Category: Opinion

By Spenser Hickey

News Editor

This editorial was meant to be an appeal to the campus community, particularly men, to take part in SlutWalk, which was planned for this evening.

Sadly, as I sat down to write it, though, I received an email from the Sisters United cabinet saying that the event had been postponed until October.

While we may not be marching tonight, the message of the event—speaking out about sexual violence and survivor-blaming—is still very important.

The article on Pages 1 and 2 about the Delhi rape case provides a clear picture of what these societal ills can cause if they go unchecked and unchanged.

This is not just a problem with India, but an international problem that affects almost all if not all nations. During the violent upheavals in Egypt, there were reports of hundreds of sexual assaults against women at the demonstrations. There were the extremely violent gang rapes that occurred in India and Brazil, and here we had the case of Stuebenville, as well as reports of shocking mishandling of sexual assault cases by colleges around the nation.

And yet these cases are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sexual violence. The vast majority of cases never see this kind of attention, and they can affect both women and men, survivors and the family and friends of survivors.

We can all be hurt by sexual assault and all have a stake in speaking out against it, and that is one of the messages of SlutWalk.

The college campus environment, sadly, is one of the most prominent sites of sexual violence in America today. Colleges often lack adequate services to prevent assaults, punish assailants, or support survivors.

The measures used to prevent sexual violence also often include warnings about unattended drinks, not walking home alone or taking self-defense classes.

While these can prevent sexual assault in the short term, to really address the problem in the long term we the conversation should be about consent and teaching men (overwhelming the offenders) not to rape. That’s what SlutWalk is about.

We may not be walking tonight, but we will take this time to improve the event and spread the word. The march will take place in October. I hope to see you there.

By Noah Mansker

Editor-in-Chief

After Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” became a summer anthem and just as quickly met a wall of criticism for its endorsement of rape culture, I thought we wouldn’t have to talk about it anymore and the annoyingly catchy song would fade into obscurity like all one-hit-wonders before it.

But an article purporting to criticize the critiques of the song has quietly gone viral.

KC Schmidt’s “Blurring the Lines of Feminism: A Criticism of the Criticism of ‘Blurred Lines’” popped up in multiple places on my Facebook feed earlier this week. Many of my friends praised Schmidt for her critique of the feminist discourse around the song.

I was immediately skeptical when Schmidt, who claims to be “a lower-case-f feminist,” said she didn’t find Thicke’s lyrics offensive because their problems are so obvious to me. As I read on, I found I only disagreed with her points more.

I think criticism of widely held opinions is incredibly important, and Schmidt does make valid points about some responses, particularly captions from a photo essay comparing the song’s lyrics to the words of actual rapists, containing false notions of women’s sexuality.

But there are a couple major points with which I disagree.

First, the claim that “Blurred Lines” is a “women’s lib anthem” is nonsensical at best and dangerous at worst. In so classifying the song, the author cites the pre-chorus lyrics, where Thicke pleads the nameless, faceless object of his affection to let him “liberate” her from another man. She says Thicke’s is about woman’s sexual agency and refuting man’s ownership of a woman.

There are two gaping holes in this idea. First, this lyric is the only place another man, or “liberation,” for that matter, is mentioned; the rest of the song is Thicke uncomfortably pursuing a potential sexual partner. To call the song an anthem based on one repeated line doesn’t make sense. Second, simply put, a man cannot write a women’s liberation anthem. A man has not, is not and never will live a woman’s life in a misogynist, patriarchal, violent society. Therefore, he doesn’t know from what woman need to be liberated, nor can he determine the terms of women’s liberation. The latter was the state of the pre-feminist United States, to which I hope  Schmidt and I can agree we don’t want to return.

I, as a man, know it is not my place to talk about women’s liberation, but I know it is my place to call out other men when their male privilege is showing. Robin Thicke, if you’re trying to write a “women’s lib anthem”, which I highly doubt you are, your male privilege is showing. Regardless of your intent with this song, your male privilege is showing.

