December 2013 Print Issue

theGAVEL BC UNCOVERED MEN’S WATER POLO

1 DECEMBER 2013 / VOLUME VI / ISSUE IIII

NEWS

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FEATURES

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#OnlyAtBC CLF FheÓb[0 8heea[ :_XedW Overheard at BC

CULTURE

OPINIONS

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SPORTS

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EDITORIAL BOARD

JENNA LACONTE/;:?JEH ?D 9>?;< KATIE LEVINGSTON/C7D7=?D= ;:?JEH EMILY AKIN/EDB?D; C7D7=;H JILLIAN TIMKO/FH?DJ C7D7=;H GEENA DE ROSE/D;MI ;:?JEH KENNY ST. JOHN/EF?D?EDI ;:?JEH KATIE TOLKOWSKY/<;7JKH;I ;:?JEH SAMEET DHILLON/9KBJKH; ;:?JEH TEDDY KOLVA/IFEHJI ;:?JEH KATELYN CROWLEY/9EFO ;:?JEH ALEX KROWIAK/F>EJE ;:?JEH DANEY RAMIREZ/:;I?=D ;:?JEH ALISON RICCIATO/7IIE9$ D;MI ;:?JEH JING XU/7IIE9$ D;MI ;:?JEH JAMES CODY/7IIE9$ D;MI ;:?JEH TIM COOGAN/7IIE9$ EF?D?EDI ;:?JEH ITZEL AYALA/7IIE9$ <;7JKH;I ;:?JEH VICTORIA SOUTHWOOD/7IIE9$ <;7JKH;I ;:?JEH CHRISTIE MERINO/7IIE9$ <;7JKH;I ;:?JEH SAMANTHA CONSTANZA/7IIE9$ 9KBJKH; ;:?JEH RACHEL FORRAY/7IIE9$ 9KBJKH; ;:?JEH BILL STOLL/7IIE9$ IFEHJI ;:?JEH JAKE MILLER/L?:;E FHE:K9J?ED 7II?IJ7DJ KELLY SLATER/7IIE9$ 9EFO ;:?JEH MARY YUENGERT/7IIE9$ 9EFO ;:?JEH OLIVIA VERA/7IIE9$ :;I?=D ;:?JEH TAYLOR GARRISON/7IIE9$ :;I?=D ;:?JEH LAUREN REVER/7IIE9$ L?:;E C7D7=;H LAUREN GRAY/7IIE9$ 9EFO ;:?JEH MICHAEL NATALIE/7IIE9$ 9EFO ;:?JEH VICTORIA PALMER/7IIE9$ 9EFO ;:?JEH

BUSINESS & OPERATIONS

ARUEM SHIN/8KI?D;II 7:C?D$ C7D$ TAYLOR MCELDOWNEY/8KI?D;II 7:C?D$ C7D$ ANGELA SONG/<?D7D9; :?H;9JEH LEAH HUANG/C7HA;J?D= :?H;9JEH JEANNIE LEE/7:L;HJ?I?D= :?H;9JEH ERIC KOPELSON/7II?I$ <?D7D9; :?H;9JEH TIM OH/7:$ 799EKDJ C7D7=;H AJAY VELLORE/7:$ 799EKDJ C7D7=;H

DESIGN STAFF

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

AMBREY RICE JOHN PARADISO GRACE FUCCI JOE CASTINGNETTI EVAN MARTINEZ MADDIE WEBSTER JACKIE CARNEY

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The College Culture Crisis

By Grace Denny/Gavel Media Staff

Image via Tumblr

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BC Gavel

December 2013

Every year, thousands of young women across the country are told to watch their drinks, never put them down, never accept a drink from a stranger, be careful and stay vigilant.

While the general consensus seems to be that no one should be blamed for falling victim to sexual assault, with the way that society talks about sexual assault — especially on college campuses — today’s culture often puts the burden of prevention on young women instead of their attackers.

Every year, about one in four college-aged women are the victims of sexual assault, according to the Center for Disease Control. While this statistic shows the alarming rate of assault, one important factor remains illusive. While everyone should avoid drinking copious amounts of alcohol for health reasons, it should not be because doing so is viewed as an invitation or excuse for sexual assault.

Yes, being drunk does make someone an easier target. Many people argue that acknowledging this is not the same thing as victim blaming, and it is definitely not the same thing as explicit victim blaming. The problem with the way society looks at sexual assault lies in the way that it is talked about.

Several rape stories involving young women have circulated throughout the news this year. While many of

the responses to the victims were supportive, in multiple cases the victims were so ostracized that their families were then forced to move from the town. Whenever a rape case is in the news, there is always a heavy focus on what the victim was drinking, wearing and doing. Was she flirting? Was she intoxicated? Was she wearing something low-cut? People frequently imply that even if the victim wasn’t consenting, her behavior was somehow part of the problem.

“Was she flirting? Was she intoxicated? Was she wearing something low-cut?”

The fact that the media has found it necessary to include those pieces of information is symptomatic of the larger issue of victim blaming. The media, and society at large, spends a disproportionate amount of time focusing on the behavior of the victim as opposed to the behavior of the attacker.

This attitude is also a huge reason why many rape victims later commit suicide.

When the media spends time focusing on the behavior of the

victim, making it a central part of their narrative, they are furthering the myth that women are responsible for whether or not they get raped.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest Nation Network (RAINN), 97 percent of rapists are never imprisoned.

While many would argue that’s an overestimation, even the US Bureau of Justice Statistics admits that 75 percent of rapists in the United States are never arrested. Even those who are convicted often do not serve a full sentence.

At Boston College, the possible consequences for someone found to have committed a sexual assault include Housing Suspension, Housing Dismissal, University Suspension and University Dismissal. Certainly, BC students and administrators care deeply about sexual assault, as demonstrated by the response to Boston College Confession #7122, after which the University quickly intervened. BC also offers many sexual assault resources on campus through the Women’s Resource Center and Counseling Services.

Changing an attitude so entrenched in college culture is undoubtedly difficult. The most important thing one can do is to change the tone of the conversation.

Image via Getty Images

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AMERICA

By Benjamin Seo/Gavel Media Staff In the opening scene of Aaron Sorkin’s HBO television series, The Newsroom, the anchor of the nightly news, Will McAvoy, is asked what makes America the greatest country in the world. After many unsuccessful attempts to dodge the question, he finally relents and states that the United States is not, in fact, the greatest country in the world. “[America is] seventh in literacy, twenty-seventh in math, twenty-second in science, forty-ninth in life expectancy, and one hundred and seventy-eighth in infant mortality,” the character explains.

In fact, he states, “[America] leads the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending.”

According to the fictionalized McAvoy, there was a time when America was great. “We stood up for what was right . . . We sacrificed. We cared for our neighbors.

We built great, big things . . . We aspired to intelligence.”

This old ideal of American exceptionalism was based on the fact that, “We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed by great men.”

Americans look at the state of their country today and cannot help but return to the nostalgia of these “good old days” of which McAvoy speaks. Even the mortal men and women of American history are looked upon and revered as “heroes of days long past,” while their current successors are deemed incompetent and flawed. So what has happened to the idea of American exceptionalism?

Many would argue that American

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Image via Getty Images

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exceptionalism still exists and that those who fail to believe this simple fact are not “true Americans.” Yet an increasing proportion of Americans are coming to believe that the United States no longer holds its place at the top of the world, and there is growing evidence that this may be the case.

In addition to the statistics given

by McAvoy in The Newsroom, other staggering facts illustrate the United States’ decline amongst its counterparts.

For example, the United States is the only “advanced economy” that does not require firms to provide employees with paid vacations, holidays or sick days. In fact, the US joins the nations of Lesotho, Swaziland and New Guinea as the only nations to not mandate paid maternity leave.

The minimum wage in the United States, which currently rests at $7.25, has less purchasing power than it did in 1968 which, when adjusted for inflation, was worth the equivalent of nearly $11 in 2012.

Education in the US is, on average, $5,000 more expensive than the second closest nation, the United Kingdom, yet these extra thousands do not seem to be achieving the desired results. Recent studies by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) measure the literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills of developed countries. Americans scored at the bottom of OECD countries in terms of literacy, mathematical concepts and computer literacy.

Medical care in the US is also the most expensive among industrialized nations. On average, Americans spend $8,500 on healthcare annually, partially because of the high price of prescription drugs in our country. For example, in 2012, Americans paid an average of $124 on the cholesterollowering drug Lipitor. Citizens of the UK, France and Spain paid significantly lower prices for these drugs at $43, $48 and $13, respectively.

Each of these failings has played a critical role in the growing income inequality among Americans. The OECD has also found that the US has the worst income inequality amongst developed nations and is ahead of Chile, Mexico and Turkey among all nations.

What, then, are Americans— including our current president— referring to when they continue to preach about American exceptionalism? How can America restore its place at the top of the world?

The Newsroom touches upon this question by introducing the concept of the Greater Fool. Sloan Sabbath, a fictional economist, explains that the Greater Fool is “someone with the perfect blend of self-delusion and ego to think that he can succeed where others have failed.” She adds, “this whole country was made by Greater Fools.”

In The West Wing, another of Sorkin’s American political dramas, the national director of communications Toby Ziegler recalls a perfect example of the Greater Fool in American history. “In 1940, [America’s] armed

forces weren’t among the twelve most formidable in the world, but obviously we were about to fight a big war. And Roosevelt said the US would produce 50,000 planes in the next four years.

Everyone thought it was a joke. And it was. Because it turned out, we produced 100,000 planes,” he explains.

So perhaps what makes the US exceptional is not quantifiable when ranking it among its fellow nations.

Instead, what makes this country exceptional is what drove our predecessors to split the atom, splice the gene and walk on the moon: the willingness of the American people to play the Greater Fool, to have the perseverance and ambition to prevail where others have failed.

There is no question that the US faces problems ahead. When former President Jimmy Carter says that the nation has not been this polarized since the days of the Civil War, it’s clear that the country is in a grave state of national conflict.

However, David Gergen, a former advisor to four presidents, has shown optimism in the current generation of college students. In a 2010 speech at Cornell University, he said, “The Millennial Generation is one of the great hopes for this country . . . This generation has the possibility of being the next Great Generation.”

What Gergen may be seeing is the next generation of Greater Fools, ready to take their place and lead the United States back to its place as the world’s indispensible nation.

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Boston in 2014: The Progressive City

By John Paradiso / Editorial Assistant

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oston holds a reputation for being one of the more progressive cities in the United States, and the changes proposed for 2014 serve only to reinforce this title. Among its many goals for the upcoming year, Boston looks to further eliminate its carbon footprint and become more environmentally conscious.

Global warming and its effects on buildings in Boston are a major concern for city officials. The Boston Globe has reported that Boston will implement new zoning regulations that require developers to adapt to flooding, overheating and further possible products of climate change. These processes are paramount for a waterfront city such as Boston, particularly considering the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy.

Boston is not only working to prepare for climate change but also to lessen its impact on the environment by reducing overall energy consumption with the use of LED street lights and natural oil, the environmental magazine Grist reports. In light of a heightened focus and widespread concern for the environment throughout the state, Massachusetts has been named the most energy efficient state by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy for the third year in a row.

Another initiative intends to raise the number of cycle tracks in the city. BostInno reports that the Transportation Department will be creating over 20 miles of bike tracks over the next year. Not only will this alleviate traffic issues by moving

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cyclists out of the middle of the road, but it will also further promote an environmental consciousness among Bostonians.

Other cities that have implemented similar bikeways, such as New York, have reported fewer injuries and slower car speeds. With safer and more accessible means of commuting by bicycle, locals, including Boston College students, will be encouraged to ride bicycles to work and school, significantly reducing Boston’s impact on the environment.

Boston will also look to heal itself beyond environmental issues by growing as a community in light of the tragedies of last year’s bombing at the beloved Boston Marathon. The upcoming year promises to be one of strength, growth and commitment. The Boston Marathon will continue to take place with as much semblance of the past as can be managed, but runners and members of the Boston community will be conscious of the victims of the bombings.

Boston College students have always enjoyed participating in and watching the race, and 2014 will not be any different.

