Month: October 2006

Rage Against the Regime

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By Jeremie M. Jordan

We caught a few middle fingers but mostly honks of support.

In over 230 cities nation-wide, October 5th was a day to let the people’s voice be heard. Around 15 Antioch first year students took to the streets of Columbus in support of the cause. The World Can’t Wait organization called for people across the United States to walk out of school, call off work, and pour into downtowns and city squares with a single simple statement, “No! This Regime does not represent us! We will drive it out!�

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At 10:00 AM there was a media conference at the Franklin Board of Elections, arranged by Military Families Speak Out, Fair Trade, local activists, Mark S. and Victoria P., and Bob Fitakis (Free Press Editor and Green Party Candidate for Governor) and of course World Can’t Wait. Only one radio program reporter was there; one indie reporter.Though little press coverage was offered, the demonstration was a call to peace that did not fall on deaf ears. When we first arrived around 11:00 AM there were only a handful of demonstrators present, but by mid-day the number grew significantly. We were joined by women in business suits on their hour lunch break. Though the weather may have deterred some, it failed to damper the spirit of resistance.

Many communists, anarchists, fed-up working class unionists, pissed off city-dwellers, students, and radicals were in attendance, but our number was nearly matched by Mennonites, who were comparing the Bush Administration to the Anti-Christ, and were more concerned about saving souls.
The timing of the protest was in direct correlation with the Bush regime’s most recent installment of curtailment on human rights. I heard more than one person say the passing of the Military Commissions Act of 2006 was the catalyst for their outrage, which coincidently was approved by Congress the same day of the protest. I talked to one person who felt that the country was being led into theocratic authoritarianism, and who was also deeply disturbed by the growing unrest in the Middle East.

Following the Patriot Act, the preemptive war in Iraq and the ensuing regional chaos, pulling out of the Kyoto Agreement, turning economic surplus into the largest accumulating deficit, and now attempting to justify torture and suspend Habeas Corpus, as a society, allowing these trends to go unchallenged is utter compliance.

Signs of condemnation, and cries for peace and justice, were in orchestration as we marched from Courthouse Square to the State House. We screamed at the top of our lungs and laughed with each other as we turned the afternoon into our own avenue of opposition in which we could express our displeasure in unison and bond in our common purpose.

There were a few stunned suits and ties, but there were multitude of supportive gestures and sympathetic cohorts showing their frustration with the war and the vulgar attitude of the administration.

Luckily for the first years, a few of whom were marching in the street for the first time, the police presence was actually rather miniscule. Perceived threat of legal repercussion was minimal, though we were warned that if we were to step off the sidewalk we could be arrested (and hauled away to a secret detention center).
There were several marches from Courthouse Square to the State House Republican Headquarters, and Columbus Dispatch demanding that we be heard.
Jen-e Johnson, first year protester, remarked on the authentic spirit that brought us all together, “The variety of people experiencing camaraderie on the street was exciting and inspiring,� and “I realized the inter-generational aspect of the people involved in the movement and found it intriguing.� One of our favorites Marni ‘Moo’ claimed “I love marching in demonstrations but often times when everyone marches, they’re really just walking, the knees say it all. Marching is the shit.�
A Diebold Ballet Box and ballets to impeach the Bush regime were passed around, and at the final tally there were naturally 0 votes not to.
My personal favorite sign belonged to an older, extremely enthusiastic, man that read “Jail that Skeeza Condoleeza.�
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Others included “Draft Bush Supporters, Support our Oops, Solidarity, Bush Step Down but “The World Can’t Wait� posters were most numerous with a picture of a burning world. There were also various Orwell references like “Freedom is Slavery, War is Peace, and Ignorance is Strength.�
In this era of magnified propaganda, lies, deceit, and manipulation it can be a daunting task to wake the sleeping minds of the masses to the urgency of our plea, but I feel that the power of information is our greatest weapon. We found that a frighteningly large percentage of “passers-by� knew very little about the Military Commissions Act and what its contents will mean for the future. The most beneficial thing we could do was encourage even the slightest amount of curiosity to bringing awareness to the disturbing reality that is typically ignored.
Creativity was utilized in bringing attention to the message in the various chants “Hey hey! Ho ho! Bush and Cheney have got to go!� “Silence is support,� “One, two, three, four, we don’t want your fucking war! Five, six, seven, eight, we don’t want your fascist state,� and the frequently used “Bush step down.�
The size of the Columbus demonstration was not as ample as some of the ones taking place Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, but was well organized with hundreds of signs, flyers, and posters.
From around four to seven o’clock people played guitars and drums to keep every one’s spirits up, which was much appreciated by those who were beginning to feel exhausted. Though it was a long day the energy was kept high and people stayed dedicated to the end.
By and large the manifestation of commitment to change that occurred, and is occurring, is quite positive, and with any luck an indicator of what is possible as we lurch toward Election Day. In case you were someone who needed to be reminded, the struggle may be slightly under the radar but it is still very much alive. See you next time. Peace.

