Category: Uncategorized

So, in the spirit of my series on games which encourage social justice, I decided to share another game I just discovered: it’s called You Shall Know the Truth.

Released way back in February, You Shall Know the Truth is the third game in the Wikileaks Stories series, the first two being Leaky World and Wikileakers. All three are political commentary inspired by the controversial site WikiLeaks. (For a basic summary of WikiLeaks’ history, check out its Wikipedia page).

You Shall Know the Truth is better than the previous two because it acutally shows you classified information that WikiLeaks has released, rather than simply simulating the experience of leaking data in the form of action/adventure games.

A combination point and click and hidden object game, you are a government agent and have a limited amount of time to look through a suspected “terrorist’s,” or WikiLeaker’s, apartment. Each piece of data you click on can either give you useful information or be entirely irrelevant. Also featured are clips of Obama and other politicians speaking.

I don’t want to spoil the game for you, but perhaps the most interesting part is the ending. Demonstrating that the game cares just as much about making a statement as it does about entertaining, if you click certain options at the end, your browser will not let you reload the game again, rendering you incapable of playing again and choosing different choices.

Bill Clinton recently gave a speech at the 7th annual Campus Progress National Conference in D.C., in which he touched upon issues of voter disenfranchisement and Jim Crow discrimination. Watch the clip here.

Clinton was speaking in reference to proposed legislation in New Hampshire which would bar out-of-state college students, among others, from registering to vote in the states in which they attend school, and would require registered voters to bring state-issued ID with them to the polls.

While wanting to make elections more fair and safe (i.e. ensuring that a state’s votes are truly the opinion of the registered voters of that state) is a good ambition, I’ve got to agree with Clinton on this one. No matter the intention behind these bills, the only substantial effects they will have is to keep racial minorities and youth away from the polls. How does that help democracy?

I recently wrote about the Scott sisters' speech at the 47th Annual Mississippi Civil Rights Martyr’s Memorial Service, Conference and Caravan, which I was fortunate enough to attend.

Glady and Jamie Scott, along with their mother, Evelyn Rasco, each spoke about their unfair conviction and perpetual struggle with the law since then. Jamie spoke the most passionately, expressing her belief that law enforcement is still racist, at least in Mississippi. "Slavery isn't over, it's called the law," she announced.

The racial politics of the criminal justice system definitely need to be addressed. Furthermore, Jamie touched upon how terrible our prisons are when she spoke about how miserable she had been. She and her sister "contemplated suicide every day" of the 16 years they served of their prison sentence, which was originally set as a life term, she said.

The National Center on Institutions and Alternative published a report on Prison Suicide: An Overview and Guide to Prevention, in 1995. One of their findings was that,

Suicide ranks third, behind natural causes and AIDS, as the leading cause of death in prison.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics published a Special Report, revised as of October 2010, in which they backed up these claims, reporting that

After adjusting for differences associated with the age, sex, race, and Hispanic origin, suicide was the only cause of death that occurred at a higher rate in local jails than in the U.S. general population.

Continue reading “Prisons: Figure Out a Better System”

The Jackson Free Press published an article covering Mississippi laws passed this year which have come into effect as of July 1st.

House Bill 196, first introduced by Representative Brandon Jones, and signed by the Governor in March, stands out in particular. This law enables judges to require defendants on trial for charges involving domestic violence/abuse wear electronic GPS tracking devices as a condition of their release on bond.

Their alleged victims would in turn be offered the use of electronic devices which would alert them if the defendant moves within a pre-determined distance of their home or other locations the judge has ordered them to refrain from entering.

Now, while this is potentially an invasion of privacy and encroachment on defendants’ freedom, I think the safety of the alleged victim outweighs these other concerns. The law includes convincing language about why it is necessary.

“In determining whether to order a defendant’s participation in a global positioning monitoring system under this section, the court shall consider the likelihood that the defendant’s participation will deter the defendant from seeking to kill, physically injure, stalk, or otherwise threaten the alleged victim before trial.

However, the part of the law that I do not agree with is the following: the defendant is required to pay for the tracking device and the electronic monitor, rather than the government. Continue reading “JBS Mississippi #3: New DV State Law Unconstitutional”

From Brandeis Hillel’s Support page.

Pay attention to the circled text (the rest is a screenshot and not altered)— send a student to work in Central America?

Really now, Hillel? I know Brandeis is overcrowded, and there is a scarcity of food on campus over spring break, but is this the best solution we can come up with? Can’t we at least give them a choice?

Sign this petition to fight deportation across America.

New York is poised to join the ranks of: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington D.C.

The New York State Senate just passed the gay marriage bill with a vote of 33-29, meaning gay marriage will soon be a reality for New Yorkers!

Now all that remains is for Gov. Cuomo, who came out in support of gay marriage while campaigning last fall, to sign the bill. 30 days after he signs, the bill will become law.

As Politico, one of the first news sources to report the results, stated: “The senate bill’s sponsor, openly gay Democrat Tom Duane, introduced the legislation with a tearful speech detailing his life from when he came out to his Catholic parents as a teen to his adult life fighting for gay rights and his partner.”

We here at InnermostParts commend this action. This is just one step on the road to equality and Civil Rights for all!

Read more of the Politico article here!

This past December I wrote a post about the Scott sisters’ imminent release from prison and the controversial terms that came with it.

