The Clackamas print., February 05, 1992, Page 2, Image 2

Page 2
OPINION
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
February 5,1992
PC... another voice is heard
Rau is not 'just expressing his opinion; he is fueling the fire'
DearEditor:
from the institutions of the culture
much as Thomas’s.
She was not
African-Americans and homosexu­
had power (teachers) must relin­
within which it exists. What we
heard, and she was not given a fair
als are burning up in the struggle
quish some of it to those who want
trial.
I. told myself I wouldn’t enter
call “blue” depends on who sees
the debate on political correctness,
the spectrum Of color and who has
Granted that a classroom is not
but here I am.
the means to spread the message,
the same as a courtroom or confir­
Granted, I realize that the prem­
should not happen in a classroom.
Maybe it was Anita Hill on 60
Minutes Sunday night who inspired
who speaks the language and teaches
mation hearing, it is similar, though,
ise that all language is political
And as we at CCC are witnessing,
it.
in that it is a place where individu­
may seem extreme if the history of
Maybe it was reading M.L.
We learn, therefore, and surely
King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birming­
we see in the CCC debate, that
me.
ham Jail” in The Harvest Reader.
language is political.
Maybe I heard Antigone’s rebel­
lious voice.
what to whom in a given situation
is as important as what is said.
I believe that the letter and
And there’s the rub. The issue
response in the last issue of The
is not the freedom of expression.
Clackamas Print miss the point of
People have the right to say what­
the political correctness debate. The
ever. The problem is the inequal­
ity of who does the speaking.
question is not whether teaching
als can expect fair treatment. My
for power, and Mr. Rau is pouring
it (students) before the classroom
on the oil.
is entered. The struggle for power
ideas since the 1920s is not consid­
ered, but thinkers like Allan Bloom
Who says
"The problem is
inequality of who
does the speaking."
are going to have to enter this cen­
tury. Through Ted Turner’s Good­
will Games, Armand Hammer’s gifts
of food,and Mother Theresa’s mir­
acles, among other outrageous acts
of kindness, we in the West are
learning about therestof the world.
grave concern is whether or not
Basic tenets of Western Civiliza­
and educating can be “objective;"
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
was an attempt to give those people
teachers who promote stereotypes
or support traditional lines of power
tion have been deconstructed, fem­
that is a moot point. They can’t.
The issue is about power: who has
who did not have equal access to
can treat students fairly. Teachers
not less.
speech, housing, and voting , the
and students are not equal: teachers
going to have to read the literary
opportunity to do so.
"The issue is about
power; who has it,
who wants it, and
where the struggle
for it should occur."
—Kate Gray
English Instructor
".. .like it or not, an
instructor can no
longer wield his
power against a
student, even a
newspaper editor,
and go unnoticed."
inized, and expanded. We are more,
And conservatives are
like it or not, an instructor can no
Everyone
judge students through grades. Sure,
and social criticism of the past 20
has the right to say anything, ide­
teachers can express opinions as
to 70 years despite their aversion to
ally. The reality is that not every­
freely as students, but the weight of
student, even a newspaper editor,
one has the same rights. “Separate
words in a classroom is unbalanced.
and go unnoticed.
but equal was - and is - a sham. A
While accepting that words
member of a majority group car­
uttered by teachers are different
ries more weight behind his (sic)
than those uttered by students, we
words than a member of a minority
are left to discern which words should
group.
not be spoken by teachers in class­
Witness, Anita Hill. Had she
rooms.
I believe that words that
"The struggle for
power should not
happen in a class­
room. "
longer wield his power against a
So, I submit this letter, even
though I trembled at the thought of
WR122 students looking for unity,
support, transitions, and confuta­
tion in it But more troublesome
for me was the veil over the debate.
The unstated premise in the last
cripple students’ dreams through
it, who wants it, and where the
been able to gain access to em­
struggle for it should occur.
ployment without tiie aid of Clar­
the spread of stereotypes - that cast
ence Thomas, she would not have
groups of people as lesser, for in­
Equally distasteful, conserva­
can be objective. Not only can we
tives will need to accept less power.
not be objective, but we can also
not be completely powerless. With
By way of background, whether
contemporary thinking.
round of articles was that teachers
we start with a discussion of the id
had to follow him on his career
stance, by stating certain humans
and superego, or the revelation of
path. If she had adequate means of
are undesirable as renters - should
The world may have moved away
one man passing by a clock while
support, she might have reported
not enter the classroom. A teacher
from
communism, but marxist
the inherent power of my position,
on a train, we trace a history if
him ten years ago, and we might
(the more powerful) saying to stu­
analysis and the lessons of Machia­
I feel it my responsibility not to be
silent. I am a teacher, and I must
ideas from Frued to Einstein, from
now have Judge Hill, not Judge
dents (the less powerful) that he
velli are here to stay. Because of
Durkheim to Cixous, which has
Thomas. The point is that because
does not like that he would have to
these thinkers, we can analyze the
use the power of language to point
lambasted the concept of “objec­
Anita Hill had as little power as an
rent to blacks or homosexuals is not
dynamics of a classroom as one in
out injustice.
tivity.” Literary criticism teaches
African-American woman in the
just expressing his opinion; he is
which distasteful power struggles
Kate Gray
that language cannot be separated
U.S., her words did not weigh as
fueling the fire.
The dreams of
play out. People who traditionally
English Instructor
Here we go again ..
Student disappointed with public saftey
In the final analysis, how­
To The Print:
Is it “unprofessional” to de­
ever,
the
worst
results
of
refused to help me change my tire
up for assisting student emergen­
because it was no longer part of
cies. Boy, was I wrong! As a stu­
I am writing this letter in at­
their job. Fortunately for me, one
dent I feel it my duty to inform
tempt to shed light on what I con­
of my friends was here and helped
other students that if you find your­
Clackamas Community College
me change my flat. Another streak
of luck, all the lights in the parking
don’t expect assistance from Pub­
dent editors, or anybody else for
Public Safety. On the eve of Jan.
lot were working properly since I
lic Safety, they no longer do that
that matter, should exercise re­
29,1992 approximately 5:30 p.m.,
had no flashlight and Public Safety
Letter to the Print:
fend oneself - even if that person
Hoffman’s articles have been to
is a faculty member - against mis­
sabotage the free and open de­
representations and malicious per­
bate of issues in a college setting
sonal attacks? I do not think so.
- especially those views consid­
sider a current problem with the
My responses to Heidi Hoffman ’ s
ered not‘‘politically correct” Stu­
articles were responsible and
proper exercises of my right to
academic freedom.
sponsibility.
I returned to school, from my job,
wouldn’t help. Even if they couldn’t/
John C. Rau
in order to work on my biology lab.
wouldn’t change the flat, a flash­
1/30/92
As I was turning into the school, I
light would’ve been helpful. I was
Shauna Barnett
realized I had a flat tire. Informa­
under the impression that Public
A.S.G Assistant to the President
tion notified Public Safety, but they
Safety was a paid organization set
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Crisis Survivor,
Don’t tempt