Visit The Empty Closet

So, in addition to working as a home health aide, I am currently writing 1-2 articles per month for The Empty Closet, a monthly newspaper for the LGBT community in the Genesee Valley in upstate NY.

My first article can be read by visiting http://www.gayalliance.org/index.php?option=com_mojo&Itemid=114&p=3095

Feel free to check it out!

Burmese Refugees: A Photo Story

Myo Myint, a Burmese refugee and former political prisoner, has been working on building a new life for himself in Fort Wayne, IN since he arrived in June of 2008. A former member of the Burmese military, the Tatmadaw, he switched sides and joined the National League for Democracy (NLD) after a landmine blew off his right arm and leg, cost him several fingers off of his left hand, and deprived him of much of his vision in his right eye. “That's when I started getting interested in politics," he says with a sad smile.

He said he changed sides following the time he spent in the hospital while he recovered from the explosion because it provided him with the chance to read and meditate about the political and military situation: “I realized that we were atrociously killing each other without any reason or hatred. I came to recognize an unreasonable cycle where we kill because they, the enemy, are killing us, and they kill us because we are killing them. The war just didn't make sense.”





After he joined the NLD and began working with Burma's democratically elected president Aung San Suu Kyi, who is currently being held in prison by the country's military dictatorship, he was taken in as a political prisoner on three separate occasions, with a total incarceration time of 14 years, 10 months and 16 days.

Here he demonstrates the posture he was made to take whenever a prison guard approached: the submissive posture and prohibition against making any eye-contact with the guards are intended to dehumanize the prisoners. In his hands is his prison identification card.





Myo Myint was severely tortured during his time in prison. In an interview with the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners and the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, he described some of the torture methods used on him while in Burmese prisons:

“As I was being led to the jailer's office, Htun Htun Oo punched me in the face, causing me to fall down. My crutches were taken away, and I was made to lie face down on the ground. The authorities then stood on my hands and feet, so that I was unable to move. They then began to beat me with a wooden rod from 9 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon, only pausing occasionally.” Such torture resulted in internal bleeding, but he was denied all medical treatment.





He also recounts being held incommunicado for months at a time, being forced to go months without a shower, being denied the right to use the bathroom, being forced to witness the torture of other prisoners, being held in a completely darkened cell for weeks at a time, being forced to hold uncomfortable postures (including perching on his one leg without his crutches) and then beaten when he was unable to hold the posture any longer.

He still suffers from frequent headaches, nightmares, and back pain, and is unable to open his mouth widely, as his jaw is always stiff. He also has contracted asthma and heart disease.

(Details of the experiences of Myo Myint and other political prisoners in Burma can be read in the document “The Darkness We See”; a full-text version can be found at http://www.aappb.org/tortour_report.pdf.)





After it became clear to Myo Myint that he would be unable to help political prisoners while in Burma without being taken in for further interrogation and imprisonment, he snuck across the Burma-Thai border and made his way to the Umpiem refugee camp, which shelters 19,000 Burmese refugees. Here he is shown holding a picture of himself that was taken in the refugee camp.

“To be honest, I don’t want to go to America,” Myo Myint said to Nic Dunlop as he packed his bags in the camp and prepared to say goodbye to his friends and comrades. “It’s only because my brother and sister are there and my mother told me to go that I’m leaving.”





Movie director Nic Dunlop is currently making a feature-length documentary about Myo Myint’s life, focusing on his time at the refugee camp and his reunion with his brother in 2008; when Myo Myint arrived in Fort Wayne, he and his brother had not seen each other in over 20 years.

Here Myo Myint is showing pictures that were taken by Dunlop as promotional material for the upcoming movie, “Burma Soldier,” scheduled to be released in 2010.





Myo Myint and his case worker, Karen Bender, walk to the apartment of a Burmese woman who he knows from the Umpiem refugee camp; she was unwilling to be photographed because she feared that, if the photos were ever seen by someone in the Burmese military, her family would be punished.

This woman, who I will not name out of respect for her wishes, was 8 months pregnant  with twins when her husband received political asylum and was able to come to America; it took her and her daughters eight more years before they were able to receive authorization to come to America as well. Sadly, her husband died two months before she was able to come to the U.S.; as a result, her daughters never met their father.