Gladys and Jamie Scott, two sisters who have been serving life sentences in jail for 16 years now after their 1994 conviction on charges of armed robbery, are being released on “an indefinite suspension of sentence.”

However, the special condition placed on their release is calling attention from all sides of the political spectrum: Gladys will have to donate a kidney to Jamie, her older sister.

This past Saturday I got to see the Scott sisters and their mother speak live at the 47th Annual Mississippi Civil Rights Martyr’s Memorial Service, Conference and Caravan in Philadelphia, Mississippi. I taped live footage of Gladys speaking, which you can watch on Youtube here.

Although the Scott sisters are now out of jail, they are still fighting for their freedom. Continue reading “Scott Sisters Speak at Memorial Ceremony- footage attached”

Brandeis announced that Professor Susan J. Birren, will be the new Dean of Arts and Sciences today, taking over for Dean Adam Jaffe effective July 1st.

As the Brandeis Hoot reported, “Birren joined the Brandeis faculty as an assistant professor of neurobiology in 1994, having since been tenured and chair of the university’s Committee on Centers and Institutes, under the office of the provost. According to the search committee, all top candidates for dean were current faculty members, but Birren was chosen for her distinguished experience.”

The full text of the e-mail sent out to the Brandeis Community is included below.

Continue reading “Birren Announced New Dean of Arts and Sciences!”

In a victory for human rights advocates everywhere, the New York State Assembly passed the Marriage Equality Bill last night, for the fourth time.

My congressman, Jeffrey Dinowitz, expressed his support of the bill and quoted from it below.

In the bill the legislative intent is stated, in part, as follows:

“Marriage is a fundamental human right. Same-sex couples should have the same access as others to the protections, responsibilities, rights, obligations, and benefits of civil marriage. Stable family relationships help build a stronger society. For the welfare of the community and in fairness to all New Yorkers, this act formally recognizes otherwise-valid marriages without regard to whether the parties are of the same or different sex.

“It is the intent of the legislature that the marriages of same sex and different-sex couples be treated equally in all respects under the law.”

The next step in the bill’s journey will be to the State Senate. According to a New York Times article, as of now, 31 of the 62 State Senators have endorsed the bill, 29 of them Democrats and 2 Republicans, but Republican support is needed in order for it to pass.

Continue reading “NY To Legalize Gay Marriage?”

Our esteemed, still-newly Inaugurated President Fred Lawrence announced that he will be blogging this summer while touring Israel with fellow Brandeis academic and administrative leaders! Check out his blog here!

Just like Innermostparts, Fred’s is a WordPress blog. He writes informatively and conceisely concisely, but the blog is a bit plain in its aesthetics. Here’s some advice we’d like to offer, from someone who’s never designed a blog in her life.

Continue reading “Fred Updates Blog! Some Tips We’d Like to Offer.”

The Interfaith Youth Core published its annual report, with a section featuring the work of Brandeis Interfaith Group’s co-founder, Interfaith Youth Core fellow and intermittent blogger here, sophomore Erica Shaps.

This year, the newly-formed BIG, led by Erica Shaps, Grace Killian, Rawda Aljawhary and Adena Morgan, helped organize “Celebrate Brandeis” in response to the WBC, the “What If? Speak In”, the end of the year “Socks! A BIG Deal” sock drive, and other events on campus.

Follow the Brandeis Interfaith Group’s blog, and if you’re interested in IFYC, started in 2002, check out their website.

An extremely small sample size of the Brandeis community answered the following questions about the Brandeis Department of Public Safety.

Breakdown of results:
1. Has anything ever been stolen from you on the Brandeis campus?

62.5% no
37.5% yes

2. If yes, was the Brandeis University Department of Public Safety helpful in the process of reporting the theft and/or recovering the stolen property?

75% N/A
25% yes
0% No

Other:

-sort of. I goy my money back but they were treating the crook/thief/scammer better than myself

-I didn’t report it

3. If no, do you think the presence and organization of the Brandeis University Department of Public Safety on campus played a role in protecting your property from theft?

66.7% no
33.3% yes
0% other

4. If you could change one thing about the Brandeis University Department of Public Safety what would it be?

Friendlier staff

They ALWAYS leave a car idoling. I’ve discussed it with them and it is on purpose in case of emergencies. What a waste of fuel. They are SO rude. Every time I go in they ignore me for at least 2 minutes and then basically ask what I want.

The chief?

If they were nice

Nothing. They are genuinely a positive force on campus, but not all of their actions can be understood or appreciated by students.

Thanks for the user feedback. What questions would people like to see for the next poll aimed at finding out statistics about members of the Brandeis community? It can be anything from HOW CAN WE PROMOTE DEMOCRACY ON CAMPUS to WHAT DO YOU THINK OF POT SMOKERS ON CAMPUS?

The Metro ran an editorial by Jonathan Alpert entitled “Powerful Philanderers,” reproduced below in its entirety, comparing the news of Schwarzenegger’s illegitimate child with the news of Strass-Kahn’s alleged rape of a maid. I found it offensive and illogical. My reaction appears underneath.

The news of Arnold Schwarzenegger having a love child and of the alleged rape by Dominique Strauss-Kahn has me wondering: Is there a connection between people in positions of power and committing such acts?

People sometimes believe that celebrities, politicians and others in a position of power and influence aren’t susceptible to the same problems that plague the average Joe — when in fact, the famous are not immune from the ills of society. Given certain personality traits and circumstances, they might be even more likely to commit such acts.

