Ithaca College Digital Commons @ IC The thI acan, 2008-09 The thI acan: 2000/01 to 2009/2010 1-22-2009 The thI acan, 2009-01-22 Ithaca College Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_2008-09 Recommended Citation Ithaca College, "The thI acan, 2009-01-22" (2009). The Ithacan, 2008-09. 10. http://digitalcommons.ithaca.edu/ithacan_2008-09/10 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the The thI acan: 2000/01 to 2009/2010 at Digital Commons @ IC. It has been accepted for inclusion in The thI acan, 2008-09 by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ IC. OPINION GRADUATES FACE NO HEALTH BENEFITS, PAGE 12 CALM CONTROL ACCENT WINTER FESTIVAL LIGHTS UP ITHACA, PAGE 15 SeniorSenio center dominates on the court, page 27 THIS I SEE LIVING IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT, PAGE 32 Thursday Ithaca, N.Y. January 22, 2009 The Ithacan Volume 76, Issue 15 Students visit Israel despite Gaza violence BY BECCA BURNS ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Ithaca College freshman Irma Goldberg checked her Facebook each day of winter break to fi nd dozens of “be safe” messages on her wall. While her friends were watching the confl ict between Is- rael and Hamas on TV, Goldberg Students clap and cheer Tuesday in Emerson was experiencing it fi rsthand. Ev- Suites as Obama is sworn in as president. ery day, she saw soldiers recently ALLISON USAVAGE/THE ITHACAN back from the fi ghting, and the graves of those no longer living. Goldberg went to Israel this win- ter on Birthright, a free, 10-day trip available to Jews between the ages of 18 and 26 that is sponsored by Taglit-Birthright, a partnership or- bama ganization between Israeli and Jew- ish community organizations. She Above: President Obama waves to crowds after his said 40 students were scheduled to inauguration speech in front of the Capitol building. go on this trip, but 10 dropped out JAE C. HONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS once fi ghting began. Ithaca College Bottom left: Ithaca residents Chris Loviglio and Katie also sent 10 students on Birthright arrives Minarski watch the speech Tuesday at Micawber’s. EVAN FALK/THE ITHACAN through Hillel, Jewish Chaplain Michael Faber said. Th ough Goldberg said the at- Members of the Ithaca community celebrate new leadership in White House tacks were still going on when she O got there, she did not feel she was BY TRICIA L. NADOLNY But when the crowd in the nation’s million people gathered on the streets focused on the challenges ahead. in danger. STAFF WRITER capital roared, Ithaca joined in. of Washington, D.C. More than a “Starting today we must pick our- Some students said they went Some leaned slightly forward, “It was like you were holding your thousand fi lled the chairs, aisles, fl oors selves up, dust ourselves off and begin to do volunteer work, some to visit waiting in anticipation for his next breath until he was done with the and doorways of Emerson Suites. again the work of remaking America,” friends and some to learn more word, and for oath,” junior Kate Pike said. “And then, Obama, the nation’s fi rst black he said. about their heritage. Th ough they the next day everybody exploded. Th at’s all you president, described himself in his Krystina Murawski, a junior in may have gone for diff erent reasons, of American Vew a photo gallery of could do. All I could think was to clap inaugural address as “a man whose Ithaca College’s Washington Program, most said they felt it was important politics. Oth- campus celebration and yell as loud as I could.” father less than 60 years ago might started Inauguration Day at 4 a.m. She to be there during a time of war and at theithacan.org/ ers sat back in On Tuesday afternoon, Americans not have been served at a local restau- stood in line for seven hours to get to support the people of Israel. go/09obama. their chairs — across the country came together as rant.” Still, he lingered on this historic close to the Capitol but because of the Th e fi ghting, which began when silent — their joints loose and their the nation ushered in its 44th presi- fact for only a moment and, instead, Israel bombed Gaza on Dec. 27, was eyes at ease. dent — Barack Hussein Obama. A recounted his message of change and See PRESIDENT, page 4 aimed at punishing Hamas militants who have been bombing Israel for the last eight years. Battling killed approximately 1,300 Gazans, the vast majority of whom were civil- ians, and thousands of Palestinian College commemorates King’s legacy homes were destroyed, according to Th e Associated