November 2010

December 7, 2009

Volume II, Issue 2

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Midterm Elections The grades are in (p. 4)

I Pledge Allegiance Becoming a US citizen (p. 8)

Fightin’ Words

Rhetoric of the Tea Party (p. 14)

Swift Return

Taylor speaks out (p. 18)

Driving America Forward PAGE 10 Photos courtesy of Seamus Gormly and Comstock, Inc. / Gavel Media Graphic by Maeve Kennedy Gormly

November 2010

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News

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Negative campaign ads become more personal

By Meghan Smith and Michelle Martínez News Editors Although the overall number of attack ads remains consistent from prior election years, negative campaigning that includes personal attacks has been on the rise in this election year.

Pornography, witchcraft, conspiracy theories, organ theft and gas chambers for pets are not usually topics candidates running for office emphasize to win over voters, but these are all surprising focuses of campaign advertisements in the 2010 midterm election in the California, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Illinois races, respectively.

Negative campaign ads are nothing new, and politics have been personal since the start of the century, but this midterm election cycle has seen an increase from recent years in negative ads attacking opponents’ personal characteristics. According to a Wesleyan Media Project Report, 20 percent of campaign ads this year have been attacking personal characteristics of candidates, up from 14 percent in 2008.

A Rasmussen report shows that 40 percent of adults who regularly watch television have noticed that there has been more negative campaigning this year. Negative ads usually get a reaction out of people, which is usually what a campaign seeks, but paradoxically this report finds that 56 percent of viewers are less inclined to vote for the candidate behind the attack.

Many attribute this increase to the negative attitude many Americans have towards government and public officials. Many ads, those that are Republican-sponsored, attempt to capitalize on much of the public’s distrust of government. There is more at stake in this election because both houses of Congress could potentially change party control, thus contributing to the increase in ads’ viciousness.

“Every campaign does two things: Get your own voters to the polls and persuade undecided voters,” said Kay Schlozman, a political sci-

ence professor.

Negative campaigning has been around as long as political parties in this country, but parties currently are becoming more polarized and isolated, which contributes to the escalation of attack ads. In the 1960s and 1970s, parties did not differ on as many issues, whereas now, candidates are more widespread across the political spectrum.

Kristoffer Munden, president of College Democrats of Boston College, agrees that campaign ads have always been nasty, but that this election is different.

“I think there’s been a lot of mudslinging and fear mongering in this election,” Munden said. “A lot of this, I think, can be attributed to various Tea Party-backed Republican candidates who attempt to win votes through unfounded fears.”

In Colorado, for instance, a Tea Partybacked campaign ad focusing on abortion as the root of America’s decline features the grim reaper’s face morphed onto Obama’s, calling him the “Angel of Death.” Meanwhile, Tea Party-endorsed Sharron Angle from Nevada has run two separate ads that call Harry Reid “the best friend an illegal alien ever had” and show him as being on “their side, not yours.”

This negative campaigning, however, is not at all limited to the Tea Party. In Florida, Democrat Representative Alan Greyson ran an ad that asserts that the Republican candidate, Daniel Webster wants to make divorce illegal, deny abused women health care and force raped women to keep their children, calling him “Taliban Dan.” Another factor contributing to the negative campaigning is the fact that many elections are expected to be close. In states like California and Nevada, there have been many ads that attack the personal characteristics of opponents.

For instance, during the Republican gubernatorial primary race in California, candidate Steve Poizner ran an ad accusing former eBay CEO

Photo courtesy of conservativecreatives.com

Meg Whitman of promoting pornography.

Whitman clinched the Republican nomination.

An important difference in this election cycle has been the change in campaign finance rules.

There has been an increase in funding that remains anonymous, which is filtered through the Chamber of Commerce. According to the Campaign Media Analysis Group, almost 90 percent of ads that are paid for by third parties are attack ads, which are usually the most extreme and controversial.

For instance, American Action Network, a non-profit organization backed by anonymous donors, has put forth numerous attack ads, several of which have been taken off the air due to their misleading nature. One of these ads targeted several Democratic candidates around the nation, implying that they support “Viagra for rapists” with taxpayers’ money.

Also, Let’s Get To Work Florida, a conservative organization, paid for an ad that compared politicians to diapers. The goal was to make Bill McCollum, a candidate in the Florida gubernatorial Republican primary, seem like a career politician who needed to be “changed.” There was also an ad paid for by Friends of John Mc-

Cain, which mocks J.D. Hayworth, who unsuccessfully ran against John McCain for the Republican nomination to the US Senate. The ad uses Hayworth’s voice to explain that his views about gay marriage can be compared to manhorse marriage, that he believes Dracula is real, that he was voted among the dumbest members of Congress, and that he hopes to protect the country from aliens. This video has over 200,000 views on Youtube.

In this current media climate, there are many more sources of campaign information, including Internet sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Schlozman said ads that are shared on these sites could have a big impact in an election like this. Christine O’Donnell, a Republican candidate for Senate from Delaware, has an ad in which she denies she is a witch on YouTube that currently has hundreds of thousands of views. An ad like this is an example of how some campaigns can get more viewers on the Internet instead of a traditional television.

In a campaign where viciousness and often ridiculous assertions can quickly become viral, candidates rely on these negative campaign ads as an effective tool in swaying public opinion.

Seniors discuss employment in dire economy

By Kevin Fagan Assoc. News Editor The recession that began in 2008 seems to continue for those seeking to find gainful employment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics for Sept. 2010 demonstrate that nationwide unemployment holds steady at 9.6 percent, down from an all-time high of 10.2 percent in Jan. 2010.

For Massachusetts, the horizon is a little brighter, with an unadjusted unemployment rate in Aug. 2010 of 8.3 percent. The unemployment rate for college graduates nationwide above the age of 25 is 4.4 percent.

For students at Boston College, the prospect of entering the job market is especially intimidating. Tedd Wimperis, A&S ’11, is a classical studies major who plans to pursue a PhD in classics after graduation.

“I am going to be entering graduate

school soon and it’s disconcerting to think that there may not be a job on the other side, no matter how well I perform,” Wimperis said. “Jobs in the humanities are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain because of the job market.”

Ariel DeBairos, CSOM ’11, was an intern at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company during the summer months. She is sympathetic to the plight of seniors still looking for jobs, however.

“The market is definitely competitive as there are many highly qualified students applying for a small number of positions,” Debairos said. “Unless you get lucky, you won’t have the opportunity to graduate feeling that you have job security.”

Even for seniors who have positions lined up for after graduation, the volatility of the job market may mean that a job might not last very long thereafter.

Fortunately, some students have a sense of humor about the dismal job market, such as Sean Robbins, A&S ’11, an English major.

“My degree, as you know, is worth as much as a sack of crap,” Robbins said.

Although Robbins’ take sums up some students’ thoughts on searching for jobs when coming from a non-business background, a liberal arts degree does not doom a graduate to unemployment.

Regarding his employment as a lifeguard for the City of Long Beach, California last summer, Robbins said, “After a semester of inactivity, I was terminated from employment by the state of California under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

California is one of many states dealing with crippling deficits and mounting levels of debt.

For most students, the Career Center is a valuable resource when it comes to finding

and obtaining jobs and internships. The Career Center allows students to get their resumes and cover letters looked at and evaluated, giving them a competitive advantage in the marketplace to properly show their credentials to employers.

The career center also offers mock interviews and online taped interviews to give students the ability to be critiqued and coached on their interviewing skills. Students are made aware of weakness in their body language or delivery that can make an interview less awkward and more productive towards obtaining that job.

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BC sees increase in international students

By Sue Byun Assoc. News Editor Over the past three years, Boston College has seen a steady increase in the number of international students and scholars, as well as greater diversity in the countries represented in the student body.

This fall, the percentage of international students within the undergraduate body is 3.4 percent, up from 1.8 percent in 2005.

Economic matters, the appeal of an American education, alumni endorsement, and an increasingly global society can help explain this trend.

Ama Edzie, international systems administrator in the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), said, “One factor I believe is economics; International students don’t receive financial aid so they use their own funds to pay tuition. From my conversations with people and with the admissions office, it seems that international students are more willing to pay the tuition.”

In light of the weakened U.S dollar, geoarbitrage, or the practice of leveraging one’s money through foreign currency differences, may also be a factor in making an international education more feasible and appealing.

Edzie mentioned that the OISS has been receiving students from new countries other than mainstays like Brazil, Italy, and Spain.

“We’re seeing more South American students from Ecuador, Guatemala, and lesser known countries like Belarus and Serbia and Montenegro,” Edzie said.

Sometimes college tuition in a foreign student’s home country is less than in the U.S, but students choose to study here because of a certain caché that a U.S education holds for foreign students.

Cecilia Provedini, A&S ’12 and an international student from France, said, “I wanted to

study here because in France a liberal arts education doesn’t have the richness over there as it does here. College education in France tends to be very technical.”

Alumni also play a big role in contributing to BC’s appeal as a destination for an international education experience, according to Edzie.

“BC is often the top choice for more foreign students than for U.S. students, who might also be looking at Harvard, Stanford, MIT. That’s because a lot of times our alumni will go back and personally recommend BC to their networks,” she said.

She said that BC is most popular for French and Italian exchange students, and that China and South Korea are the strongest producers of enrolled undergraduate international students.

Alexander Lam, CSOM ’13, said that the presence of international students creates a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

“When more international students are in the classroom, stereotypes, opinions, and perspectives change. We’re becoming a global society,” said Edzie.

OISS has responded to rising numbers of international students by offering more services such as workshops, speakers, and social events to make the BC experience more enjoyable for foreigners.

The office has also enlisted more International Assistants, local students who are assigned to one or two foreign students to help them get socially and culturally situated.

Despite the greater international presence on campus, one hurdle is how much meaningful interaction occurs between local and international students.

“I see Dutch, French, Spanish students all the time in my classes and on the bus and the T, but I haven’t really conversed with them,” said Kate Iannarone, A&S ’13.

Photo courtesy of education.missouri.edu

Gavel Media Photo by Gillian Freedman

Admissions tours adapt to campus construction

By Meghan Smith Editorial Assistant Due to the construction on main campus, the Office of Undergraduate Admission has been working to ensure that prospective students are well informed about the campus improvements.

Although the campus tour is a vital part of a prospective students’ visit, the Admissions Office is optimistic about the construction’s impact on future applicants. The campus tour can be a make-or-break experience for many prospective college students.

“The campus is an incredible selling point for admissions,” said Luke Lapointe, CSOM ’12 and tours coordinator of the Student Admission Program.

Lapointe noted that it is important to the Admissions Office that they do not try to avoid the subject of the construction with prospective students.

“If we hid it, there would be a lot more inquisitive looks,” Lapointe said.

Tour guides are encouraged to be open and honest about their feelings toward construction. This is part of a movement to train tour guides to share more personal stories about their experiences at BC. Lapointe admitted that although it is tough for juniors and seniors to talk about the construction since they will not see the end of the project, they are encouraged to remind prospective students that they will be on campus when construction is over. The university hopes to show that BC has been moving forward and growing despite the economic downturn. Prospective students are encouraged to go to the website to learn more about Stokes Hall.

The BC Student Admissions Program Website has opened a new section of their site explaining the construction to SAP volunteers and prospective students. In explaining the construction, it says, “BC has begun the incredibly ambitious and endowmentfunded Institutional Master Plan as a means of building up (and rebuilding) the university we see today, fitting in all ways with the Boston College motto, ‘Ever to Excel.”

To visitors and prospective students, it says,

“During these coming years, however, visitors are asked to remain patient and understanding of the construction projects around the campus.”

Although the closing of the Dustbowl has affected current students, this aspect of construction has not had a detrimental affect on campus tours. For the most part, the route has remained the same. Previously, campus tours only passed by the Dustbowl when walking through the Quad, but now the guides use this time to explain the new construction of Stokes Hall and the Institutional Master Plan. The tour guides are encouraged to be as honest as possible when answering questions about construction.

The closing of Gasson Hall has had the biggest impact on campus tours. Before construction, important icons such as the Irish Hall, the statue of Archangel Michael, the rotunda and the Jenks Honors Library were focal points of the tour. Guides used this time to talk about the Jesuit influence on campus life, liberal arts education and the core curriculum. The tours still start at the same place, in front of Gasson, although now they cannot enter the building.

Lapointe said that families and prospective students’ reactions to the construction have been generally positive. The construction is still staying true to the gothic style of architecture that makes BC so distinctive. “[The admissions tour] greatly influenced my opinion [in choosing BC],” Jonice Ward, A&S ’13, said. “I loved the campus because it felt really ‘homey’ and inclusive and it was beautiful, especially in the late spring and early summer when I came.”

Ward went on to say that although the construction sometimes makes it more difficult to get around campus because she lives on College Road, she is excited about the new academic building and hopes she will have time to enjoy it.

The Admissions Office is optimistic that construction will have a positive impact on university admissions and hopes that prospective students currently touring BC will be members of the classes that will benefit the most from this construction.

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Analysis determines Latino vote to decide midterms

By Michelle Martínez News Editor With the state of the nation’s economy taking the center stage in the midterm elections, immigration policy has not been addressed as diligently or as frequently as in prior races. As a result of this relative inaction on issues that are important to Latinos in the United States, this community might not have seen much of an incentive to go out and vote.

A recent study conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center shows that 65 percent of Latino registered voters support Democratic candidates, but with only 51 percent being “absolutely certain” that they will vote, Latinos are markedly less motivated to vote than all other groups of registered voters. These numbers are even lower when it comes to Spanishdominant Latinos, only 38 percent of whom say they will certainly vote in the upcoming midterms.

In the 2008 elections, when Obama actively spoke about pursuing immigration reform if elected, 67 percent of Latino voters opted for Obama over McCain. George Hart, A&S ’11, is the vice president of CASA and was last year’s recipient of the Oscar A. Romero scholarship.

“Latinos were huge for the Democrats and Obama, especially when McCain took an anti-immigrant stance,” Hart said in an e-mail.

Some argue that Latinos are now disillusioned with the Democrats and Obama, which leads to their decreased desire to vote.

Many attribute this loss of enthusiasm to the party’s insufficient or inexistent actions regarding immigration.

“Even with Republicans advocating for an end to the 14th Amendment, the Democrats still cannot capitalize on their racist rhetoric because the Democrats have yet to do anything for Latino immigrants,” Hart said.

