Month: August 2011

In the landmark case of Lawrence v. Texas, Justice Kennedy delivered the majority ruling, stating “When homosexual conduct is made criminal by the law of the State, that declaration in and of itself is an invitation to subject homosexual persons to discrimination both in the public and in the private spheres.”

However, we still criminalize it in many states today, and the effects are seen in many aspects of life: the higher rate of suicide amongst gay teens, the only recently repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy which allowed individuals to be fired by the U.S. government because of their sexual orientation, the very fact that many gays remain closeted out of fear that they will face repercussions if their sexual orientation is known.

Although legalizing same-sex marriage is only one step in the process of ending discrimination, it is one of the most tangible steps we can take at the moment.

Same Sex Marriage and the Constitution lists 4 of the most often cited reasons for “heterosexual monopoly on marriage” and then gives counterarguments. Here is my brief summary and extrapolation of these issues.

• Definition, Tradition, Religion
  In Jan. 2000, Sen. Clinton said “Marriage has got historic, religious and moral content that goes back to the beginning of time, and I think a marriage is as a marriage has always been: between a man and a woman.”

  Traditions in marriage have changed much over the course of time. In Roman times, before Christianity became the adopted religion,same-sex marriages were commonplace. As for the religious component, there are even Christian sects in favor of gay marriage now, but since when has religion dictated civil policy in America? Some churches do not recognize divorce, but civil divorces are still legal.

• Natural Law
  Women and men are meant to reproduce, therefore a coupling which cannot result in offspring is not natural.

  Immanuel Kant recognized that if satisfaction from marriage came from the potential for reproduction then sterile or post-menopausal marriages would not be allowed. In today’s society many couples choose not to have children or are biologically unable to, but they are not seen as “unnatural” in the eyes of the law, and their legitimacy as a couple is not questioned, why can’t those same benefits extend to same-sex couples?

• Equation of Marriage with Procreation and Child Rearing
  Same-sex couples can’t provide a stable and nurturing family structure for children since they are not comprised of a mother and father.

  Assuming a gay couple wanted to have kids, it is a double-standard to examine their ability to provide for their children, when there is no system in place to monitor opposite-sex couples’ relationships and ability to provide for their children. (In addition, there is not credible data to support the claim that same-sex parents would be any worse than opposite-sex parents.) If adoption comes into the equation then the same policies should apply to couples of all sexual orientations, but otherwise, it is not the state’s right to approve or deny consenting individuals’ right to procreate and raise their children.

• Eroding Institution of Marriage
  If same-sex marriages are legalized, it is a slippery slope of moral depravity and legal malaise. It will harm the family unit and institution of marriage.

  There is no evidence that same-sex marriage has had much of an impact on opposite-sex marriage or divorce rates, and in fact Denmark, (the first country to recognize same-sex couples as “registered partners”) has the highest marriage rates it has had since the 1970’s. Although allowing more people into the marriage club will make it less exclusive, why would that make marriage less attractive to opposite-sex couples? This same argument was used when interracial marriages were still illegal, but that does not seem to have hurt the incidence or sacredness of marriage.

If you know of other arguments for or against that you would like to discuss, please post them.

I’m always trying to get readers to respond to posts, but this time it’s a blatant call to arms — I honestly have a question to which I do not know the answer, it’s not just an act to get you to read this.

Recently, I filed a complaint about the abundance of mice and rats in public parks with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. I waited some time and then thought they forgot about me. Now, a week later, I get an e-mail from one of the P&R Division Managers informing me of what steps the Department is taking to solve this problem.

Much encouraged, I wanted to post a copy of his e-mail to Innermostparts, to demonstrate the action the Department is taking and to comment on some of the specifics.

Nowhere in the e-mail did it say that it was confidential, and in fact the Manager had CC-ed another employee in on the e-mail (without consulting me). However, when I asked if I could quote section from the e-mail, the Manager told me to get in touch with his Press Office, a step I have not yet taken.

I’ve scoured online forums but have not found an answer to my question: Am I allowed to reproduce any or all of the e-mail I received, without the sender’s direct permission?

If anyone has sufficient legal knowledge, or just wants to hazard a guess, please feel free!

Ever wonder about exactly when and where gay marriage became ‘acceptable’?

The Huffington Post reported Thursday that UCLA’s same-sex advocacy think tank’s, The Williams Institute, had released a study of same-sex couples across the country.

“The census research discovered that 901,997 same-sex couples live in 99 percent of American counties, in cities from West Hollywood, Calif. to New Hope, Pa. Sixty percent of the couples are female, and 22 percent currently raise children.”

That’s a lot of couples and pretty spread out, especially considering the lack of gay rights to be found in the majority of American states. I did some background research to find out the timeline of states’ and countries’ passage of gay marriage. Read below:

Continue reading “Same-Sex Couples Throughout Recent History”

I don’t like discussing weather unless it’s an analysis of sociopolitical impacts or global warming, but I don’t have the energy for that and Brandeis keep sending out these parking changes and warnings to returning upperclassmen not to move in, so let’s talk about it.

I’m blogging from New York City and it’s been pouring for a while, but the real fear isn’t about the winds or the rains, it’s about a power outage. The NY State National Guard are being deployed to Long Island and New York City, and ConEd’s main power plant, located by West Point, is expecting a power outage once water levels rise.

Rumors abound that we could be out of power for a week or more.

How are you guys doing? What’s the level of panic where you’re at? Anyone have horror stories about having to evacuate?

I’d love it if people used this post as a public forum to update people on what the weather is like where you’re located, and post any concerns/news/updates you hear.

