cpj0973.pdf

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Part of The Cooper Point Journal Volume 35, Issue 13 (January 25, 2007)

extracted text

Archives
The Evergreen State Coliege

Olympia, W~ington 98505

°COOPER POINT jOURNAL

Issue
13
Volume 35
Jan.25,2007

I

r-

file Cooper Point Journal is a
weekly student newspaper
sc•rvmg The Evergreen
Stall' College and the surrounding community of
Olympia, WA.

[

Vox Pop this week:
Why are they pruning
the trees in Red Square
and what kind of trees
are they anyway?

Page2
r------------------------------i
r

---------------------------

~

News brief:
1

Information on the
Diversity Task Force
recommendations.

v:::::;l

Page3

Fast food language:
Nouns as soft drinks;
adjectives as hamburgers.

PageS
I~-----------------------------­

~ --- ----•----------------------

Prima Donna:
Glamorous LA punk and
roll band comes to Olympia

Sarah A/exu11Jer

Page7

Students Kate Partika, Becca Taplin and Amelie Ray hold signs to support the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. They traveled to the capitol building to counter-demonstrate at the March for Life. (See page 3 for more photos.)
Diversity Essay Contest:
Vote on the three finalists.

Pages 8 and 9

J

- -------------------f -------- ----------- ------ ---- ~-------

;

Pit bulls:
Cute and cuddly friends
or vicious monsters?

Page 11

Health legislation:
A citizen's guide.
Page 12

Comics:
New editions of Quack
and Dangerously Casual

Pages 14 and 15

Student gov't to amend bylaws amid conflict
BY TORI NEEDER
The Geoduck Union is discussing two
amendments to its bylaws in the hope of resolving recent personal and procedural conflicts. In
the past weeks, heated discussions have occurred
over the lack of transpare1it communication,
email privacy and conflict resolution among
Union representatives.
The proposals were the direct result of an
unofficial emergency Union meeting that took
place Monday, January 22. The meeting was
attended by fewer than half of all representatives and therefore no vote could be taken on

any resolutions. Representative Victor Sanders
convened the meeting in an attempt to resolve
personal issues that have been consuming time
during regular meetings.
During the January 17 Union meeting,
Representative Asanka Miller, who has been
acting as liaison to the Washington Student
Lobby, was asked to disclose the contents of
all the email that had been exchanged with the
WSL during her tenure.
Miller has been communicating with the
WSL with her personal email. Concerns have
been raised that the username in Miller's personal email address, 'greenergov', could be

misinterpreted as an official Union address.
Representative Kylen Clayton put forward that
"The potential that (Miller's] email address
could be receiving public email that are meant
for (the Union] is really high."
Miller said that she was uncomfortable releasing her correspondence with the WSL without
consent from the lobbying group because she
viewed it as private.
Miller went on to say that she felt that
she had obligations to both organizations.
"The WSL has rules and the Geoduck

GEODUCK UNION PAGE 4

Evergreen to help "Focus the Nation"
BY JOHN PUMILIO
A few months ago,James Hansen, director
of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies,
stated that "we have no longer than a decade"
to deal with climate change or "we will be producing a different planet."
A few weeks ago, the National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported
that 2006 was the "warmest year on record" for
the United States.
And, a few days ago, the Bulletin of the
TESC
Olympia, WA 98505
Address Service Requested

Atomic Scientists (BAS) - whose board consists of 18 Nobel Laureates- moved the minute
hand of the famed "Doomsday Clock" from
seven to five minutes before midnight (two minutes closer to the end of civilization).
According to BAS, the Doomsday Clock,
which has been adjusted only I 7 times since
194 7, was most recently adjusted because of
"global failures to solve the problems posed by
nuclear weapons and the climate crisis."
The Board reasoned, "global warming poses
a dire threat to human civilization" through
flooding, desertification and an overall threat to

the agricultural resources that societies depend
upon for survival.
Closer to home, the Climate Leadership
Initiative (a study from the University of
Oregon) recently completed one of the first
reports attempting to quantify the economic
effects of global warming on a state level. They
concluded that global warming would cost
Washington State residents hundreds of millions of dollars in the next few decades. The
main costs were attributed to water shortages,

Corrections
Issue 12, Jan. 18, 2007:
·Regrettably, Matthew
Tsipras, a contributor,
was credited as Matthew
Tsipiras.

• Les Puree's name was
misspelled in an article.

FOCUSPAGE4
PRSRT STD
US Postage
Paid
OlympiaWA
Permit #65

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2

..
Cooper Point Journal

January 25, 2007

student voice

VOX pop

COOPER

P 01 NTr-------1

What do you think about the annual Red Square tree pruning?

]OURNAL

By Sarah Alexander

and Seth Vincent

Business
Business manager
Lindsay Adams
"I really like the look
of the trees with the :
pruning. lfthe wind were i
strong enough to hit the :
branches off, they could
hit students."
i

"It looks like it creates
jobs for at least four people, and costs at least 800
dollars."

i

Assistant business manager
Cerise Palmanteer
Business apprentice
available
Ad proofer and archivist
Carrie Ramsdell
Ad representative
available

Carncron Kauffinan I

Senior

Awareness

J<.atherinc Turner

Freshman

I

Visualizing
.......

l~coioP.v
(...-./

Circulation manager/Paper
archivist
available
Distribution manager
Seth Vincent

"It needs to be done. I
: don't approve of the Pollard
pruning style that they
use. It's high maintenance.
Basically they amputate
the tree's limb where
there's no regenerative
tissue. I don't know why
they prune trees like that,
job security maybe."

Derek Yost

I

Senior

Independent [.earning Contract

Ad desginer
Christina Weeks
"Things like that, in
general, have become
normal for us but are
pretty useless."

News
Editor-in-chief
Sam Jessup
Managing editor
Sean Paull

]ermine Maynes

I

Junior

Awareness

Arts & Entertainment
coo rd ina tor
Brandon Custy
Briefs coordinator
Lauren Takores
Calendar coordinator
available

Annual pruning of sycamore trees this week

Comics coordinator
Nicholas Baker
Copy editor
Nicholas Klacsanzky
Copy editor
Lauren Allen
Letters & Opinions coordinator
Alexandra Tobolsky
Photo coordinator
Sarah Alexander
See Page coordinator
available
Sports coordinator
Arland Hurd
Page Two coordinator
available
Reporter
available
Reporter
Ian Humphrey
Page designer
Joel Mor1ey

The type of trees in front of campus surrounding Red Square are California Sycamores.
They are pruned every year around this time; their branches will grow back in the spring.
· When asked about the 'reason of the pruning, one of the groundskeepers explained, "So
the branches don't grow all wild, it looks better this way." He also mentioned that the
branches will be recycled, as the art students can use them in the weaving lab.

Page designer
Seth Vincent
Page designer
available
Advisor
Dianne Conrad
Assistant advisor
available

Contributing to the CPJ
The content of The Cooper Point Journal is created
entirely by Evergreen students. Contribute today.

The Cooper Point Journal
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 1Oth Thursday of Fall Quarter and the second through the
1Oth Thursday of Winter and Spring Quarters.
Copies of submission and publication criteria for non-advertising
content are available in CAB 316, or by request at 867-6213.
Contributions are accepted at CAB 316, or by email at cpj@evergreen.
edu. The CPJ editor in chief has final say on the acceptance or rejection
of all non-advertising content.

is distributed free at various sites on The Evergreen State College campus. Free
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 316or at (360)
B67-6054 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.

Call the Cooper Point Journal if
you are interested in any of the
available positions listed above.
Cooper Point Journal
CAB 316
News: (360) 867- 6213
Email: cpj@evergreen.edu
Business: (360) 867 - 6054
Email: cpjbiz@evergreen.edu

TI1e CPJ is printed on
recycled newsprint
using soy ink.

©Cooper Point Journal 2007

briefs

Cooper Point Journal

News briefs

I

Submit your news briefs: short factual accounts
of past happenings. cpj@evergreen.edu.

3

January 25. 2007

[------------- -- -----] EVERGREEN POLICE BLOTTER

1----------------------1

COMPILED BY CURTIS RANDOLPH
Writing center rolls out new workshop
series
After a quarter 's hiatus , the Writing
Center brings back its revised weekly
workshop series. Join Writing Center
tutors extraordinaire as they share
the ir knowl edge weekly. Mondays at 4
p.m . ex plore the crafts of poetry, fiction
and creative non-fiction in " Creative
Writing" with Grant Miller and Meghan
McNeely. Tuesdays at 4 p.m. examine
aspects of the writing process that
promote critical thinking in " Writing
as Academic Inquiry" with Miller and
McNeely. Thursdays at 4 p.m. review
fundamentals of grammar to bolster
confidence in "The Grammar Rodeo"
with Victoria Larkin and America
Fitzgerald. All workshops meet in LIB
231 0, the classroom adjacent to the
Writing Center, LIB 2304. For more
information about weekly topics, log
onto our website at www.evergreen.
edu/writingcenter or call the Writing
Center at (360) 867-6420.
Summer music festival gearing up
The 13th Annual Olympia Festival of
Experimental Music is now accepting
submissions at the following address:
Oly Exp Fest, P.O Box 194, Olympia,
WA 98507 . Artists interested in
performing must send in a demo and
an informational sheet. The festival will
be taking place Friday, June 22 through
Sunday, June 24 at various locations in
Olympia. For more information , contact
Domenica Clart at olystrangemusic@
gmail.com .
Community Opportunities Fair
On Wednesday, Jan . 31, from
12 to 3 p.m. will be a Community
Opportunities Fair held in the CRC
building. This is a chance to visit with
over I 00 local , regional and national
organizations that want to put your
creative knowledge and talents to work.
Inte rnship s, workstudy jobs, parttime jobs and volunteer opportunities
abound. Bring multiple copies of your
resume. Information can be found at
www.evergreen.edu/advising or by
calling Academic Advising at (360)
867-6392. This event is sponsored
by Academic Advising, Center for
Community Based Learning & Action
and Student Employment.
FlashAiert phone service
Recently, Evergreen added internetbased alert system FlashAlert for
disseminating college closure or other
emergency information. At the same
time the information is transmitted to
the news media, you can get the same
emergency messages from the college
delivered directly to your email, or as
a cell phone text message. To register,
go to http://www. flashalert.net/news.
html?id=1295 and click the "subscribe"
button. When you are done, click
"Update Email Addresses and Send
Test Messages." A verification message
will be sent to each of your listed
addresses. Be sure to adjust email spam
filters to allow Flast Alert messages.
For general information about the
new system, go to www.flashalert.net.
Emergency information will continue
to be available at the campus web site,
www.evergreen .edu. The recorded
campus status message is available by

calling (360) 867-6000, then selecting
option 1.

