The Loyal Opposition

If she weighs the same as a duck, she must be a witch

2010-03-12T19:07:00.000-08:00

Recently I saw a documentary at the Union Theater. The "Women Without Boarders" film series put on by Union Programming and the Women's Resource Center, in an attempt to seem legitimate, showed a hit piece called "The Coat-Hanger Project." It was billed as a collaborative event simply because the pro-abortion Advocates for Choice and the pro-life Panthers for Life group were allowed to have a table outside the theater and say a few words before the showing.

The documentary focused on illegal abortions pre-Roe v. Wade their dangers and the health dangers of a world without Roe v. Wade. It’s a valid point, it’s a fair point, it was a complete hit job the Women's Resource Center placed on Panthers for Life. A documentary is inherently a view of an issue as viewed by the documentary filmmaker. Angie Young was by no means and expert, her Q+A section after the showing was more of a pep-rally then an actual discussion. Angie Young is an activist and she admitted it, nothing wrong with it I don't begrudge her her right to show this documentary on campus or for people to discuss it. My issue is with the Women's Resource Center and the blatant favoritism of an issue disguised under a ruse of fairness, this is an issue indicative of Union Programming in general.
The issue of balance is addressed by lip service if at all. How much balance exists by showing a pro-abortion documentary, filmed by a pro-abortion activist, put on at an event set up by a pro-abortion director. If you answered absolutely none you would be correct. But Cathy Seasholes, director of the Women's Resource Center, gets to put a win on her record and look good putting a balanced event on, because Kate Edwards of Panthers for Life got to promote her group for three minutes.

This goes so much further with Union Programming and their Distinguished Lecture Series. Since it's inception DLS has brought in progressive or apolitical persons to UWM using student segregated fees to do so, not one person of a conservative mindset has graced this Union curtsey of the DLS program. Its an issue that has been raised the head of Union Programming Alice Jackson, who wasn't interested in co-sponsoring an event that would have brought former Vice-President Dick Cheney to UWM. I guess Ira Glass of NPR is more distinguished. However, so I can be fair, pressure has been placed so constantly on Alice Jackson that she's finally caved and in the interest of fairness and balance will allow her DLS program to bring in the distinguished conservative giant, Juan Williams of NPR and Fox News. I couldn't imagine a more insulting notion of lip-service then this.

People like Cathy Seasholes and Alice Jackson aren't interested in fairness or balance for that matter. These are two people who are like little kids with their parents checkbook. They have this theoretically unlimited programming budget and they are writing all kinds of checks to bring famous speakers that they always wanted to see. If Cathy Seasholes was truly interested in fairness she would have screened a 40 minute pro-life documentary right afterwards and had a Q+A with both directors afterwards. If Alice Jackson was interested in fairness or balance she would take seriously a proposal to reform DLS into a debate series where students might actually learn something about an issue instead of being indoctrinated by a single side. If Cathy Seasholes or Alice Jackson were truly interested in fairness or balance they wouldn't insult people with their passing attempt at balance so they can continue to get back to their agenda. If we are truly interested in fairness or balance, we need to continue to call them out on their bias and disregard for true fairness and balance and shouldn't participate in their sham events and allow them to put a win on the board to wave in front of anybody who claims bias in the future.

Planning vs. Training

2010-03-07T11:32:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago I got into this debate with a friend of mine who is now a Drill Sergeant for the United States Army. The debate was over the differences between drill and training vs. planning. Not too shockingly the Drill Sergeant came down on the side of drill and training and the College Republican came down on the side of planning.

Skipping past the good natured yelling that comes when we talk about anything (might also have something to do with him being a Drill Sergeant) we were finally able to agree on these two basic points.

Training: Better for dealing with immediate situations
Planning: Needed to take advantage of future situations.

My friend said that from an Army perspective, continuous training and drill can and most likely will save a soldiers life in a combat situation. He also said that to plan for every possible situation is impossible and when a situation arrives you need to be able to act without thinking its at this moment when training kicks in. To which I responded that you essentially are planning for every possible situation and that is what you are training your soldiers for. After which yelling ensued.

