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Part of Counter Point Journal (November 2009)

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Nov 2009

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Editorial:

Y la lucha sigue...
by CxPJ Editorial Colkctive

Rememberthis?The old book stand in front of Red Square was banned at the start of the school year. All we have left is this pixelated photo.

IIIEl!IJII IOI IIIJ!lt
.. .if they're not sold by the Bookstore

by CxPJ reporting service

would not be sold a pertnit. When he
'
ce
their hands were tied; a moratorium
had been instituted over the summer
banning book sales. Why did this
happen, who was at the bottom of it,
and is this the kind of treatment Evergreen alumni can expect from the
campus?

it was he who approved the mora-

Here or there, at the virtual offices
of the Counter Point Journal (which
are often someone's living room, a
stu~y room in the Library, a lounge
area on campus, or whenever we
run into one another), your humble
CxPJ collective propounds stories to
report on. As our mandate is to seek
out stories of injustice, investigate
the agendas of those in power, and
to root out the hidden stories that
would shock the public if they knew,
we find that we never lack potential
stories.
Injustice is everywhere. All sorts
of parties are engaged in foul play
and power plays. Everywhere you
look, kindly, upright folk are getting screwed over.
Instead, what we lack is sufficient
time and resources to investigate every single wrongdoing. We do what
we can with what we have. It's vital
to note, however, that these important stories existed before we published them. Some stories, such as
the attack on Last Word Books, have
been publicized elsewhere, though
not to the extent that we provide
here. But for as long as these injutices have existed, there have been
people fighting back.
Our hope is not ony to alert you
to injustice, but to honor those who
fight it, and to connect you with
those who have been struggling,
whether it's a couple dozen students
demanding to see the proposed Stu-

-~~rt11~'tffl"~~~"!'!!~mfl'P!l'l''"lf'fll~ffl!~ftMji,o,t-t!fll!!Pft',e,"""'~""'m!'lft~~~~-'."""'""1

In fall quarter of 2000, Evergreen stument Committee that made the recdent Sky Cosby began selling a few
ommendation. Finally, Collin Orr,
radical, underground books on camDirector of Business Services and
pus. Shortly afterwards, he created a
member of the Space Management
student originated study on opening
Committee, closed the loop by claiman independent bookstore and drafting that Danis "was first to bring up
ing a business plan.
the idea."
A couple years later, Cosby opened
When Danis was asked if he himthe doors to Last Word Books in Instigating the ban
self was the person who instigated
downtown Olympia. Every quarter
the idea of the ban, he responded,
since its opening on May Day of 2002, When someone asks who is responsible "Probably."
The answer to the question of who
Last Word Books has sold used books for this, it is remarkable how often
on topics ranging from anarchy and . one finds more pointed fingers than is responsible is: D. All of the above.
counterculture to administrative law answers. Equally remarkable is how The moratorium on outside venand philosophy. Chances are, if you often those fingers form a circle, in- dors commenced through a memo
aren't a freshman and you've been on dicting everybody and nobody all at describing a recommendation,
prompted by Ken Danis, written by
Red Square more than once, you have once. This case is no different.
seen him or the Last Word stand.
When interviewed, ~en Danis, Collin Orr and the Space ManageHowever, when he arrived on cam- the new bookstore manager hired ment Committee, approved by John
pus this fall, ready to set up his table in June of last year, stated that John Hurley, and enforced by Conference
as he had done for almost ten years, Hurley, Vice President for Finance Services.
The moratorium reads as follows:
Cosby was informed by Conference and Administration, was the person
"Until the Space Scheduling and UsServices that he was no longer wel- who put the policy in place.
John Hurley stated that, while age Policy is approved, no vendors
come on campus as a ve~cfor and

iary services, for example, Bookstore,
Copy Center."
While this language makes it seem
like a temporary inconvenience, the
current draft of the Space Scheduling
and Usage Policy reads, "Commercial
vendors cannot sell products or services sold by campus organizations
including, but not limited to, food,
books, and some clothing items.''
When the smoke cleared after the
moratorium was put into effect, only
one outside business had lost their
right to set up shop on Evergreen:
Last Word Books.
Last Word and the Library

In 2004, the Friends of the Evergreen
Library began looking for someone
to take over the selling of unwanted
books to benefit the Library. Cosby
and Last Word were the only ones
► BOOKSTORE continues on page 4

tor from another country who has
to educate us on the destructive
policies of our own government.
Is that a stretch? To connect the
protests of a few smelly Greeners
to the protest of Miguel Rivera (see
page 7), who lost his brother in the
anti-mining struggle in El Salvador? Or to "Zoya" (page 6), who lost
her parents and who cannot use her
real name or be photographed, or
else she might be killed herself?
Indeed, it is a stretch. Then again,
there's a reason why Zoya risked her
life to speak at Evergreen. There's a
reason why Manuel left his threatened community to address us.
What do they know about us that
many of us don't? Perhaps they
recognize that we have the power
to change this. That our collective
voices can be louder than theirs, if
we choose to speak out.
► EDITORIAL continues on page 3

Oh, our lovely rights ...
STUDENTS TRY TO DECIPHER THE PROPOSED STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
by Anna Simonton fl

Tessa W:,Uie de Eclreverria

+

On November.4, students piled into
a library classroom to voice their apprehensions to the Disappearing Task
Force (DTF) in charge of revising the
Student Code of Conduct. Many concerns were raised last spring when
the first draft of the code was released
to the students for public comment.
Considering the level of attendance
at the most recent meeting, students
would like to take part in the review
of the code more than once a year.
At the meeting, students raised
concerns about the proposed revision of the Student Code of Conduct
that was circulated last spring. Prevalent among the issues brought up
was the ambiguous language used
to describe what kind of off-campus
behavior could result in punishment
by the school.. The DTF members

maintained that the effort to bring Endress and Andrea Seabert, both of responses. By "reactionary responses" some kind of justification, is stanoff-campus behavior under the ju- whom work for the student affairs she was referring to the huge outcry dard operating procedure for this
against several sections in the "old DTF.
risdiction of the school is intended office.
to enable the administration to take
As students raised their concerns, version" of the code revision last
Wendy's comments initiated a
action against students who commit Wendy assured them that what they spring, and the thirty students who merry-go-round of talking that
sexual assault or other violence off were referring to was part of the were now squeezed into a meeting lasted the rest of the meeting. Stucampus. Students agreed that such "old version" of the revised docu- that she hadn't expected anyone out- dents made suggestions about how
to make revising the student code of
situations should be addressed by _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
side of the DTF to attend.
She
also
said
that
she
bad
resconduct
a more public process, and
the administration, but that the Wendv En dress said that she
ervations about posting changes Wendy made the same three points
language was not specific enough
'J
to the code online, because the over and over. Students paraphrased
to assuage their fear that the clause wanted Feedbackfirom students,
could extend to students known
l•
committee goes back and forth the suggestions, Wendy repeated her
on a lot of issues, and she didn't answers.
to have participated in other types but not reactionary responses.
Students basically said that subof illegal activities, such as civil - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - want to get a flood of responses
disobedience and other forms of
about something that might get stantive changes to the code should
be posted online as they are made, or
activism.
ment. They now had a new version. changed the next week anyway.
And finally, she said, sometimes the latest version should be posted
Students were also concerned that Everyone perked up. Great, said the
the decision on whether to apply the students, let's see it. But there wasn't the DTF makes tentative changes monthly, something so students can
code to a particular situation would a copy available. Wendy hadn't to the code without knowing fully know whether or not to keep pesterwhere they stand on the matter, and ing the DTF about the serious flaws
be made on a case-by-case basis by brought one.
one person: the vice president of stuThe students asked if it was online. she wants to be sure she can defend in the revision of the code, or whethdent affairs.
No, it won't be available there either. the changes before they are made er they've been amended.
This conversation was quickly Wendy said that she wanted feedback available to public scrutiny. So ba► CONDUCT continues on page 5
diverted by DTF members Wendy from students, but not reactionary sically, revise first, then figure out

2-

Counter Point Journal

November 2009

You're either with Finch, or you're with the swine flu
by Erin Finch

Much to-do has been made of the
recently introduced HlNl vaccine,
with self-appointed voices-of-reason
squawking from both left and right
about the dangers of immunization.
Depending on who you listen to, you
will have heard that this shot is either
an Obama administration conspiracy
to control your mind, or a big-pharma conspiracy to riddle your body
with mercury, give you GuillaneBarre syndrome, and charge you for
the service.
If you've spent any time reading
the myriad blog postings on the
topic, the odds are good that you've
heard both of these gems. Indeed,
there's a good chance that you, whoever you are, agree with Bill Maher's
twitter-posted formulation of this
complex issue: "If u get a swine flu
shot ur an idiot."
I am writing now to humbly present to you, dear reader, a third possibility. Yes, for just a few minutes, let
us suspend our "ain't-gonna-trustno-Washington-DC-smooth-talkin"'
sensibilities and consider the possibility that the vaccine functions as
it's supposed to, and that immunization saves lives.
First, let us be absolutely clear
about the threat po;,ed by the HlNl
influenza virus. This is not a "28 Days
Later'' apocalypse pandemic, but that
does not mean that we can safely ignore it. The CDC estimates that from
April through October 17-the first
six months of the pandemic-22
million Americans have become ill
from pandemic influenza, and between 63,000 and 153,000 have been
hospitalized. Furthermore, according to CDC estimates released at the
November 12 press briefing, roughly
3,900 people have died in the same
period of time.
This figure is worthy of note considering the fact that the ordinary flu
season hasn't even started yet.

