Other Posts of Interest

• June 1, 2008 -- TFA Fights Back! (26)
• July 23, 2008 -- A Follow-Up to “Wendy Kopp Says No to Suggestions for Improving Teacher Quality” (3)
• July 25, 2008 -- Principal Apologizes for Testing (0)
• August 22, 2008 -- 12 Year Old Suspended For Hair Color (0)
• June 15, 2008 -- “Sounds like the way the private sector hires. Don’t tell the teachers unions.” (3)
• July 15, 2008 -- Satire or Really Poor Taste? (8)
• May 4, 2008 -- Are Racists Getting Dumber or Bolder? Maybe Both. (4)

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”- From the First Amendment of the US Constitution

As you probably know-especially because I can’t stop writing about it, journalist Amy Goodman was among those arrested outside of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. 

Goodman has written a post entitled, “Government crackdowns on journalists threaten democracy” which describes the mass arrests and discusses the threat that such actions make to the very foundation of our democracy-the Us Constitution.

Goodman writes:

The Democratic and Republican national conventions have become very expensive and protracted acts of political theater, essentially four-day-long advertisements for the major presidential candidates. Outside the fences, they have become major gatherings for grass-roots movements — for people to come, amid the banners, bunting, flags and confetti, to express the rights enumerated in the Constitution’s First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Behind all the patriotic hyperbole that accompanies the conventions, and the thousands of journalists and media workers who arrive to cover the staged events, there are serious violations of the basic right of freedom of the press. Here on the streets of St. Paul, the press is free to report on the official proceedings of the RNC, but not to report on the police violence and mass arrests directed at those who have come to petition their government, to protest.

Read more from Goodman

Related Posts

• September 4, 2008 -- Further Shutting Down of Democracy: The Right To Protest Is Now Considered “Terrorism” (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- Kudos To The Washington Post (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute Hit By Pepper Spray Outside RNC (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- What Country Is This? (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- Good Bye Democracy? (6)
• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)

So, as I surfed the Internet, imagine my disgust when I came across article after article bashing Sarah Palin for being a working mother. Imagine my disgust when I learned that other women such as Dr. Laura (and trust me, I did consider the source) and Sally Quinn were bashing Palin not because of her stand on the issues, but because she chooses to be driven by her ambition and not her uterus. In fact, Quinn wonders if Palin has been “enough of a hands-on mother” because her teenage daughter is pregnant. Dr. Laura goes on to say that “when mom and dad both work… it becomes a chaotic situation.”

We only need to look at ourselves to understand true hypocrisy.

By the end of these two articles, I was sadden by what I have thought, and now truly know,  is the fallacy of equality and the death of true feminism. See, feminism is not about choosing a man’s world over that of a woman’s duty. It is about the ability to follow your dreams without having to sacrifice your happiness for a box that has been created by someone who has no clue what you can endure. Equality is not about saying that a woman can do the same job as a man. It’s about truly believing that what determines the success of a person is NOT that person’s gender, nor race, nor age for that matter, but rather, determination and perseverance.

But there is a bigger reason that I am angry. I am a working mom (despite working from home right now). I missed my daughter. I wanted to be home with her, but the fact of the matter is that I would never be happy as a woman who had nothing else but her children and her husband. But that is me and who are these women to say that my choices are wrong.

Working has always made me a better mom. It has taught me to manage my time, to “stop and smell the roses” and to cherish every moment that I have with my family. Being a mother is only part of who I am- it is a huge part, but nonetheless, it is only a part. I am not defined by the choices that I make but rather my ability to deal with those choices once they are made. Working has always provided me with a sense of independence, importance, and a set of challenges that are so different from anything that I have faced as a mom or a wife.

Working also does a lot for my daughter. It proves that women can have it all. It shows her that life should not stop because you become a mom. It proves that being independent and having something that yours (like a career) is a life-long benefit.

Needless to say, I don’t agree with Palin’s politics. But I applaud her success and her determination. She and Hillary Clinton are testaments to true feminism. And still, I end this by saying, that is not what the election is about- not in my eyes. The election is about issues- what are these candidates going to do to bring the US out of this pit of shame? Now, if anyone starts really talking abou these issues, I will be more than happy to listen, but if this shallow BS continues, I may be going to join my co-author on her venture to find sanity.

