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(11/02/06 12:00am)
Author: Margaret McFadden There is no doubt about it, Middlebury College cultivates a culture of community concern. Some students volunteer with AIDS education programs in Africa, "give up" Feb break to build houses with Habitat or put off a pressing assignment to spend time with a Community Friend. A few years ago students involved with Project Biobus made the headlines of CNN as they drove a vegetable-powered bus across the US, one of many campus-wide efforts to raise awareness about climate change. These public expressions of altruism and activism come at a time when faith is relegated to the private sphere. In a culture where religious initiatives are stigmatized by contemporary politics, groups are quick to claim many motivations for service, except the five-letter word, faith, that carries a slew of unwanted associations.In an upcoming symposium, "Challenging Complacency: Do Christians Care About Social Justice?" members of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship want to challenge the notion that social activists must not claim Christianity and that Christians need not engage socially. Students in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship believe that faith provides something unique to the demand for a more just world. Jesus made radical claims about the poor, and while the institutional church has often failed to realize these ideals, they provide powerful motivation in the human struggle to advocate justice. Christianity has represented a drastic range of contradiction. There has been war and peace, oppression and liberation, bigotry and compassion…all in the name of Christ. In the midst of these inconsistencies, InterVarsity students have assembled a diverse group of intellectuals and activists to interpret the struggles of the past and provide hope for the future. The symposium events will represent the synthesis of intellectual inquiry and experiential service that lies at the heart of the religion. The students hope to explore the intersection of Christian belief, politics, history and most particularly, social justice. There are no trite answers, but they hope to learn together how to advance the human struggle to end injustice. The College has provided funding to bring a range of nationally renowned scholars and advocates to campus on Nov. 9-11. On Thursday, Nov. 9 the symposium will kick off with an address by the keynote speaker, Shane Claiborne, founder of "The Simple Way," a radical faith community that serves the homeless in Philadelphia. He will incorporate his life experience and personal conviction in a talk titled "Living the Revolution of Love: Christianity as a Way of Life." Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat, University of Toronto professor and resident of a solar-powered organic farm, will use biblical text to challenge current patterns of consumerism in her talk entitled "Christianity, Consumer Culture and Empire: The Biblical Story as Witness Against Social and Environmental Injustice." Author of the well-known book Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, Dr. Ron Sider will speak about poverty in his talk "Christian Faith and Global Poverty: And What Christians are Actually Doing." Lamont Hiebert, a musician who created the organization Justice for Children International, will give a concert on Saturday, Nov. 11. Justice for Children International seeks to prevent child sex trafficking and provides assistance for young victims of sex trafficking. A week of service projects will follow weekend events, allowing students to respond to the call to social concern through outreach to the local community. Service projects sites include the Rutland Jail and the John Graham Emergency Shelter in Vergennes. Other symposium events are a Celtic Mass for Peace and a silent retreat at Weston Priory in Weston, Vermont, where students will be encouraged to meditate on the voiceless and oppressed. For more details please visit the website: http://community.middlebury.edu/~cf/symposium.htm.MARGARET McFADDEN '07AN ENGLISH MAJORFrom Adams, N.Y.
(11/02/06 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall Las Vegas: shiny lights, scantily-clad women and excess. New Jersey: flat landscapes, industrial towns and weary diners. The Killers: part 80s new wave, part new-millennium post-punk and one hundred percent androgynous synth-rock for the suburbanite Caucasian masses. Bruce Springsteen: gritty vocals and stripped guitar riffs fused among blues rhythms matched by a coal miner mixed with mechanic sex-appeal. There may be over 2500 miles dividing Las Vegas and Asbury Park, and more than thirty years separating the Boss's sophomore attempt with that of The Killers', but spatial discrepancies did not deter Brandon Flowers from wiping off the eyeliner and molding Sam's Town in the Mid-Atlantic tradition. In their October 2006 release, The Killers decided that they want to be taken seriously. And the most effective way to accomplish this? By growing facial hair, of course! Long gone are the fitted suits, styled hair and boyish charm sported by the foursome dubbed by critics as the ushers of a new era of alternative rock. Mr. Brightside and all the retro-glamour which he embodied has been effectively burnt out by Flowers' coarser vocals and somber melodies. The title of their new album is indicative of this change of heart. Sam's Town is christened after a casino in their hometown of Vegas. However, it's not one of the glitzy, commercial giants typical to Sin City, but instead a dive located on the outskirts of the neon oasis in the desert. And just like the cover of Hot Fuss features a city skyline that conjures notions of synthetic beats and quick tempos, Sam's Town portrays a world-worn beauty queen shot in the grainy, artful, Anton Corbjin photography style that graces the rest of the CD booklet. So what inspired The Killers to place The Cure and Duran Duran records back on the shelf next to their make-up and move on to a more grounded sound?Realistically speaking, if the quartet from The Strip released Hot Fuss Part Deux, featuring the same catchy pop hooks and shallow subject matter, the critics would have Joan of Arc-ified pretty boy Flowers. In an attempt to create a more mature-sounding album, Sam's Town emulates Springsteen and U2. However, though they successfully alienate the post-punk fan base that catapulted them to the covers of Spin and Q, they also fail to convince the more skeptical listeners of heartland rock to which Sam's Town tries to appeal. It's not that the tracks featured on Sam's Town aren't pleasing to the ears, it's just that The Killers don't possess the same level of musicianship as the E Street Band and Brandon Flowers can't match the intensity that seems to simply exude from the Boss's vocal style and presence. The first single off the October release, "When You Were Young," is in the tradition of "Thunder Road" while "This River is Wild" is reminiscent of Springsteen's "The River" - complete with a reference to Bruce's muse Mary. The allusions continue in full force in the construction of their narrative lyrics and mentioning of "the promised land." While imitation is the highest form of flattery, it seems that the whole point of a more defined sophomore attempt is to establish a band as veritable creative craftsmen. Sam's Town, however, is less of a growth spurt and more like boys clumsily trying to walk in their father's three-sizes-too-large work boots. So, not surprisingly, my favorite track off their new album is "Uncle Jonny," which showcases Flowers' distinctive high-pitched vocals and the band's sexy, driving rhythms which were prevalent on such former stand-out releases as "Somebody Told Me" and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine." With Sam's Town, The Killers try to cement themselves as the next generation of American bards. Regrettably, their lyrics fall short of profound and their melodies just miss memorable. What they have succeeded in accomplishing is creating another quintessential Vegas album - on the surface, well constructed and alluring, but underneath the beguiling beats it completely lacks substance.