"In typical seasonal flu we see disease from December to May. It's only
November. Exactly what we will see
as a full toll of illness from this pandemic is very difficult to say,''said
Doctor Anne Schuchat, Director, National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases, in the Nov. 12
press release.
At this point, the possible benefit
of large-scale immunization should
be clear: blunting the impact of a
disease that has already claimed
thousands of lives, and will almost
certainly claim thousands more. The
vaccine has been demonstrated to
be highly effective against the H1N1
virus, so at this point the question is
not whether lives will be saved, but
how many?
"But what about the risks?" I hear a
multitude of voices asking silently as
I type this article. "What about mercury, and Guillain Barre syndrome?"
"What about dystonia and autism?"
"... and in 1976 more people died from
the vaccine than the flu!"
Let us clear the air. Yes, there is a
preservative that contains mercury,
called thimerosal, in some of the
doses of swine flu vaccine (the larger,
multi-dose bottles will contain the
chemical). No peer reviewed study
has ever established a link between
thimerosal and any negative health
effects, but you can opt to receive
a mercury-free dose if you are worried about it. Likewise, some doctors claim a link between autism and
thimerosal in young children, but
no studies have ever confirmed any
such link.
Perhaps the least convincing evidence for the danger of vaccination .
is the case of Desiree Jennings, the
young woman who reportedly developed dystonia from a flu shot.
First, this is the seasonal, not the
HlNl vaccine that we are talking
about, and second, if Jennings got
dystonia from a flu shot, she's the
first to do so. And when I say "first to

Fall Quarter Self Evaluation Workshops hosted by the Writing Center
Wondering how to start your first self evaluation? Trying to catch up on the
last three? Bring your questions to one of our self-evaluation workshops:

Week 9: Monday 11/30, 6:30 pm in PRIMETIME (in A dorm)
Thursday 12/3, 2:00pm in LIB2310 (inside Writing Center)
Week 10: Monday 12/7, 6:30pm in PRIMETIME (in A dorm)
Thursday 12/10, 2:00pm in LIB2310 (inside Writing Center)

..

do so,'' keep in mind that about 100
million Americans get the seasonal
flu shot every year. Neurologists familiar with the case say that Jennings
almost certainly did not have a physiological condition, but some kind Support Counter Pointof psychogenic disorder (which are contactus@counterpointjouma(.org
known tOjppear and disappear with
Buy an ad!
startling rapidity). Jettnings' subsequent miraculous recovery seems to
Size
Amount
support this diagnosis, as physical,
toxin-induced damage to the brain
1/2 page
$150
does not simply "get better."
Last, but by no means least, let us
(10" X 8")
consider Gu.illain Barre syndrome
$75
and the 1976 vaccination "fiasco." 1/4 page
Yes, about thirty people died from
(4" X 6")
Guillain Barre after receiving the
$60
1/8 page
influenza vaccine. Roughly 500 total
(4" X 4")
cases of GBS were reported after the
vaccination of more than 40 million
(4" X 2,5")
$35
Americans. Roughly 500 cases were
reported before the vaccination as
business
$25
well, but let us ignore this fact for a
moment and focus on the more imcard size
portant issue. Even if a causal relationship were established (it hasn't
been), and even if this modern Hl.N 1 Pricing guide reflects prices for one
vaccine is as dangerous as the 1976 month. We can design your add for an
version (it isn't), there are still sev- extta$25.
eral thousand dead folks that ought
to be remembered in our decision Bulk discount:
making.
Pay for two months of advertisement
At this point, it is prudent to re- and get the third advertisement half
member that vaccination is about price.
society, not the individual. I don't
care if you're scared of what the shot Pay for seven months of advertisemight do to you. That's not what ment and get the eigbth and ninth
this is about. What kind of wildly in- month free,
flated sense of entitlement have we
developed as a culture, that we can . 10% di$.count for all nonprofit organicomplain about the way in which we zations and student groups
cure diseases?
Vaccines are for the protection of 5% discounts for business owners
society, the benefit for the individual who are Evergreen alumni
is tangential. A certain number of
people have to chip in for the rest.
Today, I was immunized against
H1N1: Nobody is going to get swine
flu from me.
Get the shot. The life you save may
not just be your own.

CxPJ

The CxPJ is a collective of Evergreen
community members who decided
to form a monthly alternative press
for marginalized voices.
We are always accepting submissions of articles with an emphasis on
timely, relevant, and local issues. We
specifically seek submissions that
are well researched or include interviews or comments from those who
are involved or affected by the issue being discussed. We also accept
photography, poetry, art, and other
creative works.
To submit original work, send it
to submissions@counterpointjournal.org.
Due to the War on Christmas, we will
not be publishing a December issue.
The next issue will.come out on
January 11, 2009. The deadline for
submissions for the January issue
is January 4.
The editorial collective reserves
the right to question, edit, or not
publish any content it receives. The
collective will make every attempt to
consult the author(s) in regards to
any changes proposed.
Weekly CxPJ meetings are at 6 pm
on Thurdays, in the Library underground.
The Counter Point Journal is also available on line at www.counterpointjournal.

org .

Looking for a short-term, meaningful job?
The Geoduck Union needs poll workers for the upcoming special initiative elections! Sit with a laptop and encourage students to vote! Get
paid $9/hour! We'll be hiring people during week 8, to work various
shifts Mon-Fri of weeks 9 and 10. Email afsimonton@gmail.com for
more information. Type "Poll Worker" in the subject line.

Please stop by the Writing Center for more information! You can reach us at
(360) 867-6420.

CxPJ logos by Lamise AI-Shawahin

NO

1\11;\S

DEr:ORTA(fONE6
0UST/C/A

YA J>

fi

On Nov. 14, demonstrators, including
several Olympians, held a vigil at the
Northwest Regional Detention Center,
followed by a downtown Tacoma
march to the offices ofWashington
Senators Patty Murray and Maria
antwell, all in solidarity with immigrant rights.(Photo by Marlene White)

•

t

Counter PointJournal-3

November2009

Labor Center attacked by
right-wing loonies backed by
Evergreen goonies
Kick out Ever9reen's Labor Center and award Rush Limbaugh the
Nobel Peace Prize! Sound silly?The Evergreen administration doesn't
thinkso.
Les Purce

