Year: 2015

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Opinions

How Houghton Handles Racism

Racism is a problem in America, throughout the world, and yes in Houghton as well. Racism, as I want to simply define it here, is a systemic and sometimes very unintentional devaluing of the lives of people of color. It is not limited to rude remarks; it’s most damaging roots lie in institutions which destroy lives through  denying people of jobs, housing, and freedom. Houghton graduates will have the chance to fight against this sort of racism as they go out into their fields of work- but to do that they must first be educated on it.

Emma.BrittainHoughton has tried to be more intentional when talking about racism in organized discussions. As a student of color, attending these discussions has shown me that even my peers who truly care about racial issues do not know how to approach the discussion. I believe without education everyone is a racist. We are shaped by our society and human nature to believe certain stereotypes. Unless we educate ourselves and try to break harmful patterns of conduct, we will be ensnared by racism.

Frequently in regards to racial issues, I hear Houghton students say “There are no races, I don’t see race.” But if we are not sensitive to race we can’t be intentional about combating racism. Sensitivity is a huge problem for discussions about racism, particularly when the majority of the participants are white. When I was in high school multiple times everyday I was referred to as “Black Emma” or other things that made me constantly aware that as a mixed (Black and White) girl I was an unwanted minority. Not seeing color was a privilege I was unable to have. Both fortunately and unfortunately this isn’t true for the “average Houghton student”; it is good that not everyone experiences racism even though it makes it harder for them to understand the issue.

For Instance, when people at Houghton who lead discussions about race are not themselves people of color, discussion is, once again, difficult. These facilitators are incredibly gracious and  they truly care about people of color, yet they lack the experience of racism and thus lack the high sensitivity toward it. Sometimes as a student of color, I have wished that there was a person of color in administration that I could go talk to about racism. It is uncomfortable for me to go to a white male and try to explain my experiences. Also, when there are deep pains in the Black community at large, the white males in Houghton aren’t entirely tuned in to this. Last school year the student body was told that regular chapel discussions about race would take place. However, I was personally upset this past semester when no such discussion became a reality. I checked on the planning process a few times and I was told they were trying to find a better time to hold them, however, I felt that discussions still should have been held while the future plans were in the works. The lack of discussion makes racism seem like something we only talk about when racial incidents take place, rather than presenting racism in its true light as being a constant problem. When we finally had a campus event to talk about Ferguson I felt like this just furthered the idea that if we talk about these topics a few times, then they will disappear. In reality, these topics impact the daily lives of people across the nation and around the world. When I explained these thoughts to the discussion organizers, they were immediately regretful that their efforts had appeared that way to me. I hope that in the future, race can be a continued conversation at Houghton.

Houghton has done a good job opening these conversations so perhaps someday soon we can have a person of color lead them and white students listen. I say white students in particular because I know many white students feel uncomfortable going to talks about racism, especially with the fear of being called racists. This is something we as a community can easily get over to move forward in changing the world- one Houghton graduate at a time.

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Opinions

Why I Pray Daily About a Pipeline

I have a friend named Art Tanderup.  Talkative and friendly with the kind of laugh that exemplifies a down-home joie de vivre, Art is a normal Nebraska farmer.  I met Art last April in Washington DC where we both arrived to protest the Keystone XL pipeline.  I came as part of a Facebook prayer band called #PrayNoKXL.  Art came because the pipeline route literally runs through his backyard.

brain.webbI met another friend in DC named Greg Greycloud.  Greg lives in South Dakota and is a member of the Lakota Sioux Nation.  Intelligent and witty with a kind and compassionate heart, Greg leads a ministry encouraging Lakota men to embrace their roles as responsible husbands, fathers, and leaders.  Greg came to DC because the pipeline route illegally crosses land that belongs by treaty to his people.

What the three of us share in common is a deep conviction that the Keystone XL pipeline is a morally and ethically wrong decision.  Here’s why:

The Tar Sands. The purpose of the Keystone pipeline is to transport bitumen (a thick sludge-like mixture of sand, oil, clay, and chemicals) from Alberta to the Gulf Coast for refining and export.  The highly intensive process of extracting bitumen turns once lush boreal forests into alien landscapes largely devoid of life with chemical laden tailing ponds so large they can be seen from space.  This devastation is not only destroying an entire ecosystem, but has also resulted in significant health impacts to Native communities living downstream.

