English Club Chatter

Wayne College in Orrville is hosting its 8th annual Shakespeare Festival on September 22+23.
Friday at 7:30 is A Midsummer Night's Dream and Saturday evening is Julius Caesar. These are loose and fun performances by the Shenandoah Shakespeare's Blackfriars Stage Company.
Tickets are available at any Buehler's store and are $5 in advance for students, $6 at the door and $10/$11 for the rest of us.

Given the intellectual depth, as well as the political and philosphical diversity, of our English majors, might the English Club host or put on a panel discussion / round table / open forum / etc. dealing with freedom of speech and academic discourse? For example, are people of religious persuassion being silenced? Why? What can be done about that if so? What is academic discourse? What is the role of a university in regard to such issues? I really believe our English Club could carry on/host a great and balanced discussion of this issue.

I do like the idea of having a roundtable discussion, and I like Jim's idea for the topic. I'll make sure it gets put on the schedule, but I do need a little advice on how to put it together... maybe we can even invite Sam Jackson as a guest speaker.
As far as other events, at least plan for a lunch (hopefully with free food) within the first week classes. There are also a few other ideas floating around, and I'm hoping to get it all planned at the beginning of the quarter so things run a little more smoothly. I think there's going to be a new activities director over at the Student Union, so perhaps there will be more joint ventures with other clubs as some have mentioned. At the very least, the new director will give us a stronger connection to the rest of the campus and some extra resources for activites.
Also, I'd like to ask the professors to keep an eye out for potential members of the club. I'm sure we'll draw a few at the lunch meeting, but we need to cast a wide net seeing as how our central members have either graduated or are going to graduate within the next year.
I think it's going to be a another great year for the English Club : )

I heard Sherrod Brown (running for US Senate against Mike Dewine) talk in Mansfield a couple of weeks ago, and as part of his pitch, he asked everyone to find 3-4 people and persuade them (a) to vote, and (b) to vote Democrat.

Couldn't the English Club take on the same challenge (minus the politics!)? If everyone involved in the club found even ONE other person to get involved this term, what a great term we'd have.

Trish -- we can talk about Jim's forum idea (and pitch in anyone if you have ideas), but I think it would be pretty easy to set up, depending on what you wanted to come out of it. I'd suggest having anywhere from 4 to 6 panelists, who might kick of the discussion, present some questions, positions, or talking points. Then you could open it up to questions, comments from the floor. A moderator would be essential too, someone to keep the discussion smooth and sane.

The one trick, I guess, has to do with choosing the panelists. I'd say faculty, students, or a combo of both. It would be possible to involve people off-campus, but then the organizing gets a little harder. People could just volunteer if they're interested, or some could be asked to participate. The latter would be necessary if the club feels it wants a balance of viewpoints among the panelists -- that's the tricky part. My inclination (just my two cents) would be not to go too far out of our way to rope in all corners of the debate. The problem with bending over backward to persuade someone to come and present a minority view is that they might get miffed if they end up being ganged up on. Another way of ensuring some genuine debate might be to include some people who were willing to play devil's advocate, as it were. For instance, if someone doesn't step forward to present the conservative Christian perspective, perhaps someone would be willing to take it on (and do a little leg work)? Having grown up in Canada, where there are active laws against hate speech (as there aren't in America), I'd be willing to speak to a somewhat non-U.S. perspective. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to put together. We need to pick a date and time, book a space, do a little PR, and gather some speakers. I'll help, and I'm sure others would too.

HH

#1) I like Hannibal's ideas of not trying to get every perspective on the panel; however, it is, I believe, essential to have religious viewpoints from folks that feel threatened by an academic setting in which everything espoused is up for critical examination. #2) I also think Hannibal would do a great job discussing hate speech. In my classes, as part of general discussions on the likes of Walt Whitman or Hart Crane, say, I tell students that they should if they need voice their religious beliefs reagarding (for this example) homosexuality. Fairly often students comment that LGBT folk are going to hell, and that is that. While I accept that belief, what does that do to academic discourse, and to the Canadian response to publically espoused positions that are hateful to, even threatening to, others? #3) I'm not so sure that it would be difficult to get a religious leader or philosopher to speak from the outside--if the panel were advertised. (Glenn, our own philosopher might help us. Or someone from Columbus; or, a colleague elsewhere whom Glenn recommends, might come.) Is that what we might want? This whole thing need not reignite old issues; rather, it might serve to do the opposite and allow all sides to have a voice and all sides to hear and engage each other.

