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Current Issue: Volume 21, No. 9. Week of October 24, 2004

jeanne's first version of Commodity Elections
Commodity Elections

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California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Created: October 28, 2004
Latest Update: October 28, 2004
E-Mail Icon jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

Topic of the Week:

Commodity Elections

'04 Elections Expected to Cost Nearly $4 Billion: Presidential Race to Top $1.2 Billion

I am saddened and frightened by my own nation-state when I look at these figures. How can it be that young men are severely injured when their Hummers are sent into violent war zones without armor, and yet we spend such amounts on an election? I know, I know. The election matters. But lives matter more. Poverty has done more damage than we care to acknowledge to our health care system, to employment potential, to our ability to go on supporting ourselves into old age.

I'm with Armando. If socialized medicine is what we need to provide adequate health care who cares that you call it socialized medicine? except those who will lose enormous profit from labelling it so. I want to talk about values again. For the first time in my life, I'm not sure this will be a fair election. I'm afraid that those with money will buy access to the voting machines with no check of paper ballots. I am afraid of that in my own country. I am afraid that people are being paid $100 on election day by the Republican College 527 group to challenge voters they think may not be legally qualified. I can imagine that some people will be so intimidated by that they may refrain from voting. I am afraid for the first time in my country of things I thought I could never be afraid of in America.

I have a President I do not trust to pack the Federal Courts and then turn to the Supreme Court to give him what vote counts did not get. I am afraid that the hacking of voting machines, the turning away of voters will turn this into a travesty election. I wish that one of the debates had asked both Bush and Kerry to swear to us, the American people, that they would NOT be party to such tactics. But no one even asked. And I know, either or both could have lied. But I was thinking of that man that wanted Kerry to promise he wouldn't raise taxes for family incomes under $200,000. I share his feeling. I want a promise, silly as my rational sense considers that.

I will continue to put up information on the 527s, on the propositions, on the candidates positions. I recently read, probably in the New York Times, that Kerry really is talking about doing more than that silly $1000 for catastrophic illness. I'll hunt for it to share with you.

But my sharing my fears with you is my way of refusing the silence being imposed on me, the silence of a patriotism that says you must not suspect wrongs of our own government. Of course, I must. That is my duty as a vigilant citizen who cares about her government. I have a government that has engaged in many wrongs. People have been held in Guantanamo Bay for three years with no prosecutions, no trials, no word. Billions of dollars of contracts are being offered to corporations, and I do not have access to most of what that is about. I am an American. I need to know. Because I am complicit if I say and do nothing. So, in sharing here my fears, which are founded on my fears and beliefs and are not evidence of any wrongdoing by anyone, for I do not have the means to know of such evidence, are my way of saying to all of America that I do not want to ever have to say, as some in Europe once did, "I did not know." I say instead, I need to know, I must know, and I must know enough to trust my government.

The election does not end this terrible impasse in how and under the values of whom we shall live. But for me it marks a beginning in promising to remain alert, and to know that my awareness, my willingness to hear things I'd rather not hear, to see things I'd rather not see, to question independently and critically will not end on November 2. I, at least, promise to remain aware and sensitive. I do not think we can ask any less of any of our elected representatives.

jeanne

NEWS, Announcements, and

Current Discussion Topics:

Topic of the Week

Commodity Elections

SEX and the Naked Space

This lecture is more about a review of governance discourse, academic certification, and the creation and maintenance of a climate of learning that helps us manage the affect in our learning. Nick, I may be getting a little CJ academic here, so you're welcome to just go ahead and translate me into plain English. See the essay at Sex and the Naked Space. jeanne

Leadership and Management in Transforming Dominant Discourse Those of you who kept the Bolman and Deal book, might want to compare this lecture to what I'm going to tell you about leadership in awkward situations. Channel 4, I think it was, last night, said that peopole were intimidated by talking about this election, and a teacher at West Los Angeles College just encouraged them to wait out the next week or so and things should go back to normal. I'd like to hear how you feel about this, having experienced Naked Space's transformations. I'd also like to discuss non-nonfrontative and pre-formal reaction procedures. More soon. jeanne

'04 Elections Expected to Cost Nearly $4 Billion: Presidential Race to Top $1.2 Billion

Joining and Participating in the Yahoo Groups
on Transforming Dominant Discourse

I know that the elections have taken time from our traditional class activities. They are important. I accept that. But PLEASE do not forget that you are responsible for following the weekly issue of Dear Habermas, AND for participating in some manner in the class and/or Transforming Dominant Discourse discussions. AND the day after the elections is the day to start getting your project for Naked Space ready.

Worlds that Scare Me

A Very Personal Sharing of Rudoph Alexander, Jr.'s World "To Ascend Into the Shining World Again was taken from Dante's Inferno, mirroring Dante's descent into hell and reemergence. Unabridged and coarse, it reflects two books--the story of a juvenile with no criminal history who was illegally thrown into the criminal justice system and the story of his atypical rebound. This book depicts virulent judicial racism, protected legal malpractice, and blatant injustice."

