Stories from the current online edition of The Orbis. en-us http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:57:43 GMT 20 http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/States.Veto.Civil.Rights-3534774.shtml In what was otherwise a very good election night for activists of the left, gay rights took a pretty heavy drubbing. Arkansas voters barred gay couples from adopting children. Both Florida and Arizona amended their constitutions to state that marriage is between a man and a woman. In California, voters bestowed chickens with more rights while they eliminated same-sex marriages via constitutional amendment. 696754c6-08a2-40dd-81b2-b65a5dfa3f11 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT News/Features 11/12/08 Analyzing Proposition 8, what went wrong, and the future of gay rights Evan Didier Website Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_pem05n19.png http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/ Campus News http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/Nashville.Coalition.Fights.For.Social.Justice-3534807.shtml The South may not be known for its progressive politics, but Nashville now finds itself home to a growing number of coalitions and activist groups devoted to breaking down barriers of race and class in order to make Tennessee a better place for everybody. f4878989-2c82-4f78-9014-15189c739426 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT News/Features 11/12/08 Local activist groups join together to combat inequality Jon Felix Christian Issues Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_ap7ojvv9.png http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/ Campus News http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/Vanderbilt.Community.Celebrates.Election.Results-3534829.shtml "Everyone who participated and watched yesterday and throughout this long election journey has to be proud of America and its constitutional system." - Nick Zeppos, Chancellor 51615d44-962a-4828-af4d-5a61c7077cf7 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT News/Features 11/12/08 After Tuesday's election results, we sought the reactions of Vanderbilt's progressive community. http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/ Campus News http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/Nashville.Kurdish.Community.Thrives-3534811.shtml Outside the Vanderbubble, Nashville is a diverse and cosmopolitan place. The city surrounding us boasts a huge immigrant population, and many of these are political refugees. One particularly significant group, especially considering the current Iraq War, is the local Kurdish population. c558c07b-1672-4312-a86a-3df8d685b407 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT News/Features 11/12/08 As a part of a series on local immigrant communities, this month we look at the large local Kurdish population Jennifer Dennard Staff Writer http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_ezt7x26y.jpg http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/ Campus News http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/Amnesty.International.Advocates.For.Human.Rights-3534839.shtml Students interested in international justice should take a close look at the work of the Vanderbilt chapter of Amnesty International. As a local chapter of the global human rights movement, Amnesty has made a name for itself on campus by coordinating international and local advocacy projects. 2ea943b7-9328-45a8-bd4e-d4d844a8222a Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT News/Features 11/12/08 Orbis profiles progressive student organizations monthly. To feature your organization, email vanderbiltorbis@gmail.com Erika Hyde Associate Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_7m0aql06.png http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Newsfeatures/ Campus News http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/Facebooking.The.Election-3534796.shtml News stations across the country have marveled at the youth turnout this year. Young people across the nation resisted hitting the snooze button Tuesday morning and chose to cast their vote instead. But what did they do after 10 PM Tuesday night? d1a9772d-1cd4-4962-b489-e3fb7c1d4f8d Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Commentary 11/12/08 The Internet shows a surprising amount of young voter enthusiasm Allie Diffendal Features Editor http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_og383k84.png http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/T.Boone.Pickens.Snake.Oil.Salesman.Or.Savior-3534849.shtml Just a few months ago, most Americans had never heard of T. Boone Pickens. Then, all of a sudden, people could not turn on their televisions without seeing a commercial about the Pickens Plan. 9567b023-8fae-4b14-b61c-18025122e554 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Commentary 11/12/08 Can progressives trust Pickens, or should we look more closely at his motives? Alex Koren http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/paper983/thumbs/t_1n9l200m.png http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/Note-From.The.Editor-3534864.shtml So I probably don't have to say that I'm pretty excited about the results of the presidential election last Tuesday. Not only was it a win for a new kind of political campaign, one that embraced the politics of hope and unity over the politics of division; it also affirmed that many Americans really do support a progressive platform. 22a9af0b-bbc3-4ba6-b2d6-368c69a5596d Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Commentary 11/12/08 The November issue's note from the editor Robyn Hyden Editor-in-Chief http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Commentary/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/Orbis.Asks.Are.Progressives.Too.Optimistic.About.The.Election.Results-3534978.shtml 529d333c-8b66-4cbe-87bc-f21e37f916a3 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Issues 11/12/08 Opinions from Vanderbilt students http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/Yes-Progressives.Are.Being.Too.Optimistic.About.The.Election.Results-3534968.shtml Yes, there is hope. Yes, we can. But will we? Will he? As Obama said on election night, "This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change." That chance is now present, but our problems have only begun. Obama faces two wars and a burgeoning recession that drain money from education, health care, and social security, not to mention rising medical costs and a failing social security system. f4c1ab44-236d-4a00-9384-b88610d5e620 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Issues 11/12/08 Yes, the American Left has unrealistic expectations of Barack Obama Allison Heiser http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/ Opinion/Editorial http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/No.Progressives.Are.Not.Being.Too.Optimistic.About.The.Election.Results-3534973.shtml Don't believe for a second that President-elect Barack Obama will become a stodgily centrist president upon assuming office. Throughout his campaign, he has promised rigorous bipartisanship, even promising to nominate moderate Republicans to his cabinet. But it would be unduly pessimistic of progressives to assume that the man who carried America by a margin of almost 200 electoral votes will renege on his progressive promises. e3697c4b-dab9-4d0b-a5b8-c06026398e21 Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:00:00 GMT Issues 11/12/08 Of course not! The election was a progressive victory and represents great possibility Nakul Shekhawat Staff Writer http://www.vanderbiltorbis.com/news/2008/11/12/Issues/ Opinion/Editorial