Author: William Tetta

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Opinions

Are We Truly Concerned About ISIS?

Over the past several years, ISIS has become something of a household name. We hear about the atrocities they commit on a daily basis: kidnapping, torture, even genocide. However, as I look at the general attitude of our nation, I get the sense that people are not as concerned about ISIS as they ought to be.

For example, nearly everyone has heard all about the attacks in Paris: nine members of ISIS shot and bombed Parisians a few weeks ago. We all saw the tributes to the victims and their families: famous monuments lit up in the colors of the French flag, world leaders denouncing the atrocities perpetrated by ISIS, and Facebook allowing users to overlay a transparent French Flag over their profile pictures.

Will Tetta RGBYet, you probably do not know that the bombing of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, took place the day before. According to a BBC article published on November 13, “Lebanon holds day of mourning after deadly Beirut blasts”, two men with suicide vests bombed a shopping street filled with people. In total, 200 people were wounded, and at least 41 died, making this the deadliest bombing in the capital since 1990. Yet, it didn’t receive nearly as much attention as the attacks on Paris got. Even if Paris hadn’t been bombed, there probably are not many Americans who would remember Beirut a month later.

This huge difference in reaction makes me wonder how serious Americans are about the fighting taking place in Syria. It took the bombing of a major city to show this much support, and yet ISIS has caused thousands of deaths in the past few years. If we really did care, why didn’t we spread news about Beirut on Twitter? Why didn’t Facebook let us overlay the flag of Turkey after ISIS bombed their capital last October?

One of the biggest things that we can do to support those affected by ISIS is letting Syrians seek asylum in the United States. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. Ashley Fantz and Ben Brumfield of CNN published an article on November 19th, “More than half the nation’s governors say Syrian refugees not welcome”.  According to this article, governors in 31 states are refusing to accept Syrians into their states.

The basis for this lies with one of the Paris bombers: they were able to enter Paris by pretending to be a refugee. Although the final decision to let 10,000 refugees in was made by national government, state governors can be uncooperative and make admitting refugees more difficult.

While I can understand wanting to keep ISIS out of the States, I cannot justify ignoring thousands of people running for their lives from danger. If Americans really want to help, we should start by advocating to make access into the U.S. easier. As far as I’m concerned, the risk of a handful of ISIS members entering our country is worth it if 10,000 refugees get the protection they need.

Besides helping refugees, Americans can help by donating to organizations like the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). According to their website, they develop refugee camps in Syria, and provide food and medicine to those who need it. Donating even a hundred dollars might seem like a lot to ask, especially with college financial woes, but every little bit can make a huge difference.

To me, ISIS is an idea. It’s not as if killing all of them will make them go away, because someone else will just take their place. What we can do is weaken them, and that starts with helping those who are being attacked. America needs to step up if we are serious about stopping ISIS, because they are not going to disappear, and they are not going to stop torturing and killing until there is nothing left.

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Stories In Focus

The Body As a Canvas: Students and Tattoos

The angel resting on Sophomore Joseph Miner’s left shoulder is not a real angel of course, but a tattoo of one. Miner’s angel is a seraphim, traditionally considered in the Christian faith to be the highest rank of angels. Stretching from Miner’s shoulder to halfway down his arm, the seraphim clasps its hands in front of it as if it were praying, and hides its feet and eyes behind four of its six wings, while the other two stretch out behind it.

Tatoo RGBMiner’s decision to get his tattoo came six months after hearing a particularly inspiring sermon. The topic was Isaiah 6, where the prophet Isaiah finds himself before the throne of God. In the scripture it states that seraphim flew about the throne, covering their feet and faces with their wings while proclaiming God’s glory. Recognizing his unworthiness, Isaiah proclaims himself to be “a man of unclean lips,” who should not even be allowed to look at God. At this, one of the seraphim flies down and touches his mouth with a piece of coal. “He says, ‘Your guilt is taken away and your sins are atoned for,’” Miner recalled, “and it was kind of like a response to… just the weight of the guilt he felt for being such a sinful man.” Miner said he got his tattoo as a reminder that God is more concerned about our devotion to him than he is about how many sins we commit.

