Year: 2008

It is obvious to me that Brandeis seeks to destroy Modernism on its campus. In architecture there is the so-called “50 year rule” which says that after 50 years a building will be harshly criticized as unsightly, a monstrosity, etc. Considering that many of Brandeis’ buildings were constructed in the 1950s during what is called the Modernist era, we’re starting to hit the 50 year mark where people strongly dislike the styles of Brandeis’ buildings. Take a look at this map of campus, complete with dates of construction:

I think you’ll find the rule to hold true with your personal preferences. You strongly dislike Massell Quad (1952), Sherman Hall (1959), Goldfarb Library (1965), Rabb Quad (1961) and the oldest parts of the Science Center (1956-1958). However, Usen Castle (1928), the oldest building on campus, is beautiful, and Farber Library (1984), the Mailman House (1972), and Ziv Quad (1980s) aren’t so bad. For me, the 50 Year Rule is a very interesting concept that says a lot about human nature. We like the things from the years around our grandparents’ birth, hate the things from the years around our parents’ birth, and aren’t sure about the things from around the years of our birth.

Nowhere have I seen the 50 Year Rule more clearly expressed on Brandeis Campus than in the Olin-Sang American Civilization Center. One day I arrived at my politics discussion section on the second floor a few minutes early. After I sat down I noticed that one of the ceiling tiles was missing, so I got up and checked it out. I saw the well-known waffle-block ceiling found across campus, but that wasn’t all. To my amazement, I viewed through the hole a beautiful arched frosted glass skylight, the light shining through.

Modernism Revealed

The Light Shines Through

Normally I don’t find connections between my love for Brandeis, architecture, and progressivism, but in this case I do. Progressives don’t believe in erasing the past, we believe in embracing it and fitting it to meet today’s and tomorrow’s needs. Our university sought to hide elements of Modernism, ironically in the effort to modernize classrooms with new lighting, carpet, and “normal” ceilings. Even though progressives may not like the America of the 1950s, that doesn’t mean we see history in black and white, right and wrong, modern and old-fashioned.

(bumped and edited slightly for tone- Sahar)

As Sahar mentioned in the previous post, a grassroots movement has been started to impact the Senator-at-Large election by writing in Noam Shuster in place of backwards reactionaries Andrew Brooks and Justin Sulsky. To this movement I would like to add one of my own: another campaign focused on writing in Kaamila Mohamed for the other at-large seat.

Sahar has already done a great job discussing the horrible job of representation that we have had to suffer through courtesy of Brooks and Sulsky, so I feel no need for any further comment in that direction. Instead, I would like to focus on Kaamila’s stellar record of service as this year’s North Quad Senator and the reasons why I feel she embodies the progressive change we need at Brandeis. A quick look at Kaamila’s project reports, available here, reveals an incredible dedication and consistency in a progressive direction. Among the clearest examples of this are:

• “I worked with Mike Kerns this week on a resolution asking for a committee to assure transparency in this university’s financial investments.”
• “I have been attending the weekly Social Justice Committee meetings. We’ve been working on gender-neutral housing (plans for a forum on this topic in the works) and hope to provide mini-grants for social justice projects.”
• “I have been in touch with the Brandeis Labor Coalition about restarting work on the sweatshop free clothing initiative.”

This is just a small sampling of the incredible diversity of projects Kaamila has been involved with; feel free to examine her record for yourself. Compare this with Justin Sulsky and Andrew Brooks’ horrible records (I know I said I wouldn’t, but I just can’t help it!):

• Authoring and co-sponsoring the infamously divisive and unsuccessful Israel 60th birthday resolution.
• Authoring and being the only two senators to vote for the ridiculously partisan American flag resolution. (correction – only Sulsky authored this resolution)
• Doing absolutely nothing about almost every key progressive issue like endowment transparency and gender neutral housing (at least, to judge by their project reports).

Kaamila has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is one of the hardest working and most dedicated individuals on this campus, and I can’t imagine anyone who would have a better chance to take one of these seats. I don’t know Noam as well, but I worked with her briefly on a theater project last semester, and I am convinced that she has the drive and work ethic necessary to be a vast improvement over both Sulsky and Brooks. I strongly encourage everyone to vote for both of these candidates; it will take only 10% of the vote excluding abstentions to earn them a spot on the final round ballot. If we pull together as an activist community and support both Noam and Kaamila with our votes and our word-of-mouth, we can do something unprecedented and replace two ineffective and seemingly uncontested candidates with clear examples of the type of progressive activist on which the Innermost Parts community thrives.

