Veritas Issue 4, Spring 2013

Changing ourselves. Changing our community. Feb. 28 - March 6 2013

Defining Peace Pages 8 and 9

Art by: Bernardo H. Motta over photos by Lisa Houff (center and top right), Rebecca Heine (top center, bottom left and bottom right), and Tayseer Al-Safar (top left)

ElizabethSmart Pages 6 and 7

Bridgewater College re-ally is a neat place- did you know that? Oh no,

I don’t mean to imply that I don’t have any complaints; there are certainly things I would like to see changed, improved, or removed altogether. But what I mean is that we have some really great opportunities handed to us as BC students. I know most of you complain about convos, but stop and think for a moment- we have some of the coolest people come speak to us. We have had Herman Boone, Minnijean Brown Trickey and Leilani Munter in the last year alone. Just this past week, we had Craig and Cindy Corrie (parents of deceased activist Rachel Corrie) and Elizabeth Smart, abduction survivor and child crime prevention activist. I generally enjoy all the convos here, but I would definitely say that these most recent speakers have made the top of my list. You know what my favorite part of these people being here was? They wanted to be here. It wasn’t like they were just signed up to be here by whoever manages their speaking engagements; both the Corries and Elizabeth Smart said that when they were contacted by us, they personally decided that this was a place they wanted to come. I think that speaks volumes about us. But here’s my question: are we living up to the place

2 VERITAS

they want to come? That’s more of a rhetorical ques-tion; I don’t really know the answer there. The college’s somewhat generic mission statement says that we strive to mold “the whole person by providing a challenging and supportive learning commu-nity that fosters the growth of its students and empowers and motivates them to live educated, intelligent, healthy, purposeful and ethical lives in a global society.” All of that sounds really good. Working on develop-ing the whole person-being knowledgeable in areas other than those of our major, taking travel opportunities when possible and available, experiencing different types of learning environments-is a great thing to do. As I was discussing with our future president Bushman, develop-ment of the whole person is one of the main advantages of a liberal arts education. Yes, there may be a more specialized course in your field at a larger university, but getting the well-rounded liberal arts experience can be considered so much more valuable. Nonetheless, if we take a look at the individual stu-dent—not just what we see on paper—what image do we get? Are we being these developing well-rounded individuals or is that just the reputation we will have when we leave here? Are we just saying that this is who we

are, or is this who we actually are? I’m sure I have shared this before, but my mother has this one phrase she has used all my life, applied to just about any situation. It used to annoy me to no end, but now I have come to appreci-ate it very much. My mother is always “delighted but never satisfied.” When you’re a kid, trying to live up to expecta-tions and demands, that phrase can be really frustrat-ing to hear-it always used to sound to me like I was never enough. But I have come to understand lately that it does not mean that at all. It means instead that I should never stop pushing myself to be all that I can be, no matter how well I am doing. So my question to Bridge-water is this: are we satisfied, or are we continually push-ing ourselves? I feel like we are doing well academically, and developing interpersonal skills and building the whole person and all. We are even relatively engaged in our Bridgewater community. But are we pushing ourselves? Let’s expand and do more work in the greater Val-ley area. Some of the other colleges in our area have partnerships with local (Har-risonburg) businesses-why don’t we? We offer interns and volunteers from Har-risonburg to Staunton, but let’s not settle-let’s do more. Let’s make sure we aren’t still confined to our “Bridgewater

Surpassing expectationsBy Corley Tweedy

bubble,” and make sure we are actually as good as we look on paper. Never think that we aren’t great; obvious-ly, we are, or people wouldn’t love and respect us and want to come here. But we should never settle for anything less than our best, and as we further ourselves, our “best” furthers too. So, although it sounds

daunting and even a bit nega-tive, let’s be delighted, but never satisfied. I think we’ll find that in the end we will be every bit as good—and probably better—than we could ever look on paper. ...

Feb. 28 - March 6 2013

Brandy Brode

Corley TweedyRebecca Heine

Alyssa PenningtonJoanna Caples

Nicholas DaviesLacey Naff

Morgan AlexanderVictoria Call

Christopher Michael

Sarah ConnerCassandra Clark

Latisha Branch

Brooke Thacker

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2013 Feb. 28 - March 6 VERITAS 3

In this week’s “Letter to the Editor” we received a question from a concerned student about volunteering opportunities and we asked the Chair of the Service Learning Committee to answer. If you have a question related to your Bridgewater experi-ence, please send it to [email protected] and we will find the right person to answer it.

Something that really bothered me recently was an

email sent out via the Daily Eagle discussing future volunteer opportunities. The exact article can be found through this link: https://dailyeagle.bridgewater.edu/view.php?postid=1018. Please note that in all but two of the listings it is emphasized that students MUST be “committed Christians.” While I understand the colleges affiliation with the Church of the Brethren, I’m pretty sure they are given no right to discriminate against other religions.

One of the volunteer titles is “Assisting Students in Computer Classes.” As a Computer Science major, I feel qualified to say that religion plays no role in teaching a person about a computer. That being said, why does the college demand I must be a Christian to volunteer? Your religion does not determine your qualification and regardless of whether you are Christian or not, this is not right.

...

Q&A: Are the volunteering offers posted on the Daily Eagle discriminatory?

By Allison Long Computer Science Major

Question

I appreciate the student’s concern about the Christian requirement

in the Daily Eagle email and would like to provide some clarification. The

By Stephanie WilsonDirector of Multicultural Services and Chair of the Service Learning Committee

Answer

Illustration by: Bernardo H. M

otta

posting for the volunteer opportunities were a few of many that are sent from community organizations. These particular ones are opportunities at Blue

Ridge Christian School. Blue Ridge Christian School sets the requirement for the volunteer and internship opportunities, not Bridgewater College. Bridgewater College does not demand students be of any faith to volunteer. We were simply communicating these opportunities and students are of course free to volunteer with agencies that have no faith-based requirements.

...

