OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090202/WLURG39_RTP_20090202_001.2.txt ARTS& LIFE / page WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY THE RING—’I‘UM PHI. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1397‘ VOLUME CXII, Closing the leadership gap Author and activist Marie C. Wilson speaks at W&L about the need for more women leaders in the US. By Jessica Stralt s TA F F w R I T E R When Marie C. Wilson was head of the Ms. Foundation for Women, created to support women socially, economically and po- litically, she found that the best policy ideas were coming from women not involved in politics or corporations. So Wilson, who also co-founded Take Our Daughters to Work Day, created the White House Project, a program designed to train and put a diverse group of women into elected oflices and corpo- rate boardrooms. As Wilson spoke in Stackhouse Theater on Jan. 26, she challenged Washington and Lee women to reach their own leadership goals. Wilson said women’s leadership in the United States is “stuck” because many women are not taking on leadership roles in college and missing out on leadership experience. “Every time women decide not to lead, they get setback,” Wil- sonlsaid. “If they cut back, it’s hard to get caught up in a culture that changes so much.” Wilson said the United States 715‘ in the world for women’s political leadership, which is behind Iraq (33"’), the Sudan (65“‘) and North Korea (57“‘), according to an article Wilson wrote for Feminist.com. “Every time women decide not to lead, they get set back. If they cut back, its hard to get caught up in a culture that changes so much. ” Marie C. Wilson, White House Project founder “Women are out of leadership because people think they’re al- ready in leadership,” she said. In the United States, women make up 51 percent of the popu- lation, but only 15 percent of Congress and 14 percent of board seats of Fortune 500 companies, she said. Wilson argued that women are needed more than ever because they bring different ideas and styles to leadership positions. The reason is that they have learned to lead by being on the outside, “at the foot of the table,” she said. ' To help women transition to the inside, Wilson founded Vote, Run, Lead, a progressive, non-partisan program, which has al- ready trained 6,000 women to run for political offices and hopes to train 40,000 in the next few years. Wilson’s goal is to give women power in numbers. When one woman runs, she said, media focuses only on “hair, hemlines, and husbands.” Add more women, and it becomes an issue of “agen- da, not gender.” Cortney Patterson, a first-year who worked for a political consulting firm last summer, found Wilson’s points applicable to the world of politics, and noted that the media can often give the wrong impression. “The media can make it seem like women can’t be anywhere without men behind them,” Patterson said. Wilson said that women have the ability but need encourage- ment. She cited polls showing that most people do trust women on every leadership trait except decisiveness. But women are not moving to leadership levels in proportion to the public’s comfort level. The root of the problem is that the idea of women leaders doesn’t become accepted until people see it, according to Wilson. . The responsibility for change in women’s power also rests with populariculture, which has already madesmall steps forward with the creation of a White House Barbie and a TV show featuring a female President, she said. Wilson stressed the importance of women honestly and openly discussing their ambitions with each other. She emphasized that women moving each other along and working together would be a huge improvement from the way women often pull each other down. Wilson is the author of the book, “Closing the Leadership Gap: Add Women, Change Everything.” Breach of oonfidenee Sophomore EC representative asked to resign By Holly Suthers STAFF WRITER A student has resigned from the Executive Committee (EC) for violating rules for possibly the first time in Washington and Lee history, according to EC President Rich Cleary. After allegedly violating a confidientiality code, sopho- more Richard Saum has been asked to step down from the committee. According to the EC’s public announcement, Saum violated the confidentiality and harrassment clause of the White Book, a student hand book de- scribing the honor system and procedures for honor trials. The clause states: “The Executive Commit- tee may take disciplinary steps against any student involved in an investigation, any student witness in a hearing, any advo- cate, any Executive Commit- tee II1€II1bE$i.I' the accused for breaking thi confidentiality.” Cleary said he could not disclose the nature of the viola- tions or the structure oricontent of the EC ’s finding process. In cooperation with the com- his lack of judgment. He also said that this has been a very good learning experience. “I don’t know ifit would be appropriate for me to disclose, but I fully support the actions of the EC,” Saum said. Saum has been a member “I fully support the actions of the EC... This has not altered my view of the EC or W&L... The entire experience has certainly been a learning experience. ’ Rlchard Saum, former EC member mittee, Saum has voluntarily resigned. Declining to give the circumstances of his removal, Saum stated that he violated the EC conduct code and regrets of the EC for two years. He is active in