Monday, November 18, 2002

by Josh Hausman
Gazette Weatherman

by Alexis Reedy
News Editor

Last Thursday, November 14, The Ring held a discussion titled “Is
colorblindness a feasible solution to racial tensions?” in Mephistos. The
discussion lasted for two and a half hours.

Not generally a school-funded event, The Ring tends to rely on the
Swarthmore Christian Fellowship for funds, as well as donations from other
groups and individuals. This time, however, the Ring discussion was funded
by the IC and Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs, Darryl Smaw. The
money went toward pizza for the participates and publicity for the event.
The format of the Ring itself was not changed.

Originally, the discussion was going to be titled, “The State of Race at
Swat: Is tolerance enough?” but the group decided to ask about
colorblindness instead. “We wanted the discussion to be more about what do
we want racial relations to be like and how can we achieve that?” said
Marshall.

The first part of The Ring consisted of panelists discussing their
positions on the issues. The panelists included Arthur Chu ’06, Joseph
Dickerson ’04, Taru Taylor ’03, and Jacob Hodes ’03.

Generally, The Ring board members try to find panelists by “brainstorming,
thinking of people that would be fairly knowledgeable on our topic,” said
board member Krista Marshall ’03. “We tend to choose leaders of groups
related to our discussion or people that we on the board know.”

For this Ring, however, the Ring board members sent an invitation asking
for panelists on the Daily Jolt.

“All of the panelists were very good, but there are so many people here
that could have talked about this issue,” said board member Jedd Cohen ’04.
“It felt impossible to put a panel together that reflected the complexity
of the issue completely.”

After the panelists spoke, participants were broken into groups of six to
discuss their definitions of colorblindness and their reactions to what the
panelists had to say. At the end, each small group presented their findings
to the whole group.

“It was a fruitful discussion,” said Marshall. “Most people thought
colorblindness was not feasible but some thought it was an ideal to strive
for. The discussion got heated a couple of times but we were able to bring
it back.”

“It was intense,” said Cohen. “This Ring was more emotionally intense than
other Rings. It was also the most well attended with about 60 people there.
We really were able to respond to a need for discussion.”

“In some cases, the audience knew more about the issue than the panelists.I
was in awe of the Swarthmore community,” Cohen added.

The Ring board had decided to have a discussion on race the week before the
incident at the Halloween party where a student painted his face black.
They had planned on waiting longer before having their discussion, but
after the Halloween incident, the time table for this Ring discussion was
moved up.

Students “approached us and asked us to put a discussion together, so we
did,” said Cohen.

“Racial issues are under the surface a lot. There are a lot of tensions
that don’t get expressed. We hope this discussion helped people engage each
other in dialogue,” added Marshall.

*****

by Greg Leiserson
Gazette Reporter

Swat alumni Paul Booth ’64, Gerald Epstein ’73, and Michael Meeropol ’64
gathered in Kirby Lecture Hall on Saturday along with Professor Aurora
Camacho de Schmidt to discuss the issues of economic justice, the living
wage, and labor organizing.

Organized by the Swarthmore Living Wage & Democracy Campaign, the panelists
presented justifications for progressive economics policies in light of
attacks by conventional economists who point to large unintended costs in
their implementation.

Michael Meeropol ’64, a professor of economics at Western New England
College, spoke first about the economic challenges the U.S. is facing, and
then attempted to refute a couple of frequent arguments against progressive
policies. He pointed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which
the U.S. has signed, and which includes such rights as the right to work
and the right “to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of him[her]self and of his[her] family,” as an example of the
need for progressive policies. He accused the government of tacitly
ignoring the contradiction inherent in its position as well as ignoring the
larger issue of unemployment and poverty. Meeropol also raised the issue of
blind faith in the market, which he suggested was simply a way to avoid the
issue.

