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D
oes anyone else get a serious case of the winter blahs every February? I spent a fair amount of time last month searching “beach vacation” on Google and imagining I was somewhere with sand and sun— somewhere worry-free. But in the process of putting together Issue 2, I realized that I need to wake up and smell the paper mill. Our winter blahs won’t be cured until we stop wishing we were elsewhere and let go of the perfect version of reality that we write inside our heads. I think all of us have things we would like to change about this campus or about our lives, but we don’t always speak up about it. The Pio—in our best moments—can give voice to the stories that are waiting to be heard and play our small part in the progress towards change. I hope that Issue 2 will make you see this campus differently, for better and for worse. Photographer Ethan Parrish shows us the floral resonances he notices in Whitman art & architecture (page 4) and Faith Bernstein finds leafiness in the human spine (page 10). Issue 2 also brings up a more serious reality of campus life in Rachel Alexander’s narrative of students’ sexual assault experiences and the blurriness of the term “consent” at Whitman when alcohol becomes involved (page 20). There’s content of a cheerier nature, too: Whitman professors struggle to shortlist their favorite books (page 14), Ellie Newell teaches us how to navigate the grocery store jungle (page 35) and our backpage astrologer gives us her predictions for the month ahead (page 39).
LETTER
EDITOR’S
Happy Spring Break, Whitman. I’d like to think that some of you are reading this on a beach somewhere. Patricia Vanderbilt Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief
Production Manager
Editors
Production Associates
Patricia Vanderbilt Alex Brott Cari Cortez Caitlin Hardee Karah Kemmerly Libby Arnosti
Web
Sara Rasmussen
Photography Editor Ethan Parrish
Illustration Editor Binta Loos-Diallo
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Ted Hendershot Katie Berfield Sean McNulty Madison Munn Miriam Kolker Molly Olmsted Cara Patten Allison Work
Chief Copy Editor Jean Marie Dreyer
Copy Editors Aleida Fernandez Marisa Ikert
The Circuit is a publication of the Whitman Pioneer.
THE CIRCUIT
The Pioneer is an entirely student-run publication published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. Questions and letters to the editor can be submitted to editors@ whitmanpioneer.com. All submissions must be attributed and may be edited for concision and fluency.
The Pioneer operates under the guidelines of its code of ethics, a document that is reviewed at least once per semester. To access the complete code of ethics of The Pioneer, please visit whitmanpioneer.com/about. For information about subscriptions or advertising, please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.
‘‘
IN THIS ISSUE 4
Floral Whitman 6
. . . . DESPITE HARRY AND THE POTTERS’ WISHES AND THE HPA’S EFFORTS, PERHAPS THE TIME TO “GET ON WITH OUR LIVES” REALLY HAS COME. 15
PHOTO ESSAY
‘WRITE ON ME’ CONSENT & ALCOHOL
10 20
happy b dies 24
35
guide to college cooking THECIRCUIT | 3
Photo Essay
FLORALWHITMAN photography by ETHAN PARRISH
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We derive our inspiration from the beauty that surrounds us.
THECIRCUIT | 5
ENDof anERA “ The life and death of Harry Potter fan culture by SARA RASMUSSEN e’re here because we love Harry Potter, but we’re not here for Harry Potter. We’re here to celebrate the stuff being created around Harry Potter.”
So spoke Hank Green, an entrepreneur perhaps best known for the VlogBrothers project, in reference to the vibrant fan community that surrounds the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling’s seven-part story of the boy wizard is, without a doubt, a literary and cultural phenomenon. It sold a record-breaking 450 million copies, won numerous awards and inspired children and adults around the world to pick up a book and read. Harry’s story caught the world’s attention, creating an enormous, diverse fan base. Indeed, the Harry Potter fandom is a world unto its own—perhaps unlike any other. It emerged just as the Internet was taking off, and for Harry Potter-themed music, known as wizard rock, just as MySpace was taking 6 | THECIRCUIT
off. Fan communities existed before the Internet, of course, as any Trekkie from the 1970s could tell you. However, the ability to connect instantaneously with other fans from across the globe was what truly catalyzed the fan movement, with websites like MuggleNet, The Leaky Cauldron and Harry Potter Lexicon leading the way in the early 2000s. These connections forged a ready audience for fans who sought to keep their experience of the series alive through their art, games and hobbies. As Hank indicates, the fan community is a celebration of Harry Potter. But even more than that, Harry Potter fan culture is a celebration of what the book and film series have inspired fans to create. And create we have.
Armed with the messages of love and literacy, outfitted with the power of the Internet, we fans thrive best when expressing our grassroots, do-it-yourself spirit—reflecting examples like Dumbledore’s Army and S.P.E.W. that we found in Rowling’s books. From midnight premiere costumes to community events, from fan websites to online forums, from fan fiction, illustrations and videos to wizard rock, from puppet shows to Quidditch games to conferences, from social justice movements like the Harry Potter Alliance to professional documentaries like “We Are Wizards,” the spectrum of creative Potterhead projects is seemingly endless. “Our band is our art and we
Harry Potter embed a lot of our philosophy into sings, “And it won’t be over ‘til it’s way that is really concrete and proit, and a lot of our values and ethic,” over / No, it’s we who will decide ductive, and it’s allowing people to be said Paul DeGeorge to me in a 2011 / When to stop the fight and get on the heroes they read about,” said Paul, interview. Paul is one half of wizard with our lives.” Harry and the Potters who currently serves on the HPA rock band Harry and the Potters. sing exclusively from the viewpoint Board of Directors, in the interview I myself am no exception to of Harry himself, which technically for The Witching Hour. “That’s really the DIY spirit—I picked up The Sor- limits them from writing songs that empowering, and the books are really cerer’s Stone in 1999 and have been opine on the state of wizard rock, as empowering . . . and we’re just trying a huge fan of the books since. I truly The Parselmouths and The Whompto provide people a forum for that.” joined the fan community in early ing Willows have done. But in these But despite Harry and the Pot2010, when senior Mehera Nori and I few lines, ostensibly about Harry’s ters’ wishes and the HPA’s efforts, began a program perhaps the time on KWCW to “get on with called The our lives” really Witching Hour. has come. When The radio show my co-host fuses our comMehera and I mentary on the interviewed books, movies Alex Carpenter, and fan culture frontman of The with a playlist of Remus Lupins our favorite wizin 2010, I asked ard rock tunes. him if he thought There was wizard rock was the sense—back dead. when we started “Wizard The Witching rock will never Hour—that the be dead as long capacity of fans as there are to generate new, those who are wizardly content loyal and keep it was just about alive,” he reinfinite. But we sponded with a Joe (left) and Paul DeGeorge (right) perform their song “The Weapon” in Portland, Oregon in June 2011 during their “Ride the Lightning” tour. Photo contributed by Ben Hovland soon discovered grin. that our fledgAs it turned ing radio show was, in fact, catching fight against evil, the band speaks out, Alex ended his six-year stint the tail end of the Harry Potter fan more to their unwillingness to acwith the Lupins about a year later. phenomenon. Many of the wizard knowledge that Rowling’s completion He’s still a mainstay on the YouTube rock artists we regularly profiled had of the books means the end of their circuit and made a splash in 2011 been performing under their wizard experience as Harry. For them, the with his decidedly Muggle cover monikers since 2005. fan world will continue to live for as of Rebecca Black’s “Friday,” which Now, the fact that the book long as its constituents continue to received over a million hits. But his series finished in 2007 is quietly write, draw, sing and otherwise exdays of howling about being a teenfloating in the back of our minds. The press their passion for the Potterverse. age werewolf have come to an end. movie franchise ended in the sumAnd that passion still has a few Likewise, Kristina Horner of outlets, most notably in the Harry Pot- The Parselmouths, a band which Harry Potter fan culture is ter Alliance. The HPA is a non-profit occasionally tours, but whose future organization that seeks to be “Dumb- album plans seem to be on infinite a celebration of what the book and film series have ledore’s Army for the real world.” The hiatus, explained how she saw herself group has enacted this goal in various moving on with her new nerd-rock inspired fans to create. ways, from their classic campaigns duo, ALL CAPS, and other projects. And create we have. against illiteracy to their more recent “We are musicians and we had war with Warner Brothers over faira lot of music about Harry Potter mer of 2011. For the fan community, trade chocolate frogs. that people liked, that made us this Harry Potter has been our language, “I think the Harry Potter Alcommunity, but like, now, you know, but we’re running out of new ways to liance is maybe the most amazing we’re writing about other things,” combine our words. thing that came out of the Harry said Kristina in a 2010 interview with In “Phoenix Song,” off their Potter fandom, which is to take this The Witching Hour. “So I kind of see 2006 album Harry and the Potters enthusiasm that people have for these that as the future.” and the Power of Love, Joe DeGeorge books and to sort of harness it in a Meanwhile, transitioning to the THECIRCUIT | 7
1998: Sorcerer’s Stone published 1999: Chamber of Secrets published Prisoner of Azkaban published Emerson Spartz begins MuggleNet, a fan site 2000: Goblet of Fire published Melissa Anelli founds the Leaky Cauldron fan site Steve Vander Ark creates the Harry Potter Lexicon 2001: Sorcerer’s Stone Movie released 2002: Chamber of Secrets Movie released Harry and the Potters formed by brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge 2003: Order of the Phoenix published