(10/26/06 12:00am)
Author: Dina Magaril The recent murder of University of Vermont student Michelle Gardner-Quinn has provoked professors and local community organizations working to stop violence against women, to urge individuals to question why such tragedies continue to occur in local communities. Gardner-Quinn's murder is one of several recent national news stories involving violence against women, including the murders of five Amish girls in Pennsylvania and one girl in Colorado. But while these cases have attracted national media coverage and shocked communities across the nation, many argue the attention has failed to incite a deeper discussion on the role of the victim's gender in each of the crimes. Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies Sunjata Moorti identified a connection between Gardner-Quinn's death and this trend. "The murder of the UVM student [is] part of a larger continuum of violence committed against women and girls, not just in the U.S. but on a wider global scale," said Moorti. "The UVM murder is part of a larger epidemic that erupted most recently in the Amish, Boulder and other school shootings."According to Bethany Pombar, the training and outreach manager at The Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, "The problem is that we continue to fail to address the root causes [of violence against women]." Pombar pointed out that initially media coverage of the Colorado shooting failed to report the crimes as being gender crimes. "People weren't talking about it in the right context," said Pombar. "If the killer had been targeting a specific race or religion, people would have talked about it as a hate crime, but since it targeted a specific sex, it wasn't seen as a gender crime." President of Women of Color (WOC) Morgan Richardson '08 commented on the long history of violence against women in our society. "It is important that people understand that the recent events in violence targeted towards women are not new. Women have been affected by such violence for years, even on the Middlebury College campus," said Richardson. She went on to discuss a misconception held by much of the student body regarding what does and does not happen on campus. "I think that because our community is rather small and believed to be 'safe' people do not assume that any form of sexual/physical violence occurs on campus, when in fact women have to deal with the fear of being violated every time they walk home from the library at 1 a.m., or attend a party on the weekend," said Richardson.Willow Wheelock, a staff member at WomenSafe, a local outreach program in Addison County devoted to helping victims of sexual and domestic violence, spoke about the need for an open forum in which conversation might be held about the recent murders. "It is imperative for people to engage in conversations about sexism, masculinity and men's use of violence against women," said Wheelock. Wheelock encouraged discussion, and urged that new and different questions be discussed. She argued that the focus needs to be diverted from what women can do to better protect themselves to the more important question of why men continue to commit these crimes in the first place. "Rather than continuing to ask the questions, 'why did she?' it is time to ask, 'why did he violate her?'" said Wheelock. "Putting the focus where it belongs, with the perpetrators of violence, is the only way a community can adequately address violence in its mist."While these issues deserve serious contemplation there are more immediate steps the community can take to improve on overrall safety. A Middlebury police officer offered a few practical suggestions on personal safety. "Use caution. Some of the jogging routes go into some pretty rural and remote places," he said. The officer was not particularly aware of any trend like the one Moori pointed out, saying that he did not believe the amount of attacks on women had increased significantly in the community. "We have our share of sexual assault, but fortunately not a lot. We don't see a trend," said the officer.Karin Hanta, the director of Chellis house, agreed with Wheelock's views and believes that open dialogue at the College is one of the strategies the Middlebury community could take to focus on prevention of crimes against women. "What is needed at Middlebury is a concerted effort of the entire Middlebury Community to make the bubble even more air-tight," Hanta said. She suggested that the College join other campuses around the U.S. in providing a blue lights network, where one light would be placed in viewing distance of the other. While there are some blue lights scattered around campus, the system is not as extensive as it should be. Hanta also suggested a safety training program for female students that would educate them on defense strategies in case of outdoor attack.While Moorti agreed with Hanta's support of the blue lights, she focused on the work needed to improve the community's overall attitude. "I would like [UVM and Middlebury] to address the larger cultural issue of the ways in which power is manifested through sex," said Moorti. She talked about the switch of focus from the war in Iraq to one that would deal with "how the militarization of civil society facilitates such violence against women [and] how the larger cultural climate naturalizes certain violent acts."Though all the women interviewed agreed that education about issues of violence was a key to prevention, Pombar was quick to add that the responsibility of holding open conversations had to fall on the entire community, not just specific organizations devoted to feminist issues. "All of us need to be responsible for all of us," she said.Moorti holds a similar view and stressed the importance of involving both sexes in the discussion. "Most men are opposed to these acts of violence but they often remain silent or are not included in conversations," she said. "We need to make male students aware of how our society tends to articulate masculinity with violence and teach them different ways of being masculine." The wider global problem of violence against women is highlighted in the international campaign entitled, "16 Days to End Gender Violence Against Women," which will take place from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10. "There are a number of crimes committed against women of color and poor women and girls that remain hidden," said Moorti. It is this invisibility of the issue that women like Wheelock and Pombar are trying to bring to the front. "It is a community's responsibility to recognize what cultural and societal norms exists that foster a tolerance toward gender violence and it is the responsibility of each person in a community to challenge these social norms so that violence is no longer accepted," said Wheelock.
(10/05/06 12:00am)
Author: Emily Temple I fear that our generation has become materialistic and amoral, and it's because we do not, as a group, believe in a higher power. We have no spiritual leader. I'm talking about Dylan, obviously. But you knew I was.Paul Simon once wrote, "Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts," and for our parents, that was true - Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin. But, to be honest, I don't see our generation doing it. At least not as a unified group. Maybe it's just my perception of the past versus my experience of the present, but it seems to me that the music scene of the 60's and 70's was much more cohesive than ours is today. I mean sure, it was grunge kids versus disco kids in the 70's, just watch Detroit Rock City. But everyone has always agreed on Dylan. Everyone has always agreed on Janis. You can't say it's because we have nothing to unify against. We had the Iraq war, at the very least, not to mention our present administration's countless other outrageous abuses of power. But we kind of let it all slide past. We have become complacent and basically apathetic about what's going on around us. And it's because we have no overwhelming cultural force to propel us. Popular music has become a dirty word, and it's because it has become a dirty subject. Our generation tunes in now not to hear protest songs and appreciate musical genius, but to get quick, sensory pleasure. To hear about sex and money, not revolution. Mediocrity is fine, as long as we can grind to it. Or curse our parents/girlfriends to it, as the case may be. Hence the segregation of today's music culture into almost feuding sects, and the constant struggle to find and stake out quality - to be hip on the sub-cultural, alternative (read: good, or at least better) music out there. When our parents were in college, they were inspired and unified by the voices of their heroes in a way we can't seem to recreate while we seem to be led by the distasteful meanderings of Britney Spears and 50 Cent? Our culture has become about "bringing sexy back," and I mean, come on. Two out of three musically educated twenty-somethings agree that our generation is sonically defunct. Who do we have? Who is the "voice of our generation," as Dylan has so often been called? As far as I can see, our choices are Justin Timberlake or Kanye West, and they don't come anywhere near representing our generation, at least as far as I can tell. I read a statistic somewhere once (and here we veer even farther into the hazy realm of poorly backed up editorials, since I haven't been able to find it again) that the number one thing that graduating seniors our parents' age wanted to do was to make a difference in the world. Know what the number one thing our generation wants to do? Yep, make money. And it's hard not to draw the connection between the popular music then, with its roots in social change, and the popular music now, which is all flash and prestige. It has been claimed, many times, that hands-down Dylan is the voice of every generation. While it is true that his words stand the test of time (not to mention the fact that the man is still coming out with new records), and not to downplay his excellence, but I don't want to be sitting around chewing on my parents' leftovers my whole life. I want our generation to make some sort of mark, both musically and in the way that only the overarching influence of a really good musical act can inspire.Essentially, what it comes down to is just that. It's what inspires us and what will remain. When we are our parents' age, what will be playing on the oldies radio stations? I've got news for you - it'll be the same thing that's playing now. The Beatles. Led Zeppelin. Quality. So what I'm saying is, revolt. Listen to something good, play something good, but most of all, let's make sure something comes of our youth culture. Because we'll be old soon.
(09/28/06 12:00am)
Author: Melissa Marshall "Something dies when you grow older/But you do the best you can/I am glad/I am/You found a good man."A startling statement from a band who once sang with contempt, "I hope you come down with something they can't diagnose/Don't have the cure for" to an ex-lover. But, surprisingly, this sentiment of acquiescence is the closing line off the first track of Brand New's album Fight Off Your Demons, scheduled for release on November 21. Shifting through the demos that have been on regular rotation on my iPod since their release in June, it seems that the quartet from Merrick, N.Y., have suffered through their growing pains and emerged a little quieter, a little wiser and even a little more jaded. Gone are the days of Your Favorite Weapon, with such staples of teenage angst as "Mix Tape" which begins with the line "I've got a twenty-dollar bill that says no one has ever seen you without make-up/You're made up" and the high-school classic "Soco Amaretto Lime," whose mantra "You're just jealous 'cause we're young in love" was slurred at every graduation party. And even the bitterness found in Deja Entendu - front man Jesse Lacey's promotion from an angry, immature freshman to an experienced upper-classman - has been morphed into a more world-weary cynicism. Fight off Your Demons highlights the band's ability to mature musically as well as lyrically - their songs providing a sort of condolence as their fans enter into a world outside the structure of eight classes a day. ?We shouldn't be overly surprised at this growth spurt though - their sophomore effort Deja Entendu starts off with the line "I'm sinking like a stone in the sea/I'm burning like a bridge for your body." Angst-ridden, yes, but also more complex in terms of lyrical merit as well as content - a strong sense of sexuality is laced between the words. Granted, Deja Entendu is more dramatic than an episode of The O.C., yet it deals with commonplace song material, especially sex, with an innovative perspective. In perhaps the darkest track on the album, "Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis," Lacey sings of how alcohol cheapens sexuality, while "Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades," whose title was taken from the cult classic Rushmore, presents intercourse as an appalling experience where innocence is lost in favor of admission to a world of broken promises and disappointments - ending with the nihilistic line, "Die young and save yourself." This capacity for maturing along with its audience is what sets Brand New apart from other pop-punk bands such as Taking Back Sunday and Saves the Day. ?Taking Back Sunday's April 2006 release Louder Now - besides being a little more over-produced and radio-groomed than their previous releases, didn't differ greatly from Tell All Your Friends or Where You Want to Be. However, my copy of Louder Now currently resides on my local CD purveyor's used rack, while Tell All Your Friends still gets airplay on my laptop. And while I still observe "Wednesday the Third" as an official holiday, I didn't even bother to spend money on Saves the Day's 2006 release, Sound the Alarm. I suppose they're the band equivalent of the guys who still live in their mom's basement watching "Family Guy" on the weekends and Brand New are the kids who went out of state and became contributing members of society. While John Nolan whines,"I just want to break you down so badly/In the worst way," Jesse Lacey sings, "Cause just a few mother's sons will never be enough/Not 'til half of our names are etched in the wall/And the other half ruined from the things we saw." With his melodic voice over the bops of piano keys, Lacey lets his fans who have survived heartbreak, hedonism and even high school, know that "We were young/But what we've invented I am now ending." We may all be a little cynical and less eager to believe, but we're still willing to let that fever play - dancing when the right song is played and dressing up to feel famous. "The morning's over/The day is in full swing."Jesse Lacey has spoken. And the music industry will listen.
