The Brandeis Hoot 11/11/2016

Volume 13 Issue 23

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe” www.brandeishoot.com

November 11, 2016

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.

Campus comes together in response to presidential election Anita Hill leads post-election discussion

By Abigail Gardener and Elianna Spitzer editors

photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot

wmgs town hall Anita Hill moderates a discussion on the election. Students shared their thoughts and

personal reflections.

editor

Students have come together after Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton, in the form of campus events, personal conversations and social media posts.

On Wednesday, students could be seen hugging and crying around campus, offering support and having discussions among each other and in their classes.

Trump won 290 electoral votes to Clinton’s 228, according to the latest projections, in what national papers called a stunning upset.

Sivan Ben-Huyan ’19 described campus as “somber” and “depressed.” She decided not to attend classes Wednesday and said professors were understanding.

“It felt like no one was happy, but I know that that’s not true.

I know because I’ve spoken to Trump supporters on this campus,” she said. She did say the mood on campus is “something that liberal arts school students get to experience because I’ve been talking to my friends who go to state schools who say their campus is largely unaffected.”

“I could feel the emotional weight in the air,” said Morgan Winters ’17, who decided to give

out candy on campus Wednesday morning. “I think for many people, myself included, the biggest shocking slap in the face has been realizing how much of the American people either don’t care or actively hate so many communities.”

Some professors devoted class time to discussing the result, including Prof. Chad Williams’ Introduction to African and Afro-American Studies, Prof.

Marya Levenson’s Education and Social Policy and Prof. Sara Shostak’s Sociology of Body and Health.

Prof. Elizabeth Bradfield’s poetry writing class spent 45 minutes reading uplifting poems and poetry confronting race relations.

Students also did a free write on how they felt about the election.

Students in Sociology of Education spent the first 45 minutes of class in silence and then walked through three classrooms responding to prompts on sticky notes about steps to combat issues such as racism, sexism and ableism, according to Ben-Huyan.

Other professors cancelled class or made it optional, including

Inside This Issue:

See RESULTS, page 2

News: Scholar speaks on sacred spaces Opinions: Reflections on election Arts: Performers entertain at SEA coffeehouse Features: International take on election EDITORIAL: Brandeis under Trump

Page 2 Page 6 Page 13 Page 18 Page 17

See HILL, page 3

Union special elections yield low voter turnout

Students, faculty, admin. respond to election results

By Hannah Schuster

Approximately 150 people packed into an auditorium in the Golding Judaica Center to attend a discussion about the recent election results facilitated by Prof.

Anita Hill, chair of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department.

The gathering was supposed to be held in Rabb 119, a seminar style classroom, designed to accommodate approximately 20 people. The room was too small to hold the overwhelming amount of attendees. A mix of students, faculty and administrators trooped across the Humanities Quad to Golding 110, a lecture hall with a capacity of 120.

The event was publicized through the Feminist Majority

Leadership Alliance (FMLA) listserv and a Facebook event. Hill invited the community to come to “a special session to talk with fellow students, staff and faculty about where we are now and how we will move ahead,” she said in an email to the WGS community.

All students, faculty and staff were welcome to attend the event, regardless of their affiliation with the WGS department. The majority of attendees at the gathering were women.

Hill opened the discussion by expressing her concern and pain for the country. “It’s difficult for me to talk about,” she said. She opened the floor for students to speak about their reactions to the election on Tuesday, but asked a question to frame the discussion.

To guide the discussion, Hill

By Elianna Spitzer editor

Special senate elections for Ridgewood, Charles River/567 and off-campus received low voter turnout, according to election result data from Nov. 3.

There were no candidates to choose from on the ballot for Charles River/567 and Ridgewood senatorial seats. The only options available were abstain or other. A student selecting other was able to write in a name. Gabe

safe space

Walker ’19 won the Charles River/567 seat with three write-in votes. Matt Scheinman ’17 won the Ridgewood seat with two write-in votes.

Twenty-three people voted in the Charles River/567 election.

Eight people abstained and fifteen people chose other. Four apartment buildings make up the Charles River residence quad.

Each of these buildings house between 70 and 110 students, according to the Department of Community Living website.

At least 280 students live in the Charles River residences and only 23 people voted in the election for the senate seat.

Eighteen people voted in the Ridgewood election. Seven abstained and 11 voted other.

Three candidates ran for the position of off-campus senator.

A total of 82 students cast votes.

The winner, Jonah Skobeloff ’17 received 30 votes. Ten people voted abstain and seven voted other.

See SPECIAL ELECTION, page 4

Students gather in the SCC Atrium to discuss their post-election feelings.

‘12 Angry Jurors’

Lactation Room

ARTS: PAGE 11

NEWS: PAGE 3

Play looks at the challenging role of serving on a jury.

New room in library provides space for breastfeeding mothers.

photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016

Visiting Harvard professor speaks on sacred space struggle

By Abigail Gardener editor

Rosalyn LaPier, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, spoke to a packed audience on Friday about what makes a space “sacred” to Native American tribes in the northern Great Plains.

When native people lived on prairies and plains, they had a definitive idea of which territory was which tribe’s and how to divide up land-claiming, LaPier said. They even designated areas as “buffer zones,” which were areas not designated as a specific tribe’s; no one lived there, but everyone agreed to use the resources there, LaPier said.

“There was probably not any single piece of land … on the northern Great Plains that was not known and that was empty,”

said LaPier. Spaces like these buffer zones may not have been used to live on, but they were known by everyone and reserved for a specific purpose.

Sacred spaces are either made by the divine or made by humans, LaPier said. There are three types of sacred spaces made by the divine: places that humans cannot go, places they can visit but cannot stay (such as for prayer, contemplation or a vision quest) and places where they can go to gather objects used for religious purposes but cannot stay. For example, in the Missouri River people collect mussel shells for religious purposes. Some tribes also collect sweetgrass in this manner.

Spaces like these have become an issue for indigenous people because these spaces are also owned by the government and are public land. For example, Chief Mountain in Montana is considered a sacred space, but people climb it

every day. Tribes have asked the government to keep people from climbing the mountain but it is within the bounds of a national park, so people continue to do so.

There are also three types of sacred spaces created by humans: places humans cannot go (usually a burial place or the site of a historic event), places people visit but do not stay (shrines for prayer, medicine wheels, effigies) and places built for specific use by humans (lodges for healing, rituals or ceremonies). The places built for specific use by humans are all temporary spaces, and humans ask the supernatural for sanctification of the built space, LaPier said.

There are no laws protecting sacred spaces, only laws designating what they are, according to LaPier. Former President Bill Clinton’s Executive Order 13007 contains the only definition the federal government has given for

a sacred space. A sacred site is defined as “any specific, discrete, narrowly delineated location on federal land that is identified by an Indian tribe,” according to the order.

Essentially what this means is “small,” according to LaPier.

Tribes are unable to say “This is our sacred mountain,” according to LaPier, because the government would require them to designate which specific area of the mountain is sacred. “It is very difficult to go to court and … draw what a sacred space is. They will literally draw a circle around a rock,” LaPier said.

One of the most challenging aspects of this is that people can still use public land even if it is sacred. A “no use” policy doesn’t exist; courts always rule that these spaces can have multiple uses.

The federal government has lost in court trying to make sacred spaces non-usable, LaPier said.

The best argument for preserving sacred spaces is environmental justice, in LaPier’s opinion.

She referenced the Standing Rock protests as an example. People are going there to protest for different reasons; not only is part of the area the pipeline would run through a place sanctified by the divine where bodies are buried, but the pipeline would also potentially pollute the area’s water supply.

Many people are going to protest at Standing Rock for environmental reasons and not because it is a sacred space, LaPier said.

LaPier, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana, is an indigenous writer, ethnobotanist and environmental historian.

She is spending the 2016-17 academic year as a visiting assistant professor of Women’s Studies, Environmental Studies and Native American Religion at Harvard Divinity School.

Safe space facilitates post-election discussion and encourages artistic expression

RESULTS, from page 1

Prof. Margaret Clendenen’s Sociology of Religion optional and instructor Megan Finch’s Writing the Nation.

On Wednesday night, approximately 50 students gathered in the Shapiro Campus Center with chairs, blankets and drawing materials set up across the atrium, to offer support and share their thoughts on the election through discussion and art.

“We needed a space to just be together and … discuss and listen and share our voice,” said Gemma Curnin ’19, who organized the gathering in conjunction with the Student Union. She said it is easy not to feel safe right now, especially for people of color, the LGBT+ community and any marginalized group. She wanted to create this space “to let people know that this is the beginning of a safe environment and that we’re here, everybody’s here.”

Ben-Huyan said the event “felt like a wake,” with “distraught” students coming together. “As far as folks who have reacted negatively, it seems like most people either feel hopeless and frightened or organized and ready to mobilize,” she said.

Shaquan McDowell ’18 stressed the importance of looking to the future despite devastation.

“America’s not over. And we’re not over,” he said at the event. “If we stay strong and we keep working … we will push forward and

things will change.”

Clinton’s progress “is a testament to the progress we’ve made as a country over the last 240 years of our existence and is a testament to how much we can do as we continue to push,” he added.

As election results came in, Curnin got in touch with Student Union president David Herbstritt ’17 and several administrators who helped pull the event together on Wednesday.

“I actually texted Dean Adams, probably around 2 or 3 a.m., and he responded so quickly and put me in touch with his office,” said Herbstritt.

“We all managed to come together and talk to the right people and get the right stuff to the right place at the right time … I’m kind of amazed at the turnaround we were able to get,” he said. Cookies, brownies and hot chocolate were set out for attendees.

Though it will be challenging, Herbstritt thinks the campus will move forward. “My sense of the sentiment is that we will persevere, we will come together and get through this and heal the wounds this election has inflicted,” he said.

There have been meetings all across campus, including a Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Town Hall moderated by Prof.

Anita Hill (WMGS). The Brandeis Asian American Task Force, TRISK and the Brandeis Labor Coalition also hosted meetings.

Students joined a crowd of

thousands at an anti-Trump rally in Boston Wednesday night.

Demonstrations erupted across the country with people carrying signs reading “Not My President” and “Nasty Women Fight Back.”

There have been protests on college campuses and walkouts at high schools.

Brandeis students are planning to walk out of classes and gather at the Rabb Steps today, Friday, Nov. 11, at 10:30 a.m. The People’s Walkout was organized by Miranda Hurtado-Ramos ’19 and was inspired by Chicanx student walkouts in 1968 in East Los Angeles for equality in education.

There is also a Love Rally happening in Boston Commons today. A Facebook page for the event states that Brandeis students can gather at the Rabb Steps to take a 12:30 p.m. shuttle to Boston.

Administrators have responded to the election, including President Ronald Liebowitz and Andrew Flagel, the senior vice president for students and enrollment.

Brandeis students have always engaged passionately in political debate and encouraged the campus community to come together, Liebowitz said in an email.

“What members of our community have always done is support one another, engage with one another, ask questions of one another, and challenge one another with compassion and respect,” said Liebowitz, encouraging everyone to continue the tradition.

Flagel spoke at the safe space

event Wednesday. He echoed students’ sentiments about perseverance and community support. “I just say that this country and this community are stronger than any one election,” Flagel said.

He said many have been stunned by the divisiveness of the campaign.

“Whatever your political or religious beliefs or background, it’s hard not to see the language of hate and marginalization that seemed accepted in the main-

stream in these campaigns as a repudiation of all the things we value most here at Brandeis.”

Flagel expressed his confidence in the Brandeis student body and their ability to make positive change even in the wake of tough times. “I know that you all can be the change we want to see in the world. I have faith in that, more than anything else,” he said.

He encouraged everyone to turn to each other and university’s resources for support.

photos by elianna spitzer/the hoot

November 11, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

NEWS 3

Career coach offers guidance on wage negotiation

By Ryan Spencer staff

A workshop on Tuesday discussed wage negotiation tactics and tips to confront the wage gap which women often face in the workplace.

“The job offer itself is your leverage,” Erica Foss, the Assistant Director of Career Development at Brandeis told two graduate students with job offers and an undergraduate student. The interview process is a tedious and unenjoyable process for most employers so if you have an offer from a company, it means they want you and likely would prefer to negotiate than continue interviewing other applicants, according to Foss.

When it comes time to negotiate, “never be the first to name a salary figure,” Foss advised. A potential hiree has no clue what Human Resources (HR) has determined the wage range for the job is and saying a number too early can limit your ability to negotiate afterwards, Foss explained.

Maintaining a positive, persuasive and flexible tone during wage negotiations is important because both the potential hire and the employer want the same thing, according to Foss. “If I’m your hiring manager I want you to come on board and you want to come on board because you’re interested in accepting my offer,” said Foss. She advised against threatening to walk away from a negotiation or requesting a certain wage and refusing to budge.

Determining what a necessary wage is requires an assessment of your cost-of-living, according to Foss. A minimum baseline wage should be assessed that takes into account your cost-of-living, including the cost of commuting, housing, groceries, electric and water bills and more, according to Foss. However, “your baseline should never be your salary goal,” said Foss. “Salary isn’t about what you need to make to live, salary is exclusively about what the employer is willing to pay and how much value you bring to the table.”

Researching and knowing the

typical salaries for the type of job that is being offered is important when going into negotiations, according to Foss. Websites such as salary.com or glassdoor.com can offer insight into salary trends for certain jobs. Factors such as region and type of company should be taken into account when researching wages, said Foss. Small start-ups will tend to have less to work with and therefore less room to negotiate, according to Foss, while larger companies often have more resources and more willingness to negotiate.

The workshop designated time to focus specifically on the wage gap between men and women in the workplace. Women earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn and over the course of a lifetime that can come out to women making approximately $1 million less than men, according to Foss.

The wage gap exists across racial lines as well, according to Foss, with black women making 69 cents and Latina women making 57 cents to every one dollar a white man makes.

The extent of the wage gap tends

to depend on the field of work, according to Foss. “In computer science that wage gap is slightly smaller…while in finance it’s a little bit bigger,” said Foss.

The wage gap is not about people explicitly saying, “I don’t think women should make as much as men,” rather, it is a manifestation of implicit bias, according to Foss.

Assumptions about women leaving to raise a family or leaving to get married often unfairly affect their employer’s perception of them, according to Foss. “[These

perceptions] are unconscious and that actually makes them really hard to fight,” said Foss.

While gender bias and stereotyping in the workplace are technically illegal, they are hard to prove, Foss told the three Brandeis students at the workshop.

The workshop, titled “Wage Project Negotiating Your First Job Salary” was part of The Dialogues, a series of discussions and events at Brandeis about race and gender.

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

Students express frustration over presidential results HILL, from page 1

asked, “As Americans, who do we want to be? In many ways, we see the kind of America we want slipping away from us,” she added.

However, she also articulated the meaningfulness of the support system the Brandeis community created. “Never underestimate the power of Brandeis,” she said. “Just by being here you’ve … already said that Brandeis is a caring community that not only cares but will stand up and respond to fight these dark forces.”

