The Cooper Point Journal Volume 37, Issue 9 (November 20, 2008)

Item

Identifier

cpj1027

Title

The Cooper Point Journal Volume 37, Issue 9 (November 20, 2008)

Date

20 November 2008

extracted text

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The Evergreen State Colleg~
Olympia, W!'ishington 98566

THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE olympia, washington

{

·~" COOPER POINrJOURN~A~L~~
ISSUE , VOLUME 38, NOVEMBER 20,2008

A PDF copy is available online at http://cpj.evergreen.edu

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Where there's moke, there's work:
Enforcing campus smoking policy
by KRISTINA WILLIAMS

Maybe this quarter you've received an
email about quitting smoking.
Maybe you've read an article about the
glorious safe-havens of smoking tents.
Maybe you've been amicably approached
while smoking by an individual who's
talked with you about the benefits of
smoking in designated smoking area.
The individual, also the author of the
articles and emails, is Evergreen's peer
educator on smoking, Nathan Brockett.
For $9 an hour, Brockett is paid to get
students to smoke in the designated smoking sections on campus. Brockett says he
views his job of enforcing the smoking
policy as a way to build bridges between
smokers and non-smokers. Brockett says
he is, "a peacemaker. I want to acknowledge everyoAe's need to be respected and
am supportive of both sides." Anyone
who has engaged with Brockett can attest
that he is genuine and focused on what
he does. He works for the Office of the
Vice President of Student Affairs and his
supervisor is Andrea Seabert, the assistant to the vice president. She is also the
grievance officer who deals with, among
other things, smoking violations.
Seabert says Brockett was hired for his
enthusiasm, not his experience. Brockett, a non-smoker and first-year student,
says he's received little training. He says
Seabert gave him a campus map marked
with the smoking areas and instructed
him to "educate himself' on smoking.
Seabert says training consisted of some
role playing and an action plan of posting
fliers and interacting with smokers one on
one. While Seabert gave little direction,
they both say, she did encourage Brockett
to come back with any questions.
One question Brockett had was whether
Seabert meant it when she suggested, in
passing, he could write articles for the PART OF THE PEER EDUCATOR'S POSITION IS MAKING SURE SMOKERS ARE
Cooper Point Journal. Brockett says, AWARE OF, AND USE, THE DESIGNATED SMOKING AREAS ON CAMPUS.

see PEER EDUCATOR, page 4

GSU member not a student
At this week's Geoduck Student
Union (GSU) meeting, it was
brought to the attention of GSU
members that representative
Kris Craig is not registered as a
student at The Evergreen State
College. Personal difficulties
at the beginning of the quarter
forced Craig to drop the class he
had been registered in.
GSU representative Josie Jarvis
was the person who discovered

that Craig was not registered as a
student this quarter.
Because he is not a student, Craig
is no longer able to. participate
on any level of the GSU apart
from acting as an observer of the
meetings. Craig intends to petition
for a representative position
on the GSU at the beginning of
winter quarter.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
:VOX POP: IF YOU HAD

STUDENT VOICE:

CALENDAR:

:AN EVIL TWIN, WHAT

WANT TO KNOW MORE

KEEP YOURSELF

:woULD IT BE LIKE?
: PAGE 2

· ABOUT STUDENT
GROUPS? PAGE 3

ENTERTAINED NEXT
WEEK PAGE 13

:FEATURES: MAlA

LETTERS & OPIN-

COMICS: ARE YOUR

~OOKS UPAN

IONS: FIND OUT

TEETH READY FOR

~RTICLE PAGE 6

WHAT YOUR FELLOW

MORE BRIAN AND

STUDENTS ARE THINK-

JULIE? PAGE 14

lNG PAGES 8-10

-MADELINE BERMAN
CONTRIBUTE TO THE COOPER POINT.JOlJRNAL. CALL (360) 867-6213, EMAIL C~J@EVERGREEN.EDU, OR STCW BY CAB 3Hi

TESC
Olympia, WA 98505
Address Service Requested

PRSRTSTD
US Postage
Paid
OlympiaWA
Permit#65

2 ~VOXPOP
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November 20, 2008

vo pop

•

-

lfyou had an evil twin,

CPJ

·1

by RAINBOE

what would it be like?

-~MS-JO~

Business

Business manager
Bryn Harris
Associate business manager
Kristina Williams
i

"Really selfish, but also really brave and would maybe
sabotage people."

i "Alotofmischief. Probably i
;either pulling pranks or stuff. Ii
feel it would be very manipula..:
tive."
:

Ad representative
Cerise Palmanteer
Circulation manager
available

Distribution manager
Nick Hefling
News

Julia Vieau

~Heidi Skaggs_

Freshman

r=-

Conceptualizing Native Place

L J i'reshman

Editor-in-chief
Jason Slotkin

-l

Associate managing editor
Brian Fullerton

~

\Vonderful Ideas

Associate managing editor
Charles Zaillian
Arts & Entertainment coordinator
available

Calendar coordinator
Samantha S<:,.tmefio

"Probably eat children and
make potions and do all that
evil stuff."

"He would love
onions."

Comics coordinator
Brian Fullerton
Copy editor
Maia Powloski
Interim copy editor
Jacob Salzer
Letters & Opinions coordinator
Mikey Badger

Ben Steiner

Ryan Saunders

Fn:shnwn

Legacv of the American f)rcarn
~.

First vear

Photographer
Simone Fowler

/

Masters in '1(:aching

.'

¥~

Photographer

Y,

available

Outdoor & Recreation coordinator
\

available

Student Voice coordinator
Rainboe Sims:Jones

"Evil. It would play the
accordion."

"Infuriating and mischievous." ;

Reporter
Madeline Berman
Reporter
available

Page designer
Sarah Landsberg

\Vendy 1\:lcCutchen

Senior

Evening and \Vcekend Studies

ra,,, W~liams I '

J

--

~
Jior j

Ju.•
Env1ronrnental Studies

---

Student Group Meeting
5 p.JD. Monday
Find out what it means to
be a member of the student
group CPJ.

''
''
''
''
''
''

--

Page proofer
Charles Zaillian
Web developer
Seth Vincent

-

''

''

CPJForwn
1 p.JD. Wednesday

,,
,,

Discussion on issues
related to journalism.

''

''

''' -'-

''
''
''
''
,,

Post MorteJD & Issue
Planning
5 p.ID. Thursday
Critique the lastest issue of
the CPJ and help plan for the
next one.

,,
''
''

All meetings .

is written, edited and distributed by students enrolled at The
Evergreen State College, who are solely responsible for its production and
content.
is published 28 Thursdays each academic year, when class is in session:
the first through the IOth Thursday of Fall Quarter and the second
through the I Oth Thursday of Winter and Spring Quarters.

Advisor
Dianne Conrad

are held
in CAB 316

''

Call the Cooper PointJournal if
you are interested in any of the
available positions listed above.

---

The Cooper PointJournal

The content of The
Cooper PointJournal
is created entirely by
Evergreen students.
Contribute today.

Page proofer
Anna Pederson
Page proofer
Jo Sahlin

Have a Vox Pop question you'd like to ask? Email cpj@evergreen.edu.
Tl

Page designer
Paula Martin

College~

is distributed free at various sites on The Evergreen State
campus. Distribution is limited to one copy per edition per person. Persons
in need of more than one copy should contact the CPJ business manager
in CAB 316 or at (360) 867-6054 to arrange for multiple copies.
The business manager may charge 75 cents for each copy after the first.
Terms and conditions are available in CAB 316, or by request at (360)
867-6054.

Copies of submission and publication criteria for non-advertising content are available in CAB 316, or
by request at (360) 867-6213. Contributions are accepted at CAB 316 or by email at cpj@evergreen.
edu. The CPJ editor-in-chief has final say on the acceptance or rejection of all non-advertising content.

Cooper PointJournal
CAB316
News: (360) 867 - 6213
Email: cpj@evergreen.edu
Business: (360) 867 - 6054

The CPJ is printed on
recycled newsprint
using soy ink.

0 Cooper Point}oumal2008

STUDENT VOICE ~ 3

cpj .evergreen.edu

...............................................

© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

5o many groups but so little time

"""*"""'gnJIIJII

LtJM Ill . .

It's almost the end of the quarter and already there are over
TEN newly formed/resurrected student gro\lpS to meet all
your diverse student group needs! Here s the lowdown ...
- RAINBOE SIMS-JONES

Black Student Union
Meets Tuesdays at 3 p.m. and Wednesdays
at 2 p.m. in the CAB TV Lounge
The purpose of the BSU is to provide a voice
and community to members of the student body
who identify with Black Peoples. They aim to
stimulate cultural, educational, political, and social
development through weekly meetings and various
common interest activities on campus.

Haboo

party to represent the interests of workers, youth
and the environment against the two parties of big
business.

Iraqi Student Solidarity Committee
Meeting times TBA
Following the invasion and subsequent occupation,
Iraq's excellent higher education system is in ruins,
with more than 4.4 million Iraqis displaced inside
and outside Iraq. Occupation and sectarian strife
continue with an estimated death toll of more than
one million Iraqis. It is long past time for the U.S.
institutions to fulfill a humanitarian responsibility
in providing restitution.

