The Wall doesn’t endorse candidates, but I’ve been super interested in the popularity of Giant Meteor since their 2016 run.
Who is your favorite 2020 candidate?
Why do so many countries in the Balkans hate each other?
That’s a big topic, and there are a bunch of ways you could approach it. Here are a few suggestions for things to read. Kaplan’s Balkan Ghosts (O’Neill Library DR16 .K36 1993) is a classic history, or you could try something like Mazower’s The Balkans: A Short History (O’Neill DR36 .M39 2000). If you want something comprehensive you could try Jelavich’s History of the Balkans (O’Neill DR36 .J37 1983). And Rebecca West’s Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (O’Neill DR366 .W3) is still a classic piece of travel writing and cultural observation.
Best Kennedy? Jack, Bobby, Ted
The Wall is having trouble with the word “best” in this context. All three had very influential public careers and some measure of scandal attached to them. Teddy had much more time to do public service and pass laws to serve the Commonwealth and the country, but that’s the tragedy of the family as well.
Can you provide some resources to learn more about the history of the movement calling on BC to divest from fossil fuels?
Climate Justice at Boston College (https://orgsync.com/123146/chapter) is the organization you’re looking for. Here is their history: climatejusticebc.com/who-we-are/cjbc-history. Bill McKibben talked here in April 2016 (bit.ly/heights-mckibben), but the BC divestment movement started before then as “BC Fossil Free” (bit.ly/heights-2013-fossil-free). I recommend heavy use of BC Heights (bcheights.com) and newspapers.bc.edu – search “divest”. Also try The Gavel (bcgavel.com).
Are there any professors who are vocal Trump supporters?
I don’t know of any off the top my head – errr – top plate. Most (but certainly not all) faculty choose not to express a preference for any candidate or political party because it is not immediately germane to their work. But, like any rule, there are exceptions. I recommend talking to some of the members of the Boston College Republicans Club (bit.ly/BCRepubs) to see if they know of any faculty that are more vocal in their views that align with your own.
When will the democrats get it together for the presidential race.
As my distant cousin the Magic 8-Ball often says, “Cannot predict now.” There are certainly many contestants. If by “get it together,” you mean have a single consistent message, the late great Will Rogers said it best: “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.”
How to become a better diplomat without having corruption?
There are lots of approaches to diplomacy that don’t involve corruption. One way to learn would be to read about how other people have done the work–lots of ambassadors write books about their careers. bit.ly/bc-diplomats. One of my helpers recommends this one in particular: bit.ly/bc-galbraith.
Was Catholicism the same religion that rebuked Galileo for declaring that the earth moved around the sun.
Catholicism is a variety of Christianity rather than a religion, but yes, it was the Catholic Church. Galileo’s works were removed from the Church’s index of banned works in the 19th century, and Pope John Paul II issued an apology of sorts in 1992. Historians, theologians, and scientists all have opinions on this, and they’re all represented in our collection if you’d like to go deeper: bit.ly/bc-galileo
Trump Train or Win with Warren? or …. Communism?
If you’re asking about my own leanings, I’m a Wall, so it’s not in my nature to lean. If you’re asking about the outcomes, just remember that the remarkable thing about a democracy is that everyone who takes part helps write the outcomes. All of these (and many more) are possibilities. I guess you could call me a possibilitarian. I have to just stand here, so please, all of you, be active on my behalf!
Remember when Tip O’Neill was in Cheers?
YES, I know of it. It’s a little before my time (I was built in 1987) but some of my library helpers recall that episode fondly. For those who are curious: bit.ly/tip-cheers.
Was Tip O’Neill the best Speaker of the House?
Of course I’m going to say yes. A Wall in a different building might mention Henry Clay or Sam Rayburn as most influential.
Why doesn’t administration acknowledge the need for a GLBTQ+ Resource Centre?
IDK. I can’t presume to speak for BC’s administration. The student body, through UGBC votes in 2016 for an LGBTQ resource center (bit.ly/Heights-lgbtq1) and 2018 for a full-time staff member (bit.ly/Heights-lgbtq2) has made its needs clear. For a longer, in-depth view of the history of LGBTQ+ issues at BC, read this excellent 2016 article: bit.ly/Heights-lgbtq3. Keep communicating the need.
Are you Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?
You’ve heard of fence-sitting, right? I’m the fence itself. This is not a decision a Wall needs to make, because walls don’t procreate or give birth. Being a Wall in a library, I can guide you to many, many resources. For a bioethics perspective, try an article in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Pregnancy, Birth, and Medicine: bit.ly/sep-pregnancy. To get a sense of the many different perspectives on this thorny moral issue, do a subject search on abortion in the library catalog, and scan all the subjects that are related: law, religion, moral & ethical aspects, pro-life movement, government policy, pro-choice movements, political aspects, Catholic Church, medical ethics… it’s a long list, which means deciding is potentially a very complex struggle.
Why doesn’t BC give out free condoms at the health center?
Lots of schools do that. Catholic ones don’t. bit.ly/bc-bc
How long untill the world/U.S. is Caramel + Queer?
The mixing of races isn’t new, just more talked about in places where it hasn’t been acceptable in the past. Regardless, I suspect it will take more than 3 generations. You should know that some people bristle when complexions are described as caramel, toffee, coffee, etc. because those terms equate skin tone with food, and there can be underlying connotations with that. As for becoming queer, the number of people who publicly identify as LGBTQ may go up as societal acceptance increases, but the overall percentage of the population is unlikely to change much. I just hope that the world keeps trending toward more acceptance of others, regardless of what makes them who they are.
How to approach/educate ignorant ppl? — if they are your BEST friends.
Empathy. It can be extremely frustrating to care for someone deeply (as with a best friend) and disagree with the way they view the world. Just remember that they are humans too and have experiences that have guided them to their current viewpoints. I recommend engaging them on their experiences and asking what led them to see the world as they see it today. Also remember that you should be just as open about changing your views if they’re able to present a compelling argument. Mutual respect for each others’ opinions and open dialogue are how friendships blossom – the “education” part will come naturally if you focus on the dialogue.
Since capatilism kills more than it helps, now what? ALSO… Booker, Harris, Warren, Yang, Biden or Bernie–>2020?
Probably there is no “now what”. Capitalism, for all its flaws, is the only system that humans have ever known, and probably ever will know as long as we live on a planet with finite resources. Even in supposed “non-capitalist” regimes, the fundamentals of capitalism still exist in gray and black markets. It is fair to say that it has killed a lot of people by extension, but more than it helps? I dunno. A lot of people are alive today due to technological advances created in order to make a buck (or even to make a buck while being more effective at killing the other guy in war). I think that all of the candidates for 2020 are good people doing their best to make our country better as they see fit (how’s that for dodging a question?). You sound like you might enjoy reading Thomas Piketty’s The Economics of Inequality (O’Neill HB523 .P54713 2015).
Who would you rather have govern America, Kim Jong-Il or Joseph Stalin?
What a set of terrible choices. Stalin was more competent, but that’s not really an advantage in dictators. Nope, wouldn’t wish either on the USA.
Is Adam Smith’s conception of labor in terms of “toil and trouble” or Marx’s conception of labor in terms of “labour-time” more useful?
Useful in what sense? Both do a thing less common in modern economics: putting human labor front and center in discussions of value.
President Trump wants $5 billion for the ‘WALL’. Aren’t you lucky :-) Can I have at least $1 billion from you?
It would be so great if that were what was going on, but I’ll believe it when I see the check. If it comes I might spend a little to spruce up my nook here, but it would mostly go to fund scholarships, particularly for international students. As for your billion? Well, we’ll see.