Mental Detox Week (April 21-27)

So "Mental Detox Week" was formerly TV Turnoff week.... I missed it this year, (and I'm not sure I would be able to do a complete "mental detox" versus just turning my television set off (and seeing how glued to the tv i am these days, not even sure i could do that))...but i digress.

So what does it mean for us to be so connected to technology in our daily lives? What technological devices are necessary and which do we consciously/ subconsciously choose to use?

...even though Mental Detox Week has passed, i wanted to share what it was about and perhaps you may want to consider trying it out on your own time (of course that means you won't be able to do any work...... :)

From Adbusters.org _______________________________________________________________
Escape The Fantasy
April 21-27

The idea is simple: take your TV, your DVD player, your video iPod, your XBOX 360, your laptop, your PSP, and say goodbye to them all for seven days. Simple, but not at all easy. Like millions of others before you, you’ll be shocked at just how difficult - yet also how life-changing - a week spent unplugged can really be.

3 ways to clear your mind

You wake up, put on the coffee, and get ready for work. Then, just as you’re reaching for the cell phone, you remember that today is the beginning of Mental Detox Week.

Today you’re not going to listen to your iPod. You aren’t going to stare at a computer screen any more than you absolutely have to. Today you won’t worry about unanswered email, and you’re not going to login to Facebook. You’ll cut the time you spend on digital devices right down to the bone.

In the evening maybe you will watch your favorite TV show for an hour, but after that you switch off, have a conversation, wash the dishes, read for a bit, and just relax. You do that for five days, and then on Friday night you make a decision to unplug completely for the whole weekend.

For a couple of days you might feel like an addict in withdrawal: peevish, agitated, and distracted. But then something will happen. Your over-stimulated brain will cleanse itself. You’ll relax. You’ll feel calmer, more grounded.

Go cold-turkey for one week

My daughter isn't impressed. I've thrown an old towel over the tube, a kind of TV veil. "Thats incredibly lame, dad." My wife wants me to promise that the veil will come off for the latest episode of Lost. I had no idea turning off the TV for a week would be such a big deal. It feels like I'm trying to pry speedballs out of the clenched fist of heroin junkies.

Lose your Blackberry

For one day, I ditch my cell and my iPod and go out into the world feeling practically naked. No headphones. No soundtrack pumping into my brain. No way for friends and family to get a hold of me. On the way home from work, I pull over at a neighborhood park and watch some kids playing soccer. One of the coaches is shouting at them. The kids celebrate after they score a goal. I'm unplugged and I like the feeling.

Go On A TV Zapping Prowl

Last year a friend of mine was having a beer at a local watering hole. There was a rugby game on the tube, and guys at the bar had the volume cranked way up. My friend didn"t see why he should have to listen to that, so he used the TV-B-Gone in his pocket to kill the TV – over and over again. The guys at the bar went nuts trying to figure out what was wrong with the television. Unfortunately, my friend started laughing, which gave the goons the idea that he had something to do with it. He barely got out of there alive. 'I couldn"t believe that these guys wanted to fight over a fucking TV,' he told me, laughing. 'But it was a good day. I"d do it again. Now I always keep the thing with me and use it in banks, airports, the dentist"s office – wherever.'

You are what you....buy :) (jk?)

We all appreciate our friends, families...... student staff members :) throughout the year for various reasons. If you are able to make DYI (do-it-yourself) gifts with the resources that you already have, that's probably the most sustainable, but if you are looking to purchase cards, or small gifts...check out this site:

The Syracuse Cultural Workers Tools For Change is a great resource of posters, mugs, cloth bags, flags, buttons, card, etc. that help share messages of peace and justice. It is also cool to put your money towards a social justice focused org.


Along the lines of spending money....I also wanted to share a blog post that our hall council sustainability chair, Suzanne, wrote during the "holiday" season this past winter :) It has some sustainable shopping tips.

"
Shopping with Sustainability!

