Does racism still exist in our day and age?

One of the most intriguing topics my students and I sometimes broach is that of racism and in particular whether it exists today or not. It's a touchy subject, because there are so many varying perspectives and of course no simple answers. 

I recently watched a video of Tim Wise, anti-racism activist. It's a long video (the lecture itself is 1 hour and 17 minutes). But I think it's worth the time just for the fact that it makes you think and try to perceive the topic in a different manner. I always try to keep an open mind when it comes to touchy subjects, and whether I agree with the points brought forth, I value the chance to see things from another's perspective.

Two things I found interesting about his lecture and that I could relate to...

First, Wise talks about stereotypes, and how what one person of a certain ethnicity does or says seems to reflect upon all others in that same ethnicity. In other words, it's a sweeping label applied to all minorities based on the actions of one person in that group. But Wise says the same does not usually apply to whites.

I remember when a Hmong hunter named Chai Vang killed some white hunters in 2004 in Wisconsin.. oh, the fear of repercussion in the Hmong community after that situation. I know many Hmong hunters who questioned whether they should hunt anymore; some stopped altogether. And then shortly after, a Hmong hunter was killed by a white hunter, some say in retaliation for the Chai Vang case.

I have often wondered that if Chai Vang represents all Hmong, then can Jeffrey Dahmer (a killer, cannibal, and necrophiliac) represent all white people? No, of course not. That's just ridiculous. But that is exactly Wise's point.

Secondly, along the same vein, there is also the archetype, which Wise says is when a person is pigeon-holed and expected to fit the mold for his or her ethnicity based on what society deems acceptable. And when a person strays from that, it can be confusing for others to place them categorically.

When I heard what Wise says around the 50 minute mark of his lecture, I had to chuckle a little because he's basically describing me. I'm an Asian-American whose specialty is English, and yes, I have been questioned many times on what I'm doing in the English field (I guess I'm supposed to be a math or chemistry nerd instead of a literature nerd). When I still taught high school, I remember a father of one of my students came in for parent-teacher conferences and the first thing he said to me was, "My daughter's in a regular English class, right? I mean, this isn't like an ESL class or anything, is it?" I knew he was asking, because he didn't think an Asian-American person, such as myself, could possibly understand English enough to teach it.

And yet another one has said to me, "Wow, you can actually speak English fluently! Not even an accent. Good for you!" *pat on the back* I've also been told, even by other teachers, that I should really go into teaching ESL or English as a Second Language classes instead, because... well, I would do more good there, which could be true, but I love teaching English at the higher levels. That is, after all, where my passion lies, being able to delve deeper into literature, reading, and writing.

Now to be fair, I'm also questioned by people of my own ethnicity. You see, stereotypes and archetypes exist within ethnicities among ourselves too. Hmong females, if they go into teaching, almost always choose the Elementary Ed level. I can't count how many times I've been questioned by Hmong people as to why in the world I decided to teach high school, and now that I'm teaching college, still the same questions. I don't fit the typical Hmong female archetype according to some in the Hmong community, and I don't fit the typical Asian archetype according to some in the white society. I guess I just am who I am, and I follow what my heart tells me to do. I don't take it personally though, as most people who question me don't do it in a rude or offensive way. They are simply curious or surprised. I'm always willing to explain, and it is of course an opportunity to discuss and expand the ways of thinking.

Wise doesn't really touch upon this as his area of expertise is in race relations, but there are so many different kinds of stereotypes and archetypes, and many of them apply to white people too. A person's body or size, for example. Usually, after people are done asking me about my choice as a Hmong person teaching English, their next question pertains to my size. I'm a small person at 5 ft and 105 pounds. Most people are curious as to how I can possibly handle a 6 ft, 200 pound student who misbehaves in my classroom. The answer is simple: there is no correlation between a teacher's physical size and his or her ability to effectively manage a classroom. Even though I'm a petite person, I have hardly ever had classroom management issues. It comes down to what your rules and expectations are in your classroom and whether you consistently adhere to them or not. My size has nothing to do with it.

So yes, of course racism, stereotypes, and archetypes exist today and in so many forms, big and small. We've made progress though. But Wise asserts in his lecture that in about 50 years, half of the U.S. population will consist of minorities. What does that mean for our nation, and how will that affect race relations? It'll be interesting to see the shift in demographics in this nation and how that's all going to play out.

There's a lot more about racism in Wise's lecture, but this has been a very long blog post already so I will stop here. When you find the time, I encourage you to watch the video and let me know what you think.

Election

Yay!

I am happy about Obama's re-election and happy that Elizabeth Warren has won the Senate seat in Massachusetts. She is the greatest, and yes, even though I'm in Wisconsin and obviously she's not my senator, I am still thrilled nonetheless. I love her views and her passion in advocating for consumers and the middle class.

Here in Wisconsin, I'm glad that Tammy Baldwin won for Senate. Wisconsin puzzles me a bit though. Obama took Wisconsin last night, but yet, Republicans have control of state government, and then of course, there's Scott Walker's win in the recall election awhile back. So hmm..... we are obviously a very conflicted and unpredictable state here in Wisconsin.

On another note, seriously, can we get some technology infused into the voting process? It's 2012.

Reaction to Wisconsin Recall Election

I'm sitting here on my laptop watching the Wisconsin recall election results come in, and I have one thing to say. Okay, maybe a few things. But mainly, I just want to say WTF. Scott Walker declared the winner by mainstream media so early in the race (something like 21% of precincts reporting)? WTF. And when people were still in line waiting to vote? WTF again.

