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(02/14/00 10:00am)
In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. remarked that, "We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly." Last year, the United Minorities Council and the Undergraduate Assembly began a partnership, but the impetus was personal, not political. Two friends, Chaz Howard, the former UMC chair, and Bill Conway, the former UA chair, used their relationship to informally bring together two organizations that had little previous interaction. Chaz continued his efforts this fall, and the UA eagerly accepted his overtures. Slowly, the alliance began to crystallize. The UMC joined the UA Steering Committee, and the UA appointed a liaison to the UMC. In addition, a race relations dialogue began between members of the UA, the UMC and the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education. But these were small steps that were not ends unto themselves. There is much more to be done, and all along we knew that. This semester, we hope to build upon this foundation and consummate a substantive, real partnership with tangible goals. Recently, the executive boards of the UA and the UMC met and outlined their collective agenda for collaboration this semester. First, the diversity committee that engaged in dialogue last semester is now working toward turning their productive conversations into action. It plans on holding seminar groups led by Program for Awareness in Cultural Education moderators. Ultimately, the committee hopes that the administration will allow discussion groups on diversity to be held during New Student Orientation. Secondly, service to the community is a priority for both organizations. Within the next few months, the UA and UMC together will participate in a joint service project. In addition, the UA West Philadelphia Committee is busy planning Ivy Corps, an event on April 8 when students across the Ivy League will simultaneously engage in community service initiatives. The UMC will be active in planning this exciting venture, which may also include a West Philadelphia 5K run. Thirdly, it is important that we open up the channels of communication for us to attain our common goals. We will set up a joint listserv for the executive boards of the UA and UMC, and we plan on holding a joint meeting for all members within the coming weeks. Furthermore, we intend for our organizations to meet regularly with the political arms of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, UMOJA (representing black student groups), the Latino Coalition and the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Alliance. These four groups are closely tuned to the specific minority communities each represents, and we will work to better connect with their constituents. Finally, we hope this formalized alliance will break down perceptions within the larger student body that have hindered our two groups to date. Minorities are underrepresented on the UA and, in past years, the organization struggled to address the concerns of the minority community. Similarly, the UMC has encountered difficulty in articulating that its message is relevant and pertinent to the entire campus community. Through this partnership, each group legitimizes the other. The UMC will encourage more minority students to run for the UA, and the UA will continue to publicize and support UMC events. Issues of diversity are of incredible significance at Penn -- but they are often overlooked. People, including campus leaders, are uncomfortable talking about them. They are further reluctant to take the initial steps to break down the barriers and stereotypes that divide. We view diversity as an intellectual concept with educational and personal benefits. Only when this is acknowledged can we face the gamut of social and political issues like retention and recruitment of minorities and faculty, perceived self-segregation on campus and distribution of financial aid. As Nelson Mandela wrote, "I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest -- to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment -- for my long walk has not yet ended." The UA and the UMC have come a long way since last spring, but only now have we begun to recognize our inescapable network of mutuality. Our organizations have much to gain from this partnership. However, all of us -- administration, faculty and students alike -- must play a role as we begin to unleash the power of diversity at Penn.