2004: Prisoner of Azkaban movie released Draco and the Malfoys formed by Brian Ross and Bradley Mehlenbacher 2005: The Half-Blood Prince published Goblet of Fire movie released The Remus Lupins formed by Alex Carpenter Harry Potter Alliance founded 2006: Lumos fan convention held 2007: Phoenix Rising fan convention Order of the Phoenix movie released Deathly Hallows released 2008: Terminus fan convention held We Are Wizards documentary released 2009: First LeakyCon convention held “A Very Potter Musical” goes viral on YouTube Half-Blood Prince movie released 2010: “A Very Potter Sequel” released Deathly Hallows Part 1 movie released The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens in Florida
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2011: Deathly Hallows Part II movie released The Remus Lupins retire Beta period for Pottermore begins Draco and the Malfoys retire
HARRY POTTER THROUGH THE YEARS
Harry Potter will not last. Draco and the Malfoys Con attracted the likes of Evanna performed their last show this past Lynch, who played Luna Lovegood December; The Mudbloods retired in the films, Darren Criss of “Glee” in 2009. MySpace, the former hub fame and the rest of the Very Potter of budding wizard rockers, has long Musical crew, the top tier of wizard Despite the long life and rock bands and more, all rolled in vibrance of the Harry Potter since been abandoned. The Harry Potter Lexicon has not been updated with the final movie premiere and fan community, the fan for years; MuggleNet has almost no trips to the new Wizarding World of culture has faded and will news on which to report. Harry Potter. But it seems undeniable continue to fade. Some might say there is the that it was the last great gathering hope and the promise of Pottermore, of Harry Potter fans from across the through Potter-related occupations) Rowling’s interactive online reading United States. It’s the end of Harry who may have outgrown Harry’s experience that couples additional in- Potter fan culture’s golden age, and world. sights about the Potterverse with opthe beginning of an era of decline. “When I’m at a party and some- portunities to be sorted, brew potions Being part of the Harry Potter body asks me what I do, and I say I’m and duel. I was one of the million community has been magical—I’d go in a band . . . I always just say like, people who stayed up until 3 a.m. this so far as to say it changed my life— indie rock. I usually don’t say wizard past summer to find a secret quill and and I intend to enjoy every last morock,” Alex said. ment of it. But “And then someit seems that body invariably Oliver Boyd will always be like, and the Re‘Ahhh you’ve gotmembralls had ta tell them! This it right with his dude’s in a Harry song “End of Potter band! It’s an Era,” off the about Harry Pot2007 record ter!’ And then peoWelcome to ple will either react Wizard Rock: very excitedly, or will just shun me So I will miss and just walk away. the train ride in So, the idea of sayAnd the pranks ing ‘wizard rock’ is pulled by the sort of dicey, out in twins. the real world.” And though it’s Despite nowhere I have the long life and been, vibrancy of the I’ll keep on Harry Potter fan smiling from Seniors Mehera Nori, Sara Rasmussen and sophomore Claire Johnson discuss love triangles in the Harry Potter series on their weekly KWCW wizard rock radio show. Photo contributed by Ben Hovland community, the the times I had fan culture has with them. faded and will continue to fade. answer a riddle about the Triwizard Fewer websites will continue to upTournament, all so I could get early Soon we will see it closed. date, fewer records will be released, access. But presently crippled with The final chapter exposed. fewer fan fictions will be written. But technical problems, Pottermore feels It’s an end of an era maybe that’s not such a bad thing. like it has been banished to eternal And I’m seeing clearer Full-time wizards like Paul, Joe, Alex Beta hell. I admit, the chance to learn That nothing will ever be the same. and Kristina have found (and will about Professor Quirrell’s preferred find) inspiration in new fan commupastimes was exciting. (Pressing Missed out on the world of Harry nities. They’ll pursue projects made flowers, in case you were wonderPotter fandom? Or maybe you possible by their experiences in the ing.) But Pottermore is primarily an just miss it? Check out the bands, wizard rock world. individual experience—not truly part websites and other Potter projects from this article and download a I don’t mean to suggest that of fan culture as I envision it. free wizard rock mixtape @ http:// they, or other fans, will ever stop Likewise, there will occasionaltinyurl.com/wizardkit loving the books—that personal ly continue to be conferences; Leakyconnection to Harry’s story will Con 2012, hosted by The Leaky Tune in to The Witching Hour on KWCW perhaps remain forever embedded in Cauldron, is set for early August in 90.5 FM or at KWCW.net on Mondays the heart of the HP generation—but Chicago and HPEF’s Ascendio will 8-10 p.m. the active, community-based element be in Orlando in July. 2011’s LeakyMuggle world has proven an interesting challenge for full-time wizards (that is, people who make a living
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SPINAL JUXTAPOSITION 10 | THECIRCUIT
photography by FAITH BERNSTEIN
Photo Essay
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Pio For The Holidays
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Living with
A
DIABETES by Molly Johanson
side from taking care of myself, the hardest part about being a type-1 diabetic is the disease’s utter lack of visibility. Unless I’m testing my blood sugar in public, there is no way to know about what I struggle with daily. Here’s a quick rundown of type1. Often called early-onset diabetes, type-1 is a result of one’s immune system destroying insulin-producing cells. Insulin is what allows cells to get energy from the carbohydrates in food. Type-1 diabetics get their insulin through injections, and adjust the dose according to how many carbs they eat. Too much or too little insulin can lead to low or high blood sugar respectively, neither of which are good. But even though all diabetics deal with the same problems, aside from carrying insulin and a blood sugar tester everywhere they go, they look just like everyone else. Not only is diabetes invisible on an individual level, but it can be in communities as well. There are three million type-1 diabetics in the United States, but according to Clau-
dia Ness, the director of the Health Center, there are fewer than 10 diabetic students on Whitman’s campus. Even in a school as small as Whitman, where it seems possible to know everyone, diabetics remain isolated. When diabetics meet, the connection is instant. For this article, I met with three other type1 diabetics here on campus, all of whom expressed the importance of talking to someone who ‘gets it.’ Junior Cambria Wethey, who has been diabetic since age 11, described meeting another diabetic, “[It’s] not even creepy. There is an instant connection of ‘you understand me, I understand you.’ ” There is a lingo that diabetics speak that doesn’t need to be explained around other diabetics. When we say something like “I’m so high,” we mean our blood sugars, and talking about the number of carbohydrates in things comes naturally. Diabetics also understand more than anyone else the fact that diabetes requires constant daily management, and it’s hard. Assistant Director of Coun-
“In the back of our minds, every single minute of the day, there is this consciousness about where we are . . . you can never let go of that.” Assistant Director of Counseling Tracee Anderson
seling Tracee Anderson, who was diagnosed in her late teens, talks about her experiences with diabetes. “In the back of all of our minds, every single minute of the day, there is this consciousness about where we are . . . You can never let go of that. And if we do, there is the potential cost of having a high or low blood sugar. In a sense we are imprisoned by that consciousness. At the same time we are blessed to have a disease that we can manage and that doesn’t contaminate our life too much,” she said. All three of the diabetics that I talked to stressed that though diabetes sucks, it also serves as a constant reminder of how lucky we are to have a disease we can treat. “I’m grateful because it reminds me of how good things are without having the risk of taking it all away,” said Wethey, who has incorporated diabetes into her life goals, and plans to go into the field of diabetic research. What I have found from being a lone diabetic at Whitman is that it’s almost easier to pretend I’m not diabetic, that I’m just like everyone else. But the truth is, I’m not. Reaching out to the people who are struggling with the exact same set of problems as me has helped me to see that being diabetic is normal too. We all make mistakes and have bad days, we all like getting our carbs from real sugar, and all of us were excited at the possibility of these connections. We just want to be understood. So please, Whitman, if you have a question about diabetes, just ask us. THECIRCUIT | 13
PERSONAL LIBRARIES OF THE PROFESSORS by alyssa fairbanks & kelsey kennedy
“A History of Food” by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat “The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts” by Louis De Bernieres
“Walden” saved my life. I was a 17-year-old scholarship freshman at Brigham Young University, the only college to which I applied. “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte By the end of my first month there, I thought I just might die. I started growing my hair “A Sport and a Pastime” by James Salter (in violation of the Honor Code) and reading “The Book of Nightmares” by Galway Kinnell “Walden” for the first time. Thoreau showed me how to think for myself—a one“Nature and Madness” by Paul Shepard book liberal arts education. Henry went to jail for refusing to pay his poll tax; I lost my scholarship over the length of my hair. I still “The Other Greeks” by Victor Davis Hanson have that copy of “Walden.”
