“Dear Manhattanville,

The Right World View’s second issue is officially out. We regret to inform you that this month’s distribution has been hampered by rampant theft of our issues. As such, a paper copy is hard to obtain, but fear not. A PDF version (color version and as always free) is available at our website www.RightWorldView.com. Read what some on this campus don’t want you to see. If you want a paper copy, a few are still available upon request to RightWorldView@gmail.com .
Thank you,
Andrew Berman”

That email was sent as a mass mail a few days after we released our second issue. It is a truly sad notion to think there are some on this campus who have nothing better to do than go around stealing stacks of newspapers.

I try to not see things in black and white too often. I look for the grey whenever possible. For this, there is no grey. If the only way you can defeat an argument is to silence it, you have already lost. What happened to the idea of an open and free exchange of ideas? Either way, we will not be silenced. We will continue to print when we say we will and distribute our issues around campus. If you have such a strong disagreement with what we say, I give you the option to respond. Instead of going around trying to steal our issues, put your energies into something more productive. Write why you disagree and send it to me. I will do my best to fit it in the next issue.

The Sho is yet another White Plains bar located on Mamaroneck Avenue. What separates it from the rest of the local bars is those over eighteen can enter (on Tuesdays and Thursdays). The Sho is a new bar that has become popular with many Manhattanville students. After hearing both positive and negative reviews circulating around campus, we decided to check it out for ourselves.

When we arrived, our ID’s were checked first by a bouncer and then again on an ID scanner. So, if you have a fake ID you might plan on leaving it in your dorm room. As ladies, we were able to get in for free, saving us the ten dollar cover charge. The bar was relatively small. It wasn’t crowded while we were there and we wondered what it would be like on a really busy night, especially with the shortage of seats. However, the bar was clean, organized and professional. At first glance, the bar definitely did not seem run down.

There were approximately thirty people in the bar. Most were under twenty one (as they did not have the bright orange wristbands that we were used to identify those of legal drinking age). The music was one of the best parts of Sho. Most people there were entertaining themselves by dancing in small groups.

The bartenders were just as strict as the bouncers. One of our friends had to pull up their sleeve to show their wristband. In addition, there were bouncers throughout the entire bar. Therefore, it would probably be a waste of your money to have a friend of drinking age buy you a drink as they would most likely confiscate it right away.

In terms of the drinks, the prices were outstanding. We were able to buy our favorite beer (Bud Light) for only three dollars a bottle. In addition, the special shots of the night (SoCo, a.k.a. Southern Comfort and lime) were only two dollars each. This is considered rather inexpensive for a night out in White Plains, as we’re used to buying five dollar beers and four dollar shots. If you are of age and want to save some money on alcohol, The Sho is a great place to drink.

We found the service was especially attentive. We weren’t waiting to buy a drink for more than two minutes. The bartenders were very friendly and helpful. This good service may also just be a result of a slow night. The night we went, it was cold and rainy. This is may be the reason for the lack of people at the bar. Also, because of the weather, no one was outside (where, from walking by previously, we have noticed it to be extremely crowded). This makes us wonder how they will fit people in the bar in the colder weather.

There weren’t many complaints. Our most significant complaint was the state of the ladies room. There was only one bath- room, so only one person could be in there at a time. This is never a pleasant experience for ladies at a bar (who can take up to ten minutes just fixing their makeup). In addition, the state of the bathroom was horrendous. The floor was soaking wet, toilet paper and paper towels were lacking. It also smelled awful.

Overall, we felt the bar was mediocre. On the bright side, we enjoyed the music, the service, and the inexpensive drinks. The Sho is a great place to check out, especially if you are under twenty one and cannot get into the other bars in White Plains. While they are strict with checking ID, you can always go for the music and atmosphere. The only way you can really get a good feel for The Sho is if you go one night and find out what the craze really is all about.

Monday, 6 November- Spring 2006 class registration begins! Don’t forget to obtain all the signatures you need.

Tuesday, 7 November- Exercise your right to vote! Mid-term elections are today; go out and voice your opinion. Beginning this week, the Duchesne Center is sponsoring the International Film Series every other week in November. Come to the Calvert Room in the Castle and check it out.

