Charles Kernaghan Talk Audio Online
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 1
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 2
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 3
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 4
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 5
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 6
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 7
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 8
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 9
Kernaghan Audio Sec. 10
Monday, November 26, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Recruit This!
How the US Military is Trying to Recruit Your Children, and What You Can Do About it.
Mark T. Rutkowski
The War on Terror (or as it is now being called, the Long War) is into its sixth year with no sign of an end in sight. While Democrats continue to stall on Capitol Hill, more and more Americans die each week. To date over 3,200 Americans have been killed in combat and more than 24, 000 have been wounded. Meanwhile the military has experienced its lowest levels of enlistment since the Vietnam War.
In response to this massive personnel loss the Bush administration has stepped up its effort in military recruitment. Waivers have been given to criminal offenders while the standards for the Arm Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) have been lowered. The enlistment age has been raised twice: from 35 to 40 in 2005 and from 40 to 42 just last year. However the most effective element of this enlistment campaign has been the No Child Left Behind Act.
Signed into law in January 2002, No Child Left Behind narrows testing standards, increases state accountability and cuts federal funding to schools that are considered to be failing. In addition, section 9528 of the act requires that high schools turn over information of all students or risk losing federal funding. The legislation was co-authored by Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Texas lawyer Sandy Kress, and Spelling's Chief of Staff David L. Dunn. The act reads “…each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings.”
Additionally the Army’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) is used to give students an early lesson in military indoctrination. The Army defines JROTC as “a course of instruction taught for academic credit in high schools by retired officers and non-commissioned officers. In public schools, students select Junior ROTC as an elective course. In some private schools, such as military schools, enrollment in JROTC may be a mandatory part of the curriculum.” JROTC programs can be found in many inner city schools where the chances or recruiting students are very high. Such programs can cost school districts tens of thousands of dollars each year. Most JROTC graduates actually go on to be privates in the Army, not officers.
There are things people can do to curtail the military’s recruitment efforts. Parents have the right to opt their children out of section 9528 (links to the forms and additional information can be found at the end of this article). Letters must be submitted to both your high school district superintendent and the Pentagon. The first letter keeps the student’s information private from military recruiters while the second (supposedly) keeps his or her name out of the Pentagon’s JARMS database (the Joint Advertising Market Research and Studies database claims to be “the largest repository of 16-25 year old youth data in the country, containing roughly 30 million records.” Information private is purchased from school emergency cards, motor vehicle departments, college recruiters and even companies that sell class rings.) Parents should aware that unfortunately opting their children out of section 9528 means they may not receive valuable information from college recruiters. The War Resisters League has a counter-JROTC campaign known as Revolution Out Of Truth and Struggle (ROOTS) that seeks to dismantle current JROTC programs and prevent others from forming. Remember, no matter what a military recruiter may tell you, the ASVAB is completely voluntary.
Mark T. Rutkowski
The War on Terror (or as it is now being called, the Long War) is into its sixth year with no sign of an end in sight. While Democrats continue to stall on Capitol Hill, more and more Americans die each week. To date over 3,200 Americans have been killed in combat and more than 24, 000 have been wounded. Meanwhile the military has experienced its lowest levels of enlistment since the Vietnam War.
In response to this massive personnel loss the Bush administration has stepped up its effort in military recruitment. Waivers have been given to criminal offenders while the standards for the Arm Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) have been lowered. The enlistment age has been raised twice: from 35 to 40 in 2005 and from 40 to 42 just last year. However the most effective element of this enlistment campaign has been the No Child Left Behind Act.
Signed into law in January 2002, No Child Left Behind narrows testing standards, increases state accountability and cuts federal funding to schools that are considered to be failing. In addition, section 9528 of the act requires that high schools turn over information of all students or risk losing federal funding. The legislation was co-authored by Department of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, Texas lawyer Sandy Kress, and Spelling's Chief of Staff David L. Dunn. The act reads “…each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings.”
Additionally the Army’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) is used to give students an early lesson in military indoctrination. The Army defines JROTC as “a course of instruction taught for academic credit in high schools by retired officers and non-commissioned officers. In public schools, students select Junior ROTC as an elective course. In some private schools, such as military schools, enrollment in JROTC may be a mandatory part of the curriculum.” JROTC programs can be found in many inner city schools where the chances or recruiting students are very high. Such programs can cost school districts tens of thousands of dollars each year. Most JROTC graduates actually go on to be privates in the Army, not officers.