It seems to me that this election was sold to the highest bidder. Scott Walker had about $30 million over Tom Barrett's $3 million. Huuuuge, huge difference and huge amounts from corporate donors. Obviously the one with the most money wins. And we have the Citizens United case and the U.S. Supreme Court to thank for that.

We are increasingly living in a Plutocracy and not a Democracy. Those who voted for Walker did not vote for themselves; they voted for the millionaires and billionaires and for the lobbyists.

On a lighter note, is it possible to hop on a boat and cross over to Canada? Or are they just as bad?

The Greatest Speech Ever Made

Sometimes when I'm feeling down and like the world sucks entirely too much, I watch this video. It never fails to give me a little hope.

On Being a Teacher...and Gratitude for Those Who Do It.

Although I’m no longer a public school teacher, in many ways, I still think like one, and in my heart, I still feel like one. All of the negative attention given lately to teachers hits home for me, so I want to take a little bit of time to explain what it’s like to be a teacher and to do the job day in and day out. These are some of the experiences I encountered and some of the thoughts I had when I taught public schools.

First of all, teaching is without a doubt one of the greatest careers in the world. I'm sure you've heard that before.

However, it's only great if you like kids, and even then, only if you have infinite positivity and patience. Sometimes kids can drive you nuts and make you wonder, "Was I ever like that??? No. Nooo way."

But then you probably were like that too...in some ways. Like when you skipped school once, or twice, or more. Or ran away from home once, or twice, or more.

And in other ways, you were very different.

You didn't have to deal with the heat being turned off in the middle of winter because your parents couldn't pay the bills, and you were so cold and near freezing in your bed that you didn’t get any sleep. That's why you couldn't concentrate on the state test and failed it the next day in school.

You never felt like you had to bring a knife to school because some kid kept bullying you.

And when you were little, your mom or dad never:  died, divorced, brought in a friend who raped you, spent time in prison, killed your other parent in front of you, gave you up or left you forever at someone's house. You never went through any of those things that some of your students have. Many of your students have.

And then you realize just how much past experiences affect a person and why he or she behaves that way. It makes sense.

Sometimes parents think you should parent their kids for them.

Sometimes you call 20 parents and only get 3 calls back. And when you try calling again, they finally pick up but they're drunk as hell.

Sometimes after you call and talk to them, you find out the next day that they beat their kid up because you called about a tardiness problem.

Sometimes principals forget what it's really like to be in the classroom everyday. With the kids everyday.

They forget the hard work and time involved in teaching. They expect you to take on more duties and responsibilities. Or they give you the crappiest teaching schedule ever. Or say and do things that imply you're not a professional.

Sometimes it's other teachers whose negativity starts to rub off on you. Whining and complaining really drains your energy and your outlook on things.

Sometimes people who don't know anything about teaching think that it's the easiest job.

And that you're overpaid.

Sometimes they think they own you because your salary is paid for with their tax money. They think they have a right to tell you what to do in the classroom and how to do it, even though you’re the one with the multiple education degrees and years of teaching experience.

Even lawmakers think they know more about education than you do.

But none of those people know what it’s like to stand up in front of a class of 30 kids and have to tell them that one of their peers committed suicide last night.

None of those people who criticize you know what it’s like to put on a strong face and comfort those crying kids, when inside all you want to do is to burst into tears yourself. When inside, you’re consumed with questions of what else you could have done to save that kid.

Other times, it’s cancer or a car accident that has taken the life of a student and you have to break the news to the class.

Or you have to explain about the planes hitting the World Trade Center and you have to calm your students’ fears. Or tell them who Osama Bin Laden is. And what about that Saddam Hussein guy?

You calmly answer their questions. And then ever so gracefully, you transition to the lesson you had planned for the day. You try to get the students’ minds away from the worries of the world.

A part of you just really wishes you could shield them from the world’s evils altogether.

Sometimes people are insanely jealous over the notion that you get summers off.

But they don't realize that most teachers are either: (a) working a summer job to make ends meet, and yes, some of that money will go towards buying classroom supplies, (b) taking graduate classes at their own expense to improve their knowledge and teaching skills and to keep their teaching license, (c) attending workshops/meetings for new curriculums and programs, (d) preparing for the next school year, (e) working with others to analyze data and figure out how to best help all kids, or (f) all of the above and more.

But all in all, teaching is truly one of the greatest jobs in the world. And I really do mean that, despite all the stuff mentioned above.

Especially when that one kid finally got the answer right, but most importantly she can explain why or how it’s the right answer. And another one told you that you're his favorite teacher, and he wasn't just sucking up to you. That other kid from 6 years back who's no longer a kid still emails you once in awhile. And then sometimes you get a hug or a nice letter from a student. Or you get nominated for a teaching award.

Sometimes, the best feeling is to just know your students get to walk off that stage with a diploma in their hands, even if they forget to thank you for helping them.

Yes, it's fair to say I had a sort of love/hate relationship with my job when I was teaching public schools. A few times, I was on the brink of teacher burnout.

But no matter what, I always felt I was blessedly stuck, if that makes any sense.

Because no matter what, I knew with a clear certainty that there was no other job in the world more worthy. And that was something I always had at the end of the day. Most other people in my life could not say the same about their jobs.

I miss being back in the high school classroom. I teach in the private sector now for online colleges, which is more convenient and easier on my family.

I also now work half the hours that I used to as a public school teacher, and I still make the same amount of pay. That tells you just how underpaid public school teachers really are for the amount of work they do.

I would like teachers to know this: In the face of all the recent negativity towards teachers, hold your head up high. You impact the future generations, and therefore you are at the core of how we are going to change this world around.

I am amazed everyday at what you continue to do. Thank you.

Why are protestors occupying Wall Street?