Meets Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in F
Annex Unity Lounge
Haboo means "I'm Listening" in Lushootseed, one
of the native dialects in the Puget Sound region.
Greeners for Truth and Reconciliation
Their mission is to create positive community
Meets Mondays at 4 p.m. in SEM II B31 09
connections by sharing the cultures and heritage of
their members.
Their goal is to empower people with the knowledge
and skills to foster peace and social justice in
Ever~:reen Socialist Alternative
our community through providing a series of
Meets Wednesdays at 6 p.m. in SEM II E31 07 workshops, informative and experienced speakers,
Socialist Alternative is a national organization films, and community events.
fighting in workplaces, communities, and campuses
against the exploitation and injustices people face
Medics Assistint: in Safety and Health
Meeting times TBA
every day. We are union activists fighting for
workers' rights and militant, democratic unions; MASH's goal is to promote health education
they speak out against racism, students organizing to students, staff and faculty. They focus on
against sweatshops and war, immigrants demanding preventative measures taken from western medicine
papers for all undocumented workers, women herbalism and selected aspects oftraditional Chinese
and men fighting sexism and homophobia. They medicine. They also train and practice many forms
campaign for the building of a mass workers' of street medicine acting as "street medics," a
designation of firstresponders.
Using
a popular education
basis for many of
their trainings (both
internal and external),
they will create new
learning models for
those interested in
practicing
medicine
and remaining healthy.
They will host events
focusing on specific
Do you feel confident about who you are? topics
such as nutrition,
mental wellness, and
protest safety. They
will host events lead
Do you feel like you have a space that sup by
group members
ports you and that you feel comfortable in?
to help develop our
presentation
and
teaching skills. They
will also host events
3) Do you know that there is a resource cente that
bring in outside
for women indentified people on campus?
speakers and resources

Cl

women

I

1
n
\}eop e.·

this survey is for
you

1)

2)

4) Do you know where it is located?
5) What kind of resources do you think are es
sential for female and female-indentified
people on campus?

to diversify knowledge and skills. In essence we
promote the ideas of health eduction in a nonhierarchal and anti-oppression environment. Their
goal is to demystify human biology in a meaningful
and empowering way.

Embroidery Club
Meeting times TBA
Embroidery Club is a student group devoted to
forming connections through a shared love of
needlework, friendship, and fresh baked goods. They
offer a relaxed, inviting atmosphere where people
can de-stress and express their creativity. The goal
is to spread love, understanding and compassion
through our knowledge of embroidery.

The Ever~:reen Philosophical Association
Meets Thursdays at 3:30p.m. in SEMI! D3107
The Evergreen Philosophical Association is
committed to the investigation of philosophical
issues and thinkers by fostering a community
dedicated to the discussion and analysis of
philosophy through meetings, readings, guest
lectures, conferences and student-originated work.
Ever~:reen

Students for Sustainable
Animal At:riculture

Meets Thursdays at 5 p.m. in Lab I 3303
The mission of ESSAA is to create ad encourage
opportunities for experiential and practical learning
in animal agriculture to Evergreen Students. They
seek to bring information and facilitate discussion
of issues within the campus regarding animal
agriculture.

Freedom of Consciousness Club
Meets Tuesdays at
8:30p.m. in the CAB Solarium
The Freedom of Consciousness Club ts
a social resource for psychonauts of the
Evergreen community. They work to promote
non-discriminatory, mindful exploration
of
consciousness through interdisciplinary means
including, but never limited to, psychedelia, the
occult, magick, tarot, astrology, meditation, yoga,
philosophy of mind, shamanism, psychology and
parapsychology, radical world theories, diet and
physiology, radical art, the paranormal, and lucid
dreaming. Imagination is the source of all freedom;
keep yours strong with the FCC!

Healint: Arts Collective
Meets Wednesdays at 3:30p.m. in the CAB pit
The Healing Arts Collective serves to make
information about and experience with holistic
health and healing modalities
accessible to the Evergreen
community. This group brings a
broad range of speakers focusing
mostly on interactive workshops;
functions as a vice and a forum for
many students concerned with the
healing arts; develops connections
with practitioners and schools of
interest in local and outlying areas;
and provides resources and support
for those interested.

6) In what way can the Women's Resource Cente
function as a better resource for you?

Please return to the w.RC office on the 3rd floor
of the CAB.
This survey is brought to you by t he Women ' s Resource Center .

Purchase
one meal,
get second
meal

1/2 PRICE!

"'itb purch.ase of two bevcra&e.s. dJ&eoWJtc:d me a l "'
oqual or le~scT value . Offer expu..:.• 01131/200 0.
Downtown Ol)·rupia
211 5th Ave SE
3S7 .t.229

Cooper
Point journal
. . ..
.. ...... .
©COOPER POINT jOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

Little oversight of
peer ed.u~a­
tor position
PEER EDUCATOR, from cover
"Andrea mentioned the CPJ as a resource
and a possibility and I took the initiative. Brockett says, When Brockett asked
Seabert if he could write articles, she told
him she would love to pay him for writing
articles. Seabert says it was Brockett's idea
to write and submit articles to the student
newspaper as the peer educator on smoking. When asked what problems she foresaw if students were to know the Student
Affairs Office was paying someone to write
articles for the CPJ, Seabert said, "Frankly,
I don't think students care."
Seabert says the position has been around
for three years and it was difficult to find
students who were willing to take on the job
until this year. Seabert describes Brockett
as "a rock star." She says Brockett taught
her to view the peer educator on smoking
position as an opportunity to develop the
community instead of enforcement and
compliance. Seabert says Brockett "drives
the process and makes his own schedule."
Brockett calls it "executive power," a term
Seabert says she agrees with. She says that
he has proven himself as self-sufficient and
gained her trust through the initiative he has
taken with enforcing the smoking policy.
"Executive power" includes logging and
keeping track of his hours without oversight by Seabert.
Once a week Seabert and Brockett have
a conversation, but beyond what Brockett
tells her, Seabert is unaware of how he
spends his time on the job. Seabert says
Brockett gets to decide what to accomplish
and that it would be "a waste of time to
document how every minute is spent on
the job." According to Brockett, he works
ten to nineteen hours a week talking with
smokers, attending meetings at Evergreen
that relate to what he does, and working
on projects like writing articles for the
CPJ and a training manual about how to
talk to smokers about the smoking policy.
Although Brockett has not been formally
trained, he will be using the manual as a
handbook for training Residential Advisors
next quarter.
Despite Brockett's "executive power," he
has no authoritative power when it comes
to citing students for violating the smoking
policy. He cannot for example, demand
a student's name or A-number to report
a grievance the same way a Residential
Advisor can. "This may change though,"
Brockett said.
The Code of Student
Conduct is being rewritten this year and
he hinted at the idea of it being amended
to include his job title in the list of student
employees allowed to obtain that identifiable information from students to report
smoking policy violators.

Kristina Williams is a junior enrolled in
an independent learning contract.

GSU makes progress,
but concerns still there
by MADELINE BERMAN
This week's meeting was very productive for the Geoduck Student Union.
Many representatives felt that they are
finally making headway on some of
the issues with which they have been
presented with. This week they discussed
how WashPIRG fees will be refunded
and the student body's role in deciding
on budget cuts. The GSU also hired an
office manager, which will be a great
asset to the union's ability to organize.
While this week's meeting was very
productive, there are still some unresolved issues.
A reoccurring problem previous weeks
has been the lack of representative
involvement and attendance on the part
of some specific members of the GSU.
Because several members had not showing up, the group had been unable to meet
quorum, which is the amount of people

needed to vote and pass resolutions.
"For the last two weeks we've met
quorum, but there has been a fear of not
reaching quorum," says Cameron Morris,
a GSU representative. "We're dealing
with accountability resolution."
While meeting quorum for the past
few weeks is great for productivity and
morale, the Union is still not enforcing
its accountability bylaw regarding absent
representatives, which detracts from their
authority.
Many representatives joined the GSU
in order to give the students a voice on
campus and act on their behalf.
"Originally I saw that Evergreen was
changing and thought it was important to
keep the change student-centered," says
representative Charles Loosen.
According to Josie Jarvis, she joined the
GSU because she "wanted to effectively
advocate for student interest and get

work started so students have a voice in
the school they pay for."
If representatives are not doing their
jobs, it is ultimately the students who are
impacted. When interviewed, representatives expressed that they eventually hope
to resolve these issues, but are willing
to let them sit by the wayside until other
orders of business have been attended
too.
"I think they're trying to give people
the benefit of the doubt," says Tacoma
Campus representative Dawn Bradford,
"but the time will come that something
will happen. The bylaws will eventually
be enforced."

Madeline Berman is a sophomore enrolled in Health and Human
Development.

Inkwell Carnival
Come one, come all, to a spectacular spectacle, a ravenous extravaganza, the most
funasaurus rex on campus: the Inkwell
Carnival!
At 11 :07 a.m. on Wednesday, December 3, otherworldly beasts will tote our
pastel-colored wagons carrying our heavily tattooed bodies to the second floor of
the CAB and unleash an entire B-movie's
worth of excitement and adventure.
A magical production of the Evergreen
Writing Center, the third annual publication
oflnkwell is a collection of deeply insightful, mind-blowing ruminations by writing

tutors past and present. We are dressing
up and stepping out in order to share our
serendipitous creation with all of you. Be
prepared for a plethora of death-defying
stunts and slightly unnerving occurrences.
Strut your malodorous stuff along our red
carpet and bear witness to the somewhat
unpleasantness of misprinted Inkwells. Get
your face painted so you can look as terrifyingly attractive as Writing Center tutors
will look. Stretch your linguistic luck at
a special carnival edition of our patented
Grammar Garden workshops. Compose
secret missives with invisible ink and put

Rorschach to shame with your own inkblot
creations. Blow vibrantly sanctimonious
bubbles, slouch rhythmically to sounds
from our tutoring DJ, and have your
(mis)fortune read.
There is much, much more, and everything is completely free. Inkwell Carnival
is tear-your-heart-out fun, and if you don't
come, we're all going to cry.
~

C.V. ROTONDO

Evaluation workshops
WRITING CENTER OFFERS RESOURCES TO STUDENTS, AID IN MECHANICS
The end of the quarter is looming. It's
evaluation season now, and the Writing
Center has four workshops to help you
bring your quarter into focus. Self-evaluation workshops will critique the importance of evaluations, explain the nuances
of evaluation-writing and how the Writing Center can assist you in your process,
and provide a space for general questions.