felt it prudent to open his
own audit of the Labor Center, with
In this period of declining budgets, assurances that the audit was finanwe are all witnessing a renewed at- cial in nature only, to which the Latack on our public services. From de- bor Center openly agreed. The Labor
dining Social Security and welfare Center stated it was quite willing to
benefits, to a 28% increase in tuition allow examination of its finances in
costs, conservative interests are using order to locate and correct any disfinancial crisis for their familiar goals crepancies.
of defunding public services.
With the auditing process under
Although a national probleqi, way, the Evergreen Administration
these issues are occurring on a local _then switched gears and decided that
level as well, including attacks on the audit would examine not only
our own campus. In a clear example the Labor Center's finances, but their
of a private-partisan group with self- ethics and mission statement as well. ·
acknowledged conservative goals The Administration's appointed
attempting to dismantle public auditor proceeded to produce a reservices, the Labor Center has been port that closely mirrored the same
subjected to an auditing of not only partisan accusations of Landmark
their financial records, but their ethi- Foundation. Throughout this procal record as well.
cess, Les Purce has participated in
In June 2008, a right-wing group no meetings with the Labor Center
with its headquarters in Kansas and has relegated discussion of their
City, Missouri called Landmark Le- concerns to e-mails, with no input
gal Foundation: The
accepted in the auRonald Reagan Legal The Evergreen Adm
diting process from
Center sent a letter to
the Labor Center.
the Washington State istration then switched
The interests of
Auditor, calling for ·
a right-wing lawan investigation of gears and decided that yer's group from
the services provided the aud1't would
Missouri could reby The Evergreen
sult in the loss of
State College Labor ine not onlu the Labor the Labor Center
Center. With this let'J
from the Evergreen
ter,Evergreen'sLabor Center's finances, but
campus. The Labor
Center was placed
Center's work of
among the ranks of t eir et ICS an m,seducating people
Labor Centers across sion statement as well. about their right
the country, includto organize-such
ingthoseofth
i- - - - - - - - - - - - as immigrant -aversity of Massachusetts, Florida In- borers, whose lives and families are
ternational University, University of trampled upoa by exploitative workMichigan, UC Berkeley, UCLA, and ing conditions and sub-subsistence
Indiana University, to come under pay, and educational programs for
attack by Landmark Foundation.
women workers-provide longAlong with nominating Rush term solqtions to inequities by eduLimbaugh (a member of tbeir Board eating people on helping themselves
of Directors) for a 2007 Nobel Peace through organizing.
Prize, Landmark Foundation also
This back-handed attack by Landchampions such right-wing business mark Foundation is not only an ininterests as climate change denial trusion into the affairs of our campus
by providing a database of federal community, but is a concerted attack
grants to environmental groups in on working people of Washington
order to facilitate financial-defund- State as a whole.
ing attacks on these groups, and
While the auditing process is well
a concerted campaign against the under way, and Landmark Foundapublic teachers union, the National tion's right-wing agenda has been
Education Association, which is the adopted by our own Administration,
largest professional association and the crucial services which the Labor
largest labor union left in the coun- Center provides have not been forced
try.
from our community yet.
Busting up the NEA coincides • A Faculty Meeting is scheduled for
with another of Landmark's pet December 9, from 1-3 p.m. in SEM II
goals, replacing public education B1105. Students who disagree with
with a voucher system.
the influence and intimidation this
Given its clearly partisan agenda, private, conservative in~erest group
the Washington State Auditor in- is exerting on our campus should atformed the administration of the tend and voice their support for the
·Evergreen State College that an audit Labor Center. ,
would not be necessary and that EvThe Counter Point Journal will be
ergreen could respond to this provo- bringing further information on th_is
cation as the they saw fit. However, siruation in our next issue.
by Charlie Hicks

in-

exam-.

h

h,

d ,

Bored

of

Trustees
by Tessa Wyllie de Echeverria

duce a concrete, positive change for
transgender individuals, those with
disabilities, and students with lowincome status; to not work towards
an increase in gender neutral bathrooms, increased access to services on
campuses, and reduction in prohibitive tuition costs is to do a disservice
to all Evergreen students.
The Geoduck Union has a challenge
for the President's Diversity Fund:
to listen to the student body, and to
take action-not only in the form of
dialogue and conferences, but in real,
tangible changes. We challenge the
Fund to become involved with at least
s projects this year that reflect this
commitment to anti-oppression, our
diverse student body, and bettering
Evergreen in tangible ways. This will
require increased student input, and
this will require Evergreen to reflect
not only on where it has been able to
take positive steps towards diversity,
but also to where we have been stepping backwards.

On November 11, the Evergreen
Board of Trustees met from 9
AM until 3 PM. At 2:30, the board
opened up for public comment.
The public comment time is short
and at the end of a six hour meeting. This creates a small window
in which students can address concerns to the board.
The Board of Trustees has almost total control over the school's
long-term policy and plans. However, many on the board are not involved with Evergreen, nor do they
have a deep understanding about
Evergreen culture and student history.
It is important to maintain the One campus community
student spirit and the general en- member asked the board to
during philosophy of Evergreen.
These board members don't know "at least look interested."
what is going on at Evergreen; they
come to campus once per quarter
and sit in the president's boardAs the Board of Trustees faces a
room, making decisions about the
progress report on the President's
path of Evergreen without fully
DiversityFundanditsejfortsforan While sitting in the room I felt
understanding the path we are
increased recognition and awareness the statement falling on deaf ears.
on. The·Board of Trustees' agenda
of dive~sity issues and multicultural- During the next talk by another
is put together by Art Costantino
ism in Evergreen com;,m~u;n~it~ie~s~t~he; ....~
m ~~~~~~~~~~~'t(f----- A
eo uc
nton wou
o a vo- ty, w o so expresse concern wit
and Dr: omas . Les urce, an
catefor those students who feel that tpe lack of diversity, the presenter
only at public comment can other
progress is lacking. Working towards asked the board to "at least look incampus members enter into the
a space in which anti-oppression and terested." So while there is a space
debate.
diversity are active topics of conver- to address the Board of Trustees, a
During the Nov. 11 public comsation is difficult, and the Diversity single student will have a challengment time, someone gave a presenFund faces more challenges in work- ing time getting the Board to listen
tation to the board on the removal
ing towards this than a congratula- and change a policy. After all, the
of barriers to access. He covered
tory tone provides.
Board of Trustees is there to stamp
the lack of consideration and the
There are actions that can be taken off on good PR for the school.
work towards making Evergreen
for Evergreen this year that can pro-.
a more accessible campus for all

' ► EDITORIAL continued from page 1

In other news, the Counter Point
Journal is now a registered student
organization {RSO). How will this
affect our content? It won't. We intended to challenge authority, inform the public, advocate for the
oppressed, and empower the community as before. We will continue
to do so as a student group. Based
on past experience, we are indeed
concerned that outside parties may
. try to divert us or delegitimize us,
and they may try to do so through

our new connections with Student
Activities. There are, after all, many
ways to silence an opposition - the
best ways being indirect. Why run
someone down with a car when
you can just engage the wheels of
bureaucracy to roll over the person,
back and forth?
We chose to become a registered
student-0rganization in hopes that
it would allow us to be more effective in what we do. But we run
the risk of becoming mired in bu-

reaucracy, of making compromises
that initially seemed innocuous, or .
else of cozying up to authority and
becoming too content with our
content, recognizing that theRso
tstatus provides us with the kind of
stability that can make us complacent. God (or Whoever) knows that
has happened before. We will try to
prevent that from happening, and
we hope that with your help, we
will not forget whywe exist.

Faculty Union es~ablishes
Soli.darity Scholarship'
Solidarity Scholarship will be available to 3rd or 4th year students beAt i:heir meeting on Nov. 13, the ginning in the 2010-11 academic
United Faculty of Evergreen enact- year and is funded entirely by faced a proposal to create a scholarship ulty members. A sheet was passed
to offsett the recent tuition hike. around where faculty tould subThe proposal was brought forward mit their 1% yearly salary increase
by Anita Lenges, a professor for the to the scholarship fund. As of Nov.
Masters in Education program, and 13, 8 scholarships have been created,
Joe Tougas, Professor of Philosophy. though the final amount will not
The scholarship, entitled the Ev- be tallied for a while. If so faculty
ergreen Faculty Union Solidarity members donate their 1% salary inScholarship, is a needs-based schol- crease, 32 scholarships will be crearship for $850, the exact amount ated. "This is about providing the
that tuition was raised for resid<!nt real help students need to stay in
school," said Tougas.
undergraduates.
The tuition was raised by 14% for
The Evergreen Faculty Union
By CxP] Reporting Service

The Labor Center hosts an annual Summer School for Union Women and Community
Activists. "'{Vo men organizingwomenn? How deplorable! (Photo by Liliana Hudgens)

community members. The board
members sat there, slightly moving their heads as to appear deep in
thought.
Next, the Geoduck Union made
a statement about the Diversity
and Equity Standing Committee
and the President's Diversity Fund.
The Union found many faults with
the progress report-mainly that
the college is not making any progress. The progress report discussed
programs Evergreen has had in
place for a while and focused only
on race and first generation college
students. Below is the statement
made to the Board:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

resident undergraduate students
last year and, according to the 2 year
budget plan the Board of Trustees
voted on, will be raised again by 14%
this year. Since the tuition increase
applied to all current students as
opposed to only incoming students,
those who came here during an
economic recession expecting a set
price are now put into the position
where they either pay more or drop
out. "Many faculry members had
this idea as soon as we heard about
the tuition increases," said Tougas.
"We'll continue as long as the faculty is willing to donate."

