HR 676

Thanksgiving break was a welcome change of pace from the exciting world of peer review, paper writing, and work; I hope everyone else felt the same, but I thought there was something from break that I might share with the class. Sicko, Micheal Moore's new documentary on the health care industries lack of attention for 50 million who were denied basic coverage and the rest of the country who live with a low level HMO, has stapled visions of disparity in my mind for years to come. But more to the point, congress will be looking at Health Care Reform in the coming election year, in particular, HR 676. This bill would provide socialized medicine for all United States citizens and remove health care companies as the capitalistic top of the health care pyramid. Please see michealmoore.com, the section in concern: what-can-I-do, and look over this bill. This may be our one great chance to become the last civilized modern country to take care of its citizens with socialized medicine.

On a side note, did anyone know that British hospice actually pay for travel expenses to and from the hospital? What about the ability for doctors to make house calls free of charge?
For more see Sicko, unfortunately at Blockbuster only.

Writers' Guild Strike Video

00s Sex Education Videoclip

Makes me kind of miss the 50s video. :P

50s Sex Ed

We haven't come far..

1950's Anti-Gay Propaganda

RPA Website

[edit 9 November: the site is complete!]

Evening.

I thought I'd let everyone in on a peek at the upcoming Rhetoric and Public Advocacy website I've been designing for the department. It should be up very soon, once the Communication Studies heads find time to address us.

www.russell-publications.com/RPA

The text on the site is pretty much placeholder, but feel free to leave me feedback on what you think of the look, feel, and design. Thanks a bunch! :)

Scott

Case Study

I think the most telling part of this issue is the lack of qualification and preparation of the individuals conducting the Judicial Board hearings. While they do go through a period of training following the guidelines of the code of conduct, it is ultimately based upon the judgment of those individuals who may very well be uneducated about post traumatic stress disorder and various other sensory disorders.

Manges' "outburst" may have been disruptive to the learning environment and therefore a violation of the code of conduct, but she should have been given reasonable accommodations so that she could continue with her education and healing process. Instead she was forced to chose between two equally bad options and have even more attention drawn towards her disorder. These types of knee-jerk reactions by institutions reflect a lack of understanding and willingness to treat a particular situation individually.

There needs to be a recognition of the needs of individuals with disabilities, meaning that institutions such as EIU need to implement programs that train individuals on how to handle situations similar to Jill Manges' instead of providing blanket codes of conduct that treat every situation the same. A redistribution of needs is in order as well; students will disabilities need to receive the same opportunities to learn as any other student, they should not simply be given their money back and swept out of the university in a neat and tidy fashion. With today's advances in technology, why not implement a program with WebCT that can allow students with disabilities to get lecture notes and study guides, and meet with instructors during office hours for any specific questions or concerns? Or simply offer a full schedule of online classes? There may be better options, but the most important thing is to make the institution address the problem, not sweep it under the rug.

There is no excuse for any institution to have brash, knee-jerk reactions to solvable situations. This wasn't a terrorist attack, this wasn't something that came out of nowhere; it was a symptom of a known disorder that an institution was obviously under-prepared to handle. In my opinion, concerned individuals should approach the administration and do not settle for generalized explanations and excuses. Make them aware that the people of this campus will not stand for any sort of discriminatory practices, and legal action will be brought against the institution if proper action isn't taken.

Bad question... lack of credibility to respond on the subject.

While I sympathize with Jill Manges in this incident, personally and honestly, I feel like it is completely out of my league to speak for her, about her, or on behalf of her. Same with being on the side of the university. I do not know anything about mental disorders, I only know what I have been told about the Manges case, mostly from the side of Manges, and as Alcoff would say, it's very hard and often times very problematic to speak for others.

I do feel that recognition is very important on this issue. As I stated before, I know very little to nothing about mental disorders, esp. PTSD. I feel like most of America is in the same boat, and that recognition of the lives of those living with PTSD is very much needed. By recognizing the complications of PTSD, how people start having PTSD, ways to deal with it, etc. we as a society and as an educational institution can then better handle these types of situations. Much recognition is needed. Many people, schools, universities, etc are very nervous about mental illnesses since events like Virginia Tech, Columbine, and the various other school shootings. Who is at fault for this nervousness? Is it the fault of the close-minded judicial affairs members, the result of society as a whole, the result of the lack of knowledge and recognition, or all combined? I don't know. Personally, I feel it is a combination of all, but I don't know anything about this. I'm in that majority of people who would benefit from knowing more about PTSD.

This is very hard for me. While in ways I understand both sides. I want to be on Mange's side, I want to believe that the way the university handled this is wrong, but again, I don't know. I really do not like this question we are presented with. I do not like the fact that we are to speak for or about someone most of us don't know personally, a case most of us only know what the media is discussing, and an issue most of us know very little about. Makes us all non-credible sources and actually makes our responses irrelevant. None of us have a PHD or even a degree in mental illnesses, none of us can dissect this subject enough to say who is and who is not right. Sure, the situation maybe could have been handled differently, but as much as I want to be on Mange's side, is as disappointed as I am in the way she has handled this. I kind of feel like others are being asked to fight a battle in which she gave up on. I understand her reasons for signing the documents in which she signed, but I feel like if she truly felt the university was wrong, if she truly wanted to fight this, she would have done such and not have signed documents agreeing with the university. I feel like, why should we fight a battle she gave up on? Again, I understand her reasoning for this, but I have to look at this from a personal level, and sure, I'm not in the situation, but I feel like if I were I would definitely fight the university until the end and care more about the injustice I feel I was receiving from the university than the money in the situation. Making things right is more important than money to me (and yes, money is an issue for me and my family, I don't have $4000 per semester to throw at EIU).

Maybe this will be upsetting to some people? Sorry, I don't mean it to be, I am only expressing my uncomfort with this situation and this assignment. Again, I am not taking any side in this situation, I am deciding to stay in the middle until I get the information I need to make an educational decision on this issue.

As for what Emma Goldman would do? Again, I don't know. I don't think I, or anyone else can say what someone would do after reading some articles in which a person wrote. Every situation is different for every person. Maybe she would start a huge rally to help Manges, or maybe she would decide she does not need to get involved. Ask Emma if you want to know what she would do(though, if you can figure out how to do that please let me know!), don't ask someone who doesn't even know Emma even on a nearly aqquaintence level.

APATHY on WWEGD

I think that in this case, there needs to be some outside intervention. Legal help, or help of an outside group specializing in this type of case could be beneficial.

I understand the mentality of the university is that of zero tolerance, however, they need to be more consistent. Unfortunately in the case of Post traumatic stress, they are reeling from the Virginia Tech incident. However unrelated these two cases are, the narrow focus of EIU is the ruling hand.

That is why I suggest the student in question's family and friends pull together to find an outside force such as legal representation (possibly free) or a specialty group to take on the cause. Without that, there is no threat to the University. They make and enforce the rules.

I agree with Dana on how there needs to be some definitive resolutions on how mental health is viewed and treated on campus. Part of the problem is apathy. The students can't even organize a potluck, much less a movement to help those with ptsd. This isn't a large liberal university. It is a small town conservative middle road university.

Radical ideas and change are far and few between here. The school is still debating the same dining hall issues it debated 7 years ago. If change and realization are going to happen, then there needs to be outside representation to blow the lid off of the situation.

STORM THE CASTLE!

 

            In order to correct the wrongs that have been committed by the institution the following must be done… There needs to be some sort of collective vision of how the University should handle cases of mental health issues.  There are a variety of resistance efforts that might be taken.  For example, this group should insist on a meeting with Judicial Affairs and the committee who is making these decisions to revamp the current system of dealing with mental illness.  My understanding is that the University has used silence to their benefit by insisting time and time again that they cannot speak about specific students.  Whether or not they can speak about students, certainly they can speak in generalities and shed some light on the (clearly misguided) process they use in dealing with mental illnesses (literally crossing items off of the form used for behavioral problems to make them fit awkwardly cases of mental health “disruptions”). 