Wednesday, 8 November- The World Religions Department is presenting a lecture entitled ‘For God and Country: Religion and Patriotism in the 21st Century’. At 5:00, Free Speech Alley is in the Spellman Lounge. Come debate and enjoy free refreshments.

Friday, 10 November- Student Activities hosts Noche de Gala beginning at 10 in the Castle.

Saturday, 11 November- Student Activities is holding Bingo Night in Benziger’s East Room. Come at 10 and bring friends for a chance to win prizes.

Sunday, 12 November- Do you want to explore Greenwich Village? Join OSA in front of Spellman at 11:00 am for a bus ride down. If you want musical entertainment this weekend, check out Manhattanville Sound in another wonderful performance in the Pius X Theatre at 7.

Wednesday, 15 November- Come support the Music Department for an informal student recital in the Pius X at 2:30. At 4:45, President Berman will be giving a special lecture entitled ‘Developing Higher Education Opportunities in Uganda’ in the library. Later, Manhattanville’s Orchestra will have a rehearsal in Benziger’s East Room at 7:30. Come and watch them practice!

Friday, 17 November- This evening at 5:00, Student Art Scene will be having a show in the East Room. Bring friends, support your classmates and watch dancers, performers and artists display their work. Later, come show Valiant team spirit as the Manhattanville basketball team hosts Kean University in the Kennedy Gym at 8:00.

Saturday, 18 November- Come watch the Manhattanville Talent Showcase in the Pub at 10:00. For more information, stop by OSA in Founder’s Hall or call ext. 5154.

Sunday, 19 November- Looking for something to do? Join OSA in the front of Spellman Hall for ice skating in Central Park. Spots are limited, so call ext. 5154 to get your tickets now!

Tuesday, 21 November- In the Thanksgiving spirit, join the Duchesne Center for a Midnight Run to help those less fortunate. Buses leave Manhattanville at 7:15. For more information or to get involved, contact Delia Flores at FloresDe@Mville.edu.

Wednesday. 22 November- At 5:00 Free Speech Alley is in the Spellman Lounge. Come debate and enjoy free refreshments.

Thursday, 23 November- Thanksgiving Day. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday from the Right World View.

Wednesday, 29 November- Class of 2009, Academic Advising is holding a Portfolio Workshop at 4:00 in Brownson 204. For more information, contact Assistant Academic Dean Charlotte Christ at ChristC@Mville.edu. This is a great opportunity to learn about Portfolio requirements and ask questions.

Thursday, 30 November- The Dance and Theatre Department is having their Fall Dance Concert at 8:00. Come to the Little Theatre, support your friends and watch them perform. For more information or to get tickets, call the DTH office at ext. 7175. The Dance Concert will also be showing on Friday, 1 December and Saturday, 2 December at 8:00.

Friday, 1 December- Come listen to Manhattanville’s Vocal Chamber Ensemble’s concert at 7:00 in Pius X. You’ll have just enough time afterwards to relax and get ready for the Winter Formal. Bring a friend or a date to the Castle at 10:00.

On Thursday, October 12, 2006, Sister Helen Prejean came to Manhattanville College to speak about her book, Dead Man Walking and her anti death penalty stance. She discussed the main theme of her book and her ministry: ending the death penalty. Since 1981, Sister Helen Prejean has worked as a spiritual advisor for people that are sentenced to death. This work was the subject of her 1993 book, Dead Man Walking, and the books companion, Death of Innocence. The former was made in to a film starring Susan Sarandon and directed by Tim Robbins in 1995.

Sister Helen is a native of New Orleans, where she began her ministry. Before working in the prison system, Prejean worked with the poor of Louisiana. She is currently the spiritual advisor for two death row inmates, a woman from Texas and a man from Louisiana. Both inmates are, in Prejean’s own words, “clearly innocent”. She spoke passionately to the room crowded with students, faculty and interested community members about the nature of her work and her book. Prejean did not attempt to sway the audience to any side; she merely told heartfelt stories and gave concrete examples of why the death penalty should be abolished in our country.