AnthonyBurdo_BrianWebbThe Ogallala Aquifer.  The Keystone pipeline runs directly over the Ogallala Aquifer—at 174,000 square miles, North America’s largest.  In many places the aquifer sits just a few meters below the surface of the ground.  In spite of all the modern safeguards pipelines do leak.  Just last week a pipeline in Montana spilled 50,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River.  A leak in an Arkansas suburb spilled five times that amount in 2013, and in 2010 more than 1 million gallons of bitumen spilled into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan.  The Kalamazoo leak was so devastating that 5 years and $700 million later it still hasn’t been completely cleaned up.  What happens when the primary water source for our nation’s breadbasket Great Plains states becomes polluted?

Native Treaties.  Despite their protests, the pipeline route in South Dakota crosses over land legally granted to the Rosebud Sioux Nation by United States treaty.  Sioux President, Cyril Scott went so far as to call Keystone “an act of war against our people.”  With our country’s shameful treatment of Native Americans going back hundreds of years, shouldn’t it be time to stop breaking our treaties and start showing respect and honor to those whose land we have already taken away?

Eminent Domain.  TransCanada, the foreign private corporation who owns the pipeline, is now using eminent domain to take away the land of ordinary Americans who don’t want the pipeline to run across their property.  Shouldn’t private property rights be a concern of all Americans, and particularly for ideological conservatives?  Shouldn’t my friend Art have the right to refuse 900,000 barrels a day of toxic bitumen running across his farm (his livelihood)?

Climate Change.  Because of the highly energy intensive processes associated with their extraction, transportation, and refining, the tar sands have a much larger impact on the global climate system than does conventional oil.  While oil continues to form an important part of our economy, it’s time to modernize our infrastructure by forgoing antiquated fossil energy and focusing on clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, that will always create domestic jobs, that are endlessly renewable, and that don’t harm God’s creation or his people.

Proponents of the pipeline spout all kinds of claims about jobs, but the reality is that it will only create 35 permanent jobs.  35 jobs in exchange for more broken Indian treaties, unethically enforced eminent domain, pipeline spills of toxic tar sludge, possible contamination of our country’s largest aquifer, environmental destruction, and a bleaker outlook for the global climate system.  Keystone is not a political issue.  It’s a common sense one.

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Opinions

Thoughts on the Theory of Evolution

Last semester I began considering whether science could answer traditionally philosophical questions.  I think this is a common thought for many atheists trying to explain the nature of reality without the use of a god-function.  On the other hand, monotheists whose primary ideologies rest on theological ideas readily incorporate the concept of a god into their world view.  While these two states of mind appear as though they could be radically contrary, I would argue that there is an essential middle ground at which people of different religious orientations can gather.  The middle ground depends primarily on an individual’s willingness to accept the possibility that their ideas about reality may be wrong.  Both a theist and an atheist can hold tightly to their beliefs in a way that may hinder them from considering ideas which they think may be contrary to their own. The most fundamental issue with the discussion of evolution is the strong religious and anti-religious bias of particular biological theories when interpreting data (also known as presuppositions).

Emily.Morrow The nature of theory is commonly misunderstood.  A theory is means of interpreting data in order to formulate an over arching explanation and relationship between the facts.  A fact or data comes from an observable aspect of nature which is repeatable and verifiable.  As a young physicist, I usually think of facts as data–direct measurements from scientific experiments.  Major issues arise when a person elevates the status of a theory to that of a fact.  Remember that a theory, although supported by data, can at any time be discarded or replaced when confronted by contrary data or a theory with more explanatory power.  Theories are essential for the progression of science.  When developing a theory, a scientist attempts to explain data in the fullest possible way.   Having a theory as a foundation to work off of is important because it often highlights specific unanswered questions–a scientist’s primary driving force in an individual’s research. Currently, the theory of evolution is the prominent theory in the biological paradigm since it not only explains phenomenon, but because it also raises many questions.  Therefore, it is important for scientists to appreciate the questions which evolution asks and answers, but at the same time recognize its limitations and be willing to entertain alternative explanatory theories if they prove to have greater explanatory power.

