travel - THE RECORD

Echoes’ Journey Part IV: A tour of the Caribbean

Martinique/Bequia/Tobago Cays, February/March 2004

Last Term: Catamaran Echoes left Port Camargue, France, in stormy December 2003 and after a chaotic trip through the Mediterranean and a peaceful yet cathartic one across the Atlantic, safely reached the shore of Fort de France, Martinique. Its crew consisted of Gina-the-dog, a future Antioch student and her father; the trip had no time constraints and no goal…except that, maybe, of freedom. In mid-afternoon we rode the dinghy back to Echoes, anchored in the bay of Petite Anse, a non-touristy, picturesque village with pastel-colored fi shing boats sunbathing on a small deserted beach and stray scabby dogs roaming the empty streets. It was the beginning of our second week in Martinique, and we had just taken a ride across the island. What we had seen was quite different from the village harbored by Petite Anse, it was, in fact, very much like France, the Metropole, as they called it, only with more coconut trees. Or maybe it was very different, except for something in the atmosphere that reminded us of the place we had just left? Still, as we helped Gina out of the red dinghy onto the deck we felt the same urge: get away from here.

One hour later, we had lifted anchor and were sailing to the South. We were laughing behind the steering wheel. It was the fi rst time we had left a place so abruptly, and the exhilaration was unmatched. To know that at any time, anywhere, we could just leave everything at once and be gone an hour later…without anything to prepare on the shore, without anyone to tell where or why we were going… It was an immense relief, a deeply liberating feeling, breaking in an instant years of adolescent frustration about constraints, responsibilities and structure. Complete freedom, detachment from all material ties was now possible. We could change garden every day if we wanted to: there was always an escape, so the dream of escape naturally was gone. The world became an open window.

Three days later I woke up to the sound of the grinding of the anchor’s chain on its track. We were in Bequia, a small island to the South of St Vincent. About sixty boats were anchored in a round bay. Yellow motor taxi boats were roaring through the harbor, bringing sailors and tourists to the shore and back. It was a market day and the town was restless. After making sure the anchor was safely gripped, we climbed in a yellow speedboat as Rasta Tony –joint at the lips and a very proud air– took us to shore. People shouted out or jumped away as Gina led the way. “A bear!” some cried out. No, no, it’s a dog, and she doesn’t like to be called fat, so please…Gina and I sat side by side on the steps of the immigration/customs offi ce as my father went in to get our passports stamped. Fatal strategic mistake! The quarantine offi cials hurried outside and asked me to take this creature back on the boat right away! St Vincent still operated under the rigid quarantine rules of the old British colonizer, and for the following two weeks of our stay in Bequia, Gina had to wait until dark for us to discreetly smuggle her into the dinghy and to a small isolated beach. Hurry, hurry Gina! They can’t fi nd you here!..

It took me a while to get used to the fruit and vegetable market of Bequia. Ran exclusively my middle-aged Rasta men, it was an experience in and by itself. Whenever I—or any other tourist or boat person– approached the perimeter of the market, the harassment started. Hey! Come to my stand! Come here, lady, I have the best! The irony was that absolutely everyone in the market had exactly the same thing on their tables, probably from the same plantation: bananas, mangoes, papayas, sweet potatoes, limes, ginger… And whenever you would set foot inside…well, let’s just say the SOPP didn’t apply. As one shopkeeper, his arm around your shoulder, took you to his incredible stand, another one pulled your arm while he told you about his amazing mangoes while a third one was busy shoving papayas directly in your bag. Possibly, at the same time, one or two might ask you to marry them, but that was just common conversation. Many tourists got upset and refused to approach the market, after experiencing it once. My strategy consisted in going around, buying one item from each stand, and getting out with minimal marital promises. “So, what did you do in Bequia?” Well, we ate fruit. A lot.

After two weeks we left Bequia for the Tobago Cays a bunch of little deserted islands of white sand surrounded by crystal clear water, the postcard type, except that no Photoshop color enhancement was needed to get the bright turquoise color; it was there, for real. When I say deserted, I mean the islands themselves; the sea around them, on the contrary, was pretty much the opposite of deserted: it was, actually, like a fl oating parking lot. To the point that a fi sherman in his speedboat had to come by our hull and tell us that there was one spot, over there, between the Sun Odyssey 40 and the Snowgoose 35, right behind the big Catana, see, but don’t put too much chain on your anchor or you might hit the Beneteau that’s right behind you!

