Quad Jam celebrated its 30th Anniversary on April 24, 2010. Manhattanville’s largest tradition provided the usual: food, fun, games, and music. During the day, students showcased their talents whether it was with their bands, their dance teams, or an instrument. If you weren’t a performer you were not left out. Alumni and current undergraduates alike, came together and partook in various games and activities such as rock-climbing, a food-eating contest, moon-bouncing, and just simply enjoying the beautiful day out on Manhattanville’s signature Quad. After a long day of fun, students enjoyed a BBQ out on the Quad while dancing to their favorite music and patiently awaiting the main event. This year there were two headliners prepared to perform. Both rapper Fabolous and ska punk band Reel Big Fish, took over the stage with amazing performances. During an interview with the lead singer of Reel Big Fish Aaron Asher Barrett, when asked what’s the first thing that goes through his mind when he gets on stage, “oh my gosh my mic stand is too high,” he replied laughingly. Being apart of the band since it came into existence in 1991, Barrett explained as long as the crowd is pumped, there is no reason to be nervous, “we just go out there and do what we love to do,” he said. That’s exactly what the headliners did. Reel Big Fish after they performed their set, came back out by popular demand with an encore performance. The fun didn’t stop there. After the two big concerts, and the half an hour fireworks display students topped off the night with an after party held in the cafeteria. With such an amazing event filled with fun, friends, and food, we all can hold these memories in our hearts and minds, and use them as a reminder of what a great school Manhattanville College truly is.

a) Equal sexual rights
b) Right to women security guards
c) Right to have an area dedicated to women’s concerns, i.e. a women’s center
d) Right to enjoy a safe and secure campus environment
e) Right to enjoy freedom of expression in social settings; free from sexual harassment
f) Right not to be treated as a sex object or subject to racial stereotypes
g) All students should respect the female character of the college

True to its date, which was Friday the thirteenth, “Manhattanville’s Got Talent” was sure to guarantee a thrill.  Each act was entertaining in its own way.  It was refreshing to see what different people had to offer, whether it was a singing, dancing, or spoken word act.  The raffles were an extra bonus which added to the excitement of the event.  There were some technical difficulties, but overall, things were well-organized and ran smoothly.  On a scale of one to ten, “Manhattanville’s Got Talent” ranks a remarkable eight.  Hopefully there will be more to follow in the years to come.

Manhattanville’s theater department has done it again. Lysistrata is a hit! Their modern take on an old Greek favorite was both captivating to myself and to the audience who saw this brilliant production.

Lysistrata was first performed two thousands years ago in Ancient Athens by famed Greek playwright Aristophanes. The story centers on the women of Greece who come together with the help of the fair maiden Lysistrata to end the civil war that has been raging throughout Greece for years. To end it, the women make a pact to force their husbands to give into their demands by withholding sex. The play has been labeled as the original “Make Love not War Sex Comedy”, which sums up what Lysistrata is all about.

The show’s director David Stock made the right choice in modernizing the ancient work for a contemporary audience. Having already directed several plays here at Manhattanville College, Mr. Stock’s production decisions really stood out in this work. Working with an already ancient script, he added more to it by modernizing the language and creating more dialogue for the characters to use. One quote especially rang true, “Killing for peace is like f***ing for virginity.” They don’t mix!

The ladies of Lysistrata have the right idea. If you want anything done right in the world, you have to grin and bear with the consequences, no matter what they are for or what the cost may be. And for the record, I think this play may have made me an advocate for feminism. Even in ancient Greece, women got the short end of the stick. While nowadays, women have much more freedom than Lysistrata and the women of Greece, they have a long road ahead to gain total equality in the modern world.

James Landrum, a veteran of Manhattanville’s Theater Department adds that “the supporting cast really shined. The gods, old men, the Bimbo, the ladies of Greece, every one of them was on top of their game.” If you thought the cast was great, you should have heard the songs. “I don’t think I have ever seen a play which incorporates hip hop and musical theater with such great success,” says Landrum.