Contribute to this question and answer by e-mailing your responses to [email protected]

Story and photos by JJ Krehbiel

Very rarely does anyone contemplate what happens to the excess

food that we send down the conveyor belt in the KCC. We typically do not worry about where our waste will end up as soon as we dump it into a trash can. However, Teshome Molalenge, Bridgewater’s Di-rector of Sustainability, is cur-rently seeking ways to dispose of the college’s food waste in an environmentally friendly manner. I accompanied Molalenge on a site visit to Black Bear Composting, an organic recycling facility which may potentially be contracted to compost Bridgewater College’s organic waste. We found the

site at the end of a narrow dirt road outside of Crimora, VA. Though expecting to see and smell rank piles of rotting fruit being manipulated through some sort of mechanized pro-cess, the actual site was vastly different from the eyesore for which I had braced myself. We drove up to a 47-acre field surrounded by mountains. Long rows of composting soil stretched across the field. The rows in the early stages of composting were covered by an aerated tarp. Rows that had a nearly finished product were uncovered, displaying nutri-ent-rich, dark brown soil. The lack of a noticeable odor was the most surprising aspect of the visit. Black Bear

controls the smell of their compost piles by covering them with tarps and through their formula of mixing the organic waste with woodchips and decomposing leaves. Even the process of acquiring woodchips and leaves reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability. Black Bear receives these ingredients from local tree removal com-panies. The deal is a win-win-win situation for Black Bear who receives the tree matter for free, for the tree removal companies who avoid a charge for dumping their materials in a landfill and for the rest of us since it keeps a vast amount of waste from going into our landfills.

The environ-mental benefits for composting are nu-merous. Compost-ing returns many nutrients back to the soil, thus revi-talizing the soil’s fertility. Greater soil fertility re-duces our need for chemical fertilizers, thus diminishing a major source of water contamina-tion. Furthermore, composting keeps organic waste out of landfills. Although it may seem that

Composting a possibility at Bridgewaterallowing organic waste to decom-pose in landfills is fairly benign, the decom-position process can have seri-ously harmful effects on the envi-ronment. When organic waste is buried in a landfill, it does not receive oxygen. Without oxygen, the waste will produce methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. When composting, piles of organic waste are frequently stirred giving the waste matter access to oxygen and allowing it to decompose naturally. If Bridgewater College does contract Black Bear Compost-ing, we would not be their first large client. The University of Virginia’s School of Business, James Madison University and numerous restaurants and catering services in the Shenandoah Valley have already joined the composting trend and have hired Black Bear as their organic waste service. Molalenge previ-ously submitted a proposal to

hire Black Bear Composting; however, the additional cost deterred the administration. The previous proposal called for approximately $10,000 per year to be paid to Black Bear with some of that money being offset by reducing the amount of normal trash pick-ups. Although $10,000 per year may seem like a large and intimidating figure, that price would only come to nearly $5.50 per student without ac-counting for the money saved from reducing the normal trash pick-ups. Nevertheless, Molalenge is currently negoti-ating a revised deal with Black Bear to lower the cost. Once a new deal has been agreed upon, Molalenge will present a proposal to the college. Hope-fully, within the next few years Bridgewater College’s organic waste will be put to good use with Black Bear Composting....

4 VERITAS Feb. 28 - March 6 2013

VERITAS 52013 Feb. 28 - March 6

Story and photos by Corley Tweedy

Volunteer with the RHSPCA1975. They moved into their current facility (which shares property with the original) in November of 2004. The staff is comprised of an Executive Director, a Humane Edu-cator/Volunteer Coordinator, an Adoption Fa-cilitator, a Shelter Manager, three Assistant Shelter Managers and several Animal Care Technicians. Several area veterinarians have extended their volunteer services, rotating on a weekly basis to provide additional care for the animals. “We are what is classified as an open-admission shelter,” Anderson said, which means that they take every animal that is brought to them. How-

ever, they are not a no-kill shelter. They make every effort to find homes for every adoptable animal, even going as far as New York to take animals to shelters and rescue groups in more populated areas. “My goal is to see every adoptable animal adopted,” Anderson said. The RHSPCA can use volunteer help in many forms. Obvi-ously many people come to play with the pets. “We are very blessed in that

You know those super depressing com-mercials with Sarah

McLaughlin singing while the camera pans all the abused puppies and kittens, tugging at your heartstrings and mak-ing you want to take them all home? “A lot of people think that [the SPCA] is one large organization with subsidiaries throughout the country, but the truth of the matter is we’re all independent agencies,” said Anne Anderson, Executive Director of the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA. She went on to explain that some agencies use the name SPCA, some use ASPCA, and some use Humane Society. So when you see those commercials, or donate to them, while your donation is definitely helping animals in need, it is likely not helping your local shelter. The RHSPCA was founded in 1972, opening its doors in

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we have a lot of student vol-unteers, and that is essential because the staff is small and they don’t have the time to take the animals out and take them for a walk or just sit and spend time with them, and that’s what keeps the pets sane in the shelter,” Anderson said. There are other needs for the shelter besides animal socializers-they can always use donations of pet food, bedding, towels and of course additional funding is always appreciated. Community members are encouraged to adopt and foster, which brings the RHSPCA one step closer to their goal of finding a loving, permanent home for every animal. The shelter also has several committees that can use help from community members. “We really appreciate all of the support that we get from the student population in our community,” Anderson said. “I hope our volunteers find it to be a wonderful experience.”...

Saturday Night Out! Come out on March 9 and you can get a delicious meal, not have to clean up afterward AND support the commu-nity all at the same time. Suggested donation is $20 per person. 25% of proceeds go to help Nan Boukan, a community in Haiti, where folks usually eat one plate of rice every other day. Call 540-442-7727 if you would like to reserve a spot in advance.

Break the mid-winter blahs at Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake 2013 on March 16 at Valley Lanes in Harrisonburg. This fundraiser is a fun, easy way to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County make a positive, long-lasting impact on children in our community. Your participa-tion can help start a child on the path to fulfilling their potential–and succeed in school and life. Register now to be a bowler. Volun-teers also needed to staff the event. Visit www.bbbshr.org and click on events or call 540-433-8886.