Facebook: Write in Kaamila Mohamed for Senator-at-Large, Vote Noam Shuster

Update: The 10% threshold for final round ballot access means that every vote for Kaamila or Noam counts the same as 9 votes for Justin and Andrew. Therefore, every vote makes an enormous difference and gets us much closer to our goal. Please, PLEASE make sure you not only vote before midnight tonight but you tell ALL of your friends to vote too. Once on the final ballot, Noam and Kaamila can put up posters and use Union resources. This can definitely happen, and it will be a truly great victory for us, but only if we get every single vote possible. Again, make sure you tell everyone who is eligible to write in Kaamila Mohamed and Noam Shuster.

The Globe just did a feature focusing on Sam Vaghar and Seth Werfel, specifically regarding the Millenium Campus Network.

Don’t tell Sam Vaghar that today’s generation is apathetic.

At 21, the Newton North High School graduate and senior at Brandeis University is the executive director of a growing nonprofit organization dedicated to tackling the planet’s major problems. The Millennium Campus Network, which unites organizations from a number of Greater Boston schools, is entirely run by its student members.

Vaghar and Brandeis sophomore Seth Werfel, a New York City native, founded the network last August. The group is preparing for its inaugural Millennium Campus Conference to be held next weekend at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. The event has booked several notable speakers, including former senator John Edwards; R&B artist John Legend; and Ira Magaziner, who was a senior policy adviser to President Bill Clinton.

Holy Crap that’s impressive. (h/t arcblog)

One issue I’m struggling with lately is the idea of campus and off-campus focused activism. Much of my attention is held by the events and initiatives that are focused on campus. Yet there’s a thriving ecosystem of more globally-focused groups as well. We really need to combine these two communities. Among other things, that’s what we founded Innermost Parts to be – a place for progressives of all types – from Positive Foundations, SEA, AHORA, what have you, to all have a place to talk and so forth.

Innermost Parts is maneuvering to reach that third phase in our development where we can really tackle that goal of a more connected community. If you have any suggestions, comments, or even want to be in the know/help out in this effort, contact me at

Feya Hillel an organizer of the Silent Protest, 2010 Senate Candidate (and, in the interest of disclosure, a friend of mine) sent out the following message:

Hey guys,
the 2 ppl running for senator at large this year are the same people that i talked about in the demonstration, denying my Palestinian identity!!
that’s why i decided to add Noam Shuster as write-in candidate!!!

here are the instructions:
go here
http://union.brandeis.edu/elections/SP08-2/atlarge#
scroll down and click “vote now”
pick senator at large again
check the left side of the screen and click “submit new candidate”
add Noam Shuster
you will get a msg saying this candidate is already added, confirm that and vote for her

Andrew Brooks and Justin Sulsky are two dinosaur reactionaries in the Senate. They are the embodiment of those people who “treat Student Union Senate as Mock Government Club”. They are simply self-interested roadblocks to progress. I believe that the two announced candidates – Andrew Brooks and Justin Sulsky, do not represent the values of Brandeis University, especially a commitment to Social Justice. In my mind, they are symbols of the failure of the Student Union Senate to live up to its purpose and full potential; I heartily endorse Noam Shuster as a write-in candidate for Senator at Large.

Andrew Brooks will always be remembered (by me, if no one else) as the man who stuck the metaphorical shiv into Kamarin Lee, and bizzarely called Kamarin a racist for being offended by someone else’s remarks. (update – Andrew claims The Justice misquoted him. I take him at his word)

update: Turns out Lisa Hananiya sent out that message accidentally from Feya’s account.

update x2: Innermost Parts contributor Adam wants me to share the idea of writing in Kaamila Mohamed as the second Senator at Large candidate.

update x3: Struck a few phrases that were too over-the-top, added a few new ones (in italics). I’m sure Andrew and Justin are fine people and I mean no offense to them personally, we just have differing visions as to the role, values, and intended function of the Student Union Senate.

Stop the election!

Voting begins (and ends) today in the primary round of the Spring 2008 Round 2 elections.

Yet, problems in the voting software have rendered the results of the primary suspect.

Observe:

As you can see, one should be able to vote for two candidates for Senate. The software only allows one vote. This is a serious problem. Hopefully they’ll allow a revote one the problem is fixed.

