Tag: community

Piano Broken, Replaced

By Foster Neill

20061027-piano.jpg

Last week, the piano in the Dancespace was destroyed. The socalled piano, a rotting instrument falling apart, though entirely out of tune and already broken in many ways, was often played, sometimes drunkenly, at parties and through out the day. Many loved the piano, many hated it. Loved for its freedom, hated because it sounded awful and few people actually know how to play a piano.

The destruction of said piano was raised during Community Meeting, and though it was admitted the piano was in poor shape, it was also decidedly a loss for the community. Many faculty members were especially concerned, as the behavior was largely seen as unnecessary and irresponsible.

The destroyer of the piano, who ever that may have been, was urged to take responsibility and compensate the community with a replacement. Later in the week an electronic piano of sorts was found in the area where the old piano had been, to both groans and glee. The replacement piano was last seen in the AIMAC recording studio where it was being played.

I [Heart] Voltaire: a DeClassified for the Ages

By Marjorie Jensen 

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it� –Evelyn Beatrice Hall, The Friends of Voltaire, 1906

Hall wrote this quote to summarize Voltaire’s attitude towards censorship. I’ll paraphrase one more time: I condemn what you are saying, but I will not let them decree what you can or cannot say just because I disagree. Yes, I am going to talk about censorship. Yes, this has been my theme for three terms now. Yes, I really do [heart] Voltaire. I can only hope that you’ll continue reading.

It could be said that the threat of censorship is what has motivated me to work for the Record. William Parke-Sutherland convinced me to go to my first Community Meeting by asking me if it was important to be able to keep writing what I wanted for The Record. As a writer, there are few things that I care more deeply about than freedom of speech.

I disagree with many of the texts that I encounter. Even if my ideals lie in complete opposition to what I am presented with, I find worth in deconstruction. I can strengthen my argument. Some works challenge me more than others, but I can at least laugh at the worst. I’d rather ask, ‘why would someone publish this,’ than ‘why did some one ban this or censor that.’ Given, controversy is one of the best things that can happen to a writer. If you want to increase readership, threaten censorship. However, I wouldn’t advocate for this method to increase notoriety. What is “unprintable� varies drastically over time. Not a dependable variable. It is a decree by someone in power who fears what is being said. This is only somewhat predictable. The irony of the threatening nature of a castration haiku to a male in power does point to some sort of obvious inevitability. Lacan possibly bumped his casket. This could be due to the patriarchy being deeply rooted in the symbolic power of the phallus. According to some feminist psychoanalytic perspectives, the loss of the phallus is directly related to the loss of power.

Therein, castration anxiety is a construct of a power structure that privileges men more than women. Being castrated, becoming more “feminine,� is threatening because women are afforded a lower social position. Is the administration’s latent response that becoming a woman is a put-down in a socio-political sense? Are they commenting on the male fear of the female “lack?� Who knows? Lacan’s not telling. Ironic latent motivations aside, the complaint could have been taken to the appropriate (existing) governing body and not been the rationale for threatening censorship in classic authoritarian style. Then again, I’m still dreaming this dream that our community governance system should be honored by the administration.

After reading something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I don’t think it should never be devoured again. Taste is subjective. When one decides on the basis of such a subjective standard what is “printable,� the outcome can only be unpleasant. Censorship is more unpalatable than any text. People have the right to decide for themselves what they find delicious. Have our admission policies become so lax that our student population isn’t considered capable to think for themselves? Unless someone puts a stamp of approval on the student-run newspaper, we will be unable to judge the material within it? In our much-criticized “culture of confrontation,� isn’t it likely that anyone who was “out of line� would get “called out� by the aggressive radicals?

It has been argued that our cognitive ability to write separates us from other species. While I think much of that ability lies in the evolution of opposable thumbs, there is some merit to the former point. Human complexity of thought is something that I value, despite my current existential crisis and postmodern hysterics. Voltaire, back me up here.