There are things people can do to curtail the military’s recruitment efforts. Parents have the right to opt their children out of section 9528 (links to the forms and additional information can be found at the end of this article). Letters must be submitted to both your high school district superintendent and the Pentagon. The first letter keeps the student’s information private from military recruiters while the second (supposedly) keeps his or her name out of the Pentagon’s JARMS database (the Joint Advertising Market Research and Studies database claims to be “the largest repository of 16-25 year old youth data in the country, containing roughly 30 million records.” Information private is purchased from school emergency cards, motor vehicle departments, college recruiters and even companies that sell class rings.) Parents should aware that unfortunately opting their children out of section 9528 means they may not receive valuable information from college recruiters. The War Resisters League has a counter-JROTC campaign known as Revolution Out Of Truth and Struggle (ROOTS) that seeks to dismantle current JROTC programs and prevent others from forming. Remember, no matter what a military recruiter may tell you, the ASVAB is completely voluntary.
The Legacy of U.S. Imperialism
Iraq, Afghanistan Wars Tied to Legacy of U.S. Imperialism
By Michael Hoffman
The people of Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered through repressive dictatorships and now wars that have killed many civilians as well as American troops. The real tragedy is this all may not have happened if it wasn’t for the United State’s imperialist aims.
The Iraqi people have gone through years and years of occupations. In 1258, the Mongols sacked Baghdad, murdering thousands. Later, the Iraqis became part of the Ottoman Empire.
After World War One, Ottoman rule ended but the Iraqi’s troubles were far from over. Great Britain, a country that never could keep its grubby paws off of other people’s possessions, was given a “mandate” over Iraq. In this case, the British wanted oil. They broke a promise to the Kurds to give them their own country because they would have had to give up Kurdish land with oil on it. They also set up puppet rulers and took away ownership of land from people whose ancestors had lived on it for centuries, giving it to landlords which effectively made the people serfs on their own land. Finally, a revolution in 1958 killed the puppet ruler and ended British rule.
Which takes us to the U.S.’s role. After a series of military rulers, the Baath party took over in 1963. A few years later, one of the Baath leaders, Saddam Hussein took total control and began a brutal dictatorship. The Bush administration justified the war in Iraq (after both Iraq’s harboring of weapons of mass destruction and Saddam’s support of Al-Qaeda were both exposed as lies) by saying that getting rid of Saddam would be beneficial to Iraqis. But that would go against the history of America’s dealings with Saddam. William Polk was responsible for planning American policy toward the Middle East during the Kennedy administration. In his book, Understanding Iraq Polk tells us that the CIA most likely helped with the coup that brought the Baath party into power and also helped to identify members of the former regime that were killed by the Baath. When Iraq went to war with Iran, the Reagan administration gave Saddam arms, money and food. Reagan also sent Donald Rumsfeld as a special envoy to visit Saddam and promise him that the U. S. would do whatever it took to ensure that Iraq did not lose the war. This was done by supplying or arranging for others to supply weapons, cluster bombs, components for nuclear weapons, and equipment to manufacture poison gas. U.S. and UN sanctions placed on Iraq after the Gulf War were also disastrous. Inflation destroyed the middle class. Malnutrition became widespread. Hospitals ran out of medicine and import mortality rates rose, all while Saddam was able to deflect these horrors onto the poor people of Iraq while he and his cronies continued to remain comfortably in power. Now the Iraqi people are in the middle of a new imperialist war which has led to a civil war which shows no sign of ending soon.
The people of Afghanistan are also no strangers to imperialism. In the 1980s they became the pawns of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. While the Soviets invaded the country and supported a puppet government, the U.S. supported the rebel fighters known as the mujahidin or Muslim Holy Warriors. To do this the U.S. gave money to Pakistan whose ruler, General Zia, broke a promise to hold elections and was currently beginning a nuclear program. Zia gave money to the mujahidin and other Islamic radicals. After the Soviets left, the fundamentalist Muslims eventually took over, culminating in the repressive rule of Osama bin Laden’s patrons, the Taliban.
Without the role of imperialism, it is quite possible that the horrors of September 11th and the two destructive wars that followed could have been avoided and thousands upon thousands of lives could have been saved.
By Michael Hoffman
The people of Iraq and Afghanistan have suffered through repressive dictatorships and now wars that have killed many civilians as well as American troops. The real tragedy is this all may not have happened if it wasn’t for the United State’s imperialist aims.
