Campus Identity Politics Is Dooming Liberal Causes, a Professor Charges; Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/15/16

Evan R. Goldstein, Chronicle of Higher Education; Campus Identity Politics Is Dooming Liberal Causes, a Professor Charges:

"Rage over racial, gender, and sexual identity has no sense of proportion and creates a damaging spectacle, says Mark Lilla, a professor of humanities at Columbia University."

A professor wants to teach ‘The Problems of Whiteness.’ A lawmaker calls the class ‘garbage.’; Washington Post, 12/28/16

Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post; A professor wants to teach ‘The Problems of Whiteness.’ A lawmaker calls the class ‘garbage.’ :

"“I support academic freedom and free speech,” [David Murphy, Wisconsin state assemblyman] said. “Free speech also means the public has the right to be critical of their public university. The university’s handling of controversies like this appears to the public as a lack of balance in intellectual openness and diversity of political thought on campus.”

Gov. Scott Walker (R) told the Wisconsin State Journal that he didn’t agree with Murphy’s call to withhold funding from the university if it doesn’t drop the class...

In a statement, the university defended the course and stressed that it was elective, not required, and that it was “not designed to offend individuals or single out an ethnic group.”

“We believe this course, which is one of thousands offered at our university, will benefit students who are interested in developing a deeper understanding of race issues,” the university’s statement said. “The course is a challenge and response to racism of all kinds.”"

"I Want THAT Kid For Christmas"; Pearls Before Swine, GoComics, 12/25/16

Stephan Pastis, Pearls Before Swine, GoComics; "I Want THAT Kid For Christmas"

Fostering Civility in a Time of Disrespect; New York Times, 12/23/16

Jonathan A. Knee, New York Times; Fostering Civility in a Time of Disrespect:

"Just in time for the season of giving, Christine Porath, a Georgetown University management professor, brings us “Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace” (Grand Central), a slender, but compelling, guide to treating others respectfully and protecting oneself from those who don’t.

As the subtitle suggests, most of the book’s examples relate to behaviors observed and strategies pursued in the corporate jungle. The focus is on the serious business risk posed by failing to foster a culture of civility. While the nation waits breathlessly for the dawn of the Trump era, however, it is impossible to read this practical volume without wondering about its implications for the functioning of our federal institutions and the comity among nations."

Have Yourself a Merry Little 2017; New York Times, 12/24/16

Bruce Handy, New York Times; Have Yourself a Merry Little 2017:

"The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra has used the original lyrics before, including on the 2015 album “Big Band Holidays,” so it’s not as if someone fished them out of the trunk 72 years later to make a tart postelection point. I’m also well aware that our current challenges pale in comparison to fighting a world war with civilization in the balance. Let’s say we are somewhere on a continuum between that and facing a move from St. Louis to New York. Still, I have to confess the “it may be your last” line captured my near-apocalyptic mood — and maybe yours as well.

But the lyric that moved me to tears is the line that follows “If the fates allow” (and remained in Martin’s final lyrics):

Until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow.

How prosaic, even homely as pre-rock era songwriting goes, and yet how perfect. Muddling through, somehow, may not sound particularly inspirational, but perseverance is often the best option at hand, when just moving forward, one inch or foot or yard at a time, can be a kind of heroism. At least that’s how it struck me listening to Ms. Russell, her deeply felt performance offering a subdued and cleareyed but still genuine optimism...

In “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is the catalyst for a happy ending: Tootie’s backyard rampage prompts her father to change his mind about the move, and we cut to a dazzling climax at the 1904 World’s Fair, electric lights and handsome beaus suggesting a fine future for all. Happy endings seem a little more remote in 2016 — miles away, as they say, or at least as distant as the next election. In the meantime, we muddle through. It’s a start."

Michelle Obama urges students to keep up diversity legacy: 'It's your turn now'; Guardian, 12/15/16

David Smith, Guardian; Michelle Obama urges students to keep up diversity legacy: 'It's your turn now' :

"She did not mention the election or Donald Trump once. But Michelle Obama’s message about diversity and inclusiveness was clear...