“I feel like we’ll have more people running, but less people going to watch out of fear that something else will happen.

But my hope is that it won’t be the case and we’ll still have crowds as big as there were for the Red Sox parade,” says John Walsh, A&S ’17. “It’ll be a really moving and inspiring time to be a Bostonian!”

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There will be increased security and more involved planning in the 2014 marathon. The race will involve 36,000 runners, many of whom were on the course when the bombs detonated last year. This year will certainly be a transition for many Bostonians as they cope with tragedy and look toward growth and moving forward.

One of the most visible changes for Boston in 2014 will be its new mayor, Martin “Marty” J. Walsh, who will replace Thomas Menino, Boston’s mayor for the past 20 years. Walsh edged out John Connolly on Nov. 5 by a small margin. Both mayoral candidates had similar platforms, and The Boston Globe cites Walsh’s victory as a result of his personable attitude and “compelling life story.”

Walsh, a graduate of Boston College’s Woods College of Advanced Studies, is a proud Boston local who grew up in Dorchester. Apart from his profound victory over alcoholism and childhood bout with cancer, Walsh’s defining traits are his ties to labor unions and diverse political backing. Some, including Connolly, worry that Walsh will be too closely tied to unions as Boston’s mayor, but Walsh assures that he will deal fairly with unions in discussions and work to push Boston to become a “community of shared prosperity.”

As Boston’s new mayor, Walsh will look to promote the progressive ideals his city has espoused through the years. Following in his predecessor’s footsteps, Walsh will work to push Boston forward with new labor and ecofriendly legislature.

Boston certainly has the opportunity to thrive under Walsh and, as he puts it, his “mission is to make [Boston] better, to make Boston a hub of opportunity.” With widespread initiatives to promote an ecofriendly city and hopes to improve the economy, carbon emissions and community as a whole, Boston can only be strengthened and affirmed as a progressive city.

If those involved work to that end, Walsh has expressed hope that “the best is yet to come!”

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Marathon Daffodils is a collaboration of nonprofit organizations, gardeners, cities and towns, organizations, businesses and citizens interested in preserving the spirit of the Boston Marathon and Boston Strong, while embracing the tradition of celebrating the arrival of spring to Boston.

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Searchbar Society

By Miranda Richard/Gavel Media Staff

Image via Getty Images

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ith the recent release of the iPhone 5S, one might contained most variations of the f-word be tempted to caption that first Instagram from a brand new phone with the very pertinent hashtag

#iPhone. As it turns out, #iPhone is banned by Instagram, along with other gems like #sexualwednesdays, #ilovemyInstagram, #hardcore and #whitepower. Recently, social media giants have surreptitiously make changes to search and privacy settings that reflect social issues and greatly affect the user experience.

While some of Instagramâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banned hashtags are funny, improbable or seemingly unnecessary, most reflect the safe, censored sharing environment that the fast-growing social media network wishes to create for users.

Instagram has grown in popularity

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among middle and even elementary school children because parents perceive it to be less dangerous than Facebook or Twitter.

To protect its youngest amateur photographers, Instagram used to ban users from searching for hashtags that

and other profanities, as well as body parts that need not be searched for online.

Last month, however, the ban on several hashtags was lifted. Among those that are now searchable are #adiosbitchachos and #sexyscruff. The app has also lifted its ban on more than 60 hashtags containing variations of the f-word. Some of the more graphic searches, like #porn and #pornography, as well as #nude, remain banned, mostly in order to prevent illegal activity of an explicit nature.

Recently, Instagram has come under fire because people have been searching the hashtag #gunsforsale in order to participate in the illegal purveyance of firearms. This calls into question what banned searches should

December 2013

aim to protect people from: illegal activity or offensive material. Is it more important for the site to ban illegal and possibly lethal activity rather than to monitor whether or not someone tries to search #ilovemyInstagram?

The bans do not prevent users from putting banned hashtags in the captions of their posts. However, when another user clicks on the tag to search for similar posts, Instagram says that there are “No Posts Found.”

“We want Instagram to be a safe and fun place for people to capture and share moments. That means finding a good balance between allowing people to express themselves and providing protection against certain content that would be against our terms,” said an Instagram spokesperson to the Huffington Post.

Instagram’s terms of use specifically prohibit pornographic and nude images. Though this certainly reflects modern society’s inhibitions regarding openness about sex, each user does accept terms and conditions upon creating an account and it is the user’s job to be aware of and abide by those conditions.

Other social media sites are creating a different privacy problem altogether.

The recent coup of Facebook Instagram’s parent company - staged by parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members who many college students would rather not have commenting on every single picture, has prompted the younger group of users to gradually drift away from the godfather of social media.

In October, Facebook announced that it was changing privacy policies to allow users aged 13 to 17 to share posts and photos publicly. Previously, Facebook had barred underage users from sharing content with those other than “friends.” With Twitter gaining more and more ground over Facebook, especially among younger users, Facebook executives hope that the new sharing abilities will bring teens back to the site.

The change has opened the “follow” feature on Facebook to the teenage demographic. A somewhat obvious attempt by Facebook to make itself more Twitter-like, this feature allows users to be “followed” by people with whom they are not actually “friends.”

Though this may level the playing field between Facebook and other faster-growing sites like Twitter and Instagram, it can also make the site more dangerous for those who are not savvy about their privacy settings.

Likewise, Facebook’s recently announced “Graph Search” feature reduces privacy and attempts to rival Twitter. Now, users can search for key words in the search bar. Similar to the hashtag-searching feature on Twitter and Instagram, this allows users to find public posts on topics that interest them, including posts from non-friends.

Until very recently, Twitter has had a monopoly on the “live-tweet” business. Users tweet events from their favorite shows, events or sports games in real time, giving updates to those who are not watching and keeping them up-to-speed. With graph search, Facebook users will be able to see live feeds about whatever interests them, while blocking out the mundane and frankly annoying “Great Aunt Lydia scored 750 points in Bejeweled” posts.

Graph search is another feature that Facebook has adopted in order to win back the Twitter generation, while compromising security settings.

Though social media platforms are worrying some users with decreased security, a recent study shows that the current generation is not oversharing as much as one might expect. Contrary to popular belief, most young people do not share the majority of their social media posts publicly. Unlike their parents, today’s young adults are savvy with security settings, which they use to protect themselves online.

The Pew Research Foundation found that younger social media users (ages 18 to 29) “are more likely to have cleared their browser histories,

Image via Instagram

deleted or edited past social media postings, set their browsers to disable cookies, decline to use a website that requires them to go by their real name and employ a temporary username or email address to hide their identity online” than older social media users.

As it turns out, younger social media users are much more cautious about what they share than the older generation previously believed.

Though Facebook and Instagram are relaxing security and privacy settings, the young social media generation has the tools to be safe online.

The world of social media is increasingly important in our daily lives. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow us to stay connected to people across the world. Though it would be wise to remain vigilant and keep up with changes that the social media giants make to their policies, our generation is more careful online than most of our elders would think.

So as long as we’re not hashtagging #instagram on Instagram, we should be just fine.

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WELLES THE EAGLE

1 567 BC

By Grace Fucci/Editorial Assistant

On any given day, there are certain moments when an event plays out right in front of your eyes that leaves you half amused, half shocked and reaching for your phone to tell social media about it. Laughing or silently crying on the inside, you continue on with your day thinking to yourself, “That would seriously only happen at Boston College.”

These endearing, sometimes awkward, but always smile-provoking moments are part of why Eagles far and wide adore our school in all of its quirky glory. In case you need a reason to cringe — but in the best way possible — here are 10 of the most BC things to ever happen.

PLEX DAY, LATE NIGHT

#OnlyatBC do people commit themselves to rigorously working out every day, just to eat back all the calories they’ve burned off at Late Night. The paradox of Lululemon clad legs in the sunlight and lemon F’Reals with a side of onion rings at night is one definitely unique to our body-conscious campus. Of course, this behavioral pattern is generally followed by most, so no judgment is passed.

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THE MODS

You can’t find an equivalent on any other campus. #OnlyatBC would temporary housing irrelevantly designed in comparison to the rest of our beloved, beautiful buildings last this long. Leave it to generations of the BC student body to turn a short-term solution into an irreplaceable part of the college campus. Lucky for us and our Saturday nights that they did.

We have Baldwin. We have SuperFan shirts. We have typical sporting event paraphernalia, just like every other college. But only at BC do we own a live bald eagle. Portraying an animal is fine — if you go to BU — but here at BC, we’re majestic. #OnlyatBC do we bring out the real eagle, because our school is classy and our sporting events are sights to behold. Welles was named after the ultimate pride of BC, Welles Remey Crowther, so this particular eagle holds the honor of representing one of BC’s finest heroes.

Also, to truly emphasize why Welles is so glorious, we must acknowledge how difficult it is to legally possess a bald eagle. Since 1940, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act has made it illegal to own, buy, sell or transport an eagle unless you go through a rigorous permit process. Only the best for BC.

FLOCK OF EAGLES

Where else will you find an entire family clad in those awful yellow shirts, dutifully tailgating every gameday morning? I think we all fall in love with the toddlers decked out in maroon and gold waddling around campus: the SuperFans of the future getting a head start. The generations of Eagles flocking back to campus for the game is a heartwarming part of the culture that can be found #OnlyatBC. Our alumni are some of the most dedicated and loyal in the country, and it’s reassuring to know that our gates are always open for the endless amounts of eternal eagles to wander through.

December 2013

SUPERFAN SHIRT COLOR

BIDDY ATTIRE: NORTH FACE AND UGGS

GOAL CHEER The first time I went to a hockey game, we beat Wisconsin nine to two. The first time we scored a goal, I heard the most BC thing I could have imagined.

Between the “It’s all your fault”-ing, and “You suck at life”-ing, I felt everything BC students love to be hated for: beating everyone else, being aware that we’re better than everyone else and having a good time celebrating our superiority. But in true BC fashion, our cheer is more goofy and light-hearted than rude or harsh. Probably something that we could get away with #OnlyatBC.

234 8 9 10 Speaking of sports at BC, let’s talk about the color of our SuperFan shirts: Neon mustard yellow. That’s ridiculous, and #OnlyatBC would a school get away with that. But those shirts are so drenched in tradition that our student section wears them with pride. Even the material is ridiculous—Under Armour fabric? Are the fans working out too, or is it just a testament to how hard our student section goes at the games? Over the four years at BC, those SuperFan shirts will experience a lot of blood, sweat and beers tears.

Could you really imagine wearing any other color?

THAT FOOTBALL PLAYER’S TATTOO

In 2007, Josh Haden came to BC for the football. In 2009, he was replaced on the team by an incoming freshman and decided to transfer after his second season. Although he left BC, BC will never leave him: Haden fell so in love so fast that he tattooed our iconic BC right onto his chest within his first few months of being here.

This is one of the strangest testaments to the magnetic effect of this place: #OnlyatBC do you tattoo our name to let the world know you were here.

It’s cold outside. It may or may not be drizzling, and it’s a weekday. As you look into your closet, in your heart you know there’s only one way to go.

Accepting that you go to BC, you don your (presumably white) North Face and slip into your Uggs. As you walk out of your dorm you also expect to see at least one third of the student body matching you. But here’s why this is #OnlyatBC: you don’t care. Embrace the biddy.

BC-THEMED WEDDINGS

It only makes sense to fall in love with everything BC. While I’m sure a lot of college campuses are where future couples meet, I doubt that the college is involved in the wedding ceremony… well, one is, but #OnlyatBC. Why top your cake with models of you and your spouse when you can have Baldwin and his chick? In fact, why not just get married on campus?

Judging from the massive amounts of BC-themed decorations, bouquets, dresses and even ceremonies, it seems that when BC grads marry, they’re marrying into the tradition that they too will be eternal eagles, breeding the next generation of BC students.

COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE T

When we say we’re the only college in the Boston area that matters, we mean it. #OnlyatBC can you find a school that has its own line on the T. The B line is the Boston College line because we matter.

BC’s presence in Boston is unmatched.