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We'll also provide some thought-starters
and approaches to get you moving no
matter where you are in your evaluationwriting process. Whether you are a firsttimer or a seasoned pro, these workshops
will strengthen your evaluation-writing
muscles.
The first of four self-evaluation workshops is Tuesday, December 2 at 6:30

--------

~

SHAUN JOHNSON

New York Style Hand Tossed Pizza
Huge Selection of Fresh Toppings!

All Services

By Appointment: (360) 481-6816

p.m. in Primetime (the main floor of A
Dorm in Housing). For additional dates,
times, and locations for workshops, look
in the CPJ's events calendar in upcoming
weeks or call The Writing Center at (360)
867-6420.

Pizza By The Slice & Whole Pie's
Vegan Pizza's Available
Salads, Calzone, Fresh Baked Goods
Micro Brews on Tap, Bottled Beers, Wine,
Wi-Fi Available

Dine In or Call Ahead for Take Out

Plzz
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www.eatatvics.net

3so-943-ao44

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Located at Harrison & Division (233 Division Sl NW)

cpj:cv~rg-reen.ecl\l ....
© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

Reef sadness:

GSU says wash the PIRG fees
1

Dine ..'s closu ..e an open
wound fo .. the co~n~nunity
by CHARLES A. ZAILLIAN
In its November 12 edition, The Olympian characterized what we all by now have
heard happened to King Solomon's Reef as
"a kitchen fire [which] started about 7: 15
a.m., filling the restaurant with smoke and
causing firefighters to punch at least one
hole in the roof as they put out the blaze."
While the sign still reads "Open 365 Days
a Year," walking downtown and seeing the
Reef's pitch-dark interior is both disorienting and depressing.
Along with Old School Pizza and Quality Burrito, the Reef is part of a downtown
dining/drinking triumvirate representing
an idiosyncratically-Oly type of classiness. This city didn't potentially lose just
a restaurant this past Wednesday, but a
strategically-located meeting place that
is-for the sake of optimism, I'll maintain present tense-many different things
to its clientele. High school kid, working

adult, college student, non-Greener; native, I
transplant, "punk," "bro"- regardless of
who you are, there's a lot to appreciate
about the Reef. It's a comfortable locale
that won't break the bank, at which to eat,
drink, work, study, socialize or just kill
time. It just feels so wrong to walk past that
marquee (which, as ofWednesday evening,
still reads "DUDE," now sadly appropriate
as it perfectly describes-possibly verbatim- my post-conflagration reaction).
The Reef's future at this juncture is
unclear. What, as a citizen of Olympia,
can you do to help? Well, as an obvious
but nonetheless essential rule, continue to
support your independent local establishments; you never realize what a good thing
you have until it's gone. Watch this space,
and keep an eye out for ways in which you
can help raise (funds towards hopefully
reopening) the Reef.

We Buy lo.b Everydayl
509 £ 4th Avf
Mon-Sat 10-9, Sun 11-6

3S:l..0123
orcabooks.com

S&A Board's Special
Initiative Fund Update

•

Students for a Democratic Society -Nov 5
TotalAwarded: $4,025.15 in goods and
I services

Chemistry Club -Nov 19
TotalAwarded: $13,000.00 in goods and
services

•

I The Gun Club -Nov 5
TotalAwarded: $1,958.97 in goods and
services and travel pending attorney general
approval

Capoeira Angola -Nov 19
TotalAwarded: $5,749.87 in goods and
services

Applications are now available outside of CAB 316 and
on the CPJ website, at cpj.evergreen.edu
Deadline to apply is Friday of week 1 of winter quarter.

( mn·nt (nUt·~<' ID

-JASON SLOTKIN

Society for Trans Action and Resources
-Nov 19
TotalAwarded: $3,804.00 in goods and
services

now accepting
applications
for two
•
associate
•
managing
editors.

Bunk ..
l 0'',. off \\ith

contract. Puree has been delegated with the
decision of whether to renew WashPIRG's
contract through the Board of Trustees.
Colin Orr, director of business services
for the college, says his department has
developed a plan as to how to conduct such
a refund, and is waiting on an approval
from Puree. If Puree decides not to renew
the contract, students who paid the fee
will have $8 credited to their accounts.
Orr's department is still assessing
what to do if the contract is renewed.
The WashPIRG fee is paid at the
time of registration, and IS used to
fund WashPIRG activities on campus.

This years Special Initiative Fund budget
began at $109, 064.83. So far this year;
the S&A Board had fonded the following
groups:

Charles A. Zaillian is a junior enrolled in
American Places.

The CPJ IS

N<'\\

This quarter, like every other quarter,
students who do not opt out of the
WashPIRG fee are charged $8. This
quarter, however, the WashPIRG contract
has not be renewed, but Evergreen recently
received a WashPIRG coordinator.
Now a refund of this fee may be
possible, and is recommended by
the Geoduck Student Union (GSU).
Since the quarter is almost over, the GSU
convened and came to a resolution that
recommended not to renew the contract
with WashPIRG for the year, and to refund
the $8 fee to all students who had paid it.
According to GSU representative
Josie Jarvis, the resolution will be sent
to Evergreen President Les Puree, who
will decide whether or not to renew the

Currently, the amount remaining in the S.l.
1

Folk Dance Alliance -Nov 5
Total Awarded: $8202.50 in goods and
services and stipend
Riot to FoUow Productions -Nov 10
Total Awarded: $3,639.55 in goods and
services and stipend
Hip-Hop Congress -Nov 10
TotalAwarded: $9,818.00 in goods and
services and stipend
Carnival-Nov 10
TotalAwarded: $2,950.00 in goods and
services
Healing Arts CoUective -Nov 12
TotalAwarded: $2,437.52 in goods and
services and stipend
Women's Resource Center -Nov 12
TotalAwarded: $5,607.00 in goods and
services
Environmental Resource Center -Nov 17
TotalAwarded: $1,579.32 in goods and
services and stipend
Evergreen Students for Sustainable
Animal Agriculture -Nov 17
TotalAwarded: $1,522.50 in goods and
services and stipend

Fund is $44,770.45.

The S&A Board meets Mondays and
Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. in tlle CAB
Solarium. Meetings are open to tlle public. If
you wanted to come to a meeting but weren't
able to, our meeting minutes are posted next
to tlle KAOS bulletin board on tlle 3rd floor of
ilie CAB. Registered Student Organizations
can sign up for budget hearings during our
meeting times.
Before you sign up, please complete your
budget proposal and have it signed by an
advisor. The S&A Office Manager, Board
Coordinator and board mem.bers are always
available to help you witli your group's
budget proposal; all you have to do is ask!
Budget hearing sign-up sheets as well as
office hours are posted outside tlle S&A
cubicle in Student Activities, CAB 320,
Workstation 6.
You can also call us at x6221, or e-mail to
saboard@evergreen.edu.

-RAINBOES~S~ONES

6 ~ FEATURES ........................................................................... ... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ~?C>P.~~ P.?.i~tJ.C>1lrr1a1
0 COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

Thanksgiving special
A few quick tips for cheap & spiffy food
by MAlA POWLOSKI

Dessert first!

Vegetables &fruit

• Microwave a few spoonfuls of honey
with a sprinkle of cinnamon till it becomes
a liquid-y sauce. Top vanilla ice cream
with thin apple slices, and drizzle with the
cinnamon-honey.
• The easiest from-scratch cake ever is the
recipe on the back of the box of unsweetened Hershey's cocoa. It's the first cake my
little brother baked by himself. If he could
make that cake at age ten, anyone can.
• You don't need a stove for hot chocolate so rich it's like melted chocolate bars.
Three tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
powder and one heaping tablespoon of
sugar go in a large mug. Add 14 teaspoon
vanilla (optional), then only a teaspoon of
milk. Stir. Keep adding milk by tiny spoonfuls, stirring after each addition, until the
mixture is the texture of toothpaste. Now
you can add larger spoonfuls, one at a
time, stirring after each one, until it's thin
enough to drink. Taste: if it's not sweet
enough, add more sugar and stir. Pour milk
straight from the container now until it fills
the mug the rest of the way. Stir one last
time, and heat in the microwave. (If you
don't patiently add liquid spoon-by-spoon,
you'll end up with gritty hot chocolate.)
Your patience pays off with super-concentrated chocolate-y goodness, not that thin,
watery Swiss Miss.

Starches and grains

• Sort-of-homemade salsa: mix 1 can com
(drained), 1 can black beans (drained), and
a container of cheap salsa. Add the juice
of one lime, some minced garlic, a pinch
each of sugar and salt, a splash ofhot sauce
(optional) and chopped fresh cilantro. Mix.
Serve with chips; or spoon on top of a tortilla, top with grated cheese, heat, and you
have a quesadilla.
• Take advantage of the farmers' market.
Saturday before last I bought ten apples for
$1 ! But it was hard to find that deal. wander
the stalls comparing prices; the smallest stalls
sometimes have the cheapest food.
• When sauteing veggies, add the salt
when they're halfway through cooking.
Cooks Illustrated magazine proved
scientifically what I'd always
suspected-salt draws moisture
t' l
from vegetables, concentrating
~
the flavors and making them
i
..
taste better-but it works
best if the salt is added
when the veggies are
halfways cooked-not before cooking, and not
after they're
done.

• When boiling pasta or rice, for maximum flavor add salt to the water before it
boils, and don't be shy about the amount.
• Boiling rice without a rice cooker: 1
cup rice, a pinch of salt, and 2 cups water
go in a covered pot, turned on high. Once
the water boils, immediately turn the
stove down to as low as it can go. Check
every five minutes or so, until your rice is
the consistency you want it. This makes
enough for two people.
• Barley is a ch~ap grain, and it cooks
quickly. Follow the directions on the
bag-it cooks a lot like rice.
• Cook lentils as directed on
the package, and for a quick
salad, drizzle with olive oil,
splash with vinegar, and add
minced raw
garlic,

fresh sage (optional), and sauteed chopped
onion, carrots, celery, cabbage, and any
other cheap veggies. Serve warm or lukewarm, accompanied with pita and hummus.
Or, for a more complete meal, add cooked
barley to this salad.

