Students Attend Radical Activist Workshop in Dc
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OBSERVER Volume 19, Issue 3, March 21st, 2008 March 19 marks the fifth anniversery of the war in Iraq. Students attend radical Budget forum: activist workshop in dc a hostile would have been more helpful to attend environment? workshops that played to her strengths Concerns about diversity as a demonstration organizer. During the Q&A sessions after every workshop, “the prompt consideration of best questions were asked by the people a new budget allocation who were actually organizers, or who were process actually knowledgeable about the subject being discussed,” said Birnbaum. BY RYAN GUSTAFSON The majority of the attendees appeared to be college-aged or environs, but a Responding to the outrage of affinity number were older, more experienced groups over the most recent Budget Forum’s organizers. In many workshops, Bard allocation process, Dean of Students students found themselves in attendance Erin Cannan and other members of the administration have pursued legal council photo/Kendra Schirmer photo/Kendra with independent media journalists, labor organizers, members of sustainable to determine if Budget Forum violates the communes, and alternative educators. rights of some Bard students. This action When not in a workshop, there was may bring about fundamental changes time for browsing amongst many booths to club funding procedures. The decision run by activist groups, most of whom to pursue legal council is indicative of had also sponsored workshops. There, the administration’s desire to reform the attendees could buy radical books, zines, allocation process, which has traditionally and apparel, and pick up radical flyers, been managed by Student Government’s pamphlets and buttons. It also provided Planning Committee and amended an excellent opportunity for people to talk by the student body at Budget Forum. and connect with one another. “It’s such Although the College’s discussions with Roberta E. Tarshis of the firm Tarshis and Bard students and other conference attendees listen and learn at the 9th an amazing opportunity to talk to people from all over about what is going on in Hammerman are still in a preliminary annual National Conference on Organized Resistance. the radical community,” said Birnbaum. phase, Cannan indicated the Forum might Raskin agreed, adding that he didn’t violate “hostile environment” standards necessarily learn anything new about the and alcohol regulations. Though she has BY BECCA ROM-FRANK About a hundred total workshops were not yet investigated the matter formally, offered over the course of the weekend, movement but that the real experience was At four am on March 6, one day before sharing perspectives and smaller tidbits of Cannan hopes that Tarshis will meet with the 9th annual National Conference and a participant could choose to attend a coalition of interested parties—members up to five workshops in one day. The information. on Organized Resistance (NCOR), an Rachel Worthington, a second-year of the administration, the diversity unidentified cyclist tossed a homemade workshops and lectures, held inside three commission, student government, and different AU buildings, featured titles transfer student, attended NCOR last bomb into the army recruitment station in year as a student at American University. affinity groups—to assess the legality of Times Square. At NCOR, groups of people such as, “In the World But Not of It: New current allocation procedures with the Anti-Authoritarian Approaches to Reform The CASJ are “a pretty small minority on could be heard enthusiastically discussing campus,” she said. “Their involvement ultimate aim of reforming them. Student the news, and one table at the conference Struggles,” and ranged in subject matter Government has already stated its preference from animal rights to environmental contrasts pretty majorly with the rest of even offered free stickers with a sketch the AU student body.” In her first year at that the budget allocation process should depicting a Zorro-like figure on a bicycle justice to gender identity. A series of remain independent of the administration lectures designated as the “Radical Theory AU, Worthington noticed an excessive holding an explosive, with the words “I amount of bullying and tension between and has suggested reforms of its own. Heart the Bicycle Bomber.” The radical Track” included talks by experienced There have been no concrete organizers on the history and goals of a AU students and NCOR conferees. She action of the “bicycle bomber” seemed reports seeing a number of “Frat Boy determinations about what a new allocation generally lauded by the majority of NCOR’s radical movement. A schedule listing the system would look like. Cannan stated times and descriptions of the workshops types” holding petitions to kick “those participants, but anyone who attended smelly anarchists off OUR campus,” that a major consideration of reform should would know that Anarchist Theory is more was distributed, and some “spontaneous be ensuring that certain clubs that “accord