Second, Schmidt argues the lines “The way you grab me/Must wanna get nasty” are merely Thicke saying he has an idea his potential partner might want to have sex with him. She says there’s nothing wrong with a person showing sexual interest in another, whether it’s buying someone a drink or physically touching them. In her view, it’s not inappropriate for a woman to grab Thicke to show interest or for him to infer she wants sex.

This is true, but there is a clear difference between “might” and “must.” The former implies a chance; the latter indicates certainty. These blurred semantic lines are dangerous. The logical step to take with “might” is to clarify what the other person wants, while the next step for “must” is to go ahead and take what you want. “Might” leaves room for explicit consent, but “must” does not.

Additionally, I don’t think the photo essay Schmidt takes issue with is entirely useless as a criticism. The fact that actual rapists have spoken Thicke’s lyrics is a reflection of their social context, in which rapists are more often exonerated than punished and have their actions defended by legal and social institutions.

This is perhaps not a complete critique of Schmidt’s piece, and there is certainly more to be said about it. I commend Schmidt for taking on the often monolithic popular feminist discourse. But I don’t think we should let rape culture get away with its social, legal and psychological crimes, even if space doesn’t permit a full indictment.

Charles Ross

Interim Director of Counseling Services

I read The Transcript September 13^th coverage of The Ohio Wesleyan Counseling Center with great interest and would like to address some of the concerns presented. The departure of Colleen Cook and Eric Johnson this summer brought about significant transitions in Counseling Services. Both Dr Cook and Dr Johnson were excellent therapists and highly respected by students and staff alike. They each have moved on to new exciting careers and their departure have understandably left questions about what changes will develop in counseling services.

As I reflected on that September 13^th issue a few thoughts came up for me. First I want to extend my appreciation for those OWU students who have advocated on behalf of Counseling Services and worked to both reduce the stigma attached to mental health problems as well as increase access to services. Resource allocation by colleges and universities is challenging and the student body’s desire to ensure counseling service access for all students is commendable and a goal that I strongly support.

I recently retired as Director of Counseling and Student Health at Oberlin College. My career in college counseling expands over nearly 40 years and resource allocation and funding issues for counseling center operations have been at the forefront of my work and the efforts of my fellow counseling center directors across the country throughout this time. Regardless of the institutional resources it’s always the case that education is the primary institutional mission and all other services (including counseling support) are secondary and provided to support the success of the educational mission. This level of support is different and more limited for example than you would expect of an organization with a primary mission of mental health care.

Because counseling or psychological services are secondary to the primary mission of the college, there will always need to be some limitations to the scope of services provided. The challenge is to work within these limitations by implementing methods to provide more efficient and effective treatment for those who desire it. Many students have expressed concern regarding students being placed on a wait list prior to receiving counseling services. This is also a concern for those of us working at Counseling Services. In response to this concern we held meetings at the beginning of the school year to devise and implement procedures for reducing or eliminating the need for a wait list. Coming into the meetings, our goals were to create a plan that would allow us to 1) schedule students to be seen quickly upon presenting to Counseling Services, 2) provide well-established therapies that have shown to be effective, and 3) meet the demand for counseling at OWU so that all students who desire help can receive services. As a result of these discussions and shared professional experiences at a number of colleges, we have shifted the orientation at Counseling Services to align with these goals, which will allow for greater access of services for our student body.

This short term/ brief or solution focused therapy model is the approach used on most college campuses today and many problems can be successfully addressed using this model. It is very important that we emphasize that the counseling provided at Counseling Services is not primarily focused on “emergency counseling “. Although this makes up a portion of our services, Counseling Services is available to address issues that college students regularly struggle with nationwide. Some of the most common concerns we work with include issues with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, family problems, relationship concerns, loneliness, transitions into or out of college, etc. When students are struggling with longer-term issues and concerns indicating a higher level of support than Counseling Services can provide, staff can help facilitate referrals for work with clinicians in the community for ongoing support. For many students looking for longer-term support, this is a similar arrangement to services obtained at home prior to attending college. Counseling Services staff is meeting with local providers this month to enhance this referral network.