TOP FIVE
MOST INFLUENTIAL
“The Book of the Hopi” by Frank Waters
MOST INFLUENTIAL
TOP FIVE
“Among the Thugs” by Bill Buford “Shroud for a Nightingale” by P.D. James “Tiptoes, the Mischievous Kitten” by Noel Barr “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes” by Arthur Conan Doyle
in period of study
TOP FIVE
“Persuasion” by Jane Austen
Alan Hollinghurst’s “The Stranger’s Child” is at the top of my list at the moment.
“Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie
“Woman in White” by Wilkie Collins “Cranford” by Elizabeth Gaskell “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” by Muriel Spark
anything illustrated by Maira Kalman
NEXT UP
ROGERS MILES
senior adjunct assistant professor of religion and general studies
“The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers” by Carl Becker
“The Great Chain of Being: A Study of the History of an Idea” by Arthur O. Lovejoy
“Riders in the Chariot” by Patrick White. It’s about the intersection of the banal and the miraculous—the best and the worst of humankind.
“Oranges are not the Only Fruit” by Jeanette Winterson
“Too Much Bliss” by Henrick Drescher
“The Armada” by Garrett Mattingly
TOP FIVE
“Humphry Clinker” by Tobias Smollett
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“Postal Seance” by Henrick Drescher.
“The World Turned Upside Down: Radical Ideas During the English Revolution” by Christopher Hill “The Scientific Revolution” by Herbert Butterfield
“The Emergence of Probability” by Ian Hacking. The philosopher, Ian Hacking, argues that the modern concept of probability was not possible before the middle of the seventeenth century. I found his account of its emergence so fascinating that I used probability in my Ph.D. dissertation as an index of the degree to which clergy who were members of the Royal “Railroaded: The Society of London in seventeenthTranscontinentals century England absorbed the outlook and the Making of of the new science. Modern America” by Richard White.
NEXT UP
MOST INFLUENTIAL
“Moll Flanders” by Daniel Defoe
lecturer of art
“The Power of Myth” by Joseph Campbell
outside period of study
“Tristram Shandy” by Laurence Sterne
NEXT UP
MARE BLOCKER
associate professor of English and general studies MOST INFLUENTIAL
“Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner” by James Hogg
MOST INFLUENTIAL
TOP FIVE
SHARON ALKER
NEXT UP
“The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets” by Barbara Walker
There are two of equal importance, both of which I read while in grad school: “Elements of Judicial Strategy” by Walter F. Murphy (1964) and “Democracy and Distrust: A Theory of Judicial Review” by John Hart Ely (1980), two books that lay out very different approaches to the study of law and politics. One summer I spent several weeks traveling round England by train, and have fond memories of reading those books on the trains, while watching the English countryside pass by!
“Pickle and Penny” by Viveka Ramstedt
“Nightwood” by Djuna Barnes “Wild Beauty: Photography of the “Tell My Horse” by Zora Neale Hurston Columbia River Gorge 1867-1957” by Terry “I and Thou” by Buber and Toedtemeier “Tao Te Ching” by Lao-Tzu.
“The Golden Compass” series by Philip Pullman
visiting assistant professor of politics
HELEN KNOWLES
“Derek Jarman’s Garden” by Derek Jarman
TOP FIVE
NEXT UP
TOP FIVE
DON SNOW
JANICE KING
senior lecturer of environmental humanities and general studies
book aquisition specialist
ANALOG
photography by CATIE BERGMAN
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Reviews
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Reviews
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SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATION
T
hat social media has changed the way we interact with each other, even how we live, is clear. Exactly how it has changed and to what benefit, however, has been and will continue to be up for debate. Social media’s rise has brought increased levels and means of communication, more collaborative discourse, a whole new level of interpersonal connectivity, the fuel for protest and revolution, and much, much more. But these changes have come with a perceived
decline in meaningful relationships and a constant rewriting of social values. I asked my writers to sum up, in only 300 words, “how social media has changed the face of communication.” I hoped the openness of the question would allow them to capture the incredible variety of problems and possibilities that arise with a new, fundamentally different model of communication.
ALEX BROTT OPINION EDITOR
ROMANCE IN A TRIVIAL WORLD that the “like button” will never BY ROLLO COLUMNIST
I was with my boyfriend for an entire year before we decided to publicize our relationship on Facebook. Our relationship was stable—the potential for an embarrassing or awkward public internet breakup had almost nothing to do with our decision to delay becoming “FBO.” My cringing at the thought of having my Facebook “friends” seeing my relationship status had more to do with the nature of “like buttons” than anything else. They seem silly and trivial, and it is that trivialization of our relationships that make them so awful. “Like buttons” let us, almost reflexively, click away without a second thought. While they’re harmless most of the time (when you’re “liking” your friend’s drunk status updates, or another “What’s your Patronus?” quiz), they are the most meaningless and even slightly offensive gestures to make about something as important as a relationship. We all know 18 | THECIRCUIT
die, and if you post your relationship status on Facebook, all of your old high school friends you’ve stopped talking to will like, like, like away to their hearts’ desire. Fortunately, I didn’t get a “relationship request” sent from my significant other: a simple choice of approval or denial. I didn’t have to explain to him why I didn’t want our business on my wall. We had a mutual understanding that our relationship needed no justification through a social media network. So, over a year later, when we did decide to become official on Facebook, we left the status up for only a few hours—a small social experiment more than anything else. And I was right. All of a sudden, people I hadn’t talked to in years and didn’t even know well in the first place were “liking” my relationship—one that they knew nothing about, having not met the other person in the relationship. And with that, I deleted my Facbeook, and haven’t had to look back since.
SOCIAL MEDIA’S FUTURE IS OUR FUTURE, TOO BY BLAIR FRANK COLUMNIST
Social media’s impact on the way we communicate is easily one of the most significant technological developments of the past decade. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and their cohorts have created a world where the revolution is both televised and tweeted. But what does the future hold? The way I see it, there are really two possible paths that our culture can take in regards to communication and social media. On one side, there’s greater openness, as advocated by Mark Zuckerberg. In that case, personal information becomes decidedly more free and open. To use an extreme example, in a society that valued radical openness in that manner, there wouldn’t be questions about why there are freely available pictures of a candidate for political office drinking as much as why those pictures aren’t freely available. On the opposite end of the spectrum,
we could head for a radical shrinkage in the amount of information that we share and make public. Right now, only power users really work to control what items the people connected to them can see (when such settings are available) but I think it’s entirely possible that we’ll see a major backlash to just how much information we’ve made available at the coaxing of Google, Facebook and the rest. Rather than the current public-by-default method of sharing, granular control over who on your friends list sees that status update will be more normal. Right now, we’re at a crossroads as users of social media. We have a choice to pick which of those futures we find most acceptable. (Or perhaps, create some future that is yet to be described or understood.) But with a generation growing up right now that will have no knowledge of a time when communication via social media wasn’t an option, those choices will be even more important.