            Education would also be a key factor to righting these wrongs; by educating the staff on things like PTSD, perhaps they would be better suited to deal with people suffering from mental disorders. Along these lines of education, concerned individuals would be wise to make strong parallels between mental illnesses and physical illnesses.  Would we force someone to sign a behavioral contract if they had diabetes?  Would we ask someone with cancer to guarantee that they would not have any sort of “relapse” into their past medical “behaviors”?  Would we tell someone with a pre-existing physical condition that they could not access services at the on-campus health services center?  I think it’s clear that the answer to all of these questions would be “no”; yet, this is exactly the parallel that could be drawn to how the administration is treating people with mental illnesses.  

            Before thinking about what Emma Goldman would do, let’s pause to think about what Nancy Fraser would do.  Fraser discusses three different types of injustice that all seem relevant in this case: cultural domination (being subjected to communication associated with another culture that is alien or hostile to one’s own), nonrecognition (being rendered invisible by dominant representations), and disrespect (being stereotyped in everyday life).  First, in this case, there is a sense of cultural domination with regard to people with PTSD and other mental illnesses.  To be put, for example, on a “behavioral contract” told not to “relapse” or else be dismissed from school, there is a real sense of cultural domination—for someone with a mental illness which, like other illnesses, is not under “rational” control, such a mandate must seem quite hostile and alien to your own understanding of your own body and mind.  Second, we see elements of nonrecognition in how the situation is being handled. By requiring a behavioral contract, the University recognizes the potential liability and problem (often bringing up references to Virginia Tech threats), but does not address the people with the mental health concerns as, first and foremost people (or even students at EIU).  Disrespect is pretty much rampant throughout this incident; for examples, we find utter disrespect in the way the University has chosen to:  a) villainize someone who has been exceptionally victimized; b) remove her from school due to issues that are out of their control; c) suggest that one-size-fits-all responses can work; and d) provide no choice or agency to victims of abuse (thus stripping them further of control over their own bodies).

            In answering the question of WWEGD, it seems clear that she would not work within the system, hold meetings, or form a task force.  She would, in effect, storm the proverbial castle!  Given her anarchist spirit, she would likely seize Dr. Nadler’s office (head of Judicial Affairs), protest during a Judicial Affairs hearing, or plan a take-over of the University Senate.  Goldman would gather as many people with mental illnesses as she could (along with allies) and storm the streets of Charleston (something that would surely alarm this sleepy community).  She would break outside of the university system.  She would demand better at any price necessary.

 

 

 

Case study

Eastern students absolutely have right to grievance about the unjust treatment of Manges. Witnesses of her epidsode including a professor and several peers all agree that her proposes no threat to others or herself. I would agrue that most of Eastern's campus would side with Manges. Admisistration along with Judicial Affairs holds the power to determine Jill's academic career which they have placed on hiatus. Injestice needs to be recognized and power needs to be redistributed.

I would advocate lobbying of the office of Judicial Affairs, Counseling Center, and the university's administration, as well as gaining advice from other universities. This information must be made available to the students, faculty, and staff to get them all to rally behind the cause and plan a campuswide demonstration.

Emma Goldman would speak out publically about the injustice and call her public to action.

Relevant Words from Red Emma

"Since every effort in our educational life seems to be directed toward making of the child a being foreign to itself, it must of necessity produce individuals foreign to one another, and in everlasting antagonism with each other."

"The motto should not be: Forgive one another; rather understand one another."

"The ultimate end of all revolutionary social change is to establish the sanctity of human life, the dignity of man, the right of every human being to liberty and well-being."

''Public school - where the human mind is drilled and manipulated into submission to various social and moral spooks, and thus fitted to continue our system of exploitation and oppression."

Journal Response (WWEGD)

The citizens do have a right to petition everything that is going on. They have the right to voice their concerns about what is going on at their institution. They are paying huge amounts of money and time at this institution, so if something is not what they want it to be they have the right to petition. However, I do not think the citizens will take their right, and petition what is going on. This institution has a history of being low key. I do not think that this is the time that this institution will be brought into greater limelight.

Using Fraser’s terminology what needs to be recognition is that calling of attention to mental health at institution. Fraser would call for every ones attention to help change the wrong doings of institutions. With Fraser’s term of redistribution would that be of calling an end to discrimination of policies that do not make people with disabilities as equal to those who do not.

I would ask for concerned citizens to first write to the school. Then once it is known that the people are not happy, set up a protest in where the concerned citizens can get their feelings out into the greater public. That is the only way to get their view across to the institution. Once the institution sees the protest, they will move into action to stop the protest and hopefully talk to the citizens and resolve a problem. If that all fails, then I would suggest that the people demand to talk to the administration of the institution to talk about what is going on and how the effects not just one person but everyone at the institution.

Oh what would little Miss Emma Goldman do? I believe that she would be out in the streets voicing her opinion and how this is hurting everyone at the institution. Miss Emma would be out there from sun up to sun down trying to get the attention of the administration to come out and talk to the concerned people of this institution.

On a side note. While reading this and doing this assignment, I found myself sitting on the middle of the fence not knowing where to go. I can see both sides of the coin. Maybe because something like this happened to a very close friend of mine here at school or that I have some but limited knowledge of written policies and the legal jargon behind it. It is sad to see things like this happening in our own backyard. Is it that time where the silence is broken here at school, the silence of no protests? We will just have to wait and see. History can be in the making here at OUR school EIU.

WWEGD | Journal Response

I've been up and working nonstop for 20 hours. Let's give this a shot.

Emma Goldman would have taken care of this business 2 months ago. Rather than slowly and impotently petitioning for the establishment to act out of the kindness of their hearts, she would have organized a band of irate people to disrupt every possible hearing and stage talks and demonstrations -- and direct action -- until she was blue in the face and probably in prison.

She'd maybe invite Manges back on to the campus during her banishment so that everyone in the street could watch the cops drag her away. She could, as I recommended early on, understand that the establishment is not on our side and acts in the special interest it serves; and use nontraditional means of direct discourse (if I see one more letter to the editor I'm going to vomit...) - disruptive public spectacles and the like. Such acts are required in a society such as ours where apathy is consciously cultivated by a public relations-driven system of rulership that views the people as "ignorant, meddlesome outsiders" who require a "specialized class" of people to manage the affairs of a population that is unable to know what's good for them.

Hold on a second. Phone's ringing. It's Linda Alcoff. She says "stop speaking for others." If anyone's got to lead the charge, it has to be Jill. So, at that, I'll reserve my recommendations.

The demand for recognition of the needs of PSTD sufferers and related individuals is clear. Knowing others with PSTD myself, its not uncommon to hear them express disdain and mistrust of the EIU counseling staff in being equipped to handle the issues respectfully and effectively while under the auspices of the university. Unlike a strictly medical practise, a college-based health centre must also shake hands with an often-draconian university discipline system that simply ousts troublesome, "distracting" students. In this case, advocates would like the EIU establishment to recognize mental illness and psychic scars as a health issue to be delicately handled, not a disciplinary issue to be handled swiftly and harshly.

This is where redistribution comes into play. Alongside recognition of the needs and struggles of those with PSTD and other mental illness, an effort must be made to provide the resources for these individuals to cope with and overcome their challenges whilst simultaneously completing their education. For instance, I hear that the school issues a "contract" to students who show signs of a serious mental illness. It's portrayed as an agreement to say "you and the school will work together to help you out," but in reality its a message that says "get better or we're going to throw your ass out on the crooked Charleston sidewalks." Is that any way to treat someone with a mental illness. Is that any way to treat a *person*?