As the holiday season rolls around, you can’t help going for the ribbons, Ugg boots, and gift cards. But this year, make an effort to make better, more sustainable choices about your purchases. Simply, sustainability is having no impact. You can decrease your impact in gift giving by buying recycled or thrift, supporting local businesses, or using the least amount of packaging possible.
Buying from around your area reduces cost and pollution from transport, ensures freshness, and supports local entities. This method of being an educated consumer supports area businesses. Buying local keeps your money in a community rather than from going to a large corporation. This money will stay local and support other businesses and community organizations in the region.

Being a smart shopper is easier than it seems. There are many cooperatives and organizations that support local businesses and make sustainable commerce possible. There are also many rating systems for grading large corporations on philanthropic and environmental responsibility. For instance, Climate Counts has rated a number of large corporations on their environmental responsibility and impact. Even though Macy’s might have a shopping guide, shy away from it and go by a green shopping guide. Even if you don’t have a guide, remember to think local and sustainable first by going to thrift stores and independent sellers. Remember, your friends and family will appreciate a museum membership or a pail of honey much more than a JC Penney gift card.

Try these shopping guides:

Climate Counts:
http://www.climatecounts.org/scorecard.php

Treehugger
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/green_gift_guid_1.php

BCUE
http://www.shopbcue.org/

EPA
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/pdfs/shopping.pdf

Brooklyn Based
http://brooklynbased.net/everything/diy-gift-guide/
http://brooklynbased.net/everything/the-brooklyn-sampler/"

Is it okay to beat a woman?

There has been a lot of talk about race and gender in this year’s Democratic primary elections; and both topics have caused a good amount of conversation, but some claim that the misogynistic tone of media coverage and attacks on Senator Clinton is continuously overlooked and ignored as compared to the issue of race facing Obama. Recently, the following conversation played out between Newsweek’s Howard Fineman and Keith Olbermann, a MSNBC reporter, about Senator Hillary Clinton, which I think shows just one example of this:

Finemann: ultimately it is going to take "some adults somewhere in the Democratic party to step in and stop this thing, like a referee in a fight that could go on for thirty rounds. Those are the super, super, super delegates who are going to have to decide this."

Olbermann: "Right. Somebody who can take her into a room and only he comes out."

Here is a snapshot of one response to this segment posted on The Huffington Post: Eat the Press website:

What does that mean? Really, it can only mean one thing: Beating the crap out of Hillary Clinton, to the point where she is physically incapable of of getting up and walking out. At minimum. We know this. We know this because we have all seen movies where people are invited into private places to have "discussions" and the unruly party is, um, dealt with accordingly. It's an unmistakably violent image.

Do I really think Olbermann thinks Hillary Clinton should really be violently beaten to the point of physical incapacitation, or worse? No, though some have taken that statement to its logical conclusion. But it is an unmistakably violent image — and that point seems to be undisputed by those who have written about it so far (Google "Olbermann" and "take her into a room" and you'll see results like "Keith Olbermann Advocates Violence Against Hillary" "Olbermann: Misogyny 101" "Calls To End Race Turn Violent""Olbermann: How To Snuff Out Hillary Clinton"). Even Fineman seemed taken aback by the statement - there is a distinct pause after, and it's an eternity in TV time. He's not facing the camera but you can tell that the statement was jarring. (Even so he agreed, saying, "Yes, yes exactly.")

There really seems to be only one interpretation here, and the only point of debate is on whether it's okay or not. I'm going to cut that one short: It's not. To the fellow (male) journo I wrote to about this yesterday, who waved it off as just some colorful film-noir imagery, I say: can you IMAGINE if someone had said that about Obama? That he should be taken somewhere and dealt with, so that he wouldn't come back? Can you imagine if some right-winger had talked about getting Obama out of the race "the old-fashioned way?" If that last one makes you cringe, it should, because it evokes a history of violence against black people in this country that is raw and real. Well, frankly, the same goes for women — many of whom have been taken somewhere private, and never returned.

