2011 November Archive

The future of philosophy is… Dudes! White ones!

I am known around these parts to snark about the culture and climate in the world of academic philosophy, but I try to keep it in check, generally.

But recently, I saw something on the Feminist Philosophers blog that made me roll my eyes so hard that I can’t help but snark out loud today. November 17th was World Philosophy Day (woot!). To celebrate, The Philosopher’s Eye, the blog of the online philosophy journal The Philosopher’s Compass, decided to take the opportunity to ask about the future of the discipline:

Today is World Philosophy Day, people. This is the day when we come together all over the globe (possibly) to honour our august and noble discipline, and are encouraged ...

I am known around these parts to snark about the culture and climate in the world of academic philosophy, but I try to keep it in check, generally.

But recently, I saw something on the Feminist ...

By Eesha Pandit • 12 years ago

To serve and protect? Pregnant woman miscarries after being pepper sprayed

Recently, there have been several incidents of violence between protesters and police throughout the various occupied cities. Yesterday, we wrote an update about Chancellor Katehi at UC Davis, where peacefully protesting students were sprayed with pepper spray. This incident has entered our cultural consciousness so deeply that there’s even a new meme making the rounds in which a cop from the UC Davis protest is depicted casually pepper spraying everything from works of art to the Beatles.

However, as the police begin to deploy increasingly violent tactics, things are getting out of control. This story is really horrific.

“I was standing in the middle of the crowd when the police started moving in,” she says. “I was screaming, ‘I am ...

By Samhita • 12 years ago

What we missed

No, Newt, what’s wrong with the world isn’t that low-income children can’t work instead of go to school. No, Newt, we shouldn’t make children janitors. What the fuck is wrong with you?

W. Kamua Bell on why we should stop talking shit about Occupy.

Planned Parenthood has a list of 8 easy steps to use if faced with conversation about abortion at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Women’s Media Center exclusive on where feminism fits in to OWS.

No, Newt, what’s wrong with the world isn’t that low-income children can’t work instead of go to school. No, Newt, we shouldn’t make children janitors. What the fuck is wrong with you?

W. Kamua Bell on why ...

By zerlina • 12 years ago

Quick Hit: So you’re disappointed in Obama…

As many on the Left grapple with their disappointment in President Obama, Jake Lamar wants to explain to us all that he’s not disappointed with and pretty clearly lays out why next year we need to turn out the vote.

You can call me an Obamabot but think of the alternatives: Willard Romney, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, or Michele Bachmann. (And Rick Santorum)

You want one of them to get control of the nukes over Obama? Serious question.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cJLvtVIk3R8

By Maya Dusenbery • 12 years ago

Not Oprah’s Book Club: Out of the Vinyl Deeps

Feminist rock critic Ellen Willis testing an album by dancing in front of the mirror.

In 1968, when Ellen Willis was 26 years old and pop music criticism was barely even a thing yet, she was hired as The New Yorker’s very first rock critic. One of the only women in the male-dominated scene, Willis wrote 56 columns over seven years and greatly influenced the nascent genre.

By the ‘80s, however, Willis had moved on to focus on the sharp feminist and political writing for which she’s best known. But now, thanks to her daughter and Feministing friend Nona, her impressive collection of music criticism can be found in place: Out of the Vinyl Deeps.

I ...

Feminist rock critic Ellen Willis testing an album by dancing in front of the mirror.

In 1968, when Ellen Willis was 26 years old and pop music criticism was barely even a thing ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 12 years ago

Fight for equality by embracing the awkwardness this Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving approaching, GLAAD is encouraging LGBTQ folks to talk openly about their lives and partners at the family dinner table–even if that makes Aunt Betty feel a little awkward. And us straight people can do our part by talking about why we support LGBTQ equality.

A GLAAD study found that four out of five people who have become more supportive of LGBTQ rights in the last few years say that personally knowing someone was a primary reason. “Talking about our lives with our loved ones and family members is vital to advancing equality.”

Of course, not all LGBTQ folks have the privilege of being able to safely talk about their lives–or even spend the holiday with their families–but ...

By Samhita • 12 years ago

UC Davis Chancellor apologizes but will not resign

If you missed the chilling video of police pepper spraying peaceful protesters at UC Davis last week, you can catch it in the clip above. UC Davis Chancellor Katehi has apologized for the actions of the police and wants a full investigation of what happened. Despite calls for her resignation, Katehi will not resign, but says she is committed to making sure this doesn’t happen again. She also put the police chief on leave. In the above interview, it is clear her apology is tinged with a clear frustration at the avenues protesters are taking on campus–peaceful, non-violent, public demonstrations.

I don’t really think it matters what her opinion is on the avenues protesters are taking in expressing their (completely ...

By zerlina • 12 years ago

Super-committee predictably fails to reach deal on cuts

Color me shocked! The congressional “super-committee” given the task of reaching a bipartisan agreement on $1.2 trillion in cuts failed to reach a deal.

In other news, water is wet.

So Congress yet again failed to reach a bipartisan deal on an important issue of the day further solidifying the idea in everyone’s minds a little less than a year from an election that we need a new Congress! Seriously, we really need new folks in there who will behave like adults and vote on legislation that can be passed and signed into law. That is their job and they haven’t been doing it for so long now it can be easy to forget. Very little relief can come for ...

Color me shocked! The congressional “super-committee” given the task of reaching a bipartisan agreement on $1.2 trillion in cuts failed to reach a deal.

In other news, water is wet.

So Congress yet again failed to reach a bipartisan ...