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cpj1035
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The Cooper Point Journal Volume 37, Issue 17 (February 19, 2009)
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Date
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19 February 2009
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extracted text
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...
The EV'8f'91"88n State Colf9Qt';
Ofympia, WiW•inetoo ~
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THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE olympia, washington
~~) COOPER
ISSUE 1 , VOLUME 38, FEBRUARY "19, 2009
POINT JOURNAL
A PDF copy is available online at http://cooperpointjournal.com
11
Day of Presence
Faculty member
retained student
money
Auditor's findings
substantiate ·students'
accusations
for 2008-09 was cancelled. This
quarter he works with students on
contract.
Evergreen vice president for
Over the past four years, faculty academics, also known as the
member Jorge Gilbert has provost, cancelled Gilbert's fall
saved in his own bank accounts· 2009 program and says Gilbert is
$54,000-plus of student and under disciplinary investigation.
college money meant solely to
Gilbert will meet with provost
pay for study-abroad trips.
Don Bantz in a pre-disciplinThat's one of Evergreen's audi- ary hearing the first week of
tor's findings from investigating March as part of the disciplinary
the last four years of Gilbert's investigation.
study abroad trips, substantiating
Internal auditor Maryam Jacobs,
students' accusations that Gilbert who conducted the investigation
misused their money.
and compiled the audit of Gilbert's
The auditor's report also says activities, has filed a report with
that Gilbert " a have ille ally the Ever r en Police Department.
entered into contracts on behalf The police report also has been
of the College with a Chilean filed with the Thurston County
company owned by his family."
Prosecutor, who, according to
Disal, the company Gilbert Jacobs, has not made a commitcontracted to provide learning ment to -pursuing the case.
opportunities in Chile for at least
Costs of trip undocumented
the four years under investigaGilbert, the report says, did not
tion, is a porta-potty and waste provide students or the college
management company owned by any detailed documentation to
his family in Chile.
explain what the students came
La Contraloria, a government- to believe were overly expensive
operated resort where students fees charged them by Gilbert for
stayed during the majority of study abroad.
"Despite repeated requests from
the Chile study-abroad trip last
spring, was managed by Gilbert's both students and College employees, Mr. Gilbert only produced a
brother-in-law, the report says.
"Mr. Gilbert was not authorized one page invoice from Disal that
to sign any contracts for the listed all trip costs without any
institution and the contracts he supporting evidence," the report
did sign had not been reviewed says.
Last year's students in Internaby any authorized individuals nor
met criteria for a State Contract," tional Policy and Business: Latin
the report says. .
American Reality were told to pay
The investigation got underway $2,150 for "room & board, [inafter last year's study-abroad country] transportation" for the
students complained to the trip, according to a receipt that
college, first, that the airline Gilbert gave to students.
tickets they paid Gilbert for were
Without success the auditor tried,
invalid and, then, because, once even through an interpreter, to get
in Chile, they began to seriously from the La Contraloria resort
question what the $2,100 for in- the price charged per bed. Gilbert
county living went toward (see told students the cost would be
CPJ Jan. 29 at www.cooperpoint- $70 per day. The auditor found
journal.com. The students even at comparable hostels, beds go
asked Gilbert for an accounting for $7 to $20 a day. Students who
checked on prices in Chile after
of their money.
Because of the investigation, the trip discovered similar prices
Gilbert's study-abroad program
see AUDIT, page 4
by SETH VINCENT
BRIAN FULLERTON
MEMBERS OF FIRST PEOPLES' AND THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM
LIVING IN THE SACRED GARDEN CONSTRUCTED A LABYRINTH IN
THE LIBRARY AS PART OF DAY OF PRESENCE FEBRUARY 18.
I
One year later
More risk assessment required for
stu ent group events
by MADELINE BERMAN
Before last year, Student Activities did not assess risk while
planning a student group event
on campus. However, after the
Dead Prez concert last February,
risk assessment is now part of the
planning process.
For a student group to gain
approval to host a production prior
to last year's incident, student
group coordinators had to only fill
out a Tentative Production work-
GSUupdate
j
This week's student voices
portion of the GSU meeting was a
counter to last week, when students
expressed concerns about the
proposed rifle purchases. While
both opinions for and against the
rifles were presented, the majority this week was for them. For
several weeks, the GSU has been
r
tor of Student Activities. "We
adapt to the progressing needs of
the students instead of students
adapting to us."
According to the Event Security
and Safety policy (available on
the Evergreen website) RART is
comprised of "Director of Student
Activities, Director of Police
Services, Building Manager/
Performance venue Manager,
Environmental Health & Safety
listening to student opinons and
holding forums in order to help
them decide whether or not to take
an official stance on this issue.
There was also a budget committee update. Everything is still on the
table, no final decisions have been
made and the committee is focusing
on a 20% cut scenario, just to be on
the safe side. For more information
concerning the budget, visit www.
evergreen.edu/budget.
GSU representatives discussed
Cameron Morris's proposed bylaw
to establish a process to fill vacant
seats. However, the group lost
quorum before an decisions could
be made.
seeRISKASSESS:MENT,page4
- MADELINE BERMAN
INSIDE1HIS ISSUE:
1
I
sheet, which asks for an event
description, whom to contact,
admission costs, among other
things. The current policy, which
was instated at the beginning of
this year, now has the additional
step of gaining the approval of the
Risk Assessment Review Team
(RART) if it is determined that
the planned event has elements
of potential risk. "The philosophy
changes from year to year as
environment and needs change,"
says Andy Com, Assistant Direc-
Arts & Entertainment: Queer hip-hop
show honest, raw, and fun. Page 12
~-
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Stiacle.-t VOice; ·updat~s on Center for Su$..
tqinat>l~ entreP'r~neyrsniP'and·M~r~h 11
H.!PH
Hop Congress show. Page 3
Comics: What's it like to be the last dinosaur? Or to barf stars onto your best friend?
Page 15
C:ONTRJBUTE TO THE COOPER POIN'fjOURNAL CALL (360) 867-6213, E.MAIL CI~J@.EVERGREEN.EDl.J, OR STOP BY CAB 316
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February 19, 2009
/vox pop
What wouldyour ideal Evergreen program be?
J
by BRIAN FULLERTON
1
I
Business
Business manager
Bryn Harris
Associate business manager
Kristina Williams
"Capitalism and Cannibalism: Uncomfortable
Parallels. The first book
: you'd read would be lfYou
Give a Mouse a Cookie."
Ad representative
available
"Design and build a
hot air balloon and then
donate it to the school."
Circulation manager
Lindsay Bloom
Distribution manager
Nick Helling
News
Editor-in-chief
Jason Slotkin
A.mbcr Rose
Senior
[
Charlie Daugherty
1\lediaworb
Senior
Managing Editor
Brian Fullerton
Image and Sequence
Arts & Entertainment coordinator
Catherine Kana
Calendar coordinator
available
Comics coordinator
Samantha Sermeiio
"A very cultured dance
, program with auditions and
no uglies. Just straight up 16
hours of dance, taught by a
hip-hop teacher from Brook' :
:who has a four-fingered ring.':
Elana
Rodrigt~
"Avant-garde Jewelry.
You would have to
audition to get in and
the instructor has to
be magical, like from
another realm."
Copy editor
Maia Powloski
Copy editor
Jacob Salzer
Letters & Opinions coordinator
Mikey Badger
Photographer
Simone Fowler
Greer Aof()ed
Sopho111on·
Dance: Body.
Dance: Body, Culmrc and Behavior
Sophomore
(~ ulture
Photographer
Olga Petrus
and Behavior
Outdoor & Recreation coordinator
Nicholas Pace
Student Voice coordinator
available
Reporter
Madeline Berman
"Something where a
smart, talented teacher
allows me to execute my
own video projects in the
fancy new T.V. studio."
"Upper division studies
of napping and drinking. There would an
internship option.''
Reporter
available
Page designer
Claire Rosenfeld
Page designer
available
t___:~~:l::::,
[
J
Chemis::;ior
puy
~
Wdtche:Jawork<Jmllor
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Planning
5 p.:m. Thursday
Critique the last issue of the
CPJ and help plan for the
next one.
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Have a Vox Pop question you'd like to ask? Email cpj@evergreen.edu.
Student Group Meeting
5 p.:m. Monday
Find out what it means to
be a member of the student
group CPJ.
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Web developer
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Advisor
Dianne Conrad
CPJForwn
12:30 p.:m. Friday
Discussion on issues
related to journalism
and the future of the
CPJ on the Web.