”The Burmese military causes broken families,” she said, before saying that she cannot think about her own life without thinking about the many other families who have had to go through similar pain and separation.





Myo Myint continues to work towards the freedom of political prisoners and the end of torture, as well as towards increased support for the families of political prisoners: this is partly from his deep empathy for their plight, and partly as a way to bring some degree of peace to the psychological suffering he still endures as a result of years of systematic torture. Towards this end, he works for Fort Wayne’s Community Resource Center for Refugees (CRCR) helping to promote opportunities for greater self-sufficiency and comfort for the over 6,000 Burmese refugees living in the area.

Here Myo Myint is shown talking with Khin Maung Win, a friend and co-worker at CRCR. Khin Maung Win, a practicing Muslim, left Burma and fled to a refugee camp after increasing religious oppression in the nation resulted in his village being burnt to the ground by the Burmese military.





Khin Maung Win’s brother, Regis Win Reshid, obtained his United States’ citizenship in September of 2004. He serves as the Joint Secretary for the Burmese Muslim Community (BMC) in Indiana.

Although he speaks impeccable English and has both a strong work ethic and leadership skills, he is frustrated by the difficulty that he has had in finding a secure job. Nevertheless, he does appreciate the religious freedom that exists in America.





Although there is a unanimous consensus among Burmese refugees that the current regime and political situation in Burma need to change, there are two markedly different perspectives amongst them regarding how likely it is that such change will actually happen.

Many individuals have faith that Burma will become a democracy in the foreseeable future, citing the upcoming 2010 elections as a point of hope. Many others, however, do not expect that any significant improvement will happen in their lifetimes.





Entire families are affected by the current situation in Burma. Although Khin Maung Win’s wife, Than Than Aye, wanted to raise her family in her native country, the religious oppression and violent political environment made it an impossibility– especially after her husband made the decision to flee to Thailand and, from there, America.





The children of refugees are also profoundly affected by the difficulties that their families have been through. Khin Aye Win, the middle child of Khin Maung Win and Than Than Aye (in foreground) is a freshman in high school, even though she is 19. The language barrier has been a significant challenge in her educational pursuits. Nevertheless, she hopes to someday be a nurse so that she can help people who are suffering.





Although they are significantly impacted by their parents’ lives, situations, and culture, these children are still able to find enjoyment in simple things. Here, the youngest child of Khin Maung Win and Than Than Aye is enjoying  the sweetness of a Twinkie.





Minn Myint Nan Tin is the Executive Director of Fort Wayne’ Comminity Resource Center for Refugees (CRCR). She emphasizes that the difficulties that she and other refugees have had to face are part of a structure that is bigger than any of them alone: “This is a life we did not choose– we deserve the same chance at a decent life as everyone else. I do this work because I have the chance to help them, and I need to keep going and remember the importance of this work.”

When she was asked what she misses most about Burma, she sat in thoughtful silence for a moment before replying,” The smell of the grass in the morning. It may sound silly, but really, there is nothing else like it.”





Chan Hmaine Aung is the Self-Sufficiency Coordinator for CRCR. He feels that it is important that all people speak out against the current situation in Burma: “Saying something just once is not enough. The United States government and all people worldwide need to create more pressure on the Burmese government until change happens.”

“I have the motivation to keep going with this work because I understand– it has been hard for me too. I want to help so that no one needs to struggle more than they have to.”





Mey Mon is a volunteer at both CRCR and a local Theravada Buddhist monastery, the Dhammarekkhita Monastery.

She is concerned about the generation gap between refugees and their children, many of whom have no memories of their birth country. Every Sunday, she teaches children at the monastery about the Burmese language and culture so that they do not forget their context.





Because Burma is primarily a Buddhist country, it is not surprising that many refugees continue to practice Buddhism in America; there are currently six Burmese monasteries in the Fort Wayne area. Meditation, chanting, and the community of sangha provide many of these refugees with comfort, solace, and refuge from the difficulties they have faced in Burma and continue to face in America.

