General Studies Lounge

Another embarrassing moment occurred yesterday eveningshortly before the end of the GSSC weekly meeting.  Yesterday, some council members thought it would be a goodidea of creating a “fake” whining and very artificial emotional statement tothe council to deceive those who were unsure about our Student Body President’simpeachment hearing last week. However, along with the Junior Class President, some other members ofthe council embarrassingly forgot that the council should not be used for gainsand victories in their personal embattlements among themselves, but rathertheir duty is to help and assist the GS student population.  Yesterday, with the “impeachment” ofNiko Cunningham, some people felt their revenge has been achieved. 

This is a fatal blow to our rights as students.  It is unbelievable how the council hasmade such an embarrassing mistake. Counting should be learned Ms. Curcio – and all the other people whowere suddenly “swayed” to attack the reputation of another GS student.  12-3 counts for impeachment results to15 votes.  There are 23 votingmembers and a quorum can only happen (according to the dear Constitution thatso many council members seem to have memorized so greatly) when 2/3 of thevoting members would be present. Well, Ms. Curcio & Co? How much is 15 from 23?  More importantly, what kind of changecan occur when the Student Body president is being impeached two (2) daysbefore the campaigning for the new general elections? 

Super Tuesday has ended. We had one day to recover from this massive influx of information. Numbers, numbers, and numbers! Well, every candidate won his/her states – with just a few exceptions. But as expected GOP candidate John McCain gained a large lead over his fiercest rival, Governor Mitt Romney, while Governor Huckabee surprised in some states, and proved himself to be a realistic candidate for the potential VP position alongside McCain. And well … I do not waste any words about Mr. Paul and his disappointing but expected statistics of never winning a state in his controversial candidacy. Oh yeah, don’t forget Barack and Hilary… head-on-head race until the convention? Really? I am sure McCain and the Republican Party will receive this set of developments with a bright smile.

But okay… but what will change for us students? Rallying around out candidate calling for CHANGE. But where does the change come from? Is Barack Obama, former Columbia graduate, the right candidate for change with his ridiculously short time as Illinois senator. Well he certainly lacks experience and a clear plan. We all know that we need change, but how?

Senator Hilary Clinton… oh yeah… a candidate for change? If she was a candidate of change, then Washington wouldn’t be right now the mess it is today. She has been long enough in D.C. to change at least something. Vote for the Iraq War, working with lobbyists in her campaigns, serving as a lawyer for big corporate giants such as Wal Mart… I can go on and on… but I spare your precious time! Oh yeah: A recent question: If a family affords to buy insurance but choose not to do so, what would you do? Clinton: Everyone HAS to have insurance. Enforcement in a democracy? Where is then our free will to decide whatever we want to do with out money, Senator Clinton?

Oh well, when I first entered the gates of Columbia University, I thought I would walk into a campus full of demonstrations and protests. And I would not have thought to the slightest degree that just 3 months later I would write a blog AGAINST one of those "insightful" demonstrations. Not many people have the privilege to walk on the campus of Columbia University. Even fewer people have the chance to be students or work in this wonderful university. But sometimes I reconsider my thoughts about this "grande" university if I see that they let some "students" camping in front of Butler and decreasing the level of sophistication that this campus presents to the outside world. "Negotiations" are going on... How many times did I hear that sentence. About WHAT??? Is is about a new core curriculum that is inclusive not only of the canon of Western European thought... Oh really?? Don't we have enough classes for you to take that cover Eastern philosophy, Eastern religion, African politics, Middle Eastern politics... oh my... those are all the classes that cover WESTERN thought.. Alright!! My bad :)

Here I am again – you are without doubt excited to know what happened that Saturday! After basically the whole day discussing about our new goals and which method best to use, we came to the conclusion that we want to transcend GS by building new traditions. How we do that? Through YOU!!

Okay, I am back for the next blog of our GS Retreat 07 – Day #2. Well, this particular Saturday morning did not start the optimal way though. Hammering rain in a combination of a cold breeze showed the group quickly that when next time Ashley states “It will be cold, bring a JACKET”, then you should bring a jacket!!

At 4:30 p.m., we started our trip to our GS camp adventure. And you all know the NYC traffic…. So it will be a long trip. Some read the paper, while others listen to music or crack crossword puzzles. And some like myself start to blog around.

We finally arrived at the site (and from here a big THANKS to Ashley Foreman for all her hard work to find this place). Even if some people liked to be at another place for the retreat, I think the majority were really happy in the end to have come to this fabulous retreat.

We as Columbia University students all know about the world and its politics. We, as national and international educated minds, are all gathered at one place. And now we all are handed the responsibility to act. We need to act as a unit to be heard. Our rights as U.S. citizens, as citizens of all parts of the world, and most importantly as students from Columbia University are brought into jeopardy. As some of you might have heard – the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) is coming to speak at Columbia University on Monday Sept 24. Yes you have heard right.