City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works The Advocate Archives and Special Collections Fall 2016 Advocate, Fall 2016, Vol. 28, No. 1 How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_advocate/22 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] VolumeVolume 28 27 Fall Spring no. 1n. 2016 2 2016 www.GCadvocate.comwww.GCadvocate.com [email protected]@cunydsc.org Donald Trump and the Death Rattle of Liberal Civility pg. 31 Stranger in my Skin: Racial (un)belonging in the US pg. 18 Gil Bruvel, Dichotomy, Stainless Steel sculpture editorial The Difficulty of www.GCadvocate.com Making a Voting Decision [email protected] Contents Who to vote for in the upcoming election? That is be able to keep calm as most of us have been doing? the question. In past elections, the most important Or will I punch back if I am hit—sweetly punch back things that influenced how I vetted presidential can- in the tradition of the ancestors who recognized the EDITORIAL FEATURES didates included their positions on wars, national need to deploy counter strategies that have given me security, economy, the LGBTQ community, and their the liberties I cherish today. Indeed, how powerfully The Difficulty of Stranger in my Skin: plans for developing regions like the Caribbean, where will I punch back with fists, body, talk, and silence until Making a Voting Racial (un)belonging I am from. In this election, I would love to consider all I die a death that will be forgotten by you who love me Decision in the U.S. those things with equal weight, but it has really come dearly. pg. 3 pg. 22 down to the vulnerability of my body. When will I be For you have your own lives to supervise. And after Alessandro stopped and frisked? Will I be beaten by the police and all, my body will be just another of tens of thousands Zammataro Amy Ashwood Garvey: charged with a felony if they allow me to live? When of black bones, blood, and muscles that will fall and CUNY NEWS A Bibliographic Essay will this inevitable encounter with a corrupt police oc- stink and become a ritual of earth to earth and dust to pg. 30 cur? What mood will I be in when it happens? Will I dust, of bible scriptures and lighted candles. Of course Freedom of Expression Under Threat at CUNY, Again pg. 8 DEBATE Donald Trump and the Where is the Money Going? Death Rattle of Liberal Civility pg. 12 pg. 36 Jon-Christian Suggs Memorial PERFORMANCE REVIEW pg. 18 An Occupation of Loss Review pg. 41 Source: http://samwhiteout.com/2015/08/03/baltimore-riots/ 2 —– GC GC Advocate Advocate – — Fall Fall no. no. 1 2016 1 2016 Fall no. 1 2016 — GC Advocate — 3 editorial For deep in America’s consciousness, even mani- evidence, police continue to narrow down black lives fest in our Graduate Center, black bodies are nor- because they know that the nation’s conscience grants mally given freedom, as long as there is some form of them permission. I am not referring to the actions of a administrative patrolling. This fact points to the very small number of white Americans. I am talking about whiteness of the Graduate Center. The hallways are the endemic apathy of the masses that sanctions the white. The dinning clientele in the cafeteria is white. racial violence perpetrated by a handful. All my life, I The elevators are white if there is no one delivering a have witnessed the globalization of U.S. images that package or pushing a sanitation cart, or hurrying back communicate that there is a genetics of black crimi- from a smoke break to the lowest paying jobs in their nality. The violence of this knowledge production and departments. The faculty is so white that some people dissemination has forced even me to try to convince of color seem uncomfortable engaging with other per- myself repeatedly that black people are not danger- sons of color out of fear that their “colorfulness” will ous—that black people are not threats to communities be equivocated with radicalism and potential disrup- wherever they live. Remember this is why, to this date, tion. To this latter note, I guess that a few persons of many black persons have to chant self-love with lines color will jump up into ego mode and on to the self- like, ‘I love my black skin,” “Black and Beautiful,” “Black denial train, and say that they are unaware this hap- Power,” and now “Black Lives Matter.” pens. I dare say, these persons of color are very often Of course knowledge (misinformation) can be ter- the beloved by the marginalizing frameworks of white ror—something that educated, moral, ethnic, and mar- institutionalism. Frankly, they are very dangerous! Be- ginalized consciousness have to resist daily in order cause they lie. Because their lies are very big. Because that it is does not pollute the possessions of truth and traditionally, they are among the few who hold big ex- self-love. As a black person, I have no option than to ecutive positions as they kill pieces of themselves and struggle against the globally circulated misperceptions Source: http://www.publicseminar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/14899170156_575325b6dd_o.jpg others in order to get to the top of the food chain. And of blackness in order that I can maintain the ability this is true of many people of color, not just black per- to love myself and not fear other black people. In my you will forget me. And you should! Because my wish theoretically, administratively, politically, culturally, sons. recent visits to Brazil, Mexico, the Dominican Repub- will never be that you must keep mourning for all of psychologically, and globally managed. Where we But let me get right back to the point about white lic, Panama, Guatemala, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and us. There is too much agony in that task, and too many might disagree is my contention that the best of U.S. American consciousness as being responsible for the Costa Rica, I saw that there is indeed a global assault more of us will continue to fall so frequently. And you responses to our predicament will automatically lead mass execution of black lives. No need for us to turn to on blackness that is constantly reinforced by knowl- need to hold your tears, at least so that you can cry for to more management of our bodies rather that allow distant history or cite a few authors to support this ob- edge circulation from the U.S. In all of these spaces, I other things apart from fallen bodies of color. My only us the liberations ascribed to white lives from birth. servation. Indeed there are too many recent accounts learned that black bodies are among the underclasses. wish is that you tell the mourners not to pray for me. I am a trying to be realistic, folks. Which means that of police brutality on black bodies. When black hands I was also informed that these cultural persecutions Lobby so that they will not light a candle for me. Con- I am incapable of accessing the luxury of imagination are lifted in submission, black bodies are shot. When were largely influenced by racial occurrences in the vince them I need no damn Christianized memorial. that the saving of blacks lives will be highly prioritized. black backs are lying in in the streets with unthreat- U.S. I was warned, in several of these places, not to Tell them I have been an atheist for a long time and I Please understand that the best I can reasonably ex- ening aggression, black bodies are shot. When black visit black communities or else I would be robbed. And want to be remembered as such. pect is that Hillary and Donald will ensure that our teeth are trembling to articulate their harmlessness, yes, I didn’t visit some of those communities, because In this imagination of the inevitability of my death, bodies are managed with more respect as part of a black are shot. I didn’t have anyone to accompany me. my election vetting process therefore contends with long-term plan towards full liberation of black bodies. What has long been occurring in this country, the What a shame that I had to stay away from spaces the question of—what is Hillary and Donald going to Is this what I desire—more reasonable management mass slaughtering of black lives, a terroristic pro- that had people of my own color! I hope you under- go do to ensure that American consciousness locates of my body versus full-body liberation? Of course not. cess authored and authorized by white American stand that this incident stripped away pieces of my more respectable means to manage bodies like mine? But this option is something the dominant class will be consciousness is now amplified by the new video confidence. To heal, I had to meditate and return to I doubt you would disagree that bodies like ours are willing to agree to. technologies of our day. Even in the face of camera older experiences and postcolonial discourses. I had 4 — GC Advocate — Fall no. 1 2016 Fall no. 1 2016 — GC Advocate — 5 editorial editorial which both Hillary and himself are participant, Donald also assumes that Blacks are at least smart to acknowl- edge it.