Emily MorrowThis raises yet another consideration; how much authority should we give the scientific community to determine the current paradigm?  I respect biologists as a group of scientists who have devoted their lives to studying this world.  If the majority of this group of people agree about one idea, who I am to say that I would know better (as a non-biologist).  However, truth is never determined by majority vote.  If a theist or atheist who has little to no background in biology makes sweeping conclusions about the reliability of the theory of evolution, I would urge them to have the humility to admit what they do not know and learn about the perspectives of scientists and make conclusions with assistance of others.

Hopefully these ideas spark some of your own thoughts about this topic.  Some of the mistakes described above often come from people who hold religious biases towards scientific ideas.  Therefore, we, as the Christian community, must not let our religious ideals keep us from respectively viewing scientific ideas.

I hold uncertainty in concepts, from evolution to the existence of God, and yet I appreciate both possibilities these ideas posit.  Though evolution comes with religious conclusions for many, everyone can try to approach the issue in ways that may initially seem contrary to their beliefs, but in the end, may not.

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Stories In Focus

The Theory of Everything

The life and times of astrophysicist Stephen Hawking and his wife Jane are portrayed in the new British film, The Theory of Everything. Inspired by Jane Hawking’s memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen, the film tells the remarkable story of one of the most successful living physicists.

The film picks up when Stephen Hawking is attending graduate school at the University of Cambridge and meets Jane, a fellow student whom he falls quickly and deeply in love with. The brilliant, active, and somewhat brash Stephen appears to have a bright future, until he receives a life-altering diagnosis at age 21.

TheoryOfEverything30As he is given a life expectancy of two years, Stephen has to now navigate through school, relationships, and life with motor neuron disease. The film follows Jane as she devotedly takes care of Stephen, and Stephen’s determined effort to make new discoveries in science.

Hawking’s scientific research was focused on the nature of time, a theme that the film in turn focuses on. Throughout the film, it is shown how time tests the bonds between two people, and how it is unknown how much of it we really have.

The film comes from the beautiful vision of director James Marsh who creates an emotional and affectionate tribute to Hawking. He takes a true love story and doesn’t portray it in the conventional, sappy way. Marsh wants to be honest about Stephen and Jane’s relationship, and doesn’t hold back from putting the audience through the emotional and tumultuous journey of it.

Eddie Redmayne, who portrays Stephen Hawking, delivers a nuanced performance having to act out Hawking’s disease. Redmayne is a convincing and compelling Hawking, so much so that I almost forgot that I was watching a movie. He isn’t afraid to look pathetic and helpless, and that allows him to give an exceptionally poignant performance. Whether he is dragging himself up a flight of stairs or is unable to pick up a fork to feed himself, Redmayne moves the audience to feel an immense amount of sympathy for not only Hawking, but for his family as well. Redmayne does an exceptional job at making the audience forget that he is not the real Hawking.

Jane Hawking is portrayed by Felicity Jones, and she too delivers a very captivating performance. As the wife to a physically helpless man, Jones captures the indefatigable position of taking care of Stephen. Jones embodies the pain that grows over time in Jane’s heart from not being in a normal relationship.

The Theory of Everything is a celebration of life in all of its beauty and sadness. The film is not so much about physics and Hawking’s monumental scientific discoveries, but rather is a tribute to relationships, love, and life itself. It is a film that goes beyond just being a biopic; it is a story that can resonate with people of all ages. I predict a lot of success and maybe Oscar nominations; everything from the acting to the screenplay is sure to get a lot of attention.

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News

Walters to Retire After Twenty Years of Teaching

Longtime professor, Michael Walters, will be retiring from his current position as Associate Dean of the Area of Religion and Global Service and Chair of the Department of Biblical Studies, Theology, and Philosophy, bringing to an end a career on the faculty at Houghton spanning two decades.