50 Shots

"Police have the authority to kill a minority"-- NWA

Have you ever been shot
forty-one times?
Have you ever screamed
and no one heard you cry?
Have you ever died
only so you can live?
Have you ever lived
only so you can die again, then be born again
from these enemies, on the borderline
Who'll be the next to fire
forty-one shots by Diallo's side?-- Wyclef Jean

On this sunny and warm spring day, a cold wind blows through the city, chilling my spine and piercing my eyes as I witness our justice system actively turning its back against justice... The sick thing is, I am not even surprised. Even sicker... We have been conditioned to expect and even (ever so quietly) accept that this is the way it is.

The acquittal of the cops who used excessive force against Sean Bell is outrageous. There was no excuse for those ruthless 50 shots to be fired, resulting in a young man's death. It is no surprise for me that justice does not reign supreme in a country that purports to be founded in the name of liberty. Our very history is filled with brutality and injustice as a result of unchecked individual actions supported by racist institutions that are imbued with power and unearned privilege. The concept that some bodies "matter" and others are expendable and replaceable is nothing new. In fact, it often serves to comfort some people while deeping the wounds of sublimation for others.

When critical race theorist and legal scholar Cheryl Harris wrote about "whiteness" as a valuable asset (social, psychological, and material capital) she hit the nail on the head. The police should not be given power above the law to inflict their fears and prejudices on the public. I am honestly more fearful of police brutality and domestic terrorism than I am of being attacked by the "criminals" they claim to protect and serve.

Moreover, I would be remiss not to address the question that always arises related to cops of color who participate in these acts of brutality. In a system that normalizes and valorizes the supremacy of "whiteness" and social order as defined by a patriarchal and heteronormative power structure, those officers are forced to assimilate in order to survive. Even though I disagree with this sort of compliance with injustice , I feel that they are a different sort of victim whose struggle to grasp for the small scraps of the concept of the American Dream that may be offered to them leads them to join the oppressive frenzy.

How are 50 shots against one man supposed to preserve social order? The injustice that comes out of this tragedy does not stop with one act of police brutality... It reiterates the trauma created throughout our history from police turning a blind eye to lynch mobs, to the LA riots, to Amadou Diallo's death.

I hope that this situation galvanizes people of all backgrounds to stand up against the violations of human rights committed by the police and accept nothing short of justice. It saddens me that the reverberating pain that is felt by many of us today may be met with blank stares and ambivalence from those who feel distant from the eye of the target, however it is heartening to know that some people realize that none of us are free without liberation for all.

"Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral." -Paulo Freire

Do it yourself.

"We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs"-- Gloria Steinem

I will be attending Feminst magazine BUST's Spring Fling Craftacular in Williamsburg on Sunday. Save the date and support this amazing event by buying DIY arts and crafts. Don't miss a day long event featuring a 90's themed Spring Fling dance soiree featuring amazing DJ's, 50 of the finest indie and DIY designers and artists, and a make your own corsage station. Show your support for small business owners, sustainable crafts, and the feminist DIY ethic. Spend your ducats and smile for a change.

The Meaning of Words

Yesterday in the Colorado House, Representative Douglas Bruce called Mexican’s “illiterate peasants” in a speech against giving temporary federal visas to immigrant workers. His defense for the comment was this:

"I looked up 'illiterate' in the dictionary and it means somebody who is lacking in formal education or is unable to read and write," he said. "I don't think these people who are planning to come over here and pick potatoes or peaches are likely to have much of a formal education. I looked up the word 'peasant.' The word 'peasant' means a person who works in agricultural fields.”

Rep. Bruce, who has a history of inappropriate behavior (see article), was ordered to leave the podium by the Chairwoman of the House.

Is his explanation adequate? Does the literal meaning of the words he used make the comment acceptable?