Proteins
• Tuna or chicken salad is way more interesting with the addition of a pinch of curry
powder or a spoonful of spicy East Indian
pickle or chutney.
• And speaking of tuna or chicken salad,
make it lower-fat by replacing half the
mayonnaise in it with nonfat yogurt.
Maia Powloski is a freshman enrolled in
Legacy of the American Dream.

"-..;:,~··

...4r,. ne,y:. ••

Help .

It

Gel:$ Spent: I

.l'f yo... u're a st:ud~-rat: and ha'Ye an ld~.a 'f'~r
red .l l.ic·l ng our aqhools ca~&on 'fodt:print
The· C~ean Energy Cornrnlttee has the
*unds to help rnake your Idea a reality.

You can download a grant applica:tion 'f'rotn our
website or pick one up 'from the Studen't
Activities O'f''f'ice.
The deadline 'f'or 'f'all quarter is Decett~ber 1•t
For additional in'forma.tion please enaail ..Jerenay at
cleanenergy@evergreen .. edu

~P.t~v~~~~~ll:~?~

FEATURES ~ 7

.

© COOPER POINfJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

BE A PART OF IT, EVERGREEN!
by HILARY HACKER

We are all responsible for
our community and the
roles that we each play
in our day-to-day lives.
I encourage you all to
think about how you can
be a part of the greater
Olympia community.
Every week we put
together this column
from the requests
and updates of our
community partners.
I hope that you consider
the needs throughout
the community while

Action Days
• Saturday, November 22"d we will
be cooking a pre-Thanksgiving community dinner that will be served at Camp
Quixote. Due to a successful point drive
on campus, where students were able
to donate a block meal to the cause,
Aramark will be providing food for this
community dinner. All are welcome to
the cooking party from 12-5 p.m. at the
Longhouse and the dinner from 6-8 p.m.
at Camp Quixote. The camp is currently
located at St. John's Episcopal Church,
114 20'h Ave, SE.

Community Events
• SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Left Foot Organics is a nonprofit
organization that promotes self-sufficiency for people with developmental
disabilities through growing organic
food. They will be having a volunteer
event from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Lunch will
be provided. Following the field work
will be a workshop on how to raise
chickens in your backyard. Email Kelly
at volunteer@leftfootorganics.org or call
(360)754-1849.
• SATURDAY/SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22- 23

The Thurston County Food Bank will
be preparing Thanksgiving baskets from
9 a.m.-12 p.m. Please pre-register with
Hilary at hackerh@evergreen.edu.
• FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5

thinking of internships
and volunteer work.
Come visit the CCBLA
SEM II E2125 and help
us build stronger
community partnerships

Gateways for Incarcerated Youth
will be putting on their annual "Gateways Prom."
Stay tuned for more
information!
• SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6

Hip Bop for the Homeless. A benefit
show and dance party for Bread &
Roses, Camp Quixote, and Thurston
County Food Bank at the China Clipper
downtown. There will be a raffle, silent
auction, open mic, five MCs, and aDJ.

Community Requests

• De Colores Books is a volunteer run
• New Organic Farm is searching for bookstore at 507 Washington St, downvolunteers to help prepare for the winter. town Olympia. They are always searchTwo Evergreen alumni have started their ing for interns and volunteers.
own organic farm close by. To get your
• Gateways for Incarcerated Youth
hands in on the action email Kenari at is seeking men to become Challenge
iranek@hotmail.com or call 943-6044. Partners to tutor youth at Green Hill and
She is flexible with days and times so Maple Lane Detention Centers in Lewis
contact her if you've got a few extra County.
hours to give.
• The Evergreen/Olympia Collab• Thurston County Food Bank Food orative Tutor Project is looking for
Drive: Bring non-perishable items to volunteers to tutor and mentor at-risk
one of four bins 6n campus:
elementary school students in three higho
At the Computer Center entrance. poverty Title I schools.
• YWCA's Girls Without Limits!
o
In the CAB right outside of the
Women Of Color office, by the bulletin Needs volunteers to assist in mentoring,
boards.
implementing curricula, and assist the
o
In the Public Service Center program director Monday, Tuesday and
Lobby, SEM II E2125.
Thursday.
o
At the Housing Office, 3'd floor
of the A building.
• Camp Quixote is an independent tent
While striving to better
city in Olympia. Make yourself a friend address these needs, we would
of the camp by stopping in and saying
also like input from you. If
hello. Bring a prepared meal by the
you have ideas about Action
camp. Help to brainstorm fundraising
Days or interests in particular
opportunities. Sign up for a three to four
organizations and would like
hour hosting shift at the camp once or
to see them represented here
twice a week. The camp is now located
in this column, contact Hilary
at St. John's Episcopal Church on 20'h
Hacker at hackerh@evergreen.
avenue and Capitol Way.
edu or call (360) 867- 6137.
• Parents Organizing for Welfare
and Economic Rights (POWER) This
grass-roots coalition monitors welfare
legislation and its implementation in the
Hilary Hacker is an AmeriCorps VISTA
Olympia area. POWER holds weekly and an Evergreen alumna.
volunteer meetings Wednesdays at 1 p.m.
at the First Christian Church, downtown
Olympia at Seventh and Franklin. All
are welcome!

while meeting the needs
of our community.

Be a part of it!
Our community
is asking for
your help!

Chapman University College, one of California's most respected universities for adult
learners, has classes starting every 10 weeks. You won't have to wait long to get started
on completing your degree and fulfilling your personal and professional goals.

Graduate and certificate programs in:
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Call toll-free 866-CHAPMAN
washington.chapman.edu

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Bangor Campus 360-779-2040 • Whidbey Island Campus 360-679-2515
McChord Campus 253-584-5448 • Fort Lewis Campus 253-964-2509
Lacey/Hawks Prairie 360-493-6392

•

8 P. ADVERTISEMENT
©COOPER POINT jOURNAL 2008

.... . ... (jooper ~?intJo\lr~al
November 20, 2008

A\s the week of no class drew closer and closer, the turkey became sad, for it was. time,
time for his week of no new CPJ to read and be had.
He waddled and waddled and waddled about, but nothing would stop it,
the week was about.
So he sat and he thought, with his pilgrim hat atop and then he realized it was only a
week, a week for time and thought.
He sat and he gobbled to all of his turkey friends, and this is what he said, ·
"My CPJ needs me to gobble aboot. They need some people to fill in their feathers. They
are missing some feathers, they are, they are." ·
His turkey friends listened and he continued to talk,
"They need a reporter to talk to some folks, and an Outdoor and Recreation coordinator
for all things outdoors and/or sports, and finally, they need an Arts and Entertainment
coordinator for anything with music, motion, and art."
His turkey friends nodded and agreed and they gobbled away with the idea of looking for
friends, friends to fill the spots, to fill the CPJ with journalism at heart.
Come to a_CPJ meeting for more information. Meetings are Mondays and Thursdays at 5 P.M.

LETTERS AND OPiNIONS~ 9

cpj.evergreen.edu

© COOPER POINT JOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

What if everyone voted?
by JEFFREY LUXMORE

Several media outlets
have reported that the
passing of Proposition 8 in California
can at least partially
be blamed on Barack
Obama's success in
increasing voter turnout among African-Americans. Some polls
showed blacks to be in support of Prop
8 by a margin of 70 to 30. So when they
turned up to vote for Obama, many simultaneously voted for Prop 8. Talk about
unintended consequences.
Speculating what would happen if every
person in the country voted is a fascinating
thought experiment. This year's election
turnout was somewhere around 60% of the
voting-age population. Before the election,
many analysts talked about the implications of voter turnout. "If McCain can
motivate the religious right, then he has a
chance; ifObama can get minoritles to tum
up at the polls, then he'll win." We saw the
Bush campagin motivate the religious right
to his benefit in past elections.
But what if everyone voted? Forget about
who will turn up at the polls and who won't.
Everyone casts a vote, we tally them up,
and that's it. That would be a step towards
participatory democracy. But do we even
want that to happen, especially given what
happened with Prop. 8 in California? Do
we want everyone to vote if it means that
gays would not be allowed to marry? Do
we want everyone to vote if that means
abortion would be outlawed?
Certainly both Republicans and Demo-

crats do not want full voter turnout. Republicans benefit if minority groups don't vote,
and Democrats benefit if rich people don't
vote. I'm generalizing, and these are just
small examples. The way elections work
now, strategically affecting voter turnout,
is part of the game. Call it whatever you
like, there is a complex question involved:
does ignoring the opinions of some, benefit
society as a whole? I suppose it depends on
one's beliefs and how the word "benefit"
is defined.
Do people who don't really care deserve
to vote? I've heard conflicting perspectives.
Of particular concern is the perspective
that people should care. I've heard people
say "I don't vote because I don't care." A
common reply to that is, "you should care
because ... " Clearly this type of response is
in favor of some candidate or measure. But
how often do you see homosexual individuals hanging out at a Mormon Church
just trying to encourage people to vote? Or
vice versa?
Here on campus, I've been casually
spending my spare time advocating my
perspective regarding specific groups and
their tactics. I firmly believe that if everyone on campus voiced his or her opinion,
Evergreen would have a fundamentally
different climate than it has now. No, I'm
not saying that we're all closet Republicans; I believe that we, as a whole, are not
. as radical as all the wall postings suggest
we are.
As I've been saying since last spring, it
really is only a small part of the campus
that dominates the campus discussion. Just
like the strategies of the Republican and
Democratic parties, the groups I criticize

also affect turnout. In this case, turnout is
not necessarily voting, but being part of
the campus discussion. These ultra-radical
groups benefit when more ultra-radical individuals advocate on campus. Conversely,
these groups face greater opposition when
individuals who don't agree with them
voice their opinion publicly.
I don't support these ultra-radical groups
and I'm turning out to vote as frequently as
possible. I've taken a good deal of berating since last spring, but never once has
someone from the groups I criticized came
up to me and said, "Thanks for practicing
participatory democracy! I don't agree
with you, but being engaged is important."
This is because they benefit ifl keep silent.
More importantly, I am subject to their
whims ifl do sit silently.
I would like to assure everyone that being
part of the conversation is not difficult,
and I will support you regardless of your
personal opinions of me or of any issue.
We all have obligations to our class-work,
employers, family, and friends. You don't
have to sacrifice those to be part of the
campus conversation. Despite what some
may say, you can have an opinion without
having to be "in the trenches."
There is the TESCtalk forum, and it's easy
to voice opinions there. You could write an
article and submit it to the CPJ. Create a
flier to post around campus. Talk with your
peers about what is happening.
What if all of us participated in this
campus conversation?
Jeffrey Luxmore is a senior enrolled in
evening and weekend classes.