Out of the Latinos surveyed by the Pew Hispanic Center, many mirror this sentiment of disillusionment. Though 62 percent continue to identity with the Democratic party and favor Obama, 51 percent feel like his policies have had no effect on Latinos.

The role of the bad economic situation, however, has also played a role in diminishing Latinos’ enthusiasm for Democrats, as it has in other ethnic groups. According to the Pew Hispanic Center’s study, 31 percent of Latino registered voters identified immigration as an “extremely important issue,” whereas 54 percent identified employment and economic opportunities as their biggest priorities.

David Hopkins, professor of political science, notes that the economic situation is probably the main factor in determining Latinos’ decreased motivation to vote, rather than immigration reform.

“Immigration is an important issue for Latinos, but it is not the only or even most important issue,” Hopkins said in an e-mail.

“There’s a prevalent myth in Washington circles that the Latino vote lives or dies on immigration issues, but it is not so.”

Kristoffer Munden, president of the Col-

lege Democrats of Boston College and A&S ‘11, also acknowledges that immigration hasn’t played a significant role in this election.

“It’s obvious that the biggest issue on the minds of voters has been the economy,” Munden said in an e-mail.

Some Republicans have taken advantage of Hispanic voters’ dissatisfaction with the Democratic party, with one group going so far as to airing an ad encouraging Hispanics not to vote. The ad, bankrolled by conservative Nevada Republicans, asks voters to make Obama and the Democrats “pay for their broken promises and betrayals” and for their largely “irresponsible behavior,” explicitly telling them “don’t vote.”

“Republicans are framing the situation as Democrats not making any efforts to address the immigration policies, so they should not get any Latino votes,” Noel Muñoz, A&S ‘11 and Latino student recruitment director for OLAA, said.

Hopkins notes that Republicans tend to favor this approach of dissuading Latinos from voting rather than trying to win over their vote, with the exception of their run for Latino support under Bush in 2000 and 2004. “[Republicans] have generally calculated since then that they are better served politically by taking anti-immigration positions that are popular with whites and have therefore mostly conceded the Latino vote,” Hopkins said.

Democrats, however, acknowledge the importance of the Hispanic vote. In the last days leading up to the elections, many Democrat leaders actively sought to energize Latinos to vote, especially for the Democrat candidates.

“Many Democrats, such as U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez in California, are explicitly letting voters know that if Republicans are elected, the chances of immigration policies passing that would benefit Latinos would be highly unlikely,” Muñoz said.

“Should Republicans take over Congress, we might see a proliferation of Arizona-like legislation that supports racial profiling,” Munden said in an email.

In order to prevent this from happening, Munden emphasizes the need for voters to ensure that Congress stay blue.

Because of these Republican initiatives to dissuade Latinos from voting, as well as the overall dissatisfaction with the state of the nation and lack of action directly affecting the Hispanic community, in Muñoz’s opinion, Latinos probably stayed away from the polls.

In spite of their smaller proportion of the number of eligible voters, Latinos comprise the United States’ largest minority, thus making them and their vote a crucial factor in determining the composition of the next US Congress.

Though typically, it seems that Latinos do not opt to side with Republicans when it comes to casting their vote, many agree that if Latinos stay at home and do not vote, it will be very hard for the Democrats to remain in control of Congress.

Photo courtesy of gallery.hd.org

Dems endure great losses in midterms

By Mason Lende, Marina Lopes, Michelle Martínez and Meghan Smith In this week’s midterm elections, Democrats lost most of the stronghold that they held over Congress. Obtaining over 60 seats, Republicans captured control of the House of Representatives. Although the Senate will stay in control of the Democrats by a narrow margin, Republicans still managed to see big gains thanks in part to the Tea Party movement.

Massachusetts: Whereas the Democrats lost many of the races throughout the nation, the Democratic candidates in Massachusetts prevailed. With slightly under half of the vote, Governor Deval Patrick was reelected to a second term in office, defeating his two opponents.

Veteran congressman Barney Frank (D) also defeated Sean Bielat, with around 55 percent of the vote.

In regards to the first ballot question in Massachusetts, 52 percent of voters favored the exemption of alcohol from the state sales tax. This measure will thus come into effect in January 2011.

Tea Partiers: In exit polls, four in ten voters expressed support for the Tea Party. This support was made visible by the electoral victories of Rand Paul in Kentucky, Nikki Hailey in South Carolina, and Marco Rubio in Florida.

In spite of these successes, controversial Tea Party candidate Christine O’Donnell was not able to win the Senate seat in Delaware, losing to Democratic candidate Chris Coons.

The Tea Party was also unable to oust Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada, despite a close race.

Arizona: Republican Jan Brewer was re-elected as the state’s Governor. Brewer became known for signing into law the controversial Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, which broadened the powers of police officers by allowing them to question

the immigration statuses of suspected illegal aliens. Although over 70 percent of Latinos in Arizona oppose it, Brewer stood by law throughout her campaign.

Arizona voters also approved Proposition 107, which bans affirmative action in units of state government, including public colleges and universities.

California: Jerry Brown (D) defeated Meg Whitman (R) in the gubernatorial race. California voters overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 19, which would have legalized marijuana.

Intriguing facts of this election: •

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• • • •

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This election marks the first time that a father and a son, Rand Paul (R) from Kentucky and Ron Paul (R) from Texas respectively, simultaneously serve in Congress.

No African American will be serving in the United States Senate, with all three candidates projected to lose.

Oklahoma, South Carolina, and New Mexico elected their first female governors, the latter of which is the nation’s first female Hispanic Governor.

Oklahoma voted to approve a ballot initiative that bars state courts from using Sharia, the sacred law of Islam.

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias conceded in the race for Barack Obama’s former Senate seat.

The Republican gains in the House is the greatest net increase since 1948.

The Deep South elected its first black Republican congressman since the Reconstruction. This candidate, Tim Scott, will be the nation’s first black GOP congressman in the past seven years.

According to exit polls, 62 percent of voters said the economy was the most important issue. The number of young voters dropped by half compared to 2008. Of voters 60 and older, 47 percent backed the Tea Party.

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Trends in majors reveal what students want from education

By Sue Byun Assoc. News Editor

“Pre-med students gravitate towards the biology major,” Chris Sheridan, a biochemistry major and A&S ‘12, said. “Biology has more majors than chemistry because it’s easier in terms of requirements and classes,” Psychology, marketing and accounting are majors that have stayed consistently popular, each enrolling 4 - 7 percent of the undergraduate student body.

Other traditionally popular majors are English, political science and history - but these have been declining in popularity since 2005.

These trends in students’ major choices at Boston College reflect aspects such as the economic recession and the growing role of the media, as well as what students perceive as valuable topics of study in the contemporary career environment.

Gavel Media Graphs by Sue Byun

As students plan out their course of study in preparation for their careers, choices of majors have become more relevant than ever in a tougher job market, in which having the right academic experience is paramount to landing a job.

A data analysis of the number of undergraduates declared in the top majors at Boston College reveals these trends don’t appear to be changing any time soon.

At BC, communication has been the most popular major since 2005, while finance, economics and biology have been close behind.

These top three majors are declared by 8 - 10 percent of the undergraduate student body.

The growing role of media and the economic recession may be reasons for the popularity of communication and economics as an undergraduate major choice.

“Communication is an interesting major that has a lot of practical relevance,” Catherine Hoffman, a communication major and A&S ‘13, said, “from writing, media and the Internet. And, I got to do a great event planning internship over the summer.”

Frank Gollop, assistant chair of undergraduate studies in the economics department, said that ever since the financial crisis of 2008 the department has seen the popularity of the major rise.

“I think being an economics major really prepares me well for when I graduate, career wise,” James Fitzgerald, an economics major and internationals studies minor A&S ‘12, said.

Debate over for-profit colleges’ pros, cons continues

By Marina Lopes Asst. News Editor With a student body of over 400,000, the most popular university in North America just keeps getting bigger. The University of Phoenix and other for-profit schools around the country are becoming increasingly viable options for students struggling to finance their education in the midst of a staggering recession.

The rise in enrollment at for-profit schools comes at no surprise. These institutions are sometimes the only higher education opportunities available to a sector of the population that cannot afford the escalating tuition rates of non-profit institutions.

Their flexible class schedules and fast-track degrees offer a non-traditional education environment suitable for older students with full-time jobs.

For-profit universities also provide students with opportunities to jump into higher income brackets. A university diploma, regardless of the institution, guarantees significantly higher wages. According to the Economic Policy Institute, students with a college degree earn on average 43 percent more per hour than those with only a high

school diploma.

“When you think of the perpetual underinvestment in our public colleges and the inadequate structure of community colleges...there is clearly a need for the type of education these places provide,” Paul Christensen, associate political science professor, said.

“It is very easy sitting here at Boston College to look down at these schools as intellectually substandard because they don’t fit into the models we are used to,” he said.

“But in an early 21st century capitalist economy, these students represent a labor force that needs training but can’t afford it.”

Approximately 10 percent of post-secondary students in the United States graduate from for-profit universities. But lawsuits and complaints over these institutions have grown along with their enrollment rates, causing the government to question whether for-profit universities actually deliver the bright future they promise.

The statistics, however, are grim. Graduation rates at private for-profit schools are below 15 percent. Unable to find the jobs that they were so enthusiastically promised when they enrolled, many of these graduates struggle to pay their loans.

“Far too many for-profit schools are saddling students with debt they cannot afford in exchange for degrees and certificates they cannot use,” said Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.

According to the Department of Education, the default rate on loans taken out by students at for-profit universities is double that of private and public non-profit universities.

An undercover government investigation earlier this year accused several for-profit universities of engaging in dishonest recruitment tactics such as misleading students about tuition rates.

In a report issued on Thursday, the Department of Education anounced new regulations on for-profit institutions intended to improve the department’s ability to monitor deceptive marketing and advertising. According to the report, in order to remain eligible for federal student loans, for-profit institutions will be required to meet higher governmental standards. Additionally, the Department of Education is working with several for-profit universities in order to re-define the “gainful employment” rules.

Ever since the regulations were proposed

this summer, Duncan’s mailbox has been flooded with letters from stakeholders on both sides. Florida Republicans have urged the Department of Education to “consider delaying further consideration of the proposed rule,” claiming that it will shrink the state’s labor market, which is highly dependent on for-profit universities’ graduates.

In an opposite plea, administrators of over 20 homeless shelters and youth programs claimed unequivocal support for the regulations in a letter to Duncan this summer.

“Our homeless clients are trapped after attending for-profit schols…Saddled with a mountain of debt that is unsupportable by educational outcomes promised but not delivered, our clients too often default on their debts and fall into a downward spiral of recidivism,” they wrote. “We look forward to the day when our clients can return to higher education without fear.”

Although the aforementioned changes will not go into effect until the summer of 2012, the Department of Education has already started making adjustments. They are currently meeting with various institutions and groups to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

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Features

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Seniors pursue their passions through theses

By Lauren Viola Asst. Features Editor Fall semester senior year, there usually is not much to worry about. For most seniors, it is not yet time to be seriously thinking about jobs, with months ahead to let those stresses come. But among those seniors creating some significant piece of work based on their studies over the previous three years, a bit of stress, amid much excitement, creeps in. That is, for those beginning the daunting process of writing a senior thesis.

The aura that hangs over the idea of a senior thesis can lead to many misconceptions as well as cause simple confusion amongst underclassmen and fellow seniors alike. Few people realize the difference between how a thesis begins and the final product in May when asking how long a thesis needs to be, what the process of writing one is or how a topic is chosen and gets approved.

Alicia Johnson, A&S ‘11, is working on narrowing the topic for her thesis through the Linguistics Program in the Slavic and Eastern Languages Department.

“I consider myself a feminist activist and am especially passionate about advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights,” Johnson said. “When approaching my thesis, I wanted to combine my academic background in Linguistics with that passion.”

Johnson spent much of her summer researching sources that would help her combine these two areas of study.

“I want to write about the language and frameworks used by reproductive rights advocates when talking about their issues,” Johnson said, “for example, the history of and meanings behind the phrases ‘pro-choice,’ ‘reproductive justice,’ etc.”

She says the topic choice seems like the most daunting part of the process but hopes that her work over the summer will help shape what she ends up writing her thesis about.

While many theses involve this same sort of process, researching in order to decide on a topic and writing a report based on strict literary research and passions, other students choose to take their projects in a different direction.

Liz Kulz, A&S ’11, an English major with a creative writing concentration, has pursued her passions for creative writing..

“It wasn’t really a decision, but rather, a given,” Kulz said about her choice to write a collection of poetry. “I feel like I have to write one. I would be writing all year anyway, so the prospect isn’t really a difficult one. But a great way to publicize my work and take advantage of the valuable guidance of my mentor, while being supported by my school. The time is ripe.”

Kulz plans on writing poetry based upon the theme of place and her experiences with it.

“London, New York City, and my home town of Charleston,” she said of the places she is focusing on. “But as always with the creative, this is subject to change and then change again.”

Rather than research per se, Kulz plans on reading other poets and prose writers as inspiration for her own poetry. Her book list is based on many different topics including poets she admires and novels or collections founded on themes she has been interested in

from childhood.

“You have to fuel the natural passion,” Kulz said.

With a goal of at least 30 poems in her collection by the end of the year, Kulz writes multiple times a week and reads constantly, meeting with advisor Sue Roberts to talk about, “everything and anything— what’s working, what’s not working, recent inspirations, my lack of inspiration, and just life really— it’s all the stuff of poetry.”

A common problem that thesis writers find is how to pick a topic that will keep them engaged throughout the year.

“People always tell you to pick a thesis topic about which you can be passionate for an entire year,” Gabrielle Chwazik-Gee, CSOM ‘11, said.

Realizing that this really narrowed her topic down to something involving food, the marketing concentrator says, “when my roommate tossed out the idea of studying restaurant menus, I knew it was exactly the thesis topic I had been looking for.”

Again looking to combine two areas of interest, Chwazik-Gee looks forward to the work involved

in creating a substantial piece of writing for a marketing study on this topic.

“This thesis will involve reading over 50 academic articles, observing close to 100 restaurants and their menus, designing and applying a customer opinions survey, analyzing the information both qualitatively and quantitatively and,” Chwazik-Gee said, “actually writing the thing.”