(12/14/99 10:00am)
This has been a busy semester for the Undergraduate Assembly. Does that surprise you? As the semester comes to a close, it is an opportune time to reflect on what we have accomplished this semester, as well as appraise you of what you can expect from us in the spring. This is not intended to be a strict catalogue of our achievements, but rather a starting point for dialogue between UA members and the student body. At the beginning of our term, we specifically identified recreational space, financial aid, collaboration with minority groups and campus safety as our key areas of focus. We have made tremendous strides in all four of these areas. The UA recently proposed building outdoor basketball courts on the rooftop of the parking garage at 38th and Spruce streets. Our case was bolstered when more than 1,200 students signed a petition in support of this project. We are extremely optimistic that the these courts will be constructed by the fall. As for financial aid, the UA has been working tirelessly to address an issue on the minds of countless students. We distributed a survey in early December to more than 500 students, which has been used to suggest revisions to the University's financial-aid policies. The UA will unveil a proposal in mid-January that incorporates all of this work. We have added the United Minorities Council to our Steering Committee and designated a UA liaison to the UMC. And we have pledged our support for the Asian Pacific Student Coalition in acquiring an Asian-American resource center. Regarding campus safety, we worked with Spectaguard to implement a new program whereby walking escorts will accompany students home from Van Pelt Library every half-hour between midnight and 3 a.m. (and until 5 a.m. during exam period). We also conducted a joint safety survey with the Division of Public Safety. Many of these policy initiatives will come to fruition next semester. Yet we need your input now more than ever. What big issues should we tackle next semester? Are we focusing on the right things? How can we confront the stereotype that student government cannot effect meaningful change? Another approach is to increase outreach efforts. Next semester, look for our televised meetings on UTV13; "Feedback" dinners at 1920 Commons where you can chat with UA members; our UA on the Walk table, featuring petitions and UA Today newsletters; and a student satisfaction survey where you can express your vision for Penn's future. Through this general student survey, we hope to develop a set of general principles that every future UA can use as a blueprint. Some of these principles could include bettering relations between students and the administration; improving the level of services the University delivers to students; and advocating for the best housing, recreation and study facilities. As student leaders, it's easy to get bogged down in mundane policy details and obligations, and sometimes it's hard for us to sense what students really are passionate about. Through these efforts at outreach and articulation of principles, we hope to truly connect with all of you better than any UA has in recent memory. We're not just aiming to make temporary changes. We work closely with the provost and the president on the large-scale issues that profoundly impact the student body. Those of us on the UA have been extremely pleased with what we've accomplished to date. But we can never get complacent -- and neither can you. Apathy is the only thing that can prevent us from manifesting the full potential of student government. So get involved! Join one of our committees. E-mail us your concerns at ua@dolphin.upenn.edu. Stop by our UA on the Walk table. Your presence can only help us better achieve our goals because, in the end, we are your UA -- your elected representatives. Never forget that.
(12/01/99 10:00am)
There are precious few times that a student can walk into a room and talk to President Rodin, Provost Barchi and leaders from the faculty, staff and graduate and undergraduate student governments. As the leaders of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and the Undergraduate Assembly -- which together represent the approximately 20,000 students on campus -- we urge you to attend and seize this opportunity to speak out. Students are allowed to talk for up to three minutes, and are encouraged to prepare their remarks in advance. You must provide the Office of the University Secretary (898-7005) with the topic of your remarks by no later than 5 p.m. tomorrow to secure a place on the formal agenda. In addition, if time remains at the conclusion of the forum, Council will take direct questions from the audience. It is important to take full advantage of this opportunity. Your remarks should relate to campus-wide issues such as financial aid, campus pluralism, safety, recreational facilities, community relations and the like. If your landlord has not fixed your toilet in three weeks or you want paper towels in Quad bathrooms, this is not the proper venue for airing these grievances. And this open forum is not a panacea -- the objective of this forum is not to solve problems on the spot. It is to provide University Council members with knowledge of student concerns from the mouths of the students themselves. On the other hand, rest assured that your concerns will be taken seriously. The points you raise are likely to be referred to the appropriate Council committee. And GAPSA and the UA will be sure to contact you individually so that we can properly follow through on your concerns with the administration. You may be intimidated at the thought of giving a speech in front of University Council. You shouldn't be. Think of it this way: Everything you say will be on the record. There is no room for cover-up. As long as you follow procedure, this will be your opportunity to throw a curveball at the powers that be. GAPSA and the UA are working to build bridges with each other and facilitate more meaningful interaction between the student body and the administration. Our joint appeal for student involvement in this open forum is an example of that collaborative effort, which also includes working together on issues such as off-campus living, SEPTA, allocation of student space and the creation of cheaper retail and food options on or near campus. This open forum is your time to give thoughtful and honest input as to how our University can function better. Without your participation, our voice as your elected representatives is not complete.