Different rituals, different men
by GERALD BLANCHARD

A few weeks ago,
my friend and I were
discussing
different
kinds of relationships.
We talked about how
we formed different
bonds with different
men, and that each time
it's always a different situation. We both
discovered that we were truly never the
same person with one guy as we are with
another, meaning that our personalities
changed to suit the men we were trying
to court. Which got me to thinking: does
anyone ever really fall in love with the
real you?
With Mr. Bull, I'm this submissive,
naive, sympathetic, and caring person,
often almost playing a "stand by your
man" kind of role. The way Mr. Bull
and I interact is a total power situation
in which both of us are trying to take
control. It's not as if we're having a
Pokemon battle, but instead an ongoing
battle to see where each of us is in the
context of our relationship. I usually
concede and let him win, because I know
that is what he wants.
On the other hand, I was seeing a guy
toward the end of spring quarter, and I
felt everything was equal. The power
struggle with Mr. Bull was gone, and
instead it was as if things were entirely
peaceful. Partially, it was because Mr.
Bull was a relationship while my thing
with B (the guy I was seeing) was strictly
a friendship with a sort of romantic fling

sprinkled on top (it's never simple ... ).
I believe the reason we change our
personalities with different men is that
some tricks and surprises only work once.
Basically, you can't use the same lines
on one guy that you use with another. I
mean, some people do use the same lines
with everybody; trust me, some people
do. But it never works out for them. With
each new guy you are trying to get with,
you have to act differently. You have to

I BELIEVE THE REASON
WE CHANGE OUR
PERSONALITIES WITH
DIFFERENT MEN IS
THAT SOME TRICKS
AND SURPRISES
ONLY WORK ONCE
flirt differently. You can't say Mr. Bull's
name the same way as you say B's name
(well duh!) and you certainly cannot act
the same around one person as you do
with another.
Does that mean then that no one really
falls in love with who you really are? If
we are really just changing our personalities and attitudes to attend to a guy's
interest, are we really showing him
ourselves, or what we think we want
them to see? Perhaps I should look at

it in another way. Perhaps it's a basic
instinct (I know, crazy right?) to adapt to
someone else-to mold to them-that it
really is our true selves, but molded with
another person. I mean that friendships
are never the same from one to another,
so why should relationships be? It's just
that you would think you would act the
same; animals don't drastically change
their mating rituals, so why do we? Being
human is the easy answer, but like, who
wants to listen to that?
After a long night, my friend (the one I
was speaking to) and I eventually went
to bed. And while I was gazing up at the
stars painted on my ceiling, I thought
about all my relationships. In my head,
I didn't really look at the men I dated.
instead I looked at myself. I imagined
myself as different people, because that's
who I was: Soft-spoken Gerald, Innocent
Gerald, Not Afraid of Anything Gerald,
Friend Gerald, Lusty Gerald, Cute and
Sad Gerald, Angry Gerald, and several
others.
I suppose I shouldn't have been
surprised. Our personalities are strange
creatures. Maybe-and this is just a
quick last hope-maybe, when I meet
the man of my dreams one day all the
different parts of me-Gerald-will be
complete. Maybe that's what finding love
is all about.
Gerald Blanchard is a sophomore
enrolled in Acting and Directing: Queer
Theory.

The wheels on

the bus
by ERIN GRAY

On
rainy
days
the bus is always
crowded and I find
myself
squished
between two strangers while waiting for
my stop. No matter
how crowded the bus
is, it is inevitable that there will be someone talking so loudly that the entire bus
can hear all the details of their personal
life. I have no other option but to listen.
For some reason it feels that what I most
often hear about is infidelity: "he slept
with his best friend's wife," or "she
cheated and doesn't even care." Why
these topics seem of particular relevance
while riding the bus I am not sure.
The worst part about these stories is
that the story tellers always seem to be
sitting behind me, so I cannot even see
who is doing the talking. If I am forced
to hear gossip I might as well know who
my source is. Some of these very serious conversations about life, love, and
all things in-between seem comical to an
outside observer. It is hard not to laugh
when someone is saying something that,
in all seriousness, I heard last week on a
soap opera. I try not to laugh, but I always
seem to make eye contact with another
unwilling eavesdropper and cannot help
but crack a smile.
Some of the things I hear are so ridiculous that I feel sorry for the person sitting
next to me who has an iPod blasting and
is missing it all; yet I am envious of the
iPod listener when someone is screaming
into a cell phone; those conversations
always seem to be the most obscene.
In all my bus riding, I could not help
noticing the different demographics of
each bus route. The 41 is mostly Evergreen students, so I hear last weekend's
drinking stories, comments about class,
and general drama. The 48 is a mix of
Evergreen students, mall-goers, tweens,
moms with kids, and transfers. I cannot
even begin to explain the grab bag of
individuals who ride the 4 7. It is also
strange how the time of day affects the
route. After evening class, everyone is
subdued because there are more seats
available. It's a puzzle of how to sit as far
away from everyone as possible. I have a
friend who rides the 7 a.m. bus to work
and witnesses a fellow bus-rider's entire
morning routine: makeup, hair, and even
deodorant, every morning. I ride the bus
to school with people who are on their
way home from work.
Riding the bus is like an education in the
human psyche: watching people interact,
hearing their conversations. Who knew
all these things were happening in the
world? If you are one of those people
who have your iPod on the minute you
enter the bus, try turning it off one day;
you may learn something. And for all you
shouters, the person you are talking to is
no more than a foot away and everyone
can hear you.
I want to leave you with the best/worst
thing I have heard in all my bus-riding
experience. I was riding the 49 home
from work and this guy had been loudly
spewing ignorant garbage the whole ride
and as he got off the bus he said, "I'm off
like a prom dress." With that, I am off
like that man's sense of propriety.
Erin Gray is a senior enrolled in Work
and The Human Condition.

10 ~ LETTERS AND OPINIONS

.................. ............ . .................................. ......................................................................................................................................... 9.()()!?~~ ~<:>i?t)()~~~<ll

© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

W.HAT IT' NIEANS 1_,() 1\llE

November 20, 2008

Cooking is
political

If we actually knew how far away a cigaby MAlA POWLOSKI
rette could be smelled by a nonsmoker
(depending on the wind about 50 feet in
Journalists, adverWe've all seen it:
every direction), we might be lining up tisers,
politicians,
Rain falling, cold
to use the designated areas.
and scientists hurl
I hands jammed deep
Psychologically, projection seems to statistics at us until
in pockets, plumes
be one of the culprits. Projection is the numbers ooze out of
human tendency to assume that one's our ears. Learning
I of vapor exhaled by
those waiting in the
own experiences and feelings are experi- statistics, therefore, is
cold air-plumes of
enced by other people in a similar way.
a political act, as more
smoke exhaled by
Smokers assume they are as odorless than one professor has claimed. If people
those who are just waiting. Then, some as they find themselves to be, making can spot poorly-constructed studies, they
distant rumble and gasp and chatter sets nonsmokers look like unreasonable can then decide which numbers deserve
everyone shifting around on the wet pave- reactionaries. Likewise, nonsmokers public trust. But statistics is a field which
ment; expectation baits breath, smokers assume smokers know exactly how they the human species could somehow live
Ibreathe a few more hasty drags.
smell, and are incensed at their apparent without if we had to. Food, meanwhile,
I It's almost a ridiculous spectacle: as the rudeness. The product: many smokers is something without which no life could
bus lumbers inevitably toward the stop, have little respect for the whining of survive. If it's political to learn statistics,
I the smokers-whether out of frugal- nonsmokers, and many nonsmokers have it's infinitely more political to learn to
ity (not wanting to waste it) or some no respect for smokers.
cook.
instinctual desperation-keep that cigaI'm not about to propose a revolution
Choices in food make political as well
rette blazing and dragging, until the last or anything. The solution is simpler yet as moral statements-ask vegetarians,
possible second. Finally, when everyone more difficult than that. All we have to do vegans, or those who buy locally and
bundles on board, Clyde, Betsy, Dale, or is start respecting each other. That's all it organically. But politics in food go beyond
whoever ascends the steps as gracefully takes. It may be cliche and all that, but what we buy and put in our mouths.
and innocently as the plumes of smoke seriously, ifnonsmokers approach smok- There's also the act of cooking.
ers in a respectful way and tell about how
I had to learn to prepare complete meals
that follow them.
they feel like for my family of four beginning in the
Everyone
1s
desperI'M NOT ABOUT TO PROPOSE their rights middle of my junior year in high school,
ately polite,
are
being and lasting until late this September when
of
course. A REVOLUTION OR ANYTHING. taken away I came to Evergreen. About a year and a
The
invisby
smok- half ago, my mom got a new job which
ers making involved working until nine at night or
THE SOLUTION IS SIMPLER
ible pungent
them breathe later two or three days a week. Since my
tendrils
m
smoke, dad didn't get home until five or six p.m.,
YET MORE DIFFICULT THAN
uncoil
like
it
might making dinner suddenly fell to me ... at the
Medusa's
a c t u a l 1 y same time as I was applying for colleges,
THAT. ALL WE HAVE TO DO
I hair, insidiously permeget people I working on Advanced Placement art and
thinking.
English, playing in the orchestra, copy
ating the bus,
IS START RESPECTING EACH
On
the editing and illustrating my high school
1 petrifying
OTHER. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES flipside, if paper, becoming ever-more involved in
passengers
smokers use ' Portland's NW Children's Theater ... and
I not into stone
the
desig- my list could go on. Adding an hour and
but into fixed
Ismiles, and urgently engrossed conver- nated areas every time, even when it is / a half or more of cooking to this alreadyinconvenient, then maybe we can all just busy schedule could have pushed me
satio~-any trick to maintain austere
get along.
I closer to the exhaustion, physical illness,
propnety.
Sometimes
respect
means
looking
and nervous breakdowns to which overlyThere
are,
I
am
sad
to
add,
those
bus1
riders who really feel the need to take beyond oneself. It means seeing things stressed people are prone.
At first, this is exactly what happened.
personal affront at these liberally omni- from someone else's eyes, lungs, or
Cooking at least three dinners a week for
present scents. These same bus-riders, nose.
Evergreen is all about thinking outside my family got in the way of schoolwork
under the weight of their indignation,
collapse their shells of manners and spill the box, challenging ideas and beliefs, and was my excuse for a missing an essay
out in an often-vicious tirade of which and moving toward peace and open or two. And I certainly had my share of
communication.
food failures: fried rice that tasted only
every smoker has had an earful.
I don't think it is too idealistic to hope of lime juice, overcooked shrimp (many
We are not usually aware of our own
smells (our brains have literally shut off that one day (tomorrow?) we can under- times), and loads of timing issues-callour own smells so that we can better smell stand each others' needs enough to offer ing the family to dinner only to realize
that I'd made everything except rice or
the things around us), but everyone else just this simple token of respect.
some other crucial dish.
certainly is aware of our odors. This is
Gradually, though, my skills improved. It
Nathan Brockett is a peer educator on
a phenomenon most Evergreen students
should be very aware of (regular showers smoking employed by the Office of the Vice wasn't just that my cooking tasted better
or that I timed all the courses to be done at
being only a little more common than, President of Student Affairs.
once; I also was able to prepare the meals
say, steak dinners).
faster, make less of a mess, and use up
It is this same biological mechanism
more leftovers on the way.
that causes so much trouble for smokers.
By halfway through my senior year in
high school, cooking had become a game
by NATHAN BROCKETT

