Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Fair Minded Words

This title sounds very 60's/flower child/ peace-for-all of me doesn't it. Not that I don't believe in those things, but it is the name of the conference I attended this past weekend at Princeton. Don't worry, this does relate to Fordham. My professor for my senior values class was one of the main organizers of this conference and encouraged us students to attend. The class is taught by Dr Camosy and is called "Moral Aspects of Medicine". It pretty much discusses every hot button topic you could think of: abortion, euthanasia, moral rights of a fetus, etc.

Never in a million years did I think I would willingly go to a conference like this. Every time my philosophy major friend Sebastian starts talking about these abstract things, I usually zone out in about 5 min. Give me a talk about the Founding Fathers or what the latest findings are regarding cancer research and I am so there. Disregarding my doubts though, I decided to make the trek to Princeton and check out these superstars of the philosophical world. Maybe it was my curiosity that got the best of me. Maybe it was the interesting class discussions I experienced. Or maybe it was the reference to Star Trek AND Star Wars in one day that finally sold me (but we aren't going to talk about that side of my nerdiness, being a science kid is enough for right now). Either way, last Friday I drove to Princeton to hear a bunch of people talk about abortion and the right to life.

I listened to 2 different discussions. The first one included John Finnis, Maggie Little, and Peter Singer. I don't know if it is possible to make it through Fordham without reading Peter Singer at least once. I'm on my third time with this class. It was amazing to be able to hear someone such as Singer stand up in front of 450 people and lay out his argument, the same argument that we had just read in class. Talk about interactive learning. The talk was both informative and funny at times. All 3 speakers entertained varying notions of what the moral status of the fetus is. I won't go into it here, but everything was very applicable to our class. The second talk was between my professor and Ruth Macklin. Again, this talk focused more on whether or not a woman should be obligated to carry a baby for 9 months if she doesn't want to. Like I said, you can't get much more controversial than this. After these 2 talks, I decided to head back to Fordham since I still needed to brave the monstrosity that is the Cross Bronx Expressway on a Friday night (actually, any night is bad. And as a side note, it took me an hour to go a mile and half that night. Whatever, I was jamming out to the radio while I sat motionless on a highway. By myself. Don't judge, you know you do it).

This conference was a great opportunity to delve further into a topic besides simply doing some readings and discussing it for an hour in class. I'm thrilled I had the chance to attend (and even better, I got in for free since my professor was one of the organizers/speakers!). College is about broadening your horizons and expanding your knowledge to encompass something you never thought about before. This conference, and the class in general, have definitely done that.

For your viewing pleasure (and because I'm feeling super technological this evening) I included a video of Peter Singer on the Colbert Report. They aren't discussing abortion really, but it will give you an idea of where Singer is coming from. Plus, its the Colbert Report so it's funny. Have at it.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Peter Singer
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Discovering the West Side, Politically Speaking

An urban economic development tour stops along Manhattan's west side highway

For the past month, my Political Science professor Bruce Berg has been detailing the ins and outs of urban economic development and state-city relations in his class: New York City Politics. Whether a Political Science enthusiast or not, one can appreciate the complex and distinct ways in which this city operates and serves its residents. Yet, only so much can be demonstrated in a conventional classroom. I say conventional because, last Saturday, New York City became our classroom for the afternoon.

Taking advantage of the bright and temperate weather, my class ventured into Manhattan for an informal tour. The description was as follows: meet in front of Lowenstein (Lincoln Center's main building) at 11am, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a MetroCard. As we walked and talked, the past lectures about landmark regulations, zoning shifts, air rights, gentrification, various court cases and many other events and concepts were brought into perspective. Robert Moses and the creation of Lincoln Center, the rejuvenation of the West Side and the "Trump Village," (see picture) the transformation of Riverside Park, and many other sites, turned theory into reality. All Fordham students know that New York City is a cultural and entertainment mecca. However, personally, to see the city through a very systematic and political lens made me appreciate it so much more.

Most, if not all, of my close friends have experienced academic excursions similar to this one. Whether to the major Manhattan museums (Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, etc.), Ellis Island, or the Metropolitan Opera, New York City offers an infinite amount of educational opportunities that Fordham professors enthusiastically take advantage of. As they always say: location, location, location.

The UN Visits Fordham

Yesterday, September 21st, José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OSA), gave a lecture in Duane Library's Tognino Hall entitled "The Danger for Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean." Personally, I thought the lecture was incredibly insightful. Though a political science major, my area of interest is in American politics, so I learned about the current political trends happening in the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Since democracy is such a vital part of the American political system, I found it exciting to hear about the increasing number of legitimate democratic elections in Latin America. I also learned about how Latin America and the Caribbean is faring given the current global economic situation, which seems to be affecting so many nations in a variety of ways. Sec. Insulza himself is a fascinating political figure; he was at one time an exile from his home country, Chile, but later was allowed back. After holding various titles in the Chilean government, he began a career at New York's United Nations, eventually rising to his current post as the ninth Secretary General of the Organization of American States.

There is no shortage of guest speakers at Fordham. Last year, I went to a lecture given by Dr. Amy Hollywood, a professor from the Harvard Divinity School, and I unfortunately had to miss one given by Dr. Michael Sulick, Director of the National Clandestine Service (an arm of the CIA). I am always getting e-mails and seeing fliers around campus for various lectures, some of which are even given by Fordham's own faculty, so it's hard to not know when an important speaker will be at Rose Hill (or Lincoln Center). I really enjoy going to these events because it's a way of getting that New York multi-cultural and educational experience without having to leave campus.

Sec. Insulza's lecture was sponsored by the Fordham's Latin American and Latino Studies department.