many roles on campus including Traveler Dispatch and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fra- temity. Working with the Voting Regulations Board, the EC has already held another election to fill the empty spot. Sarah Catherine Welch has been elected as the new sopho- more representative. “She was a member of the White Book Review Commit- tee so she has a general knowl- edge of it. I anticipate a smooth transition for her,” Cleary said. “I think... Sarah Catherine will contribute substantially for honor matters of the EC.” Saum’s resignation is in ef- fect only for the remainder of this Executive Committee term. He plans to run for the position again this spring. “This has not altered my view of the EC or W&L...The entire experience has certainly been a learning experience,” said Saum. Who was Osama? Journalist Steve Coll unearths bin Laden is past By Joel Poelhuls STAFF ‘WRITER Osama bin Laden’s success with al-Qaeda is largely due to his experience and proficiency in a modern global context, according to Pulitzer prize-' winning author and journalist Steve Coll. Coll discussed bin Laden’s family history and worldview at length in his speech “Osama bin Laden and the Globalization of Terror” at a packed Stackhouse Theatre last Wednesday. Coll, who writes for The New Yorker and has written two books on the Middle East, said bin Lad- en’s attitude toward the West grew not out of ignorance, but a long line of experiences built with his role in the family con- tracting business. “He was a man of the world ‘— he was not isolated,” Coll said. The author identified bin Laden as a fairly normative ‘ member of his society during most of his life: both as a prod- uct of the transnational Sunni islamist movement that sprung up after the Iranian revolution and a member of the oil-baby- boom generation in Saudi Ara- bia. their power to reinforce a hard- line traditionalist worldview. Coll portrayed bin Laden as “a man whose ideology looks back to the 7th century,” but who is a master of modern global strategies such as using satellite cell phones, making “He was a man of the world——he was not isolated...His personality, his ideology, his radicalism, is inseperable from this sense of purcahse. ” Steve coll, New Yorker columnist, Pulltzer prize-wlnner This generation was the first in Saudi to have the wealth and mobility to purchase any identity they wanted, said Coll. Some, like Osama’s oldest brother Salem, used this op- portunity to lead an extrava- gant and Westemized lifestyle, while others, like Osama, used viral recruitment videos, and brand management -— crafting the appeal of al-Qaeda. “His personality, his ideol- ogy, his radicalism, is insepa- rable from this sense of pur- chase,” he said. Yet Coll said this new glo- balization is affecting Gulf culture in other ways today. Growing up saturated with Western media has changed expectations for many young people — especially when it comes to interactions with the opposite sex. Coll said he be- lieves an enormous amount of social pressure is building up under the restraints of tradition- al gender relations, which may alter the way future generations View the West. Coll’s speech was spon- sored by the Fishback Fund for Visiting Writers. The fund has previously brought speakers such as legal scholar Stephen Carter, sociologist Alan Wolfe and journalist Robert Kaplan to campus. After the speech, Coll signed copies of his books: The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Fami- ly in the American Century and Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan and Bin Laden, from the Soviet In- vasion to September 10, 2001. NUMBER 13 OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090202/WLURG39_RTP_20090202_002.2.txt UNIVERSITY LIBRARY WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VA 24450 Hzld 2 - THE RING-TUM PHI MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009 opinions I Dear Mr.Centorino, » ’ ‘ I f I readlyour article on the speaking tradition in the Ring-Tum Phi of January 26th and wanted to tell you and the editors how: impressed I was with it. Next to the honor code, I believe that the speaking tradition is perhaps our most cherished tradition at.W&L.. It reflects not oniy civility and etiquette, but also our . sharedsense of community. The perhaps apocryphal story of Doremus visiting our campus in the early 20th century and being soimpressed by the speaking tradition that he donated a gymnasium tothe school nevertheless reflects how strangers to our campus mayalso‘ be affected by our friendliness and sense I ofhospitality. . Perhaps a bit of background would be helpfiil. I am from a - family which has sent four generations consecutively to Wash- ington and Lee. I tuna member of the third generation, having ' graduated in 1966, and when I was in school the speaking tradi- i tion was very much alive. You might even say it was being en- , forced atthat time, partly by something called the assimilation committee and partly by an unwritten rule among students and I » faculty. When my two sons attended here from 1995 through , 2003, I noticed that the tradition had fallen off somewhat, but I was still being practiced to some degree...I returned to Lexing- ton in spring, 2008 and have built a home here. I am on campus a good deal, and I have to say that from my experience over al- most an entire year the speaking tradition is almost dead. When you say, “if one generation of students ignore it, the