4-Counter Point Journal
►

November2009

BOOKSTORE continued from page 1

who would take the job. Last Word administrators I interviewed, as if
would take the books-sometimes this example was the one they settled
so boxes at a time-sort, categorize, on as a group to be the case-winning
list, and sell them either in the store argument. Tl].is, despite that the varior online. "I doubled their profit al- ety of literature encompassed by the
most instantly," said Cosby.
category "Mushroom Books" is vastly
When Liza Rognas, Evergreen fac- different between the two operations.
ulty reference librarian and the Hai- The Bookstore has mushroom books •
son between Last Word Books and on foraging and identifying wildedthe reference librarian group, heard ible mushrooms in the Pacific Northabout the ban, she told the CxPJ, "I west, while Last Word carries how-to
don't like it. I think that the relation- guides on growing psilocybin and
ship between Last Word Books and other hallucinogenic mushrooms.
the Library serves the col- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ It's doubtful whether
someone who wants
lege very well. Former Evergreen students are gento learn how to grow
mushrooms because
erating a few thousand
dollars a year that goes
'J
they want a cheap, organic and fun way to
straight to collection dewatch the moon melt
velopment at the Library.
ff
It has been a real holistic, Se mUS
will think, "You know
long-term arrangement."
~hat? Forget this. I
The relationship be'
Just want to find a portween Cosby and the Litobello in the woods."
brary doesn't exist solely _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Another example
for business. "Sky brings
is environmentalist
back books taken from the Library literature. While the Bookstore may
all the time that students tried to sell carry a book discussing the pros
;it Last Word Books."
and cons of cap-and~trade policy or
other market solutions to climate
change, Last Word carries books like
Why only Last Word Books?
Ecodefense, an explanatory guide on
Every response from the administra- how to safely carry out various mon- •
tion for why they kept returning to keywrenching missions, such as disthe rationale ·of no competition on abling or destroying large destruccampus, but their idea of what con- tive machinery and spiking trees-in
stitutes competition was vague at other words, as Danis nonchalantly
best. For instance, one commercial replied, "terrorism books."
vendor has-since the moratorium
Terrorism books?
was implemented-been coming
That's right, terrorism books.
to campus to sell Obama shirts and Danis went on to say, "I don't know if
mugs, even though shirts and mugs [Last Word] is carrying The Anarchist
Cookbook, which is a book we don't
are sold at the Bookstore.
According to Orr, this is acceptable carry." We asked Collin Orr where
because the Bookstore's own shirts our copy of The Anarchist Cookbook
and mugs are "logoed" with the was. "Why wouldn't we sell The AnEvergreeq name. Since this private archist Cookbook?" Orr said. "If a provendor doesn't sell shirts and mugs fessor says it's a class book, we would
with EVERGREEN emblazoned on sell it."
them, they are not considered comLiza Rognas laughed at Danis'
pet!tion. This should be compared to comment, saying, "Terrorism books.?
the rationale behind why Last Word Of course Sky sells terrorism books.
is considered competition.
Guess what? We've got terrorism
When on campus, Cosby and Last books on our stacks." Sure enough,
Word sold between 95% and 100% The Anarchist Cookbook, filed under Sky Cosby with just a fraction of the books he sells to be~efitthe Friends of the Evergreen ·ubrary.
used books and refused to carry any the subjects ANARCHISM, DRUG
textbooks or assigned reading for ABUSE, EXPLOSIVES, FIREARMS, and Bookstore,'' states one Evergreen the campus and brought awareness munity and the Evergreen Campus."
Evergreen classes. "When students COOKERY (HASHISH),'' is call num- student. "This is obviously directed of the local Olympia community and Rognas agreed. "I think the hardest
locally-owned businesses,'' said one part about this is the effect this has
wanted to buy their class books, I di- ber HX844. P68 at the Evergreen Li- at silencing Last Word Books."
The history of Evergreen over-the student who volunteered at a book- on the relationship that the college
rected them to the Bookstore," said brary. There's also a copy in the referCosby. "I would love to see the Book- ence stacks, in case the other copy is past decade has been aimed at silenc- shop in Austin, Texas over the sum- has had with the outer community.
store stay open." While this would checked·out and you need a recipe for ing and marginalizing any form of mer. "I lived on campus, and it was To have that shut down willfully is
appear to be a clear example of not napalm and a good Molotov cocktail dissent and student power on cam- difficult at times to leave. I bought sad." What was once a thriving conpus. From the Evergreen Police ac- books like Manifestos on the Future of nection with downtown Olympia is
only non-competition but willful co- in a hurry.
quiring handguns in Food and Seed and How Nonviolence Pro- now all but non-existent. But Cosby
operation and even advocacy, the individuals involved - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - fall 1999 despite mas- tects the State from Last Word. At the . has new plans. "I've been thinking
sive student opposi- same time, I bought things from the about opening up a reading room on
in crafting the new policy
tion, to responses to Bookstore, too. Book fans are going Red Square or in the Library build7e~~o:::~~st;_rviewed
to
ing. Not selling books-just a place
the 2008 Valentine's to be book fans regardless."
and May Day riots, to
There are other ways students are where students can hang out and .
the formation of the registering their displeasure with read. I just want to be there one to
0
new Student Code of the moratorium. The program "Po- two days a quarter to provide the serDanis. "I've walked down
Conduct DTF and the litical Economy and Social Move- vice that I do."
there and looked ·at his
attempted prosecution ments" has considered a boycott of
In the end, everyone I interviewed
stand and seen the same
of those involved in the Bookstore, with the idea of pur- discussed what students wanted.
th
types of books ere." No
the Israeli checkpoint chasing all their books through Last Some of those discussions were obvione who didn't stand to
'J
street
theater protest Word as a show of solidarity. The ously covers; some of them were deep
benefit from the expulsion
on Red Square last year, measure, brought up and voted on and heartfelt. "It seems like they've
of Last Word Books shared __________________
::,_ _ __
the ban of Last Word by students and backed by faculty, [the Bookstore) always missed the
Danis' observation. "Oh,
Free speech ·
Books is one of the latest efforts in a ended up purchasing 20 books from opportunity to draw people in,'' said
sure there was a difference," said Liza .
Last Word directly and around 10 a staff member in Student Activities.
Rognas. "Yeah, I saw a big difference. The fact tnat Last Word Books was continuing trend.
Contrasting Last Word Books' con- from the book store. Showing that "They're continuing to alienate their
They had a much broader selection, the only vendor removed from camused books, philosophy, and a lot of pus, the nature of the administra- sensus-run process, we asked Danis giant corporations pose more of a clientele: the students."
Rognas commented, "Last Word
tion's response to inquiries about it, if student workers at the Bookstore threat than any local business, the
books for the Left."
and the policies of what will and will had a vote in how the Bookstore is rest of the students opted to pur- understands Evergreen students benot be available to students on Ever- · run. Danis summed up the way the chase their books online or from big- cause they were Evergreen students."
Examples, please?
green begin to bring this to light as process works at Evergreen succinct- ger chain stores. "I would love to buy Cosby, sitting outside Caffe Vita with
my books from Last Word,'' one stu- a tattered copy of a Vonnegut novel
"They sell mushroom books, and we an issue of free speech. "This clearly ly: "This.is not a democracy."
dent told me. "But with tuition and and cigarette, summed it up best:
sell mushroom books,'' said all three isn't a policy of just protecting the
other costs of living going up, I need "I've got my finger on the pulse of EvStudent response
to find the cheapest books I can."
ergreen, and I know what they want...
When asked if he would consider reThey want to read radical books."
versing the vendor ban if students The effect this has on campus
demanded that Last Word return to
campus, Danis responded, "No one's In a place where there's so much recome and talked to me." As of this sistance from the administration to
publication, two stories have been kick off Bank of America or divest
published through the Cooper Point from companies that profit from
Journal-both in favor of Last Word the criminal occupations of Iraq, Afreturning to campus-and Cosby ghanistan, and Palestine, banning
was interviewed by John Ford on a local business operated by former
KAOS about the ban.
and current Evergreen students
Students interviewed were up- completely contradicts the foundset upon hearing about the ban and ing principles of this college. "It's
....
were overwhelmingly in favor of Cos- a surface-level sham,'' Cosby stated
by and Last Word returning to cam- flatly. "I've always sought to bridge
pus. "It was a good connectioii with the gap between the Olympia com-

One reason fior the
ban, cited bu three
officials: "They
hroom
books and we sell
mushroom books."

~:!
t~;f/!! :!~si:;,,~~:

In aplace where there's so much resistance
from the administration kick offBank of
America or divest from companies that profit
from military occupations, banning alocal
business operated by former and current
Evergreen students completelu contradicts
thefiounding principles ofthis collene.

Counter Poin(Journal -5.

will be brought up, at least if I have
any say in it," and that "you should
be able to remain silent even if the
police stop you." This definitely
seems like a basic right under the
Fifth Amendment. Reading on
only two items down, number five
prohibits "failure to comply with
the directions of members of the
college community." Ray saidand we couldn't agree more-that
"just because you are a community
member doesn't give you the official capacity to do that."
Item ten prohibits the possession of firearms or weapons. Makes
sense until you read the last part of
that item, which includes, "realistic
replica of such instrument, which
might reasonably threaten or cause
fear or alarm to others." Interesting, what falls under "realistic," a
toy gun with a red point? Raymond
believes that, "we can probably remove the realistic replica part be-

Students wantto know how they should conductthemselves in response to the proposed Student Code _of Conduct atthe Nov. 4
DTF meeting.

