Observer the
FEBRUARY 12, 2015 VOLUME XXXIV, ISSUE 2
www.fordhamobserver.com
Faculty Petition to Revoke Honorary Degree
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By TYLER MARTINS Editor-in-Chief
Fordham faculty members have come together to create Fordham Faculty Against Torture (FFAT), an ad hoc committee formed in response to the report released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the Central Intelligentce Agency’s (CIA) use of detention and interrogation policies. The committee has begun circulating a petition calling for Fordham to revoke the honorary degree conferred upon John Brennan, then Deputy National Security Advisor and currently Director of the CIA. “In May 2012, despite the objections of both faculty and students, Fordham University awarded an honorary degree to John Brennan,” the petition reads. Other goals include “promoting reflection within the Fordham community on how our university can better live up to the values espoused in its mission statement” and “initiating a public dialogue on how, in the wake of the human rights violations committed by our government, we can advance the cause of restorative justice.” The senate report, which was released in Dec. 2014, found that the CIA’s use of interrogation and detainment was “brutal and far worse than the CIA presented to policymakers.” The report also found that “the CIA’s use of its enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of acquiring intelligence or gaining cooperation from detainees.” According to the report, the Senate committee also found that the justifications of its “enhanced interrogation methods rested on inaccurate claims” of effectiveness. The committee is comprised of seven professors: Dr. Orlando Rodriguez, professor of sociology and anthropology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Jeanne Flavin, professor of sociology and anthropology; Dr. Jeansee FFAT pg. 2
PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER
After many days of severe winter weather, New York’s famous architecture is covered by snow, above are the statues of Central Park.
Winter Ball Theme Changed Due to Sensitivity By ADRIANA GALLINA News Editor
Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) Winter Ball Committee changed the school gala’s theme from “Arabian Nights” to “Winter Garden” after a conversation started by Zann Ballsun-Simm FCLC ’16, who expressed her concerns on Twitter about it being culturally insensitive. The tweet, published on Jan. 22, that generated comments from more than one FCLC alumni, specifically said, “Fordham making Winter Ball ‘Arabian Nights’themed because they can’t have a party that’s not semi-racist.” Anitra Singh, co-chair of the Winter Ball committee and FCLC ’15, contacted
Ballsun-Simm via Facebook the same night to schedule a meeting with Dorothy Wenzel, Ph.D., director of the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development (OSLCD) and Nanor Hartounian, co-chair of the Winter Ball committee and FCLC ’16, the next day. Wenzel was alerted that students and alumni were expressing discontent with the theme on Jan. 22 and asked the co-chairs to initiate the meeting. According to all parties, the conversation was productive. Ballsun-Simm said her main concern with “making something Arabian-themed in the current political climate, with everything that is going on in the Middle East, is just generally problematic.” An ethnic-themed event, “opens
doors for people to be ignorant,” Ballsun-Simm said. “Someone could have shown up in a turban. It’s about not giving people the opportunity to be ignorant.” She did say after the conversation with Wenzel, Singh and Hartounian that she didn’t find their plans to be problematic. “As long as we as a committee weren’t ignorant, we weren’t promoting the stereotypes, we didn’t see about the potential for the theme to be ignorant,” Singh said. The committee did not initially think about the potential for students to be culturally insensitive at Winter Ball. Singh and Hartounian expressed gratitude that the possibility was brought to the committee’s
attention. Hartounian explained that the committee was, “inspired by the colors the vibrant accents, jewel tones--things that are very much a celebration of what the culture is perceived as aesthetically.” According to Wenzel, the theme was planned to “be inclusive and inviting, and I wanted to be responsive to the fact that that’s not how some students were perceiving what the theme was going to be.” Wenzel stated that other students came forward privately to discuss their concerns with theme, “so then we processed as a group.” Another aspect of the conversation about changing the theme revolved around information providsee COMMITTEE pg. 3
Inside
Literary
Comma
FEATURES
SPORTS
ARTS & CULTURE
OPINIONS
No Rules for this Ram
Superbowl Recap
The Skin of Our Teeth No Judging
Fordham students get creative
Entrepreneur among us
How the Pats pulled off a victory
FCLC’s newest mainstage show
What is literature, really?
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THE STUDENT VOICE OF FORDHAM COLLEGE AT LINCOLN CENTER
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News Editor Adriana Gallina — agallina@fordham.edu
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
FFAT Advancing Restorative Justice FFAT FROM PAGE 1
nine Hill Fletcher, professor of theology; Dr. Glenn Hendler, associate professor and chair of English; Dr. Bradford Hinze, Rahner Chair and professor of theology; Dr. James Kim, assistant professor of English; and Dr. David Myers, professor of history. The group formed after Rodriguez sent an email to some colleagues who had initially opposed the honorary degree in 2012, according to Hendler. “There was some e-mail discussion of how we might respond and how distressing it was that Fordham had given an honor to a man who was not only implicated in the act of torture, but who also continued to defend the actions of the government and refused to rule out torture in the future,” Hendler said in an email. Bob Howe, senior director of communications, has declined to comment until the petition is delivered to the Board of Trustees of Fordham University. The idea of a petition came about when someone asked what it would take to get Fordham to revoke the honorary degree from Brennan. “This idea became a focus of the discussion, and the seven of us started a separate e-mail discussion to write the petition and plan its distribution,” Hendler said. Before circulating the petition among faculty, FFAT shared the document with Rev. Joseph M. McShane S.J., president of Fordham University, who requested that the group meet with him prior to cir-
culation, according to documents attached to the petition. “At that meeting, which included President McShane, Provost Stephen Freedman and other senior administrators, they argued that we should not go forward with the petition,” the document states. In a letter to McShane on Jan. 29, 2015, the committee responded to the states that they intend to “move forward with our petition and to begin organizing a series of events on torture, human rights and restorative justice for this spring and the 2015-16 academic year.” The committee also responded to McShane’s suggestion that Brennan be brought to campus before the circulation of the petition, by stating, “After considerable reflection, we concluded that the kind of dialogue we seek would not be enhanced by Mr. Brennan’s presence.” “We reached consensus - not so much that Mr. Brennan ‘would not add anything to the dialogue,’ but rather that his presence was not necessary for such a dialogue to take place,” Hendler explained. The committee wants to engage in restorative justice, Hendler said, and the “process of restorative justice has to start from an acknowledgment that a wrong has been committed. Mr. Brennan is a perpetrator of the wrong being discussed, and as far as I know has not acknowledged that fact.” However, Hendler stressed that he does not believe that any of his colleagues think Brennan should not be invited to speak on campus. “We merely disagreed with the ar-
COURTESY OF GEORGE BRIDGES /KRT VIA TNS
Father McShane and other senior administrators urged faculty not to move forward with the petition to revoke Brennan’s degree.
gument that such dialogue with Mr. Brennan should precede the circulation of the petition,” Hendler said. According to Hendler, the response to the petition, has been “overwhelmingly positive, with more support than I think any of
us expected.” The petition has surpassed FFAT’s goal of 150 signatures, and at the time of this publication over 215 faculty members and students have signed it. For Hendler, revoking Brennan’s honorary degree is necessary.
“By granting this honorary degree, Fordham has implicated itself in the practice and justification of torture - a practice that is in Catholic doctrine and nearly every other religious and ethical system considered an absolute evil in all circumstances,” Hendler said. “I can imagine no way of countering this implication better than revoking the honorary degree and publicly expressing regret that it was ever given.” According to Hendler, FFAT has a number of ideas for events for later in the semester and for the next academic year. “President McShane has encouraged us to begin the dialogue called for in our petition, but has not provided any resources to help us do so,” Hendler said. “So we will probably start with events that draw on expertise here at Fordham, but I hope that other programs, departments and institutes - and student groups - will join us with both material support and help planning and organizing events.” Hendler encourages students who want to get involved to sign and circulate the petition among the Fordham community. The petition can by searching for “Brennan” at www.ipetitions.com. Students are also encouraged to reach out to one of the seven faculty members in order to volunteer and help plan discussions. “Our hope is not that the seven faculty members on this list will organize our own spectacular events that galvanize the community,” Hendler said, “but that students, faculty, alums and others recognize that this is an issue that strikes to the core of Fordham’s identity.”
Coalition Formed to Raise Awareness By DEAN FYRN Contributing Writer
In response to the grand jury non-indictments in the last year, the Dorothy Day Center for Social Justice at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) created a“working group”that targets these specific issues called The Coalition to End Racial Injustice. Zann Ballsun-Simms, FCLC ’16, a social justice leader at the Dorothy Day center, said “our goal is to motivate and assist Fordham students in getting involved in activism work. We don’t want to start any new movements, but rather connect Fordham students with existing
organizations that are doing work against police brutality, such as Black Lives Matter.” The working group held a meeting mid-September in conjunction with the Black Student Alliance (BSA) to hold a proactive dialogue with students. Dr. Aimee Cox, assistant professor of the African American Studies Department, facilitated the dialogue and brought guest speaker Darnell L. Moore to speak to students about police brutality. The Coalition to End Racial Injustice occasionally holds dialogues in order to educate students while also listening to what they have to say about these issues. The coalition “helps make the process of getting
involved easier and makes sure that Fordham students are at least semieducated about what they are getting involved with,” Ballsun-Simms said. “Also, Fordham’s position as a predominately-white institution means that these issues may not be talked about or focused on by the majority of our students unless it is brought to their attention because they think it does not affect them. I guess you could say that the group is important for consciousness-raising.” Ian Schaefer, FCLC ’17, a member of the working group, “is really excited to be a part of this, because this is not just an issue that will stay with us for a long time, it is a pressing issue,” he said. We are not going to end rac-
ism right now. The group as a whole keeps each other really realistic and we try to do things that are productive but we don’t overshoot.” The coalition was flexible because of the Dorothy Day Center’s affiliation with the Ignatian Family Teach-In (IFT). Offering students the opportunity to network with one another, the teach-in was facilitated in order to encourage more discussion about racial injustice and ways to prevent it on college campuses. Schaefer also attended IFT and said,“we were able to have conversations with students from other schools and talked to the students. We started the loose intercollegiate organization the Jesuit Anti-Racism Task Force and we
are trying to talk about what works on our campus and what works on other people’s campuses.” Dean of Students at Lincoln Center, Keith Eldrege, voiced his support of students participating in these activist movements that voice Jesuit values: “I’m always thrilled when students want to get engaged with [these types of] issues. Especially as a Jesuit Catholic university, social justice issues are a part of our mission. With everything that students try to do, there are areas where students can sometimes try to go too far outside the boundaries of what Fordham can do I haven’t seen that with any of these coalitions or any of these programs.”
Fordham Students Volunteer for 10th Annual Hope Count By ANA FOTA Contributing Writer
On Monday, Feb. 9, the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) conducted its 10th annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Count. A hundred out of the 3,000 volunteers that canvassed the streets of New York City were Fordham students. The event gives the city an estimate of how many people do not have a place to stay. Students gathered in McGinley Hall at 8:30 p.m for a preliminary seminar regarding homeless life in NYC, where they were instructed on ways to approach the people on the street followed by community builders and an opportunity to practice asking the survey questions. Starting at 12 a.m., the students were divided into teams, each led by a veteran volunteer, and were assigned different parts of the borough to cover. Where DHS deemed necessary, police officers walked with the students to ensure safety. I canvassed areas in the East Bronx. The group of seven volunteers I participated in the event with were accompanied by three New York
JASON BOIT/THE OBSERVER
Fordham students volunteer for 10th Annuel Hope Count.
police offers and did not encounter anyone on the streets. The event is organized by the Dorothy Day Center on campus, along with numerous Social Justice Leaders (SJL) at Fordham. One of those leaders is Kenice Miller, FCLC ’17, who participated in the
count last year and returned to lead this year. “If you are looking to get involved but you don’t usually have the time, this is a great way to do it. It seems time consuming, but it’s only one night a year,” Miller said. The DHS purposefully picks one of the coldest nights of the year for
the survey. This year the Count was delayed from Jan. 26 due to the impending blizzard. Sandra Lobo, director of the Dorothy Day Center, said, “If there’s someone out there tonight, that is proof that they have no other place to stay.” The volunteers are instructed to offer anyone they encounter shelter. If the person desires shelter, the volunteers will call a van to come pick them up. According to flyers handed out at the event, in Nov. 2014, NYC registered a record 60,352 homeless people. The primary cause of homelessness is lack of affordable housing. Due to the severe winter weather (Code Blue) warning in the area, the volunteers were requested to wake up sleeping people, who have set themselves up for the night. According to Lobo, this is only the second time a severe winter weather warning has been issued on the night of the Count. Hanna Tadevich, FCLC ’15, has been a volunteer for three years. “Participating makes me feel motivated to continue working towards change,” she stated. “You get a connection to this world that is right outside our school. ”
To insure accuracy, some volunteers working with the DHS will dress up and strategically place themselves on the streets of the city to be addressed by the canvassing teams. These decoys will reply to the volunteers’ questions thoroughly, making sure that they are doing a good job and only afterwards reveal themselves. Former volunteer Winnie Berger, alumna FCLC ’14, says the event changed her view on homelessness. “Anyone of us can suddenly become homeless. It’s hard to survive in the city.” She said, “walking in solidarity with other people that care made me want to do more.” Jim English, volunteer coordinator at the Xavier Shelter for Men on 16th Street and Sixth Avenue, believes the DHS is doing a good job. “The men are always positive when they come to the shelter, and our volunteers are hospitable.” Although the number of homeless people has increased in the three decades English has been volunteering there, the shelter’s capacity has remained the same and therefore the number of men staying there has not increased.