Walters2CMYKWalters first came to Houghton as the pastor of Houghton Wesleyan Church in 1982, remarking “I originally came thinking it was going to be for one year, and I still haven’t left. So it was kind of a surprise.” In 1995, the college asked Walters to join the faculty as a professor in what is now the Department of Biblical Studies, Theology, and Philosophy. During his time here, as well being named Chair and Associate Dean, he has assisted with the hiring of faculty like professor Jonathan Case, the establishment of the Woolsey lectures, and the recent accreditation of the theology major. Additionally, Walters created the Spiritual Formation class which has been “probably [his] favorite course over the years”.

Kristina Lacelle-Peterson, fellow theology professor, remarked on Walters’ “amazing service” to the college. She particularly noted his importance as an “inspirational” mentor in the ministerial program, which is “a service that this college offers to the Wesleyan Church in particular, but offers in general to students who are preparing for ministry.” The ministry program at Houghton is important, she said, because it is “central to the faith development of most Christians to have strong preaching and pastoral care and fellowship and worship” at their churches.

Building relationships with other faculty members and students was one of the most rewarding parts of teaching at Houghton for Walters, who said it was “a wonderful thing to watch [students] develop… and to know that you had just a small part helping to form them”. Former student, Veronica Gerace, said she admired Walters’ wisdom and stated that he teaches theology in a “very clear and concise way.” She also said she used the lessons she learned during the class to answer the questions of summer camp kids she worked with during her time on the Houghton travelling ministry team last summer.

According to Lacelle-Peterson, the ministry courses Walters currently teaches will be distributed among the Biblical Studies and Theology faculty, all of whom are ordained and who have worked in churches. The department is currently undergoing a search for a new Associate Dean as well as a Chair of the department. Any positions will be hired internally. She stated both of these topics are an “on-going conversation” between members of the department and Academic Dean Linda Mill-Woolsey.

Historically the Associate Dean and Department Chair have been the same position, but Lacelle-Peterson stated because of the re-alignment of the academic area to include the department of intercultural studies and world languages, it is possible that will not be the case going forward. Because of Houghton’s position as a college in the Wesleyan church, there are certain requirements that have to be fulfilled regarding representation of Wesleyans in leadership positions of the college, particularly in the Department of Biblical Studies, Theology, and Philosophy. This is intended to “maintain Wesleyan identity in the school,” said Lacelle-Peterson.

Walters said retirement will allow him more time to spend time with family, including his children and grandchildren. His immediate plans are to stay in the area. Despite not initially intending to live in Western New York for so many years of his career, Walters remarked, “I obviously love this institution and have been shaped and formed by it and this community in a variety of ways.”

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News

Potential Plans for Nielsen Explore Wellness

With the opening of the Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH) this past fall, the future of the Nielsen Physical Education Center (NPEC) is in question. Athletic Director, Harold “Skip” Lord, said the KPFH is an “enhancement” rather than a replacement for the NPEC. Although the Nielsen was a replacement for the old Bedford gym, which sat between the Campus Center and Gillette until the late 1970s, the intention for how each of the two current athletic facilities will be used is much different. Lord stated that the KPFH is an “enhancement,” not a replacement.

NeilsonThe NPEC still sees quite a bit of use, though it is not as crowded as it has been in previous years. The building still houses the training and sports medicine staff, physical education classes, as well as men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. Varsity spring sports teams also may use the NPEC due to weather conditions, though this would occur only if the KPFH was unavailable.

Lord also observed that before the KPFH was open, crowding from spring and winter sports practices often squeezed out non-varsity athlete students looking to use the NPEC. This was due to the fact that Houghton has added more athletic teams since becoming an NCAA Division lll institution. The existence of the KPFH serves to allow for a spreading out of indoor winter sports and outdoor spring sports as well as track and field (which is both indoor and outdoor). This allows for more traditional practice times and more time for recreational and intramural use of both facilities. Lord emphasized the KPFH and the NPEC “are Houghton College facilities”and all students have priority, not just athletic teams.

Lord stated this semester offers a wider variety of intramurals, with the future possibility of indoor ultimate frisbee in the KPFH.