Bridgewater College Center for Cultural Engagement Blood Drive – March 7 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Bridgewater College, 402 E. College St. Bridge-water, Va. 22812

Volunteer Opportunity: Spring Cutback and Park Kick Off! With the win-ter chill still in the air, it’s hard to imagine that spring is right around the corner. And with spring comes new growth. Join us to usher in the new season and kick off a new pocket park along the route of the North End Greenway. We’re teaming up with our friends in the Brookside neighborhood. The Natural Garden and Hammond Asset Manage-ment work together to help clear invasive plants and grasses along Blacks Run and more. When: Satur-day, March 9 at Brookside Park, Suter St., Harrison-burg, Va. 22802 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. RSVP not required but check out Northendgreenway.org for more information.

Our Community Place invites you to the Second

Upcoming events and opportunities

EVENTS - TO PAGE 14 :

SMART - TO PAGE 7 :

Elizabeth Smart comes to BC

Do you remember the feeling you had when you were finally

done with middle school, about to enjoy the summer and then move on to the big, “cool” world of high school? Elizabeth Smart sure does. That is where her story really begins. “I was about

to graduate junior high- thinking back, I would not go back for anything. It was the most awkward time of my life. I was so excited to go on to high school- [my best friend] Laurie and I would always talk about what clubs we wanted

to join or what sports teams we wanted to watch,” Smart recalled. Laurie asked her if she wanted to go on a vacation to celebrate their graduation from junior high. After hours of begging, Smart’s parents finally consented, and she was elated. Her older brother

Charles had a different opinion of her vacation. “Really, Elizabeth? You’re going on vacation? To Beaver, Utah? Really?” he taunted her, saying that there was no point in going to Beaver, Utah, as there was absolutely nothing to do. “I was not about to let him rain on my parade and ruin this vacation for me,” Smart said, “so I turned around and went off to my room. He called after me

and said, ‘Elizabeth, are you serious? I can’t believe you.’ And I looked at him and I said, ‘Charles, you’re just jealous. And what if those were the last words you ever said to me?’” And they almost were.

Later that night, she was taken at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City, Utah, home in June of 2002, and held captive for nine months. Smart, then fourteen years old, lived through nine horrific months of rape and torture at the hands of Brian Mitchell and Wanda Barzee. She was taken from her bedroom in the middle of the night, and led up into the woods of the surrounding mountains. Mitchell believed that he was a prophet named Immanuel, and that Elizabeth was destined to be his wife; her first night with her captors, she was forced into a “marriage” with Mitchell and raped. She was held there for several months in unhealthy and degrading conditions, and then moved to California, and then back again to Utah. Miraculously, she was able

Story by Corley Tweedy and photos by Holly Donahue

Activist shares her life-changing story


to convince her captors to move back to Salt Lake City, where she was spotted and recognized by several passersby who then called the police, and she was rescued. Her rescue shocked the world. As the whirlwind of activities spun on, Smart recalled what it was like when she first returned home: “They just kinda put me back in

my place,” Smart’s mom told her that for the first month she was home, if there was ever anything in terms of chores that she did not want to do, she would not have to do it. “That was nice,” she said,” but I was so glad to be home I really didn’t mind. It was the second month that would’ve been really great to have that option…” How can you just put

something like this behind you? While it is certainly never easy, Smart said that has been her mom’s advice that has helped her through. “She said, ‘Elizabeth, what this man has done to you is terrible. There aren’t words strong enough to describe how wicked and evil he is. He has taken 9 months of your life that you can never get back again. Don’t give him another minute.’” Since her rescue and subsequent re-acclamation to as normal a life as possible, Smart has been a speaker and activist, standing up and speaking out against crimes against children. The number of speaking engagements varies from week to week- this week she had three, while last year she spoke over 80 times.

: SMART - FROM PAGE 6


Fall and early spring are the most popular speaking times, with visits to schools and organizations. “If you asked me twelve years ago if I’d be doing public speaking, I probably would’ve laughed at you,” she said. “If I had not had this experience, I would probably be a harp teacher…but I’m kind of glad I’m not doing that, because I had a student once, and I found out that I’m a much better student than teacher.” After completion of high school, Smart attended Brigham Young University where she studied harp performance. She has also been instrumental in the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which works to prevent child abuse. One little known fact the foundation tries to promote is that child pornography is the fastest growing crime in the world.

The foundation works with advocacy and prevention groups. They have a program called radKIDS, which gives children choices and helps them develop a plan for themselves so that they have a feeling of empowerment should they ever need to fight back. “Growing up, I

can remember hearing things like ‘don’t talk to strangers,’ but never any words on what to do if you’re in a dangerous situation,” Smart said; radKIDS teaches children what to do, not what not to do. Smart is married now, to Scotsman Matthew Gilmour. They met in Paris while they were

doing mission work with their churches, and now live in Salt Lake City. They love to travel, and Smart enjoys riding her horse and playing her harp while Gilmour continues his education. She very much enjoys her advocacy work, and is currently finishing a book

about her story. “It’s been a really good experience- it feels nice to set the record straight finally,” she said. “I love speaking, meeting with people, working with different organizations, so I’ll probably continue doing this. But at some point in the future I want to be a mom, and I want to be the kind of mom that my mom was to me, so there will probably come a point in time where I will stop doing what I’m doing so I can become a mom.” As she travels around, to all kinds of places and scenes, she has come to a revelation. “It took me a while to realize,

but none of us have a perfect life,” Smart said. Her mom’s advice resonates with her always: “The best punishment you can ever give [your captor] is to be happy, is to

follow your dreams and do exactly what you want to do. I think that can apply to

each one of us, granted we’re not all kidnapped, but we all have hard times and we all

can choose to allow that to overwhelm our lives or allow it to push us forward and be happy.”

...