Northeastern, Harvard, BU? HA. Only one of us is recognized as a worthy destination, and much to our enjoyment, if BU kids want to access their own school, they need our T line to do it. Yet, despite having the B line and access to the D line only a 10 minute walk away, BC students still find reasons to hate the T. Either the commute is too long or the cars are too crowded; we expect better. Then again, with Boston College serving as a digitalized crown for the T lines, could you blame us for expecting the best?

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13

by Aya Tsuruta / Gavel Media Staff

B

Image via Gavel Media

rooke Dibona eagerly hovered over her mom’s smart phone hasn’t lost a bit of her personality” senior as they watched the BC women’s ice hockey game together with her dad and younger sister, Taylor. The TV wasn’t work-­

ing that day, but by no means would that stop her from making sure her girls were playing their hardest. In the middle of the game she needed to take a bathroom break, so she asked to pause the game.

“Just go to the bathroom, you won’t miss much,” her mom said.

“Ma…these are my girls. That’s my team. And I don’t want to miss any of it!” she responded.

Each member of the BC women’s ice hockey team tells this story with a loving smile on her face.

Brooke joined the team at the age of 8, and now at age 10 she has, without a doubt, become the most valuable player.

While MVPs are typically praised for their adept skills on the ice, Brooke wears the title with an admirable quality

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BC Gavel

that the entire team wishes to possess: perseverance.

One day in third grade, Brooke’s parents picked her up from elementary school. But instead of going home, they headed straight to the Children’s Hospital in Boston. That day in 2010, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a type of cancer in which many stem cells become malignant leukemia cells. She has been a strong fighter ever since, and has lit the way for the BC women’s ice hockey team.

“She’s been through so much and she

Jackie Young says. “She has taught me a lot about life, perseverance and being strong.”

Like a proud big sister, Young could talk about Brooke forever. When Brooke first met the team she had already been through chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant—two strenuous medical procedures for such a young girl.

“We’ve seen her become stronger and stronger, and we feel lucky and fortunate to have been able to see that,” senior captain Meagan Mangene says.

Young and Mangene are both incredibly grateful for Team Impact, the organization that brought Brooke into their lives. Team Impact matches children who have life-threatening illnesses with a college athletic team of their interest, in pursuit of enhancing the quality of their lives. It opens the door to friendship, support, admiration, encouragement and love for these young and courageous children.

“It is one phenomenal organization,”

December 2013

Young says.

There is no doubt that the team benefits just as much as, if not more than Brooke does from Team Impact. A grin stretches across each athlete’s face when her name is mentioned. In the locker room she is known as the life of the team. She DJs before the game, often playing songs from Pitch Perfect — a team favorite. As she dances to the music, Brooke spreads her joyous spirit, reminding each athlete not to compete so hard all the time and appreciate the fun of the sport.

Not only is Brooke the 25th teammate, but to some girls on the team, she is also a little sister.

“I can genuinely say I love Brooke,” Young says. “She is so tough and she is like a spitfire. If I joke with her she’s going to come right back at me, and I just love that we have created that type of relationship where it’s very comfortable and really does feel like we’re family.”

As big sisters, many of the girls on the team spend a lot of time with Brooke off the ice and away from BC. Young has attended several of Brooke’s soccer games along with a couple other teammates, and they all went apple picking together to celebrate the fall season.

When the team has away games, Brooke is present in spirit. She invariably follows the game on TV or on her mom’s phone, play by play.

“Sometimes she’ll ask me why I made a certain foul,” Young says.

What Brooke has contributed to the team is something special that no other teammate, coach or parent could produce.

“She gives more life to what we’re doing.

She makes it more fun because we have someone on our team who can’t necessarily play but is counting on us to come through and win because she’s on the team too and wants to win just as much,” Young says.

When asked how long Brooke will be in the program, Young answers, “She’s on our team for good.” As a sister, teammate, secret weapon and role model, Brooke will forever remain a cherished member of the BC women’s ice hockey community.

“She has taught me a lot about life, perserverance & X[_d] ijhed]È –Jackie Young

Images via Gavel Media

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15

C B T A HEARD

OVER

Ç? WYjkWbbo ^Wj[ jXj$ B_a[" ? ZedÊj mWdj je i[[ W XWXo f_Yjkh[ e\ oek" oek m[h[dÊj Ykj[$È Å Maloney elevator

Ç:e oek Yedi_Z[h 7XhW^Wc B_dYebd W dehcWb cedij[h5È # Near Iggy “I’m going to start wearing a video camera on my head when I go out because I don’t remember anything from Saturday.” – O’Neill “The weird sh*t we used to all do together on our floor is actually absurd.” – Lower “My boobs are free, but this purse was $300.” – Mod 36B “Well he wasn’t gonna make me scream, that’s for sure.” – Off campus “I hate when people I don’t like ‘like’ my Instagrams.

Like, I’d rather you not.” – Hillside “I don’t save any numbers, unless I know you’re gonna stay around and he’s not gonna stay around.” – Off campus

Images via Gavel Media

16

BC Gavel

December 2013

In Good Company:

Spoken Word Poetry At BC

by Jenna LaConte/Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday, December 11, the Gavel will be hosting Spoken Word & Good Company, Part II in Higgins 300 at 6pm.

But what, really, is spoken word poetry?

According to Wikipedia, spoken word is “a performance artistic poem that is word-basic. It often includes collaboration and experimentation with other art forms such as music, theater, and dance. However, spoken word usually tends to focus on the words themselves, the dynamics of tone, gestures, facial expressions, and not so much on the other art forms.”

As reputable of a source as Wikipedia may be, the Gavel decided to go straight to the source to learn what spoken word means to Boston College’s poetic community.

Mashaunda (Mo) McBarnett photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

A&S ‘16

Besides spoken word, what are you so excited to be apart of it. involved in at BC? B.E.A.T.S, W.O.M, D.O.R What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? The aftermath; hearing how my poem touched so many What sparked your interest in people was an amazing experience within itself. spoken word?

I used to write little cute poems Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful in elementary school for fun, but to you in one way or another? as I got older my pieces started “...you, too cry in bathroom stalls, but for different reasons to reflect my inner emotions. I than they…” This line is one of my favorites because I’ve had to really didn’t think about seriously go through some things in my past, but it’s hard to understand performing as a spoken word artist until friends at BC, that other people, that we think have it together, also have Danny De Leon, and Ashlie Pruitt, encouraged me to do so. their low moments; it makes us all human.

How did you get involved with the spoken word community at BC? My close friend Ashlie told me that she and another friend of mine, Phil, were starting something on campus, and I was

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Share your gift and your story, even if you don’t think it’s important; someone will be able to share your emotions with you, Even if it’s just one.

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17

Alex Li

Psychology and Management and Leadership ‘14

photo courtesy of Alex Li

Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? Co-Chairman of ALC in UGBC What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? Josh Bennett came to BC last year for Black Family Weekend and I got to share the mic with him. He is really the poet that helped me to find my voice and helped inspire me when I was younger with his honesty and incredibly beautiful poetry. To share the stage with him was a huge honor, and to speak with him was incredible. And he loved my poem!

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? BC has been very good to me so it’s hard to complain. The only thing is that I hate being told what topic to perform on or what to write – which happens a lot. So I just never listen.

Whenever I’m told my poem has to be on a certain topic, I just perform a poem I want to perform but beforehand I give some really weak intro that vaguely relates my poem with the topic I’m supposed to speak on.

Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful to you in one way or another?

This is one of the first things I ever wrote, and I’ve held it very close since then: I have found salvation in words, Paper is my pew Rhyme my prayer Meaning my god.

Really, Poetry saved my life.

photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Like I’ve said over and over again, you have to find your voice for you. You have to quiet your body and mind and find out what it really means to be you when no one else is watching.

That’s a dynamic process and who you are is always changing.

But all it takes to begin writing is to begin listening. Poetry will come from that. And when you’re ready, there’s a rich community of poets eager to listen and to experience you, in all your honesty. photo courtesy of Alex Li

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BC Gavel

December 2013

Danny DeLeon A&S ’15

share their finished or unfinished pieces for feedback or even post videos that inspired them on an individual level.

What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? As a sophomore I performed at the OLAA culture show for Latino family weekend, along with Jovani Hernandez and Luis Miguel Torres. I will never forget the roar and applause I heard after we all finished reciting our poems. I received so much praise from students and many of them told me they were touched by words. It reminded me why I love to do this. I will never forget that moment of pure bliss.

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? I get tired of feeling like people don’t really listen to what I’m saying. They appreciate the performance for what it is, but photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy then I feel like it does nothing more than just touch a few emotions at the time. I write to inspire, to motivate change, Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? to shift cultural norms and standards. I’m always finding ways I have been an active member of Word Of Mouth since my to make people think, reflect, and pursue what they love to freshman year. I have been running my own public speaking do. It frustrates me to feel that perhaps my words aren’t doing forum since the beginning of my sophomore year. It’s a little much because they’re falling on deaf ears in a community that different from your typical WOM forum because I try to seems to revolve around individuality and self-praise. make it more of an expressive venue, rather than JUST a Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful public speaking forum. I let people come in to share new poems, sing songs, rap, vent about their week, or literally to you in one-way or another? talk about anything they want to. You have 3 minutes in “Don’t be complacent with being like everyone else, accept front of a small audience to do whatever you want. that difference is beauty.”

What sparked your interest in spoken word?

I started writing short poems my freshman year of high school. It was my way of venting. Somehow I ended coming across a group of spoken word artists known as the Write Side Poets. From the very first spoken word poem I heard, I was hooked. I never knew that poetry could be such a powerful medium of expression. I heard these young teens talk about personal experiences and tackle larger societal issues. I saw myself in them and knew I had the necessary tools to be a good spoken word artist. I committed myself to this craft and I have been writing ever since.

How did you get involved with the spoken word community at BC? When I came to this campus the first thing I looked for was a Slam Team. I went to every table on student activities day and didn’t find one. I took my freshman year as an opportunity to really make a name for myself as a poet.

At every performance I always mentioned my desire for starting a spoken word club or some sort of collaboration.

At the beginning of my sophomore year I was introduced to Phil McHarris and Ashlie Pruitt. The three of us shared lots of the same of sentiments in regards to starting a group.

We realized there was a pool of talented poets on campus and that we all wanted to form a group, but no one was getting the ball rolling. Ashlie took must of the initiative in organizing all the poets on campus through Facebook. From there we managed to create a space where all poets could

“I don’t need to be a flower in your garden. I’ll be the dandelion that sparks a revolution. If somehow you manage to blow me away, my seeds will carry on the legacy. You’ll remember me as “Dan DeLion” and I’ll just have to correct your memory and say, “No! Me llamo Daniel DeLeon.”

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Don’t be afraid. Come find us. We’re here to help.

photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

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19

Luis Miguel Torres A&S ‘16

photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? Besides spoken word I’m involved in a number of things. I am the Assistant Director of External Affairs for the Organization of Latin American Affairs (OLAA), the sophomore rep for the Dominican Association of Boston College (DABC), a participant in the Mississippi Delta Service trip, a student leader for the Dedicated Intellectuals of the People (DIOP), the administrative assistant for the Office for Institutional Diversity of Boston College, and a participant of Dialogues on Race. A lot of my extra-curriculars are based on diversity, and so much of my inspiration for writing comes from these activities.

What sparked your interest in spoken word?

I actually didn’t know what spoken word was until I came to BC. A friend asked me if I wanted to be a part of a Poetry Collective he was forming at BC and I willingly accepted.

From this moment on I began to write more often and this eventually helped me find what I was passionate about. I am now an English major with a creative writing concentration partly because of my exposure to spoken word. After my first spoken word performance at OLAA’s Culture Show, spoken word became something I was proud to do. It gave me a voice and allowed me to connect with people on a less superficial level at BC. What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? My most memorable moment performing at BC happened quite recently, actually. It was at the 2013 Hispanic Heritage Month Closing event in which I performed a piece about my childhood struggles and how my sister has helped me overcome them. I had memorized the piece, but blanked when I went up to the mic, but the crowd supported me the entire time I was up there. I eventually remembered the piece and recited it. What was so memorable about this performance was the standing ovation I received after I had finished. I had never felt so humbled and small in my life looking onto a sea of friends standing and clapping for me. I can still picture this moment in my head. I’ll probably write a poem about it someday.