I wouldn't say this otherwise, but Emma Goldman is in the title of the assignment and I figure I'd just lay down some anarchist spirit:

The government and the establishment at the university is not your friend, and it won't respond to your timid pleas and ideological coupons. Either demand things of your rulers or throw them out and do it yourself. Tear up your petitions, recall your letters to the editor. Never have the liberties and dignities of people been granted to us out of the kind hearts of our rulers -- we've always had to stand up and *take* them. This is no exception, and if you expect anything different then enjoy the apathy that guaranteed to follow.

Also, let the girl speak for herself. This is perhaps the ultimate act of both recongition and redistribution: personal agency.

I haven't spoken much on this issue, and there's a reason. Despite our ruminations on how this is a struggle for the dignity and "rights" of the mentally ill and psychically-scarred as equal, capable members of society, there's been far too much haste in speaking for them.

Of all the different voices I've heard in the melee, Jill's -- and those in similar situations -- have been the feeblest. In fact, I didn't hear a damn thing from anyone suffering from a mental illness until long after the issue had transpired and all of the demagogues and establishment representatives had a chance to wind themselves. I'd heard enough of everyone else speaking in her stead.

Plus, I also heard the DEN trashed a story by some girl (Nichole was her name) who wanted to weigh in on the issue -- definitely not kosher, and counterproductive to say the least.

Let's take a lesson from Alcoff and *listen* to Ms. Manges and others struggling with mental health issues -- and we can follow their lead and let *them* articulate their own concerns, needs, fears, and desires -- not what we, the rest of the 'normal' world, thinks they want.

That, in effect, is the greatest way to both recognize and redistribute - allow them to assert genuine, personal agency and help them create the resources necessary for them to get on.

Take care and control. :)

Response to WWEGD

This particular case is one that resonates strongly with each and every one of us. Not because we may or may not know Jill, know what she has been through, or know struggle she faces every day with a disability such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Yet, because we all attend the same University as Jill we should all feel a slight bond to her case.
PTSD is something that can affect any person that is forced to endure an upsetting situation, or many harmful situations, that cause a disturbance in their mental state currently or in future incidents. In reference to the Manges case it should be seen as unfair to her present condition to be forced out of a living arrangement that is allowing her to make her life better, to not back down, and to move on with her life. Though she is one of the few to suffer from this disability it is not right to force her to put her academic life on halt when she has already faced so much turbulence in her past.
The frustrating thing about this case is that they are such a minority. Mental disorders are such a taboo topic in our society today, even though many of us know at least one person who suffers from this, many times silent, disorder. This minority is struggling to be recognized and is only publicized when such events as the Manges case are brought to our attention. This group should not be kept silent and/or be ashamed of the struggle they face day to day. Their stories should lead to the recognition that they deserve, which in turn will lead to the proper redistribution owed to them.
Now to answer the questions posed to about what Emma Goldman would do in this situation. She would let her opinion be heard, not only learn about the present context of the situation but act in response to it. She would fight for Jill’s rights as well as any person past, present, or future struggling with oppression.

-Protest Songs-

This is sort of in response to an earlier post by Chris. This is a protest song by Pink that I wrote a paper on two semesters ago. I just wanted to show that protest songs are still written, but they don't get that much air time on radios. At least I don't think they do. I got this song on a mix cd my uncle gave me, but without that I know I never would have heard of it. But I thought it was really compelling and it definitely made me think.

PINK LYRICS"Dear Mr. President"(feat. Indigo Girls

Dear Mr. President,Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?
Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard workHard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh
How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

I just thought this was interesting and wanted to share it with everyone. That is all!

Case Study

This case shows that schools are still pretty shaken up about what happened at Virginia Tech and are making every problem that happens on campus a major conflict. Through out campus, the majority of the decision making goes through Administration. They have the power to make any rule and stand by it. The students are what make up this institution and the Administration would not have a university if we were not here. Seeing as how Administration is able to make any rule, they are also able to choose what happens to those who "break the rules".
Those with mental illnesses just want to be treated like any one of us in society. Jill Manges could not help herself when the incident occurred. What if she sneezed? Would they still kick her off campus? Doubtful; for redistribution, the rules need to be changed. They need to work around and for a student, because that is why the administrators are here; to help students succeed and help the students if they are in trouble.
To advocate this situation, I would definitely go look over the rules and policies and see if there is any way to stop the administrators from kicking her out of school. The students that were in the class should help her out and stand up for her, knowing that what happened was not her fault, while standing by her side, protesting and yelling. Emma Goldman would be right there in spirit with us, rallying and chanting, knowing that this is what needed to change, and she would take action.

WWEGD?

I would say yes that citizens of this institution do have a potential grievance to file against the university for their handling of this situation. I think so because, like Adam said, it is very easy for the institution to interpret their codes of conduct and rules for situations like this any way they want, depending on whatever situation arises. This is unfair for the students because we are the victims of their interpretations, depending on how they choose to handle any given situation. This leaves us under recognized and underrepresented.

However, while I feel that most students will recognize the need of a grievance, none will take any action towards that end. I think this is true because many students and people our age have a hard time taking any stance on any issue unless it is directly affecting them at that particular moment. This is a subject we have already discussed in class. It is possible to appreciate the fact that this is an unfair situation, but at the same time it is very easy to go along with the mentality that it doesn't affect me so I don't need to do anything. I don't support this idea of apathy, but at the same time I can find myself getting caught up into it. I think we all do to some extent.

In thinking about Fraser's article and her terminology, I would say in this situation these groups suffering from PTSD are suffering from injustice from the institution described by Fraser as, "The second understanding of injustice is cultural or symbolic. Here injustice is rooted in social patterns of representation, interpretation, and communication." She cites examples of this situation as cultural domination, nonrecognition, and disrespect. I would say individuals suffering from PTSD are met with a lack of understanding, lack of respect, recognition, empathy, and the list goes on. They are a minority in our culture, and are misunderstood by the dominant group. Overall, I think that this group of individuals is mostly in need of recognition. Once recognition is received and understanding is increased, that is when redistribution can then occur. However, without recognition no redistribution can take place because it isn't being seen as necessary. Once recognition occurs and communication increases, that opens the door for redistribution.

Now answering the overall questions, what would emma do? Emma is a bit of a rock star, so I think she would immediately see how this can affect us all. She would understand that while she may not suffer from PTSD, she is still a part of the culture that is not representing this group and she could see how one day that lack of recognition could affect her. I think Emma would find a way to relate what is happening in this situation to everyone, she would relate it to something we can all identify with. In doing this Emma could show us all how this lack of recognition is not just bad for individuals with PTSD, but one day it could affect each and every on of us. After Emma convinced us of this, I think she would organize a protest or a march or public demonstration to advocate for this cause, to gain awareness, and support. If I had Emma Goldman's rhetorical abilities, this is what I would do. I would simply try to find a way to relate this situation to all EIU students, then I would find a public way to advocate for the cause.

Case Study

A case like this one shows potential social issues for a group which is, in many ways, invisible at EIU: those with mental illnesses. Only major occurrences like this one bring this group to the attention of the public and the student body. It is important to address the grievances that people will have with the case, how it factors into a recognition/redistribution model, and what could be done.
The major grievance for the students and staff of EIU should be how the Administration views their rules and policies, and also, how they shape them to their advantage. By being the empowered control here, the Administration is able to make the rules fit to the way they want them to be. They are able to choose the result because they choose the interpretation of the rules. Not only does this effect those with mental illnesses, but any of us could be put in a situation where the control uses their interpretation of the rules to discriminate against us.
When you consider the targeted group in this case, you should consider what goals they have. Those with mental illnesses want to be recognized as functioning members of society and to be able to be part of a normal classroom setting. The redistribution comes in the form of a desire to change the current EIU rules and policies to be more considerate of this group. This is another case where more recognition will lead to more redistribution.
There are a few options that those concerned about this case can do. I would suggest they investigate what exactly the rules are here and how the Administration interpreted them. If they feel Manges was wronged, they should rally support behind her. Emma Goldman almost certainly would have put together a protest to get her back in the classroom. She would have had a bold, no-nonsense speech put together and she would have said exactly how she felt. Goldman was a woman of action and she would have made sure the just outcome prevailed.