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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
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is distributed free at various sites on The Evergreen State College
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) 86 7-6054 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
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Cooper Point journal
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©Cooper Point journal 2~09
cooperpoin~ournal.com
····· ····· ····· ············ ········ ··· ······· ········ ··· ·······
© COOPER POJNf JOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
Hip Hop Congress update
MI of Dead Prez lecture
March 11 One.Be.Lo concert
by CHRIS FOSTER produced
by HIP HOP CONGRESS
Hip Hop Congress is pressing on. This
past week we had our bake sale in the
CAB, which raised $63. The Hip Hop
Congress calendar is posted on the
second floor level of the CAB building
next to the cafe. Other student groups
have been encouraged to come to us (Hip
Hop Congress) before the last day of each
month to have their events posted on our
calendar. If you want to have something
posted for next month, please come talk
to Hip Hop Congress at our meetings
Wednesdays 3:30p.m. in the lecture hall
rotunda.
In other hip-hop news, M1 of Dead Prez
remains scheduled to speak in the Longhouse on February 19 at 4 p.m. He will
be giving his educational lecture: "Which
Way Forward? On to the Next Offensive:
A Dress Rehearsal For The Revolution".
Admission for students is $2, and $5 for
general public. This would be a great
chance to hear the insights of M1, one
half of Dead Prez outside of their controversially dope music. M1 's bio has been
posted around the Evergreen campus;
please check it out.
For the past few weeks we have been
· hosting weekly dance ciphers (look it
up!) in which participants can teach each
other different dance techniques. These
happen every Monday in CRC 314 at 7
p.m. Please stop by; it is open to people
of all dance levels. It is a great way it get
to know other people and learn different
techniques and styles of dance.
Also, do not forget to buy your tickets
for our March 11 show featuring One.
Be. Lo. This will be held in the back bay
of the CRC. Doors open at 7:30p.m. and
the show starts at 8 p.m. To make things
run smoothly and get the show started
as quickly as possible, there will be no
bags allowed (for safety purposes), and
puffy coats will have to be patted down.
So please, come in peace, comfortable
and stylish, and let's have a fly hip-hop
concert.
You can also check out what Hip Hop
Congress is doing on Myspace and
Facebook. Just search under Hip Hop
Congress TESC Chapter and it will pop
up, anyone can join.
Hey you! Come to our weekly meetings
Wednesdays 3:30p.m. in the rotunda and
offer up some great project ideas for the
next quarter. Hip Hop Congress meets at
3:30p.m. in the lecture hall rotunda.
Chris Foster is a student at The Evergreen State College.
ConscieD.tious business
owner Olowo~djo Tchala
speaks at the CSE
by BRENDAN DELANEY
and BEN ANDERSON
This past week at the Center for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (CSE), we were
proud to host Olowo-n'djo Tchala, the
founder of Allafia. As he described it,
"Allafia was founded as a way to empower
communities in West Africa through the
fair trade of shea butter." Their business
here in Olympia creates natural skin care
products using shea butter from Tchala's
home country of Togo. He talked to us
about why he started the business, and
also shared some of what Allafia does.
A couple of their most notable projects
are their "Bicycles for Education" drive,
where they send donated bicycles to
Togo so that young people there can ride
to schools outside of walking distance
from their home; and Fousena Fund,
which provides post and prenatal care for
Togolese women.
Allafia is a very inspiring story about
how business can be a force for good in
the world, and I encourage you to go to
www.allafia.com to learn more.
CSE has a couple of events coming up
next week. On Monday, February 23,
CSE is hosting a day-long event called
"The New Economy: Green and Sustainable Solutions." The biggest draw of
the event will be panel discussions
with members of the sustainable and
green business community. Students are
encouraged to ask questions of the panel
members regarding how businesses are
reacting to the current environmental
and financial crises, and how they're
going to be changing in the future. For
more information and a complete list of
speakers, check out the official website
at www.greeneconomycareers.com. Also
see the full page ad in this week's CPJ.
We are putting on our ongoing business
plan workshop this Wednesday from 2
to 4 p.m. in SEM II A2109. In addition,
this Wednesday Robert W. McChesney, a
Greener grad and current professor at the
University of Illinois, will be speaking in
Lecture Hall 1 at 7 p.m. McChesney is
famous for his advocacy of free speech
and has been called one of the "101 most
dangerous professors in America."
CSE meets every Wednesday from 2 to
4 p.m. in Sem II A 2109.
Brendan Delaney and Ben Anderson
are juniors in Advanced Foundations of
Successful and Sustainable Businesses.
President's Diversity Fund Grants
Available Now for
Students - Staff- Faculty
Biases
Race
INJUSTICE
D1scr1m1nat1on
of Color
your space
discuss
issues.
Trying to bring a speaker, author, artist, performer, workshop, film or other
diversity-related event to Evergreen
deadline is the 1st Wednesday of each month
To apply, go to
Poetry. Personal experiences.
Historical briefs.Essays.
Opinion pieces. Quotes ... etc.
cpj@evergreen.edu
TRADITIONS
CAFE: f., WORLD FOLK ART
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Alpaca scarf
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Bolivia,
Andes Gifts
Organic cotton
Nt'\\ Book,
1U"" off v. i th
( UH{'rlt ( olh·~t·
canvas,
'FSC' certified
rubber sneakers
The Evergreen State College
President's Diversity Fund
India, Sri Lanka,
ID
\Ve Buy Bms Everyday!
S$9 £ 4tb ~vt
3S2.0123
Mon-Sat 10-9, Sun 11-6
Df
orcabooks.com
Pakistan,
Ethletica
Fair Trade & Sweatshop-free
300 5th Ave. SW, Olympia 705-2819
Concerts of international and local performers.
www.traditionsfairtrade.com
evergreen.edu/diversity/fund
Cooper Point journal
0 COOPER POINf JOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
11
Knowingly
law;' audit says
to the college resulted in taxes being
charged by the Chilean government," the
report says.
to those found by the auditor.
"DO NOT PAY at the College because
Some students who were in the program
figured that left at least $1,500 per that money will be taxed in Chile," said
student to cover in-country transporta- Gilbert in an email to students in his
tion and food.
program last year.
Yet students report that they had to pay
The report notes the $54,000 of student
more of those costs than they expected. and college money remaining in Gilbert's
accounts is a conservative estimate.
Where the money went
Gilbert has control of four bank Gilbert's bank accounts
A STUDENT LISTENS TO RAUL ANORVE'S "QUEREMOS VIVIR SINOLGA
accounts, all of which were used to hold
Gilbert's records in the auditor's report
MIEDO" SPEECH DURING DAY OF PRESENCE ON FEBRUARY 18
money from students and the college, show he maintained four accounts:
against college policy, the report says.
• an account for Field School in Chile.
In 2008, Gilbert retained a few thou- "Gilbert was the only authorized signasand dollars and paid Disal more than tory on the account," says the report.
RISK ASSESSMENT,jrom cover Friday's Queer Hip Hop show. "There were $30,000. In previous years, Gilbert kept "This was in direct contradiction to
lots of rules to follow, and there was a lot even more of the money and paid less for Mr. Gilbert's statement to Academic
Coordinator, Risk Manager and a student of unnecessary pressure on coordinators. It arrangements with Disal.
Dean Ken Tabbutt, in which [Gilbert]
representative." RART's purpose is to evalu- would be our heads [if anything went wrong], The payment to Disal in 2008 matched stated the account belonged to Disal."
ate the potential risk of an event and what especially on the anniversary of the riot. I the bill from Disal for that year's study Later, the report says "a non-profit of
would need to be done to reduce that risk.
did find them helpful anyways, like they did abroad trip, and wasn't made until after the same name is registered in the State
"They evaluate the best practices and look everything they could to help."
the investigation had started, according of Washington under the same name as
at past events," said Com.
Both Cutler and Toms agreed that it takes a to the report.
the account." The nonprofit is registered
Different opinions exist about how well lot of effort to hold a production. "It's excit- The report says Gilbert's bank accounts with Gilbert's home address and phone
RART functions.
ing and exhausting" said Toms, "I wouldn't show a net gain of $3,317 from the 2008 number.
"They've cancelled two shows I've tried to say it's straight forward, but if you put in study abroad trip. Bank records show
• an account for Chile Relief. Checks
put on," says Hip Hop Congress coordinator work, it's definitely worth it."
$31,500 went to Disal for the 2008 study were made out to this account to the
Mariel Cutler, "one was only a week before,
Cutler says that she will be creating a manual abroad arrangements and services.
Consulate of Chile.
and then only two days prior another time. for new student activities coordinators outlin- In 2007, the report says, even though
• a personal checking account that
It's very unprofessional and has cost us some ing the process behind hosting a production Gilbert's program was not approved contained transfers of $50 to $500
relationships. It's bad press, so important to on campus.
for travel, "Gilbert took payments from between Field School in Chile and Chile
be clear about what's happening."
several students enrolled in individual Relief Accounts, as well as such personal
"They were helpful," says Evergreen Queer
Madeline Berman is a sophomore enrolled contracts or internship programs under transactions as the deposit of Gilbert's
his instruction."
