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Bloviating Zeppelin: Dialogue?

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Dialogue?


This came out of nowhere, via the internet:


by John Leo

Aggressive diversity programs on (COLLEGE and UNIVERSITY) campuses now come with harmless-sounding names such as "sustainability," "social justice" and the need for good "dispositions." The latest in this series is "intergroup dialogue." Who can oppose "intergroup dialogue"? Many of us, if the real meaning of the term is excavated.

"Intergroup dialogue" is the new euphemism for the oppression confrontations that used to be conducted sub rosa at freshman orientations and have now been spreading across the country as formal programs for almost a decade. The goal of an oppression confrontation is to put enough pressure on white males to convince them they are racists, homophobes and sexists. Role reversal is a conventional part of the program. Whites are asked to pretend they are black, straights part the part of gays. Insults and catcalls are supposed to sensitize the whites and reveal that they are living lives of unearned privilege in a system based on oppression. White guilt, the erosion of traditional values and a strong emphasis on identity politics are the conventional results sought in these exercises.

In Blue Eyed, a filmed racism awareness workshop used at many orientations, white students, in the words of Alan Charles Kors, cofounder of FIRE, "are abused, ridiculed, made to fail, and taught helpless passivity to that they can identity with a person of color for a day.

According to a July 16th report by Peter Schmidt in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Intergroup Dialogue deliberately stirs up conflict to expose students to different perspectives. The oppressiveness of American society is taken for granted in these programs and the "web of oppression" is one common exercise. Twelve to eighteen students from two or more identity groups take turns holding a web of string draped with labels that bear racist or sexist jokes or other statement "intended to spark discussions of power and discrimination." "Talking about these topics can blow up if you don't do it right," said Patricia Gurin, professor emerita of psychology and women's studies at the University of Michigan.

Gurin wrote the report on the educational benefits of diversity, seized on by Justice Sandra O'Connor, that tipped the Supreme Court toward accepting racial preferences in admissions at the University of Michigan law school. Her presence is a major figure in the Intergroup Dialogue movement shows that the program has the function of further justifying preferences.

Signs of resistance have appeared. Some students refused to be pigeon-holed in racial and ethnic categories, and are excluded from the program. And the National Association of Scholars has spoken out in opposition. Peter Wood, executive director of NAS said Intergroup Dialogue program is "overtly political" means of trying to indoctrinate students to see oppression all around them. (Since the Chronicle did not put Intergroup Dialogue in quotes or capital letters, it made Wood sound like a crank condemning all dialogue---one of the advantages of using a gassy euphemism for a pseudo-therapeutic oppression exercise.)

A nine-college collaborative is pushing Intergroup Dialogue---the University of Michigan, Arizona State, Occidental, Syracuse University, the University of Maryland, the University of Texas, the University of Washington, the University of Massachusetts and the University of California at San Diego.
Yes. It's your money funding this.

BZ

6 Comments:

Blogger Ranando said...

Un-fucking believable. Who thinks this shit up?

Some people have way to much time on thier hands.

Sun Jul 27, 06:26:00 AM PDT  
Blogger Rivka said...

This is so dumb, but these people are getting away with it. Sometimes I think the 'sane' just let the crazies have their way sometimes like they did the wacky environmentalists when they put a moratorium on drilling for oil a long time ago. They do this just to get them out of their hair and to quit nagging.. BUT, we see the results of it via the 'oil crisis'..
This is the same thing. They think it will be harmless so they allow it until we see the effects of it later.

Sun Jul 27, 10:00:00 AM PDT  
Blogger Gayle said...

The University of Texas!? Holy crap! Thank goodness I didn't send my daughter there.

Sun Jul 27, 11:09:00 AM PDT  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Rivka: you have now firmly placed your finger on The Truth.

BZ

Sun Jul 27, 12:47:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Layla said...

Excuse me, I normally NEVER say this, but WTFreaking S**T is this crap?

Unbelievable and so ignorant BZ. Thanks for posting on this stupidity BZ. People need to wake up and get educated here.

----

Off topic, but normally I do not do this, but I have an update post today on my views of FNC's special on honor killings, called, "Not Hard Hitting Enough" - I value your input that is the only reason I would appreciate your opinion.

Thanks,
Layla

Sun Jul 27, 01:59:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Mark said...

Just what the kiddo's need to learn, how to be a victim. when they graduate they will be qualified to become a member of code pink, Jessie's rainbow coalition, or become a member of Pelosi's congress!

Sun Jul 27, 05:18:00 PM PDT  

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