(08/05/99 9:00am)
All hell broke loose during the final night of Woodstock -- I experienced it first hand. After the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert on the main stage emptied my friend and I eventually returned to the new artists stage. New York state troopers clad in riot gear greeted us. When we tried to leave, the exits were blocked. So we walked back towards the main stage and stared motionless at the scene before us. Bonfires engulfed several areas of the trash-filled field. People were tearing down trailers and hurling wood into the fires. Soon, a small but vocal bands of concertgoers made the logical shift from pyromania to looting. Nothing was spared; tents, tapestries, ATM machines. At one point, if only for a brief instant, I became scared when a mob of people started to charge in our general direction. Instantaneous fight-or-flight response took over. Flight won. My friend soon followed and later looked at me quizzically, "Why did you run?" I had no answer. "Order falling into disorder," I said. "The drums represent the primitive form of human communication, yet ironically during this chaos, the drummers continue," responded Lou. Reality soon set in. Some people began hurling bottles at the riot police. Sensing the explosiveness of the situation, we left. As we rode the shuttle bus home to the employee housing, a feeling of sadness sunk in. I couldn't shake the image of two guys literally running through one of the bonfires. How could people act so damn stupidly? What did they think they were accomplishing? This was not a generational statement. The rioting lacked a purpose or a cause. It was pure unadulterated destruction for the sake of destruction. This rant may seem self-righteous. As one of my friends later pointed out, why should something like this truly sadden me, as opposed to real social issues like poverty and homelessness? And shallow, considering that our bosses threw a Moon-Tower like party back at our place, and I had a blast. Nothing like a few cold ones to cure that pesky disillusionment. And I freely admit that I exploited the commercialism of Woodstock 1999. I worked for a pizza and hot dog vendor, earned a decent salary and did not have to pay for food, transportation and tickets. While our free accommodations consisted of 40 people cramped into an abandoned home that lacked toilet paper, hot water, or furniture of any kind ("think of it as a kibbutz," cracked our boss), the ridiculous situation retained a certain charm. I felt like a Whartonite as I bartered pizzas for turkey wraps and Dove bars. And we did get to see many shows: Dave Matthews, Rusted Root, Metallica, even Jewel. Yet the weekend left an indelible mark on my consciousness for two reasons other than the music, the absurdity of our housing, or the fires themselves. First, during the last night, for the first time I experienced the nature of the mob mentality. Penn basketball games and social psychology textbooks don't do justice to what took place at Woodstock. And I must say, as much as the events saddened me and frightened me for a short time, the overriding emotion I experienced was that of fascination. Secondly, I learned how people can become conditioned to accept different standards of behavior. Social norms, such as language, personal hygiene, public decency and drug use all took on far different roles at Woodstock then normal. It literally took me a few days to readjust to normal society. After multiple encounters with the dreaded port-o-potties, I never felt so happy to use the bathroom in my fraternity house upon my return. For most of the weekend, Woodstock served an important function by providing a wonderful venue for mental and physical escapism. It was like an alternative universe with its own set of rules. The good natured spontaneity was on display for most of the weekend: frisbee fights, random conversation, mud slides, dancing, partying. And of course, the drummers. Sunday night, however, the dark side of this type of environment reigned as chaos took over. The sight of the riot police and later news reports of investigations of rape at the festival shattered the bubble that we had been living in. I left Woodstock with a wealth of stories, both good and bad. I saw sides of human nature that alternately fascinated, confused, amazed and saddened me. And in the end, I am proud of my experience and would do it again in a second.
(07/01/99 9:00am)
What do you think of when you hear the word "summer?" Most likely beaches, July 4th, baseball, internships and free-spiritedness. Would you put "UA" in that category? Surprisingly, the summer is a very active time for your elected representatives, as we have begun to articulate our goals and work on projects for next year. I expect big things from this year's Undergraduate Assembly, in which I will serve as chairperson. The successes we enjoyed last year -- implementing policies and earning campus wide respect -- raised the bar of expectations. On paper, things look solid. We have the strongest executive board in years and our new application process yielded a capable and experienced pool of committee chairs. And although a vast majority of incumbents won re-election, several bright and energetic newcomers emerged victorious as well. The mix of rookies and veterans bodes extremely well for the body. But though the lineup looks good on paper, we cannot rest on last year's laurels. Putting out a landlord guide and pushing for the Rosengarten renovations were nice accomplishments, but we can do so much more. We need to look ahead to the future, instead of patting ourselves on the back for past achievements. Yet there are still issues that demand attention, and this year's UA will play a big role influencing University policy. For example, the Facilities Committee is currently exploring the possibility of installing computer terminals in the Penn Bookstore cafZ. The West Philadelphia Committee will again conduct a landlord survey to help improve off-campus living conditions for students. This summer, the Greek Life Committee is fighting to ensure the financial burden of GreekNet upon houses is reasonable. Finally, the Student Life Committee will work with the administration and focus on specific issues related to dining, minority permanence, and financial aid. We should also note that a new alcohol policy will be in place by fall, and for better or for worse, this promises to change the campus social scene. Students must realize that personal responsibility is key. And we must accept the reality that the old, more loosely enforced rules no longer exist. In return, the administration must resist the urge to make enforcement and punitive measures the main component of the policy. They must instead back up their promises to provide expanded social and retail options. Now is the opportune time to bring a video store to campus with later hours; open up Gimbel Gymnasium until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights; and work with SEPTA to offer an affordable student discount. Beyond attacking specific issues, what will you see from this year's UA? You will see a UA that interacts frequently with other student groups. A UA that is visionary, yet pragmatic. You will see a UA that intelligently chooses its battles. A UA that expands its sensibility to include national and international affairs -- as evidenced by our recent endorsement of the Progressive Activist Network sweatshop resolution. And a UA that uses the Philadelphia mayoral race and 2000 presidential election to spark political discourse on campus. Our agenda is ambitious and our nature is idealistic. But that is the only way in which we can inspire confidence and respect from both the student body and the administration. With hard work, unity of purpose and flexibility, the Undergraduate Assembly can meet these goals. So whether you are feverishly meeting deadlines at work or sunbathing on the Jersey shore, take a moment to reflect on your expectations of the UA for this year. Think about how we can respond to your needs. And ponder how we can replace your cynicism about student government with the unbridled optimism that we as a body possess.
