One aspect that I find complex is the question of whether schools "should" be run as if they are corporations. CEOs get to make decisions that effect their employees without consulting their employees, but is that what we can expect from education? CEOs get to use a budget as a justification for any change, but can we hold the academy to a higher standard? And this brings up the uncomfortable issues of whether a unit of the university that is critical of US capitalism (chattel slavery was a great way to keep labor costs down).... Would there be a reason for parties interested in consolidating their historical power to disempower a unit of the university that challenges white power?

It just all seems very suspicious. And that's just one aspect.

Connection between Cornel and Arizonas 2281 ?
 

Save Ethnic Studies (from http://otterrealm.net/politics/ethnic_studies.php)

Ethnic Studies Programs Under Fire in Arizona

Teachers talking about César Chavez's legacy, introducing Magic Realism literature in the classroom or encouraging critical thinking among their Mexican-American students are not welcome in the Tucson public school system.

On Mar. 30, speaker Sally Rusk, representing the organization Save Ethnic Studies (SES), advocated for the continuity of the Ethnics Studies program in the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) students, faculty and administrators gathered to understand and discuss why TUSD has chosen to eliminate the program and what may be done to cease its banning because, according to Sally Rusk, "we cannot allow a law that inhibits multi-cultural education."

Arizona Pueblo High School teacher Sally Rusk explained the history of both the ethnic studies program called Raza studies and the Arizona House Bill 2281 that attempts to ban the teaching of ethnic studies in the public school system. Though HB 2281 appears to be legislation for the entire state's school districts, the bill, according the Husk, "focuses primarily on the Tucson Unified School District."

Lawmakers are accusing faculty and administrators participating in the Ethnic Studies program of being anti-American and of promoting the division of races with courses specifically built around a particular ethnic group.

Rusk and SES disagree with the allegations arguing the elimination of ethnic studies courses would not only harm the Latino community, but also hinder academic freedom, school curriculum choice, development of authentic education, and student achievement.

The session at CSUMB began with introductory speakers including Liberal Studies lecturer Dr. Linda Bynoe, HCOM professor Dr. Maria Villaseñor, and CSUMB HCOM graduate Karina Hernandez. Hernandez said of the importance of ethnic studies, "it finally validated my life stories... it gave me confidence that before I didn't have as a student."

Rusk presented a clip of the documentary Precious Knowledge that depicts the fight of Tucson students and teachers to defend the right to learn and appreciate their own cultural roots. Professor Rusk showed how ethic studies program encourages students' confidence and solidarity as a community. Connections to any human being is core of their Ethnic Studies "You are my other self; an injury to one is an injury to all."


Contributing Authors: Fanny Shives, Martha Kirby, Nicole Marquez, Sam Pereira, Martin Wilson, Martin Hardenberger, Melissa Cooperman, Gabby Castaneda, Aya Kamata

This (proposed bills like this) just sickens me. And AZ is not the only state trying to pass this kind of garbage.

I agree.

One of the reasons I posted that about AZ is to show it's relation to the Cornell thing. Xenophobia/racism gets spun in different ways -- in AZ it is more obvious and based in some sentimental notion of patriotism, and in areas where there is a wider range of ethnic backgrounds that might unite against such crappy policies, "economic austerity" is being used. Chilling.

As I said, I agree there should have been serious discussion with those affected directly by the decision. It would have gone a long way towards having trust in the decision.

I also must point out that trying to balance a budget that is shrinking......happening in all levels of public and private education........is not (in my mind) running a school like a cold-hearted corporation. It's trying to keep the school running.

If the Provost was really interested in dis-empowering this particular group, he would have simply de-funded the Center. That would be running it like a business.

I also highly doubt this is the only group at Cornell that is critical of US capitalism and white privilege. Has the Provost moved on those other groups?

Just for the hell of it I went to the Cornell website and poked around. I just don't see this as a move to shut of black folks. Cornell is focused on education for everyone and it's strategic plan maintains the schools focus on multi-culturalism.

I just think this was a truly fucked up process on the part of the Provost. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

The true holocaust in this country is what was and still is being done to our indigenious, first nation, native peoples.

Last Gay Holocaust Survivor Knighted in France
 

Sorry, cannot find an English article but thought I'd post this anyways:

http://www.lalsace.fr/actualite/2011...riangles-roses

Birth Certificate
 

Obama finally released his birth certificate. Of course this will reassure some, convince a few, and add a new layer of distraction for those who will now bring up 'it wasnt released earlier because of some yet to be found deceit'.

Trump taking credit for bringing this to a head was kind of amusing in a sad sort of way. Then again, Trump would take credit for the sun rising if he could figure out a way to make it look belielievable.

Releasing this now, so late in the controversy, and at what looks like Trump's prodding, makes Obama look bad in a lot of ways. The timing of this, in my opinion, was a huge political error.

Now can we focus on the bigger, more important issues? And, send Mr. Trump, not the taxpayers, the bill for this enlightenment.

WASHINGTON – Responding to critics' relentless claims, President Barack Obama on Wednesday produced a detailed Hawaii birth certificate in an extraordinary attempt to bury the issue of where he was born and confirm his legitimacy to hold office. He declared, "We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

By going on national TV from the White House, Obama portrayed himself as a voice of reason amid a loud, lingering debate on his birth status. Though his personal attention to the issue elevated it as never before, Obama said to Republican detractors and the media, it is time to move on to bigger issues.

Citing huge budget decisions in Washington, Obama said, "I am confident that the American people and America's political leaders can come together in a bipartisan way and solve these problems. We always have. But we're not going to be able to do it if we are distracted."

Obama spoke shortly after the White House released a copy of the long form of his birth certificate, which contains more extensive data than a version released earlier.