The question I repeatedly hear and read about is this: What do those protestors at Occupy Wall Street and other cities want???

A few resources that I think are worth viewing/reading:

Why #OccupyWallStreet? 4 Reasons

Occupy Together

We're Not Broke, Just Twisted

and the We are the 99 Percent blog as well as the Occupy Wall Street website.

It's not a Republicans vs. Democrats thing, or a conservative vs. liberals thing. It is just people trying to live and wanting a fair shot at life. That's all. But it's becoming increasingly difficult to do that. The economy is extremely skewed. Big corporations and the super-wealthy use their money to buy the favor of politicians and influence policies that are a huge disadvantage to the common person. I don't think enough Americans understand that this is the problem with our economy.

So why Occupy Wall Street? To draw attention to the real problem. That's a big step in the right direction for our country and it will start the process of looking for serious resolutions to these issues. Unlike big corporations, the common person doesn't have the power of money on his side. But with millions of others just like him--standing together--there is power in numbers. And that is something the big corporations will never have, no matter how many billions or trillions of dollars they hold.

Bad Time to be a Teacher

Wouldn't it suck if you got a pay cut that would have otherwise paid for your monthly electric bill, phone bill, internet bill, and water bill? And wouldn't it suck even more if your boss tells you that not only do you get a pay cut but you have to put in more time at work?

That's exactly my husband's situation as a public school teacher in Wisconsin. He recently got his first paycheck of the new school year, and that was when we realized exactly the extent of how Scott Walker's Act 10 will affect our family's finances. We will have to pay for those bills somehow and try to also save some money, if that's possible.

My husband already works three jobs. He teaches high school during the day, teaches on Saturdays at the technical college, and does home presentations selling knives on occasion. He is now thinking of being a referee in the evenings for volleyball leagues as a fourth job. As for me, I adjunct for three colleges and I'm constantly keeping an eye out for any new openings. I used to advise after school clubs and work at the local newspaper too, but with little kids at home, it became too hard to balance. Next year, when my youngest child is old enough to go to school part-time, perhaps I'll get another job to work during those few hours each day when she's at school or try to add a fourth college to teach for. We'll have to see how things go this year with our finances. It's stressful and we have to make every dollar stretch.

But what else are we supposed to do?

True, it's nothing new. My husband and I, as educators, are used to working multiple jobs. We're used to being underpaid (despite both of us having masters degrees) and having to always supplement our income with other jobs. We do it and have done so for the past 10 years. Why? Because we enjoy teaching. It's a fulfilling career, and personally, I don't know many people who can say that about their job.

But after seeing my husband's first paycheck of the school year, the first since the implementation of Scott Walker's budget bill, I'm beginning to wonder what other sacrifices we can possibly make.

What more can be taken from us? What more do we, as educators, have to give up in order to keep teaching and doing what we love? And of course, the underlying question...at what point do we give up being educators?

**sigh** Just had to complain for awhile there.

9/11

On 9/11/01, I was on my way to my morning college class and then I would be heading over to the nearby school to put in some teaching practicum hours. I turned the radio on in my car and some guy was talking about airplanes hitting buildings in New York, and I thought, "What the hell? This has gotta be fake." I flipped to another radio station only to find that ALL of them were reporting on the twin towers being hit. I walked into my classroom and it was dead silent. People were gazing off with the hollow, distant look of confusion, fear, and sadness. I remember my professor getting up in front and trying to start class, but within 15 minutes, it was clear our minds were elsewhere. He dismissed us and sent us home.

I still did not really grasp what the situation was, but I remember later that night, the full force hitting me as I watched the video clips of the planes hitting the towers, another one slamming into the pentagon, and one burning in that field in Pennsylvania.

I remember the goosebumps rising on my skin and crawling to the back of my neck as the video footage played over and over again on my television screen. Later in the darkness of my bedroom, it would play over and over again in my mind. Part of what hit me the hardest was that an attack was actually happening right here in America. But another part of me thought, "So this is what it feels like to be all those other countries."

Let's remember those in America who have been impacted by the attacks of 9/11. But let's also remember those all over the world for whom war and attacks are a regular part of life.

GREAT Blog Post by a Teacher: I Ruined Everything

Brandi Martin, an art teacher in Illinois, wrote a blog post that's worth sharing and reading ten times over. It's called I Ruined Everything and is about the barrage of negative and often outright despicable comments aimed at teachers.

I live in Wisconsin, where the governor, Scott Walker, declared six months ago that teachers and other public workers are the enemies of society, that public workers are the reason for the state (and the nation) being in so much debt. Walker essentially encouraged others to believe in this notion as well, and ever since then, I have heard and read countless cruel and bitter comments aimed at public workers, especially teachers. It seems Walker made it suddenly okay to treat teachers and public workers with open disdain.

Last week, for example, I was in my backyard grilling and overheard my "nice" neighbor in his backyard talking to someone and completely ripping on teachers. He went on a rant for a long time about how teachers get the summers off, get paid so well, have such good benefits, get in-service days to "train" when they should really be with the students instead, and have the easiest job in the world--anybody could do it. Teachers are "assholes" and "leeches," according to my neighbor.

I have heard these types of negative comments so much in the last six months that it's at times disheartening and very sad. I give public school teachers who continually go into the classroom with a smile on their face all the credit in the world.

So to my neighbor and to all the other angry, resentful people out there who are blaming teachers for society's ills, I give you Brandi Martin's blog post entitled I Ruined Everything.

Read it. Because it's true.