Hill made it clear that students

offering their thoughts would be supported and listened to.

The first student to speak expressed the fear she felt after her parents had called her and told her not to come home to India for Christmas. Her parents thought she might not be able to come back into the United States in January. “I am just extremely scared, not just for myself because I have a home in another country … but for every single person who does not have a place to go back to,” she said.

Another student questioned how we can support those who don’t have a support system. She

photo by allison plotnik/the hoot

explained that it is easy to feel secure in a place with largely liberal views. An alumnus who later called in to the discussion described it as “The Brandeis Bubble.” Those who live in more conservative areas but have liberal viewpoints might feel lost or like there is no hope.

“A lot of pain, a lot of fear, a lot of uncertainty,” is how a graduate student from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management characterized the feelings of voters in this election. He further explained that the Trump supporters he knew had voted for him out of a sense of fear. The Brandeis community needs to come together to get past the uncertainty and fight for what they believe in, he said.

Hill referenced past movements to emphasize the power of unity, including LGBTQ, women’s rights and civil rights. The student social movements on Brandeis’ campus have been fractured for far too long, according to Sabine von Mering, professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Director of the Center for German and European Studies “We need to work together...We have been silo-ing our movements,” she said.

The audience was invited to turn to the people next to them and get to know each other, so that in the future it might be easier to reach out. Attendees were asked to tell each other where they draw their support from.

One audience member brought up an idea posted in the Pantsuit Nation Facebook group that makes her feel supported.

The idea is to wear a safety pin on a piece of clothing if you designate yourself as a “safe” person to turn to in an uncomfortable situation.

Hill draws inspiration and strength from her ability to look to the future and see opportunities where none existed before.

“The ability to see beyond the pain, beyond the hurt, beyond the barriers and see the possibility and know that we have to be prepared to get there,” she said.

Jeffrey Lenowitz, assistant professor of Politics, emphasized the necessity of voting in the midterm elections in two years. “All we need to do is convince some of those people who stayed home to come out and actually vote in the midterm election and we can make Donald Trump’s life a living hell,” he said.

photo from brandeis.edu

This discussion was not the only event that took place on campus as a result of the presidential election. The Brandeis Asian American Task Force (BAATF) held a meeting of support and discussion for anyone who wanted to attend on Thursday night.

Miranda Hurtado-Ramos organized a walkout on the Brandeis campus. “The People’s Walkout” references a series of peaceful protests in east LA by Chicano students in 1968. College and high school students walked out and protested on campuses across the country starting on Wednesday.

Library union successfully implements lactation room

By Samantha Lauring staff

Brandeis University now has a lactation room on the second floor of the Goldfarb Library. The lactation room, which was implemented only weeks ago, adds to the three preexisting lactation rooms on campus: including ones in Gryzmish, Gerstenzang and Rabb Graduate Center.

The library union decided to install the lactation room when it noticed that there had been five new parents, three of which needed a lactation space, within two years among staff members, according to Ann Kardos, Metadata Coordinator of the library.

Additionally, the union decided to implement a lactation room in the library because it is a central

place on campus and more convenient for women who need to use the room. The lactation room in Goldfarb is open during regular library hours, so it is open late for women who need the room at all hours of the day.

The preexisting lactation rooms have different procedures for obtaining access to them, while the lactation room in Goldfarb is open to the entire campus. The lactation room is accessible by signing out a key located at the Borrowing and Information desk with a Brandeis ID or reservations for the room can be booked on the Library Lactation Room Google calendar, Kardos said to The Hoot.

In order to implement the lactation room, the library union reached out to the other lactation

rooms on campus and visited the one in Gerstenzang, which was used as a model for the new lactation room. The library union wrote a proposal to the library administration stating features the room should include. “The room is equipped with a refrigerator, microwave (for sterilization), two chairs, a small table and electrical outlets. Sinks are available in the adjacent lavatory,” said Kardos.

Users must bring their own pump and only up to two women at a time may use the space.

Kardos stated that it is important that Brandeis now has four lactation rooms on campus because there are many places that do not provide these spaces for women. “It is a good place when it looks out for its female employees.”

photo courtesy margot farnet

4 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

IN THE SENATE: Nov. 6, 2016 • Recognition of Bahá’í Club

The Senate voted by acclamation to recognize the club • Recognition of Young Americans for Liberty

The Senate voted unanimously to recognize the club • Chartering of ONE Brandeis

The Senate voted unanimously to charter the club • Dechartering and derecognition

Because of a failure to turn in its anti-hazing form,

Brandeis Private Equity and Venture Capital Club was

considered for dechartering and recognition.

The Senate voted unanimously to decharter and

derecognize this club.

• Senate Committee Chair Reports

Social Justice and Diversity Committee

Committee Chair Michelle Jimenez ’18 is reaching out

to students organizing groups to find out how to get

larger following for activist groups.

• New business

Because the Romper Room is technically the Club

Resource Library, the Senate would like to add more

resources to the room.

Senators proposed buying bake sale materials, such

as tablecloths and display racks, so that clubs

can share these rather than buy their own.

Club leaders would be able to check out these materi

als from the room.

Class of 2019 Senator Kate Kesselman suggested that

the Romper Room should also invest in a

nice color printer because Allocations Board is no lon

ger funding posters or color printing in Marathon requests.

• A-board

A-board voted on its funding scope and changed the

rules of giveaways. They used to be determined on a

case-by-case basis, but A-board created a new funding

scope that says it doesn’t fund any giveaways.

Student organizations can use fundraising or gift

money to fund giveaways.

November 11, 2016

Student wins Union seat with only two write-in votes SPECIAL ELECTION, from page 1

Maya Dornbrand-Lo ’18 came in a close second with 28 votes.

Abstain must have a majority of votes for a senator to not be elected. If abstain received a majority of the votes in any election, a second election on another date would have to occur. In the original fall election for senatorial seats on Sept. 9, abstain won the vote for Charles River/567.

A special election will also be held if a senator resigns during their term. The winners of the Ridgewood and Off-Campus positions resigned after being elected on Sept. 9.

Fewer people voted in this special election than in the one held in September of 2015. Charles River/567 was the only position

that was up for special election this year and last year in the fall.

Forty-five students voted including six votes for abstain and seven votes for other.

Write-ins for the Nov. 3 special election included 5G Fish, Mod Cat, Donald Trump and Harambe. In the presidential election on Tuesday, 11,000 people wrote in Harambe.

Advertising plays a major role in voter turnout for Student Union elections, said Student Union President David Herbstritt ’17, in an interview last semester, when he was vice president of the Student Union. After last semester’s elections, the Union began working on finding ways to publicize elections better. Herbstritt felt that voters may be apathetic because they don’t understand the role of a Union senator. “When people hear Student Union they

might think midnight buffet or clubs,” said Herbstritt. Most students do not realize that the Union meets with Andrew Flagel, senior vice president of students and enrollment, and that members often speak with the Board of Trustees. “They don’t know how much we really do and how much sway we have,” said Herbstritt.

Every residential area on campus has a single senator representing it. Elections take place yearly.

Each senator proposes initiatives affecting their quad. They also serve on committees that focus on issues including club support, bylaws, dining and health and safety. The senate as a whole votes on chartering clubs and maintains the Union Bylaws.

The Brandeis Hoot reached out to Skobeloff, Walker and Scheinman for comment. They did not return comment by press time.

- Mia Edelstein photo from brandeis.edu

Win a Macbook Air Complete the Brandeis health survey today!

The ACHA-NCHA is a survey designed to assess student health behaviors in order to provide better services and support for Brandeis University students

Take the survey: http://bit.ly/2eSIav9

OPINIONS

November 11, 2016

How to fight for positive change during a Trump presidency

By Katarina Weessies editor

On this day, my heart breaks for the dream of a female president.

My heart breaks for the dream of a president who supports racial equality, immigration reform and reproductive rights. Unfortunately, we learned that large portions of our population feel threatened by our country’s recent steps towards equality. This election has shifted the tide of positive change backwards in the presidency, the legislature and likely in the Supreme Court. But this setback does not mean that all hope is lost. Millions of Americans are outraged by the election of Donald Trump as our president, and the tragedy of this election can energize them to organize against him. Hopefully, the American people can organize to minimize the harmful effects that a Trump presidency can have on our government and our lives.

One of the key issues the anti-Trump organizers focus on is immigration. Trump’s promises to build a wall on the Mexican bor-

trump

der and to deport undocumented people currently living in the U.S. are terrifying for Latinx people and immigrants. Many people are terrified that they or their families will be deported. Luckily, it is extremely unlikely that the wall will actually be built. However, deportations have already increased massively under the Obama presidency and could easily increase even more under Trump.

There is still a lot that individuals can do to fight anti-immigrant bigotry. Many immigration policies are statewide rather than national, so it is essential for immigration activists to organize in their home states. If you live near the border, pay close attention to elections for governors and state legislators, and help campaign for candidates who have progressive views about immigration. There are also many advocacy groups and organizations fighting for immigrants’ rights to which concerned citizens can donate their time or money. The ACLU frequently campaigns for the rights of immigrants. Recently, the ACLU of Southern California de-

fended children who were facing deportation and released a report detailing the deportations of veterans. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund advocates for the the civil rights of U.S. Latinx people and awards law school scholarships to Latinx students. The National Council of La Raza is a massive organization that advocates for Latinx issues from civil rights and education to immigration reform and voting rights. All of these organizations accept financial donations and take volunteers.

Another concern of anti-Trump Americans is reproductive rights.

Mike Pence, as governor of Indiana, absolutely gutted his state’s reproductive rights policies. Indiana, like many other red states, is infamous for its litany of ridiculous laws aimed at making it impossible for abortion clinics to function. Under Pence’s governorship, a woman named Purvi Patel was sentenced to 20 years in jail after a botched abortion attempt led her to miscarry. Trump See POSITIVE CHANGE, page 6

The Brandeis Hoot 5

Dealing with losing a debate

By Anindita Chanda columnist

For me, tomorrow is the day we find out the fate of our country, of our people, of us, for the next four years. Although, I suppose if you are reading this right now, we are either trying to find shelter in Canada (what up, Trudeau!) or we are smiling through gritted teeth and going about our days in good ole ‘Murica. But with all of the hype that is going on (or rather, has occurred) with people concerning themselves about who is going to win the presidential election, I feel as though many of us lost sight of some of the other important issues that we also may have voted for.

To be fully honest, most of us are probably not well informed on some of the things we voted on in our state of residence. Some of us may have had our reasons for voting either “no” or “yes” but probably could not hold our ground if we were to debate our positions with someone opposing us. Late last week, I was not able to hold my ground in a debate, and I had

already voted (through early voting process). Now, is writing this article my way of compensating for the fact that I lost the debate?

Eh. But what I want to emphasize is that every four years we get the chance to vote not only to contribute our input on who we think should lead our country, but to also have our say on important matters such as marijuana legalization or authorization of new charter schools. In fact, both marijuana legalization and charter school authorization appear on the Massachusetts ballot.

Now here’s the truth: for many of us who are first time voters, we may be heavily influenced by how adults around us will vote.

They have their justifications for why they are voting a certain way, but we should not necessarily use their justifications as our own reasoning for voting. Of course, if we are able to validate why we agree with our guardian’s vote, then that is perfectly fine.

The other situation in which we may not be able to hold our ground about how we voted for See DEBATE, page 7

photo from theodysseyonline.com

Read reactions to this week’s presidential election on pages 6 and 7.

Statement of Progress for menstrual product campaign

By BSRJ and FMLA special to the hoot

We, students from Brandeis Students for Reproductive Justice, Brandeis FMLA, Student Union Campus Operations Working Group, Student Union Social Justice and Diversity Committee and individual students, continue to work to facilitate a meaningful dialogue with the Brandeis administration in response to student support for free menstrual products on the Brandeis campus.

Over the past three weeks, we created a survey to gauge students’ views on menstrual product use, availability and pricing on campus. We found that the quality of products available, inconsistent pricing and availability and financial insecurity were all factors that students cited as inhibiting them from getting the care they needed during menstru-

ation. It seems clear that the way forward is through an open, engaging dialogue with the Brandeis administration to address positive steps forward for free and subsidized menstrual products.

We are inspired by efforts around the country, from public high schools to private universities, to destigmatize conversations about menstruation and to address the community need for awareness and menstrual product availability. The overwhelming affirmative response to the question asked of this campus, “Could a campaign to establish the need for free menstrual products be possible?” drives this effort. Our goals reflect the conversations, the newspaper articles and the administration acknowledgement that has made our work up to this point possible.

Our goals in the coming week are to analyze the 455 responses that were collected from the mem-

bers of the Brandeis student body who menstruate and to turn this data into suggestions and proposals for the Brandeis administration to consider in response to the student support for free menstrual products on campus. In these suggestions, we hope to characterize the survey responses in a way that highlights the honesty, engagement and genuine interest members of our community have in seeing free menstrual products at Brandeis.

We are thankful for the support and willingness to participate in our actions thus far and encourage all students or student groups interested in supporting this effort to reach out to Brandeis Students for Reproductive Justice, Brandeis FMLA, Student Union Campus Operations Working Group and the Student Union Social Justice and Diversity Committee to learn more about the ways that you can help or get involved.

We continue to move forward with this project with the hopes that the administration works to accommodate the expressed student need. Thank you for helping us bring that need to the table.

Signed in Solidarity By: David Herbstritt: President of the Student Union, Shaquan McDowell: COW-G Committee Chair, Jacob Edelman: Communications Director of the Student Union, Michelle Jimenez: Social Justice and Diversity Committee Chair, Brandeis FMLA, TRON, Brandeis Firecrackers, Brandeis ProChoice, Brandeis Latinx Student Organization-BLSO, Brandeis Korean Student Association-BKSA, Taiwanese Students Association-TSA, Brandeis Ensemble Theater-BET, Boris’ Kitchen, Bad Grammer, Triskelion, Divanna Eckels, Ari Keigan, José Castellanos, Aaron Finkel, Julia Ryan, Henry McDonald, Leah Levine, Guthrie Diamond, Brandis Whit-

field, Gianna Petrillo, Otis Fuqua, Brianna Silverman, Avery Finkel, Ruby Macsai-Goren, Santiago Montoya Palacios, Emily Galloway, Amy-Claire Dauphin, Sarah Khimjee, Sophie Warren, Zoe Bleicher, Lauren Puglisi, Charlotte Lang, Elana Kennedy, Yvonna D. Roderick, Nhi Tran, Gabby Calcano, Jessica Huynh, Meghan Hickey, Hin Hon (Jamie) Wong, Janice Nam, Ruth Galaviz, Anwesha Ghosh, Serena Shen, Zainab Jafari, Mercedes Hall (Women of Color Alliance), Tannie Tang, Claire Pocius, Atticus Ranck, Karen Seymour, Krista Hu, Gabriel Sol Fontes, Dylan Hoffman, Elba Valerio, Hauke Ziessler, Gilberto Calderin, Karina Meythaler, Kyla Graves, Priya DeBerry, Mrudula Gadgil, Maurice Windley, Ruth Messele, Emily Wu (Brandeis Diversity Conference)

6 OPINIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016

We did not do enough

By Zach Phil Schwartz editor

We’re down, but not out.