(09/28/06 12:00am)
Author: Katie Hylas Everything I ever hear about Middlebury is positive (unless it's about the weather). If you go to Middlebury you are expected to LOVE it. "Oh it's such a beautiful school, such a great school, oh and you can ski whenever you want!" With all this positive propaganda, I lose track of reality sometimes. The College is unique - it is truly in the middle of nowhere and therefore the pulses that drive the rest of America get perverted and contorted once inside our little world. The truth is, funny little bugs sneak their way here and need to be discussed. But mostly laughed at."Yo dude! We're totally gunna slay some b****es tonight!" The first time I heard this passionate declaration resounding off and through Battell's dangerously thin walls I was struck with fear. I thought, "slay?" Am I in danger? Should I lock myself in my room? Should I call Public Safety? Then it occurred to me that the aspiring murderer was one of the nicest boys on my floor. I concluded that he must not actually want to slay, but rather, to lay. Welcome to the realities of sex at Middlebury College. As the school year starts up and our strapping young Midd men and beautiful young Midd women go out in search of each other, I expect to hear Middlebury's newest (and most disturbing) new sex euphemism "slay" thrown around a lot. Our animalistic past has ensured a loose historic association between sex and violence but recently the trend has become popular in collegiate circles. I'm told that at the University of Michigan, the word of choice is "punish." To use it in a sentence, "Hey, go punish that girl over there!" While at the University of Richmond the more moderate, "bone" is employed."Slay," although floating around other college campuses seems to be something that's really exploding at Middlebury. Come on, do we really have to resort to murderous language? Isn't our society past barbarism? "Hey can I sleep on your floor my roommate 'sexiled' me" could soon become, "Yeah man, my roommate's dismembering some [expletive] with an axe and burying her bits under the floorboards. Can I crash on your beanbag?"The term "slay" creates a strange picture of male and female relations. I think there has been some confusion. Back when we were hunters and gatherers, men used to go out together and slay wild beasts. It was how they bonded. But when did the wild beasts become wild women? Women aren't creatures to be hunted and killed, and men aren't barbarians looking to kill them. Can't we be a little bit more modern? Do we have to resort to gruesome slang? Middlebury is a friendly and safe environment; does anybody worry about what the use of such language says about us Midd kids or about our generation? Come on, seriously. Or maybe we should just laugh. Still, "slay" leaves me scratching my head. First of all, there are certainly much more comical (and less violent) options for those of us too bashful to use the S(ex) word. Richard and Kitty's World of Sex Euphemisms offers some other titillating options… perhaps the next popular euphemisms will be Zallywhacking, Zoinkering and Ziggy-wiggling - but I doubt it.For me at least, until "I slayed her" becomes the mutual "we sleighed (over the river and through the woods)" I'm going to avoid the swords.
(09/21/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Meet Joe Midd. Or wait, maybe you already have. Joe is a sophomore international studies major with an economics minor. He hails from Pasadena, Calif., his mailbox number is 6739, and he currently lives in Brooker 403. This semester he is only taking three classes - West European Politics, Russian and Studio Art. But anyone with a college directory and access to Outlook already knew this much about Joe.Log-in to Facebook.com and we find a more revealing portrait of the young Joe Midd. Now we see a young man who lists "strippers in Ross," drinking rum and attending cockfights as his top interests. In his own photo albums he enjoys posing naked with strategically placed stuffed animals or plant-life concealing his little Joe member.Joe, we learn, is a current member of the groups "Sex and the Cowland," "People Who Love Forking," "Everybody Pees" and "The Only Good Whore Is a Dead Whore." Facebook feed says he also recently joined the group "hey babe how would you like to take a ride on my boloney pony." And for those ladies who are attracted to all this, Facebook feed also says Joe just split his "it's complicated" ties with Sarah Midd. He has already updated his relationship status as, "looking for random play."If you have not yet figured it out, Joe Midd is a composite of information pulled from a wide range of Middlebury student profiles on Facebook.com. Joe is not just one giant embarrassment to this College - he is actually representative of dozens of embarrassing Facebook profiles that students have tied to Middlebury through the popular social networking website. Even worse, most of these tidbits were pulled from prominent student leaders in the Commons, student government and even this newspaper. Many students may fondly recognize some of Joe's "clever" personal information from their friends' profiles or, perhaps, even their own. The Deans in Old Chapel and the Student Affairs Office - who, yes, do have their own Facebook accounts - probably recognized some of Joe, too. Just not as fondly.And then there are the job recruiters who contract students and alumni from Middlebury and other colleges to research possible job candidates via their insider Facebook access. They probably did not remember Joe's witty little nuggets of personal information, since they were taken from the profiles of people these firms and non-profit organizations chose or will choose not to hire.Facebook offers amazing potential for classmates and friends to stay in touch no matter how far apart they might end up. Students should make available their phone numbers and e-mail addresses so people can stay in touch. And there is nothing wrong with posting your birthdate or memorable - but appropriate - pictures to share. But somewhere a line needs to be drawn.Collectively the gross and sometimes offensive Facebook groups we identified had literally hundreds of Middlebury student members. From groups that celebrate peeing in inappropriate places on campus, to groups that honor men who use derogatory pick-up lines and women who say that they do not mind receiving them. Do Middlebury students truly stand behind the things they post on Facebook? We hope not. Does that make them any more acceptable? Not in the least.The Middlebury campus is a safe haven where students can do many things that they will never be able to do anywhere else. The World Wide Web, however, is not Club Midd. The curtains of anonymity that students foolishly assume are hiding the stuff they write and things they do on the Internet, simply do not exist. It is time students reconsider how they use Facebook to present themselves, and their institution, to the world.
(09/21/06 12:00am)
Author: Kathryn Flagg Be ware the perils of Facebook, warned Middlebury College Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson and Dean of the College Tim Spears in an August 31 e-mail outlining the pitfalls of the popular social networking website. The warning highlighted privacy concerns related to the website and urged students to become "savvy" Facebook users conscious of the broad audience that could access their online information. The surprisingly prescient e-mail and a corresponding guide of online recommendations ironically came just days before the website saw massive updates that created individual "news feeds" - news wires that gather information from the actions of all of a user's friends and compile it on the user's home page. The feature proved wildly unpopular at first, inciting hundreds of thousands of users to sign petitions and join Facebook groups protesting the news feed, which was subsequently updated to expand user privacy controls. At the same time, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, 22, announced that the site - originally available only to individuals with approved university e-mail addresses - will soon allow anyone with a valid e-mail address to become a user. Though, according to company spokeswoman Melanie Deitch, there is no set date for the expansion, current users are already concerned at the potential ramifications of the change.The changing face of Facebook - and the almost immediate student backlash - prompted increased media coverage of the self-proclaimed "social utility." For Middlebury students the national debate is coupled with the College's informal advice pertaining to the website, and for the first time since Middlebury students logged on two years ago, the social networking website - and its over 9 million users - are at the forefront of the College's collective administrative and social consciousness.The College's e-mail and online recommendations were prompted, said Spears, by "a growing awareness of the problems for students" that Facebook can cause. "We live in a different world now and information can travel widely and quickly," he said. The "friendly advice" distributed to students was meant, Spears said, to keep the community abreast of the potential pitfalls of the website. Spears maintained that though Facebook is available as much for faculty and staff as it is for students, the College's recent interest in the website is fueled by the desire to keep students informed. "We're not interested in going out and trolling for possible infractions," he said.In widely documented instances, content posted on Facebook by students at other universities has influenced hiring decisions after college or resulted in disciplinary actions. Athletes have been disciplined for posting inappropriate photographs, students have been ejected from dormitories for discussing underage drinking and a freshman at the University of Oklahoma was investigated by the Secret Service last fall for posting a comment reading, "We could all donate a dollar and raise millions of dollars to hire an assassin to kill the president and replace him with a monkey."In light of such incidents, a page linked from the Dean of Student Affairs' website encourages students to "think carefully" about the information they choose to publish on the website. "Use common sense when publishing anything on the Internet or visiting other web sites," reads the colloquial website, "and don't assume that everyone you will meet on the web is a rational, law-abiding citizen who has your best interests at heart."Facebook, however, is not without its benefits, stressed Jason Mittell, assistant professor of American Studies and Film and Media Culture. Mittell, himself a registered Facebook user, was quick to address the emerging opportunities that technologies like Facebook afford users."I was just sending a message to a former student," he said during an interview with The Middlebury Campus. And though Mittell does not use the site "daily or even weekly," he believes Facebook presents an important networking tool, one worth utilizing and exploring. "Especially teaching in Film and Media Culture, networking is so important," he said. "This is where people network now, on Facebook or MySpace or these types of pages."Mittell, for example, has utilized Facebook to make contact with Middlebury alumni - a contact that provided, in one instance, a potential internship for a current student. Mittell, who describes himself as "one of the more wired faculty members," uses blogs, wikis and the College's Segue network commonly in his courses - and Facebook and its inherent questions of privacy and the Internet are just one facet of the wired classroom common at the College."For a lot of us who