Alliance (EQA) coordinator Heler Toms, in in Image and Sequence.
Evergreen paycheck.
reference to RART's involvement with last
He kept over $4,500, the report says.
• a personal savings account. It included
The amount that Gilbert gained from the transfers from Field School, Chile Relief,
2005 and 2006 study abroad trips was and personal checking.
The money students gave Gilbert was
more substantial, totaling $46,961.88.
In contrast, in 2005 and 2006, Disal deposited in the Field School account.
Money from the college related to the
received roughly $6,000.
Gilbert was able to amass the money Chile study-abroad program was deposin his accounts because he repeatedly ited in the Field School account and
asked students to make deposits for study Gilbert's personal checking and savings
abroad trips directly into a bank account accounts. Study-abroad payments to
that he controls. He ignored requests Disal and other costs were paid from
from the college to follow the policy that Field School, Chile Relief, and Gilbert's
requires students to deposit money into a personal checking account.
college account for such student fees as
Gilbert transferred money from the
Field School account to the Chile Relief
study-abroad.
account, then to his personal checking
Handling student fees
The fact that Gilbert handled student account.
Gilbert's bank account records also
fees violates state law and the college's
cash-handling and travel policies, the show he transferred money to and from
the accounts to an investment account.
report says.
The Evergreen State College
The report says "Gilbert may have
"Gilbert appears to have knowingly
violated State law and College policy violated the Washington State Ethics in
President's Diversity Fund
pertaining to cash handling and travel Public Service law by: entering contracts
by by-passing the College systems and on behalf of the College with a Company
disregarding directions by the Provost owned by his family members; by receivand Deans and collecting funds directly ing financial gain from his position, and
from students and depositing this money by use of State resources for himself
into an unauthorized account," Jacobs's and his family members for personal
benefit."
report says.
It goes on to say that Gilbert misrepresented college policy last year to students
Seth Vincent is a senior enrolled in an
in at least two emails about paying fees independent learning contract.
for the program: "Those who have to
make a ... payment don't forget to do it at
THE WEST COAST BANK, not at the
Evergringo."
Gilbert "told students that payments
AVDIT,Jrom cover
The President's Office is currently
accepting nominations of students,
faculty and staff to fill positions on the
President's Diversity Fund Committee.
'P ett tfO&t't
()ateted- ta fJ)fJ't~ •I
Administer a $40,000 annual fund and award grants to
produce and support diversity-related events.
eant'tid.eete ta eammeenit'l •I
Contribute to a culturally vital college environment
Promote social justice, equity and intercultural competency at
Evergreen and in the community
Develop skills working on a culturally diverse team
BRIEfS~
cooperpoinljournal.com
February 19, 2009
5
© COOPER POlNfJOURNAL 2009
Group meets to oppose
rifles
You've probably seen the flyer: "NO
MEANS NO ... high-powered assault rifles
do not make our bodies safe". For the
past few weeks, this coalition of student
groups in opposition to Evergreen Police
Services' acquisition of high-powered
assault rifles has been meeting in order to
develop a mission statement and timeline
of action for preventing the police from
getting rifles.
If you'd like to join us, we are having
our first meeting for the entire student
body on Wednesday, February 25 at 4
p.m. in the Library Underground (go all
the way down the stairs behind the library
circulation desk).
As well as opposing the rifles themselves, we will also be discussing
community alternatives to using Police,
such as a student escort service and First
Responders. This coalition is backed by
the Women's Resource Center, so if you
have any questions, feel free to contact
the WRC at tescwrc@riseup.net.
-KATRINA HANSON
CARE Network offers
conflict resolution
Conflict is a part of life; we deal with
it every day. Sometimes this conflict is
actually helpful and both parties leave
the situation feeling better for having
confronted the issue and dealt with it.
Sometimes this is not the case and things
get worse, or one of the people involved
has a hard time confronting the other.
Whatever the reason, sometimes we need
a little help when dealing with conflict.
When those times arise it is daunting to
know what to do, where to get help, and
what help is available.
That is where a new resource on campus
comes in. This is the first full year that the
CARE (Conflict Assistance Resources
and Empowerment) Network is at Evergreen, and its representatives are here to
help you.
The CARE Network began with the
recognition that, while there are many
places to go when it comes to seeking
help when conflict arises, it is hard to
navigate them when you're in the midst
of the conflict. This organization is a
volunteer network made up of staff,
students, and faculty of the college whose
stated mission is "to deal creatively and
constructively with conflict on campus
by providing relevant training and development; encouraging members of the
community to discuss issues early and
execute strategies for solving problems
before they escalate; providing clear,
accurate and consistent information about
how to address conflicts; and supporting
those recovering from conflict."
To this end they are trained in conflict
resolution and can help with interpersonal and intergroup conflict, academic
disagreements, workplace challenges,
and concerns about college policy.
The CARE Network is located in room
2706 of the Library building, just down
the hall from Media Loan and in the
same office as the Center for Mediation
Services. Because they are a volunteer
organization they cannot staff their office
all day every day, but they do have their
hours listed on their website, http://www.
evergreen.edu/care, or you can call them
at 360-867-5219.
-AARON LEE
Free Press founder and
Evergreen alum to
lecture
Evergreen alum, activist, and author
Robert McChesney (1976) will be returning
to campus to give a lecture on Wednesday,
February 25, 2009.
McChesney is one of the leading scholars
regarding mass media and the political economy within which it operates. McChesney
is an active voice in addressing how media
policy directly affects the health of a democracy by making connections between media
ownership, content, and accessibility. With
the advent of the Internet and its concurrent
effect on the public sphere, McChesney has
increasingly focused on how the media policies put in place today will have a significant
impact of how the Internet will be used in
the future.
McChesney has written several books,
including the award-winning Rich Media,
Door Democracy (1999), and most recently
Communication Revolution (2007) with its
companion volume, The Political Economy
of Media: Enduring Issues, Urging Dilemmas (2008).
In 2002, McChesney co-founded Free
Press, a national nonpartisan organization
dedicated to media reform and democratization, with a membership of over 500,000.
McChesney also hosts the weekly radio
show "Media Matters" on WILL-AM radio
and is the Gutgsell Endowed Professor in
the Department of Communication at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign.
Sponsored by the academic program
Political Economy of the Media in coordination with the student group Center for
Sustainable Entrepreneurship and the office
of Alumni Relations, the lecture will be held
at 7 p.m. in Lecture Halll.
For more information on Robert
McChesney and his work, see his webpage
at http://www.robertmcchesney.com/.
- KRISTINA WILLIAMS
COMMUTER APPRECIATION DAY
FEBRUARY 24, 2009 !!!
There will be a stand set up on red square and free coffee and tea will be given out to students,
staff and faculty who utilize alternative forms of transportation. Stop by and say hello!!
We will also have a bike stand set up and can teach people about making
adjusments on brakes and can help you address minor mechanical issues.
Meet the director of the Bike Shop and the student coordinator of Alternative
Transportation and get a free bike map of Olympia and a bottle opener.
Cooper Point journal
© COOPER POINT jOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
Letter from El Salvador
Fraudulent elections shut down polls
by KEN HOYT
Dear Evergreen,
I hope this letter finds you well and
that you are in good health. I write you
from the escrutinio final at San Isidro,
Cabanas in El Salvador. It is the last hour
of the end of round one for these historic
elections. I would have trouble overstating the tenseness of this moment for El
Salvador or Latin America.
The leftist party of El Salvador,
Farabundo Marti National Liberation
Front (FMLN), is the best revolutionary
force in Latin America, and should be
credited with the transition to democracy
and all of its international notoriety.
Nevertheless, the Peace Accords were
signed in 1992 and guaranteed, among
other things, the transition from soldiers
into politicians, from armed groups into
political parties. The death squads went
from using machetes and guns to torture
the populace into, instead, using legislation and neoliberal economics to keep
doing the same thing. The FMLN went
from defending the people with guns
to using speeches and debate, crafting
policy that is described as democratic
socialist revolution.
The political party that received direct
aid from the United States is the government army. This flow of aid was opened
by the war criminal Carter and then turned
to full blast by proceeding war criminal
Reagan, and it arrived in El Salvador in
the form of Vietnam-leftovers, Geneva
conventions violations like defoliants,
land mines, and helicopters and bombs
that were used to destroy entire villages.