The first African American first lady addressed a gathering of students – many of them young black women – at the White House on Thursday after a screening of Hidden Figures, a new biopic of three black female mathematicians who helped launch Americans into space...

Obama, wearing black, added somewhat somberly: “But it’s up to all of you, our young people, to continue that legacy. It’s your turn now. All right?”"

The right shuts down free speech, too; Washington Post, 12/15/16

Catherine Rampell, Washington Post; The right shuts down free speech, too:

"The good news: Both the left and the right have reached consensus that free speech is important.

The bad news: “Free speech” has apparently been redefined to mean “speech with which I agree.”"

Social scientists set to decipher various shades of ethics; The Peninsula: Qatar's Daily Newspaper, 12/1/16

Irfan Bhukhari, The Peninsula: Qatar's Daily Newspaper; Social scientists set to decipher various shades of ethics:

"On the academic landscape of Qatar, an international ethics summit is set to appear which will cover dozens of topics having contemporary importance from corporate citizenship in global context to ethics revolving around gender, religion, business and conflict.

A three-day International Ethics Summit themed “Morality in the Global Era: Theory, Policy and Praxis” will start from December 4 at HBKU Students Centre at Education City.

The summit will be an international opportunity for scholars, academia and audiences representing various segments of society to explore and understand a number of issues such as: Ethical Leadership and Social Responsibility; Ethics in the Professions; Integrity in Business; Corporate Citizenship in a Global Context; Ethics and the Environment; Immigration and Moral Tragedy; Ethics and Technology in the Global Age; Ethics and Sports; Ethics and Gender among others according to university’s call-for-papers and leaflet pertaining to programme-details. The summit is being sposored by RasGas."

Donald Trump’s ‘Monster’s Ball’; New York Times, 12/1/16

Charles M. Blow, New York Times; Donald Trump’s ‘Monster’s Ball’ :

"Donald Trump was elected on a wave of fake news, fake minority outreach and an 11th-hour email head fake by James Comey...

Donald Trump is a fraud, and a dangerous one. This country is depending on morally principled patriots to never let that fact be shifted from center stage.

Trump rode to victory on a cloud of vapors and vapid promises, and now he is assembling a counsel of acolytes and opportunists. Now each of us must demonstrate our fortitude in vocal, steadfast resistance.

Trump must be made to know, in no uncertain terms, that he was elected president and not anointed emperor.

Not every battle can be won, but every battle must be waged. This is the proving ground. Are you prepared to stand your ground?"

Campus Libraries See Increase in Discriminatory Incidents; Library Journal, 11/28/16

Lisa Peet, Library Journal; Campus Libraries See Increase in Discriminatory Incidents:

"Within the libraries, administrators have used these events to highlight ongoing issues such as how to spot and respond to fake news. On a wider scale, they have stepped up their mission to support various campus communities and interest groups, particularly when it comes to student welfare. Said Hutto, “We, like a lot of colleges, have been very proactive about increasing diversity on campus. I think especially for those students, they definitely… are thinking of Reed as being a safe place. And to find out that it’s kind of like any other place is not a pleasant thing for them. We’re really concerned about them.”

In a statement released by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), Chris Bourg, director of libraries at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and ARL Diversity and Inclusion Committee chair, stated, “While ARL libraries and archives work hard to be inclusive in their hiring, collections, services, and environments, the Association and its members will not claim neutrality in the face of discrimination, sexism, ableism, racism, homophobia, religious persecution, or other forms of oppression. We support freedom of speech and the open exchange of ideas and opinions, but we will not tolerate hate speech, silencing, inflammatory rhetoric, or any other speech or action that threatens the safety or dignity of any member of our community.”

