The Emory Wheel Since 1919
Emory University’s Independent Student Newspaper
Volume 106, Issue 2
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Printed every other Wednesday
RFK nomination sparks protest outside of CDC
Emory Independents club aims to foster discourse By Kimble Schiller OxSGA Desk
Natalie Sandlow/Visual & Web Editor
Protestors rally against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing.
By Natalie Sandlow and Gabriel Symeonides
Visual & Web Editor & Contributing Writer
Ahead of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s U.S. Senate nomination hearing for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), protesters gathered in front of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) headquarters on the edge of Emory University’s campus on Feb 4. to protest the nomination. The decision to nominate Kennedy to lead HHS was met with criticism,
as he has promoted anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and disinformation related to public health in the past. However, Kennedy seems on track to become health secretary, with the Senate Finance Committee approving his nomination along party lines and setting him up for a full Senate confirmation vote in the near future. The small group of protestors outside the CDC voiced their fears about the future of public health in the United States and spoke out against the “fascist” ideology they believe the Trump administration and the Republican Party are implementing. Supporters
‘The country is in chaos’: Korean community reflects on uncertain future By Jerry Sun Contributing Writer Instability and insurrection in South Korea have sent shockwaves through its economy and sparked resistance across the country, with Korean students at Emory University feeling the impacts. Former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol was in court on Feb. 4 for his impeachment trial, two months after he declared martial law to defend the nation from “antistate” forces that are sympathetic to North Korea. The act was met with resistance from both the public and lawmakers alike. Korean Undergraduate Student Association Freshman Representative Cindy Lee (28C) said that she was taken aback by the news. “Martial law in a democratic republic, in modern day, is crazy,” Cindy Lee said. Less than two hours after martial law was imposed, the national assembly lifted it through a unanimous vote. The opposition party soon made motions to impeach the president, the second of which succeeded on Dec. 14, 2024. Jay Lee (26Ox), an international student from Busan, South Korea, said the political tension has dam-
aged South Korea’s international image. “It was supposed to be one of the best democratic countries in the world, but then this martial law thing happened, and that got people questioning the democracy in Korea,” Jay Lee said. Immediately following the law’s announcement, thousands of angry South Koreans flooded the streets of Seoul, South Korea in protest. People gathered in front of the National Assembly Building demanding Yoon’s impeachment, facing off against the police and guarding the building. Cindy Lee also stated she felt deeply moved by the active roles young women have played throughout this crisis and has faith in the younger generations to continue defending a democratic Korea despite anxiety about the nation’s future. “I’ve actually heard a couple of my Emory friends talking about being … nervous about holding Korean nationality,” Cindy Lee said. Cindy Lee discussed this fear in the context of South Korea’s long history with military dictatorships. She explained that the country struggled against a dictatorial government until a democratic uprising caused democratic consolidation in 1987.