The certificate says Obama was born to an American mother and Kenyan father, in Hawaii, which makes him eligible to hold the office of president. Obama released a standard short form before he was elected in 2008 but requested copies of his original birth certificate from Hawaii officials this week in hopes of quieting the lingering controversy.

[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]


White House officials have said the issue was settled long ago. But so-called "birthers" opposed to Obama have kept it alive. Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently began questioning why Obama hadn't ensured the long form was released.

From New Hampshire, Trump took credit for getting Obama to act.

"He should have done it a long time ago. I am really honored to play such a big role in hopefully, hopefully getting rid of this issue," Trump said.

Polls show large numbers of Republicans have continued to doubt Obama is a natural born citizen eligible to be president. Trump, the bombastic real estate mogul, has seized on the issue as he weighs a GOP candidacy.

While Obama and White House officials avoided mentioning Trump by name, officials said they released the birth certificate partially because the issue had moved beyond fringe discussion, and Obama criticized a media culture that had not let the story go.

"This issue has been going on for two, two and a half years now. I think it started during the campaign," Obama said. "I have watched with bemusement, I've been puzzled at the degree at which this thing just kept on going."

"We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," the president said.

He did not take any questions and did not say why the document had not been released earlier.

Many Republican leaders have sought to distance themselves from the "birther" theory as a discredited notion not worthy of national public debate.

In a statement after Obama spoke, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus called the issue a distraction — and yet blamed Obama for playing campaign politics by addressing it.

"The president ought to spend his time getting serious about repairing our economy," Priebus said. "Unfortunately his campaign politics and talk about birth certificates is distracting him from our number one priority — our economy."

The newly released certificate is signed by the delivery doctor, Obama's mother and the local registrar. His mother, then 18, signed her name (Stanley) Ann Dunham Obama.

The form says Barack Hussein Obama II was born at 7:24 p.m. on Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital, within the city limits of Honolulu.

There's no mention of religion. It says his father, Barack Hussein Obama, age 25, was African and born in Kenya and his mother was Caucasian and born in Wichita, Kan. Obama's mother and the doctor signed the certificate on Aug. 7 and 8.

Hawaii's registrar certified the new photocopy of the document provided to the White House on April 25, 2011.

The White House also released a letter from the president on April 22 requesting two certified copies of his original certificate of live birth. Also released was a letter from Loretta Fuddy, Hawaii's director of health, approving the request.

The president's personal counsel, Judith Corley, traveled to Hawaii to pick up the documents and carried them back to Washington on a plane. The documents arrived at the White House around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

just to be clear...........Obama released a short form birth certificate either during the campaign or just after he was sworn in. The short form is what most of us have. It's got your parents name, your name, place, date and time you were born. I think this is the only type of birth certificate availible if you are born today.

What is released today is the long form birth certificate which has more info like the doctor's signature etc. They stopped sending those out when they started using only short forms. It took a special request.

Frankly I don't think he should have done it..............he should have told them to go fuck off somewhere.

I'm not American however I agree with Toughy. And this has whole ordeal has got be one of the most asinine things I have seen in a long time

I guess what pisses me off the most about this birther crap is that it is ALL based in racism. No way, no how can a black man be the legitimate President of this country.

It made me sick to watch racist mother fuckers make the black man dance and produce his papers. I can't even imagine how this tears at the heart and soul of all black folks......

And now the mother fucker Trump is saying his education was not legitimate....he got into Harvard because of affirmative action.....'his grades need to be checked'........

Racism is alive and doing pretty good in the USA.

Yes- there is no other way to cut it, every aspect from the start (back during his first running), it has been racism. I am disgusted and ashamed of the my country over this.

It isn't simply a "fringe" element behind this at all. And that is what bothers me the most- this is not the product of loonies, it is the product of a predominately racist country. This along with all that has been going on with anti-immigration sentiments and the like bring this home.

Trump's son-in-law bought his way into Harvard, as did "W" to Yale- but it is perfectly acceptable for rich white men to do this. Actually, the trump family history ought to be exposed entirely. Start looking up Fred Trump, his father. Donald is a trust fund brat and doesn't know the meaning of hard work. He walked right into his father's real estate empire. I’m sure there was one single thought in his upbringing about doing what it takes to overcome what Obama had to in order to accomplish what he has as a POC in the US.

I hate it that Obama caved to this too- but he had to feel it was necessary. Someday we will hear about Obama's real thoughts about his time in office about all of this.

Someone said in order for him to be elected he would have to walk on water- how true.

I agree with you- but then it would be... "Ah, Ha! He IS an angry black man!!"

Yet, Trump is not an angry person?

"Indians say code name offensive but not surprising..."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110505/...laden_geronimo

Oh for Pete's sake:

http://xfinity.comcast.net/music/bli...esingerwasgay/

Ironically, If they want to get rid of everything created/written/anything by a gay/bisexual person, they'd have to do away with the Bible in the churches; it carries the name of the biggest Queen in history.

anyone watching this or live close?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/14/flo...pt=T1&iref=BN1

Morganza, Louisiana (CNN) -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of potentially several bays of the Morganza spillway on Saturday afternoon, a move intended to spare some areas from severe flooding while redirecting water into others.
"Protecting lives is the No. 1 thing we are looking for," Gen. Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, told reporters prior to the opening. "That's exactly what we're doing as we operate the different systems on the Mississippi River."

Hopefully it goes as planned.

Because I do still have "in-laws" in the South, I have been watching news about these horrific events. They are all fine physically, but one lost a home. The TV coverage of these floods is heartbreaking.

Donald Trump Not Running For President In 2012
 

I am glad, yet not surprised. Too many skeletons under that rug.

Full article below:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_862514.html