SHOES CANNOT GIVE YOU HAPPINESS…
0459 by Jeff Hess
24 December 2011
23 December 2011
LEARNING STILL DEMANDS A TEACHER…
1637 by Jeff HessHaving access to educational resources, or even choices about schooling, does not automatically mean that you will reap the benefit. I can recall spending long hours trying to teach myself statistics in lieu of taking a class; suffice it to say that I was not my own best teacher. It was not until I took a proper class and had good teaching that I learned statistics. Initiative and books are not enough to succeed; most students need support from teachers, librarians and other trained professionals to gain the most from schooling and educational tools.
In my role as an outside-the-classroom educator I work with several computerized learning programs that are very good, but they are not good enough to educate any but a tiny percentage of highly motivated students in a vacuum. Learning will always require a teacher.
23 December 2011
MACE/PEPPER SPRAY AS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS…
0617 by Jeff HessFrom the Southern Poverty Law Center:
Ms. Stearnes, the mother of three Birmingham schoolchildren recounted the macing of two of her daughters. “I sent them there to get an education and I expected the school would protect them,” she said. “Then my older daughter was maced – she wasn’t a danger to herself, or anybody else. It was completely unjustified. And, when my younger daughter saw her sister get maced, and she ran to help her. She, too, was exposed to the mace. This needs to be stopped.”
Can there be any doubt who the real tools are?
23 December 2011
23 December 2011
22 December 2011
I’M NO. 92,564…!
1703 by Jeff HessDear Jeff Hess:
Thank you for submitting an essay to This I believe. Your essay has now completed our review process and will shortly be added to the This I Believe online database.
We are honored by your having shared your most closely held convictions with us. Thank you, sincerely, for participating in our project.
— The staff of This I Believe
22 December 2011
THE LONGEST NIGHT BEGINS, HAPPY SOLSTICE…!
1700 by Jeff HessTonight will be a roaring fire, wassail and…
Then there’s the animated version…
22 December 2011
22 December 2011
22 December 2011
CAN THE 1% BE SUCKERED AT CHRISTMAS…?
1513 by Jeff HessIf you follow Kathy Newman’s insights about Christmas messages from Charles Dickens to Rankin and Bass, broadcast television you might just believe that the One Percent’s inner Scrooge just can’t stand up to Tiny Tim’s big eyes.
Let us start with Bass/Rankin classic, Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer, which first aired in 1964. Some have argued that it is an allegory for the Cold War, with the Bumble representing the Soviet Union, who is tamed by the ultimate American Yukon Cornelius. Others have argued that Rudolph represents the “Red Scare,” which is interesting, because Burl Ives (the show’s narrator, Sam the Snowman), was blacklisted in 1950 in the anti-communist smear pamphlet Red Channels. Unfortunately, Burl Ives cooperated with the House UnAmerican Activities Committee when he told them that he used to attend union meetings with Pete Seeger in order to “stay in touch with working folk.”
My recent viewing of the Christmas classic suggests a slightly different take. The elves in Rudolph are apparently happy on the job. They sing: “We work hard all day/But our work is play.” Hmmmmm. This is the essential myth of the Christmas elf, right? Making Christmas toys is work, but the work is play.
On the other hand, not everyone who wants to work is allowed to work in Rudolph’s world. Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer is a story about workplace discrimination. Hermey the elf, played with what we now interpret as a “gay” voice, doesn’t fit in with the other toy-making elves. Is he discriminated against for being gay? Or because wants to be a dentist? In his signature song he says, “You can’t fire me, I quit.” Rudolph is similarly cheated out of a chance to work for Santa, and all because of his shiny red nose.
22 December 2011
22 December 2011
HAPPY CHRISTMAS LAURA…
1013 by Jeff HessFor anyone who is feeling the pressure this christmas, Here are Laura’s top tips for a more manageable festive season:
Only buy presents for people who are going to appreciate it
Buy what you would like to give, not what the person expects or wants.
Dont feel guilty if you cant give a gift
If you cant afford to buy gifts…make them! cookies, a nice homemade card, knit something. Actions speak louder than words.
If you dont have the energy or time to make things, just give them a call, and let them know you are thinking of them.
Dont feel pressured to squeeze more in than you can cope with.
Relax and enjoy your time at christmas with the people who you choose, the people you like to be with.
22 December 2011
THIS IS WHAT AN AWESOME TEACHER LOOKS LIKE…
1004 by Jeff HessMelissa Bollow Tempel writes:
We started off with a lesson about toys because it’s a simple topic I knew my students thought they had clear ideas about. The class gathered on the carpet and I read William’s Doll, which is about a boy who, against the wishes of his father, wants a doll more than anything.