Letter To The Editor – 10/11/06

To The Editor:

We are new members of what one might term the “extended community� at Antioch. As family members of an Antioch student we have had the opportunity to visit campus a few times, meet a number of students, and read several issues of The Record. We have had the chance to meet some members of the faculty and administration, as well.
It is our hope that, as a “Boot Camp for the Revolution�, Antioch is a place where all assumptions are questioned, the voiceless are heard, and where those who will bring change to society are encouraged to observe, evaluate, and act. Indeed, the legacy of Antioch is one of promoting justice, peace, and a better world. Unfortunately, some of what we have read in this paper and experienced during recent campus visits is, rather than demonstrating openness, promoting a culture of insularity and mistrust of anything or anyone new or from the outside.
We have observed that there is a lot of introspection at Antioch, perhaps too much. It seems that a large number of community members are so engrossed in arguing about “Antioch values� that the school itself seems to be an end, rather than a means, to impacting and changing society. To wit: there was little or nothing that we could see on bulletin boards, in the school paper, posted on walls that speaks to issues outside of your small world on campus. Here are the three main messages we’ve been able to glean from these sources: 1.This is a place where there is tolerance and openness to all expressions of human gender and sexuality. 2. Safe, consensual sex is a value and right for all community members. 3. There is mistrust of those trying to bring about change at Antioch. This is frequently expressed by insults and name-calling.
Meanwhile, in the world beyond Antioch College, discrimination rages, the poor are getting poorer, civil rights are eroding, and those in power seek to rule via fear and suspicion. If Antioch is really the “Boot Camp for the Revolution�, we wonder why the major issue at hand seems to be a single-focused obsession with “the idea of Antioch�. Truth be told, we are not certain what is meant by that expression. We have noticed, however, that in spite of a seeming openness to ‘otherness’ and diversity at Antioch, there is instead intolerance and a willingness (on a shocking level) to engage in name-calling and profanity when describing those with whom one disagrees. There seems to us to be little or no ground for respectful discourse at Antioch.

There is much about Antioch that we admire. The idea of a liberal arts college that encourages independent thinking and then equips students to engage the world in a way that fosters justice and peace is something we support. Unfortunately, at least at this time, Antioch seems too self-obsessed to be able to engage in a respectful dialogue among even its own community members, much less the world.
Scott Leannah and Gina Kuemmel

Allan G. Johnson Speaks to Community

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By James Fishbeck

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, Antioch College was privileged to have Allan G. Johnson visit to give a series of discussions covering a wide variety of topics including white privilege, gender issues, and coalition building. He has written many books including The Gender Knot, and Privilege, Power, and Difference. What becomes evident in his speaking is that he comes from a background of intense contemplation and inquiry into the structures of power and the people that perpetuate them. His discussions provided a constructive background of where we are as a society and what we can do to change these systems through constructive dialogue.

On Tuesday, he spoke during the time that would usually be reserved for community meeting. In this lecture, he talked about systems of power and how they are responsible for perpetuating white privilege. According to Allan, “The problem is the way in which systems of privilege get organized around the differences that would otherwise have little if any significance in our lives.� He started his lecture talking about how human beings are not inherently scared of difference that it is curiosity that brought about interactions between different groups of people in the first place. He stated, “In the early decades of white Europeans settling in the North American continent, there were all kinds of communities in which Native Americans and Europeans intermarried and it wasn’t an issue.� He also mentioned that in the relations between Africans and Europeans, difference was not a large factor until the start of the African slave trade. Then, a perceived racial divide was built into the system so that the triangle trade could perpetuate economic power. He explained that “the economic payoff from the long history of racism in the U.S., of slavery, conquest, and genocide is not simply in the past, it is embodied in the wealth held by the white population.� This legacy that was passed to us as an inheritance the moment we were born no matter what our racial background, gender, or anything else is. “We are not the legacy and it is not us.�

To quote Allan, “We have been socialized to see difference as a problem, it is a very powerful way of distracting our attention from the systems of power.� He also made the distinction that “systems are not people and people are not systems.� When you make the distinction between systems of privilege on the one hand and us as human beings on the other hand, an important thing that comes out of that is that people that have access to privilege aren’t truly aware of it. A problem noted by Allan is that “we are stuck in [paralysis] because we don’t know how to talk about these issues with relation to your life.� Dialogue is essential to creating change, even when it doesn’t fall under the path of least resistance. Because it is hard and painful, it is our collective responsibility to be part of the solution. “When one person can dismiss other points of view by saying it doesn’t matter or that they are making a big deal out of it, that is an expression of privilege.�

In later sessions, he continued talking about gender issues and the fact that “We are living in a patriarchal society and it provides a template for all forms of oppression.� This is a difficult concept to come to terms with and once again, Allan made the point that we have to confront these issues. Not because of guilt, but because our involvement in these systems of power directly affects how this legacy is passed down to our children and grandchildren.

Below are some of the important questions that he addressed directly that I really like. Enjoy.

What is the issue with racial misappropriation? “I don’t think borrowing from other cultures is in itself a problem, what makes it a problem is the relationship between those who take and those it is taken from…When one society conquers another society, they see themselves as superior, and they see themselves as having the right to take what they want from other cultures…When white people appropriate from people of color, they are acting out a history of domination and subordination based on conquest and genocide.�

What is your impression of Antioch College? “This is very unusual in my experience, this is the first campus I’ve ever been to where students have been confrontational around these issues. Getting students to think about the issues is the problem in most places. This is the first place that I have ever been where that has actually been an issue that is openly discussed.�

Is there any hope for society with the amount of chaos that you see? “Creativity comes out of chaos, when things get blown up, very awful and very wonderful things can come out of that, sometimes the worst thing that happens to you in your life is the best thing that has ever happened to you because it shakes you out of all kinds of preconceptions and patterns and everything and there is an opportunity there. And it can go in lots of directions, you can go down, and you have the potential to put your life back together in a way that is extraordinary and I think that works for organizations like colleges as well, so to me the struggle, the chaos, the confusion, the pain that is evident to me here is difficult and a tremendous opportunity. The question then becomes: How do we respond to that chaos?�

“I travel around the country not because I have the answers to these issues, but I think we’re in a whole lot of trouble and we need all the help we can get and my work is about providing some portion of that help�

The Following is a Work of Fiction

20061011-mcqueen.jpgDon’t come Around Here No Mo or: Steve McQueen Banished From Campus
By Christopher DeArcangelis

It is now nearly sun up as Steve Mc Queen and I pull us to the rocky summit of Mt. Crispus. Steve, clad in hemp poncho and straw hat, eyes gleaming beside a fully formed nose and cheeks for the pinching, cannot help but outshine the sun rising in the East. He pulls himself over the summit, landing on his belly.
“Wasn’t that a mother fucker?� Steve laughs. But then he turns his face to the rising sun and bites his lips, holding back the pain welling up inside his moved soul.
“If only Antioch could see me now.�
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Steve McQueen has only his pride these days as he was stripped of his Antioch citizenship two weeks ago. And why? There is no answer. Steve McQueen has maintained a non-threatening, educational presence as he traversed the many yards of our hollowed campus. Who can forget the good times? Who will forget the jolly chuckles of Mr. Steve McQueen?

In the quest to find answers, you must untangle the great gobs and wads of bureaucratic tape that can block even the healthiest arteries of understanding.
I figured I’d work my way to the heart of the matter and attempted a meeting with “Straw boss� Steve Lawry, El Presidente Guapo de Antioch College.
I approached his door with an air of caution. I was surprised to see his door partially opened, as if he were expecting someone. I raised my hand to knock when Steve’s voice wafted into my ears: “Come In�
I opened the door and greeted “The Man� with a hearty shake and a wink. He told me a few jokes, some a little racy I felt later, but none-the-less the sign of a whip smart welfare capitalist.
After the initial meet and greet, we cut to the shit. I mentioned Steve McQueen and Mr.Lowery’s face turned glum as a plum.
“I do not know of this person you speak of,� he responded.
“What do you mean, Steve? How can you forget? The face? The laugh? Remember when he single-handedly inspired a joyous celebration among those lost in the quagmire of living?� I protested.
I saw the red overtake Steve Lowery’s normally dour face, the beads of sweat swelling. He tilted his head to face his desk, his hands clenching the edge of his black leather throne.
“Get…Out….� he muttered, trembling
“Steve, tell me about Steve McQueen! You know who I’m talking about!� I threw all the papers off of his desk, a justice filled rage of yellow journalist. He shot up to full stature, his towering figure taking up all my space.
“There is no Steve McQueen! Not on this campus! Now, take your fowl and breadcrumbs and stuff it!� His pointer finger twitched as he held it pointed towards the exit.
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I am eating the freshly picked figs and grapes left over from the summer crop at Steve’s ranch as we observe a falcon gliding on steel winds o’er head. As I watch the falcon I think of Steve’s rise from naïve spring to chicken to a big game hen at Antioch College.

