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T U E S D A Y FEBRUARY 17, 2004

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXIX, No. 15

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891

Students express concerns about blasting

Hip-hop succumbing to commercialism, Dyson says BY KRISTA HACHEY

Hip-hop is a way of life, said Michael Eric Dyson, professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, at a lecture Monday night in Salomon 101. With the demands of commercialism ever-encroaching, hip-hop artists are increasingly sacrificing their skill, intellectualism and potential to the allure of capital, he said. “We’re not challenging the status quo by trying to accumulate money,” Dyson said. “It’s through intellectual values and lyrical dexterity that hip-hop can further its credibility.” Artists like P. Diddy send the message that they “don’t write rhymes, but I like to write checks” by catering to mass appeal and preoccupation with pimp culture, misogyny, homophobia and negative images of the ghetto, Dyson said. The “dumbing down of lyrics” is spreading throughout hip-hop, spurred on by widespread anti-intellectualism in American culture, he said. “This phenomenon started in the White House,” Dyson added. “We have an ‘everyman’ bragging about how inarticulate he is.” Dyson said the commodification of hip-hop has created two sects of artists — those who “keep it real,” and those who “keep it pure.” Critiquing those “who keep it real,” he said their one-dimensional portrayals of ghetto life overshadow real social problems. “Life in the ghetto goes deeper than pimping,” he said. “There are women trying to protect their children, teachers trying to build better schools. The ghetto has more heterogeneity than what you’re repsee DYSON, page 4

BY SHEELA RAMAN

Nick Neely / Herald

Capitalism and consumerism have become the driving forces in hip-hop music, according to Michael Eric Dyson, professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, in a speech Monday night in Salomon 101.

Americans consume foreign cultures instead of appreciating them, speaker says BY ELISE BARAN

White Americans are taught to value other cultures through consumption rather than through exploration, said Henry Yu, professor at the University of California-Los Angeles and the University of British Columbia, in the first of a series of lectures on orientalism Monday afternoon. In his lecture, titled “Rethinking Orientalism,” Yu spoke about the history of orientalism, modern orientalism and cosmopolitanism. He also spoke at length about Edward Said’s book “Orientalism” and the questions it left unanswered. Yu praised the controversial Palestinian writer, who earned himself many enemies as a supporter of the Palestinian cause, for his book, “Orientalism.” With the book’s 1978 publication, Said changed the way society thinks about the relationship between knowledge and power, Yu said. Said was “a man trying to save the Enlightenment from orientalism,” Yu said. He believed in exploring the unknown but

not by objectifying the populations that defined it. But Said did not adequately explore the role of economics in orientalism, Yu said, failing to take into account that in modern society, foreign cultures are consumed. Yu said an American cosmopolitan is a white person who was taught to consume other cultures under the guise of appreciation. Universities are one of a number of places where the consumption of other cultures has been institutionalized, he said. Yu warned the audience that racism and oppression need not be violent to be powerful. The first Orientalists simply intended to observe their subjects, but by observing them, objectified them, he said. Young, white Americans eating sushi with chopsticks and listening to hip-hop might believe they have achieved the cosmopolitan ideal of appreciating other cultures, he said. But this ideal, which Said considered attainable, can only be reached if one thinks about the world in terms of ideas, not as a marketplace, Yu said.

Audience response to Yu’s lecture was mixed. During the question-and-answer session, Evelyn Hu-DeHart, director of the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, expressed her agreement with Yu’s theory of the marketing of differences. Others disagreed with Yu’s mockery of the cosmopolitan. One audience member suggested it is possible to take part in the “consumption” of other cultures without objectifying them, and said he felt implicated by Yu’s blanket judgments. Kerri Holt GS, who helped organize the event, said reactions varied because “people are thinking about Orientalism from different contexts and perspectives.” The “Other Orientalisms” lecture series is sponsored by the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women, the Malcolm S. Forbes Center for Research in Culture and Media Studies, the Department of English, the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, the Department of Comparative Literature and the Graduate Student Council.

I N S I D E T U E S D AY, F E B RUA RY 1 7 , 2 0 0 4 Providence resident Ronald Dwight ’66 relocates to Iraq to assist in reconstruction metro, page 3

www.browndailyherald.com

Professor Barrett Hazeltine explains why he went on strike last week column, page 7

John Kerry is not the best thing for the United States, says Barron Youngsmith ’06 column, page 7

Underground blasting will begin soon at the site of the Life Sciences Building, adding to noise that students say already disrupts their daily routine. On Feb. 23, Atlantic Blasting Co. will begin six to eight weeks of underground blasts to clear space for the building’s foundation, wrote Thomas Forsberg, associate director of Residential Life, in an e-mail to the Brown community. Although the blasts will occur about 24 feet underground and won’t generate much noise, they will be announced by a series of loud air horns before and after each blast is completed. The horns, which are required by Rhode Island law as warnings, will be the most distracting sound for surrounding residents, Forsberg said. Facilities Management refused to comment on the issue, but Mark Nickel, director of the Brown News Service, said that in order for the Life Sciences Building to be completed by Spring 2006, the blasts must take place immediately and cannot be postponed until the semester ends. “With a project of this size, the administrators believe it is very important to keep on schedule,” Nickel said. But many students living in EmeryWoolley said they have been frustrated by the construction all year. At about 6:30 a.m. almost every weekday morning, students and residents living near the building site say they have been awakened by the sound of heavy machinery. “We are all really upset about the latest news. This kind of noise — jackhammers and drills pounding away early in the morning, and now air horns — is not something that you can really get used to or study with,” said Lily Pike ’07, whose room directly faces the construction. “At the very least, they could have planned this project better so the most offensive noise occurs at a later hour of the morning or, better yet, when students are completely gone,” she said. Despite students’ voiced discontent, few complaints have been filed with the administration about construction noise, according to Nickel. He said most student calls to Facilities Management have been about safety to computer equipment and animals during the construction. “I think students just think it’s a hopeless fight to try to do anything about this, and that’s why more people haven’t called about it,” said Julia Nickles ’07. Christopher Marashlian GS, community director for EmWool is compiling a list of student complaints that he plans to submit to the University, Marashlian wrote in an e-mail to EmWool residents Monday. see BLASTING, page 4

TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T W. basketball loses to Harvard, defeats Dartmouth over weekend sports, page 8

W. skiing sees regular season end successfully, looks ahead to post-season sports, page 8

partly cloudy high 32 low 21

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

THIS MORNING TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004 · PAGE 2 Coup de Grace Grace Farris

W E AT H E R TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

High 32 Low 21 partly cloudy

High 38 Low 24 flurries

High 39 Low 26 partly cloudy

High 43 Low 30 mostly sunny

GRAPHICS BY EDDIE AHN

Four Years Eddie Ahn

TO D AY ’ S E V E N TS A BACKGROUND ON MIDDLE EAST WATER RESOURCE CONFLICT 3 - 4 p.m. (Urban Environmental Lab 106) — with Dr. Jeff Albert, Dr. Samer Alatout and Dr. David Brooks.

IMPACT OF HIP HOP IN MASS COMMUNICATION 7 - 9 p.m. (Salomon 001) — Part of Black History Month 2004.

MENU SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH — Vegetarian Corn Chowder, Chicken Noodle Soup, Fried Fish Sandwich, Corn with Beans, Tomatoes and Spices, Fresh Vegetable Artichoke Melange, Chocolate Flake Cookies, Mexican Ribbon Cake, Lemon Yogurt Pie.

VERNEY-WOOLLEY DINING HALL LUNCH — Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Soup, Chicken & Rice Soup, French Taco Sandwich,Tomato Quiche, Mexican Succotash, Chocolate Flake Cookies.

DINNER — Vegetarian Corn Chowder, Chicken Noodle Soup, Lemon Broiled Chicken, Spanish Steak, Egg Foo Young, Sticky Rice, Ginger Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots, Whole Beets, Rosemary Bread, Chocolate Flake Cookies, Mexican Ribbon Cake, Lemon Yogurt Pie.

DINNER — Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Soup, Chicken & Rice Soup, Orange Turkey,Vegan BBQ Tempeh, Rice Pilaf with Zucchini, Broccoli Cuts, Fresh Vegetable Saute, Rosemary Bread, Mexican Ribbon Cake.

My Best Effort William Newman and Nate Goralnik

Greg and Todd’s Awesome Comic Greg Shilling and Todd Goldstein

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Entr’__ 5 Like Batman, sartorially speaking 10 Actor Richard 14 Be bold 15 Speak one’s mind 16 Kind of buggy 17 Hole-making machine 19 “__ Kleine Nachtmusik” 20 Gp. concerned with oil spills 21 Unwraps, in poems 22 Ribbed, as fabric 24 Tells 26 Author Gardner 27 Mangy mutt 28 Citrus hybrids 32 Splinter groups 35 Mote-filled 36 “__ little teapot...” 37 Mil. mail handlers 38 Mel of the Giants 39 Scissors sound 40 Teachers’ org. 41 Ice house 43 Encounters 44 South, in bridge columns, usually 46 Step to the plate 47 Diamond plate 48 Hood and Tell 52 Add (into), as energy 54 __ bargaining 55 Nero’s full deck? 56 Prejudice 57 Railroad mishap 60 Farm measure 61 Waned 62 Workout memento 63 Reviewer Rex 64 Adored princess 65 Parisians’ seasons DOWN 1 European viper 2 __ diem: seize the day

3 Court proceeding 4 Slippery fish 5 Penny, to Dickens 6 After, to Antoinette 7 Slapstick props 8 Cousins of ems 9 Continued reduction in altitude 10 Noted channel swimmer 11 Calligrapher’s aid 12 Diarist Frank 13 On a __-to-know basis 18 Yoga position 23 Bacchanal 25 Role-plays 28 Instruct, and this puzzle’s theme 29 Regarding 30 Fail to mention 31 Dupes 32 Dune makeup 33 Dueler’s choice 34 It’s less than first-class 1

35 Give (out) sparingly 39 Adam’s third 41 Pet store brand 42 Said hi to 43 Loud parrot 45 Ruined, with “up” 46 Starr of comics 48 Sigourney Weaver sci-fi classic

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U T’s Fifteen Days Yu-Ting Liu

02/17/04

xwordeditor@aol.com

Penguiener Haan Lee

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: P S A T M A T B I G M A C A G E E G R E S S L I M E M E N F L I G H T E D E N B E N N Y A N D J O O N E A S I E S T O R O A S K S O B R U E I R A E M O L E S A N G L E I M A D O G D A Y A F T E R N O O N T E S L A N N E A P R O N S I R E B B H U E S O P E P E N S P L U R G E M A N O N T H E M O O N I R A P U T T M E Y E R S N A N E T T E O R E L S E T A S T E S A P T R E A R 5

49 Opt 50 Nouveau __ 51 “Oliver Twist” burglar 52 Building beam 53 “__ going!” 54 Sunscreen ingredient 58 Baseball stat 59 Actress Charlotte