Photo courtesy of Josh Law

The Theatre at Bridge-water presented the play “My Name is

Rachel Corrie,” taken from Corrie’s writings and edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner, in Cole Hall from Feb. 21 through the 24 transform-ing the weekend into the weekend of the “Peace Maker,” as some people refer to Ra-chel. The Pinion Player’s Jesse Houff led the one-actor show, which was also performed by understudy Aislinn Mirsch. A few hours before the play

on Feb. 22 at 4 p.m., Rachel Corrie’s parents talked to an audience in Bridgewater’s Carter Chapel about Rachel and what led her to leave home and school to travel to the heart of the Israeli-Pales-tine conflict. Rachel was born the young-est in her family to parents Cindy and Craig Corrie along

with an older sister and broth-er. Her hometown was Olym-pia, Wash. where she spent her life until she decided to go to Rafah in Palestine in 2003. Ac-cording to her parents, Rachel was passionate about world issues even at a young age and loved to express herself through art and writing. The play itself is based off writings that Rachel made in a journal she kept throughout her young life. The journal held Rachel’s most inner thoughts and ideas, including

her ideas about the problems going on between Israel and Palestine. “I was born with a fire in my belly,” Rachel once said. That fire, according to her parents is what drove her to get involved with the Inter-national Solidarity Movement. The movement is non-violent

Peace MakerBy Melina Norman


Cindy (left) and Craig (second from the right) Corrie talk to Jesse Houff and JJ Krehbiel after one of the performances in Cole Hall.

Photo by Lisa Houff

“Our responsibility as citizens of this country is to be informed and to be

aware of how our government is effecting and influencing the [Israeli-Palestinian] issue in a very profound way,” Robbie Miller said. Last week, Bridgewater College conducted its first initial Peace Week. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Convocation and the “My Name is Rachel Corrie” theatre production, including talk-backs, were the events planned throughout the week. The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict issue was addressed. “We wanted to bring focus and awareness to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, in the hope that it would in some way heighten awareness and concern for the issue,” Miller said. The Kline-Bowman Endowment for Creative Peace-building, including member Robbie Miller, proposed and sponsored the idea of focusing a week of the school year on peace. “The purpose of the Kline-Bowman Endowment for Creative Peace-building is really to promote the study of peace and justice and to promote peace-building and conflict transformation. In planning the peace week, our hope was to do that in relation to this particular issue,” said

A week of peaceBy Morgan Alexander

Miller. The organization did not have a plan for which issue to address at first. However, after considering the theatre’s scheduled production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” staged by Dr. Scott Cole, the organization decided to join forces with the convocation and theatre team. “We didn’t have this grand master plan of focusing on this particular issue. It was more a matter of seeing an opportunity with the play production and building a program in essence around the play to bring focus to this particular issue,” Miller said. In regards to having international students from Bridgewater College, such as Aseel Saied who led one of the talk-backs for the play, speak at the event, Miller believed their presence allowed for other students and community members who attended the play to become more connected to the issue. “It put a human face on the issue,” Miller said. “It was absolutely essential to present the voices of those who have far more personal connection than any of us to the issue. Their voices bring a first person perspective that, for most of us, can seem abstract.” However, Miller also addressed the lack of Israeli voices in the issue.

“One thing I’d like to acknowledge is that, because of the way the peace week evolved around the play, it did not have as much of a balanced perspective on this issue as would be important to have. While we can’t often provide equal perspectives on the issues, I certainly understand that the Israeli perspective was not fully represented. That perspective also needs to be heard and I certainly hope that it will be in the future,” Miller said. While the focus of the peace week for next year has not been planned, the Kline-Bowman Endowment for Creative Peace-building hopes to make the week an annual event. The planning for the week will begin in the spring.

...

PEACE - TO PAGE 9 :

VERITAS 9

: PEACE - FROM PAGE 8

2013 Feb. 28 - March 6

ByAseel Saied

Peace can be defined as Freedom from disturbance, maybe

quietness or even love. To me and many other Palestinians, peace is not only freedom and quietness, but is hopes, dreams, an escape from reality and definitely the promise of the future. I have been living in the United States for about four years now. I have been exposed to the “American” way of thinking, values and ideas. Trying to hold on to my traditions, heritage and cultural identity has not been the easiest thing. In my head, I am always facing this scary monster of sounding “biased” or “too radical.” And being a female from the Middle East, I know people have already built an idea of who I am “supposed to be.” My story starts with my incredible parents, both of whom were involved in politics before my brother, my sister and I were born. Those politics

changed the way we were raised. Democracy, peace and co-existence were the fundamentals of our household. This was very uncommon for a lot of Palestinian kids, most of whom grew up under the ideas like “they took our land,” “they stranded our people” and “peace is a solution for quitters.” Do I agree with

some of these statements? Maybe, but a part of me has come to realize that changing the past is not the priority. The future is all that we have, and that future should be peace. In an attempt to make this article more “Palestinian,” I asked a number of my friends and family what

My definition of peace“peace” means to them. My mom (an elementary school teacher) said that peace for her is freedom of education. Being able to control what the Palestinian youth learn in school will determine how they will handle the future. My best friend Noor Taha, an accounting major at Birzeit University in Ramallah, Palestine, said that for her

peace is the freedom to work anywhere in the world in order to gain experience to exceed in the career she chooses for herself. For my sister Deema Saied, a soccer player for the Palestinian women’s national team, peace means being able to invite other international soccer teams to come and play on our land, the Palestinian

land. My father has a dream of seeing his grandkids live in a country where he can take them fishing in the Mediterranean sea without having to explain to them what a “check point” is. To him, that is peace. My

Illustration by Brooke Thacker

and their goal is to aid the Palestinians in the conflict with Israel. Even though Rachel was only 23 when she was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer, she was able to experience the reality of the hardships of those who lived in the midst of the conflict between the two sides. “No amount of reading, attendance at conferences, documentary viewing and word of mouth could have prepared me for the reality of the situation here,” Rachel wrote on Feb. 7 2003. Even in the midst of experi-encing what Rachel called the “horror” of the situation in the Gaza Strip, she also made connections with some of the people she met while there. Rachel befriended the Nasral-lahs, a family whose home in Rafah she was defending on the day she died. The Nasral-lahs were one of the many families whose homes were being demolished by the bulldozers run by the Israeli military. “One-tenth of the popula-tion of Gaza lost their homes between 2002 and 2003,” Cin-dy Corrie said when speaking

on the conflict between Israel and Palestine. On March 16 Rachel Corrie was killed by one of the Caterpillar D9 bulldozers while standing in front of the Nasrallah house-hold. The bulldozer crushed her and she died in front of the Nasrallah home with the family witnessing it. The Corrie family filed a lawsuit in Israel but it was unsuccessful in being able to hold Israel accountable for Rachel’s death. The judge ruled that Rachel’s death was of her own responsibility and not the army’s. Even though Israel has not been made to take legal responsibility for her death, Rachel continues to inspire those around the world with her story. The play, which premiered in West Virginia in 2007, is just one of the many ways people honor the “Peace Maker.”