“Yes,� Steve laments, “Antioch really brought out the best in what I had given to me at the hour of conception.�
Reflecting on his commentary, I notice his eyes begin to water. Still shaken as his banishment, I feel this must be hard for Steve. Goading him on, I prod:
“ Do you feel like you are the reflection of an ideology?�
His face turns to me swiftly. Throwing himself upon his feet he shouts,
“NO! I am no more important than you, or this mountain, or the sun!� His face turns majestically skyward as he basks in the beams of the life giving sun.
“We are all representative of something, and no idea or person is more important or any better than another!� Steve pulls a rock from the ground, overcome with energy, and throws it over the rocky precipice of the mountain’s apex.
“If we are to understand each other, we must laugh! We must forgive! We must hold hands as we stand on the picket lines to protest the dues paid to intolerance and hate!�
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So why did Steve McQueen get kicked out?
“Steve had this sort of natural…panache. He was a gunslinger at heart, but his heart was connected to his mouth. He sort of said what people all knew was true but afraid to hear.� first year Buster Gently relates. “His voice had the eerie quality. Sometimes it took on the shape of a sultry siren, you know, those maidens on the island that sang so mournfully, yet sexily, but sometimes, man, it was a steel nail chiseling a slab of bedrock.� “…I think, the administration feared his very presence. This guy just left blood wherever he went, really.�

“…He was a [charming] fuck. Sometimes I thought he knew about god or some higher shit, But really he was just a hack, I mean, when was the last time you bathed, Steve?� Kolin Pope, past savior of the world says.

“…He told me about this crazy idea he had involving regular foodstuffs. I think the administration got hip to his plans and cut the cowboy off at the pass, if you know what I mean,� Ernie, a first year says.

“I heard when I applied to Antioch that plainspoken folk with a natural flair were on the way out. That’s why I decided to go here,� says Neptune, a First year.
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The more people I talk to, the more it seems the nature of Steve Mc Queens unfortunate removal from Antioch takes on that of an oral tradition. While no one can quite put there finger on what happened, including Steve McQueen, we could all construct our own narratives that hold a deeper meaning than any authoritative folklore can provide. This must be the new face of Antioch. We are reverting to folklore and oral tradition in terms of communication between the administration and its students. Instead of concrete reasoning and iron-fisted bureaucracy, we are treated to an informal but classical rendering of the way societies communicated before the advent of the written language. This neo-classical approach will surely help redefine the face of Antioch.

In the meantime, we are faced with a strange void, the void that was once filled by our true love: Steve McQueen.

‘SteamCil’ Leaves Red Faces, Disheartened Members

censored.jpgComCil discussion on installation REB to go into new round this week

by Kim-Jenna Jurriaans

“This could very well have been the best ComCil I’ve ever been to.” An impromptu processing session and cigarette consumption on the steps of Main Building revealed the nerve wrecker that was last week’s ComCil meeting. In a heated session last Thursday, discussion on the latest proposal for a Record Editorial Board (REB) turned into a power-measuring exercise that left many members of ComCil disillusioned over the outcome. Still, several members referred to last week’s ComCil as one of the most vibrant in a long time. The meeting was finally adjourned and discussion was tabled until next ComCil, which takes place as this paper goes to print.

Members left last week’s meeting disillusioned after a two and a half hour discussion on the REB proposal, that was brought to ComCil two weeks ago, failed to bring a clear outcome on the installation of the interim board. Instead, questions arose on ComCil’s power to block the proposal, which were initially met with evasive answers by vice-president Rick Juraseck and Dean of Faculty Andrzej Bloch.

Bloch, who together with the vice-president and CM Levi B. Cowperthwaite had brought the proposal to ComCil, stressed the need for accountability beyond RAB in the form of an extra, editorial, board.

In response to Events Manager (EM) Melody Mackowiak’s repeated inquiry whether the initiators would go thru with the installation of the board regardless of ComCil’s decision on the proposal, Jurasek answered by pointing out the need to “fill an editorial gap”.