THE DEMISE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE BY SAM CHAPMAN COLUMNIST
Let me preface by acknowledging that I idealize the past; it’s fallacious to assume that bygone days saw the meanest peasants talking like Shakespearean dukes. That said, I believe social media is hastening the demise of artful language. Language is the glue that holds society together—body language and tone of voice have their place, but communicating anything complex without words is impossible. We rely so heavily on our language that to treat it as utilitarian is akin to issuing an edict requiring buildings to look identical. It’s no way to live. We must speak clearly and playfully, for that makes us human; we must write from our hearts and minds, for that makes us individuals. Social media encourages the opposite: take a thought, omit consideration of syntax, then add contrived memes and colloquialisms to castrate
nuance and compress words into an unnecessary character limit. The language of Facebook, Twitter, and their ilk is digestible, bland and uniform, and has a nasty habit of seeping into real life. I’d like to subvert the problem by staying offline, but that no longer seems to be an option. Leaving aside the fact that I’ll apparently wind up destitute without LinkedIn, one can’t seem to do anything these days without social media poking its nose in. If you want to overthrow a dictator, you’d better make an event for his ouster— and don’t expect the rhetoric that accompanied revolutions of old. I’m no reactionary; I’m willing to accept that social media is going to be the backbone of life from now on. But as long as we’re stuck with it, let’s have some fun, and introduce real language to a new platform. I challenge everybody who reads this to post a paragraph as their next Facebook status. It’s not hard, and who knows— maybe we’ll start a revolution.
THECIRCUIT | 19
punch h
T THIS I didn’t want to be ‘that girl’. felt like I wouldn’t be taken seriously. ENI AT I just wanted him to know what he did was wrong. TMAN I feel guilty and I know I shouldn’t. I didn’t really know what to do, so I just went along with it.
It was more like I was watching myself.
blacked out
I didn’t what tostatistic. do. This was me. This isknow not some invisible
ashamed I didn’t consent hate the wo I didn’t recognize it for what it was at the time.
I didn’t want it to be a big thing, I was so ashamed.
Apologies will never be enough.
Whenever I see him I just want to punch him in the face.
I never thought this could happen at Whitman.
guilty
He started touching me.
I don’t want it to define who I am. Because in some ways to me that would be the ultimate loss.
For a long time, I thought I had brought it on myself.
I didn’t know what sexual assault meant. I didn’t know what rape meant.
While it was happening I knew that it wasn’t right.
He doesn’t think what he did was wrong.
I lost a lot of my faith in people.
I thought I was done crying about this.
When you’re in this dark room with no one around with someone who got mad at you for saying no, your mind just goes numb 20 | THECIRCUIT
h“R
ape is seen as something that’s almost jokeable because people see it as something that’s not a part of the culture here, which just isn’t true.
by RACHEL ALEXANDER
Note: Although both perpetrators and victims of sexual assault can be any gender, all of the people who were willing to speak to me for this article about being sexually assaulted were women who had been sexually assaulted by men. Nationally, according to the Department of Justice’s 2010 violent crime statistics, about 12 percent of sexual assault victims are male.
M
ost of us know that the popular image of sexual assault—being attacked by a knife-wielding stranger in a dark alley—is wildly inaccurate. About three-quarters of sexual assaults in the U.S. are committed by someone the victim knows, according to the Department of Justice, and this statistic is particularly true on college campuses. But even here, our narrative falls short. We like to imagine that a quick glance will tell us whether or not an encounter is consensual; that in cases of rape, roofies are involved, or there’s an assailant throwing someone down on a bed who’s screaming no at the top of their lungs. Junior Sarah Forrest* tells her story a little differently. After a night of drinking with friends, she decided to sleep in the room she’d been hanging out in because she was too drunk to get home safely. The guy who lived there told her she could sleep in his bed. Once she was in bed, he got in next to her and started touching her.
the men involved didn’t feel as if they had done anything wrong.
W
hitman’s sexual misconduct policy is, in theory, very straightforward. It says that consent is “a freely and affirmatively communicated willingness to participate in sexual activity, expressed by clear, unambiguous I didn’t really know what to words or actions.” After discussing do, so I just went along with it. He other important details—consent started taking off my clothes. I must always be present, the party was kind of on the verge of being initiating sexual activity has the blacked out and don’t remember a responsibility of ensuring that lot of it. He started touching me and consent exists—it mentions that then we started having sex. It was a “consent may never be obtained really weird experience of not being cognizant of what I was doing; it was more like I was watching myself. We like to imagine that Sarah decided not to tell a quick glance will tell anyone about her experience. us whether or not an Although she’s thought about it since then, she still struggles with encounter is consensual. defining what happened to her. I was so inebriated that I . . . if the victim is mentally or obviously didn’t consent to having physically incapacitated, including sex. I personally hate the word rape through the use of drugs or alcohol.” because it brings up these feelings of Two simple words. Consent. victimization, so I personally don’t Incapacitated. use the word rape. At the same time, I Now, put yourself at a party on don’t have another word to describe it. Friday night. You’ve had a few drinks Sarah’s story is not atypical. and are hoping to find someone to In fact, it may be the new normal. I hook up with. You start dancing interviewed a total of nine women with someone, maybe making out on who had been sexually assaulted the dance floor. You know they’ve for this article, and almost all of had a few drinks too, but they seem their stories echo Sarah’s in some to be more or less coherent. One way. They might not have said no, of you goes home with the other. because they were too confused Maybe you ask them point-blank if or shocked or scared to process they want to have sex, or maybe you what was happening to them. They just grab a condom and assume that might have been drinking, or their they’re OK if they don’t stop you. assailants might have been drinking. Whitman students have wildly Some of them struggled with different views on how acceptable feelings of guilt after the fact, telling this scenario is. Some of us don’t see themselves that they were responsible anything wrong with it. Some of us because they put themselves in a might make minor changes—maybe dangerous situation. Perhaps most explicit verbal consent should be a importantly, many of them felt that prerequisite to sex. Some of us don’t believe that anyone who’s at all under the influence of alcohol is in a position to consent to any sexual activity. But regardless of whether this scenario should be happening, most of us can agree that it does happen. Outside of committed relationships, this is more or less how Whitties have sex. For a lot of students, this
ord rape.
y
TWO SIMPLE WORDS: INCAPACITATED. CONSENT.