After a masterful maneuver—all the more so because it was made with only one functional engine—we found our space among the forest of masts, and jumped into the transparent water. But the excitement didn’t last. All the boats around us, we fi nally found out, were charters or rental boats. No boat people in sight, only tourists, fresh from the airport and there to spend two weeks on a postcard in supposed paradise. Many Americans, barbecuing on the beach, with the fi sh and lobster local fi shermen had sold them at exorbitant prices. Absolutely no community spirit–the amazing boat people spirit that we were about to discover a few islands away. Each boat crew on its little strip of white sand, on its little island; a superfi cial would-be paradise, a wilderness for sale.

We waited for the wind to shift east. The next day, we raised anchor. Next week: fi rst encounter with real boat people in Curacao, the gathering of a fl eet, and how to anchor by night through the reefs of an atoll.

Ivan Knows Best…

This is the final edition of this semester’s Record, and Wood Pipe (who will probably be called Peace Pipe as he takes over some of the work) told me that “IVAN KNOWS BEST” might be going down the pipe. This now gives me the chance to really, really fess-up. Yes I knew Best, but really not all that well. I only met her three years ago when she was working at Peaches. She was a bouncer, and I got bounced. That day (according to my weight calendar) I only weighed 153.5 lbs, so when she threw me out I rolled two or three time in the direction of Ha Ha Pizza. Best took pity on me and picked me up, told me to stop crying and that it would all get better soon. “Mama’ll take care of it.” She said. I kept crying cause I couldn’t see her mother anywhere. She should have been around because Best told me her mother was Better. I didn’t even know she was sick. Better came later and apologized ‘cause she had to visit Good. I didn’t ask and I didn’t care who Good was. So, the truth is that I do know Best, but not as good as Better, but better than Good. Here’s the truth: Best likes music, and when there is nothing for Better to do, she dances with her. Bad, the brother, just watches.

I beleive we would all agree that it is much easier to denigrate (how’s that for a word?), make fun of, and basically be unjustly critical of almost anything. One of the reasons is that criticism is unlimited and humorous comments are usually accepted in spite of their lack of serious reasoning. Which brings me to some of the writing I have enjoyed sending to the Record this semester. Such writing has attempted to be humorously critical and has avoided any serious reflection on the music I was asked to listen to. At first I really didn’t think that the “younger” generation would find any of this music interesting. All of it was relatively quiet, rhythmically controlled, and frankly very relaxing to me. – I was brought up on “one, two, three o’clock four o’clock ROCK, five, six, seven o’clock, eight o’clock ROCK..we’re gonna ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK TONIGHT… also “SHAKE IT ON DOOOWN BAABY, TWIST AND SHOUT…,we twisted, we jitterbugged, we were DANCING. The rhythm was what we wanted, what we needed, and what we got. The music was loud, and our brains vibrated in sinc with it. (It may not be necessary to mention that (even in college) we had no booze, and certainly nothing fun to smoke)…so we moved, we shook, we twisted and turned…and after that we got to our rooms, read, talked, or slept. This term, however, I listened to many hours of gentle, strange sounds…many of them quiet, produced without any strong beat, and eventually somewhat captivating. I still had to wonder…”What is going on?”…but eventually I realized that this were sounds musical or not, meant to reach the listener, encourage them to continue listening, and quite possible think, or relax. El perro Del Mar, for example, doesn’t make me want to jump out of bed and shake loose on the bedroom floor (I wear pijamas). Instead it provides simple, pleasant music with a clear but low keyed voice. I could listen to it, read at the same time and enjoy both.

So, I realize that I jumped two generations (I know nothing about the one in between, I had to do a lot of graduate studies and travel to far distances at that time) and I find that the music Dave gave me to listen to is very different. IGNATZ for example, provides an element of peace and (strange to apply to music) quiet…yes quiet!!! a quiet appreciation of productions that do not require people like me to shake and twist and turn. I learned, I expect to continue doing so, all of you don’t hesitat to come and help me!!!.

I promise you I have forgotten “jail house rock”

“Wood Pipes!”

-Wood Pipes

FACULTY PROFILE: Haruna Tomaru

Name: Haruna Tomaru
(Climbing Castle)
Sign: Aquarius
Teaches: Japanese
Bloodtype: B

How long have you been here?

This is my seventh year. I came here in 1999.

How did you end up here?