Think about the traits that drive someone like the Governator and Dominique Strauss-Kahn to their positions. In the case of politicians, you often have people who are risk-takers, thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies who thrive on the rush and excitement of being the center of attention. The larger-than-life ego, grand sense of entitlement and narcissism that run amok are fertile grounds for trouble. Throw into the mix the strain that being in the political spotlight can have on the marriage and you have trouble waiting to happen.

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the powerful aphrodisiac that comes from being in a high political position or being a celebrity. Stardom is seductive, and people might gravitate towards such figures; they might feel that to be with someone wealthy and successful provides security. In the case of Monica and Bill — and perhaps Arnold’s housekeeper — there was probably a level of attraction based purely on the superstar status. Groupies abound and aren’t limited to just the music scene.

My response, which they chose not to print:

Comparing Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dominique Strauss-Kahn is dangerous territory to begin with (one had a consensual extramarital relationship with someone he had known for many years while the other is awaiting trial on charges of sexual assault for raping a stranger and holding her hostage for several hours).

On top of that, to suggest that these two cases were the result of “the powerful aphrodisiac that comes from being in a high political position” and to say that “Groupies abound” is what really made this article offensive to me.

As a student at Brandeis University who recently completed an internship with a domestic violence transitional living program, I cannot accept treating rape the same as having a consensual affair, and I think for you to suggest that these two news pieces are in any way similar because of their “sex” appeal demonstrates just how misunderstood sex crimes are in our society, and why they keep occurring.

The only way to stop this cycle of violence is to recognize the difference between the cheaters (Schwarzenegger), whose affairs should remain between the people who are married, and the rapists (Strauss-Kahn), whose crimes we must condemn publicly. But we must never blame the victim, as you seem to want to do.

Imagine a public figure sexually assaulting you in your own home, and then being charged with a crime when you try to lodge a complaint against that figure, because you taped the call.

That is the situation that Tiawanda Moore is facing at the moment, after having been the victim of sexual harassment at the hands of a police officer who came to investigate a domestic disturbance call in her house.

According to a Huffington Post article, Moore claims that after the officer took her into her bedroom to interview her privately, he groped her chest and gave her his home phone number. When she tried to report the incident to the Internal Affairs sector of the Chicago Police Department, officials were not helpful and, as her boyfriend says, “discouraged her from filing a report.” So, she did the smart thing, and taped her conversation with the officials. Unfortunately, that’s a crime in her state.

As the article discusses, Massachusetts and Illinois are the only 2 states in the U.S. which have with the strictest privacy laws, making it illegal for anyone to record a conversation with another party is the other party is not aware, a crime usually prosecuted when the party being covertly taped is a police officer.
Continue reading “Woman Faces Jail Time for Taping Her Conversation with Officials”

Hey Brandeis,

If you checked your e-mail before 4:15pm today, you have seen the announcement about the increase in charges for the 2011-2012 academic year. According to Keenyn McFarlane, the Vice President for Enrollment, tuition, room and board, and other fees have been increased by 3.9 %. The “total charges,” which of course depends on your choice of housing and meal plan, is around $53,754.

$53,754. Wow. Brandeis is expensive!

To account for the raise in prices, the financial aid budget has been increased by 10.6% for the academic year. McFarlane says that two-thirds of Brandeis students receive some financial aid.

To help sweeten the deal, McFarlane mentions the $6 million upgrade to technology and the $3 – 3.5 million renovation of the pool.

What do you think? Does the technology upgrade and pool reopening demand such a high increase of tuition and other fees? Is Brandeis offering enough financial aid to everyone?

Whether you have an extensive history with the Brandeis University Department of Public Safety or have never heard of it before, please take this survey!

It will be open until Monday night at 11:59 p.m.

Hey Brandeis,

The 2011 edition of the Global Peace Index just came out! It is an annual study compiled by the Institute of Economics and Peace. The GPI ranks 153 nations measuring the absence or presence of violence in society. The base conclusions on 23 indicators, such as military spending and respect for human rights.

Sadly, this year violence has increased around the world. You can read the rankings here. Or you can check out the full report. Iceland ranked #1, closely followed by New Zealand, Japan, and Denmark and the 4 most peaceful countries in the world. The US ranks #82, Israel is #145, and the least peaceful country in the world is Somalia.

Here are the main findings taken from the GPI report:

– The world is less peaceful for the third straight year
– Due to an increased threat of terrorist attacks in 29 nations
– A greater likelihood of violent demonstrations in 33 countries
– Arab Spring unrest heralds biggest ever change in rankings, Libya tumbles 83 spots
– Iceland bounces back from economic woes to top ranking
– Somalia displaces Iraq as world’s least peaceful nation
– Violence cost the global economy more than $8.12 trillion in 2010
– US peacefulness shows minimal change

Here are a series of words I came across in my reading of Dark Journey by Neil R. McMillen and Local People by John Dittmer, the two books we were assigned to read for my JBS Mississippi program, which made me stop and think and look them up.

***Thanks to Alex for writing in with his definitions, here they are!

1. Bestiality
Having sex with animals, or cruel treatment of others (animal or human)

2. Malapropisms
Common yet incorrect usage of words or phrases

3. Gubernatorial
Relating to a governor

4. Ecumenical
Interfaith or multi-denominational

5. Paucity
A lack or scarcity

6. Beachhead
A beginning, first attempt/achievement

Would anyone enjoy taking a stab at defining them? *We are still open to new definitions if you would like to contribute to this ever-growing dictionary/book club.