Labor Movement Love songs

labor movement AND THE SONGS WITHIN

Here is a pretty great website I used in my last paper written on Billy Joel's "Allentown". The song was written in response to the labor crisis and the economic desparity of the 70's and 80's. The song had always been a favorite of mine.

Well were living here in Allentown

And they’re closing all the factories down

Out in Bethlehem they’re killing time

Filling out forms

Standing in line
Well our fathers fought the second world war

Spent their weekends on the jersey shore

Met our mothers in the U.S.O.

Asked them to dance

Danced with them slow
And were living here in Allentown

But the restlessness was handed down

And its getting very hard to stay

Well were waiting here in Allentown

For the Pennsylvania we never found

For the promises our teachers gave

If we worked hard

If we behaved
So the graduations hang on the wall

But they never really helped us at all

No they never taught us what was real

Iron and coke

And chromium steel

And were waiting here in Allentown

But they’ve taken all the coal from the ground

And the union people crawled away
Every child had a pretty good shot

To get at least as far as their old man go

tBut something happened on the way to that place

They threw an American flag in our face

Well I’m living here in Allentown

And its hard to keep a good man down

But I won’t be getting up today

And its getting very hard to stay

And were living here in Allentown
(Here is a link to youtube to see the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=aqApW2Rrbhk)

I thought the site was great about it's analyzation and dissection of protest songs. It details the history of the protest song and it's uses and metamorphasis through time.
And, although this is a pop song, at the time it was considered and historically it is still, a protest song. Albeit a a popular one.
Here is the site, I am sure you will see how profound it is: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/lpop/etext/lsf/richm23.htm

Case Study- What Would Emma Goldman Do?

This is your next journal assignment: Due October 30th

A recent event on a college campus has prompted a journal on higher education (Inside Higher Ed) to write a full-length article about some current problematics concerning mental health and the college classroom. This article has sparked a heated online debate between administrators, teachers and students a like. For a university to get profiled in a journal like this is a big deal.

Read more about "Student, Interrupted"

Imagine this happened at your university and a group of concerned students and faculty wanted to question the university’s handling of this situation while putting pressure on the institution to think more carefully and thoughtfully about how they handle cases of PTSD (especially in light of the many veterans that are coming home from the war).

Do citizens at this institution have a potential grievance to petition (i.e. concern over discriminatory policy, an unjust hearing of Manges, ect)?
Using Fraser's terminology, what needs should be redistributed and what needs must be recognized?
What would you advocate a group of concerned citizens to do?
But more pointedly, What Would Emma Goldman Do (WWED)?

Game Over?

Media reform has many VERY strange outlets, here is one that works on a completely different level. Please visit http://www.stopbigmedia.com/=whackamurdoch and leave a comment.

Saturday's Unity March (Urbana)

Whatever happened...

... to that older gentleman in our class? I believe his name was Robert.

Virginity Pledge Card

Pledge card from an abstinence-only sex education program.

What to reform?

Found a critique of media reform that poses a few very good questions and would like to share it.
Bishop, Ed. (2005). Reform the Public. St. Louis Journalism
"Several years ago, Monsanto was facing billions of dollars in lawsuits and cleanup fees for PCB pollution around several of its plants in Alabama." Monsanto then broke with their chemical division and created a company called Solutia. The company eventually went bankrupt, leaving no money for cleanup, no pension fund, and no health insurance for retirees. The CEO received 25 million when the company went bankrupt and probably saved investors even more. All this was reported locally, and it was all completely legal. This is not the exception, businesses often ask for legislation to be stalled for moves such as this one. This too is also covered. The author started with this assumption:
"Give the public good information and they'll take care of the rest" Do you agree?
It is possible that the public needs more than just information to stand against this kind of thing?

Legalization Media

I thought this video was interesting and made some great talking points. Media is a powerful tool in the hands of any social agitation, and it's great to see it used effectively by the Legalization Movement.

EveryWoman: Purity Balls

Al-Jazeera English news story on Purity Balls. An excellent primer, if you ask me. :)

'No Trespassing, My Father's Watching:' The Ideography of Purity Balls and the Rhetoric of Agitation

In 1998, Randy and Lisa Wilson, a husband and wife from Colorado Springs, threw the first ever purity ball. An elegant and showy affair, the purity ball was created to “partner with God in this generation, share His passion for the beauty of marriage and family,” and “communicate a vision of life, joy, pleasure and healing through the heart of God to families through the authority of Scriptures and the tender direction of the Holy Spirit” (Wilson, 2007). In simpler terms, a purity ball is a gala that fathers take their daughters to in order to sign a “purity covenant” (Baumgardner, 2007, p. 228), or a promise that the girls will abstain from sexual activity until marriage. This year alone, over 1400 purity balls have been thrown (“Purity Balls”, 2007), occasionally receiving sponsorship from large corporations such as Wal*Mart and McDonald’s (“In praise”, 2006). Though still a marginal part of the Evangelical movement, purity balls are quickly becoming central to the blooming “purity revolution,” or a social movement that promotes total abstinence until marriage. To date, 10 percent of teenage boys and 16 percent of girls in America have joined the purity revolution, signing abstinence pledges at school, in churches, or at youth rallies (Baumgardner, p. 228).

Purity balls are enormously picturesque and full of performance, making them a ripe rhetorical artifact. Even the mainstream press cannot resist describing the purity balls with a sparkling, literary veneer. Glamour Magazine, for example, recalls one purity ball

in a chandelier-lit ballroom overlooking the Rocky Mountains one recent evening, [where] some hundred couples feast on herb-crusted chicken and julienned vegetables. The men look dapper in tuxedos; their dates are resplendent in floor-length gowns, long white gloves, and tiaras framing twirly, ornate updos. (Baumgardner, p. 227)

USA Today also contributes its own fairy-tale imagery to the signing of the covenant, watching in awe as

fathers slip "purity rings" on the fingers of their misty-eyed daughters, the elegantly attired couples drift across the floor for a "first dance," this one-on-one time with Dad is referred to as a "date," and wedding cake is served for dessert. For post-dinner entertainment, a corps of adolescent ballerinas clad in white tulle performs a "ceremonial dance" to the song Always Be Your Baby. (Stange, 2007)

This essay argues that purity balls are a rhetorical performance that establishes the ideological foundation for the purity revolution. That is not to say it is the only way in which the movement becomes grounded, rather, purity balls happen to be the most vivid. More specifically, this work seeks to identify purity as the defining ideograph of the purity ball – and the purity revolution as a whole.

To begin, ideographs are, as rhetorician Michael Calvin McGee defined them, those “recurrent words, labels, or expressions that guide and warrant behavior and belief” (Jasinski, 2001, p. 309). Some common examples of ideographs in contemporary American culture are freedom, security, and rule of law. McGee’s colleagues, Celeste Condit and John Lucaites, further explain that “ideographs represent in condensed form the normative, collective commitments of the members of a public, and they typically appear… as the necessary motivations or justifications for action performed in the name of the public”. In the case of purity balls, purity acts as a key ideograph that is deployed to “impart value, justify decisions, [and] motivate behavior” – namely remaining abstinent until marriage (Jasinski, p. 309). “The important fact about ideographs,” McGee notes, “is that they exist in real discourse, functioning clearly and evidently as agents of political consciousness” (McGee, 1980, p. 7). Purity balls are not lacking in this regard.