Related Posts

• August 28, 2008 -- American Politics Are Affecting Our Health (2)
• August 23, 2008 -- “Spin” Shows Us How The Media Manipulates The American Public (0)
• August 17, 2008 -- My Own Mother Lacks Respect for Educators (9)
• July 29, 2008 -- Early Hollywood Depictions Find Their Way Into Modern Film and No One Seems to Care (1)
• July 28, 2008 -- Do Children Become Adults? (0)
• July 26, 2008 -- Educational Reformers Celebrate “The Bell Curve” (27)
• July 25, 2008 -- Nobody Cares (5)

When she addressed her staff during the first meeting of the school year, she explained that this year’s goal was to change the image of her school.

“I want the public the believe that students were succeeding because the school was a success.” She waxed poetic about holding students to high standards and creating a climate of positivity.

The faculty wanted to be supportive. They sat in the auditorium, nodding in a KIPPean manner to show that they were listening. They pushed back the vile that crept up from the pit of their stomachs as the Principal laid out the new grading policy for the year.

“Students will now be given grades of “Pass” or “Fail” during the first two marking periods of the each semester.”

The teachers gasped in shock and probably disgust, but no one said a word.

She continued. “It is so important that students don’t feel hopeless when they see their grades. Using a P/F system will boost their self-esteem. In addition, you cannot fail any student who has shown up to your class at least once”

A voice cried out, “but doesn’t that hurt the students who put in 100%? Doesn’t that negate the work that we are trying to do? The bad students will be rewarded for just showing up and they will receive the same grade as those who do all the work.”

Her concerns were ignored. After all, as an ATR she really did not matter. She would, hopefully, be removed from the school soon, and the Principal could go on doing her job- unchallenged.

The Principal continued, unphased by the concerns of the horrible ATR, “all teachers must give a project during each marking period that has to be worth 15% of their grade. You may not fail a student for not turning in the project.”

A voice cried out, “oh boy,” but stifled the anger that was seeping through her pores. She simply wrote everything down knowing that, in time, she would write a blog post all about this new policy. In fact, she knew that her comrades would hear about this poor excuse to school-wide reform and write about them as well.

But the Principal knew this too. And so, for a few days after the meeting several well-known EduBlogs may or may not have been blocked on non-administrative computers.

The End.

Related Posts

• July 24, 2008 -- Some TFA’s Do Get It (3)
• August 30, 2008 -- Teacher Bashing is Global (1)
• August 29, 2008 -- Is Teach For America Part of A Global Phenomenon? (1)
• August 28, 2008 -- American Politics Are Affecting Our Health (2)
• August 27, 2008 -- What is Hell? (7)
• August 27, 2008 -- Does Not Compute (3)
• August 23, 2008 -- Welcome Miss Teacher Casey (2)

From The New York Sun:

“The first major report on the way the city’s public schools are run - by a commission put together by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum in response to a request by Democrats in the state Assembly - is expected to be released today.

People who have been briefed on the report’s contents said it supports the principle of mayoral control while recommending some changes, including more financial oversight of the city Department of Education and more parental input.”

“Supports the principle of mayoral control”?  Master Bloomberg’s influence runs deep…

Related Posts

• August 31, 2008 -- Tough Guy Joel Klein (4)
• August 29, 2008 -- Uh-Oh…Klein’s Calling Bloggers (0)
• July 6, 2008 -- It Can’t Happen to Me (3)
• March 29, 2008 -- Why We Look To Teachers To Solve Our Problems (14)

From Indy bay:

In what appears to be the first use of criminal charges under the 2002 Minnesota version of the Federal Patriot Act, Ramsey County Prosecutors have formally charged 8 alleged leaders of the RNC Welcoming Committee with Conspiracy to Riot in Furtherance of Terrorism. Monica Bicking, Eryn Trimmer, Luce Guillen Givins, Erik Oseland, Nathanael Secor, Robert Czernik, Garrett Fitzgerald, and Max Spector, face up to 7 1/2 years in prison under the terrorism enhancement charge which allows for a 50% increase in the maximum penalty.

“These charges are an effort to equate publicly stated plans to blockade traffic and disrupt the RNC as being the same as acts of terrorism. This both trivializes real violence and attempts to place the stated political views of the Defendants on trial,” said Bruce Nestor, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. “The charges represent an abuse of the criminal justice system and seek to intimidate any person organizing large scale public demonstrations potentially involving civil disobedience, he said.”

Welcome to the future.

