Spring Break
'Sam' event draws notice of campus
Amanda Altschuler & Caitlin Varley
Issue date: 4/18/08 Section: Front Page
Weaver added that her group is based on spreading acceptance and tolerance across campus.
"It's more important in a world where discrimination and hate crimes are hugely prevalent to express a message of tolerance," Weaver said.
Throughout the week, Leopold has spoken with many students about the campaign.
"I've had conversations with people who don't agree, which is a good thing because it makes them think about their belief systems and how to communicate with people and I think that's great too," Leopold said.
According to Amy Greenbaum, executive director of the Hillel Foundation, the advisers of student religious organizations on campus, including Hillel and CCC, previously signed an agreement to facilitate respectful communication between the groups.
"This agreement helps us facilitate respect and dialogue among one another and it is my hope that all organizations live up to the agreement they signed," Greenbaum said.
Greenbaum said that part of the agreement is that students have the right to disengage from a witnessing conversation.
Greenbaum said that since she is Jewish, she disagrees with the theology of the "I Am Sam" campaign. However, she did add that organizations have the right to put on whatever type of programming they like.
"I think that one of the blessings of living in the United States of America is that all of us have the right to freely practice religion, to freely speak our minds, etc.," Greenbaum said. "I think that that's an important American value and that means that an organization, especially in a university setting, has the right to plan programs for themselves as they wish."
However, Greenbaum said that she personally found fault with the campaign.
"It seems to me that there may be some elements of the 'I Am Sam' campaign that did not respect the idea that people can believe what they choose to believe," Greenbaum said.
Senior Jenny Jacob, president of the Association of Jewish Students, was upset that Sam touched on the fact that he comes from a Jewish family.
"It's more important in a world where discrimination and hate crimes are hugely prevalent to express a message of tolerance," Weaver said.
Throughout the week, Leopold has spoken with many students about the campaign.
"I've had conversations with people who don't agree, which is a good thing because it makes them think about their belief systems and how to communicate with people and I think that's great too," Leopold said.
According to Amy Greenbaum, executive director of the Hillel Foundation, the advisers of student religious organizations on campus, including Hillel and CCC, previously signed an agreement to facilitate respectful communication between the groups.
"This agreement helps us facilitate respect and dialogue among one another and it is my hope that all organizations live up to the agreement they signed," Greenbaum said.
Greenbaum said that part of the agreement is that students have the right to disengage from a witnessing conversation.
Greenbaum said that since she is Jewish, she disagrees with the theology of the "I Am Sam" campaign. However, she did add that organizations have the right to put on whatever type of programming they like.
"I think that one of the blessings of living in the United States of America is that all of us have the right to freely practice religion, to freely speak our minds, etc.," Greenbaum said. "I think that that's an important American value and that means that an organization, especially in a university setting, has the right to plan programs for themselves as they wish."
However, Greenbaum said that she personally found fault with the campaign.
"It seems to me that there may be some elements of the 'I Am Sam' campaign that did not respect the idea that people can believe what they choose to believe," Greenbaum said.
Senior Jenny Jacob, president of the Association of Jewish Students, was upset that Sam touched on the fact that he comes from a Jewish family.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Carl
posted 4/20/08 @ 8:01 PM EST
I am an alumni who casually keeps up with events through the e-mail edition of The Miami Student. As such I have no knowledge of the "Sam" campaign or the actual program that took place. (Continued…)
Whitney
posted 4/21/08 @ 5:02 AM EST
Truth is completely subjective.
Objectivity is entirely fabricated by people with authority in a particular region. Like white Christian men in the United States. (Continued…)
alwayzaskeptik
Larry
posted 4/21/08 @ 12:20 PM EST
Do I agree with Sam? Yes. Sam Harris.
Ayanna
posted 9/25/08 @ 11:26 PM EST
There's a reason we refer to "leaps of faith" - because the decision to consent to any notion of divinity is a mighty jump from the rational over to the unknowable, and I don't care how diligently scholars of every religion will try to sit you down with their stacks of books and prove to you through scripture that their faith is indeed rational. (Continued…)
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