The thesis itself “will examine restaurant menus as a marketing tool and more specifically, how the framing of restaurant menus’ descriptions and layouts affects the sales of certain menu items,” Chwazik-Gee said.

This focus will engage both her marketing research skills learned during her past three years of marketing classes, and her passion for food by analyzing the way restaurant menus work.

Though a senior thesis is at least a year’s worth of passion and work and an intimidating process for all, there is no set formula to create one. A lot of passion, a lot of thought, and a lot of hard work go into it. The final result is unique to each person alone.

My journey to become a United States citizen

By Marina Lopes Assoc. News Editor Last Thursday, between watching re-runs of Gilmore Girls and finishing my economics problem sets, I became an American citizen. I had spent the past month copying my fingerprints, acing my naturalization test and swearing that - apart from a few late night conversations with radical friends - my communist sympathies were minimal.

As I drove to the Office of Immigration and Naturalization, my heart pounded. This was it - the conclusion of one of the most important stages of my life. I would finally be able to call my adopted country “home.”

I passed through metal detectors and officers guarding the building and joined the hundreds of immigrants waiting patiently for the ceremony to begin. As I sat in the waiting room, a very loud, white-haired man with a thick Southern accent and patriotically colored suspenders stood on a chair and introduced himself.

“My name is Frank, and I’m going to be your M.C. for the ceremony,” he said.

Frank is the Oprah Winfrey of the Office of Immigration. He had been working there for 15 years, and this was his favorite part of the job.

“You get a citizenship! You get a citizenship!” he shouted after checking that we had all of the necessary documents. Frank then ushered us into the ceremony room, which was decorated with eagles, American flags, and all things red, white, and blue.

The ceremony was quick and efficient. We pledged allegiance to the flag and to the Constitution. We renounced allegiance to our former countries and promised to bear arms on behalf of the United States. We sang patriotic songs and waved miniature American flags. But as I stood on that stage with my hand over my heart, the historical implications of what I was about to do weighed down on me.

The oath I was about to take was the culmination of all of the blood, sweat and tears my parents had endured on my behalf: a 12-year long journey that began one fateful January morning, when my father woke up and decided that enough was enough. We were going to leave our

polluted, concrete world in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and move to the United States.

Before the move, I envisioned the United States as a perfect suburbia.

My dad promised us bicycles, green lawns and houses with no fences.

Confined to our dreary apartment in the third largest metropolis in the world, nothing sounded better to my brother and me.

We left Sao Paulo by mid-August of that same year, and when I arrived in Miami, I was greeted with everything I had been promised and more: an immeasurably better education, a safer neighborhood and a brighter future.

Like most kids, we adjusted easily, naturally adopting our new country’s identity. My dad has always been an American at heart, even before moving here. He’s the type of person who listens to “God Bless America” on his iPod for fun - I’ve never met a more patriotic immigrant. My mom on the other hand, bore all the burdens of moving to a truly foreign environment, learning a completely new language while raising two kids.

Together they sacrificed a comfortable life in their native country for

Photo courtesy of Marina Lopes

our future and never looked back.

I took my citizenship oath with pride, recognizing that I stand on their shoulders and the shoulders of millions of others who have worked endlessly trying to become a part of this country and start a new life.

I am, therefore, also obliged to take an oath of allegiance to all of those responsible for where I am today.

As an American and a Brazilian, I promise never take the opportunities that both countries have been given me for granted.

As an American, a citizen of the most powerful country in the world, I promise to use my civic rights to ensure that its power is used responsibly and to the betterment of the world community.

As an American and an immigrant, I promise to dedicate myself to ensure that the American Dream that so many have died trying to pursue is more than just rhetoric.

As an American and a journalist, I promise to be my country’s most loving critic.

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Glee photo controversy may address wrong flaw

By Mason Lende Editorial Assistant Gentleman’s Quarterly (GQ) has long been known for scandalous photographs of scantily clad actresses gracing the cover. Now, this November’s cover may be causing the biggest uproar.

If the characters of Glee ever seemed innocent, that is no longer the case, as evidenced by this month’s cover of GQ where Lea Michele’s and Dianna Agron’s virtual lack of clothing and Cory Monteith’s lipstick smudged cheeks are on full display.

Many aspects of this provocative cover and its follow-up photographs have caused this controversy, but most lack actual merit.

Prior to this controversy, the Parents Television Council (PTC), a non-partisan organization advocating responsible entertainment, gave Glee a “red light” for inappropriate sexual behavior and recommended not allowing children under 16 to watch it. Now PTC has joined others in denouncing the photographs.

The PTC accuses that this sexualized cover, featuring pink lingerie and a racy cheerleader’s outfit, while Monteith is wearing normal clothes, is simply another instance of creating a younger culture of sex and gender roles.

President of the PTC, Tim Winter, said in a press release on their website, “It borders on pedophilia.”

Photo courtesy of GQ.com

Yet, all participants in the photo shoot, despite playing high-schoolaged characters on television, are well into their 20s.

It is difficult to imagine Glee ever being perceived as a children’s show, especially when it covers a broad array of topics including teenage sexual activity, sexuality, disabilities, and other controversies.

As an immensely popular television show, it is natural for the actors to be featured on various magazine covers.

However, most shows that feature young characters refrain from this extreme of a sexualized vision.

“Sex sells, supposedly,” Krista Senden, social work graduate student and bystander awareness coordinator at the Women’s Resource Center said.

“Who’s going to buy a magazine if

there’s not a half naked women on it?”

Furthermore, as several news sources covering the controversy point out, GQ is a magazine intended for adult males, not children.

Vanity Fair, a magazine owned by the same company and who was wrapped up in its own scandal involving revealing photos of a nude, teenage Miley Cyrus, writes in defense of GQ’s Glee photographs.

The article by Brett Berk, culture writer and blogger, touches upon the main sources of the scandal: teenage sexuality and reinforcement of gender stereotypes.

While the cover photographs are revealing, Berk denies that this particular cover is worthy of making the news. He points out that many other

magazine covers display equally pornographic photos without creating such a scandal.

Berk, who self-identifies as gay and “Vanity Fair’s resident expert on all things Glee,” answers the controversy of a fully clothed Monteith simply: GQ is a men’s magazine and men are not interested in seeing other halfnaked men.

However, DNR Magazine’s 2006 study of magazine readership reports that GQ is the widely circulated magazine with the largest gay following.

Furthermore, when Taylor Lautner was featured on the cover of the July 2010 issue, the Twilight star appeared shirtless in a photograph within the magazine. Even in the photo essay accompanying the article, Monteith appears fully clothed.

And while it is difficult to imagine Lautner in a photograph without his signature feature (his abdominal muscles), it is reasonable, even in a men’s magazine, for Monteith to show the same amount of skin in the context of the Glee photographs.

A National Public Radio (NPR) article written by Linda Holmes condemns the photographs based on both the lack of skin displayed by Monteith and the position of his hands.

Holmes alludes to the fact that while Monteith, Agron and Michele play characters in Glee, the photo shoot is not done in character. That said, Holmes agrees that they do “play on the dynamics among characters on

the show.”

“All of the pictures of the women, they’re sitting on top of something with their legs spread open with their shirt half off,” Senden says. “The ones of Finn are in the locker room with his clothes on or playing the drums. Those are completely normal pictures for him.”

“But if that’s the case, what do these particular photos say?” Holmes said.

“They say, ‘Sure, these girls are sexy, but you know what would be really sexy? If they were dumber. If they were weaker. If they were more desperate.’”

More than the overtly sexualized portrayal of women, however, is the constant media attention to sexualized teenage behavior.

“For teenagers to see something like that, to see a guy fully clothed and a woman half naked,” Senden said, “I just think…that is the image that they’re always seeing.”

Aside from the ramifications of sexualized teenage culture, the photographs are a subtle hint at the many body image issues that young women and men face every day. The photographs portray the idea that it is only necessary for women to engage in sexually provocative behavior.

“When you’re teaching teens about body image,” Senden said, “you should be talking about sex within the media and gender within the media.

I think the conversation should go hand in hand.”

Alumna to seniors: It’s a mad world ... And that’s OK

By Blair Thill Gavel Media Columnist Depressing. Confusing. Scary. And above all — unknown. These are a compilation of words undoubtedly plaguing your mind, Seniors, as you face the unfamiliar waters of graduation.

Our whole lives, we’re groomed for the next step. Elementary school prepares you for middle school.

Middle school prepares you for high school. High school prepares you for college. And college prepares you for what, exactly?

For the first time, the next step isn’t clearly defined. Your options are endless. And while that sounds like the very definition of “freedom,” it can also mean a preponderance of frustration as you try to figure out how you can use that freedom.

When I was graduating, I was absolutely terrified. I spent my last semester in a funk, dreading the next phase of life. I applied to a few jobs, but I wasn’t really sure what I was

looking for. Or more specifically, I knew what I wanted — a job in the entertainment industry — but I wasn’t sure how to get it.

Instead of hunkering down and finding the answers, I avoided the questions at all costs. When someone asked me what the next step would be, I simply shrugged and said that I didn’t know. The only plan I had was to move home to New Jersey, look for a job in New York City (hopefully in TV or film), and see what happens. It wasn’t much, but it was all I had.

Boston College had become home to me throughout my four years there. I had grown accustomed to having all my best friends within a five-minute walking distance.

I relished taking a walk around our beautiful campus when I needed to clear my head. I loved using the Monopoly money on my Eagle One Card to buy lunch. I loved the New England Classic at Hillside.

Come May 18th, 2009, BC kicked me out of these habits by

brute force, barely giving me time to clean out my belongings.

It was time to enact “the plan,” but I was only equipped to employ half of it. I took a month of mourning time, as I like to call it, allowed myself to feel the loss, ready myself for my future.

It was the best gift I could have given myself. I did a whole lot of nothing, and then I was fully prepared to do a whole lot of ... something.

Which brings us to my first piece of advice: embrace ambiguity. In these times we’re living and graduating in, most don’t know what their next step is on graduation day. This can inspire feelings of mediocrity, as well as dubiousness at what this $200,000 education has gotten you.

But think of it this way. Most Americans retire in their 60s, meaning the majority of your life is spent in the work force. Many of us may spend the majority of that time in the same career path.

So really, what’s a year or two spent trying to figure it all out?

What’s a year or two making sure that you’re sure of what you’re about to enter into? Take some time to figure out who you are and where you think you want to go.

When I realized a real job in the entertainment industry wouldn’t come easily, no matter how much passion I had in my soul, I decided to take the internship route.

A year and change later, I’m still doing internships, though thankfully they have at least escalated in importance.

Am I raking in the dough? No. And you know what? That’s ok. Because in a few years, even if I’m not working in entertainment, I’ll know I did everything I could to pursue what I thought I wanted to do.

And so my next piece of advice is cliche and age-old: follow your passion in any way you can, by any means necessary.

If you want to be a writer but are having a tough time finding a job in

media, don’t let that stop you from writing a blog or sending freelance pieces to magazines. If you want to be a doctor but don’t have the score to get into med school, be a hospital orderly while you get your MCAT scores up. Whatever your dream profession might be, make sure you throw yourself into making it happen.

This is the time in our lives where we have few obligations, and no one to answer to. Take advantage of that. It would be a bigger mistake not to, and end up in your 30s wondering how you got there.

Unfortunately, none of us knows where our lives are headed. What we think we want to do now may not be what fulfills us in the long run.

The key, I think, is to think about regrets. What will you regret more in the long run? Ask yourself that question in these last few months of BC, but never lose sight of appreciating your time before graduation, because I can assure you that would lead to greater regrets.

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Inside the numbers of midterm elections

By William Stoll Editorial Assistant Many people know about the most recent midterm elections due to all the media coverage of issues America currently faces, such as health care and the economy. But past midterms have received much less exposure, so there is hardly any common knowledge about these elections, what the results usually are, and how this year’s midterms fit into the general trends.

Midterms are called such because they come halfway through the president’s term in office.

Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have two- and six-year terms respectively, meaning every two years (and thus every midterm) each member of the House and onethird of Senate members are up for reelection.

Now, since there is no presidential race, voter turnout takes an expected fall in midterm elections.

For example, in the 2010 elections 56.8 percent of registered voters cast their ballots, compared to the 37.1 percent that voted in the 2008 midterm elections. As a general rule, presidential elections will draw about 55 percent of registered voters out to the votingbooth, while midterms will bring out a paltry 37 percent.

When you take a closer look inside the numbers you see that the youth vote falls dramatically in midterms compared to a presidential election. In the 2004 presidential election, the voting bloc that covers ages 18-29 had over 50 percent of registered voters come out and vote. However, two years later in the 2006 midterm elections that same age group only reported a 30 percent turnout. Compare this to the age group of 60 and over.

In 2004, about 70 percent of this age group voted for the presidency, and in 2006 this age group reported a turnout of over 65 percent.

If one looks further into the

numbers, it is clear that age affects which way a person will vote.

In the 2008 presidential election, people from age 18 to 29 voted overwhelmingly for Democrats, with 66 percent. People ages of 65 or over, however, voted 54 percent Republican.

Therefore, the midterm elections generally lean towards the GOP, as the people who constitute their main voting base come out in droves, while the age group that most often votes democratic stays home.

This is evidenced in the results of midterms, that since 1994, the Republican party has had control of the House of Representatives for 10 of those years, and the Senate for 12 years, and of the five midterm elections that have taken place, the GOP has dominated four of them — their only defeat coming in 2008 mid-recession.

The 2010 midterm elections showed how heavily these trends can instantly change the politi-

cal landscape. When all the votes are finally counted, it is projected that Republicans will have gained 64 seats in the House of Representatives and 6 seats in the Senate, giving them an overwhelming majority in the House and closing the gap to the Democrats in the Senate.

Exit polls show how age again affected the outcomes of these elections. The age group of 18 to 29 was the only group that voted Democratic with 57 percent of those voters voting for the Dems.

However they constituted only 11 percent of the vote (compared to almost 20 percent in 2008), and this gave the older age groups much more power per vote. Seniors made up almost a quarter of all voters, and their vote was a landslide 60 percent in favor of the GOP. The last general trend in midterms is that incumbents have a huge advantage. The reelection rate for House incumbents is usu-

ally around 95 percent, and in the Senate is it close to 90 percent.