THECIRCUIT | 21
reality comes squarely into conflict with Whitman’s official policy. “Saying the only way you should have sex with anyone is for you to both be completely sober, and each step of the way you’re asking and you’re saying yes . . . unfortunately, that’s just not the way people have sex,” said senior Rhya Milici. “No one says, ‘Would you like to come to my bedroom and have sexual intercourse? It’ll start with kissing, but it might move that far.’” Out of 316 Whitman students who participated in a survey about consent and alcohol on campus, 53 percent agreed or somewhat
Outside of committed relationships, this is more or less how Whitman students have sex. agreed that consent is not black and white, and 48 percent agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement “consent is complicated.” In recognition of these nuances, many colleges have significant portions of their sexual misconduct policies devoted to explaining what consent is and isn’t. Many describe consent as a process and list guidelines, such as mutual respect, which should govern sexual encounters. Swarthmore College says that “consent is active, not passive and is possible only when there is equal power.” Dartmouth’s policy says that non-consent may be communicated nonverbally, noting that “even in the absence of a verbal ‘no,’ physical resistance is not necessary to communicate a lack of consent.” Whitman clarifies that “the use of alcohol or drugs does not
diminish a student’s responsibility to obtain Aconsent for sexual activity.” Still, many Whitman students feel that the relationship between alcohol and consent is particularly problematic, regardless of what the official campus policy says. Several students noted that many people drink at parties specifically because being tipsy allows them to do things they might not have the courage to do sober, including initiate sexual activities. “That in itself just kind of blurs the line. When does it stop being your choice, and when does it become you being taken advantage of?” said junior Maddie Pyatt. It’s at this line that people disagree with each other most. Senior Matt McMillan believed that miscommunications about consent can happen during heterosexual encounters where men are sexually inexperienced. This can result in women feeling violated, regardless of their partner’s intentions. “It’s not like they’re trying to do something terrible to this girl, they just don’t know what they’re doing,” he said. Matt felt that in situations where alcohol is involved, both parties can be responsible for an encounter. “If you choose to engage in the type of behavior that’s going to make you lose all your inhibitions and your ability to control yourself, that’s your choice, and in many ways, you’re just as responsible as the other person,” he said. Junior Heather Samuels*, also a sexual assault survivor, acknowledged that drawing the incapacitated line can be difficult. “There are a lot of people that hook up drunk,” she said. If people are a little tipsy, they can still
ARE DRUNK STUDENTS CAPABLE OF JUDGING A PARTNER’S CONSENT RATIONALLY? 22 | THECIRCUIT
consent, and if someone is blacked out, they obviously can’t, but “there’s a spot in the middle where it’s not 100 percent clear in every situation.” Heather believes that in these situations, people should err on the side of caution. “I think that if you’re not 100 percent sure whether or not what you’re doing is not rape, don’t do it. That should be self-explanatory,” she said. Sexual Misconduct Prevention Coordinator Barbara Maxwell agreed that it’s important to consider how alcohol may affect a person’s ability to give consent. “Bottom line for me: If you know or suspect the person you want to be intimate with has been drinking, you need to exercise great care to make sure they are capable of being able to give consent,” she said. Another question that came up with many students was who, exactly, is supposed to decide if someone is too drunk to consent. Whitman’s sexual misconduct policy says that “initiating sexual activity with a person who is incapacitated and unable to provide consent due to alcohol . . . consumption.” Many students felt that expecting drunk students to make rational decisions about their partner’s state of mind was unrealistic. Rhya believed that in many cases where guys hook up with girls who are blacked out, they’re not aware of what they’re doing. “How would he know? He was probably drunk too. Drunk people are not a very good judge of anything,” she said. Whitman’s policy is based on a sexual misconduct policy written by the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management, a nationally recognized authority on college legal issues. NCHERM was consulted in 2009 to revise Whitman’s sexual misconduct policy and bring it into compliance with Title IX, the federal law prohibiting gender discrimination in higher education. Yet NCHERM’s model policy includes a phrase not found in Whitman’s. It clarifies that sexual activity with someone “you know to be—or should know to be—mentally or physically
incapacitated” is prohibited. NCHERM Managing Partner Brett Soloskow stated that the reason for having this standard is important. “The point to the knowledge standard is that we hold someone accountable for taking advantage of another’s incapacity. Taking advantage implies that someone knows the other party is weak or vulnerable. Yet, some people are ignorant or willfully ignorant of what a reasonable person would have known, hence the need for the “should have known” standard. Would a reasonable person (sober), in possession of the information the accused individual had, have known the alleged victim was incapacitated?” he said in an email. Maxwell agreed that adding the “should have known” standard to Whitman’s policy would help clarify what is expected of students. “The reason I would advocate adding that phrase is that I believe it makes the student initiating intimacy responsible for not only doing a visual check to make sure the person they want to be with is not impaired, but also responsible for doing an ‘environmental’ check. For example, certain student events have a reputation for heavy drinking, and often, the physical environment backs that up by having plenty of
Sometimes the problem isn’t that someone didn’t say no, it’s that no one listened to them. empty cans, cups and bottles in evidence. That, in and of itself, would indicate that students in attendance may have consumed a large quantity of alcohol and anyone initiating intimate contact would need to make sure their partner is in a condition to consent,” she said.
S
ometimes, of course, consent isn’t complicated at all. Sometimes, the problem isn’t that someone didn’t say no, it’s that no one listened to them. Senior Ellie Newell knows this as well as anyone. She went to a party her freshman year, where she met a
SPEAKING UP ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING IT STOP. guy who kept giving her drinks. After a while, he took her back to his room. He really pressured me to have sex with him, and I kept saying no, that I wasn’t interested. Ellie paused here, looking down before continuing. He forced me to give him oral sex, and also touched me in ways that I was not comfortable with. While it was happening, I knew that it wasn’t right, and I knew that I didn’t feel comfortable with it, but I was so scared that if I ran away there would be huge social ramifications for me, as a freshman, new on campus and pretty insecure in the Whitman partying scene. And I just felt horrible and out of control. I was so drunk that it was like it was happening to my body but disconnected from my body. Though Ellie clearly said no during her rape, she also strongly agrees with Heather that making sure your partner can legally consent to sex is important. Without this guideline in place, it’s always possible to wake up to a partner who had a very different experience than you the night before. “If someone wakes up in the morning and feels that they’ve been raped, I would never question that. If they feel that they’ve been raped, they’ve been raped,” she said. Ellie believes that changing the culture of sexual assault on campus requires embedding the idea of free and informed consent into all of our social interactions. “I don’t think that really enters the brain of the average drunk person on the average Friday night,” she said. “I don’t think it’s deep enough in our Whitman conscience or our social conscience. I don’t have any easy answers for that. I
see that as the next big challenge of feminism in the United States.” For survivors of sexual assault, moving forward can be a challenge. Some of the women I talked to wanted their rapists to be punished; others just wished they could make these men understand what they went through. I asked Sarah what she would like to say to him, if she had a chance to speak her mind. She said she would never do that on a campus as small as Whitman’s, where it’s so easy for people to find out about conversations that seem private at the time. But after thinking for a minute, she did have something she wanted to say. I would say to him, you violated me, you did this to me personally and these are the consequences that it’s had on my life, and this is how I’ve had to deal with it, and I don’t appreciate it, and if you’ve done this to other women, you can rot in hell. Ellie has chosen to be vocal about her rape. She’s the co-president of Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment on campus, and in conversations where sexual assault is mentioned, she will speak up, telling people, “I’m just going to throw this out there—I was raped.” For her, this is an important part of addressing the problem. It really is the crime of silence. Unless people actively speak out about it, there’s no way rape culture is going to change . . . I think putting faces to these crimes is really important because unless people realize, it’s their friend, it’s their classmate, it’s the girl they walk by on Ankeny every day, there’s no way this would ever stop. *Name has been changed. THECIRCUIT | 23
Carrie Sloane—hands: “I play the cello, so that requires a lot of hand movement. Sometimes they aren’t perfectly built to play the cello…but that’s ok, you gotta work with that.”
THE HAPPY BODY
photography by ALLIE FELT interviews by PATRICIA VANDERBILT
Lydia Kautsky—lips: “Once I had a professional photographer tell me that I had perfect 24 | THECIRCUIT lips, and that I should become a lip model.”
It isn’t always easy to look in like what you see. In hopes ofthe mirror and positive body image, we aske celebrating tell us what body part they likd students to e—and to let us photograph it.
Our bodies are the perfect co of beauty, individuality and fumbination nction.
What’s not to love?
Phil Hofius—right index finger: “I have connections to calluses, like this one’s been worn in from using a chef’s knife a bunch . . . I enjoy that sort of defect that is created through working with your hands.”
THECIRCUIT | 25
Allison Bolgiano—eyes: “I like my eyes because of the colors in them and around them. I think they’re expressive.”
Faith Bernstein—eyelashes: “They’re kind of something that a lot of people don’t really notice . . . but if you’re actually looking at someone, it’s something that you see.”
Molly Emmett—eyebrows: “For a while I didn’t really like how thick and dark my eyebrows were, but I’ve grown to appreciate the character they give to my face.”
26 | THECIRCUIT
Rachel Hoar—calves: “I’ve worked hard for them.”
Maggie Massey—back: “I think that my back is strong and gives me strength.”
Sam Alden—collarbones: “There’s something androgynous about them . . . they’re sort of a gender | 27 neutral thing that isTHECIRCUIT attractive.”