So many words and phrases carry heavy connotations and deeper meanings in our world today. Some people would argue that it is too hard for us to know the hidden meaning behind everything – but was this an act of ignorance or blatant prejudice? And would it matter either way?

See article here

Ciudad Juarez

In preparation for Sexual Assualt Awareness Week, Voices in Prevention peer educators had a training session that touched on some international issues around sexual violence. In this discussion the situation in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico was discussed. Though it is an extremely sad and heavy topic, I thought I would share it in this forum in order to raise awareness of this heart-breaking situation involving oppression of women in an environment with corrupt police/government, drug trafficking, sweat-shop labor, and intense poverty.

This series of crimes has been taking place for 25 years, though it seems that there is more responsible investigating now taking place due to increased scrutiny in Mexico and worldwide attention.

What does this have to do with me/us? I'm definitely thinking about my patronage to companies that employ sweatshop workers, i have little knowledge about this but i'm sure the clothes i'm wearing right now were made in pretty terrible conditions... conditions that make impoverished folks vulnerable to crime and abuse.
I'm also thinking about the drug trade that our students are involved with. I wonder to what extent the drugs that NYU students (or any U.S. college students) use are coming into the US via criminal organizations that exist in places like Juarez? Is the average NYU marijuana smoker contributing to criminal organizations around the Mexican boarder, and to what extent are our students aware of this?

Art - Expression: Is there a boundary?

Yale art student, Aliza Shvarts has been in the news lately for her controversial senior art piece that includes artificial insemination and induced abortions.

Some say it is an issue of morals, an issue of health, and/or an issue of full disclosure.

As educators, it calls us to question where do you draw lines, if any when it comes to academic freedom of expression....

A Crisis: Why aren’t you selling magical ones?

04/20. How did you celebrate?

I've found it interesting how different states and more specifically universities have different regulations around marijuana use. I know some universities will kick out students for one-time use, others will give something along the spectrum of probation to a slap on the hand, and yet others will just have their university police tell students to take the pot and run.

University of Colorado-Boulder appears to be on the end that is more lenient and celebratory (as seen in the article and a pretty hilarious video above).

I remember seeing Woody Harrison (?actor on Cheers) talk about why we should be using hemp for clothing, beauty products, etc. as a more sustainable material in some kind of infomercial/ news special years ago, then more recently saw Reefer Madness: The Musical in a Mass Comm class in college and it definitely has made me think about why this country has made the plant illegal....

Anything can be addictive and abused...but there are also positives such as the sustainable nature of the plant and health benefits. It is also interesting to see how much power and control big businesses have on laws....as well as how racism, fear, etc. is used to enforce them.

A Girl Like Me

This is an awesome short film (2005)by a high school student, Kiri Davis.

I saw this a few years ago and it made me think of my own childhood and the dolls that I had. My image of self wasn't necessarily within the white/ black, good/ bad paradigm as seen in the video. It is similar however in how my parents bought my sister and me a few Asian/ Japanese dolls to have some toys that resembled us, but when playing with dolls, I remember always picking Barbie (or a white doll) as the doll that I would pretend to be me. Through my 4-8 (?) year old eyes, it always seemed like here is Barbie and then here are Barbie's less important (sometimes ethnic) friends....

What we learn from television.

So, I was watching "Step it up and Dance" and "Real Housewives of NYC" on Bravo and now I need to write about the inappropriateness of people on TV. It's no wonder that people in "real life" don't think twice about being offensive around social identities if they see it on TV all the time. On "Step it up and Dance" the dancers' job was to street battle, so they danced and tried to intimidate each other. When making fun of the members of another group as a means of intimidation, one group thought it was appropriate to join their two hands in front of their torso and bow their head (I guess they meant it to be like a Chinese greeting), thus making stereotypical assumptions about the ethnicity of the dancer they were "attacking"--and no one called them out on this! When I watch the "Real Housewives of NYC" I cringe numerous times in the hour-long show at what comes out of the mouths of the people on the show. The show is a conversation starter around all kinds of topics including socioeconomic status, race, education, etc...there is a "gay husband," "black Joe," and privilege all around--sure to make you cringe and think :)

I get to be controversial!