...

Photo by Rebecca Heine

FREEDOM - TO PAGE 10 :

By Chris Conte

Some contend that fame is accompanied by a curse; scores of our contempo-

raries (i.e., the distinguished Brittney Spears) have only been able to stay at the top for so long before taking an embarrassing tumble. Such has not always been the case, however; in fact, quite the opposite can be said of former American stage personal-ity Lillian Russell (1860-1922). An accomplished actress, opulent operetta, capricious columnist and activist, and a salacious spy, she carried more titles than most men of her era. Women—no, no, ladies—such as the once illustrious Russell, are no longer fabricated as they once were. A proud icon of an era long passed, her legacy is still admirable. Helen Louise Leonard (Russell being her stage name) was born in 1860 in Clinton, Iowa, accord-ing to her obituary in The Clinton Herald. Her mother, Cynthia Leon-ard, was an accomplished suffragist. She spent her formative years at the Sacred Heart Convent in Chi-cago, where her love for music was first nurtured. Against her mother’s persistence that she pursued a career in the opera, young Lillian began her vaudeville career in the 1879 production of “HMS Pin-afore,” which in turn opened doors to other variety show productions. She spent her career performing in vari-ous comedies and operettas, mainly between London and cities in the United States, according to Armond Fields’

work named in her honor, “Biography of America’s Beauty.” As though the Catholic-schoolgirl-turned-actress was not bizarre enough, Russell also managed to tamper with the delicate definition of beauty. She boasted stunning blue eyes, framed by golden blonde curls; although as her

fame grew, so did her waist. At her heaviest, the taller-than-average 5’6” diva supposedly weighed in at a then-astonish-ing 200 pounds. Ms. Russell’s career peaked when she landed the lead role in “The Grand Duchess” in 1890, after which her standing as a global icon was secured. Her only known record-ing was made in 1912, when she sang “Come Down Ma’ Evenin’ Star” from her popu-lar role in “Twirly Whirly” (available on YouTube). So

prodigious was Russell’s career that she even appeared on the silver screen, appearing in the films “Wildfire” (1908) and “How to Live 100 Years” (1913). By the 1910’s however, Russell’s health and voice were beginning to wane, and she finally left the stage in 1919.Despite her decline,

America’s now fading beauty refused to sit idly. She had recruited for the armed forces during the First World War, earned respect as a notable public speaker, and following her withdrawal from the entertainment industry picked up a suffrage-based newspaper column in the New York Times. In 1921, Russell em-barked on a fact-finding mission to Eastern Europe, at the insistence of both the Secretary of Labor and President Harding. Her mission’s objective was to investi-gate causes for the recent spike in immigration. The information she uncovered helped pass the controversial Immi-

gration Act of 1924.During her return voyage to America aboard the RMS Aquitania, turbulent seas caused Russell to fall, and her health began to decline in the following months. She was taken home to Pittsburgh where she died unexpectedly from resulting complications in June of 1922. The consummate Lillian Rus-sell was entombed in with full military honors for her service in Europe. ...


Faces of the PastLillian Russell, “America’s Beauty”

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grandmother (now a refugee in Jordan) says that to her peace means being able to go back to the village in which she was born, smell the land, pick olives from the trees and visit her father’s grave. My cousin Ahmad, living in Gaza city, says that his peace is being able to fish beyond three miles (currently not permitted by Israeli authority) in the sea, just like his father and his grandfather did for years and years before him. Peace is not a political argument controlled by both people’s governments. Peace is bigger than that. It is dreams, hopes, expectations and basic human rights. For me, growing up in Palestine was both a struggle and a blessing. I had experiences that others cannot imagine: going through checkpoints to get to my grandparent’s house, going to bed knowing curfews could stop me from attending school the next day, dealing with the grief of losing a friend, shot by an Israeli soldier while playing cards on the roof of his house among many other memories. At the same time, living in Palestine was a blessing. It made me a proud, strong female that believes in the future of my country. It made me willing to fight for equality, to tell the story of my people. Palestine opened my eyes to different cultures, religions and people whose stories need to be heard and whose dreams and perseverance has passed expectations. This is one of the reasons I am in the States. Does hope exist? Absolutely, but at the same time we need

to act fast; at this pace both sides are growing in a hostile environment and this does little to promote peace and coexistence of any kind. Our youth are the future and if everyone believes that their opinion matters, we will re-shape our reality, just like a lot of people around the world have. Everyone can do something today to promote peace—read, talk, express yourself and fight for what you believe in. That is all that you need and that’s what I try to achieve as a young Palestinian female who sees the brightness of tomorrow. The Palestinian-Israeli story has been told many times, many ways. It’s a story with a lot more than two sides. It’s a struggle, a motivation and in many ways an inspiration for me to become a better person.

...

: FREEDOM - FROM PAGE 9


I once wrote that predictability had become the cruel mistress of the

award show season (or at least, something to that effect) and never was this more prevalent than during the Oscar telecast. Yet, year after year, I languish in front of the television, hoping upon all hope that this year will be the year that the Academy turns it around, that suddenly the Oscars become intriguing and relevant for some reason other than the luxurious pageantry that now surrounds it. It may come as no surprise that this year was no different. If anyone had been paying any sort of attention to the various awards that preceded the Oscars, one could have more than likely deduced the winners long before their names were announced into the throng of over-paid, over-tanned, backslapping celebrities. A Pixar film won for best Animated Film? How novel. What’s that, Daniel Day Lewis for Best Actor? No one saw that coming. Rarely did anything stir me from my unimpressed slumber, save for maybe the first tie

at a ceremony that I can remember for quite some time or Adele winning for Best Original Song. (Why wouldn’t the Academy give her the award?) More and More I am starting to take less and less stock in the actual awards handed out and intensifying my furrowing brow upon the telecast itself, which seemed to be locked in a perpetual state of insecurity, fronted by host Seth McFarlane. This is not to say that McFarlane was a terrible host, resurrecting the ghosts of James Franco and Anne Hathaway from a few years ago. (Although, the latter seems to have erased those plaguing criticisms by winning the Best Supporting Actress award.) McFarlane’s performance, however, will neither be catalogue in the extensive Oscar law as one of those all-time great choices as host. Rather, he languished in the middle ground, setting himself up nicely with what I found to be a functioning opening number that seemed to meet McFarlane