Lesson Learned from the Wisconsin Political Chaos

So much of 2011 has been dominated by the political chaos in Wisconsin since Scott Walker took office as governor. I've learned many valuable lessons since then. Perhaps I'll write about more of them, but for now, there is one lesson that sticks out most to me. It is one of the hardest and most disappointing realizations I've had: that it seems most people don't really care about others. I'm not sure why (probably naivety), but I had always been under the impression that everyone cares about the general well-being of others--that people want others to be happy, healthy, and to have a fair share of opportunities in life. I'm not talking about wanting the best for your family and friends, but wanting it for ALL people.

One time, I was having this conversation with someone and I said something along the lines of, "All those cuts to education is going to really hurt your kid's school." And the person said, "Not really. I don't think it affects me or my family at all." And I said, "But you have a son in a public school. How can it not affect you? Some of the programs, like music and advanced placement classes, will likely be cut or dramatically reduced. Your son loves music and is really smart. Don't you want his school to have those programs available?" And the person shrugged and said, "Well, I'll just pay for him to take music lessons after school then. Or I'll transfer him to a wealthy school, because those parents will donate and fundraise to make up for all the cuts." I was shocked to hear this, so I said, "But what about all those other kids whose parents can't afford to pay for private music lessons? Or kids who can't attend a wealthy school far from home because they'll have to find their own transportation and their parents can't provide it?" The person just simply shrugged as if to suggest it didn't matter at all what happened to other kids.

There have also been conversations in which people have told me, "Why should public employees be better off than me? It's not fair. I have to suffer through this bad economy, so they should suffer as well." This idea that if one person suffers, then all others need to suffer too just doesn't make sense to me. I understand that public employees are easier to blame rather than the big corporations or the very wealthy who seem far away and untouchable, but it does no good to have all people in the middle class suffer. It only leaves the corporations and the wealthy to gain more out of our unfortunate situations.

When I have conversations like these (and there have been many), it makes me really sad. Maybe it bothers me so much, because as an educator, I'm used to thinking about everybody else's kids too, not just the three that are my own. I'm used to thinking about the adults in those kids' life also, because they directly impact my students. I think about whether those homes have proper clothing, food, healthcare, jobs, education, etc. I've always thought everyone else had these same concerns for the well-being of others. It seems, however, that most people only think about themselves and the people in their immediate circle.

I hope though that I'll be proven wrong on this sad realization and that the recall elections coming up will show that there are plenty of folks out there who care enough about all people to vote for the candidates who will more likely take care of the common people and not just the wealthy. We shall see what happens in this next stage of Wisconsin's political chaos. I hope for the best.

The Only Sure Way for America to Become "Unbroke"

Big corporations hire the best tax lawyers & lobbyists, they pay little to no taxes, and some, like General Electric, work the system so well they pay no taxes and get billions back from the government in tax "benefits." They sit on trillions of money, employ cheap labor overseas, & their CEOs make more in one day than what the average worker makes in a year. 

So who's to blame for America being "broke"? 

"Broke" implies that the money is gone, but it's not gone.

It's being held by these big corporations that are refusing to let it trickle down to the regular American people. Money's not supposed to disappear; it's supposed to circulate, but instead of using their large profits to invest in something that would create jobs, corporations are holding on to it tightly.

Many people out there hate the phrase "spread the wealth" or "wealth distribution." The very words make their skin crawl. But please understand that unless you're one of the top CEOs of these big corporations, you're not the problem. Even if you own a successful small business, you're hardly the problem. The point here is not that you need to share your wealth. I think we can all agree for the most part that if you work hard for your money and pay your taxes, then yes, you deserve the money you earn. 

What we're talking about here are BIG corporations, the few that make up the corporate elite. We're talking about companies that make profits into the billions each year (even many millionaire companies don't make it into the corporate elite club).

It's these corporations (like Microsoft, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley/JPMorgan, Time Warner, and others) that are the culprit of America being "broke." Unlike you and me, they did not get to where they are by applying the principles of hard work. Their tax evasions are an example of this. Another example can be taken from Wachovia (or now Wells-Fargo), who laundered billions in drug money and got away with it. Not a single banker went to prison for it. Even worse, their bank was bailed out in 2008 by taxpayers' money.

Why are these corporations not being asked to make sacrifices? Why are they getting even more tax breaks? Of all things, it's these big corporations that should sacrifice more, not our schools, our health, our programs for the needy, our Medicare, our Social Security, or any of the other things the government is looking to cut. I don't care if you're a Republican, Democrat, or if you claim another political standing. We all want the same things in life, and that is happiness, real opportunities for success, and a sense of financial stability. We're being denied these things, because of the greed of big corporations.

So how did these big corporations get so powerful? It's been in the making for decades, of course. Our government and many of our politicians, who side with or have been bought by corporations, contribute to the problem. And it also did not get to this magnitude without the help of regular working class citizens. Yes, we ourselves had a hand in pushing it to this point, albeit not knowingly. 

It comes down to propaganda, the manipulation of public opinion in order for these big corporations to gain a political advantage. Historically, propaganda has been used successfully. Remember Hitler, Nazi Germany, and the question of "How did they get that many people to believe in their ideologies and to actually participate?" We're currently dealing with our own heavy propaganda in America, and yes, we (the working class) are contributing to our own economic genocide.

If you're interested in propaganda and the role it has played in the problem of America being broke, there's a documentary by Australian filmmaker, Taki Oldham, called The Billionaires' Tea Party. It shows just one example of how big corporations have used propaganda to manipulate us. And yes, it happens to be about the Tea Party, but it could very well be about any of the other political groups as well. I tend to think that no political group is free of being part of the problem.

