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Red and Bleu: A People Divided

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: November 5, 2004
Latest Update: November 5, 2004
E-Mail Icon jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Index of Topics on Site Healing Democracy: The Election, Respect, and Naked Space
I wanted to put up a whole page of maps on the Electoral College Shifts, in the now familiar Red and Blue. It appeared at p. 16 of the New York Times on Wednesday, Novermber 3, 2004. But I couldn't access the page on site to link to it. So I dropped it into the unspeakable pile of papers on my desk and left it for later. Today, I went looking for it again, and found its link to Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential elections.

The election shaped our focus in class for almost ten weeks. I wanted to provide some closure, bring theory back to the forefront, and help us heal the frightening divide in this country by refocusing on transforming dominant discourse. On Wednesday and Thursday we did a pretty good job of that. I apologize that I snapped at Rudy when, after coming in very late, and snapping on gum, he spelled RESPECT for me four times just in case I didn't get it the first time. I shouldn't have snapped, but that was the end of two days of tense recovery, and Rudy's casual disrespect made it seem that he, unlike most of us, was totally untraumatized by the results. So I snapped. Sorry everyone. Teacher human, too, and as you all knew, had you been present, I had the mother of all headaches from a food allergy. That's not an excuse for snapping. Snapping is disrespectful and I shouldn't have done it. And that brings us to my Healing Lecture.

First, let's define respect for our classes a little more accurately. If you must come late to class, so be it; you are responsible adults capable of making such decisions. Respect dictates that you do your best to not interrupt whatever is going on in the class. Respect also dictates that if you are chewing gum or eating food that you do so with adult manners, and not chaw and snap, not yawn, not engage in behaviors that as chilren were used as means of rebellion against the good manners I'm hoping you were taught at home. If not, look around you, and develop an adequate set of manners to respect your colleagues.

We've had a problem in one class that some students assume they have rights they need to defend before anyone even violates the alleged right. If I say you can't invite someone to class, please don't challenge me right then to explain why. Please don't say, "Well, why can't I?" Again, that's a child's rebellious position. I am conducting a professional class in a university of the State of California. Last I saw, student rights didn't include telling me, with absolute certitude, what the curriculum would include. But I think student rights do include asking me, politely please, to be transparent in my choices for curriculum and to let students be heard.

I draw the line at your inviting someone without my full knowledge and permission to speak to my class. Please don't do it.

I draw the line at classroom announcements of "How could anyone possibly say . . . " Trust me they could, and that's offensive and disrespectful to the other who did say . . . "

I draw the line at classroom announcements of "I don't want anyone telling me . . . " If you are offended by the instructor's choice of curriculum, the appropriate response is to leave and speak later to the instructor, if the process is already going on. If the class is discussing suggested activities or invitation, one appropriate response is to state your feelings, and ask how your reactions would fit into the plans. I'm sorry, but nobody but me gets to dictate what goes on, and I answer to a higher authority.

All of us do or say something we wish we hadn't later. My principle response to that is try to apologize, to forgive, and to set things back on track. But this class is conducted in transparency. No one is silencing you. I am asking you to stop making the unstated assumption that your beliefs or your feelings are the only "true" beliefs or attitudes on the table. Express your own feelings and ideas, but express them as your own, not as the only appropriate ones, and please do so without suggesting that mine or anyone else's have less value.

Most of these issues arise from silencing in the past, and from some of your resisting that silencing. I understand. But when you hurt one another in your expression of your feelings, I, as a teacher, am obliged to seek out once again the appropriate balance for a classroom where all validity claims must be heard in good faith, with respect for the Other. I don't know how Freire handled this. But you can bet I'll be trying to figure out as I put together material on religion next semester.

These are the instances that came to mind for me as I write; how about you think about it, and add your insights, too?

Last night one of our students brought another student, devastated and in tears, by a classroom (not ours, thank goodness) attack on her choice of President, and, as I understand it, her religious feelings. They came to share in a naked space they knew would be present their feelings and the effect this adversarial position had had on the student in question. There's a message in there, folks. They brought someone expressing a right perspective to a naked space led by someone who is radical left. And we talked, and we apologized for the hurt and harm that had occurred right here on our campus, where I understand some of us had even been present. I am proud that naked space has taken on a reality of social construction that is permitting us to use it when we need it. I am proud that we are connecting across divergent beliefs to one another as members of our own local communities. These human connections are what will heal the rift in our nation, I hope. I have no channeled knowledge from beyond that anything will ever heal the effects of imperialism, war, exploitation, and greed. But I do have ontological hope.

It is in this spirit that I tried to conduct our classes on Wednesday and Thursday, in preparing us to take Transforming Dominant Discourse to a broader level now that the election no longer occupies so much of our concern and emotion. It is in that spirit that I am posting the links below. I would appreciate if you would visit Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections It's a wonderful site. Wish I had found it before the election for you. But . . . Dave Leip's maps show us the divisions in our country and in our state, and he probably has some for counties, too. A couple of specific links are below to guide you.

Please look carefully, deeply, and interpret sociologically. If our country, our states, our counties are this divided, no one has "the" right answer. These maps are mirrors of our confusion, our struggle to redefine our ethics and our values, our divide between major metropolitan concerns and more local neighborhood kinds of concerns. These maps explain better than my words ever could how desperately we need to respect and hear one another. How desperately we need to re-examine illocutionary discourse, the terrible reaction of rhetoric, a respect for the answerabilty of every one of us, and accountability through governance discourse and a workable system of law. We need each other. Somebody take these maps as inspiration for an exhibit so that people visiting our gallery will get it, that we need each other.

In searching for Dave Leip's atlas, I also came across a Wellesley website that is a remarkable resource. Research Resources for Campaigns and Elections Sorry I didn't locate this till after the electiion in 2004. jeanne

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