workshops” were announced throughout and, due to an impromptu pipe-bomb complex than a punk attitude. construction workshop, rumors circulated with the mission of the institution” more On March 7, twenty-five Bard students the weekend. Speakers tended to be than others have a source of funding that experienced organizers or non-profit that the anarchists were a danger to the drove down to Washington D.C. in order campus. Although the conference is now is unaffected by Budget Forum. In addition to attend NCOR, an annual activist group leaders, although there were several to affinity group clubs, such groups might talks by college professors. All in all, deliberately held during AU’s spring conference held on the main campus break, tensions have not necessarily ceased include academic, literary, and journalistic of American University, which seeks to according to sophomore Dan Raskin, the publications. It has not been determined event was well organized, although the to exist. “It was really weird when I went “bring together activists from a variety last year,” said Worthington, whose family CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE of issues, struggles, ideologies and workshops were an unexpected blend of smoothly-run talks by very knowledgeable, resides in Washington, D.C. “It seemed like backgrounds for a weekend of learning most of the AU students who stayed over and reflecting on the state of progressive interesting people, to “really dumb topics run by unqualified speakers.” break hid on one side of campus, while the movements occurring locally, nationally other side of campus turned into a radical and worldwide,” according to the event’s Raskin had been looking forward to attending one particular lecture for vegan-sandwich eating sunbathing fest.” website (www.ncor2008.org). In addition In sum, the conference made a lasting INSIDE to providing an open-minded atmosphere, about a year titled “Radical Sustainability for Autonomous Communities.” The impression on all who attended. “NCOR NCOR offers a range of workshops, panel ruined my life!” cried first-year Johanna discussions, and informational tables workshop was conducted by members Is America too religious? of the Rhizome Collective, a non-profit Warren, when asked about her experience aimed to promote organized action at the event. “It was really informative and p. 2 against “the injustices and inequalities community organizing project based out of Austin, Texas that develops techniques for interesting – but I can’t do anything, now that we confront in our daily lives and in that I’m aware that the world around me is the world.” This year it was held March 7- creating de-centralized, sustainable urban Local food at Bard, p.4 infrastructure. “It’s what I’m interested in, going to hell,” she explained. 9, with workshops running on Saturday Worthington, however, found the whole and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 in the and I wanted to hear about it for myself,” he said. experience empowering. “I don’t feel Bard Rugby, p.4 evening. apathy or a sense of helplessness leaving The conference itself was organized While Raskin was generally satisfied with his schedule, choosing workshops those workshops,” she said. “NCOR brings by a coalition of social action-focused the people fighting for equality, solidarity, Bard in disrepair, p. 5 student clubs at the university, known as proved more difficult for some students. Sophomore Liza Birnbaum chose hers and freedom to its conferences. The Community for Action and Social Justice. conference shows what is being done and Serial Fiction, p.6 They receive partial funding from AU’s based on her interests, and thus attended many workshops on Anarchist Theory. what I, or anyone, can do to help out— to Student Activities Department. spread the word.” Looking back, however, she realized it observer Minds come together to decide is america too religious? BY ALEX ERIKSEN Students, faculty and community members filled nearly all 400 seats of Olin Hall to attend a debate held by the Bard Political Union Thursday night, Mar 13. The topic was the resolution “America is too religious” which was supported by President of the college, Leon Botstein, alongside sophomore Frank Brancely and senior Shay Howell. Arguing against was college chaplain and theology Professor Bruce Chilton, with senior John Burrows and sophomore Ben Raker. “What we’re trying to do is create exciting conversation about contemporary issues,” said President of the Bard Political Union, Andrew Simon, a 19-year-old sophomore and American Studies major. “The point of tonight’s debate isn’t necessarily to draw one particular end-all-conclusion, but to start with one particular conclusion and work our way backwards,” said Simon. The debate began with a vote from the audience on the resolution by a show of hands, “too religious” won by majority. “Religion cannot be proven, it is decided,” said Botstein in his opening statement. He Photo/Mae Colburn argued that religion interferes with the democratic process when private religious dogmas become a means of superceding the authority of the state.