The functioning of purity as an ideograph here is remarkably clear. It is used most often as the primary motivator for the event’s performance, a “slogan-like term signifying collective commitment” to a certain purpose (McGee, p. 15). The Generations of Light website, in its introduction page, defines a purity ball as a “memorable ceremony for fathers to sign commitments to be responsible men of integrity in all areas of purity,” and that “the commitment also includes their vow to protect their daughters in their choices for purity” (Wilson). Randy Wilson, host of the original Colorado Springs purity ball, asks the fathers at the outset of the gala if they are “ready to war for [their] daughter’s purity;” presumably the noblest of goals (Baumgardner, p. 227). Several organizations, such as Abstinence Clearinghouse, produce and sell thousands of “Purity Ball Planner” booklets and “Purity Princess Survivor Kits” each year, in addition to purity rings, pledge cards, lanyards, and apparel (Friedman, 2006). A Christian youth ministry that provides materials and memorabilia for purity balls hosts an intensive seminar for adolescent girls with the tagline “Purity Power!” (Michaela, 2007). It’s safe to assume, given these examples, that anything associated with purity balls will have the word purity emblazoned on it in a purple, glittering balloon font – further evidence of its ideographic usage and rhetorical primacy.

Further examples abound. The purity pledge recited by fathers at the ball is saturated with the ideograph, reading that “I, [daughter's name]'s father, choose before God to cover my daughter as her authority and protection in the area of purity. I will be pure in my own life as a man, husband and father” (Valenti, 2006; Wilson). Lisa Wilson, co-founder of the original purity ball, reflects on the importance of sexual purity, and muses that given her upbringing, “it’s a miracle I remained pure” (Baumgardner, p. 228). Christy Parcha, an 18 year old high school graduate and purity ball attendee, is forgoing college to write about “emotional purity” (p. 236). In Ohio, the pastor emceeing the 2006 purity ball in Van Wert tells attendees that they’re “here to celebrate the idea of purity,” and that the daughters are expected to “remain sexually pure until the day [they] give [themselves] as a wedding gift to [their] husband” (“In praise”). It’s difficult to counter the observation that purity functions as the core of a “dominant vocabulary of motives,” which constitutes a broader structure of “public motives” within the movement that “shapes consciousness” and “enables or constrains decision and action” (Jasinski, p. 309-10), a critical feature of ideographs.

There is a problem with purity balls, and the sexual purity movement more generally, that merits attention at this point; most notably the fact that an overwhelming majority of abstinence-until-marriage promises – 88 percent – are broken. Furthermore, over half of teenagers who take purity pledges end up having sex within three years (Baumgardner, p. 236). This raises the question of the efficacy of purity outside of certain contexts. It’s clear that purity has an enormous rhetorical power to “motivate” and “justify,” but it’s less clear to what extent and in what environments it’s effective. It’s possible that the boundaries of the purity culture do not reach far from the rhetorical center (which is occupied by rituals like purity balls), thus diminishing purity’s “signification” value as a result of “synchronic tension” with other prevailing ideographs in American public culture (McGee, p. 15-16). In essence, it appears that the rhetorical import of purity quickly dissolves when the purity revolutionaries aren’t engaging in it directly – or when “daddy dearest” isn’t watching (Valenti). This is an interesting conundrum: though the purity revolution attracts more and more followers each year, and though purity functions as an incredibly powerful ideograph for the adherents to rally around, the hurrah is very short-lived and the promises are soon forgotten.

At any rate, it’s undeniable that purity, that “ill-defined commitment” to sexual abstinence and the resistance of physical or emotional temptation, is a key ideograph that “provides the basis for a community” of individuals working towards social change (Enck-Wanzer, 2007). Purity creates the ideological-rhetorical foundation for the revolutionary purity movement, and through its performance, purity balls can be seen as a “rhetoric of agitation,” where the members of the movement feel marginalized and thereby compelled to engage in “extra-discursive” practices when more traditional means, such as public address, lobbying, and legislation, are perceived as inadequate (Bowers et al, 1993). As far as the purity revolutionaries are concerned, they are the outcasts in an “ungodly world” of sexual liberalism that bombards their young with erotic images through magazines, television, music, and schools (Courtney, 2004).

Purity balls can be seen specifically as a tactic of solidification, where the “agitating group produces or reinforces the cohesiveness of its members” by invoking purity in all of its forms (Bowers et al, p. 24-25). Solidification is understood to be a “difficult tactic,” because the movement members are “easily energized but difficult to control” – as evidenced by the high recruitment rate and popularity of the purity revolution and the substantial rate of individuals who quickly abandon the cause. Personally, I’m rather skeptical of the efficacy of purity balls in helping the revolution achieve its goals. It’s apparent that these rituals provide an ideological foundation for the broader social movement rhetoric, but it’s also clear that the promissory nature of the galas do little to “control” the revolutionaries and keep them on task – a problematic which may ultimately lead to the demise of the sexual purity movement. The strategies of agitation embodied by the purity ball can “reflect, interpret, convey, record, and sometimes even lead a revolution,” but it certainly is not enough to guarantee its success.

In the Spirit of Today's Readings

;)

Take care and control!

GM Strike

The United Auto Workers launched a nationwide strike today against GM. Nearly 73,000 members are walking and protesting. Thought you would find this interesting:

Irish Labour movement

Here's a short clip I found on Youtube after Angela's presentation and the discussion on Tuesday.

It deals primarily with working Irish women at the turn of the century. Although not in America, this proves that the Labour movement was alive and well in other countries at the same time. This is just a brief clip, but I thought it was interesting to note, as America was becoming more industrialized,women empowered, so was Ireland.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itLCrFAwjw

DVD Resources II

I forget who was doing the legalization of marijuana, but the episode of the ACLU Freedom Files I have on the drug war discusses that issue in depth.

If you, meaning the gentleman who is covering that issue, wants to borrow it, let me know.

Also, I have copies of Manufacturing Consent (media) and the Corporation (corporate issues), which I am also willing to lend out. I should also mention again that I have Jesus Camp (evangelical Christianity) floating around in the circuit somewhere.

Take care and control!

The beginning of TV Networks

Media Reform, as I am finding out, has a much deeper history than I originally guessed. While covering the infancy of television in CMN 3210, I read a few disturbing things.
In 1941 RCA "motivated" the FCC to establish market standards for a 510 picture resolution, black and white, AM audio television. The competing system was proposed by CBS. This set had color channels, broadcast in near 1080 resolution on our modern band UHF. This is rather supprizing to me because advertisers would have us believe high def is a new thing. RCA then formed a pact with NBC and ABC and in 1948, the FCC put a freeze on licenses for television, which created a sort of windfall for RCA and the broadcasters on their sets. The networks of today were formed in this four year period. Statements from the FCC, which at the time was lead by the lobbyists and a mostly inexperienced body claimed that standards were necessary to support a post war economy, but I would like to pose a question. Is it possible that the beginning of television was tainted by the negative remarks of Senator McCarthy and the his red police in an effort to control the air waves? Whether your answer is yes or no, the profits and gains made today by these major networks are dependent on the 1940's and the censorship of ingenuity and perspective. Sorry if that ruins Nick at Night for you.

In addition, I would like to ask anyone in the class if they know how to get in touch with the civil rights attorneys on campus.

Beware of the Militant Feminazi

After reading things like this, I am really thankful that my parents made me go to school.

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Womens%20Page/militant_feminazi.htm

Enjoy

DVD Resources

Today I received my copy of The ACLU Freedom Files - Season One. It is a half-hour television series that focuses on a different civil rights issue each time. Many of the episodes are relevant to the issues discussed in this class. These include:

Religious Freedom
Voting Rights
Gay/Lesbian Rights
Women's Rights
Youth Rights
Drug War
Patriot Act
The Supreme Court
Dissent
Racial Profiling

If anyone would like to borrow the DVDs for research, please let me know and I would be happy to loan it out for a time.