If I could only make one point, it would
be that even after the destruction of
the country came to a close, the deeper
underpinnings for such bloodshed and
tears are still alive and well.
If having the second biggest U.S.
embassy (after Iraq) in the world was
not enough, the School of the Americas
has opened an El Salvador campus called
International Law Enforcement Academy
(ILEA).
Only 20% of the population is part of
the formal taxpaying economy and the
cost of living has only increased as of
late. It is easier to feel the shocks of a
global economic recession when you
live closer to the poverty line, or closer
to the line between eating and starving.
El Salvador signed onto the Dominican
Republic-Central America Free Trade
Agreement (DR-CAFTA) just three
years ago, and just got a new loan from
the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Political assassinations and violent political repression were certainly a hallmark
of the lead-up to these elections.
The place from which I write, San Isidro
Cabanas, was one of the flashpoints of
the mining struggle in El Salvador. The
country's largest water source, the Rio
Lempa, was poisoned by cyanide and
the heavy metals were released in the
mining process. Mining company Pacific
Rim intends to sue El Salvador under
CAFTA for $77 million. Right-winged
member of the ruling ARENA party
Ignacio Bautista, the mayoral candidate
whose votes are being counted right now,
received money and campaign donations
from the Pacific Rim.
In Cabanas, the community has said,
"no." Whether through direct action,
petition or elections, they are screaming
"no!"
The municipal and legislative elections
were last weekend. San Isidro, Cabanas
is one of at least ten communities that
experienced electoral fraud. Presumably,
the right-wing ARENA party paid fraud
voters. The elections were shut down
by those San Isidro citizens and half the
electoral officials chose not to participate and walked out. The polls opened
at seven and in less than two hours, my
compafieros and I from international
observer missions had received enough
stories of fraud to cancel the polls again.
The small voting center is occupied by
at least 150 armed policemen. Some
just have pistols, others have machine
guns, and still more have high-powered
rifles and are wearing camouflage and
bulletproof vests. Today I saw a paddy
wagon drive by the voting center and at
least two police pickup trucks full of riot
gear. There are even a few members of
Military Special Forces here.
With ARENA electoral victories,
process of approval for mining and other
destructive projects will be streamlined
and formed in the tradition of unjust and
exploitative relationships between the
first and redeveloping world. The opposition party FMLN is fighting, and will
continue to fight this legislative battle.
The people of El Salvador will take the
fight to the streets.
Close friends and people in general have
asked me what I am doing here. I say I
am observing the elections as an act of
solidarity. People, family, close friends
and compafieros have asked me, what are
you going to do about all of this? I have
only one response right now, and that is
to tell people what I am observing.
Con lucha,
Ken Hoyt
PS: If you are interested in learning
more about El Salvador and supporting
the leftist opposition party FMLN, come
to CISPES (Committee in Solidarity
with the People ofEl Salvador) meetings
every Wednesday at 4 p.m. on the 3'd
floor of the CAB in the TV lounge.
Ken Hoyt is a sophomore enrolled in an
independent learning contract. Visit his
blog at vivirluchar.blogspot.com.
.
Project: Transitions
Sexual transition is a long
costly
process,
but
for
of us it is a necessary one.
Transitions
was
formed
to help people going through transttlon
with
the
costly
aspect.
We are a nonprofit organization with the
purpose of raising funds for transgender
people. Through special events, we raise
money for anything from hormones,
name changes, new wardrobes, to - eventually- surgical procedures.
We were formed almost a year ago, and
held our kick-off event last September.
We already have a good start in helping
those who need us. We also have clothing
exchanges and a clothing store available
online, because often a new wardrobe is
an essential step in transitioning, and we
aim to help with every aspect. Our vision
statement, as outlined in our website http://
www. proj ecttransitionswa. com; "Project:
Transitions will successfully host events
that foster support for the Washington State
transgender community, as well as raise
funds to assist trans gender people with the
financial burdens of transitioning. Project:
Transitions will also be voice for local and
national transgender issues."
We need help in order to aid others in this
way. On February 22 at 4 p.m. Project:
Transitions will be meeting at 4 p.m. for
our Board elections. If you are interested in
joining Project: Transitions, we're looking
for enthusiastic, motivated people to join
our board. We will be voting for president,
vice president, secretary, and treasurer
as well as general board positions. After
these elections we will be voting on a new
executive director of Project: Transitions.
Anyone can run for any position, including executive director. If you have further
questions please e-mail either me, Madeline Wirwahn, at girlmatt@gmail.com or
Chelsea at chelsea@projecttransitionswa.
com.
-MADELINE WIRWAHN
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7
Q COOPER PoiNTJOURNAL 2009
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. . . . . · cation::
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~ocatiotJ:
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8 ~ lET'f!RS AND OPINIONS
...................... ..
© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2009
If I worked
atCNN,
you could
have selfaware
clothing!
by AARON PARSON
In the last several
years, the greatest
growth of the Internet
has been in its interactivity. Once-static
pages are now alive
with movement and
beautiful, rounded comers. But there
comes a point where Web 2.0 becomes
Web 2.No (I thought that was mildly
clever... until a quick search found that
even the BBC has already said it).
That point came to me last week in
reaction to the overuse of video on
the web. Now, I'm not talking about
YouTube - it's about the only popular
website I can stand. (I'm (not) looking
at you, MySpace). What bugs me is
when every news article I try to click
on is a video. Ifl wanted to be watching
CNN, I would tum on my TV. I go to
their website to have a quick look at the
headlines, which is made impossible
when half of them refuse to give me a
summary, instead just sending me to a
clip of their show.
Well, that was last week, before I found
another icon next to the dreaded video
camera. I was skimming the top news,
and saw the title, "Toddler spends 18
minutes underwater". Curious, I tried
to see what that was about, but it was
a video, and I wasn't about to spend 5
minutes on it. But then next to the video
icon, I saw the icon of a shirt. "Oh no,"
I thought, but "Oh yes," said CNN.
Clic~ing it led me to a page where,
for $15, I could design my own T-shirt
describing the near-death experience of
a baby. In one of six stylish colors.
Now, if you're thinking, "You can't
blame anyone for that, it's just an automated system", I have some bad news
for you. The T-shirt option is only available on select articles. Someone actually handpicked this piece of news for
placement on a shirt. Other such quality
apparel options include "Car chase ends
in flames, arrest," "Tourists lick $10,000
tuna, get banned," and "Blagojevich
scandal not funny, hair is!"
Maybe I'm just being old fashioned,
but this is one technological advance
that I can live without. Of course, only
time will tell - what looks foolish now
may tum out to be the way of the future.
(See my classic 1990 article, "Pictures
on the Internet? Bah!")
Aaron Parson is a fourth year student
enrolled in Beyond the News.
g??P~~ ~<:Jillt}c:>':lr.ll<tl
H:bruary 19, 2009
About your Kuffiya: ·I fyou
don't understand it, don't wear it!
by LAMISE AL-SHAWAHIN
with Kuffiyas that sell for 40% less. Stores
such as Urban Outfitters stocked (what I
Dear Lamise,
assume were sweatshop made) Kuffiyas
I've been seeing
until a "pro-Israel activist" complained
all these cute little
about the items. The firm's CEO, Dick
scarves
around
Heyne, issued an apology/statement that,
campus.
Someone
"The company had not intended to imply
told me that they're
any sympathy for or support of terrorists
from Palestine or
or terrorism in selling the Kuffiyas and is
something. I heard.that you're Palestinian pulling them." Pro-Israel ''activist" Allytoo, so I thought you would know about son Rowen Taylor, associate director of
this sort of thing. Is that true? Is it cool if Stand With Us, insists that someone in the
I get one? Would that make me a "culture buying department had a political agenda
vulture?" What do you think? Also, isn ~ against Israel and the Jews.
hummus delicious?
I'm going to stop here for a moment.
Sincerely yours,
If this newfound information upsets you
Hipacea Stergis
deeply and you've decided to remove the
Kuffiya from around your neck and bum
the terrorist textile, you should probably
Dear Hipster, (Can I call you hipster? quit reading. If you already knew most of
Great.)
this information and wear your Kuffiya in
That scarf around your neck. Yes, that solidarity with the Palestinian resistance,
one you bought at the Gap. Yes, the continue on.
almost-checkered one that you saw Justin
So, now that it's just us people in solidarTimberlake wear and then went and bought ity with Palestine reading on, I have a few
in several different colors. That one. Let questions for you. Why don't I see you
me tell you about it so that, should you at more SESAME (Students Educating
choose to sport it, you can understand Students About the Middle East) meetwhat it means.
ings? Did you attend or help out with the
The Kuffiya is a symbol of Palestinian South Sound Save Gaza Campaigs benefit
nationalism. During the Arab Revolt of concert, funeral procession, or the Gaza
1930, the First Intifada of 1987 and the teach-in we held a few weeks ago?
second Intifada of 2000, the Kuffiya
If you are wearing your Kuffiya in solibecame a symbol of solidarity among darity with the people of Palestine, I've
Palestinians. Traditionally worn by got news for you: That's not enough. Tell
Bedouin Arabs or Fallahin (the peasant your friends about your Kuffiya and why
class), the Kuffiya has now become a you are wearing it. Get involved with prosymbol of Palestinian identity and resis- Palestinian events in your community and
tance. It became somewhat of a fashion on campus.
trend in the late 80's and then was largely
Did you know that there's a divestment
forgotten by non-Arabs in the United campaign (TESC Divest) going on right
States. Recently this culturally appropria- here on campus at Evergreen that you
can be a part of? It's a group of people
tive fashion trend has reemerged.