tradition wiIldie,”_ Ifhave to respond that it seems pretty moribund to me now, Rememberthat the tradition is‘ not just about speak- ing to those you know or even to all of your fellow students; it is about speaking to everyone on campus whenever you come . across them. ‘ ‘ I My own personal approach to this problem has been to speak , to everyone I meet whether they speak to me or not, but I am I ’ not sure how much difference this is making. If we admit that something is dead or at least in a comatose state, then we can seek to find a wayto revive it. So far as I can tell this can only be done by students, and by this I mean a group or groups of students. Let me give you an example. If the entire staff of the “Ring~Tum Phi," for example, decided to make and wear some large badges saying, “Revive the Speaking Tradition” and spoke to everyone they met for a year, this could make a dif- ference‘, If allor many fraternities and sororities did the same thing, this couldbe even more influential. As much as I admire v your recent editorial, it, in and of itself, will make very little dif- I ference. It is only by concerted action of a group of people that this most worthy of our traditions can be revived. A I do not wish to be seen as in any way critical of W and L or of its students. My desire is to be helpful in contributing to the revival of a tradition which I believe is very important to who We are.Frommy‘ perspective, if I can be helpful in any way in working on the revival of the speaking tradition by any group of ;;st11dentsHI...would be happy to do so. Sincerely, . Neely Young, Class of 1966 ........................................................... .. WASHINGTON AND LEEUMVERSITY THE RING-T UM ALusoN CHOPIN JOHN HENDERSON CODYBEAUGHAMP CELESTE CRUZ- CARANDANG WILLDORRANCE MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR ARTS 8i LIFE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR LIZ BLACKWOOD ALEISHA BUTLER JEAN CHAPMAN ABEL DELGADO JACOB ELIUM NEVILLE FOGARTY HANK NATHAN JOEL POELHUIS DIANDRA SPICAK JESSICA STRAIGHT HOLLY SUTHERS VICTORIA TAYLOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS LARAJORDAN RYAN ELSEY MORGAN HARRIS srnocx MOORE CHARLES PERSONS ROB ozone: DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS» BUSINESS MANAGERS DISTRIBUTION MNGR. MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission, of THE RING—TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students, faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that-lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING—TUM PHI IS PUBLISHED MONDAYS DURING THE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL YEAR. THE RING—TUM PHI IS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA BOARD, BUT IS OTHERWISE INDEPENDENT. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PHI SHOULD BE ADD‘RESSED TO THE EDITORS AT PHI@WLU.EDU OR TO THE MEDIA BOARD AT MEDIABOARD@WLU.EDU. THE MEDIA BOARD IS AN INDEPENDENT, STUDENT-RUN EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WORKING WITH ALL MEDIA OUTLETS ON THE WASHINGTON & LEE CAMPUS. ALL INQUIRIES WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. THE RING—TUM PHI WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT SUBMISSIONS FOR CONTENT AND LENGTH. LETTERS AND ADVERTISING DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF THE RING—TUM PHI STAFF. THIS NEWSPAPER OBSERVES CURRENT COURT DEFINITIONS OF LIBEL AND OBSCENITY. THE RING—TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PH|@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 By Abel Delgado corummsr Those applying for a job with the new administration need not worry about paying Uncle Sam. While not paying your taxes and breaking the law sounds like a career-killer for public servants it defenitly hasn’t been as of late. Some of President Obama’s most notable cabinet appointees have shown a complete disre- gard for the tax laws everyone else is expected to abide by. Imagine if everyone were to follow the excellent example set by our new Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner. Geithner did not see a need to pay nearly $40,000 in taxes until he real- ized that not paying them might be an issue when facing Senate confirmation hearings. Did it not occur to anyone that a top government official, especially one in charge of our economic recovery, should not have a his- tory of stealing money from the government? That’s essentially what not paying taxes is, steal- ing money that should go to the government to pay for the pro- grams Geithner and the rest of Obama’s economic team say are necessary. Do they not see the hypocri- sy in this? It’s like having a Sur- geon General who drinks and smokes while pregnant. “Do as I say, not as a pay” is not an effective government model. There is no doubt Geithner was more than qualified enough to lead the Treasury Department, and of course he did end up paying the taxes he was legally liable for before the Senate con- firmation hearings, but naming a tax-evader to the Cabinet sets a horrible precedent. Geithner’s transgression would be just a smudge on Obama’s supposedly spectacu- lar cabinet if he were the only one who had “accidentally” ripped off Uncle Sam. Now we know Tom Daschle, former Sen- ate Majority Leader and current nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, also didn’t think it necessary to pay his taxes. One tax-delin- quent nominee is an accident, two is a trend. In the past