The Iraqi people have gone through years and years of occupations. In 1258, the Mongols sacked Baghdad, murdering thousands. Later, the Iraqis became part of the Ottoman Empire.
After World War One, Ottoman rule ended but the Iraqi’s troubles were far from over. Great Britain, a country that never could keep its grubby paws off of other people’s possessions, was given a “mandate” over Iraq. In this case, the British wanted oil. They broke a promise to the Kurds to give them their own country because they would have had to give up Kurdish land with oil on it. They also set up puppet rulers and took away ownership of land from people whose ancestors had lived on it for centuries, giving it to landlords which effectively made the people serfs on their own land. Finally, a revolution in 1958 killed the puppet ruler and ended British rule.
Which takes us to the U.S.’s role. After a series of military rulers, the Baath party took over in 1963. A few years later, one of the Baath leaders, Saddam Hussein took total control and began a brutal dictatorship. The Bush administration justified the war in Iraq (after both Iraq’s harboring of weapons of mass destruction and Saddam’s support of Al-Qaeda were both exposed as lies) by saying that getting rid of Saddam would be beneficial to Iraqis. But that would go against the history of America’s dealings with Saddam. William Polk was responsible for planning American policy toward the Middle East during the Kennedy administration. In his book, Understanding Iraq Polk tells us that the CIA most likely helped with the coup that brought the Baath party into power and also helped to identify members of the former regime that were killed by the Baath. When Iraq went to war with Iran, the Reagan administration gave Saddam arms, money and food. Reagan also sent Donald Rumsfeld as a special envoy to visit Saddam and promise him that the U. S. would do whatever it took to ensure that Iraq did not lose the war. This was done by supplying or arranging for others to supply weapons, cluster bombs, components for nuclear weapons, and equipment to manufacture poison gas. U.S. and UN sanctions placed on Iraq after the Gulf War were also disastrous. Inflation destroyed the middle class. Malnutrition became widespread. Hospitals ran out of medicine and import mortality rates rose, all while Saddam was able to deflect these horrors onto the poor people of Iraq while he and his cronies continued to remain comfortably in power. Now the Iraqi people are in the middle of a new imperialist war which has led to a civil war which shows no sign of ending soon.
The people of Afghanistan are also no strangers to imperialism. In the 1980s they became the pawns of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. While the Soviets invaded the country and supported a puppet government, the U.S. supported the rebel fighters known as the mujahidin or Muslim Holy Warriors. To do this the U.S. gave money to Pakistan whose ruler, General Zia, broke a promise to hold elections and was currently beginning a nuclear program. Zia gave money to the mujahidin and other Islamic radicals. After the Soviets left, the fundamentalist Muslims eventually took over, culminating in the repressive rule of Osama bin Laden’s patrons, the Taliban.
Without the role of imperialism, it is quite possible that the horrors of September 11th and the two destructive wars that followed could have been avoided and thousands upon thousands of lives could have been saved.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
National "Security"
The threat level in the airline sector is High or Orange. Read more
So here's an article that that was, for reasons unexplained, rejected by the Recorder. But we think it's pretty obvious why it didn't run.
-DA Editors
We need your personal records. This is for your protection.
by Kari Sledzik
George Orwell’s fictional 1984 depicted a society where the government had their hands on everything. There was no privacy. People didn’t have personal lives. The government told you when and how to do everything, and they watched your every move.
But this was a work of fiction, and this world is only a fantasy. No proudly democratic society would invade its’ citizens lives.
Right?
The Orwellian nature of our society is hardly news. People have been drawing startling parallels between American society and Orwell’s 1984. What the American Civil Liberties Union’s latest lawsuit found is just one more to add to the list.
The ACLU found documents revealing that the Department of Defense had secretly issued 455 national security letters after September 11. These national security letters are often used to investigate criminal cases, and they allow access to personal records, like financial and internet records. They must be reviewed and signed individually by a Federal Judge. The institutions are not permitted to tell the individual being investigated that the government has obtained access to these records.
According to the ACLU, the declassified documents indicate that the FBI and the Department of Defense worked together to overexert power granted under the Patriot Act. The individuals investigated included Pentagon employees, but ACLU staff attorney Melissa Goodman said that this raises the issue of spying on civilians as well. Retired Colonel Ann Wright brought this issue up in a forum in West Hartford recently. According to Wright, some officers have been signing these letters themselves without the signature of a Federal Court Judge.