During yesterday afternoon’s winning game against the Oakland A’s, the Red Sox announced that they would create an “It Gets Better” video. The Sox will be the third professional sports team to participate in the “It Gets Better” campaign, following the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs. The teams were inspired to make videos by fans, and 12-year-old Sam Maden created a petition to encourage the Sox. Check out the article!

The campaign focuses on telling LGBTQ youth that “It Gets Better”. The project was born when Dan Savage responded to the increasing number suicides, sparked by Billy Lucas. The project consists of over 10,000 youtube video entires from people of all sexual orientations, including celebrities, reaching out to bullied members of the LGBTQ community. I encourage everyone to check out the YouTube Channel, and to listen to the inspiring stories of overcoming bullying and hardship.

I admire the Red Sox for joining the movement to support teenagers struggling with bullying, and to make the critical stance. Susan Goodenow, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing for the Red Sox, declared: “Our team stands for respect and inclusion — there is no place for discrimination or acts of hatred in Red Sox Nation.”

In sad news, famed doctor, politician and civil rights activist Jack Kevorkian died this past Friday from medical complications related to kidney failure and thrombosis. His death leaves the future of the euthanasia movement in unorganized hands. Perhaps selfishly, his death saddens me because I had hoped to bring Kevorkian to speak at Brandeis at some point, as I blogged about in September. Interestingly enough, his life ended in a hospital, where he was unable to take his own life. Whether or not he would have chosen to do so, we will never know.

Kevorkian, a life-long advocate for a person’s right to terminate his life, was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 and sentenced to 10-25 years in prison. In 2007 he was released early on parole due to good behavior, one of the conditions of his parole being that he not practice euthanasia or provide care for anyone who was disabled or over the age of 62. Furthermore, Kevorkian was forbidden from commenting on assisted suicide, a huge curtailment of freedom of speech.

Kevorkian chose to continue to advocate for people’s freedoms while following these restrictions, running to represent Michigan’s 9th Congressional district in 2008 on a campaign which emphasized people’s ability to take their 9th Amendment Constitutional rights into their own hands. He lost the election, but continued to speak at various universities and other centers of learning about what he believed in, in broad strokes.

A brilliant artist, musician, author and speaker, he will be missed.

For more information, read about Kevorkian’s life and death in the New York Times.

Rihanna’s new video, “Man Down,” tells the story of a woman who is raped and then shoots the perpetrator. If I hadn’t watched the video I don’t know that I would have picked up on the message of the seemingly upbeat and catchy tune.

Just another example of popular media being used to promote themes of social justice. What do you think she is trying to say about this contentious topic though? Is the woman Rihanna portrays justified in shooting her attacker? (She doesn’t shoot him right away but rather goes back to her house, takes her gun and then tracks him down, making what could be a clear-cut case of self-defense more complex.)

This reminds me of a Huffingtonpost article I read about Jerome Ersland, a shop-owner who shot and killed a man who was attempting to rob his store. Ersland was put on trial for first-degree murder, with the prosecution alleging that he used undue force, and “went beyond the limits of self-defense,” when he shot 16-year old Antwun Parker in the head, chased away Parker’s accomplice, and then went back and shot Parker 5 more times, killing him. Ersland was convicted and awaits sentencing, in a case that has received a lot of attention. To complicate matters more, Esrland was white and Parker black, bringing the question of race into the equation.

So is Rihanna’s character justified in her killing? Was Ersland in his? How do you differentiate between self-defense and retribution?

Yo Brandeis Listen UP!

The committee to hire the new Head of LTS meets tomorrow. I am on that committee, as the undergraduate representative.

Question for you all:
“As a result of hiring the new head of LTS what will be the fundamental differences at Brandeis one year from now, three years from now, and five years from now?”

Extra bonus question:
“What parts of LTS need to be sustained? What parts need to become better or new things should be created?”

If I get enough answers I will present them to the committee so please spread widely.

Thank you.
-Sahar

So, an extremely small sample size of the Brandeis community answered the following question: If you could change one thing about Brandeis, what would it be?

Breakdown of results:
57.1% said Housing
35.7% said Dining
14.3% said Student government
7.1% said Policy on Greek life
7.1% said Sustainability efforts
7.1% said Other: Make the campus bike- (and wheelchair-)friendly…
0% said Athletics

Thanks for the user feedback. What questions would people like to see for the next poll aimed at finding out statistics about members of the Brandeis community? It can be anything from HAS YOUR STUFF BEEN STOLEN WHILE ON CAMPUS? to WHAT PILLAR OF JUSTICE WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO BRANDEIS?

I read a beautiful post by Noam Sienna a few days ago, and thought I would share it with you. He wrote a touching narrative about his experiences with Muslim friends at Brandeis. He tells it best in his own words, so I encourage you to read it in it’s entirety.

Click here for joy!

Hello Brandeis!

I would like to give my warmest congratulations to Dr. Steve A.N. Goldstein ’78, the next provost of Brandeis University! (He is succeeding Marty Krauss, Ph.D. ’81.)