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BC Gavel

photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? Besides bad mics and speakers, the frustrations I’ve felt while performing at BC have come from my hesitation to speak about things that truly matter to me. For example, I now speak a lot about my family and my troubled past, but this wasn’t always the case. I had to build up the courage to make myself vulnerable in front of strangers. Yes, no one likes to be vulnerable, but I believe that good things can come from it.

The most gratifying thing about performing comes after the performance when someone in the audience tells you that you almost made them cry or that you gave them the chills. This shows me that I have connected with them in some way or another. A lot of times people have the impression that their struggles are only unique to them, but I try to help people who can identify with me by showing them that they are not alone. My greatest fear is the fear of solitude (Not the good kind of solitude).

Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful to you in one way or another?

“Spare me the sunrise when desperate for sunset.

Even if the science of my heart proves otherwise, I am dead without your help.”

These lines of a poem of mine are meaningful to me because they show my fear of asking for help. Coming from New York City, my perception of the typical male is one of someone who must always do everything on their own. This is not the case at all. I have never had to ask for help so much before I came to BC and that is something that is perfectly okay.

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Approach all the spoken word artists you see on campus and don’t be shy to ask for their contact information. WE ARE ALL REALLY NICE PEOPLE. For myself, I always like to hear from new people, especially younger artists because it shows me

December 2013

Jovani (Geo) Hernandez A&S ’16

to this event, the biggest audience I had done was probably 50 people. Robsham seats about 600 and something people and the event was sold out. I was nervous, but also anxious to recite my piece. The lighting was cool: from the audience’s perspective, I was in the spotlight, but from mine, I could barely see anything because of this spotlight. This made me less nervous and the fact that people who had never even seen or met me before that night were clapping and rooting for me assured me that people are willing to listen as long as you have something to say.

After the performance, I went to eat at Lower and it was crazy that people were coming up to me and saying how amazing they thought I was. It felt good to be recognized and shown love. It was a moment I’ll hold close for a long time. photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? I’m the Creative Director for the Organization of Latin American Affairs (OLAA), a position that takes up a lot of my dedication. Additionally, I work in the Audio department, volunteer at two women’s prisons through the Prison Arts Outreach program run out of the Theater department, participate in the all-male discussion group Dedicated Individuals of the People (DIOP), and am part of the Dominican Republic Service and Immersion Trip run through the Learning to Learn Center.

How did you get involved with the spoken word community at BC? One of the pivotal people in getting me involved with spoken word at BC and in general has been Daniel DeLeon.

September of my freshman year was the first time I ever performed something at BC. A friend of mine was involved in the planning of Hispanic Heritage Month and for the opening event of the month, the committee had a variety of performances, including poetry reading. I say poetry reading because that’s what I was doing at the time - I did not know how to perform. Nonetheless, after I was on, Danny introduced himself to me and told me about his Word of Mouth forum. He said he did spoken word and that he’d be performing in like 10 minutes. I remember as the crowd gathered around him and interacted with him as he spoke about being from a family of lions. I’m sure people knew him, but I’m more certain that this crowd was drawn in because he was conveying a message with wittiness, passion, and honesty.

As time passed, the group got bigger, people came and went, and spoken word lived through people who hadn’t had a concrete outlet prior to forming a small collective and performing at once-in-a-blue-moon open mic nights. The spoken word community at BC has grown in the short time I’ve been here and I’m glad I’ve been able to be a part of it.

What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? Without a doubt, the most memorable moment performing at BC was at the annual culture show put on by OLAA during Latino Family Weekend and held in Robsham Theater. Prior

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? I’m notorious for finishing every poem I’ve performed on the same day of the performance. This makes the memorization process a lot more difficult than it should be. I’ve had hiccups here and there while performing, but overall I’ve been accepted and supported by all of those whom my words reach.

I guess another thing that frustrates me is the chance for my words to fall on deaf ears. Though the “Great job[s]!” and “That was so deep[s]!” are welcomed and appreciated, I want to provoke people into action. I’m not saying let’s go try and change society, but I also don’t want people to completely rule that out of the picture. I don’t want my words to be momentary doses enjoyed in dimly lit spaces. Instead, I want my words to be the impetus for discussion in Courage to Know classrooms, among friends at Lower, Mac, or Stuart, and between direct roommates at 3AM when both of them are entering the “heart-to-heart/deep conversation” zone. I want everyone to leave with something after they witness me perform, something that will positively influence them and inspire them to act.

Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful to you in one way or another?

The following are the opening lines to the poem entitled “Sueño Americano,” which I performed at last year’s OLAA culture show: “It hurts to know it’s been 20 years since my uncle’s seen his mother’s land The place that saw him and his wife exchange wedding bands.

As the mariachi band plays and the town gathers, Another man’s dream shatters.

Little did he know it would be his: Banned from the land that gave birth to his kids.”

My uncle’s always been a father figure to me – I still call him “pa”.His father passed away recently, but he couldn’t attend the burial because he is undocumented. Though his parents had visited and lived in the USA various times, my uncle has not been to Mexico in about 20 years. The last time he went was probably in 1992. It’s a sad day when a man can’t attend his father’s burial because of a lack of documentation.

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21

Ashlie Pruitt A&S ‘15

Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? VP for Black Experience in America Through Song (B.E.A.T.S.), Uprising Dance Crew, AM DJ/FM intern for WZBC What sparked your interest in spoken word?

I’ve loved writing since I was young. Within recent years various people in my life convinced me to take it seriously and ever since I’ve found it as another way to express my emotions when either music or dance doesn’t seem to suffice.

How did you get involved with the spoken word community at BC? Last fall I had a random conversation with a friend about poetry and we were surprised that there were no outlets or organizations available for spoken word artists on campus.

We got together, contacted a few friends, and started the Poetry Collective. Since then I’ve met so many incredibly talented individuals and I can only hope to keep meeting more and building within the community.

What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? Every performance is different and exhilarating in its own way. Particularly I remember CVSA’s One Mic last semester, which was an awesome experience. People still come up to me about the poem and song I performed. It’s such a great feeling to know that they were connecting with me and that I made it memorable for them as well.

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? There aren’t enough events that showcase the talent here!

But I am glad The Gavel and other groups have begun to step in alongside me and my fellow artists on campus. I can only hope that the spoken word community will continue to grow and come together collectively to show just how diverse BC talent is.

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Speak up! We’re out here and we all want to share and grow together. I hold meetings for the Poetry Collective every Sunday at 1 pm in Vanderslice. If you’re interested feel free to shoot me an email! (pruittas@bc.edu)

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BC Gavel

photo courtesy of Gavel Media / Jono Keedy

Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful to you in one way or another?

“I long to do the unusual.

To stretch my tongue out as far as it can go and taste the sweet possibilities of the universe.

To bathe within the basin of my brazen soul and dive into the unknown.

To live anonymously and fantastically.

But my endless sphere of hope can’t possibly fit into this square foot society.

If I whisper to you my dreams will you promise to keep them away from your hard and even edges because I will never strive to be perfect.”

December 2013

Adam Clegg A&S ’15

What frustrations have you experienced while performing at BC? Sometimes, I don’t know if my poetry resonates as well in spoken form as it does when it’s read on paper—this is a skill that takes a great deal of time to hone.

photo courtesy of Facebook / Adam Clegg

Besides spoken word, what are you involved in at BC? I’m an Account Manager for Programming in Office of PR & Publicity in UGBC, the PR/Strategy/Outreach Coordinator for UPrising Dance Crew, a member of Boston College’s only R&B/soul acapella group, B.E.A.T.S. (Black Experience in America Through Song), and the Student Brand Manager for Chipotle at Boston College!

Can you share a few lines of your poetry that are meaningful to you in one way or another?

“I am not always honest with myself, but to you I am a shining example of what it means to tell the truth.

A light a boat can see from a tiny nonexistent ocean, innumerable miles due north.

The sky… is the loneliest pond.

And if I’m being honest with you, I do not know how to fish-I never have.”

This is an excerpt from my poem entitled “Facets” which is a poem about all of our versions of ourselves that we create and portray to others.

Do you have any advice for students who may be interested in breaking into the spoken word community on campus?

Feel free to approach anyone you see perform! Despite what What sparked your interest in spoken word? people think about poets, we are not all introverted hipsters I’ve always enjoyed writing poetry—I’m a bit of a selfwho sit in corners of cafes and write down feelings of angst; proclaimed poetry geek. However, I realized that when reading we are real people, just like you, so please talk to us about my poems to my own family, they were interpreted differently getting involved. (For the record, I do enjoy writing in cafes.) through speech; this became my starting point for searching spoken word artists on the Internet and discovering this form of artistic expression.

How did you get involved with the spoken word community at BC? There was a Facebook group created regarding spoken word poets at Boston College, and since I had never performed on-campus, I was curious to see what this community of artists could offer. I asked one of my friends to invite me to the Facebook group and I’ve been involved with spoken word since I joined that group.

What was your most memorable moment performing at BC? The first-ever spoken word event, hosted by The Gavel, in October 2013 was the first time I had ever really performed poetry on-campus. To hear the snapping, the “oohs” and other guttural noises that the audience makes as a reaction to things you’ve never shared with anyone is a really comforting moment. photo courtesy of Facebook / Adam Clegg

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23

Book it to Boston:

Up-and-Coming Literary District

By Sameet Dhillon/Culture Editor

I’ve heard people say that books are an “endangered species.” I usually shy away from such sensationalist statements. But, I’ll admit, when I first saw my dad swiping to the next page of his book on his newly purchased Kindle Paperwhite, I was pretty much convinced of imminent book-butchery. My dad, a man who has always kept a pile of books next to his bed, and who is always reading (at the very least) 3-4 books at one time, had resorted to using a Kindle; a product that, to me, looks like a glorified Etch-A-Sketch.

Courtesy of Julia Keefe/ Gavel Media Staff

It wasn’t just the fact that people had begun to shy away from physical copies of books that got to me; at least these people, my dad included, are reading. Even if they’re swiping instead of turning, they’re still trying to get to the next page. What really depressed me was the idea that people weren’t reading at all. I stumbled upon an article on WBUR in which Danny Heitman, professor and journalist, said that, “In a recent writing course he taught, he asked his students the last book they read for pleasure. Many of them hadn’t read a book for fun since ‘Harry Potter.”’ It felt like my fears had been confirmed. I couldn’t help thinking the world had cast an avada kedavra spell on books. Oh, the horror.

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BC Gavel

But, this story isn’t a tragedy, I swear. I’d call it more of an ongoing romance. Recently, Boston has restored my faith in humanity —or shall I say book-manity.

According to the Boston Globe, by 2015, Boston will be home to the nation’s first literary culture district. What exactly is a “literary culture district”?

And why is it important? As of now, the literary district has no concrete borders or map. All we really know is that it’s going to be a celebration of Boston’s rich literary history. Chances are, while you’re walking down the street in Boston, you’re walking in some legendary footsteps. To me, the possibility of a literary district is a reminder that the physical and historical still matter to us. We’re still excited by the thought of standing at Sylvia Plath’s front door, or posing with the ducklings from Robert McCloskey’s picture book. And, it doesn’t matter if they come out with a “Kindle Paperthin” or book-burning becomes fashionable again because, here in Boston, we still care about books and the people who wrote them.

Take a walk through Boston with me, and we’ll check out the sites that, I imagine, will be a part of the literary district. You can bring your Kindle, but I have a feeling Sylvia Plath’s ghost will roll her eyes at you.

December 2013

700 Boylston St.

9 Willow St. At fist glance, this might look like just another Beacon Hill brownstone, but it was once the home of poetry’s infamous power couple —Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath. Here was where the couple devoted the most time to their literary works, the house from which Plath published two of her most well-known short stories; The Daughters of Blossom Street and Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams.