teach with technology, a great thing is that students feel like what they are creating is not just for a closed classroom," said Mittell. "They post it online and anyone could stumble across it. For me, that means they have to think about what they're writing in a different way."This awareness of digital and physical identities is, according to Mittell, a worthwhile lesson for students. "I like the College's guideline's [for Facebook]," he said. "It's not saying, 'don't use this stuff.' It's saying, 'use it, but think about it and think about what it means to represent yourself.' It's a really good lesson that's applicable beyond just this one website." Spears, like Mittell, acknowledged that the site has "immense possibilities and great potential.""We don't want students to think we're coming down on Facebook," said Spears. Spears indicated that Facebook is a tool with great forward qualities - one that should be used carefully. The danger lies in the illusion of control that the site projects. "Facebook has the illusion of being self-contained … and therefore insulated from scrutiny," said Spears.Given the site's availability to faculty and staff - as well as technology-savvy potential employers - the content posted by Middlebury students remains surprisingly questionable. Popular groups include "If you can get into this club, cheers, welcome to homebase" - a group for purportedly enabling sexual encounters that counts over 200 Middlebury students as members - and "Middlebury Drinkers." Individual profiles often include explicit references to sex, drugs and alcohol, as well questionable photographs. "I'm not that interested in looking at my current students or other students on campus," said Mittell. But the professor, after stumbling upon profiles, admitted being a "little uncomfortable with what [students] are putting up."Considering the amount of press the website has achieved, however, some administrators hope that students are more savvy within the social networking circle. "I think there has been so much press about this, that students are starting to realize that posting a photo of them doing something 'risqué' as an undergraduate, may not be something that they feel the same way about when they are out of school," said Hanson.For Molley Kaiyoorawongs '09 the changing face of Facebook prompted a more drastic response. Rather than deleting embarrassing photographs or tweaking her privacy settings, the sophomore chose to deactivate her profile. She joined as a freshman. Facebook was, she said, "a rite of passage," a privilege that came with matriculation. Kaiyoorawongs contended that privacy had little to do with her decision to delete her account, but rather that changes in the culture of the site - the decision to include high school students, for instance - took the fun out of "savvy stalking."On life after Facebook, Kaiyoorawongs admits that she went through withdrawal - for a few hours after deactivating, that is. "Now I feel so much more wholesome," she said. "I, ironically, feel more social." Facebook, she said, is a central part of "the college experience," but she
admitted she wasted a good deal of time on the website, and contended that in the end, Facebook was a poor substitute for genuine social interaction."The original motive of keeping in touch with high school pals is dumb," she said. "If people say that's why they don't deactivate, it's an excuse and it's a weak one. The fact of the matter is, if Facebook is the only way you keep in touch with those people, then you don't really have much of a relationship anyway."Facebook, since its February 2004 launch, has grown from a collection of elite university networks to become the seventh-most trafficked website and the number one photo-sharing site on the web. The site, over nine million users strong, now claims more than 40,000 regional, work, college and high school networks. At time of press, the Middlebury network included 4,752 individuals.
(09/21/06 12:00am)
Author: Michael Murali Middlebury College discussed the wide range of social and cultural issues surrounding hip hop in a three-day event titled "Bad As I Wanna Be, A Hip Hop Symposium" this past weekend. From Friday through Sunday, the College hosted a series of film screenings, lectures, panels and performances.Chair of the Women and Gender Studies Department at Middlebury Sujata Moorti, had been working with other faculty and students on organizing the symposium for over a year. "One thing that struck me in teaching my first class here at Middlebury was how so many students love hip hop," she said when asked about the influence for this project.Will Nash, Associate Professor of American Studies and co-Head of Wonnacott Commons, had also worked on the symposium. This semester, he is teaching a first-year seminar called "Blues and American Culture." Nash particularly appreciated the way in which the symposium fused students' academic and extracurricular interests. "The student performance on Friday night was especially poignant," he raved.Following a screening on Thursday night of the Marc Levin film "Godfathers and Sons," Greg Tate, a journalist for the Village Voice, delivered the keynote address on Friday night. Saturday consisted of a music workshop in the morning, followed by several panels and discussions in the afternoon and concluding with a film screening of "That Crack in the Concrete" by Tanji Gilliam and a hip hop duo performance.The panel discussions were a particularly interesting aspect of the symposium. The "Uplift the Sex" panel, featuring Gwendolyn Pough of Syracuse University and Elaine Richardson of Penn State University examined the issues of gender in hip hop. Pough examined the "video hoes" of MTV and BET music videos and the way in which women are portrayed by the media. She discussed the ways in which black and Latina women in hip hop, while displayed merely for sex appeal, do have aspirations beyond being on music videos. Richardson gave a presentation on hip hop style, with a focus on the importance of hair in hip hop culture. She used examples of how black women are discriminated against for unconventional hair styles by giving the example of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), who was detained by a police officer because someone in her position would not have the hairstyle she had. Richardson raised some opposing issues on how hair can be seen in a positive light, such as in the case of Erykah Badu, who wore an Afro-wig during a performance as a part of Dave Chappelle's Block Party video.When asked about the event turnout, Moorti responded that it was ultimately very well-received and said, "It was particularly heartening to see how pockets of students came to several events." Richardson added, "The younger youth have different experiences than our generation…they are still developing a sense of themselves, consuming and participating [in what they see, read, hear, i.e. hip hop] at a different level…We need to talk about these issues."The Hip Hop Symposium was sponsored by the Women and Gender Studies Program-Chellis House, the Academic Enrichment Fund, The Office of Institutional Diversity, Wonnacott Commons, The Music Department, The American Studies Department, Feminist Action at Middlebury, African American Alliance and Women of Color. For those interested in future events of a similar nature, the symposium "Urban Landscapes: The Politics of Expression" will be at Middlebury from Sept. 29-30.
(09/14/06 12:00am)
Author: Joe Bergan For most Middlebury College students, registration was an ordeal completed in that ancient period - "before summer." For others, those hot months are an uncomfortable time, awkwardly fielding such questions as: "Oh Middlebury! Do you take a language?" "What is a 'Feb' exactly?" For those who felt inadequate this summer, The Middlebury Campus offers a helpful guide to the most fulfilling (and boast worthy) classes at Middlebury. Read along to discover the array of classes, variety of professors and endless possibilities that can be found right outside your dorm room door.HIST 0203 U.S. History 1492-1861Professor: John McCardellPresident Emeritus and College Professor John M. McCardell - after wrapping up one of the most popular presidencies of the College two years ago - has returned to the classroom with vigor. Under his majestic hair is a brain that makes the human race proud. His orientation speeches can reduce just about anyone to tears. Trust us, although the subject matter of this class, Puritanism, Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock might not seem riveting, Professor McCardell has the ability to breathe life into any subject matter. For those who aspire to be not only a better student, but also a better human being, this is the class for you.ENAM 0332 Shakespeare's HistoriesProfessor: John BertoliniAnother class chosen for the quality of instruction, Ellis Professor of English and Liberal Arts John Bertolini's Shakespeare's Histories course description includes "intensive" as its second word. Three hours of lecture and a mandatory screening makes for a lot of Shakespeare. Is there any other mark of pure genius greater than a thorough knowledge and understanding of Shakespeare? (Repeat this mantra while crying over your homework).FMMC 0256 TV & American CultureProfessor: Jason MittellPerhaps no professor at Middlebury has his or her fingers on the pulse of popular culture quite like Assistant Professor of American Studies and Film and Media Culture Jason Mittell. While many professors on this list might not own cable, Professor Mittell consumes more TV in one week than you did all summer. While slackers may rejoice at the subject matter, Professor Mittell will impress you with his ample knowledge spanning from "Laguna Beach" to Theodore Adorno. Caution: Grey's Anatomy might never be the same in your eyes ever again. PHYS 0155 An Introduction to the UniverseProfessor: Frank WinklerThe Physics department at Middlebury has a catalogue full of classes that always drag the curious artist into McCardell Bicentennial Hall. Gamaliel Painter Bicentennial Professor of Physics Frank Winkler's fall offering is no exception. The daily subject matter will leave you pondering your place floating in infinite space, while your creative professor guides you through the night sky in the college observatory. Past students also rave about his dramatic Monty Python renditions. You may even see your professor rocket himself through Bicentennial Hall on a skateboard. Seriously.THEA 102 C, D Acting IProfessor: Alex DraperA requirement for Theatre majors, this class is a liberal arts rite of passage. Again, these particular sections are chosen for the professor. While some uninformed young men might attend this class to "pick up the ladies," be forewarned. The dashing and talented Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Alex Draper has served as the inspiration for a fan group on Facebook.com, as well as stolen the spotlight in many a Middlebury theatre production since his return to his alma mater. The obessessed may watch his episodes of "Sex and the City." The jealous may watch their Proctor Crush bat their eyes admiringly. Sorry ladies, he's taken. AMST 365 Art and Language of the Civil WarProfessor: Kit WilsonOnce every semester, Professor of Humanities Kit Wilson offers one class, usually in one three hour block, beginning on a Monday or Tuesday evening - and spots in these limited classes cannot be bought. Professor Wilson draws on history, paintings and prose to push and entertain the average Midd student's intellect further than "The Da Vinci Code" ever could. His Art and the Bible class draws many for the Mayan Hot Chocolate. This class is why you came to a small liberal arts school.
