Scholar Finds Luther’s Handwriting via Emory Library
A retired professor from the University of Gottingen, Ulrich Bubenheimer, discovered the handwriting of Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther on a document via Pitts Theology Library’s digital archives. Pitts Theology Library at the Candler School of Theology is home to the largest collection of works by Luther in North America. The three-line inscription Bubenheimer found is located on the title page of a 1520 pamphlet, according to an Oct. 16 University press release. The lines explain who the author of the work is, a fact that was previously unknown and debated among scholars. The claim was verified with advisers of the Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection at Pitts Theology Library, where the original document is stored, according to interim director of the Pitts Library Bo Adams. The finding adds a valuable piece of evidence to the collection that previously only included one example of Luther’s handwriting, which appeared in a manuscript note.
SAAC Pool Closes
Due to an emergency mechanical issue, the Student Activity and Academic Center (SAAC) pool has been closed to swimmers until further notice, according to an Oct. 16 email from SAAC staff. They hope to reopen the pool by the end of the season and all SAAC members who receive permission from the SAAC will be able to use the indoor pool at the Woodruff P.E. Center during the interim period. The pool was previously scheduled to remain open for the fall season until Nov. 1.
CC Incorrectly Advertises Shuttles
College Council (CC) provided funding for shuttles to the 2017 Atlanta Trans March on Oct. 14, although an advertisement indicated the shuttles were for the Pride Parade, which was actually Oct. 15. CC’s Facebook event, titled “Experience Shuttles//Pride Festival,” advertised that the service would drop students off at the parade in the cover photo. Although the Atlanta Pride Festival runs from Oct. 13 to 15, the parade itself travels through Downtown Atlanta only on Oct. 15. More than 40 Emory affiliates marched in the parade on behalf of the University and the Office of LGBT Life. CC President Cassidy Schwartz (18C) and Vice President Naman Jain (18C) did not respond to request for comment as of press time.
Forklift at CLC Construction Site Tips Over
A telescopic forklift tipped over Wednesday at the construction site of the Campus Life Center (CLC). No injuries were reported. The Office of Planning, Design and Construction is investigating the cause of the incident, as of Thursday at 2:34 p.m., according to Associate Vice President of Planning, Design and Construction Charlie Andrews. The incident caused minor damage to the forklift but did not delay construction, Andrews said.
Trump May Extend DACA Deadline
President Donald J. Trump could extend the March 5 deadline to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program if Congress cannot reach an agreement to replace the Obama-era program by then, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told The Washington Post. Trump did not specify how long the extension to the deadline would be, according to what Lankford told the Post. DACA is a temporary immigration benefit granted to some undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children. When his administration announced the rescission of the program early September, Trump said that he hoped Congress would pass a legislative solution extending protection to undocumented immigrants. House Democrats are seeking GOP support to pass the Dream Act, which would provide permanent legal status to roughly 1.6 million “Dreamers,” according to The Post. Trump has called DACA “an unconstitutional use of executive authority.” A total of 690,000 individuals in the U.S. are DACA recipients, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Alumna Responds to Dove Ad Criticism
Emory alumna Lola Ogunyemi (08Ox, 10C) appeared in a controversial, recently-aired Dove advertisement. Dove posted a video clip from one of their new advertisements that has been met with backlash and accusations of racism. The ad in question depicts a black woman, portrayed by Ogunyemi, wearing a brown shirt who removes her top to reveal a white woman wearing a white shirt. Dove released an apology for the viral advertisement, stating that they “missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully.” Ogunyemi said that she is “not a victim” of the ad and believes that the image was taken out of context. In the full-length advertisement, multiple women of various races are shown transforming into different women with different colored T-shirts. Ogunyemi said that if she had known that she would’ve been portrayed as the “inferior” in a “before and after” shot, she wouldn’t have agreed to be apart of the advertisement.
Hundreds Die in Mogadishu Bombings
A deadly double-truck bombing in Mogadishu, Somalia, killed more than 270 people and more than 300 individuals this past weekend, according to The New York Times. Somali authorities suspect that the Al-Shabaab, a Somali-based militant group that has terrorized the country for years, orchestrated the bombings, but no group has claimed responsibility, the Times reported. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed declared three days of national mourning and called for people to “unite against terror.” The United States condemned the bombings and said that the attacks “reinvigorate the commitment of the United States to assist our Somali and African Union partners to combat the scourge of terrorism” in an Oct. 15 statement.
Wildfires Burn Through Calif.
Thousands living across California were forced to flee their homes as as a series of wildfires ravaged the state, the deadliest fires on historical record in California, according to The New York Times. There have been more than 20 blazes since Sunday, resulting in at least 40 people dead, approximately 5,700 structures destroyed, nearly 100,000 people displaced and hundreds missing, according to The Washington Post. California Gov. Jerry Brown described the situation as, “truly one of the greatest tragedies California has ever faced” to NBC News.
Correction (10/18/17 at 1:01 a.m.): A previous version of the article misstated the date of the Atlanta Pride parade. The parade was held Oct. 15 and College Council offered experience shuttles to the Trans March and Pride Festival Oct. 14
valerie.sandoval@emory.edu | Valerie Sandoval (20C) is from Greenville, S.C., and is majoring in economics and political science. In addition to the Wheel, Valerie is on the women’s ultimate frisbee team.
