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IU to ‘can’paign for 24 hours

A columnist's audacity

I was both stunned and outraged after reading the opinion article called “Praise for anti-Zionism.”  As an optimist, I believed that the time of bigotry toward race and religion has been long extinguished in this country. After reading this article, however, I have received a rude awakening, realizing that there are still some people who believe in outdated principles. On one hand, it takes a certain amount of serious audacity by this columnist to write an article based on this material. It is ridiculous to even suggest that America stop aiding Israel, an ally that has been plagued with war and terrorism since its origination in 1948. America has made it a moral point to always assist in international matters if they are asked or called upon.

Education for anti-Zionists

I don’t know where Yahya Chaudhry received his education before IU, but it certainly did not include any unbiased history of the Middle East, nor basic good manners. Zionism is basically the national liberation movement of the Jews, who have lived in Palestine for millennia, well before the Arabs arrived and converted many of the inhabitants to Islam by force. Jews do not question the Arabs’ rights to 22 nations, nor to their right to define Islam as their national religion. Israel is a Jewish state, as England is an Anglican Christian state. But in both Israel and England, Muslims live as minorities enjoying the political and civil rights of citizens. Can Chaudhry say the same about Jews or Christians in Iran, Saudi Arabia or Pakistan?

Debating Israel not anti-Semitic

First of all, I commend the IDS editorial staff’s commitment to represent different viewpoints. However, I’m dismayed that the editors have allowed Zionist extremists such as Dershowitz to slander an IU student by calling him a “bigot” and an “anti-Semite” simply because he acknowledged the suffering Palestinians endure under Israeli occupation and questioned the unconditional military aid that the U.S. provides Israel. Apparently, Dershowitz has so much spare time that he has nothing better to do than scan college newspapers for articles critical of Israel and then run a smear campaign against students. As an American citizen, I believe it is productive to question the policies of governments, such as Israel, that receive large amounts of U.S. military aid (especially when they receive aid without precondition). Moreover, most Americans would be wary of any permanent alliance, especially one that has all too often proven to be a liability rather than a strategic asset.

Fleischman oversimplifies

I am the “Joe the Magician” who was referenced in Danielle Fleischman’s article, “Joe is Everybody.” Leaving the election and all politics aside, I wanted to point out that I am not “straight out of a children’s show,” nor was I “reduced to my employment” by that video project, in which I voluntarily participated along with hundreds of other people. The reason that “Joe the Plumber” became part of the vocabulary of this election is because of the reality and simplicity of the terminology, the ability for people to identify with real life jobs, and the fact that the use of professions highlighted the small business nature of the issues being discussed.

Early voting not the way

While many of you were excited to vote on Election Day, more than 23,000 registered voters had already cast their vote in Monroe County before last weekend. Early voting has many benefits that make its implementation in this election understandable. Most importantly, early voting helps reduce crowding at the polls on Election Day. However, when it comes to making our elections run smoother, the U.S. government should simply expand operations on Election Day rather than continuing early voting. We have plenty of alternatives to deal with current problems. One way to do this is to make Election Day a national holiday.This would make the process less time consuming. As a national holiday, Election Day would allow many more workers to get out and vote. Also, because Election Day is on a Tuesday, people probably won’t be able to make it into a three-day weekend. Voting will be the most exciting thing to do on a cold Tuesday in November.The government should also make an effort to expand voting sites.More voting sites would make individual sites less crowded and also make voting less costly. With high fuel prices, simply getting to voting sites takes a hefty chunk out of the pocketbook. By having more voting sites spread out throughout each county, voting will be less costly and even closer. Voting would become a social experience, where the voter could interact with his or her community.Early voting rushes the voter’s decision.

Mao would be proud

BEIJING – There are many products for sale in China, but most of them can be summed up by this: It’s almost as good and a whole lot cheaper. In fact, for a pittance, a person can adorn themselves with near-perfect copies of any status symbol they can imagine. And for that reason, some status symbols in China don’t mean much any more. There are six-story malls, districts even, dedicated to providing wide-eyed tourists the chance to gorge themselves on everything from Ralph Lauren to Yves Saint Laurent. And it isn’t just clothes that you can buy forgeries of; even some cars can be faked. But here’s the problem: If it isn’t expensive, it isn’t elite. If it isn’t elite, it isn’t cool. And if it isn’t cool, it’s not worth buying.