The untitled Oscar review

By Nicholas Davies

in the middle of what he can do, allowing to quip about the nominee’s, show off his singing and dancing capabilities along with various other celebrities such as Channing Tatum, Charlize

Theron, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe, present himself in a self-deprecating manner and still maintain that “edge,” for lack of a better term, that people either like or loathe about him. However, I did cringe greatly when a particular Starfleet captain appeared. (Also, for future

reference, any film reenacted with sock puppets is never unfunny.) There did seem to be, however, an issue as to how much McFarlane should be integrated into the show at large and soon his charming opening was giving way to very hit-or-miss jokes that were more of a test of patience than anything else. (Though his “introduction” of Meryl Streep was certainly a highlight of the evening.) Even outside of McFarlane, the Academy could not seem to make up their minds as to what their show should be about; the supposed theme was a celebration of music, and indeed musicals, in film but this soon waned and felt very pedestrian, save for the obvious show-stoppers in the opening number, the celebration of Musicals in film over the last decade and the various obvious themes used during the show. Even the celebration of 50 years of James Bond in film felt flat and shambolic even with Dame Shirley Bassey belting out “Goldfinger.” (One final note: though I don’t often

comment on what people are wearing, I must admit that I found Quentin Tarantino’s lackadaisical style somewhat troubling. As a fellow writer, I wanted to applaud his raggedy look, but at the same time scold him, for this is the Oscars. Quentin, surely you could at least do up your tie; also, what happened to the ushers who were specifically there to help the various individuals in lavish and untamed dress up the stairs or were they always a figment of my imagination? Hopefully they do make a return so no one has to suffer a repeat of Jennifer Lawrence’s fall in her moment of glorious triumph.) In the end, the Oscars find themselves once again perched on the unenviable precipice, trapped between years of tradition and constant need to seek out the new generation. Streamlining the event could help. Also, it’s starting to become an annual plea, but can we have Stephen Fry for Oscar host. Please?...

Rumination on the 2013 Oscar Ceremony and the writer’s lack of ability to come up with a witty title

Photo by Taylor Dukehart


If I may be so bold I wish to start this review with a question, a pontification

if you will. (Though I don’t actually know why I asked the permission of you, the reader, considering the essential one-sided nature of our ongoing relationship.) What is the place of art? A surreal and considerable question to be sure, but the production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” edited together from Corrie’s own writings by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner, certainly raises and ponders laboriously over before its apparent decision—that of discussion, both superficial and accurate in its composition. After all, the play seems to be self-reflexive using Corrie’s writings not only to initiate a discussion with the audience or the fact that the piece is,

save for some brief spells, one long interrogation that Corrie has initiated with herself, but also the inevitable discussion that has, should or indeed could come out of the piece regarding the various political, sociological, etc. matters that are brought up. This particular definition of art, that which initiates discussion either externally or internally, is harder for me to quantify as a critic for I cannot spy or creep through the bushes or in the crevices of peoples’ homes in order to see if the play succeeded in its ultimate goal. What I should make certain, however, is this: I am not here to discuss the various issues that are brought up by the piece or rather I do not wish to for that is a personal matter, better left alone. There are, however, matters in regards

By Nicholas Davies

to the production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie” that I can quantify and gaze at, brow furrowed into critical contempt. Any “barrier,” for lack of a better term, that may separate the audience from the actor have been dissolved, allowing director Scott Cole and his actors (I’ll get to the plural usage of the word in a moment) to give the piece a proper sense of claustrophobic emotional awareness as the audience is tapped, focused even, into Corrie’s constant shifting not only of physical state but psychological as well, a property that was accentuated by the gnawing erudition of Corrie’s ultimate and tragic fate. (I should also mention the lack of use of one of my own personal tools for judging quality and pacing of a piece: I did not check my watch once.) Yet the almost

elevator-esque passionate imprisonment can only get a piece such as this so far, especially considering the singular focus of the piece. For the piece to function at optimum capacity or to allow for proper market penetration (I honestly do not know where those last two

phrases came from…), the casting of Rachel Corrie herself has to pitch perfect, as it does with so many pieces that focus on a singular character; cast the right actor and you are laughing all the way to the metaphorical and perhaps even literal bank. It is a great credit then to Cole and to his actors (there are two actors bestowed with the opportunity to give voice and spirit to Corrie, depending on which show one attended) that Corrie’s words are given brilliant, beautiful and near seamless life and dimensions in a performance that is supremely captivating. (Sadly, I should note, I was only able to attend one performance of the show, so I can only speak for one of the two actors; also, a further laudatory note should be directed towards the production team brought in to perform the voice over at the end of the piece, for it was a complete sensory delight.) In the end, the quantifiable aspects of “My Name is Rachel

Corrie” are achingly beautiful, the emotionally tuned restriction further heightened only further by a sublime performance. These long and ultimately perfunctory sentences, however, cannot enumerate what appears to be the most prominent thematic element that one may take away from this piece: that of discussion—discussion of the play’s quality, of the play’s ideas and the scale of what is largely a smaller chapter in an ongoing dilemma. That, for once, I cannot tell you, nor perhaps should I tell you, what I think; rather, those discussions should be initiated by you either in the quiet realms of a personal space or amongst a gathering of known individuals. After all, is that not what art does? ...

“My Name is Rachel Corrie”A review Photo by Lisa H

ouff

Photo by Lisa Houff


I am from the sun and the moon, The stars in the sky,

The wind and the rain, The dirt of the plain.

I am from my mother and father,

A divorce gone awry, The aftermath of a long, sad, cry.

I am from endless days,

And sleepless nights, Rollercoaster moods,

And never-ending fights.

I am from long car rides, Trips overseas,

Hearts on the mend, And the things that wait beyond the bend.

I am from days of laughter,

Hours of sadness, Untouchable moments of complete happiness.