Update: They seem to have fixed the problem now. However, that doesn’t solve the problem of every voter who mistakenly only cast one vote. Since they caught it so early, I doubt that this problem tipped the election, but it’s still not an encouraging sign.

This just in: The Nepalese people overwhelmingly reject the monarchy in their latest elections by voting for … Maoists!

The Maoist government will proceed to dismantle the pillars of Nepal’s feudal structure and will take recourse to radical economic and political reforms based on distributive justice and egalitarian principles. That is bound to catch the attention of impoverished Indians in the sub-Himalayan belt sooner or later. The Indian states (provinces) bordering Nepal are notorious for their misgovernance.

More details:

The South Asian political landscape will never be the same again following the Maoist victory march in Nepal’s elections to a new 601-seat constituent Assembly last Thursday. It may take several days before the election results are fully known, but available trends indicate that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is surging ahead. By Monday, the Maoists had secured 89 of the total declared 162 seats for which results were declared.

So the Nepalese people voted for equality, democracy, and an end to the fuedal state in the most direct way they could – voting for the Maoists. Now, before people start red-baiting, remember that the CPN(Maoist) will only be one party in a multi-party parliamentary democracy. We’re likely not going to see “Cultural Revolution” or Stalinist brutality. What Nepal probably will experience is a more socialist, economically egalitarian state.

This is a great blow for freedom and against dictatorship, at least so far. The CIA better not mess this up.

I’m sure we have some international students here at Brandeis from Nepal. What’s their take?

Continue reading “News from Nepal – Democracy on the march!”

While we’re on the topic of kudos to Jehuda, I’d like to thank the Administration for, among other things, refusing to take huge bribes to force Ayn Rand down our throats. CEO’s are trying push their free-market ideology,

Ayn Rand’s novels of headstrong entrepreneurs’ battles against convention enjoy a devoted following in business circles. While academia has failed to embrace Rand, calling her philosophy simplistic, schools have agreed to teach her works in exchange for a donation.

but

Scholars scoff at the Rand bounty, saying her ideas are too shallow to build courses around her.

“Rand could not write her way out of a paper bag,” said Harold Bloom, a professor of the humanities and English at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Bloom, 77, is the author of ``The Western Canon: The Books and School of the Ages’‘ (Harcourt, 1994), an examination of the most important works in Western literature. Rand isn’t on the list.

So thanks to Jehuda and everyone else for refusing to compromise Brandeis’ integrity and reputation by rejecting tainted corporate money. If only they would protect the Brandeis name/brand in other areas as well.

Happy thought: It is possible to be such a spectacular and cringe-worthy Bush-party loyalist that no one will hire you.

Quick notes from the address-

4:22 – There are lakes formingin the sheets of ice on Greenland. The melted water also flows to  the  bottom on the ice sheets, lubricatingthe ice sheets and carrying them ever so swiftly to the sea.

4:25 – Whyisthe world angryat us? “Most of the CO2 is Red White Blue”

4:26- ‘You can’t preach temperance from the bar stool.” Re- Our attitude to India and China

4:27- “The Amazon is the lungs of the plan et.”

4:30 – Touts the Energy Bill’s improvement of CAFE standards. 35 mpgs by 2020.   The same  energy bill that  gravel scorned as too weak, by the way. Markey talks about Toyota, GM,   etc  fighting it. Talks about   how youth are pushing congress and  are ‘the future”

ed – It’s good that markey acknowledges that the energy bill was weak. It’s also good that he pushes thee idea that we have to pass a cap and trade program before we have the credibility to  tell india and china what to do.

4:39 – Apparently now we are “The Green Generation”

4:40- Tells the walmart CF lightbulb story.

4:43 – Markey’s challenge – Find a product or company that wastes power (ex. cell phones can be more energy efficient, etc) and start a publicity campaign to hold these  companies accountable.

4:45- The old apollo program analogy

I’m in Rappaporte Treasure hall right now for the Ed Markey address.

President Jehuda Reinhartz  just said, “The sight of a water bottle makes my blood boil.” He just pledged to eliminate all water bottles on campus. Congrats to SEA for making this happen.

The Hill reports that congressional Republicans have conceded the FISA fight to the Democrats. Looks like the good guys won this time:

House Republicans are poised to shift their focus from national security to the economy, hoping to rally opposition to what they claim are Democratic plans to raise taxes amid the economic downturn.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is expected to announce Thursday that the House GOP floor emphasis will transition away from passing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and earmark reform to “stop the tax hike.”