It has been a difficult two days to say the least. Brandeis University was and still is in a state of shock and disbelief. How does one go about comprehending the once-incomprehensible? The level of confidence that we would be building upon the progress of the last eight years was sky high, but now, that only qualifies to the risk of the collapse of that progress.

Like many, I looked to others to get some sort of sense of what went wrong. In the conversations I’ve been having with friends, family and community members since the results of this election became clear, I’ve noticed a critical error on the part of Democrats: a sense of over-confidence that proved blinding to the reality that this election was never a slam dunk to begin with.

Many of my friends know that I

was a supporter of Hillary Clinton from the very beginning. I had always been certain of a Hillary presidency. Although I agreed with much of what he stood for and wanted to do, I was among the many who thought Bernie Sanders could not win a general election against a Republican candidate and continued my advocacy for Clinton in blissful ignorance that many Sanders supporters had legitimate concerns with the ideals of Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and the ideas they all stand for. Like many others, including those in the Clinton campaign itself, I was confident that Sanders’ base would eventually merge with Clinton’s to put together a winning coalition. I was too confident. We were too confident. And that was the folly of the Democrats.

Indeed, we counted our chickens well before they hatched, especially in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. The latter two

states had last voted red in 1988, and Wisconsin last did so in 1984.

Those three states had been predicted to go to Clinton for most of the general campaign, but instead of ensuring victory through active work, many of us, myself included, relied on polling for assurance.

In the wake of these results, I often wonder what I could even say years down the road when asked what I did to try to get Hillary Clinton elected. The answer I always get back to is, “not enough.”

I did my civic duty, and I voted for her and advocated for her on a low-scale on social media.

I thought that was more than enough. I will admit that I did not do much else. I did not phonebank. I did not canvass. I did not do anything that may have in at least some little way contributed to a better election for her. And in doing so, I, like so many other Democrats, ignored an unfortunate reality about our country.

We did not do enough. I did

not do enough. And now, countless groups now are at risk based on the bigoted, vitriolic and hateful rhetoric of the Trump-Pence campaign. I, along with so many others, now fear for the health and safety of women, LGBT+ people, Muslims, people of color, Latinx, refugees, immigrants, disabled people and countless others that have been targets of Trump on the trail in his America. The rhetoric has always been dangerous, but he and his cronies now have the power to take action on that rhetoric due to the inability of the Democratic party to realize how alienated some of its now-former base is.

I apologize for not doing more to stop the election of Donald Trump. I apologize for not doing more than voting for Hillary Clinton in a solidly blue state. I apologize to my family, my friends, my community and my country.

I apologize most of all to those now at risk under the auspices of a

Trump administration. I am sorry that I did not do enough This is a time to deal with the shock and to handle the grief. It is a time to reflect, but this time will soon come to an end. The Trump presidency starts very soon, and Democrats must not waste any time in picking up the pieces and preparing for the future.

Next time we will do more.

Next time we will promote an even more progressive platform and an even stronger set of representatives. We will organize better. We will do more to get out the vote, to canvass, to phonebank.

In 2018, the Democrats will win a majority in Congress. In 2020, we will win the White House and set off down the road of progress once more.

We’re down, but not out. And next time, lovers of freedom, happiness, liberty, equality and justice for everyone in this great country of ours will have something to celebrate.

Trump wins the presidency: What went wrong?

By Alex Mitchell columnist

Donald Trump’s upset victory on Tuesday shocked campus and much of America. Students cried in classes. People took to social media to vent their frustrations.

In the SCC, a safe space was established for those who felt affected by the election. People are reeling, and with good reason. Brandeis students disproportionately go into fields like public health, scientific research and governmental work, fields that will likely shrink under a Trump presidency. Many of us are watching our future plans evaporate before our eyes.

Like many Brandeis students, this week has been hard for me.

The thought of a Trump presidency sickens me, and I fear for the safety of my friends. While the tone of this article may seem detached or insufficiently emotional, I am trying to treat the problem with the seriousness it deserves.

I have always believed in solutions-based approaches to problems, and while many may seek to

wallow in the misery of this new era, I for one am more concerned with understanding how Trump’s victory occurred, why it surprised us and how to prevent it in the future. With that caveat in mind, let us look at the data.

As indicated by her popular vote victory, Clinton lost several states by very few votes. Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine’s second district were lost by less than a single percentage point, and Pennsylvania was lost by less than 1.5. All of these states have voted Democrat in every presidential election since the 1980s.

Had turnout and Democratic support been even a little higher in the traditional Democratic bastions, Clinton could have carried these states easily. Looking closer, we find that these states all have similar demographics. We find larger numbers of low-education whites in rural areas surrounding medium-sized cities with large numbers of ethnic minorities.

Past Democrats have built coalitions between both groups in these states and won by impressive margins. Last Tuesday, low

turnout and unexpectedly high support for Trump in cities, combined with defections of Obama voters in less urban areas led to a surge that turned the rust belt red.

Counties that voted for Obama swung wildly to Trump, with some districts moving twenty or thirty points, suggesting many Obama voters switched to Trump.

Clinton’s low support among religious voters, who are strong in rust belt states, may explain this phenomenon. Donald Trump’s behavior during and before the campaign was deplorable, but that was not enough to turn off Christian, so-called “values” voters, on election day. Trump’s comments about sexual assault, his affairs with married women and his attempts to get his mistress to have an abortion could have nailed the lid on the coffin of his presidency. Evangelical and Catholic leaders denounced Trump, and gave Clinton an opening. Strangely, she refused to capitalize on this weakness. In contrast, Trump, who otherwise played a weak “ground game,” reached out to religious leaders of all faiths to apologize,

formed committees to drum up support in these groups and emphasized religious values in his speeches. Clinton did none of this, and it may have cost her dearly. It should be noted Trump’s success among religious voters is not confined to Christians. Among those who identify as religious “others” (not Christian or Jewish), Trump outperformed Mitt Romney by 12 points, the largest shift of any religious demographic. This trend is especially troubling, given that Muslim Americans, who largely opposed Trump, make up a large fraction of this demographic.

White Catholic voters, often considered the prototypical swing voters, also went for Trump. Interestingly, in July, polls showed as many as 55 percent of white Catholics planned to vote for Clinton.

On Election Day, that number had dropped to 39 percent, the lowest fraction any Democratic presidential candidate has ever scored. Clinton’s aggressive prochoice messaging and the fallout from the Podesta email scandal (which was widely covered in the Catholic press) likely contributed

to her loss here. White Catholics make up a sizable fraction of the electorate in the rust belt, and in losing this demographic, Clinton severely narrowed her path to the White House.

Trump seized the presidency by going after some of the most critical elements of the Democratic coalition in the rust belt.

His courtship of Evangelical and Catholic groups combined with Clinton’s refusal to engage with them cost much of her potential support, especially in battleground states. Trump attacked a weak flank in the Democrats, the working class voters whose lives seem to be steadily declining despite the recovering economy.

Clinton failed to either recognize or capitalize upon Trump’s weaknesses among religious voters, which he eventually patched over.

When we sit down to lay out a strategy to take back Congress in 2018, we will need to be aware of these mistakes, and take steps to prevent a similar disaster during the next election.

Minds usually changed on the person-to-person level POSITIVE CHANGE, from page 5

recently removed “pro-life” from his public political platform, which is good, but not particularly heartening given that the Senate and House are both Republican.

People who live in Massachusetts and other blue states are relatively privileged in terms of this issue.

Abortion in states like Massachusetts is accessible, at least in comparison to states in the South and middle America. However, those who wish to advocate for reproductive rights have many initiatives and organizations to choose from.

Brandeis Pro-Choice is an on-campus organization that promotes reproductive rights in the Boston area. If you want to join them in their efforts, you can sign up for their listserv or email club leaders. NARAL Pro-Choice Mas-

sachusetts is our state’s branch of a massive pro-choice organization that exerts influence nationwide.

NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts has its headquarters in Boston, and it accepts donations and offers jobs and internships. If you are registered in a state where abortion issues are contentious, it is extremely important that you vote in local and state elections.

While Roe v. Wade applies federally, the reality of abortion access is that it varies hugely based on local and state governments.

Your vote could make a massive difference for the reproductive rights of people in your home state.

Issues related to racial equality for African Americans are also central in this election. The Black Lives Matter movement has brought national attention to mass incarceration and discriminatory police practices. Trump

and his supporters use “law and order” rhetoric that is indicative of support for mass incarceration and violent policing. However, many legal associations and organizations are fighting for the rights of African Americans.

Firstly, it is important for anti-Trump Brandeis students to participate in the Black Lives Matter movement here at Brandeis, as well as in the Boston area. It is also important that students vote in their home states against “law and order” candidates, and that they vote for propositions that could decrease criminal penalties for nonviolent crimes, promote police accountability and improve prison conditions.

You can also donate your time or money to the NAACP or the National Black Justice Commission, an organization focused on black LGBT+ issues.

Another population that is

particularly threatened by Mike Pence is the LGBT community.

Fortunately, there isn’t a whole lot that a Republican president or Congress can do to overturn the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage. However, the issues of “gay conversion therapy,” anti-LGBT+ discrimination and the recognition of trans people are still very much under threat.

LGBT+ issues are also controlled primarily by state and local governments. This means that voters need to focus on elections in their home state, voting for candidates that support LGBT+ communities.

Brandeis’ Trisk and the Queer Policy Alliance are both on-campus clubs that promote LGBT+ issues. BAGLY, a Boston LGBT+ youth organization accepts donations and hires volunteers. GLAD, an LGBT+ legal advocacy organization, has a headquarters in Bos-

ton and accepts donations and volunteers.

It is also important that white students talk to their families and communities about their views.

According to CNN, 63 percent of white men and 53 percent of white women voted for Trump.

This means that a majority of the white American population shares, or is at least willing to tolerate, Trump’s bigoted views. This obviously needs to change.

While organizations and advocacy groups are essential in the political fight for equality, minds are usually changed on the person-to-person level.

White Brandeis students, even if they might have personally voted for Clinton, need to realize that they have a moral responsibility to talk to other white people about the politics of racial, LGBT+, immigration and gender issues.

November 11, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

OPINIONS 7

The United States will survive Trump

By Gabriel del Carmen columnist

This might still be rather hard to believe, but it is going to be okay. It feels rather surreal, and understandably so, given that no one thought this would happen. It feels as though we are living in a dream and that the progress of the past eight years was for nothing.

But I promise that it will be okay.

We must remember that while the future is full of uncertainty, the system has worked for 240 years.

It is a system that is constantly reworking itself, a system that constantly adapts to change and a system that allows for its core values to manifest themselves in different ways as our understanding of them evolves.

It was plainly obvious from the

start of Trump’s campaign that his promises were vapid and used to promote his rise to power. While a bit less than half of all Americans fell blindly to the scam of this demagogue, we must realize he cannot do a lot of what he has promised throughout the campaign.

And although there might be a (justifiable) disdain for mainstream Republicans for allowing such a man to rise up the ranks within their party, many Republicans are not simply going to allow Trump to do as he wishes.

Even with a Republican-controlled Senate, there are several Republicans who refuse to bend to Trump’s bidding. And those common-sense Republicans—the ones who did not vote for Donald Trump—have the power to influence what Trump attempts to pass

through Congress by influencing their Representatives. And it takes a terrible Senator to act in defiance of their constituents.

Finally, if we run out of all these fail-safes that the Founding Fathers so wisely conceptualized, there is one other balance of power. We—the people—have a voice to use more frequently than just every election cycle. When we speak up, when we protest, when we refuse with indignation any theft of our rights and when we speak out in unison, those in power must bend to the will of the people. And if the president-elect attempts to act in defiance of the public, there are several million people who are just as willing to put an end to his reign of tyranny.

Perhaps more terrifying than a Trump presidency is the notion that around half of Americans are

okay with a man who has spouted xenophobic nonsense and coated several of his “policies” with racism and sexism. They are okay electing a man who has bragged about sexual assault and pardoned his speech as a form of “locker room talk.” But we must also understand why they did this. Many Americans are scared of change, or do not understand it. They come from a place of privilege, a place where they do not have to think about the issues that burden so many millions of Americans. In no way does this excuse what they did and in no way should we accept this as a justification, but it is very difficult to heal without attempting to reach out and understand how others are thinking. Fear is a powerful force, and one that often blinds rationality.

It is difficult for me, too, as it may be for many of you. And that is absolutely okay. I am both Middle Eastern and Hispanic, and with a very Hispanic-sounding last name to boot. I have experienced forms of racism, discrimination and ignorant comments as a result of my last name. There are certain assumptions I am aware people make about me because of it. It is just not as easy as one would like it to be, but perhaps it is necessary.

There is so much uncertainty, and being fearful is understandable. But it is not the end, and we will move on. And in a time when nihilism seems most appealing, we ought to maintain that reasonable faith in our democratic system, because despair is what prompted Trump’s creation, and hope is what will destroy it.

Dewey defeats Truman

By Daniel Freedman columnist

We will not go gentle into the night—because we will be dragged there screaming by an orange Oompa-Loompa and his congressional henchmen.

To the chagrin of the pundits and pollsters, anything is possible. When it came to predicting the president, maybe we would have been better off listening to the maniac on the street corner with a sign proclaiming the end is nigh than a bespectacled analyst in a suit.

To be fair, I too had a hard time believing this outcome was possible: President Trump? It has the campy feel of a prequel to “Idiocracy,” except without any of the

humor.

In the name of candor, I must admit that on some base level of spite, a part of me wanted this outcome, if only to show the Trump hardliners the brand of ineptitude and megalomania they have backed. What will come of this nation, I don’t know. But like a 1930s citizen of a free democracy watching the rise of partisan nationalism turn into jingoism, I too start to wonder: What’s the worst that could happen?

Thankfully, on a campus such as this I need not make the connection to the disastrous implications of this election—that Trump will control the armies, diplomacy, both houses of Congress and the Supreme Court. You may ask yourself, what’s the worst that a Trump presidency could spell? Or

Thoughts are meant to be challenged DEBATE, from page 6

something is if we looked at the problems superficially and did not question things further, did not dig deep or did not reflect back on the past and imagine the future. Unfortunately it is the second scenario that I can relate to.

Upon having a friendly mini-debate with a peer about why I voted a certain way for a particular question, it quickly occurred to me that I was ill-informed. What is more, I only had superficial knowledge on that particular issue and did not bother to learn

more about it, because I thought I was right. Hence the beauty of debating. Without asking questions, without having our thoughts being challenged and challenging thoughts of others, we will never be able to confidently understand the matters at hand that will affect us in our near future.

So yes, I lost that debate, but I did learn a very valuable lesson, and I hope in four years I will be able to vote for the types of questions on the ballot that I had neglected to learn more about—the questions that, in fact, will affect us everyday citizens more directly.

maybe you delude yourself into comfort by thinking Congress won’t go along with with Trump’s plans. Don’t be too hasty. Most Republicans have been towing the party line, right up through Paul Ryan. Trump has majority support.