So what can we do about this? Everybody seems to have their own opinion about what is the right solution. As for me, I don't know if or when the right political candidate will ever come along to do what's right for the common person. But I do know that the only sure way we can start overcoming it is if we in the working class cease fighting one another and come together. Perhaps this is too much wishful thinking. But whether you're a conservative or a liberal or whatever, none of it really matters. We're all going to end up in the same boat. We're all going to lose. If we can't come together for a common cause and have power in numbers against corporations and their money,...well, then the only winners are the big corporations. And that's exactly how they planned it to be.
____________________________

"Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness - and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we're being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling - their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability. Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them. Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."

          ~ Arundhati Roy ~ 

Privatizing Education: Good or Bad?

From The Daily Page

Can we afford to let education become corporate, even in spirit?

An educational system largely privatized and run by companies will create fierce competition between schools. Will that be a driving force leading to improved quality of education? Sure. For some schools.

Will it lead to improved quality of education for all kids?

Or will it create a deeper segregation of our society and favor only some people rather than the common good (as the above comic suggests)?

Will there be an even bigger increase in economic disparity?

Do all children deserve an equal chance to excel in life through a good education?

Those are questions I feel deserve careful consideration before we can attempt to privatize schools and establish them as mainstream education, as is the current aim in Wisconsin.

We also need to look at the nations with the best ranking schools in the world. Finland, for example, has students who consistently outscore American children and others. I think it's interesting that Finland's educational system is not based on competition at all. They have public schools, and all students attend for free, even up into the college level. In Finland, you could go to school to become a lawyer or a doctor and spend years in college without worrying about having enough money to pay for tuition or incurring debt. And get this: you even get a government allowance to help pay for rent, food, etc, while you're a college student. Finland's teachers must hold no less than a master's degree in order to teach, and it seems that the teaching profession in Finland is among one of the most highly respected fields. They don't just say it; they actually mean it. The best and brightest people in Finland are drawn to the teaching profession because of the high level of respect associated with that career.

Could it be that they value education more, or perhaps in a different way than we do in America?

Just some things to think about when it comes to what is best for our children--not my children, or your children, but ALL of our children.

The Power of Writing & Why William Cronon is Being Targeted

Why is there so much attention paid to Professor William Cronon of UW-Madison? Why do the Republicans care so much about his blog post on the American Legislative Exchange Council? 

Because a piece of writing can be an extremely powerful thing. Oftentimes, people see oral communication and physical actions as most important, and they forget how much impact written communication can have. A very good friend of mine reminded me recently of how much the rich and powerful fear great writers and thinkers, which is what makes Professor Cronon such a danger to them. As my friend said, the rich and powerful fear great writers and thinkers even more than all the muscles of the world. After all, there have been many books, articles, pamphlets, etc, that have essentially changed history. 

Thomas Paine's political pamphlet called Common Sense, for example, is often credited with having sparked the American Revolution. Prior to its publication, a lot of the early American colonies were perfectly content with being under British rule. If you think about it, for a single pamphlet to give rise to the birth of a new nation...well, that's quite remarkable, isn't it? That's how powerful writing is. It can literally change the world. 

In his blog post about the American Legislative Exchange Council (or ALEC), Professor Cronon brought to light a behind-the-scenes organization, backed by corporate interests, that many American citizens never knew about. All of a sudden, so many people are looking up ALEC on the internet, wondering what it's really about and wanting to investigate it, so much so that the organization's website (as of today) suddenly shut down (which makes one wonder--what do they have to hide?). Soon after Professor Cronon's blog post, he also published an opinion piece in the New York Times about how far Republicans in Wisconsin have strayed from Wisconsin's traditions. 

Without a doubt, Professor Cronon has reminded us of the importance of questioning authority and questioning the world around us. It may perhaps lead to change. And the Republicans are now attempting to threaten and silence Professor Cronon.

Academic freedom, valid research, and the ability to intelligently question should never be hindered.

Why We Revolt

I recently read and enjoyed this article on the occurrences of revolutions and why or how they happen: Why We Revolt: Egypt, Wisconsin, and the Wherefore of Revolution by Rebecca Solnit. It provides inspiration and brief background information on how revolutions have begun and how they've succeeded.

It's amazing the sacrifices people have made in order to advance society in a sound direction. Solnit writes of regular, every day people who took matters into their own hands, people such as an unknown rapper, a college student, a U.S. Army private, a young woman in a black veil, and others. Solnit ponders the question of why revolutions occur when they do. How much can people take before they've had enough and decide to push back rather than fall? Why do the actions of one or two ordinary people suddenly inspire and ignite a revolution?

I've certainly thought of those questions in connection to the protests happening here in Wisconsin. Long before Scott Walker took office as governor, I've been bothered about the problem of wealth distribution in this country as I'm sure others may have been too. However, we were passive. Not only that, but the notion of speaking openly about it and declaring it wrong and un-American seemed..."radical." We're a capitalist society after all, aren't we? Isn't that supposed to be a good thing? On the rare occasions when I've heard wealth distribution talked about, words such as communism or socialism swiftly entered the conversation. People were quick to assert that what they worked for belonged to them; why should they have to share it with others?

But now, suddenly something has changed. Something has shifted to enable us to think beyond the "me" syndrome and think in terms of "us" as in all of us in the working class. If Michael Moore had shown up in Wisconsin just a couple months earlier, I'm sure he wouldn't have received such a booming welcome. Indeed, as I watched his speech a couple weeks ago in front of the crowd of nearly 70,000 applauding Wisconsinites, I almost couldn't believe that that many people agreed. It made me realize how much we've changed in such a short time.

