Yesterdays and yesterdays

tired of the bush bashing (simply b/c after
5 years it's boring), i tried to challenge my new '07-'08
office mates w/what i considered critical thinking,
a new direction.

didn't float their boats. i had to explicitly laugh
and say, "I'm not defending bush!" No one
should need to do that where i come from.
now i'm cranky.

ws100 is sooo boring. when talking about the way people tend
to ignore differences, i often use the example
of the way we are taught as children "not to stare"
(which has quite complicated reprocussions for the
person being consistantly ignored).

Anyway. The class denied that socialization.
THEN they began to camp out in the "all-people-
are-individuals-not everyone acts the same--
people react differently--it depends on the circumstances--"

I could have snapped.

I wasn't calling out racism, sexism, or even homophobia.

I took a deep breath, gritted, smiled
and in pure sarcasim began:

"That is absolutely true.
You are all so right [and oh so smart]--
we Americans indulge in our capicity for individualism--
we love and embrace our choices--
are all individuals
everything in relative
it all depends--

but, however,

sometimes,

social scientist look for--

patterns.

Patterns in behavior.

Patterns in behavior among certain groups of people.

And we are here to look at those patterns.

I'm simply suggesting, that perhaps, in some families,
little children are taught not to stare at say, people in wheelchairs--"


Seriously. Is that such a big stretch? If it takes me
a f*cking 15 minutes to get that far,
I just don't want to go back.
Grr. cranky sob i am.

And then, at home, when I'm reduced to exasperated tears,
I see that maybe I shouldn't go back.
Those kids deserve someone with patience and love--
someone who will treat the material
as if it is new and fresh (just in the way they are encountering it).

What to do?
My ENG courses are great b/c I've started w/a new text.
Can I scrap the WS syllabus?

Today I am suppose to hear about the writing center position
at one of the branches--i'll take it.
take next quarter off from the main branch--
where everyone is white, wealthy, privileged
and unable to see any problems in the world (beyond
an empty beer can).

Grr. Weep weep.