House Republican leaders will make their case to pass a tax bill introduced by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.).
Republicans will use procedural floor tactics to force votes on Walberg’s bill, which would make the 2001 tax cuts permanent.
The measure has 125 co-sponsors, none of whom are Democrats.

So, the Republicans folded, and it looks like this section of the Constitution will live another day. The Fourth Amendment lives!

Or does it?

Turns out the Justice Department has been working under the rules set by a UC Berkeley professor, John Yoo, which contains this startling passage:

Our office recently concluded that the Fourth Amendment had no application to domestic military operations.

And, with us being in “the war on terror”, as far as the “Justice Department” is concerned, the constitutional need for a warrant is an example of a “pre-9/11 mindset”. After all, 9/11 CHANGED EVERYTHING. The Justice Department still cannot deny that it’s operating under these rules.

Continue reading “A blow for freedom, a blow to freedom”

Ben takes issue at the list of grievances at today’s demonstration:

I’m not sure I get it. It seems like they’re linking too many unrelated things together. There’s just no coherence to this set of grievances, as far as I can tell (not that some of the things mentioned are not legitimate concerns in and of themselves).

For reference, the event opposed the circumstances surrounding the events of the ‘incidents’ regarding:

the removal of Palestinian Art, Nadia Kim, Gravity Magazine, Jimmy Carter, Donald Hindley and Mamoon Darwish

I don’t know enough about the Gravity or Nadia Kim cases to make a judgement. So, putting those aside, we’re left with the removal of Palestinian Art, Jimmy Carter, Donald Hindley, and Mamoon Darwish.

These cases are absolutely connected. They are connected by their relationship with the Israel-Arab conflict, and the tension it creates on campus.

As I’ve written previously,

Brandeis is funded by rich right-wing Jews and rich left-wing Jews. The administration doesn’t want to offend the right-wingers, so it tends to do these outrageous things. Or at least, that’s the theory that I’m operating on.

Carter was invited by lefty professor. Brandeis first tried to un-invite him, realized that they couldn’t do that, then they invited Dershowitz to Brandeis as well and tried to set up a debate between Carter and Dershowitz, which Carter refused. The injustice? Administration trying to humiliate Carter, and trying to change the rules of the game after he accepted an invitation.

Palestinian Art Removal – Speaks for itself, really, though I will point out that no one owned up to the responsibility of decreeing that it must be moved. (Or else Jehuda did, I’m a bit unclear on the details)

Hindley is famous for being outspokenly opposed to these sorts of decisions (but also the Reinhartzs personally, I’m told). Many interpreted the “Hindley case” as Brandeis’ revenge.

Mamoon is a self-identified Palestinian.

Universities shouldn’t have a foreign policy, but it seems that Brandeis does, which creates tension.

I think one must concede that it is plausible that many, if not most, of these ‘outrages’ here on campus can be viewed through that lens by students. Regardless of my personal affiliations or beliefs, I think that these students are rational when they view these incidents as both injustices and emblematic/connected to a larger problem.
_______
Of course, I have a much more brief rejoinder to Ben: All these incidents feature the university not living up to its own rules. *

*Except for maybe Gravity and Nadia Kim. Again, I’m not too familiar with these issues so I don’t want to make any sweeping statements.

Furthermore, it would be wise of me to point out that the demonstration is geared towards influencing student attitudes and actions at least as much as it has the administration as an audience.

_________

I expect some people to disagree with me on this analysis. Cool. I fully expect that I might be wrong sometimes. Who is the bigger fool, the man who stays silent, fearing to be wrong, or the man who opens his mouth, makes mistakes, and comes out the wiser for the lesson? More on this in the letter from the editor.

A note:

You may disagree with our analysis of the happenings here on campus. That’s fine. We often disagree between ourselves.

The contributors to Innermost Parts and I write this, and everything else, in the spirit of trying to figure out what is going on, and appreciate your feedback, rebuttals, and responses. Please understand that our writings are grounded in that spirit of academic inquiry and conversation, and behave accordingly.