The new arrangement is beneficial to current student-athletes. Emily Cronin, a member of both the women’s basketball and softball teams, said, “As a basketball player it is nice having all of the spring and most of the fall sports down at the KPFH because we have better practice times, and the gym (Nielsen) is available more often.”

Melissa Bell, a member of the track and field team, agreed stating, “Practice times are more consistent.” Bell also believes the dual use of both facilities has had a positive effect on the health habits of students,  “I think the addition of KPAC has encouraged more students to work out…because they (NPEC and KPFH) are less crowded.”

According to Lord, the NPEC fitness center and weight room will remain open for the remainder of the year, and the decision to keep them in operation will be evaluated based on how often they are used.

Plans for the NPEC, which are still on the drawing board, include creating a wellness center at the location. “Wellness involves the whole person,” stated Rob Pool, Vice President of Student Life. The whole person refers to one’s academics, spirituality, mental health, and fitness. “Each of those aspects are really just available …  á la carte  currently” Pool added. A wellness program would be an intentional integration of every aspect of wellness. Though nothing has been decided, Pool stated that Houghton is “seriously looking” for funding for such a program.

With all the emphasis on wellness and fitness, as well as two facilities in which to practice them, Lord spoke to the overall fitness level of the Houghton College community stating, “According to our wellness and fitness professors, we are below average [in physical fitness]”.

Lord hopes that the added space the KPFH adds to both facilities will encourage community fitness. “People need to find something they enjoy doing, so that they can stay fit,” he said. One thing he hopes will help is “easily being able to find an open racquetball court, use a treadmill, or have a basketball court to play 3-on-3 with friends.”

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News

Successful First Honors Weekend

Last weekend marked the beginning of the honors weekends as Houghton hosted 33 potential students and their families, a significant increase from last year.
This success is a result of changes not only to the honors program, but the approach to the weekend was slightly different as well. One of the most substantial changes, according to Director of Honors Programs, Benjamin Lipscomb, is the addition of the Honors in London program. Honors in London will be reintroduced as an option for current prospective students after a four year absence from the honors curriculum offerings. Elizabeth Rutledge, Assistant Director for Admission Events and Office Operations, thinks it will also attract more potential students.“We believe that the return of Honors in London will help attract additional students to Honors at Houghton,” said Rutledge. “We are excited to see how many students choose to join the Houghton community.”

Another contributing factor to the success of the weekend, according to Lipscomb, was the date of the event. While the decision to schedule the event so early in the semester and during Martin Luther King Jr. weekend was partly due to scheduling restraints, it was a strategic decision as well.

In previous years the event had fallen on the Friday after Martin Luther King Jr. day, and only 11 or 12 students were able to attend. Lipscomb thinks this hurt their outcome, stating, “If you’re a family visiting colleges, you might well have used that three-day weekend for that purpose.  You’d be less likely, then, to sign up for an honors weekend right afterward.” Lipscomb also credits admissions counselors for encouraging students to come to the first event, rather than waiting. According to Lipscomb, this works to Houghton’s advantage, “All the data suggest that the earlier we complete our process and get students a decision about honors, the likelier they are to commit to Houghton.”

However, sophomore Ian Patrick said that when he interviewed for the honors program the date of the event was not a factor for him, “I don’t think it would have mattered so much, for me anyways, because I was more interested in the subject matter.” Patrick said one of the main reasons he chose Houghton, as opposed to other colleges, was due to his acceptance into the honors program.

The last change made to the event was the decision to invite alumni to come and help interview. This helps Houghton tighten connections with its alumni, as well as introducing prospective students to honors program veterans. The alumni interviewers provide a unique perspective, Lipscomb said, “as the alums could reflect on how an interviewee would have fit into their honors cohort.” The success of this weekend is a promising start to the search for next year’s honors class.

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News

National // Cuba and the U.S. Make Amends

A landmark moment in Cuban-American relations occurred mid-December when President Obama loosened regulations on the interactions between the two nations. The changes, which were brought about after negotiations to release American government subcontractor Alan Gross from Cuban custody, include a variety of different points. Among them, a much freer trade between the two countries, a quadrupling of the amount of remittances Cuban-Americans may send home (from $500 to $2000 each quarter),  as well as the ability of travelers who meet certain criteria to fly directly to Cuba. These changes continue an overall trend in recent years of diluted sanctions present in the American embargo of Cuba.