Boston Public Library, established in 1848, was the first legitimate library in the United States. By “legitimate” I mean it was the first library open to the public, and the first one to allow people to take home books and other materials. These days, this is true of almost every library —but at the time, it was no small feat. Boston was the first place in the US to make reading accessible to everyone. I’d say we’re the home of the bookworm.

105 Brattle St. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Boston-born poet, rented two rooms in this once-boarding house. The building has a history of greatness, as it once housed George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and John Hancock. Later, the house, along with the lot across the street, became a wedding gift to Longfellow and his bride. Before the creation of the Longfellow Memorial, the house had a perfect view of the Charles.

Intersection at Boylston St. & Charles St. In the newly established “Poe Square”, we’ll soon be able to see a sculpture of Edgar Allan Poe. The monument will show Poe headed south, towards his birthplace —just two blocks away. Although he might’ve called Bostonian writers “Frogpondians,” he was still born and bred in this city.

20 Pinckney St.

This was the childhood home of Louisa May Alcott, who is most famous for her book Little Women. In her third-floor bedroom, Alcott began her writing career with several short stories. After becoming a successful writer, she began to move around Boston.

10 1/2 Beacon St. The Boston Athenaeum, founded in 1807, is one of the oldest independent libraries in the US. You now have to pay a yearly fee to use its services, but that wasn’t always the case. When it was first opened, the Athenaeum functioned as a sort of intellectual center of Boston —with paintings, sculptures, books and even a laboratory. Now it houses thousands of rare books and manuscripts, many of which are relevant to Boston’s history.

69 Beacon St. Boston Public Garden, located in the center of the city, is home to the infamous Make Way for Ducklings sculpture. I remember sitting on the mother duckling’s back as a child, completely unaware of the fact that the statues were inspired by Robert McCloskey’s award-winning picture book, Make Way for Ducklings. The garden has continued to serve as a center for the arts in Boston.

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C B Z W h t i w

Image courtesy of Alex Krowiak/Gavel Media Staff

GETTING WEIRD ft. DJ Nick

By Emily Akin/Online Manager 8[dj el[h ^_i c_Y _d j^[ Z_cbo b_j MP89 ijkZ_e" D_Ya 8[d[l[d_W jWa[i W Z[[f Xh[Wj^ X[\eh[ ]h[[j_d] ^_i b_ij[d[hi$ Ç?jÊi ( W$c$ ?\ oekÊh[ ij_bb WmWa[$$$ ]eeZ \eh oek$È 8[d[l[d_W" j^[ ][d[hWb cWdW][h e\ MP89" WdZ ? Wh[ fkjj_d] ed W jme#^ekh bed] heYa i^em \eh j^[ _diecd_WYi$ 8[# jm[[d ' W$c$ WdZ ) W$c$ ? ][j je mWjY^ j^[ cWij[h ]e je meha" if_dd_d] e¢ l_dob" 9:i" _Jkd[i" m_j^ [l[d W \[m bWij#c_dkj[ OekJkX[ l_Z[ei j^hemd _d Æ`kij X[YWki[ ^[ ]ej W ^Wda[h_d] \eh 9^kYa HW]Wd$ ? \eeb_i^bo Wia 8[d[l[d_W m^o ^[ Ze[idÊj ki[ W fh[#cWZ[ fbWob_ij ed Ife# j_\o" WdZ Wc h[mWhZ[Z m_j^ W \WXkbeki# bo m_j^[h_d] beea$ Ç? ^Wl[ de _dj[h[ij _d cWa_d] j^_i iekdZ b_a[ FWdZehW"È ^[ j[bbi c[$ ÇJ^Wj jWa[i Wbb e\ j^[ Whj ekj e\ _j$È

DJ NICK’S SPIN TABLE

INTO IT. OVER IT.

The Shaking of Leaves “The song of the year for me.”

MODERN BASEBALL

Play Ball!

“The album is called ‘Sports,’ which I think is hilarious.”

CHUCK RAGAN GLORY “He’s the Chuck Norris of Americana.”

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BC Gavel

J^[ e¢#W_h h[ikbj e\ j^_i YedijWdj i^k¦[ _i Wd el[hm^[bc_d]bo cej_ed#fWYa[Z jme ^ekhi if[dj _d j^[ j_do :@ Xeej^$ 8[d[l[# d_W fWY[i WhekdZ b_a[ W cWd feii[ii[Z Xo W YW¢[_dWj[Z Z[ced$ >[ [nfbW_di j^Wj j^[ Y[_b_d]#je#Ôeeh i^[bl[i YhWcc[Z m_j^ 9:i _d j^[ :@Êi Xeej^ Wh[ ZkXX[Z ÇJ^[ FbWob_ij$È >[ b[Yjkh[i c[ ed j^[ ceZ[hd f^[dec[ded e\ j^[ É;ce H[l_lWb"Ê m^_Y^ ^[ j^_dai _i W beWZ e\ YhWf$ >[ fbWoi j^[ Wf# fhefh_Wj[bo j_jb[Z" ÇOek 9WdÊj I[no :WdY[ je Fkda HeYa"È m_j^ j^[ WZZ[Z f[hiedWb Z_iYbW_c[h" Ç7dZ X[b_[l[ c[" oek YWdÊj$È >[ [l[d f[h\ehci Wd _cfh[ii_l[ WdZ [h# hWj_Y W_h#Zhkc hekj_d[ je j^[ C[dp_d][hi$ 7dZ j^[d" m^[d _j Yec[i j_c[ je ]e ed W_h _d X[jm[[d ied]i" ^[ ÓdWbbo i_ji Zemd$ J^[ cWd_YWbbo YW¢[_d[#^_]^ 8[d[l[# d_W Z_iWff[Whi edY[ j^[ c_Y im_jY^[i ed$ J^[h[ _i de ceh[ \Wij#fWY[Z Y^Wj# j[h$ J^[ ceeZ _d j^[ Xeej^ ibemi Zemd Wi ^[ if[Wai je j^[ b_ij[d[h" Z[iYh_X# _d] j^[ cki_Y e\ Job[h :Wd_[b 8[Wd m_j^ W jWd]_Xb[ Z[]h[[ e\ _djheif[Yj_ed0 ÇOek YWd j[bb ^[ fkji W bej e\ j_c[ _dje j^[ mehZi"È ^[ cki[i$ Ç7dZ cki_YWbbo $ $ $ _j WcXb[i $ $ $ _i j^[ X[ij mehZ je Y^eei[" ? ikffei[$ ?j cel[i ibembo $ $ $ Xkj _j mWd# Z[hi$ M^_Y^ ik_ji j^[ cki_Y h[Wbbo m[bb$È @kij b_a[ 8[WdÊi boh_Y_ic" 8[d[l[d_WÊi [XX_d] Yecc[djWho c_]^j iekdZ hWc# Xb_d] je Wd _dWjj[dj_l[ b_ij[d[h$ ?d h[Wb_jo" ^_i i[[c_d]bo YWikWb le_Y[ _i YWbYkbWj[Z"

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December 2013

e p i c e r dorm

ve? o t s o n ? n e v no o problem! no

C I S S A L C A N O S N O I T VARIA A O C O C HOT St a ff /G a v e l M e d ia B y Ju lia K e e fe BASIC COCOA

What You’ll Need: Ck] WdZ ifeed ?dijWdj ^ej YeYeW c_n Eh YeYeW femZ[h _\ oekÊh[ \[[b_d] \WdYo" Xkj m^e Wh[ m[ a_ZZ_d]5 C_ba =[j ekj e\ ^[h[ m_j^ j^Wj mWj[h$ ? ZedÊj YWh[ _\ oek d[[Z je cWa[ Wd [njhW jh_f je IjkWhj" CWY" 9_jo 9e$ eh 9b[l[bWdZ 9_hYb[ 9edl[d_[dY[$ ?\ oek ZedÊj cWa[ YeYeW m_j^ c_ba" oek ZedÊj Z[# i[hl[ _ji im[[jd[ii$ <eej_[ fW`WcWi >eb_ZWo fbWob_ij%cel_[ e\ oekh Y^e_Y[

^_i Z[b_Y_eki" j d e i [ a jW j d _¢[h[ _j Jho ekj iec[ Z ^[ ^eb_ZWo if_h j _d j [ ] e j a d m_dj[ho Zh_ <BK<<;HDKJJ;H >EJ 9E9E7 What You’ll Need: ( jXif <bk¢ fbki ceh[ \eh jeff_d] ' jXif F[Wdkj Xkjj[h What To Do: >[Wj j^[ c_ba" j^[d c_n _d Wbb e\ j^[ _d]h[Z_[dji Wj edY[$ Oek c_]^j mWdj j^[ c_ba je X[ W b_jjb[ ^ejj[h j^Wd kikWb je ^[bf [l[ho# j^_d] c_n _d [l[dbo" ie jho c_Yhe# mWl_d] \eh ) c_dkj[i$

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8;97KI;" DKJ;BB70 DKJ;BB7 >EJ 9E9E7 What You’ll Need: Dkj[bbW$ ? medÊj j[bb oek ^em ckY^ oek d[[Z Xkj ijWhj m_j^ ( jXif $

IJ7H8K9AI ?D 7 C?9HEM7L;0 F;FF;HC?DJ >EJ 9E9E7 What You’ll Need: F[ff[hc_dj YWdZo 9WdZo YWd[i Wh[ _Z[Wb" Xkj j^ei[ b_jjb[ hekdZ f[ff[hc_dji meha jee$ What To Do: CWa[ YeYeW" j^[d ij_h _d oekh f[ff[hc_dj e\ Y^e_Y[$ Jho je WZZ j^[ f[ff[hc_dj _d icWbb[h _dYh[c[dji kdj_b oek WY^_[l[ oekh Z[i_h[Z c_djod[ii$ ?dijW]hWc j_f0 Ki[ W YWdZo YWd[ Wi W ij_hh[h \eh Wd Whjio beea" WdZ cWoX[ fbWo WhekdZ m_j^ j^[ Xbkh \[Wjkh[5 M^Wj[l[h$ :e oek$

What To Do: 9b[Wh oekh iY^[Zkb[$ CWa[ ^ej YeYeW$ Ij_h _d Dkj[bbW$ C[bj _dje W Z[b_Y_ekibo Y^eYebWj[ coma.

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CULTURE

27

D E K WIC

Awesome

Gifts for the

Holidays

By Maddie Webster/Editorial Assistant Amidst the frostbitten air and finals season sorrow, another task looms overhead. “What in the world am I going to bring home to my family and friends for the holidays?” Gift giving isn’t supposed to be a chore, and since you live in such a wonderful city, why not get your grandmother what she actually wants? A Boston-themed gift from her favorite grandchild is precisely what

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she has been hoping to uncover under the wrapping paper.

You can go two routes for Boston presents: creative and unique, which will catch your mother by surprise, or traditional and overdone, which will always slap a smile on your little brother’s face. Like all presents, the direction you take depends entirely on your recipient.

ORIGINAL GIFTS Lobster Packages.

A delicious, yet expensive, alternative to the lobster plush. Legal Seafood will send your grandparents a gourmet lobster dinner that, for those living further inland, will make for an unforgettable night.

BC Gavel

2.

The Boston Shaker. A

company dedicated to alcoholic drink paraphernalia, The Boston Shaker is classy but affordable.

Bring your father home some wine pearls, which do exist, and watch his face glow with confusion and joy at the same time. A hipster alternative to a Sam Adams tap handle.

3.

World Series Framed Picture. Would your Red

Sox fanatic friend want a hat she already has or a framed photograph of Koji Uehara jumping into David Ross’s arms after the win in the bottom of the eighth?

December 2013

1.

TRADITIONAL GIFTS Sports Paraphanalia. Unless the recipient is a New Yorker or Cardinals fan, you really can’t go wrong with a Patriots jersey or a Red Sox cap. With all of the impressive Boston sports teams, you can make it appear like you put some serious thought into this one. Does your brother play hockey? Bruins jersey. Basketball? Celtics basketball. Soccer? New England Revolutions soccer ball, though he probably won’t know who the Revs are. This is an easily attainable present with a nearly 100% guaranteed success rate.

2.