Exciting event today. Everyone must go:

This is not a protest.
This is not a protest.
This is NOT a protest.
This is a demonstration,
a demonstration expressing general concern in the campus community.
The reason for concern has become commonplace, routine, boring, and just straight old news.
Despite our community’s collective wisdom and diverse acumen, our method of handling emotionally stressful episodes on campus–often evoking sentiments surrounding sensitive identity categories– has been generally conflated with our way of doing homework: start thinking about it; procrastinate; look at it again because you got stressed out and nervous; have a grieving pow wow with some friends about it; procrastinate; repeat…

This cycle ends as the wounded graduate off or when another episode starts the cycle starting over.

Enough concerned people–disciplined, empathetic, and determined–can strike a chord of dissent that will reverberate across campus community lines, raising this conversation urgency to level orange. And hopefully, these new vibes will begin opening a space for the conversations that will prevent future art exhibits, Walaa part I’s, Gravity sanctions, Nadia Kim’s, Don Hindley’s, Mod 22: Walaa the sequel’s, and Mamoon’s to exist.

Here will be links to things youll want to know about…

THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
come at 5:45 to Shapiro Campus Center, bring paper plates (to make face masks) with you and be silent… THIS IS NOT A PROTEST, this is demonstration.
-=-=-=–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Knowledge Advancing Social Justice. For many students, these words are part of what
brought us to this school in the first place. However, as in all human institutions,
Brandeis itself suffers from imperfection, even in practicing the very ideals upon which
it was founded.

The demonstration today is in regards an ongoing situation at Brandeis University. We are
asking the student body to carefully consider these things?the removal of Palestinian
Art, Nadia Kim, Gravity Magazine, Jimmy Carter, Donald Hindley and Mamoon Darwish?and
consider the implications of the way the Administration and the student body has
responded. If one student?s rights can be so openly violated, if Professor?s rights are
so blatantly disregarded at an institution devoted to justice and human rights, then how
safe are your own rights?

In the past, the response of the Brandeis community has been to divide these issues and
argue over who is right and who is wrong. We are here today to show that these things are all pieces of the same puzzle. We demand that the university unite on all levels in dialogue about these issues. We demand that the administration foster the construction of a community based truth and justice rather than the destruction of the community through fear and dishonesty. We demand that the community hold the university responsible for due process and public justice. We demand that people do not stand aside, but instead stand together.

Great Lawn
5 pm-discourse and preparation
6 pm-Silent demonstration of solidarity and presentation of demands
11 pm-Reconvene in the SCC for an open discussion
All members of the Brandeis community are asked to attend

(emphasis mine)

It’s a very powerful insight to realize that all the controversy, outrages, etc are all linked. More on that later. This event has the potential for greatness. I know I’ll be there. Will you?

I was pleased to read the headline of the latest Justice Editorial, “Transparency is essential for our Union to function”

Too bad, then, that the editorial focuses wholly on the process of releasing election results. The Justice could have gone much farther than this weak issue.

We need to know about how the F-Board allocates money. We need to know how they come up with their decisions, certainly, but also be able to see how they handle conflicts of interest. Campus rumors have it that only Jordan Rothman ever recused himself from F-Board rulings. True or not, they breed distrust on campus. This F-Board secrecy has, at the very least, brought about the appearance of impropriety, which is prohibited by any serious ethics rules.

But issues relating to transparency goes way beyond F-Board. The Student Union Senate and E-Board proper are in no way in the clear. The Senate has a discretionary fund of $2,462.23. Rumors have it that the discretionary funding is used as a slush fund for the Senate. We can’t check how our money is being spent, so the Senate labors under the impression of improprietary conduct. Tut-tutting over an apathetic student body is merely blaming the victim.

This was a first step by The Justice, but the need for transparency on campus, or even in the Student Union, is way more sweeping.

Spring elections are coming soon – next Tuesday, April 15.

Lev Hirschhorn and I are running on an activist platform for Class of 2011 Senators. I strongly encourage everyone here at Innermost Parts to vote for us, if you can. Please check out our website at either my or Lev’s UNET space for more information. Also, join our facebook group and invite all our friends! We need all the help we can get, as this is going to be a close race.

To learn more about our campaign, check the blurb (snatched right from what I wrote for the facebook group) below the fold…
Continue reading “Brandeis Senate Elections coming soon!”

So apparently yesterday there was a both a “State of Student Finance Address” and “Has the sun set on your rights” discussion.

I wouldn’t have known about the former except that my roommate was specially invited, and I didn’t hear about the latter until I was invited to it on facebook, about an hour before it started.