However, Kuffiyas in this country are who are trying to encourage the school to
largely imported from China. Palestinian stop investing money in the Israeli war
manufacturers of Kuffiyas have gone out machine that killed over 1,300 Palestinofbusiness because they couldn't compete ians in just a few weeks in late December
•
GET INVOLVED WITH
PRO-PALESTINIAN
EVENTS IN YOUR
COMMUNITY AND
ON CAMPUS
and early January.
This is the same war machine that
murdered Evergreen student Rachel
Corrie, who was trying to defend a Palestinian home .from demolition in Gaza and
was crushed by an armored bulldozer
provided by Caterpillar, Inc. You may
have seen Caterpillar's equipment on
campus during the library renovation. If
this bothers you a little, the divestment
meetings are Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the
Library underground.
Also, if you're going to buy and wear
a Kuffiya to start raising awareness in
support of Palestine, I urge you to only
purchase it from Palestinian manufacturers. I suggest kuffiya.com. All Kuffiyas
come with a nifty, "My Kuffiya is not a
fashion statement," button so other Greeners will know you're more substance than
style.
Just a side note: if you chose to wear one,
just drape it around your shoulders. Don't
try to tie it around your head unless you
really know how to because I've seen men
almost severely injure themselves due to
not being able to see. I don't want anyone
to get hurt.
Also, yes, hummus is very tasty. For the
record, it's not an Israeli dish. It wasn't
invented in 1948.
Sincerely,
Lamise the Palestinian
Lamise Al-Shawahin is a junior enrolled
in Decolonizing the Mind.
STRESS EATING
by ERIN GRAY
I first realized I was
a stress eater when I
was a freshman in high
school. It was a usual
day and I was just
getting home. I jumped
off the bus and crossed
the highway to the short wooded path that
led to my house. When I came around the
comer, I saw a truck and men dressed in
their fire gear up above in the driveway.
I had no clue what was going on, but by
the look they gave me, it wasn't going to be
anything I would be thrilled about. I walked
around the back of the house and onto the
lawn and looked up to find a smoldering
pile of rubble where our garage-which
had a vacant apartment above it-used
to be. I just stood there in confusion. As I
stood looking at what was left of a building thing to eat: cookies, chips, soda, virtually
that was no more 200 feet away from my anything that is fast and easy and in the
house and which had briefly served as our spectrum of radically unhealthy. It is the
home when we remodeled the kitchen of stress. I don't know why my body thinks
our house, my aunt found me. She told me chips and salsa will relieve the inherent
everyone was okay and that my mom was pressure of a quarter's worth of procrastiaround some place.
nation, but it does. I tried cutting my body
At that, I went into the house. Everything off.
was dark, since the fire had burned through
For the past week, I have resisted going to
the power lines. The first thing I did was go the grocery store to replenish my stock of
into the kitchen. Something inside of me junk food, but nothing will stop this body of
said I needed food. I remember I ate a piece mine; I just end up eating bread and butter
of bread and butter; it was the only thing I or peanut butter straight from the jar.
could find.
So now I am going to try a new tactic
A few days after the fire, I wondered why and fill my house with only healthy things:
my first reaction was to eat and I realized celery, bananas, raisins, and broccoli. Take
that, body!
that stress wreaks havoc on my waistline.
It is week seven, and even though my
mind chooses to neglect this fact, my body
Erin Gray is a senior enrolled in an indeis fully aware. Every time I sit down to do pendent learning contract.
homework I am compelled to find some-
lEl'l'!RS AND OPINIONS ~ 9
cooperpoin~ournal.com
~
February 19, 2009
COOPER POINTjOURNAL 2009
Reflections on last year's
Valentine's Day, part 1
by JAKE SILBERMAN
This Valentine's Day
I had no date, nor did
I attend any parties,
or arrive at a nice
girl's doorstep with
a dozen roses. Sleep
came early, but for the
brief hours I was awake, memories of the
previous year's Valentines Day filled my
head.
Valentine's Day 2008 was a day that
significantly altered my life in many
ways and will continue to have a direct
impact on my life for the next year. Last
Valentine's Day, as many of you recall,
Dead Prez played an excellent concert
here at Evergreen. I feel, as someone
directly involved in the fallout of that
concert, I should voice my account and
reflections at the one-year anniversary of
that event.
To start, I will provide my account of
what happened that night, emphasizing
that I am only speaking for myself.
At the time of the concert, I was an
employee at the College Recreation
Center (CRC) and was assigned to set up
and break down the concert stage. After
the concert ended, my co-workers and I
were hanging out in the gym waiting for
the AV crew to remove their equipment
before we could break down the stage.
Ml ofDead Prez was in the back, and we
were making friendly chat with him while
we waited. As we were conversing, a few
people came in telling us that a crowd was not much left to fuck up. After I had police allowed me to comfort myself
had begun to gather around a police car in my kicks, I returned to the CRC to break into thinking that I'd only receive a letter
informing me of some type of court date.
front of the building. I stayed inside and down the stage.
Boy was I wrong! On the morning of
It was at this point my student boss told
continued my talk with Ml until someone
again came in telling us the crowd was me that she was going to call our head March 5, I was awoken around 7 a.m.
getting much larger. It was around this boss and tell him about my involvement. by the sound of police banging at my
time that Dead Prez began to plan their I pleaded with her not to tell on me, stat- front door yelling, "we have a warrant
ing that I and we'll break the door down if you
exit
and
would be don't come out!" I rushed downstairs and
after
a
few more
I WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN fired if my opened the door, hands held high above
minutes, a
boss found my head. I was immediately placed in
HANDCUFFS AND SEATED ON MY out. These handcuffs and seated on my front steps.
few of us
pleas fell Soon after this, I was placed in the back
escorted
deaf of a squad car and brought to Thurston
Dead Prez FRONT STEPS. SOON AFTER THIS, on
ears, as she County Jail. At this point in time, I was
out of the
I WAS PLACED IN THE BACK OF would only still clinging to some hope of a book and
back exit
say, "I'll release. Wrong again! I was informed
of the CRC
A SQUAD CAR AND BROUGHT
recom- that I'd be spending around 36 hours in
to their car.
mend that jail, where I would have an arraignment
Once they
you
not the following afternoon with the judge.
had
left,
TO THURSTON COUNTY JAIL
I will not go into the details of my jail
get fired."
I walked
As soon as experience, all I can say though is that
with a few
others to the front to see what the commo- we were done breaking down the stage, I have no plans to return there anytime
tion was about. We arrived as the police I went to a friend's house and spent the soon, that jail fucking blows, and I would
were being forced back; by the crowd, of night there, excited and exhilarated but not recommend it to anyone.
The next afternoon at my arraignment,
worried about my job.
which I was a part.
The fallout for me began immediately. I was very moved to see so many people
Almost immediately after the police
had left the scene, the crowd turned to I was fired the next day from my job and come out to show support inside the
the stalled cop car left behind and began kicked off the Evergreen club baseball courtroom. After being released a few
hitting, kicking and smashing the car team. In the weeks leading up to my hours later, I walked home from jail, a
with their fists and anything else they pending arrest, I was informed by my walk that I will always remember, and
could get their hands on. Soon after, 20 to former boss that he had given my name to promptly drank a hefty amount of some
30 people or more descended on the car, the police, and that it would be in my best fine Maker's Mark with my closest
including myself, to raise it off the ground interests to turn myself in. I did not follow friends.
and flip it over. After this happened, many his advice, but I knew, to an extent, what
Jake Silberman is a senior enrolled in
more people joined in its destruction and was coming. Every week that passed in
continued to fuck up the car until there which I hadn't been contacted by the End of Prosperity.