Take care and control.

Anti-war protest today (Tuesday 18th)

3:00-5-00 in front of Old Main, I am not sure who is organizing it....

Iron Jawed Angels

Hey everyone..Like I said i'm focusing on the Women's Movement..And just a little while ago I turned on channel 17 and a movie called Iron Jawed Angels was playing. Hilary Swank plays a leading women's suffragist named Alice Paul. It's an incredible movie telling the story of a group of women fighting for the right to vote. If you want to know more about women's suffrage it's a great movie to watch. I'm posting a clip from the movie, it's my favorite of the whole thing. Let me know what you think :)

Bitch and Gender-Neutral Pronouns

Its taken me awhile, but i'm finally submitting my first post! To tell you the truth I really didn't know what I wanted to write on. I was waiting for something to inspire me and today I finally found something! For the past year or so i've been very interested in the Women's Movement. Taking my first Rhetoric course my sophomore year I had the same idea about the Women's Movement as most people did and when asked if I thought I was a feminist of course I said no! Whenever I heard the word feminist I thought of radical, bra burning, stick it to the man lesbians. It sounds harsh, but it's true. And back then (I say it like it was so long ago) I wouldn't believe you if you told me i'd have a subscription to a magazine called Bitch: Feminist response to pop culture.

I've only had a subscription to Bitch for about a year now and today I got my 4th issue. I was at work when I opened it and of course I got the same response from people that I normally do, "Is that magazine called Bitch?" Then when I tell them yes they proceed to give me weird looks and call me a crazy feminist. In todays issue I read an article that I thought was pretty interesting called "Zie, hirself, & per." I found this article interesting because it addressed the power of language in creating meaning. More specifically it discussed gender-neutral pronouns in the English language. We experience the power of language everyday. Just today I sent an email and spent 5 minutes trying to figure out if I should address it Ms., Miss., or Mrs. Why should it matter? And why does it matter? One of the main reasons Gender-Neutral Pronouns (GNPS) are being addressed is because many people feel the need for a singular pronoun that can refer to any sex. Many authors including Colette Phair, the author of this article, have written novels only using GNPS such as "zie," "zir," "zirs," and "zirself."

Since I just got the magazine today i've really only skimmed through the article, but I plan on looking into this topic a lot more. It really makes you think about the power of language and the possibilities. I'd be interested to see what people thought about the issue of GNPS. Is it possible to completely get rid of pronouns like "he" and "she" and replace them with GNPS? And will this be a positive step for the women's movement?

Sorry this post is so vague, but i'm headin off to yet another meeting. I'm post more on the women's movement and perhaps this topic specifically when I get home. For now, check out their website if you want!

www.bitchmagazine.org

MegO

Students Make A Difference

Student Anti-war network on NPR

For more info

Call to arms

This will be the first of many posts I will be making on this subject. As a class in social movement and rhetoric, I come to you in confidence and belief that you will be able to help with the current situation. My girlfriend Jill Manges, has been suspended until fall 2008 for having a mental disorder. Jill suffers from PTSD and had an episode in class. Judicial Board had initially portrayed Jill as a perpetrator and in non-compliance with a student behavioral contract under the charge that this episode was student misconduct. Jill has no control over these flashbacks, she has no recollection of the events that occurred, and she is using every resource she has at her disposal to cure herself of this disorder. I quote the hearing in which they decided to suspend her: "I will do everything in my power to be in compliance with student policy, I love this school, and really want to stay." Jill WAS a candidate for independent study next summer, but that is less likely if she is not a student.
The board had to our attention the secondary trauma of the other students, as a tie in to the argument that this is potentially a situation as dangerous as Virginia Tech, but let's look at the facts: 1. no one was harmed in the incident
2. the professor is in full support of Jill returning as a student
3. The class voted unanimously that Jill be reinstated
This is my conclusion that when the institution is out of touch with the students and teachers of a campus, it stands to reason that action must be taken. I will not lie, I am angry, this is the same argument that people use to discredit individuals like Abagail Folsom. This is a call to speak, this is a call to move, this is a call to arms.

The Civil Rights Movement

My blogging for this semester will concentrate on the Civil Rights Movement. Something of particular interest to me concerning this topic is the notion that this movement is something of the past. Doing some simple research on the topic confirms this. After doing a search of "Civil Rights Movement", the first page of results was filled with timelines and dates marking the beginning and the END of the movement. The word "history" is visible within the first three lines of the description of most of the websites, reaffirming the notion that it is simply an event that existed in the past.

For those that do not know, the movement was formed in the 1950s due to the racial discrimination and marginalization of African Americans. Some of the defining events of the movement were the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, the lunch counter sit-ins, and bus boycotts (specifically Rosa Parks'). The notable leaders of this movement were Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think that will suffice as a mini history lesson, so let's switch gears and discuss this notion of the movement being "history."

As I think about possible reasons for this widespread idea that a Civil Rights movement no loger exists, I increasingly attribute it to the following reasons:

1) Society (generally speaking) has been, in a sense, tricked into believing that there is no longer any reason for a Civil Rights movement.

2) Many important events happening today are not interpreted as advancements in/violations of Civil Rights.

While I do believe the second reason to be true, I want to focus on the first because I think it is far more important due to its implications. There is evidence all around us that people no longer think racism and discrimination are problems (i.e. The Don Imus incident, when so many people found it outrageous that his comments were seen as racist). It pains me when I hear people jumping all over Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when they speak out against racism. The most common outburst I hear goes something like: "Shut up already! All he wants is exposure, he doesn't care about the issue at all." It is true that when a major event involving race occurs, you are likely to see Sharpton and Jackson speaking out against it. But take a second to think about why that is....TV exposure? A desire to be seen in public?....Or is it because they are the only consistant voice speaking from the other perspective? While the news networks prefer to portray African Americans as criminals and savages, Sharpton and Jackson try to speak on behalf of those who are otherwise unheard. Do they speak for everyone, of course not, even if at times they claim to, but they are nonetheless important. I ask you this, if they never spoke out, WHO WOULD? I welcome individuals who wish to speak out in the face of racism, but to this point i have not seen many.

I know this post is somewhat long and possibly confusing, but we are dealing with a long and confusing issue here. In order to give it the attention it deserves, I think we must look at many different details so that we can have an understanding of it from many different angles. i plan to post more throughout the semester, but before I do again I would like to wait to see what kind of feedback this post receives in order to generate some talking points for the next post. I look forward to hearing from everyone, whether the feedback is positive or negative.

Capitalism FTW!

Hokay, so here is the deal.
Media reform hinges on the outcome of a major argument that is constantly put forth by conglomerates: That constitutional rights and our belief in the free market support the ability to print whatever they deem as news. The importance of this statement is that this rhetoric permits the media to publish anything they choose in the interest of whomever. SO, news outlets with this perspective will often publicize news that will be the least controversial and the most marketable. Free market dictates that winners are the ones in control, but let's look at that for a moment.
First, the constitutional protection, which applies to all citizens is often interpreted as "the freedom to act as long as freedoms of others are not encroached upon." This freedom of media conglomerates to say what they want means certain people are picked to serve the companies interest. "Profit trumps civil society every time," says Rob McChesney and John Nichols and in doing that, it becomes an argument that modern media are not pursuing everyone's interests, and thereby interfering with others' rights. Medium or Media is defined as
a middle ground where opinions are heard, it is this no longer.
Secondly, the argument of capitalism and the pursuance of that to a multi national status being "the American way" is based in fantasy. Once again common conception would dictate that businesses compete continuously for a chance of making money, but competition there is not. "In the case of radio, television, cable, and satellite TV, governmental agencies grant monopoly rights to frequencies and/or franchises to private firms at no charge (Our Media p.27)." Those favorites of the agencies (or those politicians who owe for coverage) are guaranteed profits for themselves and no one else.
So these arguments, although "American" may actually be just another interpretation in a "no spin zone" that the media occupies, OR did the revolutionaries envision a Forth Estate with riches beyond kings and no way to balance out their power?