In the face of horrendous defeat, let us at least take something away so that this is not for nothing. Let this inspire democracy to take flight and be encouragement to vote, and to vote pragmatically.

I am not a supporter of a two-party system, but when there are two parties that compete, a choice must be made. I have argued before, and I will argue again, that a third-party vote is a “feel-good” vote that states your dissatisfaction with the choices at

hand, but makes no choice at all.

This election came down to the margin of the third-party candidate’s votes in many states—that third party, moral abstention may have decided the election.

Worse yet are those who decided both candidates were equally repulsive and did not vote. I find it hard to believe that both candidates evoke the same level of disgust and fear; I have long since been tired of the false equivalency drawn between the real Republican, Clinton, and the neo-fascist, Trump. If you don’t vote and make a choice, someone will make it for you, and very likely it won’t be an informed vote. This outcome immediately brings to mind the words of Winston Churchill: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with

the average voter.” And to those “Bernie or Bust” voters who abstained on the grounds that their primary candidate of choice did not proceed: looks like it was bust.

We could have landed safely on a soft 17, but no.

At the end of the day, the popular vote did swing in favor of Clinton, to which we might respond with Trump-like rhetoric that the system is rigged, or that therein lies the problem. The electoral college is a deeply flawed system, right next to gerrymandered congressional districts, but the real problem is that he won. This election should have been a landslide denunciation of abhorrent rhetoric and policy, but instead winter is coming.

8 OPINIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016

On being both Bengali and and American

By Faria Afreen columnist

When I was four, I immigrated from Bangladesh with my mother. I was considered the “golden” baby because I was born on Eidal-Fitr, the celebration after the month of Ramadan, and around the very same time my father got his visa. I don’t have many memories of Bangladesh from when I was young. My one memory of Bangladesh is getting caught by my aunt for playing on the rooftop. I grew up in America, specifically in a considerably diverse community in North Cambridge, so I call myself American even though I don’t know what that means. I wonder sometimes if going by a nickname instead of my real name, “Faria,” makes me appear more American, or if the way I dress or talk makes up for the way I look. I am not sure, but I’m also not sure if it matters whether or not I appear American.

As a Bengali, I eat Bengali food at home (unless I’m cooking or

baking), dress in Bengali garb when I’m visiting other Bengalis, celebrate Ramadan as many Bengali Muslims do (though I admit to being a horrible faster) and listen to Bengali music (please don’t tell my mother). I love being Bengali and, like many of my other multicultural friends, I feel wonderfully lucky to be part of a larger tradition.

Growing up, my mother embodied my closest connection to my Bengali heritage. I used to be embarrassed when my mother went to my school events in her Bengali attire. Admittedly, I still am sometimes, but it might be even worse to see her in American clothing. It’s also frustrating to be my mother’s translator, even though I don’t always have to translate any more because her English keeps getting better and better. It is even more frustrating to hear her tell me about someone who laughed at her English, right in front of her face. That person couldn’t speak Bengali as sweetly as my mother (to which I cringe

because it can be too sweet), couldn’t leave her entire family for the sake of giving her children a better future in a foreign country. They couldn’t manage all the struggles and stresses that come with being a poor, brownskinned, Muslim immigrant.

Because I grew up in a culture different from that of my parents, it is hard to convey and explain certain topics and ideas to my them. Whenever I am going to a diversity-related event, I tell my parents “it’s a conference,” and for some reason they always conclude I am going to a “debate” (the last thing you would see me doing outside the classroom). “Yes, I ran a conference today” is all I am really able to utter because I don’t know if I want to take the time to make them understand why I wanted to be involved and why it matters to me. When I think about my position as someone who is unable to talk to their parents about issues such as mental health, religion, race, sexual orientation and other topics that

come up in diversity committee, I wonder: Why am I so different from the kid next door? If I were ever to tell my parents I was feeling sad, I can hear them telling me to “go outside more.” If I were to tell them, “I think I am depressed,” I would have to explain to them what the word meant.

When you’re Bengali, sometimes your religion is as much of your cultural identity as it is your religious identity. Bangladesh gained independence partly through religious strife, hence most Bengalis are proud, devout Muslims. Whenever we get into a heated discussion about religion, my mother says in Bengali, “How can you not be Muslim, it’s your culture! You can’t leave behind your culture—it’s what uncultured people do.” I’m old enough that my parents can no longer force me to attend Arabic School or go to the mosque, but that consistent pressure to go still remains. “All your problems will be easier if you go,” my father says. I want to believe him, but I can’t; I

know they won’t be. I don’t know how to define myself religiously, but I know I can’t confidently say I am Muslim because I only pray during Ramadan, but I could never tell my parents I am not Muslim because there’s nothing else I could ever be.

Sexual preference is a taboo topic since my family is extremely pious. I don’t think my parents know what “bisexual” means or that it’s even possible. I’m not sure whether they would care about feelings or what others thought about them. When discussing sexuality, I can imagine both my parents saying that, “It reflects poorly upon our parenting,” I often wonder how much my struggles with my parents are unique to my Bengali heritage. I realize that while is hard for me to bring up these topics with my own parents, it’s still difficult to talk about mental health, religion and sexual orientation in other communities, so how different am I? How much of that difference matters to you?

Inconvenient transportation options limit cross-registration

By Michael Wang columnist

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article about the harrowing process of cross-registering for classes at schools within the Greater Boston Consortium from Brandeis. I’ve actually been attending Boston University on the side for around two months now, but there still are a number of things that’ll stick in my head whenever I’m moving about, to, from, etc. the place. One of these is the matter of transportation.

Among a number of other former cross-registrants with whom I’ve interacted, transportation to and from these auxiliary schools is arguably the most bothersome aspect of the whole endeavor. I’ve heard of a number of methods by which students are able to get to their respective cross-registered classes, namely cabs, buses, trains and personal vehicles, but I’m only able to speak of the latter

brandeis-roberts station

two means of locomotion, since they’re the only ones that I’ve actually taken advantage of.

Overall, I have to say my experience has been a little clunky. I generally use the train system to enter and navigate the city of Boston proper, and some nights I’m lucky enough to be picked up and directly shuttled to Brandeis by a friend in the city or my dad. Going by train is, though, pretty expensive. It takes $6.75 to take the Commuter Rail out of the North Station, while a ride on the T is $2.25. I need to pay once for each of these services each time I want to get to or leave Boston University. Consequently, it costs $18 for a round trip from Brandeis, to BU, and back to Brandeis, or $9 when I’m extended the courtesy of a car ride.

Including the money I save sometimes carpooling, I’m spending approximately $350 bobbing between this school and the other.

Granted, it’s cheaper than buying both Brandeis and BU’s university

parking permits and driving oneself (more on that later) or taking cabs (I lack the funds), but I can’t help but wish there were a more direct, cost-effective means by which I could get to the school.

An alternative some people might be able to take advantage of is the Brandeis shuttle that goes to Riverside, but unfortunately that vehicle’s schedule doesn’t happen to coincide with mine.

Another thing that might deter some people from using the train system is that it seems to have a lot of mechanical problems. For example, the Commuter Rail was late by 40 minutes last Tuesday due to rail complications. Another time it couldn’t leave North Station because a bridge it had to pass wasn’t going up, and occasionally doors on the T trains just won’t open. Though it’s never really affected me too badly—I typically give myself two hours grace to make the approximately one hour commute—I can imagine the sheer havoc-wreaking po-

tential these technical difficulties might have on schedules stricter than mine.

However, I still believe it’s better than commuting by car. Granted, I’ve also commuted this way a few times on the charitable whims of a few of kind souls I’m familiar with because I grew up here. I have to say it is pretty scary to drive in the city a lot of the time, since it seems as though the frequency of people doing dangerous stuff like sticking the noses of their cars into the middle of the road and double-parking in the middle of the street seems to be especially high in the city. The roads are also a bit bendy and turny in some places and uncomfortably narrow in others.

It’s also, as one might expect, relatively smoother driving around the city at night after rush hour. That usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes. However, getting into the city in the morning is a bit tougher, due to the simple fact that cities have

a ton of traffic when people are getting to work. I got to class once by this method and—despite the fact that I got there on time, albeit with around 30 of my allotted 120 minutes to spare—I ultimately resolved to keep from doing it regularly because the stretch of road between here and BU would be, admittedly, too intimidating for me to regularly traverse even if it could reliably save me more time or cost me less money. Instead, the combined cost of Brandeis and BU’s parking permits and gas would cost at least a hundred dollars more and also add the heroic risk of killing oneself if one were to nod off at the wheel thanks to University-induced Fatigue.

So in summary, transportation from Brandeis to Boston University is a bit inconvenient, or at least it is when one takes the train or car. And of those two options, the train seems to actually be a little more reliable, even with all its imperfections.

photo from mapio.net

November 11, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

OPINIONS 9

Spreading love through a computer screen

By Candace Ng columnist

To many, checking their Facebook page has become an obsession. I am no different; I am on Facebook more times than I can count in a day. On Nov. 6, I opened my laptop and logged onto my Facebook account as per usual. The first things on my newsfeed, to my surprise, were a series of statuses from the user “Brandeis Crushes AndCompliments.”

I moved my cursor and clicked onto the profile. “Brandeis Crushes AndCompliments” and I were not Facebook friends, but the user’s public privacy settings al-

queen’s university

lowed me to see every detail on the page. The profile is run by an unnamed user, likely a fellow student. Included in the description is a submissions link, with the instructions as follows: “Write down anything nice you want to tell someone and we will post in on our page and tag that person.

It is anonymous. GO!” As of Nov. 8, the account has gotten so many submissions that the administrator decided to switch it to a page in hopes of avoiding further bans for over-posting.

I am somewhat familiar with the idea of “crushes and compliments” online. The trend first began at Queen’s University in Canada in 2012, but has died down since then. The idea was to take a

stance against cyberbullying and to brighten someone’s day with an anonymous compliment. Many college campuses, mainly in Canada and the United States, have followed Queen’s University’s lead by creating similar pages.

But is a Facebook account really the right way to spread love and positivity across Brandeis’ campus?

The boarding school I attended had a compliments page much like this one. One major difference between these two pages is that my boarding school had a population of 360 girls, hence fewer “friends.” The other is that the page often had to encourage students to submit compliments.

Why? My school has fostered

such a strong sense of community that we did not need to express our gratitude and appreciation for our faculty, staff and fellow classmates through a Facebook page.

From freshman year to graduation day, we were constantly reminded how lucky we are to be a part of such a close-knit, loving group, that we should not take it for granted and that we should express our sentiments before it is too late.

By the time I graduated, three years after I first stepped foot on campus, showing love and appreciation had become an innate activity.

If a group of 14-year-olds can openly show their care for the people around them through

Where the “crushes and compliments” phenomenon was born.

their words and actions, why can’t we? Brandeis is a relatively small school with roughly 3,500 undergraduates. Among those students are our friends, classmates, acquaintances and people we know only by face.

There is no need for us to hide behind a computer or smartphone screen. We can show kindness through our everyday interactions and our words.

Over the past week, “Brandeis Crushes AndCompliments” has sparked a movement on campus to share our appreciation for our friends, classmates and even strangers. Let us continue to spread joy and positivity around campus, but this time, let’s do it in person.

photo from university-canada.net

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November 11, 2016

November 11, 2016

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‘12 Angry Jurors’ pays attention to the fine details

By Katharine Mound staff

Twelve chairs, a table and a cracked window. That’s all there is to the set of this weekend’s performance to watch: “12 Angry Jurors,” directed by Rafi Diamond ’18 and presented by the Hillel Theater Group. This calculated, fast-paced drama questions the value we assign to justice if we truly wish to see it prevail, relying on 12 distinct (and, for the most part, angry) individuals to experiment with this topic as we sit, watch and decide for ourselves.

As the jurors themselves are assigned to present a verdict among persistent dissent, we as an audience are tasked with unraveling our own prejudices, beliefs and doubts.

It is a story you may be already familiar with: 12 jurors are sent into a hot, stuffy room to deliberate on the guilt of a boy who is obviously in the wrong—to 11 members of the jury, at least.

However, the one dissenter, Juror 8 (Ben Winick ’17), undertakes the task of convincing 11 jurors that there is enough reasonable doubt in the convictions made against the defendant to avoid possibly sending an innocent boy to his undeserved death. Juror 8 must struggle through the arguments of his colleagues, offering up questions that shine a light on uncertainty and raise the tensions in the room.

Perhaps it’s the election on my mind, but this show seemed to raise concerns and issues surfaced in the recent political climate, especially those related to bigotry, hate and anger. Juror 3 (Remony Pearlman ’19) and Juror 10 (Sivan Spector ’18) embodied these attributes, filling the cramped, boiling room with exclamations of abuse, racism and violence that seemed to choke out the level-headed voices of other jurors trying to pursue justice. This effect was intensified by the lighting (designed

by Rachel Haskins ’17), which cloaked the room in a red fury or

a sickly green during these outbursts. However unsettling these scenes might be, it is interesting to observe how individuals take on and nurture these prejudices and hateful practices, and is especially helpful in approaching and tackling prejudice when we encounter it.

What was distinctly impressive about the show was its attention to detail. The play is grounded and takes place exclusively in a crowded deliberation room at a long table. As a result, much more attention is given to details; things like Juror 7’s (Yuni Hahn ’19) relentless gum-smacking, or Juror 3’s exaggerated eye-rolls. Especially with a relatively large cast of 12 jurors, this task is a hefty one, but Diamond and his cast did not fail to fine-tune even the smallest of idiosyncrasies. Each character is starkly different from the next, whether in movement, speech, sense and even style (with credit due to costume designer Becca Rogers ’19). Although only a handful of the 12 jurors have

lengthy speaking parts, each character in the play is commendably responsible for fully embodying their characters, down to even the most seemingly insignificant of gestures or mannerisms. That in itself is a sign of both superb directing and highly concentrated acting.

The deliberation room is the last place we might think of when we consider scenes of suspense, rage and violence, but this play asserts its livelihood in spite of our preconceptions of intense action.

While larger, more action-heavy productions often have less trouble inspiring feelings of suspense and anxiety, it is always amazing to see this complex, smaller-scale play perform the same effect with such humble means. With every glare, whisper, stomp and shout, the beating of our hearts escalates and the temperature of the room rises until tirades of fury are unleashed. It takes you aback, particularly because of the forcefulness of the characters, but also because you didn’t realize you’ve

been holding your breath in anticipation. I guess it’s one of those things that you have to see to believe, and I am urging you to go see it this weekend.

Even though “12 Angry Jurors” is a play that many of us have read or experienced in one way or another, the execution of this show still sent chills up my arms and knotted my gut in tension and suspense. But to name just one soul for this thrill of a viewing would be unfair to the rest. Reginald Rose’s work is genius and absorbing, but Diamond’s direction truly enhances its brilliance.

