TTHEHE PPRIMARYRIMARY SSOURCEOURCE VV EE RR II TT AA SS SS II NN EE DD OO LL OO Tufts' Voice of Reason The Arts Issue March 15, 2001 Darla's Women's Day rally didn't quite get the participation she was looking for. Losing enthusiasm for politics as usual? Join the SOURCE! We're always on the lookout for new writers, editors, illustrators, and production staff. Call Josh at x1602 or email [email protected] 2 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, MARCH 15, 2001 THE PRIMARY SOURCE Vol. XIX • The Journal of Conservative Thought at Tufts University • No. 10 D E P A R T M E N T S From the Editor 4 Want your band to lose credibility? Move it to the Left. Commentary 6 More shady Clinton dealings and a communique from the dead Fortnight in Review 8 An evil frog and anecdotes from the SOURCE shooting trip Notable and Quotable 24 A R T I C L E S Nationally Endowed 10 by Ezra Klughaupt page 8 When the government funds the arts, strippers become "performance artists." A Million Manga 15 by Chris Kohler Think you know all there is to know about Japanese comics? All About Oscar 16 by Michael Santorelli This year, will the Academy abandon the political courage? A Modest Proposal 18 by Stephen Tempesta The Brooklyn Museum hosts more religion-bashing art. Days of Future Passed 19 by Lew Titterton Progressive Rock or regressive crap? Let the listener decide. Online Larceny 20 by Andrew Gibbs page 21 Napster's days are numbered—good riddance! Love Story 22 by Alyssa Heumann Filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai presents a meticulously crafted vision of romance. S P E C I A L F E A T U R E S Separated at Birth 11 Betcha never knew so many Tuftonians are related to celebrities. The SOURCE's Great Conservative Movies 12 Tired of the liberal schlock Hollywood puts out these days? Off to the video store with you, and be sure to pick up these classic flicks. SOURCE Limericks 14 In honor of Saint Patty's Day, here's a few saucy rhymes! Fun with Guns—The SOURCE/Tufts Republicans Go Shooting 23 page 23 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, MARCH 15, 2001 3 From the Editor THE PRIMARY SOURCE Soon Forgotten ince rock is a progressive musical move- who take a stand for their beliefs, Pearl Jam’s Sment, one might assume that a band that anti-establishment binge has harmed its most espouses liberal politics would thrive. Not devoted followers. In 1996, Vedder donned so—consider the sad story of one of my his anti-capitalist armor to become Saint former favorite bands: rock’s most tragic left- George battling the corporate dragon. But his THE J OURNAL OF C ONSERVATIVE ists, Pearl Jam. fruitless campaign against Ticketmaster only THOUGHT AT T UFTS U NIVERSITY Clad in down-to-earth flannel, Eddie forced the band into smaller venues and Vedder and his bandmates rose to the heights required fans to wait on long lines at remote JOSHUA MARTINO of rock n’ roll stardom with the release of ticket selling locations. Editor-in-Chief 1991’s Ten. Recognizing an alternative to Moreover, Pearl Jam’s politics did noth- the flashy androgyny of Eighties hair-metal, ing to boost record sales. As the band became Editorial Department the mainstream embraced Vedder’s moody more radical, its music became less palatable JONATHAN P ERLE voice and social conscience. Critics called to rock listeners. Their three most recent Managing Editor the movement grunge. And even with that studio releases have sold only 3.5 million STEPHEN TEMPESTA / National Affairs dissonant moniker, fans swarmed to Pearl Jam copies, according to SoundScan. The figure and bought ten million copies of their debut. sounds impressive, but is a disappointment SAM DANGREMOND / Campus Issues Fame instantly changed the band and its for a band that sold at least that many records EZRA KLUGHAUPT / Commentary lead singer. Once at the top of the charts, for each of its first three releases. Pearl Jam’s young Eddie the soulful rock angst-monger most recent album, Binaural, has only gone Production Department morphed into Vedder the political activist gold—and it probably will not go platinum ADAM BIACCHI / Publishing extraordinaire. considering it will likely be lost in the deluge MEGAN LIOTTA / Business Manager The lead singer’s metamorphosis began of bootleg CDs the band released in 2000. LEWIS TITTERTON / Humor Editor in 1992 when the band appeared on MTV The Pearl Jam faithful purport that the end of CHRIS KOHLER / Foreign Correspondent Unplugged. During the particularly gritty the grunge movement caused the spiraling acoustic performance, Vedder produced a record sales. Don’t tell that to Creed, the chart- Contributors marker and scrawled the words “pro-choice” topping Christian grunge-rockers led by a NICK ABRAHAM • BRIAN ATHERTON on his forearm. One must wonder why he Vedder-vocal doppelganger. Although Pearl chose that moment to voice his political Jam led the movement that made him famous, JARED BURDIN • ANDREW GIBBS views. After all, what does Unplugged have Creed bassist Brian