I just found out today that the Writing Center has a projector that plays DVDs and a fairly large screen to show them on. I've always liked the idea of outdoor movie nights, and I figure we can probably get one in before it gets too cold, so what does everyone else think?

Like Ohio State’s policy, the AAUP suggested policy recognizes that consensual relationships between faculty and students “are fraught with the potential for exploitation. The respect and trust accorded a professor by a student, as well as the power exercised by the professor in an academic or evaluative role, make voluntary consent by the student suspect

Jbuckley - Why do you think English majors and students would be the best to hold such a discussion? Also, it's a pretty rad idea; how did you come up with it?
I've been waiting for someone to suggest something like this.

"OSU," are you suggesting a potential panel discussion? If you are, I think it's an intriguing idea. It's something I'd like to take part in.

I wouldn't mind participating in a panel like the one OSU has described. It's surely an important conversation (to continue) to have . . .

karmas a real buzzzzkill

Karma. Oh yes. Ativanhalen is most certainly a wise one. Karma, though quite honestly an over hyped and dramatical word, usually does prevail.

It is really funny to watch it play out though. Almost funny enough to be a day time soap opera yet pathetic enough to actually be one.

Of course the word on the street will eventually reach those that do not understand what this means.

I wonder which is more ridiculous, the "soap opera" that Karma spins from its wheel or the melodramatic people who feel (too) assured about what's what.

I'm all for flexibility, but if someone posts a completely incoherent message with an anonymous name and email, how are we supposed to distinguish it from spam? Is the conversation above between "OSU2," "ativanhalen," and "Socrates the Python" for real? Does it have anything to with the English Club or English or anything (are these writers even OSU people or anyone anyone else knows?)? Seconding Monica's question, is the first posting from "Ohio State University" an actual suggestion of some sort or is it spam?

Any thoughts from anyone (anyone real that is)?

HH

OK, here's an idea. Let's put it out on the stoop and see if the cat licks it up! (A favorite line from "Twelve Angry Men.")

Today I picked up a copy of the Koran (or Qur'an as this edition has it). It's seemed to me for a number of years, that, especially given the current state of the world, this is a book I really ought to read. The edition I got is an Oxford World's Classics paperback, a nice book and a recent (and apparently authoritative) translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, but not everyone would have to use this edition. So . . . if a number of others thought it might be interesting to read this most holy book of Islam, mightn't it be interesting to get together to discuss it? We could meet at lunches, say, every couple of weeks, or at one or two longer sessions, or whatever. And I certainly don't intend this as in any way a "class." I don't know any more than anyone else -- it would be a free and open reading group. What do you think?

HH

The quick brown dog jumps over the lazy fox.

Those of you who get this will get it...

Mysterious!

"is the first posting from "Ohio State University" an actual suggestion of some sort or is it spam?"

It is a relavent question to say the least. What is it, in fact?

In my opinion, it's the worst kind of spam.

I mean, who does cut and paste spam? That must be the new thing or something. Personally, I find it completely ineffective. I can't even distinguish what exactly they're trying to perpetrate upon us through the spam.

Or maybe I'm just not clever enought to understand it. That's too bad.

I like Dr. Hamlin's suggestion about the discussion of the Koran, but I'd like to see how many people bite before I put something like that on the schedule. So please, let us know here on the blog, people!

Second, we'll see how the religious and academic freedom roundtable turns out before we plan one for another topic. We'll plan the first one for a couple of months from now, and I'll try to invite some people who will have a lot to say. Mike Sasso has had some religious training, perhaps he would like to take part in the discussion, along with Dr. Hartz.

As for spam, I try to keep a close eye on it, and I think I do a good job at differentiating between true spam and regular posters. Some of these posters have posted before, under that name or another, so in order to avoid the whole censorship thing I just leave it. My sense is that some posts are designed to elicit certain responses, so instead of me deleting them, why doesn't everybody just ignore them? Whether or not we know what the posters mean, "the word on the street" is gossip, and since this is a (virtual) academic setting, most of us would prefer to keep this blog free of stuff like that. Thanks to everyone, and hope your summer is going well.

I agree with Trish. Banning relevant and maybe introspective postings will only create an environment that is merely another myspace.com. If there are issues arising within the circles we run they must be brought to the forefront.

If favoritism through suspicious means defeats hard work then we should all feel jaded. In other words, does one persons ability to ‘kiss rear end’ etc. over shadow another students successes. I think it does. Ultimately, affecting our lives.

What is the gain? At what cost? Is it not the easy way out?