Press. Israel had BY PALOMA ALTAMIRANO relatively few casualties — 13 dead, CONTRIBUTING WRITER including 10 soldiers — before de- While some people use holidays like Martin claring a cease-fi re Jan. 19. Luther King Jr. Day to sleep in a bit longer or relax, Faber said he thought it was hundreds of students at Ithaca College instead chose safe for Jews to travel to Israel to give back to the Ithaca during this time. community, making MLK “I wouldn’t hesitate as a parent Day at the college “a day on, View a photo gallery to send my child,” he said. not off .” of the day’s events Goldberg said Birthright trip at theithacan.org/ John Rawlins, assistant itineraries had to be cleared by the go/09mlk. director of the Offi ce of Israeli government daily and an Multicultural Aff airs, said most people consider this armed medic was always with the holiday just a day off of school or work. groups. She said visiting Israel dur- “Dr. King’s message wasn’t about just sitting back ing the confl ict gave her a much and doing nothing,” Rawlins said. “It was always better perspective of the country about being proactive.” and its people. On Monday, students had the opportunity to “You really see the country participate in service activities at 15 diff erent sites come together a lot more when around the town of Ithaca. Students also had the there is a confl ict, and I really got to chance to get involved in diff erent workshops and Freshman MLK scholar Lawrence Moten gives a presentation on the civil rights movement to fellow see how much pride there is every- facilitated discussions throughout the day. Th e day students Monday in Emerson Suites for the college’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. where for the country,” she said. closed with the third annual MLK Celebration Con- CHLOE NELSON/THE ITHACAN During her trip, Goldberg went cert, which included readings as well as songs cel- to Mt. Hertzl, the national Jew- ebrating King’s life and work. tic reading by senior Maxwell Lawrence, an MLK Some of the sites that students of the college were ish cemetery, and saw freshly dug MLK Day began with a speech by Ithaca Col- Scholar. After the fi rst-year MLK Scholars gave a involved with included the Sciencenter, the Tomp- graves of soldiers who had recently lege President Tom Rochon about his favorite quote presentation on the civil rights movement, students kins County Public Library Foundation, Longview been killed. She spoke to a group from King. left for community service sites across Ithaca. and Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. of soldiers who were constantly re- “We’re not sure where we want to be,” he said, Deb Mohlenhoff , assistant director of the Center Students also had the chance to attend the an- ceiving calls about friends who got “And we’re not sure where we’re going to be. But we for Student Leadership and Involvement, said this nual MLK Day luncheon at the Greater Ithaca Ac- injured during the confl ict. sure are a long way from where we were.” year, the number of community service participants tivities Center. It featured keynote speaker Locksley “It’s things like this that got me Rochon’s speech was followed with a perfor- almost doubled from last year. Th is year she said mance by the Amani Gospel singers and an artis- there were about 175 people, and 90 last year. See OBSERVANCE, page 4 See HOLY LAND, page 4 find more. online. www.theithacan.org THURSDAY BRIEFING 2 The Ithacan Thursday, January 22, 2009 THIS Nation&World WEEK Obama begins White House duties 22 THURSDAY President Obama stepped into the Oval Of- fi ce for the fi rst time as chief executive yesterday 2009 Summer Orientation and summoned economic advisers and top mili- Leader information meeting from tary offi cials to separate meetings aimed at de- 6 to 7 p.m. in DeMotte Meeting livering the change he promised as a candidate. Room in Campus Center A multi-denominational prayer service at Washington National Cathedral and an open Film Screening of “Call Me house at the presidential mansion were also on Troy,” as part of the LGBT fi lm the schedule of the 44th president, taking offi ce series, at 7 p.m. in Textor 102 on a promise to fi x the battered economy and WICB/VIC Rush Night at 7 p.m. withdraw U.S. troops from the war in Iraq on a in Park Auditorium 16-month timetable. Obama’s fi rst White House meetings as pres- 23 FRIDAY ident meshed with quickened eff orts in Con- gress to add top Cabinet offi cials to the roster Varsity crew information meet- of those confi rmed Tuesday and to advance the ing at 4 p.m.