The film, ‘Avatar’, has been hailed as a movie classic and by some as the ‘greatest movie of all time’. It stole away the box office records, made a splash on 2010 movies, and has been on everyone’s mind. It’s been hailed as a work of proverbial genius. The graphics and costume designers of the film certainly deserve official recognition for their outstanding, if at times overdone work. That is where praise should end, however. Rather than being seen as the greatest film ever, it could be argued that ‘Avatar’ was a racist film with a trite plotline. The film was holistically quite banal and overdone. The morals espoused in Avatar promote the idea of a white outsider coming into an indigenous culture, teaching them and eventually leading them to victory against other white people. Considering the main character, Jake Sully, is a white man, and the Na’vi are all portrayed by ethnic actors and exhibit characteristic of a colored tribal society, this racist mentality seems to hold credence in explaining Avatar’s story.

This story has been done over and over again. ‘Dances With Wolves’ with Kevin Costner and ‘The Last Samurai’ with Tom Cruise both have a nearly identical plotline. The white man enters a foreign culture, falls in love with their way of life and one of their women, and wages a violent war against the evil culture he came from. It may be a story worth telling but it has been done already. To earn the title of ‘greatest movie of all time’ one must develop a slightly more sophisticated plotline than one that has already received so much exposure. It’s sad to see movies today degrade into action-packed visual stimulants. Whatever happened to stories with meaning, substance, and originality? Apparently they are gone by the wayside. The title of greatest movie of all time is today relegated to movies that appeal to our baser instincts for explosions, sex scenes with aliens who grow phallic dreadlocks, and simplistic good versus bad plot lines. Yes, we know white culture is evil and cutting down trees is bad. Thank you, James Cameron.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/dec/11/avatar-james-cameron-film-review

Justice task force recommends about 50 Guantanamo detainees be held indefinitely

In the newest iteration of President Obama’s “Change for America: A rejection of Bushy Policies” the Federal Government has decided to continue the trend of indefinite detention in our secret prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The issue at hand centers on what rights (if any) people captured by American Military, Paramilitary and contracted personnel have.

The unique style of the “War on Terror” demands unique solutions to the problems facing our policymakers. No longer does contracts like the Geneva Convention dictate procedures, because the line between “enemy combatants” and “woman making rice for Resistance Fighters” is increasingly blurred. Additionally, provisions for repatriating foreign fighters at the end of conflict are nullified because the current conflicts have no definition of victory or means of ending the conflict, two traditional hallmarks of prisoner release.

Moving forward, the concepts of Git-Mo and secret prisons are unethical and should be abandoned. Although some may claim that European torture-houses are necessary for our safety, I refuse to be part of any government in which Rendition is the status quo; in which our view of “aggressive information gathering” is “out of sight, out of mind” and we stand by as fellow human beings get treated in such a manner.

It seems foolish to decry current policy without an adequate counter-plan, and I would suggest instead that the United States accept the responsibility of our foreign actions and allow for internment inside the United States, a tradition that dates back through both World Wars and even into the American Revolution.

It’s not often that I find something on campus so disturbing that I have to stop and think about it.  I’m not *that* type of conservative…

…oh come on.  You know what I mean – I’m not of the book-burning, poster-tearing, art-vandalizing ilk.  I believe that if something warrants such action, it’s worthy of discussion, and when someone tears/burns/vandalizes something, they’re trying to *stop* that discussion – liberals and conservatives alike.

These touchy issues – the ones that stop a dinner conversation or casual dialogue and make things “parents-having-sex” awkward, are the ones that deserve a proper forum.   With regard to abortion, I feel that I cannot be alone when I state that a party is certainly not that forum.

Abortion Party

So it goes that when I stumbled onto this sign several days ago (mind you, it’s still hanging on – no one, not even OneSource, has removed it), I was taken aback.  Surely even a pro-choice individual understands the complexities of an issue like abortion deserve more respect than… a party?

Now – my pro-choice friends, I can already predict your response.  ”But… it says Roe v. Wade Anniv. Party.”  Like that makes any difference…  Roe v. Wade was more than a trial – it was a woman, and her difficult decision.  Regardless of where one stands on that decision, it was a sobering one, evocative of (on the left) coat hangers, bloodied sketchy abortionists operating out of dark hotel rooms and alleyways.  On the right, it conjures images of tiny hands and feet, barely the size of a quarter, but still in the image of an unborn life.

I’m not trying to start an abortion debate right here, right now.  This isn’t about abortion rights, this is about good taste – class, decency, and understanding.  All traits that the host or hosts of this “party” certainly lack.

UPDATE: As it turns out, Lehigh’s own Women’s Center was behind this affair. Issues of political neutrality and teal and purple stars aside, this evidence only furthers my conviction that those who claim to speak for women’s rights and women’s issues at Lehigh have a cavernous disconnect from reality. Even Muhlenburg faculty who declined the invitation on Facebook noted that students should “celebrate for me.” Celebrate? Absolutely disgusting… Note that Don Cunningham was on the guest list.

Event Sponsored in part by Lehigh Women's Center

Regrets from Muhlenberg faculty member Peter Pettit

Lehigh County Executive Don Cunningam was invited.

“Shame on you America: the only country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed without eating, elderly going without needed meds, and mentally ill without treatment – yet we have a benefit for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations. 99% of people won’t have the guts to copy and repost this.”

Above quote is from a friend’s status on Facebook.