Project Planning for the Naked Space Exhibit at the End of the Semester:

Shared Projects for Transforming Discourse: Jigsaw Puzzle on Respect

Now that I've expressed the anger and frustration at the whole left perspective being disrespected by those presently in administrative power (Pepinsky, Peacemaking Primer), I woke to the most exciting birthday I've ever had. Shared projects for transforming dominant discourse are exploding all around me. First, the doorbell rang right in the middle of talking to Millie Coulter about her thesis. I thought it was Pat. It was actually flowers from my daughter and son-in-law. Hey, the world cares that I'm still alive! And there's a card from Susan and e-mail cards from lots of you. Thank you. THERE IS ONTOLOGICAL HOPE! Oops! I forgot Millie was on the phone! Back to the Shared Projects.

On Thursday, I described the jigsaw puzzle I was thinking of. You'll now find it at Jigsaw Project Only on UWP until I can fix habermas.org. jeanne

First International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry

First International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry "The First International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry will take place at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, from May 5-7, 2005." Call for online submissiion of papers. I will set up a planning group. Deadline for submission: December 1. Happy Thanksgiving. jeanne

Voting Information

  • Propositions - Recommendations and Analysis in Detail: League of Women Voters of California
  • Propositions 60 and 62: Primary Elections Berkeley
  • Proposition 66: Limitation on "Three-Strikes" Law Berkeley

    Political Cartoons

    • jeanne's Lecture Notes:

    • Chronological Index to Lecture Notes

      Lecture on Catastrophic Illness: Middle Class: After a spill in West Virginia, insurance problem surfaces and some riders want guild's finances reviewed Los Angeles Times. Sports Section. October 22, 2004. Backup.

    • An Artist's Statement by Knut LSG Hybinette Knut has caught in this simple statement much of what we teach in transforming dominant discourse. Be sure to check out his work for the October Exhibition. jeanne Link added October18, 2004.

    • New Shared Reading on the effect of Clinton's sex play on the present election: How important is Clinton's sexual philandering in the 2004 election?
    • Lecture on a project I'd like to try: In issues of gender and poverty and incarceration and race, I would consider setting out social constructs like bits of a jigsaw puzzle and looking for different patterns that might emerge if we use deconstruction to reconfigure them. I'd actually like to build the jigsaw puzzle as an interactive activity for the gallery exhibit on November 30 and December 1. Anyone willing to play with me on this one? More up soon.
    • I'd really like to create a movable sculpture with pieces we could move around like giant chess pieces and in the process reconstruct the cycle of poor school, ghettoized community, limited paths out, incarceration, out and back into the cycle of poverty and class and race as an interactive activity for the gallery exhibit on November 30 and December 1. Anyone willing to play with me on this one? More up soon. as an interactive activity for the gallery exhibit on November 30 and December 1. Anyone willing to play with me on this one? More up soon.
    • Some classic theory we need. One-sided and two-sided arguments, the American Soldier, and relative deprivation. Certification vs. education and the conceptual link to competence. A nurse makes a mistake at MLK, and her need for air traffic controllers. The strength of marriage and family roles, and how they affect our lives as unstated, almost iconic, expectations and assumptions.
    • Lecture up soon on George Soros on Why Not to Elect Bush
    • Lecture up soon on An Inexplicable Vote for Death Editorial from the New York Times, October 9, 2004. Backup This is one of the major social issues in the election. Where do you stand on mistakes that you made and how you correct them? Bush never answered it in Friday night's debate. He doesn't make mistakes. Here's one. The judges are appointed by the President on the Federal Bench and the U.S. Supreme Court, this man's last resort.
    • Lecture Notes on Joan Didion's article, "Politics in the 'New Normal' America." Uploaded Saturday, October 9, 2004.
    • Background Theory for the Discussions We Were Having White privilege; Bush as "stupid"; "we know they're going to close MLK, so why bother?; not enough nurses in California, so hospitals in danger of closing; obesity, agency and the social construction of control; nation-state and sovereignty and international law. Lecture notes from Thursday, October 8, 2004.
    • Truth and Constitutive Theory Lecture notes from October 6, 2004.

  • Mentoring

    Academic Support

    Using Academic Language Effectively

    Merriam-Webster Dictionary Search:

    and Careers

    • Resumes:

    • Letters of Recommendation:

      • Letters of Recommendation: How to get me to respond to your request. Many of you need letters. If you will follow this format, I can do them quickly and make them good.
      • Dog Letters If you do not give me adequate information, but do manage to get my attention, you may end up with a dog letter. That is a letter that says that you work well with people, that you are enthusiastic, that you persist at getting things done, and that everyone likes you. Of course, my dog gets along well with people, brings his ball to them, is enthusiastic, and persists at getting them to take his ball. Everyone likes my dog. That's a dog letter. It's so general it could be about my dog. jeanne

    Play:

    from an LA Times article

    Human's Ancestral Tree Adds a Twig

  • Human's Ancestral Tree Adds a Twig

    See how much we "know!" So Munchkins could have been some of our ancestors. Happy Halloween and Day of the Dead.

    • Special Treats for Our Younger Friends