Addressing the proactive role campus libraries can play post-election, Bourg wrote in a statement from MIT Libraries, “This election has highlighted the urgent need for open, enduring, and equitable access to credible sources of news, data, and knowledge. At the MIT Libraries we will redouble our efforts to provide not only credible sources of information to our communities, but also the expertise, services, collections, tools, and spaces that facilitate and promote the critical assessment of information. We will also continue to document and provide access to the ideas, knowledge, and perspectives of our communities, as we did by archiving the post-election posters containing the immediate reactions of MIT students and community members.”"

Turning Promises Of Marrakesh Treaty For Visually Impaired Into Reality; Intellectual Property Watch, 11/21/16

Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch; Turning Promises Of Marrakesh Treaty For Visually Impaired Into Reality:

"With the recent entry into force of the Marrakesh Treaty providing copyright exceptions for persons with visual impairments, a panel convened alongside last week’s World Intellectual Property Organization copyright committee meeting explored ways to transform the treaty’s promises into reality.

The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) met from 14-18 November. The 15 November side event was organised by the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), which is hosted by WIPO.

Recently appointed WIPO Deputy Director General for the Copyright and Creative Industries Sector Sylvie Forbin said at the event that 25 countries have now ratified the 2013 Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled, which entered into force on 30 September..."

Chris Friend, representing the World Blind Union, in the audience, presented the World Blind Union Guide to the Marrakesh Treaty: Facilitating Access to Books for Print Disabled Individuals, to be published by Oxford University Press in February.

The guide is intended to provide an analysis of the treaty to multiple audiences including parliamentarians and policymakers who adopt domestic legislation and regulations to give effect to the treaty, judges and administrators who interpret and apply those laws, and to disability rights organisations and other civil society groups who advocate for the treaty’s implementation and effective enforcement, according to the guide executive summary."

No, Trump, We Can’t Just Get Along; New York Times, 11/23/16

Charles M. Blow, New York Times; No, Trump, We Can’t Just Get Along:

"[Donald Trump] ended the meeting by saying:

“I will say, The Times is, it’s a great, great American jewel. A world jewel. And I hope we can all get along well.”...

You slammed Clinton for destroying emails, then Newsweek reported last month that your companies “destroyed emails in defiance of court orders.” You slammed Clinton and the Clinton Foundation for paid speeches and conflicts of interest, then it turned out that, as BuzzFeed reported, the Trump Foundation received a $150,000 donation in exchange for your giving a 2015 speech made by video to a conference in Ukraine. You slammed Clinton about conflicts of interest while she was secretary of state, and now your possible conflicts of interest are popping up like mushrooms in a marsh.

You are a fraud and a charlatan. Yes, you will be president, but you will not get any breaks just because one branch of your forked tongue is silver.

I am not easily duped by dopes.

I have not only an ethical and professional duty to call out how obscene your very existence is at the top of American government; I have a moral obligation to do so.

I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything, but rather to speak up for truth and honor and inclusion. This isn’t just about you, but also about the moral compass of those who see you for who and what you are, and know the darkness you herald is only held at bay by the lights of truth."

United States: Lee v. Tam: Disparaging Trademarks At The Supreme Court; Mondaq, 11/24/16

Mark Hannemann, Thomas R. Makin, Matthew G. Berkowitz, Patrick Colsher, Joseph Purcell and Eric Lucas, Mondaq; United States: Lee v. Tam: Disparaging Trademarks At The Supreme Court:

"On April 20, 2016, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the "PTO") petitioned for a writ of certiorari on the following question:

Whether the disparagement provision in 15 U.S.C. 1052(a), which provides that no trademark shall be refused registration on account of its nature unless, inter alia, it "[c]onsists of... matter which may disparage... persons, living or dead, institutions, beliefs, or national symbols, or bring them into contempt, or disrepute," is facially invalid under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment."