This shift to providing short-term therapy will allow us to serve more students in an equitable and effective manner and eliminate or significantly reduce the probability of a wait list. I want to emphasize that much good and effective work continues to be done and is available to students. This is an opportunity to be listened to, receive support and to clarify the challenges you are experiencing. We have an energized staff ready to meet with you and I’m confident that the current orientation to providing services will deliver an overall positive impact for students.

Despite the understandable concerns that some have expressed regarding the availability of counseling services, most students can be scheduled to meet with a counselor within a week. Of course, during heavy periods of utilization the schedules do get filled, but we realize that crises do still occur in student’s lives. We have created a solution for this problem by creating Crisis Walk-In hours which will allow students to see a counselor on the same day. This service is designed to assist students who are confronting life-threatening circumstances, current or recent traumatic crisis, and/or serious emotional distress. During a same-day crisis consultation a counselor will meet with you briefly to discuss your situation. If you are experiencing a crisis a counselor will work with you to contain and stabilize the situation. If your situation is not a crisis the staff will work with you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. The same-day walk-in crisis consultation hours are limited each day and are offered on a first come first served basis. Hours are Mondays and Tuesdays at 11:00am and Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays at 1:00pm.

I again want to voice my support and admiration for the continued dedication and diligence of the student body in working to address concerns related to mental health resource availability at OWU and beyond.  Moving forward, I feel confident that we can all work together to continue to address the challenges and realities of mental health at OWU, and work to meet the ever changing need. I welcome your dialogue and new ideas for meeting the challenges of mental health in our community.

By Sophie Crispin

Online Editor

If you had a Netflix account and the least amount of free time last summer, chances are you probably watched Orange is the New Black. Then you probably emerged from a television-induced stupor two days later, after binge-watching all 13 episodes of the first season.

The drama/comedy produced by Netflix was adapted from a novel called “Orange is the New Black: My Time in a Women’s Prison” by Piper Kerman.

A summer hit, the Netflix adaptation follows fictional Piper Chapman into a women’s prison in upstate New York.

Chapman is instantly relatable to the initial 18-25 year-old viewer: she’s young, idyllic albeit a little lost, and she and her boyfriend are still somewhat dependent on their parents for financial support.

She’s also easy to forgive. She screwed up once, a long time ago. Who hasn’t? She’s not really a criminal. It’s easier for an audience to see themselves in her, and then they can’t help but want to be on her side. Piper Chapman is easy for the average viewer to cheer for because, well, she’s white. And that’s exactly how producer Jenji Kohan expects us to see her.

In an interview with NPR, Kohan described Chapman as her ‘trojan horse,’ claiming “you’re not going to go into a network and sell a show on really fascinating tales of black women, and Latina women, and old women and criminals. But if you take this white girl, this sort of fish out of water, and you follow her in, you can then expand your world and tell all of those other stories. But it’s a hard sell to just go in and try to sell those stories initially. The girl next door, the cool blonde, is a very easy access point, and it’s relatable for a lot of audiences and a lot of networks looking for a certain demographic. It’s useful.”

This honest, raw, and sometimes uncomfortable portrayal of race, class, and gender discrimination is why you should watch it. Yes, it may have scenes that will make you choke on your 2:00 AM ice cream sundae, accompanied by lesbian sex scenes that are far more explicit than cable.

But the real impact of ‘Orange’ comes from its exploration into the background of a different character in each episode. These stories — from the transwoman who is serving time for credit card fraud because most health insurance providers refuse to cover sex reassignment surgeries, to the Latina woman who is in prison because she had little other choice but to let her abusive boyfriend use her kitchen as a drug hub — force the audience to examine circumstances that real-world Piper Chapmans can easily go through life ignoring.