for me, a challenge. How could I take
what was already there (without buying
anything else) and combine it into something new in a minimal amount of time?
Not only that, but this new creation would
have to please everyone and feed not four,
but six people, because my then-fourteenyear-old brother ate as much as three
people. How fast could I accomplish it?
How many leftovers could I use up? Could
I receive compliments not just from my
mom (who's easily pleased by food), but
also my dad (who takes food for granted
sometimes), and my brother (one of the
world's pickiest eaters)?
That year-and-a-half of intensive cooking taught me skills that most people
wouldn:t associate with food. It taught me
time management in two ways: balancing cooking with schoolwork, theatre,
and other activities; and getting multiple
elements to be ready at once. Vegetables,
protein, starch, all done at the same time
and all seasoned to compliment each
other-it's much more difficult than some
might think. The cook is almost like a
director getting actors, backstage crew,
musicians, and sound and light guys all
to perform in sync with each other and
to perform in stylistically-similar ways
that unite the production as a whole. Like
any performing art, this timing and unity
takes many rehearsals, and a discouraging
number of failures.
Perhaps cooking could be considered a
performing art, if in metaphor only. But
cooking as a political act?
Well, the better and more comfortable
you are in the kitchen, the more choices
you will have at the grocery store or
farmers' market. You won't be isolated
to packaged pad Thai, frozen yakisoba,
preservative-laced snack cakes, and justadd-boiling-water soup. You'll be able to
stir-fry your own noodles, bake your own
cupcakes, and boil some homemade stock
as a base for your from-scratch soup. That
means you're choosing what goes in the
food you eat.
If you're making your own whole wheat
apple cake, you don't have to read the
ingredients on a packaged cake to see
whether it has weird chemicals you can't
pronounce, nuts ifyou're allergic, animal
products if you're vegan, raisins if you
hate dried fruit, or anything else you want
to avoid. You know what's in the cake if
you bake it yourself. You read the recipe,
you bought the ingredients, and you're
mixing those ingredients using your own
equipment.
Like democracy, cooking from scratch is
all about choice.

Maia Pawloski is a freshman enrolled in
Legacy of the American Dream.

LETTERS AND OPINIONS ~ 11

cpj.evergreen.edu

..............................................

© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

Qualia How I srspent my Saturday
of life
THF~~
. .

.

.....

ATTI f~.J

--~'

by LOGAN WUNDERLICH

•

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1
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--~ ··"'-' JJ.AI.

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RJCHTS
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.

.

was. Nobody paid much attention to him
and his voice was drowned out by the
It was sometime
thousands of people around him.
around 11 :00 am and
At the end there were some more
TI-IE PERSPECTI\lE
speakers to remind us that this fight is
my feet were numb.
()F INDI\1DUA.L c;SlJ We had been standnot over. There were three hundred antiing
around
in
Volunprop
8 rallies in cities across America on
"!\ ,1.F
"'"I\1"BF"'...tI">S
NT(),..l.,
'"I"'H"
. F.,
l\ ...~lV .
"-"- , .
_ .
. . . . . .-A
teer Park in Seattle
Saturday, which has given the issue an
".I.iN·. TJ"
,\1"··' (-~_T ._S'"l_)T
for about a half hour
ass-load of attention, but just bringing
. .) I"
.'VTJ I"
.) UTl"\.
and I was ready to
attention to an issue does not ensure that
do something. They were playing dance
it will be resolved. You have to follow up
by PATRICK WALSH
on it with legislation for tangible change.
music and the lyrics, "just a little bossy"
were, and still are, stuck in my head. I
And the only way legislation will pass is
looked around and the crowd seemed to
Above All Else
if you convince the people who disagree
We intend to recogget bigger and bigger. Over five thousand
with you that it isn't right for them to
people had joined the march. Never had I
nize that we are all
impose their values on everyone else.
beings.
Equality for the gay commuseen so many dogs in sweaters in
one place. I joked with the other THIS PROTEST, HOWEVER, WAS nity will take a lot of time,
Consent is circular
Greeners who had come up with
effort, (and most importantly)
inter-subjectivity. It
A PEACEFUL AFFAIR AND HAD
me while we waited for the thing
money to make it a reality. We
takes a broad overview
have a long fight ahead of us,
to start.
of issues instead of arguing semantics.
I felt like an ass. At any sort of
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, WHICH and it is not always going to be
social gathering, I'm that guy who
easy. It would do us well to be
Unity creates consent.
doesn't do anything. I'm the guy LEFT ME SURPRISED AND HAPPY patient and temperate. Before 1
Dissent assumes respect. It has balance who doesn't dance at concerts
run out of word space I want to
because I don't know any dance moves. a war movie with those scenes when the say one thing to those who have qualms
between justice and adequacy.
It will climb the chain of severity until That's me, and I felt really, really out of good guys liberate an occupied village. with gay marriage: Even if your god or
place. Here were thousands of people We marched into the village heroically, moral code does not condone the union
satisfied.
committed to the cause, yelling and chanting and waving our signs passion- of two people of the same sex, you have
waving their signs and me, who didn't ately. We hit the shopping district and our no right to make it impossible for them to
We share the right to
Compromise & Acknowledgement
understand half the acronyms coming out enthusiasm hit its peak. It was perfect. do so. Some say that queers will burn in
of others' existence
of the speaker's mouths, just standing This was the place where we could do hell, and that may be the case, but it's not
the most good. We had been marching your place to prevent them from being
still with my sign at my feet.
A certain perspective leads a certain path.
I had my reservations about going to through Capitol Hill, where we were who they are.
Direct action certainly directs.
this thing. As a twelve-year resident of preaching to the choir, but this was the
Also, if you want to donate to the
Olympia, I have been hearing about place we needed to be. People out on equal rights cause in Washington,
·· We are •fortunate to find those that are protests getting out of control for a while, their shopping trips were presented with here is a website: https://secure.ga4.
on parallel paths, which are worthy of and I felt like all protests would end the thousands of angry people, all calling for org/0 1/not_in_my_ state_rally.
same way. I remember the W. T. 0. riots of equality. We had found our audience.
celebration.
Sometimes your brain can sommersault
1999 and more recently the port protests
When we reached Westlake Center, we
Logan Wunderlich is a freshman enrolled
last year, which left police officers and found Bible Jim and his friends waiting in Character Studies.
The challenge lies in the celebration of protesters alike injured and angry. This for us with a few choice signs. It was
paths that cross, for as easy as others come protest, however, was a peaceful affair kind of funny to see how irrelevant he
into our world, they may leave it as well.
Even when fed up, let's leave the doors
•
• • •
• • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • •
•
• •
open behind us.