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COURTESY OF TIM JOHNSON VIA TNS
On Feb. 3, the Vatican labeled Romero’s death officially as “in odium fidei” (in hatred of faith) 35 years after he was murdered.
Oscar Romero Named Martyr by Church By IAN SCHAEFER Staff Writer
Archbishop Oscar Romero’s legacy remains relevant 35 years after his death not just in El Salvador, but wherever there is perceived injustice, and a step towards the official recognition of this legacy just occurred this past weekend. On Feb. 3, the Vatican declared that Romero died “in odium fidei” (in hatred of faith), meaning that he is a martyr and he will be beatified. Archbishop Oscar Romero’s face has become a symbol of the struggle for peace and equality among Roman Catholics in the Americas. At a time in El Salvador’s history when the phrase “be a patriot, kill a priest” was commonly graffitied by supporters of the na-
tion’s right-wing authoritarian government, Romero continued to use his position in the Church to speak out for the poor and marginalized. On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Romero was silenced by a government-sponsored assassin while celebrating Mass. The state never investigated his death. “This is long overdue,” Fr. Gil Martinez, parish priest of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, said. “He preached the Gospel, that’s what he did.” Martinez knew Archbishop Romero personally, having met him and spent time with him during a trip to El Salvador in 1979. As a 20 year old student, Martinez traveled with the Archbishop and a group from University of California (UC) Berkeley around the capital city of San Salvador. He re-
Romero continued to use his position in the Church to speak out for the poor and the marginalized. members that there were “soldiers with machine guns” all over the city. Martinez will be celebrating a special Mass in Romero’s memory at 6:00 p.m. on March 24; the Mass will be followed by a screening of the movie “Romero” about the Archbishop’s life and work. Due to his widespread popularity, many have expressed concern as to why it took the Vatican this
long to declare Archbishop Romero a martyr. After he was shot in the church, he fell forward onto the altar, and then backwards to the foot of the crucifix. Some would argue, his image clearly portrays a man who died due to his faith. After a long investigation into the nature of his life and death, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints received permission from Pope Francis to promulgate the decree that recognizes Oscar Romero as a martyr. Although Romero is not a saint, he has often been treated like one. Romero’s story, name and image are already familiar to many Catholics, prompting BBC journalist John McManus to call him a saint already – “in practice, if not in name.” An example of devotion
to Archbishop Romero comes from a place closely connected to Fordham: the Romero Center in Camden, N.J. Inspired by the works and words of its namesake, the Romero Center provides an opportunity for young people to work with the marginalized of Camden at soup kitchens, nursery homes and rehabilitation centers, among other places. Fordham students have the opportunity to participate in the Romero Center’s work through GO! Camden. Organizations like the Romero Center prove Oscar Romero’s death was not the end of his mission. Those who work for justice in his memory continue his legacy, and the Vatican’s affirmation of his martyrdom is a meaningful recognition of that legacy.
Committee Changes Theme to Winter Garden (cont.) WINTER BALL FROM PAGE 1
ed in comment Jamie Rodriguez, FCLC ’14, that Fordham College at Rose Hill’s (FCRH) Residence Hall Association (RHA) discussed the possibility of making their Under the Tent theme “Arabian Nights” and subsequently made the theme “Kentucky Derby” for cultural sensitivity reasons. After a reflection, the committee made a collective decision to change the theme to Winter Garden. “I didn’t want it to seem like we weren’t willing to change to be inclusive when Rose Hill was willing to change to be inclusive to students,” Wenzel said. “I always want events here to be opening and welcoming … and I’m really thankful that a student came forward in a way that I found out about.” The change in theme or the initial, possible culturally insensitive
JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER
Despite the controversial theme, Winter Ball ticket sales remained consistent with past year sales.
theme did not seem to negatively affect ticket sales as the committee met their minimum of 150 required attendees. “Maybe it seems like I’m being oversensitive but as a person of color at Fordham, I feel like I’m more likely to recognize the microaggression,” Ballsun-Simm said. A microaggression is a form of unintended discrimination. “I think it’s limiting to prevent the celebration of a certain culture or something just because a few people might go the right way about it,” Singh said. “If we did a Caribbean themed [event] I would think it was beautiful.” Past Winter Ball themes include: Masquerade, the Mad Hatter, Great Gatsby, Roaring Twenties and New York Lights. Disclosuer: Tyler Martins, Editor-in Chief, is a member of the Winter Ball Committee.
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February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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Bio Professor Talks GMO Implications acids. They looked at these possibilities and they found that the probabilities of those things happening are low. Even in a competitive environment, if they were able to escape and survive, they would not outproduce native organisms. Those are the reasons why they said their advancement would keep it from escaping. It provides additional safeguards.
By JUSTIN REBOLLO Assistant News Co-Editor
Genetically modified organisms, (GMOs) are a hotly debated facet of the modern world, yet as technological advances continue, the nature of GMOs is changing. Researchers at Harvard University and Yale University have created a type of genetically modified organism which, according to their study, should end a substantial amount of fear that surround GMOs. This organism is dependent on synthetic amino acids and cannot survive without them. According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association, GMOs are present in 75 to 80 percent of processed food in the United States. According to The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), does not require labeling of genetically modified foods. Sodexo representatives did not return the request to confirm or deny if GMOs are used in Sodexo food. Steve Franks, Ph.D., associate professor of biological science, provides a greater understanding on synthetic amino acids and what this means for GMOs. THE OBSERVER: What exactly are synthetic amino acids? DR. STEVE FRANKS: They are also called nonstandard amino acids. These are amino acids that are not synthesized by organisms in nature. What they did is they engineered this organism to be dependent on it. So [Yale and Harvard researchers] basically needed to provide that nutrient for the organism to survive. THE OBSERVER: How would this
stop GMOs from spreading in nature?
THE OBSERVER: Do you think
GMOs are inherently dangerous?
EMILY TIBERIO /THE OBSERVER
The FDA does not require labeling of genetically modified foods. DR. STEVE FRANKS: Yale and Harvard researchs talked about this more in their paper. The idea is if you engineer this organism to be dependent on a substance that is not found in nature, if it were to
escape, then it would not survive because the substance is not present in nature. Although there is still possible ways, and they talked about that in their article, there can be horizontal gene transfer or
it could obtain the substance from another source. With horizontal gene transfer the organism could escape and get genes from other organisms that allow it to survive from naturally occurring amino
DR. STEVE FRANKS: It is a big political issue. There is a lot of misunderstanding about the issue. It is an important issue and something people should be concerned about for a number of reasons. People talk about genetically modified organisms meaning ones that are directly genetically modified, however, when you think about it in a broader sense all crop and livestock organisms are genetically modified by humans. They all have been modified through traditional breeding. Everything already is modified. There is additional danger when you introduce novel genes, especially genes for herbicide resistance. Because that has been shown that genes can escape. Plants can escape and become feral or the gene can escape into related plants and then all of a sudden you have weeds that are resistant to herbicide. There are a lot of environmental concerns with genetically modified organisms. People are often concerned with health effects of GMOs and so far there really are not any evidence to suggest that genetic modifications used so far are producing food that are less healthy. It is possible that could be the case but it does not seem like it is.
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THE OBSERVER February 12, 2015
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Law Classrooms Available for Club Use By CONNOR MANNION Asstistant News Co-Editor
Despite the addition of seven new student clubs last semester, the lack of programming spaces for clubs at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) is set to ease this semester with help from the Law School. If there is a lack of space for any official student club event following 5:30 p.m., club leaders are able to reserve a classroom in the Law School building for a small meeting or event, according to Dr. Dorothy Wenzel, director of the Office of Student Leadership and Community Development (OSLCD). The reservation system is an improvement on an older reservation system, rather than an active move toward finding additional spaces. “We [now] have a system called ‘Two-Five-Live,’ where any administrator in the University can log on and reserve a room … now that everybody in the University is on this online system, we [administrators] can go in and see if anything is available,” Wenzel. This system replaces a system called ‘R25’ from the same online vendor, “which the law school did not have access to [previously],” Wenzel continued, “We never availed ourselves of asking [for rooms], because before it was sort of a waste of time.” According to Wenzel, the Fordham Law School previously ran on a different electronic reservation system than the undergraduate school, so there was no way to know of a room’s availability save “bombarding them with emails to see if this or that date would work,” she said. Christina Frankovic, assistant director for programming at Fordham University, agreed that it was a better system, She said, “the pre-
JESS LUSZSCZYK/THE OBSERVER
Students must make space reservations through OSLCD as administrators are only able to access Two-Five-Live.
vious operating system was based on your desktop, this new system is based online so you can access it from anywhere … there hasn’t been any real issues, because it’s much better than the previous system [‘R25’].” Georgina Owolabi, FCLC ’16 and vice president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA), believes that this will be “a benefit to clubs wanting to hold events,” she said. “Plus I think that it’ll help integrate the Fordham community with the law school as well.” OSLCD is currently only focusing on events that do not have food, as this is another difficult field of
policy to navigate. “The official policy is similar to the policy of Lowenstein in which is food isn’t allowed in classrooms,” Wenzel said. “The [law] classrooms would be more for small meetings and talks.” Maya Van Peebles, FCLC ’15, treasurer of Deaf Education and Sign Language Club (DEASL) said, “It’s a great idea, because the classrooms in the law school are so much nicer and larger than the small rooms we have here. They’d be really good for talks and events.” While the intention of this change is to provide space for club events taking place at night, very large spaces such as the Constantino
and Bateman Conference Rooms are technically available for reservation. “Those rooms are available for any department in the university to reserve, though in my experience … clubs shouldn’t get their hopes up,” Wenzel said. Wenzel compared the usage of the second floor law conference rooms to the rules imposed on holding events in the 12th floor lounge of the Lowenstein building, “It has to be a level of club event that warrants the use of this nice big space.” She said, “There are club events that could warrant that, but there aren’t any [spring] dates where they’re available right now.”
These new reservation options, which include floors two through eight in the Fordham Law School building will most likely come into real use after March. “Literally, when we get to those six weeks after spring break, clubs are routinely trying to get an event when there are no available spaces,” Wenzel said. Wenzel concluded that this new policy will be an extension of the current policy on classrooms after 5:30 p.m. “Enrollment blanketly says there’s no space when there is some space … and a couple of nights we can find an option to help with the ‘night crunch’ later in the semester,” she said.
Opinions
Rachel Shmulevich — Opinions Co-Editor rshmulevich@fordham.edu Dylan Reilly — Opinions Co-Editor dreilly17@fordham.edu
STAFF EDITORIAL
S
We, as members of the Fordham community, cannot legitimize torture. As a Jesuit institution, Fordham emphasizes cura personalis; a stance that promotes benevolence towards others and an effort towards the betterment
“We, as members of the Fordham community cannot legitmize torture.” of our community. And yes, our nation, continent, and planet are all forms of communities. But what if our own University fails to adhere to its own mission statement? This is the risk we run if we allow such behavior to continue while we sit in silence. There is a point where the scrupulous turns into the unscrupulous, and oftentimes, there is no returning once that point is reached. True, these kinds of tactics are used in large
Observer the
SET THE WORLD ON FIRE, NOT ITS PEOPLE even Fordham faculty members have come together to demand that Fordham revoke CIA Director’s John Brennan’s honorary degree, which was conferred in 2012. It was unfortunate that the honor was bestowed upon him then; now, in light of the recent report on torture released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, it is downright unacceptable. There’s a fine line between interrogation and torture. While the CIA’s job is to collect information in order protect the United States, waterboarding detainees to death or depriving them of sleep, food and clothing do nothing except pile on human rights violations for the U.S. Regardless of how terrible criminals are and how heinous their deeds are, no one deserves to be tortured to death for information. By glorifying those involved in orchestrating extreme torture tactics, we are enabling this form of violence to continue. We, as citizens of the United States, cannot stand for torture.
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
part by the more barbaric and violent forms of humanity out in the world, but replicating such tactics to obtain the results we want is not how we display our moral superiority to the international community. Fordham works so hard to instill a deep fire within the hearts of all its students to burn for social justice. How, then, can Fordham as an institution stand up and tell its students, “Go forth and set the world on fire,” when they are turning a blind eye on accepting, tolerating and legitimizing an injustice as severe as torture? All being said, we do not support any practice on the part of the CIA that can be considered “torture,” and we most certainly stand in the camp of those that advocate for more humane forms of interrogation. We ask that Fordham consider how Brennan’s honorary degree tarnishes the Jesuit tenants that Fordham teaches. We ask that Fordham lead by example. We ask that Fordham stand against torture.