First of Diversity Task Force
recommendations presentations
The first public presentation of the
recommendations by the Diversity Task
Force (DTF) will be on Wednesday,
Jan . 31 from noon to 2 p.m . in SEM II ,
A II 05 . The purpose of the pre sentation
is for the Evergreen community to
ask questions, present ideas and
suggestions to the DTF. President Les
Puree has asked the members of the
DTF to collect community input on
the recommendations . To that end, we
are hosting public presentations for the
TESC community. Participants should
note that they will have an opportunity
to review the recommendations during
the meeting with an opportunity for
discussion as well as questions and
answers with the DTF. The DTF has
posted all seven of the recommendations
around campus, several of which
are in the library, main floor (2) and
first floor as well as the CAB. Along
with each recommendation, there are
comment forms available. You may
find these poster displays in Academic
Computing, the main floor library
Lobby, The Deans Area, the main
entrance to the CAB, CAB 320. Hard
copies of the report are available to
read in the library at the reference desk.
The report and comment forms are also
available online at www.evergreen .edu/
equalop/dtf. If you are not comfortable
using the web form, you may submit
your written comments directly to
the president's office Lib 3109. All
comments will be offered directly to
the president and will be reviewed by
the DTF members and students working
with Geoduck Student Union and the
Appearing Task Force.
Center for Community-Based
Learning hiring tutors
The Center is seeking workstudyeligible students for several tutor
positions. Tutors will work with children
individually or in small groups in areas
of math, reading, ESL. The placements
are in high poverty schools; this is a great
opportunity for students considering a
career in education to gain experience
in the public school environment. Nonworkstudy students are encouraged
to apply as often something can be
arranged through the Financial Aid
Office. The positions are I 0 hours/week
and tutors will be paid $10.51/hour.
There is no closing date; students will
be interviewed on an ongoing basis.
Please contact Ellen Shortt Sanchez
(shorttse@evergreen.edu or 867 -6859)
for more information.

Case Number: unavailable
because, typically, when your laptop gets
01/03/07 at 1535 hours
burgled, you can't just walk around camPolice services received a call from Housing pus looking up at trees and hoping that your
Maintenance stating that one of the main- . laptop will be in one of them. But typically
tenance people found a laptop between E doesn't mean always, so always be sure to
and F dorms stuck in a tree. The laptop was report burglaries to your local police force.
retrieved and taken to Police Services. There
was a sticker on the laptop with a name on Case Number: 07-0015
it and upon checking the Housing Roster 01/05/07 at 2100 hours
found that the person lived in a dorm on A woman came into Police Services to report
campus. An officer went to the dorm room that sometime that day she had lost her passand found the resident at home, then took port. Police Services contacted Intercity
her back to Police Services so that her lap- Transit and they stated that no passport
top could be returned. Resident stated that had been found. They contacted security at
she had left he.r door unlocked and some- Westfield Mall and they advised they did not
one had broken into her dorm and took her have it. They then contacted the Harrison
laptop along with a digital camera. She was Avenue Safeway and they advised that the
asked why she had not reported the bur- passport was turned in there today. The womglary and she stated she had not reported it an was transported to Safeway and retrieved
because she didn't think anyone could do the passport.
anything about it. This is a valid argument

March for Life counter-demonstrators

Some colorful signage to mark the occasion of Roe vs. Wade

Light Motion and Shifting Gears
postponed
Light Motion, the internationally
acclaimed innovators in integrated
dance, scheduled for Saturday, Jan.
27 at 2 p.m. has been cancelled due to
illness as well as the juried exhibition
showcasing the art of 15 young artists
with disabilities scheduled in the
Evergreen Galleries. Both events will
be rescheduled in the future. Please
contact Ann Friedman at (360) 8675425 for more information.

Sarah Alexander

TESC student Daisy Montague recites a poem about the importance of
women's choice to students on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade

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Cooper Point Journal

4

During the emergency meeting on
Monday, representatives said they were
Union has rules and I have to abide by both cautious about trying to solve the Union's
ofthem," said Miller.
interpersonal problems publicly. Miller
The proposed bylaw amendments that had expressed concern for her personal
were generated at t~e Monday meeting safety following the Cooper Point Journal
specifically stated that all communications coverage of an email exchange that she
generated by Union liaisons "will be-open was involved in before the holiday break
to public disclosure" and "liaisons will . and Union representatives were concerned
keep a log of communications, positions, that public proceedings would worsen the
conflict.
recommendations and decisions."
There was also discussion about the
In a one-on-one interview, Miller conestablishment of 'evergreen.edu' work firmed that an article featured in the
email addresses for each representative in December 7 issue of the Cooper Point
order to draw a clear line between public Journal had caused her to fear for her safety
and private communication.
but she would not go on record with any
Several smaller conflicts have been bub- further explanation.
bling just below the surface ofthe Union.
The idea of making a closed Internal
Email between representatives that were Operations Committee met with resistance
thought to be private found their way in at the Union's January 24 meeting. "I'm
to the Union's group inbox. And at the going to vote 'no' right now to anything
Union's January 17 meeting, Clayton said that wouldn't allow the CPJ to be there ,"
that he had received an email from another said Representative Kenyon Foxworthy.
representative that accused him of"tearing Representative Carolyn Commer was also
concerned about the appearance that closed
the Union apart."
An Internal Operation Committee was proceedings would create. "I don't want to
proposed in response to the unresolved per- sweep this under the rug," Commer said,
sonal feelings that have been hindering the in reference to the disagreements that have
Union's ability to function. "There's been a arisen in the Union.
Both amendments were tabled until the
complete break down of communication,"
said Representative Sam Green on Monday next meeting. The liaison amendment was
night. Currently the Union bylaws address sidelined because of concerns about the
interpersonal conflicts by encouraging wording. The Union agreed to continue
parties involved to seek mediation. An discussion during the January 3 I meeting,
Internal Operations Committee would be when Miller could be present. Miller was
oriented towards resolving conflicts that not able to attend the Monday meeting and
was absent from most of the January 24
affected the Union as a whole.
The first draft of the document pro- meeting, citing academic obligations.
posing an Internal Operations Committee
Tori Needer is a junior enrolled in
allowed the Union the option of calling a
meeting that would be closed to the public Health and Human Development.
and the press.

GEODUCK UNION FROM COVER

January 25, 2007

FOCUS FROM COVER
namely public health and wildfire costs associated with a long-term dwindling snowpack
and a statewide reduction in soil moisture.
But this is Evergreen; to most of us this
may be alarming but it is not necessarily
news. Greeners do not need convincing that
global warming is a serious and imminent
social, environmental and economic threat.
The question for many of us is: what are we
going to do about it? Well, one answer is to
actively participate in the Focus the Nation
initiative. The Focus the Nation event is
being organized on college campuses across
the nation and will culminate in a series of
public events held on January 31, 2008. The
purpose is to bring public and legislative
attention, in a significant way, to the crisis
of global warming. The hope is to engage
local and regional communities in a proactive, interdisciplinary discussion resulting
in a series of concrete actions to halt global
warming.
Regionally, Evergreen will be leading
the way in the organization and planning
of this event. Already, a group of faculty,
staff and students have been brainstorming
ideas on ways to make January 31, 2008 a
landmark day for Evergreen, our community and our country. Initially, our vision is
to complement campus events with a much
broader regional event organized in collaboration with other area colleges, universities,
high schools, business leaders, politicians
and local organizations. It will take considerable planning and effort and your needed
participation to successfully pull this off.
It is never too early (or too late) to join
the effort. This January 31 marks the oneyear inauguration to Focus the Nation and
will officially kick-off a year of educa-

news
tion, planning and organizing for the event.
Interested? Here is what you can do:
I.
Visit the Focus the Nation website (www.focusthenation.org) and become
familiar with the concept and purpose of the
event;
2.
Attend the film showing of "An
Inconvenient Truth" on February 2 at 7
p.m. in LH I sponsored by SEED, ERC and
WashPIRG. This will provide an excellent
venue to brainstorm ideas for the Focus the
Nation event;
3.
Contact Karen Gaul (gaulk@evergreen.edu), faculty in sustainability studies
and lead Evergreen organizer for the event.
Provide her with your contact information
and tell her you are interested in planning
and participating in Focus the Nation.
Are you interested in the event but graduating prior to January 2008? No problem. Greenhouse gas emissions and global
warming are a global problem. Therefore, as
long as you are planning to be someplace on
planet Earth next January (and beyond) then
take action whenever you can, wherever you
can and however you can. If James Hansen
is right or if the Doomsday Clock continues
to advance towards midnight, then there is
no more time to wait.
Any additional questions may be
addressed to the Sustainability Task Force
Coordinator, John Pumilio (sustainability@evergreen .edu) or the SYNERGY
Coordinator, Maggie Philipsborn
(phimar04@evergreen.edu).