Mike’s Pastry. One word: Cannolis. Mike’s Pastry has been a Bos-

ton staple forever, but this present will never get old. (Note: as far as edibility goes, this present will, in fact, get old. Your best bet may be to make this an early present to be given the day you get home, or if your family is local, go with a gift certificate!)

3.

Boston College Gear. You could get your boyfriend a regular old Boston sweatshirt, but there’s something wrong with that – it’s the present everyone’s expecting. Nothing is more classic than a BC gift.

You run the risk of coming across as lazy, as you simply have to choose which version of the classic BC sweatshirt to give them. Still, even if the difference between a maroon and a gold background doesn’t seem significant, at least they were in your thoughts.

4.

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4.

Boston Baked Beans Candy. If you’re not from New England, you’re

probably wondering what the deal is with this gift idea. It’s an odd tradition where instead of giving friends actual Boston Baked Beans, we merely give the candy form.

Just submit to peer pressure and purchase a bag of these already! They hang out in the Old North Church bookstore, but can be ordered online.

Lobster Plush or Ornament. Younger sibling in the house? Go for the lob-

ster plush! You can buy them in most of the gift stores around Faneuil Hall, and they often have “Boston” sewn onto the back. Grandmother obsessed with neat knick-knacks?

Go for the lobster ornament, or any Boston-themed ornament, really. If you want the best of both worlds, look no further than a lobster plush ornament.

Sam Adams Brewery. Take your parents on a tour next time they’re in Boston or bring

home some Beantown beer for the holidays. For underaged shoppers, a Sam Adams shirt or hat can be a great addition to the beer lover’s wardrobe!

Photo Collage. This is so easy, and your mom will absolutely love it. Simply gather all the PG-rated photos you’ve taken this year and put on your artsy persona. Hopefully you’ve taken some with the beautiful landmarks in Boston. Worst comes to worst, you can always pretend Gasson is a historic building in the city.

5.

Boston Gift Basket. Fill a nice

woven basket with all sorts of things associated with Boston. Boston cream donuts, Boston terrier beanie baby, Paul Revere action figure, food voucher for Quincy Market and so on. Get creative!

All you can hope for this year is that they don’t get you a Boston-themed present. Good luck and have a wicked awesome holiday season!

CULTURE

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AN INTERVIEW WITH

BOSTON COLLEGE’S FIRST

MACARTHUR AWARD WINNER

ROBIN

FLEMING

By Catherine Nicolle Manuel/Gavel Media Staff The MacArthur Fellowship, often considered the “genius grant,” awards $625,000 yearly to brilliant individuals based on the following criteria: “exceptional creativity, promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishment and potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work.” The MacArthur Fellows Program selects awardees through a very competitive and multistep process, limiting the number of grant winners to a select few. Only 20 to 30 individuals receive the honor of becoming a MacArthur Fellow every year.

This year, Boston College’s history department chair and professor Robin Fleming received an exciting phone call informing her that she had been chosen to join 23 other talented Fellows.

For Fleming, this was an incredible surprise. “I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering if I made it all up,” she says. Although she is modest about her work, her ideas and accomplishments

“

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BC Gavel

are outstanding.

Besides being the history department chair and a professor, Fleming is an early Medieval British historian.

She is currently working on the period between the fall of Rome and the early Middle Ages. However, instead of looking at texts, as typical historians

bunch of stuff about the lived experience of people like you and me that often aren’t captured with texts,” she continues. “It tells us things that I think that we should be thinking about.”

Fleming emphasizes the importance of archaeology. “I have lots and lots of artifacts—enough to write 3,000 books.” The information written in those pages would not be sparse, either. “If you look carefully at skeletons, you can find lesions that tell you what the basic health of the population is, [and] what their diseases were,” says Fleming.

When asked how she linked two fields, archaeology and history, together in her studies, Fleming explains, “I became increasingly interested in archaeology because of the kind of questions that I’m interested in. I read archaeological reports, I read the field notes, and I actually look at objects that were taken out of the ground by archaeologists. So, I do all of those things in order to figure out what that

I think it’s important for historians to do more than just work with historians, so I’m trying to set up projects in which historians and archaeologists can work together are trained to do, she looks at “material evidence” — particularly archaeological evidence.

When asked why, she offers two reasons. “One is pragmatic; the period I am really interested in doesn’t have very many texts,” she says. “If I want to study that period, I have to figure out the history of the people that live then in some way other than texts.

“But the other reason I use material culture is because I think it tells us a

”

December 2013

material looks like and what they can tell me.”

Contrary to popular belief, Fleming does more than read and study history; she draws conclusions from ancient pots, bones, accessories and countless other items — a task that goes far beyond traditional historian practices.

Yet, one question remains: How did Fleming become involved in such a specific and generally unknown time period? The answer lies in her undergraduate experience at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where great professors helped her to become “really interested” in the period.

At the moment, Fleming is “interested in figuring out how long they [the past Britons] could continue to live in those ways after the Roman econ-

omy collapses in Britain,” she says.

“There is material culture that allows me to figure out the story of how some people tried to carry on with Roman ways and other people turned their backs on it.”

When asked how she might spend the $625,000 award, Fleming states, “In part, I will use it to pay for research time for me. I will buy myself some free time — although I will still continue to teach. I will use it to pay for research, which is quite expensive. So many of the questions I’m interested in will require some fairly expensive laboratory work.”

“I am trying to set up a number of collaborative projects in which I will be working with people in other disciplines,” she explains, sparking a new question. Why is Fleming so interested in collaborating with other fields?

“I think it’s important for historians to

do more than just work with historians, so I’m trying to set up projects in which historians and archaeologists can work together — projects that will help us understand better the transition from Rome to the early Middle Ages,” she explains. “So, I’m working with a bio-archaeologist, a field archaeologist and another pair of archaeologists. So all of these are discreet projects, but in the end I hope by collaborating, we’ll understand the period better than we would understand if I just work on it or if they just worked on it alone.”

Professor Fleming may have to dig deep to learn about history, but her passion as a BC teacher is easy to find. “I love BC students and teaching. We have a fantastic history department. I have really great colleagues, the graduate students are great and the undergraduate history students are so much fun!”

Image via the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Image via Facebook

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DRONES America’s Weapons o f Ma s s E r o s i o n 8o H_YWhZe IWdY^[p % =Wl[b C[Z_W IjW¢

Images courtesy Wikimedia Commons

C

ontroversy has arisen in recent years over the use of drones by the United States. The targeted killings of people in Pakistan and Yemen have raised questions about the legality of both abroad and domestic drone use. Since drones are a relatively new technology, many citizens have little knowledge of their use.

So what exactly is a drone? In military applications, “drones” are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are either

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BC Gavel

controlled by “pilots” on the ground (similar to a remote-controlled plane) or controlled autonomously following a pre-programmed flight mission. They are much easier to maneuver, lighter, andmore cost-effective than traditional air crafts .

Most importantly—or perhaps most frighteningly—they can be controlled by pilots who are on the ground thousands of miles away. These drones are used for two primary purposes. The first is to support troops, ensuring that threats such as

landmines are not nearby. The second is where most of the controversy lies: surveillance.

In their surveillance capacity, drones monitor the movements of people whom the US may consider to be targets, after which a trigger can be pulled by the “pilot,” firing a missile from the drone at said target. This is controversial—and justifiably so—not only because drones enable us to kill from such a long distance, but also because of the collateral damage that may be inflicted on innocent

December 2013

civilians in the vicinity of a drone strike.

While it is true that drones are a far more precise and efficient method of waging war, it is this very collateral damage that can cause “blowback” in the form of further attacks against the US. We have heard over and over again that the US is currently engaged in the “War on Terror.” According to a report published in the Washington Post, President Barack Obama has authorized nearly 400 drone strikes, killing over 2,500 people since taking office—many of whom were civilians and “probable noncombatants.” While this does allow for less use of ground troops, greatly expanding the use of drone warfare as Obama has done only creates more anger and resentment among Muslims in countries where the strikes take place.

As put by James Cartwright, a retired four-star Marine General with a close relationship to the President, “we’re seeing that blowback. If you’re trying to kill your way to a solution, no matter how precise you are, you’re going to upset people even if they are not targeted.” There is no question that drones have helped diminish al-Qaeda’s forces. However, they have also helped destabilize nations such as Pakistan—a country armed with nuclear weapons—where the majority of strikes take place. Drone use, therefore, may ultimately be counterproductive, as it appears to cause more problems for the US than it solves.

There is also the concerning issue of oversight and checks—or lack thereof—on the use of drones by the US. An oft-over-

looked truth about America’s use of armed drones is that the targeted killings are carried out by the CIA rather than the armed forces. This means that they are done more covertly and are not part of the military chain of command. Shifting these responsibilities to the armed forces would be a much-needed step towards transparency and accountability.

Even more alarming is how little judicial review there is over the entire process of targeted killing. As it stands, the president is free to place anyone deemed a threat to national security on a “kill list” based on secret evidence found against him that would deem him or her to be an “enemy.” It is important to note that this process takes place solely in the executive branch. There ought to be an established structure of judicial review to evaluate whether the evidence against someone is adequate enough for him or her to be targeted for assassination.

The use of drones poses a threat to civil liberties for a number of reasons. In 2011, a drone killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen with ties to Al-Qaeda, in Yemen along with three others. While it is true that al-Awlaki represented a clear threat to US national security, he was undoubtedly deprived of his constitutional right to due process. When pressed on the issue, US Attorney General Eric Holder replied that targets such as al-Awlaki do in fact receive due process because their death is “discussed in the executive branch.”

Since when was due process, a centuries-old foundation of American law,

STRIKES

IN PAKISTAN information taken from The New America Foundation

simply a matter of discussion by the president and his advisors? The killing of people, far from any battlefield, without charge or trial, is simply illegal and should be stopped. As Noam Chomsky put it, “the foundations of civil law are simply being torn to shreds.”

While the use of drones abroad has sparked serious debate, the use of drones domestically could have major implications on American public life as well. Law enforcement in the US has steadily increased its use of domestic drones for surveillance. If not regulated properly, this development could undoubtedly lead us closer to an Orwellian “surveillance state” in which the government watches our every move. While legislation regulating the use of drones domestically has been proposed in 42 states, it has only been enacted in eight.

This process should be expedited if our privacy rights are to be protected.

The US prides itself on certain principles such as the right to due process, privacy and respect for human rights during times of war. However, its use of drones for targeted killings abroad, as well as for domestic surveillance, violates each of these tenets. As they stand, drones are another sad example of how our civil liberties are being slowly eroded—of plain government hypocrisy. If our government wishes to maintain credibility and a good image around the world and in the eyes of its own citizens, it must rein in its use of drones immediately to meet and preserve its core principles.

367

258-307 total civillians killed total militants killed total strikes1617-2776 196-330 2071-3413 total people killed total unknown killed OPINIONS

33

VERSUS

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am constantly hungry. I have an obsession with food, and “free food” is the most effective way to persuade me to come to an event or to help someone with something. I’m the kind of person who eats numerous - but fairly small-portioned - meals through-

out the day. While I don’t count the number of calories I eat per day, I definitely do not have the appetite of a huge football player either. I would love to be able to eat mountains and mountains of food, but my stomach is unfortunately could not handle that

As a junior who was cursed by Boston College Res Life with only three years of housing, I now live off campus. This means no meal plan and no walking to a dining hall that is less than five minutes away from the comfort of my room.

So, whenever I’m hungry, I’m usually required to cook. While most of the time I love having a kitchen where I can control what I eat and decide exactly what goes into my food, sometimes laziness makes me nostalgic for my meal plan.

While many BC students (including myself) complain about the high prices on some of the food at the dining halls, or talk about the “all you can eat” dining hall alternative, I’m quite happy that BC has the a la carte meal plan. Personally, as someone who eats multiple, but rela-

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tively small meals every day, I would be broke if I were charged a fixed price each time I decided to eat something at the dining hall.