(05/04/06 12:00am)
Author: LISIE MEHLMAN Employers plan to hire more grads A senior? Still no job? Worry not. The National Association of Colleges and Employers released a report last week whose results reveal that employers expect to hire 14 percent more college graduates this year. These results are based on the polling of employers about their hiring prospects for the Class of 2006. The findings show that 60 percent of the employers polled plan to hire a larger slew of college graduates than they did last year. Luckily for Midd-kids, Northeastern companies boasted the greatest potential increase in hiring, an estimated 24.8 percent. Additionally, 20 percent of those polled reported a planned increase in starting salaries offered to employees. Unfortunately, 90 percent of those polled alluded to the increased competition facing new college graduates. -The Daily PrincetonianSchool officials evaluate the role of male collegesUntil the 1960s, there was such a thing as a Yale man, a Dartmouth man and a University of Virginia man, as such institutions were male only. However, the advent of the women's movement led to a questioning of the relevance, fairness, and exclusivity and their reasons for existing. By the decade's end, nearly all these colleges became coeducational.Today, only four all-male institutions exist that are not categorized as seminaries or share classes with women's colleges. In recent years the public discourse regarding education has shifted from underperforming women to underperforming men, from how schools fail to support girls to how they fail to support boys. Nationwide, colleges that were not too long ago predominantly male are not boasting classes comprised of 57 percent females. These trends cause us to rethink the importance of the male-only higher academic institution.Walter E. Massey, President of Morehouse, explained that "We've learned that there are differences in the ways that boys and girls learn and there can be some advantages in having boys and girls in separate learning environments. It may not be for everyone, but for a large segment of the population, a single-sex environment can be more productive and more fulfilling, and that's not just true for women." He also noted that men can learn better and focus more when they're not vying for the attention of the young woman in the halter top in the next seat. - The New York TimesCases of mumps reported in Penn.A mumps outbreak that is currently affecting more than 1,300 people is spreading across college campuses in the Midwest and reached Pennsylvania last week. Two cases at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. were confirmed last week. Mumps is a viral disease that invades the salivary glands and other organs and no treatment exists, although it is rarely fatal. No cases have been reported yet in Philadelphia, but the University of Pennsylvania is taking measures to ensure no students become infected. The Director of Student Health Services at Penn said that all full-time students have been required to have at least one, if not two, doses of the mumps vaccine.- The Daily Pennsylvanian
(05/04/06 12:00am)
Author: Christine Fisher Blogs, short for weblogs, constitute a new phenomenon that has experienced rapid growth in the past decade as more and more people become computer literate and gain access to the Internet. Once strictly relegated to the geek population, blogs are slowly but surely making their way onto the radar screens of the average Dick and Jane. The beginnings of the blogging movement are often traced back to 1994, when a Swarthmore College student, Justin Hall, started publishing his diary, entitled "Justin's Links from the Underground," on the web. This first gesture has gone on to inspire a whole slew of other public diary-scrapbook hybrids: Xanga was launched in 1996, followed by Open Diary in 1998, and Live Journal and Blogger.com in 1999. Blogs have already demonstrated their clout as a powerful political tool, as they played an indispensable role in both the 2002 resignation of Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott after he made a particularly un-politically correct comment at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party, as well as Howard Dean's 2004 attempt to capture the Democratic presidential nomination. In the first example, mainstream media outlets failed to see in Lott's comment a veiled endorsement of segregation, but the persistent negative attention drudged up by bloggers regarding his uncouth remark eventually led to his decision to resign. Assistant Professor of Political Science Bertram Johnson described the divide that exists between the formal journalistic world and the more difficult-to-regulate blogosphere: "Media organizations…create sets of informal rules about what constitutes 'news' and what can and cannot legitimately be printed. It is possible that blogs are a form of new media that bucks these rules. Anything can be printed, and whatever occurs to the blogger can constitute 'news.'" Johnson also noted that for this same reason, "blogs can facilitate epidemics of rumor and amplify the fury of extremists on all sides…mak[ing] us less willing to listen to the views of people with whom we disagree." For example, consider the description of one Vermont-based blog called Alphecca (http://www.alphecca.com): "an occasional blog by an independent, libertarian, gay gun nut from Vermont. Opinions about all sorts of stuff I know nothing about." This is then followed by a picture of a cute, cuddly little kitten next to a gun, with the caption: "Even my cats have guns!" As for Dean's presidential campaign, he utilized blogs to extend his network of supporters and accumulate funding for his campaign. Although Dean lost the nomination to Kerry, his campaign will still go down in history as one of the most thorough engagements of the American public at the grassroots level, in part due to his willingness to take advantage of the nascent blog culture. From the humorous to the serious to the just plain strange, here are a few homegrown Vermont blogs that definitely deserve a stop as you take a joyride on the Internet superhighway: • Vermont Commons: People for an Independent Vermont (http://www.vtcommons.org/blog):The slogan once went, "Don't mess with Texas," but as this blog reveals, Vermont is definitely the new Texas, with 8% of Vermonters favoring secession from the United States. Although Vermont has not been an independent republic since 1791, the creators of this blog yearn to reinstate this long-lost status. • People for Naming a Mountain in Vermont Brokeback Mountain (http://www.brokebackmountainvermont.com/): "Our wish is to dedicate our mountain as an 'eternal' tribute to a movie that changed so many lives for the better. This is the ultimate acknowledgment of gratitude, respect, and admiration for the movie, its author (who went to school and lived in Vermont) and actors as well as to the concept of love between two people, no matter what their sex." • Hallucinogenius (http://effencrazy.blogspot.com/):"I was raised by a pack of wild amoeba in a Petri dish…couldn't stand the heat of the Bunsen burner, so I struck out on my own…" If you ever feel like an outcast, simply pay a visit to this site, an ideal reminder that there are always people out there weirder and crazier than you. • The Deadbeat Club (http://deadbeatdirt.blogspot.com/): "A place for fellow ne'er do wells to converge in an orgy of laziness and mindful mindfulness…oh, and watch cool videos." Sick of refreshing your recently updated friends page on the Facebook? Has the novelty of the Aicha video finally worn off after watching it approximately 18,954,255 times instead of writing your history paper? If nothing else, blogs may very well be the next best procrastination method. • 802 Online (http://7d.blogs.com/802online/): The mothership of local Vermont blogs. If you tire of my selections, go here and strike out on your own, where you will find an extensive selection of blogs for your viewing pleasure, ranging in subject matter from veganism to astronomy.