Comple
•
defines us
([UES'I'l()NABLE ONE-SU) El)NESS itT THE EVEIZGREEN S'IA:I'E ·CC) LLEC~E
by MICHAEL DENNIS
listen and accept the beliefs of people who solution" by alumnus Eric Mapes, repredisagree with me. I understand that there sented the one-sided pro-Palestine point of
are opinions different from mine. Public view. Mapes's unbalanced beliefs painted
As a student who has
discourse and openness don't come from a simple linear picture of the Israeli-Palesattended The Everthe name-calling and the belittling of tinian conflicts. For example, he only
green State College for
almost four academic
included the negative comments that Israeli
others.
years, two as an
In Teer's article, he mentions some of the government officials have made over the ·
undergrad and two
negative reactions students had towards years, but he didn't include the derogaadditional years as a
African-Americans due to the significant tory statements that Palestinian political
graduate student, I have continually grown number of them that voted against the officials have made, and that the goal for
disappointed by the one-sided, illogical, measure. Teer mentions Colin Bartlett's Hamas and Hezbollah has been to destroy
and underdeveloped slogans of its extrem- commitments (Jan. 29) "To the 70% of the state of Israel; Hamas charter still calls
ist students.
African-American who voted in favor for the destruction of Israel. Mapes, like
The Cooper Point Journal article "Prop 8, of Proposition 8.. .1 say fuck you." I don't others in the Evergreen community, does"
Black Voters, and the Democratic Party" by believe that acts of regressive behavioral not appear to want to talk about this or give
Jared Teer (Jan. 29) discussed California's developments such as name-calling are a balanced presentation. While I still pray
Proposition 8 and the high number of Afri- productive academic endeavors that the for peace for both groups, I do not believe
can-American voters who voted to end gay college should be encouraging. Comments that half-truths and statements that Ameriand acts such as Colin Bartlett's have been cans "support" actually increases both the
marriage in that state.
Even though I believe that there should commonplace occurrences in the class- probability that Israel will be destroyed
in a cataclysmic war and the frequency of
be gay marriage in every state, I will still rooms of Evergreen State College.
Whenever there is an issue "terrorist" attacks.
Language such as this will not lead to
of conflict that the majority of
students support, they result peace or understanding, but more hatred
LANGUAGE SUCH AS
to name calling and verbally and bitterness. The Evergreen Community
assaulting the other side. This needs to recognize that it is producing a
THIS WILL NOT LEAD TO
illogical system of reasoning is generation of graduates who cannot voice
nothing new. The Evergreen and their beliefs and ideas while being able
PEACE OR UNDERSTANDOlympia communities are filled to listen and look at complex situations
with students, teachers, and through the eyes of those who disagree.
lNG, BUT MORE HATRED
alumni who believe in the oneMichael Dennis is a second-year JvfPA
AND BITTERNESS
sidedness of issues.
Another article also in the student.
January 29 CPJ, "A two-state
Hypothetical
'IHE BADGER GENERA'llO}.f
by MIKEY J. BADGER
You are brought to
a party by a group of
semi-good· friends.
They are the type of
friends who if you
saw them around
town you would
stop and talk to or
1
depending on what you were doing, 1
would actually join them in the day's 1
activities-but this doesn't happen all:
too often. Either way, today's activities I
have brought you to this party where:
you know absolutely no one, and youn
friends commence to scatter throughout 1
the party without realizing-or caring:
1
about-your circumstance.
As you realize you're utterly alone in:
a room full of people, you are tapped 1
on the shoulder by a beautiful woman 1
I
who happens to know your name. She 1
tells you that this house is about to be 1
invaded by aliens who will proceed to I1
abduct and probe everyone and you 1
will not be able to escape this fate-she 1
doesn't give you a time frame. You also:
know she is telling the truth. She lays 1
out two options: a) find your semi-good I
friends and attempt to leave-with slim:
chance-which will only make your 1
punishment worse in the alien space-:
craft, or b) follow her to a room where 1
she can guarantee that you will not be 1
probed, and the possibility of becom-:
ing-rather than a slave-a hired hand 1
aboard the alien craft with a chance ofl
returning to Earth, but this is still only a:
slim chance. Which do you choose?
I
Mikey J. Badger is a sophmore enrolled:
in Self and Culture.
1
~--------------------~
-~-~-~
~~'!~~~!.1..~.~~~~-T.........................................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · · · · · · · · · · · · · . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · . . . . .
©
PoiNT jOURNAL 2009
COOPER
H
• • • ••••••••••••••••••• H
~-~P.~~~<>.i~t.J.?~r.~.~
February 19, 2009
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YOUR student newspaper
new
associate business manager
is looking for a
for the
2009-21:1-
1:t school year!
Application packets will be available Monday, February 23, 2009
Download the application packet online at http://cpj.evergree~.edu
or get it as a CD format from the third floor of the CAB on the wall next
to the CPJ office .
,Applications due Friday, April3, 2009. Email your application to cpjbiz@
evergreen.edu or drop it off in person at the CPJ office
.
Questions about the position? Give us a call at 867-6054, email us at
cpjbiz@evergreen.edu, or stop by in person at CAB 316
Kristina Williams 2009-2010 Business Manager
Bryn Harris 2008-2009 Business Manager
WE NEED AN ~Dil'OR iN CHIEF ~ 11
cooperpoin~ournal.com
February 19, 2009
©COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2009
THE COOPER POINT JOURNAL
The Cooper Point Journal,
your student newspaper
is lookingfor the
THE EVERGREEN STATE COLLEGE olympia, washington
200Q-IO
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ISSUE 15, VOLUME 38, SEPTEMBER 200'9- JUNE 2010
Are you willing to dedicate a year of your life to your student newspaper?
Do you have an interest in newspapers or student organizations?
Are you willing to work on a newspaper until 3 a.m.
on Wednesdays nights, when you have class at 9 a.m. the next morning?
Applications are available outside the CPJ office in CAB 316, and on the CPJ
organization website, http://cpj.evergreen. edu
Applications are due by Friday, April 3 at 5 p.m.
Email applications to cpj@evergreen.edu or drop them off in-person, at the
CPJ office in CAB 316.
'
12 ~ AITS & !N1'!R1'AINM!N1' ................................................. ......................................................................................... ... . . ........................................................................................................ ......................................... ............... ~ooper~()int)?\lr~~
© COOPER POINT jOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
Queer hip-hop, raw and honest
by CATHERINE KANA
Queer Hip Hop Night was hosted by The
Evergreen State College Recreation Center
on Friday, February 13. Bands included
Last Offense, Katastrophe, Team Gina, and
Athens Boys Choir.
I caught the end ofAthens Boys Choir and
the song "Fagette". Harvey Katz, a Jewish
transsexual who grew up in the South, is
the genius behind the act. His lyrics and
persona are fierce, quick, and witty. The
crowd was ecstatic with the free expression
of "homosexualitaaytaay."
Last Offense followed with another act
of energetic empowerment. He bounced
all over the stage: "Let's get right into it
okay, 'cause we are queers and we are
family." The modest crowd let loose with
Last Offense and moved with free love and
energy. "I'm misunderstood, sit where I'm
sittin' ." He mocked corporate might, the
Internet, and all of society's oppressors.
''I'm a very big fag, I'm a very big rainbow,
with a very big flag."
"I hope this is a phase you youngins going
through," he pronounced. "It's so hard
being a gay rapper."
Overall the show was refreshing, with
lyrics that were raw and honest for a
performance that couldn't have been
more real.
THE CROWD WAS
Recycled
trash art!
ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, STUDENTS GATHERED IN THE
HCC TO FIND NEW USES FOR THEIR TRASH. ACTIVITIES
INCLUDED MAKING DRYER LINT CLAY, SCRAP-PAPER
NOTEBOOKS, AND BOTTLE CAP MAGNETS, AS WELL
AS PLASTIC BAG CROCHETING, AND BEAD-MAKING.
ECSTATIC WITH THE
FREE EXPRESSION OF
"HOMOSEXUALITAAYTAAY''
Catherine Kana is a sophomore
enrolled in (Re) Imagining the Middle
East.