few weeks, Das- chle has paid a mindboggling $140,000 in back taxes and in- terest. Much of that money was due to a car and driver loaned to him for free by a Democratic fundraiser. Political favors like these sound exactly like the. type of “politics as usual” we all expect President Obama to rally against. How is the Obama Ad- Do as I say, not as I pay Obama is cabinet has had too many problems paying taxes ministration supposed to hold Wall Street accountable when they don’t even hold some of their officials accountable? This is not a partisan issue. I am sure if we go over the tax returns of influential Republi- cans we will find more than a few discrepancies as well. Yet the idea that “public servants” who depend on tax revenue do not pay taxes themselves and can still be considered for lead- ership positions is ridiculous. I don’t care how qualified some- one is, the second they break the law, they shouldn’t be part of our government. Many members of the past V administration were rightfully criticized for thinking they were above the law. Someone needs to remind the Obama Admin- istration they are not above the tax code. Where’s the Lip syncing? Li}? Sync should be about a great act, not just about srats and from By Dlandra Splcak COLUM NIST Lip sync ‘09 went off with the usual hitches, glitches and lack of britches. And the gossip is already churning — who per- formed what, who wore what, and what happened backstage. While Lip Sync has its roots in the right place — charitably raising money for food pantries around Virginia — it also holds a place high in the social life of most Washington and Lee stu- dents. Besides a way to raise mon- ey, Lip Sync ‘has become a way for fraternities and sororities to showcase their new pledge classes. What a pledge class performs reflects on its respec- tive frat or srat, and should ul- timately show off the qualities the frat or srat desires in its members. When planning their routine, group members should have kept in mind that what they present to the audience repre- sents their respective Greek or- ganizations. What does it say of certain or- ganizations if their pledge class representatives perform overtly sexual routines? More so, what does it say when their represen- tatives step out on stage, stum- bling, obviously having thrown back one too many alcoholic beverages? Pledge class routines have the opportunity to character- ize and establish the reputation of their individual social clubs. Lip Sync has evolved over the years to be much more than a charitable event, but an event that has social connotations for those who participate. More so, for those who par- ticipate, Lip Sync is a time in- vestment. Groups spend hours (sometimes even, hours upon hours) creating and perfect- ing their routines. Most groups put a lot of time and effort into their routines, and should be al- lowed to showcase them to the audience. It takes a lot of guts to perform, as I speak from recent experience, and those who do step up to the challenge should be allowed to follow it through. No group ever wants to hear the clang of the gong during the middle of their routine. Groups shouldwbe gonged if, and only if, their routines do not come off as tasteful. Simply, a set of general guidelines should be agreed upon and enacted when judging. Basically, the guidelines for gonging should include the fol- lowing: if the routine is overtly sexual or extremely raunchy, if members are noticeably drunk or under the influence of vari- ous substances, or if the routine is poorly performed. If such guidelines are agreed upon be- fore the event and the judges exhibit a non-biased attitude, then Lip Sync would prove to be a much better, more judicial contest. Judges should not allow personal bias to cloud their deci- sions, and should instead focus on the overall ideal of competi- tion: may the bcst men or wom- en win -— keyword, “best.” Best does not mean which group performed the most sex- ual routine, or which group had more friends bbehindgthe judges table, or which group exposed the most skin. Best, in terms of competition, means the most well-perforrned, most entertain- ing act. The competition was blown out of the water by the Klazics and Pi Beta Sigma, as predicted, but did the best group really take the coveted third spot? I think not. Did the judges perform their duty as non-biased moderators? Perhaps. But, only time will tell if Lip Sync can rise above being a frat and srat popularity contest — and begin to be an actual competi- tion. What are ‘ladies’ and ‘gentlemen,’ anyway? In part one of a series on men and women cu‘ W&L, Aleisha Butler examines how bad definitions of ‘vice ’ for students might cause ‘Womanizers ’and ‘sluts ’ By Alelsha Butler C O L U M N I ST Let’s set a scene: Its 11:45 on a Saturday night. A little too early to go to bed, but that dance floor is getting sweaty and slip- _pery and that music really is just a little too loud. Leaving the room to get some air, you see a guy and girl, hand in hand, heading upstairs to where the bedrooms are. His buddies are snickering and slapping him on the back as he walks by, grinning, and the girl’s face is turned toward the floor, toward the wall, away from the gaze of the other party—goers who know just what they’re heading up- stairs to do. You’re pretty sure that you saw that guy with a dif- ferent girl last night, but who knows. It happens all the time around here... . In this inaugural article, I’d like to