He is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and director of the Institute of Molecular Pediatric Sciences. He hails from New York City and came to Brandeis in 1974 as an undergraduate. He earned a B.A. and M.A. in biochemistry in 1978, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. In addition, he holds a M.D. and Ph.D. in immunology from Harvard. He returned to Brandeis in 1993 while he completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with biochemistry professor Christopher Miller.

He even met his wife on the Brandeis campus in 1980!

You are all encouraged to welcome Dr. Goldstein by e-mail at Goldstein @brandeis.edu or take up the invitation from President Fred Lawrence to attend a reception on Thursday, June 2, from 3-4 p.m. in the Board of Trustees Room/President’s Garden in the Irving Enclave.

***This survey went up last Thursday and will close this Thursday, June 2nd, at 11:59 p.m. Take it before it’s too late. Consists of just ONE question!***

Want to take part in a survey on how to change/fix/reform Brandeis? It’s just one question!

Look no further: Click here to take survey

Brought to you as the first in a series of surveys which will gather information as to members of the Brandeis communities’ general feelings about things.

We are open to suggestions of more questions you would like to see answered, as well.

I bet lots of people are doing cool things this summer. I would love to hear about them- feel free to link to blogs or journals or sites in the comments section.

The Brandeis JBS: Mississippi program, led by sociology professor David Cunningham, started up on Memorial Day, May 30th, with 11 Brandeis students plus 2 TA’s flying and driving down to Jackson, Mississippi, where we will be staying for the next 8 weeks. We’re still working on a concise summary, but basically we’ll be taking sociology classes and compiling an oral history of the civil rights movement in Missippi Mississippi, in conjunction with the Winter Institute and Mississippi Truth Project.

Yesterday we met the Jackson State University students, staff and faculty we will be teaming up with from the Margaret Walker Center, and had our first real day. We talked about what the terms racial justice and civil rights meant to each of us. A common theme was the subjectivity of the term justice, as well as the struggle to define who it is that has the right to enforce these rights (God, humans, the courts, etc). Does civil rights mean the term only applies to citizens of a particular nation, or should the term be used synonymously with human rights, or natural rights? (as MLKJ wrote)

The term racial justice gave me pause. In my criminal law class this past semester we read Ultimate Punishment and discussed the death penalty. Statistics show that blacks are overwhelmingly more likely to receive the death penalty in capital crimes (when it is an option) in proportion to their white counterparts charged with similar crimes. This indicates that juries are not as colorblind as one would hope.

Many people have cried for a reform in the judicial system to change the way death penalty cases are dealt with, in order to make up for this apparent racism. However, as the author points out, the Court has always maintained a stance as being colorblind, and to require special conditions be implemented to even out these statistics would mean allowing race to enter into the criminal justice system, which would make it unequal. A catch-22.

Racial justice is tricky. Does it entail putting strategies like affirmative action into place, to make up for the centuries of abuse and discrimination minorities have suffered? Or does it means remaining colorblind and treating minorities the same as majorities? I’m in favor of the latter. I think the only way for justice to be served is if everyone is treated equally, even if that means not necessarily making up for wrongs that were done to them.

In the coming weeks we will be interviewing people who lived through the civil rights movement in the South, people on all ends of the spectrum politically, socially, economically and more. Hopefully they will offer new insight into this question. Expect to hear more from me and perhaps some of the other students on the trip in the days to come, and check out Jesse Begelfer’s, blog about her experience!

Oscar Wilde wrote in The Soul of Man Under Socialism,

“The worst slave owners were those who were kind to their slaves.”
“Charity degrades and demoralises.”

I was recently directed to this video after posting an item called “The Gap now accepting…donations?” sometime last week. In the video, which is beautifully animated by RSA, philosopher Slavoj Zizek analyzes the negative repercussions that result from businesses making consumers believe they are doing good by purchasing their goods. In his talk, Zizek quotes from The Soul of Man Under Socialism, which is why I bring it up here.

Zizek’s argument is that people often recognize a problem but then, instead of taking action to change the system which is causing it, they focus on the here and now, contributing a little to make it better at the moment. This fits well with the example of the Gap, as a commenter on the original post intelligently pointed out, since by announcing that they are accepting donations for the Salvation Army, the Gap is helping people assuage their guilt about buying new clothing while others have none, but not doing anything to ensure that people will have clothing in the future, once their campaign is over.

Zizek assumes that people who are donating clothing to the Gap will satisfy their need to help the poor, and so the Gap is diverting their altruistic urges and preventing systemic change from taking place. This is why he quotes Wilde in saying that “The worst slave owners were those who were kind to their slaves,” because by appeasing their anger or others’, the slave owners are prolonging the people’s enslavement, as opposed to a harsh slave owner, who might provoke resistance more readily.

I’ve heard this argument in reference to domestic violence too; spouses who beat their partners so badly they have to go to the hospital are more likely to be broken up with than those who beat their partners on a regular basis but leave smaller, less noticeable bruises whose frequency increases gradually over time. True, the victim in the first example seems more likely to get help and perhaps get out of the relationship, but is there really value in saying that the extreme, more abusive spouse is doing a better thing? By treating someone so badly that he has more incentive to escape you, are you really helping him?