The cast is absolutely remarkable, especially Yuni Hahn ’19, Tafara Gava ’20 and Julia Sirota ’18; and the production staff packaged everything together beautifully.

“12 Angry Jurors” will be performed in Shiffman 219 this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 11-13 at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the SCC ticket booth. This is a show you don’t want to miss, so buy a ticket and go!

photos by mia edelstein/the hoot

Tove Lo’s ‘Lady Wood’ gives voice to modern feminism

By Adam Lamper staff

Swedish singer-songwriter Tove Lo, born Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson, made her debut on the pop music scene in early 2014 with her chart-topping sleeper hit, “Habits (Stay High).” Since then, she has released a few new singles that have managed to cross over into mainstream success as well, including “Talking Body” and the most recent off her new album, “Cool Girl.”

Additionally, she has both co-written with and sang alongside artists such as Icona Pop, Adam Lambert, Hilary Duff, Nick Jonas, Ellie Goulding and Swedish DJ Alesso, with whom she co-wrote her second-biggest hit “Heroes (We Could Be).”

Perhaps best known for her deep and strikingly honest lyrics on her debut album, “Queen of the Clouds,” she has been given the nickname “Sweden’s darkest pop export” by Rolling Stone, and certainly doesn’t stray too far from this in her newest album, “Lady Wood.”

The first song off the new album, “Cool Girl,” was released this past August, the music video for which has since surmounted over 25 million views on YouTube.

Like her previous hits, Tove Lo often masks the true intensity and personal aspects of her lyrics behind catchy hooks and a repetitive, EDM-laden chorus. Close lyrical inspection reveals a com-

photo from josepvinaixa.com

photo from celebmafia.com

mentary on the contemporary hook-up culture of today’s youth, and the singer’s dual desires to have a fleeting moment of passion and to foster a more meaningful relationship, insisting that she’s not really just a “cool girl.”

Apart from the lyrical aspects of the song, “Cool Girl” features an incredibly bass-heavy, dark tonality that sets the mood for the remainder of the album’s songs.

First and foremost, perhaps given her Swedish background, this

song features a variety of toned down, synthetic sounds that are new to her style, though distinctively “Tove Lo.” Alongside her album release, Tove Lo also released a short film on YouTube, “Fairy Dust,” that features many of her newest songs, and also gives context to the music video for “Cool Girl.”

Featuring myriad explicit scenes, the video was pulled from YouTube a day after its initial release only to be reuploaded days later.

A true reflection of her lyrical works, “Fairy Dust” features incredibly personal dialogue and otherwise artistic scenes that reflect the hedonistic and sometimes self-destructive meaning behind her songs. Besides her own works appearing in the film, there is an amazingly dense soundscape that lies in between the proposed music videos of Tove Lo’s own songs, as well as extraordinary visual shots by Swedish director, Tim Erem, who has worked to produce music videos with other pop icons like Drake, Rihanna and Katy Perry. Not just an exhibitionary film to highlight and promote the songs on her album, Tove Lo, being the main scriptwriter and executive producer herself, incorporates her own beliefs on identity, sexuality and feminism, even claiming the album title itself, “Lady Wood,” is “about reclaiming the female hard-on.”

Divided into two parts, the album has two distinct feels. The first half, “Fairy Dust (Chapter

I),” features the songs found in the short film of the same name, which leads many to believe the second half, entitled “Fire Fade (Chapter II)” will receive its own short film in due time. The difference lies in the instrumentation and sonic quality of the songs, whereas the lyrics explore similar topics across the album. “Fire Fade” contains a much more aggressive techno vibe and a greater vocal range. “Fairy Dust,” on the other hand has a very toned down vibe and even acoustic instrumentation in the song “Vibes,” which serves as a transition between the album’s two halves that begins with a slow, rhythmic guitar melody that gradually transitions into an explosive electropop dance song.

What Tove Lo has in her brutally dark, honest lyrics and undeniable talent as a wordsmith, she seems to lack in producing sonically diverse songs.

Though subtle differences exist in her works, there is an overarching theme of deep bass, echoed vocals and similar rhythms that make nearly the entirety of the album feel like you are listening to the same song on repeat upon first listen.

Though it is often damaging to an artist’s career to produce music out of their typical genre, it seems that this album plays it too safe, resulting in something, save a few songs, that is overwhelmingly redundant to the point of being boring to actually listen to the whole way through.

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November 11, 2016

Artistic expression helps students get through the election

By Sabrina Pond editor

“America sucks” is haphazardly scribbled in chalk on one of the walls in what is considered the hub of creativity at Brandeis.

Also known as Chum’s, this small room in the Castle served as the hotspot for a congregation of Brandeis students who anxiously awaited the results of this year’s general election. The feverish anticipation of the outcome showed some donned in all of America’s most patriotic colors, a few others with their laptops propped open to watch the data as it came in and still others who explained their plans to flee the country in the case that a particular candidate won the presidency.

At no other time is an open mic and slam event more relevant than the night of an election as contentious as this one has been.

In the wake of an election cycle that has left so many baffled as politics have become more like a form of entertainment rather than a platform to discuss real issues, the performances generated a sense of authenticity and vulnerability that both campaigns lacked.

Brandeis students gathered in a rather informal setting to express their deep seated feelings about a wide range of topics, including social and racial issues, the LGBT+ community, feminism and veterans, and how these issues intersect with the outcome of the election. Hosted by Jack Rubinstein ’20, the event seemed organized and was well-attended.

To start off the night, Arjun Rajan ’20 performed a few of his original songs on a small guitar. With the occasional back-up person to add an extra beat to his piece, the songs each followed a similar sound that was sweet and mellow, even verging on bohemian and

photos by karen caldwell

alternative. Rajan’s soothing vocals, rhythmic guitar playing and thought-provoking lyrics fused together in perfect harmony. He performed four songs during his bit, much to the audience’s pleasure. Where Rajan seeks to gain some improvement, however, is to find better ways to close his pieces so as to polish their finale.

A poem that dealt directly with her feelings about Trump, a Brandeis student used this medium to elucidate her absolute terror of the implications that arise given a Trump presidency. One of the highlights of the night, she eloquently went through each part of her experience and identity as a member of the LGBT+ community, a person of color, a woman and as a person who comes from a family of veterans.

She poignantly ended the altogether impactful poem with the hard-hitting line, “He has belittled every aspect of my identity.”

She warmed up to the mic as she got farther into her well-composed piece, which reached a climax when she passionately recounted her disgust at Trump’s belief that he is privy to women’s bodies without their consent.

A memorable performer, Jordan Mudd ’20, sang two song covers, Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” and Amos Lee’s “Learned A Lot.” With the gentle strumming of the guitar in the background, Jordan’s vocals were impeccably suave, bursting with strong breath support as he reached every note as though gliding from one cloud to the next. Mudd’s mantra was to stay positive in times like these, and he asked for audience participation. The songs were

almost dripping with a bluesy jazz funk that was irresistible.

Sophia Massidda ’20 performed an enraged yet dignified reading of a poem that explored what it’s like to be a woman today, using her own personal experience to criticize society at large. Her presence on the stage most certainly further drove home her intense points. Massidda was one of the strongest performers because of her careful attention to her tone, body movements and gestures.

She spoke strongly about the dichotomy that exists between how she feels about a certain topic and how she presents her feelings on that subject when in the presence of a man. Instead of confronting the issue, she’ll oftentimes let it slip by, begging the question why she keeps “making someone else’s life easier? Why can’t I stop?”

One of the last performances of the open mic part of the event, Savannah Edmondson ’20 did a powerful rendition of

Tucker Bryant’s “Oreo,” a poem that is so lyrically striking and beautiful in its critique of white privilege that it hurts. A perfectly crafted metaphor, the idea is that when individuals eat an oreo, oftentimes they eat the creme in the middle and throw away the chocolate cookie parts.

By the end of the heart-wrenching piece, the line that took my breath away the most was, “What makes you think that the best I could be is a reflection of you?”

One of the microphones was falling apart, which prompted someone in the audience to comment that that was a metaphor for our country. On a brighter note, the event was amazing in that it was conducive to imaginative work, featuring mainly poetry and some musical performances. One thing remains certain— during times of great distress and anxiety, artistic expression within a community is the best remedy.

‘Doctor Strange’ thrills with its cinematic brilliance

By Santiago Montoya staff

Unlike many other superhero movies, “Doctor Strange” translates well from the pages of comic books to the movie screen.

Often times, some comic books should never make it to film, especially nowadays, when it seems as though Marvel Studios has covered pretty much everything there is to cover.

But “Doctor Strange” proves to have it all with its vivid and interesting characters and plot.

Before he met the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Stephen Vincent Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) was an unlikable and egotistical neurosurgeon. Everything changes when a car accident limits Strange’s use of his hands. Traditional medicine fails him and it sends him on a maddening quest for a miracle cure.

The film is a perfect demonstration of how some comics actually look better in live action than on the pages themself.

One of the reasons is that the movie’s intergalactic travel and the fights in the astral plane scenes were crafted incredibly well, a wonderful demonstration of the CGI use—portrayed better in motion picture. In fact, the special effects were awe-inspiring and breathtaking. The only way to actually enjoy the outstanding visuals is by go-

photo from heroichollywood.com

ing to watch it in IMAX 3D. The score, by Michael Giacchino, is also nuanced and surprising. His music is not like the typical John Williams or Thomas Newman soundtracks, where you instantly recognize them because of their artistic signatures.

Giacchino’s soundtrack fits perfectly well in “Doctor Strange,” just the way his cape does.

photo from collider.com

photo from inverse.com

photo from bustle.com

“Doctor Strange” will not exactly win an Academy Award for its screenplay.

The script writers could have thrown a few more clues among other details into the film. Plus, it is a bit too similar to any other Marvel screenplay. Even so, this does not mean the film is not genuinely groundbreaking.

The main message to take away

is that if you ever hit a wall, in some cases literally, like Doctor Strange’s accident, and there is no way to go further, sometimes it is important to change what you believe in and who you are.

The material is elevated by the stellar cast, including Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong and others, not to mention

that this film has finally made Cumberbatch a movie star.

He has long been a celebrity, but one does not earn “movie star” status until the actor in a leading role can dominate at the box office, and that is exactly what “Doctor Strange” did on its opening weekend.

Rachel McAdams character lost me, though. Unlike many previous Marvel love interest sidekicks, Christine Palmer (McAdams) has a professional career, as a fellow surgeon of Strange.

Notwithstanding, the sidekick, female love interest is an old trope that has been used enough already. The character is so terribly written. Palmer possesses flirtatious energy, but she is only a prop for when Strange needs her.

In addition, there were some concerns about cultural appropriation and the questioning of whitewashing in a film that promotes Eastern religion and studies, yet most of the roles were played by Western actors.

While the film still has other cinematic achievements, this is something Marvel should work on for potential sequels.

Ultimately, it is clear why “Doctor Strange” is dominating at the box office—a captivating plot, masterful special effects, an intense score and an incredible cast make the film worth a watch. If any movie is worth seeing at this pont, I woud definitely place this one very high on the list!

November 11, 2016

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The Brandeis Hoot

Ebony Axis provides space for black women’s expression

By Sanin Dosa staff

LaShawn Simmons ’18 is devoted to restoring the humanity of black women through Ebony Axis, a zine that displays creative writing and art by black women on the Brandeis campus.

Ebony Axis demonstrates strong regard for the intersection of racial and gender discrimination that black women face. The

artists involved also challenge the stereotypical view of black women as being sassy and angry by showing their own individual identity through their poems and stories inside the zine, says Simmons, the founder and editor.

“Our version of womanhood is complicated. It is not a simplified mean, and it is hard to escape that with the influence of the media.

You have different people coming from all over the world at a predominately white institution where people already have a certain way they view black folks,” she explained.

Simmons wanted to create a space where black women here at Brandeis can share personal stories and discuss issues related to race and gender. “It is a space in which we can be ourselves, not worry who is watching and be unapologetic,” she explained. Such spaces, from her experience, are not often granted to black women here at Brandeis.

Simmons advocates for the creation of more spaces where black students at Brandeis can be themselves. This year the Ebony Axis production team hosted a launch party at Chum’s where everyone on campus was invited to come and celebrate the new edition.

This was an opportunity, she said,

for people to interact with the artists involved with the zine, and also reach out or share stories and ideas with students who are upperclassmen or taking the same classes. What made the launch party unique this year was the photo exhibition by Gilberto Rosa ’18. His photos depicted black females at Brandeis expressing love, friendship and happiness.

On the cover is an illustration by Justus Davis ’19 of a black woman with hair made out of trees and shrubs. The image portrays the woman as a nymph, who not only protects nature but is nature herself, said Davis. “It challenges the idea that black women are only seen in inner-city settings,” Simmons noted.

Simmons’ inspiration for the zine was a result of her participation in a theater production her first year at Brandeis, titled “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf,” written by Ntozake Shange.

She was intrigued by the “communal aspect backstage. It was more than rehearsing for a play,” she explained. “It was a space where fellow black women here on campus can uplift each other.”

So far there have only been two editions of Ebony Axis. The first was published last year and the

photos courtesy lashawn simmons

second edition came out this year on Oct. 14. The zine is made up of poems, narratives and illustrations that express love, friendship, self love and an ode to black women. Each of the pieces shares a personal experience about relationships, religion, finding one’s own identity and even apologizing to one’s hair for not appreciating its natural beauty.

The hardest part in creating the zine was finding people who are willing to share their work, according to Simmons. Many times, she had to convince people by showing them that poetry

is boundless and any person who writes a poem is a poet. There are no requirements or standards for submissions. “Art is a personal experience and you cannot judge that,” she said. The only thing that is not tolerated is offensive material.

Ebony Axis been published thanks to a grant from the minor in Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation. The zine can be now be accessed online at: ebonyaxis.com/publication. Simmons said she hopes to find people that would want to continue the legacy of Ebony Axis in the near future.

SEA promotes sustainability at annual coffeehouse

By Emma Kahn editor

On Wednesday in Chum’s, Students for Environmental Action (SEA) hosted a coffeehouse evening of student performances to touch on environmental issues with a group of peers. Despite starting the night with only a moderate turnout and an overall grim mood due to the political atmosphere, SEA rose to the challenge and provided a warm, fun and inviting space for the Brandeis community to reflect on environmental challenges and unwind from a stressful day.

SEA began by playing music and offering free food and paraphernalia such as free stickers and endangered species condoms, a sure way to invite participation by college students. Many students trickled in a few minutes late, but the evening began with improv comedy sketches by False Advertising. The group took a seemingly mundane and boring audience word, “modern,” and developed a series of characters

in various sketches to questions and mock notions of modernity. One humorous character was the overly present grandmother checking in on her college-age granddaughter and looking for help with her Skype account. One clever repeated joke was a version of the company Apple. The employees took any and all customer requests, ranging from a phone that doubles as a blender to a request to bring an elderly gentleman’s wife back to life. In the absence of any props, costumes or staging, it was impressive to see False Advertising bring the stage to life and entertain the audience for a performance lasting roughly 20 minutes.