Brandeis will be joining the ranks of many other liberal arts schools this fall, by offering a new interdepartmental minor in Sexuality and Queer Studies.

Read Brandeis’ description of the minor:

The undergraduate interdisciplinary minor in Sexuality and Queer Studies offers students the opportunity to examine socially and historically specific experiences, meanings, and representations of sexuality and gender and the centrality of sexuality and gender to personal and collective identities in modernity. Students in the program critically consider the relationships among sex, gender, and sexual orientation, desire and identification, and erotic and affectional behavior, as these intersect with other cultural formations including gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, and class.

(Let me specify that I am using the Wikipedia definition of Queer as “an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary” for this post.)

I’m glad we’re offering the minor, since I think it’s an interesting area of study and it will surely expand people’s conceptions of sexual orientation and gender.

But I’m not happy about the name, for the same reason that I don’t like the title of the Women’s and Gender Studies major: Why include one specific group in the name, to the exclusion of the others?

While I understand some of the reasoning: both women and queers have been discriminated against historically, and they are definitely underrepresented in textbooks and course offerings across America, I do not see why they should be named in the broader, overarching category title. Sexuality encompasses sexual minorities, just as gender encompasses women.

By saying “Sexuality and Queer Studies,” true, we are giving prominence to a group of people who do not usually receive the recognition they deserve, however what kind of principle is it to name something illogically in order to make up for past wrongs? The “and” serves to differentiate two groups, even though one group comes under the heading of the other!?

If the true intent was to state that the focus of the minor will be on the minority group (Queers), then why not make the title “Sexuality, especially Queer Studies,” or “Sexuality feat Queer Studies?”

I’m sure there are a plethora of ways to demonstrate emphasis, without having to grammatically compromise the meaning of the title.

Yesterday, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand sent out an e-mail honoring the 91st anniversary of the enactment of the 19th amendment (you know, that one that helped women).

The amendement reads:

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Similar to Obama’s e-mail commemorating the passage of the amendment on August 18th, Gillibrand’s e-mail discussed how far women have come and how far there is to go.

One step Gillibrand has taken towards achieving gender equality* is creating Off the Sidelines, a website which encourages female empowerment, providing women with resources as well as “a place to share their stories.”

Continue reading “91 Years of Women’s Votes”

While I was on Brandeis’ JBS Mississippi semester this summer, I met with several elected officials. One encounter stands out in my head.

During my 2-month stay in Mississippi, the only place I saw a recycling bin was on the campus of the University of Mississippi, up in Oxford. Although we passed other recycling factories and warehouses in Jackson, the state’s capital, and sanitation workers pick up recycling from certain residential areas, nowhere did I find any public recycling.

On our third week in Mississippi we visited McComb (Britney Spears’ birthplace) and ate at the Dinner Bell, with the city’s mayor. Afterwards, we got to ask him questions. So, I asked the mayor if he intended to improve the recycling situation. His answer was surprising.

While he acknowledged that there was a scarcity of recycling, especially in McComb, he said that it is too expensive for small municipalities to create recycling programs. Because materials are so valuable now, however, private companies want them, and so are often willing to create recycling programs in order to take them off people’s hands for cheap.

Basically, the city does not have any plans to increase recycling except to wait for the private sector to become interested and do something about it itself.

Now, what puzzles me is why more universities aren’t getting in on the craze. While it can be expensive and difficult for cities to coordinate recycling (although they should still try), universities have more incentive (it figures into some rankings) and are generally smaller and easier to organize.

When I e-mailed the head of the Residence Halls at Jackson State University (where we stayed during the course of the program) about recycling opportunities, she responded that it was something they only do during the year. However, my friends who go there told me that in fact a student group is trying to bring more recycling to campus but as of now, there is little to none even while school is in session.

Therefore, I’ve compiled some resources. If you go to a school or work or live in a community where there is little to no recycling, here are some organizations which are supplying free recycling bins and/or support. The rest (seeing how your sanitation workers feel about picking up recycling in addition to garbage, promoting recycling efforts, writing the applications to these groups) is up to you!

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality along with the Alcoa Recycling Company, the Mississippi Recycling Coalition, and the Southeast Recycling Development Council are giving out grants for recycling bins to schools, colleges, universities, and public and non-profit office buildings, according to an article in the Mississippi Link published earlier this year.

The Keep America Beautiful- Dream Machine project is giving out free recycling bins to community-based organizations, and all the proceeds from the can and bottle recycling kiosks go to “support Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV), a national program offering free, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans with disabilities.”

Lastly, RecycleMania has an annual competition amongst schools as to which institutions can “collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of waste per capita or have the highest recycling rate.” The competition runs from February 5th to March 31st this year, and did you know that Brandeis has competed the past 2 years? We jumped from 13.6 to 21% between 2010 and 2011!

If you love reading books that you can physically hold in your hand, how can you also be environmentally conscious?

My family collects books- not specifically rare ones, not ones that would necessarily be worth a lot of money, just ones we enjoy reading. My grandmother’s house is cluttered with overwhelming piles of books, and we probably have a few hundred in my house as well. We try just to keep books we would want to read a second time, and donate the rest, but it can be hard to give something away that you’ve read, that you’ve experienced, when it’s still in good shape.

At the same time, I’ve become an avid recycler. This transformation took place pretty recently; sometime between January and this July. I went from being someone who proclaimed an apathy towards the environment (everyone supports animals and the environment; why do I have to?) to someone who picked receipts out of the bathroom garbage to carry downstairs to the recycling bin for paper.