Cuba-Florida_mapThe origins of the Cuban Embargo begin with the rise to power of Fidel Castro in 1959 after his successful militarized revolt over then leader Fulgensio Batista. American leaders viewed Castro’s ideologies as extremist, which led to the implementation of a trade embargo, as well as a severing of all diplomatic relations with Cuba the following year. In 1993, the U.S. tightened the embargo, forcing Cuban leadership to sign an agreement with the U.S. allowing the emigration of 20,000 Cuban refugees per year to quell protests from its citizens.

Since that time, sanctions within the embargo have been gradually reduced, allowing for freer travel and the promise of remittances to families and small businesses in Cuba. President Obama has been a sizable advocate for these reforms according to the New York Times. On December 17, President Obama announced his newest change to the embargo. In it, diplomatic relations with Cuba would be restored for the first time in over 50 years. Additionally, American citizens wishing to travel to Cuba for educational, cultural, or religious reasons, as well as humanitarian work, now have the right to do so. In the financial sector, American banks now will have the ability to open branches in Cuba, as well as to allow American customers to use United States credit or debit cards during their time in Cuba. Finally, imports and exports will be restored in a limited fashion, with American citizens being able to export up to $400 worth of Cuban goods, and up to $100 worth of articles like alcohol and tobacco. “I’m going to leave a shell, but it’s going to be a proverbial Easter egg – it’s going to be hollow” said Obama referring to the remaining sanctions within the Cuban embargo.

Reactions from Congress and other government officials from these changes have been mixed. Nowhere is this more obvious than the fact that the embargo against Cuba still stands in a limited sense. To lift the embargo would require action by Congress. In an interview with the New York Times, Senator Robert Menendez said Obama’s changes were “clearly intended to circumvent the intent and spirit of the U.S. law and the U.S. Congress.” Others quoted concerns about the implications of these changes, like Florida Senator Marco Rubio. “These new policies will have the effect of enriching the tyrant without benefitting Cubans,” he said in a statement to CNN.

However, others in power feel differently. On January 19, a group of 78 lawmakers and other officials signed a document stating their advocacy for the Obama administration’s changes in preparation for the upcoming State of the Union address. Notable among the signed are Secretary of State, George Schultz; President Clinton’s National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger; and former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson; among others. In the letter, they were quoted saying, “We may disagree on a number of issues, but we’ve found common ground for a simple reason; our fifty-four-year-old approach intended to promote human rights and democracy in Cuba has failed.”

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Stories In Focus

The Resurrection of the Lanthorn

New Co-editors revitalize a withering publication.

Of the trinity of Houghton student publications that includes The Star, The Drawing Board, and The Lanthorn, it is the latter that is perhaps most foreign to students this year. In part, this is due to the case of the missing editorial staff and the resulting scramble for their replacement about halfway through last semester. Fortunately junior Essie Fenstermacher and sophomore Ava Bergen volunteered to take charge and revive the Lanthorn once again.

Lanthorn OfficeFor Bergen, a sophomore English and communications major, the Lanthorn was an important part of her experience her first year, and the same goes for Fenstermacher. As a literary magazine that includes poetry, selections of prose, short stories, and more, the Lanthorn appeals to avid readers and writers alike. For writers, the Lanthorn is a “good space for writers to put themselves out there,” said Bergen, as well as being a practical and simple way to get feedback from their audience, other writers, and the editors themselves. Students who write more for leisure might enjoy the chance to see their name by something in print out there for all to see, but they also benefit from the ability to be anonymous. Anonymity, according to Bergen, affords writers a certain “freedom [they] don’t have in other areas,” the Lanthorn is a “safe space for somebody who wants to talk about something very uncomfortable or talk about controversial ideas.” Fenstermacher added that it is an outlet that fosters connection and offers people the chance to “put in their own input, or just come to it and find new ideas.”