It's not a new thing--what the corporate elite and their politicians are doing. It's been going on for decades or more, so why now have we in the working class suddenly risen up together to say no to them? It seems it took somebody like Scott Walker, someone brazen and unafraid, someone who doesn't even care much to hide behind the facade of "let's pretend to be nice to the people," for us to realize just how bad it's going to get for the working class if we don't stand up. That's the one good achievement that Scott Walker can be credited with.

Solnit writes in her article:

"It is remarkable how, in other countries, people will one day simply stop believing in the regime that had, until then, ruled them, as African-Americans did in the South here 50 years ago. Stopping believing means no longer regarding those who rule you as legitimate, and so no longer fearing them. Or respecting them." 

That's the point where we're at in Wisconsin and in America at large. Many of us no longer trust in and respect some of the people who govern us. We no longer believe they hold our interests at heart. Solnit continues on:

"Revolution is also the action of people pushed to the brink. Rather than fall over, they push back. When he decided to push public employees hard and strip them of their collective bargaining rights, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took a gamble. In response, union members, public employees, and then the public of Wisconsin began to gather on February 11th. By February 15th, they had taken over the state’s capitol building as the revolution in Egypt was still at full boil. They are still gathering. Last weekend, the biggest demonstration in Madison’s history was held, led by a “tractorcade” of farmers. The Wisconsin firefighters have revolted too. And the librarians. And the broad response has given encouragement to citizens in other states fighting similar cutbacks on essential services and rights.

Republicans like to charge the rest of us with “class war” when we talk about economic injustice, and that’s supposed to be a smear one should try to wriggle out of. But what’s going on in Wisconsin is a class war, in which billionaire-backed Walker is serving the interests of corporations and the super-rich, and this time no one seems afraid of the epithet. Jokes and newspaper political cartoons, as well as essays and talks, remark on the reality of our anti-trickle-down economy, where wealth is being pumped uphill to the palaces at a frantic rate, and on the reality that we’re not poor or broke, just crazy in how we distribute our resources.

What’s scary about the situation is that it is a test case for whether the party best serving big corporations can strip the rest of us of our rights and return us to a state of poverty and powerlessness. If the people who gathered in Madison don’t win, the war will continue and we’ll all lose.

Oppression often works—for a while. And then it backfires. Sometimes immediately, sometimes after several decades. Walker has been nicknamed the Mubarak of the Midwest. Much of the insurrection and the rage in the Middle East isn’t just about tyranny; it’s about economic injustice, about young people who can’t find work, can’t afford to get married or leave their parents’ homes, can’t start their lives. This is increasingly the story for young Americans as well, and here it’s clearly a response to the misallocation of resources, not absolute scarcity. It could just be tragic, or it could get interesting when the young realize they are being shafted, and that life could be different. Even that it could change, quite suddenly, and for the better."

What's happening in Wisconsin is not an immediate battle with immediate results. This passage of Solnit's reminds us of what has yet to come:

"It’s all very well to organize on Facebook and update on Twitter, but these are only preludes. You also need to rise up, to pour out into the streets. You need to be together in body, for only then are you truly the public with the full power that a public can possess."

There needs to be more demonstrations, more visible outcries. Uprisings not just in Wisconsin, but all over America. We can no longer be passive about wealth being concentrated in the hands of a few. We in the working class didn't cause the economic collapse. We suffer the most from it, and yet we're being told to make more sacrifices while the corporate elite receive bailouts and tax breaks. This is our boiling point. Time to make changes.

Biggest Madison, WI Rally Yet -- March 12, 2011

I spent yesterday at the Madison capitol rally, joined by my husband, my oldest daughter, my little sister, and my niece and her family.

We arrived at around 11:30am and just missed the farmer's tractorcade. Hear how farmers and rural WI communities will be affected. There were already a lot of people there. We marched around, joined in some chants, and then went up onto the capitol lawn to listen to speeches.

We heard actress, Susan Sarandon, speak. She quoted someone from the Farm Labor Organization Committee who said, “It’s okay if it’s impossible. The object is not to win. The object is to do the right and the good thing.” A farmer also gave a speech equating Gov. Scott Walker and his Republicans to being pigs, who have no understanding and heed nobody else but themselves.

Afterwards, we went back on the road and marched some more. The kids got a little worn out, so we found a good resting place to sit for awhile. At 2pm, we went to eat at a Lao/Vietnamese restaurant off of State Street. 

We wanted to rejoin the protests at 3pm for the big rally. However, as we made our way back to the capitol along State Street, we found ourselves stuck. In the 45-minutes that we were inside the restaurant, it seemed that the crowd size had doubled. All around us, people were packed—literally shoulder-to-shoulder with absolutely no moving room. At one point, we could no longer inch our way closer to the capitol and had to make do with being quite a ways across the street and half a block down. The 3pm speeches had begun, but we could only vaguely make out what they were saying.

Being that I stand at five feet small, my view consisted of the backs of the protesters in front of me. However, I was able to see a tiny bit and snap a few decent photos. Here is one of them:

The mass of protesters in front of me.

As you can imagine, our kids did not fare well being closed in a cramped space, so my niece’s husband took all the kids with him and they made their way out of the crowd.

With just my husband, my niece, and myself left, we were able to slowly inch our way closer to the capitol until we were actually on the capitol grounds and not too far from the speakers (being small has some advantages after all!). We must have missed the speeches by Reverend Jesse Jackson and the 14 Democratic Senators. I’m assuming this was while we were still a ways away from the capitol. We did, however, hear actor, Tony Shalhoub of the television show Monk, speak. He emphasized our actions at the capitol and state-wide as being a movement. I hope we will prove that it is, in fact, a movement. Certainly, our numbers at this last rally indicates it won’t die out any time soon.