We have talked a lot this semester about NYU's foray into Abu Dhabi, and I know from some conversations I have had with others in the department that there are definitely some mixed emotions on it. There was a short article about it in the NYTimes on Sunday, talking about how Yale has now pulled out from a similar deal in the region. Last night, I returned home to the new issue of New York Magazine, and found the following article: The Emir of NYU.

It is totally worth 15 minutes of your time to read. It has implications for us as employees, as educators, and for some of us, as alumni. I am honestly really surprised that there has not been more of a reaction to this endeavor, and I wonder if the publication of this article will be the beginning.

What do you think about the Abu Dhabi project? If you're an alum, do you think it changes the value of our degree?

Keep in mind if you are commenting- this is not a completely confidential forum, so please be professional and mindful when discussing the decisions and actions of the institution which employs you. :)

Homophobia: Fear vs. Hatred

When I was getting ready to send an email direct today, I found this fascinating video clip on NYU's homepage. Take a look. The video is about halfway down the page in the left column and is called "What are the origins of the concept of homophobia?" If you push ctrl f and type in Kulick it should highlight it for you.

A quick summary of what I got out of it (although it is much clearer in the video): Homophobia emerged as a term in the seventies when members of the APA were attempting to depathologize homosexuality. A main argument here was that homosexuality was not a psychological issue, rather the fear of it was.

Prof. Kulick argues that this idea of homophobia misidentifies the problem as being an individual psychological issue of fear as opposed to a societal issue of hate. As a result attention is given to individual psychological issues which may or may not be there as opposed to the societal systems which may be motivating hateful behavior.

--
I think this concept raises some interesting questions about how we do social justice work, particularly when dealing with students who have engaged in hateful behavior. Thoughts?

Wikipedia Monday--Paulo Freire

Maybe you've read Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Maybe you haven't (I haven't). It's famous. Anyway.

When I don't know something or only have a vague knowledge on something, I immediate google and go to wikipedia (my most favorite website ever).

Today I am sharing the link to Paulo Freire and his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

UCLA also has an institute named after the man! Paulo Freire Institute, UCLA

...While I haven't read any of Freire's books, I have read things that reference the author and his perspective on education to create a more just system. Something that has particularly resonated with me is the idea of teacher-student and is something I try to keep in the back of my mind as I continue into "adulthood."

CNN Special on Campus Rage

Set your Tivo's...could be an interesting discussion and piece on the topics directly related to our work.

Passing Strange

I am trying to find time between the frenzy of final papers and school closing to check out Passing Strange a rebellious and innovative new piece of musical theatre. Passing Strange is said to challenge the limitations of space, “authentic” identity, and conventional theatre. A performer from Joe’s Pub created this story about a black bourgeois bohemian musical journey from the US to Amsterdam. Check it out here.

Protest Dance: Prisoners

Speaking out comes in all forms and from all people...knowing how to articulately express oneself while transferring your protest comes in all forms...

This is a protest dance by the dancing inmates on Jun Lozada comments on the inmates beloved Cardinal Vidal when he called the Cardinal the "Archbishop of the Palace" and His Lady companion called the Cardinal "a Congressman in a cassock" The dancing inmates feel that these comments is unfair and unjust vilification of the archdiocese of Cebu, Cardinal Vidal whom they regard so highly.

(Click Here)

Wild!

How Class Works

I thought a lot of you might be interested in playing around with an interactive website about socioeconomic status. It brings to light some misconceptions, and the "income mobility" tab on the website is particularly interesting.

Oh Barbara.

Hello all, I hope I'm doing this correctly...

I wanted to post this video:
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/04/09/barbara-walters-would-like-black-people-even-if-they-were-white/#more-21697

I couldn't find the link to the video alone so excuse the commentary from Best Week Ever's blog.