ask you to think about what it means to be a lady or a gentleman. How do these elusive char- acters carry themselves? How do they treat one another? Washington and Lee has a culture all its own, and we be- gin internalizing the rules of that culture the day we move all our worldly possessions into an un-airconditioned shoebox in Graham-Lees. Suddenly and for the first time in our relative- ly short lives we are living next- door to members of the opposite sex, free of parental lockdown. For a while we hang onto the values and morals that we brought from home, but then we begin to change. New friends with different backgrounds, pro- ~ fessors who challenge us to look at the world through fresh eyes and an overwhelmingly permis- sive social scene. .. all combine to subtly (or obviously) alter our worldviews and to push us into the process of growing up. College shapes us into the men and women that we will be, so my question is: what is W&L shaping us into? I polled some people about their impressions of the words “lady” and “gentleman,” and I heard some expected and some surprising answers. When I asked for the defini- tion of a lady I was given words like mild-mannered, educated, respectable, sophisticated and proper. The responses for the definition of a gentleman were similar, and overall it seemed that ladies and gentlemen are expected to maintain cool, re- served behavior and not to make spectacles of themselves or act out. There was one response, however, that really caught my attention and that I want to examine here. One of my respondents said “a lady keeps her vices private; if she drinks or has sex, you don’t know about it.” He then went on to say that he believes the same to be true for a gentleman. If he has vices, we don’t know about it. If he womanizcs, he does it discretely. My next question for ‘ this young man was then, “why is sex for women a vice?” He responded by saying, “I don’t know, but for women it’s still perceived that way.” The term “womanize” tends to carry a powerful, if some- what lecherous, connotation. Womanizers are rascals, mis- chievous young devils who sow their wild oats with carefree abandon and maintain a domi- nant, desired position among their peers. They may not settle down, but damn it, they’re good at what they do. For women, on the other hand, there is no comparable term, although in this mod- ern era it has become common knowledge that women like sex as much as men, and are per- fectly capable of initiating the act. Women who enjoy a great deal of sex with multiple part- ners do not “manize,” they sim- ply sleep around. They do not enjoy an exalted status; other women don’t want to be them. Women who sleep around are sluts, and are looked down upon by men and women alike, even though the former tend to “benefit” from the behavior of said sluts. It seems to me that women’s honor, such as it is, is intricately interwoven with their sexual comportment, whereas it is nowhere near the same for men. Here at W&L there seems to be a dynamic interaction be- tween the characteristics that - define sluts, ladies and prudes. Perhaps, in the 21st century, we need to update our ideas about what it means to be a lady and a gentleman, because it seems that we maintain a kind of “double- think” in our expectations about normal, reasonable behavior for each of the sexes. Our expectations of ladies and gentlemen have changed, but our definitions have yet to catch up with our expectations. OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090202/WLURG39_RTP_20090202_003.2.txt MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 3 arts&life Lenfest to ‘talk Drda’ this Weekend “The Apotheosis of Vaclav Drda ” will feature a deliciously diverse cast of characters By Liz Blackwood STAFF women For Joanna, the main character in “The Apotheosis of Va- clav Drda,” nothing seems to be going right. Her director and ex—boyfriend, Nick, is too much of a pushover to give any real guidance or help; her co-stars struggle with a range of personal problems, including huge egos and tiny I.Q.’s; and her theater space is actually a tiny apartment. Written and directed by Christopher Cartmill ’84, The Apotheosis tells the story of Joanna, a frustrated and strug- gling actress who desperately tries to sustain her career by - borrowing money fiom her skeptical parents to fund a pro- duction of her favorite play. “It’s about why we do what it is we do and how we define success—and hopefully, have fun doing it,” says Cartmill, who has written over 30 plays, most of which, he says, he Unfortunately for Joanna...nothing seems to be going right: Her director and ex-boyfriend... is too much of a push- over...her co-stars struggle with a range of personal problems, including huge egos and tiny I.Q. is, and her theater space is actually a tiny apartment. feels lucky enough to have had produced and shown. Although a major in Chinese while at Washington and Lee, Cartmill was always involved with theatre, acting in sev- eral of the plays and taking many courses that would further enhance his love for the art. “I always knew I-would end up doing theatre,” he told me at a recent preview of “Vaclav,” choosing to study something else, like Chinese, purely as a passion. However, Cartmill has breached the gap between his two interests, by writing a play partially in Chinese, an addition to the thirty plus he already has penned. “Vaclav” is unique, though, in its depiction of a play, with- in another