John Pumilia is a graduate student in
the Masters of Environmental Studies program.

r

A/pPhCatt

communiques from lib 2304

Cooper Point Journal

s

January 25,2007

The Language Symposium

Fast food language
BY JAIS BROHINSKY
There is a pandemic offast food sweeping the nation in headlines and tabloids.
Transcending hamburgers and fries, it has
even nestled into such an alternative institution as Evergreen, coating our tongues with
grease and filling our ears, but starving our
brains. There is a pandemic of fast food language rotting communication into bloated
fantasies of understanding. The menu is
vast--labels summarizing identity into a
single syllable, shady adjectives, inaccurate
verbs, and nouns attempting lofty ideas and
emotions consumed in a single gulp.
The culprits are as many and as varied as the excuses. Who has time to sit
down and actually hammer out exactly
what it means to be "oppressed" in seminar? I could try to explain what I mean by
"love," but I'd probably confuse my words,
and who knows if they'd mean the same to
you as they do to me? This problem will not
vanish without being addressed. Every sentence we articulate contributes to the diet
of every listener. We have a responsibility
to each other-we must feed one another
substantial words backed by healthy, nutritious ideas.
Perhaps the labels are the most rampant. They're quick, accessible and take
far less time to cook up and consume than
accurate descriptions or experiences. We
hear them everywhere--in .a prelude to a

weekend encounter or on the front page of
a newspaper. All over, bits of racial, political, religious and sexual identity are used to
connote stereotypes, as if they register universally. When I read a headline extolling
the British government for foiling a terrorist plot, am I supposed to envision turban
wrapped, dark, bearded men in handcuffs?
What if Islam is thrown in? When I overhear a story about the gay guy on the bus,
the homeless woman downtown, the anarchists, or the subtly disguised reference to

to elicit an immediate reaction. Yet, the
bigger they are, the more ice gets added,
diluting flavor and meaning as well. Let's
focus on a campus favorite: oppression.
Yes, oppression exists and is reinforced
daily. However, when oppression is used
to evince the atmosphere of seminar, along
with the brutal treatment of African slaves,
and, say, the suppression of the working
poor's wages through the perpetuation of
notions of "unskilled" labor, we have a
problem. The comparisons serve to distort

I think about nouns as soft drinks.
They're sugary, caffeinated and bound
to elicit an immediate reaction.
crew team members, am I really supposed
to develop an accurate visual?
The adjectives must be held accountable as well. Sexy? What's sexy? Is slim,
blond, full-lipped and swinging hips sexy?
Does she come airbrushed as well? Are we
even talking about women? If we can pull
away from the socially constructed, digitally enhanced notions of beauty, we can realize that descriptions like "attractive," "hot,"
"gorgeous," etc., etc. are completely subjective and unless predefined, are void of
enough meaning to form a reliable image.
I think about nouns as soft drinks.
They're sugary, caffeinated and bound

any points of reference, effectively eroding
the power behind such words.
Oxford English Dictionary cites words
as forms of expression. I would add that
words are representations of ideas, physical
objects and actions--representations ofthe
physical reality in which we operate and the
metaphysical consciousness through which
we perceive. There exists a responsibility
concomitant with each utterance, each such
expression. Judith Butler locates the possibility for agency within every reiteration of
a norm.' That is to say, that by using a word,
one has the ability to further consolidate its
meaning, as well as the ability to destabi-

lize that understanding. 2 Through our use of
language, we are effectively contributing to
definitions of words that describe the reality
in which we live. Since we can only perceive this actuality, these descriptions are
powerful in that they further (re)establish
a social perception or interpretation of this
reality. 3 Therefore, this responsibility of
language is the responsibility of forming a
communal awareness.
This fast food language, these empty
calories of words are like the saturated fats
that allegedly clog our arteries, except it's
our consciousness that expands in flabby,
insubstantial, false notions of comprehension. Will we fuel our understandings with
fluff and junk that leaves us further from
realizing each other, further from connection? Or will we hold one another and ourselves accountable for the advancement of
a diet of a nourishing vocabulary?

Jais Brohinksky is a seniorenrolled in
Feminisms: Local to Global.
This article was brought to you by the
Evergreen Writing Center (LIB 2304,
(360) 867-6420), as part of the Language
Symposium. Do you use language? Contact
us at languagesymposium@gmail.com.
I
2
3

Cited hy Saha Mahmood, Politic.\' <!/Piety, 2005
thid
Steven (/rcenh/a/1, Renaissance
Selrf•ashioninK, /983

community Opportunities Fair
Januar_y j1, 200
12- j

pm

Campus Recreation Center (CRC)
oi.Ympia Campus

Visit with over 100 local, regional, and national organizations that want to put ~our creative knowledge and talents to
work!
Internships, work stud~ jobs, part-timejobs, and volunteer opportunities abound, and there's one that's right tor
~ou!

Internships
Work-Stud_y Jobs

Part-Time Emplo_yment
Volunteer Opportunities
Bring multiple copies of ~our resume

Information: www.evergreen.edu/advising

360.867.6392

Brought to you by Academic Advising, Center for Community Based Learning & Action, and Student Employment

Cooper Point Journal

6

January 25, 2007

Sumiyuki Miyahara

If a body meets a body

I found you in my garden in the end
I teared to see you 'gain. Oh no, perpend!
It's only that I didn't note you sealed
Inside my longing for you, now revealed
I somehow found you in the shower room
You're shyly 'bout to hide your double blooms
You reached my lips in under limpid wet
You breathed exactly something I would get
I'm wafting over, held by seven wings
My head is veiled by snugness, silken zing
For certain I will catch you by my glows
Eh why and why! You stay afloat in clothes?
The next moment, Sad the despair befell frigidly
I cry writing rhyme to recall your scent vividly ...

BY VICTORIA LARKIN
As I struggle through a postmodemist crisis, wondering ifthere is meaning
or point at all to anything, wondering if humans are indeed anything to marvel
at, I found myself on a line stretching around the comer waiting to get in to a
very expensive exhibit of human tissues and organs in situ.
It is likely only my personal trunk full of associations that couch dead bodies with any meaning other than dead bodies - historical and personal associations, images of the recently inhabited, heaps of fallen sexless sacks. But
this wasn't an exhibit of dead bodies, though they were bodies of The Dead.
It was rooms full of our bodies uncovered, skinned, if you will, our functional
systems exposed.
Ah, technology. Amazing, how did they do it? Bodies with all their tendons, muscles, bones, internal organs, eyeballs, desiccated genitalia, posed for
us to see, As Is/As Are:. the amazing hardwires of humans, laid out against so
much grey, laid out beneath air ducts and wires, laid out like so much old farm
machinery. Overall, the exhibit was what I would call sterile. Even the font
used for BODIES is cold (is that Helvetica?).
Nowhere was there a single reference to any individual, no hint of personality.
Forms without content. No colour, other than the pinkish hue left in the meat
of our sinews. No stories. No music. No contexts. These bodies were anonymous. But is that possible? If not for the minds of humans, would we even
have such an exhibit? Or anyone to go see it? One family of women who were
in my train began to wonder who these people were, what their names were. A
few turns later they'd decided to assign them names: Frank, Dave, etc ...
Somewhere along the walls was a statement about the respectful way in
which these bodies were displayed. I wondered: What's so respectful about
it? Not that it was disrespectful per se, but, respectful? It was just a collection of well preserved cadavers. Albeit we are treated to the achievement of a
revolutionary technique of preservation, something humans have been attempting to perfect since at least Ancient Egypt, but it is Science. I don't see where
respect comes in.
Having heard rumours that these were the bodies of political prisoners in
China, I inquired at the Ask desk inside the exhibit. The woman said these were
the bodies of people who'd died in hospitals. They'd had no next of kin and
were therefore wards of the state of China. Well, geez, I have no next of kin.
Would I want my body to be dis-splayed for $30 a pop as a potentially educational tool? Would I even care, since I'd be dead? I'm not sure. I'm also not
sure I believe that story. At any rate, I don't think anonymity equals respect.
I mean, looking at the entire skin casing of someone or other laid out under
glass, like orange peel having come off in one piece, I can't help but wonder
what is meant by respectful.
It certainly was fascinating to see entire systems of nerves, arteries, alveoli,
in bright colours, frozen in liquid, looking like great coral clusters: our oceanic beginnings. It was strange and disturbing to look at perfectly preserved,
like stuffed leather mock-ups, fetuses of various ages, from weeks to months.
Who were these little babies? How did they really get here?
This was a question that rumbled through people during the 2 hours I took
to get through the exhibit: Who were these people? And that fascinated me.
Despite the miracle of science, people still wanted to know about the people.
Not just the bodies.
At the end of the exhibit there was a table which had loose-leaf notebooks
for folks to write comments in. I spent at least half an hour reading through
those. It was the perfect counterpoint to the form without content. This was all
content. In these books I read how bored people were, how amazed they were,
how impressed they were by the achievement, and how, now that they've seen
smoke blackened lungs, they aim to quit smoking. There was an entry by a
young woman who'd had 2 abortions and, after seeing the completely formed
fetuses now felt she'd made a mistake.
One of the things that struck me as I walked through the exhibit was that
almost all of the bodies were male. It wasn't until somewhere round the third
bend that a female body was dis-played. She was posed standing, hands on her
lower back, torso/chest pushed out, head tilted slightly backward. The stark contrast of this 'seductive' pose with the athleticism of the male bodies: swinging
tennis rackets, catching footballs, running, conducting stilled music,. annoyed
me, but I thought it was just my feminine oversensitivity. I was delighted to
read a number of comments in the books noting this same discrepancy. Some
noted that the only other female body in the exhibit had been designated to display fat. Sexism in cadavers.
What I read most of all in these loose-leaf pages was that the stories of the
people who'd inhabited these bodies were wanting. So here was essence wanting essence. Dead bodies are not people. We are not our bodies. We are our
stories. What really delights us in each other is our stories. Though you might
not believe it anymore, what with plastic surgery, Playboy calendars and bodybuilding, we still want to know each other, not just our bodies. It is fascinating
to get a glimpse of how complex and amazing the vehicles we travel in are, but
there was no animation here. Only in the written pages at the end.
For all those nerve endings and all those sinews, nothing would tell me that
a symphony was waiting to be written, a novel to be penned, a murder to be
committed, a child to be loved ....
Some days I don't care, some days it seems to be only our fatuous egos that
insist that we are anything more than meat. But hearing those women name
the bodies, and reading the diversity of minds that had written themselves out
to whoever would read, made one glimmer of magic to shine into what was to
me an otherwise dead space.
Victoria Larkin is a senior, a writing tutor, and enrolled in two contracts:
Considering Language and Channeling the Dance Within.

arts & entertainment

drea11z ~~~-Sumiyuki Miyahara is an exchange student enrolled in
Prolegomena to a Future Poetics.

t-------------------------~ Music Review ~---------------------------j
Envy
Insomniac Doze
Temporary Residence
Limited
2006