Ashin Vishakana has been a monk since his childhood. Although he was a resident monk at the Dhammarekkhita Monastery in Fort Wayne, he returned to Burma on May 16, 2009 so that he can see his parents again before they die. He emphasizes that the equanimity, wisdom, insight, and compassion that result from a meditation practice are necessary for anyone who wants to free themselves and others from suffering.

Carrie Newcomer visits Manchester College

“Just when you think life can’t get any better, you find yourself in North Manchester, Indiana.”

These words were spoken with a big smile (and not so much as a drop of sarcasm) by singer/songwriter/guitarist Carrie Newcomer at the concert she gave last Thursday in Cordier Auditorium. During her visit, the students, faculty and staff of Manchester College (as well as members of the surrounding community) were gifted with her music, wisdom and guidance.

Carrie Newcomer’s visit to MC occurred on April 1st and 2nd. During this short visit, she led a workshop entitled "The Power of Story: Creative Writing for the Terrified," facilitated a discussion on vocation and faith with students in the Pathways program, gave a workshop for faculty and staff on how to incorporate what you love into what you do, spoke in several classes (including peace studies and literature classes), presented a workshop on vocation that was open to the entire campus community and gave a concert performance.

In the “Power of Story” workshop, Newcomer led writing exercises based on simple prompts that helped participants focus on the details of their memories and the present moment. This is an important practice, even for people who don’t consider themselves to be writers: “A regular practice of writing—and writing honestly and with integrity—well, it’s like a muscle you work,” she said. “And the more you practice it, the more it becomes a part of you, enriching your entire life and your interactions with other people.”

“Writing practice is a spiritual practice, and a practice at being present in our own lives,” she continued. “The worst thing is getting to the end of the day and thinking ‘Darn, I missed it.’”

Newcomer has released a total of 11 albums of intricate melodies with profoundly sincere, engaging lyrics. She self-produced her last three albums (The Geography of Light, Regulars and Refugees, and The Gathering of Spirits) at a small studio right here in Indiana.

Students who were lucky enough to have made it to her concert heard a rich variety of songs from The Geography of Light as well as several of her earlier albums. Her rhythmic plucking at her guitar strings resonated with her bluesy, emotion-rich voice, which sang out her poetic lyrics.




After the show, attendees could be heard discussing their favorite lines: one conversation I overheard centered around the chorus of her song “There is a Tree”: “There is a tree beyond this world/ In its ancient roots a song is curled./ I am the fool whose life's been spent/ Between what's said and what is meant.”

She was accompanied on the piano by the talented Gary Walters, who Newcomer has worked with for the last five years. Walters teaches jazz piano at Butler University, and often plays for the Indianapolis symphony: Newcomer describes him simply as “a fine musician and a lovely person.”



While she was in North Manchester, Newcomer also found time to meet with interested students for conversation and to share her experiences as a writer and musician. For instance, she met with MC students Zach Glenn and Ryan Deeter, the members of the fusion-folk-rock band Smoking Window.

“Meeting with Carrie was an excellent opportunity,” Deeter said. “Being able to talk to an accomplished performer and songwriter helped to provide us with a greater insight into the music world. Carrie also related to us how difficult it is to pursue music, and yet how rewarding and necessary it is to follow one's passion.”

Glenn agrees. “It was greatly empowering to talk with someone who practices my two passions, writing and music,” he said. “It showed me that it was possible to follow my heart and the crafts that I am passionate for, and to do so independently while having come from Indiana.”

Newcomer’s music has been described as folk, Americana, country and rock… and, indeed, it is all of these things and so much more. Although she does not write music specifically for a religious audience, her lyrics are influenced and shaped by the ways in which her experiences as a practicing Quaker have shaped her understanding of spirituality.



“I don't want to put the sacred in such a small box,” she said. “We can develop our appreciation of mystery, and find sacred moments in our day-to-day lives. When I write poems and songs, I look for where we connect. Beauty is discovered in the ordinary stuff, right here where we are.”

Newcomer is a native Hoosier who has developed a national and international following with her sincere, heartfelt, and elegant music. Folkwax magazine, the largest weekly magazine in the singer/songwriter genre, named her as the 2008 Artist of the Year, and awarded her newest album The Geography of Light the 2008 Album of the Year award; in 2002, she made a sweep of the Folkwax awards with her album The Gathering of Spirits.