Just knowing I have so much paper lying around my room (old class notes, cards, receipts, newspapers) which could be put to good use bothers me. It may not be logical, but I feel like for every paper I hold onto, a tree is being cut down in a rain forest somewhere, to print another paper for me to use. I’m sure on a small-scale it doesn’t work this way, but think about it; if we all contributed all of the papers we had but didn’t need to the companies that are printing paper in the first place, we’d definitely decrease the “need” for deforestation.

So, as you can imagine, I’ve started to feel pretty guilty about holding onto all these books when they could be recycled (either by circulating them to others, or literally sending them off for their pages to be ripped out and reused). At the same time, I keep buying more books, adding to this problem. While I frequent the library, there’s something special about owning a book and taking your good time reading it. E-books are a whole separate issue, since you need to have a portable device with you to read them, and they just don’t have the same integrity as paper.

In my quest to recycle, I came across 1-800-Recycling, a site which tells you what you can recycle and where, calculates your distance from the closest stores that accept your kind of recycled goods, and links you to resources listed by state. 1-800-Recycling’s advice is to make accessories out of your old neglected books, or cut through them to create intricate 3-D carvings. While both of these ideas sound cool, there’s still something sacrilegious about cutting up books.

So I’m asking you for input: what do I do with my old books? Should I give them all away to a library or school, donate them to a place where they will use the paper to print new books, make them into works of art, or is there a brilliant new idea no one has even considered?

Here’s the latest interview we conducted in our series of Student Leader Interviews, this time with 2011-2012 Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12.

Herbie, the former Secretary of the Student Union, has a long list of affiliations with Brandeis groups, including: Orientation Core Committee, Senior Week Volunteer, Tour Guide, Waltham Group, Liquid Latex, Hillel, Crowd Control, Undergraduate Theatre Collective and the Varsity Men’s Swim Team.

Now, with a new responsibility to add to his already-brimming plate, Herbie shared with us what he envisions for the Student Union, how he views his new role, and even a secret event he has planned called Union Day.

*The majority of questions were submitted by Brandeis students. Is there a Brandeis community member you want us to interview? Working on a project you want to share? Comment or e-mail ideas, suggestions, questions to czar@innermostparts.org and we’ll try to make your dreams come true!

Responsibility
IMP: What is your biggest fear about being President of the Union?
HR: Haha, sounding like an idiot in interviews like these.

IMP: You have not been President for that long, but would you describe it so far? Has it been overwhelming at times?
HR: On my first day I got a bunch of emails about a bunch of different things, and I had somewhat of an (pardon my language) “Oh Shit” moment. But honestly it hasn’t been too bad. My biggest problem is that there isn’t enough time in the day. I can’t have all the meetings I want; I won’t be able to get to everything I want to do. So the worst thing this year will be picking and choosing what to do next.

So far it’s been fun being President. I get a lot of freedom to explore different aspects of campus and meet people from all around the University. I am really bad at remembering names though. So if I hesitate a second after saying hi, please forgive me. I am getting better, I promise.

Experience
IMP: You’re involved in many things on campus. If you had to choose, which would you say have prepared you most for your role as President?
HR: Being on the Orientation Core last summer! It’s a huge leadership training program, and I definitely emerged knowing what worked and what didn’t in my leadership style. It was the kind of experience where you learn your flaws first, and then get to capitalize on your strengths. I really enjoyed being able to usher in the Class of 2014 with my peers. It was that kind of work that made me confident in my abilities as President.

And of course by being Student Union Secretary, I got to learn about what the Student Union was, and how it worked. So obviously that ended up being pretty important as well.

IMP: Do you think you will be able to continue your involvement in your other interests on-campus?
HR: No, not to the extent of the past years. I am an Orientation Leader this fall, and I still will be giving weekly tours, but that’s pretty much it. I love my improv troupe, Crowd Control – so I’ll at least try to rehearse with them, though probably not perform. I’ve Co-Produced Quickies (the Student Written-One Act Festival) for the past two years, so I’ll continue that but I have a lot of help from my Co-Producer, and it doesn’t take up too much time. No, other than classes, Student Union will have to be my biggest priority.

The Student Union and Student Activism
IMP: The age old reputation of Brandeis Student Union is that it simply does not represent the students nor does it appeal to most. Do you plan to rebrand the Union to include those who are currently not engaged? If so, how?
HR: Of course! I totally understand where that reputation came from; I used to feel the same way. But I think the Union has slowly been combating that. I intend to add some rocket boosters to that fight.

We are going to be a lot more visible this year. I have a lot of ideas that have already gone into motion, and I’ll be focusing on getting every part of the Student Union to be just as active as the Executive Board. I intend to keep close tabs on how the student body is feeling. We will stress our office hours, and hold them outside of the Union Office. Meanwhile I hope to reach out to several groups of students who typically aren’t engaged with the Union (ie International Students & Athletes). These are just the first of many steps to rebrand our Union. More plans are in the works, and I promise that students will see a difference by the end of the year.

It’s time that people actually care about what the Student Union is doing. We are not just a group that gives out money, though that is important as well. We have a high potential to make a difference this year, and our main goal will be to prove that to the Student Body. It’s time to make the three flame emblem of ours well-known all around campus. It’s time that the Union is something exciting.

I want to add that I’ve got plans for something called Union Day. It will hopefully be every month – but I can’t tell you much else. It’s going to be a fun surprise!

