Alana Liebenthal
Journal Staff
Suffolk’s newest addition to campus, the Modern Theatre, played host to political writer Peter Beinart and Marco Werman. The event was held Thursday, March 3rd and was opened for the public.
Beinart, a Senior Political Writer for the blog The Daily Beast, has also contributed to The New York Times, Time, and The New York Review of Books. He was accompanied by Werman, a Senior Producer at Public Radio International, and spectators were able to listen in as Werman asked Beinart key questions related to American Foreign Policy in the Middle East. Beinart offered his insights to a small, but engaged crowd that included a mixture of Suffolk students and those simply interested in the topic. Beinart seemed excited to talk about such a controversial issue, especially considering the dramatic recent events in the Middle East.
Topics ranged from the relationship the United States has with the countries in the region, to the waning influence America has in the world and how that will affect the spread of democracy. It also included how our Foreign Policy should change in order to accommodate the needs of both our country and those in the Middle East. Beinart discussed what the next moves of the Obama administration should be, based on their history with Middle Eastern countries, while keeping in mind the economic health of the United States. Beinart, comparing certain situations with those America has experienced before in the past, urged the audience to help our policy makers learn from our previous mistakes.
Chris Bourgault, a Suffolk freshman, stated that he attended the event to learn more about the Obama doctrine. “I am a government major,” he said. “This helps me learn more about the political field.” However, guests did not need to be Suffolk students or even attend a university. Many of the members in the audience were much older than the average college student, which helped the question-and-answer session flow after Beinart and Werman’s discussion. Spectators were able to ask the speakers questions related to the topic in order to enhance upon ideas earlier mentioned. Some guests even recounted the events they witnessed when travelling through certain countries during trying times.
When asked if he enjoyed speaking at universities, Beinart replied that he did. “Yeah, I find that college students are generally more leftist in their political views, and I think their opinions are just as valuable as mine,” he said. “It’s interesting because we’re all trying to make sense of what’s going on in the Middle East.” Beinart has been to other campuses in New York and D.C, though Massachusetts universities are very dear to him considering his birth place of Cambridge.
The Modern Theatre, though only a few months old, is the host of many upcoming events both theatrical and informative in nature. Car Talk: The Musical!!!, written and directed by Wesley Savick, a Suffolk University professor, will be premiering March 31. In April, students should expect to see lots of Shakespeare, as The Last Will, a play documenting the life and work of William Shakespeare directed by Daniella Varon will be debuted, along with Antony and Cleopatra, one of Shakespeare’s plays, which will wrap up an eventful first season at the Modern.