BY LAUREN ALLEN
Envy used to be hardcore. Well, I suppose they still could be considered hardcore, but with this newest release that incorporates limited fast paced riffs and screams
with mostly melodic vocals and slow postrock break downs, they don't quite fit the
typical hardcore mold. With their past (and
more typical) hardcore/screamo sound, Envy
has managed to develop a fan base in not
only their native country, but throughout the
world. They've toured with bands such as
Isis and Mogwai, and released several splits
with other screamo bands including a triple
seven inch split with This Machine Kills and
Yaphet Kotto (a favorite release of mine).
"Insomniac Doze" is Envy's newest
album, released stateside by Temporary
Residence, and I'll admit, it took me awhile
to get into this one. Don't get me wrong, it's
not a bad release, it's actually quite good. It's
just not ... well, Envy.
Throughout the first few songs, I kept
thinking "What the hell ... this sounds like
Envy, but way softer ... and what's with
all this spoken word shit?" As a hardcore
album, "Insomniac Doze" pales in comparison to their previous releases such as "The
Eyes of a Single Eared Prophet" or "All the
Footprints You've Ever Left ... " or even the
songs featured on the aforementioned triple
seven inch. Looked at from a more post-rock/
experimental viewpoint, the album does well,
however,"lnsomniac Doze" is just that, a
tired departure from Envy's usual sound.
The droning, yet melodic Japanese
lyrics layered first over what sounds like
screamo played at the wrong speed, then
an even slower instrumental portion in the
opener, "Further Ahead of the Warp," started
to put me to sleep. Thankfully Envy began
to redeem themselves five minutes into the
track with something that somewhat resembled hardcore, continuing in "Shield of
Selflessness." Though it still lacks the same
intensity of Envy's prior releases, the song is
one to put on repeat. In fact, the more I listened to this song, the more I forgave Envy
for deviating from their hardcore/screamo
roots and adding all the melodic spoken
vocals that pepper the entire album.
[Disclaimer: I'm going to rant for a
moment. Spoken word vocals are incredibly
tricky to throw into a piece of music and not
make it sound ridiculous. Mind you, there's
some neo-folk, mostly instrumental bands
(what's not to like about old men talking

about Coney Island and traffic tickets?) and
some hardcore/metalcore chants that are also
acceptable, but Tetsuya Fukagawa's continuous, tune-carrying story tellingjust started to
annoy me after awhile. Stop the talking and
start screaming already!)
The next two tracks have their moments,
but tend to follow the alternating "slow
instrumental, almost hardcore, spoken word,
and repeat" pattern that Envy's stuck to thus
far. Skipping to "The Unknown Glow," the
band takes a different tum, leaving hardcore
almost completely in exchange for mostly
instrumental post-rock. In fact, in this fifteen
and a half minute track, there's barely three
minutes of vocals. Instead of sounding like
Envy, this album sounds more like a Mono
release with the addition of Envy's vocalist,
Tetsuya Fukagawa, but with his vocals more
strained and forced than before.
If you want to listen to music that sounds
like Mono, but with vocals, this is the way
to go as Envy is one of the few hardcore/
screamo bands that is talented and cohesive
enough to explore a different genre of music
under the same name instead of branching
into several side projects. However, if you
want to listen to screamo and a better representation of Envy, do what I did and play
"The Eyes of A Single Eared Prophet."
Change is fine, but after close to fifteen
years of solid releases, this change is almost
too much. If you're familiar with Envy and
somewhat flexible in your musical tastes
"Insomniac Doze" is worth checking out to
see the stylistic progression they've made
with their music, as it's still the same talented musicians as before, just going in a completely different direction. If you like the old
Envy and only listen to screamo, you should
probably just stay away. And if you've never
heard of Envy and like slightly heavier postrock with the occasional screams, check this
out too, as finding new music is always a
terrific thing.
"Insomniac Doze" is available through
Temporary Residence Limited (www.temporaryresidence.com, last week I added an
extra's' in the link), in both the CD and 2xLP
format, or if you really want that vinyl version but don't want to shell out the $12 for
it, Temporary Residence has $5 'damaged
vinyl' for sale, which is an awesome deal if
you don't mind a bent/tom sleeve.

Lauren Allen is ajunior enrolled in Health
and Human Development and Theories of
Personality.

arts & entertainment

Cooper Point Journal

January 25, 2007

7

PRIMA DONNA
BY LAUREN TAKORES
Some bands form out of cemented childhood friendships; others are formed from a
lucky meeting at Tully's. When guys meet
their bandmates primping in a girls' bathroom, they've got something different going
from the start, and glamorous L.A. punk 'n'
roll band Prima Donna did just that.
"So we're in the bathroom, doing our
thing, when these chicks start fighting
behind us. Then we started fighting each
other," recounted killer keys and sexy sax
player Aaron Minton, 23. "The crazy girls
then attacked us guys, so we teamed up and
got outta there. That was the beginning."

"Then we started dating those girls," continued singer and guitar slinger Kevin Luv
Preston, also 23, "well, some of them. Well,
it starts there. It turned out that we all play
music. You can tell when someone gets off
on playing. We could sense that we all had
something to offer, so we planned a date and
have been rockin' and rollin' since!"
Minton and Preston, along with Danny
Nyby, 23, on bass and backup vocals, Erik
Arcane, 22, on golden guitar, and David S.
Field, 22, on the dirty drums, created Prima
Donna after each member had dabbled in
other projects. Notably, Preston played in
another L.A. band, The Skulls.
All of Prima Donna's members hail
from southern California, and
according to Preston, "there
were a lot of things happening. Growing up in L.A. made
it easy to get out and see bands.
The clubs were still pretty
sleazy. They've cleaned up
a lot in the past few years.
They shoulda kept 'em dirty."
This attitude can be observed by
anyone who feels like "snotty
boys with lipstick on," as Frank
Zappa portrayed glitter-rockers
in "Joe's Garage," have moved
back underground to survive,
the way the hippies retreated
into local jam bands, and riot
grrls dispersed into male-dominated indie groups. The rise in
popularity of softer indie rock
like Death Cab For Cutie and
Modest Mouse just screams
for the raw noise Prima Donna
gives as they revere and revive

glam legends like the New York Dolls, Roxy
Music and Marc Bolan. Even the look of the
band is filthy feminine, influenced by The B52's and Josie Cotton.
"You won't hear [those] influences but
you might see 'em," Preston said.
But how has California influenced their
lives? According to Arcane, "I'm sure it has
but I would say more so, we have influenced
California."
And it's not just California or even the
U.S. that Prima Donna is out to rock. For
five weeks in 2005, the band toured eight
countries in Europe with self-proclaimed
shock rock queen Texas Terri. "That was a
real eye opener. People live and breathe rock
n' roll. Some of the shows went on until like
5 a.m.!" said Preston.
"The audiences loved it, Scandinavia
especially. Most people speak English so
[there were] no real language problems. If
someone didn't speak English, then we spoke
Love," said Minton.
And for Nyby, his biggest risk taken for
the band was actually "going to England, to

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meet up with the band on the European Tour.
I was detained."
Prima Donna is out "to let the world know
that we're bona fide," said Minton, and to
"put on a show that would excite people"
Preston said. On this latest tour, the band
started with two shows in San Francisco.
Now the band is headed to Portland and will
strut their stuff at Le Voyeur on Friday, Jan.
26, with The Lashes and Rocket.
"You're gonna see the roof blow off,"
boasts Preston, "a ball of energy that rivals
the damn sun," and when the band plays
songs that are "all killer [and] no filler" with
strange inspirations like "getting tied up."
A limited edition, heart-shaped vinyl
record is available through the band's
MySpace page, www.myspace.com/primadonna.
"Get one before they're gone, gone,
gone," urges Preston.
Lauren Takores is a sophomore enrolled in
Russia and Eurasia: Empires and Enduring
Legacies.

Cooper Point Journal

8

January 25, 2007

diversity essays

Diversity Essay Contest Finalists
You decide the winning essay.
These are the finalist essays in the Diversity Essay Contest, which is part of this weeks Diversity Series activities. The contest was an invitation to Evegreen community memoers to write about the value of gender and racial diversity to their learning experience and/or their college community. Ten essays were submitted and read by representatives from the CPJ. The Evergreen Queer
Alliance, First People's Advising, The Writing Center and The Office for Diversity Affairs. In the interest of fairness, the authors identities
were not provided to the readers. They selected the three finalists and now you can help select the winning essay.
Votes will be accepted by email through Friday, February 2. One
vote per person using your Evergreen email account, please.
The results of the community vote and the identities of all three
authors will be revealed in the February 8th edition of the CPJ.
First Prize: $200; Second Prize: an OGIO Backpack; Third Prize:
An Evergreen Baseball Cap.

Finding Myself: The Space
Between Privilege and Pain
I have always thought of myself as
the kind of person that blends into the
tapestry. I move through rooms, unnoticed, untouched. In a comfortable
situation, I come alive. I will
break with laughter and unfold
my mind. However, most of
the time I feel restrained. Tied
down by the oppression that held
me down as a child. I hate to use the
word oppression. When I think of being
oppressed, I think of people in poverty,
women of color, people without choices.
Yet, I know that the oppression in my life
is what has given me my perspective, my
lens through which I view the world. It
gives me compassion and it gives me bitterness.
It all roots down to my early years
of life in a brown house on a quiet street.
Even now that neighborhood is tainted
and dirty in my mind. Yet then it seemed
so perfect with its overhanging trees that
cradled the street as you drove by. There
were always children dashing from house
to house, begging for candies and kisses.
We were too young to know how impressionable we were.
I often get labeled as a rich white
straight girl who has no problems. In
truth, my father was a Dutch immigrant,
my mother·an abused, emotional woman,

and both never made it past high school.
My first taste of the roles that men and
women play in life came from my first
days of life.
I was born into a patriarchal system of my father putti·ng down my mother and then
my brother and me. By the time
I was born my mother was a stay
at home mom and my father brought
home the bacon. He also brought home the
pot an<! liquor in which he would indulge
and then proceed in showing all of us just
how masculine he was by yelling or beating my mother. As a toddler I used to stand
by our front window and alert the family
when his car pulled up. "Uh-oh, Daddy's
home."
It is funny the things you accept as
a child. I accepted that my mother was
beautiful and perfect, but also worthless
because of the way my father treated her.
I accepted that he was right and I was
wrong. I accepted that a man was stronger, smarter, and more powerful than not
just me, but all women.
At the age of four I was challenged
with gender roles and sexuality, my own
and others. My therapist explained to my
mother that I would likely turn out

(1) FINDING MYSELF PAGE 9

Vote by email to gallegos@evergreen.edu using
your Evergreen account.
Indicate your selection by typing # 1, #2, or #3 in the subject line of your email.