IMP: Do you have any plans to make Brandeis more environmentally sustainable, and further, should the campus be bottled water free?
HR: Yes, I am very interested in pursuing options to make our campus more environmentally sustainable. I am currently setting up meetings with SEA and other student leaders – hoping to discuss what possible actions the Union may take. If students have ideas as to what we should do – share them! Please email me; any opinion is welcome!

Before going completely bottled water free; I would want to research the financial impact on the school. I am all for inexpensive ways to limit bottled water, so if the option presents itself: we will go after it. Should the campus be completely bottled water free? Personally I think we need to have some bottled water around, but I think its presence should be radically decreased.

Events
IMP: With the 2012 elections coming up, does the Student Union have any plans to aid activist groups with voter registration, particularly for incoming freshmen?
HR: Currently no. In fact, it wasn’t even a note in my agenda. But it’s something to think about. The Student Union has no political leaning, and I don’t want students to think of us as a political activist group. We are a group that provides a service. Sure, we will make sure that all our clubs have the best funds possible to make their events happen, but we currently won’t be planning any 2012 campaign-related programs.

I believe that the right to vote is an important one, so personally I will encourage students to sign up and vote – maybe we’ll make a few posters and send out a couple emails. But no, I don’t see us making that a big part of our efforts at this time.

IMP: How many ‘black tie events’ will you hold as President?
HR: Haha, well I can’t actually correctly tie a tie. So probably not too many.

Challenges
IMP: What is the biggest challenge the Brandeis Student Union faces with President Lawrence’s office?
HR: We just need to make sure that all of these new administrators understand the Student Body. It’s going to take strong and energetic voices to teach our administrative additions about Brandeis Culture. Our biggest challenge is starting off on the right foot. We have to consider how to help their Orientation to campus, and then how to move towards making a difference. Of course changes will come right away from these new administrators; the Union has to make sure that these changes benefit the student body.

So far I have really enjoyed working with President Lawrence. I think he is very honest and down-to-earth. He spent last year well, learning all about the student body. I am confident that his popularity will continue throughout this year. We as the Student Union will do our best to both advise and advocate to President Lawrence. The positive feeling everyone has been feeling with President Lawrence’s arrival needs to continue.

IMP: The Herbie the students elected is kind, smiling, and calm. If the students expressed interest in an issue counter to what the administration desires (for instance, meaningful exploration of the details of union contracts for employees in usdan) do you see yourself willing to stand up to their authority, even if it means compromising your personal relationship with them?
HR: I was elected to represent the student body. Thus, if there is a great interest in something counter to the thoughts of our administrators, I should act. Now, I will do due diligence. I will meet with students, investigate facts and consider all opinions involved. I can’t represent the student body unless I know both sides. I have no problem confronting administrators with something different than their opinion.

But I will not attack! My relationships with the administrators, staff and faculty, both personal and professional are still full of respect. I am not afraid to argue, push back or tell them that I disagree with their actions. But I will not try to tear them down. Civil discourse is my approach; I can be aggressive but I will not bully. Nothing gets done when one lashes out on first instinct.

I promised to be the student’s strongest advocate. And you all can rely on me to push, protest and fight – with reasonable cause. But I will not act without respect. And you need not worry that I will stay mum or neutral on some student concern because I am worried about ties with administrators. I am your President; I am not supposed to act that way.

Accomplishments
IMP: What is your proudest social justice accomplishment?
HR: For the past two February breaks, I went on Volunteer Vacations. It was really rewarding to work along side my peers at sites such as the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter (Maine), and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center (NYC).Those have definitely been my proudest social justice experiences. This summer, I’ve been working at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism; it’s been an eye-opening experience, and I hope to later pursue my interest in the criminal justice system.

Honestly, I can’t call one event that stands above all others. But hopefully I will have several to remember after this year. The Student Union is currently planning a few social-justice projects such as the SoJust Career Fair (partnered with the Ethics Center, Hiatt Career Center & the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, see the facebook group) and the Local/Global Social Justice Fair (partnered with the Ethics Center). More to come on that later!

(L to R: Andy Hogan, President ’10, Daniel Acheampong, President ’11, Herbie Rosen, President ’12)

A new game called Co-opoly is in the works.

This board game resembles monopoly in its bare-bones objective: to succeed in business. However, rather than players competing to earn the most money, players must work together to win the game. “Everyone wins – or everybody loses,” the game advertises.

Unlike Monopoly, which encourages an ultra-competitive attitude and is the source of numerous fights amongst friends and family members, Co-opoly teaches about the value of collaboration and solidarity, still through a hands-on economic model role-playing game accessible to children and adults.

As Co-opoly’s founders explain:

Cooperatives are not a form of charity, they are a means of self-help and solidarity…By playing Co-opoly, players will learn about the unique benefits, challenges, and operations of the cooperative world – as well as the skills needed to participate in a co-op!

Co-opoly is being advertised on Kickstarter, a new online forum where individuals can promote their projects and solicit donations.

On Kickstarter, anybody can pledge money to a project, but the project will not receive any of the money unless it reaches its full fundraising goal by a certain date. Co-opoly’s creators, The Toolbox for Education and Social Action, are asking for $8,800 by October 2nd.

I’m a big believer in the abilities of games to teach important life skills. There are a lot of interesting articles on why gaming can be good for educational purposes.

Escapist Magazine, referred to me by a fellow Brandeisian, has a good video on how interactive games can better be utilized in the classroom, and the Christian Science Monitor discusses a UN-program for college students in Vermont to bring attention to domestic violence for South African youths through cell phone games.

Check out the Social Justice games category for more games and their social justice analyses!