So this is for our protection, right? We’re so protected here in America that we feel the need to spy on the people we hire to work within the government. Oh, and by the way, to all of you nutty dissenting individuals, the government will keep an eye on you too.
Government spying is nothing new in America. Since the Patriot Act went into effect, there’s not much people can do to argue that. At best, you hear the “if you’re innocent, you’ve got nothing to hide” argument, but that all but disputes the fact that the government can stick their hands into our business. But with 455 letters being issued so covertly and without the signature of a Federal Judge, it’s pretty hard to convince me that every single one indicated an imminent and serious threat to national security. If these investigations were truly valid and necessary, why bypass that requirement?
This is just another example of how the government has overextended the arm of the law to instill a climate of fear. We can feasibly be monitored at any time, and we know it. People who actively speak out against government actions could be incriminated for a fundamental right granted in the Constitution. And as I said, this is nothing new, but these national security letters indicate some issues that maybe we weren’t even aware of.
Should we be scared? Should we be concerned? Reason says yes, but the government tells us that this is merely a matter of national security. This is for our protection.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Recorder doesn't run this comic, but it runs others.
Ignoring the diversity on this campus, President Miller has decided to push the job off onto students on how we should increase diversity awarness, understanding and acceptance. I don't know why the Recorder didn't run this comic that was submitted, but they certainly are attacking only those who aren't in power. Scared a bit of Pres. Miller? It is clearly humor and a parody of the Iranian President, certainly much more humorous than recent cartoons. Anyways, we can add this to our series of cartoons. Thanks, MTR!
-DA Editors
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Recorder looks to censor for political reasons!
All-
I just wanted to update everyone on a few things that happened today. For those of us that wrote articles for this week's paper it is very essential. This is an exchange of e-mails between me (Wes), Kari, and Justin Kloczko (the recorder's opinion editor).
After sending in our articles with a request that they not be edited for content, this was sent back to us:
Dear Mork and Mindy,
Why the defensive e-mails? You seem to think I am gonna make you guys look yellow on purpose. Just to let you know, you send me your articles for a reason. We're "editors," and we look out for you. Everyone gets the same opportunities here.
Have a good day - Justin
Apparently he blames this response on drinking and assuming that we thought they were going to manipulate our words.
After reviewing Kari's article on the Jena 6 and Racism they sent this back to her (following is her initial response):
I discussed your article with Mark, and he wanted to let you know that your article is good, but try and keep it on topic with Jena 6. The comic stuff is old news and he thinks we need to move on. We have 13 articles submitted this week, so we are pressed for space. Try and trim the last part out and retain your main points about the Jena 6 and just give it to me by tonight. - Justin
Kari Sledzik wrote:
Yeah, I'm looking into that at the moment. I'll let you know what I come up with.
Kari Sledzik
(860) 944 9598
Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos.
Below is the content that they wish to be edited out:
These events in Jena magnify racial inequities rampant in our society. Rather than mocking such inequities with facetious publications and tasteless humor, we ought to be condemning it. The Recorder has not shown itself to be wholly sensitive to these issues, but CCSU and society at large demand a change. In the same way some inhabitants of Jena saw the hanging of the nooses to be a harmless prank, some members of the CCSU community saw the recent Polydongs comic as nothing of consequence. What these people fail to realize is that these "harmless" actions deeply offend the parties at expense and indicate that our society has made little progress against discrimination. We must be mindful that our actions have the potential to demoralize sectors of society. Otherwise unrelated incidents at CCSU and in Jena, thousands of miles apart, speak volumes about our society as a whole. Should we continue to ignore the underlying messages of our actions, we will never overcome the injustice explicitly displayed in Louisiana.
This is strange to me as my article also had several points where i stepped off my general topic of the Mattel recalls to talk about the state of our global economy, something that is not the topic, but related. This clearly shows the political basis for this censorship from Mr. Rowan who would like for this issue to disappear so he can continue his future career in the media world (he currently interns for the Hartford Advocate - a clearchannel publication). The full text can be located below as a separate topic.
This will not go on while people remain silent. We will be filing a formal media board complaint in regards to this attempt at censorship for thier own political gain. Anyone who feels similarly about this is welcome to file thier own as well.
I just wanted to update everyone on a few things that happened today. For those of us that wrote articles for this week's paper it is very essential. This is an exchange of e-mails between me (Wes), Kari, and Justin Kloczko (the recorder's opinion editor).