"Over for Dinner on Thursday"; Bizarro, 11/21/16

Dan Piraro, Bizarro; "Over for Dinner on Thursday"

‘SNL’ Says Target Is Your Safe Space This Thanksgiving; Huffington Post, 11/20/16

Lee Moran, Huffington Post; ‘SNL’ Says Target Is Your Safe Space This Thanksgiving

LGBTQ Trump Voters: You Betrayed Our Community’s Most Vulnerable; Huffington Post, 11/14/16

JamesMichael Nichols, Huffington Post; LGBTQ Trump Voters: You Betrayed Our Community’s Most Vulnerable:

"At times like this, it’s important for us ― and these voters ― to zoom out and recognize that queer liberation is a battle that is still very much ongoing for the most vulnerable members of the LGBTQ community and all of us. Trans people, people of color, women, homeless queer youth, intersex people, people outside of the gender binary will all suffer tremendously under a Trump/Pence leadership structure.

Even those in the LGBTQ community who apparently feel safe may be in for a shock once the new administration begins unrolling plans and polices for the future trajectory of our country.

And this should be both mortifying and disconcerting for everyone. 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBTQ. The majority of states don’t have anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. Trans people literally can’t even use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity in many states ― and are terrified for what’s to come. Hate crimes against LGBTQ people ― and ALL minority groups ― are on the rise post-election. And the list goes on.

So, LGBTQ people that voted for Trump and Pence ― this is the outcome that you wanted, that you voted for. But this choice will likely have long-standing, possibly life-threatening, repercussions on the most vulnerable members of our community, and that is something that you need to both examine your role in and shoulder the responsibility for.

Because, in the end ― as it has always been with our community ― we are all in this together."

Studying ethics, 'Star Trek' style, at Drake; Des Moines Register, 11/10/16

Daniel P. Finney, Des Moines Register; Studying ethics, 'Star Trek' style, at Drake:

"What I found in this class of 18 young people was hope.

So much of the presidential election discourse was negative, pessimistic and cruel. It exposed deep-seeded prejudices in a much larger portion of our population than many of us expected. The final result deeply unnerved at least half the electorate.

Beyond the sheer magnitude of bile, there was the clear absence of thoughtful consideration of issues by so many engaged in angry arguments.

Everything seemed to be bisected into a comic book morality of good vs. evil: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader, Batman vs. the Joker and so on. Very little nuanced thinking or discussion occurred, despite the complexities of the individuals and the issues involved.

Yet in this classroom, I saw exactly what I desperately desired from the people who sought to be leaders of this country: reason, thought, empathy and advanced thinking."

About 100 million people couldn’t be bothered to vote this year; Washington Post, 11/12/16

Christopher Ingraham, Washington Post; About 100 million people couldn’t be bothered to vote this year:

"That means that 100 million people who have the legal right to vote simply decided it wasn't worth the hassle this year.

Some of these non-voters may have been discouraged by long lines or policies designed to suppress participation among certain demographic groups, like minority voters. But the research, like a 2014 study from the Government Accountability Office, suggests these policies can at most affect turnout rates by a percentage point or two.

In close elections these small differences matter greatly. But in the context of 100 million people deciding to sit it out, they don't mean much. We could be generous and say that inadequate access to the vote could account for say, 5 million of those non-participating voters. What excuse, then, do the other 95 million have?...

If voters in a democracy get the government they deserve, perhaps in the U.S. we deserve a government that doesn't bother to show up."

Son Of Immigrants Is First Openly Gay Man Elected To Georgia Legislature; Huffington Post, 11/10/16

Kimberly Yam, Huffington Post; Son Of Immigrants Is First Openly Gay Man Elected To Georgia Legislature:

"“The election of an openly gay man to the Georgia General Assembly represents just one more step on the road to full equality for LGBT people in Georgia,” Jeff Graham, executive director of LGBTQ advocacy organization Georgia Equality, said in a statement about the historic win...

The 31-year-old, whose campaign focused on economic growth and security, healthcare, and civil rights, explained that it was his mother’s cancer diagnosis in 2014 that impacted his decision to run for office.

“As I take my mom to her chemo appointment every two weeks, I am constantly reminded of the importance of health insurance. Access to healthcare is a matter of life or death,” Park wrote on his website. “Knowing this, based on my experiences and faith, I am compelled to run for public office to ensure all Georgians have access to healthcare by expanding Medicaid in Georgia.”"