► CONDUCT continued from page 1

Wendy reiterated her reasons for
We interviewed Ray Campbel~ one dered how the committee planned
not wanting to do this and said that of the student representatives on the to address student concerns. Right
in December, when they have a final Student Code of Conduct DTF, to now, "the main way that the DTF is
.draft, students will get to see it and find out how much clout the "stu- looking for student input is through
voice their feedback, which the DTF dent voice," has on this issue.
meetings that they hold once a year,
will then consider. Students didn't
Ray told us that the board was "a and they get student input, take that
like this idea, because "final draft'' pretty level playing field now that back and rework the draft. They will
sounds, well, final. They doubted there are so many student represen- do that three or four times before the
how much their feedback would re- tatives." The students on the DTF conduct code is solidified."
ally be considered at that point.
went through the Geoduck Union
This made us wonder whether last
The meeting ended with these is- interview process and were recom- year's concerns have been considsues unresolved. However, a student mended by interview panels to serve ered. Ray informed us about some
filed a .public records request to ob- on the committee.
recent changes made in the code:
tain the "new version" of the revised
It is very important that there are
In last Wednesday's meeting, the
code of conduct, which prompted a number of students serving on this committee "made a change to the
Wendy Endress to post the damn committee, but there also needs to jurisdiction piece. We redacted the
thing online.
oemoreofad a oguew1thtliew1aer
erm property', an ne week, "we
One thing this episode brings to student community. When asked are going to take a look at the 'adlight is the difference between rep- whether the DTF was working to jacent' part." These both fall under
resentation and power. Reserving make this happen, Ray's response Section Three: "Jurisdiction of the
seats for students on DTFs and com- was that "they are trying, but at Code." This section concerns what
mittees is better than keeping stu- • the same time they don't want [the rights the college has to pursue acdents out of Evergreen's
tions against students for
decision-making processthings that happen off
es altogether. But when it
campus. These changes
comes down to it, these
only scratch the surface
positions are filled by stuof the problems with this
dents who are expected
section of the code.
to do little more than ofMany concerns comfer their token opinions.
ing from the student
If the administration is
body address the power
already headed in one diof the vice president of
rection, it isn't likely that these indi- meetings] open to twenty or thirty student affairs in applying the new
vidual students will be able to turn students each week. .. the majqrity of code. When queried, Ray explained
them around.
student input they are looking to get that the committee "addressed some
Our student reps generally do a from student representatives."
of those concerns at last week's meetgood job within the limits of their
As Ray went on to say, it is the job ings." We wondered if the changes
position, working to make change of student appointees to be the voice really made a difference.and he rethrough compromises and lengthy of student opinion. When we in- sponded, "I think the result is it's
discussions with other committee quired if there was an open meeting just sounding better, butthe thought
members. But compare this prpcess or another way for representatives to behind changing the term was to
with that of occupying the DTF hear from the larger student body, he make it seem more balanced."
meeting and filing a public records replied, "It is not exactly organized
When going over the standards
request, an action that resulted in at that way, but I certainly hope to do for students' conduct, Section Four
least one student demand being met that," and went on to discuss how he of the code, Ray pointed out a few isimmediately.
would like to work with other stu- sues he has with the language. The
dent appointees to work on gather- third term punishes the failure to
ing more student participation.
be truthful and forthcoming, which
With the understanding that "seems like it is a slight problem with
the committee was not looking for the Fifth Amendment." Ray assured
weekly input froin students, we won- us that "'truthful and forthcoming'

With the understanding that the committee was not looking for weekly input from
students, we wondered how the committee
planned to address student concerns.

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cause it is covered in the sounding
of a false alarm." His reference is to
item twelve: "intentional sounding
of a false alarni."
We took a look at the back of the
code under Section Eleven: Corrective Action. Last spring, and again
at the November 4 meeting, students raised concerns about the
power of the college to revoke degrees. At the time; Andrea Seabert
said this had been redacted from
the code.
However while reading the code,
we found that the last item in the
Corrective Action section was still
the revocation of admission or degree, with no time limit of how
long after you get your degree that
it can be revoked. Ray stated that
he, ''will have to talk to Andi Seabert about that one". To that we responded that maybe Andi should
read her code a little more closely.

Your Geoducl<-Union:
A status report
by Tessa Wyllie de Eche1'erria .

The Geoduck Union is the Union for
the Evergreen student body, working on campus-wide policies that
affect the student body, and tackling individual issues students may
be having with any part of campus
life. The role of the GU is to assert
student power and advocate for students.
•Formed three years ago, the Geoduck Union is building the foundation for more student power on
campus. The Union has facilitated
the Nightline bus service, campaigned against rifles for the police,
and placed student on campus policy committees. The GU continues
to work on many different projects,
and is always open to new issues for
students to bring to the Union.
This year the GU created an interview process for students seeking
positions on campus committees.
The first irlterviews where held on
October 27. Turnout from the student body was high, and many .committee positions where filled, allowing for student opinion to be heard
during campus policymaking. Key
committees that now have student
voices are the Police Services Community Review Board (PSCRB), the
Student Conduct Code DTF, and
the Food Committee.
Along with placing students on
committees, the Geoduck Union
passed a bylaw that allows the
Union to mediate conflict between
students, other members of committees, and members of the campus community. This is a way to
ensure student voices are not silenced, keep students feeling safe,
and maintain accountability with
students serving on committees.
Last year a DTF formed to rewrite
the Student Conduct Code. During
week 9 of spring quarter, the committee released the proposed new
Student Conduct Code for community debate. Many members of the
student body had issues with the
new conduct code and its effect on
student power. Under the rewritten
code, most decisions are left solely
to the vice president of student affairs. Furthermore, the revised code
infringes heavily on the First and
Fifth Amendment rights of the us
Constitution.
Along with these changes, the
code also extended its jurisdiction
to regulate actions committed by
students while off campus.
Due to its widespread implications on students' behavior, The
.Geoduck Union is working to make

the process of revising the code
more open to the student body. The
Union.is also working to educate
the campus community about What
is changing in this policy and how
it will affect tl}e lives of all students.
At the last Geoduck Union meeting,
an official statement on the revised
conduct code was issued and a number of students went to the conduct
code meeting to inform the committee of student interest.
The Geoduck Union and the
Clean Energy Committee (CEC) are
holding a winter ballot to vote on a
proposal by the CEC, as well as on
special initiatives put forth by the
GU. This is the first winter election
for the Geoduck Union.
When asked why the Clean Energy Committee is working on the
ballot, the committee responded
with these points of interest:
We are proposing to add a new
student position to the CEC who
will work on Climate Action Plan
(CAP) projects. The CAP is a list
of strategies with a timeline for
Evergreen to achieve its sustainability commitment of waste free
and carbon neutral by 2020. More
information about the CAP is onlirle at blogs.evergreen.edu/sustainability/our-climate-action-plan. This
position would allow direct student involvement with campuswide clean energy projects. The
new member will initially serve
on the Biomass Gasification research committee, and work on
other projects as they arise. They
will also participate in regular
CEC functions including deciding on grant proposals and planning events. The compensation
for this position will be $358 a
quarter.
The current Clean Energy Initiative restricts the purchase of green
power to the Pacific Northwest.
This is great, because it helps to
develop the local economy by creating clean energy infrastructure.
If the initiative was expanded to
include all of the United States,
• we could reduce the national carbon footprint by supporting clean
. energy in places where coal is the
main source of energy. In other
words, we would reduce more
carbon emissions with the same
amount of money if we were to
purchase renewable energy from
coal intensive regions. The CBC
wants the students to decide what
is more valuable: global carbon
►