There are numerous causes for this, the main reasons being name recognition, usually having a huge monetary advantage over any challenger, and use of the franking privilege.

This last one is especially important, because it allows anyone currently in federal office to send an unlimited amount of mail to their constituents at no cost.

These midterms generated an astounding departure from these statistics. In the House, out of 236 Democratic incumbents that ran, less than 70 percent were able to retain their seats. This lead to the dramatic turnover seen in the House and the Senate, resulting in different parties controlling Congress and the Presidency.

What does this mean? Don’t expect a whole lot out of Congress for the next two years, just bickering, fighting, and a ton of policy gridlock.

Invisible Children encourages hope, action

By Francesca McCaffrey Editorial Assistant When I was nine, I picked up a violin for the first time. I felt the smooth wood under my fingers, lightly plucked the strings and thought to myself that, with enough practice, one day I could make beautiful music for myself and others. The child soldiers of the Lord’s Resistance Army, many as young as and even younger than nine, pick up a very different instrument every day. Not an instrument of music, but an instrument of war — a gun.

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is a rebel group that, for over 24 years, has been waging war on the Ugandan government, the longest war in the country’s history.

Remedying this struggle, as well as that of the children abducted and forced to fight with the LRA is the chief aim of the non-profit organization Invisible Children. One of the many activities undertaken by Invisible Children’s members is making documentaries and touring the globe. These films share with audiences the stories of child soldiers, in hopes of encouraging others to take action.

Invisible Children was founded in 2003 by the young California filmmakers Jason Russell, Laren Poole, and Ben Keesey. Together, they traveled to Uganda to film the plight of child soldiers while simultaneously

working with locals to establish communication with the leaders of the LRA to seek an end to this decadeslong conflict.

The leader of the LRA is Joseph Kony, and his campaign of war against the Ugandan government and his ceaseless killing of civilians throughout both Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have their roots in an age-old conflict.

This conflict centers around a mistreatment of the Acholi people of Uganda that began with British colonization in the 1800s and that resistance fighters like Kony claim to see in the present Ugandan government.

Since 1986, Kony and his forces have been waging war and bringing their campaign of violence against civilians, in the name of resistance against the government throughout Uganda and into neighboring countries as well. Shortly after the inception of the LRA, Kony’s actions began to lose the support of the Acholi people, leading to a dwindling of his forces. Kony chose to counteract this loss by abducting children and forcing them to fight for him. To this date, an estimated 30,000 children have been abducted.

Nevertheless, Kony is allowed to go free, a fact of which Russell, Poole, and Keesey were well aware. While on their first trip to Uganda, they joined a long list of groups including the International Criminal Court

that have tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a peace agreement with Kony.

Disappointment at yet another failed agreement spurred the young men to take matters into their own hands and create Invisible Children.

In the past two years alone, 3,000 people have been killed and 280,000 displaced as a result of LRA attacks.

Between the lines of the tallies of the dead lie the stories of the survivors: families with children stolen from them, and children forced into lives of violence. Even those who manage to escape after leading the life of a child soldier come away with scars, those that are skin-deep acting as only a glimpse of what lies beneath.

Invisible Children’s leaders are very sensitive to this fact and place just as much importance on rehabilitation of former child soldiers as they do on ending the conflict in Uganda and the Congo.

The conflict gives rise to countless personal stories of struggle like that of Lanyero Benna, a young Ugandan woman who experienced life under the threat of the LRA and survived.

Benna, who, after being displaced

by LRA raids, now oversees Invisible Children’s Bracelet Campaign to raise money for child soldiers and displace refugees, says, “No matter how old you are, you are able to make a difference for this world.”

This idea of making a difference is crucial to Invisible Children’s mission, and the group presents a myri-

Photo courtesy of INewsCatcher

ad of ways in which one can do so.

In addition to the various Invisible Children t-shirts, bags, and bracelets, the majority of which were made in Uganda, that are available for sale at documentary screenings.

This recently created group of Invisible Children members not only supports legislation in favor of putting an end to the use of child soldiers, but it also pledges to donate twenty dollars a month to benefit Invisible Children’s projects to aid regions affected by LRA violence: the Congo Early Warning Radio Network and the Congo Rehabilitation Project.

TRI, the movement to help child soldiers, has gained success as of late on the legislative front. As a result of the continued push of Invisible Children and TRI during the past year, President Barack Obama recently signed the LRA Disarmament and

Northern Uganda Recovery Act into law. Also, on November 20th of this year, Obama will announce further plans for what is to be done to help resolve this humanitarian crisis. This attention has emboldened Invisible Children in their efforts to bringing peace and rehabilitation to Northern Uganda and the Congo. Even so, the road ahead is a long one.

Every day when I pick up my violin to practice, there is a child somewhere in Uganda, or in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who is slinging a gun over the same shoulder as that on which my instrument rests. This is, as Akello Brenda said when describing life in America as compared to life in Uganda, “a different world”. The ever-swelling group of Invisible Children members, however, is doing its part to show us that it does not have to be.

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Love Your Body Week message lasts all year

By Mason Lende Editorial Assistant Love Your Body Week, sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center, is a weeklong event that emphasizes the importance of a positive self body image. Although the week is packed with exciting events, speakers, and activities to promote awareness, the message conveyed by Love Your Body Week does not end there.

“Students have to strive every day to rethink beauty — we must consider ourselves and each other beautiful,” Alicia Johnson, UGBC Director of Women’s Issues, A&S ‘11, said.

The week, as well as the Love Your Body Campaign as a whole, promotes the message that beauty is not what magazines, television, and the entertainment industry tell people it is.

Popular culture seems to have created a standard image of beauty, especially considering the lengths that celebrities take to morph their bodies into life-sized Barbies.

“At large, our US culture seems so caught up in questions such as ‘What’s thin enough?’” Jackie Draper, Women’s Resource Center Staff and A&S ‘11, said. “‘What’s feminine or masculine enough? What’s sexy

enough?’”

“However, we forget,” Draper said, “these standards are just shallow and superficial answers that are not unique, all-encompassing, multidimensional, and reflective and thus not truly beautiful.”

Everyone, whether or not they participate in Love Your Body Week, is enouraged to view and accept their own body for what it is.

“Love Your Body Week promotes how to live comfortably in one’s own skin and take ownership of one’s self,” Draper said. “The week allows us to define our own body and not letting others do it for us.”

The week, which takes place from Nov. 3 to Nov. 12, includes discussions concerning inter-racial relationships, healthy living practices, a “Love Your Health Luncheon,” a lecture discussing pornographic images in our culture and many others.

Looking beyond the week, students are encouraged to take rethinking beauty seriously year round.

“We need an overall shift in how we perceive beauty, judge others, and even sometimes hurt ourselves to pursue some impossible ideal,” Johnson said.

“We explore how the different takes on ‘beauty’ conclude that beautiful means taking care of one’s unique self and,” Draper

said, “not molding one’s self to another or a standard.”

Although sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center, Love Your Body Week and its message are considered universal.

“It serves to enlighten us of other cultures’ conception of beauty and promote that body image is an issue for both women and men,” Draper said.

On college campuses, body image issues are a constant problem. This may be especially true of Boston College, whose student body has garnered a reputation for fitting traditional standards of body image.

“At Boston College, after excessive drinking,” Draper said, “body image and eating disorders rank as the top concern for our student body.”

“Body image is something that almost all students struggle with on a daily basis,” Johnson said, “from staring at the mirror in the morning and comparing ourselves to the models in magazines to not knowing what eating and exercise habits are best for us.”

Love Your Body Week and its sponsors urge people to adopt a realistic image of the self and accept one’s body for what it is.

“Events like those during Love Your Body Week help students reflect on body image in our culture and on our campus and promote

Adjusting to college life can be tough

By Daniel Klemmer Gavel Media Columnist PHEW — that’s the huge sigh of relief every freshman exhales after they finished organizing their myriad of belongings brought to college. THUMP — that’s their body hitting their newly made bed (most likely by their parents), and somewhere within those 20 minutes, the small realization begins the trickle through your body: college.

Everything is so new, I mean everything.

Coming from a public high school school, all facets of life are different: community showers, rooming with a stranger, swiping to get into buildings, not knowing anyone.

Going into Boston College, I knew virtually no one — no good friends from my school, no family friends and no siblings, and I only became close acquaintances with one person from orientation.

I didn’t even know the layout of the campus well. I never took a visit, tour, group session or whatever other college preparation steps you are supposed to take.

I had only been to the school two times before Sept. 2, one of those was for Admitted Students Day, and the other was for Orientation.

I thought I was the only one in this situation, or at least it felt that way. Everyone had an upperclassman sibling to show them the ropes, or a requested roommate to hang out with, and the most common thing of all is the legacies. I don’t think BC alumni send their kids to any other schools

other than BC — it’s absurd.

The hardest adjustment is meeting friends. When I moved in fifth grade, I dreaded the first day of school because I knew no one. It is the bitter cold reality: accepting that you not only have no one to fall back on, but you have no one to talk with either. And that is a tough pill to swallow.

I was searching for the easy things to find in common, but it just wasn’t clicking. It seemed like everyone was from the same three states: Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Jersey.

What I realized in the first month was the huge chasm between people you want to spend time with and the people you would be spending time with. It is the conundrum of complacency, the self-questioning: do I stick with these people because something is better than nothing, or do I go search for company I truly enjoy?

But when you find people you look forward to spending time with, it is all worth the wait, and the adjustment is that much easier.

I was satisfied with the social group I fell into but there was one thing holding me back: they were all on Upper and I was on the Newton campus.

Only fellow Newtonites can have empathy for my situation and understand how this would be a large hindrance for social continuity.

Instead of walking over to their dorm in less than five minutes, I have to plan the night around my arrival to Upper because

of the bus commute.

I needed to figure out whose dorm I would go visit and when was the best time for them. Being a self-sufficient person in high school, I knew something had to change as I started to lose individuality and to become more reliant on the Upper resident’s availability.

I needed to cease the slide, and I began forming stronger relationships with people on the Newton campus, especially the guys in my dorm.

My daily tasks of getting food at Stuart, hanging around Cushing and waiting for the infamous Newton bus were drastically enriched because it was not forced and yet I was still enjoying myself.

What I ultimately learned about adjustment, especially from my time in college, is the importance of being patient. The goal is happiness but that is never automatic, significant problems are solved slowly.

The adage “if it’s not worth working hard for, it’s not worth it” encompasses this concept because it puts life into perspective while still highlighting what is essential.

Adjustment made me reflect and fully understand what I wanted, not only from myself but my friends. It is an integral facet of life — a blessing and a curse, because only bad times precede the good.

The whole process showed me that I wasn’t the only one feeling the looming influence of adjustment. No matter how much their head start may have been, we were all freshman, once I realized that it didn’t feel like the start of a race.

for positive body image,” Johnson said.

The National Organization for Women (NOW), which hosts an annual national event known as Love Your Body Day on Oct. 20, lists many daily activities that everyone can do including challenging attitudes, removing discrimination, avoiding the diet culture and refusing to participate in groups that promote bodies as objects.

NOW’s campaign seeks to create a culture of equality based on the concept of a universal beauty that applies to everyone, regardless of level of physical fitness or attractiveness.

“My message is always ‘You are beautiful,’” Johnson said. “A key to promoting positive body image is that we support each other and affirm each other’s beauty - physical, emotional, intellectual, and in every aspect of ourselves.”

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Pursuing Our Potential: Boston College and the Environment The sight of tree stumps in the former Dustbowl is a sad sight in and of itself, but is made worse by the lack of environmental priorities in the new construction plans for Stokes Hall.

The new student commons would only have a Silver LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, while also decreasing the amount of green space available to students on campus. Add to that the “B” the school just received on its Green Report Card to see that BC is content with just passing, not excelling, the realm of sustainability.

Having a LEED Certification be a part of the process is important, yet it is upsetting that the school has not to reach beyond the average in its environmental goals. This construction has been marketed as a way for our school to raise its national reputation and status. But if Boston College truly wants to be on the level of its close rivals such as Harvard or Brown, it must make a much greater commitment to sustainability on campus.

In all future construction plans, the planning committee should make all buildings at least a Gold LEED Certification, if not Platinum. Similarly, instead of putting up little stickers in all of the rooms imploring students to be mindful of energy and water use, all buildings — academic and residential alike — should be retrofitted to provide for greater conservation.

Beyond the technical aspects of conservation that should be promoted at BC, there also needs to be a greater emphasis on sustainable practices. Eco Pledge made great strides when it set up the separating system in the dining halls, yet the system is often misused or disregarded because of confusion or lack of convenience.

Yes, students should make the effort to engage in green practices, but we all have those days when we are just too rushed to sort out our plates and food.

BC Dining Services should be more concerned with the issue of waste in its locations, and promote an easier, clear system that will promote sustainable practices.

Focusing on conservation and sustainable practices is more than just getting into a trendy game between top tier colleges and universities. By showing a commitment to green values, Boston College will shows that it is truly looking forward in its thinking. Maybe in its plans, the school will also look for a way to not only replace the green space that was lost to build Stokes Common, but also to provide a natural respite for its students.

As of now, the only interaction students ever have in a school context with the world of nature is a day in Boston Commons, or perhaps a trip for Appalachia or Arrupe. Communion with the environment, and a greater respect and focus on sustainability will help to put BC among its most elite counterparts in the future.

Gavel Media Photo by Maeve Gormly

By the Editorial Board

With new members in Congress, it is now time to end t ing solutions. Americans voted for change, but the prob tion, will Americans just vote for change again instead o Seats in government should not be treated as a game of for tangible change to occur, whether one is a Democrat Similarly, there are issues on campus that can be solve dents to see to their realization, even if we will not be he The following four categories of issues need to be add are tired of waiting.

War The Millennial generation has been decidedly marred by wars. None were explicitly of our choosing and, although we may have supported them in our teenage years, they have become long battles of contrition marked by embarrassing episodes of ineptitude and questionable moral fortitude.

Current college students may have realized early on that we stood at the precipice of a new world order when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001. The quick engagement with Afghanistan seemed justified to many who had watched the twin towers burn and collapse, all in the matter of a quickly unfolding school day.

Our involvement quickly became a new foreign war, this time in Iraq, which was decidedly based on ideological and political motives rather than any real threat.

The weapons of mass destruction were never found — and, indeed, are thought by many never to have existed in the first place.

