A Warning

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I planned to post something entirely different for today - but here it goes. Check back in tomorrow for what I was originally going to write about today: physical movement and writing.

Today's topic is part rant and part warning for my followers, those whose blogs I follow, and those who may randomly come across this post when searching for a related topic.

It happened again today when I clicked on a link in my reader to go to one of the blogs I follow. The work computer blocked access to the site. The reason? It was determined that the website belongs to the category of "Social Networking." Oh, no. Of course they don't want us on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter while we're working. I get that. But I got this same message last week two times when I tried to connect to a friend's writing blog. My friend's blog is not at all a "social networking" site. She does a weekly "Word of the Day" piece of writing, she sometimes has guest writers; that's all it is: a writer's website.

What I realized when I went to her website later from home is that it was probably blocked because of the big "Follow me on Twitter" link. But it's just a link to Twitter - it is not Twitter. It's not Facebook. It's not "let's be friends and post all kinds of stuff" here : it's a blog with good writing and resources for writers. Grrr.

One isolated incident. I was going to send my friend an FYI but forgot later. (Sorry, C!)

Today at work I clicked on the website of another writer. Not a friend, but a published writer's blog; and I do remember seeing a little Twitter link last time I was there. Which was about two weeks ago from this very same computer at work. And the name of the writer whose whose blog is now being blocked as a site in the category "social networking"? Margaret Atwood - her Year of the Flood blog. 

photo of Decorative Songbird statue,
Blue Bird
from The Carver's Bench,.

Come to think of  it, I'm not sure that it is the Twitter link that is causing the problem. Although that is still a good suspect. It may also be that Wordpress is the culprit. I think I'll see who else I can find with Wordpress and check it out. But I'm guessing it's the Twitter link. I haven't had any problems with Blogger blogs. So far.

This is even more irritating than the time - on my break - that I tried to get to the website of my new favorite bra, to see what other styles they have. It was blocked as belonging to the category of "Offensive Material and Porn."

Big Brother Is Watching.

We have to be careful of the writers and bra manufacturers.

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found video: "Fidelity": Don't Divorce

Ken Starr is back at it, again, in California. He and his group have already started the process of collecting money to defend Prop 8 and filed to force the 18,000 couples who married to be divorced. The following video is from the Courage Campaign.

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Show your support for Fidelity and the Courage Campaign by sending a letter of support here.

chipping away at the arts

This post is from Culture Shock: there is more on their site - click over to read it. There is also a list of other sites with information at the bottom of this post.

As the federal federal stimulus legislation worked its way through Congress this past week, it bent and shifted more quickly than we at Culture Shock were able to keep up with while holding down our full-time jobs and evening arts activities. But we were monitoring events closely through Americans for the Arts, RACC's federal advocacy update page, Art Scatter and other helpful resources.

The shit hit the fan yesterday (Friday) when the U.S. Senate, during their consideration of the economic recovery bill, approved an egregious amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) that stated:

None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project.

Unfortunately, the amendment passed by a wide vote margin of 73-24, and surprisingly included support from many high profile Senators including Chuck Schumer of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, and our own Democratic Senators Wyden and Merkley.

Boo!

For more background on the amendment and why it's so completley unacceptable, visit this fine article at Art Scatter. Although there is still hope that the Coburn amendment language might not be included in the final conference version of this legislation, many arts groups will be prevented from receiving economic recovery funds from any portion of this specific stimulus bill if the amendment remains intact. It is clear that there is still much work to be done in the Senate and in the media about the role that nonprofit arts organizations and artists play in the nation’s economy and workforce. So here, dear readers, is what you can do to help.

Arts advocates need to quickly contact Senators Wyden and Merkley and express our extreme disappointment in them for voting for the Coburn Amendment. We need these Senators to know that their vote would detrimentally impact nonprofit arts organizations and the jobs they support in their state. Americans for the Arts has crafted a customized message that can be sent automatically to the appropriate Senator simply by entering your zip code. (For our friends from out of state, the system will recognize if your Senator voted against the Coburn Amendment and will send them a thank you letter instead.)

[note: there is more to this post - follow the link at top and read it!]

Here are some other sites with good information about this issue.
Art Scatter
RACC
Parabasis
Burk's Blog
Americans for the Arts

not really random: thought on prejudice

I wonder how it is that people can be so hateful about people who are gay. Still; in 2009. How do they think it is okay to talk so openly about their own prejudice as if there is no one else in the room fully of young men and a few middle aged staff as if no one in the room is actually gay/homosexual/lesbian/queer or questioning? With the number of humans in this one space, statistics say there will be a minimum of two and mostly likely, four to six of us who fit into the category these people are wrinkling their noses and shoulders at.

And I wonder, again, why I keep silent.

Or I don't wonder. I'm there as a professional and a professional who is supposed to be neutral on pretty much any matter that arises. I have a code of ethics I must follow -- oh, excuse me, now it's called the code of professional conduct -- which says that I am not supposed to have an opinion nor give advice nor counsel on any matter within my work settings.

So I hide behind the professional curtain. I am so 'out' in the rest of my life. In my teaching. In writing classes and workshops. Online. Pretty much anywhere. Even in this particular work setting, there is one female staff person who I've only seen three times out of the many I've been there, who I told; her daughter is a lesbian and was going through a break-up and so we ended up talking while my client was napping. But she talks is whispers and her initial mention of it was a little derogatory but I told her anyway.