Editor-in-Chief Tyler Martins Managing Editor Kamrun Nesa News Editor Adriana Gallina Asst. News Co-Editors Justin Rebollo Connor Mannion Opinions Co-Editors Rachel Shmulevich Dylan Reilly Asst. Opinions Co-Editors Tyler Burdick Alexa McMenamin Arts & Culture Editor Ramona Venturanza Asst. Arts & Culture Editors Joseph Rametta Loulou Chryssides Features Editor Alanna Kilkeary Asst. Features Editor Hansi Weedagama Literary Co-Editors Meredith Summers Mark Lee Asst. Literary Editor Nina Bergbauer Sports Editor Dylan Penza Copy Editor Meredith Summers Asst. Copy Editor Terry Zang Layout Editor Jennifer McNary Asst. Layout Editor Elodie Huston Layout Staff Kathleen Kirtland Photo Editor Jessica Hanley Asst. Photo Editors Jess Luszczyk Ben Moore Online Editor Ben Moore Business Manager Victoria Leon
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Don’t Judge A Book by Its Content KAMRUN NESA Managing Editor
When someone asks, “What’s your favorite book?” chances are many would respond with a classic novel, so-called “real literature,” instead of young adult fiction or “Fifty Shades of Grey.” With the “Fifty Shades” movie coming out Valentine’s Day weekend, they’ll probably keep mum about going to theaters to watch something that has been called “trashy” hundreds of times. Everyone deals with this in some capacity: We are expected to hide behind the guise of what society arbitrarily calls “smart literature” while we are forced to keep secret what we actually like to read. We’ve always been told to never judge a book by its cover, but society forgot to tell us to not judge a book by its content either. Sure, the writing might be juvenile, but to say that books like “Fifty Shades,” “Hunger Games,” “Twilight” or even graphic novels are not literature (at least not like nonfiction or literary fiction are) constitutes a problem. Trying to redefine literature by excluding certain books and glorifying others shows how ignorant and out of tune with reality we really are. Literature is a concept that can be both subjective and influenced by time period, culture and demographics. A book is only “trashy” and “immature” when we identify it as such. Literature is not supposed to be so esoteric. Reading some of the mainstream books that have come out today doesn’t make us less intellectual: these texts are in fact more reflective of the time we live in than Homer’s “The Odyssey.” A 2014 article in Slate magazine,
MARIA KOVOROS/THE OBSERVER
titled “Against YA,” said that adults should be “embarrassed” to read young adult (YA) fiction and should choose intricate and ambiguous plots over those that “wrap up too neatly.” And while many new adult and young adult books feature the cliché “happily ever after” theme, sometimes it’s nice to escape into a plot that turns angst, loss or sadness into some kind of idyllic future. In fact, in 2012, according to Publisher’s Weekly, 55 percent of people who bought YA fiction were
over 18 years old. An essay in New York magazine, “The Thirtysomething Teen: An Adult YA Addict Coming Clean,” showed that part of the enjoyment of these texts comes from the escape they offer to their readers: “We can measure ourselves against [the protagonists’] choices and see how we succeeded; we can feel wiser than they are, knowing that what we did then turned out okay; we can also see for ourselves where there might still be room to improve.”
Reading contemporary books about contemporary problems and taboo topics make us more broadminded and to a certain degree, more empathetic about our own experiences and those of others. Following the trend of vampires, werewolves, dystopia and now romance also makes us even more in tune with society and its evolution. Eva Illouz, a sociology professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem published a book called “HardCore Romance” and said that “Fifty
Shades” “gives us a glimpse at the immense change in values that must have occurred in western culture – as dramatic a change, one might say, as electricity and indoor plumbing.” Regardless of what we read, we are constantly learning something new. Not to mention, all these popular, mainstream books deal with themes commonly found in the classics. Themes of love and independence are prevalent in all books, whether it’s George Eliot’s “Middlemarch” or some of the mass market romances on the stands of drug stores featuring burly Fabio-esque men and victorian, regal women on their covers. Even though the “Hunger Games” and “Divergent” series are young adult books, they share the dystopian theme with “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. Their genres shouldn’t discredit them. Commercial fiction isn’t simply read by people with nothing better to do; there are dozens of scholars who read them, if not for entertainment, for anthropological purposes and to evaluate how societal values are changing. I probably won’t go as far as to say that Katniss Everdeen is our modern-day Jane Eyre or that Christian Grey is our Mr. Darcy, but the fact of the matter is that they all have similar storylines and similar characters, so to praise one book as literature and not the other is unjustified. Yesterday’s fluff is often considered the classic literature of today. Many books that were too controversial and perhaps too anachronistic for the times they were written in are now books people praise. And while I am not a clairvoyant and will not say that “Fifty of Shades of Grey” will be tomorrow’s classic, I can say that books don’t define us, we define them.
S.A.G.E.S and Fordham Can Coexist, Even With Contradictory Policies CATHERINE ATHERTON Staff Writer
On Nov. 3, 2014, over 1,000 Fordham University students, lead by the group S.A.G.E.S, (Students for Sex and Gender Equality and Safety) presented a petition to Fordham President Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., demanding reform on Fordham’s strict sexual health and gender policies. The official policy, located on Fordham’s website, is that “[a]s an institution in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition, Fordham University follows Church teachings on reproductive issues. Distribution of contraceptives, contraceptive devices and/or birth control, in any form, is prohibited on Fordham University property and at University-sponsored events.” I was not surprised to hear that these outdated policies were being called into action. Luckily for the many individuals involved with S.A.G.E.S, a similar organization, H*yas for Choice at Georgetown University has proven that student organizations opposing Jesuit ideals can exist peacefully at Jesuit institutions. On Jan. 24, over 500 Georgetown University students lead by student organization H*yas for Choice, protested on campus for eight hours aiming to spark pro-choice dialogue and highlight the differentiating views on national debates amongst university students. Students stood together holding signs that read “Keep abortion legal,” “Thou shalt not mess with women’s reproductive rights” and other provocative sayings. Additionally, H*yas for Choice put up 700 stickers titled “know your options” in Georgetown University bathrooms, in effort to bring attention to the organization’s informational website and blog. On these sites, students can
find abortion resources in Washington, D.C., resources for sexual assault victims, STD testing locations nearby and a list of birth control options for women. While similar protests had been halted in the past by Georgetown University Police Department, this protest was uninterrupted. For groups like S.A.G.E.S, H*yas for Choice is a leading example of how a university can coexist with progressive student organizations, even if the group is against the school’s traditional policies. Because H*yas for Choice is unaffiliated with the school and does not receive funding from the University, students in the organization have been able to educate the student body on sexual wellness and encourage safe sex without interference from university officials. H*yas for Choice has led various protests across school campus encouraging free speech and has also recently implemented a condom delivery system. Georgetown students can request free condoms by filling out an online form, and once the form is filled out, condoms can either be delivered or picked up. Not to mention, as of November 2014, H*yas for Choice, and other unrecognized groups at Georgetown University has been able to access benefits of recognized clubs which were previously restricted. These benefits include storage space, reserving classrooms and utilizing printing services. Students at Boston College (BC) involved in the student organization Boston College Students for Sexual Health also tried to distribute condoms at designated “safe-sites” around the University, but these students were threatened by BC administration. While Fordham students in S.A.G.E.S have not yet faced disciplinary action, students in the group have distributed condoms in a similarly stealthy manner in order to
EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER
avoid trouble. Although Georgetown University follows Jesuit traditions and does not believe in the distribution of contraceptives on campus, the University also respects that students within the University may not agree with the school’s religious policies, something that Fordham and Boston College should take into consideration. As Rachel Pugh, director of media relations at Georgetown stated, “We respect the rights of our students to
join outside groups as individuals and believe this activity falls within that context.” It seems ironic that Fordham upholds the Catholic standard of cura personalis, care for the whole person, yet Fordham’s health centers compromise students’ sexual health by not providing any form of contraceptives or STD testing. Considering the rate of unprotected sex increases while in college, according to a 2014 New York University study,
and that 1 in 4 college students has an STD, according to Stanford University’s Sexual Health Peer Resource Center, it seems that Fordham needs to question if their overall student health comes second to the school’s religious values. As Georgetown University has finally accepted the contrasting beliefs amongst their student body and has allowed H*yas for Choice to continue without interference, I am hopeful that Fordham will follow suit.
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February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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NEW YORK ARCHITECTURE DURING THE WINTER During this winter season, snow covers the famous architecture of New York City.
MARIA KOVOROS/THE OBSERVER
EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER
MICHELLE QUINN/THE OBSERVER
MARIA KOVOROS/THE OBSERVER
PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER
PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER
COURTESY OF TY LEE AND ADRIANA GALLINA
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Every Word Seems to Be the Hardest Word By IRIS DAI
I am paralyzed with fear, hands clammy and cold, heart pounding. The room is silent. A beat passes. Then another. A voice breaks the silence. I am simultaneously relieved and angry. Relieved because I am momentarily spared from the excruciating pressure of wanting to say something but not being able to, and angry because the voice now filling the dozens of ears around me is not my own. Welcome to my daily hell, class participation. School used to be a lot more fun for me, back when I didn’t have to talk. I was every kindergarten teacher’s dream student – content to color within the lines, a master at cutting with scissors, and most importantly, the undefeated champion of the quiet game. I loved everything about school – learning to read, going to assemblies, signing my name in a notebook to use the bathroom. While other kids welcomed the last day of school because it signaled the start of a glorious, homework-free summer, I looked forward to it because it meant I would get my report card. Upon receiving the goldenrod envelopes, most of my peers shoved them into the depths of their soon-to-be-forgotten bookbags and bolted out the door. But I tingled with anticipation, relishing the feeling of prying open the two metal prongs from the reinforced eyelet of the envelope to procure the piece of paper affirming my academic prowess. I was rarely disappointed. Upon removing the report from the envelope, I was greeted with gleaming rows of 4’s (exceeding standards), and at worst, there were a few 3’s (meeting standards) scattered about. Then the most exciting part – turning the report over to read what my teachers really thought of me. Elementary school teachers must have been forced to endure a grueling handwriting boot camp before being awarded their licenses, because all of my teachers had perfect penmanship. In beautiful, looping script was an equally lovely message: “Iris is a pleasure to have in class.” In the same self-absorbed way, I hounded my mother after she had gone to parent teacher conferences, eagerly asking what had been said about me behind closed doors. Year after year, the consensus was more or less the same: I was an excellent student, but my teachers wished I would speak up more. I always disregarded the latter part of this comment with an eye roll, choosing instead to focus
on my obvious brilliance. And for a while, that was fine. Grade school teachers busy yelling at my over talkative peers were thankful that at least one person in the class could shut up and listen, and my reticence was considered more of a character quirk than a real problem. But middle school was the first indication that I couldn’t live in my silent bubble forever. Gone were the teachers who extolled my quietness as a virtue and commended me for being an excellent listener. In their place were aliens who encouraged group discussions and favored people who couldn’t stop yammering. I began to notice passive aggressive comments in work that was returned to me – “Nice job, but please share your thoughts with the rest of the class!” The hastily scribbled smiley faces beneath these chilling messages did nothing to reassure me. Despite these new developments, I still clung to my silent ways, and felt a smug sense of satisfaction when I still managed to receive higher marks than my chattier classmates. Seeing this, my teachers relented, but they warned me that while this sort of behavior might still fly in middle school, high school wouldn’t be so forgiving. And oh, how right they were. After nine years, my once happy marriage with school began to crumble. I was completely unprepared for the horrors that would await me. Even though I had been warned repeatedly that I had enrolled myself into one of the best (and therefore toughest) high schools in New York City, I was confident that I could still succeed. To my dismay, I soon learned that my new peers had a secret weapon: an unceasing enthusiasm for class participation. English, which had always been my favorite subject because it allowed me to read by myself in peace, was no longer just about reading or even writing. It now involved forty-five minutes of sitting in a circle discussing some aspect of the assigned reading. To my amazement, as soon as a question left my teacher’s lips, several hands would shoot up. Confident voices gave impassioned, eloquent arguments about the merits of this sentence or that character, while I shrank back into my seat and did my best to look preoccupied flipping through the book’s pages. My charade continued class after class, and I enviously looked on as my peers effortlessly contributed to the topic
of the day while I struggled to form a coherent answer on the spot. When mid-term reports came around, I was for the first time, extremely nervous. As I read my teacher’s comments, my fears were confirmed: “Please participate more in class.” And that was it – not even a crooked smiley face to soften the blow. This intervention would be the first of many to come. I had always thought I was in control and that I had simply chosen not to participate, but the truth was that I was at the mercy of my debilitating shyness. Of all the diseases to be plagued by, shyness is a pretty incriminating one. It not only renders you speechless, but also implies that you’re an egotistical narcissist who allows the fear of what other people think control your actions. Logically, I know that I have nothing to be afraid of, and even if people do judge me for what I say, so what? But once I get to class and a question ending in “...and what do you think?” is asked, my mind goes blank. On the off chance that I feel like I know the answer, more often than not I’m still too scared to raise my hand. What if I’m wrong? What if people think it’s weird that I’m suddenly talking after not having said anything for the past three classes? What if – oh look, someone else has already raised their hand. And darn, they just said what I was thinking! And now I don’t know how to answer the next question. Oh great, now I’m being called on. Cue the blushing, awkward garbled speech, and self-loathing. It’s hard to feel sorry for shy people. Who do they think they are, thinking they’re so self-important that people will scrutinize their every syllable? Why do they have to make things so awkward by just sitting there and not saying a single word? As a certified, 100% genuine shy person who hates being shy, I have to agree. Anyone who is shy and proud of it is delusional. At least I recognize that, and I think I’m making some semblance of progress in the fight against my own demons. This year, I’ve voluntarily participated in class at least three times, which has to be a new personal record. I have high hopes for myself – after all, there’s nothing more motivating than knowing that unless I step up my act, I’ll be forever known as the person who peaked in kindergarten.
