Friday March 2, Georgetown University President John DeGioia sent an email to the Georgetown community commending law student Sandra Fluke for her civil discourse about birth control and criticizing the media for the personal attacks against her. A few weeks ago, Fluke testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about the university’s student health insurance’s refusal to cover a fellow student’s birth control to manage her polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Since then, Fluke has been the object of personal attacks from pundits like Rush Limbaugh, who called her a slut for using birth control.

DeGioia’s message is below.

March 2, 2012

Dear Members of the Georgetown Community:

There is a legitimate question of public policy before our nation today.  In the effort to address the problem of the nearly fifty million Americans who lack health insurance, our lawmakers enacted legislation that seeks to increase access to health care. In recent weeks, a question regarding the breadth of services that will be covered has focused significant public attention on the issue of contraceptive coverage.  Many, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, have offered important perspectives on this issue.

In recent days, a law student of Georgetown, Sandra Fluke, offered her testimony regarding the proposed regulations by the Department of Health and Human Services before a group of members of Congress.  She was respectful, sincere, and spoke with conviction.  She provided a model of civil discourse.  This expression of conscience was in the tradition of the deepest values we share as a people.  One need not agree with her substantive position to support her right to respectful free expression.  And yet, some of those who disagreed with her position – including Rush Limbaugh and commentators throughout the blogosphere and in various other media channels – responded with behavior that can only be described as misogynistic, vitriolic, and a misrepresentation of the position of our student.

In our vibrant and diverse society, there always are important differences that need to be debated, with strong and legitimate beliefs held on all sides of challenging issues.  The greatest contribution of the American project is the recognition that together, we can rely on civil discourse to engage the tensions that characterize these difficult issues, and work towards resolutions that balance deeply held and different perspectives.  We have learned through painful experience that we must respect one another and we acknowledge that the best way to confront our differences is through constructive public debate.  At times, the exercise of one person’s freedom may conflict with another’s.  As Americans, we accept that the only answer to our differences is further engagement.

In an earlier time, St. Augustine captured the sense of what is required in civil discourse: “Let us, on both sides, lay aside all arrogance.  Let us not, on either side, claim that we have already discovered the truth.  Let us seek it together as something which is known to neither of us.  For then only may we seek it, lovingly and tranquilly, if there be no bold presumption that it is already discovered and possessed.”

If we, instead, allow coarseness, anger – even hatred – to stand for civil discourse in America, we violate the sacred trust that has been handed down through the generations beginning with our Founders.  The values that hold us together as a people require nothing less than eternal vigilance.  This is our moment to stand for the values of civility in our engagement with one another.

Sincerely,

John J. DeGioia
President
Georgetown University

Cold weather for GAAP weekend, but that won’t stop party rockin’ songs from finding their way onto Vox Pop. Without further delay, let’s get into this weeks Remixes and Mash-ups.

First off, I found more Lion King remixes. It turns out the creator of these funny mashes is DJDOYOU. An otherwise unknown DJ to me, his mixes are pretty funny nonetheless. The new addition to last weeks “Stuntin’ Like Mufasa” is “I’m A Lion King.” Give this song a second and then the Disney Classic will be more than apparent. DJDOYOU actually has a whole mixtape for Disney themed mash-ups here. I give it four weeks before the Man files a copyright infringement suit.

Next we have Drake’s “Over,” remixed by Hyper Crush. I highlighted Hyper Crush a couple months ago, and they’re one of my new favorite outfits hailing from LA. Their trip-hop style is definitely something I’m digging right now, along with the likes of LMFAO and Cataracs. So I would expect a lot more posts about them in the future as I keep track of their progress.

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I was almost disheartened by a lack of good music this week; but, as I sat sad and dejected, wandering around the endless abyss that is the internet, behold! I stumbled again upon a rather ear pleasing track by the rising L.A.-electro outfit Hyper Crush.

The more I look into it, the more L.A. seems to be the new breeding ground for pop/electro success. Between LMFAO, Kesha, Super Mash Bros, and now Hyper Crush, there have been more than a few bands that have caught my attention.

I recently posted the Hyper Crush remix of LMFAO’s La La La, the song that originally got me looking at Hyper Crush. Now I’ve listened to their new single, Keep Up (off of the upcoming album) and it knocked me on the floor: the usual club beatz keep the song going at a fast pace from start to finish, the seductive lyrics are perfect for those hawt and sweaty parties, and just the right amount of auto-tune adds that x-factor that is so popular these days.

I would say that their new album will, if anything, hold up to the standards set by Keep Up, so everyone should be waiting with anticipation for that to drop.

I hope everyone enjoys this banger. Sorry I couldn’t find more trax for this week, but I’d rather post one great song than one great song and one marginal song. Stay warm this weekend the only appropriate way for young kids full of vigor to do so: dance your ass off.

This week I’ve got some of the usual stuff, and something a little out of the norm for Remix Your Weekend. The first is part of the third collaboration album between two of my favorite Hip Hoppers, Slug and Murs, collectively known as Felt. The second is a great remix of LMFAO (who in turn remixed a Gaga song that I posted some time ago).

Although Felt’s first album was a little disappointing considering the two big names associated with it, their second album absolutely blew me away. Now, Aesop Rock brings his well known, rather industrial style (a la None Shall Pass) as the producer of their newest drop, A Tribute to Rosie Perez.

The song, “She Sonnet,” is, if nothing else, a great underground anthem: the beat is obviously the work of Aesop Rock with noises that could easily be heard in some factory, while Felt and Slug continue the caliber of lyrical style that they’ve brought in the past. I was a little sad with some of the other songs I’ve heard from this CD, but at the very least “She Sonnet” will prove to be one of the better underground tracks of the year thus far.

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