In fairness, the invasion of Iraq did bring about the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, whose tyrannical rule can never be defended. Yet, we have failed to intervene in other conflicts of great human suffering, including the mass murders in Darfur.

We have picked our battles poorly. Official combat has ended in Iraq, although thousands of troops remain stationed in the country. And Afghanistan has grown into a problem much larger than ever an-

ticipated while our country was m Iraq. Now, relations with Pakist Afghanistan must be taken into acc order to ultimately topple the Talib The recent terror attempts staged Yemen show just how delinquent U has been in solving extremism aro world. Our involvement in the past in the affairs of the Middle East ha only to cheapen our global status driven us further from the goal o cating extremism in the area in th of introducing the freedom and lib have as Americans.

This is not an appeal to end all co the area — indeed, we are too entr in some areas to leave the resident cupied territories to fend for them But we could be so much more pro by putting our efforts into social ch the country. We can promote edu especially for young women; inves kind of infrastructure necessary serious commerce in a country; a bring the promise that free mark provide to the disenfranchised in a c In the future, we as a generati have to decide our battles with muc sophistication and thought. Once out of the shadow of the decision to war made before our generatio vote — which may take decades must choose to intervene in conflic it is truly necessary, if at all. Wars on ideology or political motivatio small, elite few, is entirely unaccep we Millennials make our mark on Century.

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: An Agenda for Advancement

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GLBT Rights in America With regard to GLBT rights, America has a lot of work to do. While queer characters on television have captured the hearts of many Americans (Kurt on Glee and Will and Jack from Will & Grace, to name a few), it is not always a laughing matter, as there are myriad examples of discrimination against queer people.

Last month, there were many incidences of suicide committed by queer youth, including a freshman at Rutgers.

Suicide rates among gay teens are the highest on a regular basis, so clearly, there is work to be done.

Society must begin to view queer people as normal, functioning parts of society. Sexuality is one facet of any human being — it should not be raised as an insult, but rather simply another

characteristic. Only when people stop fearing homosexuality out of ignorance can society stop these suicides and risky behaviors among GLBT people caused by self-hatred.

Politically, there are plenty of issues that could be worked on, such as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, civil unions or marriage, and queer couples adopting.

The military Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy should be repealed, as there have been great examples of militaries accepting openly gay people. Why would any country want to stop someone from fully participating in his or her patriotism? Discrimination allowed within government only sets a negative example for the rest of the nation.

Civil unions or marriage for same-sex couples should be recognized in every state. In Massachusetts and a handful of other states, this is not a concern.

Public Education

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Photo courtesy of electronic.districtsides.com

There is no doubt that the realities of the current world economy have hit the American education system. Recent statistics show that Americans are not stacking up well against other countries in math or science, which are two essential subjects as we move further into the Digital Age. However, this problem runs deeper than competition among countries. Problems in the education system are most prominent in lower income communities, which means that these issues directly damage the American Dream.

First, standards must be created to push all students to achieve higher and for effective teachers to be rewarded and not-so-effective teachers to be trained further. Of course, these standards should be realistic, with timelines extended for schools that historically have lower scores.

The system must be simplified. There are national standards due to No Child Left Behind, which has problems of its own stemming from inadequately funded goals. But then there are also state and local standards that frequently end up undermining higher standards.

Education has always been thought of as being able to level the playing field, but the educational playing field needs to be leveled by setting high standards everywhere and aiding areas that need the most growth so

But there are plenty of states that deny the benefits to couples that are in committed relationships. A society’s stability is based on the bonds they form, not who they try to keep apart.

The question of queer couples adopting is also a hotly debated one. But in reality, there is no question that there are children who need homes, and that there are plenty of queer couples who have love and other resources to provide. Also, there is a population of children who have been raised by gay and lesbian couples that demonstrates that fear is only based out of ignorance.

We can clearly see the results of people who feel as though they do not belong in this life. And this not only has immediate ramifications for the loved ones of those who committed suicide, but it also shakes the fabric of our communities.

that they may have the opportunity to meet them.

Second, students should also spend more time in school. The United States requires students to be in school fewer hours than many other developed countries. The agrarian calendar on which the school calendar is based is no longer needed, as the majority of communities no longer farm.

Additionally, students who do not have the resources to attend extra-curricular lessons after school should have the opportunity to use those hours productively. More afterschool programs should be created — and funded — and be aimed at lower income communities.

The teaching profession is one of the toughest, and teachers give so much of themselve — in general, teachers should be paid more.

But those who excel at preparing the next generation should be rewarded even more.

The structure of teacher evaluations and standards must also be looked at again. We all have had amazing teachers, but we also have had some who should not be teaching. Children’s futures and the future of the United States are at stake. As in any other profession, teachers must be held accountable.

Education can no longer be pushed aside, because it is one of the most important issues we face today. As college students, we should learn more about the issues facing our schools to have a better understanding of how to solve these problems.

Photo courtesy of gnp.org

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REACT shows film to broaden awareness of human trafficking

By Eliza Duggan Print Manager When most people hear the words “human trafficking,” they often think of exotic places where vaguely horrific acts go on, far out of their field of vision. What they may not know is that slavery is much closer to home than they may think.

REACT (Rallying Efforts Against Contemporary Trafficking), a student organization that became an official club in the spring of this year, wants BC students to know the truth about modern human slavery.

On Wednesday, November 10th, REACT will show the “rockumentary” film Call and Response, an acclaimed collaboration of musicians and activists that portrays the horrors of the human trafficking going on today.

Brittany Madni, A&S ’12, is the secretary of REACT. “People think slavery is gone, but it’s not true. Slavery is alive today,” she said.

The word ‘slavery’ may seem extreme to the modern student, but it’s not arbitrary.

The United Nations developed a definition of slavery through the U.N. Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons: “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, or fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.”

REACT has used this definition as inspiration for their group.

“We like to read this definition to new members to prove that human trafficking doesn’t mean a person is in chains—it means they are being forced to do something they don’t want to do,” said Madni.

The U.N. Protocol estimated that about 27 million people are enslaved worldwide.

That’s the equivalent of every person in New England being enslaved twice. And, it is many times more than the number of slaves involved in the transatlantic slave trade with which most people associate slavery.

Though it is a global issue, it is also a local issue. As Boston is a major port city on the coast of the United States, it has become a site of human trafficking. The Boston Police Department has put together a task force to target trafficking cases in the area.

Foreigners are often manipulated into coming to the United States with the promise of a job. They often do not know the judicial system and so are unaware of their rights as an alien, even though they may be forced into prostitution or other enslavement.

Even more common, however, are local citizens, often young girls, who get drawn into the world of prostitution. Older men give these girls flattering attentions that progress into full-on prostitution and exploitation: abuse that is very difficult to overcome physically, psychologically and emotionally.

The members of REACT hope that Call and Response will raise awareness in the BC community, and inspire students to join in their efforts to combat the atrocities. Featuring artists such as Natasha Bedingfield, Moby, Cold War Kids, Imogen Heap and Five for Fighting, this film illustrates modern human trafficking.

Courtesy of Call and Response

Call and Response was directed by Justin Dillon, a musician who recruited musical groups and singers to get the message out about slavery.

Activistists were also included. One such figure featured in the film, Cornell West, said, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” REACT hopes to contribute to this justice in the raising awareness of human trafficking and fighting it.

“People and governments have the tools to end slavery,” said Madni. Once people become more aware of the injustices locally and globally, “we have faith that people will want to reach out and help.”

“We want people to know that this is a global and a local issue, and that the victims of human trafficking are in need of help,” she said.

Madni stressed the vulnerability of many of these victims, as they do not have places

to go. Those forced into prostitution cannot even go to a homeless shelter, as they can be found and thus endanger other inhabitants of the shelter.

That is why REACT has a clothing drive at the end of each semester to contribute to Kim’s Project, a resource for counseling, clothing and connections to police help.

There will be more information on this semester’s drive at the showing of Call and Response next Wednesday.

The members of REACT encourage BC students to become informed about what is happening and get involved.

“We have an opportunity to effect change, and that’s something we sign up for as BC students: to make changes in the world,” Madni said.

REACT’s free event will feature Call and Response in Higgins 310 on Wednesday, November 10th at 7:30 p.m.

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Editorials

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Americans demand more “yes” from Reps

Students should use bins in dining halls to recycle

With the House of Representatives now in the control of the GOP, there will have to be some changes on Capitol Hill – and not just on the placards outside of the offices reserved for the majority party’s leadership.

While John Boehner and the Republicans on the Hill will undoubtedly celebrate their victory, the party should not last too long. After utilizing a political strategy of being the party of “no” for the last two years, the new leadership role for the Republicans will have to be met with a true participation in crafting the reforms that this country needs.

On many pieces of important legislation within the past few years, Republicans blocked passage forward – sometimes with dirty tactics and outright lies.

There were some legitimate issues that had to be resolved in the process, but all of those were overshadowed by the specter of death panels espoused by the GOP. The days of running a continuous opposition campaign along party lines must end. As the party in power, Republicans must now take up the mantle of running this country. They will have to deal with heavy issues such as immigration reform and fossil fuel dependence.

They will have to work with President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to get a comprehensive education policy forward to address many of the shortcomings of No Child Left Behind.

Most importantly of all, Republicans will have to provide clear leadership with a distinct message. Bill Clinton and his Democratic Party lost control just two years into his first term as well.

But in the first year of new Congress,

A new student has just finished lunch, and is about to throw his or her trash away, when he or she is confronted with an array of colored trash receptacles. The student looks up at the signs, which identify where the various items go: compost in the yellow bin, plastic in the blue bin, etc. Ideally, this student will see other lunch-goers dividing their waste into these various receptacles and follow suit.

Unfortunately, although the dining halls are providing these bins for dividing recyclables and compost from trash, the reality is that many students are dumping their waste into any receptacle without paying much attention.

Although exiting the dining hall quickly may be a priority, it does not take very long to separate food waste from plastic. Brown to-go containers, napkins and food waste can all be composted together, which makes sorting even easier.

As intelligent young men and women of a prestigious university, there is no way that Boston College students are unable to identify where their “trash” is supposed to go.

Therefore, only pure laziness can account for this lack of recycling and composting.

College campuses are huge sources of trash, a lot of which could be recycled or composted. Small efforts made by individuals to use the proper recycling receptacles around campus can cut down on that waste significantly.

It is no secret that the planet is in need of some serious TLC, and BC provides opportunities for its 9,000 undergraduates and everyone else on campus to do their part.

Although there are still more ways that BC could improve their system, much of the job depends on the students and faculty that participate in creating all of the trash.

Unfortunately, if people do not use the

in 1995, the Republican Party began to collapse.

Newt Gringrich, Speaker of the House at the time, refused to pass a budget without excessive cuts in spending – effectively shutting the government down. The plan backfired as the country turned on the Republican Party because they were looking to Washington for the same quality that people are looking for today – effective, responsible leadership that transcends party lines and focuses on the betterment of this country.

There needs to be clear, thoughtful legislation put forth in the 112th Congress by the GOP that will help to resolve many of the pressing issues of the next few years, including the high rates of unemployment. Yet, they must also make tough decisions – including whether or not to continue tax cuts for some of the wealthiest Americans, adding billions to the deficit.

The Republican Party must realize they have been given an extraordinary opportunity here, especially to change the image that removed their candidates from office in the last elections. Extreme, outdated views that hold America back will not be tolerated.

So with this opportunity, there comes expectations. They were elected because the voters of America want change in Washington. But they are neither looking for simply a change of faces nor totally opposite views. They are tired of the partisan bickering and the influence of special interests.

Republicans must step up and work with Democrats and Independents to make legitimate efforts towards reform to solve the greatest problems that our country faces.

The Gavel is the monthly print edition of Gavel Media, a student-run organization. It is published with support from Campus Progress / the Center for American Progress – online at www.campusprogress.org - and the College Democrats of Boston College. We are, however, editorially independent.

TUE TRAN, Editor-in-Chief MAEVE KENNEDY-GORMLY, Managing Editor ELIZA DUGGAN, Print Manager MICHELLE MARTINEZ, News Editor ANDREW SCHOFIELD, Opinions Editor DANIEL MONAN, Culture Editor PEDRO ONRUSH, Photo Editor NICHOLAS DOMINO, Special Projects Editor SUE BYUN, Assoc. News Editor KEVIN FAGAN, Assoc. News Editor LAKE CORETH, Asst. News Editor MARINA LOPES, Asst. News Editor PAIGE HECKATHORN, Assoc. Opinions Editor AMY WALSH, Assoc. Features Editor LAUREN VIOLA, Asst. Features Editor ROBERT ROSSI, Assoc. Culture Editor LEA FREEMAN, Asst. Culture Editor CHRISTINE OLSON, Assoc. Copy Editor

recycling and composting system in the dining halls and around campus, eventually dining services will cease to make the effort. When plastics and bottles get thrown into the compost, the entire container of potential compost becomes trash. It is not the responsibility of dining services to sort through the trash and make sure that everything gets properly sorted.

Food makes up about 30 percent of the waste stream, so composting makes significant reductions in the amount of trash that ends up in landfills. Compost does not damage the environment; it makes fertile soil in which to grow new food. Why, then, BC students cannot seem to bring themselves to scrape their plates into the yellow bins is inexplicable when composting is a simple and effective way to contribute.

No one is expecting the student body of a relatively large university to produce no waste. However, when the college offers opportunities to recycle and compost what can be reused and recycled, it then becomes the responsibility of the students to participate in contributing.

BC could improve a few things. Making compost bins available in every dining hall, for instance, instead of only a few, would make it more possible to decrease total food waste. In addition, offering more of the biodegradable food containers instead of the plastic variety would cut down the use of plastic. In general, the more local and organic food choices that dining services could make available would decrease the impact on the environment that imported goods make.

All in all, buck up, BC! It’s time for students to seize their opportunities to do good, and make small efforts towards making the environmental horizon cleaner and brighter.