Capitalist confusion

During the past year, we have all followed two candidates as they vied for that coveted desk. They’ve gone back and forth at each other countless times trying to out-do the other in an effort to show America who’s more Christian, more apple pie, more middle-class, even who’s more humble. Recently, as a result of the financial crisis, each has been trying to prove he’s more free market. I’ll leave aside the obvious implication here that free market capitalism is righteous as it obviously presupposes its legitimacy – because I’m mainly in agreement – and address instead the nature of each platform with respect to where America wants to go. They both say they are free market capitalists, John McCain even going as far as to dub himself “the biggest free marketer and free trader that you will ever see.”

Obama inspires, shows promise

My president is black. It’s 3:02 a.m. on Wednesday, and as I ponder those words, I am still somewhat speechless and attempting to wrap my head around the history made. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to see Barack Obama become the 44th president of the United States. I can remember having a conversation with my mother years ago, while in high school, about whether or not we’d ever live to see America elect a black president. I figured my parents would never see such a thing and I’d maybe see it when I was old and gray. Well, here I am at the age of 23 voting for and witnessing what I feared would never happen.

The clock is ticking on ‘24’

Hey, remember “24”? You know, the FOX show starring Keifer Sutherland that garnered both critical acclaim – including the 2006 Emmy for Best Drama Series – and a major cult-like following during its first five years on the air? Even though it’s known for its real-time influenced plot, highly unbelievable leaps in logic and sometimes ridiculous story arcs – the cougar from season two comes to mind – “24” still remained relevant.

The case for political correctness

On college campuses, including ours, few words receive the condemnation and vitriol reserved for that dreaded phrase “political correctness.” The supposed evils of the P.C. movement are well- documented. We’re now subjected to classes about “multicultural studies” or “white privilege.” Students are generally not permitted to use stereotypical terms. Such accommodations are often seen as evidence of the radical left agenda, one that purports to squelching free speech on campus. After all, if I want to call someone a name, I should have every right to do so. Unfortunately for such free-thinkers, there is a perceptible difference between having the right to do something and actually exercising that right. Sure, we could all say generally offensive things about various groups, but whatever happened to promoting respect and tolerance for others?

Hollywood is ahead in embracing U.S. diversity

Diversity. It’s something we celebrate in this country. In light of Tuesday night’s events, we see diversity in the United States as a greater asset than ever before. And it’s about time.

VIDA play series examines identities

IU’s Spanish theater group Vision, Identity, Drama, and Art will put on three one-act plays in Spanish at the John Waldron Arts Center.

‘Partisan Theatrics’ mocks candidates, evaluates issues

Politics took the stage in “Partisan Theatrics [or] will our apple fall far from the bush?”

Jacobs School provides violin lessons to Fairview Elementary first-graders

Through a Jacobs School of Music outreach program, all 46 first-graders at Fairview Elementary School aren’t playing tag during recess. They’re playing violin.

Indiana National Guard soldiers return Wednesday from Iraq

INDIANAPOLIS – About 50 members of the Indiana National Guard’s 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned Wednesday from Iraq to help prepare for the rest of the brigade to come back during the next month.

Local elections run smoothly Tuesday

From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, things ran smoothly. But when the Election Day polls closed, things got complicated. Voters reported few problems in Monroe County, but tallying changes delayed the results of many races.

Local organizations spread poverty awareness

Poverty is something college students at IU don’t have at the forefront of their minds. But with the economy in demise, this issue is growing across the nation, including Bloomington.

Genre-binding musical

Aside from some hokey lyrics, Razia’s Shadow works as a mini-musical. The various guest artists keep things fresh; the instrumentation is fully developed and the story is compelling.

The Return of the Filth

If you’re not a fan of screaming metal, screaming or metal in general, you will hate this record. But the guitar work is great, and the band manages to do a good job contrasting sounds that are intense and melodic.