My friends who have visited from different colleges that have the “all you can eat” meal plan constantly tell me about how they feel cheated out of their meal plan because they can never eat the equivalent of how much the school charges them. Even if they try to get their money’s worth, they end up buying way more food than they can stomach and throwing most of it out. They tell me how lucky I am for being able to just pay for exactly what I get, instead of dealing with a set price that pressures them into buying more than they need or want.

Getting an “all you can eat” meal plan

may be beneficial for those who eat large amounts in one sitting. However, it would be largely presumptuous to think that all of the students at the school eat the same amount of food. It would also just be unfair that I would have to pay the same price as someone if I got a bowl of cereal and he or she got three large steak and cheese subs. It would be a different story if BC decided to set a very low standard price, but let’s be honest, BC would never want to lose money.

While discussing this topic with one of my friends, he suggested the possibility of having both an a la carte and an “all you can eat” buffet style meal plan. For example, the a la carte would apply to the smaller foods like snacks or individual pieces of fruits, while all major “course” meals could fall under a buffet style plan.

Under this system, the “special dinners” that BC hosts, such as lobster night, would not be as expensive. But alas, we don’t live in a utopian society where we are allowed to get the best of both worlds!

Regardless, I’m happy with BC’s a la carte meal plan, especially since I don’t have to pay a constant price of who knows how much even if I just want to munch on some hummus and pretzels and maybe some chocolate chip cookies as well.

December 2013

Quantifying Orientation: SEXUAL Does The Shoe Fit?

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s someone who identifies strictly as a size 6.5, I have always been wary of buying shoes that do not come in half sizes. Why does Nordstrom only carry Brooks Adrenaline sneakers in either 6 or 7? I stare at my online cart in apprehension.

Would I prefer my feet to be squished or swimming? I wallow in indecisiveness and feel considerably peeved. But at least shoes have sizes. Imagine if only “size small feet” and “size big feet” were available. I fall to my knees and praise Buddha for the invention of numbers, the system that makes measurement possible.

Humans are not photons, which exist only at particular energy levels. Our traits vary across ranges; almost everything exists in continuum. When you looked up your SAT results on College Board, you got a specific score, not just “brain-dead” or “genius.” Sexual orientation is no different. Contrary to society’s attempt to dichotomize people as either “straight” or “gay” - “heterosexual” or “homosexual” - many individuals fall somewhere in between.

I’ve always been confused by the dogged use of “hetero” and “homo” to describe sexual orientation. The term “orientation” conjures the image of a com-

pass. Regardless of whether you’re facing O’Neill from Lyons or looking at Bapst from Gasson, North is North and South is South. Similarly, when looking strictly at sexual orientation, can’t we just disregard gender and focus on the degree of sexual attraction towards either males or females?

The Kinsey Scale, developed by psychologists in 1948, attempts to quantify sexuality by providing a gradient from zero (exclusively heterosexual) to six (exclusively homosexual), which serves as a ranking system. Don’t get me wrong—I give serious props to Kinsey for his revolutionary willingness to delve into the gray area of sexuality—but his scale is not as simple as it could be.

On a theoretical “Kongsey” scale, zero would arbitrarily denote exclusive attraction to females, while ten would express exclusive attraction to males. In this sense, Tiger Woods and Ellen Degeneres would likely rank themselves low on the scale (zero to two) while Taylor Swift and Dumbledore may fall in the eight to ten range. When asked, “What is your sexual orientation” one would respond with, “Eight!” or, “Three!” rather than homosexual or heterosexual.

And “coming out of the closet” would be a lot less dramatic; it may go something like this (forgive me, but I never claimed to be a theater major):

Tommy: “Hey mom, I just wanted to let you know that my sexual orientation is a nine! What’s yours?

Mrs. Smith: “I’m a nine as well!”

They high five cheerfully End scene Any scale that attempts to measure something as dynamic and ambiguous as sexual orientation will have major shortcomings; however, I believe quantification is more representative and inclusive than categorization. The Hunger Games star, Josh Hutcherson, for instance, mentioned in an interview that he would not rule out going for a guy someday. In days gone by, he may have been expected to identify as homosexual, when in reality, he is probably simply a one or so on the Kinsey scale.

People should not be expected to confine themselves to a particular extreme. It’s like trying to categorize the colors of the rainbow as either black or white; it can’t be done. Pink is pink; green is green; teal is teal; my foot is a size 6.5.

And on that note I delete Brooks Adrenaline ‘13 from my online shopping cart; I’m a half-size, and not even clearance prices can convince me to purchase a shoe that will not support my every stride.

OPINIONS

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DIVEST BC FROM

FOSSIL FUELS

R

By Christie Merino / Assoc. Features Editor

arely does the opportunity arise for any of us to be the agents of meaningful change. As individuals, we struggle through adversity while in pursuit of what we are passionate about because each of us is just one person.

Here at Boston College, we are part of a strong intellectual community that has the ability to make a difference

in Boston, in the United States and all across the globe. As men and women for others, we have a duty to help those less fortunate than us and leave the Earth as close to the way we found it for future generations to come. That is why BC must divest its endowment from fossil fuels.

Fossil Free is a movement started by 350.org, an international environmental organization, to combat the power of the fossil fuel industry by removing certain investments in a company’s or school’s portfolio. The goal of divestment is not to make an economical dent in the industry, but rather to send a political message about the morality and sustainability of the industry. By refusing to profit off of an industry that is slowly degrading the environmental health of the entire world, institutions demonstrate their willingness to shape public discourse in a positive way. History has shown that colleges, universities, religious institutions and many other establishments have the authority and ability to make a difference

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by divesting in morally reprehensible industries like those contributing to apartheid in South Africa in the 1980s. Today, BC has the opportunity to make an even larger global difference by being among the first universities to divest from the fossil fuel industry.

I say “even larger global difference” because the effects that the fossil fuel industry will have on the globe is tantamount to murder. By polluting the air and warming the global temperatures in the atmosphere and the oceans, no single industry has had a more devastating effect on our Earth. While deniers of climate change will have you believe that storms like Nemo prove that global warming is a myth, they fail to note that

catastrophic weather events like Hurricane Katrina, Typhoon Haiyan, and even Nemo, are the result of irregularity in our global climate which scientists have directly linked to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, courtesy of the fossil fuel industry. Hurricane Katrina killed 1,833 people according to The National Hurricane Center, while current estimates for Typhoon Haiyan stand at around 10,000. Events like these will continue to create more climate refugees as low-lying island nations are wiped off the face of the Earth due to rising sea levels and more deadly storms.

Aside from loss of life, this will result in the loss of entire nations and cultures that only contribute negligible amounts of carbon to the atmosphere, but nevertheless suffer the greatest consequences.

Bobby Wengronowitz, a sociology doctoral student at BC, put it bluntly when he said, “Simple kindergarten ethics teaches us that whoever makes the mess should clean it up… The poorest of the poor did not cause the problem and they certainly should not bear the tragic consequences, but that is how the situation is being played out.”

Many schools like Middlebury College and Harvard University have alluded to fiduciary responsibilities as their main concern in divesting from the fossil fuel industry. While university endowments may see a large return now, this will un-

December 2013

doubtedly change in the near future. In fact, divesting would be directly in line with these fiduciary responsibilities. As the market begins to grasp the carbon bubble equation, investors will realize the risk is simply too high in the long run.

The market for oil, gas and coal companies is currently valued at $22 trillion dollars. But as reality sets in and companies are forced to accept that some of the reserves this estimate is based on are unburnable for various reasons, it will be in any investors best interest to cut their losses and sell. In the past five years, the fossil fuel industry has performed poorly relative to the market, meaning that a portfolio that divested would perform better than one that invested. An even weaker argument made by schools is their reluctance to give up shareholder advocacy, which they allege could be used to move companies towards more environmentally friendly practices.

Leslie Samuelrich, the President of Green Century Capital Management and an alumna of Boston College, says, “There is no track record of shareholder advocacy reducing the production of fossil fuels. So, why bet that it will work now? Instead, BC could choose the public and powerful alternative to lend its voice to the growing chorus of colleges, cities and churches that are divesting to erode the political influence that the fos-

sil fuel industry has on public policy.”

Indeed, divesting is not a far-fetched dream that tree-hugging hippies have devised to stick it to the man. Cities like Ithaca, Cambridge, Madison and many more have divested from the fossil fuel industry. The Massachusetts state legislature is currently considering Bill #1225, which would divest state employee’s pension plans from fossil fuels.

The United Church of Christ as well as many individual churches have divested as well, citing something much greater than fiduciary responsibility: they divested because they knew it to be the moral course of action.

Many BC students see the need to divest from fossil fuels despite the administration’s reluctance to engage in any dialogue with those in BC Fossil Free. BCFF has been raising awareness on campus about the need for our school to divest from fossil fuels, and thus far they have collected over 600 signatures on their petition to compel BC to divest. Just this past spring, UGBC passed a resolution supporting divestment 17 to 1. However, as Wengronowitz points out, “the administration couldn’t even be bothered with an official response much less actual engagement on the issue.”

Boston College is an amazing university that inspires its students to be ethical business leaders, thoughtful thinkers

and global change-makers. This is an opportunity for BC to put its teachings into actions and be the leaders of change. It is an opportunity to be on the right side of history and show the world that this school is a thoughtful member of the global community. It is an opportunity to show students that their school is truly investing in their future by leading the fight against fossil fuels and promoting a sustainable future for all. Divestment is not trying to halt progress, damage the global economy or negatively impact BC’s endowment. It is paving the way for politicians and bureaucrats alike to begin enacting meaningful legislation to accelerate the shift to renewable energy. As Wengronowitz points out, “We have the resources to drastically reduce emissions, and it is a challenge, but we already possess the technology to make it happen.”

This challenge will only be overcome through public pressure. Divesting from apartheid in South Africa did not stop the killing directly, but it raised awareness and cleared a path for governmental action. To get involved and stand in support of preserving our planet, sign the BC Fossil Free petition.

Images courtesy of BC Fossil Free Initiative

OPINIONS

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BCUncovered:

Men’s Water Polo Alex Krowiak/Photo Editor

“For The Boys. Stay Handsome.”

By Jack Davis/Gavel Media Staff

12-1, 11-2. Two records that the Boston College men’s club water polo team earned during the past two seasons, records that are incredibly impressive for any sports team to achieve. Both years the Eagles qualified for the league championship, after which the winner moves on to Nationals. While the Eagles have yet to win a championship, the boys are hungry to satisfy their ongoing desire of going to Nationals.

In case you don’t know much about water polo, the sport is played with seven people on a team, and the object of the game is to transfer the ball to the opposing side of the pool and throw it into the net behind the goaltender.

Seems simple, right? Wrong.

While most people are mediocre swimmers at best, water polo requires

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a completely different method of quick transitioning to either side of the pool as well as staying above water, also known as treading. The amount of treading that the average player undergoes would make walking up the Million Dollar stairs 100 times worse. When fighting for possession in the pool, it may seem like a free-for-all in a ruthless underwater clash, but there are rules. With minimal protection, players usually resurface from the pool with cuts and injuries after being dunked or taking a blow to the face. Water polo can be considered the aquatic version of rugby.

Senior team captain Ethan Sullivan, is a veteran when it comes to water polo—he played during all four years of high school and has spent his entire BC career on BC’s club team.

Ben Pederson, co-captain with Sullivan, played with him on their high school team. Sullivan recounts how he first got involved with the team freshman year: “I went on that Target run as a freshman, talked to a junior girl who was giving away free stuff, and she gave me another junior’s number who was currently on the team. After that, I went to his tailgate off campus and met even more juniors on the team.” It’s funny how Target can lead some people to the things at BC that become incredible four-year experiences, whereas I just bought a crappy, useless blender and a jar of roasted almonds.

Practices for the club team take place at the good old Plex, two hours per night from Sunday to Wednesday.

But they’re only able to get in the pool

December 2013

Alex Krowiak/Photo Editor

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Alex Krowiak/Photo Editor

once or twice during these practices.

Freshman Douglas Gorman says that the time commitment is very doable: “It’s not that bad...A lot of times guys will leave practice early and go to the library. Not bad at all for a freshman.”