Josh Martinez:
hip-hop that crosses genres
by JAH'DI LEVVI and YONATAN flu."
and produced by the HIP HOP
His vibe as a performer is sure to surprise
CONGRESS
and will definitely stand out from the other
artists in the Evergreen's March 11 hip-hop
show.
ere
Before the upcoming show, you should
in
check out Martinez's most recent album
uns
to familiarize yourself with his unique
°Ca
style of music. World Famous Sex Buffet
album o
definitely deviates from modem orthodox
# 1. He has asfYie a crosses several genres hip-hop music, with the lyrical content and
(with hip-hop being a primary influence) beats coming together to seemingly convey
and therefore he is hard to categorize.
the adventures of a drunken, oversexed frat
He is not much of an emcee, but relies boy. This album could be enjoyable even
more on an extremely eccentric swagger
if you are not a fan of hip-hop, because it
and charisma to entertain his audience.
crosses so many musical boundaries. Give
Musically, his beats have a club and pop it a listen and you'll find it unforgettable.
feel to them, but unlike anything you've
Next week, we'll be coming at you with
probably heard before. Martinez himself Macklemore's biography, and more to
seems to avoid being designated to a follow as we draw closer to the March 11
certain musical genre, and his website bio show.
describes him as "A well-oiled, straighttalking, globetrotting sex-machine, who's
traveled the world more than the avian
WEBSITE BIO DESCRIBES
OLGA PETIUJS
PLASTIC BAGS CAN BE USED FOR MUCH MORE
THAN JUST CARRYING PERSONAL BELONGINGS
HIM AS ''A WELL-OILED,
STRAIGHT-TALKING,
GLOBETROTTING SEX!nt!i!t<:itYTransit is your ticket off
~rnpus! Your Evergreen student ID
isyour bus pass on all local routes
to plenty of fun destinations. Grab
a pizza or take in some music, go
biking, shopping, whatever! Give
U$<a call or go online for more
MACHINE, WHO'S TRAVELED THE WORLD MORE
THAN THE AVIAN FLU"
information.
Yonatan Aldort is a junior enrolled in
Decolonizing the Mind. Jah 'di Levvi is a
sophomore enrolled in Health and Human
Development.
MAKE WALLETS OUT OF CARDBOARD AND TAPE
© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
Child battles aliens for fascists;
Mormons endorse move
Read Orson Scott Card's epic novels
by CASEY JAYWORK
You're a college student, which means
that you spend every waking moment
studying your patootie off-oh, wait,
it's Evergreen, so that's only if you're a
science student.
For those of us in the humanities, our
political potboiler wrapped up in youngadult novel, you must have read Orson
Scott Card's epic magnum opus Enders
F-ing Game! You, like me (well, obviously), know the exhilarating romance
of being a hyper-intelligent uber-Kind
shuttled away to an Orwellian military
academy under a quazi-fascist regime
and battling (literally!) your way to
becoming humanity's savior against an
evil insectoid alien race while finding
yourself in a hallucinogenic video game
haunted by strange intelligences and
I COULD ACTUALLY REVIEW THE BOOK, BUT
ALL THAT WOULD CONSIST OF WOULD BE
can read minds? Or what it would be like
to watch the unfolding history of a new
sect of the human race planted by a primitivist cosmonaut with a god-complex
and a nap machine (L. Ron Hubbard may
have rubbed off on Card for that bit).
How about finding a workable theodicy
for the problem of evil while watching
every member of your family starve/fall
off cliffs, in the desert? Forget Odysseus,
forget Star Wars, forget Lindsay Lohan's
sex life-this is what an epic looks like.
I could actually review the book, but
all that would consist of would be plotspoilers punctuated by descriptors such
as "awesome", "brilliant", and "Oh, god,
I need a tissue!" And I don't have enough
tissues or thesauri to do that.
So here's my advice instead: read this
book. Shell out some cash, barter your
genuine Native American peace-beads,
or wrap your roommate's pantyhose
around your dreadlock-framed face and
rob a used bookstore, but read it!
(Oh, the library might work, too.)
Because Card's method, basically, is to
be unbelievably freaking brilliant, and
he's got the method down to a science,
and that science is finger-flicking your
mind-knob until the rest of the world
blurs away and only the text remains in
your glued-down consciousness. Read it.
Read it. Or fascist alien pandas will steal
your babies.
Casey Jaywork is a senior enrolled in
Nietzsche: Life, Times, Work.
PLOT -SPOILERS PUNCTUATED BY DESCRIPTORS SUCH AS "AWESOME" "BRILLIANT"
'
AND "OH, GOD, I NEED A TISSUE!"
vacuous days are usually filled with
drugs, promiscuity, and arts- 'n' -crafting
protest signs to help save three-legged
endangered Zapatista panda bears from
Bank of America/homophobia/Dina
Rossi-but, come-on, there's twentyfour hours. That's a lot! And don't
give me that Watchmaker-Argument
psychobabble about how there's a reason
why beer comes in twenty-four packs;
take a quarter of the program Alcohol
Consumption Intensive in the Soup and
you'll learn that that reason is that that's
the bare minimum to get through a weekend. Maybe a three-day weekend, if you
throw in a red-wine enema. So what else
can we do to murder time like the flailing
baby seal that it is?
Well, sometimes maybe reading is the
filler-and not just filler for the booklist,
like in art history or Noam Chomsky
Erotic Fan-Fiction Writing Workshop,
but actually filling time by reading.
YES! I knew you did it every once in
a while. See!-you're reading right
now (come on, sound it out). And since
nothing fills the brain, warms the heart,
relaxes the bowels, and puts hair on
your chest like a psychological thriller
wrapped up in space opera wrapped up in
staving off the murderous intentions of
your jealous classmate. BOOYA! And if
you read the spin-series'-that's right,
with an apostrophe, as in there's more
than one of them; eat your similarly
formulaically-successful heart out, Law
& Order!-you know what it's like to
commune with the trees and piggies and/
or battle your way through battle-school
as a formerly-homeless genius dwaf!
O.S. Card juggles complex storyline
elements like Joseph Smith juggles those
golden plates-which makes sense, since
he's also a bat-shit conservative (aayoh!)
Mormon. Tripping on LDS might account
for his raging homophobia (which doesn't
really appear in his fiction) but it could
also explain how he casts up such nosebleed-inducing science fiction, weaving
sophisticated morality tales around characters struggling with the meaning of life
and hyperspace travel.
But what you might not have read of
Card's work is his Worthing Saga, so pull
up a milk-jug, cousin, and let me tell you
all about it.
Have you ever wondered what it would
be like to read minds-while navigating
a crumbling, futuristic utopia bent on
pogroming the fuck out of people who
WHO: Center for Sustainable Entrepreneurship in cooperation
with the Economic Development Council and Small Business
Development Center.
WHAT: Free business plan workshop for all of the community.
Come with a business idea and learn how to bring it to life.
WHEN: January 28th, 2009 @ 2pm
1,
~ ,... -
For more info:
cse@evergreen.edu
360·867·6033
.,
~.3FM
'
WHERE: SEM II A21 09 The Evergreen State College
This is an ongoing workshop with five sessions. Each
workshop will build on itself or can stand alone if you only want
to attend a few.
Session 1: Product Development & Market Research-Jan. 28th
Session 2: Business Structure & Basic Financial Statements-February 25th
Session 3: Marketing Plan-March 11th
Session 4: Operations Plan & Staffing-April 29th
Session 5: Budgeting and Financing--May 27th
~
THURSlON COUNTY
OLYMPIA
WWW.KAOSRADIO.ORCf
1. Ruthie Foster- The Truth According to
Ruthie Foster
2. Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women - Havi'
the Last Word
3. Laura Gibson - Beasts of Seasons
4. The Soul of John Black - Black John
5. Various Artists- Dark Was the Night
6. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post
Pavilion
7. M. Ward - Hold Time
8. Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3Goodnight Oslo
9. A.C. Newman- Get Guilty
10. Asobi Seksu - Hush
11. Various Artists- Putumayo Presents
African Reggae
12. Beirut- Moren Of the Zapotec and Real
People Holland
13. Psapp -The Camel's Back
14. Candy Claws - Dreams of the Sea Life
15. Novahma - Coba Coba
16. Soft Hills - Painted World
17. Pawnshop Diamond- Leaving to the
Sun
18. P.O.S. - Never Better
19. Bobby Jones Featuring the Mannish
Boys -Com in' Back Hard
20. Founts - Feel Love Thinking Of
21. Shemekia Copeland - Never Going
Back
22. Emeralds - What Happened
23. Coco and Lafe - Cafe Loco
24. Various Artists- Far Out Strictly Samba
25. Hello Seahorse - SIT
26. Dept. Of Energy - Faster
27. Delirium Blues Project - Serve or Suffer
28. The Magnificents - Year of Explorers
29. Matt ana Kim- Grand
30. Vetiver- Tight Knit
~NICKI
THOMPSON
~ND
JESSE CALLAHAN
14 ~ CJU.. ENDA~ .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. ~()()p~:~()i~tJourn~
© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Thursday. February 19
Ml f:Dead Prez) lecture
M 1 rom Dead Prez is wint
to be giving a lecture! hi e
it says that the focus of the
lecture will be about the
history of the civil rights
movement from the 1960's,
it probably wouldn't be that
far of a stretch to think that
last year's incident/uprising/
riot/ demonstration/ etc.
will come up as well. $2
with student ID $5 without.