(04/27/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Author, Harvard student accused of plagiarismOn Wednesday, April 24, Harvard sophomore Kaavya Viswanathan responded to accusations that she had plagiarized selections of her newly released book, "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life," by acknowledging that she had borrowed language from books written by author Megan McCafferty and claiming that her actions were "unintentional and unconscious." Little, Brown Publishing paid Viswanathan a reported $500,000 for a two book deal. In an e-mail message to The New York Times on Wednesday, Viswanathan explained that she was a "huge fan" of McCafferty's books "Sloppy Firsts" and "Second Helpings" and that they "spoke to me in a way few other books did." She added that "I wasn't aware of how much I may have internalized Ms. McCafferty's words." Both books follow adolescent girls in their quests to get into Ivy League colleges. There are several descriptive paragraphs and dialogues in "Opal" that share incredibly similar language and sentence structure. The Harvard Crimson cited 13 such instances but, in fact there are at least 29 passages that are of questionable parallel. It is unclear whether legal action will be taken against Viswanathan or whether Harvard will respond to this incident. Robert Mitchell, the director of communications for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard, said that "Our policies apply to work submitted to courses. Nevertheless, we expect Harvard students to conduct themselves with integrity and honesty at all times."Students set trends with racy nudey magazinesDid you think the swimsuit issue of Also magazine was racy? Try going to the University of Chicago, where the spring issue of the racy student magazine Vita Excolatur featured a spread entitled, "Hot Girls Reading Books." Scandalous magazines have become increasingly popular at such renowned schools as Harvard, Yale, Boston University, Vassar College and the University of Chicago. Squirm, at Vassar College, first featured someone in the nude in 1999. Yale hosts Sex Week and publishes a corresponding publication, Sex Week at Yale: The Magazine. H Bomb, at Harvard, is even sultrier than Vita Excolatur and Sex Week at Yale: The Magazine. Boink, at Boston University, began with the collaboration of a student and a professional photographer, who has said that creating a publication such as Boink celebrates sex, rather than having it be seen as something taboo.The one major difference in all the magazines is the role the school plays in the publication. Some schools, such as University of Chicago, support the magazine financially while taking precautions to ensure student privacy. At Vassar, Harvard and B.U., the administration and student government has taken a completely hands-off approach, offering no compensation or support.While the publications are controversial no matter where they are, they are becoming more and more popular as a new means of student expression. Middkids, get ready…
(04/20/06 12:00am)
Author: Mike Murali Friday, April 14, Middlebury played host to VH1's Best Week Ever Live. Students turned out at Pepin Gymnasium to see four comedians poking fun at the week's events. Among the lineup was Midd Alum Jessica St. Clair '98.Those who tune in regularly would have recognized the format: noteworthy comedians look at clips from the week's events in popular culture and comment on them. Something similar occurred this past Friday as clips were projected on a big screen set up in the middle of the gym while the four hosts generated witty commentary.The show was divided into two halves, the first consisting of standup performances from each of the stars and the second the actual Best Week Ever portion. The lineup included Mike Britt, Aziz Ansari and Pete Holmes, in addition to St. Clair. Each comedian showcased his or her own brand of humor. Jokes ranged from St. Clair reading descriptive passages of sex between a modern woman and a Medieval Celtic warrior to Ansari and Britt's racially-fueled styles.Following the standup, Best Week Ever really got going with "In Case You Missed It," which covered the week's best moments in television with commentary from the panelists. Clips included a cheerleader who fell from the top of a pyramid and continued her cheer as she was being carried away on a stretcher and a somewhat disturbing Unicef ad involving the Smurf village being cluster bombed and baby Smurf being left abandoned (It's a real ad that was running in Eastern Europe). There was even a clip of Tyra Banks being felt up by a doctor to determine if she had real or fake breasts.After this, the comedians turned to the audience, asking Midd students what they wanted to hear about. Responses were fairly varied and each received a fair amount of attention. Among the shout- outs was "Snakes on a Plane," the upcoming movie starring Samuel L. Jackson about, well, snakes on a plane (it's really self-explanatory).Finally, four people were pulled up on stage and given the chance to prove that they had the best week ever. The winner for the Best Week Ever at Middlebury was first-year Amelia Magistrali for hitting a three-run home run in her softball game that week.Both MCAB and Middlebury's own sketch comedy group the Brothel were responsible for bringing the event to campus. Said Colleen Sullivan, Special Committee Chair for MCAB, about the event, "Basically I am happy with the way the show went, the group had a great time here and Jessica was very excited to be back…I feel the crowd that came was happy with the show and will look forward to watching them on television and remembering that night."St. Clair reminisced about Middlebury during her standup routine, talking about her memories of such landmarks as Proctor and Homestead House. After graduating, she went on to a fairly successful acting career. She has appeared on "The Colin Quinn Show," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "Things I Hate About You" in addition to "Best Week Ever" and the 2004 film "Terrorists: The Movie."The event was spurred by last year's comedy shows with Christian Finnegan and Greg Giraldo. When the former could not make it back this year, MCAB decided to book the Best Week Ever tour since Finnegan is a regular on the program. Sullivan noted, "In addition to Best Week Ever, we are bringing in Stevie Starr, a professional regurgitator, on April 28 and hypnotist Tom Deluca on May 5." While the turnout to the event may not have been as large as expected, it was still fairly significant. "It isn't easy to get a large crowd out to comedy nights here," commented Sullivan.Best Week Ever airs Fridays at 11 p.m., EDT, on VH1.
(04/13/06 12:00am)
Author: Dina Magaril Though GAYpril festivities at Middlebury may have started off on shaky ground - members of the community allegedly tore down and vandalized posters last week - the events hosted thus far by members of moqa have been resoundingly successful. Last Thursday's Gay Sex Panel Discussion - which, according to moqa's adverstising campaign, would reveal "the truth about lesbian sex" - was well-attended and well-received. The panel was held in John M. McCardell, Jr., Bicentennial Hall and was moderated by Colin Penley '06. Blank cards were given to those students in attendence so they could write down questions about gay sex. These were fielded by the panel, which was organized by moqa and comprised of Wonnaccott CRA Marshall Traverse, Jillian Weiser '06, first-year Nick Ballen and Tamara Vatnick '07.The panel, officially entitled "Straight Talk About Gay Sex," defined its mission as striving to answer any questions both gay and straight students might have about sex in order to familiarize people with the subject. "Straight people often don't know what gay sex is really like," said Weiser, "and misunderstanding often breeds fear and prejudice." Vatnick introduced the panel, talking about the often inaccurate and limited portrayal of gay sex in the mainstream media and even in our current school system health classes. "There is a lot of mystery and ignorance surrounding [gay sex]. People are afraid of what they don't know, so we thought that some of people's homophobia might stem from not knowing how gay sex works," said Vatnick.In order to create a comfortable atmosphere among students who might not be used to talking candidly about sex, Weiser asked the attendees to repeat after her as she listed words commonly associated with sex. Weiser's icebreaker effectively relieved any tension in the room and opened up the forum to an evening filled with honest answers, many of which were inspired by the personal experiences of panel members. Though most of the panel agreed that they felt comfortable answering any of the questions asked, they were quick to note that they did not consider themselves "gay sex experts." "It was sometimes difficult to answer questions, because just as one straight person cannot speak for all straight people in terms of their sexual practices, we did not want to make broad generalizations like 'this is how gay people have sex,' because there are many different opinions and preferences," said Vatnick.Question topics included definitions of sex, what different types of sex feel like, sex toys and where to buy them, and debunking common misconceptions about gay sex. Panelists were quick to respond to questions about sex, and equally quick to emphasize the importance of practicing safe sex. "[At] a time when having sex can mean contracting HIV and other scary STDs, it's really important to be able to talk about it," said Vatnick. As part of promoting safe sex during GAYpril, Midd 8 collaborated with health center services to provide free and confidential non-needle HIV testing at the Parton Health Center.In the midst of the crowded auditorium, many faces seemed all too familiar. Panel members expressed regret that more students who were not already openly gay or friends of the moqa community did not attend the discussion. "I wish that more people who were not either openly gay or very liberal had attended - that is, I wish that people who might be more conservative would be willing to take a chance and hear what we have to say," said Vatnick. Traverse voiced a similar concern as he commented on the overwhelming majority of female students and lack of males attending the panel. "I'm not sure why gay or straight male students passed up a great opportunity to learn about prostate-induced ejaculations, I thought they would be lined up around Bi-Hall to get that information," joked Traverse. However, the real issue - a general lack of open forums dealing with sex-related topics - is not as light of a subject for Middlebury students. "I think speaking so bluntly about gay sex was a wonderfully bold act by moqa, considering how closeted this campus is when it comes to talking openly about any type of sexuality," said Chrissy Lau '06, a student who attended the panel.When asked whether there are enough outlets for gay students at Middlebury, the panelists expressed a variety of sentiments. Weiser stated, "moqa does a great job for what it is, [but] it's mostly run and attended by pretty out students, and we're leaving out a whole group of student who are questioning or closeted or in the process of coming out. It's something we're still discussing and haven't found any way to address." Traverse commented on the focus of moqa and expressed hope that a group will be established on campus geared toward gay interests and socializing - not just toward activism. "There are a significant amount of queer students at Middlebury, but most do not participate in moqa because they are not looking for a gay activism setting," Traverse observed. "The activism needs to be left in the hands of people who are passionate about it."Gaypril events will be taking place throughout the month of April. Yesterday's "Day of Silence" commemorated the silencing of the gay community by asking participants to take a vow of silence for the day. Students and faculty are encouraged to participate in all or any of the Gaypril events, and can start by wearing particular colors on assigned days - Monday, April 17 is "red" day. Students can find the rest of the color week schedules on posters around campus. The moqa Lavender Drag ball is another traditionally well-attended and successful event, coming up on the April 22.