I agree with tolkein. At least, I think I might, if I only knew...

Mysterious!!!!

OK, the Blog Queen has spoken and that's fine with me, but maybe OSU, Socrates the Python, young and restless, and tolkein -- are you all one? or many voices? or many voices in one? mysterious! -- could uncloak long enough to offer some suggestions for activities too? I'd be happy if others liked my Koran-group idea, but maybe you all are differently inclined? The same plan could work, for instance, with another book. Or does everyone want to go on a canoe trip, or take in an arty movie at the Cleveland Cinematech? or go to the theater someplace? or have a poetry reading? or have a brownie bake-off with the History Club? or a debate on whether reading literature makes us better? or have a group reading of a play? or a marathon reading of "Ulysses" or "Paradise Lost"? or invite someone to come give a talk or a reading (some scholar or writer from the Columbus campus, say)?you get the idea . . . .

HH

I like the outdoor movie idear trish--sounds awsome... what about that being our opening activity, "MOvie Night" on the Oval...i think they do that on main campus. Our movie nights have turned out great so far why not open with that activity... ;)

YEAH FOR ENGLISH MAJORS...

miss y'all.

jesi

I'm glad someone else liked my outdoor movie idea; I was afraid it might be too schmaltzy. I was thinking maybe Young Frankenstein as a movie, it's black and white, and it's hilarious. We'll be saying catch phrases around the Writing Center for weeks. Any other movie suggestions, be sure to let me know! I would like to do it early on, for no other reason than it's going to get cold soon. I think we've got lots of stuff to do so far for fall quarter, so keep the great ideas coming in : )

And I would love to do another bake sale, perhaps as a charity fundraiser like we did with the book sale last year. There is also always the option of us going out into the community and doing some sort of volunteer work. There were a lot of ideas last year of places to go and things to do, but the execution of them fizzled. I'd like to reiterate that volunteer work is very good for scholarship and graduate school applications on top of being fulfilling, and it doesn't really take that much time. The adult literacy program that I took part in last year consisted of one hour per week. I really think it will strengthen the club if we go out into the community and participate in something worthwhile like this, especially for us young college students with all our energy and idealism...

On the volunteer idea, I was talking this summer to a woman who lives across the street from me who is the principal at Springmill Elementary School (I think that's right). She said there's a continuous need for volunteers to help with reading/writing programs. I'd be happy to talk to her about this, and it might be that other local schools would welcome vounteers too. A good thought for any of you interested in Education!

Besides the service project that Dr. Hamlin forwarded you (which I hope ya'll think about involving yourselves one way or another ;-), I have also been in correspondence with someone at the library about OSU-M and the Mansfield Public Library somehow collaborating in some sort of reading (series--maybe?) with children. I know they do that sort of thing and I just thought it would be something little to do for those of us who like kids. I don't know, like I've said, it's just kinda in the "idea" stage and with it being summer it's been kind of difficult to get some student/club feedback and then with everything else going on it's kind of slipped towards the bottom of the pile of stuff to do. Anyways, you're the first who I have thrown this idea out there (Besides Dr. Hight, Freeman, and Jeane (sp.) Ruark at the Library), and I plan on doing some more following up with it--so let me know what ya'll think!

p.s. - yeah, SpN! will probably try to do something for this service project and I have also been in correspondence with Dr. Fahey about some theater activities (i.e. play readings) that we are also trying to look into in the future...i'll keep ya posted.
Peace!

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Recessed Lighting I find your implicative innuendos impossible to ignore. Why don't you come right out and enlighten us rather than skulking into your recesses and casting your shadowy aspersions?

I love it, Jim. So funny : D

Why does Spam get all the attention? My so-called meat content is just as dubious and my flavor equally intriguing. It's because of the army, isn't it? Or is it those madcap folks from Python? What the deuce?
I think if you tried a can of Treet, you would find it just as delightful as Spam or Alpo for that matter.

awe--reading to little kids... I'm soooo in on that group!!

How does October the 6th look for everyone? (for an outdoor movie) Its the 3rd week of school, on a friday. If that date doesnt work throw out another. I just wanted to get us started!!

And what about planning a coffee/lunch in the coffee house the second week back at school...??

WHAT SAY English GROUPIES??

Jesi-jesi-jesi-jesi-jesi-jesi

How about an incentive for the opening lunch? The Club member who brings in the most new members (affidavits required!) will get a FREE copy of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare (brand spankin new, Longman's edition, ed. David Bevington, 4 large paperback volumes).

Wow. What a Club.

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