Of the plays I have seen on campus so far, Lysistrata is perhaps the best production that has been put on. The show was filled with so many hilarious characters, from dumb blondes from Corinth, lesbians from Sparta, sex crazed gods, drag queens, old men with back problems, and Greek warriors with big “packages”. With so many sexual jokes in the script, thought I would die laughing.

I end this review with a request for the theater department. Please bring back Lysistrata! This is the best production the school has ever performed, in terms of acting, set, costume design, script, and musical accompaniment. Some friends and teachers I know who did not have the chance to see Lysistrata are hoping that the Theater Department might bring it back in the near future. It would be doing the school a great service if this show was brought back for more people to see. Theater Department, please read what I have to say and consider the option of bringing back one of your best shows.

On October 24th, 2009, Fall Fest ‘09 was well underway. Unfortunately, this year was slightly more disappointing as Mother Nature decided to ruin our fun with the rainy weather. Fall Fest was moved indoors for the first time in years to the East Room. Though there were great band performances and fun activities such as hand waxing, henna tattoos, caramel apples, and Photo Booth, the event still didn’t have the same exhilarating fun as it has in the years past.

The main attractions were the bands and the giant blown up Laser Tag area. However, there was a nostalgia much felt to be missing the Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream Stand, the Battle Dome, and the Rock Climbing Wall. Though the Office of Student Activities did a decent job at making Fall Fest as best as possible, it would still have been tons better on the Quad.

However, if the weather was not enough to ruin the day slightly, there were other factors that contributed to its failure. Though the policy of the Office of Student Activities every year is
sent regarding public intoxication, most students do not follow this rule. As a result, the loud partying, the drunk people ripping posters and fliers in the dorms, and the horde of obnoxious drunk people screaming did not help the cause to make this a fun Fall Fest. Plus, much to many people’s dismay, the usual dinner on the Quad was replaced by dinner in the cafeteria. If that was not enough to bring frowns, the fact that the cafeteria ended dinner at a mere 6:30pm was more than enough to make student very unhappy. Plus, where was there any notification in the changes of the dinner schedule! As students, we like consistency in our meal times or at least notification so we don’t have to end up going to the Pub, which is usually a last resort as lines and wait times were especially long last night. So, nice try Manhattanville but Fall Fest
still wasn’t quite up to par!

“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.

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.

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.

The Jesus Statue was not actually a statue of Jesus, or at least that’s what we think. It used to reside on the opposite end of the quad, facing the quad. It has since been moved closer to the graveyard in the back. A few other statues were moved around as well, but none quite as famous as the Jesus Statue.

Go seek out the statue and familiarize yourself with it. Then, return to the quad where it once stood and imagine what it must have looked like. If plans go through, a flagpole will be erected where the Jesus Statue used to be. Don’t forget about what used to be there.

I say this as a non-Christian: it was not an offensive or religiously oppressing statue. It was just something that was there, and had been there since I arrived. Even today, the quad looks just a little empty with it missing.

This also highlights one of the problems in our society. Manhattanville used to be an all-girls Catholic school. It no longer is, but that is our schools’ heritage. While few would advocate restoring the school to be what it once was (me especially because I would get kicked out twice-being a male and not even Christian let alone Catholic), our heritage should be respected. An old statue situated around a few bushes should not offend anyone.

While the statue had a religious connotation, as it was called “the Jesus Statue”, it was part of the heritage of our school. Also, it being there did not in itself act as a proselytizer. I can honestly say that in the entire time I have been here at Manhattanville I have not once been proselytized. Compare this to my ten-week summer internship in Washington, D.C., (where no such Jesus Statue is anywhere to be found) where I was overtly proselytized three times, as well as a few other more subtle attempts.

The feeling on campus at the time of the removal seemed to be that it was wholly unnecessary. Regardless, it has been done and is unlikely to be returned any time soon. For now, ask some of the upperclassmen about it and see if any of them have a picture to share with you. If you ask nicely enough, one of the upperclassmen will surly tell you a story about how it used to be. Just make sure to visit the Jesus Statue once in a while. Without the foot traffic of the quad that used to go by it, the statue is probably pretty lonely now. You can rectify that if you chose to.