I don’t think so. In my view, the Gap is taking a small step, perhaps not the most direct or most effective, but a step all the same, towards helping people who are too poor to afford clothing. Rather than believing that people who donate their clothes to the Gap will leave feeling self-satisfied since they’ve “done their duty,” making them more apathetic to the cause over all, I think that once people are educated a problem they are more apt to take future action. Someone who never knew about the Salvation Army now knows of a place they can donate clothing, and if they think about it enough, perhaps they will even take steps of their own to deal with the issue of growing poverty in the world.

I’m not sure if the Gap is aiming for widespread systemic change, but I do think that increased awareness is the right direction to go in. The reason people prefer to chip away at a problem rather than tackle it head on is that its easier -not necessarily better- but often more conceivable. Instead of scaring people off by suggesting they take huge action or none at all, I think the Gap has the optimal approach: offering people small opportunities to make a difference. The question is where they will go from there, once it’s in their hands.

Do you want to stop, or study, discrimination in the MA area?
Kudos to the Brandeis Community Service Department for passing this along.

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination summer internship- DUE TOMORROW!!!

Employer: Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
Position Title: Assistant to the Director of Testing, Mass. Commission Against Discrimination
Application Deadline: Tuesday, May 31

ABOUT THE EMPLOYER:
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination is the state’s chief civil rights agency. The Commission works to eliminate discrimination on a variety of bases and areas, and strives to advance the civil rights of the people of the Commonwealth through law enforcement, outreach and training.

For more information visit: http://www.mass.gov/mcad/

ABOUT THE POSITION:
Duration: June 24 through August 26 (Flexible)
Full-time internship for the month of July and most of August
Hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm with some flexibility

Duties & Responsibilities:
The MCAD’s testing program conducts investigations into potential violations of discrimination law. These investigations involve documenting and comparing the experiences of special investigators known as testers. Testers seek employment and housing and utilize public accommodations, and then observe and document how they are treated. The MCAD testing program documents and attempts to remedy instances where testers receive unequal treatment due to race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, or another protected characteristic.

The MCAD testing assistant position provides a significant and challenging opportunity for a student interested in gaining hands-on experience in the field of civil rights law and law enforcement investigation. The assistant’s main duties center on acting as the administrator for the MCAD’s testing project, and assisting in creating assignments for testers and reviewing their work. In addition, depending on the assistant’s interests and skills, the assistant may give presentations at tester orientation programs and training sessions. The assistant will also be given the opportunity to play a role assisting in the Commission’s other law enforcement work, such as complaint intake, mediation and investigations.

QUALIFICATIONS:
–Strong commitment to fighting discrimination
–Writing and research ability
–Computer skills including familiarity with Windows and Excel

COMPENSATION:
Unpaid

HOW TO APPLY:
In order to be considered for this position, please e-mail your resume to Eric Bove at eric.bove@state.ma.us. In addition, e-mail your resume to Cary Weir-Lytle, Associate Director of Employer Relations, Hiatt Career Center, Brandeis University, cwlytle@brandeis.edu. Enter Assistant to the Director of Testing, Mass. Commission Against Discrimination as the subject of your e-mail. The application deadline is 11:59pm on Tuesday, May 31.

Hey Brandeis! Check out what Sara Miller and Lauren Fox are up to!

They are leading group of Brandeis students, which includes cancer survivors and friends, to participate in a fundraising competition by the SAMFund (starting by Brandeis grad and teacher Samantha Watson). The group is attempting to raise at least $1,000.

To help, please visit the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170936112962258 or donate online at: http://www.stayclassy.org/member/fundraising?fcid=111947.

Innermost Parts asked Sara and Lauren several questions… let’s see what they said!

1. What exactly is SAMFund? What sets it apart from other groups which help cancer survivors?
-The SAMFund provides financial assistance to young adult cancer survivors to help them transition into their post-treatment lives. Their grants and scholarships can cover a wide variety of costs, such as rent, medical bills, and gym memberships.

2. How did you find out about it and at what made you decide to get involved in fundraising?
-Samantha Eisenstein Watson co-founded The SAMFund, and is a two-time cancer survivor and a Brandeis alumna and professor. She co-teaches Sociology of Disability class with Stephen Gulley every fall. Lauren offered to help with future SAMFund fundraising efforts, and Sam invited her to participate in The SAMFund’s Grand Plan:
Raise 1K in 30 Days. It’s been wonderful how the entire community has rallied together for this cause!

3. Have you participated in other fundraisers or events to raise money for cancer survivors?
– We participated in Relay for Life and Lauren has fundraised for other organizations as well.

4. What are your guys’ plans to raise money for the rest of the semester?
-We raised almost $100 at the Student Union’s Midnight Buffet, and are very grateful to the entire Brandeis community. We are publicizing the campaign online as well. You can check out our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170936112962258.
You can donate online at: http://www.stayclassy.org/member/fundraising?fcid=111947

5. What is your fundraising goal and how much have you collected so far?
– We are aiming for $1,000. So far, we’ve raised $422.

6. Is this a project you hope to bring back to the Brandeis campus next year or more of a one-time thing?
-This is the first time that we’ve done this, but if it’s successful, then we’d love to coordinate the Brandeis Team again next year!

7. Is there anything else you’d like people to know about this project and how they can help out?
-The SAMFund has been instrumental in helping young adult cancer survivors move forward after treatment, and every dollar counts. Whether you donate $5 or $100 or somewhere in between, it will be greatly appreciated! Please spread the word to friends and family!