The past four seasons have been great steps for BC’s club team. They are always highly seeded in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Men’s Club Championships. In fact, this year Boston College was 10-2 in the tournament, second to Dartmouth who was 12-0. The third place team was 5-7. This huge gap places BC and the champion school into a completely different category than the other teams in the tournament.

Gorman remarks on the team’s status in their league: “Yeah we’re known to be pretty good . . . There are six teams in our league, some fluctuate, but we’ve always been at the top.”

Like Sullivan and Pederson, Gorman played water polo all throughout high school, and plans to continue throughout his time at BC. Having high school experience with the sport is not uncommon for this team. Most of the

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students come from a small pocket of New England, Philadelphia or west coast schools. However, it is not unusual for swimmers to convert to the sport since of the same muscles are used in both activities.

Moving forward, the current junior class seems to have the most potential.

That being said, 2014 is the year to go to Nationals. Sullivan says he’ll be disappointed if the upcoming seniors don’t break the curse, because it could take years for this opportunity to present itself again. The juniors are a talented group of guys, particularly the starting goaltender, Caleb Bower, so big things are expected for the Eagles for the 2014 season.

Any team that has been going to championships for consecutive years must be doing something right. Whether it’s the players’ skill, the quality of coaching or even the team chemistry, the men’s water polo team has had consistent success. While the first two seem like probable factors, team chemistry appears to be essential to BC’s strong reputation.

I asked both the senior and the freshman about their favorite memories, and while they told different stories, both were focused on spending time together as a team.

Sullivan remarks on his freshman trips to tournaments that consisted of games during the day, BBQ, wiffle ball and parties at night. Gorman’s account was a bit different. “Our first tournament was at Dartmouth, and we stayed at the Blue Spruce motel. They didn’t exactly have a petting zoo, but there were two goats, which was pretty cool,” he says.

“We always have a bonding experience because we stay in the crappiest hotels.

One time we stayed in a Super 8, and we were like ‘this is so nice.’ The floor is a lot of times better then the beds.”

Whether through BBQs and wiffle ball or surviving the grimy rooms of a cheap motel, team bonding is an essential part of the team’s success. That, and some entertaining motivational speeches— as Captain Sullivan reminds the team before every game: “For the Boys. Stay Handsome.”

December 2013

Tracking Tradition

How the

SUPERFAN Came to Be

By Carson Truesdell/Gavel Media Staff

W

Image courtesy of Gavel Media

alking

down

to

Alumni BC and the SuperFan shirt. The shirt stands

Stadium for a football game, as a connection between students of each standing in Conte Forum for graduating class and as an identity point for

a hockey game or watching the freshman students at Boston College. We wear it with orientation recap video, there is one pride, knowing that we go to one of the best commonality: the vibrant golden SuperFan schools in the country, both academically shirt. All of us are connected by our love for and athletically.

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The swarm of SuperFan shirts sets the student section apart from the rest of Alumni Stadium. Even though anyone can buy SuperFan shirts from the BC Bookstore (or even at Goodwill as I found out recently), it is a tradition embraced solely by the BC student body. Just like the Mods, the SuperFan shirt signifies all the great things about BC. Suprisingly enough, considering the significance of the SuperFan concept around campus, that the tradition began rather recently. Founded in 1998

by BC students Jeff Bridge and Chris Millette, the SuperFan shirt started as a way to increase student excitement about athletic games. After seeing other schools give out T-shirts before sporting events that all the students would wear, Bridge and Millette were inspired to implement something similar at BC. As enthusiastic and loud fans, Bridge and Millette would passionately root for the Eagles at sporting events. They loved BC and loved sports, so naturally BC sports were a very serious thing to them.

Unfortunately, at the time the teams were mediocre and other students weren’t as excited about BC sporting events. Students would go to games, but would quickly lose interest when BC started losing. Soon the student section became quiet and detached from the game.

At a hockey game during their junior year, Bridge and Millette were told to “sit down and shut up.” Knowing that they were having more fun than other students, Bridge and Millette wanted other students to have the same experience as they did — an atmosphere common at other big-

“

time college athletic games. Hoping to change the lack of spirit they created the SuperFan shirt.

Starting with an away hockey game at the University of New Hampshire in 1997, fifty SuperFans wore the bright gold shirt as they cheered on their team against the Wildcats. It was not until the fall of 1998 that the SuperFan shirt became a BC tradition.

A few days before a nationally televised football game against Virginia Tech, Bridge and Millette wrote a letter to The Heights. Advocating their cause, they wrote, “Think about students screaming and yelling, helping BC and distracting the opponent. Think about those people watching ESPN and saying, ‘Wow, look at how crazy the fans are at BC.’ Think about years from now when this becomes a tradition. It will be known all over– BC kids wear gold... and go nuts.”

By game time on Thursday evening, the roommates had sold over 20,000 SuperFan shirts.

“Everyone wanted one. People were buying them for their cousins, aunts, uncles, you name it. Initially, we bought a thousand shirts and sold out within a few hours. Then it became a mad rush to keep up with the demand,” Bridge said. The shirts were only five dollars, because Bridge and Millette wanted to make the SuperFan shirt available to any student who wanted one. When the bookstore started to sell the shirts, they made it known that it was the cheapest clothing option in the store.

After the Virginia Tech game, everyone had a SuperFan shirt. Since then, the shirt has become a vital part of the BC culture, and the tradition of wearing your SuperFan shirt to sporting events has been going strong ever since.

The incoming class should have a saying just as close to their hearts as mine was.

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”

December 2013

Images courtesy of Gavel Media

In an interview, Bridge shared his

story of being a SuperFan and his reaction to the fifteen year tradition:

How did you get students excited about going to sporting events and wearing the gold SuperFan shirt?

The Virginia Tech game was vital.

Being on national TV provided the perfect atmosphere for the SuperFan shirt to become popular among the BC students. We made our idea known and people followed our message.

BC students love this school, and the SuperFan shirt became a way to express that. It was the people around us – Jerry York, the students, the BC Bookstore– that made this become a vital part of the BC experience.

What is the most memorable BC sporting event that you attended?

The most memorable football game I attended was a home football game, my senior year (1998 season), against Notre Dame. Boston College had the ball on the 2 yard line with 1 minute left in the game. If they scored a touchdown, they

would win. It was first and goal for BC, however Notre Dame stopped them on four straight plays. It was a heartbreaking loss, one that really stung because it was against Notre Dame. I will never forget the agony of losing that game. It was certainly memorable, but not in a good way.

How do you think more student excitement can be generated in nonrevenue and typically poorlyattended sports?

I remember going to the UConn vs.

Boston College women’s basketball game [in] 1998. It was unbelievably fun; I had a great time. This experience made me realize that other sporting events can [be] just as fun as the big football or hockey games. Obviously they won’t be as well-attended, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go.

If you could put one saying on the back of the SuperFan shirt what would it be?

Well, for the first shirt that we made, it said, “Whatever it Takes.” This was a nice description of what we were trying to accomplish. We wanted the culture

at BC sporting events to change and do “whatever it takes” to make that happen.

I love [the] tradition of having [a] quote on the back of the shirt, and I think it needs to be personal to each class. It should be original; every class should come up with their own saying.

“Whatever it takes” was personal to me, and made wearing my SuperFan shirt more meaningful. The incoming class should have a saying just as close to their hearts as mine was.

Do you think the SuperFan concept should be spread to fans who are not current students, such as alumni and young kids dreaming to go to BC? In my opinion, it shouldn’t be spread to non-BC students. The SuperFan shirt is a something that is earned by going to Boston College, a source of pride for all the hard work that it took to end up on the Heights. It is a rite of passage and doesn’t need to be exclusive. I realize that they sell SuperFan shirts at the BC Bookstore, but I think it is best to keep it just to the student body.

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Chirping to Victory

By Teddy Kolva / Sports Editor

T

he Boston College football team weathered the odds this year.

Bouncing back from one of the worst records in program history to become a legitimate, bowl-eligible tour-de-force, the Eagles recently beat a stout Virginia Tech team and nearly upset potential BCS title contender Florida State in regular season play.

Steve Addazio’s first year at BC saw reformations in offensive and defensive philosophy that meshed well with the team’s skill set, giving way to the emergence of Doak Walker candidate Andre Williams and defensive stalwarts like Kevin Pierre-Louis and Kasim Edebali.

His staff adopted a gutsy, hardworking mentality, and it made a difference in the way the team played.

Evidenced by those fourth and goal, door-die plays that determine the outset of games week in and week out, the growth BC football underwent in just one year

was considerable.

But the BC coaching staff’s greatest impact—at least in the unpredictable yet vital field of recruiting and branding— isn’t their on-field philosophy and play calling. Instead, Addazio and his staff are building long-term success off an unlikely prospect: Social media.

With Twitter, Instagram and Vine accounts, BC’s coaching staff recognized a need for connection with recruits in staff meetings last spring, and found it through social networking.

Virtually every member of the coaching staff, from head coach Steve Addazio to running backs coach Al Washington, operates a Twitter account to reach out to BC alumni, current student-athletes, fans and most importantly, recruits.

Although NCAA rules preclude the coaches from direct contact with players, they are allowed to follow and be followed by potential commits. To

an extent, the Twitter feeds of each BC coach serve as a marketing pamphlet for the program, a resource for recruits who otherwise wouldn’t look into the program and discover the BC experience.

The idea of the modern day college football coach adopting a Twitter handle to attract the country’s top football prospects isn’t new. Les Miles has given insight into Lousiana State University football on Twitter since 2009, boasting the school’s facilities and his own coaching philosophy when he has the chance—and it pays off.

According to ESPN, LSU had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in 2009—the same year Miles started his Twitter account. Since then, Miles and his staff have produced recruiting classes consistently ranked in the top 15, according to ESPN. Although there is no current study correlating a coach’s social media presence and a school’s recruiting

Images courtesy of Gavel Media

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December 2013

success, it’s hard to imagine that high school athletes don’t look at Miles’ Twitter page and become interested in what the LSU program has to offer.

What makes BC football’s efforts unique is that their social media campaign doesn’t merely focus on Coach Addazio’s Twitter handle, as is true with LSU and Les Miles, but rather all of the staff’s Twitter handles and video-oriented social media platforms like Instagram and Vine.

Sean Flaherty, an ex-BC football player who had a brief stint long snapping in the NFL, believes that BC’s social media campaign is as dynamic as they come.

“To Coach Addazio and his staff’s credit, they make their social media [campaign] a fun experience,” he said.

“And that is not an easy thing to do. Too many times you see a coach tweet ‘good day at the stadium today’ and that’s just not good enough to attract recruits and interest.”

Addazio and his defensive coordinator Don Brown created the hashtag #BeADude to thematically represent the program’s work ethic and attitude, which Flaherty says created a whole new outlet for recruiting and incentivizing players already on the team.

“The entire staff does such a good job making tweets and posts on other social media sites like Vine and Instagram personal and interesting,” Flaherty said.

“It means a lot to high school athletes when coaches tweet stuff like ‘Proud to have [recruit] No. 16 on board today.’”

And, perhaps most importantly, it’s not just Addazio and a recruiting specialist who initiates contact with players. The entire staff is engaged on social media, and in the offseason, it’s a focal point of their meetings.

“They spend just about every day focusing on Twitter during their coaches’ meetings over the summer,” Flaherty said. “They track how many followers they each have, and it’s even evolved

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into bragging rights to see which coach has the most [followers].”

While social media isn’t the end-all to BC’s football worries, or a solution to the long rebuilding process that still plagues Addazio and his staff, its role is critical in amplifying the team’s hype off the field.

On the field, only wins and big-time players can get top recruits to BC, but the tweeting shouldn’t cease.

“BC’s social media campaign is a catalyst for recruiting,” Flaherty said.

“A below-average football team with a strong social media presence won’t get the recruits a Florida State might, but with Addazio’s coaching and the season they’ve had, BC can really start building future teams with great players.”

A good football coach in 2013 is a good brand ambassador for the team and University. BC football’s campaign, tailored to the high school athletes who want to come to BC, will eventually win games for the Eagles, after all.

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GAVEL the MEET THE BANGIN’ BUSINESS TEAM

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