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02/17/04

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

METRO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004 · PAGE 3

Providence resident makes mark in Iraq BY SHEELA RAMAN

At 7:30 a.m. every day, Ronald Dwight ’66 and other American and British officials leave their fortified trailers in Baghdad’s Green Zone and walk the short distance to ousted President Saddam Hussein’s main palace. Over breakfast in a dining room with high, ornately decorated Moroccan ceilings, they discuss the logistical challenges of restoring a democratic framework in Iraq. They then work until at least 11 p.m., devising reconstruction strategy with Iraqi officials, Dwight told The Herald by phone from Baghdad. Dwight, a Providence attorney and institutional economist, landed in Baghdad Jan. 9 and currently serves as the legal and economic advisor to the Coalitional Provisional Authority’s Ministry of Transportation. The CPA, led by Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III, is the U.S. government organization that will govern Iraq until the planned June 30 turnover. John Shaw, deputy secretary of defense for technology policy, recruited Dwight because of Dwight’s previous experience in reforming the legal and economic frameworks of Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania. As a director of the College Hill Neighborhood Association, Dwight has led neighborhood activism in opposition to Brown’s construction of the new Life Sciences Building. Now, Dwight has moved onto bigger challenges. “Right now, our main goal at the Ministry of Transportation is to set up a secure infrastructure that minimizes corruption,” Dwight said. “Everything that was important in Iraq belonged to the military, and that needs to change. Privatizing transportation is a big step in making sure that an overblown government center doesn’t stifle the economy.” The major challenge Dwight said he and his co-workers face is how to correctly allocate the $18.7 billion budget for reconstruction. They exchange up to 100 emails each day with their superiors, informing them of the current situation and receiving permission to use resources. Lately, according to Dwight, conversation during meals has been almost entirely related to organizing the budget. Almost $219 million has currently been set aside to reform Iraqi airports, but Dwight said this is only a fraction of what is necessary. “With our support, Baghdad International Airport will be in shape to meet international standards, but they still have millions of dollars in lawsuits to pay off before they can have a national airline of their own,” said Dwight. State-owned Kuwait Airways sued Iraqi Airways in 1991 through British courts, claiming $890 million in damages resulting from the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990. Another challenge, according to Dwight, is dealing

Ronald Dwight

Ronald Dwight ’66, a Providence resident, is working with U.S. forces to reconstruct Iraq. with Iraqi governmental officials who have little — if any — leadership experience and do not understand the need to comply with international regulations. “They removed the top cadre of governing people for being Baathist, and the people who took their place are not qualified leaders, although they are very educated,” Dwight said. “And for many years the Iraqis have been thumbing their noses at the rest of the world, but now they want to join in. Sometimes it’s tough to explain to them that in order to do this they need to acknowledge the standards set by other countries.” On most days, Dwight remains in the Green Zone, the heavily guarded area of closed-off streets in central Baghdad where U.S. occupation authorities live and work. Iraqi officials meet him on the edge of the Green Zone to report problems and difficulties. On occasion, however, he said he ventures out to less fortified Iraqi offices. These trips, which sometimes take him out into the Iraqi countryside, have had the greatest personal impact on Dwight. “When you visit these places and see people in traditional clothing herding sheep and living simple lives, it seems as though the Bible has come alive,” he said. “As a devout Christian, being so near the Holy Land is very meaningful to me.” Rather than feeling unsafe in such an unstable country, Dwight said he has never felt safer. The trailer settlement where he lives is fortified with concrete and sand barriers, and there are many armed soldiers stand-

ing guard at all times. “I think you get a very exaggerated idea from the press about how unsafe it is here. I myself was hesitant to undertake this mission after reading the reports. But in reality, I feel so much safer walking around here than I do at night in Providence,” Dwight said. The sporadic attacks that have killed many Iraqi government officials are probably not caused by Iraqi dissidents, Dwight said. Most Iraqis believe the attacks were committed either by foreign countries, such as Iran, that oppose Iraqi success, or by the thousands of criminals Saddam Hussein set free before his capture, he said. “All the Iraqis I have met have been extremely lovely and warm. They are thrilled that we have removed one of the worst tyrants in the world and that we are helping them get their freedom back,” Dwight said. The mission in Iraq has been the most exciting and enjoyable experience of his career, Dwight said. Although he and the rest of the occupational authorities are working around the clock to restore order in Iraq before June 30, he said he does not anticipate marked success for at least 10 years. “We have to be very patient. Remember, the American Constitution certainly wasn’t thrown together in six months. What’s important now is that the Iraqi people are on the right track to democracy,” Dwight said. Herald staff writer Sheela Raman ’06 can be reached at sraman@browndailyherald.com.

PAGE 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004

Dyson continued from page 1 resenting it to be.” Artists who “keep it pure” may be more socially conscious and resistant to capitalist demands, Dyson said, but for those very reasons are overlooked. “The community is not supportive of the very things you think convey positive values,” Dyson said. “Young people just want to hear about pimps and hos.” Dyson spoke passionately about the “atrocious” ways hiphop reinforces the oppression of women. He compared the lyrical innocence of songs from the 1970s to the “metaphoric degradation” of today’s popular music. “In the music of my generation, we would beg women, we’d lose our mind over women, and then we’d start seeing stuff,” Dyson said. He engaged the audience by singing a line from an old song by The Chi-Lites and waiting for listeners to chime in. “Today you all brag about bling-bling and say things like ‘freak me baby,’” he said. Dyson said it is not just misogyny that is rampant in hip-hop, but “femo-phobia” — fear of women. “You are scared of what real women are and so you want to eroticize them and control them sexually,” he said. Through several comical anecdotes, Dyson captured pervasive sentiments among black males that their female counterparts are bitter and bossy. “As if there were no relationship between what you did and

Blasting continued from page 1 Administrators discussed the blasting with concerned students, faculty and local residents at a well-attended town meeting last week, Nickel said. He said no objections were raised about the noise level, but, once again, safety questions came up. Administrators assured residents that preparing the foundation with a series of controlled detonations would be the best, safest choice for the community and the University, Nickel said. He said the blasting would not pose any danger to residents and would enable the job to be done within a short time frame. Other

why they’re bitter!” he said to laughter. “Thank God for bossy women,” he added. Dyson alluded to several recent biographies of Harriet Tubman and described her as the paradigm of a “beautiful, bossy black woman.” Her legacy, he said, should be used to inspire and reinvigorate hip-hop’s respect for black women and the role they have played in the ongoing struggle for black freedom and solidarity. At the end of his speech, Dyson invited questions from the audience. One audience member suggested that Dyson’s use of the derogatory term “nigger” was inappropriate for a public forum. “I believe in linguistic adaptability,” Dyson said. “Words can be dynamic, and it is powerful to use a term of negativity as a term of endearment. It suggests resistance to the dominant society.” Dyson went on to say it is problematic for white people to use the term because they “inherited the mantle of the white supremacist legacy,” and thus do not have ownership of or permission to use it. A professor of Africana Studies at Brown from 1992 to 1994, Dyson is the author of “Between God and Gangsta Rap” and “Holler if You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur.” His lecture was sponsored by Soul Cypher, Students of Caribbean Ancestry and the Organization of United African Peoples. Herald staff writer Krista Hachey ’07 can be reached at khachey@browndailyherald.com.