I am from the rapid flowing rivers,

The falling of the leaves, The birds in the trees,

And far too many cups of tea.

I am from...By Jessica Balsano

By Victoria Call

Each year, graduating art majors are required to create an individual body of work. This body of work, or exhibition, culminates what he or she has learned throughout his or her years at Bridgewater. The students work specifically on this show throughout their senior year. At the end of the semester,

these exhibitions are displayed around campus. This year the Senior Thesis Exhibition, A Brush, a Lens, and a Pair of Hands, will open to the public on May 6, 2013. For the months leading up the show, Veritas will be highlighting individual artists, giving a glimpse into what they are working on.

Amy Robb was a photographer at first, but has recently started making pottery. Her thesis exhibition, Abandoned, combines photography and pottery to show brokenness in families. She says “family isn’t always a safe haven; it can make you feel sad and alone.” Her pottery includes a dinner set, tea set and plate set. One piece of each set is broken to further illustrate her point. Photographs of abandoned buildings will act as a backdrop to her pottery, creating a unified, but desolate space. Amy Robb’s show will be in the Cleo Driver Miller Gallery. To learn more and see Abandoned photos, check out her Facebook or Kickstarter pages.Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AmyRobbPhotographyKickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1704579550/abandoned-2

Senior art exhibition 2013: a brush, a lens, and a pair of hands

When you walk into Erin Fillers’ studio, you see two things—color and animals! Her show, Colorful Instincts, is just that: vibrant col-ored animals. As an artist, she is fascinated with fur, texture, horns and patterns. Thinking about those components, she chooses which animals to paint. When it comes to color, however, that is based on instinct. She chooses them by what feels right at the moment. By painting these animals, Erin aims to “represent instincts as an art-ist.” By using active paint strokes, she also hopes to give a sense of what animals are like in the wild. Erin’s show will be located in the Bowman lobby from May 6--18. To learn more, visit Erin’s studio in the basement of Rebecca Hall. ...

Photo by Jozy Thom

asPhoto by Victoria Call

The adventures of SuperSquirrel:Touchdown Story and Illustration by Christopher Michaell

: EVENTS - FROM PAGE 5

Did you know that the largest national service

fraternity exists right here at Bridgewater College? Did you also know that this fraternity provides service learning opportunities while having fun with fellow students? Look no further than Alpha Phi Omega! Alpha Phi Omega, on campus since 2005, is a co-ed service fraternity geared towards service and friendship. Known as “APO” by its members, the fraternity is very involved with the campus and community in such services as recycling, Adopt-A-Grandparent at the Bridgewater retirement community, and the Ronald McDonald House. The organization holds numerous fundraisers throughout the year on campus. So far this year there have been bake sales, car washes, and involvement with Eagle Productions events to raise funds. Generally, the fundraisers held by Alpha Phi Omega go towards community organizations, fraternity functions, and the annual Alpha Phi Omega conference. According to the Alpha Phi Omega national website, the mission of this organization is “to prepare campus and

Alpha Phi OmegaBy Victoria Wilson

community leaders through service.” Founded by Frank Reed Horton on the campus of Lafayette College of Easton, Pennsylvania in 1925, Alpha Phi Omega has a rich history of service. Horton originally based the fraternity off of the Boy Scouts of America’s core values; however, the fraternity opened membership to those outside the Boy Scouts membership since its creation. Josh Law, a Bridgewater College senior from Staunton, Virginia, has been involved with APO since his freshman year. Now serving his second year as president, he has watched the fraternity grow to one of the largest organizations offered on campus. When asked what attracted him to the fraternity, Law responded that it was the opportunity to meet new people, give back to the community through community service projects, and also to satisfy Bridgewater’s Personal Development Portfolio service learning requirements. After four years at Bridgewater College, Law expressed that he has seen the fraternity grow and mature. When he initially joined the fraternity in 2009 there were about ten members total and little structure to the organization. He said that


2nd Annual Bingo for Valley Children’s Center at the Verona Volunteer Fire Company. Verona Volunteer Fire Company Valley Children’s Center (VCC) is hosting the 2nd Annual Bingo fundraiser on March 21. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and Bingo begins at 6:00 p.m. Cost is $10 per card or $25/4 cards. Pizza, chips, drinks and homemade baked treats will be available for sale. We have exciting prizes for Bingo winners and popular raffle items, all donated by local busi-nesses. Valley Children’s Center is a non-profit Child Advocacy Center which works to reduce trauma and advance re-covery of abused children. Please join us on March 21 to support our impor-tant work and help the most vulnerable children in our community. You won’t want to miss this!

Second Home’s “The Burg’s Got Talent” on Saturday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. at JMU’s Me-morial Hall on S. High Street. Second Home is a local non-profit offering before and after school care for Harrisonburg City children. The event is a variety show fundraiser. Come out and support the kids!!! $10 for tickets pre-sale and at the door.

Bridgewater College’s service learning fraternity

the 2011-2012 school year, his first term as president of Alpha Phi Omega, saw many changes within the fraternity. During that school year many changes in leadership were made. With the help of the Alpha Phi Omega area advisor, more strict by-laws, and a better marketing campaign, recruitment of new members was at an all-time high. Since that time, Alpha Phi Omega has grown from about ten members to about forty. What goes on in APO? Primarily service, but members also have fun. Fellowships are scheduled several times a month; members do things like go out to eat, meet for dinner in the KCC, go to the movies, EP events, convocations, off-campus events- Law hosts bonfires at his house every so often. So, how can Bridgewater College students become involved with this great service fraternity? Easy! The fraternity holds Recruitment Week each Spring and Fall at which time perspective members can meet existing brothers and have fun. After recruitment week, those who wish to pledge for membership attend a special ceremony that declares them as pledges for the respective

semester. The hardest, but most rewarding, part of pledging to the fraternity occurs during Pledge Class. Once learning about the fraternity and all it has to offer, those who pledge are then inducted as brothers of Alpha Phi Omega. Don’t let the requirements for membership scare you. Alpha Phi Omega is one of the most active and fun organizations on campus. Members participate in weekly fellowships, service opportunities, campus and community events, and also the annual Alpha Phi Omega conference. Both Fall and Spring Recruitment Weeks were very successful, adding about forty new brothers to the fraternity. Spring Recruitment Week was held February 11-15, 2013. Pledges were honored with a magnificent Pledge Ceremony where they promised to uphold the mission and values of Alpha Phi Omega during their path to membership. Although the recruitment period has ended for the 2012-2013 school year, look for Alpha Phi Omega’s Recruitment Week during Fall 2013. For more information, interested parties should contact Josh Law at [email protected]....