I came here as an exchange student when I was in college at Kyoto Seika University. My major was humanities. I wanted to work an international job. Then, I didn’t know specifics about what job I wanted. My uncle worked at United Nations and he always talked about different countries’ culture so I got interested in working with and studying different cultures. We had three choices at my University: Thailand, Australia, and the US. I went to Thailand when I was in high school, so I chose the US that time. But I still loved Thailand. The people are so nice and the weather was too. But I wanted to see non-Asian countries. And for Australia you had to do homestay, but at Antioch I could stay in the dorm, so I chose here.

Continue reading FACULTY PROFILE: Haruna Tomaru

Letter from Jeffrey N. James, Esq.

Date: October 20, 2006

Letter to the Editor – Antioch Record

I am writing to you as the father of Cary James, one of the four students recently suspended from Antioch College for traveling to Columbus, Ohio to purchase marijuana for themselves and other students.

Earlier this year, our family was pleased when Antioch accepted Cary’s application for admission. After visiting the college, Cary felt that Antioch was where he belonged and would flourish. Based on its reputation, we were thankful that Cary had chosen to attend a “liberal” liberal arts college. I use the term liberal in the most positive sense of the word, not as it has been defined in more recent times by conservatives and the religious right. By definition. liberal means “broad minded” and “favoring reform or progress”.

As an undergraduate student, I learned to logically examine the world by the Socratic or dialectical method. Through critical examination of issues, we come to a better understanding and resolution of the problems we face in life. This is the type of education I envisioned for my son in attending Antioch. I was disturbed when I learned that Cary was being expelled (which was later amended to a one year suspension). What concerned me most was not that he was being expelled, but the basis for his expulsion.

As a criminal defense attorney, I am troubled by the criminalization of our youth, and the hypocrisy with which we administer our current “zero tolerance” policy regarding drug and alcohol use. As one who upholds the principal of honesty, I freely admit that I have smoked marijuana. I was, after all, a product of the sixties and seventies. In raising my children, I have not voluntarily disclosed my past usage, nor have I denied this fact as they grew older and were capable of questioning me. I have however always advised them of the potentially harmful effects of drug and alcohol use and abuse, and tried to instill in them an understanding of the problems associated with any addiction. At the same time, I understand that people will engage in the vice of their choice. What vice you indulge yourself (food, wine, sex, gambling, the list goes on), is a matter of your choice. Just as I ask that you tolerate my vices, so long as they do not infringe upon your rights, I will tolerate your vices. For me, the occasional one or two martinis long ago supplanted any desire to smoke marijuana. However, I do admit that a few years ago I smoked marijuana with a good friend, Deb, six months before her death from cancer. We were attending an outdoor wedding for mutual friends. Deb had discovered the benefit of marijuana in counteracting the constant nausea caused by the chemotherapy. Deb did not want to smoke alone, so I gladly joined her in sharing a joint on the shore of a lovely lake. I will always remember that afternoon and the time spent with an old friend.

I have no regrets, nor shame for that event, so please don’t have any for me.

Unfortunately, too may of the people in a position to set policy for the rest of us, hide or deny their own use or experimentation with marijuana. This is sad in light of the statistics regarding marijuana use in our country. According to the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 96.8 million Americans age 12 and older, have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetimes. This represents 40.2% of the age 12 and older population. Among college students, the Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that in 2004 18.9% of college students admitted to marijuana use within the past 30 days, with 33.3% reporting use within the past year and 49.1% within their lifetime. Among similar aged young adults not attending college, the statistics on marijuana use are comparable to those reported for college students. Obviously, these statistics demonstrate that a substantial portion of our young adults have tried or are using marijuana. The question thus becomes, are they all criminals? Unfortunately, our country’s misplaced “war on drugs” and “zero tolerance” has answered that question with a resounding “yes”.

According to the report “Incarcerated America”, published by the human right organization “Human Rights Watch”, over two million men and women are currently incarcerated. Although we hold ourselves out as the “land of the free”, the United States “incarcerates a higher percentage of its people than any other country.” Contrary to popular beliefs (perpetuated by the fear politicians attempt to install in us to mobilize support), the increase in our prison population is not attributable to any increase in violent crimes, which has held steady over the past two decades. Rather, the increase has been in non-violent, drug related crimes. Since 1980 the number of people incarcerated for drug offenses has increased twelvefold. Further, we should be alarmed by the disproportionate burden the “war on drugs” has had on our minority population. “Although blacks account for only 12 percent of the U.S. population, 44 percent of all prisoners in the United States are black”.