For ‘serious’, Student-Union run events, I’d expect there to be more advance warning / publicity. Or have I been living under a hole for the past few days?

You may now refer to me as Sahar Massachi, friend of Mike Gravel.

More news at 11. And by 11 I mean after I get a good night’s sleep.

edit– Granted, it didn’t go quite as I’d hoped. I really wanted to hear his critique of the American Empire and Military/Industrial complex. Instead I ended up as the vehicle through which he vented his frustration with the Democratic Party. Well, I didn’t wilt under all that; I’m still alive, I got to ask one of my many questions, and we bonded after the official lecture. All in all, a success.

If you aren’t subscribed to the Global Brandeis mailing list, you should be.

One email a week, talking about speakers on campus, events, deadlines, everything. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Brandeis is about to experience a festival bonanza.

Right now we’ve just started EarthFest 2008, which IP has previously covered.

That runs from Sunday April 6 to Wednesday April 16th.

Sunday, April 6th

Film Screening

Sunday, April 6th

Charles River Clean-Up

Wednesday, April 9th

Focus Brandeis

Thursday, April 10th

Green Jobs Forum

Friday, April 11th

Eco Shabbat

Sunday, April 13th

Congressman Edward Markey on Environmental Entrepreneurship

Tuesday, April 15th

Waste-Free Picnic

Wednesday, April 16th

Ross Gelbspan on Journalism, Activism and Climate Change

Starting this Wednesday April 9, and running ’till Sunday April 13, we also have the pleasure of experiencing the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts.

It’s going to be epic – so much stuff going on I can’t even summarize.

Full schedule here

Forty years ago yesterday, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was shot and killed while he was in Memphis Tennessee supporting unionized sanitation workers.

I wanted to say something special yesterday. Something poignant and insightful about the man. No flash of brilliance came to me, so I said nothing.

Yet what worse way is there to honor a man than saying nothing? Dr. King was a radical, a peace marcher before it was popular. He was a man that fought for the end of America’s caste system, be it through class, race, or other stratifications. Dr. King faced an unyieldingly and illegally hostile FBI, an establishment that divorced him after he spoke out against Vietnam, an America that refused to listen when he argued that Northern institutional racism was seperate, but equal to Southern racism.

In his day, the establishment considered King a dangerous troublemaker. He was harassed by the FBI and vilified in the media. He began his activism in Montgomery, Alabama, as a crusader against the nation’s racial caste system, but the struggle for civil rights radicalized him into a fighter for broader economic and social justice. He recognized the limits of breaking down legal segregation. What good was winning the right to eat at a dime-store lunch counter if you couldn’t afford a hamburger and a Coke? (link)

I don’t have much interesting to say, but others do, and did.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gigsZH5HlJA[/youtube]
RFK, for one.

My favorite two articles yesterday – Dr. King, forgotten radical & The Other Side of the Mountaintop

Dr. King said this:

“The Southern aristocracy took the world and gave the poor white man Jim Crow,” King lectured from the Alabama Capitol steps, following the 1965 march on Selma. “And when his wrinkled stomach cried out for the food that his empty pockets could not provide, he ate Jim Crow, a psychological bird that told him that no matter how bad off he was, at least he was a white man, better than a black man.”

40 years later, compare to this:

Just as black anger often proved counterproductive, so have these white resentments distracted attention from the real culprits of the middle class squeeze – a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many. And yet, to wish away the resentments of white Americans, to label them as misguided or even racist, without recognizing they are grounded in legitimate concerns – this too widens the racial divide, and blocks the path to understanding.

He just donated money to the Republican party. He’s not a hero, ok?

Eagle Cam!

Update – Go to Springfest tomorrow:

Student Events and WBRS 100.1 FM proudly present Springfest 2008, featuring live music by…

The Pietasters
Minus the Bear
Jedi Mind Tricks
and special guests, STATE RADIO!