The second performance transitioned from a club performance to a solo performer, Adam Gurfinkel ’17. Like False Advertising, Gurfinkel extended deep gratitude for all the audience members coming together for a night of fun, despite events from the previous day. Gurfinkel spent most of his stage time commenting on the new political trending topics, with a personal spin. Following

Gurfinkel’s performance, a cheerful and fun member of SEA read aloud two very cheesy and cute puns about the environment, bringing the night’s theme back into focus.

The next performance was on behalf of Brandeis Climate Justice, a former SEA initiative, which branched off into its own group two years ago. Brandeis Climate Justice originally focused primarily on fossil fuel divestment and has since grown into a larger group that regularly confronts and challenges legal issues regarding the environment. The group meets each Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Pearlman, but meeting times will likely change next semester.

One member of Brandeis Climate Justice then performed a collection of songs on two different recorders. The first piece was a collection of anti-fascist songs, which was followed by a second song on a different recorder. The second piece was a semi-original work, in part influenced by a protest song called, “Seventeen Hundred Miles of Pipe,” which asserts

the dangers and harms of the Keystone pipeline. Finally, two more a cappella songs also captured the feel of protest and resistance against certain movements that serve to harm our environment.

Bold and vibrant, these tunes echoed a strong sense of solidarity and collective empowerment felt by the audience that night.

A perfect follow-up to Brandeis Climate Justice’s performance, David Chernack ’17 and Rebecca Weiss ’18 graced the audience with warm, inviting and beautiful songs. Chernack and Weiss performed several duets. The first piece was called “Shenandoah Falls,” a piece as awe-inspiring as the title suggests. Both Chernack and Weiss played the violin, demonstrating excellent musicianship in fusing the two parts together to form one beautiful harmony. Their second piece was referred to by Chernack as “a traditional Irish cross-dressing song.” This second song featured Chernack on vocals and acoustic guitar, and Weiss on violin again.

A third piece featured Weiss on violin and Chernack on a larger

acoustic guitar. Weiss introduced this song as a piece she learned at a “house concert,” a concert hosted out of someone’s home for a small group of listeners. To finish their performance, Chernack and Weiss played an impromptu, unrehearsed edition of “This Land is Your Land,” in response to the prior night’s events. Ending on such a wholesome, positive, high note, the audience joined in, creating a much-needed gesture of cooperation, gratitude and support.

Additional performances included campus groups Symbiosis, Crowd Control, Voices of Soul, Farmers Club and Rather be Giraffes.

All in all, it would have been nice to see a larger turnout. Certainly, many individuals in the Brandeis community would have benefitted from such an event.

However, the night brought those in attendance a feeling of warmth and a strong sense of community, not to mention free food and goodies.

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The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016

‘She Kills Monsters’ tackles life and death in a profound storyline

By Katharine Moud staff

Monsters lurked behind the curtains of the SCC Theater last weekend during Brandeis Ensemble Theater’s production of Qui Nguyen’s play, “She Kills Monsters,” directed by Rachel Josselsohn ’17. But although we meet monsters aplenty, and indeed they are often killed by a “she,” to characterize Nguyen’s reality-meets-fantasy play as simply a tale of violence and death would be to turn a blind eye to the fragile moments of vulnerability, great expressions of love and difficult scenes of pain within the narrative.

The premise and characters are immediately established by narration (performed by Sivan Spector ’18) at the beginning of the production, where we meet the main characters and fiery sister duo of “She Kills Monsters”: Agnes (Joanna Murphy ’17) and Tilly Evans (Jessie Kinsley ’20). Perhaps a bit

unfairly, Agnes is introduced as the average, completely normal older sister of Tilly, an exuberant Dungeons & Dragons fanatic.

While Tilly seems to be satisfied with her life, aside from some friction with her sister over a difference in interests, Agnes wants anything but her run-of-the-mill existence, and she gets it: Her entire family passes away in a tragic car accident, leaving her a sisterless orphan.

Although she begins to heal after the loss, Agnes longs to know the sister whom she wasn’t able to spend adequate time with before her death. Her wish is fulfilled when she comes across a notebook of Tilly’s with a Dungeons & Dragon scenario written in it, and Agnes brings it to Chuck (Zack Garrity ’20) to explore her sister’s life through her passion.

Little does Agnes know, the adventure she is about to embark upon will inflict both physical and emotional pain on her, her sister and those around them. This is a story in which everyone loses

someone or something, but also gains a deeper knowledge and understanding of life and one another.

What’s so wonderfully unique about “She Kills Monsters” are the parallels that it draws between reality and the non-real world of Tilly’s imagined D&D landscape.

There are moments of both intense action and thoughtful dialogues within the fantasy realm and Agnes’ real-life environment, and through both of these worlds we observe Agnes learn, understand and move forward with all that she’s discovered about her sister’s life. The process is chaotic and messy at times for Agnes, and there are moments where we cheer for her and there are moments where we shake our heads in disappointment at her. But just like Agnes, there’s something we can all take away from “She Kills Monsters.” Hannah Taylor ’19, who played a monster in the show, shared that, in particular, she resonated with the show’s message “to love people and love

things and appreciate them in the here and now.”

There are a lot of strong characters in this play, especially strong women.

It’s the women who slay the monsters in the D&D world: throwing punches at their enemies, snapping necks and thrusting swords into those who try to stop them (thanks to superb fighting choreography by Andrew Hyde ’17). But even though these women are only weapon-brandishing warriors in the realm of D&D, the obstacles they must overcome and the strength they display rival that of their imagined characters.

On the other hand, this was a show in which the characters really shine in their weaknesses.

Some of the best acting in play was showcased in tender moments of vulnerability, like when Agnes comforts Tilly after she’s harassed for being a lesbian, or when Tilly grieves the loss of her girlfriend, Lilith Morningstar (Rachel Greene ’20). It’s rare

to find a show that balances this kind of duality in its characters as well as “She Kills Monsters,” especially in a way that doesn’t cater to overemotional stereotypes of women.

Although death is treated with an aloofness that’s informed by its sensitive and uncomfortable nature, Josselsohn was clear in her direction that the play isn’t about death.

Instead, it’s about living the life that you deserve to live despite what others say, to live it through following your passions and surrounding yourself with people who share your passions.

Elana Kellner ’19, the assistant director for the show, explained that although the show promotes a multitude of themes, she concluded that “in the end, you should really be enjoying what you do.”

And according to a touching line

by Tilly, it would seem that is truly the overarching message of “She Kills Monsters”: “Did you have fun? That’s the point in all this. Did you have fun?”

photos by irving perez/the hoot

November 11, 2016

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The Brandeis Hoot

A night full of art and activities at MFA’s party

By Katie Decker-Jacoby editor

Art enthusiasts of all ages and from all over Boston convened at the Museum of Fine Arts’ (MFA) overnight “State of the Party” in the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art, from Friday, Nov. 4 to Saturday, Nov. 5.

As the name suggests, this event opened at 9 p.m. on Friday and closed at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The party was open to the public and free.

The 39-degree weather did not stop people from attending. In fact, rows of guests lined up in the parking lot to get the much coveted #mfaNOW wristbands.

Upon entrance, visitors could immediately anticipate a lively night full of art, discussions, food, music and hands-on activities.

The contemporary art wing featured five exhibitions: “UH-OH: Frances Stark 1991-2015,” “Political Intent” and “Beyond Limits,” “Imogen Cunningham: In Focus,” “Terry Winters: The Structure of Things” and “Christian Marclay: The Clock.” The Boston Globe also organized a discussion called “Double Session,” with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and GOP political consultant Eric Fehrnstrom.

Marclay’s “The Clock” generated a long line of partygoers who were eager to watch the 24-hour montage. The lengthy film consisted of numerous snippets from television and film. Each bit displayed a clock or showed characters announcing the exact time, as the movie is indeed shown in real time. “‘The Clock’ is both a comment on and a reminder of how much of our lives we spend watching, not only our TVs and computers but our watches. Even on screen, everyone’s always living in time,

checking out what’s going on, trying to find out when, exactly, they are,” wrote Meghan O’Rourke in The New Yorker.

Although Marclay released this piece in 2010, it exhibits fragments from the last 100 years of history.

One second, the audience might be watching a clip from an ancient black and white film, and the next, viewers might be watching a clip starring Adam Sandler. Chatter arose when a scene from the horror movie “Saw” appeared on the screen, suggesting that plenty of Boston youth were in attendance.

From grandfather clocks to alarm clocks to analog clocks to digital clocks, “The Clock” had it all. The award-winning video collage may have taken a daunting three years to construct, but clearly paid off, as it had observers completely mesmerized.

Los Angeles-based artist Frances Stark also entranced museum guests with her multimedia exhibition, “UH-OH.” Stark converted a video of cats from VHS to digital in her video installation, “Cat Videos.” On the other side of the media spectrum, Stark’s collages from “A Torment of Follies” included several pieces that featured the same “chorus girl.”

Stark constructed the chorus girl’s clothing from psychedelic optical illusions. One young museum attendee even traveled from chorus girl to chorus girl, taking pictures of herself imitating each pose.

One hidden gem of the night was “TRUST (the presence of secrets)” by Sarah W. Newman and Jessica Yurkofsky at metaLAB at Harvard. The multimedia installation consisted of a desktop computer, keyboard, mouse and thermal receipt printer. The screen said, “Do you have a secret?” Below the question, people could type their secrets. The letters showed up as solid rectangles, so these secrets were in fact secret.

photos by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

Press enter and receipts printed for participants to keep.

These receipts contained other museum guests’ secrets. “I cheated on my bf once,” “I like men,” “I’ve masturbated before,” “I’ve often wondered about stealing art” and “I lie to my parents daily and don’t feel bad” were among a collection of secrets I acquired throughout the night.

Even though several secrets carried a more playful spirit, this interactive display aimed to elicit thoughts on deeper matters. “‘TRUST (the presence of secrets)’ evokes questions around privacy, transparency, discretion, fiction, public versus private selves and the ways in which identity and information are mediated by machines and platforms,” read the installation’s placard.

Terry Winters’ exhibition, “The Structure of Things,” was comprised of 50 pieces created between 1982 and 2014. The artist drew inspiration from scientific processes and mathematical theories, according to the MFA’s website. Her fascination with biology definitely shone through in her artwork, as I kept recognizing structures from my high school

biology and anatomy classes.

“Fourteen Etchings” juxtaposes four drawings by Winters with four x-rays of different skeletal fragments. “The viewer is encouraged to discover the visual analogies between seemingly unrelated images,” the placard explained.

It is truly amazing how this New York-based artist made high school science look so complex and beautiful.

The “Political Intent” and “Beyond Limits” installations featured pieces that explored social issues and transcended traditional artistic norms. “In Focus” showcased 35 of Imogen Cunningham’s botanical photographs from the 1930s to the 1960s.

In between hopping from one exhibit to the next, guests could grab a bite from food trucks outside, buy drinks inside, get down on the dance floor to different DJs or chill on some fluffy green bean bags. Partygoers even had the chance to participate in the “LateNight Run” around the MFA with Heartbreak Hill Running Company.

Visitors also had the opportunity to create their own art. “24 Hours in Boston: An Art-Mak-

ing Collaboration Exploration” allowed museum attendees to illustrate a moment from their day and then tack the squared paper onto the wall. There were clocks for each hour so that people could pick an activity from any time of the day. Several images of coffee cups, laptops and food can be seen on the board. This collective mural was a great way for people to reflect on their own day, as well as glimpse into other people’s days.

But wait! How can one go to the MFA and not run into something Brandeis-related?

“Landscape, Abstracted,” included 10 pieces of different media that aimed to abstract landscape art. This new installation was funded by the one and only, Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation.

Ultimately, mfaNOW threw a spectacular party where Boston locals could assemble and admire the talent of numerous artists. It was a night to remember and an event I would definitely revisit. In fact, if you missed the first three overnights, you can attend the MFA’s final overnight party, “Last Call,” from Friday, Dec. 9 to Saturday, Dec. 10.

SPORTS Women’s volleyball end their season with UAAs

By Sarah Jousset editor

The Brandeis women’s volleyball team traveled to Washington University in St. Louis this past weekend to play in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Conference Championship Tournament. The Judges dropped three games in the tournament, ending their season with a 7-21 record.

In the conference quarterfinals, as eighth seed, the Judges faced top seed University of Chicago in their first game of the weekend.

The Judges lost 3-0 by set scores of 25-14, 25-14 and 25-16. The Judges never threatened a lead in the first two sets, but started to fight back in the third set. The Judges kept the lead in the third set until 9-8, before the UChicago Maroons answered with five straight points and momentum to win the game. Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19 led the team with nine kills, nine digs and the team’s only two service aces. Marlee Nork ’19 and Leah Pearlman ’19 split setting duties, while recording 11 assists each.

Yvette Cho ’19 held up the team defensively with 13 digs.

Later the same day the Judges

took on the University of Rochester in a consolation semifinal game. The women’s volleyball team dropped three straight sets again for a 3-0 loss by scores of 25-23, 25-21 and 25-19. The Judges took an early lead in the first set after errors committed by Rochester on Jessica Kaufman’s ’17 serving. However, Rochester answered with a seven-point run to tie the game. The Judges’ strong defense kept them in the game with two assists and a solo block by Kaufman. In the second set, Rochester started out with the lead before the Judges were able to close the gap, but couldn’t manage to secure the lead. The final set saw the Judges run out of steam, as they couldn’t seem to keep the match as close. The Judges’ strong defense was led with five blocks each form both Kaufman and Kirsten Frauens ’19. Jessie Moore ’18 also contributed four block assists to the effort.

The third game played for seventh place was much closer, going all five sets in the loss against NYU. The teams alternated set wins for it to come down to the fifth match. The NYU Violets took the first set, and the Judges answered

photo from sportxpix.com

with a strong performance in the second set to win 27-25. However, the Judges got crushed in the third set, when the Violets took the lead early and kept it with a 25-13 victory over Brandeis. The Judges went point for point with the Violets until Decker-Jacoby served five in a row, including two service aces, giving the Judges a comfortable lead and eventually holding enough momentum

to earn the set win. The Judges started the fifth set strong with five quick points. However, NYU answered to tie the score at 9-all.

Brandeis and NYU went point for point until NYU scored the final four points to secure the game win off of blocks.

The Judges stepped up for the third game of the UAA tournament, with big numbers across the board. Emma Bartlett ’20 had

a career high of 17 kills in the game, while Decker-Jacoby and Zara Platt ’19 each earned 11 kills.

Decker-Jacoby also added 14 digs to her stats, while Pearlman has 20 assists and 12 digs as setter, sharing the position with classmate Nork who contributed 21 assists to the game. Cho recorded 24 digs as libero in the game.

Kaufman led the team in blocks with four.