Marshall told a Seattle TARA HEUMANN • SIMON HOLROYD to do with abortion? Like bystanders who radio station that he did not understand why ROB LICHTER • MICHAEL SANTORELLI wave and shout behind on-scene TV news- Vedder “wrote songs without hooks.” casters, Vedder used the program as a moment Rock radio still plays Pearl Jam—but ALYSSA HEUMANN of puerile opportunism. He had found his sadly, the band’s most notable hit in half a Editor Emerita bully pulpit onstage behind the rock star’s decade was not even their own, but a live microphone. cover of Wayne Cochran’s “Last Kiss.” In- Founders What followed Eddie’s onscreen antic deed, the band has become a parody of itself, BRIAN K ELLY • DAN M ARCUS was Pearl Jam’s steady shift to the Left—and as the final track on Binaural features a solo a much faster plunge to the bottom of the Vedder playing a ukulele. The song, “Soon Special Thanks charts. On the band’s second album Vs., Vedder Forget,” epitomizes Pearl Jam’s troubles. It is THE C OLLEGIATE N ETWORK and his bandmates unleashed a guitar-led pitifully distant from the band’s hard rock attack on gun owners in the song “Glorified origins, and its lyrics—in typical Vedder THE P RIMARY S OURCE IS A NON-PROFIT STUDENT PUBLICATION G.” Since that album, Pearl Jam has performed style—warble and whine a hollow political OF T UFTS U NIVERSITY. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN ARTICLES, FEATURES, PHOTOS, CARTOONS, OR ADVERTISEMENTS ARE SOLELY THOSE OF THE at benefits for Tibet, rallied against the WTO, message. Live at the Nader rally, Vedder INDIVIDUAL AUTHOR(S) OR SPONSOR(S) AND DO NOT NECESSARILY and rocked to abolish the death penalty. dedicated it to Bill Gates, saying the song was REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE EDITORS OR THE STAFF. TUFTS UNIVERSITY Vedder also performed at a concert to support about “a man whose immense wealth can buy IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THE P RIMARY S OURCE, NOR IS THE PRIMARY SOURCE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF TUFTS the campaign of Ralph Nader, where he de- Corvettes and high-rise apartments, but can’t UNIVERSITY. nounced the main party candidates. Indeed, buy back his soul.” Such poor performances THE P RIMARY SOURCE WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE Pearl Jam’s activism has its bright side in the and petty politics have made a band once THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR TO DENY PUBLICATION TO ANY LETTER BASED ON ITS LENGTH OR CONTENT. ANY LETTER TO AN INDIVIDUAL WRITER thousands of dollars that the band has raised destined for super-stardom a band that we will CONCERNING WORK PUBLISHED IN THE PRIMARY SOURCE MAY BE for charity. But many bands are just as gener- soon forget. PUBLISHED ON THE LETTERS PAGE. LETTERS OF 400 WORDS OR FEWER ous, and can balance their social conscience HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF BEING PUBLISHED. PLEASE DIRECT ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: [email protected] or THE PRI- without alienating conservative fans. And MARY SOURCE, MAYER CAMPUS CENTER, TUFTS UNIVERSITY, while there is nothing wrong with celebrities MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, 02155. ALL LETTER BOMBS WILL BE RETURNED TO SENDER. ©2001. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, MARCH 15, 2001 Speak Your Mind. The PRIMARY SOURCE Course Evaluation Guide is coming. And it’s the only place on campus where you can read honest, uncensored reviews of the best—and worst—that Tufts has to offer. Got something to say and want people to listen? Send us your honest 50- to 250- word reviews of notable courses, professors, and departments. And don’t pull any punches. [email protected] Welcomes Letters to THE SOURCE All the Editor Please address all correspondence to [email protected] Everything You Always Wanted to Know About * *But*But EveryoneEveryone ElseElse WasWas AfraidAfraid toto TellTell YouYouSM Tufts Get the finest (not to mention most forthright and telling) THE PRIMARY SOURCE account of affairs at Tufts and elsewhere delivered to your doorstep. For a tax-deductible contribution of $30 or more you can receive a full academic year’s subscription via first class delivery. YES! I’ll gladly support Tufts’ Journal of Conservative Thought!SM Enclosed is my contribution in the amount of $ . Name Make checks payable to: THE PRIMARY SOURCE Address Mayer Campus Center Tufts University City, State, ZIP Medford, MA 02155 THE PRIMARY SOURCE, MARCH 15, 2001 5 Commentary insurance claims to find out who injured their knee playing basketball and take such information into consideration when Tennis Elbow, Anyone? deciding who should be laid off? The OSHA rules prohibit an employee’s health care provider from telling the employer n the irony of ironies, ex-President Clinton, who had improper whether an injury is all work-related or only partially work- Irelations with his employee, decided in the waning days of his term related.