E
39.3%
19.9%
45.5%
LE
54.5%
E
TOTAL: 17
M AL
M AL
MAL
E
QUARTERLIFE E
23.5%
FEMALE
AL
TOTAL: 21
FEMALE
FEM
60.7%
TOTAL: 11
FEMA
MAL E
TOTAL: 33
BLUE MOON
GENDER
80.9%
76.5%
BREAKDOWN
ASWC OVERALL
ASWC EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
MAL
E
FEMAL E
WHITMAN COLLEGE 41.9%
58.1%
56.3%
PIONEER
MODEL UN
TOTAL: 74
TOTAL: 16
63.6%
E
M AL
MALE
36.4%
63.3%
E
36.7%
10%
FEMAL E
E
MA
43.7%
LE
FEMAL
64.3%
E
FEMALE
FEMALE
35.7%
MAL
E
FEMAL
MAL
TOTAL STUDENTS: 1,596
90%
WEB
DEBATE
GLOBEMED
TOTAL: 11
TOTAL: 30
TOTAL: 20
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
data compiled by KARAH KEMMERLY & graphic by CARA PATTEN 28 | THECIRCUIT
THE MISSIONARY
A HISTORY, A DRAMA by MATT TESMOND
T
he Whitman Missionary is slowly dying. Don’t believe me? Take a walk around campus. Count how many times you run into “Marc the Missionary” or even see the term Missionary used. It’s harder than playing Where’s Waldo in Reid's darkroom. Unfortunately, this disuse comes from a general misunderstanding of the Missionary. Since its inception in 1905, the missionary has remained as a polarizing influence on campus. In fact, during its 107year reign as the Whitman College mascot, there have been seven different movements
It may never cease to exist, but it could certainly fade further into darkness. to change the mascot. The reasons for a change involved things such as Whitman’s secularity and the Missionary’s obvious religious context, missionary groups’ abuse of the Native American population, and interestingly enough the fact that the length of the word Missionary made it difficult to fit into headlines. Difficulty to fit the mascot into headlines actually drove then Whitman News Service Director, Tim Marsh, to unofficially change the mascot from Missionaries to Shockers. This change lasted
for five years, but ultimately died along with Whitman football in the late 1970s. The different movements throughout history and interviews with current students have led to a three tiered approach to understanding the Missionary.
T
he first tier of the missionary comes out during a first reaction to the Missionary. This topical layer is characterized by an acknowledgement of the comedic sexual value of the mascot. Subsequently, the mascot is often viewed as unique or weird depending on who is asked. This tier is exemplified by the cheer, “Missionaries, Missionaries, We’re on Top!,” now a staple of Whitman fan culture. Whitties are certainly a fun quirky bunch, so the Missionaries uniqueness and sexuality serve as a way to bring people together through a shared joke. The second tier looks a bit deeper at the missionary and its history. On this level people often point at the Missionary’s history as a reason to get rid of it. This is certainly a valid claim: Missionaries forced their beliefs upon others and were, many times, cruel to the Native Americans and other cultures they sought to convert. The Missionary is also a mascot with a distinctly religious connotation, and this point cannot be discredited either. However, this
still does not really get at why the missionary can be a suitable mascot. It like the first tier is still not looking deep enough. This tier examines the history of the missionary, yet it doesn’t examine the intentions of missionaries. The third tier gives rise to why the Missionary can be a fitting mascot. The third tier represents those who examine the ideas of the Missionaries themselves. These people believed so strongly in God and felt so moved by their religion that they wanted everyone to experience it. Isn’t this passion what Whitman seeks to engender in its students? Whitman as an institution, wants to mold students that have strong beliefs in a wide variety of academic subjects, and have them establish themselves in different parts of the world in order to better the world as a whole. Hopefully the students seek to impart their knowledge on others as well. This is a view of the missionary that is far underrepresented. Are the historical implications of the missionary enough to get rid of Missionary as a mascot? The mascot’s history seems to deem the answer no, seeing as none of the student movements have been successful long-term. However, students want a fierce mascot to rally behind, and, in this case, the Missionary fails.
S
o after peeling this culturally invasive onion, what does the future hold for the missionary? The possibility of the missionary as a mascot is undercut by an apparent phasing out of the Missionary. It may never cease to exist, but it could certainly fade further into darkness, even more so than now, if possible. For example, this past weekend the Whitman Tennis Team was in Fredericksburg, Virginia for a tournament. On the game day pamphlet, Whitman was listed as “Whitman College Whits,” due to the fact that the school refers to its teams as the Whits as well as the Missionary’s disappearing act from the college website. It is hard for students to be proud of a mascot that the school itself appears to want nothing to do with. The school redesigned the WC logo last year, showing it is committed to the WC as the visual representation of the school. The missionary is at its most important point; Whitman is emphasizing sports more than ever and an integral part of any collegiate sports team is the mascot. Thus, although the Missionary has great potential for a revitalization, it seems time to either recommit to the missionary or find a new mascot.
THECIRCUIT | 29
HOUSEHUNTING
by MALLORY MARTIN
With on-campus housing deadlines looming after spring break, I have taken it upon myself to help YOU get as prepared as possible for the housing crunch. So what are your options? Check out my Housing Profiles below. Unless otherwise specified, applications for specific residence halls are part of the basic lottery and require filling out the distributed forms after spring break, with applications for singles and triples due Friday, Apr. 13 and doubles due Friday, Apr. 20.
WHY ME? ABOUT ME
A small individual community as well as a large outer one. IHC residents have an investment in community and a desire to participate in planning and attending house and block events.
APPLYING
The IHC has a separate housing form available in the Res-Life office. Applicants are expected to attend one dinner at each house they apply to. An interview with the native speaker is required for language houses. Due Friday, Mar. 9 at 5 p.m.
ABOUT ME
“We have our own pond, basketball hoop and volleyball court. Students have the opportunity to live in a community with members from all four classes,” said RA John Masla.
“Being in the IHC requires a time investment, but the investment pays off in a big way by helping students develop leadership skills, close relationships that last long past graduation,” said RD Anastasia Zamkinos.
30 | THECIRCUIT
ABOUT ME
“The best part of Douglas is the mix of independence and community,” said RA Walker Larson. “Douglas offers housing that is more independent . . . however, the suite design offers stronger interactions with people who don’t live with you.”
Students applying to Tamarac should have a vested interest in the outdoors, because that’s what this house is all about. Applicants should also have the ability to cook, as Tamarac residents are given a reduced meal plan of $1000 flex.
WHY ME?
Douglas has a similar feel to living in Anderson or Jewett sections, but with a smaller group of people. Students looking to live with a group of friends or get close to new people will be happy here.
TAMARAC HOUSE
“The people make the house and I have been privileged to live with such wonderful Whitman students,” said RA Ryann Savino. “Also, the apartments are really nice and there is so much natural light pouring through all the big windows.”
APPLYING
DOUGLAS WHY ME? ABOUT ME
Being far away from campus, North Hall has created its own community within itself. The hall used to be a hospital, so the rooms and hallways are bigger. North also offers a lot of singles, often with their own bathrooms.
WHY ME?
INTEREST HOUSES
NORTH HALL
Tamarac has a separate housing form available in the Res-Life office. Applicants are required to interview with the staff and attend one weekly potluck. Due Friday, Mar. 9 at 5 p.m.
photography by ALLIE FELT
ABOUT ME
A cozy vibe similar to an interest house, but without the specified focus. Marcus offers the option of no meal plan and a large kitchen, as well as a big backyard and a barbecue. Primarily made up of singles, it offers a great place for those seeking a quiet atmosphere.
WHY ME?
MARCUS HOUSE
“There are less people, so we get to know each other,” said RA Phoebe Horvath. “We have this great common area where people are playing pool or cooking in the kitchen and just hanging out.”
WHY ME? ABOUT ME
LYMAN HOUSE
COLLEGE HOUSE ABOUT ME
“Prentiss offers students a unique experience in having Greek life and independent residents living all in one place,” said RD Danielle Gross. “Upperclassmen often return to Prentiss for the mixed-class environment and because the residents tend to have a great sense of community and involvement. Prentiss is an overall outstanding place to live.”
“Lyman is just a really cool place to live in general. I really like the atmosphere where it feels like a home,” said Lyman RD Justin Daigneault.
Co-Ho has an easy off-campus feel that enjoys the benefits of still being nearby. The rooms can feel a bit isolated, so students who are willing to work a little harder to make friendships will thrive.
WHY ME?
ABOUT ME
Prentiss is an all-female, mixed Greek and non-Greek dorm that does an excellent job at bringing together groups of diverse personalities. Prentiss doesn’t throw a lot of parties, but ladies who like baking and movie nights should definitely apply.
WHY ME?
PRENTISS HALL
A mixed hall with a reputation for being quiet and studious, Lyman is a good place for students looking to have more time to themselves, and who prefer to keep the party elsewhere.
“Residents of CoHo are friendly, fun and easy to get along with,” said RA Lillian Bailey. “People who live here tend to bond with each other over potlucks, hanging out in their living rooms, or late night Smash tournaments.”