Letting the Truth Fall Out: My
Life of Breaking Gender Norms
It was clearly unfair. The first time I
noticed gendered language, I was walking down the breezeway of my elementary school with my mother, getting
picked up from Kindergarten. That
day, upon greeting Ms. Miller, my
school principal, the injustice
had occurred to me: Why would
they call a woman a "prince-ipal"?
Shouldn't she be called a "princessipal"? My childhood logic and youthful
misunderstanding mark the beginning of
a lifetime of questioning gender and male
dominance in language and in the world.
They laughed at the time, my mother
and Ms. Miller. They thought it was precious, my assumptions and associations
relating professional titles to romantic girlhood fantasies of princes and princesses.
They explained to me the difference, and
I felt angry for being told I was wrong. I
stood by my statement. Then, in a gesture that undoubtedly shaped my further
exploration of gender, they simultaneously agreed that I did, indeed, have a good
point. She should be a "princess-ipal."
Women mattered, too.
I was breaking gender rules from
the beginning. In the years before the
"Kindergarten Incident", I spent my time
playing with my brother, Charlie. Charlie,
who was not-quite two years older than

me, was the more sensitive, quiet, and fearful child. Where he clung to my mother's
leg, I ran past him, ambitiously attempting
to ride his brand-new big-boy bike.
His fearfulness inspired me to
show him the ropes. My parents,
doting on their two distinctly different children, let us express ourselves as it came naturally. They
allowed us to come up with our own,
alternative age-and-gender rules. When
it came to self-expression and social relationships, we were allowed to develop in
our own ways.
I was a tomboy, but not totally. I wore
dresses and played with dolls, but I had
my rules and limits: No lace. No pink.
And Barbie was not for dressing up:
she was for getting it on with Ken and
Skipper. I wasn't sure exactly what sex
was, but I knew some things, like it made
a heck of a lot better story line than playing "Wedding."
Despite my girly inclinations (which I
fully embrace and nurture to this day), I
really grew up with my brother, boy cousins, and boy neighbors, playing games
and getting dirty in the woods behind my
house. I was the token girl, but never felt
that way. Only when it came to crouching

(2) TRUTH FALL OUT PAGE 9

Live Where You Are
'A'ohe pau ka 'iki i ka halau ho'okani
is a native Hawai'ian saying that translates
as "all knowledge is not taught in the same
school." It is representative ofboth worlds
in which I identify, born of a long line of
native Hawai'ian warriors and of Western
scholars. I often wonder how I would
"talk story" with my paternal grandmother,
MoanaAudrey Peterson Shephard Murphy
of Oahu. Were she alive today could we
talk about the issues that I face on a daily
basis? Could we talk writer to writer and
make recommendations for change in the

way people think and act each day?
Though passed on for a long time
now, she took powerful steps in her life
as a mother, as a published female
journalist in the 1940s, and as an
advocate for native Hawai'ians
in her local communities have
all helped form much of who I
am. It is from her that my nickname derives, when she said to me as
a child, "Kana boy, Kana boy, live where
you are." What a powerful statement to
someone who would become a writer, an

inspiration to both my father and me.
I am an Army brat and was exposed
to cultures other than my own at a young
age. Even living in Iran or Germany,
the only time i felt "different"
was when it was obvious to others that I was an American military kid. Issues and experiences
of kids my age living stateside
were so much dissimilar to mine. It
took coming back to the States for me to
understand and feel the struggle of being
different. I struggled with body image

and weight gain, sexual identity, and trying to "dumb down" my intelligence so I
wouldn't stick out and be noticed. I wanted to hide and I hid well because I never
really fit in. Was I Hawai'ian, or was I
white? Was I gay or, was I straight? Why
did I prefer reading, writing, and singing
to sports or band? Why are we studying this advanced writing in sixth grade
in Washington that I studied when I was
in third grade in Germany? These issues

(3) LIVE WHERE YOU ARE PAGE 9

diversity essays

Cooper Point Journal

II

was less of a person in our culture.
My childhood and my upbringing
taught me to be grateful because I do
have it so much better than many people.
In other ways it taught me compassion.
I understand single mothers and abuse
victims. I understand what it is like to
feel small. It shapes where I fit into this
world, somewhere between oppression
and privilege. Now I stand up for social
justice. I watched my mother struggle,
make it without a man, and make it on
her own. We came from nothing and survived.
However, my pains of domestic violence, male supremacy, sexual violence,
and poverty do not show. They are not
the color of my skin or the sexual orientation I represent. In this way I feel I am
privileged. I am not being called names
based on my race or sexual orientation.
On the other hand, I often feel like those
who do face such discrimination might
believe that I can not identify with their
struggle. Maybe I can't. I recognize that
I am so blessed to be where I am with the
opportunities I have, but I do not want
that to alienate me from others who struggle.
If it weren't for that struggle I would
not be who I am today. It is important to
me to help those who have less than I have
because that was once me. Somewhere
inside of me, that silent little girl still
lives. I may not understand what it is
like to be a minority, or to be physically
tlisabled, or gay. However, I do understand pain. Pain is something that every
human being experiences on his or her
own level. I use that pain to empower
myself as a survivor, a worker, and simply as a woman living in a world co'ntrolled by men.

(2) TRUTH FALL OUT PAGE 9
behind my separate tree to relieve myself
in the woods was I ever distinguished
from the boys, at least in my own mind.
I remember being confronted by stereotypes about girls being weak by my
socialized brethren, but those accusations
never stuck. I knew they were wrong, and
I lived my life to prove it.
In the first grade, I joined a local Little
League team. Charlie was on one team
and I was on another. We played every
Saturday, and practiced nearly every day.
My team was the Portco Pirates, sponsored by the company my dad worked
for. I was the only girl in the all-boys
league. Some boys gave me a hard time.
One boy, whom I'll never forget (Red
headed Austin? I'm looking for you!),
put dirt in my water bottle every game,
no fail, until I pushed him off the bench.
He cried and I smiled with the satisfaction that only well-deserved revenge can
create. More than the boys, it was their
mothers who feared me. My mom fondly
remembers sitting in the stands, listening
quietly to the other mothers as they said,
"Oh, it's that team with the girl on it! She
knocked over/pushed/out-ran my son!
She's so aggressive!" My mom would
just smile, knowing that it wasn't overly
aggressive: I just wouldn't let a little thing
like a boy get in my way.
These are the events that have shaped
me as a "gender outlaw" 1 in my own right.
1. Kate Bornstein, Gender Outlaw

9

(3) LIVE WHERE YOU ARE PAGE 9

(1) FINDING MYSELF PAGE 9
completely okay and unaffected. Yet,
when other children were beginning
to learn that boys and girls had different parts, I was learning what the word
"molestation" meant, what boys and girls
do in bed, and why my whole life was dismantled. For years ahead I would blame
myself and be ashamed of my sexuality.
I would lie silently under a man while
he filled me up and I remained feeling
absolutely empty. Beyond my shame I
would suffer from feeling utterly alone
and marginalized in a way I could never
speak of.
By kindergarten my mother and. I
were out on our own, on welfare, but free
from male oppression. I can still remember the exact moment I understood why
the other children snickered at my ratty
clothes and why their mothers frowned
with pathetic pity at my dumpy apartments. I sat in a circle in class, halfway
through elementary school, and looked at
the other girls, really looked, for the first
time. Their hair shined, their clothes were
clean, free of holes, sporting names like
'Disney' and 'N ike.' My shoes were damaged with tears and my clothes all worn
from the thrift store. I remember feeling
ashamed once again. That shame grew to
jealousy that I still carry to this day. I still
long for the pretty things the other kids
seem to get. Fancy cars, houses, school
tuition.
I feel like I am at this constant battle against my prescribed social class. I
do not want to be poor, but I am . I don't
look it, but I am drowning in debt. I hate
dreaming about paying bills and even
more I hate the resentment I carry for
those who do have more. For a very long
time I felt no strength, no empowerment
from being poor. I just felt weak, like I

January 25,2007

While I identify as a straight woman, I
have developed my own way of being a
straight woman. I have developed what
it means to be me. Not girly, not butch, a
little of both most times, sometimes one
way more than the other. The freedom of
my gender identity allows me freedom of
expression. I represent myself according
to my mood, and my moods change a lot.
The freedom of fluid gender representation helps negate the issue of gender altogether, and I feel privileged to have grown
up encouraged to express myself.
Gendered expectations have almost
always felt optional to me, and I know
that in that way I have been lucky. Where
my luck runs out is how male-dominance
and gender inequality rules the English
language. At work, I loathe the precious
"quote board" because the majority of
quotes readily available to me in our
coffee-stained quote book are male-centric. "He," "him," "his"; "Men," "man,"
"mankind": written with exclusion, as
if women have never said or done anything worth remembering. When I have
to, I find a quote I like, and irreverently
change the gender to female - noting
the change, of course. I wouldn't want to
misrepresent anyone. Invariably, someone questions my editing choices. But I
stand, holding my ground, reiterating my
intentions of splitting gender at its seams
to let the truth fall out.

haunt me even today as an adult with a life
well lived.
"Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am?"
The Evergreen student stands at my
door lying in wait to pose a question about
how he or she can find a faculty or the class
he or she is late for. I am staring at the
screens finishing up a project when I hear
the questioning voice. In the space of a few
seconds, I grind my teeth, then unclench
my consternation and smooth my lips into
a pleasant customer service smile. The
question gets answered and the student is
on his or her way. Will I ever see this student again? Perhaps. Would it have served
a purpose to correct the student? No. The
reason is that the situation didn't really call
for it; an answer was needed and a time line
inferred. Did it matter that the student did
not know my gender? Did it matter to the
outcome of the query?
The answer would be "No." For in
administrative support functions, men are
often mistaken for women; it especially
occurs with effeminate, soft-spoken gay
men. When people call into our offices
they often ask for the lady down the hall that
they met with, or spoke with, on the phone
previously. My co-worker, a female, is at a
loss because,$he has only one counterpart, a
male: me. A conversation ensues where the
caller is insistent with her that they spoke
to that large white woman down the hall.
My co-worker corrects them and gives them
my formal first name, Daniel. Sometimes it
happens that when she transfers the to me,
the caller is still insistent about my gender,
and, well, I get to "educate" a little bit.
"How do you identity?"
An individual was referred to me by a
colleague because she understood that I had
gone through a transformative surgery and
that I was a great resource for a variety of
things at Evergreen. The individual shared
with me a story and asked for some suggestions on how to make a smoother transition within the academic community as I
had purportedly done, a couple years previously. She wanted to know how life was
post-surgery and how living in a new identity was going. I explained to her that while
I have some experience in working with
individuals who are making the transition
from one to gender to another, I don't have
that personal experience myself. She had
understood that I had surgery and was significantly changed. I said that at Evergreen
we get all kinds of folks, so no one really
knows what "makes a person." Yes, I had
had surgery, and yes, I had changed completely, but not due to gender reassignment
surgery. I had not gone from one gender
to the next.
I told her my story.
I was a person who, by all accounts,
appeared to be a female. I was fatally obese
at 500 pounds. I was effeminate, soft-spoken, had long, lustrous hair, and worked in
a non-traditional role for men on a college
campus. My body type was very much
like the Paleolithic statuette of the Venus of
Willendorf. To someone who didn't know
me, I could've appeared female. Still, to
this day, because of the way that I interact
with people, I am still thought of as female,
with a distinctly female energy. Ironically,
when I step away from Evergreen and participate in my life as a radical faerie, I see
that soft-spoken androgynous men exist
everywhere.
I had gastric-bypass surgery, dropping
200 pounds at the outset and now maintaining a little above my ideal weight. I had only