Besides the awkward hilarity that ensues from Barbara's inappropriate comments, I think it certainly brings up some interesting issues about hiring practices and such. I'd be interested in other people's thoughts!

India Upholds "Other Backward's Classes"

India court approves quota plan

College students have in the past protested against quotas

India's Supreme Court has approved a government plan to allow controversial affirmative action quotas in colleges and universities.

Under the plan the lower castes' share of places in educational institutions would more than double to nearly 50%.

But the judges have ruled that the privileged among the lower castes will not be entitled to the quota benefits.

The court had put the programme on hold last year after several petitions challenging it were filed.

The controversial plan split the country and led to widespread protests across India when it was announced last year.

Unhappy

Many argued that the plan could hurt India's rapid economic rise. But it has the support of millions of students from underprivileged groups.

Efforts to increase affirmative action quotas have been bitterly opposed by students at some of the country's best-known professional colleges.

Student groups have already said they are unhappy with the Supreme Court ruling and that they will hold protests against the order.

Putting the programme on hold last year, the Supreme Court said the government needed to provide fresh data on lower castes - also known as Other Backward Castes or OBCs in official language - because it said it found the present data too old.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said his government is committed to removing inequalities so that everyone can enjoy the fruit of India's economic growth.

Last year, the government pushed a bill through parliament in which places at some of the country's best-known professional colleges were set aside for students from lower-caste and disadvantaged communities.

From BBCnews.com

On Boycotts

So I've been thinking about boycotts a lot this week, particularly in light of the concerns with the upcoming Beijing Olympics. To briefly summarize that situation, here is a fairly comprehensive listing of human rights and other concerns in China and here is Amnesty International's most recent statement on the subject.

There seems to be a fairly wide consensus that China is engaged in some practices that are frowned upon internationally. In fact, in bidding for the Olympics, the committee from China indicated that there would be improvements to the human rights situation there. As the Olympics drew closer, however, various groups have noted that the situation has not improved and may have even worsened.

This leads to the question of boycotting the Olympics. Some groups and individuals think that the 2008 Olympics should be boycotted because China has failed to live up to the international standards of human rights (an example.) Other groups think participating in the Beijing Olympics is a positive step, as it draws attention to these violations (an example.) Some members of the Democratic Party have called upon President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies, but support the participation of athletes in events (an example.)

--
Thinking about this led me to consider NYU's own ban of Coke Products. It was enacted in 2005 in response to alleged labor violations in Columbian bottling plants*. Later, Colombian workers protested the ban because of the detrimental effects it had on their livelihoods*. Now the university is considering lifting the ban in light of an investigation into the labor practices*.

--
The question I have in all of this is how effective are boycotts in enacting social change? Are there other options which are more effective at keeping concerns like this in the public eye? Are the students at NYU today still concerned about keeping Coke off campus?

What is our role as university employees in helping students with long term actions like this? Given that many of the students who were originally passionate about this issue have graduated and moved on, do we make sure their viewpoints are represented in current discussions? Do we empower current students to take actions they feel are appropriate? What about when these two viewpoints are in conflict? How do we help to keep the conversation going?

Big Love

I have been fascinated by the Fundamentalist LDS for quite a while. I watch "Big Love" via Netflix like its my job. Yesterday, law enforcement officers moved a large group of members from The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints in Eldorado, Texas. 220 women and children were escorted off of the compound and relocated during an investigation of underage marriage and sexual exploitation. In relation to our conversations about diversity, I think this case presents some interesting questions. Where do discourses religious freedom and human rights intersect, conflict, conflate, and collide? What do we accept as "appropriate" cultural practice and what do we reject? Who decides? Read more here.

Somewhat Irrelevant But Totally Worth Sharing....

a little gift for visiting the blog*!

Not Mix Tape but MUXTAPE!