THECIRCUIT | 31
Why do you write? How do you write? For whom? Do you hate it? Love it? As college students, we write. A lot. I asked people to use one word to describe their relationship with writing and write their one word down.
photography by HALLEY MCCORMICK
THE WRITTEN WORD
32 | THECIRCUIT
THECIRCUIT | 33
REVIEW: MAPLE COUNTER by ALYSSA FAIRBANKS photography by CATIE BERGMAN
W
alking through the massive front doors of Maple Counter Café, one is enveloped by an atmosphere of warm, farmhouse style comfort. This welcoming atmosphere is created by the hard work of Kory and Rachel Nagler, the proprietors. “My family is a restaurant family. I was literally raised in a restaurant a lot like this,” said Kory. His grandparents owned a restaurant in Chicago and his parents own a similar restaurant in Sequim, Wash. Life in a restaurant family provided both the inspiration to open Maple Counter and the experience necessary. After deciding to open a restaurant, Kory and Rachel came to Walla Walla on a road trip. “We knew we wanted to open a restaurant for a long time,” said Rachel. “We were looking for the right community and we just fell in love with it—10, 15 miles out of town we already knew that we loved it.” Sunday mornings are busy at Maple Counter—my friends and I waited about 15 minutes for a table. However, the crowds are a sign that the restaurant, which opened in November, is doing well. “On paper, restaurants are a bad bet . . . most restaurants close down
34 | THECIRCUIT
in the first one to three years,” said Kory. But since November, the Naglers have met all of their projections and have been doing slightly better than they originally predicted on paper. “We didn’t want outside influences to shape our path, our dreams,” said Kory. And these dreams have shaped into a great addition to Walla Wal-
fast standards ranging from bacon and eggs to omelets, pancakes, French toast and more. Dining there with friends, one has the opportunity to sample quite a few dishes. I had the “traditional”: eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast. My friends tried the Mexican omelet, buttermilk pancakes, French toast and the Country Style Eggs Benedict. “This gravy is out of control,” said senior Kelsie Baher. Everyone else had equally excited positive reports on their food. On the weekend the restaurant is quite crowded, and despite our waiter’s assurance that our food would only be 10 minutes, we waited quite a bit longer. However, everything from the service to the food was amazing. I would definitely recommend breakfast at Maple Counter. And if you need any help choosing one of la’s dining scene. Kory and Rachel fo- the many delicious options, Rachel and cus most of their efforts on two as- Kory are happy to offer their advice. pects of their restaurant: the expe“The thing that I want to order everience and the food. According to ry day is the smoked salmon scramKory, what makes them unique is ble, the ‘high tide scramble’ which their concern with the experience. has really delicate flavors,” said Ra“Hospitality is more important chel. The scramble is named for her than food in some ways,” said Kory. parents’ business, High Tide Seafood. Maple Counter boasts a traditionAs for Kory, he said he has al breakfast menu. Many of the recipes lots of favorites, but would recomcome from Kory’s grandparents’ res- mend the strawberry granola pantaurant in Chicago. One can find break- cakes and definitely a side of bacon!
A student’s guide to college cooking by ELLIE NEWELL photography by HALLEY MCCORMICK
I
’m a pretty simple cook. If you absolutely need a recipe for something to turn out well, chances are I’m not going to attempt it. That said, I successfully feed myself and my housemates and can whip up a soup improvised from the contents of the fridge like nobody’s business. For me, one of the hardest parts of cooking comes before you even set foot in the kitchen. I’m talking about the grocery store. So now you’re scoffing. “Grocery shopping? Seriously?” Here’s the secret: Grocery stores want you to spend money in them. They are designed so that you are at-
One of the surest signs of the college diet is drowning everything in Sriracha. tracted to the expensive foods with the pretty wrappers, not so that you can load up on bulk steel cut oats. So how do you navigate the thousands of options so that you come home with delicious healthy food and don’t break the bank in the process? Here are my tips: Make a list and stick to it. Organize your list by section—produce, dry goods, dairy, etc.—so that it’s easy to move through the store efficiently. If you just walk all the aisles, scanning for items you might be out of, you’ll be more likely to load up on the four boxes
of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs that happen to be on sale this week. In that same vein, processed foods are not only often full of fats, sugars, enough salt to cure an elk, and names that would stump the sharpest chem major, but they are often very expensive. Essentially you are paying someone to make your oatmeal for you, when you could make oatmeal from scratch and add a normal amount of brown sugar, raisins and diced apples, which would be less pricey, healthier and more delicious. One of the simplest ways to cook on a budget is to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season. While we have better access in Walla Walla to fresh produce than I did growing up in Montana, it still can be fruitful to consider that the raspberry you eat in January probably had to travel hundreds of miles to make it to your plate. Someone has to pay for all that transportation, and that person is you. Not to mention, eating in season reduces your carbon footprint. Win-win! One of the surest signs of the college diet is drowning everything in Sriracha. While Sriracha has been scientifically proven to cure most forms of cancer and imbue the consumer with the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound, you’ll be happier eating a variety of flavors and less in-
clined to eat out to avoid your own cooking. Daunted by the hundreds of expensive spices in the grocery store? Pick a few key spice groups and buy what you personally use in bulk from Super 1 or Andy’s—it’s so much cheaper than buying individual bottles. You can also choose just a few foods to splurge on. It’s important to me that my milk doesn’t come from cows that were given bovine growth hormones, so I spend a little extra on milk. But I really don’t mind buying cheapo olive oil for pretty much all my cooking. Here’s a recipe for a really simple pasta sauce. You can always make a big batch and freeze it in small containers for last-minute suppers: As with most of my recipes, start with sautéing a diced onion with some olive oil and pepper in a large saucepan. Add finely diced carrots and celery and cook well. If you find that your vegetables are sticking, a dash of red wine can help, while adding flavor. Purée a can of crushed tomatoes in a blender, and reserve a second can for texture. Add the tomatoes and rosemary, oregano, basil and fennel to taste. You can always throw in diced winter squash, zucchini or spinach for added deliciousness and vitamins. Simmer the sauce on low while you cook your pasta. Garnish with parmesan and share with a friend. ¡Buen provecho! THECIRCUIT | 35
BOOKS&MOVIES HALF THE SKY by KARIN TOMPKINS&NATHAN FISHER
“H
alf the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women,” a nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prizewinning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, is an eye-opening work about the consequences of discrimination against women in developing countries. The book’s message is simple: Empowerment of women in developing nations has a variety of implications, almost all of them beneficial to the growth of those countries’ infrastructures. Kristof and WuDunn introduce various ideas for stimulating the growth of emerging economies, such as microfinancing projects for women, using capitalism to elevate the status of women in traditionally oppressive countries, and even bribing families to keep their daughters in school. Although the journalists mainly discuss aid for women and girls, they provide mountains of evidence illustrating that the benefits of this aid extend to all world citizens. The journalists use a formulaic yet effective model for introducing a variety of women’s rights issues, from sex trafficking
to genital mutilation. First Kristof and WuDunn introduce a topic with an individual woman’s story of how she triumphed over hardship through empowerment and economic independence, then the authors use this storytelling as a transition into an indepth discussion of the issue itself. Kristof and WuDunn make it clear that these issues are anything but black and white. Their discussion of sex trafficking alone, with its attention to the nebulous definition of exactly what type of behavior constitutes sex trafficking and how sexual slavery differs from other types of prostitution, may make the reader’s head spin, yet the authors’ detailed explanations expose just how difficult effecting change for women can be. They point out that a lack of understanding on the part of American charities has been a major hindrance in these organizations’ efforts to improve quality of life for women worldwide; “Half the Sky” assists the reader in untangling the Gordian knot of cultural factors that often impede attempts at foreign aid. Despite the sobering realities of these topics, Kristof and Wu-
Dunn maintain a feeling of hope throughout their book, even when they graphically expose truths that may be difficult for Western readers to acknowledge, such as the worldwide fistula epidemic among disadvantaged women. Their book strongly preserves and propagates the authors’ belief that once the citizens of countries with oppressive policies towards women become aware of the economic and social benefits that come with awarding basic rights to female citizens, the governments of these countries will acquiesce in allowing women access to education, health care and jobs. “Half the Sky” proves a powerful and worthwhile literary pursuit for anyone, but would likely appeal especially to those interested in international relations and human rights. The book has a lengthy index in the back of charitable associations approved by the authors, with their encouragement that readers contribute time or money to their causes, enhancing the book and transforming it into a resource for the socially responsible, as well as a fascinating and informative read.