options, such as using a hydraulic hammer, would create constant pounding and take longer, he said. No matter what the University’s best interests, some students said their own well-being should take precedence. Nickles lives at the back of Emery-Woolley, farther from the construction site, but said she and her friends are still bothered by the noise. “It’s very inconsiderate to students who are paying a lot of money to live in a place where they should be able to sleep and study in peace. They should have thought of a better plan,” she said. Herald staff writer Sheela Raman ’07 can be reached at sraman@browndailyherald.com.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 5

Basketball continued from page 8 to a match-up zone. “I thought number 24 (Elise Morrison, 19 points) was getting too many easy looks,” Burr said. “I wanted to keep the ball out of the middle.” The change left the Big Green lost and Brown rattled off 11 points in two minutes to take a 30-20 lead with six minutes left in the half. Dartmouth cut the lead to six, but the Bears countered with two jumpers and two foul shots from Mitchell and a three-pointer from Colleen Kelly to go into the half with a 43-31 lead. The Bears continued their run to start the second half, as Robertson (20 points, eight rebounds, three blocks) scored twice and had a nice block to help put the Bears up by 20. But Dartmouth managed to shrink the lead as much as three points, 60-57, with 7:52 left. The Bears feared that Dartmouth was about to close the gae the way Harvard had.

Skiing continued from page 8 finished 15th overall with a time of 2:03.40. “Stephanie had another breakthrough slalom result on Saturday,” Head Coach Karen Finocchio told Brown Sports Information. “She made strong adjustments in her second run and finished with one of her best slalom results of the season.” Caitlin Stanton ’06 finished 24th overall in 2:05.06, with Janet Marley-Mauzy ’07 right behind her in 25th with a time of 2:05.78. On Sunday, Brown finished with a total time of 3:24.68 in the giant slalom. DiBona again skied extremely well for the Bears. She finished first for Brown and sec-

Hockey continued from page 8 ours this time.” Germain made 35 saves in the game for a solid performance. The Bears will return to action Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they face their cross-town rivals, the Providence College Friars, at Meehan for their second showdown of the season. Herald staff writer Lexi Costello ’06 covers women’s ice hockey. She can be reached at lcostello@browndailyherald.com.

Burr said she knew that as long as her team stayed together, it would pull through. “I was hoping that we wouldn’t start trying to do it on our own individually,” said Burr. “Against Harvard, we started playing individually defensively and you can’t do that.” The team listened to her advice and continued to play a team game. A Robertson layup at 7:25 broke the scoreless streak, and a Hayes basket assisted by Robertson helped increase the lead back up to 6457 with 6:40 to play. Throughout the game, the strong post play of the Bears opened up opportunities for the team’s outside shooters. “That was definitely one of our goals this game,” said Robertson. “We emphasized it in our shoot-around that we have to work together to open up the inside game.” Mitchell, who in the last two games has been showing off her range, swishing everything from layups to three-pointers, agreed. “With Holly in there, teams definitely want to collapse on her. If I can play farther out,

then it extends the defense and makes it more difficult to double her.” Robertson continued to be an offensive force, hitting two free throws to extend the Brown lead to 70-63 with three minutes left. A Dartmouth basket cut the lead to five, but they were unable to get it any closer as Colleen Kelly, who had 15 points on the night, hit six free throws to seal the game. Mitchell finished off the scoring by making two free throws to give the Bears the 7868 upset. The win was the Bears’ highest point output for the season, as all five starters scored in double figures. Golston, who leads the Ivies with 6.32 assists per game, had an especially impressive performance recording 10 points, eight assists and four steals. With the first half of Ivy play completed, everyone on the team seems to be confident about its chances for the top spot in the Ivy League. “There is a lot of parity in this league,” Burr said. “Anything is possible.”

ond overall with a time of 1:44.93. Swaffield also placed in the top 10 with a time of 1:49.23. Marley-Mauzy finished in 13th place overall with a time of 1:50.52. Breakstone and Stanton finished with times of 1:50.88 and 1:57.62, respectively. As for the Brown men’s ski team, the Bears placed sixth overall in the giant slalom and seventh in the slalom. Despite the team’s youth and inexperience, Greg Hanyen ’05 said he remains optimistic for next year. And Captain Christopher Palmisano ’04, who finished his tenure on the men’s ski club this past weekend, has been a valuable asset this year, Hanyen said. “As the only senior, Chris stepped up and took a large leadership role on a very young team,

teaching the new skiers how to conduct themselves properly both on and off the hill,” he said. Although the men will have to wait until next year to ski again, the women’s postseason starts this weekend at Waterville Valley. The Bears stand in second place in the MacConnell Division, behind the University of Massachusetts heading into the Regionals. “The ski season as a whole was an outstanding one, which was driven by teamwork,” Sheinberg said. “By our last season race, all the girls skied well past their ability, and I am looking forward to watching them continue at Regionals and Nationals. For the post-season, we have our work cut out for us to land on the podium at Nationals, but this goal is more feasible than ever before.”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL/LETTERS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004 · PAGE 6 S T A F F