(04/13/06 12:00am)
Author: Elizabeth Lyon Middlebury's production of Suzan-Lori Parks' play "In The Blood" redefined the term "off-off Broadway." Under the direction of Theater Department Visiting Professor Jaye Austin Williams, a distinguished activist-director from New York City, the cast and crew put on a play the likes of which Middlebury College rarely sees. Steve Settler, an adjudicator from the Weston Playhouse, said of the lead actor, Charzetta Nixon '06, for whom this play was a 700 Project: "If there is anybody who should be proud of a senior project in acting, it should be Charly."Nixon played the lead role, Hester La Negrita, a homeless welfare mother who was simultaneously systematically and culturally oppressed by the rest of the cast at the same time that she played their courageous, strong, and dedicated mother. Her role was the only continuous one in the play. Will Damron '09, Leah Day '07.5, Jonathan Ellis '06, Knef King '08, and Himali Soin '08 each played double roles. Half of the time, they were Hester's bastard children. The rest of the time, they were judges of her character, fellow victims of an inescapably oppressive system, and oppressors who took advantage of her and used her exploitability to avoid culpability in her oppression. The story was unrealistic, the characters bizarre, the plot twists inconceivable. However, King, who played Jabber, Hester's oldest son, and Chilli, her first love, said, "Some people had gripes with the play's writing. It doesn't seem real. But it isn't a piece about naturalism. It's about symbolism and representing our way of life. You lose a huge part of this play if you don't think of it as a statement."Visiting Professor of Anthropology Linda White commented on the play's importance, saying, "A homeless African-American welfare mother is a ubiquitous sign in our society of economic inequities, racism, and sexism. She is also a symbol of our failure as a society. One of the things that makes this play so compelling is that Parks takes the spotlight off of the downtrodden homeless woman, Hester, and puts it on the bigotry, ignorance and hypocrisy of the individuals and institutions that shape reality for this homeless mother of five.""In the Blood" opened and closed with the entire cast on catwalks above the stage blaming Hester for having children out of wedlock with five different fathers and for being illiterate, homeless, and pathetic. After the audience had heard their cruel judgment, Hester, standing in front of a chalked verdict reading, "SLUT," raised her newborn to the sky, and cooed, "My treasure, my joy," resisting classification as solely a homeless black welfare mother. In that moment, Hester embodied compassion and innocence. Throughout the play, the audience empathized with Hester when the other characters confessed to having taken advantage of her. The Welfare Lady (Soin) spoke of bringing Hester home for a threesome, how scared she was "of catching something" and how exciting it was to slap Hester's face during sex. As clips from Nelly's "Tip Drill" played on monitors around the space, Amiga Gringa, played on crutches by extremely talented Day who tore her ACL and shattered her kneecap during the first performance, mentioned performing lesbian shows with Hester for money. Chilli dressed Hester up in a wedding gown, proposed marriage and then physically took back the dress when he realized that she had other men's children. After Reverend D. (Damron) ignored Hester's pleas for money for their child, he asked her to suck him off. He then called her a slut and went back inside.Jabber found his mother, humiliated, lying on the stoop of the new church. Delighted that he had finally discovered the meaning of the word "SLUT," he taunted her as she cried and pleaded for him to stop. Using a police baton stolen by her other son, Trouble (Ellis), Hester beat Jabber to death. Horrified, she collapsed on top of his body, crying and screaming. The sky opened up and rain drenched her as she lay on top of Jabber's body and used his blood to write, "A," the only letter that she recognized, onto the asphalt. As members of the audience sat, stunned, they were forced, as Director Williams intended, to "rigorously and actively recognize people that [we] might otherwise dismiss." The play made us to question our own involvement in the oppression of real-life Hesters. We normalize subsidies to agriculture but decry "welfare queens" as drags on the capitalist system. Our Protestant work ethic implicitly blames the poor for being lazy. When a woman gets pregnant, we use verbs that erase the man who impregnated her. When we think about prisoners, we think about their crimes and not the contexts within which they committed crimes. We, like the characters who confess to taking advantage of Hester without seeing themselves as perpetrators of violence, do not ask what role we play in systematic injustices. We have developed extensive, sophisticated mechanisms to avoid implicating ourselves. "In The Blood's" power lies in what it left with the audience. It is important because of the way it echoes in memory and the way it can ripples through a community. Director Williams wrote in the playbill, "Parks implores us to examine ourselves-our place in this society, our view of it, and our individual and collective culpability in whatever oppression it perpetrates. Where are our blind spots; what facets of our society and the people who comprise it do we persistently not see, or see only through lenses that safely distance us from them-important questions we as American must ask ourselves."
(04/06/06 12:00am)
Author: BENJAMIN GOLZE Yee-haw! The new music has been rolling in like cattle at feeding time. So hang on to your chaps: it's time for a new music round-up.The Flaming Lips - At War With the MysticsThis sucker is arguably the heavyweight of the season, and it will be interesting to see how people react to it. The Flaming Lips is one of indie rock's biggest acts, perhaps the biggest act, and a good number of people who associate themselves with this snobby sphere are openly fans of the band. It's been four years since their last album, "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots," polarized fans with its over-produced feel, and "At War With the Mystics" has been touted as a return to their heroin-inspired guitar rock roots.Unfortunately, it doesn't really seem to have worked out. The album is a combination of extremely bizarre production choices, almost like the band decided which bleeps, bips, and other sounds would sound really weird and then wrote the songs around them. Opening single "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" showcases when this works out, with a capella vocal parts punctuating the group's signature pounding and crunching percussion. "The W.A.N.D.," is maybe the only song that reverts to the band's earlier sound, and, in doing so, does well. Besides those two, the best songs on "At War with the Mystics" are the slow ones, which is kind of weird for a Flaming Lips album. I'm at a loss about whether to recommend this or not, so I'll just leave it at that.Mates of State - Bring it BackMany critics have described this San Francisco-based husband and wife duo as sweet and charming. Maybe in principle they are - he plays drums, she plays keyboard, and they both sing. But their music is anything but sugary. I don't know if Mates of State invented the boy-girl vocal style, but they had already mastered it on their earlier albums, and it's in full effect here again. The way their voices intertwine on some of the slower songs such as "Like U Crazy" (a stupid title, I know) is perhaps where the description "charming" comes from. However, the pure quantity of pounding passion and sound they elicit from just those two instruments is overwhelming, and the songs are full of wrenching pop hooks that don't let go even after they've passed.Built to Spill - You in ReverseI know I did a preview of this a couple of weeks ago, but I finally got to listen to the full album, and it is, in a word, underwhelming. All three songs I based my preview on are simply amazing, but the others, well, not so much. The jam mentality that seems to have dominated the songwriting causes the sprawling guitar parts, Built to Spill's specialty, to fall flat. Pick up a single of "Goin' Against Your Mind" if you can. This album isn't really worth it.Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your BonesThis last album I haven't actually heard in full either: I've only heard two songs. So I'm going to avoid trying to extrapolate and hyping up a good preview of a bad album again, because I hear that it's pretty bad, which finishes off an early spring season of disappointing releases. Single "Gold Lion" and the other song "Cheated Hearts" sound like what I would expect from a band that emerged in the New York rock revival so ably lead by The Strokes a few years ago. The former features kick-you-in-the-gut percussion, and the band's signature female vocals (singer Karen O) on the latter add a healthy dose of sex to an otherwise standard, but very catchy, rock song.Phew! That batch was tougher than sagebrush. Catch ya'll further on down the trail.
(04/06/06 12:00am)
Author: KEVIN MOSS COME OUT! If you don't come out you've absorbed the message of those who hate us and you're doing exactly what they want you to do. Stop helping the homophobes! There's absolutely no excuse for anyone to be in the closet at Middlebury in 2006. You are protected by College policy, state law and an overwhelmingly supportive faculty, staff and student body. The only reason not to come out is internalized homophobia - buying the myth that the sky will fall if you come out. Most of these excuses are based on myth; your parents won't disown you and it won't kill your grandmother. Really, it won't. If you don't come out, on the other hand, it may very well kill you; those on the DL are much more likely to have unsafe sex. Closeted men are also much more likely to be involved in harassment (see the mayor of Spokane or the Catholic priests' scandal), so it's in society's interests for everyone to be out. I'm also tired of the "post-gay and avoiding labels" line. It's really just one more lame excuse to stay in the closet and buy into homophobia. You're not challenging the system, you're just hiding. But even coming out is only the first step - it's great, but it's hardly the great accomplishment it used to be. It took balls to come out at Middlebury in the 60s and even in the 80s. Not now. Being out should be taken for granted. GET EDUCATED! Once you're out, learn what being gay means. Learn some history. Read a book. There's no need for each new generation to reinvent the wheel. African-American students learn from their families what to expect. They also learn who Martin Luther King, Jr., was, who Rosa Parks was, who Frederick Douglass was, who got them where they are today. How many Middlebury students learned gay history from their parents? Maybe they took it in high school? How many Middlebury gay students know Harry Hay, Frank Kameny or even Larry Kramer before last month? The Daughters of Bilitis? What happened at Stonewall? If you're one of our language or International Studies students, do you know the gay culture of the country you study? Do gay students of French know Gide, Genet, Proust? Do gay German students learn about Hirschfeld and the gay rights movement? Do gay students of Spanish read Arenas and Puig and know all the films of Almodovar? These are things you could be learning about in college - if they're not taught, find out why. If there are courses, take them. Read some gay novels. At the very least, read the Advocate online. DO SOMETHING! Once you've learned something from history and literature, do something with your knowledge. The world we live in (even Middlebury and Vermont) needs work. We're still second-class citizens here: we're not allowed to apply the sacred words "marriage" and "divorce" to our unions. At 20 you may think this is not important, but consider this: Your girlfriend goes off to Italy or Russia and falls in love with a boy. She invites him here on a special visa; they get married; he gets citizenship; they stay together. If a boy from the States falls in love with a boy abroad, forget it. Why doesn't this annoy you? Just wait till it happens. How about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" Our brilliant gay language students (trust me, there are more than one or two) are automatically disqualified. Does this policy serve anyone? Do you feel safer knowing that the military now takes high school dropouts with criminal records, but certainly not smart Middlebury language grads who happen to be gay. This absurd policy generated a protest of perhaps 10 students last year.AIDS is still a problem too, though you could always follow the official U.S. policy and choose abstinence while you wait for marriage to happen. Do something: write a letter, put on a play, find a vaccine, but do something!