(09/05/97 9:00am)
My parents were quite pleased -- although UVA was located much further away, tuition was cheaper and unlike Penn, there were no worries about safety or snobbery. Then something strange happened: my rabbi called me."Let's chat about college," he remarked. Despite my recent anger at him over a youth group matter, I took him up on his offer. Begging me to "reconsider Penn and remember the Jewish factor," my rabbi reminded me Penn was teeming with Jewish people, while in his eyes, UVA had a higher population of people with missing teeth rather than those of Jewish origin. As biased towards Penn and ignorant about UVAas my rabbi sounded, I nonetheless entertained his arguments. How important was the "Jewish factor" to me? The thoughts echoed back and forth. After years of Hebrew school, Passover seders and experiences I had in NFTY (my youth group), how could I turn my back on my tradition, family and identity once I reached college? I could only continue my spiritual growth at a school with a huge Jewish population, like Penn -- right? But wait -- who was I kidding? UVA's Hillel had won awards for its programming and Elie Weisel had recently lectured there. How bad could it be? In the end, I changed my mind and chose Penn, but really not because of the Jewish factor. In reality, the allure of the city and my visit during Spring Fling played a larger role in my choice. But without question, my rabbi's pleadings had subconsciously made me reconsider my original decision. So I arrived on campus last fall proud of my heritage and eager to become involved in Penn Hillel. But during the course of my freshman year, both my eagerness to be active and pride in my Judaism came under fire. Before college, I could never envision feeling isolated and inferior among other Jews. But I did upon attending Kosher dining at Penn for the first time last year. Why the stares? Oh yeah -- I'm not wearing a kippah. Oops. And I won't soon forget the time when an Orthodox rabbi whom I brought to campus for a program about missionary cult groups ended up denouncing my beliefs in front of the crowd. After I responded later with a passionate diatribe about what Reform Judaism means to me, his best answer was, "Maybe you're not really Reform." What was going on? I felt confused, betrayed and angry. These disconcerting experiences were a rude awakening for me. And as a result, I began to question myself and my Jewishness. The reason? In high school, I was Mike Silver, committed NFTY member, Hebrew high school graduate, youth group president and persistent pest who once resorted to bribing a girl with McDonald's chicken nuggets in order to get her to join my youth group. In my northern New Jersey town -- where Jewish education rarely continues past Bar Mitzvah age and youth group events are shunned in favor of parties -- my friends and I were the exceptions. We stood alone as the active ones and since in our circles active was analogous to Jewish, we were the "Jewish ones," -- the ones who cared. At Penn, was I really Jewish? The questions continued to rage on like a tempest, but then the epiphany came: if the beliefs rest in my heart, isn't that the only important thing? Does it really matter if I don't go to services every week or have knowledge of every single Torah passage? I respect my family, upbringing and tradition as much as anyone else and I am at peace with myself and my religion. Why should I be criticized if my faith manifests itself differently? The fact is, active Reform Jews, like myself, shouldn't be condemned because of other people's follies. Today there exists a large number of uncommitted Jews who contribute to the destruction of the religion through their apathy. Of course, many of these people are indeed Reform, but they give Reform Judaism a bad name by using it as an excuse to forsake their religion. The problem lies in the indifferent nature of the people themselves -- not in the institution of Reform Judaism. When stripped away of misconceptions, one will learn that Reform Judaism emphasizes a personal relationship with God, self-evaluation and choice -- and does not encourage intermarriage and apathy. Polarization among Jews remains a severe problem worldwide, not just at Penn. The proclamation by a small but vocal group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis last year that Conservative and Reform Jews weren't "real Jews" sent shockwaves through the American Jewish community. And the debate in Israel over conversion rights shows these issues often transcend religious boundaries and infringe on politics. Combined with external forces like anti-Semitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, this internal friction will continue to threaten our stability as a religion if we don't address it. Thankfully, cooperation has begun at Penn, and thus I am filled with optimism for the coming year. Last spring, the new Hillel executive board made a sincere and successful attempt at attracting a pluralistic group of leaders. In addition, several innovative events -- such as the Shabbat Experience -- brought the different Jewish communities together. On a personal note, my friendship with an Orthodox girl whom I met last year has opened my eyes in many ways. Sure, we've had disagreements -- ideologically, we always will -- but mutual respect and understanding still exist. Most importantly, we're still friends. In essence, Penn has taught me one thing UVA could never have: there are issues facing the Jewish religion that must be dealt with both at Penn and around the world in a cooperative manner. Though I did much soul-searching here last year, in retrospect, the exposure to this internal strife has allowed me to become a more educated Jew -- one who's now energized and more committed than ever to Reform Judaism and to Penn's Hillel.