In addition, she has received laudatory praise from such publications as Rolling Stone, USA Today, Acoustic Guitar, The Village Voice, Performing Songwriter and Bowlers’ Journal. That’s right… Bowlers’ Journal, in response to her lively, foot-stomping, hand-clapping, head-nodding tune “Bowling Baby,” off of her album Betty’s Diner.

“When I receive an award or some incredible praise from someone like [novelist] Barbara Kingsolver, well, there’s something very un-Quakerly in taking too much pride in it,” Newcomer said. “So I just embrace it with gratitude. It’s an affirmation.”

“The most important thing is that I allow my writing and music to keep changing, because I’m not interested in making the same album over and over again,” she continued. “Honest writing doesn’t focus on sticking with an equation that’s worked in the past, and it doesn’t censor either the pain or the beauty—because it's really an overlapping of the two.”



Her visit to Manchester College was much appreciated by the college community. “There are certain people that you meet, and instantly you can tell how awake they are to life around them,” Glenn said. “Carrie is definitely one of those people. She writes and performs powerfully, revealing the wondrous beauty and dark magnificence that is present in the day to day. She is both serious and comical, and always passionate and true.”

Newcomer's visit to MC was made possible through the generosity of MC graduate Sara Edgerton, a member of the college's Board of Trustees.







(This article originally appeared in the April 10, 1009 edition of The Oak Leaves. All photos by Laura McSpadden.)

Listen here... and enjoy!

Smoking Window to Play this Friday

Smoking Window, the band that was the subject of my last posting, is playing tomorrow, December 5th at 10:00 pm at the Time Out Inn in North Manchester, IN. The Time Out Inn is located at 403 State Road 13, North Manchester, Indiana 46962; their phone number is (260) 982-4321.

This show is a deal; the cover is only $3. I hope to see you there!

Smoking Window Lights Up the North Manchester Music Scene

When a couple of MC students get together and decide to get something started, there’s just no telling just what could happen and how far they’ll go.

For example, Zach Glenn and Ryan Deeter started off as roomies, hanging out and having fun while engaged in the unending business of being a student. Fast-forward a few years, and they’ve formed Smoking Window, the hottest thing to happen to the Manchester music scene in years.



Smoking Window has gifted audiences with their “fusion folk funk” at such venues as Kenapocamocha Coffee House, The Brewhouse, The Time Out Inn and last year’s MC Peace Week (where they performed as the Deeter-Glenn Connection). They also played a benefit show for the new MC radio station in Wampler, as well as benefits for the Firehouse at the local high school and at The Main View.

The core of their shows is their original songs. They approach song writing as a collaborative effort, more often than not composing their own individual parts (Glenn plays lead guitar and Deeter plays rhythm guitar and vocals) while remaining flexible and receptive to each other’s feedback. “When we write a song, I’m always asking Zach ‘How does this make you feel?’” Deeter said. ‘“What emotion is being moved into being?’ We make sure when we’re writing a piece that there’s coherence between us and the song.”



The first song that they wrote together, “Another Pot of Coffee,” is a beautiful song of hope that is grounded in their shared experiences through their time in college. “We try to make our music real to our lives,” said Deeter. “Most of the music we’ve written has communicated some aspect of our experience or views.” This sincerity shines through in their other originals, illustrating how seriously the two musicians are when they express that their biggest influence is life itself.

Their sets are complemented by some covers of rock hits, referred to by Glenn and Deeter as “crowd pleasers.” “A lot of our covers are 90’s rock because there are a lot of people who know those songs, and we want to be able to reach a lot of people right off the bat,” Glenn said. “But there is an interesting balance between becoming a crowd pleaser and playing what you want to play.”

Even when they are playing a cover tune, they put a lot of themselves into the performance. “On a lot of the covers I improv the entire time, and I don’t play them the same way twice,” said Glenn. “I really like that. It keeps us open and honest, and it keeps playing interesting.”