After sending in our articles with a request that they not be edited for content, this was sent back to us:
Dear Mork and Mindy,
Why the defensive e-mails? You seem to think I am gonna make you guys look yellow on purpose. Just to let you know, you send me your articles for a reason. We're "editors," and we look out for you. Everyone gets the same opportunities here.
Have a good day - Justin
Apparently he blames this response on drinking and assuming that we thought they were going to manipulate our words.
After reviewing Kari's article on the Jena 6 and Racism they sent this back to her (following is her initial response):
I discussed your article with Mark, and he wanted to let you know that your article is good, but try and keep it on topic with Jena 6. The comic stuff is old news and he thinks we need to move on. We have 13 articles submitted this week, so we are pressed for space. Try and trim the last part out and retain your main points about the Jena 6 and just give it to me by tonight. - Justin
Kari Sledzik
Yeah, I'm looking into that at the moment. I'll let you know what I come up with.
Kari Sledzik
(860) 944 9598
Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos.
Below is the content that they wish to be edited out:
These events in Jena magnify racial inequities rampant in our society. Rather than mocking such inequities with facetious publications and tasteless humor, we ought to be condemning it. The Recorder has not shown itself to be wholly sensitive to these issues, but CCSU and society at large demand a change. In the same way some inhabitants of Jena saw the hanging of the nooses to be a harmless prank, some members of the CCSU community saw the recent Polydongs comic as nothing of consequence. What these people fail to realize is that these "harmless" actions deeply offend the parties at expense and indicate that our society has made little progress against discrimination. We must be mindful that our actions have the potential to demoralize sectors of society. Otherwise unrelated incidents at CCSU and in Jena, thousands of miles apart, speak volumes about our society as a whole. Should we continue to ignore the underlying messages of our actions, we will never overcome the injustice explicitly displayed in Louisiana.
This is strange to me as my article also had several points where i stepped off my general topic of the Mattel recalls to talk about the state of our global economy, something that is not the topic, but related. This clearly shows the political basis for this censorship from Mr. Rowan who would like for this issue to disappear so he can continue his future career in the media world (he currently interns for the Hartford Advocate - a clearchannel publication). The full text can be located below as a separate topic.
This will not go on while people remain silent. We will be filing a formal media board complaint in regards to this attempt at censorship for thier own political gain. Anyone who feels similarly about this is welcome to file thier own as well.
Jena 6 Article (Full Text)
Proposed title: Lessons from the Jena 6
Kari Sledzik
Several events over the past year in the predominantly white community of Jena, Louisiana have lead to a court case over racially-motivated criminal charges. Six students from Jena High School have been expelled and charged with second-degree attempted murder. Due to racial inequities within the town, the students have relied on support from the media and activists from outside the town. Despite the thousands of protestors flocking to Jena to express their solidarity for the Jena 6, why is it that news has reached the rest of the nation with such reservations?
The trouble began with the “white tree” on the Jena High school campus. Typically reserved for whites, black students approached the administration to receive permission to sit under the tree. The administration responded in saying they should sit wherever they’d like. The following school day, they returned to campus to find three nooses hanging from the tree.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the principal of Jena High suggested that the students who hung the nooses from the tree be expelled. The superintendent denied this request, citing the incident as a prank. The students instead received a three day suspension. Democracy Now’s Jacquie Soohen approached members of the community about the seriousness of the students’ actions. Robert Bailey, one of the Jena 6, told Soohen, “Nooses hanging there -- nooses ain't no prank.” When approached by Soohen, the local librarian explained that racism was not a problem in Jena, also citing the nooses as a prank. The school called in the district attorney, Red Walters, to address the students after this chain of events was initiated. According to the London Observer, Walters said, “You see this pen? I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen." This was perceived by some black students as a threat, as he was reportedly looking at them.
Following in December, a black Jena High student attended an all-white party. He was confronted and beaten by several whites. The following day, a white man approached several black men standing in front of a convenience store and threatened them with a shotgun. The black men wrestled the shotgun away from him, but they were arrested for theft of a firearm while no charges were filed against the white man.
A few days later on December 4, several black students organized a sit-in under the tree. When confronted by taunts from a white student, six black students responded by beating him. He was treated in the hospital and released, and he reportedly attended a social function that evening. The six students were subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. Mychal Bell, first of the Jena 6, came before an all-whtie jury, heavily stacked against him. Supposedly selected by a computer, the jury included two people acquainted with the district attorney, a relative of one of the prosecution witnesses, and several friends of other witnesses. Bell was convicted on lesser charges of aggravated second degree battery and conspiracy. The charge of aggravated second degree battery, according to Louisiana law, requires the attack to be with a deadly weapon. The Prosecutor claimed that Bell’s tennis shoes could be considered the weapon. Bell could receive up to 22 years in prison.