ISABEL FRIAS/THE OBSERVER
n” o g a r D the n a D “ om r f t p r e Exc LVER IE SI N A H EP By ST
I guess I’m a cautious person; I don’t smoke enough to kill me, I take my vitamins, and I wait for the walking signal while crossing the streets of New York, even when some partisan painter blotches the pixelated hand into the universal sign for Rock n’ Roll. I still wait. The other night I went out with my friend Dan. While we sat amidst the stench of beer in a low lit bar, we caught up on the happenings of the six months we had gone without seeing one another. Dan inquired about my living situation, asking why I had stayed in my school’s dorm after telling him about my plans of moving off campus months earlier. After hearing my reasoning, Dan immediately challenged me: “So you’re saying you’re just too immature to live alone then.” Though I was sipping while he began, beer gilded my chin as it poured from my lips, which were so ready to refute the thought that they prematurely parted. I told Dan immaturity had nothing to do with it, going on to paint the foreboding image of myself, a young woman, walking home from class every night to a neighborhood that would provide cheap housing, and therefore, may not be equipped with the greatest security measures. “Every night.” Probability alone seemed enough for me to predict the threat of danger. “New York is not out to rape you,” replied Dan and the intensity of his language perplexed me. I didn’t say “rape,” I had only alluded to the danger of travelling alone in the city as a woman, something I didn’t think would be so hard to imagine that he injected the fear with a sense of fantasy, implied by the ferocity of the word. I told Dan how often I had experienced the discomfort of being cat-called, followed, and sometimes touched on the streets, but he continued to fight me, arguing that he “knew” what I had described because he had lived in the city all his life, but had never witnessed it in the amount which I had cited and which to him, had exaggerated. I replied saying “You don’t know. You’re a man,” but Dan could not be moved in his cement ignorance. As a woman, the reminder of my vulnerability has been a constant in my life, as if the space in front of me were a pane of glass covered in a million post-it notes advising me to “beware.” While Dan, as a man, is so perpetually faced with his privilege as a wealthy, New York bred male, he can’t even begin to compare or place his experience against my own. So, because I failed to say it at the time, here’s to you Dan, you, part of the parody and population leaving “patriarchy in place” to stew in your ignorance. When you say I’m immature, I guess I should take it to mean that your own boyishness is so present that you’re blinded to my exercise in prudence as a grown, intelligent woman. So, Dan, maybe next time we haven’t seen each other for six months, we could make it an even dozen. ISABEL FRIAS/THE OBSERVER
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m o r tf p er c Ex SS RO y B
” g n i b m i l “C
RT PE M LA
I am eight years old, and I am climbing the tree outside of my church. I have not seen Michael Canalas since I switched schools last year and I have accepted that I will likely never see him again. Instead, I have made new friends, the kind one makes at church. They are all watching me on the ground, except for my brother, who has decided to stay on the bottom branch of the tree, to sit and watch my ascent from below. He is something of a climber himself, but I do not realize that this is because he looks up to me. The baptism happened an hour ago, in front of a congregation of around a hundred people. Fifteen of those people were family members, and one of them was me. It was one of the biggest ceremonies the church has ever done before, almost as big as Christmas usually is. The church is Presbyterian, has one pastor, a few deacons (my father was one of them), and four or five Sunday School volunteer teachers. There are portable classrooms outside of the church, where I have Sunday school classes. I can already see them pretty well from where I am hanging, but I imagine how they would look from the top of the tree, where I intended to reach. I kept climbing. I see the sun above me, shimmering down through the bright green leaves, warming my body all the way through to my heart. There are no clouds in the sky that day. I think to myself, with nothing blocking the sky, does that mean I will be able to see God? When you get baptized, they tell you that God is love. I think of the girls.
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I think of Michael Canalas. I think of the way I eat lunch alone at my new school. I think, maybe if I climb high enough, I will be able to see Him. Maybe I can ask Him where to find love. I remember reaching the top. I remember swearing I did, and swearing that I saw Him, too. Although, neither of these things can I remember with absolute certainly. But the need to climb and the climbing, these things I grasp with ease. Because I have been looking for love my whole life. I am willing to climb for it. I did not even know what it was. I am twenty years old and I want to be better than this. Despite all I have seen and all that I know, I do not want to give up. In fact, I refuse to do so. I don’t want scared, chased, loose, objectified, used, or put on the back burner love. I refuse it all for the sake of something greater, something far more true and pure. I want love, real love. It is not too much to ask – to a climber, nothing is. I can exercise a will that defies even gravity, for that is the only way to climb, and I am willing to climb for love. Willing to pull myself up by my arms, willing to loose my footing, willing to strain, willing to reach, willing to guess, willing to fall, willing to try again, willing to climb for love. To climb is to not give up, to resist the fundamental gravity that pulls us all, one by one, down to the ground below. I do not care if everyone else is on that ground, looking up at me, wondering how long it will be before I come down. I will not come down. I will climb.
YUANXI LIU/THE OBSERVER
Excerpt from “Like No One’s Watching” By HUNTER LANG
I attended Theater Arts Center, a blandly-named performing arts studio in our town, which was owned by a woman “all the way from New York City” named Christine. I’d been taking classes at TAC for two years when Sydney showed up. Because Sydney was a beginner, Christine decided she would teach Sydney herself, a rarity (perhaps, having witnessed my abilities, Christine thought her expertise would save Sydney from also becoming a disastrous dancer). My mother, wishing to avoid paying extra for private classes, insisted another student take Christine’s class with Sydney. Someone, I forget who, made the horrendous suggestion that it would be cute to have two sisters dancing together. That is how Christine became my teacher. Christine was a tiny, angular woman with a bottleblonde bob and heavy “stage” makeup that she wore all the time. Despite being in her seventies, Christine was alarmingly energetic, and she moved from one place to another in a series of prancing, Liza Minnelli-esque movements. Having spent her life both chain-smoking and belting out show tunes, her voice was croaky. Christine considered herself to be a very important in the theater world. From what I understood, she’d worked as a casting director for a few Broadway productions. Christine seemed convinced, however, that she was as influential as Rogers and Hammerstein, and reminded us often that she had the power to “make or break us.” To this woman Sydney and I were handed over. My sister and I had a jazz class each week, and from the first class we realized a horrible mistake had been made. Christine rejected the stretches and warm-ups that traditionally precede dance lessons. Instead, she would face the mirror and perform a series of disturbing aerobics, flailing her arms as if she was about to take off and fly away. “Come on!” she’d rasp at us, her arms still pumping, when we failed to follow her lead. The frantic fluttering would lead into a cool-down period, where Sydney and I were expected to emulate wood-nymph hippie ladies, serenely waving our arms to our internal rhythms, eyes closed, breathing deeply. Finally, Christine instructed us to lie down on the floor, belly up, and lift our legs at a 90 degree angle. “Now, walk on the ceiling,” Christine ordered, as if that were the logical thing to do. Two pairs of legs scissored back and forth in the air, while Christine stood and watched with beady eyes. I can’t fathom what we looked like to the occasional outsider who may have peered in through the tiny window on the door, expecting to witness art in motion. What those exercises most closely resembled was an exorcism.
In the spring, there was always a big Theater Arts Center recital for which we had to purchase expensive costumes. Each dance class performed a number or two at the recital. Having taken Christine’s class for a few months, Sydney and I were apprehensive when she announced that we too would be in the recital. We became outright horrified when she played us the song we would dance to. While the other classes taught by younger teachers would dance to trendy pop songs, we had a crackly, obscure vaudevillian jazz number so old that every person who had a part in producing it was likely dead.
But Sydney and I were awkward, sullen teenagers, the last demographic anyone would want to see grapevining. The dance that accompanied the song was no less embarrassing. It seemed like a bizarre homage to something even our grandparents would have considered old fashioned. With a serial killer smile, Christine presented Sydney and me with top hats and canes, and with them in hand we executed jazz squares, the Charleston, and clumsy pinwheels. All of this would have been adorable had it been performed by, say, apple-cheeked toddlers or genial old people bearing hard candies. But Sydney and I were awkward, sullen teenagers, the last demographic anyone would want to see grapevining. Like most teenagers, we were also cripplingly self-conscious. Needless to say, this was not the dance for us. One particularly complex part of the dance involved Sydney and me throwing our hats to each other, catching them, and then tossing them back. Christine dedicated an entire class to perfecting this move, a measure any sane person would tell you was a waste of time. No matter how much we practiced, Sydney and I knew in our hearts that, come the night of the show, we would certainly drop the hats. Nevertheless, that night we lobbed the hats back and forth, sweat beading on our brows as Christine bellowed, “Again!” We succeeded half the time. Our failures varied from failing to catch the hats to launching them like frisbees and hitting each
other in the eyes. Christine was not impressed, and voiced her concern for the future of our dancing careers. Our costumes arrived, and we hated ourselves for expecting anything else. Out of the packaging sprang two new plastic canes and top hats, along with the most offensive garments we’d ever seen. The ensemble was made up of a tunic, cut into a universally unflattering box shape and generously adorned with sequins, glitter, and tassels, and faux-velvet stretchy pants, with flared bottoms. Sydney and I tried them on, avoid each other’s gaze, for fear that we would start either laughing or crying and be unable to stop. The reality of our situation was setting in. When we stepped out of the bathroom to show Christine the revoltingly flamboyant final product, she clapped her hands together, exclaiming with her usual dramatic flair, cawing, “Oh, they’re perfect, just perfect!” On the night of the recital, Sydney and I, sparkling with sequins, huddled behind the curtains, listening to the seats fill up. It was a full house. “Hunter, what are we going to do?” Sydney looked pale. She was turning to me for help. I was her older sister, wiser, wilier. I would surely have the solution. “Okay, let’s face facts,” I growled, gripping her shoulders, ripping off the band-aid, “we’re not getting out of this.” Sydney grimaced. “So here’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to go out there, and dance like no one’s watching. We have to pretend that this is dance good, and we’re having fun. They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” I delivered this speech like a general leading his troops into certain death. I was Braveheart, in a bedazzled tunic and top hat. Sydney stared at me as if I’d just suggested we jump in front of a train. But there was no time for further discussion, we were on next. And, by God, we danced like no one was watching, throwing ourselves into each move, tumbling about the stage, grinning like mad women. The whole thing is a blur to me now, but I do remember one thing: everyone in that theater witnessed what could only be described as a miracle. Sydney and I caught those damn hats! When we got off the stage, Christine screeched, “What were you doing? That was a disaster! Hunter, is that what you call a cartwheel? Sydney, you missed a jazz square! If this was a professional production, you two would be fired!” As Christine railed, Sydney and I could only grin, comforted in knowing we’d never have to perform that dance ever again. KIRSTIN BUNKLEY/THE OBSERVER
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February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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EDA
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THE OBSERVER February 12, 2015
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EDA
The Comma, Selected works from visual artists at Fordham College at Lincoln Center Featured artists: Alexander Jahani and eda
DESTRUCTION IS A CREATIVE FORCE BY ALEXANDER JAHANI
EDA
CARDINAL LANE BY ALEXANDER JAHANI
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February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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Something January Asked For By AREEG ABDELHAMID
How To Tell Your Mother You Love Her
Last Night, January came and slept with me, Her numb hands grazed my face and
By MARK LEE
we were both sucked into this loneliness. Of waiting.
Tell her how the scent of onions browning on a stovetop makes you think of her. The way her red curls drifted across the kitchen in autumn, her long fingers folded over your hands as she taught you the importance of feeding the soft parts of the soul.
You’re a fool, with nothing but deep cranberry lust
Remind her that the things you love best about yourself are pieces of her. Her softness, her forgiveness, and her sacrifice. Show her the shirt you still own. The one she got in Colorado when she was your age. Tell her that when you wear it to bed, you remember how to be good, how to be strong. How to give up pieces of yourself so that others can be whole. Tell her that the salt of your own tears always seems to be hers. That you want to protect her in all the ways she protected you, and sometimes that means protecting her from yourself.
and nightmares to compare She dragged herself, dry skin and all hanging on this polished dreamless night. Before midnight,
Tell her that she is the thread that secures your Mississippi feet to these New York sidewalks. That she taught you to carry yourself in those places she can’t hold your hand. That when you walk home at two in the morning, lost and crying over all the things that can’t be, it’s her words echoing in your head that bring you back to yourself.
chained herself to the throne. She asked me to remember this night
Let her know that you learned the world through her. That she gave you her eyes when you couldn’t see and that her hands are your hands. That she taught you there is no greater bravery than tenderness.
and to dump you right in the middle of her lap
Remind her that you’ve grown. That you’ve changed. That you will carry her with you until you die, and when you do, that whatever is left of you will shout her name, her face, her love into the universe.
and she’ll take care of you and of us.