play. Cartmill has successfully crafied both to suit _ and carry each other The background story of Drda, as a character, and the ac- tual play he was supposed to have written not only inspire the actors, but also later help them to work through their own problems. Joanna admires Drda and chooses his play, to showcase her talents in her favorite theatre piece. She secretly hopes to catch the eye of a casting producer or agent. Unfortunately for Joanna, her co-stars’ motives for do- ing the play with no compensation are less passionate than Joanna’s. Played by Kevin Mannering, Gabriel, an egocentric dra- ma queen, is only doing the play because his agent asked him to bulk up his resume. Another character, Celeste, played by Marquita Robinson, is Joanna’s support and comic relief. Steve, played by Dave Curran, reiterates throughout the play that he’s just there to, heaven forbid, enjoy himself. Everything seems to go downhill, however, when the audi- ence joins the story already in progress, during one late night rehearsal. Gabriel is throwing a temper tantrum and Joanna is obviously frustrated by his immature and selfish actions. The director, played by Johnny Coyle, is no help in pacify- ing everyone’s quickly rising tempers, bouncing back between Joanna and Gabriel’s sides, agreeing with each equally. Meanwhile, Steve entertains himself with various stage props while the others argue. Celeste arrives to practice late after director Nick forgets he told her to come in at the agreed time. , To find out whether and how the mismatched cast is able to pull everything together, come see the play, running from February 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Johnson Theatre, Lenfest Hall. . The KLAZICS dance group took home first place with their show stealing choreography and humor. This year is lip sync engages, rather than enrages, the crowd By Jean Chapman STAFF WRITER For anyone who remembers Lip Sync last year, this year’s show was a whole different animal. To get the ball rolling, five house mothers of various fraternities arid sororities on campus opened the show with a spirited rendition of ‘‘It’s Raining Men.” One ob- server commented that the house mothers’ act was “a breath of fresh air” and that it was “You could tell that most of the groups worked extremely hard on their routines...it wasn ’t easy. ” Dlandra Splcak, first-year great “to have competitors who can have a little fun and put on a great show.” Not only was the house mother’s perfor- mance a crowd pleaser, but it set the tone for the rest of the show. Whereas last year ’s Lip Synch was somewhat marred by what one student called “the drunken gonging,” this year all of the frats and srats really stepped it up, putting on well-choreographed and well- executed show across the board. _ As another first at this year’s event, Alpha Delta Pi made their Lip Synch debut and they were certainly hard to miss. Their 4 groups of girls all showed of their sorority pride with classy, talented acts that definitely drew a positive response from the crowd. They were amongst the first and the last to perform and they definitely represented a welcome addi- tion to the night’s events. , Despite numerous impressive acts, the epic face-off between the KLAZICS and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity stole the show. Phi Beta Sigma performed first, showing off their incredible dance-floor skills as well as their sense of humor (their rendition of “Put a Ring on It” was priceless). They fulfilled their initial promise to the audience to shock, amaze, and make the ladies go crazy. The men of Phi Beta Sigma brought the house down with flawless choreography and professionalism. Though they may have only received second place this year, they were without a doubt a crowd favorite and tough act to follow. Next up to bat were the ultimate champi- ons of the night, the KLAZICS. As the Lip Synch’s only mixed-gender dancing group this year, their impressive mix of dance styles and amazingly multi-talented danc- ers ultimately won them the trophy for this year. The most stunning part of their act was undoubtedly the break dancing segment and the other acrobatic elements of their per- formance. They wowed the crowd and the judges, though it was anybody’s guess who would emerge victorious from the two star groups that evening. Kappa Delta took home third place at this year’s Lip Synch for their stylish mix of Brit- Looking for a Job or internship? Check out these Career Fairs... C2C College To Career Fair Richmond, VA \X/ednesday, February 25, 2009 www.collegetocareerfair.com Washington Metro Green Job Fair Arlington, VA Friday, February 27, 2009 www.vsbn.org Philadelphia Not-for-Profit Career Fair Bryn Mawr College, Philadelphia, PA Friday, February 27, 2009 464.4401 ney Spears hits, complete with costumes that would even make Brit jealous.'Other impres- sive acts included Chi Omega’s seven deadly sins medley, Pi Beta Phi’s rappers who “Let it Rock,” Beta’s rendition of the Fresh Prince theme, the Chi Psi’s guest appearance of Jesus and the devil, Sigma Chi’s infamous Chippendales routine, and ADPi’s swing- dancing version of “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” which closed out the show. This year’s Lip Synch was definitely one to be remembered. Rasaq Lawal, member of the Phi Beta Sigma team, commented that overall this‘ year’s ' show’ iwiI's""‘rriuch‘ better than last year” and that “the crowd was viva- cious