselves in a good position to win most tournaments we play in.” The team had the opportunity to hone its skills over spring break at one of the most iconic golf courses in America, playing at Pinehurst in North Carolina. Knapp acknowledged the meaning of playing on the course, saying that, “the most memorable part of the trip was playing the Pinehurst No. 2, which is going to host next year’s U.S. Open. A bunch of us actually played the course from the tees that the PGA Tour pros will play from at the U.S. Open. It was probably one of the most enjoyable, but difficult courses I have ever played.” Heller added that the trip “brought the team together.” Knapp also emphasized the importance of being able to practice during the week. “The team got a lot of rounds, which was essential because we practiced very little at the beginning of the semester,” he said. Swarthmore will next compete at the Hershey Cup at Hershey Country Club on April 7-8, as the team looks to continue its winning ways.