Deeter agrees, and said that this is the root of the difference between playing live and playing while recording in a studio. “We are much more ‘live’ music people than recording people—we like the aliveness of our songs, the way they’re different every time,” he said. “When recording, you play more cautiously than you do when you play live, because you want it to be ‘right.’”

And when it comes to music, it’s not about right or wrong, it’s about how well the music is able to reach the listeners. “We are fascinated by how one is affected emotionally through music,” Deeter said. “This doesn’t mean the music has to be complex and complicated, but it does mean the music has to capture a feeling, a moment, or a deep honesty.”



In fact, this is the root of their affinity with music and song-writing. “What I love about music is its ability to help people from different backgrounds connect,” Glenn said. “This happens for both the listeners and the musicians. During our show at the Time Out [on November 14th], I looked out and saw all these people really enjoying the music, and yet I couldn’t see all of them hanging out together at one time anywhere else. Everyone in the world is connected to music somehow, which means we’re all connected to each other through this medium.”



Anyone who has been to one of their shows will look forward to their next one. So, when you see them around on campus, ask them when and where they’re playing next, and make it a plan to go.

Several of their songs can be heard on their Myspace profile; just search for “Smoking Window,” send them a friend request and sit back to enjoy the tunes.



(This article appeared in the November 21, 2008 issue of The Oak Leaves)

Outdoor in Indiana: Ouabache State Park

It’s that time of the semester: everyone on campus is walking around with a preoccupied expression, an outward manifestation of their daunting to-do list that is likely at the forefront of their attention, and questions regarding how someone is doing are invariably answered with a simple, one word reply: “Busy.”

I confess that I was taken in by this frantic state of mind. Luckily, I remembered my own advice from my “Outdoors in Indiana” articles from last year, and I knew just what I had to do: retreat to the wilderness for a bit of peace and quiet. Within just a few hours of the end of my classes on Friday, November 7th, my van was loaded and I was on the road, heading towards Ouabache State Park.

“Ouabache” is derived from French and Native American languages. It is a word indicating a thing which is bright, light, and/or natural; the anglicized version of this name is the more widely-recognized “Wabash.” Although it is pronounced by modern-day speakers as “Wah’-bash,” it was originally pronounced “Wah-ba’-che.”
Ouabache State Park is located just outside of Bluffton, at 4930 E State Road 201. It is just barely over an hour’s drive from campus.

The park offers 47 primitive and 77 electric camping sites; fishing; tennis, basketball and volleyball courts; boating; five hiking trails; cross-country ski trails; a nature center; a paved bike trail; swimming (during the warmer months); a nature center; a fire tower and shelters that can be reserved for picnics or events. Although there is boat and canoe rental available, they do not offer ski rental; so, if you want to hit the cross-country ski trails, make sure you bring your own skis.

I chose to stay overnight at one of the primitive campsites. Although there were plenty of people at the electric campground, I was the only person in the entire primitive campsite area, a situation which suited me just fine.



For one thing, I could take my pick of the campsites. After all, some sites were not as large as others, or else had rocky, uneven ground. I chose one that was at a higher elevation (important if there is precipitation in the forecast, which there was) with a large, flat area that was relatively free from roots and rocks.

Secondly, it was quiet and very conducive to contemplation. My only companions were the forest animals and the campfire; after I finished setting up my tent, I was able to truly relax, free from the distractions that are all too pervasive within the world-at-large. I watched my campfire burn down to embers before retreating into the warm comfort provided by my tent.



And, yes, it was cold that night: the low was 35 degrees, and there were light, drizzly showers. However, I stayed toasty and cozy with my hoodie, Under-Armour and arctic mummy sleeping bag.



I suppose that many people could find a situation in which being warm requires such effort to be rather distasteful, but there is an important lesson to be learned from such experiences: it becomes patently obvious that the best place in the world where you could be is right where you are. Such complete contentment with things as they are can be hard to come by in day-to-day life.



The next day, after I ate a hearty breakfast and packed up my campsite, I set off on a hike. The park’s hiking trails range from one to six miles in length; all are rated as either “easy” or “moderate” in difficulty. I hiked trail four, a three-mile-long trail that wound around Kunkel Lake, through the forest, and around a “Wildlife Exhibit” of live bison.