(04/06/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] To the Editor:Those signs are offensive and should not be tolerated. It is my opinion that most students would prefer not to be lambasted by racial and sexual epithets three times a day as they walk into the dining hall. The message on the signs is correct. Those words are offensive and they should not be tolerated, but what is the goal of plastering them all over a board where people are forced to read them over and over again?Is it possible that there is even one student, faculty member or staff member on this campus, that does not already know those words are not tolerated? I'd say it's not possible. Even the persons involved in the event in question understood this. As for preventing those persons from verbalizing any of those words, I believe this issue should be taken up with the individuals.Why not write a letter? As spring approaches, family members, alumni and prospective students will be visiting our campus in greater numbers. Do we really want these signs to be the focus of their visits?Sincerely,Matthew Amoss '07New Orleans, La.To the Editor:This month, the Middlebury Open Queer Alliance (moqa) is sponsoring a series of events known as GAYpril. One such event is a student panel tonight in McCardell Bicentennial Hall 216 at 7:30 p.m. The panel is designed to address fears and curiosities about gay sex. To advertise for this event, students from moqa put up posters in the library, McCullough Student Center, Stewart, Battell, Starr, Ross, Proctor, Gifford, Hepburn and Atwater.The posters were provocative, but not offensive, and contained statements such as, "Gay Sex: Everything they did not teach you in health class." What saddens and angers us is that people in our College community could not voice their concerns or disapproval directly to us, but instead chose to tear down our posters. After returning to the areas where posters were hung, students found that posters were ripped down, vandalized or simply gone.We find it insulting to the College community when individuals decide to censor and degrade what appears to be free speech. If homosexuality makes you uncomfortable, then put up your own posters or come and speak directly with moqa. It is unfortunate to find homophobia present on an allegedly liberal campus. While students claim to be "open-minded," they instead deal with true bigotry in secret, without maturity. Middlebury has the potential to be a supportive community, but an underlying homophobic sentiment continues to encourage closet mentality, and this ignorance will continue to discourage the fight for diversity and acceptance. Sincerely,Baylie Roth '09.5Tamara Vatnick '07Chrissy Etienne '07To the Editor: Isn't it interesting that Dave Barker pines "why can't Middlebury's ambitious and ingenious scholars scheme up pranks worthy of those at a college like MIT?" If his intent was to lead by example he failed miserably. There is nothing funny about mocking the sanitary practices of Middlebury Dining Services - especially when there is no basis for the joke. In addition, there was no moment of revelation where everyone realizes that a joke is being played - a critical element in a good April Fool's joke. You have a good point, Dave - your "prank" is not worthy of a college like Middlebury or MIT. Perhaps you could submit it to the University of Phoenix's Online degree program.Sincerely, John NordmeyerDining ServicesTo the Editor:Recently ["Speaker Does not Reflect Midd Values'" Campus, March 30], some of my close friends criticized the invitation to Ann Veneman. They do not "mean to suggest that there is nothing to admire in her record, or that other colleges and universities would not find her an inspirational commencement speaker." However, commencement "should celebrate better [Middlebury's] particular values."I question two points: 1. They attack her "long association" with "genetically modified foods." Are GMOs the devil's work? Consider: a. GMO-engineered vitamins in rice can reduce blindness in developing countries. b. Herbicide-resistant corn allows the use of Roundup to control weeds. The alternative, tilling, contributes to erosion. c. Monsanto is working on soybeans with enhanced omega-3.Move over Ben and Jerry's. You may be replaced as Vermont's hero (fat chance!). You create heart attacks; Monsanto may reduce them. 2. They attack Veneman's advocacy "of unfettered trade" and participation in GATT negotiations. This may suggest that GATT is so evil that our graduates should not be exposed to a contrary view. This is astonishing. Since 1950, freer trade has contributed to the greatest movement out of poverty in history. Doubters might compare the present Chinese economy with that in the closed Maoist period. Or South Korea with the North. Of course, GATT is not beyond reproach; international agreements involve compromises. Should we invite only speakers who reinforce our existing views? Should our graduates venture forth, holding firm to the One Right Way of Thinking? Nothing during my delightful years here suggested that this represents Middlebury Values.Sincerely,Paul WonnacottAlan HolmesVisiting Professor of Economics, 1994-2000.
(03/30/06 12:00am)
Author: [no author name found] Given the College's commitments to international studies and civic engagement, as well as its location in rural Vermont, the choice of Ann Veneman ["Veneman To Address Grads," March 16] as commencement speaker would seem an inspired one: she was raised on a "family farm in a small rural community" and became the first woman to serve as Secretary of Agriculture, from 2001 to 2005, before her most recent appointment as Executive Director of UNICEF. (It should be said, however, that the "small rural community" was outside Modesto, Calif., an agribusiness hub whose current population exceeds 200,000, and that the patriarch of the "family farm" represented Stanislaus in the California Assembly and later served as an undersecretary in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare under President Nixon.)After some reflection, however, we are concerned that the choice is inconsistent with the values of the College and with the values of most Vermonters. Those who applaud the College's efforts to support local farms, for example, will find her long association with agribusiness and genetically modified foods troubling, to say the least. Between her tenure as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the first President Bush administration and her appointment as Secretary of the California Food and Agriculture Department in the mid 1990s, for example, she served on the board of directors at Calgene, and represented the interests of Dole Foods in Washington. Later, as Secretary of Agriculture, she would receive a joint letter from the members of Vermont's Congressional delegation, who cited the treatment of dairy farmers as an example of the administration's "farmer unfriendly" policies.Environmentalists will likewise be troubled that, in her role as overseer of the United States Forest Service, she led the administration's efforts to reverse the Clinton administration's protection of 60 million acres of public lands from road construction, logging and other development. As an editorial in the Washington Post (July 16, 2004) noted, the new policies, intended to ease land use restrictions, "would … eviscerate protections for some of the country's last unspoiled wilderness."Those concerned about the effects of "unchecked globalization" on nations both rich and poor will perhaps also be disappointed. Since the Uruguay Round of General Agreement on Tarrifs and Trade (GATT), at which she served as a negotiator, former Secretary Veneman has been a prominent advocate of unfettered trade. Indeed, her positions on agriculture and trade are related: as Secretary, for example, she opposed the "precautionary principle" that would allow countries or, in the case of the European Union, groups of countries, to regulate imports of genetically modified foods pending further research.It comes as no surprise, then, that her appointment as Executive Director of UNICEF has drawn criticism. In a recent "Online Beat" column for The Nation, John Nichols quotes from a letter from Ravi Narayan of the People's Health Movement to Secretary General Kofi Annan, in which Narayan concludes that "her performance in [her previous positions] has been characterized by the elevation of corporate profit above people's right to food (U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25). Such a philosophy and practice would reverse almost six decades of UNICEF's proud humanitarian history and prove disastrous for the world's children." Furthermore, a recent article in Planned Parenthood's Choice! raised important concerns about her positions on women's rights and sex education, and their implications for UNICEF's mission.We do not mean to suggest that there is nothing to admire in her record, or that other colleges and universities would not find her an inspirational commencement speaker. We believe, however, that our own commencement should celebrate better the particular values that characterize Middlebury, both College and town.David H. Bain, EnglishEduardo C. Béjar, SpanishJeffrey Carpenter, EconomicsJane Chaplin, ClassicsDavid Dorman, MathematicsElizabeth Endicott, HistoryGloria Estela González, SpanishLeger Grindon, Film andMedia CultureWilliam Hart, HistoryAna Martinez-Lage, SpanishChristopher McGrory Klyza, Political Scienceand Environmental StudiesPeter Hans Matthews, EconomicsPaul Monod, HistorySujata Moorti, Women's andGender StudiesKamakshi P. Murti, GermanMargaret Nelson, Sociology and AnthropologyMichael Olinick, MathematicsEllen Oxfeld, Sociology andAnthropologyPaula Schwartz, French