and 110% engaged in the eventif’ Diandra Spicak, dancer for Pi Beta Phi, shared similar sentiments. She remarked that “you could tell that most of the groups worked extremely hard on their routines” and also applauded “all the groups and indi- viduals that had the guts to participate in Lip 0 Sync. . .it wasn’t easy.” Numerous students said they particularly loved the house moms’ performance, and hoped that the moms will pull something together again next year. Lip Synch, clearly a resounding hit this year, managed to raise over $7000 dollars, all to be given to Rockbridge area food pan- tries and food pantries across the state of Virginia. It was a positive, energetic, and fun event that not only provided the W&L com- munity with some great entertainment for the evening but also did a lot of good for the rest of the community. ReclHenLex.com This Valentinels Dag treat Ljourselves to the Most Romantic clinner in Lexington www.haverford.edu/cdo/services/ recruiting/nfp.html Come visit Career Services for more information! VVASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY CAREERSERVICES careers.w|u.edu 540 458 8595 . at the Hen \ Ala carte menu, or a special seven~course tasting menu Two seatings: 6 and 8:30 Call 454.4401 now for a reservation! ll E Washington Street MORGAN HARRIS / Staff Photographer OCR::/Vol_112/WLURG39_RTP_20090202/WLURG39_RTP_20090202_004.2.txt 4 0 THE RING-TUM PHI arts&life The blues Won’t get you down MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2009 Crouch tells his audience about tragic optimism: there is hope in the struggle By Vlctorla Taylor STAFF WRITER It’s not every day that a guest speaker sticks his gum on the podium or excuses himself to take a bathroom break mid- lecture. Nor does every speaker fuel heated debates and ex- changes during a question and answer session. , Those were just a few of the unexpected aspects of passion- ate and accomplished writer Stanley’ Crouch’s lecture on Tuesday. In the lecture, entitled “Blues for Tomorrow,” Crouch expressed his belief in what he calls “tragic optimism,” the idea that life is hopeful despite its suffering and struggles. He has the same view of African-American and Ameri- can history. Crouch argued that the 19th century folk anti-hero Davy Crockett was the original gangster rapper, representing what he feels is a tragic, yet op- timistic evolution. “If Davy Crockett was around today,” Crouch said, “he would be known as Coon-head Baby D, King of the Wild Fron- tier and he would get a record deal.” According to Crouch, Crock- ett’s proudly unrefined vulgar- ity and his anti-aristocratic feel- ings against European etiquette created an authenticity similar to that emulated by today’s rap- pers. Crouch said the Crockett of the magazines displayed the same characteristics that would today be considered street or ghetto. “Crockett knew Who he was, just what he’d done and just how hard it’d been,” he said. “[He] did not need the valida- tion of the educated elite. He was rough and arrogantly proud of it.” The lecture led to an intense question and answer session in which Crouch interrupted participants and flat-out ar- gued with seemingly anyone who spoke. It also emphasized Crouch’s critical views on Rap music and culture, which had not been the main focus of his lecture. Professor Marc Conner of the Program in African-Ameri- cans Studies, said that the way and anyone who has read him or read about him knows this. While it’s difficult for me, per- sonally, to listen to someone be somewhat abrupt with our students, nevertheless that is a mode of public discourse in America, and it is good for peo- ple to see that.” 1 “If Davy Crockett was around today...he would be known as Coon-head Baby D, King of the Wild frontier and he would get a record deal. ” Stanley crouch, lecturer in which the question and an- Sophomore Mercy Kibe was swer session went not unordi- admittedly overwhelmed after nary given Crouch’s personal- the lecture. “Wow,” she said. “He speaks his mind and leaves you with an opinion.” ' Conner said that the audi- ence’s decision to focus their ity. “Mr. Crouch is known for being direct, aggressive, even rude in his public discussions,” Conner said. “That’s his mode, Opening Night by Neville L. Fogarty Head over to ringtuinphicrossword.blogspot.com to check your solution to this week's puzzle! Across 1 2 3 4 5 61 7 s ‘l in 11 12 13 I Stirring M 6 Line, bar, or picture M 13 M 1" ll ‘Letters before an alias 13 1;; 2,; 14 MM Major 15 Nuke leftovers 3’ 23 33 17 "The Twilight Zone” 24 26 2? g 28 N creator Serlmg 18 Stan ofa refrain 39 33 53 19 With 62-Across, part of 21-Across: "The WW. .. 34 so 3.7 2] With 38- and 60—Acmss, event starting on February 3% 3%’ 40 g 4I 5, 2009 23 Live and breaihe 42 43 44 '35 46 47 48 49 24 Either ofunion generals Sf.) 5: 5: 5 3 54 Alexander or William 25 Basebalfs Mel 55 36 5- 58 26 Like Salman Ruslidiefs verses _ 59 60 (ii 30 "MM Douiitfire” 1 1 ; ~ -i 31 The "I" in Torr "“ "" "4 ‘*3 6’ 32 Gels down on one's knees 5,; 6,, 33 "Much MM About Nothing" 7; 1;; 34 Nickel. for one 36 Ring spot: 37 Buckets 33 S“ 3 3 ‘A°’°‘~‘3 73 Like :1 poorly poured beer 26 I S-wheeler 49 Dari»: time for poets 41 Tafdl’ Z7 Willi wide open 52 George Eliot’s "WM 45 Ketch or lwyak D‘’‘'‘'‘'‘ 23 (int-—riaia of -.1 1975 ABBA WNW" 46 "Eagle's nest 1 may P3” single 52 Jimmy Buffet: lyric: "lfwe 50 Pool 2 It may be iinconveiitioiizii 29 Army bed ‘3?11l‘5“i1 lifflélh We "“‘“ld . ,0 . 