Trump Voters: A Message From the Mom Of A Gay Kid; Huffington Post, 11/11/16

Amelia, Huffington Post; Trump Voters: A Message From the Mom Of A Gay Kid:

"When I point out the views of the new government-elect, these people tell me “but I don’t think that way.” So what? That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that they voted for someone who does. By putting those people in power, they are implicitly condoning―and expressly endorsing―their actions.

I am allowed to pissed off that people think I should now break bread with those who voted for someone who is a direct threat to my child. I’m allowed to be offended that even people who claim to love my child valued their pocketbooks and privilege more than that child’s life, my child’s health, my child’s safety, and my child’s future.

That’s not what love is.

I am allowed to not forgive them.

And I don’t. I don’t know if I ever will.

To all those scared LGBTQ children out there, I have this message:

I am so sorry that this country chose not to protect you. But those of us who truly love you will work hard to keep you safe, so that you can continue to grow into the extraordinary adults you are already on your way to becoming. We will not abandon you.

To the people who are so offended by my anger, I have this message:

Please feel free to be pissed off at me if I ever vote for someone who thinks your child deserves electroshock torture in the vain attempt to “fix” something that’s not a problem. I’ll deserve it."

I Am Gay. I Will Not Be Tortured Again.; Huffington Post, 11/11/16

David Michael Conner, Huffington Post; I Am Gay. I Will Not Be Tortured Again. :

"I survived six years of psychological terror and physical abuses, sanctioned by my peers and by authorities, throughout my youth. At that time, I had been convinced that something about me was “bad” and that I deserved it. I know better now, and I will not abide by it.

LGBT people and our allies must be vigilant as a new regime takes over our country. This is not a joke, and there is no evidence at this time that suggests fearing the worst—that our government would commit inhumane crimes against its own law-abiding people—is unreasonable.

I have lost more faith in the decency of the American people this week than I knew I had. Because of what I went through when I was young, and because I have seen how quickly attitudes changed toward acceptance, I know how quickly those attitudes can revert with a little peer pressure. I know how cruel people can be without a second thought.

LGBT people and our allies must not give a millimeter or else this administration may take 666 miles. We also must ally ourselves with all other marginalized populations because, from a practical standpoint, greater numbers equals greater security—but more importantly because all of us are human beings and all of us are at a very real risk of being confronted by overt state-supported hate crimes, and these things usually happen in waves, one targeted population at a time. We are all in this together, and we have to be ready to fight for our souls."

The Mike Pence (Donald Trump) Assault On LGBTQ Equality Is Already Underway; Huffington Post, 11/13/16

Michangelo Signorile, Huffington Post; The Mike Pence (Donald Trump) Assault On LGBTQ Equality Is Already Underway:

"I’m not going to sugarcoat this at all. We are in for a full-blown assault on LGBTQ rights the likes of which many, particularly younger LGBTQ people, have not seen. Progress will most certainly be halted completely, likely rolled back. And it’s already underway...

If Trump is thus as hands-off on LGBTQ issues as president as he was at the RNC, letting people like Pence ― again, possibly the most powerful vice president ever ― get his way, along with people like Carson, Blackwell, Gingrich and likely many others, you can bet that the assault on LGBTQ rights is already underway. It’s only a matter of time before we know the full magnitude. And that’s why we must pull ourselves out of grief, get fired up, and begin the fight right now."

