The Vanderbilt Torch

Making Minority an Issue: America and the Victim

On Thursday, March 20, the Middle Eastern Student Association (MESA) hosted “Middle Eastern Night” in the Board of Trust Room and Ballroom of the Student Life Center, sharing their culture and heritage with a wide cross-section of the Vanderbilt Community. The undergraduates, graduate students, staff, and faculty in attendance were treated to a delicious meal donated by Athens family restaurant, belly dancing from professionals and students alike, and the comedic act “Axis of Evil.” All of these events celebrated Middle Eastern culture and educated attendants through inclusion. However, one aspect of the evening ironically did just the opposite, and is indicative of a larger problem in American society.

Al Gore's Nobel Victory a Hollow One

In 1895, Alfred Nobel wrote his third and final will, in which he famously established the fund for the Nobel Prize using the fortune he made from the invention of dynamite. Einstein explained Nobel’s action by saying that, "Alfred Nobel invented an explosive more powerful than any then known - an exceedingly effective means of destruction. To atone for this 'accomplishment' and to relieve his conscience, he instituted his award for the promotion of peace." Whatever the motivation for the award’s establishment, the Nobel Peace Prize has stood for many years as a symbol that, no matter what conflicts may plague the earth, there are still people who devote their lives to ending them. However, recent selections made by the committee that awards the prize lead some to question whether Nobel’s intentions are still being followed.

Visions Play 'Keely and Du' Not Insightful

According to one of the faculty members at a recent showing of Vanderbilt University Theatre’s (VUT) production of “Keely and Du,” the purpose of the play was to encourage people to think about the abortion debate and find something to respect in all points of view. However, while the play was well-acted and it seemed that the cast and director did all they could to balance the perspectives, the script itself left little room for any kind of fair presentation of the issue it portrayed. Instead the play spends much of its stage time perpetuating common abortion myths and building caricatures of the pro-life movement, with only the two title characters providing any depth or humanity to the story. The complete lack of legitimate discussion on the issues surrounding abortion made this play less of a presentation of the topic addressed and more of a sensationalist drama seeking to demonize one side of the debate.

Joy of Wine, Pain of Law

Quickly bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may whet my mind and say something clever. –Aristophanes

The millennia-old tradition of making and tasting wine is experiencing a comeback across the United States, and Tennessee has recently seen a large amount of growth in consumption of the beverage. However, limitations on both production and direct shipment are limiting Tennessee vineyard growth and hampering consumers from fully enjoying their hobby.