SARAH HOWARD/THE OBSERVER
Botticelli: “The Birth of Venus” By JESSICA VITOVITCH
Seductive flesh in deepest swoon Arise from shell as if from womb, Violets float in a west wind’s grace With dancing hair and a soft-fleshed face, A lustful gaze her love doth bear In a divine arousal driven stare, As Passion looms in lightly play Where sweet sand shores her gaze may lay
Listening for Silence By BENNY REGALBUTO
I am born. I cry and squeal like a pig being slaughtered. All around me, noises: the doctors’ joy, my mother’s pride, my father’s elated “It’s a boy!” I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
graciously receives her diploma. All around me, celebration: parents clapping incessantly, caps flying, students declaring victory. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am eight. I yell and scream with my friends as we obliterate the birthday piñata. All around me, sounds: family chattering, music blaring, our footsteps echoing off the walls. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am sixty-seven. I protest and fume as the cancer silently assassinates my once vibrant wife. All around me, pointlessness: machines whirring, family sobbing, doctors saying “I’m sorry.” I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am fourteen. I weep and sniffle as my parents exchange their feelings violently. All around me, cacophony: tears exploding on the ground, curses reverberating, furniture falling. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am seventy-six. I revolt and rebel as my son gently suggests a retirement home. All around me, confusion: my son’s arguments, the TV news broadcasting, the teapot whistling. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am twenty-six. I sweat and stutter as I pull out the ring. All around me, clamoring: seats shifting, people gasping anxiously, her fervent “Yes.” I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am eighty-two. I laugh and guffaw as my grandson slips in the mud by my favorite sycamore. All around me, delight: the boy’s amusement, the porch rocking chair squeaking, birds chirping. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come.
I am thirty-three. I bark and flail my lead-heavy arms as I give orders to my men. All around me, chaos: bullets blanketing bodies, men moaning for mommy, outraged bombs. I’m listening for silence, and still it has not come. I am forty-nine. I cheer and applaud as my daughter
I am one-hundred. I grunt and swear as I painfully slip into bed. All around me… Nothing. No one. I only hear the nighinaudible crashing of atoms. I’m listening to silence, waiting for the cloaked, silhouetted man to carry me away.
KIRSTIN BUNKLEY/ THE OBSERVER
Har dwo od
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ET AR G AR M y B
THE OBSERVER February 12, 2015
The Comma
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ER SH I F
They leaned sideways in the yellow glow With sheen faces and empty lungs. She promised to come back And dance during the summer. Like Cinderella, but she didn’t leave her shoe. The days burned into the sidewalk outside. The leaves blew over the steps up to Big, heavy, double doors. His name was Parker and he taught me how to dance. Asked for my hand and walked me out, Step, step, rock-step. I watched my feet while he smiled at my forehead. He smiled at my steps. Good Great Wow He smiled at me. “I’m the type to fall hard,” he said. “It’s all about love,” he said. I believed him. He twirled and lifted. My hair swirling in the air above the hardwood floor, He fell in love and Placed his hand on the small of my back.
Try to look into my face, Pull me to the floor again and again. Feel the warmth burn under our eyelids, Periphery crystal Glitter and liquid music. The girl who kept her shoe, Who didn’t leave a number or a name; Who hates the hope that Crawls inside and shatters out. I’ve grown heavy with this story. A glass slipper and a glass man. A thick door and click click heels. The dance swirls on inside. I stand with the leaves In the street. In November I hear your voice as it crawls across, A smile for someone far away. It is warm enough. I see a flash of tool and feel the light bulbs On my cheeks. I’m glad you don’t remember. And even though it doesn’t matter at all, Cinderella will wait, Just one more moment, Before I turn and go. SARAH HOWARD/THE OBSERVER
Excerpt from “Naked” By DEAN FRYN
“I want to be in the ocean,” I thought aloud. “Then jump in the ocean,” May retorted. “I need to be in the ocean…I’m going to jump into the ocean.” There I began to undress. I took off each article of clothing hurriedly as my impulse became a gripping and unusual carnal desire. I never felt anything like this before: I was hungry for a sensation that I did know. Within seconds, I stood before the water in my baby blue underwear, a color that the sky should have been on this weird day. The next couple of moments blurred into a gradient of screams, cheers, and gasps as I ran into the ocean. I strode over the waves, like a cheetah that was going to devour a gazelle. My heart accelerated as my feet splashed with the water that caressed my legs even though I tore through it. I no longer felt human; I was soaring as I was running and I leaped into the waves, this time transforming into a dolphin. The arc of my body was unified with the salt water and in delicate moments I was enveloped by the sea. I
did not feel the frigid temperature of the Pacific Ocean felt profound warmth as I sped through the miraculous water. I was not gay here. I was not underweight here. I was not human here. I was free. And I was so free to the point where my body convulsed in ecstasy and symphonies played in my head. It was like I was experiencing what it physically feels like to see God. Whirling motions and colors that burst out of the blackness of my closed eyes harmonized with liquid that was surging past my ephemeral body. I was not submerged underwater – I floated in a serene and vibrant universe. I felt the edge of insanity and spiritual rebirth; I was a phoenix being reborn from the indescribable, aquatic flames. The surface of the water rushed to my face and I gasped for breath. I began to shiver as I looked back on the crowd that formed on the shore. Some applauded, others laughed, most just stood in disbelief. I was a gladiator, and I proudly began to strut toward the shore like I was Mr. Universe.
PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER
COURTESY OF KAYLA D’ANGELO
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NEW YORK ARCHITECTURE DURING THE WINTER
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Opinions
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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Obama’s Iranian Policy: A Threat to America and Israel JONATHAN MILOHNIC Staff Writer
At the beginning of January, President Barack Obama met with Senate Democrats in Baltimore for the Senate Democratic Issues Conference. The main highlight from this meeting was the “sparring match” between President Obama and Senator Robert Menendez (DNJ). Menendez is a co-sponsor with Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) of a bill that would impose further sanctions on Iran if no deal is reached by the extended June 30 deadline for negotiations over its nuclear program. Obama implicitly stated that imposing more sanctions on Iran prior to June 30 could result in the Iranians pulling out of negotiations. Thus, the international community may blame the United States, rather than the Iranians, for the lack of a nuclear deal. Obama then also implied that the pressure for this bill was coming from political donors rather than the senators themselves, which resulted in a poor reaction from Menendez who has been working to curb the Iranian nuclear program for two decades. The Menendez-Obama showdown and the nuclear negotiations have coincided with Speaker of the House, John Boehner’s (R-OH) invitation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak in front of Congress about the threat of Iran on March 3. Obama has requested that Netanyahu’s speech in front of Congress be cancelled and refused to meet with Netanyahu. This outward preference of Iran, a theocratic dictatorship, comes on the heels of the Obama Administration’s absence from the recent rally in Paris after the Islamic terrorist attacks, which
COURTESY OF OLIVER DOULIERY/ACABA PRESS VIA TNS
targeted Jews in France. Much of the international community has penalized Iran’s indiscretions through economic sanctions. The strict sanctions on Iran are responsible for crippling their economy and forcing them to come to the negotiating table, which is a positive effect. On the other hand, sanctions have crippled the Iranian oil market, which makes up most of the nation’s economy, and this has caused their GDP to shrink. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, must choose between nuclear proliferation and the security of his regime. So more sanctions could mean a quicker resolution to the Iranian nuclear program, but they could also result in a further
economic slip for Iran and more suffering for the Iranian people. All wars have casualties, but the Iranian people who voted for a moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, in hopes of fixing the failing economy and mending relations with Western powers, should not necessarily suffer because of their uncooperative leadership. Unfortunately, there is no way to separate the two. Unless Iranian leaders make concessions at the negotiating table, the Iranian people are bound to suffer as more sanctions most likely will and should be put into place. The upside of further increasing sanctions is that they could potentially topple the theocratic regime of the Ayatollahs and give Iran a true democracy,
which could potentially open up communication between Iran and the Western world. But is Iran willing to work with us? Iran has openly targeted the United States and Israel by stating that the state’s goal is to annihilate both countries; Iran has gone as far as to openly target Netanyahu’s children. It is no secret that Obama is not a fan of Netanyahu or that he has turned his back on Israel and the global Jewish population. But why have Democratic leaders and the President chosen to stick Netanyahu and Israel in the corner and give Iran a chance? Some believe the changing political atmosphere in the Middle East
calls for a change in America’s approach. We have recently seen many regimes in the Middle East topple, some of which were put into power by the U.S. and our allies. The sun setting on the regimes of Qaddafi and Mubarak does not necessarily mean that the sun is rising in Iran where things have remained status quo. Obama has long been labeled as a “lame duck,” but it seems that he is trying to further promote his legacy through potentially detrimental policy changes. Hallmarks of his presidency include attempting to destroy diplomatic relationships with Israel, “ending” the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, emptying out of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp (GTMO), opening democratic relations with Cuba and now diplomacy with Iran. The ripple effects from most of these decisions could be potentially catastrophic. We are witnessing a power vacuum in the Middle East in which a jihadist group is consistently gaining more territory in which there is a lack of United States troops. Afghanistan is still vulnerable to the Taliban and our president is releasing jihadist Taliban prisoners from GTMO. And now Obama is crying for diplomacy with Iran in regard to their nuclear potential when in May, Khamenei pledged to destroy the U.S. through “battle and jihad.” Obama’s reckless policy shifts might look wonderful in the short run, but the long-term effects of the choices he is making are quite possibly insurmountable. Five years from now, President Obama will be working on his book deal and a future president might very well be dealing with an Islamic Caliphate and an Iran with nuclear warheads, frightening and potential consequences of Obama’s actions.
See Something, Say Something When Needed ELIZABETH ATHY Staff Writer
Using 311 to report instances of suspicious behavior is very popular, especially in places like New York City. 311 provides some security for a caller by allowing him or her to leave an anonymous tip of a crime believed to be happening in their area, such as drug dealings. While 311 is useful, it can also be abused.The number is sometimes used for more frivolous things such as reporting noisy and careless neighbors. One of the main problems with the 311 number is probably that people don’t understand how it works.
The caller dials the number, the dispatcher files the complaint with the NYPD and then the complaint is investigated, should an investigation be warranted. This is different from calling 911 which automatically sends the report to the NYPD for immediate investigation. People who call 311 seem to mistake the two numbers, expecting instant gratification, no matter how small the complaint. According to a report in the New York Daily News on Jan. 23, 2015, a Bronx woman, Arles Cepeda, was arrested for harassing 311 with her calls and is now filing a lawsuit. She suspected there were drug dealers in her building openly selling drugs to the youth of the neighborhood. She called 64 times, causing her to get in
trouble with the police for “harassment.” She said that her complaints were ignored and when the police did show up, they were aggressive with her and told her to stop calling. People who claimed to have either visited or lived in the building complex stated that her calls were warranted and that there were indeed drug dealers in the building. This was definitely a noteworthy instance in which the complaints should not have been ignored. However, there are times when the call may not be warranted. In Staten Island, Councilman Steven Matteo is introducing a bill that provides a three month calming period, during which people would not be able to call if complaints to 311 regarding a certain area are unsub-
stantiated. This is to lessen the calls people make to harass neighbors. While the use of 311 can have some merit for reporting instances of potentially dangerous behavior, it rarely seems to have the desired impact. 311 is commonly used as a sounding board where people spout off their complaints. Nothing is done about a problem unless there is a real issue. Additionally, callers usually call in for petty things such as dogs barking or the way a car is parked in the street, and will keep calling until they achieve the desired result. However, this means 311 dispatchers are wasting time on frivolous problems rather than serious issues. While people should follow the policy of “see something, say something,” they should only do it when
it’s warranted. An example of this is illegal activity: If people see drug dealing or some other crime being committed, then they should report it to either 311 or 911, but these numbers should not be used to tattle-tale on neighbors over menial issues or to help exact revenge on neighbors who might feel wronged in some way. The use of 311 can have its benefits. It can help bring potential criminals to a stop and still keep the informant safe from harm, a benefit to society. However, 311 can also be used for selfish purposes. This is why it is a good idea to have bills like the one Matteo proposed. The bill will help control the 311 calls and hopefully make people think twice before calling for silly reasons.
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Arts & Culture
Arts & Culture Editor Ramona Venturanza — ramonaventuranza@gmail.com
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
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The cast of “The Skin of Our Teeth” challenges audiences to the power of humanity and the individual.
“The Skin of Our Teeth”: A Story of Humanity & the Individual By RAMONA VENTURANZA & LOULOU CHRYSSIDES Arts & Culture Editor and Asst. Arts & Culture Editor
Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC) Theatre Program would like to introduce the eccentric Antrobus family: the married couple of 5,000 years, George and Maggie Antrobus; their two children, Gladys and Henry; and their vampire maid, Sabina. This Mainstage production will get audiences thinking about humanity and the power of the individuals, as this Eternal Family overcome ice, flood and war by the skin of their teeth. From Feb. 19 through Feb. 21, and again from Feb. 25 until Feb. 27, Thornton Wilder’s philosophical and thought-provoking play, “The Skin of Our Teeth,” will play in Pope Auditorium at FCLC.