...so not completely related to social justice, but this site is a pretty honest and old school way of sharing music (no copyright laws violated; i think) and thus deserves to be recognized as an awesome example of something created without capitalistic / profit or popularity-serving ties.

What is it, you question to yourself?

Muxtape is a way to listen to other random people's playlists. Each user can create one list of 12 songs (max)...like a mix tape.

-There are lots of interesting mixes....not as instantly gratifying as Pandora but instant gratification isn't all that great in the long run... :P
-If you find a playlist you like, I recommend adding it to your favorites. (there is no way to search and find the user again--each time you refresh, you see a whole new set of users).
-No one keeps track of how many people bookmark you or listen to your stuff (ie: there is no hierarchy of sound...there is no way to be popular or not...ahem--social networking).
-There are no advertisements.
-It feels like being a part of a community in a somewhat anonymous way---like my other favorite (and advertisement-less) site Wikipedia!


*Please enjoy your workday!

When Girls Will Be Boys.

Along a similar topic -trans issues- as Blake's article...one of our RAs used this article for the basis of his most recent floor bulletin board....to capture the gist in one sentence: it is an article from March 16 of the NY Times about women who enroll in all-women's colleges but decide to transition f-->m during their time there.

The question is: What is the responsibility of the institution to be inclusive of these students who now identify as male in an all-women's college?

When Girls Will Be Boys

as a sidenote...I feel like the writer is also pretty respectful of the people interviewed in the article.

Trans issues

This article is about a transgendered man, f-> m, who decided become inseminated and have a child (he still has a female reproductive system). You may have seen him and his wife on Oprah. I wanted to post this article because i had never thought about a situation like this. The two most important parts of the article for me were:

"It's not a male or female desire to have a child," he said. "It's a human desire. I have a very stable male identity."

and

"The couple say they had been refused medical assistance by eight different doctors, before finding one who was prepared to help with the pregnancy." (I am so saddened by this. It's so frustrating that many medical professionals discriminate in this way.)

I also found it interesting (and appropriate/respectful) that the writers always refer to him as a man, but I wonder if the language used here would've been different had he not ever had surgery.

-blake

Race: The Power of an Illusion

I went back to a resource that my "Education in a Multicultural Society" professor in my education class shared with us because I remembered finding it really impactful as well as useful in teaching students about race and was surprised to realize that it is the website was for the film series of which we watched the third part during training: Race--The Power of an Illusion.

Among the many great resources on this website is a "sorting people" section in which you are asked to try to match headshots of people into given race categories.

Give it a try and share with your staff and students as a way to have conversation about the social construct of race!

WSN: April Fools Edition

So everyone's favorite university newspaper apparently made the editorial decision to go with all satirical pieces for their April 1st issue. It also of note that all of the articles were written under pseudonyms, effectively making them anonymous.

A couple of the articles they included brought to mind the discussion in February about the balance between free speech in student publications and encouraging socially just behavior. That discussion can be found here if you don't remember.

The first article that caught my eye was this one, which satirizes NYU's global expansion with a proposed moon campus. However, the article proceeds to mock the religion of Scientology and then ends with these fake student quotes:

CAS junior Ben Dover, however, had more serious concerns.

"I can't believe NYU would open another campus in a location that doesn't protect gay rights," he said.

Gallatin freshman David Rubensteinowitz was worried about the accomodations made for his religious observances.

"What if the moon cheese isn't kosher?" Rubensteinowitz wondered. "What if the bobby pins on my yarmulke don't work in space?"


The second article, this one, discusses a dress code for each of the schools at NYU. In addition to some general stereotyping about how members of various schools dress, it included this line:

Stern - indistinguishable Asian in suit

----

While these articles are not as aggressive as the editorial from the University of Colorado, they do suggest some of the same issues. How do we deal with situations where student publications are acting counter to what we perceive to be the values of the university? And what does it say when these kinds of articles are published with little or no response from the campus community?