E D I T O R I A L

Shaping culture The lines between cultures are blurring, and that is what’s so exciting about modern America. From music and food to ideas and controversies, our lives are more interesting because we are not forced to confine our experiences to those of our ancestors. In his lecture Monday night, Henry Yu said true appreciation of other cultures can only be realized when people think about the world in terms of ideas, not as a marketplace. He pointed to white America’s selective consumption of other cultures as examples of a new orientalism. But in American culture— and indeed in modern culture in general — the marketplace and the ideas it contains are inextricable. Mexican restaurants, hip-hop music and Jackie Chan movies do not fully represent the cultures they come from — nor do they claim to — but for many Americans, consumer culture provides the only exposure to other cultures. We shouldn’t fault people for embracing the little diversity they encounter, even if it isn’t always in the form we hope for. In order to take a more constructive approach to diversity, we must acknowledge and even embrace this cultural consumerism while keeping in mind that it does not explain the entirety of another experience. As Yu pointed out, it is not the cultural consumption itself that is at fault, but the belief that these superficial encounters constitute true multiculturalism. Rather than dismissing cultural consumption itself, we should encourage responsible consumption and be aware of how our own cultures appear through the consumerist filter. To expect others to understand all the nuances of our cultural signals is unrealistic. In another lecture Monday, Michael Eric Dyson contrasted hip-hop artists who “keep it real” with an unrealistic, one-dimensional picture of ghetto life, against artists who “keep it pure” but are no longer appreciated for maintaining positive values. Ideally, no one should believe he or she is getting a full picture of black culture by listening to hip-hop. But that is the reality in the age of cultural consumerism; it is unrealistic to expect that anyone’s first impression of a culture will be complete and accurate. Learning to live in a diverse world demands selfreflection and sensitivity. The way to make sure that our initial experiences of other cultures are based on truth, not stereotypes, we must take responsibility for shaping how our own cultures are perceived.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD EDITORIAL Juliette Wallack, Editor-in-Chief Carla Blumenkranz, Executive Editor Philissa Cramer, Executive Editor Julia Zuckerman, Senior Editor Danielle Cerny, Arts & Culture Editor Meryl Rothstein, Arts & Culture Editor Zachary Barter, Campus Watch Editor Monique Meneses, Features Editor Sara Perkins, Metro Editor Dana Goldstein, RISD News Editor Alex Carnevale, Opinions Editor Ben Yaster, Opinions Editor Christopher Hatfield, Sports Editor

BUSINESS Jack Carrere, General Manager Lawrence Hester, General Manager Anastasia Ali, Executive Manager Zoe Ripple, Executive Manager Elias Roman, Senior Project Manager In Young Park, Project Manager Peter Schermerhorn, Project Manager Laird Bennion, Project Manager Eugene Cho, Project Manager William Louis, Senior Financial Officer Laurie-Ann Paliotti, Sr. Advertising Rep. Elyse Major, Advertising Rep. Kate Sparaco, Office Manager

PRODUCTION Lisa Mandle, Design Editor George Haws, Copy Desk Chief Eddie Ahn, Graphics Editor Judy He, Photo Editor Nick Neely, Photo Editor

POST- MAGAZINE Ellen Wernecke, Editor-in-Chief Jason Ng, Executive Editor Micah Salkind, Executive Editor Abigail Newman, Theater Editor Josh Cohen, Design Editor Allison Lombardo, Features Editor Jeremy Beck, Film Editor Jessica Weisberg, Film Editor Ray Sylvester, Music Editor Samuel Clemens, Night Editor George Haws, Copy Editor

Staff Writers Kathy Babcock, Zaneta Balantac, Elise Baran, Alexandra Barsk, Zachary Barter, Hannah Bascom, Danielle Cerney, Robbie Corey-Boulet, Lexi Costello, Ian Cropp, Sam Culver, Gabriella Doob, Jonathan Ellis, Justin Elliott, Amy Hall Goins, Dana Goldstein, Bernard Gordon, Krista Hachey, Chris Hatfield, Jonathan Herman, Miles Hovis, Robby Klaber, Kate Klonick, Alexis Kunsak, Sarah LaBrie, Hanyen Lee, Julian Leichty, Kira Lesley, Allison Lombardo, Chris Mahr, Lisa Mandle, Craig McGowan, Jonathan Meachin, Monique Meneses, Kavita Mishra, Sara Perkins, Melissa Perlman, Eric Perlmutter, Sheela Raman, Cassie Ramirez, Meryl Rothstein, Michael Ruderman, Emir Senturk, Jen Sopchockchai, Lela Spielberg, Adam Stern, Stefan Talman, Joshua Troy, Schuyler von Oeyen, Jessica Weisberg, Brett Zarda Accounts Managers Laird Bennion, Eugene Clifton Cha, In Young Park, Jane C. Urban, Sophie Waskow, Justin Wong, Christopher Yu Pagination Staff Peter Henderson, Lisa Mandle, Alex Palmer Photo Staff Gabriella Doob, Benjamin Goddard, Marissa Hauptman, Judy He, Miyako Igari, Allison Lombardo, Elizabeth MacLennan, Nicholas Neely, Michael Neff, Alex Palmer, Yun Shou Tee, Sorleen Trevino Copy Editors Emily Brill, Leslie Kaufmann, Katie Lamm, Anne Rabbino, Amy Ruddle, Melanie Wolfgang

ANDREW SHEETS

LETTERS Goralnik conflates socialism with communism To the Editor: Nate Goralnik lost a lot of credibility with “Halt the red menace,” (Feb. 13) which was both misleading and nonsensical in parts. Goralnik’s argument — which assumes that since fascists are associated with communism which implements socialism, and because the International Socialist Organization stands for socialism, then the ISO stands for evil principles and does not deserve University funding — doesn’t make much sense. Socialism is not communism. Socialism is an economic system which many countries implement in tandem with capitalism very successfully (see most of Europe, Australia and Canada for examples). Communism is a form of government; communism is not an economic system. Fascism is not communism and is most definitely not socialism. Most of the brutal dictators Goralnik cited were either part of a communist regime or a fascist

regime, neither of which have much to do with socialism except that socialism is generally implemented as an economic form in communist countries. That said, the ISO is still very unrealistic about its goals, and neglects to think through its objectives. (How many people would lose their jobs and in some countries starve if overseas branches of some corporations were shut down to end globalization?) Instead of standing on street corners banging drums for a revolution that is never going to happen and would have catastrophic results if it did, the ISO should spend more time thinking about how to integrate socialism into our current capitalist society for the mutual benefit of all Americans. Kea Johnston ’05 Feb. 14

come on now, seriously...