Welcome to the United States, with the purple mountains and amber waives of grain. Where people have the right to be anything they want to be and have the right of free speech. Now dig a little bit deeper and look at the Gay Rights Movement towards same sex marriages. Although most are American citizens who as American citizens have the same rights of be free and whatnot of everyone else, are being denied the opportunity to also show their love to their significant others to be married. Society has slowly become more accepted of GLBT within the media (will & grace, queer eye, etc) and the documentary The Laramie Project. Celebrities are also becoming more in touch with the Gay rights movement, take Charlize Theron who announced at the Oscars that she refuses to marry until gays are given the same right.

for more information about the Laramie Project : http://www.time.com/time/classroom/laramie/

In Whose Honor?

Last year, the University of Illinois dropped their mascot, Chief Illiniwek, in light of an NCAA decision which held that any school using a Native American mascot would not be allowed to participate in NCAA-sanctioned sporting events.  Facing a choice between denying student athletes achievements in post-season playoff games and denying a long history of avid fans their beloved Chief, U of I made a difficult decision.  Though the “protesting” agent in this case would appear to be the NCAA, this proclamation came after many years of protest by the American Indian Movement (AIM), educators, and allied sympathizers.

 

In 1968 over 200 American Indians came together in attempts to assess the poor living conditions of Native Americans. This meeting led to the creation of the American Indian Movement. Nearly 40 years later, this social movement has a long history of bringing justice and recognition to American Indians. The first missions of AIM was to improve the slum-like living conditions, protect the rights to practice native religion freely, and to investigate questionable behavior of federal government in its regard to Native policies. Over the years, the missions and focus have spread past these early goals.  Among more contemporary efforts of AIM, they have honed in on the controversial use of Native American mascots by sports teams ranging from professional teams to little leagues.

 

Usually held outside of various stadiums and ballparks, AIM protesters and their allies carry signs, yell chants, sing songs, and embody what Native Americans “really look like” as they attempt to alter the attitudes of fans who walk through the gates.  In addition to the mascots themselves which are seen as derogatory and rhetorically violent toward the images of Native Americans, AIM focuses on the different rituals of sports enthusiasts (e.g., the “tomahawk chop” and “war dances”).  In 1995, AIM activities were quite active during the World Series which was dubbed the “World Series of Racism” by protesters.  Featuring the Atlanta Braves against the Cleveland Indians, AIM activists saw this as a perfect opportunity to address the problem of racist mascots.  Part of this activist event included dressing up in other “costumes” to mock Jewish people, African Americans, and the Pope—turning the table on fans to show how mascots would look if done in the spirit of other people, AIM embodied a creative (and threatening) alternative.

 

So the movement that I will be examining in this class will be social movement and activism against Native American sports mascots in the U.S.  Specifically, I will focus on activities of the AIM; however, since much of their activism is connected up to other local groups and individuals, the scope will shift depending upon the events I am analyzing.  Far from a cohesive movement, the emphasis of my project will be both on the individuals involved and the movement of social consciousness.

 

 

Labor Links

Since there are so many angles I could cover, I had to narrow it down to 3.
1. Illegal immigrants and how they influence the labor movement, the push for tighter immigration/labor restrictions.
2. Women in the workforce and how there is still a strong movement to gain equal pay, fair hiring practices etc.
3. Unionization and how it affects the labor movement.



Here are a few links I would like to share with you:

This is a link I like simply for some legalities:

www.law.cornell.edu/topics/Table_Labor.htm

This is a link to a great site that discusses unions and how the movement is is full swing, useful articles and info on the push to unionize America. It has some useful links, info and stats on unions in America.
www.aflcio.org


This site outlines some womens issues, it seems pretty good and it has some useful links on it for some history and organizations that support womens labor rights:

womenshistory.about.com/od/worklaborunions/Women_and_Labor_Unions_Trade_Union_Organizers_Strikes.htm

The National Gay Rights Movement.

In 1924, The Society for Human Rights in Chicago became the earliest known gay rights organization in The United States. Still today in 2007, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered (GLBT) members of society are still fighting very hard everyday to be respected and gain the rights as other American citizens. As the United States of America, a country who fights for a depends on the phrase "the land of the free," to deny millions of American citizens the rights as heterosexual citizens is extremely hypocritical and against what America stands for.
Reports show that over 1000 rights and privileges are denied to homosexuals in our country because they do not have the right to marry. Millions of American citizens fight everyday in a very old social movement that has gained some, but little ground in making the U.S. "the land of the free." This semester I plan on focusing on the GLBT movement, specifically the movement of giving members of the GLBT the right to marry in our country. This is issue is very important in today's times and is even seen as one of the biggest issues in the 2008 presidential election.

Here's a time line of the gay rights movement if you're interested in the slight progress the movement has made over time:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html

Student Anti-War Movement

For this semester I am taking on the task of researching the Student Anti-War Movement. Because this topic pertains greatly to all of us, due to our varying status' on campus I am excited to learn more about this movement.



A few results to my original searches included a bit of a background on what the student antiwar movement is. One way of involvement is by joining a campus antiwar network. The Campus Antiwar Network is an independent, democratic, grassroots network of students opposing the occupation of Iraq and military recruiters in our schools at campuses all over the country. Their goal is to unite all antiwar students on colleges and high schools alike to democratically build a broad antiwar and counter-recruitment movement to help bring the troops home now. Within this movement, youth and students have a clear and decisive role to play in organized campuses across the country to help shut down the war machine by cutting off the supply of soldiers, cutting war funding and organizing to bring youth and students out in the streets.

Other ways of becoming educated, as well as involved, is by visiting the following site which focuses on Campus activisim.

http://www.campusactivism.org/index.php

Also, another site that is heavily rooted in student activisim is the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Here is the link to their website as well.

http://www.studentsforademocraticsociety.org/

Overall, I am excited to have chosen this topic and am more than excited to learn as much as I can about the present movement involving students on campuses all across the country.

The Socialist Movement

For this semester I will be in charge of blogging about the Socialist Movement. Prior to recieving this as my movement, I had very little or no knowledge about this movement. So first off I will give you guys a little bit of background information.

The International Socialist Organization, also known as ISO, strives to build a future socialist society. They have branches all over the country that focus on different areas of their agenda. Some of the different areas of their struggle include: the movement to stop war and occupation, fights on racism and anti-immigrant scapegoating, the struggle for women's rights and the right to choose, opposing anti-gay bigotry, and worker's rights.

The ISO believes that the root of the problems in our society lies in capitalism. In a capitalist society like ours it is set up so that the few who rule profit from the labor of the vast majority of the population. In our society it is set up so that we have rich people and poor people and that's how it functions. In the U.S. a small part of the population enjoys immense wealth while millions live in poverty, even though we have enough resources for all.

The ISO is fighting for a world free of exploitation which they think lies in socialism. They base their beliefs on revolutionary socialists like Karl Marx, V.I. Lenin and Leon Trotsky in that they think the only people that can inact this social change are the workers themselves. Socialism can only come from below.

In terms of recognition and redistribution I think that the ISO is mostly concerned with redistribution. They aren't asking for society to recognize any particular group and try to understand and accept them, they are simply asking for the redistribution of wealth so that all citizens of the world can be closer to equal and not have a select group of individuals enjoying extreme wealth at the expense of others. And not for a small group to have that wealth while a huge part of the population has so little.