A couple weeks ago, I was at the Madison rally that had 100,000 protesters in attendance. That one was huge, but this one, without a doubt, was much larger. Today, I’m reading reports of the numbers being around 100,000 again, but I’m positive that with protesters coming and going, and with everybody spread out all around the capitol and in the streets nearby, the number was much greater. Last time, I know for sure I was not crammed up against other people. 

At one point, I found a ledge to stand up on. At my elevated position, I turned around to glance at all sides of me, and that's when it really hit me: how exciting and huge this was. All I could see was what looked like a mile long stretch of protesters everywhere—behind me and to the left and right of me. Nothing but a massive crowd of protesters. Simply amazing.

Look! All the way down State Street, protesters as far as the eye could see. For a panoramic view, click here.

I’ve never seen a group of people this big and this united, passionate, and energized (and peaceful too—no arrests!). Never have I seen something like this in my lifetime, and perhaps I’ll never see something of this magnitude again. If you haven't experienced something like this before, take a look at this: 360 view of the protests (view in HD).

I think, as of now, we might be done with large-scale visible protests such as this one, but it doesn’t mean it's over. It only means we are now fighting back in the form of recalls, canvassing, and soon, re-elections. 

Controversial Wisconsin Bill Passes: What It Feels Like

So...what does it feel like? It's hard to describe as this past week has been one of the most trying and fascinating weeks I've experienced in a long time.

Trying, because on Monday, my husband (a public school teacher) had to vote, along with over a thousand other teachers in his district, on a rushed contract that the school board set before them. Some information had leaked that in the next few days, Gov. Walker's budget repair bill would pass. So the idea of this rushed contract was to get something voted and ratified before the bill took effect. To give an idea of what this new contract looks like, I'll use my husband as an example. Basically, his take home pay will be reduced by about $8000. For someone with a master's degree and nine years experience, he will be bringing home less than $40,000 next school year. Class size, stipends, planning time, number of sections, and more are "suspended." We're not sure exactly what that means. It's a dismal contract, for sure. However, teachers at that Monday night's meeting were told that this contract was bad, but once the bill passes, it will be worse. Should they vote yes to this already dismal contract or be firm and vote no? As one teacher said to me, it was like voting between "worse" and "worse." At the end of the night, fear won and the new contract was passed. I've heard that some of the teachers who voted yes felt "dirty." I understand that feeling, because when my husband came home and we sat down together to look at the contract, I couldn't help but feel that education was being raped. There were some teachers who voted no, as the new contract is really not that different from what Walker wants, but still, in the end, fear presided.

It was also a trying week for my husband and me due to some family quarrels over the budget bill. We have some family members who vehemently support Walker, and this week, it escalated a bit. I won't go into details as I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate it (although they most likely don't read my blog anyway). But hopefully, this will be the worst of it.

Trying also, because of Wednesday night's events at the capitol when the Republican senators took the original budget repair bill, split it, and passed what is apparently most of the bill anyway. And on Thursday, the assembly voted to pass it as well. Today, Walker is expected to sign it and make it law.

In the middle of all of these events Wednesday and Thursday, I felt outraged, disconcerted, and a bit afraid of what the future held. And then late last night, I climbed into bed, pulled the covers over me, and was just lying there. I listened to the quietness around me, and that's when I felt sadness. A deep sadness. This morning, I woke up with a heavy heart.

I value public education a great deal. I was once a poor, disadvantaged kid, the child of refugees who had nothing. But public education changed that for me. I would not have a masters degree and be teaching college right now if not for public education. It gave me an equal chance to succeed, just like other kids who were much better off than me. So I credit public education for everything I've accomplished and have yet to accomplish. The drastic changes to public education makes me very sad. And then of course, when the bill passed in the manner it did, it felt like democracy was raped also.

BUT...no matter how I feel today, tomorrow I will be back at the capitol to rally and to show my support and encouragement. You might be wondering why I chose to describe these times as trying but also fascinating. It's fascinating because it's so unbelievable that this is actually happening. I never in a million years would've thought that teachers and other public workers would be publicly denounced and declared the enemy, and that some people would actually buy into it and regard it as truth.

This whole nightmare might have already happened to us, but I refuse to believe that it will last. After all, nothing is lost until you give up. 

Protesting in Madison, WI at the State Capitol

The Wisconsin state capitol lights up as night falls after a day of protests. (Photo taken 2/26/11 by Bryan Radue, former colleague.)

Yesterday (Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011), I stood on a snow covered lawn in front of the Wisconsin capitol with over 100,000 other protesters. All around us, snow continued to fall, quietly layering us. Despite the 15 degree temperatures and the damp cold, our voices rose together in unison, and it continued to rise and rise. As I stood there with my signs held up high, I thought of one thing: We are awake. Finally!

I can't describe how amazing it was to be a part of something so big. To be marching and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with over 100,000 people is invigorating. For too long, we have remained quiet; we have let dishonest politicians and wealthy corporations decide how our lives will be lived. Not any longer.

I do have a sad feeling, however, that we in Wisconsin may lose this battle against Governor Walker and his bill. We may lose the rights that belong to all workers--the only thing left that gives a prominent voice to the middle class. But I also feel that we started something important here, something that is far more significant than one single bill or one governor or one state.

The idea has existed for generations that we, the regular middle class, can make an impact on our government. We study it in school, read about it happening in history books, and watch it in documentaries, but until now, I think a lot of people (myself included) were beginning to doubt that we could really change anything about our country. Now, however, I am filled with hope that what is happening in Wisconsin means our voices still make a difference.