Stay angry. That’s the only way to uphold principles in Trump’s America.; Washington Post, 11/11/16

Leon Wieseltier, Washington Post; Stay angry. That’s the only way to uphold principles in Trump’s America. :

"The demons that have haunted our society for decades and even centuries, the vile illiberalism that currently disgraces other governments in the West, will now inhabit the White House. Difficult times are giving way to dark times, and dark times require a special lucidity and a special vigilance and a special ferocity about principle. We must not lose our faith in moral progress and in social progress, but we must remember that moral progress and social progress are not linear and unimpeded and inevitable. There will always be reversals and setbacks, because change rattles the world that preceded it. If you demand justice, prepare for instability, and for the exploitation of instability by political reactionaries who weaken the wounded with nostalgia and fantasies of exclusiveness. The struggle for reform is often succeeded by the struggle to repeal reform. Trumpism, insofar as it is coherently anything, is a great promise of repeal. If Trump succeeds in his repeal, then the fight for the repeal of the repeal must begin. There is nothing Sisyphean or cynical about this. It is the abiding condition of a democracy comprising conflicting ideals. The fight is never over.

The prettification of Donald Trump has begun. When a crushed Hillary Clinton graciously asked that Trump be given “a chance to succeed,” I confess that I felt no such graciousness. This made me as small as Mitch McConnell, I know. But if Trump succeeds, America may fail; and it is America, its values and its interests, whose success matters most desperately to me. No cooling off, then. We must stay hot for America. The political liberty that we cherish in this precious republic is most purely and exhilaratingly experienced as the liberty to oppose."

Lies in the Guise of News in the Trump Era; New York Times, 11/12/16

Nicholas Kristof, New York Times; Lies in the Guise of News in the Trump Era:

"...[O]one takeaway from this astonishing presidential election is that fake news is gaining ground, empowering nuts and undermining our democracy.

As I’ve argued for most of this year, I think we in the mainstream media — especially cable television — sometimes bungled coverage of Trump. There was too much uncritical television coverage of Trump because he was good for ratings; then there was not enough investigation of his business dealings, racism and history of sexual assaults, and too much false equivalency that equated the two candidates as equally flawed...

When Americans come to believe lies such as that the pope endorsed Trump, or that Barack and Michelle Obama unendorsed Clinton, those are assaults on our political system and we should challenge them.

The landscape ahead looks grim to me. While the business model for mainstream journalism is in crisis, these alt-right websites expand as they monetize false “news” that promotes racism and undermines democracy. Worse, they have the imprimatur of the soon-to-be most powerful person in the world."

REBELLIONS ARE BUILT ON HOPE: WHY ROGUE ONE MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER; Comic Book Resources, 11/11/16

Brett White, Comic Book Resources; REBELLIONS ARE BUILT ON HOPE: WHY ROGUE ONE MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER:

"We have hope. If they have hate, then we have hope. And we have “Rogue One,” which has suddenly become the most relevant movie of 2016 — and it hasn’t even hit theaters yet. Fiction is powerful. Fiction is inspirational and aspirational; it’s where artists take their hopes and dreams and make them real through story. We strive to be like fictional characters (General Organa, Luke Skywalker, Rey, Han Solo) because they’re the vessels through which creators express the values they want to see in the world. You want people to be braver, you give them a Leia to look up to. You want people to be able to find their own inner strength? Here’s Luke and Rey. Think being selfless is more important than being selfish? Learn from Han Solo. We need a very specific story right now, and we need “Rogue One” right now.

When I look at the “Rogue One” trailers, I see what I want from America. I see a multicultural group standing strong together led by a rebellious and courageous woman. That’s what we are working towards, and what we will continue to work towards no matter what. That’s what America — a land created as a haven for the persecuted, to be able to realize their limitless dreams — was created to be. The Empire is oppressive; the Empire crushes the rights of others and excludes non-humans from their ranks. The Rebellion is inclusive. “Rogue One” stars an English woman, a Mexican man, an actor from Hong Kong and one from China, and a British Pakistani rapper/actor. People from so many backgrounds can see themselves in this cast, and they finally have a hero to call their very own."

"Three or Four Months"; F Minus, Go Comic, 11/11/16

Tony Carrillo, F Minus, Go Comics; "Three or Four Months"

Now is not the time to abandon America. Stay here and fight for it; Quartz, 11/9/16

Sarah Todd, Quartz; Now is not the time to abandon America. Stay here and fight for it:

"After last night’s presidential election, many Americans woke up this morning feeling lost and betrayed. Some are talking about moving to Canada. Others are wondering if things would be better in Europe, or Australia. Believe me, I get it.