...write a letter.

opinions@browndailyherald.com

C O R R E C T I O N S An article in Monday’s paper about the Creative Arts Council printed Monday incorrectly reported that the CAC has been in existence for more than 30 years, not six as printed.

The same article also reported that a $5,000 grant is available to students each semester. Rather, a total of $5,000 is available for multiple grants each year, with each award ranging from $100 to $400.

CORRECTIONS POLICY The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication. COMMENTARY POLICY The staff editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns and letters reflect the opinions of their autho rs only. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY Send letters to letters@browndailyherald.com. Include a telephone number with all letters. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for length and cannot assure the publication of any letter. Please limit letters to 250 words. Under special circumstances writers may request anonymity, but no letter will be printed if the author’s identity is unknown to the editors. Announcements of events will not be printed. ADVERTISING POLICY The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

OPINIONS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004 · PAGE 7

The need for real-world independent studies GUEST COLUMN BY PROFESSOR BARRETT HAZELTINE

Last Thursday I went on strike and did not teach EN 90: “Managerial Decision Making” because 40 or so students were not allowed to register for independent studies. On the afternoon of Fri., Feb. 13, at a brief and cordial meeting between Dean of the College Paul Armstrong, Dean of Engineering Clyde Briant and myself, it was agreed that sponsors would be found for these students and they would be allowed to register. In this note I will discuss why I think these independent studies are important to Brown University, how the issue escalated into a strike and, last, the outcomes of the strikes. First, the nature of the independent studies should be explained. The ideas for these independent studies are for the most part student-generated. Many are business plans for startups, some non-profits; other independent studies deal with other aspects of management or business. These independent studies are not based on work with a faculty member on her/his research. Students should have an opportunity to do self-generated independent studies. For some students, this is one of the few opportunities at Brown University to become fully engrossed in creative intellectual work. In all likelihood, most of our graduates will not become research scholars in academic fields. Students who aspire to other sorts of careers and students with interests outside of traditional academic fields should not be excluded from significant educational opportunities. The underlying problem is significant for research institutions and not often discussed. The educational objectives of, I wager, most of our students are different than the professional objectives of a research faculty. It is fashionable in educational circles to promote student involvement in faculty research. I am dubious about the proposition. Nothing I know indicates that students who have learned to do academic research will lead fuller lives or be better citizens, or even be more productive. We do not require a capstone educational project; having the student work on a project of her/his choice could accomplish the same end. Some students learn best by working on problems dealing with the real world. These students also should not be excluded from significant educational opportunities. The primary purpose of the independent studies I have in mind is not to teach skills. The primary purpose is to use real world problems as a vehicle for advancing the aims of liberal learning. I perceive within the academy a prejudice against

management-related education. This prejudice is misguided. The underlying problem here is the meaning of the liberal arts: is it what liberates or is it constrained to traditional models of our cultural heritage? In any case, who decides what is fundamental in our culture? A third reason, less important but essential, is that I understand a search is underway for a professor of organizational studies and entrepreneurship. Brown has had a rich, if short, history of entrepreneurial activity. It is valuable to maintain a pattern of support and respect for entrepreneurial activities as the program is developing. The history behind the strike is summed up in an excerpt from a memo I sent to the administration on Wed., Feb. 11: “I write because I am dismayed about an imposed lack of opportunity for students to do independent studies. My dismay is great enough that I am questioning whether I should continue as a faculty member at Brown University. “The story is long — perhaps you have heard some of it. Let me give a short version from my perspective. In late March 2002 Dean Armstrong and Dean of the Faculty Mary Fennell imposed a limit of 20 on the number of independent studies that I could sponsor; I had been sponsor to as much as 150 a semester previously. When I agreed to the limit I understood the Dean of the College office would find sponsors for the remaining stu-

The story behind the EN 90 strike. dents. In the academic year 2002-2003 I sponsored fewer but more than 20 as I took on students who were not helped by the dean’s office. (My belief was the system was being worked out there.) This year the registration limit is being enforced more tightly and many students are being refused registration.” I should add that this past fall semester, I told several administrative officers of my concern and wrote a letter to the Grievance Committee. They said the problem seemed outside of their responsibility. The rest of the story is short. I never heard directly from a relevant administrative officer. Some communications were traded with mid-level officers — I hope I am not offending people I like and respect. With no response

I felt I could not continue at Brown University. The students of my EN 90 class were told that lectures would not be held on Thursday and possibly not again for the semester. The strike was intended to give the administration maneuvering room but my expectation was that my appointment would be terminated immediately. On Friday two things happened. A large number of students, faculty and alumni e-mailed, called or visited. (Actually, the visits and calls started Thursday afternoon.) For that support I am moved and very grateful. The support of people one respects is worth a great deal. At 3 p.m. as noted above, a meeting was held and, with barely a word from me, it was agreed sponsors would be found and procedures would be established for future semesters. The short-term outcome is that 40 or so students will get to do an independent study this semester on a project of their choice. A long-term outcome is that a mechanism will be put in place facilitating future businessrelated independent studies. The real losers in the situation are the students in EN 90 who will have to accommodate a make-up section into their schedule and will not get to hear a prominent leader in the information technology world. On Wednesday, when I expected my relationship with Brown would shortly be over, I called George Samenuk, head of Network Associates, and suggested he not come. Other outcomes exist. An outcome to be hoped for is more attention to actual student needs. Although clearly a less important outcome, I spent much emotional energy and lost much sleep on an issue that turned out to be easily solved — I feel exhausted and frustrated. What lessons can be gained from a painful episode? One lesson is that an advocate, outside of existing administrative channels, for undergraduate issues is required. It seems too difficult for the same people to balance student needs and University needs. Another lesson, now apparent to me, is that organizational changes should be made so more rapid responses are possible. Finally, least important or most important depending on one’s perspective, a kinder, more respectful culture should be fostered. I was hurting in the days before the strike and few people seemed to care.