See KOREAN, Page 2
affiliated with coalition organization Refuse Fascism led the protest with signs saying, “In the name of humanity we refuse to accept a fascist America” and “No RFK Jr.” One sign depicted Trump dressed in a Ku Klux Klan hood beneath the phrase “Mein Trumpf,” in reference to Adolf Hitler’s manifesto, “Mein Kampf.” Additionally, protesters chanted and cheered phrases such as “No Trump, no RFK, no fascist U.S.A.,” as cars drove by, some honking in approval. See EMORY, Page 3
Despite the long history of the twoparty system in the United States, more people are identifying as politically independent. However, unaffiliated voters were not officially represented by any student organization at Emory University. Hugo Rosen (28C) and Benjamin Braun (28C) recognized this fact while discussing political views, which inspired them to found Emory Independents. The group aims to facilitate political discourse and critical thought about current events without submitting to party ideologies or polarization, according to Emory Independents Secretary Katherine Mombo (28C). She works alongside Rosen, who serves as president, and the club’s co-vice presidents, Braun and Oz Alon (28C). Mombo expressed her desire to foster an environment where people can share their beliefs with others and be met with understanding and open dialogue. “The most important ideas don't come from echo chambers,” Mombo said. “They come from conversations, and they do come from disagreement, and we have to confront the difficult conversations head-on if we want to ultimately make progress.” Emory Independents’ nonpartisan structure sets them apart from clubs
like the Young Democrats of Emory or the recently restarted Emory College Republicans. As part of the club constitution, Emory Independents will never endorse any political candidate or policy, according to Braun. Braun said people hold misconceptions surrounding the club’s ideology, mainly due to people attempting to assign them one. “People thought that I was starting the centrist club, the no strong opinions club, the libertarian club or the Green Party club,” Braun said. “That's not what we are.” According to Braun, Emory Independents seeks to encourage discourse on campus by creating an open space where anybody can “feel comfortable” engaging with politics without having to agree with a specific set of views. Alon highlighted that this places Emory Independents in a unique position to mediate debates between the two sides. He also emphasized the importance of objectivity in the political realm. “The nature of Georgia being a swing state means that there is both a Republican and Democrat presence,” Alon said. “By having Emory Independents run that portion of politics, we'd be better suited to explain those nuances with very little bias in either direction.”
See NEW, Page 3
Executive order aimed at addressing antisemitism threatens student visas By Jacob Muscolino Asst. News Editor Nine months after law enforcement agencies arrested 20 Emory University community members at a pro-Palestinian encampment, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order aiming to deport non-citizens who participated in proPalestinian protests, which a White House fact sheet described as “pro jihadist” demonstrations. One of 45 executive orders, the Jan. 29 directive promises to “combat the explosion of anti-Semitism” by deporting and canceling the student visas of “Hamas sympathizers.” While the legal statuses of the arrestees are unknown, the order outlined has the potential to threaten Emory students. While Emory declined to provide additional information the Jan. 29 executive order, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Ravi Thadhani and Interim Provost Lanny Liebeskind wrote in a Jan. 28 email to the Emory community that the University is working to understand recent government directives, including Trump’s attempt to freeze federal funding. Thadhani and Liebeskind wrote that they will communicate additional information as it becomes available. “Many specifics remain unknown,” Thadhani and Liebeskind
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wrote. “We understand that many of you are concerned about the impact of these changes on your academic and research pursuits. We have received your messages and share your concerns.” Trump’s references to increased antisemitism likely refer to an escalation in antisemitic attacks following the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism reported that from Oct. 7, 2023 to Sept. 24, 2024, antisemitic incidents increased by over 200% compared to the year prior. Eagles for Israel did not respond to The Emory Wheel’s request for comment on the executive order. However, in the larger Jewish community, leaders have both praised and condemned the executive order. Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of the Jewish educational non-profit Aish, commended Trump’s executive order for addressing the threat of “proHamas” students. “There is a very real threat posed to U.S. colleges by those who support terrorist organizations like Hamas,” Burg told Fox News Digital. “Many Jewish students have been living in fear for more than a year.” However, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Amy Spitalnick contended that actions like this tend to erode democratic values. “It is both possible and necessary
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to directly confront and address the crisis of antisemitism, on campus and across our communities, without abandoning the fundamental democratic values that have allowed Jews, and so many others, to thrive here,” Spitalnick said in a statement. Anti-Muslim sentiment also increased in the months following Oct. 7, 2023, with a report by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) finding that in the first half of 2024 there was a 69% increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes. At Emory, the Georgia chapter of CAIR and Palestine Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of Emory Students for Justice in Palestine (ESJP) to address potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ESJP President Ibrahim, who requested to be identified by his first name due to safety concerns, said the executive order was “not a surprise.” However, Ibrahim said that most ESJP members are U.S. citizens and that international students involved in ESJP are aware of the risk of protesting directly. Ibrahim said the University is working with international students who may be affected by the executive order to ensure they are safe and have a plan if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement visits campus. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services declined to provide See PRO-PALESTINIAN, Page 2
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