He was right on this point. Training is supposed to supplant thinking in certain situations. I don't have the military background that he has, but it was the same in football the reason you run the same play again and again against different formations and different situations is so in the middle of a game you don't have to think about what your going to do in that situation you simply react. You react in a certain way because that is what you trained to do.

For planning we started talking about Chess. Its a game where simply reacting will more often than not get you into trouble and can cost you the game. The key to the game is seeing the whole board plan for not necessarily the next move but the 5th move down. In those 5 moves you plan on losing pieces, but you also plan on gaining position and hopefully damaging your opponent. It can also work the other way too. If you are behind and out of position a good well thought out plan can get you out of danger and limit the damage. We skirmished on many of the details but that was essentially something we could agree on.

Personally I'm a fan of planning. Many more situations areise where you can take your time to sit back and plan your next couple of moves. With proper planning you can maximize any advantage you might have and adversely you can minimize the damage you take to a situation. Of course if you have a situation where you need a job done quickly and effectively look no further than the U.S. Army.

This I Believe

2010-02-23T19:58:00.000-08:00

There is a show on NPR first hosted by Ed Murrow called "This I Believe" It still goes on today in much the same format. People from all walks of life submit essays stating simply what they believe. A few months ago I promised my dad I would give him such an essay for Christmas, and like the busy neglectful son that I am. I forgot and then promised to have it by the time I graduate in May. Well here it is a little early. The structure is a little fifth-gradish, but it works.

I believe... In alternatives. Life is simply a series of alternatives defined by the choices we make. There area always alternatives, the only limitation is the vision to see the alternatives laid before us.

I believe... That your best friend is somebody you can yell with.

I believe... In the detachment of leadership. When you are ultimatly responsible for others the priority is the wellbeing of the group. Inevitably this will lead to conflict and resentment. Any meaningful relationship is impossible as long as the primary leadership relationship exists.

I believe... In the right to remain silent. I believe that today there are infinitely more people who say then there are those who know. The people who know need to stand up and be recognized; those who say, need to shut up.

I believe... In respect. Respect is the currency of leaders. Without it, nothing can get accomplished, without it, nobody will follow you. You can be as friendly as you like with subordinates, but if you don't have their respect, when it comes to crunch time the group won't preform.

I believe... In companionship. Life is too unpredictable, exciting, sad, and to go through it alone. no matter how full ones life is, it is still empty without so much as a voice and an ear to share it with.

I believe... In the big picture. Along the way there will always be set-backs, detours, pain, suffering and disappointment. However, by keeping the big picture in mind, hope springs eternal and true happiness can be attained.

My Therapy

2010-02-23T19:10:00.000-08:00

I have done statistical analysis to show that as a person I am generally happier during the months of November through February, coinciding with basketball season, at least UWM's basketball season. The only explanation I can come up with is during basketball season I get a chance to vent much more often then during other times of the year and redirect anger in a "positive" manner by supporting the home team.

It's been quite some time since I've wrote regularly, in a forum like a blog without having deadlines it's hard to keep a schedule and get motivated to do something optional when other things in life are not so optional. Lately, however, I've been having this kind of columnistic rage, and there is this ever-present desire to just crush people.

Columnists and journalists in general are just gutless these days. Especially where I have my background in sports journalism. Outside of the New York Post nobody is critical of the home team. This isn't unique to sports but exists everywhere nobody hits the home team.

I know about hitting the home team. I was threatened with "never getting a job in politics in the state of Wisconsin" because I wanted to have a discussion with my county executive over a budget line that was going to screw the people I represent at UW-Milwaukee. Apparently political lobbying isn't befitting the chair of a political organization. Well I'm still here, she's not.

Its not enough to be good, you've gotta be right too. Right of mind, right of body, right of heart. The only way to be right, is to know when you're wrong and make it right. At the same time you need to call people out when they are wrong to make it right. Thats what I intend to do.

This is my therapy, this is me making it right.