Feeling that her question was not answered properly, Mackowiak again asked for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response. The vice-president finally answered, saying there is a need to set editorial policy and that they, the initiators, will go on to create a body that can take on that task. His answer was met with loud gestures of surprise and disbelieve from both members and guests. Many voiced similar feelings as Corri Frohlich, who posed the question: ” what exactly are we doing here If you are not going to listen to us anyway?”
EM Melody went on to ask whether the proposal was at least open for negotiation. Vice-president Rick Jurasek commented: “This document asks for suggestions. We want to launch a process. There is an editorial gap and this proposal is brought forward to fill that gap.” Jurasek underlined that the board will be temporary while “starting a broader conversation in the process of building a community paper”.

In its effort to “build” a community paper, the president’s office has taken it on itself to hire a journalism teacher in order to provide staff-writers and editors of the Record with the necessary journalistic background and to help in supervising the Record. In addition, Jurasek offered to provide the Record with the means to update its close to nostalgic IT-facilities, which, according to co-editor Foster Neill had narrowed down to “a computer and a half” in the course of last week. Neill, however, friendly declined the offer, stating he’d rather work with the limited funds CG can provide than lose independence of the paper: “I’d love to have a new computer and we could definitely use it right now, but if taking on the offer means the Record will become more dependent, I’d rather not have it. I can’t speak for future editors, but I, for my part, will definitely not take it.”

Reflection

Issues over the nature of the publisher, CG or Antioch College, arose, yet again, and remained unresolved. Again, the fact that the Record is payed out of student activity fees was brought up to point out community ownership. The Dean of students countered by saying: “We cannot collect a penny of the students as long as the budget is not approved by the board of trustees.” In response to Andrzej Bloch’s statement that the newspaper carries the Antioch name and is therefor regarded by the outside world to reflect the College, Neill, who is in charge of the layout for the Record, posed the question how The Antioch Review, that also carries the Antioch name can be regarded as reflection of the community.

Andrzej Bloch went on to make a distinction between Antioch College on one hand, and the College Community on the other. He elaborated on his idea of REB and RAB functioning next to and with each other, each representing one of the two entities. Given the inequality in authority installed upon both boards, however, this was met with skepticism by the members of ComCil, who fear erosion of the functions of RAB. In addition, the idea of having two similar boards was widely seen as impractical, “adding layers on top of layers”, as Katrina Dorsey described it.

In light of the efforts to bring more journalistic knowledge into the record newsroom, the need for top-down editorial enforcement was also questioned and, according to Bob Devine, is contrary to the co-op premises set out for the editors, which consist of “learning by experience, being forced to wrestle with complex practical and ethical issues and to make determinations for which they must be accountable.” (from: October 2nd written reaction to REB proposal). Devine underlined his views in last week’s meeting, stating that the Record was a lab Newspaper to learn, adding: “how do you think the editor of the New York Times learned what is appropriate.”

Vice president Rick Jurasek stressed the temporary nature of the board, pointing out the option that: “The editorial board can disappear in time.”

Respect

Gradually the conversation moved towards reviving RAB rather than installing the REB. ComCil member Chelsea Martens pointed towards the Legislative code in front of her and urged the Dean of Faculty and Vice-President to please respect the code, with its strong roots in Community Government, and to respect the efforts that had been made to create it. Martens was backed up by fellow ComCil member Bryan Utley, who underlined that the installation of an ad-hoc board without approval of ComCil would be disrespectful of the deliberative Body that is ComCil. Martens also raised questions on the issue of accountability. More specifically, “how can a board consisting of two students and two staff members be a better representation of the community than RAB with seven members and direct accountability to ComCil?”

In order to provide Antioch College, as institution, with the requested representation in matters concerning the Record, RAB members present brought forward the proposal to write one or two extra seats into the RAB outline in the Leg code for institutional representation to take seat in.

Room temperature rose even more, when a motion to deny approval of the Proposal was tabled and second by another member of ComCil, then however taken off the table again, in order to keep open the option of bringing in an amended, more detailed, proposal into next weeks ComCil meeting. the initiators where give the advise to consult sources outside of the college’s legal council and present a proposal that goes into more detail about the editorial policy that the interim board is burdened to establish, the sources that it will used in the process and the place and amenability of this new policy in future terms. As the discussion goes into yet another round, the meeting, taking place as this edition goes to print, is expected to bring the awaited verdict on the installation of an Editorial Board for the Record, the consequences for the Community’s Newspaper and future role for its current Advisory Board.