4- 6 p.m. Longhouse
,.......
Cal Anderson
memorial lecture
Distinguished historian Susan
Stryker will be lecturing
on the federal Employment
Non-Discrimination Act
and the trans community.
7-9 t.m. Recital Hall in
the OM Building
Friday. February 20
Chibi-Chibi Con!
It's the Evergreen Anime
Convention! "Evergreen's
very own anime, Japanese
animation, culture, comic,
video game, board game,
rol~laying game, wargame,
car game, and art conventions.
Hoste,~ bJ' Evergreen Anime
Club. 1 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Lecture Halls 1-5 Free!
Sketch Comedy Show
Open only to the TESC
community. Hosted by the
Generation Friends Comedy
Arts Coalition. 7-9 J?.m. Recital
Hall in the COM bmlding
Strings & Things and
Basketball Charles
Strings & Things, a sort
of funky blue~rass band,
is playing wit Basketball
Charles at the China Clipper
downtown. 8 p.m.- I a.m.
China Clipper $5, 21+
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
They'll be playin§ at the
Eastside Tavern. p.m.- I a.m.
Eastside Tavern $5, 21 +
Saturday~
February 21
Daft Punk (or whatever
the fuck you want) Party
Only open to those who
want to ~et drunk, dance to
daft pun , and get dressed
like robots. 9 x.m.-3 :00
a.m. 1319 4 1h ve. W, 21+
Sunday~
February 22
81st Oscar Bash at the OFS
The Oscars live, on a screen,
in Olympia. There's going
to be a beer and wine garden
upstairs and the ftrices for
those are genera ly pretty fair,
if I remember correctly. 3:30-9
p.m. Olympia Film Society $6
Sketch Comedy Show
Last day of the Sketch
Comedy Show in the recital
hall. 7-9 p.m. Recital Hall
in the COM building
C.O.C.O., November Witch,
and Pierced Arrows!!!
C.O.C.O. and some other
bands will be playing at
the Brotherhood. C.O.C.O.
is pretty fantastic, so you
should to! 9lf.m.-2 a.m. The
Brother ood avern $5, 21 +
MondaL February 23
History behind gas
A presenter is gomg to be
lecturing on the history
behind liquefied natural gas
and the current developments
of it. There will also be
a wheat-paste making
workshop to paste on personal
possessions to thin~s. 610 p.m. Lecture Ha 1 1
Tuesday~
February 24
Creative aE~roach to
the essay: ' ssaying
as Storytelling"
"This Creative A~proaches
to the Essaft wor shop
explores il uminating tools for
reworkinR and refining your
writings.' Contact the Writing
Center at (360) 867-6420 for
more information. 3-4 p.m.
Writing Center in LIB 2310
Last day of Frost/
Nixon at OFS
Frost/Nixon is pretty good
and I've Loved You So
Long (playing afterwards)
looks yretty good, too!
6:30- lp.m. Olympia
Film Society $6
Wednesday. February 25
Kathleen Morris and
human trafficking
Kathleen Morris will be
~iving a lecture about
uman trafficking and the
Washington State connection.
6-8 p.m. Seminar II D-11 07
Wednesday. February 26
Evergreen alumnus
Robert McChesney lecture
about mass media
Robert McChesney is one of
the leading scholars on mass
media and how it operates
and has written several books
on the subject, including
Communication Revolution and
Rich Media, Poor Democracy.
7-9 p.m. Lecture Hall 1
DON'T LIKE THIS
PAGE? THEN BE
OUR CALENDAR
COORDINATOR!
APPLY IN CAB 316
STUDENT GROUP MEETING TIMES
2009 SOUT
The larges.t w~;uullnl
'~
South Sound
Sunday,Feb.22
10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Ji
Red lion Hotel - Olympia'w
Sponsored by Red Lion Hot~l)"''
and Eagle 97.7 FM
Tickets $5 at the door
For complimentary tjc~e
www. weddingandevenf
• Register to win! Prizes .,
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• The latest in hairstyles
• Meet wedding"and t®~~~()B
professionals
80UN~~d·
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MAGAZINE
www. weddingandeventmagazine.com
Mondays
S&A Board CAB 320, 3-5 p.m.
Women of Color Coalition CAB 216, 3
p.m.
Hillel meeting CAB 320, 3:30p.m.
Greeners for Truth and Reconciliation
Sem II B 3109,4 p.m.
Cooper Point Journal CAB 316, 5 p.m.
Thesdays
Folk Dance CAB 320 cubicle 4, 10 a.m.
Black Student Union CAB 3rd floor (TV
Lounge), 3 p.m.
HABOO LIB 2147, 4 p.m.
Capoeira CRC 316, 5:30p.m.
Student Video Garners Association
r AB 3rd floor (TV lounge), 6-9 p.m.
Greeners 4 Christ SEMII D 1107, 7-8:30
p.m.
Wednesdays
Students at Evergreen for Ecological
Design (SEED) CAB 320 cube 17, 12:30
p.m.
Amnesty International CAB 320 Solarium, 1 p.m.
Barrier Breakers club LIB 2318, 1-3
p.m.
CENSE Nature Walks Front of clock
tower, 1 p.m.
Chemistry Club Lab II room 2211, 1-2
p.m.
Folk Dance Alliance CAB 320 (cube 4), 1
p.m.
Geoduck Student Union Sem II E1105,
1-4p.m.
Synergy CAB 320, cube 17, 1:30 p.m.
Women's Resource Center CAB 320,
1:30-3 p.m.
Black Student Union CAB 3rd floor (TV
Lounge), 2 p.m.
Center 4 Sustainable Entrepreneurship
SEMIIA2109, 2 p.m.
Students Educating Students About the
Middle East (SESAME) CAB 320, 2 p.m.
Clean Energy Lab II 1250 (February 18),
3p.m.
Pre-Health Society Lab I room 3033, 34:30p.m.
Freedom of Consciousness Club CAB
3rd floor (the pit), 3:30p.m.
Committee in Solidarity with the People
of El Salvador (CISPES) CAB 3rd floor, 4
p.m.
Evergreen Queet Alliance SEMII A21 09,
4p.m.
Hip Hop Congress Lecture Hall Rotunda,
4-5:30p.m.
SUA Shalom CAB 3rd floor, 4 p.m.
Writer's Guild LIB (Writing Center), 4
p.m.
Greener Organization HCC, 5:30p.m.
Anime Club CAB 3rd floor, 6-9 p.m.
Socialist Alternative SEMII C3109, 6
p.m.
Thursday
Global Medical Brigade SEMII E2109,
4p.m.
Sabot Infoshoppe CAB Solariwn, 4 p.m.
Cooper Point Journal CAB 316, 5 p.m.
Gun Club Sem II C1107, 5 p.m.
Hip Hop Congress Board meetings in the
Lecture Rotunda, 5 p.m.
Common Bread Longhouse 1002 (Cedar
Room), 5:30-8 p.m.
Gaming Guild CAB 320, 5:30-9 p.m.
Juggling Club Red Square, 6 p.m.
Friday
Carnival club CAB 320,4-5:30 p.m.
Evergreen Student Productions/MEl 3rd
floor of the CAB (TV Lounge), 5:15 p.m.
Saturdays
Anime Club CAB 3rd floor (TV Lounge),
7-9p.m.
COMICS~
cooperpointjournal.com
............................................................
February 19, 2009
"The
LeAs+
by S.C.
---~~
G-OD
by SAMANTHA SERMENO
by STEPHANIE CRISTOL
BRIAN and JULIE ••• BEST FRIENDSIIUI
ytU,
~ L~
0~AN .AI't> j:
..,. JC "'R.
0\~ I
'
enO\.,eSS P~BL.-e~S
GOut>
15
© COOPER PoiNTJOURNAL 2009
'S\Ci~
'aniOn~
by RYAN BUCI):
\o
WM
by MADELINE BERMAN
16 ~SE!,AGE
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. <?o()per P()intJournal
© COOPER POINTJOURNAL 2009
February 19, 2009
THE HAND TURKEY OF FRIENDSHIP
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Legend has it that the Hand Turkey of Friendship comes only when a great rift
I f has torn a close friendship apart.
Because the separation of close friends is so
; profound, only the guidance of someone from the Realm of Unadulterated Friendship
I is enough to completely mend the tear between two loved ones. The Hand Turkey
~ of Friendship has been chosen as the ambassador of this realm ever since the
I first human was too proud to forgive a grievance against someone they loved.
I
] The artists encourage you to channel the Hand Turkey of Friendship to help
I mend a friendship by cutting out the picture above and giving it as a gift.
I
-BRIAN FULLERTON and
MADELINE BERMAN