“We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongue, at our peril, risk and hazard.� Despite the all too obvious connection that the pen carries power because of its phallic symbolism, the point remains that brains should come with warning labels: “operate at your own risk.� Let people say stupid things. Let people expound brilliant philosophies. Let them be at odds with one another. But above all, let people speak.

From The Editors

20061020-luke.jpgDear Community,

Today I’m going to use this forum to reiterate my favorite excerpt from Antioch College’s mission statement for those of you who have yet to receive your student handbook.

“The primary mission of Antioch College is to empower students: the academic curriculum provides students with a broad liberal education that challenges their values and perspectives as well as their knowledge, ability to question, and general intellectual consciousness about the society in which they live; the cooperative education program provides life and work experiences which develop independence, confidence, and selfmotivation; and community structure offers significant responsibility for the social, cultural, financial, and policy issues that govern college life.�?

That last bit is my favorite. All that stuff about significant responsibility within the community seems at odds with the view that AdCil should be solely advisory, and that Community Government should be more educational than functional. What’s a primary mission anyway? We’re in the black, and our administration’s values are financial, not ideological. Still, I think its important that we remember what this place is really about, that we cling to the tradition of libertarianism and open mindedness that created Antioch, and not let some money grubbing suit destroy Horace Mann’s dream.

Love (mostly),

Luke

20061020-foster.jpgDearest Community,

What a long week it’s been. Hope I saw you in AdCil, Community Meeting and ComCil. If not, there’s always next week. Have you submitted to Livermore Street yet? Time is running out! The deadline is the 15th of November, but we are planning a party during which we will raffle off prizes for those who have submitted on the 11th of November, so get that work in!

Perhaps the reason the week has been so long is because it’s eighth week. I, too, though on co-op feel this pressure. Indeed, the demon lives. I would guess that this week were approximately eight inches long, at a speed of .5 snail.

At this point, I’m guessing you’re well aware that once again I saved this letter for last and have nothing to say. If you are, you are right. Nothing. That’s what I have to say. I’m tired, that’s what I have to say. I hope you like the Record. I hope you write us a letter. I hope you write a haiku.

Have you considered working for the Record? There are two co-op positions open for next term, and there should be seven FWSP open for staff. Doesn’t that sound exciting. Maybe that’s just because it’s next term and that means this term would be over. Indeed.

Foster Neill

Layout Editor

Dispatches from Community Meeting

By Kathryn Leahey

This week did not see a run-of-the-mill community meeting. Most noticeably, Levi B. was not joined by his usual cohorts. With one home sick and the other preparing for the Black and Tan bash, Hope and Melody were filled in for by the highly capable Ms. Sarah Buckingham. Beyond the obvious lineup change, more community members, that is, most of them, were conspicuously absent. McGregor 113 held a, sadly, farless- than-capacity audience when Levi called the meeting to order. Nagging Statement Number One: People, for the love of Pete, come to community meeting! By not going, you are only costing yourself some delicious berry-flavored ice cream and the opportunity to argue and make your voice heard. I have heard innumerable people around campus complain about community government being taken less seriously by this administration. If you want shared governance, take a flipping share in it. Do not submit to apathy.

The meeting began as usual with our weekly round of gratitude. Luke Brennan thanked the Record staff and all those community members who have contributed letters to the paper as of late. Levi B. thanked all those who volunteered in the CG office after the desperate plea for help was made on First Class. All those involved with Ann Shine’s piano recital, Community Day activities, the Pennell House art party, and Daniel Farrell’s speech were also thanked. Dennie Eagelson and Janice Kinghorn were thanked for the procurement of the aforementioned delicious raspberry ice cream. Additionally, two student-cum-nurses and an anonymous flower-bearing friend rounded out those on the receiving end of the community’s thankfulness.