GEODUCK UNION continues on page 8

6-CounterPointJournal

November 2009,

RAWA in Olympia
AFGHAN WOMEN CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ford healthcare, as well as wounded Taliban has liberated Afghan wommen. They make loans and help en. Zoya began by partially agreeThe SEM II lecture room was packed women start small businesses. They ing with these ideas. "Afghanistan
with students, faculty, and Evergreen distribute food to the many families is free," she said, "free for drug lords,
community members. Every seat who have been impoverished by the rapists, and warlords." She then exwas taken; people stood against the violence and destruction of the oc- plaihed why Afghanistan is not free
walls and sat in the aisles. Everyone cupation, and they evacuate families for everyone else.
waited with excited apprehension for from battlefields to relocate them in
When the Soviet occupation of Afa speaker whose name they did not safer areas.
ghanistan ended in 1989, the counknow.
On top of directly serving the tty fell into a state of civil war, with
Zoya is her assumed name. She needs of the people of Afghanistan, various warlords vying for power. In
doesn't reveal her true identity be- RAWA provides human rights orga- 1996 the Taliban formed and created
cause she is wanted by f u n - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - a government that took control of Afghanistan. Warlords
damentalist warlords and
others who have a stake in
who had previously been
keeping power out of the
fighting each other joined
forces, creating the Northhands of the people in AftS
ghanistan. She is a member
S.
ern Alliance in an effort to
of the Revolutionary Associoust the Taliban. The people
ation of the Women of Afghanistan nizations with reports, news outlets of Afghanistan suffered, both under
(RA w A), and she travels the world with press releases, and produces a the warlords that ruled parts of the
speaking out against the US occupa- bilingual women's magazine, CDs country between 1989 and 1996, as
tion of her country. On October 27, of political songs, and pamphlets well as under the Taliban's oppr~she came to Evergreen.
and brochures. They.organize dem- sive government.
She didn't speak much about her onstrations and speaking tours to
But in the US war against the Talipersonal life, though she has writ- spread their message. They do all ban, the Northern Alliance has been
ten a book about it (Zoya's Story: An of this in secret, using the names of made an ally, even though the AlliAfghan Woman's Struggle for Freedom). other organizations, with no fund- ance is made up of drug lords and
Her parents were both members of ing from governments or NG Os.
warlords who are responsible for
RAWA. They were disappeared when
The members of RAW A do this in- the same human rights violationsZoya was young, but RA WA adopted credible work despite the risk it pos- rapes, killings, torture-that the
her, and she has worked with them es to their own personal
ever since. The history of the organi- safety. Zoya's parents were
zation is as incredible as the story of not the only activists who
Zoya's life. Founded in 1977 by an Af- have been killed; Meena,
ghani woman named Meena, RAWA RAWA's founder was murhas provided critical services to the dered in 1987 by KGB opwomen and children of Afghanistan eratives in collaboration
with the goal of advancing women's with a Pakistani drug lord,
rights and democracy.
and other RAwA members have dis- Taliban perpetrated.
In Pakistan, where many Afghans appeared over the years. Still, RAWA
Members of the Northern Alliance
live in refugee camps, RAWA has has persevered, through the Soviet constitute the new government, and
established a free hospital, mobile War of the 'Sos, the civil wars and under their watch, criminals are free
medical teams that provide free rule of the Taliban in the '90s, and to do as they please. Zoya told of a
treatment, nine orphanages, fifteen now under the US occupation. This girl who was gang-raped by eight
primary schools, many literacy class- latest chapter was Zoya's focus when men. Three of them were police ofes for women, and financial services she spoke at Evergreen, dispelling ficers, so none of them were tried.
that help women generate income by some of the predominant miscon- Another girl was gang-raped by thirJ
making crafts, ralsing fish or chick-_ ceptions about the occupation of Af- teen men. They were members of the
Northern Alliance, so the president
ghanistan.
ens, and cooking.
The War in Afghanistan, as it is pardoned them. Even men who do
RAWA also provides these services in Afghanistan, which is much more commonly called, has always not hold such positions do not fear
more dangerous. In Afghanistan had more American public support retribution from the US-backed govthe schools are all home-based and than the War in Iraq. This is due to ernment, so domestic violence has
classes are held in secret. They have two widely held beliefs: 1) War may been steadily jncreasing.
The US government calls it a vicmobile health teams operating in not be a great option for the people
eight provinces where they treat of Afghanistan, but it's better than tory that girls are now allowed to
women and children who can't af- the Taliban, and 2) Eradicati_ng the go to school. The problem is that no
by Anna Simonton

RAWA does all ofthis in secret, using the
names ofother-organizations, with no
{iUn d',ng {irom govern men Or NGO

one sends their daughters to school of human rights, democracy and
because they risk being abducted or secularism have gripped their claws
raped. The US government celebrates over our country and attempt to rethat women are no longer legally re- store their religious fascism on our
quired to wear the burqa, but 90% people.
of Afghani women still do, fearing
"Whenever fundamentalists exist
the violent consequences of showing as a military and political force in
their face in public. Zoya's message our injured land, the problem of Afis that the laws have only changed ghanistan will not be solved. Today
in name, and that's not enough: "In RAw A's mission for women's rights
a countty where there is no law, and is far from over and we have to work
no implementation of law, how can hard for establishment of an inde•we expect a-drastic change in the pendent, free, democratic and secuwell-being of women?"
lar Afghanistan. We need the solidarDuring the Q§,rA session, Zoya was ity and support of all people around
asked what would happen if the oc- the world."
cupying troops were simply to leave.
This statement and Zoya's words
Don't they offer some protection? affirm that solidarity, not military
Wouldn't things fall into chaos? She aggression, is the way to truly supanswered that the troops protect only port people in their struggle for free10% of the people in Afghanistan- dom. Unfortunately, since Zoya's
government officials, UN workers, visit to Evergreen, President Obama
and rich businessmen. Those people is considering an increase of up to
would no longer have protection 40,000 more troops in Afghanistan.
from the Taliban if the troops left. Now, more than ever, those AmeriFor the other 90% of the people in cans who have insight into the reality
Afghanistan, things can't get worse. of the situation in Afghanistan also
There is no protection as it is.
have a responsibility to disseminate
As long as foreign troops are in Af- that information, to talk to relatives
ghanistan, Zoya stated, their mission and friends in an effort to correct the
should be·to "disarm the Northern misconception that Afghanistan is
Alliance and disempow- "The Good War."
er war criminals." She
You can make a difference when
emphasized that the the winter holidays come around
US should instead be by asking a family member to make
supporting grassroots a donatfon to RA WA as a gift to you.
democratic movements. The Afghan Women's Mission is
"Americans don't know RAWA's California-based sister org.tabout the democratic nization. The money you donate to
organizations. They are very small the Afghan Women's Mission will go
and weak and under pressure from straight to RAWA. You can find them
Taliban and other fundamentalists." online at http://afghanwomensmission.
But they do exist. There have been org/index.php
demonstrations in the University of
If you are interested in getting inKabul, and the work that RAwAdoes volved on campus, the Mideast Soliwith funding only from individual darity Project meets in the Student
donors is evidence of how much Activities Office area every Wednescould be accomplished with support day at 3pm. MSP brought Zoya here
from the US and other governments. to speak, and is continually working
But ultimately, Zoya UiinKS the on projects to raise consciousness
troops should just leave. She echoed and educate our community about
the sentiment that RAWA's website the Middle East.
• eloquently presents: "RAWA believes
that freedom and democracy can't be Anna Simonton is a member of the Middonated; it is the duty of the people east Solidarity Project.
of a country to fight and achieve
these values. Under the US-supported government, the sworn enemies

Members ofthe Northern Alliance constitute
the new government, and under their watch,
criminals are free to do as they please.

Revolutionary Association
of
'.•'.:::-

e Women ·of Afghanistan
.-~

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Counter Poi11tJournal-7

November 2009

. Pacific Rim to El Salvador: What's yours is mined
tration under the World Bank. The
money that El Salvador risks losing
For years Pacific Rim, a mining com- is money badly needed for public serpany based in Vancouver, Canada, vices and government programs. If
has been pushing to reopen the El the Salvadoran government is forced
Doardo mine in El Salvador against to pay Pacific Rim, it will be a punish•
the will of the people and their gov- ment for nothing more than doing
ernment. Now the company is suing what governments are supposed to
the Salvadoran government for $77 do-protect the rights and interests
of the people who elect them.
million.
Why isn't it in the interest of the
On October 21st, the Committee In
Solidarity with the People of El Sal- people to have a new gold mine in
vador (CISPES) hosted Miguel Rivera, the Cabanas? Pacific Rim argues, of
an activist from El Salvador, who course, that the mine will create jobs
spoke about the struggle to assert for the people who live in this rural
the rights of the people over those of area. However, according to CISPES,
the corporation. Rivera is the found- the gold mining industry contriber and current vice president of the utes only .04% to El Salvador's GDP,
Association of Friends of San Isidro while Pacific Rim's website details
their plans for taking away 43.6 mil(ASIC).
Rivera is from the town of San lion dollars in "free cash flow," which
Isidro in the region called the Caba- is an estimate based on the price of
nas, where Pacific Rim acquired the gold as set at $400 per ounce. CurEl Dorado mine site in 2002 and be- rently the price of gold is $1,000 per
gan an intrusive exploration process ounce.
Besides contributing little to the
to determine the amount of gold and
Salvadoran economy, the El Dorado
silver in the hills.
In 2004, the company applied to mining project would cost the people
the Salvadoran government to have of El Salvador a great deal in health
their exploration license converted to and environmental degradation. In
an exploitation license (yes, it's actu- 2005 a hydrogeologist conducted
ally called an exploitation license) but a technical review of Pacific Rim's
was denied because of widespread Environmental Impact Assessment
opposition to the mining project.
and concluded that the stu~ lacked
important data and testing. A study
cosponsored by two .Salvadoran
groups-a
Catholic organization and an
environmental
NGO-found
that Pacific
Rim's open pit
mining process
would contaminate local
water supplies
with mercury,