The reality of president-elect Donald Trump means a majority of US voters were willing to endorse, or at least dismiss, the Republican candidate’s blatant misogyny, xenophobia, and racism. It means that a man who can’t even control himself on Twitter will now have access to the nuclear arsenal.

Under these circumstances, it’s understandable that some Americans are thinking of fleeing the country. But many of the people who would likely be most vulnerable during a Trump presidency—refugees, immigrants, the poor—have nowhere to go. For their sake, and for the future of our country, those of us who have a choice shouldn’t give in to the impulse to flee. We should stay here and fight...

As a woman who believes in the equality of all people in this country, the results of this election have shocked and saddened me. I feel like I don’t understand my fellow citizens. I don’t want to live in a place where so many of them could vote against my best interests, and against the best interests of the people I care about. I’m scared for what the next four years may bring.

But I also know that, whatever happens under president Trump, we will need voices of dissent. We will need people who advocate for women’s equality, and teach the next generation that we deserve to be treated with respect. We’ll need people who will fight for the rights of immigrants and their children. We’ll need people who believe in a legal system that protects the rights of all Americans. And we will need people who can work to cultivate a society united not by fear and anger, but by love and acceptance...

The next four years will likely bring injustice and grief. We may see families separated; people in need abandoned; futures destroyed. Many of us will feel that America is not a place where we belong.

But we are not powerless under a Trump presidency. We can make our voices heard on the public and political stage. We can show ourselves, and the world, that we will not allow Trump and his supporters to make us feel unwelcome in our own home."

New York Today: 104 Years Old, and Still Voting; New York Times, 11/8/16

Alexandra S. Levine, New York Times; New York Today: 104 Years Old, and Still Voting:

"On this Election Day, as the presidential campaigns of two New York residents come to an end, another New Yorker — Rose Orbach — plans to do her civic duty and vote — again.

The resident of Bayside, Queens, is 104. She’s voting in her 16th presidential election.

(Stevenson. Kennedy. Johnson. Humphrey. McGovern. Carter, twice. Mondale. Dukakis. Clinton, twice. Gore. Kerry. Obama, twice. You may spot a trend.)

Born in 1911, Mrs. Orbach emigrated from Poland shortly after World War II. She became an American citizen by 1955, and voted in her first presidential election here the following year.

The idea of having and using her voice, without facing persecution, was novel.

“In Poland, it was a whole different system,” she said. “Especially for Jewish people, who weren’t treated like everybody; they were always beneath.”

When she stepped behind the curtain to vote in the 1956 race, things felt different.

“I was one with the people: I was different, I was Jewish, but I pushed the button,” she said. “I had my idea, and I was treated nice no matter what. You had your privacy and you were allowed to think what you wanted to think.”

In her nearly 60 years of living in New York, she has not missed a single presidential election — that’s at a time when more than 100 million Americans who can vote don’t vote.

So exercise your right — it’s one that many people in this world do not have."

New Era for Disability Rights; Inside Higher Ed, 11/7/16

Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed; New Era for Disability Rights:

"Disability studies scholars and legal experts say lawsuits like Dudley’s against Miami represent a shift in activism, where high-profile cases help raise awareness about the challenges facing students in an increasingly digital world. More than two decades after the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 was signed into law, advocacy groups are pushing to clarify how it and other laws that prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities apply to technology that at the time seemed like science fiction but now has become reality. At the same time, those and other groups are pushing for new legislation, keeping one eye on the upcoming process to rewrite the Higher Education Act...

Jonathan S. Fansmith, who works in government relations for ACE [American Council on Education], said in an interview that the associations are looking for a middle ground with regulations that ensure core university functions -- registering for classes, paying tuition and so on -- are accessible to anyone but don’t stifle university research output.