Last weekend, the Bridge-water Eagles Softball team opened their 2013

season at the 3N2 Invitational in Atlanta, Ga. Throughout the weekend, the team played four games finishing with a 2-2 record. On Saturday morning they started the season on a posi-tive note with a decisive win over Mississippi College with the final score being 6-1. Later that day the Eagles suffered a 4-0 loss against the 23rd ranked Emory. Returning to the field on Sunday, the team bounced back with another win over Mississippi College beating the Choctaws 5-1. In the final game of the tournament, the Eagles faced the tough Emory team again putting up a strong effort but losing by a score of 5-0 after a tough fifth inning. Overall, with the Eagles sitting at a

.500 record after facing two tough teams, the tournament was a success. “There were many great hits and plays made, but there is always room for improve-ment,” said freshman Haley Lloyd. Senior Melanie Lamb fin-ished the four games with a .667 batting average and two RBIs but there were many contributors to the successful weekend. Freshman Brooke Throckmorton ended with a .357 batting average and three RBIs. Senior Avenlea Thomas pitched 12.1 innings and earned a low 1.14 ERA. Senior Heather Jenkins put up a .308 batting average with two RBIs while pitching 13 innings and earning a 2.69 ERA. “We all did a very good job for it being the first tourna-ment of the season and if we continue to improve on this

High expectations for the seasonBy: Emily Higgins

gcgcg gcgcS C O R E V C A R DSaturday, Feb. 23

BaseballMessiah 4Bridgewater 7

weekend it will be a great season. I think we all came together well and have good cohesion with each other,” Lamb said. Looking ahead, the Eagles hope to have a strong season after being predicted to finish third in the pre-season poll. “I think we all have high expectations for this season since we were so successful last season. We want that to carry over. I think we will have a successful season because we all have the same goals for the season. If we continue working hard like we are doing now, it will be great. I am excited to see where this season goes!” said Lamb. The Eagles will continue the season at home on Sunday with a double-header against McDaniel starting at 1:30 p.m.

...


Men’s LacrosseTransylvania 4Bridgewater 8

SoftballBridgewater 6Mississippi Col. 1

BaseballMessiah 4Bridgewater 6Final-7 innings

Sunday, Feb. 24

Men’s TennisBridgewater 1Frank & Marsh. 5

BaseballJuniata 5Bridgewater 11

SoftballBridgewater 0Emory 5

Men’s TennisSalisbury 4Bridgewater 5

March 1, 2013Women’s TennisBridgewater at Catholic 3:30 p.m.

March 2, 2013Women’s Track and Fieldvs. Virginia Tech Last Chance @ Virginia Tech 10:00 a.m.

Men’s Track and Fieldvs. Virginia Tech Last Chance @ Virginia Tech 10:00 a.m.

BaseballRandolph Macon at Bridgewater 12:00 p.m.

Women’s TennisBridgewater at St. Mary’s (Md.) 1:00 p.m.

BaseballRandolph Macon at Bridgewater 3:00 p.m.

Women’s LacrosseFrostburg St. at Bridgewater 3:00 p.m.

March 3, 2013Softball McDaniel at Bridgewater 1:30 p.m.

Softball McDaniel at Bridgewater 3:30 p.m.

March 6, 2013SoftballAverett at Bridgewater 2:00 p.m.

BaseballWashington and Lee at Bridgewater 3:00 p.m.

Men’s LacrosseFerrum at Bridgewater 3:30 p.m.

SoftballAverett at Bridgewater 4:00 p.m.

Women’s LacrosseFerrum at Bridgewater 4:00 p.m.

Sporting Events

Feb. 28 - March 6 2013

Story by Lacey Naff and photos by Holly Donahue

End of the season for the Lady Eagles

The Bridgewater College women’s basketball team ended their

season on Thursday, Feb. 21 at the Salem Civic Center when they suffered a very close loss of 51-47 to Lynchburg College during the ODAC quarterfinals. Head Coach Jean Willi said that the primary focus before the tournament was to not have to play in the first round to get to the quarterfinals. They succeeded, so they were a part of the four teams that did not have to play a game to get to the tournament. However, it was disappointing to get there and not move on

to the semi-final round. “Certainly what we did during the regular season to get us there was tremendous, but also disappointing to not play in the Saturday semi –final,” Coach Willi said. The Lady Eagles have not made it past the quarterfinals in the past four years so they will continue working toward the semi-finals next year. Coach Willi said that will be her big goal for the team next season. The tournament may not have ended the way the Eagles wanted it to, but that does not mean they did not have a winning season. They

finished the season with a record of 14-11 overall and 11-5 in the ODAC conference. This year’s team worked well and played really hard together. “I think the combination of freshman getting a lot of playing time and returners getting a lot of playing time was really good. The returners who had a lot of playing

time really took the younger ones under their wings which we always appreciate. They got along well on and off the court, which made a huge difference throughout the season,” said Coach Willi. Senior Jessica Mullen finished her final season as an Eagle.

“I thought as a team we had a really good season. It’s bittersweet to graduate and be done and it has not really hit me yet that I won’t be coming back next season,” said Mullen. Mullen is proud of her final

season with Bridgewater as she was named the ODAC player of the year. “With everything that she has gone through,

I just think it was a tremendous honor for her recognition and for other coaches in the conference to recognize the comeback attitude that she had,” Coach Willi said. Mullen was one of the top leaders in scoring and stealing, showing she does well on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

“It’s always an accomplishment. It makes you feel good but I definitely could not have been there this year without my team. After what happened with my heart, if I didn’t have the support from my teammates that I

have now, it would have never happened,” Mullen said. Even though the season just ended, the hard work does not stop any time soon for these girls. They will start having open gym practices after spring break to prepare for a successful season next winter.

...

16 VERITAS

Documents

Veritas Issue 4, Spring 2013