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake affecting Haiti on January 12th resulted in an outpouring of aid throughout the developing world, with Americans being bombarded by “Text ‘Haiti’ to 90999″ and the other numbers for American Red Cross and related charity and relief organizations dedicated to Haitian aid.

Lehigh University has started their own Haitian Initiative; Collecting $50,000 towards relief efforts. Despite the best intentions of the Community Service Office, is Haitian relief, efforts that have been duplicated around the world, really the best use of Lehigh Student’s time and money?

Goodwill to mankind is a noble goal, but logistical and financial concerns limit the impact that can be made. While Dr. King was a proponent of “help[ing] our neighbors across borders just as much as our friends down the street.”, when 17,000 Pennsylvanians are homeless, our efforts would be better spent closer to home, helping our friends down the street.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_654237.html

Whether they want to admit it or not, the supporters of alternative energy rely on the threat of oil scarcity to sway people who really do not care if the Earth’s average temperature rises 1°F in 100 years.  This article purports that the claim our oil wells will dry up in about 1o to 30 years is not only unfounded but also has been repeated for the last 80 years.

 This reminds me of the conspiracy theory that oil is not limited but instead is constantly being created deep in the Earth and oozes up from tectonic plates. Since that science is a little shaky, I’ll do my best to stay away from that and other conspiracy theories.

Our world runs on oil, gas, and coal. To deny that is ignorant. I do not suggest we drop all research into alternative energy, but to set unreachable goals for “energy independence” (double talk for non-fossil fuels; true energy independence would be domestic drilling) is foolish.

More people are demanding more energy than ever before and the “green” technology is not affordable or efficient. With the leaked CRU documents putting conciderable doubt on anthropogenic global warming and new, large oil deposits continuously being found with improving technology, I wonder why we are allocating so much tax money to alternative energy. For example, GE got billions from TARP and other federal sources to make wind turbines (Made in China) and install them. Wait, aren’t GE and Obama best friends?

Right, no conspiracy theories.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/11/11/the_us_house_of_presumptuous_meddlers_99099.html

Many young people, such as college students, do not worry about the implications of health care. We aren’t concerned by it because we don’t think that we’ll get sick. In fact, the exorbitant numbers we always here about how many Americans that don’t have health insurance are probably inflated just because of how many young people choose not to have it. They could afford it but choose not to because they don’t plan on getting sick, as a senior citizen would.
Even if we only have to tap into the health care system when we are older, we should be aware of what is happening in the Capitol building. No good can come of government takeover of health care. We as students need to be awake to these frightening realities.

Article

In Friday’s issue of the Brown and White, a letter from Jailin Lu was published. It contends that the so-called egregious waste of food that occurs on a daily basis in the fine eating establishments on this campus are responsible for the genocide of millions of people in much of the underdeveloped world.

Jailin’s letter largely attempts to apply the cultural customs of China, in particular their ancient proverb of “wasting food is a crime” and that it was disrespectful towards farmers to waste their hard work. However, we do not live in China, nor do we live in Ancient times. Instead, farming is a profit-driven enterprise conducted by less than two percent of the American population in today’s day and age. Wasting food in today’s world is no more disrespectful to farmers then wasting gas is to oil drillers.

Another contention perpetrated by the letter was that wasted food here translates into recurring genocide throughout much of the world. However, wasted food, which equates to higher food prices in the United States is beneficial; not detrimental to much of the world. Many people in rural Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are local farmers. Higher food prices translate into an increased amount of money that can be made by farmers, which in turn spurs local investment, increased economic development and the ability for many to improve their social standing. In turn, higher food prices are beneficial, and not detrimental to impoverished people throughout the world.

Upon reading this editorial in the Washington Examiner, I was genuinely surprised about recent polls released about women’s views on health care. The bottom line is that more women would oppose a large health care overhaul with a public option than support it.

Keep in mind that women typically vote Democratic and the woman vote was not insignificant in Obama’s move to the White House.

Between having more medical procedures done and a typical man’s refusal to see a doctor even after a finger or two are missing, women have more exposure to the health care system. The poll revealed that women would prefer private options opposed to one public option, whether because of a fall in quality or a rise in price. Most are happy with what they have and worry that funding a public option would fall on their children’s shoulders.

According to the poll, women do want a decrease in the cost of insurance (who doesn’t) and a reduction of “artificial roadblocks to a more competitive and efficient private health care system.”

That is something I can agree with.

What is a Libertarian?

Libertarianism is the political school of thought that I identify with most. It is based upon the principles our country was founded on; freedom, and by extension limiting the role of government to the roles put forth in the constitution and its subsequent amendments.

Libertarians traditionally oppose expansions of government services. My particular thoughts on Libertarianism and the role of government relegate the government to only those things that individuals are unable to do; for instance, the interstate highway system, local policemen, a system for commerce, and protection from external and internal threats to personal liberty. Furthermore, government should restrain itself from interfering in peoples lives unless it is entirely necessary.

That’s it. I fundamentally oppose things such as healthcare, which should be the role of the individual, governmental decisions on gay marriage or abortion, as that is constitutionally a role of local governments or individuals in their own home falling under the role of government.

Is my opinion on government controversial? Sure. But I want to hear your view.

Attending Obama’s inauguration was an interesting experience for me, to say the least. I have been to the last two inaugurations, both for President Bush. I wondered how an inauguration for President Obama would differ. I also wondered if it would be a positive or negative experience for me, being an Obama detractor.

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