The shorter trails are extraordinarily easy to hike on: the paths are wide and flat, and could be easily hiked by children and individuals in poor physical shape. However, they do not get very far from the buildings and campgrounds, and don’t provide the “lost in the wilderness” feel that I like so much. For this reason, I would recommend that anyone planning to hike in Ouabache State Park take either trail four or trail five, which meander the most deeply through the woods.



I drove back to Manchester in higher spirits than I’ve been in since the first week of classes. I had done some reading for my assignments and gotten a good night of sleep, it’s true: but more than that, I had been out in nature, active and attentive within the simplicity of the outdoors. It is amazing how little it takes for us to put all the complications of life back into perspective: all we have to do is decide that it’s important that we do so.

Remember: the world is right outside the door. Let’s go!


















(This article originally appeared in the November 14 issue of The Oak Leaves)

Black Student Union Hosts Clothing Drive

BSU is currently sponsoring a clothing drive to benefit foster children in northern Indiana. All students, faculty and staff are asked to donate gently-used clothing to the campus Intercultural Center (across the street from the Administration Building) by November 21st.

The clothing is being given to KidsPeace, which is, according to their website, “a private charity dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, preadolescents and teens.” Their mission is “to give hope, help and healing to children facing crisis.”

Indiana’s KidsPeace locations provide therapeutic foster care for individuals from birth to 21 years of age. As a result, clothing of all sizes is being collected, with an emphasis on garments for children and adolescents.

The clothing drive was conceived of by the current BSU executive board. “Unfortunately, through the years BSU has been known mostly for its parties and social gatherings,“ said John ‘J Bird’ Sams, MC junior and president of BSU. “We wanted to do something active to really help out those people who are in need.”

The decisions regarding what kind of fundraising to do or donation to make and whom to give the donations to were made very carefully. “When you’re dealing with money, things can get corrupt,” Sams said. “Clothes are just clothes. They’re not going to a corporation—they’re going right to the people who need them most.”

This was an important point to Jordan Tyson, MC junior and BSU’s vice-president. “We chose KidsPeace over Goodwill because Goodwill sells the clothes, rather than giving them away, and we could never be sure whether or not the clothing went to someone who was truly in need,” he said. “We wanted to be sure the clothing went to the people that would be most helped by them.”

Sams emphasized the significance of the donations going to foster children. “We wanted our focus to be on children, who can’t really do much to help themselves,” he said. “Sometimes they don’t even have good foster parents.”

This is not a problem that is far removed from life at Manchester College. There is an MC student (who asked to remain anonymous) who has been through foster care and has directly benefitted from the donations of a charity similar to KidsPeace. “I remember when I went to a foster home the first time, all I had were the clothes on my back,” she said. “These programs help foster kids not only with clothing but also with a sense of style and joy that they often need.”

This student hopes that many members of the MC community will decide to donate some of their clothing to KidsPeace. “Programs such as the ones BSU is working for help to make foster children's lives a bit less stressful, and make the child feel welcome when they are scared of the new environment,” she said. “Foster homes are often a scary thing for someone to experience.”

Participation in an event such as the clothing drive also serves to strengthen the sense of community here at MC. “In order to respect people as a whole, you need to unite with those who have it rougher than you,” Sams said. “You need to be willing to go outside your comfort zone and make some sacrifices.”

Tyson agreed. “BSU is here to unite people, at least as far as respect goes: you need to respect those who are different from you,” he said. “And to come together for a common goal is one way of uniting. Whether or not we like each other, let’s come together and show respect for each other so we can meet a common goal of helping people out.” The clothing drive offers the MC community with a chance to do exactly that.

There will be a second clothing drive sponsored by BSU to be held during the spring semester.

(This article originally appeared in the November 8, 2008 edition of The Oak Leaves.)

Debate Watch: Biden and Palin Square Off in VP Debate

Anyone who has tried to watch a political debate in a dorm, with roommates or with a group of friends knows how difficult it can be. Jokes and sarcastic comments usually abound, along with requests for chips and, potentially, a mid-debate run to Lance’s.

Entertaining, perhaps, but hardly the best way to get the most benefit from your debate-watching experience.