ERGY JEAN-BAPTISTE, Webmaster MICHAEL MULLIN, Executive Assistant MASON LENDE, Editorial Assistant MICHAEL KENNEDY, Editorial Assistant ARUEM SHIN, Editorial Assistant MEGHAN SMITH, Editorial Assistant KENNETH ST. JOHN, Editorial Assistant WILLIAM STOLL, Editorial Assistant Video Department GABRIELLE CHWAZIK-GEE, Broadcast Manager SEAN MEEHAN, Video Editor JUSTINE BURT, Assoc. Video Editor RODAAN RABANG, Assoc. Video Editor Business Department JOHN LEAHY, General Manager

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Opinions

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“Reload!”: The effects of Tea Party rhetoric in America Connor Larsen Since the emergence of the Tea Party, there has been an explosion of articles attempting to understand the potential significance of the movement. It has been both revered and vilified by columnists from both the right and the left. Often, one is forced to admit, the articles coming from the left are quick to judge the Tea Party as at best merely an extension of the Republican party, and at worst a loose band of racists who have finally found their platform to speak out.

As such, it seems clear that the Tea Party is getting a bad rep by journalists who manage to find the crazies in any given rally, as opposed to the many people who are there to support its cause: protesting government spending, including bailouts, stimulus, taxes, and debt. Yet even so, even if the movement can be seen clearly as a right-wing reaction against a liberal president, especially during an economic recession, the high-pitched anger that borders on extremism is not equal to the actions taken by the current administration.

There is something stoking the flames that is unrelated to the tax rates and debt. Where was the Tea Party when Republicans under George Bush were also responsible for an exorbitant debt and expenditures beyond the means of the government?

I think the answer is in the rhetoric used by the Tea Party to stoke its party’s enthusiasm.

As Patricia Williams of The Guardian noted in

her column “Tea Party rhetoric twists the language of emancipation,” Tea Party advocates like Glenn Beck are sliding down a slippery slope of trying to target an audience while alienating others. She writes: “his diatribes draw relentless divisions among We, You, Them and Those. ‘We’ are ‘patriots.’ ‘They’ are ‘traitors’, ‘progressives’, ‘socialists’ and ‘Nazis.’” Rudyard Kipling wrote: “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.”

By now we have been made aware of the power of rhetoric. We have seen words wreak havoc when used carelessly: a misplaced joke can end the career of a politician; a powerful if not misguided speech can bring a nation

to war. One is struck by the carelessness by which these leaders continue to speak.

How can President Obama, according to Beck, be both a socialist and a Nazi? Using these inflammatory words may score political points with an angry and anti-government demographic, but it also undermines the legitimacy of the speaker’s platform by undercutting both the power and the meanings of words. Sarah Palin, another darling of the Tea Party movement, also fell into hot water when she invented the word “refudiate” in July. Yet beyond the invented words, Palin’s rhetoric is more than just a way to stir energy in her party; it is the language of war. She has repeated the word “reload” to her audience a

Photo courtesy of ihateitall.com

number of occasions, as well as using crosshair targets to target moderate Democrats. If all this rhetoric and symbolism were merely scoring points with her gun-rights supporters, it would be one thing. But it does more than that: it takes the pot of water and cranks it up to a boil, as well as alienating an audience who disagree with the not-so-subtle violence behind the message.

As such, this kind of angry rhetoric is more powerful than people think. As Jeffrey Feldman writes for the Huffington Post: “Neither the language nor the imagery Palin uses are neutral. For Palin, the concepts of political “organizing” and “volunteering” are recast as the functions of a rifle. “Campaigning” is reimagined as a counterassault on a war battlefield. Even more disturbing, Palin re-imagines the traditional U.S. map as a military kill list.

Engaging in election politics is framed as violent assault.”

During an election season, maybe more than ever, people rely on rhetoric as a way of understanding their candidates and their viewpoints. Language is everything; we have no other means of communication. It seems incorrect to conceive of any political election as a battlefield, and denying what the election season should be about: a group of people defining their positions, in opposition to each other, using language to strengthen their arguments instead of intentionally mystifying or obscuring the issues. As citizens we need clear and accurate communication — with language that is precise and untainted.

Lessons, ideals learned at BC still hold meaning Kristen Kelley It is mid-March of 2009 and I am in the depths of midterms in my last semester at BC. Boston is in the midst of the spring thaw, but there is always the threat of some wintery weather on the horizon. Sitting in The Rat between classes, I blankly stare at my laptop with various papers spread all around the table.

I am hoping to crank out a few pages of a 15-page history paper due at the end of the week. My mind is racing from one thing to the next, stressing about class in forty minutes, and that I have to go right to work after that. When am I going to possibly have time to finish everything I need to get done this week? Slowly I gaze out the windows to the dustbowl, seeing people walking back and forth to classes, and I think, “thank goodness this is the last time I will ever have to go through this!!”

I had been looking forward to graduation since around the middle of my junior year. It was not that I disliked BC or had such grand plans for after graduation, but I just felt as though I was ready for the real world. BC had taught me everything I needed to know, and I was ready to spread my wings and go out and set the world aflame.

And then the recession of 2008 hit. All of

my plans were basically put on hold, and I was hearing that I would be lucky to find any job, much less the type of job that I actually wanted. Slowly but surely, doubts began to creep into my mind, but I still could not wait to walk across that stage in May. Before I knew it, that day in mid-March was ancient history. My family had arrived from Virginia and Georgia and was anxiously awaiting the graduation festivities. I was starting to feel a bit sentimental, but was still looking forward to graduating. My Dad is also a BC alum, so it was natural that he wanted to show our other family members around our beautiful campus.

But when he suggested I show my family the stadium, in the process of being setup for graduation, something changed for me. As I walked onto that field, and the memories of football games and good times came flooding back to me, knowing I would never sit in that student section again, I started feeling incredibly emotional. Leaving behind my identity as a BC student, and knowing that I would not have the opportunity to live around all of my friends probably ever again, I felt a sudden identity crisis sweep over me.

Now that I am no longer a BC student, and without meaningful employment on the horizon, who am I? This is a question that I struggled with

for many months to come. I went from internships to part-time jobs, never feeling any semblance of fulfillment or happiness in what I was doing. I had thought for at least my junior and senior years at BC that I wanted to work in some sort of civil service, preferably in international affairs. After a summer as an intern in DC, witnessing these careers first hand, it did not take long for me to become disillusioned with working in the government.

At the end of last summer, feeling like I was starting completely at square one, I fell back on what I learned at BC. BC gave me a passion for knowledge as well as a desire to make a difference in peoples’ lives. I thought that the path of civil service was the right one, but after my experiences in DC, I had to rethink everything. Eventually I had the realization that perhaps I was looking on too grand a scale, and I should focus closer to home. This is when the idea of becoming a teacher first entered my mind.

To be completely honest, I never wanted to be a teacher, and was often annoyed by family members that would suggest it as a valid career option for me. But after those soul-searching months, I realized how my former teachers as well as professors at BC positively influenced my life, and knew that I wanted to have that effect on future genera-

Photo courtesy of Haeg

tions.

I believe that a lot of this decision had to do with some of the big life lessons that I learned while at BC: it is important to be men and women for others, it is important to excel, and it is important to use your education and individual spirit to set the world aflame. I am hoping to make a difference in some small way, and hopefully live up to the powerful ideals that BC instilled in me.

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The Power of Stewart Paige Heckathorn Assoc. Opinions Editor Just in time for his October 30th rally, Jon Stewart was handed his very own October Surprise. Beating out the likes of Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerburg, and even Bill Gates, Stewart managed to grab the top spot on Ask Men Magazine’s Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2010.

Stewart’s “Rally to Restore Sanity” has certainly helped to raise the comedian’s household notoriety. With hundreds of thousands in attendance, the gathering was meant to serve as a voice of reason among the raucous news coverage of the midterm elections. The rally received wide attention: Oprah donated bus tickets; Arianna Huffington arranged for a whole fleet of buses from New York; and Larry King did his part by donating a luxurious-looking porta-potty.

When it was announced last month, it was supposed to be a more obvious jab at Glenn Beck’s “Rally to Restore Honor”. Appearing on each other’s shows, Stewart and his “conservative” counterpart, Stephen Colbert, announced their simultaneously occurring events to poke fun at Beck’s timing to coincide with the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech” on the steps of the Washington Monument.

The whole event has snowballed since then. Stewart and Colbert officially combined the two events, since the latter comedian’s “Rally to Keep the Fear Alive” seemed totally subsumed by the movement generating behind Stewart. And while Colbert did his part to promote the rally, he took a back seat to the fervor surrounding The Daily Show host — and with tremendous success as the rally attracted more than 200,000 people.

It seems an unlikely turn for the host of a fake news show. Before landing the anchor gig on the show, Stewart was perhaps best known for his work in movies such as Half Baked and Death to Smoochy. Even when the show started in the late 1990s, it was widely regarded as a clearly satirical show – more like Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update than a sincere political talk show.

Perhaps the focus on searing commentary and sophisticated writing versus the goofy news dispatches from the show’s “reporters” has lent the show to become a legitimate source of commentary in today’s media cycle. That Jon Stewart, a self-professed comedian and actor has provided the basis for reason in our media, it is perhaps less a testament to his own talent and wit, but more to the outrageous state of the current news media.

While he has remained generally above the fray, safe from his perch at The Daily Show, Stewart has been dragged into some media scuffles. Some, he has initiated on his own: his appearance on a 2005 episode of Crossfire is cited as a reason for the cancellation of the show, much to the vehement of co-host Tucker Carlson.

He has also become a target for other media figures, including CNN mainstay Rick

Enthusiasm decreases as honeymoon period ends

Photo courtesy of babble.com

Sanchez. After making disparaging remarks on a radio show earlier this month about Stewart and, more troublingly, Jewish presence in the media profession, the daytime anchor was fired. The unprovoked remarks are a sign of the demise of total reason from our mainstream media. The man picked to lead us out of the mess, though, is a comedian.

This is not meant to discount Stewart himself. After all, there can be no doubt that he is smart, and shows a genuine interest in getting out the facts and restoring some sort of sanity to the media news cycle – even if that criticism comes in the form of satire. But comedy can only be taken so far, especially when dealing with policy issues that have a real and immediate effect on the lives of everyday Americans.

When Stephen Colbert arrived to testify before the House Judiciary Committee at the invitation of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, the visit generated much hype. But when the hearing started, the host of The Colbert Report was asked to leave by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), so as not to distract from the very serious issue of farm labor and immigration.

He was allowed to stay, and although the testimony was certainly funny – and, in many ways, salient – even his supporters felt that his involvement did nothing real for the issue. Actors and comedians can have real effects on issues, but there also must be a widespread civic acknowledgment of importance and urgency. Celebrity interest in issues can make a difference – but they are not, and never should be, what drives policy in this country.

The message of the rally that Stewart planned is important, but will mean nothing if it is not truly internalized within our nation’s people, politics and, most importantly, its media. It would be nearly impossible to tell if the rally will actually affect any of the outcomes of the election. The hope is that the thousands who attended the rally took their participation beyond the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and into their voting booths. But this may only happen if the movement becomes larger than just a television program and personality, who has launched a sentiment and a genuine shift in our public consciousness.

Photo courtesy of The Obama-Biden Transition Project

Andrew Schofield Opinions Editor The honeymoon period that President Barack Obama and his Democratic Party enjoyed during their first few months in office had to end. But they could not have imagined this far of a fall. The newly elected president hailed the 2008 elections as historic – emboldening his attempt at sweeping health care form and federal stimulus packages. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi savored a Democratic Majority of eighty-plus seats. And comedian Al Franken’s post-election battle for a senate seat had the Democrats dreaming of a filibuster-proof Senate that might have come in handy these past two years.

The tide of enthusiasm that Obama rode into office with has now dissipated. His approval rating is on the wrong side of 50 percent (44 percent to be precise). But his party has taken the worst of it. That sweeping majority in the House has about three lame duck months left as the Republicans are expected to take at least a twenty-seat lead. And the large majority in the Senate is evaporating as quickly as the United States Treasury spends money – where the Republicans are expected to whittle the Democratic majority to a single seat.

Obama is clearly frustrated by the recent trends – and rightfully so. Appearing on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last week, he preached patience and emphasized that the “change” that people voted for two years ago was not going to happen overnight while highlighting the tremendous accomplishments of the first half of his term – the overhaul of the health care system, the saving of our country’s financial system, and the end of the American occupation in Iraq.

One would be hard pressed to find many

presidents who accomplished this much in entire presidencies let alone half a term.

Ideological beliefs aside, its not entirely easy to identify what has caused this Republican resurgence. The American electorate has not changed their political stances over the past two years, and Obama and his fleeting Democratic majority made it perfectly clear during the 2008 campaign what they wanted to accomplish. But such is politics.

Frustration comes with the territory. If unemployment was 4 percent and Obama was making his “Mission Accomplished” speech in the Persian Gulf ending our nine-year conflict in Afghanistan, then his Democratic counterparts in Congress might have fared a bit better.

While this frustration over the American political process should not be ignored, President Obama and his fellow democrats cannot fail to advance the reform that they have set about to achieve.

In his book Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy illustrated a point that is easy to forget in today’s political world of constant opinion polls and ponderings of pundits from both sides of political spectrum. He told the story of eight politicians who suffered huge losses in popularity and in most cases were not re-elected because their stances were deemed unpopular. Kennedy maintained that politicians are elected to make decisions for the betterment of United States – not to act in the name of the latest opinion poll.

The direct form of democracy used by the ancient Greeks is extinct for a reason.

The three branches of American government are in place to guard against the wild and unexpected swings in public opinion.

But as conservative talking heads and politicians alike will speak of a mandate given to their party by the people, this country will need more of what John F. Kennedy spoke of. Bailing out Wall St. and spending over seven hundred billion dollars on a stimulus package may not be popular now, but it was correct thing to do.

With their counterparts falling by the wayside, the current democratic members of Congress can ill-afford to become swayed by this collective angst that seems so everpresent in politics today. The Democratic Party, now more than in 2008, needs to remain focused on the agenda at hand. Reforms still need be made in fields of illegal immigration, education and the environmental problems of this era.

And while the Democratic Party needs to address concerns raised by their poor showing in the 2010 midterm election such as the lack of compromise seen on Capitol Hill over the past few years, worrying about the latest poll or one’s re-election campaign cannot be the main focus. The Democratic Party still holds incredible power in this country. In order to deliver what they promised in 2008, they must act in the interest of this country rather than their job security.

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Feingold’s lost Senate seat is loss for bipartisanship Therese Murphy Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold (D), after 18 years in offices, has lost his seat in Congress. In a slew of attack ads and huge amounts of corporate cash, Ron Johnson (R) has defeated the incumbent.