51 Belgrade native 3 Wall Street worker 31 1938 song " ,,,,,,,, ,_ Be Seeing. 5‘ :h E """ “‘ dd n . . . . v 7 Y‘ , 0112 I10. ‘:1 *0 52 Iraq War bomb, briefly 4 Umts oi mass. briefly ‘ 0“ ,6 D D,‘ m H n We .. u . ,- ., . o.:.~u ii 1- . 54 B°"m“ find 5 BMW brother 32 ‘Y:I(‘hLlLl') {(:1§:‘g()“:3IB 57 D L itdd 6 55 Dairy mm; 6 {nves n10n§§='.l() fl _ P _ _ ~ . 35 (gorilla 58 Small egg cell 57 its derivative 13 lfx 7 Mwfi 3 ml‘P« i<‘e1’l-“P5 _ , , . N A. 36 Q-Tap 60 200?. T~shirI slogan: " ‘W 58 Movie remake released on 3 35*‘ greellng _ _ \ wimman ” 06/06106, with "The" 9 pmme 37 D“ *“"‘h _ __ , , - ~ . 61 (gasi wearer s ‘ roblem 39 Blblltdl brother 9 59 Be bedridden :0 "pa; (_~1,-,m¢¢2_'*- 62 P ()m_ is--,,-..u.. r ise 66 Seezi-Acmss ii am: ol‘C‘holseaFoo1ball 4" B‘““‘”“‘ “W ml‘ 63 gm M . . . , , ‘ aw‘ _‘ 62 ...of __M" (See I9-Acmss} Club 4' H"m”““’5=g1‘d 64 gm H k ,n a N . , ’ . .. rer an: -'~ 66 muefins 12 gojmmg ¢a,p_ 42 Floral n£-(.»l\.Ei7lL'e 6‘ Hi ‘ho mm -------- -- 68 Rice University mascot l3 9°P‘“P**‘- “-2- 43 -~- dc T”°mph" 6:’ 70:1 Cr: 6 1,1 69 I-I<:arsr‘s San WM castle "5 1-“idli-T P3113 44 ¥':dF‘11-yirlift-el‘:1<:FSYm .r.-Vanim 11 ,, . ,, r, rs * 24 3.‘ .......... .. 70 Post-toast sound 30 "Ms W0 “"1”? 47 B 4 1 W T‘ W mm 71 l1sy~bitsy 22 Go bad 48 ” ‘l 72 par; 9f 1-;)mm 24 Sound of hesitation t 31“ 5 Wm questions on Crouch’s view of Rap music was an “un-produc- tive direction for discussion” because of the rather limited views on rap shared by some audience members and Crouch. “His views on rap really con- nect to his views of American culture, but the audience didn’t want to pursue that.” Although he had his pre- sentation on paper, some of Crouch’s most provocative comments came from his fre- quent asides, which included an anecdote about asking a child- hood friend who stole ‘cars if he ever worried if someone would take his University of Los An- geles textbooks from the back- seat. Crouch even took a stab at Washington and Lee. “Named after George Wash- ington and Robert E. Lee,” he said. “One of them was great and one of them was who he was.” Conner said that the event itself was very productive and that the students did a great job in asking questions and express- ing their disagreements. “Yeah, he irritated some people,” he said, “and yeah, he made some points which many people did not seem to agree. But a university needs to bring people like this to its campus. That’s the point of a liberal education, to encounter other views and have to wrestle with them.” Crouch writes a weekly col- umn for the New York Daily News and has published two novels in addition to numer- ous essays. The lecture was sponsored by the Program in African-American Studies, the departments of art, history and politics, University Scholars, Onyx, Contact and the Oflice of the Dean of Students. Prgfiles in Leadership: Chris Tutor He serves as large group coordinator for Generals’ Christian Fellowship (GCF), Secre- tary of the Student judicial Council, Assistant Head Resident and advisor to First Year Lead- ership Council . He is a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and work-study program at the University Store. What energizes you about taking on the responsibilities of campus leader- ship? “I try to have a passion for people that flows outyvof my relationship yvith/)]e_sus. God is passionate aboufthé pe'o'ple"6n this"6einip'i‘i’s'"’ei'iid I w2iii't"‘.t’o‘ ‘be‘’‘ passionate too. I"think’it is qruiteievidcnt to most people that there is a lot of need on this campus and that translates into an opportunity to invest in people, build relation- ships, and transform our school.” What has been one of the most rewarding aspects of leadership at VVSLL? “In GCF, I love seeing God meet people where they are at and truly satisfy their needs and desires. I hope that doesn’t sound too mystical or silly because I have honestly seen God work in my life and the lives of other people. How can that not be the most rewarding aspect of anything I have participated in here? With the S]C, it’s much more difficult to view my involvement as “rewarding” because (although necessary) it is a tough and unpleasant thing to mete out sanctions for conduct violations. I hope that our work in helping to educate the campus and even sanctioning students have positively affected individual lives and have fostered a safer cam- pus. I also want to mention how rewarding my friendships with the gentlemen on my halls have been year after year.” Any words of advice for those who follow? “I suppose the only advice I can offer, the best advice, is in fact advice from someone else: Love God and love people more than you love yourself.” Tuesdays with Leadership: Con flict Resolution 12:15 and 6:30 PM, Room 214 Elrod Commons Explore the theory, process and specific steps to resolving conflict on interpersonal levels gméy it Emma P_i?:i:ni. CAR Basin 8: Tia Tor (fart: Order from our complete meiiii. 0! Join £15 fin’ one isfimr .««‘tL.L YOU CAN EAT Buffets! Friday Night Seafood Buffet with Crab Legs 5pm-10pm Saturday Night Prime Rib {Dinner 5pm~10;3m Sunday Baked Chicken, Pork Loin, & PotRoast1?am~9;::m Friday 8: Saturday Late Night Breakfast Bar t€3pm~2am Breakfast Bar 7 Days a Week 6am~l tam Daily Hot Country Bar Mamrwpm Daily Soup, Salad, 3. Fruit Bar ltarmflpm Order .Breal<.fast 24 l~lo‘urs a day, 7 days a wrxrki Home Cooked Meals & Stillfllfiffl lliirxpiiafiiyi’ Located at Ill ll ‘Mill PM I-81 & I-64, list! 195, 2516 Noah Lee llwy,, l..'c>