Sometimes, like that setting, I am surprised at the level of hate. Shocked. I forget that these otherwise nice and responsible and generally respectable people can have such disgust over how people different than themselves love.

And I believe that nothing I say would change their minds. So I keep my face in the book I'm reading or my eyes on the stupid movie they're watching and I say nothing. I don't respond. I don't laugh. I give them the silent treatment, although I know they don't notice.

found: new Larry Lessig video

A new video from Larry Lessig as part of the Free the Airwaves/whitespaces project.

update: Net Neutrality

With a big thanks to Gretchin at Scarlet Star Studios, I became aware of Lawrence Lessig and the work he has done related to net neutrality, copyright law, and related endeavors. Below are some links to his blog, and a couple of websites with more information.

The following is the profile of Lessig from TED.com (another amazing resource I discovered today):

" No expert has brought as much fresh thinking to the field of contemporary copyright law as has Lawrence Lessig. A Stanford professor and founder of the school’s Center for Internet and Society, this fiery believer foresaw the response a threatened content industry would have to digital technology -- and he came to the aid of the citizenry.

As corporate interests have sought to rein in the forces of Napster and YouTube, Lessig has fought back with argument -- take his recent appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court, fighting the extension of copyright protection from 50 to 70 years -- and with solutions: He chairs Creative Commons, a nuanced, free licensing scheme for individual creators.

Lessig possesses a rare combination of lawerly exactitude and impassioned love of the creative impulse. Applying both with equal dedication, he has become a true hero to artists, authors, scientists, coders and opiners everywhere."

Lessig has also written several books and there are numerous online articles and videos.

This issue of net neutrality and creative copyrights is important. I know there are many important issues competing for attention and time and, I will admit, I wasn't really paying attention to this one.

Always learning!

* LINKS *
-- Lessig Blog
-- Read an interview from The Washington Post, No Tolls on The Internet.
-- Or an online article at Democracy Now, Law Professor Lawrence Lessig on Net Neutrality, the Rise of Google and His “Change Congress” Project to Take on Corruption in Washington.
-- Or you can watch a video, Larry Lessig: How Creativity is being strangled by the law, on YouTube, which is not specifically about net neutrality, but about creativity.

"Human Lobotomy - Save the internet"

Thank you to Mead Hunter for sharing this link about net neutrality and why we should care. Although I do pause and wonder about the spelling error in the beginning of the video: "there" instead of "their"...I will look into this issue of net neutrality more to get more views. My search for the original video on YouTube brought up links to other videos which lead me to believe there is some confusion about what it is and where the fear really lies. Still, this has information to digest and see how it sits.

Students Say No to Censorship

This was originally posted on Portland Dramaturgy Cabal

There was a story in the news this week about a middle school theatrical production which was the target of censorship just before their opening last month. The students refused to succumb to the request to edit the play to make it more acceptable to the administration and will, instead, be performed this weekend in downtown Portland.

I support theater as a great avenue for social change and learning about the wider world - but this process of standing up for what they believe in and having their teacher support them in their quest to do this production is invaluable. The students did not give up nor give in. They held on to their principles and believed in their ability to follow through and present the production they worked hard to prepare. And they had continued support from a teacher who believed in them, as well.

The cliche about "children are our future" is true, whether we like the phrase or not. This story of determination and commitment to speak a truth through theater does give me hope: theater is alive and kicking and these young students did not let themselves be bullied into backing down. If theater can't talk about all aspects of life, then it loses its power. These young students already know the power of theater and didn't take "no" for an answer. I say, good for them!

Here is the story from KATU, followed by a response from local actor and former school district drama teacher, Wade Willis.

"Controversial School Play Will go on After All"

PORTLAND, Ore. - A middle school play that turned out to be a little too racy and was canceled by the school's principal will now be performed at a venue in downtown Portland instead.

The students at Sherwood Middle School were set to perform the play on Feb. 21 at the school when the principal canceled it at the last minute and asked that they make it a little tamer.

This spurred up hot discussion between parents and students.

"They're thinking we're just immature brats who can't take this kind of thing," said student Freddie Grant.
"The subject matter is too mature for the ages of these children," said Missy Wetzker, a concerned parent.

The play, called 'Higher Ground,' deals with bullying, race issues, body image and sexuality. Students rejected the proposal to rewrite the script.

The play will now be performed on Sunday [3/9/08] at 2 p.m. in Brunish Hall at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and students will be accepting donations at the door to help with the production costs.

The response from Wade on pdxbackstage:

What we greatly lack in our public school systems is educating character; what it means to be human. What a great lesson the students have just learned about their own strength of character. And I am sure they recognize just how very small minded and uncourageous the administration was/is by banning this piece, not standing up for the students, rolling over because of a couple of loud parents, and making the drama teacher a scapegoat for their own lack of leadership abilities.

What a great lessons this drama teacher has given her students. She has given them the choice to do what they are told even if they don't agree with it, OR to stand up for the integrity of the piece and themselves and to make the statement: "We are ready for this kind of material. In fact we wrote it because we think we need it!"

It truly deserves as much support as we as a community can rally.

Wade Willis