I could not agree with her more. The death penalty is unnecessary and inhumane. It is also hypocritical. We are punishing murderers for killing individuals by murdering them; doesn’t this make us murders as well? Shouldn’t we be receiving the death penalty for killing the convicted? In my opinion, sentencing a guilty man to death for the murder of an individual does nothing to assuage the pain of the victims’ family. At the end of the day, the loved one is still dead. The blood of the convicted person can never bring that family member or friend back; nothing can. To allow the death penalty to exist does not eliminate the pain of one family and brings emotional pain to another. Because, now two families have lost someone; now two children don’t have a mother, now two sisters don’t have brothers. The death penalty does not heal wounds, it only creates fresh ones.

It has been said that there is no punishment worse than a life in prison. If this is the case, why does the death penalty exist? If there is no punishment worse than spending the rest of your days in a jail cell, why are people dying? Gandhi once said “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind”. The death penalty is a perfect example of this statement. Absolutely no good comes out of it.

Those that are for the death penalty feel that a lot of good can come from lethal injection, however. They feel the person receiving the death penalty deserves to be punished for killing another human being. They feel that the family deserves to see another person suffer in the ways that the victim has suffered. Occasionally, those that are pro death penalty feel there is no way to avenge the death of the victim. The only way to avenge the victim’s death, they feel, is to have the murderer killed.

Sister Helen Prejean stated in her lecture:

“On the death certificate, under cause of death, they have to write ‘homicide’. They have to put homicide because that’s what it is; it’s killing another person. Now how is this different from what the death row inmate was convicted with to begin with?”

A sea of pink swarmed the Manhattanville College campus on Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 8:00am. Music played and people prepared to go on the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at the College.

This is one of the most popular events of the fall semester. Students, faculty, family and friends come for the five mile walk around Manhattanville and the town of Purchase, New York.

This year, the breast cancer walk had around 10,000 enthusiastic participants from the Westchester County area. This event was one of the most fun things I have ever done and something I definitely want to continue participating in. The most inspiring thing was seeing women with scarves on their heads and pink shirts saying they were breast cancer survivors. Walking made me realize how important my health is.

Breast cancer affects many American women every year and this walk is in their honor, to help find a cure and, for some, a way to exercise and keep in shape.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. You can support breast cancer by wearing pink or going to the American Cancer Society website at www.cancer.org. There you can donate, browse their online shop and find events in your area. Cancer affects all of us and by keeping aware we can save more lives, including our own.

Education and awareness are key to detecting cancer and beginning treatment earlier, increasing the likelihood of a more successful outcome.

Is a flag just a flag, or does it have some intrinsic value and meaning?

What do you see when you look at the American flag? Some would reflexively answer red, white and blue. The red is in the alternating stripes. The white is also in the alternating stripes and in the stars. The blue is in the box that contains the stars. Another perfectly legitimate answer to the question would be the “stars and stripes”.

As valid as these two answers are, they just don’t seem to be enough. It overlooks the intrinsic meaning and value inherent in our particular flag. Other flags do have their own respective meanings (and some meanings overlap between flags), but that is not the focus of this article.

So what does the American flag really mean? In terms of its composition, www.ushistory.org offers the following: “The Continental Congress left no record to show why it chose the colors. However, in 1782, the Congress of the Confederation chose these same colors for the Great Seal of the United States and listed their meaning as follows: white to mean purity and innocence, red for valor and hardiness, and blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. According to legend, George Washington interpreted the elements of the flag this way: the stars were taken from the sky, the red from the British colors, and the white stripes signified the secession from the home country. However, there is no official designation or meaning for the colors of the flag.” (http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/faqs/q46.htm)

Henry Ward Beecher, (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe), wrote: “A thoughtful mind when it sees a nation’s flag, sees not the flag, but the nation itself. And whatever may be its symbols, its insignia, he reads chiefly in the flag, the government, the principles, the truths, the history that belongs to the nation that sets it forth. The American flag has been a symbol of Liberty and men rejoiced in it.”

To prove this notion, think about what you felt when you saw
the three firemen raise the flag at Ground Zero. What went through your mind when you saw the flag being draped over the side of the Pentagon following the September 11th attacks? How about when you see footage of the flag being raised at Iwo Jima, which happened over 60 years ago?