This post comes directly from Get Involved | Obama for America | 2012.

On the heels of reading this blog post honoring the women’s movement, I received an e-mail from NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand telling me about how women are still treated unfairly in the work place, receiving .78 per $1 earned by a man.

Not that this statistic is very clear- does this mean for the same job, or are men making more because they tend to be in higher positions (a whole separate problem)?

Paycheck Fairness Act, which would

“…provide justice to victims of gender discrimination, protect employees who share information about their salary with their co-workers, and require employers to prove that wage discrepancies are based on work performance and not on a person’s gender.”

Continue reading “Anniversary of Suffrage but Still Fighting for Equality!”

The next student leader to be interviewed is….

Herbie Rosen ’12! Did you know that Herbie is the Student Union president for this upcoming school year, as well as the former Student Union Secretary, active in Brandeis theatre, and much, much more?

What would YOU like to know from Mr. Rosen? It can be anything from when Herbie first started to go by the name Herbie, to which former Brandeis student president he liked the most!

You have until Thursday night at midnight to suggest questions or topics to cover! Submissions will be chosen based on relevance and the number of people that suggest similar themes.

Your name will not be attached to the question unless you ask for it to be, and you can e-mail questions to c…@innermostparts.org if privacy is an issue.

Note: In the spirit of opening dialogue as to various groups’ roles on campus, and to preview what these groups have planned for 2011-2012, I’m going to be asking student leaders to participate in online interviews, to be posted here. If you would like to be interviewed or have a suggestion of someone you think is worth interviewing, let us know and we will try to make your dreams come true!

Republic presidential candidate Mitt Romney was recently lambasted by the media for telling hecklers that “Corporations are people,” at the Iowa State Fair on Thursday.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2h8ujX6T0A[/youtube]

I even got an e-mail from NY Senator Chuck Schumer (D) ridiculing his comment, saying:

“Republicans can’t even tell the difference between a flesh and blood human being and a business entity that doesn’t exist outside its legal definition.”

This raises the question: What is the definition of people versus that of corporations?
Continue reading “Corporations are not People, but they ARE comprised of them”

Innermostparts doesn’t receive that much spam on the whole, and we have some great spam filters so you guys don’t have to read all of the ads that businesses leave in the hopes of getting you to buy their products.

But, every now and then it’s good to read some of the comments that wouldn’t otherwise see the light of day.

All of the following were sent by businesses. All links have been removed from comments.

The Compliment

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The Incomprehensible

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The Cut to the Chase

All people deserve very good life and home loans or financial loan will make it much better. Because people’s freedom relies on money state.

One of my closest friends send me dress. Fantastic items! Thanks her plus your fast shipping and good service!

Andrew Flagel will be taking over as the new Senior VP for Students and Enrollment, the position vacated by Jean Eddy almost a year ago.

Here is the bulk of the e-mail President Lawrence sent out yesterday to the Brandeis Community.

I am pleased to announce today that Andrew Flagel will be our new senior vice president for students and enrollment. He joins us from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, where he was dean of admissions and associate vice president of enrollment development. He will start on September 1. Andrew had an impressive record of achievement during his ten years at George Mason, and I look forward to seeing him bring that same spirit of innovation to Brandeis. Andrew impressed the search committee and all those he met on campus with his intelligence, his passion for higher education and his engaging manner. Please join me in welcoming Andrew to Brandeis.

For more information, read BrandeisNow’s article.

Note: Lawrence sent out this e-mail on a new formal letterhead, with Brandeis’ letterhead at the top. It looks snazzy.

This week we electronically sat down with Margaret Huey ’13 to find out about her summer internship at the Boston nonprofit Cradles to Crayons, an organization that often works with Brandeis volunteers groups. She told us about what makes Cradles to Crayons (C2C) special, why she signed on to work there over the summer, what the hardest part of her job is, and more!

Cradles to Crayons?
IMP: What kind or work does Cradles to Crayons do?
MH: Cradles is a non-profit organization that provides, free of charge, essential goods to children from low income and homeless families that they need to feel safe, warm, ready to learn and valued. We do this by collecting donations from corporate organizations, faith-based groups, and individual families.

Volunteers then come into the Giving Factory and sort through these items to make sure they are of the highest quality possible. A social service agency can fill out an order form for an individual child, and these orders are filled each week as they come to us.

IMP:What, if anything, sets Cradles to Crayons apart from other nonprofits?
MH: In the non-profit world, C2C has established itself as one of the most efficient non-profits, and has recieved a 4-star rating (the highest rating possible) from Charity Navigator for three consecutive years. C2C is also unique in that all of the donations come from Massachussetts and stay within the state; the organization is a way to connect families with excess to families in need.

Where do YOU come in?
IMP: How did you get involved with Cradles to Crayons? Had you volunteered there before becoming an intern?
MH: After completing a trip with Volunteer Vacations where a lot of the volunteering that we did in Houston, Texas focused on helping children, I knew that I wanted to continue to make an impact to under priveleged children and started looking online for organizations in the Boston area.

I had heard of Cradles to Crayons before, and saw that there was an interning opportunity for college students during the summer time. I had never gotten the chance to volunteer here before, but quickly fell in love with the organization. Going in to intern a couple days a week has definitely been one of the highlights of my summer.
Continue reading “Interview with Cradles to Crayons Intern Margaret Huey”

VH1 and Dosomething.org are hosting the Do Something! Awards, which premiere Thursday, August 18th, 2011 at 9/8c on VH1.