Meeropol gave two historical examples to refute some conventional economic
positions. One argument frequently used against raising the minimum wage is
that it will cost low-wage earners their jobs. However, Meeropol pointed to
the period between 1979 and 1990, when the real wage declined and yet the
unemployment rate remained steady. If the connection between the real wage
rate and the rate of unemployment was so strong, he argued, the
unemployment rate should have declined. He also discussed the boom of the
90’s, during which the unemployment rate dipped below normal and yet did
not cause negative economic side effects, as another example of the failure
of conventional economic arguments.

Gerald Epstein ’73, a professor at U-Mass Amherst, spoke about the living
wage movement. He claimed that “for governments or institutions such as
Swarthmore, to implement a living wage it is primarily an ethical or
political issue.[of] whether you want people in your community to be living
in poverty even though they are working full time.” He added that what
today has been labeled the living wage movement is no different then the
original minimum wage movement, which shared the same goal of allowing all
people who worked full time to keep a satisfactory standard of living.
Epstein also spoke about the implementation of living wage ordinances, but
suggested that most of the arguments against them could be overcome through
careful oversight of the rules when they were put in place.

Paul Booth ’64 addressed the issue of labor unions and their role in
raising the standard of living for low-wage workers. He claimed that many
jobs that people think of today as middle class are simply low-wage jobs
where workers unionized so that they would be able to force employers to
bargain and obtain wages that allowed them a reasonable standard of living

Professor Aurora Camacho de Schmidt spoke at the panel in place of
Elizabeth Martinez, who was unable to attend because of health
considerations. She spoke about the intersection of race and economic
status in the U.S., as well as the increasing complacency with what are in
reality serious economic problems, asking “Why aren’t people screaming in
the streets?” She also discussed briefly the relationship between the U.S.
and Mexican economies, and the heavy reliance of American industry on
undocumented workers.

The panel closed with a brief question and answer period. After the panel
ended, the panelists held workshops on the issues that fall in their areas
of expertise in Trotter.

*****

by Jeremy Schifeling
Co-Managing Editor

Lester Tran ’03 will become the second member of Student Council to step
down from his post this semester when his resignation takes effect at the
end of the year.

Tran’s resignation comes just a few weeks after that of Chirag Chotalia
’03, who, like Tran, is graduating from Swat in three years. Perhaps it is
not surprising then, that Tran’s reasons for stepping down mirror those
offered by Chotalia: senior-year priorities and the resulting inability to
commit to the rigorous demands of the Council.

“Given the academic priorities I have for my last semester at Swarthmore,
and given the substantial demands that the upcoming PDC/First-year seminar
issue asks of the student representatives involved, I felt I would not be
able to carry out my duties as Educational Policy Representative to the
extent that they ought to be carried out,” said Tran. “The upcoming spring
will be a critical time in educational policy issues, and I felt that I
would be doing a disservice to Council if I served in a limited capacity in
addressing them.”

However, Tran has no regrets about his time on Council and chalks up a
number of accomplishments during his tenure, including spearheading the
Council’s involvement with the aforementioned PDC/First-year seminar issue
and standing up for minority opinions on such matters as self-scheduled exams.

“Council demands a consistency of students with diversity of opinions, not
simply a group that says ‘yea’ to all proposals,” said Tran, “and I felt
that I contributed in fostering such diversity.”

And despite his resignation, Tran remains optimistic about the Council’s
future, noting that the “success of the group rests fundamentally on two
criteria: conviction and initiative.”

“Council needs people who are passionate about campus issues and who are
willing to proactively serve to address them,” said Tran. “Being a Council
member should not simply be a duty but an opportunity.”

This sentiment was echoed by SC Co-President Ryan Budish ’04, who notes
that Tran has been “a good member of Council who cared a lot about what he
was doing”–a care that Budish hopes will inspire students to run in the
upcoming general election, as well the special election that will take
place at the beginning of next semester to fill Tran’s position.