Drug Sense (www.drugsense.org), an organization committed to educating and debating the merits (or lack thereof), of our current drug policies, reports that over 1.68 million people will be arrested this year for drug offense, according to FBI estimates. A large portion of these arrests will be for marijuana. FBI statistics for 2005, estimate that 786,545 people were arrested for marijuana law violations, of which the vast majority, almost 90 percent, were for simple possession. Not only is there the tragic human costs (disrupting families, lost work and productivity, criminal records, etc.), the actual monies spent to fight the “war” is staggering. It is estimated that between the federal and state governments, over 50 billion dollars will be spent in 2006 directly related to enforcing drug laws. I suggest that, as a nation, we would be better off if a large portion of this money was spent treating drug addiction, educating our children and providing employment opportunities. This issue should at least be openly discussed and debated.

Similarly, we have taken a wrong approach to the use of alcohol by our youth. When I was in college, it was legal to drink “3.2 beer” (beer with an alcohol content not exceeding 3.2% by volume), from age 18 to 20. The effects of increasing the drinking age to 21 have been far reaching. In analyzing this issue, we must recognize the extent to which alcohol is being used by our youth. According to the Core survey, sixty-nine percent of college students under that age of 21 report using alcohol within the past 30 days and eighty-two percent admit to alcohol use within the past year.

By increasing the drinking age to 21, we have criminalized our youth. This instills in them disrespect for the law, as they have determined to ignore the law and drink anyway. Additionally, we have failed to teach them about drinking. We simply ignore the fact that they’re drinking alcohol and then turn them loose at age 21. By bringing back “3.2 beer” (or what ever percentage is determined appropriate), we would allow them to drink in a safer environment. From their standpoint, because it’s all illegal, what difference does it make whether they drink beer, wine or 151 proof rum. Either way, they are committing the same criminal offense – underage consumption of alcohol – a misdemeanor of the first degree. Thus, we have young adults consuming more potent forms of alcohol, with the consequences of excessive intoxication and alcohol poisoning.

For years I have been an advocate of bringing back 3.2 beer and lowering the drinking age to 19. Whether we agree on age 19 and beer with an alcohol content of 3.2 percent is irrelevant. The point is that this issue should be openly debated, and hopefully we will come to a better solution. Alternatively, we can continue with our current policies and accept that we have made our children criminals and placed them at greater risk from drinking more potent alcohol. Just as we debate other issues (abortion rights, stem cell research, the war in Iraq, illegal aliens and so many others), we must openly debate the failed effects of our drug and alcohol policies, particular towards our younger citizens.

Following Cary’s expulsion, I was given an opportunity (exactly one-half hour), to meet with President Lawry, Dean Williams, Richard Jurasek and Joyce Morrissey. In expressing my views, as set forth above, I found your administration less than receptive to discuss these issues. When I expressed my concern that they had chosen the most severe from of punishment (expulsion), I was rebuked in my categorizing expulsion as the “most severe” sanction. I was then advised that they could have turned the matter over to the local prosecutor’s office.

I was astonished that your administration would consider criminal prosecution an option. In response, I simply reminded your administration that possession of marijuana in an amount less than 100 grams is a minor misdemeanor in Ohio. Whereupon, Dr. Lawry asserted the charges could have been greater (apparently suggesting that the four students were engaged in trafficking). As a defense attorney, I can only state that such charges would be problematic. Under Ohio Revised Code section 2925.51, the state must preserve and test any illicit drug and provide defense counsel with both the test results and a sample of the drug for independent testing. If the state fails to comply with these requirements, the charges must be dismissed. But, more important than the obvious defenses, do you really believe that the four students, in sharing their marijuana with their fellow students and friends, were engaged in trafficking? Have we gone that far in criminalizing our youth? What about the hypocrisy this demonstrates. All of us who have smoked marijuana at some time in our past (and the numbers are substantial), acquired it from someone, maybe a friend or fellow student. Were they all criminals?

It is unfortunate that this matter has come to this conclusion. I know that Cary will not be returning to Antioch and that he misses the friends he made in his short time on campus. What happens at Antioch in the future is in the hands of the administration, staff and students. In writing this letter, it is my hope that the school’s policies will be critically reviewed and debated. Only then will Antioch resume its course as a “liberal” arts college. Our future is in the hands of our youth. It is my hope they pursue a future free from the intolerance and hypocrisy which we have shown them. I wish you all the very best in your future.