More than another thing to pick up and read when you’re bored on campus, the Lanthorn’s mission is to engage the student body and to have them then engage each other. According to Bergen, “if the Lanthorn can spark conversations, spark ideas, spark somebody to think in a different way or to think of someone elses’ perspective, that would be really wonderful.”

With an ample budget, Bergen and Fenstermacher hope to publish quite a few issues this semester. The arrival of over 90 submissions over the course of a week and a half in the fall indicated to the editors that “people do want to write things, people are writing, and they already clearly had this material they submitted.” A trend they hope continues this spring.

In a world of where conversation is carried out in online comments, Facebook messages, and texts, Bergen thinks that it is “important for people to engage in actual conversations with each other, which isn’t to deride texts or Facebook, but I think you can’t underestimate the value of reading something on a page and taking the time to absorb that idea, that concept, and the effect that has on a person. If the Lanthorn can encourage that then I think we’ve accomplished our goal.”

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Stories In Focus

The Promising Final Season of Parks and Recreation

Arguably the funniest show on television right now, Parks and Recreation is back for its seventh and final season. The sitcom premiered this past Tuesday (January 13) on NBC, marking the inevitable end of the viewer’s relationship with the town of Pawnee, Indiana (First in Friendship, Fourth in Obesity), and the quirky characters that live there.

Featuring former Saturday Night Live star and Golden Globe Award winner Amy Poehler as the energetic and capable Leslie Knope, Parks and Recreation follows the lives of an eclectic band of government workers employed by the Pawnee Parks Department. Leslie’s boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), is a profoundly libertarian, whiskey-drinking woodworker who acts as a foil for Leslie’s ceaseless work ethic and optimism; Ron only works for the government with the hope that he can destroy it from the inside.

Parks-and-RecParks and Rec’s brilliance lies not only in absurdist, deadpan humor (think 30 Rock meets The Office), but also in the gripping, sentimental evolution of the characters. I mean “sentimental” in the most complimentary sense, with the viewer becoming emotionally invested in the lives of each individual character, as well as their interactions with one another.

Leslie Knope begins the series as an annoyingly perky, overzealous and ineffectual government employee. Her character development is inspiring; over time her inner zealot gives way to heartfelt passion for Pawnee, working to beautify her hometown and eventually running for city council. Similarly, the viewer is allowed glimpses past Ron Swanson’s brusque exterior to the genuine respect he feels for Leslie and his assistant April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza). The shoe-shine boy, Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt), is eventually promoted. Selfish wannabe business mogul Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) learns the necessity of organization after his start-up ends in bankruptcy. Over time the characters are redeemed, though admittedly not without numerous mistakes and painfully (yet hilariously) awkward moments. The only character who never surpasses his initial situation is the useless Jerry Gergich, who defaults as the scapegoat for all Parks Department mishaps.

Initially in the series it seemed that the characters were at risk of becoming caricatures, yet the joy of the show is in vicariously experiencing their maturation from the unrealistically flawed to the believably human. The viewer becomes invested in the Parks Department’s success; Leslie Knope’s triumphs are our triumphs.

Nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Television Series, Parks and Recreation’s accomplishments have served to launch the careers of previously obscure cast members, with real life paralleling the individual achievements most characters attain as the show develops. Actor Chris Pratt (Andy Dwyer) recently starred as Star-Lord Peter Quill in Marvel’s smash hit Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as securing a lead role in Stephen Spielberg’s upcoming film Jurassic World. Nick Offerman, and Audrey Plaza (whose personality apparently mimics April Ludgate’s in real life) have gone on to various movie roles in big names like 22 Jump Street and Life After Beth.

Though Pratt is now a full-blown movie star, he comments on the importance of his experience working on Parks: “I’m realizing the things that really matter about what you’re doing, for me at least, are just the relationships you have while you’re doing it. And for me, this show… I hope that I could possibly have the good fortune of finding another group of people like this, but I don’t expect I ever will.”

With a dynamic cast that loves their characters almost as much as we do, and comedic writing that integrates themes of persistence and hard work, Parks and Recreation is the television equivalent of optimism.