One of the most notable aspects of this case is how long it took for this to reach the public. CNN, our so-called “liberal news media,” first reported the trial in early September, while independent media outlets such as IndyMedia, Truthout, National Public Radio, and Democracy Now archived reports of the incident by early July.
Conversely, Fox News reported the case on June 26th, although diminishing the links between the racial tensions and the actual court case, as well as leaving out the confrontation with the shotgun. In a later article from Fox concerning the charges against the Jena 6, “a motive for the alleged Dec. 4 attack at Jena High School was never established.” The fact that Fox News picked up the story around the same time as the independent news media does not excuse the insensitivity to glaring racial inequalities within Jena.
Reverend Al Sharpton called for support for the Jena 6, encouraging everyone to meet in Jena for a display of solidarity. Sharpton has been vocally critical of the charges against the Jena 6, calling the case the beginning of the civil rights movement of the 21st century. Thousands have descended on Jena in a demonstration of solidarity for the students facing charges. While many people are aware of this injustice and seek to make it public, why has the mass media diminished the story? If this had been some sort of injustice against a group of white students, would the response have been any different?
It is possible that our actions produce the impression of racism, whether or not our thoughts coincide. Our nonchalance to serious issues, like tasteless racial humor and publications, undermine the importance of civil rights and support for individuals like those of the Jena 6. Perhaps our lack of attention to racist actions indicates less of an importance to publicize true inequity. Rather than making light of hurtful situations and social inequities, we should be focusing our energy on combating them. Not everyone is racist, but we forget that seemingly benign actions portray such characteristics. The push to end inequality is crippled when people ignore the emotional consequences of these actions.
These events in Jena magnify racial inequities rampant in our society. Rather than mocking such inequities with facetious publications and tasteless humor, we ought to be condemning it. The Recorder has not shown itself to be wholly sensitive to these issues, but CCSU and society at large demand a change. In the same way some inhabitants of Jena saw the hanging of the nooses to be a harmless prank, some members of the CCSU community saw the recent Polydongs comic as nothing of consequence. What these people fail to realize is that these “harmless” actions deeply offend the parties at expense and indicate that our society has made little progress against discrimination. We must be mindful that our actions have the potential to demoralize sectors of society. Otherwise unrelated incidents at CCSU and in Jena, thousands of miles apart, speak volumes about our society as a whole. Should we continue to ignore the underlying messages of our actions, we will never overcome the injustice explicitly displayed in Louisiana.
Kari Sledzik
Several events over the past year in the predominantly white community of Jena, Louisiana have lead to a court case over racially-motivated criminal charges. Six students from Jena High School have been expelled and charged with second-degree attempted murder. Due to racial inequities within the town, the students have relied on support from the media and activists from outside the town. Despite the thousands of protestors flocking to Jena to express their solidarity for the Jena 6, why is it that news has reached the rest of the nation with such reservations?
The trouble began with the “white tree” on the Jena High school campus. Typically reserved for whites, black students approached the administration to receive permission to sit under the tree. The administration responded in saying they should sit wherever they’d like. The following school day, they returned to campus to find three nooses hanging from the tree.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the principal of Jena High suggested that the students who hung the nooses from the tree be expelled. The superintendent denied this request, citing the incident as a prank. The students instead received a three day suspension. Democracy Now’s Jacquie Soohen approached members of the community about the seriousness of the students’ actions. Robert Bailey, one of the Jena 6, told Soohen, “Nooses hanging there -- nooses ain't no prank.” When approached by Soohen, the local librarian explained that racism was not a problem in Jena, also citing the nooses as a prank. The school called in the district attorney, Red Walters, to address the students after this chain of events was initiated. According to the London Observer, Walters said, “You see this pen? I can take away your lives with a stroke of my pen." This was perceived by some black students as a threat, as he was reportedly looking at them.
Following in December, a black Jena High student attended an all-white party. He was confronted and beaten by several whites. The following day, a white man approached several black men standing in front of a convenience store and threatened them with a shotgun. The black men wrestled the shotgun away from him, but they were arrested for theft of a firearm while no charges were filed against the white man.
