On Wednesday, September 25, Shahidah Britt wrote: The Cathedral of the Angels and Social Justice

What's the big deal? I think building a $200,000,000 cathedral in an area where there are people who need jobs, and are homeless is ridiculous. I would have been more impressed if the money spent to build the cathedral was used to build a state-of-the-art homeless shelter, a low income housing complex, or even a job placement facility. But then again we think logically, and they think $$$$. A place of worship is fine but I don't think God wants us to put the less fortunate in even worse conditions. Good comment, Shahida. Especially since I agree with it. But in order to transform discourse so that we can approach social justice more effectively, we need to think on what the Cardinal might respond. Why do you think he might have wanted the Cathedral? And don't make him out ot be an evil misanthrope. Unlikely, though not impossible, that such a person could have become a Cardinal. In other words, what good things might come of the Cathedral. Secondly, What good things might the poor and needy themselves derive from the Cathedral? And if we do disagree with the Cardinal's having plunked down that kind of money for such a Cathedral, how are we going to get our community to recognize that harm? What ought we to do if we would avoid complicity in this social injustice, if we ultimately judge it to be social injustice.?

On Wednesday, September 25, Shaheen Brown wrote: Holy Books and the Authority of Religion.

Hi Jeanne I will definitely be in your face Thursday in class. Sometimes the line is so long I can't stay because I have other classes. But I do want "recognition" so that I may pass your class.

I'm here all day Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday so you should be able to catch me somewhere. But you're right, the line is long.

I read something very interesting in one of the modules regarding circumstantial evidence. You wrote about authenticity of the statements written in the Islamic hadith. The majority of Muslims believe these statements to be true beyond a reasonable doubt, but you say that according to what Freire says that would be losing yourself in "circles of certainty". Meaning no new information can be admitted, therefore, one is closed off from discovering the truth. Well isn't that also true with all religious books including the bible?

Yes, good question. And yes, Freire and me, too, and lots of others like us whom I'll reference for you soon, would say that's true of all religions. With regard to the Hadith, I was Referring to Mernissi's book Beyond the Veil. Mernissi is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Morocco, and she has done an entire study of where certain Hadith that give women lower status came from. But Morocco is a fairly liberal Islamic country, so that what is accepted there may not be accepted in a more conservative Islamic context.

On Wednesday, September 25, Marlene Whittaker wrote: The Fear of the Test and the Harm of Misplaced Authority in Learning

Subject: Barbershop HI Jeanne, after my Stats test tonight, and studying as hard as I did, I didn't have a good feeling. Couldn't sleep, and wondering, which direction should I go.

Normally I wouldn't share with all such a statement. But I was profoundly struck, Marlene, by the fact that making the story of your discomfort with the test something that we could all share, we are creating forum for the recognition of a pain I do not believe should exist in the process of education. Learning is exciting and wonderful. Sure there are some things at which we may not be as good as others, but that doesn't make them less fun when we master some understanding of them. Perhaps is we speak up more readily, and a little louder, and if the rest of us raise our voices in support, as I am trying to do here, then perhaps the university will hear in good faith and come a little closer to understanding that the infliction of pain is not learning.

I can already hear Prof. Churchman hurling pejoratives of "Postmodernist, Postmodernist" at me. But that is not enough any more to silence me. The discomfort to which you refer is complex, and deserves a whole course on the sociology of education, but I never get to teach that, so we'll have to sneak it in interstitially.But I stand behind my conclusion. The infliction of pain is not learning. And that kind of pain should never dictate your direction. If you need help, come see us.

This article, on the movie, 'Barbershop., has got to be one of the finest topics for all your classes, which I am in, on, "virtual illocutionary discussion". If you haven't read about it, please make sure you do. I think you will agree with me. I saw a most unusual, and absolutely wonderful interview this morning, actually broadcasted on national T.V., from the inner worlds of the (true Babershops), in the Black world, that exist, and the rest of the world never really gets a chance to see, or hear. It was remarkable, and so enlightening. This was a true spokesmanship, of "virtual illocutionary discussion". It was delightful!!!! Peace, Marlene

Now, that's learning. I don't know the program. But I'll try to locate it for the classes.

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