Friday, December 23, 2005

Delays, the Daily, Tookie, and Holidays

So I have been meaning to post, but there has been too much on my plate as of late. Though my posting hasn’t been happening, the world has continued moving. Well kinda, the TWU helped put NY on hault for a minute. But due to public pressure we all gotta make like Tribe Called Quest and keep it moving. So let’s get to it.

Last time I checked in we were all watching the Daily to see what their response would be to the controversy surrounding Michelle Bien’s cartoon. Word is that Bien has left the Daily staff, but I haven’t found verification of this on their site and her cartoon ran as recently as last week. The editor published his view on the situation. Nothing I didn’t expect. He strategically attempts to rely on the first ammendment. No one attempted to curtail free speech, but people did ask the Daily to be cognizant of the effects that their materials could and do have. There is no need to "force" the Daily staff to all support affirmative action, but their writers, artists, and editors should be able to justify their decisions and deal with their repurcussions.

Speaking of changing times, Pesnick makes sure to refer everyone to his Multicultural Commission.
In February, I formed a commission of editors and writers on the Daily’s staff to examine the work environment at the paper and the perceptions members of multicultural communities have of the Daily.
Their findings are here. Once again, I’m underwhelmed. I don’t think they’re off-base, I just don’t think we learn anything really new. I do have some questions about the Daily Commission though:
1) Is a commission of staff reporters the best assessment of the Daily?
2) Why was the commission’s identity not easily available to the public?
3) What type of influence or power does this commission have on the Daily?
As a policy wonk these are the kind of questions that continue to swirl in my head.

After the commission’s report, there was another cartoon run that raised some issues. The “Legacy Bitches” cartoon was, I am told, supposed to be a pro-affirmative action cartoon that attacked the concept of legacy. Instead of commenting on the cartoon, I’d rather comment on the political landscape. Isn’t it odd that right on the heels of a controversy that the Daily editorials staff chose to publish such an … ambiguous cartoon? Maybe it’s just me…

Aight, well that is enough of the Daily for this post. Be on the look out for my in-depth commentary on the Daily boycott of a couple of years ago and other folks thoughts on the Daily situation.

The Governator did not grant Stan Tookie Williams clemency. In the wake of his execution I learned a lot of folks that I knew were behind him. Maybe too many of us were silent. Maybe it’s naïve to believe that the “corrections” system believes in correcting behaviors, attitudes, or ideologies of Black men.

And as I close this post, someone sent me a link to this video… hilarious! Clearly finals drove people insane here. Over the next couple of days I’ll be trying to get some rest and relaxation back East, so whatever happens in Michigan … can stay in Michigan. If I get bored I’ll post my annual Best of BAM. Catch you on the flip.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That video is clearly one of the funniest things around. That is the reason I love college, where else can that happen? Nowhere I'm aware of. Life is beautiful sometimes.

Garlin II said...

Can any student/non student be on the committee? How are the committee members selected?

Dumi said...

Garlin,
Good question. I would email Pesnick and ask him or the chair of the committee, but as it stands the committee is composed of staff reporters only (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Prior to their report they were only identifiable by their email address on the directory.

Dance_Soul said...

Dumi -
I need you to get back to Michigan so that you can blog. Everyone can't have a vacation. ;)

Anonymous said...

Dumi,

I find it "odd" that you won't comment on the "legacy bitches" cartoon, which, as you rightly recognize, was a pro-affirmative action cartoon that used sexist and highly vulgar language. Rather you choose to detract to the "political landscape" and the Daily's bad choice in publishing "another" ambiguous cartoon.

You should condemn the "legacy bitches" cartoon, just as I did vigorously minutes after I saw it.

Dumi said...

I didn't think the cartoon was good. Or really even pro-affirmative action. So I didn't see fit to really deal with it, but if you'd like. My official statement is, "It stinks" a la "The Critic." Does that satisfy?