had gastric-bypass surgery, thought many
people thought I had that plus gender reassignment surgery. That was the change.
My outlook. on life in general improved.
I worked hard and got an Evergreen's
Master's degree in the school's first tribal
cohort. I "talked story," a way of communicating cross-culturally using stories, family
histories, and shared experiences. I stepped
"out" into community, volunteering skills
and abilities instead of hiding my depth of
knowledge. I fought for my male identity
as surely as the individual had fought for
her own identity and transition. In retrospect, I can see how I can be perceived as a
person transitioning from one gender to the
next; I simply reclaimed the man beneath
the softness.
In finishing the conversation with this
individual, I shared some resources and
encouragement for the work ahead. I let
her know that if anyone gives her any crap,
send them my way. I encouraged her as I
encourage others: I listened. I have seen
her on campus here and there since, and I
often wonder how she took my words. As
far as the referring colleague goes, I was
hesitant to speak with him because I feared
he did not understand gender misidentification and how hurtful one action, even with
good intentions, could be.
His willingness to talk with and listen
to me was worthwhile. I understood better how I project myself and how I am perceived at Evergreen by many people. My
colleagues would exasperatingly tell you
that they don't understand how I could be
misperceived as a woman, when I distinctly
act like a man ... they just don't see it. But
I do see it. I have dealt with it from the time
I stepped back onto US soil in 1980. Still, l
accept who I am and how I fit in with others. Why can't others see that? It's not up
to me, for that is theirs to deal with. That is
the real power:; realizing how one's own
identity, and acceptance of that identity,
impacts another person experiencing the
same thing at the same time.
"Kana boy, Kana boy live where you
are," now means that I don't take on others'
problems. I can be true to myself and share
that truth with others. When my gender or
sexual identity gets called into question, I
only act in the spirit of who I am. I live free
because I choose to do so. I think about the
Kana boy phrase quite often. I could see the
conversation happening about race and gender with my grandmother. Moana would
motion for me to sit outside on the green
stoop outside her back door in her home
in Kailua. I would sit down and a gecko
would skitter across my toes, crawling up
a nearby tree. I would squeak, and in true
mainlander fashion inch back towards the
door to inside, afraid of this big dragon in
a little skin. Moana would look at me and
smile, then cross the backyard and pluck a
lilikoi fruit from the vine. She would tear
this passion flower-type fruit open, spreading the seed and jelly wide to offer me a
piece. She would sit down next to me as
the palms whipped in the wind and begin
to "talk story." Would you hear the labels
of gender and race in the story? Take a bite,
taste the fruit, and listen. Can you hear her
words? She'd say you are a person living
in the world who respects that other people
live here, too. Can you hear her voice?
Live where you are.
Can you hear it?

Vote via email to gallegos@evergreen.edu by Friday, February 2, using your Evergreen account. Indicate your
selection by typing# 1, #2, or #3 in the subject line of your email.

Cooper Point Journal

10

January 25, 2007

letters &opinions

Consider this

McCain is a tricky one

BY AMBER CARVER

BY TORI NEEDER

This Saturday
morning, I rolled out
of bed at nine o'clock
and braved the icy
roads to join a small
crowd of folks gathered in the Roy city
park. When I arrived, they were huddled
around a fire ring listening to the opening
speech for the day's event: the ninth annual Muck Creek Salmon Homecoming. In
attendance were the dedicated volunteers
and coordinators who are part ofThe South
Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group
(SPSSEG) and the Nisqually Tribe Salmon
Recovery Program. These groups work to
improve salmon habitat along the Nisqually
River watershed, from the headwaters on
Mount Rainier to the mouth on the sound.
After the initial speeches were wrapped
up and the crowd dispersed, I shook hands
with the Nisqually Tribe's Salmon Recovery
Outreach Coordinator, Don Perry and took a
look around. There were posters and handouts for both the SPSSEG and the Nisqually
Tribe Salmon Recovery Program, and we
were encouraged to look in the nearby stream
to see if there were any salmon. There were
two--one live and one dead--a paltry number

forth is time of year. Salmon runs have fl uctuated over the years due to anum ber of factors,
but the overall trend has not been good.
I initially attended the event in hopes of
putting in some volunteer hours, but I arrived
too late to be of much use. Instead, I had the
opportunity to Jearn a little about a big project that I was totally unfamiliar with, and I
signed up to volunteer at an event that's happening in a couple of weeks. I am a very busy
person and I don't have a Jot of time to spare
on extra-curricular activities, but I made a
commitment this New Year's to be more
involved in the community, both for the benefit of others and for personal enrichment.
It may seem masochistic--or just plain stupid--to get out of bed at nine on a Saturday,
but I am willing to do it, because it seems
right to me. I urge more Evergreen students
to think about how much time they actually
use on constructive activities, and consider
augmenting that. At the very least, they'll
get some fresh air and learn about something
new, which--never hurt anybody. By the way,
if you want to know more about the Nisqually
River restoration project, contact Don Perry
at dperry@nwifc.org.

Amber Carver is a junior enrolled in
Introduction to Natural Science.·

John McCain is as
guilty as G.W. Bush
whenitcomestoopportunism and manipulation of the public.
Since his presidential
campaign defeat in
2000, McCain has been maneuvering himself into place for the 2008 race. Along the
way he hasn't failed to take full advantage of
September II th,Afghanistan and the Iraqi war.
The current administration has had no
qualms about prospering off the fear that
September 11th instilled in citizens. In order
to keep Bush's approval ratings up, they
manipulated the public to maintain an ongoing military conflict. But Bush wasn't the
only politician that profited from the continuing and seemingly endless conflict in Iraqi.
War heroes make good war time presidents. In the coming year I don't doubt
that McCain will be happy to tout his military experience and war time service as
one of the many reasons why not only does
he has the skill to lead the country in war
time, but why he is different from Bush.
If McCain learned so much from the
Vietnam War why did he vote for the use
of force against Iraqi? A vote for the United
States to become involved in yet another war
that "we can't win, we can't lose, and we
can't leave."

McCain's experience as a POW seems
like it would also put him in a world apart
from Bush in the matter of human rights.
Yet when the Military Commission Act of
2006 came to a vote, the bill that denied
"unlawful enemy combatants" the right
to invoke habeas corpus and the Geneva
Convention, he responded with a "yay."
That bill is the direct product of the
Hamdan v. Rumsfeld Supreme Court
case ruling. Fresh from his appointment, Justice Samuel Alito was part of
the majority opinion in this ruling. Many
votes in congress put Justice Alito on
the bench. One of those was McCain's.
In the past six years, McCain hasn't
opposed Bush's war agenda in any meaningful ways or even proved that he isn't
profiteering just as much. He hasn't backed
up his words with his votes in the senate.
Please, in the coming election, whoever
you vote for, check his or her voting record.
Don't cop out and yell "politicians lie!" Of
course they do. But you live in the information age and at you have a tool at you finger
tips called the internet. On that internet there
is a record of every public vote that your
potential candidate has ever registered. And
actions speak louder than words.

Tori Needer i!J: a junior enrolled in Health
and Human Development.

Men who stop rape are on our
The history of the swastika
campus and in our community SHAY STPIERRE
BY

BY TODD DENNY
It was New Year's
Eve in a downtown
hotel that had several
bands in its ballrooms.
It was packed, many
were drinking heavily
and by the end of the
evening the place was filled with over-served
people.
I was in a crowded men's restroom waiting for my "turn" when the entrance door
opened and in walked, or I should say stumbled, a young woman. She announced very
drunkenly that "Our line's way too long in the
women's bathroom" and that she "couldn't
wait." She went into an open stall. Most of
the men in the room were surprised and found
it to be humorous. The mood quickly turned
sour when a guy pushed open the woman's
stall door. She yelled, "Let me get my pants
on, you BLANK!" Blocking her exit, he
announced that she wasn't leaving because
she "owed the guys something" for letting her
use their bathroom. Soon several men joined
him, holding her "captive" in the stall.
This was turning into an ugly situation.
The mood had turned from funny to predatory, and I didn't think they were going to
let her out. So, I squeezed through the group
until I could reach her and trying to keep
things light I said, "Darling, you can't come
in here--it's not our fault that you ladies take
so long to pee."
I then quickly pulled her through the group

and out of the restroom. Some men gave me
an incredulous look that said, "Why are you
wrecking this?" I have no doubt that a rape,
or at least some form of sexual assault, was
unfolding in that men's room. Guys who had
no thoughts of violence when they entered
the men's room, and who would not consider
themselves to be potential rapists, got caught
up in a "mob mentality.'' They were on the
verge of committing gang rape.
Things can happen quickly. I'll never
forget it.
Due to fear or not knowing how to
respond, even "good guys" who would not
have participated may not have taken action
to stop the rape. These men can develop skills
to confront and interrupt violence against
women so that when confronted with a situation where sexual assault may happen, they
can respond effectively.
Do you have a story about yourself or a
man you know who has challenged, confronted or stopped sexual violence? Share your
story with Todd and learn about other men
who have stopped sexual assault on our campus. Help redefine rape prevention as a men's
issue! Visit the "Men Who Stop Rape are on
Our Campus" Booth next Tuesday, January
30th from II a.m. to I p.m. in the CAB.
For more information, call Evergreen's
Office of Sexual Assault Prevention x5221.

Todd Denny is an Evergreen alumnus. This
article was brought to you by Evergreen :S
Office of Sexual Assault Prevention.