Feingold is tough, passionate, and opinionated. He never ceases to push the debate further, to ask Congress not the settle for the existing bill, but rather to create a piece of legislation that will truly make a difference in people’s lives. Yet, despite his strong progressive attitude, Feingold is also a poster-child for bipartisanship. The McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act is one of the most influential bills legislating current campaign spending.

By closing a dangerous loophole in previous campaign spending laws (putting a cap on “soft money” contributions), it took a stand against special interests and put influence back in the hands of the people.

But apparently, Johnson associates progress with being a “Washington insider.”

One of Johnson’s most frequent attacks is this concept of the career politician, the insider at the mercy of special interests.

And to a certain extent, yes, one must be an “insider” to get things done in Washington. This does not imply that those actions are influenced by special interest, although those facing tough incumbents seem to encourage the electorate to falsely assume the connection.

It is understandable why people are frustrated with Washington. They are frustrated when they see divisiveness, inaction and when bills passing through Congress that hold no correlation to their lives.

But Feingold is so far from perpetuating this standard that to label his insider status a negative thing would be absurd. He has clearly reached across the aisles; he has frequently disagreed with the Democratic Party, and he has decreased the power of special interests in Washington.

Now that Johnson is a Senator, does he believe that he can stay distant enough from Washington to not become a dreaded

insider and still make any difference for his people? Undeniably it is an issue when special interests have great amounts of influence over a politician, but this does not mean that there is not a need for career politicians.

Career politicians are held accountable to their people, and should the people feel that they no longer have influence in the voting record, they have a simple way of regaining that power: by electing a different candidate.

But Feingold is not at the mercy of special interests. He has never missed a county in his town hall meetings, listening to the concerns of all 72 counties each and every year. Developing relationships in Washington prevents stagnation.

When Congressmen get to know each other after years of serving together, they create personal relationships. They take the debate outside of the caucus and perhaps even cross aisles to create legislation that will have a positive effect on America. They hold high-ranking committee positions, and have the experience to work in Washington.

Feingold is one of the good ones. One of the Senators who is not afraid to stand up for what he, and his people, believe in. One of the Senators who constantly fights for effective change and rejects bills that he does not believe go far enough to make any difference.

The people of Wisconsin are clearly unhappy. They want their jobs back; they think that Feingold will do nothing to stop the ballooning deficit. But the election of the CEO of a plastics company is not going to fix that. Electing a man who embodies special interest and who allowed $821,791 of independent expenditures to be spent attacking Feingold to Feingold’s $32,905 will not create the change the people of Wisconsin seem to wish to see.

It is a tragedy that for Feingold’s 18 years of service to his people, for his ongoing dedication and desire to always spark debate in Washington, this is how he is repaid. But in a country where people are frustrated with politics, it is not surprising that Wisconsin has stopped listening.

What ‘elitism’ means in American political rhetoric Andrew Slade Whether it is coming from talk radio, political ads or the news media, there seems to be an increasingly negative sentiment about elitism in America. In particular, I cannot help but notice the frequency with which ideologically rightward leaning individuals label their colleagues from across the aisle as “liberal elites.”

Perhaps this campaign against elitism stems from the effects of the recent recession that so many Americans are still facing. Or perhaps people who are going without would achieve some sort of satisfaction from seeing these upper class politicians removed from office.

But I do not believe this to be the case.

The concept of elitism has been distorted in a way that allows the term to be used against people on one side of the aisle. However, few are stopping to ask themselves why they dislike these “liberal elites” that are the source of such scorn from their conservative counterparts.

So what is it? What does it mean to be “an elite?” Although I have heard the term used countless times to characterize politicians, I have, not surprisingly, never heard it defined.

Based on the commonalities among those labeled as elites, I think it is safe to assume that at the very least, an elite is well-educated or affluent. To be a liberal elite, one must simply meet the requirement above and identify as a Democrat. Classic examples of liberal elites are President Barack Obama and Senator John Kerry. Yes, both have multiple degrees from prestigious institutions, and yes, both are financially successful. However, ironically enough, it is those very same politicians who are the staunchest advocates for the poor and disadvantaged. Throughout history and in politics today, it has been those liberals in Washington who have funded programs to bring up those in society who have the least.

It was Franklin Roosevelt, a graduate of Harvard and Columbia and a member of one of the wealthiest families in America, who created Social Security.

In spite of suggestions from the likes of Governor Rick Perry of Texas, who believes the federal government’s responsibilities should be limited to delivering mail, maintaining a

military and defending the border, helping the poor and disadvantaged is the role of government and should continue to be so. Like Democrats, the leaders of the Republican Party are generally affluent and well educated. The Republican Party generally favors those who are already established in society, the upper class, by advocating the use of tax breaks and lower spending on entitlement programs. So if some degree of wealth and education is a problem for conservatives who maintain that these “elites” cannot help those who are struggling as a result of the acts of our government, why not challenge sitting members of Congress in Republican primaries with candidates whose educational backgrounds are somewhat lackluster? Oh, wait – it happened in Delaware.

Government in the United States is unwieldy and cumbersome and often deals with issues that are not always easy to understand.

Is it incomprehensible to think that politicians who have been prepared by some of the most respected institutions in the country and enjoy a certain comfortable financial situation are the kind of people who are likely to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to achieve those things at some point?

Those terrible, pompous liberal elites have managed to demonstrate that they care about all Americans, and they have the legislative records to back that up. I do not mean to suggest that one need be rich or have an Ivy League education to serve effectively in office. Rather, I take issue with the assertion that these civil servants do not understand the concerns of “real America” or act on the needs of society at large because of their education and financial background. Just as the disadvantaged have the right to participate in the political process, these “liberal elites” should not be thought of as any less committed to the betterment of this country. We need not confuse “elitism” with adjectives such as “intelligent” and “qualified.”

Call me an elitist, but if given the choice, I would rather be represented in Washington by someone articulate and intellectual – someone with a solid grasp of the Constitution (at least its First Amendment) – than by someone who consistently elicits anger from one side of the aisle and laughter from the other.

Got something on your mind you want to share?

Submit a Letter to the Editor to bcgavel@gmail.com!

Read an online exclusive submission from Susan Choy and Erika Hernandez about why AHANA awareness is vital by going to bcgavel.com!

“[AHANA] is a word of empowerment and unity across students of color and welcomes all people to work collectively as a force against ignorance and injustice.” - Choy and Hernandez

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Food develops gender in age of 100-calorie packs

By Kate Iannarone Gavel Media Blogger The food pyramid has been the long-standing method for categorizing food. Dividing food into starches, proteins, vegetables, dairy, and sugar is as convenient as it is intuitive. Additionally, society has found alternative ways of categorizing food. People break foods up into “good” foods and “bad” foods.

I would argue that this distinction isn’t very helpful. Dieticians assert that a healthy lifestyle can accommodate all foods in moderation. Yet, I’ve watched as this segregation has divided itself even fwurther: girl’s food and guy’s food. The distinction is propagated by ad campaigns in which the food industry targets a product at a specific gender according to these media-manufactured categories of food.

When was the last time you saw a yogurt commercial directed at men?

Even when they make an appearance in yogurt commercials, men are not portrayed as the target consumers. One Yoplait commercial features a husband rummaging through the fridge in search of the Boston Cream Pie and other temptations that his wife claims to indulge in. Much to his chagrin, he finds that she is referring to light yo-

gurt flavors. To the woman, these yogurts seemed like a perfectly acceptable replacement for a piece of real pie. The husband, on the other hand, was less intrigued. Silly man, yogurt is for girls!

Many diet foods that fall into the “girl food” category. Salads, tofu and Diet Coke are more likely to be associated with women than men. Nabisco 100-calorie packs are aimed almost exclusively at women.

Their new ad campaign, featuring Serena and Venus Williams, wields the slogan “Diet Like a Diva.”

Nabisco recently held a contest, seeking people who snack with “divalicious” style. Additionally, the primary colors of the packaging are white and purple.

The gender targeting for this product is impossible to ignore. I maintain that there is something ridiculous in seeing a full-grown man eating a “100-calorie pack” of anything. But does this view stem from cultural indoctrination of gender roles and the products that are appropriate for each gender? Or is it objectively absurd for a 6-foot, 250-pound football player nibbling a 100-calorie pack of Cheez-Its? It is impossible to extricate oneself from one’s cultural setting and mindset, but I would argue that the media’s gender categorization of

food plays a significant part in my “100-calorie pack” judgments.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have “man food.” The bigger, the bulkier, the greasier, the more chock full of saturated fat, the better. The general consensus of the male-centric food advertisements is that the men of today are seriously afflicted by a lack of “hearty food” to appease their “manly appetites.”

Men are wasting away by trying to eke out an existence on skimpy “chick food” … until McDonalds and Burger King rush in to provide real sustenance. “Real sustenance” in this case usually refers to meat, often in the form of a gargantuan sandwich, burger or burrito.

“I’m way too hungry to settle for chick food,” the quintessential man belts out in a new musical Burger King commercial for the Texas Double Whopper. He is joined by a legion of oppressed men, rebelling against the shackles of quiche and tofu and demanding meat. Meanwhile, their female lunch dates look on in horror as they shove aside their morsels of bistro nosh. “I am man, hear me roar!” The angry mob yells as they gorge themselves with mayo-slathered patties. By asserting that men demand meat while women are content to nibble on salads, Burger King is bolstering

Photo courtesy of blog.standupandeat.org the notion that a hamburger is primarily a “man’s food.”

While gender delineations of food reinforce girl/boy stereotypes, the campaign is hard to fight against.

But then again, we are all free to eat as we choose. A guy can enjoy a salad just as a girl can put away a Crunch-wrap Supreme. It’s important to be mindful of judgments, of which I am often guilty, especially

regarding 100-calorie packs. I’ll make a valiant effort to not judge the next man I see with his yogurt and “Special K Skinny Jeans Challenge” 90-calorie bar… if there exists a man confident enough to venture so deeply into girl food territory, that is.

Kate runs the “Food For Thought” food blog at www.bcgavel.com. Check us out online for even more food musings.

Cast gears up to ‘conquer’ next production

By Samantha Greene Gavel Media Reporter She Stoops to Conquer is the next theater production in line at Boston College, currently set to run from Nov. 18 to 21. This play is more accurately described by its less advertised subtitle, The Mistakes of a Night. Written in the 1700’s by Irish playwright, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer is built upon the humor of simple misunderstandings that have proven themselves timeless in entertaining audiences.

The commotion begins when Mr. Hardcastle, a remarried man domiciled in the English countryside, tries to set up his daughter, Kate, with an upper class Londoner named Marlow.

When Marlow stops at a pub with a friend on his way to meet Kate, he unknowingly encounters Mr. Hardcastle’s stepson, Tony Lumpkin. Being the mischievous and rambunctious prankster that he is, Tony directs the two men to the Hardcastle residence, instead telling them that it is an inn. Never having met the Hardcastles in person, Marlow treats them as if they are hotel employees rather than the family of a potential spouse. The clash between city and country along with the circumstantial mix-ups gives way to the humor that lays the foundation for the play.

“The show is lighthearted and hilarious,” said Alex Lucci, A&S ’12, who plays the role of Tony Lumpkin. “I think a major message is that despite some major misunderstandings, things can still work out.”

Aside from the inherent humor set to leave audience members in stitches, the show will also boast elaborate set and costume designs handmade by the faculty and students of the theatre department. A sizable English countryside mural is currently in the works, along with elegant old-fashioned wardrobe that is sure to be visually appealing.

With the guidance of director Dr. Stuart Hecht, the production has even hired a dialect coach to train the nine members of the cast in both Hampshire and London accents with respect to each student’s character. The cast is currently hard at work mastering their new dialects, both in groups and individually.

The show also requires a lot of over the top acting in order to deliver the comedy.

“It’s funny in the sense that it transcends the time period,” said cast member Claire Mathiot, Lynch ’12, who plays the role of Mrs. Hardcastle. “We use a lot of physical comedy which really is fluid throughout the ages; however, there have definitely been some contemporary additions to the humor – like the tone of voice I use to deliver some of my lines.”

Student actors employ different techniques to effectively deliver their lines when performing comedies versus other genres of theatre.

“Comedy is all about timing,” Mathiot said.

“You also have to really overact to deliver the message.”

Aside from the comedy, the historical aspect of the play will allow audience members to learn about England many ages ago.

“BC hasn’t done a period show in a while,” said Lucci. “Kids can historically learn about that time period through the visuals of the set and costumes along with the script and accents.”

The cast begins every rehearsal with a 30-minute warm-up articulation exercises and games to pump up their energy for the night. Judging by the closeness of this cast, their performance should shine with genuine talent.

“We have a very tight-knit cast,” said Owen Grover, A&S ’12. “Some scenes in the show require fun loving, joyful interactions that require us to be very comfortable with each other.”

“She Stoops to Conquer” will run from the Nov. 18 to 21 in Robsham Theater. Students looking for a night of timeless laughs and entertainment should not miss this opportunity to see an old theatre classic.

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Speak Now safely follows Fearless, not revolutionary

By Robert Rossi Assoc. Culture Editor Two years ago, Taylor Swift unwittingly picked up the music industry and placed it on her shoulders. Her sophomore album, Fearless, sold more copies than any other released since, charted a record 13 songs on the Billboard Top 40, and made Swift the youngest artist to ever pick up the Grammy for Album of the Year. At age 19, she had become the

biggest name in popular music.

Swift’s new album, Speak Now, is a very conservative follow-up to this phenomenal success. There is no great shift in musical direction, nothing like the transition from country to pop between her self-titled debut and Fearless. That’s not to say Speak Now does not contain some quality tunes, but more of the same will never impress more than something revolutionary.

The best way to describe Speak Now

is Fearless a few months removed from its high school graduation. The first single and opening track, “Mine,” has been called a more grown-up, realistic version of “Love Story.” I would go one step further and point out that the second single off Speak Now, the title track, is “You Belong With Me” moved from high school to a wedding chapel. Other spiritual successors are not hard to find. “Never Grow Up,” a lament about moving out of Mom and Dad’s house, takes place shortly after “The Best Day.” “Long Live,” the closing track, is a tribute to Swift’s backing band; the last song on Fearless, “Change,” directed the same message at Big Machine Records, her label.