Professor Barrett Hazeltine is professor emeritus of engineering at Brown.

The heart-of-darkness president GUEST COLUMN BY BARRON YOUNGSMITH

It is startling but also telling that The New Yorker’s Philip Gourevitch and other reporters have taken to describing John Kerry’s face as an impenetrable African mask. His deeply sunken eyes reveal nothing. They are black holes into which personality, record and intentions vanish utterly. All that is left is a gravitas radiating from that endless event horizon that is his stature. America has never paid for Vietnam. It has never had a president that experienced Vietnam in all of its tortured, transformative, animalistic horror. Baby-boomer era elections have favored the upbeat idealism of Clinton and the limitlessly energetic imperialism of President Bush. Just as Charles Dickens’s allegorical twins in “A Christmas Carol,” Ignorance and Want, are the children of mankind’s failings, John Forbes Kerry is a haggard legacy of those evils spawned by JFK’s youthful neoconservatism. One Masshole sent another gawky, fresh-faced child of Massachusetts into the jungles of Vietnam as an expression of America’s eternal strength, determination and youth. Yet the innocence of Kerry’s mission was twisted by napalm and the unintended bloody consequences of U.S. imperialism, shaping his face into an unmoving tribal talisman, a shell around a Colonel Kurtz center. John Kerry will be our heart-of-darkness president. Kerry hides the fact that he is a walking Frankenstein: The sewn-together expression of everything virulent that America has absorbed through its imperial contact with other nations, the unpreventable Yin to our neocolonial Yang. He is the vet who has seen the inside of the beast, transformed into it and felt its complicity. John Kerry is the Id, America’s involuntary response to

what can only be described as the Super Ego(-tism) of George Bush’s presidency. As we vote ourselves penitence, the nation will be plunged into rhythmic cycles of drinking, staring at the spinning fan blades and listening to the faint tribal yelps of Jim Morrison filtering in through the hotel windows. He cannot shake old habits: he still hunts animals in the night and carries them out of the forest with his bare hands due to a “desire to live fully after cheating death” (San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 15). False rumors have surfaced about an affair he had in 2001 with a woman who

John Kerry — The horror! The horror! has now chosen to flee to Africa rather than be interviewed. Up until his decision to run for president on a war- hero platform in 2001, Kerry voted against almost every single security and defense funding bill proposed in Congress and voted to cut funding for the military effort in Iraq. Kerry’s morality is “absolutely defined by the Vietnam experience,’’ according to Bobby Muller, president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation who has known Kerry since 1971. He incubated with the two most poisonous legacies of the Vietnam War: the disillusionment and national distrust that fueled the protest movement and the haunted legacy of the soldiers themselves.

When Kerry testified on behalf those who “have personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war,” he knew something about himself and human nature that we don’t. “We learned the meaning of free-fire zones, shooting anything that moves, and we watched while America placed a cheapness on the lives of Orientals,” Kerry said in 1971 when he testified before Congress. When Time magazine asked “What kind of president would John Kerry be?” its response was an inconclusive list of his past Congressional votes and a description of his stature. I can only guess that John Kerry would be an impenetrable, dark, heavily breathing president. His motives would often be incomprehensible, yet his proposals would be extended with great feeling and, sometimes, even savagery. Decisions would be made as if a massive, ancient rock was moving inexorably and painfully, exhaling experience and grief beyond which a normal American can comprehend. America would not act as a young nation, but as a scarred country which pauses before all of its actions. It would act as a nation that goes native and silently paints its face while looking in the mirror, a nation for which “the threat of terrorism is exaggerated” compared to the threat of its own inner demons. Today is Barron Youngsmith’s ’06 birthday.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

SPORTS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2004 · PAGE 8

Record crowd at Pizzitola for first game of w. basketball split BY BEN MILLER

The women’s basketball team split its second consecutive weekend series, losing to Harvard University Friday night 70-64 and upsetting second-place Dartmouth College 78-68 Saturday. The Dartmouth victory, combined with Yale University’s victory over Harvard, moved the Bears (11-10, 4-4 Ivy League) into a tie with Columbia University for third place. The game against Harvard was the highest-attended home women’s basketball game in Brown history, after being promoted as “Blitz the Pitz” to draw fans to women’s basketball in the Pizzitola Sports Center. A boisterous crowd of nearly 1,900 watched as the Bears battled the two-time defending Ivy champs. Harvard scored immediately off the opening tip, but the Bears’ three steals by point guard Tanara Golston ’04 in the first five minutes kept the game close. The Bears trailed 11-10 going into the first TV timeout. The game was televised on the YES Network. Coming out of the timeout the Bears took their first lead of the game on a driving layup from Golston, who finished with six assists and six steals on the night. The two teams continued to go back and forth for the next seven minutes until a layup from Holly Robertson ’05 gave Brown a 23-22 lead and sparked an 11-4 run to end the half up 34-26. Both teams started out the second half cold, until Mitchell drained a long jumper to put the Bears up 36-26. Harvard then started to get hot, nailing five three-pointers in six minutes. The Bears quickly went from being up 10 to being down by 10 with a little over eight minutes left to play. The Bears refused to quit, as Mitchell got fouled on a layup for an old-fashioned three pointer that got the crowd cheering again. Mitchell continued to keep the Bears in the game by scoring a basket in transition and then making two free throws after a violent collision under the hoop to bring the Bears within four at 59-63. She shot an extraordinary 11-13 for the game, tying her career high with 26 points in only 26 minutes played due to foul trouble. A three-point play by guard Sarah Hayes ’06 (15 points, four offensive rebounds) brought the Bears to within three points of Harvard, at 65-62, with just under two minutes remaining. Harvard responded with a jumper, but Mitchell made another layup to cut the lead back to three with 52 seconds left. Still, Brown was unable to get any closer as Harvard responded with a jumper with 25 seconds left and then made one more free throw to seal the 70-64 victory. The next night the Bears returned to the Pizzitola Center to face Dartmouth, which at 5-1 was in sole possession of second place behind the undefeated University of Pennsylvania. The Bears started off the game sluggishly, falling behind 7-2 in the first twoand-a-half minutes. The team worked its way back to take the lead at 8-7 with 14:28 left on a layup by Mitchell. With eight and a half minutes to go, Head Coach Jean Marie Burr decided to switch the defense from a man-to-man see BASKETBALL, page 5