Sarah Makosy ‘16  also got her tattoo to remember something special in her life. Hers simply consists of a set of coordinates on the back of her arm: 42’ 37’ N, 79’ 04 W. Makosy said these are the coordinates of a camp where she had worked the past two summers. “In the two summers that I was there, I really changed a lot as a person,” Makosy said, “and I really… found out who I was.” She, along with a friend working there, got the tattoo to commemorate the camp.

Several students interviewed said they believed that tattoos were beginning to gain acceptance in today’s culture. Crystal Zuver, a sophomore and non-traditional student with nine tattoos, said that those with tattoos used to be considered “up to no good”, but that is not the case anymore. “I am an artist,” she said, “and I see my body as a canvas, and tattoos are art and a way to express myself.”

However, others expressed a differing opinion. Emma Donmoyer ‘19 said she believed that getting a tattoo is something that can very easily be regretted. “What means something to you changes a lot when you get older, even if it meant something to you at one point, it might not later,” said Donmoyer.

A number of students also spoke about a change in their perceptions of tattoos and those who have them. Miner said he gained a new appreciation for personal space after receiving his tattoo. “When I’m just walking around trying to get my lunch and someone’s like, ‘Oh, what’s that mean?’” Miner said with a laugh. “Like, I’m trying to eat here! Leave me alone.” He also commented on people who would try to feel his tattoo. “I’m like, ‘that’s still skin’, you know?”

Miner, Makosy, and Zuver all agreed that getting a tattoo is something that needs to be thought about. “That one split-second decision of, ‘you know, I’m just going to go get a tattoo today,’ is something that stays with you forever,” said Makosy. “Permanence-wise and importance-wise is something that I think people should take thought in.”

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Campus News

Notable Director Hired for Spring Production

The English and Communication departments hired notable four-time national touring  director Kevin Leary to teach a Theatre Workshop course and direct Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House in the spring.

The director, Kevin Leary, said the course will cover a wide variety of theatre skills. According to Leary, students will be involved in acting, design, directing, arts management, stage management, theatre history, “and whatever else we need to cover to produce” A Doll’s House. Leary says the Theatre Workshop will be, “an immersive course in producing and making theatre.”

904252_10151660104873968_1464994562_oDouglas Gaerte, professor of Communication, said Leary will be directing Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” as a way to give students a “broader theatre experience”. According to Leary, “‘A Doll’s House’ reflects the story of a woman who confronts the social structure of her day, and upon not liking what she sees, sets out to change it.” Leary said that with recent women’s rights issues, the play will give us a “flash point to talk about these issues”, but will do so free of political bias.

Leary wrote, “I am anxious to dig into the story and provide the description of humanity, to raise the mirror in front of our collected audience, and begin anew the discussion of how we treat people in our society.”

Susan Bruxvoort Lipscomb, professor of English, said the schedule for the course is planned tentatively. Interviews for those applying to the class are planned for October 16th. The planned audition date for the play is November 30, with performances planned between February 5 and 7.

According to Gaerte, Leary is a professional director at the University of Buffalo. Leary said that he has been involved in theatre for 25 years and participated in local and regional productions, as well as acting in a national tour in high school.

James Wardwell, professor of English, said the workshop had been taught a number of years ago by former professor Bruce Brenneman. After Brenneman retired, Wardwell said the course was taught by part-time help, but was eventually suspended. Gaerte said the attempt to bring the theatre course back began last year, and that the Van Gordon endowment provided the funds needed to hire Leary.

“I just think theatre is great for an academic institution,” said Wardwell. “It’s an opportunity for us, as a community, to explore significant issues and relationships in a serious manner.”