Enter MC’s Debate Watch. On October 2nd, the vice presidential debates were shown live in Flory Auditorium. Despite the prevalence of televisions in dorm rooms and student-rented apartments, 94 members of the Manchester College community showed up to watch the only debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin of the 2008 election in a relatively distraction-free environment.

Following the debate itself, a non-partisan discussion was lead by Dr. Mary Lahman, associate professor of communications, and Dr. Leonard Williams, professor of political science.

One of the discussion topics was the ways in which the vice presidential debates differed from the first presidential debate. “In many ways, it seemed like the candidates used the vice presidential debate as PR for their respective presidential candidate,” said senior Jason Adams.

It was also noted that issues such as foreign policy, civil rights and liberties and education were not as much of a focus in the vice presidential debates as they were in the previously occurring presidential debate. However, the vice presidential candidates did touch upon the subject of gay marriage, something that was not addressed by the presidential candidates in their first debate.

Another issue that was up for discussion was the relative degree of freedom that vice presidential candidates have relative to presidential candidates to voice firm opinions. This was particularly noticed in the candidates’ answers to questions regarding interventionism.

“I was surprised that Biden seemed to imply that a government that commits genocide against its own people [re: Sudan and the War in Darfur] forfeits its sovereignty,” said senior Laura Dell. “Do vice presidential candidates have more room to take strong stances than presidential candidates?” Not all students agreed that they do.

Those who challenged this assumption included junior Jon Largent, who noted the precedent of individuals changing their voting decision based upon vice presidential nominations, and Jared Baker, who hypothesized that Biden’s assertive image and stances during the debate were intended to help balance Obama’s softer public image.

Senior Milagros Ridoutt commented on the non-verbal communication of the two candidates. “Biden’s non-verbal communication seemed to be focused on creating a very strong image, the image of a ruler,” she said. “But what was up with Palin’s winking? What was she saying with that?”

Professor Williams, at this point, encouraged the attending students to examine whether it seemed as though the candidates were trying to appeal more to voters’ intellects or emotions.

Although no student unequivocally stated that one candidate seemed inherently more logical or qualified than the other, it did seem as though the audience’s sympathies were with Biden. For instance, in response to Palin’s consistent appeal to her middle-class roots, a “fact-checking squad,” armed with their laptops and wireless connections, found details regarding her less-than-humble financial assets, implying that (at least in this regard) her appeals were more emotional than factual.

Several students, when considering this point of fact-driven versus emotion-driven arguments, noted how Biden consistently repeated facts that he considered of great logical importance, while Palin seemed more rushed.

Whether this was good or bad was up for debate; some students appreciated the passion that they saw in Palin’s determination to share as much information and as many perspectives as she was able to in the allotted time, while others expressed that she seemed to come across as less focused.

The main consensus that was reached by the attending students was that both of the vice presidential candidates did well, and that it therefore seemed unlikely that many people would change their votes for the presidency based upon the vice presidential debates. “I appreciated the chance to see Palin speak up for herself and improve her image; I think that she was successful,” said senior Mary Cox. “However, I was also greatly impressed by Biden: I hadn’t had much exposure to him before, and he really reached me.”

The Oct. 15 presidential debate will be aired in the Lahman Room of the upper Union.

(this article originally appeared in the October 10, 2008 edition of The Oak Leaves.)

R.I.P., Prince Omar

My cat, Prince Omar, was hit and killed by an inattentive driver midday last Tuesday, July 15. Although I am well aware that all pet owners say this, Prince Omar truly was one-of-a-kind.

He was the unofficial mascot of Manchester College; there was even a feature article written about him in the MC newspaper that can be seen at: http://www.manchester.edu/OSD/OakLeaves/archives/Issue_15/
NomadiccatbecomesanunofficialMCmascot.htm.

He touched many lives, and was loved by countless people. Whether following around groups of visitors to the campus; frolicking and visiting with students, faculty, staff AND their dogs during campus events on the mall; or terrorizing the local squirrel population, he was always making an impact on the lives of those who he came into contact with.

Please, I beg of each of you, drive attentively. Omar's death was untimely, and could have been prevented.