According to the production team, which includes Production Stage Manager Kaleigh Bernier, FCLC ’16, Assistant Director Garrett Kim, FCLC ’16, and Narrator Marguerite Frarey, FCLC ’15, “The Skin of Our Teeth” aims to explore humanity. “The play aims to shed light on cyclical nature of history, as well as our reactions to [history],” Bernier said. The play focuses around the perspective of the vampire maid, Sabina. Bernier said, “It’s not Sabina’s story, but rather, the story of humanity as told by Sabina.” According to Kim, the story of the Antrobus family and Sabina spans from the Ice Age through World War II. “Basically, it’s about humanity and the will of humans to survive,” he said. “It poses a lot of moral, ethical and philosophical questions to the audience.”
The play’s narrator Frarey further elaborated on what the piece aims to convey to its audience. “This play has many, many themes. Some of these include: unconquered will, life as a series of threads, acknowledging the truth, family, language, the value of thinking and the rational mind, failure and catastrophe, the cyclicality of history and theater, the power of youth, the power of sex, survival of the human race and how we tell stories,” Frarey said. “The script is all over the place: hilarious in one moment and then heartbreaking in the next. It distorts time, place and styles of theater,” Kim said. “We spent three whole weeks doing table work just to make sure that everyone understood the play; we wanted to make sure that everyone was on the same page of what was going on.”
Furthermore, Kim and the rest of the cast enjoyed working under the wing of the play’s director, Taibi Magar. As a recent graduate of The Brown University/Trinity Rep MFA Theatre Program, Magar previously directed Wilder’s “The Skin of Our Teeth” at the Trinity Repertory Company in Feb. 2014. “I’ve been very fortunate as Taibi’s really invited me into her process, explaining her thoughts as we move along and giving me a chance watch her in action and try things out myself,” Kim said. Frarey and Kim hope that the audience will make a deep connection with the characters and themes of “The Skin of Our Teeth.” “I want this play to expand our audience’s idea of what is possible. I want to make them think, to provoke them, to alert them. To heighten their awareness. I want the audience to take away a newfound
kind of power in themselves as individuals and as a society. I want them to viscerally understand themselves as part of the storytelling and as part of the story,” Frarey said. “I think audiences will come away with a lot of different thoughts and ideas; hopefully the play will get people thinking. I think ultimately, it’s a hopeful play about our will to carry on through tragedy,” Kim said. IF YOU GO
The Skin of Our Teeth WHEN: Feb. 19-21 and Feb. 25-27. All
shows are at 8 p.m.
WHERE: Pope Auditorium (113 West
60th Street) PRICE: General Admission: $15 Fordham Alumni and Faculty: $10 Students and Senior Citizens: $5 RSVP: fclcboxoffice@gmail.com
The Comma Interrobang
Navigating Without A Map By MEREDITH SUMMERS Literary Co-Editor & Copy Editor
Hello, my name is Meredith Summers and I have a Type A personality. There. I said it. I have been trying to pretend for my whole life that I’m Type B, but I just can’t hide it anymore. Being a Type A person, I am all about maps. When I go somewhere I like to know exactly where I’m going and precisely how I am going to get there. For example, this past weekend I went to Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn (yes, I’m also the type of person who goes sightseeing in cemeteries but that’s a discussion for another time). Naturally, I did some research before I went and I was assured by the cemetery’s website that I would be able to find a map at any of
the entrances. Unfortunately, when I arrived, I could not find a map anywhere. Additionally, I couldn’t find anyone to ask about finding a map. So of course I panicked. The cemetery is almost 450 acres--how was I supposed to find any of the graves of the cemetery’s famous residents without my trusty map? I contemplated just leaving but after the 45 minute subway ride I felt like I had to see something. I started walking around (aimlessly) and noticed that from certain points in the cemetery there are great views of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and perhaps most importantly, the Red Hook Ikea. I walked around for
a few hours and I never found any dead famous people, but I did learn something. Yes, kids, the saccharine sweet moral to this story is that I learned that I don’t always need a map. I missed out on the graves of some of the world’s greatest innovators, but I still had a good time just walking around and taking it all in. In the next few months, I will graduate from Fordham and thereby end my formal education (at least for now) and have to find my own place to live. I don’t know where I’m supposed to go or what I’m supposed to do and in that sense I am now without a map. And maybe that isn’t a such bad thing after all.
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Subway to Stage: Student Choreographs for Global Harmony BY RAMONA VENTURANZA Arts & Culture Editor
On Feb. 11, Alvin Ailey’s most recent annual show, Global Harmony, had dancers and choreographers from the professional division bring in many of world’s cultures to life through the art of music and movement. One of the choreographers from the BFA/Fordham Ailey program, Robyn Ayers, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’16, wanted the audience to see the everyday chaos of riding New York City’s subway through dance. According to Ayers, the whole inspiration for the piece came from her daily commute on the D-train from Lincoln Center to Rose Hill. “Last summer, I worked at the library at Lincoln Center full-time, but as a student worker, I was assigned housing up at Rose Hill. I found that it was actually cheaper to take the train than the Ram Van back and forth, so I rode the train at 7 a.m. and then again at 5:30 p.m. during rush hour. It was always really hectic, with everyone pushing and shoving,” Ayers said. On her commute, Ayers noticed the different reactions of people who weren’t accustomed to riding the subway. “There were always people help a map, with a very confused look on their face. There were also some people who just stopped and looked around, and realized that they are on the wrong train or the wrong side of the platform,” she said. “I [had] been picking up on the vibe of stations and trains throughout the summer.” Ayers discovered a song that summed up her commute on the Dtrain, and thus formulated the idea for the choreography of her piece. “After listening to this one playlist, I came across a song that really fit the energy I came across on the train station. Then I came up with the idea: what if I translated this idea into dance, and what would that look like - what if I translated the attitude of a tourist into different dance movements,” she said. Ayers decided to use a John Powell score from the film “Night and Day” in her choreography. “Once I found that song, it dictated the
PAULA MADERO/THE OBSERVER
Students in the BFA/Fordham Ailey program prepare for the Global Harmony showcase.
‘when, where and why’ of the choreography. Afterwards, I had a friend help me edit in some additional subway and crowd sounds into different spots of the music, so it could be a little bit more self explanatory to the audience.” When working with the dancers, Ayers said that coming up with the choreography involved a lot of testing. “There was a lot of experimentation in regards to making the piece.
This is my first time working with such a large group on a big scale project, so I was very fortunate to have such an intelligent cast. They told me when things didn’t seem to make sense,” she said. Shaina Oppenheimer, FCLC ’17, a dancer in Ayers’ piece, said that it was a fulfilling experience to work with a peer on her choreographed piece. “As a dancer, it is a great experience to work with your peer chore-
ographer; when it’s student choreography rather than a professional, you feel a little bit more of the process as normally.” According to Oppenheimer, Ayers encouraged the dancers to focus on the hectic patterns of New York City’s transit system. “It is about a girl who can’t get to where she needs to be, and how everyone else on the subway is focused except for her. It plays into the chaos and
patterns of the subway,” she said. “Our piece is light and happy, and it pokes fun at something that we take part in everyday.” When audiences watched the performance, Ayers hoped that all saw how everyday experiences were exhibited through dance. “I want them to say to themselves, ‘Hey, this is something that happens to me everyday on the subway!’ I want [the audience] to have fun with it,” she said.
Grey Is the New Red this Valentine’s Day By MICHAELENE KARLEN Contributing Writer
This Valentine’s Day, audiences nationwide will be viewing the anticipated erotic movie, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” starring actors Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson. With the novel selling more than 100 million copies worldwide, Deadline reported that the upcoming film expects to bring in about $60 million over the Valentine’s and President’s Day weekend alone. For some students at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), this Universal Pictures and Focus Features co-production film is the perfect Valentine’s treat regardless of whether you’re in love, out of love or waving the single’s flag high. Fans all over the country may find themselves turning 50 shades of red on Valentine’s Day. According to Courtney Spears, FCLC ’16, “My friend and I are going to see the movie, because I think it will be the thing everyone is going to be talking about the next week. I think the marketing for it to come out on Valentine’s Day is genius.” However, some students speculate the success of the fiction-tofilm love story. “I’m not sure if the movie will be as popular as the book because women could buy the book on their tablet and not let anyone know they were reading the erotic novel,” Nicole Nerup, FCLC ’16, said. “It may not be as effective
on film because pornography for women is meant to be in text.” Students also question whether the film will include the scenes that give the story detail. “After having read the book and hearing how many scenes will be cut from the movie, I am a little disappointed,” Blair Aaryn, FCLC ’16, said. According to Adjunct Professor of Communications and Media Studies Heidi C. Bordogna, “I haven’t read the books, but from what I understand, ‘Fifty Shades’ seems like more of a ‘safe fantasy’ which could end up being watered down. The film, ‘Secretary,’ has been talked about as being more realistic than ‘Fifty Shades,’ so it’ll be interesting to find out how it ends up being delivered.” The film managed to slide by with just an R-rating. It was British director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s determination and attention to detail that kept the “Fifty Shades” film away from the NC-17 rating. According the article, ‘Jamie Dornan on Not Going Full Frontal in ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ Being a Feminist’ on Hollywood Reporter, Dornan, who plays Christian Grey in the film, announced early in production that he would not be showing everything in the film. Even though fans were hoping to see everything, they will still be getting their fill of Mr. Grey on Valentine’s Day. “Instead of a woman with unrealistic features, [we’ll see] Mr. Grey
as a super attractive, super wealthy man who’s ready to ‘get down’ whenever,” Nerup said. In reports from the Huffington Post, there were also fan complaints when Dornan was cast as Mr. Grey. “They could’ve chosen a hotter Mr. Grey like Sean O’Pry or Matt Bomer,” Daniel Salas, FCLC ’16, said. In a statement released by E News, Johnson, who plays Ana Steele in the film, hopes to be an advocate for women to look up to as someone who is not afraid to express herself like her character, Ana, from the trilogy. The upcoming film will bring in many more fans who haven’t read the books and provide them with that opportunity for courage and self esteem. It seems as though Johnson will influence many young women with her role. “The book ‘Fifty Shades’ is a piece considered as women’s erotica, as is the movie, and I personally do not watch porn, but I support the right for women to indulge in fantasy and erotica just like men,” Aaryn said. Universal Pictures bought the rights to the entire trilogy. If it turns out to gain a large fan base like the “Twilight” saga, then it is sure to be very successful for years to come. Do you think “Fifty Shades” could be a Valentine’s tradition in theaters in the future?
MICHELLE QUINN/THE OBSERVER
“Fifty Shades of Grey” is released this Valentine’s Day.
Features
Features Editor Alanna Kilkeary—alannamartine@gmail.com
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
#MyWeirdRamRoommate: Dirty Habits By JESSE CARLUCCI Contributing Writer
While little is to be feared amongst college dorming, many students find themselves anxious before the start of each school year as they anticipate the stranger(s) with whom they will be living with for the next nine months. Here at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC), living in New York City can be weird enough, but having a roommate with even weirder habits only adds to the experience. Recently, on Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night Hashtags segment, he created the tag #myroommateisweird, resulting in thousands of responses. In order to celebrate the true oddities amongst OUR community, I asked around for weird roommate experiences, so as to offer advice to those in similar situations (names have been changed to protect privacy). McMahon Hall resident Hillary*, FCLC ’17, recalled dorming with a girl who was “unclean and [didn’t] do much. She’d make food and not clean up after herself.” While those dorming in McMahon have the luxury of a kitchen, the issue of dishes has always been an area of concern amongst roommates, as some have no problem letting them pile up, while others are eager to clean them right away. Chores are an easy problem to work out amongst roomates with simple communication, however, we are only human, and error is inevitable. Food is another issue entirely, as one has to be tolerable of others’ food preferences, no matter how strange they may seem to us. It is important to address your living standards early on, so you and your roommate can find a middle ground, if necessary. McKeon Hall resident Anna*, FCLC ’18, claims to have a roommate who makes sleep a not-so-easy task. Rolling her eyes, she said, “My roommate sings at the top of her lungs every night before bed; it is in her nature though … she’s a theater
MICHELLE QUINN/THE OBSERVER
The feeling we get when we experience a #WeirdRamRoommate...
major.” Sleep habits and bedtime rituals are often areas for conflicts between new roommates. However, it is important to understand your roommates habits; knowing and accepting that habits are essentially part of someone’s DNA makes tolerating their weird habits even easier. John*, FCLC ’17, lives in McMa-
hon Hall and remembered living with a roommate who would wait months to do his laundry, which made their entire room smell bad. “I felt like I was living in a dirty sock,” he said while his nose scrunched up, implying the putrid smell he had to bear with. Okay, so we might have all been there: little by little, laundry piles up, we get lazy and before
we know it, our whole wardrobe is in our laundry bin. But a few months? If there is one thing you should have learned about the city by now, it would be that you should probably wash your clothes after every time you wear them, especially if you have been running around all day. If your roommate’s habits are jeopardizing your well-being, don’t
be afraid to politely sit down and talk about possible ways to find a solution so the both of you are able to live comfortably and happily. *Asterisks denote that names have been changed. Have a #WeirdRamRoommate experience? Tweet us @fordhamobserver
Treat Yo Self This Valentine’s Day: Six Must- Visit Chocolate Shops have their own tea collection.