16 SPORTS

The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016

Fencing competes in season-opening tournament

By Zach Cihlar editor

Brandeis men’s and women’s fencing competed in their first tournament of the year on Saturday, Nov. 5. The New England Fall Intercollegiate Championship (NEFIC) took place at Smith College in Northampton, MA. Brandeis fencers entered the day with a pre-tournament ranking, determined by last year’s NEFIC results and each player’s rank. Notably, Guillermo Narvaez ’18 earned the first seed in the pre-tournament rankings for men’s foil and Kyle Berney ’18 earned the second seed for the men’s saber tournament. Nina Sayles ’17 also earned a solid pre-tournament ranking, seeded third for women’s saber.

The best showing of the day from the Brandeis team was Sayles, taking second place overall in her event. She began by sweeping the seven-person pool she was assigned. Advancing to the tournament event, Sayles moved up to the second seed.

She advanced through the tournament, defeating fencers from Vassar, MIT, Boston University and Boston College, ultimately falling to Kaleigh Mentzer ’18 in the finals.

Rookie Jessica Gets ’20 also had a long run in the tournament,

photo from sportpix.com

placing fifth in women’s foil. She dominated her six-person pool, taking five touches against all her pool-opponents, while only receiving two.

Starting the pool at the 10th seed, Gets moved up to the seventh seed after sweeping her pool.

In tournament play, she defeated two opponents from Dartmouth and one from Sacred Heart before MIT’s Jessica Li ended her tour-

nament run.

For the men, Len Grazian ’17 had a distinguished showing in the men’s foil event, tying for third with a Boston College fencer. Grazian swept his six-person pool, shifting his seventh seed placement before the pool round to the second seed before tournament play. He made a push to the semifinals by defeating a Boston University fencer, two Sacred

photo courtesy jessica gets

Heart fencers, as well as Brandeis teammate Narvaez in the quarterfinals. Brown fencer Umar Masood knocked Grazian out of the tournament.

Ian Quin ’20, Elishua Litle ’18 and Narvaez placed sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, in the men’s foil event.

The team is optimistic about the future, according to Gets. “I feel like we are going to do really well;

we have a really strong incoming freshman team that will really help with our wins.”

The team will fence again at the first Northeast Fencing Conference Meet at MIT on Saturday, Nov. 19. Other teams at the meet will include University of Massachusetts in Boston, Boston University, MIT, Sacred Heart, Boston College and University of New Hampshire.

Swimming teams take first wins of the season

By Jordan Brodie staff

On Friday, Nov. 4, the Brandeis men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams competed in multiple dual meets at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The men’s team defeated Babson University 150-134, and the women’s team beat Babson and Smith College, 196-95 and 154-135, respectively. However, the women’s team fell to WPI 174-103 and the men’s team lost to the host school 190108.

For the men’s team, Tamir Zitelny ’20 dominated with three victories. Zitelny won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.82, the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.54 and the 200 individual medley swimming at 2:02.76.

His brother, Edan Zitelny ’17 also

won first in the 200 fly with a time of 2:03.00. Edan Zitelny also finished third in the 200 back and 200 IM. Additionally, Judges’ Sam Zucker ’18 and Noah Ayers ’20 each earned second-place finishes.

Zucker was the runner-up in the three-meter diving event with a score of 210.60, while Ayers came

tamir zietelny

in second in the 500 freestyle.

Zach Diamond ’18 also finished in third in the 1000 freestyle.

The Brandeis women’s team also had many top finishers, notably including four victories from three swimmers. Philippa Zheku ’20 won both the 100 and 200 backstroke events with times of 1:03:10 and 2:16.91, respectively.

She also finished in third in the 200 IM. Kylie Herman ’19 secured the 1000 free in 11:01.48, and she also placed second in both the 200 fly in 2:19.82 and 100 free in 56.15. Natalya Wozab ’20 captured the 200 IM in 2:19.88 and reached second in the 200 breaststroke in 2:38.04 and 100 breaststroke in 1:13.06. Lastly, Hwanhee

photo from brandeisjudges.com

Park ’20 finished in second place in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:02.37.

After the meet, the women’s swimming and diving team is 2-5, while the men’s swimming and diving team reaches 1-5.

Both teams will compete again on Friday, Nov. 18 at home against neighboring Bentley University.

photo from sportpix.com

Cubs win World Series

By Kevin Costa staff

In the past 108 years of baseball, players have come and gone, teams have risen to championship statue and fallen into losing slumps and cities have gained and lost teams. However, what remained constant throughout was the Chicago Cubs and their World Series drought.

Last week, the drought ended, and in a dramatic fashion. After trailing three games to one against the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs pulled off three straight wins to earn that elusive World Series trophy.

In addition, game seven was one for the ages. With the Cubs leading 6-3 into the eighth inning, the Indians rallied back with an RBI

double and a two-run homer to force extra innings. Then, the rain picked up and delayed the start of the 10th inning for 15 minutes.

When play resumed the Cubs scored two runs off a Ben Zobrist go-ahead double and a Miguel Montero RBI single, according to The New York Times. The scores provided enough cushion to edge the Indians 8-7 and ample enough cause for the city of Chicago to break out in celebration.

Two days after the historic championship, the city held a victory parade along a seven-mile route from north side ballpark to Grant Park, according to ABC News. The celebration drew roughly five million spectators on that Friday afternoon, making it the seventh largest gathering in human history, as reported by twistedsifter.com. Conveniently,

Chicago public schools had already scheduled that day off, so a new generation of Cubs fans joined older fans and lined up to see the team’s motorcade, accord-

ing to ABC News. After the motorcade passed through the city, the players and coaches made speeches to the crowd. Manager Jon Maddon, addressing the sea

of blue, summed up the whole season: “We did not suck.” It was quite an understatement, but a statement Cubs fans have been waiting to hear for a long time.

photo from thegamehaus.com

EDITORIALS

November 11, 2016

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editors-in-Chief Mia Edelstein Julie Landy

Managing Editor Allison Plotnik Senior Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano News Editor Hannah Schuster Deputy News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Sabrina Pond Deputy Arts Editors Katie Decker-Jacoby Emma Kahn Opinions Editor Zach Phil Schwartz Deputy Opinions Editor Katarina Weessies Features Editor Charlotte Aaron Deputy Features Editor Albert Reiss Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Deputy Sports Editor Zach Cihlar Photo Editor Karen Caldwell

Community, action necessary in aftermath of election

T

he shock of the presidential election has been felt around the nation, and the Brandeis campus is no exception. In the wake of these results, the campus entered what appears to be a period of grief. Electing Trump makes many students feel that they are personally put in danger, whether it be due to their race, ethnicity, sexuality or gender.

Little can make this election better.

Trump will be our country’s president for the next four years, a stark reality felt across campus by students crying, professors canceling classes and social media overflowing with shock and grief.

Yet in the face of this tragedy—and this is a tragedy for America’s most vulnerable— campus has rallied together to support one another and try to move forward.

In the past few days, there have been many options for support. An event in the SCC atrium provided a space for people to process what they’re feeling through art, discussion and free cookies. There is also support for those who need to take action. Within 24 hours of Trump being elected, students held a meeting to organize against the president elect. Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty and students joined Anita Hill to coordinate a discussion about how to move forward.

And today, students are organizing the

Layout Editor Lisa Petrie

Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

STAFF

Faria Afreen, Emily Altkorn, Sharon Cai, José Castellanos, Elizabeth Cayouette-Gluckman, Anindita Chanda, Shea Decker-Jacoby, Gabriel del Carmen, Jacob Edelman, Andrew Elmers, Daniel Freedman, Ally Gelber, Ari Givner, Max Gould, Emma Gutman, Sophia He, Alana Hodson, Daniel Kang, Naomi Klickstein, Adam Lamper, Samantha Lauring, Monique J Menezes, Santiago Montoya, Candace Ng, Polina Potochevska, Faiyaz Rahman, Caroline Rourke, Ryan Spencer, Lily Wageman, Michael Wang MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information.

Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events. Recognizing that better journalism leads to better policy, The Brandeis Hoot is dedicated to the principles of investigative reporting and news analysis. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

SUBMISSION POLICIES

The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon. Please submit letters to letters@thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words.

The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

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People’s Walkout at the Rabb Steps as an act of peaceful protest.

In this difficult time, it is crucial that students can lean on one another. They also have to know that we have the support of the administration, who should acknowledge the severity of the situation, especially for students from marginalized groups. Yet in his campus-wide email on Wednesday, University President Ronald Liebowitz neglected to address how Trump’s election is significantly more dangerous for people of color, people from immigrant families and people in the LGBT+ community than for anyone else.

It is a failure of the administrative support system that ought to be in place to ignore the harsh reality that these groups are disproportionately affected, and as such may need different resources on campus than other students. In the vein of what administrators should be doing, Andrew Flagel, the senior vice president for students and enrollment, spoke at a gathering Wednesday night and acknowledged the fear that marginalized students feel right now. He encouraged everyone to seek out support and to enact change moving forward.

“Whatever your political or religious beliefs or background, it’s hard not to see the language of hate and marginalization that seemed accepted in the mainstream in

these campaigns as a repudiation of all the things we value most here at Brandeis,” he said.

In the aftermath of the election, many people have been asking what do we do from here?

“As Americans, who do we want to be?” was the question Hill used to guide Thursday’s discussion. As we move forward, it is important to remember that although Trump has won the election, his platform of bigotry hasn’t won yet. We have the potential to keep the country moving in the right direction.

Students are the backbone of social justice at a university that prides itself on activism, and the aftermath of the election proves no different. Considering the unity of students on campus is reassuring. The success of student efforts such as Ford Hall 2015, the Brandeis Asian American Task Force and collaborations with the Rape Crisis Center against sexual violence shows that students on this campus are dedicated to advancing justice and improving our future. Most of the spaces for support around campus this past week have been student-led. When confronting the fact that racism and sexism are what handed Trump the election, it is crucial that the Brandeis community unites against these harmful tenets.

Hairy Situations

Editors-at-Large Matt Kowalyk Emily Sorkin Smith

Volume 13 • Issue 23 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

The Brandeis Hoot 17

By Naomi Klickstein staff

ACROSS 1. Singe 5. Soda in Minnesota 8. Most recent 14. Bacteria necessary for winemaking 15. “___ we depart” 16. Alanis Morissette hit 17. Actor Brad 18. Poet’s night 19. High male voices 20. Hairy winning horse?

23. Snaky fish 24. Ursula Andress 1965 film 26. Narc grp.

29. Word on many storefronts (abbr.)

32. “Make like a tree and ____” 35. Donkey 37. Jerry’s partner 39. May be sore 42. Hairy microscopic force?

46. Punctual herb?

47. Word in a marriage announcement perhaps 48. pooch 49. Colored part of the eye 52. Uneven 54. Part of WWW 56. Black or Red e.g.

58. Spy grp.

60. Hairy place to spar?

68. Plumbean 70. Lofty toss 71. May be presidential 72. Like 70-across 73. First lady 74. “100-____ Woods,” Pooh’s home

Last week’s solution

edited by emily altkorn and caroline rourke

75. Certain acids 76. Lone Star state (abbr.)

77. Chivalrous act DOWN 1. Avoided responsibility, with “out” 2. First son, at times 3. Not pro 4. Fancy hotel or cheap cracker 5. Squeak 6. Black and white cookie 7. Tubular pasta 8. “Stuart ______” 9. Word with surface or code 10. Sing-songwriter Braxton 11. Alkenes with a hydroxyl group 12. Formal address 13. Indian IT business 21. Female sheep 22. Color of dandelions (abbr.)

25. Corny unit 27. Per 28. Like a fireplace 30. Gonorrhea, e.g.

31. Clock sound

33. Total 34. Grub 36. Large truck 38. Grown boy 40. Winter precipitation 41. “____ of Tomorrow,” 2014 film 43. Type of maid?

44. Lion constellation 45. Word with flower or head 46. “___ the season” 50. Cake glazes 51. May be deadly 53. Hideout 55. Washed 57. Early calculators 59. Shoelace sheath 61. Chief Norse god 62. Prefix meaning stranger 63. Traipse 64. Large horned goat 65. Urge 66. Intertwine 67. French basic verb 68. California baseball team (abbr.)

69. Alternative to “uh”

18 The Brandeis Hoot

FEATURES

November 11, 2016

International students speak on election

By Zach Cihlar editor

Every four years, the United States presidential election captures the eyes of the world. For many international students currently studying at Brandeis, the 2016 presidential election was not their first time following an American election. It was, however, their first time experiencing an election alongside American voters.

International student Tal Richtman, Student Union Senator for the class of 2020 from Tel Aviv, Israel, believes international students approach American elections with two perspectives. First, they examine how the results will affect their home country. Second, they analyze how the outcome will affect their time in America and how the candidate elected will influence their everyday life as a student studying abroad in America.

Every international student interviewed agreed that United States elections are no ordinary elections. The president of the U.S. holds an influential role around the world, according to these international students.

“It’s about the kind of hard power and soft power this country is going to exert on the global environment for the next four years,” said Sonia Pavel ’20, a student from Bucharest, Romania, urging fellow international students to care about the American election.

Soft power describes America’s ability to shape other countries by political appeal, whereas hard power describes its monetary or military persuasion.

Rachel Benchimol ’20, a student from Manaus, Brazil, stated that throughout history, America has been used as a role model for change and progression for other countries. The state of U.S. politics reflects global sentiment, socially, politically and otherwise, she said, especially throughout

the Americas. “You can see how it affects our market,” she added, noting the fluctuating shifts of the market following President-elect Trump’s win on Tuesday.

The effect of the U.S. presidency is not solely influential, though.

Most of the international students interviewed reflected that the effects are issue specific as well.

For Benchimol, U.S. presidential elections affect the country in regards to international trade between Brazil and the United States.

Similarly, Richtman urged all international students, specifically those from Israel, to care about the U.S. election in regards to unrest in Israel. “It’s not less important in Israel than it is here because the influence about Israel in specific is huge,” he said. Israel has been a heated debate topic throughout the election.

Debate and Discourse International students quickly noticed a unique style of political discourse at Brandeis differing from their home country. However, their observations varied, providing different sources as to the influences that shape American political discourse.

Akshiti Todi ’19, a student from Mumbai, was dispirited by American students’ hesitation in debate. “In America, I feel like in certain places you don’t have that space to have debate,” she said.

Comparatively, in India, dialogue is much more open, which makes the elections there more spirited than those in the U.S., Todi elaborated.

Pavel added that the polarizing nature of presidential debates reveals the flaws in American political discourse in general. When recalling the debates leading up to the election, Pavel confessed she was not surprised, but still disappointed. The candidates, she said, merely threw attacks and discredited each other.

“I was also disappointed that

people didn’t seem to care all that much when another one of the candidates would attack each other,” she said of Americans’ attitudes toward the debates.

The candidates, in her opinion, should have been called out for “not being informed enough or argumentative enough or logical enough.”

Some international students attributed the lack of debate to the polarized style of American elections. Oliver Koch ’20, from Saarlouis, Germany, who has dual citizenship, expanded on this, mentioning that German politics differ from American politics in that Germany has a multi-party system, which softens the polarized party lines in his home country. The multi-party system, according to Koch, allows for more voters to align with one party on a specific issue, and disagree with that same party on another issue.