You can watch a short documenwas found at the bottom of a well on
the outskirts of town. Lying on the . tary about Marcelo's murder and the
ground nearby was a military manu- ongoing battle with Pacific Rim at
al on forced disappearances. Despite www.jamiemojfett.com/marcelorivera .
CISPES encourages folks to call
this evidence, the right-wing Salvadoran attorney general maintains Tom Shrake, president and CEO of
that Marcelo was last seen with drug Pacific Rim, and tell him to withdraw
dealers, and that his murder was the the lawsuit against El Salvador. You
result of a drunken altercation.
can reach him at (888) 775-7097.

by Anna Simonton

Luis Rodriguez visit-~ Evergreen
by Rebecca Wyllie de Echeverria
Miguel Rivera, who spoke at Evergreen,
continues the work he previously
did with his slain brother Marceloexposing the destructive designs of the
Vancouver-based Pacific Rim mining
company on his community.

L"uis Rodriguez, a longtime activist who works predominantly with youth around issues of violence and
incarceration, came to Evergreen during week five of
fall quarter. He was brought by l\fEChA, Gateways
for Incarcerated Youth, and several other generous
sponsors. Luis is the author of many books, including
poetry, novels and autobiographical works. Through
his writing and lectures, he argues that creativity can
positively influence people of all ages to find purpose
within their lives and build community by becoming
engaged in their creative process. He spoke at both the
Evergreen and Tacoma campuses, with several academic programs, and went with the Gateways program on their weekly trips
to Green Hill and Maple Lane. I would elaborate on Luis' ideas, but I think
his poetry imparts them much more extensively then this paragraph. You can
learn more about his projects and read his blog at luisjrodriguez.com/blog.

Miguel Rivera spoke about this at
Evergreen, noting that Pacific Rim
countered these testimonies by saying that the Hondurans did not have
rashes because of polluted water, but
because they were dirty.
This racist assertion can't explain
what Salvadorans on the tour learned
next: that the Honduran government conducted a study that found
the residents of this area to have
The Concrete River
dangerously high levels of arsenic
by Luis]. Rodriguez
and other chemicals in their blood.
Equally disturbing . We sink into the dust,
was the fact the ten
Baba and me,
rivers in the region
Beneath brush of prickly leaves;
have·dried up as a
Ivy strangling trees-singing
result of the mine's
Our last rites of locura.
water usage. This
Homeboys. Worshipping God-fumes
information has
Out of spray cans.
extreme implications for the peo- Our backs press up against
ple of El Salvador, A corrugated steel fence
where 30% of the
Along the dried banks
rural population
Of a concrete river.
anide.-arseni
lacks 2"ess-t~ea
rar-painted ourpou:ring·r -- zinc, and alumiwater.
On walls offer a chaos
num.
Water contami- Of color for the eyes.
Probably the
nation would affect
most a s t o u n d - - - - - - - - - - - - - - not only the health
Home for now. Hidden in weeds.
ing report to
of the people, but
Furnished with stained mattresses
come out of the many studies that would also impact agriculture and And plastic milk crates.
have been conducted to disprove Pa- threaten food security.
Wood planks thrust into
cific Rim's promise of "green mining"
None of these things have hapA mural for slain community leader and
thick branches
is that the process would use over pened yet in the Cabanas, but even
anti-mining activist Marcelo Rivera was
serve as roof.
200,000 gallons of water a day-the with the El Dorado mine unopened, The door is a torn cloth curtain
painted on the side of a community
same amount that one Salvadoran Pacific Rim's presence has wreaked
(knock before entering).
library in San Isidro.
family uses in twenty years. •
havoc among the communities
Home for now, sandwiched
Pacific Rim ignored the concerns
Members of the communities there.
In between the maddening days.
of the Salvadoran people and their located near the El Dorado mine
Activists opposing the mining
government, and reopened the Ca- site have seen firsthand the results project have been threatened, at- We aim spray into paper bags.
nadian company's dormant sub- of this kind of waste and pollution. tacked, and killed. Miguel Rivera
Suckle them. Take deep breaths.
sidiary in Nevada in order to take The Environmental Committee of spoke about his brother, Marcelo, An echo of steel-sounds grates the sky.
advantage of Article 10 under the the Cabanas organized a tour of the who was working as a legal represen- Home for now. Along an urbanCentral American Free Trade Agree- San Martin gold mine in neighbor- tative of the ASIC, and was a member
spawned
ment (CAFTA), which allowed them ing Honduras. People from the Caba- of the Board of the National Round- Stream of muck, we gargle in
to sue the government of El Salvador nas visited the communities near the table Against Metallic Mining in El The technicolor synthesized madness.
for $77 million dollars for "profit in- mine and met people suffering from .Salvador.
fringement."
rashes and skin disorders caused by
Last June, Marcelo disappeared. A This river, this concrete river,
Now the two parties are in arbi- the pollution of their water supply.
few weeks later, his mutilated body Becomes a steaming, bubbling
Snake of water, pouring over
Nightmares of wakefulness;
Overiooo people attended the funeral of Marcelo Rivera. Marcelo was possibly tortured for days before being killed. The banner
Pouring out a rush of birds;
states "Marcelo lives and the struggle continues."
A flow of clear liquid
On a cloudless day.
Not like the black oil stains we lie in,
Not like the factory air engulfing
us; Not this plastic death in a can.

Last June, Miguel's broth-

er Marcelo disappeared.
Afew weeks later, his
mutilated body was found
at the bottom ofawell on
the outskirts oftown. Lyin9. on the 9.round nearb
was amilitary manual on
forced disappearances.

I want to be there,
In perpetual dreaming;
In the din of exquisite screams.
I want to know this mother-comfort
Surging through me.
I am a sliver of blazing ember
entering a womb of brightness.
I am a hovering spectre shedding
scarred flesh.
I am a clown sneaking out of a
painted
mouth in the sky.
I am your son, ama, seeking
the security of shadows,
fleeing weary eyes
bursting brown behind
a sewing machine.
I am your brother, the one you
threw off rooftops, tore into
with rage-the one you visited,
a rag of a boy, lying
in a hospital bed, ruptured.
I am friend of books, prey of cops,
lover of the barrio women
selling hamburgers and tacos
at the P&G Burger Stand.
I welcome this heavy shroud.
I want to be buried in itTo be sculptured marble
In craftier hands.
Soon an electrified hum sinks teeth
Into brain-then claws
Surround me, pull at me,
Back to the dust, to the concrete
river.

Let me gol-to stay entangled
In this mesh of barbed serenity!
But over me is a face,
Mouth breathing back life.
I feel the gush of air,
The pebbles and debris beneath me.
Sun rays dance on the surface.
"Give me the bag, man," I slur.
Gray fish fidget below the sheen.
"No way! You died, man," Baba said.
And us looking like Huckleberry
"You stopped breathing and died."
Finns/
"I have to go back! ...you don't
Tom Sawyers, with stick fishing poles,
understand ..."
As dew drips off low branches
As if it were earth's breast milk.
I try to get up, to reach the sky.
Oh, we should be novas of our born
days.
We should be scraping wet dirt
with callused toes.
We should be flowering petals
playing ball.
Soon water/fish/dew wane into
A pulsating whiteness.
I enter a tunnel of circles,
Swimming to a glare of lights.
Family and friends beckon me.

Oh, for the lights-for this whore
of a Sun,
To blind me. To entice me to burn.
Come back! Let me swing in delight
To the haunting knell,
To pierce colors of virgin skies.
Not here, along a concrete river,
But there-licked by tongues of
flame!

·Poem reprinted with permission.

8-Counter Point Journal
►

November2009

GEODUCK UNION continued from page 5

reduction or supporting the local
economy.