A few days later on December 4, several black students organized a sit-in under the tree. When confronted by taunts from a white student, six black students responded by beating him. He was treated in the hospital and released, and he reportedly attended a social function that evening. The six students were subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree attempted murder. Mychal Bell, first of the Jena 6, came before an all-whtie jury, heavily stacked against him. Supposedly selected by a computer, the jury included two people acquainted with the district attorney, a relative of one of the prosecution witnesses, and several friends of other witnesses. Bell was convicted on lesser charges of aggravated second degree battery and conspiracy. The charge of aggravated second degree battery, according to Louisiana law, requires the attack to be with a deadly weapon. The Prosecutor claimed that Bell’s tennis shoes could be considered the weapon. Bell could receive up to 22 years in prison.
One of the most notable aspects of this case is how long it took for this to reach the public. CNN, our so-called “liberal news media,” first reported the trial in early September, while independent media outlets such as IndyMedia, Truthout, National Public Radio, and Democracy Now archived reports of the incident by early July.
Conversely, Fox News reported the case on June 26th, although diminishing the links between the racial tensions and the actual court case, as well as leaving out the confrontation with the shotgun. In a later article from Fox concerning the charges against the Jena 6, “a motive for the alleged Dec. 4 attack at Jena High School was never established.” The fact that Fox News picked up the story around the same time as the independent news media does not excuse the insensitivity to glaring racial inequalities within Jena.
Reverend Al Sharpton called for support for the Jena 6, encouraging everyone to meet in Jena for a display of solidarity. Sharpton has been vocally critical of the charges against the Jena 6, calling the case the beginning of the civil rights movement of the 21st century. Thousands have descended on Jena in a demonstration of solidarity for the students facing charges. While many people are aware of this injustice and seek to make it public, why has the mass media diminished the story? If this had been some sort of injustice against a group of white students, would the response have been any different?
It is possible that our actions produce the impression of racism, whether or not our thoughts coincide. Our nonchalance to serious issues, like tasteless racial humor and publications, undermine the importance of civil rights and support for individuals like those of the Jena 6. Perhaps our lack of attention to racist actions indicates less of an importance to publicize true inequity. Rather than making light of hurtful situations and social inequities, we should be focusing our energy on combating them. Not everyone is racist, but we forget that seemingly benign actions portray such characteristics. The push to end inequality is crippled when people ignore the emotional consequences of these actions.
These events in Jena magnify racial inequities rampant in our society. Rather than mocking such inequities with facetious publications and tasteless humor, we ought to be condemning it. The Recorder has not shown itself to be wholly sensitive to these issues, but CCSU and society at large demand a change. In the same way some inhabitants of Jena saw the hanging of the nooses to be a harmless prank, some members of the CCSU community saw the recent Polydongs comic as nothing of consequence. What these people fail to realize is that these “harmless” actions deeply offend the parties at expense and indicate that our society has made little progress against discrimination. We must be mindful that our actions have the potential to demoralize sectors of society. Otherwise unrelated incidents at CCSU and in Jena, thousands of miles apart, speak volumes about our society as a whole. Should we continue to ignore the underlying messages of our actions, we will never overcome the injustice explicitly displayed in Louisiana.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Recorder Strikes Again!