The Awards’ aim is to “honor young people’s commitment to social change,” and includes 17 categories, from The Do Something Award, Athlete, Facebook, TV Show, etc. Voting is an easy way to honor activists who are changing the world. Plus, you can log in with a facebook account to vote!

The Do Something Award category contenders range from 18-25 years of age. These people started some amazing organizations: The Real Food Challenge (a chapter of which exists at Brandeis and works through Students for Environmental Action), Move for Hunger, YALLA (Youth And Leaders Living Actively), The American Widows Project and The Sparkle Effect.

So take a moment to learn more about these and celebrity activists and pick who you think deserves the prize the most. Vote here!

The following is an excerpt from the Brandeis Department of Community Living’s Gender Neutral Housing Policy.

“Critics of gender neutral housing believe that the option promotes promiscuity and encourages students in heterosexual relationships to live together. At Brandeis, students in relationships already have the option to live together in suites and apartments, and most students in relationships do not choose to live together.

This criticism also assumes that students who select gender neutral housing are heterosexual, and it does not take into account that students in same-sex relationships have always had the opportunity to live together.”

In a recent post, Gender Discrimination at Brandeis? And Facebook?, I wrote about how Brandeis’ JBS site only offered “male” and “female” as options under the gender category. I talked about how even when gender discrimination isn’t intentional, it can hurt people.

However, I also noted that when I wrote to JBS administrators with this complaint, they responded quickly in expressing their understanding of the issue and their willingness to expand the gender category options. This isn’t the only arena in which Brandeis has demonstrated its sensitivity, as you can see with its housing policy.

Alongside DCL’s stance on gender neutral housing appears a glossary of key terms from its website. One that sticks out is:

Gender identity – The inner sense of being male or female.

I think this term is perhaps most key in discussing the world of gender. Gender is a social construction, and holds different meanings and connotations for different people. Even though people may identify you as a man or woman, and it’s often easier and more practical within our current system to think of all people as fitting within these two categories, gender identity is something that you alone can determine. It can’t be assigned to you.

Continue reading “Brandeis’ Housing Policy Impresses”

Thanks to the Human Rights Campaign, I just found out about this lawsuit. Have people been following this case? What do you think?

On Monday, lawyers for the House Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) filed their latest arguments using your taxpayer dollars to defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in federal court, in Windsor v. United States. As you’ll recall, in that case, Edie Windsor is challenging the hefty tax penalty she faces as she inherits her late wife’s estate because of DOMA, a penalty that would not apply if her spouse had been a man.

The BLAG lawyers seem to be using an interesting defense for DOMA:

Most of their brief is spent, instead, trying to convince the court that sexual orientation is not immutable and that gays and lesbians have inordinate political power.

They cite the work of HRC, the Victory Fund and other groups as proof positive that “gays and lesbians have achieved and continue to achieve substantial political success.”

So, the HRC’s own victories are being used against them, in an attempt to argue that because a minority group has made recent headway in gaining civil rights, that group is not at a significant disadvantage, based on the criteria for how courts decide to apply heightened scrutiny to a case.

When deciding whether to apply heightened scrutiny, courts typically consider two factors:
(1) whether there is a history of discrimination based on the characteristic
(2) whether the characteristic is relevant to one’s ability to participate in or contribute to society.
They sometimes also consider
(3) whether the characteristic is immutable
(4) whether the group is particularly vulnerable politically.

Read the HRC’s full article for further analysis of the brief, including specific arguments BLAG makes as to each of the 4 points.

This past week I electronically sat down for an interview with Brandeis’ Hillel President Jessica Goldberg ’13! We covered how she became pres, what plans she has for Hillel, and the level of inclusiveness she sees Hillel as offering. Unfortunately, we didn’t get into Judaism’s biggest questions: Who Killed Tupac?

A handful of Brandeis students contributed questions, so if you like what you read, take part in this series by submitting questions for Brandeis Dems President, Jake Weiner ’13!

Oh I Just Can’t Wait To Be King!
IMP: So Jess, how do you feel about being Brandeis’ new Hillel President?
JG: I’m really excited about it! I definitely never expected to be in this position – I’ve always had my eye on Hillel Education Coordinator – but a couple of people wanted that one, so I guess this will do.

IMP: Were you already officially inaugurated? If so, what was that like?
JG: Yes. I was inaugurated on May 6th after Shabbat dinner in Sherman Function Hall. The ceremony began with speeches by Executive Director Larry Sternberg, Associate Director Cindy Spungin, three wonderful senior speakers, and outgoing President Andrea Wexler ’11. Then Andrea conducted a ceremony in which each of last year’s Board members inaugurated his or her counterpart, and finally I gave a speech. It was a fun yet poignant evening!

Where’s Hillel Going?
IMP: What are some of your plans for Hillel for the upcoming year?
JG: I actually have a lot of specific plans, as do the nine other Hillel Board members. However, some of my overarching goals include fostering greater Hillel unity (and making it a stronger community); incorporating the voices of non-Board members into our plans; forming close relationships with each member group; making the Hillel Board and Staff more accessible; and celebrating our pluralism through greater intra-Hillel collaboration and dialogue.

IMP: Are there certain social events and areas of social justice/activism you are hoping to focus on?
JG: Dillon Ang is the new Tzedek/Social Action Coordinator, and while I hope that he and his minyan counterparts will address many areas of social justice, a huge focus for us has always been and will continue to be hunger and homelessness awareness. I’m hoping that this year we will reunite with the different activist organizations we’ve worked with in the past for various projects, and I’m also interested in starting an annual “Tzedek Shabbaton.” In terms of social events, besides beloved traditions like the Latke-Hamantaschen Debate and the Purim Party, I hear Social Events Coordinator Danny Reisner is planning two dances (another Bar Mitzvah party and a more formal one).