(02/10/97 10:00am)
The face was plastered all over the morning papers, nightly newscasts, and popular weekly magazines. It was a fresh, young face -- different from the faces we normally see in the news these days, such as President Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich and O.J. Simpson, whose stories are just tired and predictable. Yet suddenly, a new face appeared as if to fill this void. It was a pretty face, a seemingly innocent one with obvious natural beauty. The face, however, wasn't totally youthful in appearance -- the tiny lips were covered with lipstick, and the beautiful eyes were accentuated with eyeliner. So why was the presence of makeup on the face such an astonishing sight? The reason is the makeup rested on the face of a 6-year-old, the face of JonBenet Ramsey. Ramsey probably never thought she'd grace the cover of Newsweek as the tragic victim of a homicide. Rather, if everything had went according to plan, her coronation as Miss America would have inspired a media frenzy and ingrained the image of her face in all of our minds. Indeed, Ramsey enjoyed a remarkable early career as a pageant contestant; she was the winner of the Colorado State All-Star Kids Cover Girl and the Tiny Miss Beauty contest, among others. Yet her meteoric rise to the apex of the relatively unknown subculture of child beauty pageants was cut short by a bizarre murder, which rocked the sleepy college town of Boulder, Colo. Everyone knows the details of the case -- two ransom notes, a mysterious 911 call, the parents as possible suspects. And, in all likelihood, the case will be solved within the next few weeks. But the fascination with Ramsey's murder will endure. Why? Her murder has shed light on the strange world of child beauty pageants -- a commonplace institution to some but a foreign one to most of us. In this world, little girls -- as young as eighteen months old -- saunter across stages in dresses worth up to $600. Competition is keen, and parents sometimes spend $7000 a year on pageantry expenses. While some will argue her murder had nothing to do with beauty pageants, we will be unable to divorce the two for a simple reason: the lasting images of Ramsey will be the pictures of her as a beauty pageant contestant. For example, there were seven photos of Ramsey in the Newsweek article detailing the case. Only in one picture was she not wearing makeup or expensive clothes, and not surprisingly, she looked completely different. Ramsey -- who was a child -- actually looked like a child in that picture. But more than likely, we won't remember that picture among the several cover shots. How could we not connect her murder to the world of child beauty pageants? Pageant advocates claim that "personality" and "natural beauty" are the most highly valued attributes, rather than whether a girl wears makeup or an expensive dress. In addition, they argue the competition isn't any less intense than Little League, and the contests actually promote self-esteem. In my opinion, however, the idea of children participating in beauty contests is disturbing for several reasons. First, as a camp counselor, I learned that young children have extremely malleable minds which are easily influenced by images emanating from popular culture. By encouraging them to look "sexy" by wearing makeup and seductively parading around a stage, overzealous parents are imparting unhealthy concepts of sexuality in the minds of their young daughters. Secondly, beauty contests differ greatly from Little League. Athletics are a measure of skill. Success often requires persistence, dedication and mental toughness, not just simple God-given talent. On the other hand, beauty pageant contestants are judged on purely aesthetic, inherited qualities. While makeup and ostentatious clothing may be shunned in some contests, "natural beauty" is not. Teaching children that appearance and appeasing others leads to success creates nothing more than hollow, superficial adults. Finally, placing young children in the limelight makes them extremely self-conscious, and adolescence accentuates this distortion of self-image. For children who have been taught that "looking good" is the most important attribute in life, the often unpleasant changes brought on by puberty -- such as acne and changes in body shape -- may damage their self-esteem more so than their peers. In studying child entertainers and models, psychologists have found they are prone to depression, eating