8. What is your personal motivation for getting involved in the fight against cancer?
-There are actually many students involved in this effort. Cancer has touched the lives of all of us in different ways – some have had loved ones who have had cancer, while others have had cancer themselves. This is a group of Brandeis cancer survivors and supporters helping their peers who are less fortunate.

Want to take part in a survey on how to change/fix/reform Brandeis? It’s just one question!

Look no further: Click here to take survey

Brought to you as the first in a series of surveys which will gather information as to members of the Brandeis communities’ general feelings about things.

We are open to suggestions of more questions you would like to see answered, as well.

Bought some clothing you want to return but don’t have a receipt? Well, you may not be able to get your money back, but the Gap will give you a discount of 30% off your purchase when you bring in clothing to donate.

As the Gap announced in a press release on May 16th,

“Gap and Goodwill® have announced a partnership encouraging consumers to clean out their closets for a cause. From May 19-29, Gap stores in the United States and Canada will accept clothing donations in support of the Donate Movement, an effort powered by Goodwill to educate the public on the positive impacts donations can have on both people and the planet.”

Jim Gibbons, the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International expanded on the good work his organization does, saying

“Through the Donate Movement, Goodwill aims to increase conscious donations by raising consumer awareness of the power their donated goods can have in strengthening their communities […] When you donate to Goodwill, you enable a person to receive vital skills training, succeed at work and climb the career leader. These are people who want to work but need Goodwill’s help to find and keep good jobs.”

I’m very impressed with the Gap for taking on this project. Although only one week remain for you to participate in this promotion, I encourage you to go through your closet, or more likely the 5-7 bags you brought home with you from college which you haven’t unpacked yet, and pick out some clothing to donate, even if you aren’t making any purchases. By creating more dropoff points for people to donate clothing, the Gap is allowing more people to lend a hand and contributing to the sustainability of our society.

Today, Brandeis held its 60th commencement ceremony, graduating the undergraduate class of 2011 from the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The Heller School for Social Policy and Management’s graduation took place in Spingold Theater and the International Business School in Levin Ballroom, earlier in the day. As part of the undergraduate ceremony, David Brooks, Thomas Buergenthal, Nancy Gertner, Yo-Yo Ma, Errol Morris and Jehuda Reinharz all received honorary degrees from the university. For full coverage, bios of the honorees and audio recordings of the ceremony, visit Brandeis’ Commencement page.

Brandeis has accumulated some notable graduates over the years, including Abbie Hoffman and Angela Davis, but especially those who we have awarded honorary degrees. Some names that stand out appear below.

Political Sphere: Herbert Lehman (after whom CUNY Lehman College was named), Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, David Ben-Gurion, Thurgood Marshall, Golda Meir, Edward M. Kennedy, Walter F. Mondale, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Madeleine K. Albright, Desmond Tutu, Coretta Scott King, Yitzhak Rabin, Susan Brandeis Gilbert (Justice Brandeis’ daughter), the Dalai Llama (listed as “Dalai Lama, His Holiness the 14th (Tenzin Gyatso)”), Nancy Pelosi, and Michael B. Oren.

Musical, Literary and Visual Artists: Leonard Bernstein, Marc Chagall, Marian Anderson, Elizabeth Bishop, Eudora Welty, Itzhak Perlman, Elie Weisel, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Steven Spielberg, John Updike, E.L. Doctorow, Barbra Joan Streisand, Wynton Marsalis, Whoopi Goldberg, Arthur Miller, Alfred A. Knopf (who started Knopf Publishing), Joyce Carol Oates, Ted Koppel, James Carroll, Ralph Lauren, Paul F. Simon.

Many of those who received honorary degrees have buildings named after them, including: Joseph M. Linsey, Samuel Slosberg (New England shoe manufacturer and president of Beth Israel Hospital), Samuel Lemberg (real estate executive and philanthropist), Jacob Hiatt (who served as a trustee at the Holy Cross; Boston University; the the former Leicester Junior College, now merged with Becker College; and as a life trustee of Clark University), Abram Leon Sachar, Philip W. Lown, David Schwartz, Lew R. Wasserman, Stanley H. Feldberg, Morton Mandel, Thelma H. Sachar, and Carl J. Shapiro.

In addition, only a handful of the honorary degree recipients earned degrees from attending Brandeis as students. They include: Michael L. Walzer ’56, Gustav Ranis ’52, Edward Witten ’71, Thomas L. Friedman ’75, Martin Peretz ’59, Oluwatope A. Mabogunje ’63, Robert Shapiro ’52, Stephen J. Solarz ’62, Michael J. Sandel ’75, Ha Jin, MA ’89, PhD ’93, Roderick MacKinnon ’78, Karen Uhlenbeck, PhD’68 and William Schneider ’66.

*All lists have been compiled in chronological order of when recipients received honorary degrees. Information taken from http://www.brandeis.edu/trustees/hdr.html

My question to all of you readers is: WHO WOULD YOU LIKE BRANDEIS TO AWARD WITH AN HONORARY DEGREE NEXT YEAR?

I would like to congratulate the class of 2011. Over the years we’ve had a change of writers here at Innermost Parts, many of whom graduated this morning, at Brandeis’ 60th Commencement. In honor of them, here is a brief retrospective of Innermost Parts.