Overall I think that this is a very interesting movement and I look forward to pursuing it this semester and learning more about their ideas and actions.

Here is their website if anyone wants some more information on them.
http://www.internationalsocialist.org/

Animal Rights

For my social movement, I will be discussing animal cruelty and the pain and suffering they go through during laboratory experiments. They are used as research tools to make sure toxic things do not harm ourselves. Many animals are also sacrificed for educational purposes, such as dissecting in various classrooms. One of the movements that I came across is called The American Anti-Vivisection Society. It is the oldest organization in the United States devoted to ending research on animals. I am here to just have everyone recognize what animals are going through. I am not asking anyone to stop eating meat and become a vegetarian. Just look at the facts and understand what is happening to many animals across our nation. Lastly, I will also be discussing the Animal Welfare Act which contributes to AAVS. Below I offer a link to the AAVS website and a quote by its founder, Caroline Earle White. Any questions? Feel free to ask. Thanks.

"When it comes to the last hour of your life, it will be a great consolation to feel that you always protect the poor, the helpless, and the unfortunate; and that you exercised a particular care towards animals."

~ Caroline Earle White

http://www.aavs.org/

Globalization a.k.a Global Justice Movement

Globalization is a collective name in which many social movements are going under. What I hope to do is to bring about those social movements and study what they are going for. I hope to be able to understand the nature behind Globalization or Global Justice Movement. I have a few questions in mind that I hope my research will be able to answer. The main question that I have, is there any one way to stop globalization? The Global Justice Movement is my movement and I hope to be well knowleded in this area.

Marijuana Legalization

I will be looking at the movement to legalize marijuana. I want to look at history, medicinal marijuana, and personal use. This movement has outspoken supporters from all walks of life which I feel will make it an interesting study. Marijuana legalization could be seen as a redistribution issue as the supporters want a reformation of the current U.S (and global) Drug Policy. It could also be seen as redistribution through recognition, as both recreational and medical users would like for its use to be acknowledged as acceptable behavior. I'm excited to be able to discuss this movement in a mature setting because I realize it sometimes seems to be one that is not taken seriously. I'm welcome to any suggestions.

Down below, I've posted the link to NORML's website. They are probably the biggest organization in the Marijuana Legalization movement. Under that is a video clip from the 1989 Madison Harvest Fest, a pro-legalization rally held annually in the Midwest. It's a little old, but it features an appearance from the U of I chapter of NORML.

www.norml.org

Labor movement

I will be discussing the labor movement. As far as the direction I will take, it will probably be along the lines of immigration and how it is affecting the labor movement. Much of my topic will deal with illegal immigration, our countries dependence on the workers, and how it affects labor in this country. Any suggestions are welcome.

Chris

Texas Anti-Death Penalty Movement Saves Kenneth Foster

August 30, 2007

Movement to Save Kenneth Foster Wins Historic Victory

Family members and supporters of Kenneth Foster, Jr. are jubilant in the reaction to Texas Governor Rick Perry’s announcement today that he would commute the death sentence of Kenneth Foster, who was convicted under the controversial “Law of Parties” for a 1996 murder in which he had no actual involvement. The Board of Pardons and Paroles had recommended clemency by a vote of 6-1. Foster’s execution had been scheduled for tonight.

In a statement announcing the commutation, Perry said, “I am concerned about Texas law that allowed capital murder defendants to be tried simultaneously and it is an issue I think the Legislature should examine.”

Reaction among Foster’s family and friends included both joy and disbelief. “We felt a bit of disbelief because Perry’s decision was so unprecedented.” said Dana Cloud of the Save Kenneth Foster campaign. “But everyone is so happy that Kenneth will be able to touch his wife and daughter and that we have a chance of seeing him free. Anything is possible when you are alive.”

Claire Dube, a close high-school friend of Kenneth’s and an active member of the Save Kenneth Foster Campaign, broke into tears when she heard the news. “We don’t even know what to say. It’s incredible.”

Keith Hampton, Foster’s attorney, also expressed relief and happiness at winning his client’s life. Hampton thanked the activists of the grassroots movement that started in Austin and spread around the world for putting the necessary pressure on the Board and the Governor to win. “Extra-legal means work,” he said.

“Governor Perry once said that there was no hue and cry against the death penalty in Texas,” commented Lily Hughes of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty. “Well, here was your hue and cry.”

Foster’s family and other supporters will continue to work to free him from prison. “It seems like ten years on death row under 23-hour lockdown could amount to time served for any crime that Kenneth ever committed,” Cloud said.

Perry’s decision is historic. Not only has the Board of Pardons and Paroles rarely recommended clemency (by one count, 3 times since 1982), but Rick Perry has overseen more executions than any Governor of the State of Texas, including George Bush.

“This case demonstrated to the world just how arbitrary and capricious capital punishment is,” Cloud said. “It gives people pause when someone who killed no one could come this close to being executed.”

“Public sentiment has been turning against capital punishment,” Hughes said. “We’ve seen a lot of states stop executing people. Winning Kenneth’s life might be a real turning point in the history of the death penalty in Texas.”

For more information

Post-Mortem America?

Hello everyone. My first blog post and though I am not sure it applies directly to where we are in class I felt the need to submit it. I am not going to go on at length about it now. I may in the future but I am simply too depressed at the moment. If nothing else, I do think the content is at least apropos in the grand scheme of discussing to the "Rhetoric of Protest/Social Movements." So without further ado or comment, here is what I have today.

Post-Mortem America

by Chris Floyd

Tomorrow is here. The game is over. The crisis has passed -- and the patient is dead. Whatever dream you had about what America is, it isn't that anymore. It's gone. And not just in some abstract sense, some metaphorical or mythological sense, but down in the nitty-gritty, in the concrete realities of institutional structures and legal frameworks, of policy and process, even down to the physical nature of the landscape and the way that people live.

The Republic you wanted -- and at one time might have had the power to take back -- is finished. You no longer have the power to keep it; it's not there. It was kidnapped in December 2000, raped by the primed and ready exploiters of 9/11, whored by the war pimps of the 2003 aggression, gut-knifed by the corrupters of the 2004 vote, and raped again by its "rescuers" after the 2006 election. Beaten, abused, diseased and abandoned, it finally died. We are living in its grave.

I encourage you all to follow the link above to read the work in its entirety. Oh, and for a bit of commentary on the above, here is another blog I frequent.

Once Upon A Time... by Arthur Silber

Take care everyone.

Women's Movement

Being a student of Women's Studies, I am extremely interested in both historic women's movements as well as contemporary, while I do not have a concrete focus at the moment here are the key issues according to the National Organization for Women:

Abortion/Reproductive Rights
Violence Against Women
Constitutional Equality
Promoting Diversity/Ending Racism
Lesbian Rights
Economic Justice

Visit http://www.now.org/issues/ for further information as well as other important issues.

Praise Be to Dagon!

From the Teens-4-Christ forums. I stumbled across these whilst researching for the Purity Revolution.

The Big Media Reformist cont.

This is an excerpt from the Media Reform Network, mediareform.net for more information. The statement is often made that the U.S. media system offers the best of all possible worlds in terms of serving audiences. However, over the past half century, as the bottom line operating mode of the predominantly commercial system has intensified and public interest components have been dismantled, many government representatives, citizens' groups, academics, and concerned individuals have become involved in the movement to reform the system. A belief that broadcasters who use the public airwaves should be required to serve the public interest is at the root of the media reform movement.

This is more in response to the second question posed about media reformists, what issue are their or projects in the works: Some media activists are engaged in media literacy education, or training people how to interpret media with a critical eye; others produce and build networks for distribution of alternative media. Media reformists focus on bringing public pressure to bear on media outlets and owners, as well as government bodies and agencies, to create changes that will serve to enhance the democracy and diversity of the mass media public sphere.