Conspicuously and purposely absent from all of the meanings is any particular person. The flag does not stand for anyone; it stands for ideals. It doesn’t represent the Bush administration; it represents the freedom and democratic ideals that give us an elected leader.

Disrespecting the flag isn’t an attack on the current president; it disrespects the country as a whole. People have fought and died for our country fighting under the banner of the American flag. They are insulted as much as every other citizen is when our flag is intentionally mishandled.

Ironically, disrespecting the flag while meant as an insult to the country actually shows just how undeserving of that disrespect it is. In some countries, disrespecting
one of their national symbols is enough to make you disappear.

When I look at the flag, I don’t see the face of a president, current or otherwise. I see a great symbol of a great country. I see more than two hundred years of fighting for freedom and over one million people who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

What inspired you to start My Solider?

It has been the greatest experience to have been a student at Manhattanville College. We are lucky to have Richard Berman as the President of the college. He has leadership that is second to none and the ability to reach out and help others. That is what I admire about him. My Solider was first talked about on Manhattanville’s Soccer fields while I was sitting on the bench. President Berman came over and asked if there was something we can do for the soldiers in Iraq. I know from experience the best thing a solider can get is a package from home in the mail. I had Paula Moskowitz (the librarian) and her family write to me while I was on my tour of duty. A few days went by and I met with President Berman and Professor Anne Gold. With their help we were able to come with up a name and strategy for a way to help our fellow soldiers. I was very proud that I was going to help soldiers just like myself.

What was the most interesting thing about serving in Iraq?

The most interesting thing about serving in Iraq was the power of the United States military. I am still mesmerized about the will and power of our military. I serve with the Marines, Air Force, Navy, FBI, and English and Iraqi forces. We are a very diverse and large force.

How long do you plan to be in the service?

I had the honor to have gone on a lot of missions and done a lot with the army, which a civilian would not get to do. In the past five years I have been in the army and I’ve been to four different countries, won the NCO of the year, competition for my command, been a Staff Sergeant, won an ROTC scholarship, was the top 5% of my LDAC and more. The experiences are endless and I plan to make a career out of it. And I’ve always had a dream of starting my own business.

Does the success of My Solider program shock you?

I am grateful that the program has gotten so big. I am even more touched that we are nationally recognized.

Do you have any advice for people thinking about a career in the military?

Well, My Solider is going to be launching a new program called “My Recruit”. This program will show people who are interested in the service an honest and truthful look from me about army life, benefits and career options. It has changed my life; I am now a stronger, smarter, faster and better person because of the service.

What has been your source of strength for serving in the military?

The biggest source of strength has been my family. My mother’s attitude of “never quit” and words of wisdom have been my inspiration throughout life. My sister gives me strength in all I do, and my girlfriend Massiel Villanueva (Manhattaville Class of 2006), gives me hope, joy and a desire to succeed.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about participating in My Solider?

Joining My Solider will change a soldier’s life; it will raise his/her morale and boost his/her confidence.

What have you heard from both soldiers and civilians who have participated in My Solider?

For civilians it is an amazing program. They say thank you so much for starting this, especially the impact that it makes on them when they received letters from the soldiers. It makes them feel important.

Soldiers salute me and are grateful that we did not forget them. They are glad that there is a fellow solider who is looking out for them, while they are on deployment.

Is there anything else you would like to say?

I am so proud and honored to have attended Manhattanville College, it is a place where I grew wiser and I had the time of my life.

If you ate in the cafeteria during the first couple of weeks during October, you might have noticed a table set up with students conducting polls. A few staff members of the Right World View asked students to fill out a short poll asking three things: what they wanted to see served on campus (Coke only, Pepsi only, both, neither or don’t care), if they signed the Killer-Coke petition last year (For those unfamiliar with the Killer-Coke campaign, in the past several years it has gained publicity. Its constituents believe the Coca-Cola company ignored the deaths of several employees and the threats, imprisonments and human rights violations of many more in Columbia. If you’d like to learn more, visit www.killercoke.org.) and, if they did, the reason why (belief in the Killer-Coke petition, to avoid being lectured, lapse of judgment, for a friend or no idea). Two students wrote additional reasons why they signed the petition. One wrote “Because Coke [stinks]” and another wrote “The Killer-Coke Campaign sounded possible”.