Hillel’s Presence on Campus
IMP: What role do you see Hillel playing on the Brandeis campus?
JG: Overall, Hillel is a loud and proud, but always inclusive, force on campus – we even have a Board member (Ariel Milan Polisar) whose entire job is campus relations! As the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life and an umbrella organization for at least twenty sub-groups, Hillel’s job is to provide for all of your needs and interests as a Jew (or someone just interested in Judaism).

I also hope that we can accomplish amazing things this year with all of the groups with whom we’ve collaborated in the recent past (Trisk/QRC, the Justice League, SEA, BIG, MSA, JVP, and several academic departments) and more. Hillel is also behind some of the biggest social action efforts and greatest parties of the year and all students are more than welcome to be a part of that.

IMP: What do you think the role of the Hillel minyanim are? (And could you please explain what this term means)
JG: A minyan is really a prayer group. Technically, Hillel has seven – Orthodox, Traditional Egalitarian, BaRuCH/Reform, BRO/Reconstructionist, Sephardi, Ruach, and Shira Chadasha. The Orthodox minyan is affiliated with BOO and the Egal minyan is affiliated with BUCO. BOO, BUCO, BaRuCH, and BRO all exist as vibrant Hillel member groups outside of their minyanim.

BOO, BUCO, BaRuCH, and BRO each represent a unique school of ideology, and they each need an outlet through which to explore that in ways other than just prayer. Though the nature of these quasi-independent clubs is conducive to clique formation and not quite recognizing that they are part of Hillel, I don’t intend to ask them to abandon their social events or anything like that. I really think that we can work on solving inter-minyan awkwardness by collaboration and by working toward embracing and understanding our differences. This year’s Board is dedicated to fighting assumptions and tension with “active engagement” (Education Coordinator Eliana Light has a great Facebook note about it).

IMP: Will we be seeing efforts for the construction of a (physical) Hillel building; a communal place for all denominations of Jews to interact on a day-to-day basis?
JG: Honestly, I don’t intend to raise the issue this year unless I hear an especially convincing argument. The Hillel building or Hillel center is a vital tool at many colleges, but the realities of our organization render it impractical. In terms of a space where all Jews can interact on a day-to-day basis, this is precisely the purpose of the Hillel Lounge, which is almost never empty and is home to people from all walks of Hillel life.

Over the course of one day, you might have great conversations with a BZA person, a BOO person, a Shalem person, and more. I will also tell you that I have plans to make the Lounge more open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of one’s member group affiliation (if any!).

Hillel- Inclusive Enough?
IMP: Sometimes the less observant Jewish students on campus stay away from Hillel because they feel they are in an environment where they are judged for not being religious enough. How do you intend as Hillel president to make less observant Jewish students feel comfortable attending Hillel events?
JG: I’ve definitely heard accusations of Hillel catering to the more religious crowd, and if people are uncomfortable then this is a problem. I don’t make assumptions; in fact, my current project for Shabbat and Festival Meals Coordinator Leslie Golden and Eliana Light is to revamp the “Shabbat Dinner 101” table literature that explains the meaning of various rituals you might see observed (by many but not all!) at Hillel’s Shabbat dinner.

Some of my friends and I also try to set an example by doing things like studying in the Beit Midrash (House of Study) even though we are clearly liberal Jews. At the same time, I can say pretty confidently that very few Hillel members judge anyone – so you should come to events or dinner sometime and get to know someone completely different!

IMP: Are there any openly LGBT members of Hillel? If not, why do you think this might be? Do you have any ideas for how to create a more open and affirming Hillel community?
JG: THANK YOU for this question! Yes, there are absolutely openly LGBTQ members of Hillel – they are involved in just about every facet of Hillel. The real question is whether or not Hillel has an LGBTQ community.

Shalem is our official LGBTQ group, and unfortunately it has been less than thriving in recent times. This summer I’ve started the process of revitalizing Shalem – anyone who wants more information can email me and I’ll add you to the mailing list. And if Hillel or any of its affiliated member groups come off as closed-minded, I want to hear about it so that we can fix it and make this a welcoming environment for everybody.

Closing Thoughts
JG: Finally, I would like to thank Elly and Innermost Parts for this opportunity to share my thoughts with the Brandeis community, and I invite anyone to email (jsg27@brandeis.edu) or Facebook message me if you have any more questions or ideas for Hillel! Also, I tried to pay tribute to all of my Board members in this interview, but I couldn’t get them all in there, so: Ariana Berlin (Religious Life), Rachel Mayo (Finance), Michelle Sinnreich (Israel), and Sarah Sue Landau (Communications) – you guys are awesome too!

Note: Some lines were taken out from the above interview in the interest of clarity and brevity.

Here is a video from President Obama about the debt argument in Washington.

Here is the infographic.

Taken from barackobama.com, here are a few over view points from the deal.

What the Debt Deal Does:

Removes economic uncertainty surrounding the debt limit at a critical time and prevents either party from using a failure to meet our obligations for political gain.

Makes a significant down payment to reduce the deficit — finding savings in defense and domestic spending while protecting critical investments in education and job creation.

Creates a bipartisan commission to find a balanced approach to continue this progress on deficit reduction.
Establishes an incentive for both sides to compromise on historic deficit reduction while protecting Social Security, Medicare beneficiaries, and programs that help low-income families.