disorders, and drug and alcohol abuse during adolescence. It is no coincidence that, during their teenage years, former child stars Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family) and Drew Barrymore (E.T.) had serious drug problems and Tracey Gold (Growing Pains) battled bulimia. Maybe I'm naive, but why can't we just let children be children? Why prematurely expose them to negative images of human sexuality and falsely teach them appearance is what matters most in life? Ramsey may have been one of the exceptions; those who knew her claim she was well-adjusted and enjoyed the stage. Perhaps she would have become neither anorexic nor narcissistic. Sadly, though, we'll never know, because her short life in the spotlight was so abruptly taken away from us. Her legacy won't be as Miss America, but as the poster child for an institution which, in my opinion, robs children of their innocence. The image of her face should remind us all to protect our young from the corrupt elements of society -- at least until they are mature enough to rationally deal with them. Growing up is hard enough. Putting lipstick on 6-year-olds just artificially accelerates the process, which in turn makes the real task all the more difficult. So while the murder mystery itself will soon be solved, what will endure is twofold: the lingering questions about our society's morality, and the image of a young face covered with makeup -- the face of JonBenet Ramsey.
(11/06/96 10:00am)
The Israeli government's recent decision to open a second entrance to an underground archaeological tunnel sparked a level of violence in the Middle East unseen since the start of peace process. Palestinian police, armed with Israeli-provided weapons designed to keep the peace, fired on Israelis during the rioting. Right-wing Israelis then launched reciprocal attacks, fighting for every inch of land. The fragile peace process, which has survived bus bombings in Tel Aviv, the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestinian massacre in Hebron, almost disintegrated. As a reasonably informed observer of international events, a Reform Jew and a supporter of the state of Israel, I was distraught by this latest outbreak of violence in the Middle East. My first reaction was an attempt to discuss these events with my peers. Not once did anyone bring up the violence in Israel with me. When I initiated conversation about it, only occasionally did anyone actually voice an opinion. Surely there must be Conservative or Reform Jews who have an opinion on Israel and the peace process. Why were they silent after these events? Are they simply disenchanted with the whole Middle East situation? Or do Penn students not care one iota about international events? The apathy and distaste for American politics among young people, highly evident during this election year, need not be discussed further. Yet the readily apparent collective ignorance of international events among college students frightens me. We live in an age when America is the only remaining superpower -- a country with great economic, military and political clout around the world. But we don't live in a sock; other events affects our lives, like a near-genocide ("ethnic cleansing") in Bosnia, a brutal civil war in Burundi and a power struggle in the Kremlin, where Boris Yeltsin's health has emerged as a key to stable U.S.-Russian relations. Often, we can't understand these international events or comprehend why they are important. But caring only about ourselves would be a crime. We are just a generation removed from the 1950s, when school-sponsored air raid drills and Sen. Joseph McCarthy's witch hunts for suspected Communists in the federal government were making news. In 1962, a tense showdown between Kennedy and Khruschev almost plunged the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. into nuclear war. In the 1970s, the draft sent men my age to Vietnam and disputes with Middle Eastern oil barons resulted in the rationing of gasoline. Foreign policy matters like these have cost America lives, money and international prestige. But the U.S. in 1996, whether we like it or not, is a principal player in international politics. Our nation's inevitable role on the world stage may involve many of us someday -- as soldiers, diplomats, politicians or businessmen. There is a simple solution to the prevailing apathy and disinterest in international affairs: Reflect on how much sweeping political change has occurred during our short lifetimes. In the last decade, apartheid fell in South Africa, following the collapse of Communism in the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, once bitter enemies, shook hands in the White House Rose Garden. These events seemed unthinkable not too long ago. By failing to look at the big picture, we are unable to put everything going on in the world into perspective. To continue progressing toward peace and democracy around the globe when it is our generation's turn to lead, we must become more cognizant of the importance of international events. Then we will be more enlightened people in the present and more capable leaders in the future.