the
Descendants
E
very weekend I try to entice my Jewett Hall buddies to join me while I “work” by watching a movie—usually, a mindless bloody action adventure is an easy draw. Surprisingly, last weekend I persuaded the gang to see “The Descendants,” and none of us were disappointed. “The Descendants” follows Matt King (George Clooney) as his life is turned upside down. Matt, a hard-working lawyer, is a descendant of Hawaiian royalty. Being the oldest son, Matt is in charge of selling a huge chunk of unused Hawaiian land to whichever billionaire or company he picks. Then
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tragedy strikes, and Matt’s wife is in a coma. Matt is devastated and must struggle with the hospital, the land sale and his two daughters. Matt is forced to become a family man holding down the house as his wife slowly dies. Very few movies have a solid script, a big-name cast and phenomenal acting, but “The Descendants” hits the trifecta. George Clooney, always a great actor, has one of his best performances playing an emotional father who is pushed to his limits. Shailene Woodley, a relatively new actress, holds her own with the titan Clooney and turns in a powerful performance as Matt’s oldest daughter, Alexandra. Alexandra is forced
to return home from college to help care for her mom and her younger sister. Nick Krause plays the completely hysterical and sometimes idiotic friend Sid, who thankfully offers moments of humor cleverly placed throughout this emotion-packed movie. Although I resisted seeing “The Descendants” for weeks because I didn’t like the commercials showing my “Ocean’s Eleven” idol Clooney in a Hawaiian shirt, “The Descendants” is hands down one of my favorite movies of the past year and almost ties “The Artist” for my top slot. Convince your friends to go relax, laugh, enjoy and be moved by “The Descendants.”
MUSIC
by CAITLIN HARDEE
FIRST AID KIT The Lion’s Roar
A
s March winds chill your bones and roil the skies in a haze of gray, revel in the melancholy for a moment and tune your ears to the sweet sorrow of Swedish folkpop act First Aid Kit. Consisting of sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, the duo is making inroads in the States and garnering critical acclaim with their second album, The Lion’s Roar, featuring the work of Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis and vocals from Conor Oberst on penultimate track “King of the World.” Title track “The Lion’s Roar” immediately establishes the album’s searching themes. With a plaintive twang and a remarkable reproduction of a distinctly American dialect, the sisters achieve an exquisite union of the lonely Americana soul with a solemn, Scandinavian aesthetic. With a drumbeat like a hollow heart and the unearthly harmonies uniquely possible to sibling vocalists, this track will give you chills. The soul-piercing sweetness of the wistful high notes is further enhanced by threads of flute twining throughout the song. Similarly nostalgic tones feature on second single “Emmylou,” where a strong bluegrass flavor places us immediately in North America. However, the lyrics belie this impression in the first verse: “Stockholm’s cold, but I’ve been told, I was born to endure this kind of weather.” Meanwhile, “In the Hearts of Men” creates a more modern sound—still mournful, but more reminiscent of the aching
enunciations of Noah and the Whale frontman Charlie Fink on “My Door Is Always Open” or an earthier, raw Lana Del Rey than the roots of Americana. “Blue” is sad yet whimsical, dancing lightly through the routines of a big city, immersing the listener in trains, strangers and isolation, the struggle to connect in the midst of throngs of humanity. The sound remains down-to-earth, but the lyrics reveal the girls’ metropolitan background. “To A Poet” strips the production to bare, elegant bones, with the instrumentation taking a restrained backseat to sparse, beautiful vocals. “Dance To Another Tune” begins similarly softly and hauntingly, but swells to powerful heights on an increasingly complex tapestry of bass and hammered dulcimer, breaking unexpectedly and eponymously into a dance tune, before settling back down. The Lion’s Roar avoids the common trap of albums which start strong and trail into forgettable filler songs—each track brings a distinct flavor and tells a different full-fleshed story. Reward your ears and grab a copy of the bonus track version on iTunes for $9.99.
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Extras
OPPOSITE ONION WHITMAN MEMES by Julie Peterson BUYS COLUMBIA JACKET
PRACTICES PRESENTATION
GOES TO LYMAN
REALIZES EVERYONE WEARS NORTH FACE
IN QUIET ROOM
WHERE’S THE RAVE?
PERSONALITYQUIZ 1. How long is your typical shower? A. 10 minutes B. 20 minutes C. I don’t shower D. 45 minutes or longer 2. What do you cuddle with at night? A. Stuffed animal B. Blankie C. Nothing D. Human
ANSWERS
QUESTIONS
What should you do after taking this quiz?
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3. If you had to destroy a certain all-powerful ring of evil, how would you do it? A. Long, heart-wrenching trek with best friend B. Just walk into Mordor C. Could you please repeat the question? D. I dunno a hammer or something
4. Who is your favorite dictator? A. Mussolini B. Stalin C. Franco D. Castro (Fidel or Raul) 5. What is your preferred greeting? A. Hello B. Bonjour mon petit cornichon C. Yo/sup/'ay D. Get off my property
MOSTLY A’S You should definitely go to Reid and buy yourself a cookie dough milkshake. Drink it while sitting on the couches on the main floor and do a bit of people watching. Only when you make awkward eye contact with one of the people that you are watching may you leave.
MOSTLY C’S Change your Facebook status to “my minifridge has a great personality” and then go to the library. Set up everything as if you’re ready to put in seven straight hours of homework and then spend all seven hours chatting with friends and looking up “don’t think just pink” on Youtube.
MOSTLY B’S You need to change shirts. Right now. Go back to your room and pick out a red shirt and put it on. Then text the following message to the eleventh person in your contacts: “RAWR. That means I love you in dinosaur:)” If they respond back with anything like, “Ohh, that’s so cute!” then delete them from your contacts.
MOSTLY D’S Give the very next person you see a hug, regardless of whether or not you know them. When they ask what it was for, say, “No reason, just squeezin’.” Ask them how their mother is doing and then take a thirty-minute nap. That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.
February 19-March 20
You will find yourself confused upon stumbling into a heaven and hell function and having both a devil and angel on your shoulders giving you advice.
GEMINI May 21-June 20
Fame will become yours when you accidentally scratch the door of someone’s car and wind up on Judge Judy next week.
VIRGO
August 23-September 22
Your soul will feel like a blossoming flower this week as you end up ingesting a watermelon seed.
ARIES
TAURUS
March 21-April 19
Fate will go your way when you stumble into your room to find someone left you a whole batch of cookie batter.
CANCER
HOROSCOPE by Elena Aragon
PISCES
April 20-May 20
You will emerge like a butterfly one night when you are really high and someone wraps you up in their hammock.
LEO
June 21-July 22
Your life will become exponentially more exciting when you wander into a yo-yo on the ground and suddenly find a new activity to do.
July 23-August 22
You will find yourself coasting on a dream, until your alarm goes off for that young 8 a.m. biology class.
SCORPIO
LIBRA
September 23-October 22
You will be rakin’ in dat cash this weekend during your section game night’s rousing round of Monopoly
October 23-November 21
The last laugh this week will not be yours as you delay someone at the printer by printing 60 pages before their print job arrives, because in the end, you are the one who has to do all that reading.
SAGITTARIUS CAPRICORN AQUARIUS November 22-December 21
Keep a decent amount of onions, bok choy and various spices on hand, for in the next week, you will find yourself in the middle of an epic Iron Chef battle in the section kitchen.
December 22-January 19
Your significant other will begin to think of you as the planet Saturn, for after you two break up, he will realize that if he liked it he should have put a ring on it.
credits Front and back cover: Photograph by Ethan Parrish. 2: Photograph of Patricia Vanderbilt by Ted Hendershot. 3: Photograph of flower by Ethan Parrish, stock photograph of Harry Potter courtesy of stockvault.com, photograph of airplane wing by Catie Bergman, photograph of hands by Allie Felt, photograph of food by Halley McCormick. 36: Promotional still of The Descendants courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures, Book jacket of Half the Sky courtesy of Vintage. 37: Promotional stills of First Aid Kit courtesy of Witchita Recordings
January 20-February 18
Confusion will be yours as you sit inside the local bar drinking rum and coke and puzzling over its name: Puzzles.
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