Join us for an afternoon of  *FREE* food, beer (for 21+ with ID,) activities, sunshine and live music.
When: Sunday, April 6th from 1-6pm
Where: The Great Lawn
*rain location: Levin Ballroom

Filed in the Department of Things that I am proud of:

Primary Election Results:

Reported on Innermost Parts – March 31
Reported in The Justice – April 1
Reported in The Hoot – April 4

Final Election Results:

Reported on Innermost Parts – April 2
Reported in The Justice – Not Yet April 2?
Reported in The Hoot – April 4

You better be there. It will be epic.
Tuesday April 7, 9pm to midnight

The Vice President’s race was closer than people realize. The official tally had Mike Kerns up by about 75 votes. What the official tally doesn’t tell you, however, is how much more of a tight race it would have been if Mike did not deploy his secret weapons:

 

Democracy for America, having previously endorsed Mike, worked throughout the night to get out the vote. DFA estimates that it persuaded upwards of 34 students who were either planning to sit the election out or were undecided to vote for Mike. That’s 34 confirmed new votes for Mike, and 34 is a conservative estimate.

Democracy for America was a significant factor in Mike’s success. DFA: We Get Shit Done.

Update- Mike responds: 

There is no question in my mind that DFA-as an organization and as the members who comprise it-determined the outcome of my election.

Full letter under the fold…

Continue reading “Kerns’ secret weapon”

That is the point, isn’t it? We — the activists, the bloggers, the ones who spent hours upon hours at caucuses, who donated money we couldn’t afford — we’ve become so personally invested in the outcome of this race. And it is personal. I’m a woman who, for the first time, could actually see a woman in the White House. You’re damn right it’s personal.

But I also know that when I went to my caucus in February, and I watched two very old black men sitting together, smiling, beaming, I choked up because I imagined — and could appreciate — they probably felt the way I did.

linky linky

Like Phil, I was contacted by the Brandeis Hoot, who asked me some questions on Mike Gravel. Here’s what I wrote back (rather in a hurry, I might add):

1. What do you think of Mike Gravel coming to Brandeis? Should students go to hear him speak?

Mike Gravel is an important historical figure and took principled and brave stands in the Nixon years. I applaud his patriotism and his fight against the imperial presidency in those years. I hope every
Brandeis student will take the time to see him.
Continue reading “More thoughts about Mike Gravel”

Victory for progressives tonight, folks. Mike Kerns wins the race for VP! And fellow InVEST sponsored candidate Jason Gray wins as well. Here are the full results:
PRESIDENT
Jason Gray

VICE PRESIDENT
Michael Kerns

MEMBER OF THE FINANCE BOARD
Yuki Hasegawa
Emily E. Moignard
Julian Olidort
Jahfree Lemuel Bandele Duncan

Recently I wrote a comment here at Innermost Parts about Mike Gravel’s upcoming visit to Brandeis, saying that I am excited for him to come but that I’m disappointed he left the Democratic Party for the Libertarians.

A writer from the Brandeis Hoot contacted me about the comment and had two questions:

1. What do you think of Mike Gravel coming to Brandeis? Are you going
to hear him speak? If yes, why?

2. Also, you mentioned in your post that you were disappointed in
Gravel‘s switch to the Libertarian party, could you elaborate further
on this?

I thought I’d share my responses with you, and ask for your opinions on the former Senator. The following was my reply Continue reading “Thoughts on Mike Gravel”

Vote.
In such a small campus, every vote really does count. We here at InnermostParts.org strongly suggest voting Mike Kerns for Vice-President. A strong advocate of endowment transparency here at Brandeis University, Mike is the chair of the Social Justice committee on the Student Union, the guy bringing us bikes for cheap rental next semester, gender-neutral housing, and other goodies. Mike is a genuinely good guy, a former Democracy for America organizer, and a big proponent of Social Justice.

Mike’s opponent, Jordan Rothman, is also a genuinely nice guy. Jordan is also a strong proponent of transparency at the Brandeis student union. However, Mike has a clear history of active, positive, progressive change both Brandeis and New York City.

I, Sahar Massachi, am also running for office; if you elect me to F-Board, Continue reading “Voting today…”

Besides voting, things you should do today:

1.Locally Grown Food Banquet: 6:30-8:30pm, Sherman. More info on facebook.

2. In Mixed Company, hosted by the Mixed Herie Club.

“In Mixed Company” is a collection of performing arts pieces centered on the mixed herie experience. The event features poetry, monologues, and a short play.

10:00pm-11:00pm, Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

More info on facebook. Don’t miss it!

It’s coming down to:

Executive Board 

President: Jason Gray vs Justin Kang
Vice President:Mike Kerns vs Jordan Rothman
Treasurer: Max Wallach wins.
Secretary: Tia Chatterjee wins.