Jeffrey N. James, Esq.
email: jjnjames@aol.com
Lombardi, George & James, Ltd.
7 W. Bowery St., Ste. 507
Akron, Ohio 44308
Office: (330) 535-9655;
Cell: (330) 815-3063;
Fax: (330) 535-9921

The AdCil Spill

By James Fischbeck

In this week’s meeting of the Administrative Council, there were 3 items on the agenda, the first item was the approval of minutes from the October 10th meeting, the second being an overview of the admissions and financial aid plans for the future, and the third item was a discussion of the role and function of AdCil, including faculty personnel issues. The minutes from the October 10th meeting are being re-written to include more of the long discussion that made the last AdCil most memorable. After the discussion over minutes, Admissions and Financial aid gave an overview of their plan to attract future Antiochians. The admissions process works in 2-year cycles, meaning that they are making decisions that will directly affect the next 2 generations of students. The first question raised was is “How are we going to bring in the classes of 2007 and 2008?�? Cathy Paige laid out the answer in 3 parts.

First, Antioch is participating in the purchasing of names of high school seniors from a company called Human Capital as they have done in the past. Last year, they bought about 120,000 names, and this year, they plan on buying around 80,000 – 90,000 names. Their reason for buying fewer names this year is conservation of resources and revision to the criteria to be used for the search focusing on Antioch’s strengths (co-op, community involvement, organizing for social justice). For example, they will be cutting people from the search who are looking for a religious education or intercollegiate sports since neither programs are represented fully here at Antioch.

The second portion of the plan is for the “self-initiated�? students who talk directly to Antioch because of their preexisting interest and curiosities towards this institution. For them, the online system is being streamlined. When someone asks for information or applies online, the turn-around time is now about 24 hours. Speed is a major focus of the revisions, as they are implementing more changes to hasten the communication process.

The third part is a re-organization of admission councilors time away from campus. They have cut the amount of time they spend off campus by approximately 45%, encouraging more prospective students to come visit Antioch. This year, seniors will receive a sequence of 12 postcards that articulate 12 key points designed to spark student interest in visiting or applying to Antioch. For the students that decide to visit Antioch, the campus visit program is improving, with more communication prior to their visit, better scheduling of time spent on campus, and more follow-up after they depart for home. More emphasis is being placed on visiting because students are more likely to matriculate if they come visit Antioch in person.

They will also work with current high school juniors and sophomores to incite interest in Antioch. The major targets of admissions recruiters include people with diverse backgrounds, and Midwesterners, with a focus on Ohio in particular as 1/3 of the new students are from Ohio originally. Rick Jurassek explained that students nationwide are reluctant to travel far away from their homes and families, thus making the search for Ohioans imperative. Another factor is the money that the Ohio state government gives for financial aid grants and how that can be used to put the college’s finances back on track.

In the coming year, they are seeking a target number of 12,000 student inquires for information. The number for this year was around 10,000, with only 11%-12% applying at Antioch. They are seeking a larger pool of applicants with fewer expenses. New scholarships and scholarship programs have increased the number of students who have deposited money to enroll at Antioch, and the scholarship weekend programs will be continued this year with tentative dates for March 4-5 and April 1-2.

Robin Heise spoke briefly about the federal government raising loan limits, making a greater burden on the college financially. The college’s main focus with scholarship money will be towards students who are the first in their families to attend college, and multicultural students. Also, the school is awarding challenge grants to students that will increase in amount over their stay at Antioch. These grants are awarded to students that show considerable improvement in their academics while they are in college.

There may be an unwritten rule against marketing your college to students already enrolled in other colleges, but Antioch has so much vitality and potential that we are attracting a good number of students from other colleges. With the number of prospective transfer students increasing, one concern that was expressed is the difficulty in recruiting transfer students for a curriculum that currently doesn’t exist for 3rd and 4th year students. Antioch already has agreements with a few community colleges in the area and will encourage more involvement with them in the future.

The Next week, AdCil will be discussing its role as an advisory committee and how it can continue to function effectively. This meeting is arguably the most important meeting of the year and if you’re concerned about AdCil’s role in campus politics, come to the next meeting, Tuesday at 8 AM in the Main Building conference room. Or if you just want some coffee and juice in the early morning, you’re welcome as well. These meetings are open to all members of the community who want to attend.