Likewise, Tran encourages “all opportunists on campus–students who have
the conviction and the initiative to make Swarthmore a better place–to run
for Council and follow through with their visions.”

by Evelyn Khoo
Living & Arts Editor

It’s Diya Week! For those who think, albeit fondly, of Diya Week purely in
terms of the scrumptious Sharples Takeover, think again. This year’s Diya
Week will be an event crammed full of activities, meant “to raise the level
of awareness about South Asian culture and issues relating to both South
Asia and the South Asian diaspora,” according to Sonal Shah ’05, the
publicist for Diya Week.

To do so, Deshi has organized a variety of events, ranging from a lecture
and a student panel about educational and political issues in Bombay and
Nepal; to a sale of traditional handicrafts, cooking lessons, movies, and
sparklers; and ending with a cultural show, a party, and a cricket
tournament. (For a fuller, more concise list, see below).

According to Shah, Deshi chose this week because it was “loosely based
around the Hindu new year–Diwali (which has actually passed already). Diya
Week will also take place during the month of Ramadan, so that makes it
sort of secular.”

A “diya,” according to Shah, is a lighted candle in a clay holder that is
placed outside on Diwali to light up the streets. Diya Week was formerly
known as Diwali Week, but Deshi decided to change it.

Explained Shah, “The reason for the name change was that most people in
Deshi have the attitude that the more people we can be open and accessible
to, the greater understanding of South Asia we will be able to spread.”

Along with the name-change, further evidence of Deshi’s desire for greater
accessibility can be seen in the fact that several non-South Asians are
participating in Diya Week and that many also claim membership in Deshi.

Says Shah, “Deshi is not so much a support group as a group that gets
together to celebrate our common culture, and to spread it, and to raise
awareness of political and social issues relevant to South Asians in the
larger context of the world community.”

The full list of Diya Week events:

Monday, Nov. 18
Lecture: “Faces of Bombay: A presentation by Pratham, a non-profit
organization, on educational issues among the poor in India.”
Kohlberg 115, 8:30 p.m. Refreshments served, donations encouraged.

Tuesday, Nov. 19
Sharples Takeover, followed by sparkler distribution outside.

Film Screening of “American Chai,” followed by a discussion with director
Anurag Mehta.
Kirby Lecture Hall, 7:30 p.m. Refreshments served.

Wednesday, Nov. 20
Student Panel: “Trouble in the Himalayan Kingdom: The Royal Massacre and
the People’s War in Nepal.” Educational by students, including brief film,
and question/answer.
Kohlberg 115, 7:30 p.m. Refreshments served.

Thursday, Nov. 21
Mehndi Night and Handicraft Sale: Decorate or be decorated with henna and
browse through beautiful handicrafts.
Parrish Parlors, 9:00-11:00 p.m. Refreshments served.

Muslim Student Association/ Deshi discussion on the role of Islam in South
Asia.
Kohlberg 115, 7:00 p.m. Refreshments served.

Friday Nov. 22
Cultural Show: Performances of Classical and Modern dance and music by
students and guests, followed by a fashion show.
Upper Tarble, 8:00 p.m. Refreshments served.

Deshi Party, involving lots of mango juice.
Olde Club, 10:00 p.m to 2:00 am.

Saturday Nov. 23
Cricket tournament – experience the most exciting sport in the world.
Mertz Field, 2:00 p.m.

Cooking Workshop: Learn to cook tasty South Asian food, and then eat it!
Mertz Kitchens, 3:00 p.m.

*****

* North Korea’s Pyongyang Radio announced on Sunday that the country “has
come to have nuclear and other strong military weapons to deal with
increased nuclear threats by the U.S. imperialists.” Other radio
commentaries have suggested that the announcement may either be a tactic
designed to intimidate foreign governments or a mistake made by
broadcasters in addition to being a true government announcement. While
U.S. government officials have not yet commented on the matter, North
Korean officials reiterated the position they made clear in October: that
to address the U.S.’s nuclear concerns, they needed a commitment on the
part of the U.S. to a non-aggression pact and a guarantee of the nations
continued sovereignty.