The poll, filled out by one hundred and fifty students, produced interesting results. Twenty-five people (16.7%) wanted Coke only. Two of those people signed the petition, both to avoid being lectured. Thirty-three (22%) people wanted Pepsi only. Of those 33, ten signed the petition, nine because they believed in the Killer-Coke Campaign and one who stated “Because Coke [stinks]“. Fifty-four (36%) of students polled answered they’d like to see both Pepsi and Coke served at Manhattanville. Ten signed the petition; four to avoid being lectured, one who had a lapse of judgment, three for a friend, one had no idea why and one who thought the Killer-Coke petition sounded possible. Thirteen (8.7%) people didn’t want to see soda offered on campus at all; a few wrote “Soda is bad for you, drink water”. Of those 13, five signed the petition, three who believed in the Campaign and two to avoid being lectured. Twenty-five (16.7%) people didn’t care which soda was offered on campus. Three of those 25 signed the petition, two who believed in the Campaign and one who had no idea why he signed it.

When told of the results of the poll and how one-third who filled it out wanted to see both Coke and Pepsi on campus, President Berman stated, “At Manhattanville, we try to do what they students want. When they said they wanted the library open twenty-four hours, we did that. This isn’t as easy.”

It should be noted that the people targeted in the poll were the people who ate in the cafeteria, and this does not necessarily represent the opinion of the entire Manhattanville community.

This issue is mainly centered on reform in the area of medical mal- practice. America’s health care system is hinged on the ability of physicians in the U.S. to practice medicine with the best interests of the patient in mind. In this day and age physicians are forced to limit their practices to low risk procedures. America’s physicians can no longer take on patients without a complete background check to see if they are sick or simply in the business of searching for their next lawsuit. Tort reform in the area of medical malpractice will drastically improve the quality of healthcare in the United States. President Bush has proposed setting a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.

The fight over tort reform with respect to medical malpractice has been going on for over 30 years. It has been rekindled in the past ten years due to the tremendous spike in malpractice insurance premiums.
Physicians are currently paying anywhere from $30,000 to $200,000 annually for insurance. When one combines the out of control insurance premiums and the cost of practicing defensive medicine, it is easy to understand why there are such low incentives to enter the medical field. When people talk about doctors, they seem to harp on the amount of money physicians earn. And why shouldn’t they? After all, these men and women did nothing in the way of education or painstaking work to get to where they are; they simply pulled the doctor card out of a magical hat and are now on easy street.

Tort reform is a simple issue when one looks at it from a humanistic point of view: if doctors are forced to practice defensive medicine, patients lose. In Fairfield County, Connecticut, not only have more and more physicians stopped performing high risk and sometimes life saving procedures and removed themselves from HMO panels, but also are being forced to decline patients with Medicaid and/or Medicare insurance. They have also reduced the amount of free or charity care given to patients without insurance or for other reasons. If reform is not enacted soon, patients will likely find themselves with an even greater reduction of medical services, an ever increasing shortage of specialists and higher costs. Another important and sometimes overlooked issue is the recruitment of new physicians. Doctors say it is increasingly more difficult to recruit new physicians into their practices, keeping up with staffing requirements and upgrading their medical and business technology so that they are on par with the most advanced patient care.

The Bush administration is trying to model its proposal for medical liability reform on MICRA. MICRA (Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act) was enacted in California in 1975. It allows plaintiffs to win no more than $250,000 in non-economic damages or pain and suffering. Along with capping non-economic damages, MICRA limits attorney contingency fees, thus limiting the incentive for lawyers to push their clients to go to trial. Before MICRA was enacted in California, malpractice rates were climbing as much as 100% annually. After the act was passed by the state legislature, rates fell to nearly single digits.