On December 8,
2006 someone defaced
both A and C dorms
(as well as many other places on campus)
with a symbol of a
swastika. After reading this in the TESC Crier the quote that stuck
out to me was, "Symbols of intolerance, such
as swastikas, cause pain and denigrate individuals or groups and are entirely unacceptable on our campus."
I decided to dig deep within some boxes of old papers that I had written while at
Centralia College. I hoped that I had not
tossed the one I was looking for. After many
hours I discovered the paper I was in search
of. Originally written in the fall of 2005 for
my Art I 02 mid-term, "His tory of 'Christian'
symbols Pre World War II," which came
from a similar incident some insensitive jerk
had done.
I decided to take my research I had invested in this paper to give a SMALL bit of history on the swastika pre-world war two.
Please read this with an open mind. Know
that I don't wish to harm anyone or to cause
any pain ... I just wish to give some history
of this now "horrible" symbol.
The swastika did not become a symbol
of "evil" until world war two. Before that
it was simply an equal lateral cross with its
arms bent clock-wise.
The word swastika is from the ancient
Sanskrit word, which from one translation
means, "conductive to well being." Another

translation is "su" meaning, "well" and
"asti" meaning "to be." Its symbolism was
originally a representation of prosperity and
good fortune. It also was used to represent
the revolving sun, fire or life.
If you travel into the southwest you can
still see the swastika in much of the Native
American art.
There is much speculation as the Original
origin of this symbol but it is believed that
the Aryan Peoples oflran and northern India
were the first recorded peoples to actively
use this symbol (Aryan is Sanskrit which
means "noble").
In early Christian art it was known as
the Gammadion Cross after the Greek letter Gamma.
So what is my point; it is that although
TODAY'S translation ofthe swastika is associated with evil and death, it didn't always
start out this way. However, the things I have
mentioned are ancient history ... which is
really appalling, because I believe that its history predating the Reich of Hitler and Stalin
is fascinating and deserves to be known.
Thank you for allowing me to present a
very small portion of the history of a symbol, a symbol that does indeed cause pain
in the hearts of many people. I hope that
the perpetrator or perpetrators are caught
... punished as per the rules and regulations
of the college ... I also hope that they get a
conscience, and think about what they did as
perhaps a "joke" and realize that that was a
stupid thing to do.

Shay StPierre is a junior enrolled in an
independent contract.

You have opinions. The Cooper Point Journal wants to publish them.
Send Letters & Opinions contributions to cpj@evergreen.edu
(and don't forget to include a photo of yourself).

features

Cooper Point Journal

January 25, 2007

11

j mumuu muuumu•mm mu mmI A dangerous breed of people /mmum mumm m•mmmmu••mu muml
A look inside the world of dog-fighting and our countrys pit bull bans: could Olympia be next?
BY ALLISON IOU
More than ten states in the U.S. have
already passed "Dangerous Dog Laws"
which allow their cities to target specific
breeds of dogs and their owners, while others states such as New York are currently
in the process. Though some states such
as California state that they do not allow
for cities to label specific breeds as collectively dangerous, other states such as
Washington, Iowa and Ohio allow Breed
Specific Law--resulting in bans on the entire
pit bull breed.
Breed Specific Law, or simply BSL, first
emerged in the 1980s, focusing largely on
pit bulls. Throughout the past couple of
decades, numerous states have passed bills
which range from banning dangerous dogs
regardless of breed, to singling out breeds
that have been legislatively declared "dangerous," namely pit bulls. Varying from
state to state, and city to city, owners of pit
bulls in BSL areas face consequences ranging from heavy fines and mandatory spaying
and neutering, to seizure and euthanasia of
their dogs, regardless of whether or not their
dog has actually attacked anyone. Right now
one of the biggest supporters ofBSL and the
destruction of pit bulls is the (supposed) animal rights group, PETA. Sadly, it has been
reported that PETA's newfound pit bull hate
is driven by ulterior political motives.
According to the pit bull advocacy group
nicknamed Understand-a-Bull (whose motto is "Punish the Deed not the Breed"),
Washington is ranked the third worst state
for pit bulls in the country, Ohio and Iowa
being the first and second worst, respectively. States were evaluated based upon
legislative policies which word their
Dangerous Dog Laws in a way that allows
for breed discrimination. Although BSL
does not characterize Washington in its
entirety (as is the case with Iowa and Ohio),
a good portion of the state is affected.
Washington cities subject to BSL are Pasco,
Yakima, Enumclaw, Buckley, Toppenish,
Winslow, Oak Harbor, Cathlamet, Everett,
Kennewick, Kirkland, Moxee City, Neah
Bay, Sea-Tac and Pullman (ironically where
the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine
is located). Additionally, the counties of
Spokane, Snohomish and Whatcom are all
affected by BSL as well.
Ruben Reyes, a resident of Kennewick,
Washington who owns two pit bulls, was
outraged by the city council's BSL motivated decision to label all pit bulls as dangerous
dogs. "Any violence against humans should
be put on the owner and training. The animal
can't control being born a pit bull," declares
Reyes. To ensure the well-being of his two
beloved canine friends who sleep beside
him every night, Reyes plans on moving to
another city where his dogs will be free of
automatic breed discrimination.
Quite frankly, Breed Specific Law is a
miserable attempt at addressing the real
issue at hand, that is, the question of why
. some pit bulls behave violently in the first
place. The answer to this hugely overlooked question does not lie in the biological make-up of the breed itself. It is not the

nature of pit bulls that must be examined
here; conversely, it is the "nurture" of pit
bulls that must be con~idered. The truth is
that the "nurture" of many pit bulls is the
furthest thing from nurture there is. Abuse,
torment, manipulation and barbaric training--this is what exists in the environment
where violent pit bulls are raised in. These
inhumane, ruthless environments are part of
the criminally insane undergrounct world of
dog-fighting. Pit bulls have ur.f•xtunately
become victims of the immoral dog-fighting
madness, as they are a large, highly trainable
breed with particularly strong
teeth and jawsexactly what
people involved
in dog-fighting
want.
Being as
dog-fighting is
a million dollar "industry," owners go to
great lengths to ensure a win. "Trainers"
often resort to unspeakably cruel "training"
methods which include breaking the dog's
legs to "acclimate" them to pain, putting
the dogs on "doggy treadmills" for hours
and hours, starvation, using puppies, kittens, cats and smaller breed dogs as "bait"
for the pit bulls to practice attacking so that
they can acquire a "taste" for blood, merciless beatings, locking the dogs up for days in
tiny, filthy cages to "strengthen" their rage,
and even feeding or injecting the dogs with
huge amounts of steroids or other amphetamines. When the dogs are injured during a
fight, dog-fighting owners look to play "veterinarian," improperly treating life-threatening injuries with merely a staple gun and
rubbing alcohol. Breeders involved in dogfighting also look to breed their "champions," thus creating a continuous population
of vicious pit bulls. The dogs who are not
"champions" are punished by death.
Dog-fighting owners consider a losing
dog the ultimate shame, and therefore look
to shame the dog as much as the dog has
"shamed" them. The dogs are beaten, set
on fire, hung, or electrocuted to death, right
in front of the other dogs who sit anxiously
pent up in stacks of rusty cages. Another
reason these owners look to publicly execute the "losers" is to "show" the other dogs
what is to become of them if they lose their
matches. The losing dogs who are lucky
enough to have their lives spared are set
loose into the streets, as their owners no
longer have any use for them. As a result,
these dogs often end up mauling whatever people or animals they encounter in the
streets due to the "attack training" they have
received. (For more information about dogfighting see F.E.D.S. (2004), an objective
documentary created by the publisher of
F.E.D.S. magazine that takes you behindthe-scenes into the world of this unbelievably brutal "sport".)
Dr. Karen Shane, D.V.M. specializing in
cardiology, deals with pit bulls on a regular basis at her Los Angeles based veterinary clinic. "The breed itself is very docile and loving. As with any type of certain
individual, atypical aggression and hostility

may occur. These dogs of atypical character have encountered mistreatment and mishandling," says Dr. Shane. "A lot of the reason why so much hate and negative media
publicity surrounds pit bulls is largely due
to their big, muscular, strong stature. When
a dog of this size does inflict damage it is
inevitably going to be more profound than
that of a smaller breed."
Like many veterinarians, Dr. Shane is
against Breed Specific Law. "It [BSL] certainly makes things worse. People involved
in dog-fighting are only encouraged to
move onto
another breed,
or another animal. It causes
people who
want to give
pit bulls loving
homes to break
the law; leaving no room for legal adoption."
Having worked in an animal hospital for
two years myself, I too have observed the
innately good qualities and behavior of pit
bulls. Contrary to the myths I had previously heard about pit bulls being savage, what
I encountered was one gentle, well-mannered, playful pit bull after another. These
happy-go-lucky, obsessive tail-waggers acted exceptionally friendly and sweet towards
people and other dogs alike. Likewise, the
ridiculous claim made by dog-fighting
owners that pit bulls inherently hate their
own breed also proved untrue. When two
boarding pit bulls passed each other going
in and out of the dog runs, neither of the
dogs showed the slightest sign of hostility
whatsoever. They simply sniffed each other,
wagged their tails and went their separate
ways; neither the slightest growl nor flash
of teeth was to be seen.
What is inherent is the cycle of learned
violence, from pit bulls to wife-beaters,
and child soldiers to child molesters. The
cycle is perpetual, and will remain as such

I encountered one gentle, wellmannered, playful pit bull after
another.

until the real problem is addressed--that
is, the root of the problem. Breed Specific
Law only targets the symptom, it does not
affect the cause. The cause has been evaded
due to a tragically overlooked relationship
of nature vs. nurture, biology vs. environment. What will affect the cause are harsher sentences imposed upon the people who
fuel dog-fighting. The immoral individuals
involved in this "sport" are the ones requiring extermination, not the victimized pit
bulls. Cracking down on the human perpetrators is not only crucial for the continued
existence of the pit bull race itself, but for
the greater good of mankind as well. As
pointed out by Dr. Shane, "people involved
in violent crimes against humanity have a
proven history of animal abuse."
For more information and ways to get
involved in pit bull advocacy please visit
the following websites: www.workingpitbull.com; www.pitbullproject.org; www.
forpitssake.org; www.outofthepits.org;
www.pbrc.net.

Disclaimer: When discussing such a
heated issue as the pit bull ban, I feel it is
necessary to not only include a disclaimer
on my own behalf, but on behalf of the victims of pit bull attacks as well. In no way
am I looking to belittle or minimize the
injuries and/or deaths of individuals who
have suffered attacks by pit bulls. I absolutely do not want to overlook the pain of
these victims, but I do want to make clear
that ferocious behavior is largely atypical
ofpit bulls who have been raised in proper.
loving homes. Just as the people who have
been mauled by vicious pit bulls are victims,
many ofthe dogs responsible for the attacks
are also victims.
Allison Ioli is a senior currently enrolled
in Greece and Italy: An Artistic and Literary
Odyssey.