By ALANNA KILKEARY Features Editor
LOCATION: 484 BROOME ST. NEW YORK, NY.
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or not, there’s one item that everyone craves at this time of the year: it’s nine letters, there are tons of different kinds, and Willy Wonka has a river of it in his factory-CHOCOLATE! Of course. We’ve put together a list for all you Fordham gals and guys of the top six chocolate shops in Manhattan, so you can buy that box of truffles for a special someone, or pick up some chocolates to “treat yo self ” and your friends this V-day.
VOSGES-HAUT CHOCOLATE is a
gourmet chocolate shop located in SoHo. They’ve been recognized in Vogue, Food+ Wine and on “Good Morning America” and have also been named in the “10 Best of Everything” by National Geographic. According to Vosges website, their truffles are considered “luxury,” and they are even selling a “romantic trip to Paris” for a whopping $3,700. Additionally, they have an entire page dedicated to “Bacon + Chocolate” on their website, so what more could you even ask for?
LA MAISON DU CHOCOLATE is
one of the most globally renowned chocolate shops in the world, with locations all over the east side. Noted for their “timeless” ganaches, and crisp pralines, La Maison has been operating since 1955. Gorgeous in design and taste, these truffles are to die for.
LOCATION: 1 WEST 59TH ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10019 THE CHOCOLATE ROOM is one of
our favorite downtown chocolate bars, located by 5th Avenue and Bergen Street in Brooklyn. The Chocolate Room is recognized for their incredible Brownie Sundae, Chocolate Layer Cake (Oprah’s favorite) and Chocolate Caramel Popcorn. Chocolate Room is great if you are looking for chocolate
LOCATION: 132 SPRING ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10013 LI-LAC CHOCOLATES is acclaimed
JESSICA HANLEY/THE OBSERVER
Russell Stover, everyone’s favorite classic Valentine’s Day gift
flavored desserts and snacks. LOCATION: 269 COURT ST. BROOKLYN, NY. 11231
J ACQUES TORRES, formally known as Mr. Chocolate himself, is renowned for his chocolate boutiques around Manhattan. From creative gift baskets, to chocolate
lollipops, to hot chocolate, Jacques Torres has just about everything to satisfy your chocolate cravings this Valentine’s Day. Additionally, his world-famous chocolate chip cookies are highly recommended for year round. LOCATION: 350 HUDSON ST. NEW YORK, NY. 10014
MARIEBELLE, tucked in Nolita on Broome Street is another chocolate boutique that has us floored. Known for their unique flavors, such as Dark Chocolate Banana and Dark Chocolate Pistachio, their bars are wildly scrumptious. Mariebelle is also noted for their chocolate barks, and they even
as Manhattan’s Oldest Chocolate House and is located approximately 2.5 miles from Fordham College at Lincoln Center’s (FCLC)campus at 40 8th Avenue. They have a variety of speciality molds, including a life-size camera and chess set, entirely made out of semi-sweet, dark and white chocolate. They also offer platters, perfect for a Valentine’s Party, and they have the best chocolate-covered strawberries in town for only $3.25.
LOCATION: 40 EIGHTH AVE. NEW YORK, NY. 10014
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THE OBSERVER
February 12, 2015
Features
22
What It’s Like Coming Home From Study Abroad By TYLER BURDICK Asst. Opinions Co-Editor
I have never been much of a risk taker, but college is a time to overcome obstacles and grow as human beings. And so, as an English major, when I saw that Fordham was offering a liberal arts program in London, I realized that declining this offer would only harm me. Naturally, I was frightened about leaving the country for the first time, but a few face-to-face talks with friends who had studied abroad as well as with Joseph Rienti, the assistant director of International & Study Abroad Programs, convinced me that few people, if any at all, return from their experiences abroad and wish that they had never gone in the first place. “You’ve lived in New York City for a while now, right? London’s just like it. It’ll feel just like home. There’s even a ‘Whole Foods’ a couple blocks down from where you’ll be studying,” Rienti told me. It seems like a small, simple thing but it took a lot of the edge off, and sometimes it’s the small things that remind you that any place can become what you make it, and any place can be made home. That talk got me on the plane to London. But what ultimately does happen when you return home from a semester abroad? Well, this is where it’s important to keep things in perspective. For me, the two hardest days of my experience were the day I left home and the day I came back. There are a lot of things that rush through your mind as you wait for that plane, and in many regards, they can comprise the longest hours yet experienced in your life. I had the luxury of having my family with me at the airport as I waited, but in some way, that made it more painful as I looked upon their faces and realized that I would not see these people in person again for the next four months. I wondered if there are things I should say before I left, if there are still some tidbits of wisdom to be gained. Then suddenly I looked up and saw that the plane was leaving in 40 minutes. I got in line and slowly moved towards the podium where passports and fingerprints are checked. All the while my family was in eyeshot, waving to me every so often to let me know they were still there. Then I turned a corner and they were gone. The plane ride itself didn’t prove
COURTESY OF TYLER BURDICK
A shot of London’s magnificent Big Ben Clock Tower in City of Westminster, England.
to be much better. The hours dwindled away and gave rise to doubts; when you land in the middle of a foreign country, what would you do? How would you get to where you need to go? Would they be kind there? Would they accept you? When I did land, I was greeted with the general welcome of unfamiliarity in the form of everything from the brand names and companies (Barclays? What is that?) that surrounded me down to the strange-looking power outlets that required me to purchase adaptors for all the appliances I brought me, and it all hit me so quickly that the world felt absolutely alien. This is what went through my mind when I touched down at Heathrow Airport in London, and as I frantically ran around the airport, trying to find the meeting point where a member of the program would rendezvous with me as a voice with a distinctly British accent listed departures and arrivals, I was petrified of missing the rendezvous point altogether and being forced to navigate this strange new city and locate my accommodations on my own. Fortunately, this
did not happen; I found the meeting point just fine, I found other people, students and administrators alike, that were taking part in my program. Suddenly there was strength in numbers. We all sat in a bus that took us directly to the flats where we would be spending our term. As we passed the English fields and highways and into the city proper, I noticed how different everything looked, from the wide open scenery to the license plates on the cars themselves. Then we entered the city, and suddenly the mass concentrations of buildings seemed to give me some comfort. “Well, here we go,” I told myself. I’m happy to say that the city got less and less alien from that point on. The transportation system was as familiar to me as the subway in New York, and thanks to maps, apps and a general desire for exploration, I one day knew the city like the back of my hand. Looking back, I suppose a pool seems the coldest when you first try to gingerly dip your toes in. Change is new, change is uncertain and change can be scary. Change can also be unwelcome, especially if we
are unsure that we can ever regain what we are giving up, but in my experience, that simply isn’t the case. Everything I left behind, everyone I loved and cared about, was waiting for me with open arms the day my plane touched down onto American soil, and by now, my life has returned to the normal routine in which I was accustomed before I had left. But I knew all of this would happen months before I even returned home. I kept in contact with my friends and family often; enough that I developed enough confidence in the details of my eventual return that I did not feel the need to rush home in some haze of desperation just to ensure that everything remained exactly as I had left it. I am fortunate for this, as it allowed me to enjoy where I was during the time I was there. They say if you blink you’ll miss out on a precious moment of life, but the exact same result will happen if your eyes aren’t even pointed in the right direction. Which brings me to the other hardest day of my experience; the day I had to return home. Due to the
late hour of my flight, I was the last person in my flat in London to leave. I stood in front of the door, bags in hand, as I glanced back at the now dark and empty abode that had only a few hours ago been bustling with activity. My keys joined the others that had been left atop the counter for the super, and my mind raced as I tried to think of whether or not I forgot anything. I dropped my bags and doubled back, checking every room and every nook and cranny to assure myself of my own thoroughness. It was at this moment that it began to dawn on me that as soon as I had passed through the threshold of the front door I would no longer be able to return. That flat would forever be out of my reach. I think that, no matter where you are, there’s always a certain sense of “the grass is always greener” syndrome. When the idea of studying abroad in various locations across the world seems exciting and exotic in theory, it quickly turns into gut-wrenching terror when the day arrives and you actually have to get on the plane. Similarly, once you get there, you start to miss all the nuances and little details that made home home. Unconsciously, you start comparing things: “Oh, back home we wouldn’t drive on that side of the road. Oh, back home I wouldn’t have assigned seating when I went to the theatre. Oh, back home all the restaurants wouldn’t close at five o’clock in the afternoon. Oh, back home we wouldn’t have such a magnificent palace filled with pomp and grandeur in the open for all to see.” And yes, this makes you miss home, but guess what? The exact same thing happens upon your return. Even now, as I type this in the safety of my apartment in New York City, I cannot help but miss the flat I once resided in in London and think back to all the details that gave London its unique flavor. If there’s one thing I learned, it is that we must appreciate the experiences we are offered during the limited time we are given to experience them. Sure we get homesick, sure there are times we wish we were somewhere else, but it’s important to remember that these feelings are as fleeting as the wind. I do not regret, even for a moment, my decision to study abroad in London, and I would offer my highest recommendation to anyone considering anything of the like.
For Sophomore Brian Wolfe, There Are No Rules and No Limits By YIANA MATTHEWS Staff Writer
When I first meet Brian Wolfe, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’17, for our interview, he’s sitting back in his chair, relaxed and 10 minutes early. He appears considerably collected for someone who runs on “four, on a good night, five and a half” hours of sleep daily, as he later tells me. Wolfe, 19, is a full-time economics major atFCLC in addition to being the founder of street-style clothing brand NO RULEZ NY and a budding socialite. The Brooklyn native counts PR mogul Jonathan Cheban and actor Jake T. Austin as close friends (as well as brand ambassadors), so it’s no surprise that he credits his celebrity following to “a lot of networking. A lot of dinners. Even when I’m out having fun, there’s business being done.” But for Wolfe, his job of overseeing operations at NO RULEZ NY isn’t much of a “job” at all. “My work is also my fun. This is what I want to do. You could call it work, but I’m really just pursuing my passion. The minute your work stops being enjoyable, you should just quit what you’re doing. In a way, my time is always free, but it’s not. Does that make sense?” NO RULEZ NY is a small, Brook-
lyn-based apparel and accessories company formed in 2013 that still works with a small team of graphic designers, webmasters and a handful of interns. I ask Wolfe what the quintessential NO RULEZ NY guy is like. “He’s cool, he’s chill, and he sees the need to stay away from his comfort zone. He doesn’t try hard to fit in, he just embraces himself as a person instead. He realizes that the world is limitless- the world is completely his for the taking.” NO RULEZ NY was originally known as Royal Triumph, however a spring summer line within the original collection called “NO RULEZ” proved to be a hit with customers and inspired the name change and implementation of the NO RULEZ logos and designs to comprise the full collection. “It sold like crazy, and I realized the name embodied our brand’s ideology better,” Wolfe said. His idea to create a line of t-shirts came to him while he was working in retail, in a shoe store, which he reflects on with a scowl. “I didn’t like it. I wanted to be my own boss, be an entrepreneur.” As the brand preaches, there are no limitations, a message that is clearly intrinsic to Wolfe, who didn’t decide to go to college and then open a business as most do- he began de-
EMILY TIBERIO/THE OBSERVER
Wolfe, rocking his “Box Logo” tee.
signing as a senior in high school. Wolfe recognizes that he had no
proper training in the art of t-shirt designing, but over the first few months of forming his brand, he has become a self-taught expert. “I had no idea what I was doing- I had no idea what Photoshop was, I didn’t know how to use anything. So I basically spent months on the Internet, researching things like how successful brands had succeeded and how manufacturing works, and then I came up with a logo myself. Most people go to school for screen-printing … I had a Google education.” Wolfe’s start in the fashion world was considerably backwards. The idea was born out of his passion for entrepreneurship, and his love for fashion came later. “I’ve always liked fashion and have worked on evolving my personal aesthetic, but my real obsession with fashion only began about five months into the brand. It was only then that I really began to understand trends and style and how I could make them my own.” Wolfe is no novice to the fashion scene these days. We briefly discuss the shows he’s planning to see during Fashion Week, and I ask him which designers inspire him the most. “Alexander Wang and Helmut Lang, above all, for sure. Did you hear that Wang’s starting to design furniture? I saw it on Instagram today- how cool is that?” Wolfe’s eyes
light up with excitement as he assesses Wang’s new work like a seasoned expert in the field. The fashion rookie Wolfe once was is clearly long gone. It’s hard to believe Wolfe has any time for himself between juggling a full-time job and well as being a fulltime student, but he assures me he makes the time. “We all get stressed and overloaded, we’re human … but I’m doing what I want to do. I still hang out with my friends as much as possible. I’ve been playing the piano for 14 years. I like to watch a good movie. I like to read a good book. It’s a little lame, but Dan Brown is really fun for me. I’m a history nerd.” The future looks bright for NO RULEZ NY, as it has already gained a cult following among young adults and celebrities alike, including football players, Victor Cruz, Johnny Manziel and girlfriend Colleen Crowley, Tyler Sash and Gabriel DayLewis, son of Daniel Day-Lewis, to name a few. So what’s next for Wolfe? “Acting, for sure. I’m getting into that soon. Finishing school, I appreciate a good education and being wellrounded. Continuing to do what I’ve been doing, obviously. Playing with some different materials, definitely denim and accessories. We plan on building a full-on empire. It’s a lot of work, but I’m crazy and I love it.”