The Bush administration can simply cite the success of MICRA in order to promote their own national proposal. Other states have also taken strides in the right direction towards reform. Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania are a few of the dozen states that have passed some form of medical liability tort reform. California’s MICRA is, however, the most stringent and most effective. Even in states with reform, insurance premiums are out of control. An obstetrician in Miami may find themselves paying $250,000 per year for malpractice insurance, whereas an obstetrician in Los Angeles may only be paying $69,000 per year for the exact same thing. The inequality in insurance premiums is not only unfair to the physician, but also to the patients, who are receiving limited care due to the astronomical premiums. Physicians in California say that MICRA has significantly helped their practices.

In this debate there are more ways than simply capping non-economic damages to help the problem. The first and most obvious way to help the problem is to limit the amount the lawyers can pocket from the patients. Another way to reduce jury payouts is to allow consideration of “collateral sources” in measuring damages. It is very important that juries are informed about any benefits injured patients have already received. These benefits are normally in the form of health or disability insurance policies.

The issue of tort reform in the area of medical malpractice is one of great contention. Those on both sides of the debate hold a tremendous deal of power and clout in government. Until the United States recognizes the seriousness of the problem and the Senate can move beyond partisan politics, our country’s health care system will continue to spiral downward.

Tort reform is often described as “a group of ideas and laws designed to change the way our civil court system works. While each tort reform law is different, they all are designed to either limit the circumstances under which injured people may sue, limit how much money juries may award to injured people, or both.”

(www.whatistortreform.com)

For example, in cases of malpractice, an injured party would only be able to sue for economic damages, meaning the price of surgery and any cost needed to fix the medical and physical damages of the patient. This means that non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, would not be covered by large corporations. Many Conservatives today agree strongly with the ideas of tort reform and believe it is necessary in order to lower the cost of premiums that doctors are currently forced to pay. Simply put, tort reform will strip Americans of their basic judicial rights and prevent companies and medical practices from taking complete responsibility for their actions and paying for the consequences of those actions.

In May of 2002, Linda McDougal was diagnosed with breast cancer and was told she needed to have both breasts removed. She underwent the procedure, thinking it was necessary to save her life. Forty-eight hours later, after undergoing the surgery, she was informed that she did not have breast cancer; her test results were accidentally switched with another patient’s. According to President Bush, this case of malpractice would be worth $250,000. This would surely cover her medical bill for having undergone the surgery, but this would not even begin to cover the amount of pain and suffering McDougal was forced to undergo due to this horrendous mistake. Should one’s pain and suffering be disregarded in order to protect a physician from being accountable for his or her own mistakes?

While tort reform would wrongfully restrict the rights that people in the United States of America properly deserve, it would also raise taxes among middle-class families. Ideally, the costs of injuries due to malpractice errors or defective products are paid for by the wrongdoers themselves. If these wrongdoers are no longer held responsible for paying for these costs, the payment will have to come from somewhere else. This will be in the form of taxes, which will quickly burden the average middle-class family.

While tort reform is not out best option, it goes without saying that there is a definite need for change. The price of insurance for physicians is rapidly increasing. Tort reform is not what needs to change in regards to this matter; the amount of physician error that occurs needs to decrease substantially. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, doctors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. Every year, 225,000 deaths occur due to iatrogenic causes, meaning they are caused by the diagnosis, manner or treatment of a physician. If physicians are held more accountable for their cases of malpractice, the chances that so many cases of malpractice will actually occur are reduced. Also, if cases of malpractice were less private in regards to protecting the doctor’s reputation, fewer mistakes would most likely be made, thus decreasing the overall cost of insurance for physicians. If the costs of insurance for physicians went down, then the medical charges for seeing a physician would decrease, meaning tort reform would have no viable purpose. Tort reform is simply a means of deferring responsibility, which is completely unacceptable.

If tort reform is successfully installed into our current judicial system more than it has been in the past few years, corruption within major corporations will inevitably breed and the risk of increasing the amount of injury due to malpractice and defective products will be greater than ever. It is important to look at what the United States would lose if limits were put upon the lives of every injured American. How can a person’s life have a monetary cap? The real question we need to ask ourselves in regard to tort reform is this: What is more important to the United States: protecting wrongdoers or protecting the rights and lives of its people?