Here are pictures from the event:

The immense crowd of protesters gather around the capitol (Photo taken by Bryan Radue)

Signs depicting Gov. Walker as a puppet of the Koch brothers (Photo by Bryan Radue)

The rotunda, inside the capitol. I didn't actually make it inside. The line snaked all the way around the capitol and into the street. (Photo by Bryan Radue)

A pleasant surprise. After protesting all day in the freezing cold, we were numb and exhausted. However, as the bus we were riding pulled up into the parking lot where all our cars were parked, we saw that a heart had been drawn on every single car. Here's mine. It made everyone smile and lifted our spirits. :)

Succeed or fail, I'm glad to have experienced something as great as this, and I've never been more proud to be a Wisconsinite. However long this battle lasts, I'll continue to show up to rallies in my area and make more trips to Madison. As my favorite chant from the protest goes, "THIS is what democracy looks like."

Here, also, are two of my favorite videos on the Wisconsin protests:

If you're reading this, I hope you'll take the time to find out what this issue in Wisconsin is really about. Realize that it's not about private vs. public workers. It's not about money or the budget (public workers have already agreed to give up part of their take home pay to help with the deficit issue). And it's not a unique problem that exists only in this state. It's all of us in the middle class. All Americans. If you get the chance to join something as important as this, I hope you'll participate and make your voice heard.

The Very Wealthy & Their Politicians are Laughing at Us

Did you know that the top 1% wealthiest people in the US hold nearly 35% of the entire nation's money? This study (if you click on the link) was done in 1983 but was updated in 2007. Other research shows that this percentage is increasing.

Here we are in Wisconsin--public workers fighting against private workers. The TRUTH is that those of us fighting are ALL MIDDLE CLASS OR WORKING PEOPLE just wanting a better life. We're all just trying to survive. We're on the same side, in the same boat! Do you see that?

How is it that the vast majority of citizens are working so hard to survive, trying to get a couple hundred dollars here and a few thousand there to pay bills. We're working multiple jobs and putting in overtime hours.

And the whole time we're doing that, ONE PERCENT of our population is holding 35% of the money in this nation. There's something fishy here, something not quite right.

To the hard working people of Wisconsin and those of you all over America:

Please don't fight amongst each other. Open your eyes to the TRUTH behind the problem. WE are NOT the problem. In Wisconsin, right now we're fighting over pay, benefits, and retirement among other things. For many public employees affected by this bill, it'd be anywhere from $5000 to $10,000 difference per person yearly. That amount of money makes a HUGE difference to us in whether we pay our bills, put food on our table, keep our home.

But that money is like pennies to the top 1% wealthiest people and their politicians. It's probably a one hour shopping spree for them. They must be sitting comfortably at home, watching us on TV in Madison, WI fighting over "pennies"... and laughing.

Somehow we've been orchestrated to be pitted one against another--worker vs. worker. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Wisconsin and Scott Walker's Repair Bill

What will happen with Governor Scott Walker's new budget repair bill? Will collective bargaining really end and voices be silenced for public employees? What's going to happen to our educational system? It's nearly 1am, and I'm still up watching the news...waiting to see if the vote on this bill will happen tonight.

As someone who has taught in Wisconsin's public schools, I'm really appalled at what is happening here. I'm angry, upset, and shocked, but more than anything else, I'm saddened by all of this. It's the total lack of respect for public workers that saddens me the most I think. Public workers are not the problem. They are hardworking people who help run the state and keep it going. They collect your garbage, fix and plow your roads, nurse you back to health at the hospital, manage and clean the parks your kids play at, maintain order at your prisons, and educate you. They serve YOU, the public. They deserve more respect, and it's sad to see that when they've been busting their butts working hard for lower pay than in the private sector, what they get in return is resentment from the people they serve. It makes me feel like the eight years I taught high school were a waste.
People are so hung up on the issue of fairness: "Why should public employees get better benefits and retirement than the private sector? It's not fair." That's what I keep hearing. However, it happened that way because many public workers' unions bargained to have better benefits in exchange for lower pay. The better benefits offset the fact that public workers are paid about 4.8% less than those with the same education and experience. That includes consideration of yearly hours worked. Those in the private sector should be bargaining the same deal if they want better benefits. So if we're going to talk about fairness in an ideal society, one of these two things should happen: 1) Give public employees a 4.8% pay raise and then make them pay more for their benefits and retirement, OR 2) Have those in the private sector take a 4.8% pay cut and donate that money towards remedying the state deficit. That would be fairness across the board in terms of equal pay, benefits, retirement.

The whole issue of pay, benefits, and retirement is not the real problem with me however. If Scott Walker really intends to crack down on the state deficit, I can understand having public employees contribute more towards benefits and retirement. Yes, that makes sense. We're in a poor economy right now, and something needs to be done. But why take away collective bargaining? Doing that is going to be detrimental to our educational system.

That means teachers would have no say and non-educators would be deciding on class sizes, curriculum, planning time, etc. That would be like me playing "architect" for a building when I have neither the education nor experience for it. The building I put together, when built, would most likely fall down. When non-educators decide how teachers should do their job, the educational system will suffer. I wouldn't be surprised if I saw class sizes increase dramatically just to save a little money. Can you imagine 40 or more kids in a classroom? I know I definitely do not want my kids in a class of that size. And the good teachers? They're not going to want to hang around. If they do, I wouldn't blame them if they did a half-hearted job after being made to feel so second-rate. This will deter college students from picking education as their future career. And in a field where many teachers already leave the profession at a high rate, the only people left teaching our kids are going to be unqualified, lousy teachers.

And yet, those who are for this bill don't realize how it will affect their own families, their own kids. It seems all they can think about are their own wallets and comparing their benefits versus that of public workers'. Sad. The nation's watching what happens in Wisconsin with this. Because if it happens here, it'll happen there too.