Posted on CCSUPSA Website clubs.ccsu.edu/ccsupsa
September 15th 2007 Racism shows its ugly head at CCSU - The Recorder again shows intolerance
Demonstration Davidson Hall Noon Monday 9/17/07
The Recorder once again has shown its lack of discretion in its editorial review process. They ran a comic strip in the last issue that had a character relating to urinating on and tying up a 14 year old hispanic girl and holding her in the closet. Below are some links to related content. Contact me directly if you are interested in getting involved with any actions in regards to this issue wes06424@speedpost.net
Take Back the Recorder BLOG: http://takebacktherecorder.blogspot.com/
President Miller's Statement: http://www.ccsu.edu/recordercarton_response.htm
News Coverage: http://nutmeggrater.blogspot.com/
http://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2007/09/14/another-college-cartoon-draws-controversy/
http://www.ctcentral.com/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/14/123243/832
http://www.wwlp.com/Global/story.asp?S=7075522
http://www.nbc30.com/news/14111584/detail.html?rss=har&psp=news
http://www.newsday.com
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.rachelstavern.com/?p=714
http://hartfordimc.org/blog/2007/09/14/time-for-ccsu-to-toss-the-recorders-editor-and-staff/
September 15th 2007 Racism shows its ugly head at CCSU - The Recorder again shows intolerance
Demonstration Davidson Hall Noon Monday 9/17/07
The Recorder once again has shown its lack of discretion in its editorial review process. They ran a comic strip in the last issue that had a character relating to urinating on and tying up a 14 year old hispanic girl and holding her in the closet. Below are some links to related content. Contact me directly if you are interested in getting involved with any actions in regards to this issue wes06424@speedpost.net
Take Back the Recorder BLOG: http://takebacktherecorder.blogspot.com/
President Miller's Statement: http://www.ccsu.edu/recordercarton_response.htm
News Coverage: http://nutmeggrater.blogspot.com/
http://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2007/09/14/another-college-cartoon-draws-controversy/
http://www.ctcentral.com/
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/14/123243/832
http://www.wwlp.com/Global/story.asp?S=7075522
http://www.nbc30.com/news/14111584/detail.html?rss=har&psp=news
http://www.newsday.com
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.rachelstavern.com/?p=714
http://hartfordimc.org/blog/2007/09/14/time-for-ccsu-to-toss-the-recorders-editor-and-staff/
Friday, August 24, 2007
X For President in ‘08
Today the National Football League announced their newest expansion team. The new expansion has chosen to call themselves the Washington Wizards and will call Washington DC Home at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The roster includes the likes of Joe Biden, Sam Brownback, Hillary Clinton, Jim Gilmore, Chris Dodd, Newt Gingrich, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, Al Gore, Chuck Hagel, Mike Gravel, Mike Huckabee, Dennis Kucinich, Duncan Hunter, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bill Richardson, George Pataki, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Tommy Thompson, some of the biggest players in Washington these days. Some of the players are still in negotiations, but are expected to sign with the newest expansion, which happens to be owned by media monster Rupert Murdoch. They are the newest lineup of capitalist appeasers that seek to blind us with the possibility of difference between them. They may all have different names, numbers, e-mail address, bank accounts, home phone numbers, spouses, et Cetera, but in the end they all wear the same color, play for the same team, and fight against its one enemy, true democracy and freedom.
In America today we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we are a ‘free nation’ one that should be considered the pinnacle of democracy. This is of course while we constantly act to destroy the economies of other countries and complain when their people come here ‘illegally’, when our government gets rid of habeas corpus meanwhile hiding the fact that the did anything wrong by spamming the media with messages about gay marriage and immigration reform, as well as conducting clandestine torture operations such as Extraordinary Rendition - which is an amazing example of outsourcing of American jobs – all of which truly define what kind of nation we live in today. So we look to 2008 and the ocean of candidates, those announced, exploring, popular figures and the like to make some change.
Read the Full Article here:
PDF Version
TXT Version
Today the National Football League announced their newest expansion team. The new expansion has chosen to call themselves the Washington Wizards and will call Washington DC Home at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. The roster includes the likes of Joe Biden, Sam Brownback, Hillary Clinton, Jim Gilmore, Chris Dodd, Newt Gingrich, John Edwards, Rudy Giuliani, Al Gore, Chuck Hagel, Mike Gravel, Mike Huckabee, Dennis Kucinich, Duncan Hunter, Barack Obama, John McCain, Bill Richardson, George Pataki, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Tom Tancredo, and Tommy Thompson, some of the biggest players in Washington these days. Some of the players are still in negotiations, but are expected to sign with the newest expansion, which happens to be owned by media monster Rupert Murdoch. They are the newest lineup of capitalist appeasers that seek to blind us with the possibility of difference between them. They may all have different names, numbers, e-mail address, bank accounts, home phone numbers, spouses, et Cetera, but in the end they all wear the same color, play for the same team, and fight against its one enemy, true democracy and freedom.
In America today we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we are a ‘free nation’ one that should be considered the pinnacle of democracy. This is of course while we constantly act to destroy the economies of other countries and complain when their people come here ‘illegally’, when our government gets rid of habeas corpus meanwhile hiding the fact that the did anything wrong by spamming the media with messages about gay marriage and immigration reform, as well as conducting clandestine torture operations such as Extraordinary Rendition - which is an amazing example of outsourcing of American jobs – all of which truly define what kind of nation we live in today. So we look to 2008 and the ocean of candidates, those announced, exploring, popular figures and the like to make some change.
Read the Full Article here:
PDF Version
TXT Version
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Devil's Advocate Logo
By Lucy P.