GU Statement on Gateways for
Incarcerated Youth

The current fee structure states November 11, 2009
Gateways is a unique program that
that 90% of the Clean Energy fee
is
becoming
nationally known for its
must be directed towards the purwork
and
methods
and is an imporchase of green power, and that 10%
tant
part
of
Evergreen
community.
will be reserved as grant money for
The
Geoduck
union
supports
the efon-campus renewable energy projects. Because of the lowered price forts of the Gateways program and a
of green power and greater energy 50% tuition reduction for the incarefficiency on campus, Evergreen cerated students in Gateways. The
only requires 57% of the fee to off- tuition reduction would help to demset the electricity used on campus. onstrate Evergreen's commitment to
The remaining amount is set aside diversity and support for learning
to be used for on-campus clean en- across significant differences. The
ergy projects, but it does not state incarcerated students are predomiwho has the authority to decide nantly students of color, low-income,
how the money will be spent. To and first-generation college students.
make sure that this money is spent For example, last year the college
with students in mind, we are pro- classes at Maple Lane and Green Hill
posing to change the wording of were composed of nearly 70% stuthe initiative to state that the re- dents of color, 75% first generation
maining funds after the purchase college students, and over 80% poor
of green power be redirected to and working class students.
As the Student union we endorse
the CEC for allocation. With full
this
tuition reduction and t'he conaccess to the remaining funds, we
tinued
growth of the Gateways prowould like to broaden our scope
gram,
which
is an important part of
of eligible projects to support rethe
Evergreen
community, history
source conservation projects, a
clean energy graduate fellowship, and student life.
and a large-scale community event
(the Clean Energy Fair).
GU Interim Report: Student
Conduct Code
In spring 2009, the student body
voted to hold quarterly elections. By [EDITOR'S NOTE: Below citations to the
holding more elections, the student proposed Studenct Code ofConduct refer to
body as a whole can be polled about an earlier draft. Although the concerns recampus issues and keep policies more main, the cited passages have moved under
updated through student input. Get different headings, indicated in brackets.]
out and vote-polls will be open dur- November 4, 2009
ing weeks nine and ten.
On May 22, 2009, the Geoduck
Below are the official statements Union informed the Student Conthe Geoduck Union has made this duct Code DTF regarding our conyear. If you have an issue with some- cerns with their revision to several
thing on campus, connect with the sections of the proposed code, inGeoduck Union, and we will work cluding the expansion of jurisdictogether towards empowering stu- tion (Sec. III A) [now u1.2]. Although
dents, geoduckunion201o@gmail.com.
some off campus situations may require enforcement of the code, we
cotftinue to oppose the consolidation of these judgments to a single
administrative position.
"The Vice President for Student Af-

fairs shall decide whether the Code
shall be applied to conduct occurring
off campus, on a case by case basis, in
his/her sole discretion."
We recommend that the Code define, explicitly, the sole instances in
which the Code may be applied beyond College premises. We believe
that our values of health and safety
would be best served through explicit descriptions of off-campus
situations where enforcement of the
Code may benefit the expression of
those values.
The Geoduck Union also informed
the Student Conduct Code DTF regarding several prohibitions of behavior (Sec III B) [now 1v.2/5] Many of
the restrictions threaten the right of
students to acts of civil disobedience,
which the Union defends as critical
for a free society and any learning
environment. We recommend the
addition oflanguage that explicitly
grants students the freedom to engage in civil disobedience and prohibits the existence and/or enforcement of any part or parts of the Code
to limit or restrict any student's right
to engage in such activities including
but not limited to the inhibition of
the school's 'means of production.'
Below are specific sections of the proposed Code that are in conflict with
our recommendations.

to appear for a meeting or hearing as part of the student conduct
process and failure to comply with
_an imposed sanction or any agreement made during the adjudicative process.

3. Failure to be truthful and forth
coming to the College or a College
official. This includes but is not
limited to making false charges
against another member of the
community, providing misinfor
mation in application for admis,
sion, to gain employment, or to
avoid determination of facts in a
College investigation, hearing, or
process.

23. Alleged violation of federal,

state or local law and/or conviction
of a felony or misdemeanor under
circumstances where it is reasonable to conclude that the presence
of the person at the College would
constitute a danger to health, personal safety, or property or where
the offense occurred on College
premises or at College-sponsored
activities.

9. Possessing firearms or weap·

ons on campus; unauthorized
use, possession or storage of any
explosives, dangerous chemicals
or substances; or possession and/
or use of any instrument designed
to cause harm which threatens
or might reasonably cause fear or
alarm to others.

24. Failing to intervene with or

knowingly assisting another person to violate the Code. The Union
also finds the following parts of
The Geoduck Union will continue to
the Code (from Sec III B) [now 1v.3]
aid and engage the Student Conduct
in need of revision or deletion due
Code DTF in its efforts to revise the
to problem of enforcement or lack
Code and will continue to make comof accordance with state or federal
ments during the revisi~n process.
law. The Union defends the right
of students to refrain from selfincrimination during any College
investigation, hearing, or process.

Obstruction or disruption of
learning, teaching, research, administration, freedom of speech
and movement, the adjudicative
process, public service functions
or College-sponsored activities on
or off campus.

1.

5. Failure to comply with directions of College officials or emergency response personnel acting
in performance of their duties
which includes failure to identify
oneself to these persons when requested to do so.
Refusal to desist from prohibited conduct.

17.

18. Failure

to respond to any notice

Seven of the 14 Geoduck Union representatives celebrate after screw·ing in a light
bulb. Just kidding! {Photo by Liliana Hudgens)

Who's in charge here?
A guide to the centers of campus power for the social climber
September 8, 2009

Board of Tru•t-

The Evergreen State College

Carver Gayton
Irene Gonzales
Kristin Hayden
Denny Heck
Keith Kessler, Vice Chair
Dixon McReynolds Ill, Student Trustee
Anne Proffitt, Secretary
Paul Winters, Chair

Thomas L. Purce
President

•

II
II

I

I

I

College Advancement
II
D. Lee Hoemann, Vice President II

II
Academic Affairs
II
II Don Bantz, Vice President and Provost II

I

I

Academic Granta
John McLain, Program Manager
Institutional Research & Planning
Laura Coghlan, Director
Library Services
Gregg Sapp, Dean
Masters in Education
Terry Ford, Interim Director
Masters In Environmental Science
Ted vyhitesell, Director
Masters In Public Administration
Cheryl Simrell King, Director
Masters In Teaching
Sherry Walton, Director
Reservation-Based Program
Michelle Aguilar-Wells, Co-Director
Jeff Antonelis-Lapp, Co-Director.
Tacoma Program
Arlee Young, Director

Linda Hohman, Admin Assistant
Walter Niemiec, Associate VP for
Budget & Financial Planning
Julie Slone, Executive Assistant

AmyLyn Ribera, Admin Assistant

I

I

I

I

Finance & Administration
John Hurley, Vice President

Student Affairs
Art Costantino, Vice President

President's Staff

Sarah Bland, Program Coordinator

I

Holly Joseph, Executive Associate
Dan Ralph, Admin Assistant
Bruce Sutherland, Emergency
Response Planning Coordinator

John Cannichael, Exec Assistant
Wendy Endress, Executive Associate
Tracey Johnson, Admin Assistant
Andrea Seabert Olsen, Assistant to the VP
of Student Affairs for Student Conduct

Paul Gallegos, Special Assistant
for Diversity Affairs
Susan Harris, Admin Assistant

Academic Deans
Theresa Aragon, Dean of Extended
Education and Summer School
Eddy Brown, Dean ofFirst-Year Programs
Gregg Sapp, Dean of the Library and Media
Services
Allen Olson, Dean of Evening and Weekend
Studies
Nancy Murray, Dean of Facuity Hiring and
Development
Paul Przybylowicz, Curriculum Dean
Bill Ransom, Curriculum Dean
Ken T abbutt, Budget Dean

I

Alumni Affairs
RJ Burt, Director

Business Services
Collin Orr, Director

Athletics & Recreation
Dave Weber, Director

Marketing, Communications &
College Relations
Todd Sprague, Executive Director
Jason Wettstein, Media and Community
Relations Manager

Computing & Communication
Aaron Powell, Director

Enrollment Management
Steve Hunter, Associate VP

Facilities
Paul Smith, Director

Residential & Dining Services
Sharon Goodman, Director

Human Resource Services
Allen Toothaker, Associate VP

Police Services
Ed Sorger, Director
Student & Academic
Support Services
Phyllis Lane, Dean

All
Faculty

Center for Community-Based
Leaming & Action
Ellen Shortt Sanchez, Director
Labor Center
Peter Kardas, Director
Longhouae Education & Cultural Center
Tina Kuckkahn, Director
North-•t Indian Applied Reaearch Center
Alan Parker, Director
Waahington Center for
Undergraduate Education
Emily Decker Lardner, Co-Director
Gillies Malnarich, Co-Director

•

Maryam Jacobs, Internal Auditor
Mary Ann Steele, Manager of
Special Events
Julie Suchanek, Director of
Government Relations
Steve Trotter, Exec Director of
Operational Budget & Planning
WA State Inst for Public Polley
Roxanne Lieb, Director