•••

We are heading somewhere across significant differences.
We are guided to solve not symptoms, but
dis-ease.
When boxed in by
information
We continue sharing ideas

••••

and had a positive attitude, which left me
surprised and happy.
After drifting in and out of the speeches
for about an hour, we made our way to
the street to begin the march to Westlake.
When we got to the street, there were
about twenty or so cops waiting to escort
us. Their guns made me kind of nervous,
but I got over that when I saw their
ridiculous bike shorts. I think we all felt
a little self-conscious at first, but as we
went along and saw more people lining
the streets, the volume and consistency
of the chanting grew.
I was no longer worried about looking
like an ass. Instead, I felt like I was in

•

••••

•

••••••

••

•

•

1915... and the world spins 'round
THE FC)ILY OF Nli\N & \ 1V1\R

incomplete

If one becomes part of a greater whole,
parts of identity may be lost.
Thus, we must create safety; we must
stow comfort.
I We can love despite hate.
We are beings,

us
G

Patrick Walsh is a student enrolled in
The Evergr~en State College and a GSU
1
Irepresentatzve.

by PETER ROBINSON

One winter morning in 1915, a plank
appeared
above
a
war-barraged
German trench in
Flanders. On it, in
big letters, were
scrawled the words,
"The English are fools." Within minutes
the plank was shot to pieces by English
rifle-fire. Another plank appeared: "The
French are fools." That too was soon
smashed by English fire.
Then a third plank rose over the German
trench: "We are all fools. Let's all go
home." Though quickly reduced to splinters, there was laughter on both sides,
and miserable soldiers of all uniforms
felt the tug of truth in the words. Many

voiced the desire to have the old men
who made the war come and fight it out
among themselves.
Here we are almost a hundred years
later, mired again in a proud and patri-

WE KILL THEIR
CHILDREN, THEIR
MEN AND WOMEN,
AND OCCASIONALLY SOMEONE
WHO HATES US
otic war. We kill their children, their men
and women, and occasionally someone
who hates us. They kill our noble and

irreplaceable youth. Our leaders do not
fight. They get their hair done, have two
drinks before dinner, sleep with the heat
on, stick a plastic yellow ribbon to the
bumper of their car, and occasionally
vote.
War does not make heroes. It makes
broken bodies, broken souls, broken
dreams, and a broken and bankrupt
future. It makes us squander the valor of
our youth. And at the end of it all, we are
neither winners nor losers. We are simply
all fools.
Peter Robinson is an alumnus of The
Evergreen State College, class of 1990,
and a scientific instructional technician
supervisor.

Cooper Pointjournal

..................................................... .........
..
November 20, 2008

© C OOJ' ER POINTJOURNAL 2008

OFF THE RAILS

Top 30
for the week
of 11/18/08

With the rain letting up, this past weekend
I
seemed like a great one to come out
1. Eleanor Murray - For Cedar
2.
lsobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt
of the woodwork for a good time. A
3. Southern Skies - Broken Down
cacophonous last-minute Eastside house I 4. Mavis Staples ~ Hope at the Hideout
5. LAKE - Oh, the Places We'll Go
show featuring three bands-one traveling, 16. Chiwoniso- Rebel Woman
·
0I
·
·d d .
h
7. Her Space Holiday XOXO Panda and the New Kid Revival
two natiVe to ympla-prOVI e JUSt t at. 1I 8. lila J - Yancy Boys
1

9. Susan Tedeschi -Back to the River
10. Various Artists - Rich Man's War
11. Bob Dylan - Tell Tale Signs
I 12. Greyboy - 15 Years of West Coast Cool
13. Jolie Holland - The Living and the Dead
114. Mavis Staples - Live: Hope and the Hideout
15. Sea and Cake - Car Alarm
16. Taj Mahal - Maestro
17 · lucky Dube - Retrospective
18. Megapuss - Surfng .
I 19. Gaye Adegbalola - Gaye Without Shame
20. Deerhoof - We Are All One
21. Kite - Story My
22. Lou Reed - Berlin - Live at St. Ann's Warehouse
I 23. Senor Coconut -Around the World
I 24. Truckstop Honeymoon - Great Big Family
25. Elizabeth Willis - Little Blackbird
I 26. David Byrne
and Brian Eno - Everything
.
I That Happens Will Happen Today
27. Medeski, Martin and Wood - Radiolarians 1
28. Rathbone - A Life Transparent
29. Kupaoa - Pil i 0 Ke Ao
I 30. Barcelona Absolutes

by CHARLES A. ZAILLIAN

Chin Up, Meriwether!
Chin Up, Meriwether! opened with a set
of caffeinated pop-punk with occasional
ventures into '90s emo territory (think
Braid, Cap'n Jazz, Mock Orange). I think
I've seen this band once before, but I guess
that's neither here nor there. The vocals
didn't thrill me, but I liked the energy of it
all. CUM! (nice acronym, dudes) describes
itself on its site as "gay as gay can be" and
although I made out nothing amidst the
loud guitars, a little more research suggests
that's their lyrical angle. The local trio
can be found on the WWW at http://www.
myspace.corn/chinuppeter.

HPP
HPP (or HxPxPx) is a recently-formed
punk foursome from right here in town.
The band consists of vocalist Dillan (also
known as Sisters' bass player), along
with partners-in-crime Michael (guitar),
Aaron (bass), and Will (drums). Dillan's
unpredictability as a frontman merits full
attention, which is hardly difficult in the
first place given the band's aggressive,
appropriately uncomplicated sound and
set's short length. This is the second time
I've managed to catch HPP in the past
week, the other being Sex Vid's Communal
Living 12" release at Old School Pizza a
Saturday prior. That show was positively
slammed with people, while clientele at
this affair seemed to consist primarily of
friends, or at least acquaintances. This
change in atmosphere forced Dillan to
be a little more subdued than usual in the
absence of the strangers who he normally
likes to make uncomfortable and on whose
dissent he thrives. Most unfortunate, but the
set-which included two new songs- still
pretty much killed it. The band has thus
far rejected the Internet beyond "OMG
HPP!"-a six-part YouTube saga chronicling its first show, which took place at
the Voyeur in early October. That initial
installment can be found at http://www.
youtube.corn/watch?y=yyybekso5ID and
better explains much of what I've written
up to this point. Keep an ear to the ground
for HPP's next show.

1

Trainwreck Riders

Last but certainly not least was Trainwreck Riders a San Francisco-based rock
'n' roll outfit ~rriving in Oly armed with a
fast, tight, and diverse repertoire of songs
difficult to pigeonhole. These four gents
are deeply in touch with their musical
forefathers: I know they adore the Meat
Puppets, heard J. Mascis~like ~itar leads,
Is~ac Brock-style vocal 1~ectrons, and a
pmr ~~ Cre:,denc_:, covers ( Up Around the
Bhend alndft l~oldi ) tahck~d on_ to ~he endc:of
t e set e Itt e to t e ImagmatiOn as 1ar
as who their heroes are Trainwreck Riders'
sound strikes a difficul~-to-achieve balance
by simultaneously sounding traditional and
punk as fuck. I'd never heard most of these
songs before this night, yet they invoked
a sense of instant nostalgia that made me
feel right at home. Kings of false endings, 1
the band's name- which may or may not
also reference a particularly potent strain
of NorCal's finest- is appropriate. These
songs seem constantly on the verge of
derailment but are always ridden to their
triumphant, happily inebriated completion
on the strength of the musicianship. And I
on this night, Trainwreck Riders was alto- I
gether above and beyond what one would
generally expect from an obscure touring
band playing to a dozen people in a garage. I
The most recent LP is titled Lonely Road
Revival and is available for sale at http://
www.alivenergy.com/Trainwreck.htrnl. Its
follo_w-up, _The Perch, will be issued this
commg spnng.

1

1

- NICKI SABALU

1

I
Many thanks to the folks who opened I
their house up to the public for what was,
all in all, a really fun Saturday night. Earlier in
the evening I'd collapsed in a heap running
down a hill en route from the side yard to
watch the band. (I'd been wondering for
awhile when exactly I'd finally eat shit on a
rain -slicked patch of grass or sidewalk here
in Olympia ... a rite of passage, perhaps).
But that was long forgotten by the time
my friends and I ambled back towards the
transit center feeling collectively psyched
on life.
II

1

Charles A. Zaillian is a junior enrolled in
American Places.

One of the leading dancecompanies in the world, The
Mark Morris Dance Group was formed in 1980 and gave
its first concert that year in New York City. A Seattle Native,
Mr. Morris continues to lead dance in new directions.

Sponsored by:

CD.
C<>ff~• ll r»tlfiUf

CIU.ENDAR 4 13

cpj .cvcrgreen.edu
..
. ......... ..

.....

November 20, 2008

©COOPER POINT jOURNAL 2008

Cafendarl
Thursday. November 20

Cont'd. from Saturday. November 22

Cont'd. from Monday. November 24

Vagina (Monologue) meetings
You know you want to. Every Thursday,
Sem I, Annex F (Rainbow Lounge) noon-1
p.m.

evergreen.edu. Cooking: Longhouse, 12-5
p.m. Dinner:@ Camp Quixote (St. John's
Episcopal Church, 114 20th Ave SE, 6-8
p.m.

South Sound Clean Clothes Campaign.
Traditions Cafe (300 5th Ave SW) 7 p.m.

Wymon 's writing circle
Everyone is welcomed to "Use free-writes
& writing prompts to unlock creativity
that many leave buried deep." Get ready
for muses, creativity, and tea! Thursdays,
CAB solarium 3rd floor, 4:30p.m.

Sour Owl w/ Square & the Jims
Part of this show's proceeds will go to
Fred C. Hutchinson's "Hutch Kids Child
Care Center." Suggested admission of $3
(Eagles member) & $6 (non-member).
The Olympia Eagle's Hall, 4th and Plum
(downstairs) 9 p.m.

"Tuesday is Blues Day"
Music of love and melancholy. KAOS
Radio 89.3 FM, 3-5 p.m.

Cont'd. from Tuesday. December 2
tions all answered! Come to focus and
flex those evaluation-writing muscles.
A dorms, Primetime, 6:30p.m.

Tuesday. November 25
Wednesday. December 3

Open mic night
Sign-up starts at 6 p.m. HCC 7 p.m.
Free naturescaping for water &
wildlife
To register: (360) 754-3588 ext. 109
nativeplantsalvage@gmail.com. Thurston
County Court House, building I, room 152,
6:30 - 9:30p.m.
"The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of
the Desert"
"It's friggin' fantastic!" says Brian Fullerton. Bring two non-perishable food items
for admission. Lecture hall 1, 7 p.m.
Free West African Kora Music - Sean
Gaskill
COM Recital Hall, 7:30p.m.
Friday. November 21
Campus Waste-Diversion Day!