As usual, Cil updates were not terribly extensive. As of the time of the meeting, AdCil had yet to meet for the week. However, we did learn the ComCil is continuing their discussion on REB versus RAB and are planning on establishing a RAB restructuring committee to meet the college’s present needs.

Most of the announcements made this week were repeat reminders of things announced at our last meeting. Once again, the Uprising Tour will be taking place on campus soon with a special performance by Drive By Shiavo, a speaker from the ACLU will be coming on the 23rd, and the Alumni Board will be here this weekend. Applications for CM and for Pennell House coordinator, Record editor, and C-Shop manager are still due on the 27th of October and 2nd of November, respectively. In new news, On Saturday at 8 pm, there will be a chem-free harvest-time themed party at the Wellness Center, and the Queer Center is having a meeting on Monday. We also learned as a community that Meghan Pergrem does, in fact, love Erin Winter, as was announced by the former this Tuesday. Then into the blender we went: it was time to Pulse. Our major topic this week was the issue of respect, especially that for CG, its officers, and its things. To begin, CG has office hours for a reason. We are all encouraged to use them. If no one is there during office hours and you need assistance, call the office at PBX 1050. More pressingly, as you may know, the old piano available for use in the Union, which may or may not have been slated to be thrown away, was destroyed at some point late last week. Levi commented that a general sense of entitlement may be cited as the reason why someone would do something like that. Nagging Statement Number Two: I’d like to send a big WTF to anyone involved in this senseless act of vandalism. What’s the point? Why destroy something that belongs to CG and, thus, in a sense, all of us? Step up. Take responsibility. Use this opportunity to change the bratty, privileged attitude that allowed you to do this in the first place.

After learning that a possible Cactus Liberation Front has stolen a giant cactus from Units 1, the conversation on this topic drifted to possible solutions to the problem. Jeanne Kay and Perry have started a fundraising effort to replace the piano. If you’d like to help, talk to one of them. Beyond possibly replacing the instrument, several schools of thought emerged about what ought to happen in regards to the situation. The idea that the pieces of the broken piano be turned into art was presented, although some felt that this should only occur if the piece of work would still be able to produce music. The idea that “people [the vandal(s)] must know they will suffer� was put forth, but others called for greater positive thought and action. Amanda felt as though the destruction of the piano can be contributed to a phenomenon referred to as the “tragedy of the commons� and suggested that a sign stating “My name is Betty. I’m a piano. Take care of me!� posted on the piano may have prevented such an occurrence, an idea that provoked giggles from the crowd but will have Levi looking into the idea of naming other things around campus. Finally, I think most people’s feelings can be summed up by what Nicole stated near the end of our short meeting: “We don’t have nice things. We don’t really have [pause] things…but don’t destroy ‘em, because we sure as hell aren’t going to get new things.� Until next week, Antiochians, to paraphrase Joe Cali, try not to break anything. And don’t fall down.

Vital Affirmations at a CG meeting

To the Community:

I appreciate Community Government’s strong affirmation of students’ right to freedom of expression. By unanimous vote at last week’s meeting, ComCil rejected a proposal by the Lawry administration to appoint an editorial board to oversee the Record.

In my view, the administration proposed this board to further its plan to censor and control what is printed in the Record — and thus to censor and control the students of Antioch College. As adjunct faculty mentor for the Record staff, and as a longtime friend and admirer of Antioch College, I applaud ComCil’s defeat of the administration’s proposal.

ComCil’s meeting was also an affirmation of the great value of Antioch’s unique system of shared governance, in which students play such a vital role.

This was the first ComCil meeting I’ve attended in several years, and I was deeply impressed — as I have been so many times in my 25-year association with Antioch — with the quality of the work that was done. And the way it was done: a room full of students deeply committed to Antiochian values interacted cohesively, respectfully and responsibly to serve the best interests of the college. Like the Record, shared governance is a both an important service to the Antioch community and a deeply significant educational experience. How can it be that this administration is so bitterly opposed to both?

Sincerely,

Don Wallis