The key difference between Fearless and Speak Now is the latter’s larger emphasis on breakup ballads. Swift is at her best lyrically when she is writing with a broken heart. “Back to December” stands as her most heartfelt and emotional lyrical performance to date, and is perhaps the highlight of the album. However, be careful not to walk around crowded areas listening to it too loudly, or strangers may approach you and console you about whatever is making you cry.

Knowledge of Swift’s very public love life provides context to a good chunk of the album. “December” is about Taylor Lautner — how Jacob from the Twilight movies ended up with America’s Princess, I will never

know. “Dear John” is a well-timed attack on blues/pop singer John Mayer. He may not be Chris Brown, but Mayer’s public image is at an all-time low. Swift’s thorough analysis of his overall grossness will surely find favor among everyone who hates a jerk.

Initially, many Swift fans may assume that “The Story of Us” refers to the story of Swift and Joe Jonas, inspiration for the hit “Forever & Always.” Upon further examination, however, one will find that the man under attack is once again Mayer.

“Enchanted” details a chance meeting with one-man-band and one-hitwonder Adam Young of Owl City.

The track is certainly and sadly the best thing Young has ever produced.

The punk-rock-inspired “Better Than Revenge” is where Joe Jonas finally springs up. The song rumored to be an attack on Camilla Belle, who allegedly “stole” JoJo away from Ms. Swift. T-Swizzy was clearly so devastated that she was willing to drop her angelic image temporarily for her most devastating couplet yet recorded: “She’s not a saint, and she’s not what you think, she’s just an actress/She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”

Feel free to do a double take; Taylor Swift just made a sex joke.

“Innocent,” the song Swift performed at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards in response to that somewhat-underblown incident at

last year’s awards, does not live up to the hype. It’s all well and good that Tay forgives Ye, but if one wants to relive that night through a song, the Louis Vuitton Don’s “Runaway” is the better option.

The only way Swift could have topped Kanye cursing himself out in rhyme form was to have incorporated his bizarre VMA rant into her lyrics.

Speak Now, taken as a whole, is a very good album. There are not many missteps, and Swift’s decision to leave off any major guest appearances is a refreshing change from the typical releases from today’s biggest stars, which typically feature a myriad of mercenaries on the track list. That being said, Swift missed a big opportunity by not coming up with something more groundbreaking and different from Fearless. The world appears ready for a break from Lady GaGa’s crazy outfits and 15-minute videos, and Swift’s innocent charm and straightforward songs put her in the perfect position to once again have the music world revolve around her.

No doubt Speak Now will sell oodles of records and dominate the radio. But it will not redefine Swift’s legacy or change pop music. The album’s flaw is that it tries to reproduce a flawless album. For that reason, it is not something revolutionary. 8.5/10

Better Cooking BC: Tuna and Macaroni Salad

By Aruem Shin Level of Difficulty: Easy Ingredients: - 1 can mixed vegetables (15 oz.)

- Mayonnaise (15 oz. bottle) - Salt & pepper

Time: 20 min.

- 2 cans tuna in water (5 oz. each) - ½ box macaroni (8 oz.)

Directions: 1. Cook the macaroni in a medium pot of boiling salt water. Boil according to the package.

2. While cooking the pasta, open the tuna cans. Drain each one, and make sure that the tuna isn’t too moist. Open and drain the can of vegetables. Place both tuna and vegetables into a bowl.

3. When the macaroni is done, drain well and put it into a medium bowl.

4. Add the mayonnaise and mix everything together.

5. Season with pepper and salt to taste.

Notes: 1. Chicken or salmon can be used instead of tuna.

2. Macaroni can be replaced with rotini.

3. Fresh vegetables can be added to the recipe, like grated (or finely chopped) onions or lightly pickled cucumbers.

4. Do not overcook the pasta! Overcooking will cause the pasta to soften and lose texture, ruining the salad.

5. With mayonnaise, too much is better than too little. If you use too little, the salad will come out dry.

Gavel Media Photo by Aruem Shin For underclassmen without access to a stove: 1. It is possible to use a microwave to boil pasta. Here’s how: - Take half a box of macaroni (or any small pasta, not noodles) and put in a microwaveable bowl.

- Pour water (preferably hot) into the bowl, covering the pasta. Season the water with salt if necessary.

- Microwave, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

- When it is done, check to see if pasta is fully cooked.

- Drain and use it in this recipe!

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Halloween in Salem: So tacky it’s scary?

By Daniel Monan Culture Editor It’s no secret that Salem, Mass. is kind of big on Halloween. Each year the small city celebrates its role in the infamous 17th century witch trials, as well as its contemporary population of Wiccan and other New Age believers. Thousands pack the streets in and out of costume. They come for the performances, the historical tours and the carnival atmosphere. Although, visitors should beware, along with the artful pageantry and spooky sights come tacky shows and religious zealots, scary for all the wrong reasons.

Salem is just a short train ride from Boston College, off the commuter rail line via North Station; the entire trip takes perhaps an hour and a half. From there, everything is centrally located within easy walking distance from the Tline. Every Halloween, the streets are closed off and lined with vendors selling everything from fried dough to African religious idols. Advertisements promoting costumes and fake vampire fangs

stood beside those for psychic readings and tarot cards.

I went into Salem with an open mind, even though part of me felt almost offended on behalf of the true believers of Wicca at the transparently opportunistic hawkers. It’s exploitative and it’s commercial, but perhaps that’s only to be expected from a holiday celebrated by vast amounts of candy.

Still, I felt a little disappointed. I don’t know what I was hoping for, but a full carnival complete with a Ferris wheel and pirate ship rides was not it. Most often, I felt like I was at a costumed state fair.

The attitudes of many of Salem’s permanent residents seemed to agree on this point. Put off by the mostly kitschy “museums” of witchcraft, I stopped by the nationally recognized Peabody Art Museum. I had hoped the museum might sponsor a Halloween related gallery or event, and it was located right in the heart things.

Though the museum was open, a staff member quickly informed me that the museum “discourages that sort of Halloween thing,” as though a thronging crowd includ-

ing Frankenstein, Dracula, and a male “Lady” Gaga were not just 10 feet away. Clearly, to acknowledge such frivolity would terminally compromise the museum’s self-affected attitude.

I looked in vain for a middle ground, somewhere between state fair and deserted graveyard at midnight. Wasn’t it possible to celebrate a spooky Halloween without being scammed by pathetically short haunted houses and drowning in a sea of cheap plastic souvenirs? Apparently not.

But maybe that’s OK. As a party, Salem was fun. The cheap sideshow aspects weren’t too difficult to ignore, if impossible to avoid.

Everywhere I looked were inventive costumes ranging from the scary to the silly to the definitely-not-child-friendly.

Everyone looked out to have a good time and enjoy the festivities.

Street performers were everywhere. Living statues of witches and monsters “posed” for photos, while a band of pirates stopped to sing traditional ballads. The town hall hosted a recreation of the witch trials where the audience

Peace O’ Pie offers vegan delights

Photo courtesy of newvegland.wordpress.com

By Lea Freeman Asst. Culture Editor For the vegetarian, culinary options are somewhat limited. But for the vegan, options are extremely limited. Vegans not only forego meat, but also animal products of any kind, including dairy, eggs or honey. “Peace of Pie” in Allston offers gourmet vegan pizza that can be enjoyed — even by carnivores.

Before checking out Peace O’ Pie, one might ask, “How is a pizza made without cheese?” The answer is simple: with dairy-free soy cheese. At Piece O’ Pie, one can

choose between mozzarella and cheddar.

Although vegan cheese may sound strange, its taste barely differs from regular cheese, and it’s texture is only a little less stringy.

Topped with vegan ingredients like artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives and tempeh, any difference is indiscernible.

Peace O’ Pie’s specialty pizzas include ‘barbecue chick’n,’ ‘buffalo chick’n,’ pizza with onions, zucchini, apple sage sausage, Hawaiian and pepperoni. All of Peace O’ Pie’s “meats” are soy substitutes.

But depending on your tastes,

some substitutes are better than others. For example, the “ham” on the Hawaiian pizza clearly tastes, smells and looks different from real ham, but the sausage tastes and smells like regular sausage. So if one is looking for a delicious vegan pizza, Peace O’ Pie is the place to go.

Peace O’ Pie is a sit down restaurant. With a very cozy atmosphere where one but you can order at the counter. Peace O’ Pie has reasonable prices, although it is more expensive than Pino’s, Roggie’s, or even Crazy Dough’s. But the specialty experience is worth the price. Peace O’ Pie is located at 487 Cambridge Street in Allston.

It lies half way between Harvard Ave and Warren Street on the B line. One can also order for pickup or delivery.

Recommended pies include the barbecue chick’n pizza, the MD and the Not-So-Secret Garden.

Still, the more adventurous eaters might be interested in trying the “Pie of the Day.” Non-pizza options include calzones and salads.

Also, brunch offerings are available, but the main draw of Peace O’ Pie is dinner. Peace O’ Pie is strongly recommended for every foodie.

decided guilt. Candle lit tours of historical sites were offered and the graveyards were open to the public till sundown. Real gems of entertainment could be found in Salem, if one avoided those areas purely out to scam away your money.

Some mention should be given to the less savory elements of Salem on Halloween. As previously mentioned, Salem is home to a large alternative lifestyle population and more than a few more traditional religious groups took advantage of the crowds brought

by Halloween to proselytize or condemn. Equipped with megaphones and soapboxes, they stood at street corners blaring their messages.

This too, seemed to have been expected by the residents of Salem. Police on horseback had arranged themselves in a shield around one group carrying signs proclaiming “Homosexuality is a Sin.” Although the protection did not appear to have been necessary, for while expressions in the crowd ranged from annoyance to disgust, no one looked genuinely enraged.

Indeed, some religious advocates found themselves flanked by counter-protesters, waving signs of tolerance and support of a freedom of lifestyle choices. “Free Hugs” read one counter-protestor’s sign, standing beside a man preaching brimstone and hellfire.

A costumed Jesus even put in an appearance, holding aloft an “I’m cool with Gays” poster.

So now that Halloween has come and gone, do I recommend Salem for BC students next year?

Despite my reservations, and the very real fact that much of Salem was a tourist-trap, I do.

There’s a lot of fun to be had there; the trick is avoiding the cheap shows and the religious zealotry. The graveyards, with or without a tour group are worth a walk and the restaurants and bars get into the spirit of things with costume contests, live music, and other specials. Just being out in the streets, surrounded by thousands of other costumed partiers can be worth the trip. In any case, a trip to Salem can make the Halloween weekend something different and memorable for the BC student.

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‘Reefer Madness’ lights up Bonn Theater

Gavel Media Photos by Gillian Freedman

By Eliza Duggan Print Manager

There are not many musicals in which the audience has a look of shock and glee for almost the entirety of the show, but Contemporary Theatre’s production of Reefer Madness achieves that reaction.

The Bonn Studio Theater was full of students and adults who, at the end of the show, offered up a heartfelt and resounding, standing ovation.

A combination of varied music, high-energy actors, madcap characters, and plain fun, made Reefer Madness a wild, raucous good time. Director Seth Byrum, A&S ’11, put together a fantastic show with a talented cast and crew.

The absurd story follows Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane, young high school sweethearts who get sucked into the crazy world of reefer addicts. Staged as a public meeting warning against the dangers of marijuana, the campy melodrama pokes fun at the overblown anti-marijuana campaigns of the 1930s.

The musical was developed from the public service film Reefer Madness (1936), a movie that gained a cult following in the 1970s. Audiences everywhere found the film hysterically funny for its ludicrous plot and characters.

Narrating Jimmy and Mary’s story of decline is the Lecturer, played by Ted Moller, A&S ‘11. Moller’s enthusiastic performance highlighted the comically intense reactions of the anti-reefer campaigns, as his narration added humor and camp to the show.

The two leads were both freshmen whose dynamic performances drove the show forward. Jimmy was played by Jake Alexander, who made a convincing and hilarious transformation from model student to stoner. His strong vocals packed a punch, and his great comic timing made him a strong lead.

Tory Berner, A&S ’14, played the naïve Mary Lane whose devotion to Jimmy gets her drawn into the madness of the reefer den. Berner’s powerful soprano and commitment to every moment of the show made her a wonderful addition to the BC theater scene.

Leading the pack of marijuana addicts is Jack, a drug pusher who lures Jimmy to his reefer den on the pretense of giving him dance lessons. Pat Connolly, A&S ‘11, played the dealer with a great voice

and comic timing that made Jack a character you love to hate.

Playing his abused stoner girlfriend, Mae, was Allison Russell, A&S ‘12, who inadvertently becomes the hero of the show. Russell brings sparkling humor to even the most shocking content, keeping the audience entertained with laughs and splendid vocals.

While Jack seduces Jimmy, Mary Lane is seduced

by Ralph, a member of the reefer gang. Evan Murphy, A&S ‘12, played the manic marijuana addict with plenty of energy, contributing to the animated craze of the show.

The last resident of the reefer den is Sally, a floozy who participates actively in Jimmy’s sexual awakening, played by Lisa Boccuzzi, A&S ‘11. Boccuzzi’s vivacity was enthralling, and her expressions were scintillatingly funny.

Filling in multiple roles throughout the show were the ensemble members, who participate in many numbers and perform several costume changes.

Monica Wright, A&S ‘14, did a fantastic dance number with the drug-pushing Jack, which ultimately seduces Jimmy into following him.

Kasey Brown, A&S ‘12, made the most of her moments in the spotlight, eliciting huge laughs from the audience.

Evan Cole, A&S ‘11, and Nate Richardson, A&S ‘13, finished off the ensemble group. Cole and Richardson both demonstrated strong vocals that contributed considerably to the sound, and had consistent commitment to every character they played.

A talented band provided all of the music, and included Steve Bass on piano, James Lander on bass, Greg Fortunado on reeds, Pat Atkins on drums and Chris Daley on guitar.

Highlights include full cast (faux) nudity, an appearance by Jesus Christ (played by Pat Connolly, A&S ‘11), and a whole lot of songs about grass.

Though not for the close-minded, Reefer Madness represented BC theatre at its best, with talented acting, vocals, and a whole lot of laughs. Although no longer running this season, Reefer Madness is yet more proof that the BC acting scene is not to be missed. Already fans are eagerly awaiting the next theatrical release.