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Cooper Point Journal

12

health

January 25, 2007

The citizen's guide to health legislation
BY ARIEL BRANTLEY-DALGLISH
Mark your calendars! Join hundreds
of others as we rally and lobby our legislators about important issues that affect
our sexual and reproductive health! The
November election gave Washington State
a pro-choice majority in the House of
Representatives and the Senate. Now is the
time to act when there is likelihood that a
progressive agenda will pass. Every citizen lobbyist makes a difference! You need
not have ever lobbied before to participate.
Materials, skills training and lunch will
be provided by NARAL Pro-Choice (the
nation's leading advocate for privacy and
a woman's right to choose) and Planned
Parenthood. If you are interested in attending, contact Jennifer Allen at (360) 5707437 or email atjennifer.allen@ppww.org.
An RSVP is not necessary, but strongly
recommended.
Some of what's on the docket for
Planned Parenthood's legislative agenda
this year:
The Healthy Youth Act. If you thought
the sexual health education you received
in your youth was inadequate, it's getting
worse. A recent survey commissioned by
the Healthy Youth Alliance, "Sex education in Washington Public Schools," clearly defined areas for improvement. Copies
of the full report are available at www.
healthyyouthalliance.com. While abstinence, refusal skills, STDs and infection
were discussed in over 86 percent of the

200 school districts surveyed, only 56 percent of them are covering condom use and
effectiveness, only 38 percent are talking
about pregnancy options (abortion is a forbidden topic in 28 percent of classrooms)
and a mere 27 percent are discussing sexual
identity and orientation. Over half of the
high school students in this state receive
less than five hours of instruction in H IV I
AIDS education . Seventy-eight percent of
I 2th graders are not receiving any sexuality education at all. There is needed evaluation for how we are preparing our youth
to become sexually healthy and responsible adults .

in Washington at or below 200 percent
of the federal poverty level. In August of
2006 , when the program was renewed,
federal restrictions were included that will
result in as many as 7,800 Washington men
and women losing their eligibility. These
restrictions include refused enrollment for
men and women over the age of I 8 who
have any insurance (including coverage
through their parents). This can make for
steep financial burdens and/or undesired
conversations for those over the age of I 8
who do not wish their parents to know if
they are sexually active, on birth control or
need an abortion . State funding is needed to

Don't let issues that directly affect you be decided
by other people. Stand up for the rights to your
own health and take action.
The Healthy Youth Act will ensure that
when sex education is taught in Washington
schools, the information is age appropriate,
medically accurate, includes information
about abstinence and other methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and disease
that is appropriate for students regardless
of gender, race, sexual orientation or disability status.
Funding for contraceptives for (now
ineligible) TAKE CHARGE clients. The
TAKE CHARGE program offers free family planning services for men and women

continue providing these confidential and
valuable services. The Evergreen Student
Health Center offers birth control and other
family planning services and has a referral directory of TAKE CHARGE providers in our area.
Funding for STD screening and treatment. The new restrictions on the TAKE
CHARGE program also cut back extensively the STD screening and treatment that
used to be available through the program.
This is at a time where infection rates for
chlamydia and gonorrhea are at a 12-year

high in Washington State. The rates for
both diseases for women and men peak
between ages 20-24. These STDs often
exist without symptoms and are thus easily passed unknowingly from partner to
partner. Untreated, they can lead to pelvic
inflammatory disease , infertility, ectopic
pregnancy and leave you more vulnerable
to contracting other STDs including HIY.
STD testing can be costly. Lack of funding
leaves many cases undiagnosed and continues the spread of disease . The Evergreen
Student Health Center offers STD testing at
a reasonable price and resources for where
to get free HIV testing .
Other issues that Planned Parenthood
and NARAL will be addressing this legislative session include: Marriage Equality,
Environmental Toxins and Reproductive
Health, Advancing the HPV Vaccine ,
Increases in Medicaid Reimbursement
Rates, Family Planning and the Growth
Management Act, Health Care Access and
Reform.
Get involved! Don't let issues that
directly affect you be decided by other
people. Stand up for the rights to your
own health and take action this lobby day,
February 12!

Ariel Brantley-Dalglish is a senior
enrolled in the student medical assistant
program and is doing an internship with
the public affairs department of Planned
Parenthood.

It's still the toughest job you•n ever love.
Get the latest on available assl:g nments.

anuar
Information Table
noon to 3 p.m.
Community Opportunities Fair·
Evergreen State College
CRC

Information Session
noon -1 p.m.
Evergreen state College

SASS Conference Room, Library 2102

peacecorps.gov

I

800.424.8580

calendar

Cooper Point Journal

On Campus

January 25. 2007

13

Off Campus

CANCELLATIONS

Thursday, 25

Tuesday, 30

Thursday, 25

Monday, 29

4 to 6 p.m. Iraq War
Awareness training. LH I.
Hosted by WRC.

5 to 7 p.m. Cop Watch
Know Your Rights training. SEM II, Cll07.
Hosted by WashPIRG,
Carnival and EPIC.

5 to 7 p.m. Intro to
Constitutional Herbalism
Olympia Free School, 610
Columbia St.

9 p.m. Monday Movie
Night
Le Voyeur, 404 4th Ave. E.
21+, free.

8 to II p.m. Music festival
Riot Folk! HCC. Hosted
by Evergreen Political
Information Center.

Friday, 26
5 p.m. Critical Mass meetup. Red Square.

Monday, 29
3:30 to 4:30p.m. President
open meeting. Near deli
area, CAB.

Wednesday, 31
12 to 2:30p.m., 3:15 to
6:00p.m. Blood drive
for Puget Sound Blood
Center. LIB 2000.

Friday, 26

Tuesday, 30

I to 4 p.m. HIV testing
UCAN, 147 Rogers St.
Anonymous and confidential, sliding scale.

6 to 7 p.m. Food Not
Bombs
Media Island, 816 Adams
St. SE
Cooking at MI starting 4:30p.m., share food
at the library, afterward
cleanup at MI.

Saturday, 27
5 to 8 p.m. "Reclaiming
Birth Control" film and
lecture. SEM II, Bll07.
Hosted by VOX and
WRC.

3 p.m. Poor People's
Union meeting
Bread and Roses, I 009 4th
Ave.

The "Light Motion" performance dancers
had to postpone, and currently there isn't
a new date set. The art exhibition is going
on according to schedule and it is open on
Saturday afternoons. A DVD of Light
Motion is part of the exhibition.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Call this number to check if campus is closed
due to inclement weather:
(360) 867-6000, then press I.

Wednesday, 31
7 to 9 p.m. Skateland
Dollar Night
2725 12th Ave NE
$1 w/ skates, $2 without
skates.

Sunday, 28
6 p.m. Film screening,
"Tsotsi" LH I. Hosted by
Mindscreen. E2125

7 p.m. Prolegomena to a
Future Poetics Reading
Series presents Rodrigo
Toscano. Laura Elrick.
SEM II,AII05.

Chelsea Handler Live, planned for Sun.
Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. has been cancelled due
to artist's health.

I to 4 p.m. Capoeira
Angola Palmares
Midnight Sun, 113
Columbia St.
$10 drop-in.

Remember to check out the 4th Annual
TESC Science Carnival on Friday, June I and
Saturday, June 2 from I 0 a.m. to 4 p.m. It's
free, fun, hands on and welcome to everyone.
There will be student demonstrators about all
aspects of science at all levels.

Club Meetings
Geoduck Union
Mondays, 3:15p.m., CAB 320
geoduckunion@gmail.com
Students for a Democratic Society
Wednesdays, 2 p.m., SEM ll E31 05

I
I,
\

Open Mic Poetry Reading
Wednesdays, 8 p.m.
Primetime on the 2nd floor of A
dorm
Alcoholics Anonymous
Wednesdays, 4 p.m. and Fridays,
noon and 7 p.m ., LAB I 1047

Narcotics Anonymous
Tuesdays, 8 p.m ., LAB I 1047 and
SEM II3107A
Sundays, 6:30p.m., CAB top floor
lounge
Student Video Garners Alliance
Tuesdays, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., CAB TV
lounge
Evergreen Animal Rights Network
Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., CAB 3rd
Floor

Society for Trans Action Resources
Wednesdays, 3 p.m., SEM II D3107
TESC Chess Club
Thursdays 4 to 6 p.m., SEM II
Cll05
All skill levels welcome
Evergreen Spontaneity Club
Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m., SEM II
DII05
All experience levels welcome
Healing Arts Collective
Wednesdays, I p.m., CAB 3rd floor

L

Students Organizing for Food
Autonomy
Mondays, 4 p.m., CAB 3rd floor.
All are welcome.
Wednesdays, noon to 2 p.m. Bring
pots of food to Red Square, intent
on feeding any student, free of
charge
SEED
Wednesdays, I p.m., CAB 3rd floor
pit

The Outdoor Adventure Club
Wednesdays, 4 p.m., rock climbing gym
lnfoshoppe and Zine Library
Thursdays, 4 p.m., LIB 3303
Prolegomena to a Future Poetics
Reading Series
Mondays, 7 p.m., SEM II, A II 05
Students In Action workshops
Wednesdays, I to 3 p.m., SEM ll

Meditation workshop
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m.,
CRC 116

\i\Tant to l1elp run tl1e Bt1siness Operations of· the
Cooper Poit1tjot1rnal?

Do

to W()rk \·vith people and mc)tle)'?
Do \lOU ha\re organizational skills.

)'Otllike

I

~

Apply to be the
Business Apprentice
for 2007
Get Your
pplication
Today!

Applications are out no'W',

available in CPJ Office

Cooper Point Journal

14

comics

January 25, 2007

Birch Cooper

Tony Miller

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comics

Cooper Point Journal

January 25, 2007

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16

Cooper Point Journal

January 25, 2007

see page

rape

will be.lieve

you."

erving in Iraq, Specialist Suzanne Swift repeatedly reported sexual assault by
er direct superiors, both married men. Despite witnesses of continued sexual
harassment, her reports were ignored. Suffering from PTSD after returning home,
she refused orders to redeploy to Iraq. She was forcibly returned to the custody
f the superior who had openly harassed her. The mandated 30-day investigation
was cut to three days, during which Specialist Swift was interviewed for one hour,
under instructions not to relate the details of what was said. No judicial hearings
nsued.
Instead of receiving the usual AWOL treatment of administrative discharge withut punishment, Swift was brought before a hastily-arranged court martial. Under
implicit threat of a lengthy prison sentence, Specialist Swift agreed to a reduction
nrank to Private, to stay in the military until January 2009, and to spend 30 days
in the brig. The military asked her to sign a statement disavowing the sexual
ssault: she refused.
from "Fort Lewis Punishes Soldier for Exposing Sexual Assault" by Wally Cuddleford,
US Navy veteran, in Works in Progress, January 2007. (With thanks to Conor
Peterson for helping me in the DIS.)

By Lynn Carey, who is a post-graduate studying metalworking.