‘Orange is the New Black’ juxtaposes the complaints of Chapman and her middle class, white friends with the harsh realities faced by those who live in urban poverty in way that makes you pay attention. And it showcases the way that privilege, be it based on gender, race, sexual orientation, or class, plays a role in every aspect of someone’s life – whether they’re aware of it or just passively benefitting.

It also raises some serious questions about our prison system and the role it plays in perpetuating the circle of poverty, especially among marginalized populations. And lastly, it’s hilarious. This mostly-female cast walks the tightrope of a dramedy like they were born to be there. And with its incredible success this summer, clearly this diverse, smart storytelling has an audience.

When you consider the underwhelming representation of dynamic women or people of color (or most notably absent, women of color) portrayed in mainstream media, it’s easier to understand why ‘Orange is the New Black’ is turning so many heads. It provides a long overdue portrayal of something other than the white guy who’s smooth and intriguing, excessively violent, stupid/funny, and always sexual.

And hopefully, it’s a sign of a new era of television.

By Emily Feldmesser

Copy Editor

“Another day, another mass shooting.” That was my first thought when I heard about the Navy Yard incident in Washington D.C. on Sept. 16. As of press time, 13 people have been confirmed dead, including the suspected shooter.

I feel like I can’t escape this vicious cycle of gun violence. Every time I check the New York Times” or see the televisions in Hamilton-Williams Campus Center turned to CNN, the headline is always about a shooting or two. It’s gotten to the point where I just expect to hear about a shooting on the news. It’s a sad reality.

I grew up in Wisconsin, where hunting is way of life. Guns are constantly present. On Aug. 5, 2012, in Oak Creek, which is about half an hour from my house, an armed man barged into a Sikh Temple and opened fire. In all, seven people were killed, including the shooter, Wade Michael Page. Page was a former member of the U.S. Army and a white supremacist. He legally purchased the guns used in his rampage.

This shooting hit close to home, figuratively and literally. You think you’re immune to these acts of gun violence when you’re nestled in your cozy little bubble. But when it does happen, you’re in shock. I know I was. I was glued to the TV for the next few days, just watching the coverage.

Wisconsin has a concealed carry law, which basically means people are literally allowed to carry guns wherever they want. So whenever I go into my local Jewish Community Center, where my mom works, I see a sign that says that guns aren’t allowed on the premises.  I would think that one wouldn’t need a gun going into a place where kids go to day camp or where people go work out.

My household is quite liberal, and while growing up, I wasn’t surrounded by guns. My dad told me when he was younger he had a .22 caliber rifle. When I found that out, I was utterly shocked. However, he told me that he and his brother had to take classes provided by the National Rifle Association in order to shoot the rifle at a local shooting range.

Still, the fact that my dad, who is the biggest proponent for gun control I know, had a gun rattled me. He told me, “Look, I’m not anti-gun. I’m just very pro-gun control and education.” That’s the stage I’m currently in. The fact that civilians are able to purchase semi-automatic guns to just have them is sickening. These are military grade weapons, what does John Smith from Anywhere, U.S.A., need it for?

Guns need restrictions. There, I said it. People are so afraid of this topic, as to not offend anyone. What’s there to offend? We need stronger gun control laws in order to prevent tragedies like Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo., shootings from happening again.

I’ve always thought it was common sense for there to be education and stricter rules for people purchasing arms. But as I’ve talked to people, I’ve realized my views aren’t as common sense as I would like them to be.

Some think there should be no restrictions on guns. I ask them, “Even automatic weapons? You think automatic weapons are okay for regular people to just gallivant around town with?” They give me a blank stare while I sigh. The conversation is almost pointless.

