Comments on: What’s going on

By: Doug Noon

Doug Noon — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 10:32:43 +0000

I did see that story, and you’re right - it didn’t generate much discussion. Native people are not highly visible in the media, and stories that do appear are often unfavorably biased. Several years ago there was a flood that washed away two entire villages north of here, and not a word was mentioned about it on the national media.

By: A. Mercer

A. Mercer — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:10:43 +0000

Hey, this is a digression, but did you see this one:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9803207

Very troubling report on intolerable high rates of sexual assault against Native American women on reservations. It got good play on NPR, and sorta died.

By: Doug Noon

Doug Noon — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:44:41 +0000

Myles Horton talked about the futility of changing people’s minds, explaining why he focused his attention on making structural changes. He did things that “went against the grain,” like those kids who sat under the tree. He also knew that violence might sometimes be the response to those actions.

Dismal realities are, as you say, something that we don’t have to accept, but what we can do about them on a “system” level is perhaps very little. I agree with you about the futility of reform measures that don’t address the material inequities that are somehow assumed to be a “given” for minorities.

What I can’t understand, though, is what seems to be a mere shoulder shrug and an “Oh well.” I entered the teaching profession to make things better for people. I admit to being extremely naive about the challenges and possibilities for doing so. But as an individual, and as a teacher, I have to believe that what I do and say might occasionally matter to someone. Otherwise, there’s no point in going to work except to cash a paycheck, and I’m not ready to cash out.

I understand that people get tired and angry. And I also understand that, if I wanted to, I could pretend that there is no problem. That’s the luxury of privilege. But understanding that makes me feel responsible to do whatever I can.

It does seem futile, but I’m reminded of Vaclav Havel’s statement about hope:

Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.

And that helps. Thanks for your comment. Your insights are quite valuable to me.

By: Miss Profe

Miss Profe — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:20:18 +0000

Doug, while I rarely agree with David Brooks, but I did read his piece in its entirety, and much of what he says is on the money with respect to the psychology of Americans, both of color and majority. And, in the end, it’s the kids who suffer. Someone once said that you can change the laws but you can’t change people’s hearts. While we don’t have to accept it, it is a dismal reality.

Until there is a surge of resources injected into our urban areas, I cannot see how the goals of educational quality or full racial integration will be accomplished.

The Jena Six case is a travesty of our system. I hope people across the country will be motivated to help in whichever way they can. The more that more, the more that can help.