After we read the story, I taped up two large pieces of paper and wrote “Boys” on one and “Girls” on the other. “Students,” I said, “what are some toys that are for boys?” Eagerly, the students began to shout out their answers: “Legos!” “Hot Wheels!” “Skateboards!” “Bikes!” The list grew quite long. “OK,” I said, “now tell me some toys that are for girls.” “Baby dolls!” “Nail polish!” “Barbies!” “Makeup!”
When we had two extensive lists, I read both lists out loud to the class and then studied them carefully.
“Hmm,” I said. “Here it says that Legos are for Continue Reading »
22 December 2011
22 December 2011
SO, YOU’VE BEEN INDEFINITELY DETAINED…
0904 by Jeff HessHelpful tips from Ruben Bolling for American citizens under:
22 December 2011
22 December 2011
A POST WHERE MANO WANTS TO THROW A BOOK…
0759 by Jeff Hess[With Liberty and Justice for Some by Glenn Greenwald] is an infuriating book. There were many times during last weekend when I was reading it that I wanted to hurl it against the wall though I am not by nature prone to such dramatic displays of emotion.
What could possibly make such a non-violent man so angry?
22 December 2011
21 December 2011
21 December 2011
N-WORD! WHAT DID YOU HEAR IN YOUR HEAD…?
1138 by Jeff HessHonorée Fanonne Jeffers writes on Facebook:
What I found most striking about this article is the ways it challenged my own thinking about poverty. I consider myself to so different and radical, but “even I”–irony intended– made the mistake of conflating “poor” with “Black” in the case of Sandusky’s victims a few weeks back–and I argued with some (White) friends based on those assumptions, for which I am very sorry. And embarrassing public lesson for me, but a very necessary one.
Because I was reading a book that dealt with poor, working-class whites in Great Britain, I wrote the following to Honorée (her mother was a fan of Balzac):
Shalom Honorée,
A book I’m recommending these days is Chavs: The Demonization Of The Working Class by Owen Jones. In British slang, Chavs is a bigoted pejorative for white members of the working class, the linguistic equivalent of Paki in Great Britain or Nigger here.
Jones addresses how the white working class has been increasingly made invisible and marginalized in his country. He has my thoughts going down pathways I’ve not contemplated before.
B’shalom,
Jeff
In a moment Facebook let me know that I had been mentioned in a comment by Honorée.
Hey Jeff Hess, thank you so much for the information! I appreciate you. I know you didn’t mean any harm, but FYI, I don’t allow anyone–of ANY background to use racial slurs–toward of ANYONE of ANY background on my page. But you know, considering I’m Black and all, I REALLY don’t like folks use the n-word on my page, even in quotes.:-) Please delete your comment, revise it and resubmit–or I’ll have to delete it for you. Pax, HFJ
Fair enough. I deleted my comment and replaced it with:
Shalom Honorée,
A book I’m recommending these days is The C-word: The Demonization Of The Working Class by Owen Jones. In British slang, “the c-word” is a bigoted pejorative for white members of the working class, the linguistic equivalent of “the p-word” in Great Britain or “the n-word” here.
Jones addresses how the white working class has been increasingly made invisible and marginalized in his country. He has my thoughts going down pathways I’ve not contemplated before.
B’shalom,
Jeff
p.s. your page, your rules, but it does lose something when we reduce pejoratives to c-word, p-word and n-word don’t you think?
To which Honorée replied:
I think a certain, specific White man doesn’t need to lecture me about a word that has been extremely insulting and painful to me and my people for over two centuries and ’tis the season to unfriend if said certain, specific White man tries to get into an argument with me when I’m trying to be graceful, kind and Christian about his racial faux pas. That’s what I think.:-) Pax, HFJ
I thought I was having a discussion.
Shalom Honorée,
Until I read Jones’ book I had never, not being a resident of Great Britain, heard the c-word before and might have been inclined to dismiss out of ignorance the deep significance the c-word holds in British culture. Jones made it clear to me, however, when he compared the c-word to the p-word which I do know is deeply offensive. I referenced the n-word only because awareness of the p-word in the United States is not widespread and I wished potential readers to have a glimpse of the import of Jones’ work.
Yes, Jones’ book is predominantly about poverty.
B’shalom,
Jeff
We left it there. I’m wondering however, did I commit a racial faux pas?
I don’t use nigger in my everyday speech, but I’m not willing to ban the word when used in the context I did above. I don’t call my friends kikes or white trash, or use any of the other racial slurs too common in our society, but I would not allow them to be erased.
I used nigger and paki to establish a context for chav that otherwise might not have existed for a non-British reader.
Can a specific White man ever use the word nigger?