Ephryme - The Erev Ravs DJ Sweet
Elite solo debut release party
"Hip-hop meets Klezmer meets Olympia." 21+, $5/$10 with CD, Red Room@
The Mark (407 Columbia St.) 9 p.m.l a.m.
Sunday, November 23
Help Prepare Thanksgiving Food
Baskets!
-This weekend at the Thurston County
Food Bank (220 Thurston St. NE). Preregister w/ Hilary at hackerh@evergreen.
edu. 9 a.m.-noon
Moonpad making workshop - DIY
menstrual pads
Reusable, sustainable, toxin-free, soft,
& comfy. Bring extra fabric, treats, and
friends! Hosted by the WRC. CAB 320
(Student Activities Office) 3 p.m.

Finding Your Wings - a workbook for
beginning bird watchers
Bort Guttman will read from his book,
have lunch (there'll be snacks) and talk
about bird watching! LIB underground,
noon-2 p.m.

Olympia Sacred Harp & a capella
participation!
Group, irreligious hymns, and sweet harp
-like music. Every 2nd & 4th Sunday.
Traditions Cafe (300 5th Ave SW) 4-6
p.m.

Hatha yoga practice
Free community yoga! Contact Shon
Murphy for more info: mursho29@evergreen.edu CRC 314, 3 p.m.

[Beginning of Thanksgiving break,
some weekly meetings may not happen]

Free Contra Dance!
Bagpipes edition (Round the Bend, Warren
Argo Calling). Hosted by Evergreen Contra
Dance. Gymnasium, 7:30p.m.

FREE 2nd Annual Anti-Sweatshop
Film Festival
Every Monday this November-this
week: "Made in China". Sponsored by

Free bike class: bottom brackets!
Free weekly bike maintenance classes
and workshops. Evergreen Bike Shop, the
basement of the CAB, 5-7 p.m.
Wednesday. November 26
Evergreen Anime Club meeting
Come watch Japanese animation! Every
Wednesday, CAB 3rd floor, 6-9 p.m.
Thursday. November 27
Open mic night
Sign-up starts at 6 p.m. HCC 7 p.m.
Saturday. November 29
21+ free show
Emily Lays, Bumtech, Blanket, &
Sundance Kids. Le Voyeur (404 E 4th
Ave), 10 p.m.
Sunday. November 30
Substance-free Sunday movie
Hosted by I&J housing, open to all residents. HCC, 8-10 p.m.

Help Prepare Thanksgiving Food
Baskets
-This weekend at the Thurston County
Food Bank. Pre-register w/ Hilary at hackerh@evergreen.edu. 220 Thurston St. NE
9 a.m.-noon
Camp Quixote Action Day & cooking
party!
Pre-Thanksgiving community preparation
and dinner. Sponsored by CCBLA, SOS
programs, Aramark, Camp Quixote, RAD
and Sustainable Housing Services. For preregistration: CCBLA 867-6137/ hackerh@

Northwest Network Workshops:
Anti-Oppression Workshop
Sem II C1107, 2 p.m.
Winter Quarter Academic Fair!
What will you be doing with your life this
winter? Talk to some friendly professors
and see. CRC Gym, 4-6 p.m.
Basic Queer Domestic Violence
Training
For LGBTQs and allies! Sem II Cll07,
6p.m.
Evergreen Anime Club meeting
Come watch Japanese animation! Every
Wednesday, CAB 3rd floor, 6-9 p.m.
Student band
Rock with the student band! HCC, 7-10
p.m.
"Femme Fatale"
Film screening brought to you by Mindscreen. Lecture hall1, 7-10:30 p.m.

Monday. December 1
Thursday. December 4
World AIDS Day- benefit concert
Featuring various local, Jewish talents.
$ donations encouraged, proceeds will
benefit (UCAN) United Community AIDS
Network. Temple Beth Hatfiloh (20 l 8th
Ave SE) 7:30p.m.

Weird Sh!t Cabaret
SOS Performing Arts. It's strange, it's
beautiful, it's amazing. (Through the weekend) Go! COM Experimental Theatre, 7
p.m.

Monday. November 24
Tuesday. December 2

Saturday. November 22

Inkwell Carnival '08
FREE. A plethora of death-defying
stutnts, slightly unnerving occurrences,
sharing of precious Inkwell creations, and
good-times! CAB in the back of the 2nd
floor, lunchtime and beyond

Center
Self-Evaluation
Writing
Workshop
Writing prompts, discussion, and ques-

A Conversation with NY Times best
selling author: Augusten Burroughs
$8 general admission. Tickets: Room
c210 @ Pierce College Puyallup, (253)
840-8416 or ticketrnaster.com. Pierce
College Puyallup L244 (1601 39th Ave. SE
Puyallup) 7 p.m.
Open mic night
Sign-up starts at 6 p.m. HCC 7 p.m.

14 ~COMICS

Cooper Point Journal

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

© COOPER POINT JOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

COMICS!

BRIAN AND JULIE ••• BEST FRIENDSIII!!!
Hey Julie! What's up? My dental appointment was cancelled, on account that my dentist was arrested. So I
thought

I'm not a hundred percent sure.

I get something to eat
Nothing would make me happier,
Brian. Out of curiosity, what on Earth

Maybe he was arrestd for INCISOR
TRADING . You know? Because

!!!

COMICS~

~pj~e.ve.r'P:~~Il:~~?.~ ...

15

© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2008

November 20, 2008

MORE COMICS!

By Andy Isbell

Carl, Peter, and Jane 6: Intermission
Due to his current workload,
The crea.tor of this comic is
taking a one-week hiatus from
this comic. In order to appease
those who would hunt him down
it, he presents this dcmcing

.

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As I watched Chul wander amongst the rows and rows of
headstones, I tried to
ignore the intense sense of trespassing.
Carrie had told
me as we trudged up the steep hill to the
that in winter, Mongolians often
leave their dead above ground, as it
is too frozen to try to dig a grave.
I wondered what it would be like
to see a dead body and then
felt loathing at my eagerness.
I had wanted to go because
a part of me wanted to see
how different Mongolia's
burial methods and rites
were. As different as
we are in life, how
different we must be
in death. The reality
was not as certain.
The wind
was whistling up
the curve of the
hill, barreling
over the acres
and
acres
of tombstones.
T h e
headstones
were

~
t!j

~

much
like
ours,
with a name and
the dates of birth until
death. From atop the hill I could
see miles in every direction and in the
distant land there were specks of white: ger
camps. It was a beautiful location to find eternal
peace. It was also a popular place for tourists to come and
ride horses. But I wondered how many tourists came up the hill
to spend time with Mongolia's dead. Directly at the bottom of the
slope I could see the greenhouse, where the rest of Carrie's students
waited for our return. Life and death found symmetry atop this hill,

a calm communion of realms beyond our knowledge. My camera
was suddenly agile and I felt desperation, a longing, to preserve the
moment. Though the landscape around us howled with whispers of
the long gone, there were still ruffles of life here.
The headstone read 2002-2004. Just a baby. I found
myself wondering how and why and who. I had never really
thought of these things before but I had never spent much time in
cemeteries, even at home. It was strange to realize how disconnected we sometimes are from the fundamental realities oflife and
death. Crouched there, smoothing my fingers over a white stone,
I wondered whether the baby was born squalling on the floor of a
ger, or whether it had also been removed from its ancestral homelands, born in an Ulaanbaatar hospital. As I thought of the baby,
I thought about my own birth. Suddenly I had many questions
and for a moment, wished my mother was close by. I had been
born at home, but was I just as far removed from the homelands
of my heritage? Carrie offered to take a picture of me and I
posed awkwardly, the grinning tombstones watching me. But
Chul wandered freely and as my eyes followed him, I felt
a swell of comfort in my heart. Chul was oblivious to the
implications of his new wonderland and his fingers lightly
grazed the tombstones, pausing to pick at unknown snags
and scooping up interesting rocks from the ground. Even
the presence of birds, pecking at the stones covering the
graves did not bother him. This country was his home and
I was a guest within it.
I turned toward the small building that housed
the gatekeeper of the cemetery. He watched me, wisps
of smoke rising from his pipe. Far atop a neighboring
hill was a crematorium where bodies met with fire
rather than cold earth. Standing in the cold buffeting
wind, I felt intensely connected with my own mortality. Strange how we must sometimes journey to the
other side of the world in order to know ourselves.
How stepping outside of our own backyards is often
the next step in our own spiritual and emotional
evolution.
We moved together down the steep hill
and I cast lingering glances behind me. They lay
there, quiet and whispering in the ground, but at
home in their new land of wind and spirit. Chul
raced out ahead of us, stretching his arms wide as he
caught the wind in his jacket, puffing him out like a gull sailing
upon a warm swell of air. I imagined him catapulting down the
mountainside but innocence gave him wings and he sailed to the
bottom unharmed. We followed behind him and my thoughts were
stormy and silent.
As I later perused the photographs I had taken, I noticed
details that had slipped by me even as I stood among them. Some

graves were covered with bright white stones, while others were
covered with dark gray shale rock. To my uncultured eye it looked
like they were being protected from the elements, protected from
scavengers, and protected them from the unsympathetic eye of
mortality. It's a sign that they once lived, a sign that they were
once among us. I took a part of their loneliness home with me.

Lindsay Dubler is a student at The Evergreen State College and
spent two months in Mongolia volunteering with the Centre for
Human Rights and Development. She enjoys reading, writing, and
traveling beyond her own comfort zone. She was a recipient of the
Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship in 2006.

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The Evergreen State College Student Newspapers

Media

cpj1027.pdf