After every major tragedy with guns, there’s a large outcry about the need for stricter gun control laws. Facebook and Twitter are abuzz with impassioned pleas for a change in the laws. I cannot deny that I’m guilty of hopping on this social media bandwagon, too.

But I actually write to my lawmakers. After the failure of the latest gun control bill in April 2013, I wrote to both of my senators about their votes on the bill. I received the generic “Thanks for contacting us, but…” email. Hey, at least I did my part.

Recently, it came out that Iowa that blind people are allowed to have gun permits. And according to the Washington Post, in one county, three permits were granted to people who aren’t allowed to drive legally. Doesn’t that sound like a headline from the Onion? I feel like the next step is to allow dogs to get guns. I can just imagine it—my lovable golden retriever wearing a gun holster to the dog park! Doesn’t he have the right to bear arms?

In order for our country to not have these tragic events occur on an almost daily basis, there needs to be actual change in our government. People need to be persistent when it comes to talking to their senators or anyone who represents them. Don’t just put your opinion on social media—do something to start the changes. I know I’m writing to my elected officials, because I don’t want my dog to be able to own a gun.

I spend my Friday afternoons digging through students’ discarded apple cores, half-eaten sushi and greasy pizza boxes. No, this isn’t my desperate attempt to compensate for the fact that I am on the small meal plan this semester. I spend my Friday afternoons sorting through the compost because it’s a program that would fall to the wayside without the help of dedicated students.

The compost program was initiated and led by Ohio Wesleyan’s former sustainability coordinator, Sean Kinghorn. Sean, along with the sustainability coordinator intern, two recycling interns and student volunteers, sorted through the compost twice a week, removing any items that were not compostable. If any given bag of compost contains more than five percent non-compostable materials then the university will be charged. However, if we compost effectively, it saves the university big bucks because we pay for our garbage pickup by weight, whereas our compost pickup is done free of cost.

Now, the grant money that funded the sustainability coordinator has run out, and the university has chosen not to renew the position. The sustainability coordinator intern and the two recycling intern positions have also been terminated. The effects of these absences are already being felt. The recycling bins that used to dot Rowland Avenue have disappeared. Clearly, we need to move to permanent structures, positions and protocol so that sustainability will be worked into the fabric of our university instead of relying on projects that may or may not be sustained in the long-term.

Additionally, the May Move Out and OWU Free Store programs will go to the wayside in the absence of a sustainability coordinator. This program collects the abundance of discarded items that students aren’t able to take home at the end of the year. In a span of just two weeks, this program diverted 43 tons of waste in 2012.  Not only did this save the university the cost of waste pick-up but it saved students money as well because all the collected items went to the OWU Free Store, where students were able to pick up clothes, books, school supplies and dorm décor free of cost.

Amongst all these losses we do have a glimmer of hope in that the two new composting interns, Ellen Hughes and Erika Kazi, will maintain the composting program. But everything is not running smoothly. The first week was a scramble to get all the compost sorted by pick-up time and it was only narrowly completed. While- the Hamilton-Williams Food Court was headed in the direction of waste diversion, this process has been stalled with the addition of Papa John’s.  Unfortunately, Chartwells signed a contract requiring them to use Papa John’s pizza boxes, which are not compostable or recyclable. The composting program diverts about 30 tons of waste annually but we could easily divert more than 60 tons a year if we used all compostable containers and if the student body learned to compost effectively. Couldn’t we have added a greener, perhaps local, pizza company to the Food Court instead?

Students are not consulted with these kinds of decisions, but they shouldn’t have to be. This serves as a prime example of why we need a full-time sustainability coordinator making sure that all of Ohio Wesleyan’s new programs, initiatives, and renovations are done in a sustainable manner. Without this position sustainability is put on the back burner and we are already feeling the effects of Sean’s absence. While schools with permanent sustainability coordinators like Kenyon, Denison, Otterbein and Wooster, to name a few, are working towards a solution to global climate change, Ohio Wesleyan seems to be taking one step forward and one step back.