This blog was launched on December 13th, 2007, the brain child of Sahar and Loki (alias Alex Melman), two first-years who were disillusioned with Brandeis’ efforts to live up to its motto. Sahar wrote the inaugural post, Why we fight, ended with a summary of why we need such a blog,

Louis Brandeis believed in Social Justice, real Democracy, freedom of Expression, and self-determination. So do we. Louis Brandeis was a Progressive. So are we. Is our University?

Following that up, Loki’s first post, We. are. INNERMOST PARTS!, called for more student involvement in the decision-making process and advocated for all students to take part in Innermost Parts, and get their voices out.

We conceived this space so as to be a champion of truth’s innermost parts. […] We will be a clarion call to action against an increasingly power-hungry administration under which this student body has been far too submissive.

Since those founding days, InnermostParts has striven to hold true to these goals. We’ve been involved in a few Student Union lawsuits, talked about in the Justice and the Hoot, and established ourselves as a voice on campus. We are also now one of the three news sources which receive election results moments before the student body! None of this could have happened without the extraordinary dedication and skill of our writers, most of whom are moving on to bigger and better things, starting now.

With that, here’s a thank you to all of the seniors who have accounts on our page, whether they are active contributors or have gone on to promote activism in other ways across our campus: Emily, Jon, Lev, Nathan, Liza, Loki and Sahar, guest posters Maia and Alex Norris, and more.

We hope you will still be involved and continue shaping Brandeis into the school we all know it has the potential to be.

*Linked with their names are all of the posts these luminaries have written.

Here is the official list of next year’s Student Union.

Executive Board:
President: Herbie Rosen ’12
Vice President: Gloria Park ’13
Treasurer: Dan Lee ’12
Secretary: Todd Kirkland ’13
Director of Executive Affairs: Abby Kulawitz ’12
Co-Director of Academic Affairs: Rebecca Bachman ’13
Co-Director of Academic Affairs: Savannah Pearlman ’12 – has resigned from Senior Representative to the Alumni Association to take appointed position.
Co-Director of Community Advocacy: Dillon Harvey ’14 – has passed on the position of Racial Minority F-Board Representative to take appointed position.
Co-Director of Community Advocacy: Tamar Schneck ’13 – appointed for a semester, she will be going abroad in the Spring
Co-Director of Communications: Andrea Ortega ’13
Co-Director of Communications: Anthony Nguyen ’14
Director of Office of Student Rights & Advocacy (OSRA): Joshua Roseman ’12

Senate:
Senator-at-Large: Shekeyla Caldwell ’14
Class of 2012 Senator: Missy Skolnik ’12
Class of 2014 Senator: Rosby Kome-Mensah ’14
Class of 2014 Senator: Ricky Rosen ’14 – no relation to Herbie Rosen 🙂

F-Board:
Gabe Weingrod-Nemzow ’12 – F-Board Chair
Sidak Pannu ’12
Jacob Agi ’12
Donghae Choi ’12
Gabby Castellanos ’13 – Appointed by Treasurer & President

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee:
Senior Representative to the UCC: Usman Hameedi ’12
Junior Representative to the UCC: Suzanne Rothman ’13
Appointed Representative to the UCC: Siddhi Krishna ’12

Alumni Association:
Junior Representative to the Alumni Association: Emily Kane ’13

Board of Trustees:
Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees: Adam Hughes ’12
Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees: Beneva Davies ’13

Judiciary:
Associate Justice: Shirel Guez ’12

Website Administrator: Antonio Cancio ’13

Assistant Treasurers:
Nathan Israel ’14
Harry Kaufer ’13
Sunny Aidasani ’14
Owen Voelker ’14
Jacob Zaslavsky ’13
Yehuda Tretin ’12
Carlton Shakes ’13
Sam Goldberg ’14
Anthony Nguyen ’14 – Also Co-Director of Communications

Positions to be filled:
By Election:
1 Senator-at-Large
1 Class of 2012 Senator
2 Class of 2013 Senators
1 Racial Minority Senator
1 Transitional Year Program (TYP) Senator
2 Class of 2015 Senators
1 Off-Campus Senator
1 North Quad Senator
1 Massell Quad Senator
1 East Quad Senator
1 Castle Quad Senator
1 Rosenthal Quad Senator
1 Village Quad Senator
1 Ziv Quad Senator
1 Ridgewood Quad Senator
1 Mods Quad Senator
1 Charles River Senator
1 Senior Representative to the Alumni Association
2 Representatives to the Brandeis Sustainability Fund Board (BSF Board)
1 Racial Minority F-Board Member
4 Student Union Judiciary Members

By Appointment:
Various Committee Positions, appointed by Director of Executive Affairs & President

If you read today’s earlier post on TED talks, you will see how the TED organization allows people to present new and exciting ideas at its annual conferences. In addition, it now enables users from all over the world to communicate with each other via TED Conversations. Anyone can sign in and start a conversation with an idea or question, and any other members can respond.

One conversation stood out to me in particular while I was perusing the site. Caroline Phillips, a TED translator, attendee and TEDx organizer from Biarritz, France asks the question “What can we do, as citizens to promote tolerance in our daily lives ?” By clicking here, you can read others’ answers, which include person anecdotes, methods commonly used in education and examples of everyday situations in which crises come up.

But, I’d like to open up the question to all of you. So, as many of the Brandeis community in one way or another, even if your activity is limited to reading this Brandeis Progressive Student Blog, how can we promote tolerance (if that should be a goal of ours to begin with?)

Perhaps if we get some concrete answers we can even look into implementing them.