* An attempt to hijack a flight run by the Israeli national airline El Al
was thwarted on Sunday, as security guards overpowered the man who rushed
the cockpit door with a pen knife. The flight was traveling from Tel Aviv
to Istanbul. El Al is one of the world’s safest airlines, due in large part
to the strong security presence at all levels of the operation. Every
flight has at least two armed undercover security agents aboard, and the
pilots are all veterans of the Israeli air force. Officials were unsure how
the assailant was able to smuggle the pen knife aboard. The man was being
questioned by Turkish officials early Monday morning, before being handed
over to the Israeli government.

* U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned Iraqi president Saddam
Hussein on Sunday that the U.S. considers attacks on coalition aircraft in
the no-fly zone to be in violation of the recently passed U.N. Security
Council resolution that authorized the return of weapons inspectors to
Iraq. The resolution prohibits hostile acts against any state supporting
the resolution. The U.S. and Britain enforce the no-fly zones which were
put in place after the Persian Gulf War and later expanded, but Iraq does
not recognize them.

*****

“Gently Laying Down the Burden” stress workshop
with Susanna Lack and Mari Clements
Kohlberg 330, 12:30 p.m.

Second All-Campus Ramadan Dinner
Please join us for our daily fast-breaking
Intercultural Center, 5:00 p.m.

Women in Science dinner
Sharples Room 4, 6:00 p.m.

Career Services: Excelon Corporation-Power Team information session
Bond Memorial Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Film Showing: “Date Wine”
Gender and Power in the Middle East film series
LPAC Cinema, 7:00 p.m.

Poetry Reading
Scheuer Room, 7:30 p.m.

Open Discussion: “Latinos in Education”
Facilitated by Jon Rosa ’03
IC Big Room, 8:00 p.m.

Diya Week Lecture: “Faces of Bombay”
Kohlberg 115, 8:30 p.m.

Good Schools PA meeting
Mephistos, 9:00 p.m.

Jazz @ Paces: An evening of live jazz featuring Swarthmore’s only all jazz
a cappella group, Oscar & Emily, joined by The Shotgun Jazz Combo. Come
listen to live jazz while sipping on coffee or munching on Paces treats.
Music starts at 9:30 p.m.

Swing Lessons
Upper Tarble, 9:30 p.m.

Student Council meeting
CRC, 10:00 p.m.

SWIL Movie Night: “A.I.”
Kirby Lecture Hall, 10:00 p.m.

*****

SPORTS UPDATE

Maria-Elena Young ’04 covered the 6,000 meter course in 22:22.90 to place
31st and earn all-region honors for her third straight season. The women’s
team placed seventh out of the 34 teams overall.

All-region honors were also in order for Lang Reynolds ’05, who led the
men’s team, finishing his 8,000 meter course in 25:40.93 to place 27th
overall. This is the second consecutive season that Reynolds has earned
all-region honors.  The men’s team placed 12th out of 34 teams overall.

******

David Whitehead ’03 and Patricia Funk ’06 were triple winners in the swim
teams’ Centennial Conference openers against Franklin & Marshall this
weekend. The men’s team beat F&M 126-79, while the women were edged
103.5-101.5.

Whitehead won the 200 and 100 freestyles and the 400 medley relay with Jeff
Schneider ’05, Mike Dudley ’03, and Aaron Modic ’04, while Funk claimed the
200 and 100 freestyles and the 400 freestyle relay with Davita
Burkhead-Weiner ’03, Kathryn Stauffer ’05, and Melanie Johncilla ’05.

John Lillvis ’03 took the 200 IM and the 200 butterfly, while Dudley (200
backstroke), Katherine Reid ’05 (500 freestyle), Michael Auerbach ’05 (500
freestyle), and Eric Shang ’04 (200 breaststroke) also won their individual
events.

*****

There are no contests scheduled for today or tomorrow.

*****

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“No degree of dullness can safeguard a work against the determination of
critics to find it fascinating.”
–Harold Rosenberg

*****
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