Friday 5

I'm going on the assumption they mean highschool (I gratuated in '90) - here's the Friday Five as presented by my memory. . .

1. What was/is your favorite subject in school? Why?

History/Social Studies/Current Events. I clicked with those subjects. History fascinates me - much of my college academic career involves a lot of history. I'm also the type that likes to know what's going on in the world and why it's happening and what exactly can I do about it - if anything. I also loved biology and astronomy. Unfortunately, math and I never quite hooked up.

2. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?

Ms. Corando the all purpose science teacher. I had her for biology, chemistry and astronomy. She was great. Got us all interested in what was going - she cared about her field of interest - she was socially conscious and for some reason she still liked me even thought I thought the "sun project" was stupid as all hell.

3. What is your favorite memory of school?

Class Night of my sophmore year. It would be difficult to get into it here because it involved my mental state at the time and it was a depressed one - but even so I look back on it fondly. I guess partly because it was the last time all my very close highschool friends were gathered for a night out. But it was more than that. There was a certain something in the air that night.

4. What was your favorite recess game?

Okay, maybe they mean grade school. In grade school we role played.

5. What did you hate most about school?

Gym. God, I hated gym.

Rights? We don't need no stinking rights!

Hanan Ashrawi, former spokeswoman for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat (resigned in 1998) was harrassed during her speech at Colorado College in Colorado Springs yesterday. Seems our own Governor Bill Owens tried to stop her from speaking along with CO law makers John Andrews, Lola Spradley and Debbie Stafford. Stafford made the statement "This symposium is representitive of the absolute brainwashing of our children." None of them seemed to note it was equal time on the part of the university as today's keynote speaker at the college is Gideon Doron, the advisor to former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

On an interesting note, former Ohio governor (my home state) Richard Celeste is now the president of the Colorado College and defended the school's position, stating that it was a "scholarly exchange of ideas."

From a CNN article:

Gov. Bill Owens criticized the schools for allowing Ashrawi to speak, saying on a talk radio show Thursday that she applauds terrorism and worked to divide the Middle East.

CU Regent Tom Lucero also objected to the visit at a board meeting, but was told by lawyers that it could not be blocked.

Ashrawi, now secretary-general of the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, said Friday she would not cancel.

"I've survived many things, including assassination attempts and interrogations and beatings, and I won't be terrorized by people who think they have a monopoly on people's consciousness," she said.

Somehow I bet most of the people involved in the protest to have her removed have no idea she's a christian.

Hanan Ashrawi responded to the protest signs rather powerfully :

Don't you find that demeaning to yourselves? I urge you to listen, you might learn something. I wasn't distracted by bullets, and I won't be distracted by signs."