Follows through on President Obama’s commitment to shared sacrifice by making sure that the middle class, seniors, and those who are most vulnerable do not shoulder the burden of reducing the deficit. As the process moves forward, the President will continue to insist that the wealthiest Americans share the burden.

THE BIPARTISAN DEBT AGREEMENT: KEY FACTS

The President worked to ensure that both parties came together to prevent our government from defaulting on our obligations for the first time in our history, which would have had devastating consequences for our economy.

The agreement rejects unbalanced policies some on the other side were advocating that would have forced seniors and the middle class to shoulder the full burden of reducing the deficit without asking special interests or the wealthiest Americans to share in the sacrifice. For example, the agreement rejects the unbalanced cuts in the Ryan budget and the cut, cap, and balance plan that would have turned Medicare into a voucher program and asked nothing of special interests and the most well-off.
By extending the debt limit to 2013, this agreement removes the cloud of uncertainty over our economy at a critical time. It also ensures that no one will be able to play political games with our nation’s economic future and establishes a framework for balanced fiscal discipline in the long term.

All told, this agreement means that:
• Seniors can continue to count on their Social Security payments.
• Veterans will continue to receive their benefits.
• Businesses relying on federal government contracts or funding can continue to keep their employees working.
• The world markets can continue to invest in America without disruption.

Importantly, this compromise makes a significant down payment toward reducing the deficit. We’ll gain savings from both domestic and Pentagon spending while protecting crucial investments such as Pell grants for college students.
The agreement also establishes a bipartisan process to seek a balanced approach to further deficit reduction. It creates a congressional committee with triggered incentives to reach a balanced agreement that protects Social Security, Medicare beneficiaries, and low- income programs. The committee will also determine what we will ask of special interests and the wealthiest Americans.

The President believes that Democrats and Republicans should act to save critical programs like Medicare for the next generation. Those discussions will continue, and making the tax code more fair will remain part of that conversation.

Finally, this is a compromise that stays true to the President’s commitment to shared sacrifice from all Americans, including the most well-off who enjoy tax breaks they don’t need.

We haven’t put this challenge behind us yet. Congressional leaders in both parties will take this compromise to their members and ask them to act. Swift action on this bipartisan agreement is necessary to help our nation avoid default, pay our bills, start reducing our deficit in a responsible way, and allow us to focus on creating jobs and growing our economy.

WOOHOO!!

I am celebrating because the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has ruled that birth control is basic preventive health care and should be made available to millions of women in the United States without a co-pay. This is a huge step forward for health care and women’s rights, made possible by Planned Parenthood.

Free birth control can limit unwanted pregnancies as well as keep women and children healthy. Now income is not the deciding factor if a woman has access to the type of birth control, and can consistently use, which works best for them.

For the next 60 days, the HHS is accepting public commentary. According to Planned Parenthood, HHS is receiving “comments on proposals to exempt certain religious employers, which could lead to some women losing access to this vital protection. ” If you care about this issue, please send HHS a message showing your support. Planned Parenthood has a prewritten letter sample.

Below is the full report:

Huge, wonderful, important news: Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will require all new insurance plans to cover birth control without co-pays under the new health reform law.

This is one of the biggest victories for women’s health in a generation — and you helped make it happen. It took years for us to get to this point, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, Esther, for your commitment, your voice, and your steadfast support.

It’s a sweet victory, but we need your help with one more thing. For the next 60 days, HHS is accepting public comments on their ruling, as well as a proposal that would allow some religious employers to deny women access to this vital health care service. Can you take just a moment to post a comment? Tell them that you whole-heartedly support no-co-pay birth control and that all women, regardless of their employer or insurer, should have access to birth control if they want or need it.

By recognizing that birth control is an essential part of preventive health care, this HHS ruling will give countless women access to affordable birth control. That’s why we need to speak up one more time and make sure HHS knows how important this decision is to you, your friends, and your community.

It means fewer unintended pregnancies. It means more college students and young women can control their health and plan their families. It means a woman suffering from endometriosis could get the care she needs — saving her from chronic pain and potential infertility.

In the coming weeks, we can be sure that anti-choice and anti-family-planning groups are going to do everything they can to prevent women from getting access to more affordable birth control. And I have no doubt that their allies in Congress will try to turn back the clock on women’s health once more — it’s what they do. I know that I’ll need to count on you to stand with us against these attacks, and you can get started by sending your comment to HHS today.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Planned Parenthood and the women, men, and teens who rely on us — and for helping make victories like this possible.

Sincerely,

Cecile Richards, President
Planned Parenthood Federation of America

The next student leader to be interviewed is….

Jake Weiner ’13! Did you know he is the incoming president of the Brandeis Democrats, affectionately called the Brandeis Dems? How’d you guess?

In the spirit of opening dialogue as to what various clubs’ roles are on campus and to preview what these groups have planned for 2011-2012, I’m going to be asking student leaders to participate in online interviews, to be posted here.

If you would like to be interviewed or have a suggestion of someone you think is worth interviewing, let us know and we will try to make your dreams come true!

What would YOU like to know from the president of the Brandeis Democrats? It can be anything from when Jake first figured out he was a Democrat to how he hopes to further bipartisanship on campus.

You have until Wednesday night at midnight to suggest questions or topics to cover! Submissions will be chosen based on relevance and the number of people that suggest similar themes.

Your name will not be attached to the question unless you specify, and you can e-mail questions to czar@innermostparts.org if privacy is an issue.

The text of my interview with Brandeis Hillel President Jessica Goldberg ’13 will be posted at 12 pm today!