Claremont Independent

I've always been suspicious of anyone who used a broad definition of ancestry to define their character. The myth of ancestry, the allure of origin stories and folk legends and group identity, constantly overshadows one's sense of self. For instance, despite my family's background, I am not, nor have I ever been, a Vietnamese princess. Similarly, I would not be proud of killing Americans with bamboo sticks. Assuming that one should act a certain way based on the reputation of their background reeks of stereotypes, profiling, and interpersonal laziness. … Post the First Comment

The Syrian ambassador, Imad Moustapha, long-serving representative of a country belonging to the "Axis of Evil" (as expanded after the invasion of Iraq) may have surprised his audience. He was urbane and witty, sprinkling his conversation with American idiom. A modern art and classical music connoisseur, Ambassador Moustapha's talk focused on a positive future of US-Syrian relations. His speech, emphasizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, brought approving applause from the audience; he even received a standing ovation at the end of his talk.… Post the First Comment

Andrew Sullivan, popular blogger and author, came to speak at the Athenaeum on January 29. Sullivan, who maintains he's still a conservative, wasted no time getting into the meat of his speech: the Bush presidency. He began by summing up how he viewed, "in a sense," the Bush administration's legacy. He talked about how Bush's career as a president pre 9-11 contrasted with his career as a president post 9-11. He, like Christopher Hitchens who spoke at Pitzer College last semester, agreed that the World Trade Center Attacks of that day were the turning point in Bush's presidency. President Bush, he argued, went from being a simple man to a tough-minded war president, along the way leading to an "unprecedented" increase in executive power. … Post the First Comment