Read more

Related Posts

• September 6, 2008 -- Anyone Remember The Constitution? (2)
• September 2, 2008 -- Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute Hit By Pepper Spray Outside RNC (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- Kudos To The Washington Post (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- Good Bye Democracy? (6)
• August 28, 2008 -- American Politics Are Affecting Our Health (2)
• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)
• July 22, 2008 -- Living in Their Hangover (7)

Well, it looks like Donna Brazile is among those labeled by St. Paul Police to be one of the violent anarchists who were harrassed, shoved, pepper sprayed and arrested at the Republican National Convention.

Brazile, is Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute as well a political strategist, and was the former Campaign Manager for Gore-Lieberman 2000 - the first African American to lead a major presidential campaign.  She was also a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Brazile was among those who were hit by pepper spray as she walked to the Xcel Center at the start of the Republican Convention, according to The Washington Post.

She does not seem to have made any statements as of yet, other than to confirm the incident.

Related Posts

• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)
• September 6, 2008 -- Anyone Remember The Constitution? (2)
• September 4, 2008 -- Further Shutting Down of Democracy: The Right To Protest Is Now Considered “Terrorism” (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- A Predictable Spin… (1)
• September 2, 2008 -- Kudos To The Washington Post (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- What Country Is This? (0)

…by Fox News concerning the police brutality and illegal raids and arrests of journalists in Saint Paul. From their website:

St. Paul Police: “Lawlessness Will Not Be Tolerated in Our City:

‘St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington said in large Monday’s protests were unsuccessful. The anarchists’ mission was unsuccessful, because the convention went on and delegates got to their destination.

Chief Harrington said, people who were arrested were clearly committing acts of criminal assault and vandalism. “Lawlessness is not going to be tolerated,” he said.’

So, who exactly are these violent anarchists?  Here’s one post from some activists whose bus was seized by police:

“Hey friends, we need your help! Our Earth Activist Training Sustainable Skills Bus has been seized without cause by the police. Below is an account from the Wilsons, who have been travelling in the bus for the last seven months doing trainings in permaculture and sustainability, including ways you can help. My own accounts from the action can be found on www.starhawk.org and I’ll be posting daily as long as I can-or sign on to my own list by emailing starhawk-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. If you’re on that list, my own account follows. Please support these folks who have been doing such good work for us all. Thanks! — Starhawk”

Now they sound like a real threat, don’t they?

Related Posts

• September 2, 2008 -- Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute Hit By Pepper Spray Outside RNC (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- What Country Is This? (0)
• September 1, 2008 -- Good Bye Democracy? (6)
• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)

Call me crazy, but if I were a journalist, I’d be all over the story of one of my own being illegally “detained”, yet it’s been pretty tough to find any mainstream coverage.  Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com has been covering the story of the police raids being conducted in Saint Paul.  He writes:

“Following up on this weekend’s extreme raids on various homes, at least 250 people were arrested here today in St. Paul, Minnesota. Beginning last night, St. Paul was the most militarized I have ever seen an American city be, even more so than Manhattan in the week of 9/11 — with troops of federal, state and local law enforcement agents marching around with riot gear, machine guns, and tear gas cannisters, shouting military chants and marching in military formations. Humvees and law enforcement officers with rifles were posted on various buildings and balconies. Numerous protesters and observers were tear gassed and injured.”

Greenwald anticipates the reaction of morons like this comment at EdNotes

“…Good job for the police!”

when he writes:

“Not only Goodman, but the entire Democracy Now team are professional journalists in the best sense of that term. Those who are simply assuming that they probably got what they deserved — and who are, more generally, defending the Police here simply because some actual criminals engaged in destructive behavior — are no different than those who justify anything and everything the Government does because there are some Terrorists out there and they’re really violent.”

Read more of Greenwald for updates, commentary and videos of the arrests.

Related Posts

• September 1, 2008 -- Good Bye Democracy? (6)
• September 1, 2008 -- What Country Is This? (0)
• September 6, 2008 -- Anyone Remember The Constitution? (2)
• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)
• September 4, 2008 -- Further Shutting Down of Democracy: The Right To Protest Is Now Considered “Terrorism” (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute Hit By Pepper Spray Outside RNC (0)

I actually feel like crying.

You can read more about it at Salon.com

Thanks to Jonathan for the link.

Related Posts

• September 1, 2008 -- Good Bye Democracy? (6)
• September 2, 2008 -- Kudos To The Washington Post (0)
• August 27, 2008 -- The Land of the Free? (1)
• September 6, 2008 -- Anyone Remember The Constitution? (2)
• September 2, 2008 -- Chair of the Democratic National Committee’s Voting Rights Institute Hit By Pepper Spray Outside RNC (0)
• September 2, 2008 -- A Predictable Spin… (1)