Sports
Sports Editor Dylan Penza - dpenza@fordham.edu
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANTHONY BEHAR/SIPA USA VIA TNS
The Patriots victory in Super Bowl XLIX will forever be synonymous with the team’s alleged cheating, whether it deserves to be or not.
“Deflategate” and the Scandals That Define the Patriots By THOMAS O’CALLAGHAN Staff Writer
In the final minute of Super Bowl XLIX, the New England Patriots deflated the Seattle Seahawks’ hopes of repeating as NFL champion with a goal line interception. Much has been made of the controversial, and needlessly risky, play call of passing at the one-yard line with victory seemingly in-hand for the Seahawks. Despite having the NFL league-leading rusher in Marshawn Lynch, Pete Carroll called a passing play, perhaps thinking that the Patriots would not see it coming. However, they clearly did.
While the final play created a furor in Seattle, lingering accusations against Patriots hover over New England. With the exception of the Seahawks’ final play choice, the impact of “Deflategate” has dominated the post-Super Bowl coverage. Many question the legacy of the Tom BradyBill Belichick era Patriots, as they are involved in yet another scandal involving alleged cheating. After someone in the Patriots organization deflated 11 of their 12 footballs, Belichick and Brady were questioned, and of course, neither accepted the blame. This new scandal simply revived old allegations against the Pats,
like the 2007 “Spygate” scandal that saw the Patriots filming the signals of the New York Jets’ defensive coaches. In light of past and present allegations of cheating, the current question among sports fans and pundits is whether or not the Patriots legacy has been tarnished by these accusations of deceit? New England is one of the premiere teams in the NFL and are therefore the target of scrutiny. In addition, fans’ perception of the team as cheaters only makes it easier to dislike the Patriots. Despite their accomplishments as a fine team, history will remember them as a dishonest group and unworthy of tribute. While their
underhandedness does not match other infamous scandals, such as the Black Sox of 1919, the mere allegations do tarnish the legacy of the Patriots. If you are a winning team like New England, you need a pristine record to avoid public scrutiny, and the Brady-Belichick teams are not spotless. They will go down in the history books as an excellent team, but there may be an asterisk that will refer to their scandalous misadventures. People will remember Belichick, more so than Brady, as a good coach with a questionable reputation. He can get inducted into the Hall of Fame,
but there will still be some lingering questions about his character. Public perception is a large part of any major organization, and the Patriots do not have a squeaky-clean image outside of New England. I believe that in the history books, much like any other topic, you will see the good and the bad of the New England Patriots. You will see their four Super Bowl championships and their MVP quarterback Tom Brady, but you will also see the questions regarding their sportsmanship. They will be seen as a great team, but the way they play the game will be scrutinized for years to come.
How Far Can Matt Harvey Take the Mets? By KATIE KIRTLAND Staff Writer
Matt Harvey, ace pitcher for the New York Mets, is finally going to return soon. The team made due without him for the entire 2014 season because he was out for Tommy John surgery. For those who do not know, that is a surgery common among major league pitchers which replaces a ligament in your elbow with a ligament from elsewhere in your body. Sports surgeons have become so skilled with this particular procedure that pitchers come back from it even better than they were before. In 2013, Harvey’s most recent season, the team’s overall pitching statistics were pretty standard. The starting lineup consisted of Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Jon Niese, Jeremy Hefner, Zack Wheeler and Shaun Marcum. These six pitchers averaged each other out to an ERA (earned run average) of 3.75, 138.1 innings pitched, 38.3 walks and 113.5 strikeouts. In 2014, however, the teams statistics showed overall improvement. The team held on to Jon Niese, Zack Wheeler and Dillon Gee while gaining Bartolo Colon and Jacob DeGrom. Perhaps the improvement is because the team went from six to five starting pitchers, allowing them more playing time to better their individual statistics. The combined ERA dropped .24 to 3.54. They pitched 32.2 more innings for an
PHOTO COURTESTY OF HARRYEWALKER VIA TNS
Matt Harvey’s return from injury will be the most important factor in the Mets’ success this year.
average of 170.3, and they averaged 29.3 strikeouts with 142.8. The only number that was negatively impacted was walks increasing to 48. As Matt Harvey is a huge talent for the Mets, the natural inclination would be to assume that the team’s pitching statistics suffered a terrible blow when he was out last season. Looking at the statistical comparison, that seems false. Not necessarily because of Matt Harvey, but the
starting pitchers improved overall from 2013 to 2014. It is certainly worth noting that Matt Harvey had the lowest ERA and most strikeouts of the Mets starters in 2013 as well as the second-most innings pitched and second-least walks. Harvey was probably the best pitcher the Mets had and was being held down a bit by the other members of the bullpen, but one man cannot make an entire pitching staff.
If Harvey’s statistics were averaged into the 2014 numbers, the ERA would drop to 2.95. Innings pitched would leap to 205.9. Walks would drop to 45.1. Strikeouts would jump to 150.8. These are the numbers I’ll be working with moving forward. The next thing to consider when weighing Harvey’s effect on the Mets’ ability to make playoffs for the 2015 season is what the pitching statistics look like for the teams that made the
cut in 2014: Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. These teams all averaged to a 3.39 ERA, 168.3 innings pitched, 45.9 walks and 137.7 strikeouts. Now, how do the projected statistics for the 2015 Mets stack up against these playoff teams? The Mets’ hypothesized ERA would be .44 below, innings pitched would be 37.6 more, walks would be .8 lower and strikeouts would be 13.1 above. All of these are points in the Mets’ favor. From a pitching-based standpoint, and barring any injury, the Mets have a great chance at making playoffs this year. With Matt Harvey back and better than ever (presumably), the starting pitchers should make life at Citi Field a whole lot easier. Although, before anyone starts placing bets or making promises, starting pitchers cannot be the only thing expected to take a team to the World Series. The Mets have issues in other areas, and those will also need to be addressed if the team hopes to have a pennant in their future. A pitcher cannot win if his defense has holes and his batting lineup cannot hit. Overall, Mets fans should approach this season with a cautious optimism and Sandy Alderson should continue making such tremendous improvements in his team.
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Sports
February 12, 2015 THE OBSERVER
www.fordhamobserver.com
Who the Knicks Should Draft and Why say he is a cross between two players who were former teammates: Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Most of his makes are jumpers and he isn’t much of a rim attacker. Mudiay, on the other hand, is almost the exact opposite. He’s a relentless penetrator and always looks to attack the basket and challenge defenders at the rim on every possession. His flashy, aggressive style of play mimics all-stars John Wall and Russell Westbrook. He’s averaging 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, but he’s a poor free throw shooter (58.1 percent) and struggles from behind the arc (30 percent). Additionally, he is playing in China where the level of competition is in question. Former NBA role player Andray Blatche averaged 31.1 points and 14.6 rebounds per game with Xinjiang Guanghui this season.
By DAN FERRARA Staff Writer
It’s no secret, but the Knicks are a mess. In fact, New York basketball in general is atrocious, and the Big Apple desperately needs the NBA Draft to bring it a savior to pump some blood into the orange and blue heart that makes this town beat. The Knicks are currently 10-39, owners of the second-worst record in the league. The proud owners of the worst record are the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8-40, but the tanking race is expected to come down to the wire. Throw the awful Philadelphia 76ers (11-39) and Kobe-less Los Angeles Lakers (13-35) into the mix as well. This year’s NBA Draft is going to be tricky, as the only “sure thing” is eventual number one pick Jahlil Okafor. Everyone else is a question mark, but this will be a guide for the players the Knicks will be looking at on the draft board, and which ones fit into their roster and system moving forward.
THE OTHERS: STANLEY JOHNSON (ARIZONA) AND KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS (KENTUCKY)
THE CENTER: JAHLIL OKAFOR (DUKE)
The freshman center should translate well to the NBA and should eventually become a gamechanger as well. His 6 feet 11 inches height and 270-pound frame will allow him to bang with the other NBA centers, and he could become one of the few throwback centers in a league that has evolved into one driven by point guards. Luckily for the Knicks, who have no franchise (or even NBA-quality) center, Okafor would likely start and play a lot as a rookie. If they were lucky enough to land him in the draft, they could then shift their free agent focus off veteran center Marc Gasol and distribute that
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Jahlil Okafor is the consensus top player in this year’s draft, but is he right for the Knicks?
money to a point guard such as Dallas’ Rajon Rondo or even a power forward like Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge. Okafor is averaging 18.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game for the Blue Devils this season. With him in the mix with Carmelo Anthony and a projected $30 million under the salary cap to play with, the Knicks could actually be a lot better next season. THE GUARDS: D’ANGELO RUSSELL
(OHIO STATE) AND EMMANUEL MUDIAY (CHINA)
Both of these players are very good prospects and could wind up being franchise players one day. Although they’re both just 18 years old and might not be able to be immediate difference-makers, the Knicks would be happy to get either of them given their atrocious play from their point guards this season. Russell is having an excel-
lent freshman year, averaging 19.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The lefty can create off the dribble, create his own shots and is an incredible three-point shooter – for the season he’s shooting a ridiculous 45.4 percent from downtown. The problem, however, is that although he’s a good passer, his size makes him more of a combo guard and not a true point guard. People have compared him to Manu Ginobili, but from watching him, I’d
Johnson is a nice prospect, but the small forward position is the only one on the floor that is occupied, with star Carmelo Anthony signed for four more seasons. At 6 feel 7 inches, he’s too small to be a power forward and too tall to be a shooting guard, so he isn’t much of a fit for the Knicks. Towns is intriguing because of his potential and rim protecting qualities, and could be a prospect for the Knicks if they fall down to the fifth of sixth draft positions. His main issue is playing time, as he is averaging just 19.6 minutes per game this season. Still, the 7-footer is averaging a respectable 8.5 points and 6.1 boards per game in limited action, making teams wonder what he could do if given 25 or 30 minutes of run.
The Jets Were Right to Move on From Rex Ryan By DYLAN PENZA Sports Editor
New York Jets fans may be upset after the firing of their beloved coach, but he and the franchise needed to move forward without one another. Jets fans have a lot of reasons to love and miss former coach Rex Ryan. Ryan not only led the team to back to back AFC championship games in his first two years as head coach or crafted dominating defensive units out of scraps, journeymen and the occasionally Darrelle Revis or Muhammad Wilkerson-esque superstar. More importantly, he created a team identity for a franchise that was consistently in the shadows of division rival the New England Patriots and the team they share a stadium with, the New York Giants. Ryan refused to “kiss the rings” of Patriot’s leader Bill Belichick or let his team be seen as the second best in the area. He brought a swagger to the Jets and reinvigorated a fan base and a franchise. That being said, his dismissal was the correct decision. Jets fans normally point the finger toward the the roster as to why the team failed to make the playoffs in the last four years of Ryan’s tenure as head coach. General managers Mike Tannenbaum and John Idzik never built a strong team. Both men decided that older veterans such as Chris Johnson, Plaxico Burress or Michael Vick were organizational fits despite their declining skills and large contracts. However, it was Ryan and his staff who failed to cultivate and maximize the talent of these admittedly flawed players. Ryan may be a defensive mastermind--and that might not even be an exaggeration--, but he is a disaster in terms of developing offensive schemes and players to fit that scheme. At first, the coach and his staff favored a run heavy offense, which was ugly but at the very least
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID POKRESS/NEWSDAY VIA TNS
Rex Ryan could not coach a competent offense, and so he had to be fired.
effective. With a stellar offensive line led by players like Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson the Jets were able to turn mediocre rushers like Thomas Jones into productive players. The same can’t be said for the passing game. The Jets brought in a number of star wide receivers, most notably Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes with the hope that their presence would allow the team a more dynamic passing offense. Both Edwards and Holmes failed to live up to the large contracts they were handed and the abundance of draft picks the team gave up to acquire them. No matter how many talented wide receivers the Jets acquire, the real flaw will always be Ryan’s issues with developing quarterbacks and putting them in a position to succeed. Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith were each at one point considered to be the quarterback of the future for the Jets. Both are talented, but
both were ruined by Ryan and his failure to develop them. Ryan never seemed to put enough trust in either quarterback, which led to countless quarterback controversies involving backups like Tim Tebow and Michael Vick. Ryan made his quarterbacks throw too much, leading to countless interceptions and incomplete passes. Ryan failed these players and that is why he had to go. In the NFL, one needs a serviceable quarterback and passing offense to succeed. A team doesn’t have to employ an Andrew Luck or Tom Brady, but the ability to throw the ball down field is ever more important. Ryan failed to harness this ability within his team and that is why he had to go. The coach now moves on to the Buffalo Bills, a team with tremendous defensive players for his tutelage. However, we should all be worried for Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins and his quarterback.