Mike Braca

Sarah Hayes ’06 and the women’s basketball team split two games at home this past weekend, losing to Harvard 70-64 on Friday before beating Dartmouth 78-68 on Saturday.

Women’s icers drop series Second-place finish wraps up to Harvard in OT thriller regular season BY LEXI COSTELLO

The women’s hockey team (12-7-2, 83-1 Ivy League) fell to No. 3 Harvard University (20-2-1, 10-2-0) 5-2 Saturday at Meehan Auditorium. The following afternoon in Cambridge, Mass., the Crimson escaped with a 4-3 overtime victory to sweep the homeand-home series. Harvard got off to a quick start Saturday, as a lucky bounce helped the Crimson take the lead 44 seconds after the opening face-off. After an initial save by captain and starting goalie Katie Germain ’04, the putback bounced off a Bruno defender’s skate and over the goal line. Harvard added two tallies to the early advantage in the following eight minutes of play. Brown was able to cut the Crimson lead to 3-1 at 17:29 in the first period. Kerry Nugent ’05 fed Krissy McManus ’05 from the Harvard blue line, and McManus connected for her seventh goal of the season. Jessica Link ’05 kept Brown’s momentum going at the 16:10 mark of the second period, netting her 17th goal of the season. After a run up the left and a blocked shot outside the crease, Link corralled the rebound for the top shelf tally. Keaton Zucker ’06 and Lindsey Glennon ’06 had assists on the play. “We were able to come back each time we were faced with a deficit this weekend,” said Link. “We gave up goals early which put us in the hole, and although we didn’t come out with the win, we proved our character.” Harvard responded loud and clear in the third, starting with an insurance goal scored at 8:54 to reclaim the 4-2 lead. At the 2:02 mark, Brown pulled goalie Germain ’04 for the extra skater, which led to a Crimson goal on the open net that clinched the 5-2 Harvard victory. “Unfortunately, we didn’t come with initial confidence, and Harvard capi-

talized on our mistakes,” Zucker said. The following afternoon, the Ivy rivals squared off at Bright Hockey Center at Harvard. The Crimson tallied the only goal of the opening frame at 5:48 when a Harvard skater put it in the upper right corner for a 1-0 lead. Both teams remained scoreless in the second frame until Harvard earned a two-goal cushion with a goal at 17:17. The Brown defense remained solid for the remainder of the game, refusing to allow any more off-guard Crimson goals. Katie Guay ’05 opened up the third period with her seventh goal of the season to bring Brown within one at the 3:26 mark. Guay fired a shot from the top right circle, assisted by Christine Holdredge ’07 and Ashlee Drover ’06. The Bears tied the score at 2-2 on the first of their two power play goals. Zucker scored off of her own rebound at 7:44, assisted by Amy McLaughlin ’05 and Krystal Strassman ’07. “We approached the second game with a nothing-to-lose attitude,” said Link. “We started to play more of our game rather than adjusting to Harvard’s approach.” Less than a minute later, the Crimson regained the 3-2 advantage. But Link, Bruno’s leading scorer, stopped the Crimson comeback, knotting the game at three with her unassisted power play tally. Both teams remained scoreless in regulation, sending the game into overtime. After three minutes of intense headto-head hockey, Harvard snagged the victory with a top-shelf game winner. “Women’s ice hockey is changing,” Strassman said. “We are both very talented teams, so these games came down to heart and guts. Sunday’s game could have gone either way, but a goal is a goal and unfortunately, it wasn’t see HOCKEY, page 5

for w. skiing BY DANIEL MURRAY

The women’s ski team wrapped up its regular season last weekend at the ColbySawyer/St. Anselm Carnival, placing second in both the slalom and giant slalom races. It was a typical weekend for the women, who dominated the top-15 rankings both days. According to racer Kelly O’Hear ’07, the temperatures reached into the high 30s. “The conditions this weekend were beautiful: sunny skies, warm temps — a skier’s dream,” she said. “It was one of those days that remind you why you love to ski.” The women finished with a team time of 3:57.32 in the slalom. Individually, O’Hear won the event with a time of 1:57.55. Teammate Nina DiBona ’07 finished second for the Bears and fifth overall in 1:59.11. “The freshman girls have been a (strong part of) the team this year, and each weekend they have proved this,” said Captain Molly Sheinberg ’04. “It has been exciting to watch them come into Brown from ski academies, where the environment is much different, and be able to adapt to our program and become integral parts of our team.” For Sheinberg, it was a bittersweet ending to a four-year Brown skiing career. Plagued with a recurring knee-injury, she was forced to watch her teammates from the starting gates or the finish line. Sheinberg said the competition has grown fiercer since her first days as a Bear racer, and she is proud of how her teammates have handled adversity on the mountain and improved every weekend. “Coming into my senior year, I couldn’t have been more excited to be a member of the most experienced team thus far in my career at Brown,” Sheinberg said. “It truly has been a wonderful experience to watch them succeed each weekend.” Third for the Bears was Hilary Swaffield ’06, who came through with a 10th overall finish in 2:00.66. Stephanie Breakstone ’06 see SKIING, page 5