Having two parties, he said, forces a greater divide among political ideologies.

Benchimol suggested that increasing polarization is happening on a global scale as well. “You can’t be in the middle, people don’t allow you to be in the middle anymore. They force you to pick a side.”

On an international scale, the topic of debate and discourse has shifted, which Koch, Pavel and Benchimol all suggested when analyzing the American election from a larger perspective. Populist sentiment and nationalistic rhetoric has been a global trend, Pavel explained, both of which are “fueled by the people and their insecurities, and sometimes a lot of resentment.”

In turn, populations throughout the world have shown a shift from the traditional career politician to greater support for outsider candidates, much like the sentiment behind Trump’s election on Tuesday, according to Benchimol.

In Brazil, her home country, the recent mayoral elections followed

photo from kvia.com

a similar pattern, she said.

Koch also mentioned the trend in German politics, where “people are voting for [a] party just because they are not satisfied with any of the conventional options.”

Election Day As Election Day finally approached, Richtman noticed a striking absence of excitement for the pivotal political event. One of the most apparent differences between Israeli elections and American elections, according to Richtman, was the atmosphere leading up to the ballot count.

“Back home, in Israel, when there are elections, you can feel it everywhere and for some reason, I don’t feel it here,” he said.

Other international students agreed. Koch noticed very little active debate about the approaching election. However, once coverage of the election started, Koch found the zealousness of the media’s coverage of the election results odd, contradicting the general attitude at Brandeis toward the election before the ballot counts reached media. Despite the flare of media coverage on Election Day, Koch said the day seemed like any other.

Richtman expressed a similar observation, pointing out that he thought it odd that American elections took place while

schools were still in session and Americans were still expected to be at work. “I know that in the U.S. there is low voter turnout, and I think one of the reasons is that you don’t have a day off on elections.” In Israel, elections normally occur on a weekend, which influences greater turnout.

Benchimol added that she witnessed many conversations concerning Americans’ thoughts on political efficacy in elections, which she said augmented the issue of low voter turnout. “I realize that it’s not about how many people went to the polls. It’s actually people who thought that their votes didn’t matter,” she explained.

Benchimol remembered one conversation specifically in which “I actually saw people, especially young people, say, ‘It doesn’t matter. My state’s going to be all red.’”

In Brazil, she explained, everyone is required to vote, otherwise citizens lose privileges, including renewing a passport or being allowed to leave the country.

She concluded her thoughts on voter turnout, warning of the aggregate effect of such a pessimistic mindset toward voting. If enough people do not believe in their political efficacy, the numbers will make a difference in the final outcome. “Every vote counts,” she pled, “and every vote matters.”

Political perspective from Prof. Burt

By Polina Potochevska staff

The election of 1968, between Richard Nixon, Hubert Humphrey and George Wallace, was the beginning of English Prof.

John Burt’s political awareness.

The primary election in 1968 most resembles the 2016 election, he explained. It was during this time that civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated. After Eugene McCarthy entered the race and challenged President Lyndon B. Johnson, who shortly afterwards withdrew from the race, in the New Hampshire primary, it was clear that that election period would be controversial, he said.

During this time period, the “Democratic party was cracking” over differing views about the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, according to Burt. The Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which followed the assassination of Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy featured violence in the streets, leaving the Democratic party “hopelessly

divided.” The 1968 election was very close, with Nixon getting 43.4 percent of the vote in comparison to Humphrey’s 42.7 percent, but Nixon led a majority of the electoral college votes, 301 to Humphrey’s 191.

The 1968 election “ripped the family apart” because of the opposing views of his family members, said Burt. Although he saw Nixon as “a sinister figure,” he could not perfectly compare him to Donald Trump for multiple reasons. Nixon was an “experienced politician,” who actually had some liberal views in his domestic policy. Nixon was “scary because of his dark personality,” and “relied on a lot of the violent antipathy” of what Nixon called the “silent majority,” which he said is similar to some of Trump’s tactics. Although Burt was wary of Nixon during the 1968 election, he “never felt that Nixon was unhinged.”

In addition, the election of 2000 is an election that is typically viewed as highly controversial, but “is not comparable” to this year’s election, Burt said.

That election season, between

photo from brandeis.edu

Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore, was “nowhere near so ugly,” he said. The final outcome of the 2000 election was one of the closest presidential elections in history. The results relied on the state of Florida and spurred a necessary recount of votes and a Supreme Court case in which Florida’s votes were given to Bush, causing him to win the election.

Another way that the two election seasons differ is that “Bush never made ugly racial politics one of his themes … or even a covert theme,” Burt said of Bush’s campaign. “He was interested in courting the Hispanic vote … he was committed to multicultural America,” in comparison to Trump, who he says is “committed to rejecting multicultural America.”

Burt worries that this “may be a realigning election” that will “undo anything from the Obama administration.” He said that this year’s election may have a similar effect that the 1876 election did, with Rutherford’s controversial victory and the beginning of the end of the Reconstruction Era, with serious effects that will last for much longer than the four years of his presidency.

November 11, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

The Brandeis Hoot 19

Students interested in foreign service intern with State Department

By Emily Sorkin Smith editor

During his semester abroad in Beijing, China, Jake Silverman ’18 stayed connected to home in an unusual way. As an intern with the Virtual Student Foreign Service (VSFS), Silverman published pieces in the Huffington Post, reading interviews with diplomats and learning the ins and outs of diplomatic lives. He was one of over 500 who intern with the State Department’s VSFS each year, working with American government agencies online.

The program is run through the State Department but includes 32 other agencies like NASA and the Agency for International Devel-

opment, opening it up to students interested in foreign service, communications and economics, among other subjects.

“This remote internship program helps foster diversity at State, connects more citizens with State and its work, and paves the way for students who are interested in becoming [Foreign Service officers],” said Asha Beh, VSFS media coordinator in an email with The Brandeis Hoot. As long as students have access to the Internet, they can participate in VSFS. Consulates, embassies and government agencies submit projects to the VSFS, who then solicits applications from interested students. Looking for information on business-related travel from India to the United States, the U.S.

consulate in Mumbai enlisted the help of Dan Shpilsky ’18. Shpilsky Skyped with the consulate frequently, reporting his research on tourism statistics and media coverage business travel between the two countries.

His research, though conducted thousands of miles away, directly contributed to the consulate’s operations.

Shpilsky received a thank you letter in the mail from the Mumbai consulate, the most rewarding part of the experience. “It was nice to have a physical token of the impact I made on the consulate’s work,” he said.

VSFS internships are more independent than typical, in-person internships. They afford participants more freedom in completing their work, allowing

them to work around their schedules and from whatever location they chose. Kevin Dupont ’16, an International and Global Studies major now living in Dubai, worked with the American Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan.

He researched engagement between the embassy and the local population, using social media to understand how the embassy connects and represents the U.S. in Azerbaijan.

“When I worked with social media, I mainly used Twitter, WeChat [the major social media app in China] and Facebook. I was looking for instances of political unrest, speech against the government or anything anti-regime,” Dupont explained.

He connected his internship with his senior thesis, which an-

alyzed the role of social media in social unrest.

Many VSFS participants go on to work for the State Department or another government agency, and those who don’t take away valuable experiences and contacts. For students who wanted to work in foreign service or with other government agencies, VSFS is an opportunity to test out the work and understand what careers are open to them.

The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training “afforded me the ability to really see what the day-day life is of a diplomat, which cemented for me my desire to join the US Foreign Service.

VSFS was just further confirmation that I want to join the U.S. State Department,” Silverman explained.

Student Union provides transportation to polls

By Albert Reiss editor

For Americans, including college students, the 2016 presidential election has been incredibly polarizing. However, this perceived tension does have a silver lining—this past election was not just a competition between two opposing sides but for most Brandeis students, an opportunity to exercise their right to vote for the first time.

Given the polarizing nature of the voting process, many students felt energized and motivated to have their voices heard.

Jacob Edelman ’18, president of Brandeis Democrats, emphasized the importance of student voter turnout.

Throughout the year, Edelman helped encourage student voters by working with organizations such as MassPIRG and reminding friends via social media to vote.

The Brandeis Democrats also helped to “coordinate with the library voter registration efforts for absentee voting days.”

Individual students who Edelman helped did seem to have difficulty with the voting process.

For example, Edelman said that “the challenge is people who aren’t registered but also feel slightly not confident about registering.”

Asked about what could be done to improve the voting process, Edelman had the following assessment: “I would like there to be a club on campus that solely centered around the act of voting.

The organization’s responsibility would be registering students to vote and regular student voting drives.”

Edelman also helped to organize transportation for Brandeis students to polling places. “In my work on the Student Union I got a van owned by Brandeis to transport students to and from the polling places between the hours

of 4 and 8 p.m. on election day.”

Furthermore, Edelman hopes to “pass these responsibilities onto others students or to a club that would be able to carry on the job year to year.”

Edelman also mentioned the importance of voting. “I think that it is important no matter who you are supporting that you do go out and vote because that’s the point of the democracy that you live in.”

Voting is a crucial action to take, especially during this election. Jonas Singer ’17 agreed, “I think it is very important to vote, especially in an election as contested as this one.”

Many Brandeis students do not live in Massachusetts and therefore needed to vote using an absentee ballot, including Jasmine Qi ’20 from California and Micah Pickus ’20 from North Carolina.

Luckily, the campus mailroom made it easy for student voters to send in their ballots.

Massachusetts residents like

Minnie Norgaisse ’19 were able to vote in person. “I took the train up to Shirley where I live, and I took the train right back,” recalled Norgaisse. Certainly, Brandeis’ proximity to the commuter rail and the Boston T lines made voting easy for Brandeis students from Massachusetts, at least in the eastern portion of the state.

Visiting polling places was an especially popular voting method for students registered in state, such as Brianna Urena ’20 who “went to a polling place near Brandeis.”

Given that some students are first-time voters, various challenges were felt during the voting process. Qi, for example, found difficulty in her mail-in ballot: “If you want to mail in you have a deadline. That was kind of difficult.”

Other students though felt that the process was very effortless and without many problems. “The process was really easy. I was in

and out within five minutes,” said Brandon Muston ’20.

Muston further commented that his town did “a really good job” in helping make the whole voting process very easy by educating prospective voters on voting procedures. Other students like Joelle MarkAnthony ’19 said that, “My town was really helpful in helping people my age through the process. They were really helpful and would instruct you on what you were doing.” Likewise, Singer commented, “It wasn’t difficult. I just filled out the absentee ballot and brought it to the mailroom.”

Some students were even surprised by how comfortable the entire voting process was. According to Urena, who is a first-time voter in the presidential election, “It wasn’t as strict as I believed it to be either, because when I walked in I asked if I needed my license and they said that I just needed to give my name.”

Arab-Israeli speaker encourages integration

By Aviya Zarur

special to the hoot

“If we are courageous enough, we can work together,” said Jonathan Elkhoury, a member of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) brought to campus on Tuesday by Judges for Israel, an Israeli education and culture group, and co-sponsored by StandWithUs and the Zionist Organization of America.

“Unlike many people who try to divide the land, Jonathan Elkhoury portrayed a powerful message about unity and coexistence,” said Jenna Nimaroff ’19 of the presentation.

Elkhoury is a 24 year old Christian, gay and Lebanese man who found refuge in Israel. He was born in South Lebanon, where his father was a soldier in the South Lebanese Army. His father fled Lebanon in 2001 when Israel removed its forces due to Hezbollah assassinating the commander of SLA’s Western Brigade and proceeded to harass Israeli troops in the territory. Elkhoury was left behind with his mother.

Elkhoury and his mother struggled to leave Lebanon and reunite with his father because his mother, as a woman, had few rights in Lebanon. Single motherhood is frowned upon in Lebanon, and government organizations make sure to not assist them for fear of being seen as supporting sexual relations out of wedlock. In order to receive visas from the government, his grandfather had to lie, and say that Elkhoury’s father was abusive and was out of their lives for good.

August of 2001, Elkhoury, his brother and his mother left Lebanon. No one, including their family, knew that they were leaving. He himself did not know that they were leaving the country as he followed his mother clutching two teddy bears. They had to act as if they were going to Cyprus on vacation and his mother knew that she would not be able to contact anyone left behind.

When they arrived in Cyprus there was a man who had his father’s phone number and helped them acquire visas and tickets to get to Israel. When the journey was over they were in Nahariya.

“Just 1.5 miles away from the Leb-

anese border,” they were reunited with their father after having no contact with him for over a year and half, explained Elkhoury.

The Israeli government provided financial assistance and citizenship to Elkhoury’s family as well as the 2,000,000 Christian refugees that they took in from Lebanon. Eventually Elkhoury’s family was able to move to Haifa, a mixed city with a multicultural population of Jews, Bahá’í, Muslims, Christians and others living together in peace.

However, when choosing a school, the Arab population rejected Elkhoury because he was a Lebanese and his family did not support Hezbollah. Instead he went to a Jewish school that welcomed him with open arms and made it their mission to make sure that he learned Hebrew and was integrated with the rest of the school. Within three months, he was speaking fluent Hebrew.

In 11th grade, just as other minorities in Israel, he was asked whether or not he wanted to join the army. Without knowing that Israel is accommodating and no units are barred, he did not join the army from fear of not being

accepted because of his sexuality.

Instead he chose to contribute to his country through National Service by volunteering in Haifa.

At a school in Acre where he was volunteering, someone asked why he ran from Hezbollah.

When he stated his disapproval of Hezbollah and Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah since 1992, Elkhoury was verbally attacked and had to run out of fear.

These people, he explained, refuse Israeli society, and feel that where they come from is their only identity. He quoted Gabriel Nadaf, “We are all rooted in this land, and we as Christians have the responsibility to be involved in protecting Israel, our lives, freedom, our home and our identity. It is our right to rise, volunteer and protect the holy land and Israel.”

Just as Nadaf preaches for the Christian community, Elkhoury supports this idea even more generally.

Elkhoury emphasized the importance of integrating into Israeli society and working among its citizens to make a change. “Israel is not perfect, no country is, and we are doing our best to make it

even better,” he added. One can be a proud Arab-Israeli. The two are not mutually exclusive. In fact, about 70 percent of Arabs in Israel consider themselves both Israeli and Arab but are too afraid to speak up, said Elkhoury.

“With his chutzpah and liveliness, Jonathan embodies all the traits of a sophisticated and strong individual living in a complex and diverse society,” Ron Gadot ’18 said about the speech.

“Elkhoury shed a light on aspects of Israel that are not commonly discussed. Stories like Elkhoury’s can help people better understand the difference of the living as minority in Israel versus other middle eastern countries,” said Erin Chambers ’20, who was also at the speech.

The way to really make a change is to be proud of being Israeli and work to make a difference through society, said Elkhoury at the conclusion of his speech. Just as he was included at his school, Elkhoury wishes that all Israelis including Lebanese, Christians and Muslims to be one unit, living together and supporting each other.

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The Brandeis Hoot

November 11, 2016