Finance Board:

Yuki Hasegawa vs  Emily E. Moignard vs Julian Olidort vs Jahfree Lemuel Bandele Duncan vs  Nicole Cordero vs   Sara I. Enan vs  Devora Rotter vs Sahar Massachi

On a personal note, thanks to everyone who voted for me. We’ll continue to press this campaign until the final round of elections: Tuesday April 1

Other results: 

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jonathan A. Kane

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Sarah A. Bernes

JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Michelle S. Barras

SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Julia S. Simon-Mishel

Brandeis Students Against War are hosting a planning meeting to discuss the upcoming “picnic for peace”, action against Raytheon, and other ideas.

Where:  Upper Usdan
When: Sunday, March 30, 11:00am

And soon. April 6th.

edit: He is being brought by Students for a Democratic Society, I believe. -Loki

Event tomorrow (Saturday). Watch The Corporation. What is this film about?

The film charts the development of the corporation as a legal entity from its origins as an institution chartered by governments to carry out specific public functions, to the rise of the vast modern institutions entitled to some of the legal rights of a person. One central theme of the documentary is an attempt to assess the “personality” of the corporate “person” by using diagnostic criteria from the DSM-IV; Robert Hare, a University of British Columbia Psychology Professor and FBI consultant, compares the modern, profit-driven corporation to that of a clinically diagnosed psychopath. The film focuses mostly on the corporation in North America, especially in the United States.

facebook event here.

Where: The Airplane Lounge in East
When: Saturday, 6-10pm.

Rumor has it that there will be pizza.

If this is succesful, hopefully the idea of community movie screenings will catch on.

I get email:

Professional Activism Workshop:

This Friday the 28th at 7pm in the ICC the Muslim Students association
will be holding a professional activism workshop covering the topic:
“Pursuing social justice in the work environment”

Here’s a question: Student Union races have the first round of voting this weekend, March 30. What races are you most interested in? Who are you rooting for?

Personally, I’m very torn between Jason Gray and Justin Kang. And of course I’m excited about my own candidacy. Sahar Massachi for F-Board!

SEA is sponsoring something they call EarthFest (like an Earth Week, only slightly longer).

Check this out:

Sunday, April 13th – Panel of Speakers, Congressman Markey, 4-6:30 P.M.
A panel preceded by Congressman Edward Markey, chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, will speak and then be followed after refreshments by a panel discussing the profitability of the green revolution. This panel will feature Mr. Steven Strong, President and Founder of Solar Design Associates, who will discuss his projects at the UN and the White House and Dr. Mark Rentschler, Director of Institutional Greening Programs for the NGO Green Seal.

Sunday, April 13th – Senator John Kerry, Noon-2 P.M.
Senator John Kerry will discuss his experiences with environmental and sustainability
legislation in the United States Senate.

Full EarthFest schedule under the fold…

(hat tip to ARCblog)

Continue reading “The Congressmen are coming!”

In one of the three copies I was handed today, I noticed that the Iraq War event made the cover of one of my three favorite campus newspapers, the Blowfish. In the spirit of crappy reporting, I don’t have the headline with me. However, it pointed out that, despite our best efforts, we did not stop the war in Iraq.

I do not mean to sound bitter, and I do think it was a funny and useful article the Blowfish wrote. Useful in that it forces us (or, forced me, anyway) to continue thinking about the meaning of protests and demonstrative activism. What, exactly, were we trying to accomplish last week?

I don’t think we intended to stop the war, and I don’t think the Blowfish seriously believes this. But we must take their joking point seriously: what, then, was the point of the signs, the chants, the speeches and the march?

I heard talk of consciousness, of reminding people there is still a war going on. I find it unlikely that we surprised many people with our opinion, per se, (College Students in Northeast Oppose War! could have been another Blowfish headline), but maybe we surprised people by the energy we were able to muster around the issue, half a decade (one quarter of my life!!) later. Again though, I think it’s quite clear that this alone would be grossly insufficient. If we’re going to provoke people and accuse them of sitting on “the apathy couch,” we must be quite considerate of not winding up on an analogous soapbox of self-righteous complacency.

And, I should add, I do not think we are. The letters we send to influential swing senators, and the money we raise for VoteVets and the goodwill offerings for U.S. soldiers, are the actions that I hope speak louder than the (rhyming) words of chants. But from even before the event, many people realized the most important use of the demonstration was for momentum: a protest and a march are fun and note-worthy, but they are not enough, and we must live up to our own ideals.