“We want to do the right thing here,” Fansmith said. “We want to do it the right way. We want to have cognizance of a process that’s thoughtful, deliberate and can actually be achieved so you don’t get schools that say, ‘Look, this is going to be so costly, so burdensome.’”"

‘Doctor Strange’ Director Owns Up to Whitewashing Controversy; Daily Beast, 11/2/16

Jen Yamato, Daily Beast; ‘Doctor Strange’ Director Owns Up to Whitewashing Controversy:

"To the vocal opponents upset over Swinton’s casting, Derrickson lends his support. “I don’t feel that they’re wrong,” he said, sympathetic. “I was very aware of the racial issues that I was dealing with. But I didn’t really understand the level of pain that’s out there, for people who grew up with movies like I did but didn’t see their own faces up there.”

He offered an antidote to the evasiveness that greets most complaints when studio products are hit with critiques of cultural appropriation: Ownership of the creative choices he made and the negative ripple effect they may have on the culture by virtue of the enormous reach of the MCU. So rarely do filmmakers comment on their own controversies—let alone agree with their critics from within the heavily fortified Disney-Marvel machine—that Derrickson’s candor, in itself, feels like progress.

“The angry voices and the loud voices that are out there I think are necessary,” said Derrickson, who’s looking at breakout $70 million opening weekend projections for Doctor Strange, which is already topping the overseas box office. “And if it pushes up against this film, I can’t say I don’t support it. Because how else is it going to change? This is just the way we’ve got to go to progress, and whatever price I have to pay for the decision I’ve made, I’m willing to pay.”"

Warhol Museum introduces inclusive audio guide; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 11/2/16

M. Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Warhol Museum introduces inclusive audio guide:

"The Andy Warhol Museum has launched an inclusive audio guide that will enhance the museum experience for visitors who are blind or have low vision...

The guide, named Out Loud, was developed in collaboration with the Innovation Studio at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the institution’s research, design and development laboratory. Input was solicited from community members with visual impairments who tested prototypes and offered feedback during the development process."

Cleveland’s Unthinking Racism; New York Time, 10/29/16

David Leonhardt, New York Times; Cleveland’s Unthinking Racism:

"Baseball fans, even outside Cleveland, have been looking at Chief Wahoo for so long that many of us have become inured to the logo. We’re aware that it has become controversial and probably understand that it’s offensive. But then we go back to watching the game.

It is worth pausing to think about what the equivalents might be for other ethnic groups — for minorities less marginalized than Native Americans. They’re horrific. Imagine the Philadelphia Blacks, featuring a logo with exaggerated lips and similar big teeth. Or the San Francisco Chinamen, featuring slanted eyes and a pointy hat (as the National Congress on American Indians suggested). Or the New York Jews, with a short mascot who had a large, crooked nose and wore a yarmulke."

New generation of superheroes; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 10/28/16

Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; New generation of superheroes:

"The white guys who used to fill the fictional comic book horizon with capes and unitards awash in primary colors are increasingly in the minority as a new generation of heroes waving multicultural identities, genders and sexual identities under their secret identities rise to prominence."

mics

University of Pittsburgh Nondiscrimination Policy Statement, 10/31/16

University of Pittsburgh Nondiscrimination Policy Statement:

[Kip Currier: Noteworthy to see "genetic information" included in Pitt's 10/31/16 Nondiscrimination Policy Statement, copied below. With advances in genome sequencing and the proliferation of DNA testing services for consumers, it makes sense that this would be included in organizational policies like Pitt's.]

"The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity and inclusion. Accordingly,as explained in Policy 07-0l-03, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, or status as a veteran.

The University also prohibits and will not engage in retaliation against any person who makes a claim of discrimination or harassment or who provides information in such an investigation.

Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University’s mission.

This policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in University programs and activities.

This is a commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state, and/or local laws and regulations."

RUCKA ON WHAT MAKES WONDER WOMAN SPECIAL: ‘ONE OF HER POWERS IS LOVE’; Comic Book Resources, 10/26/16

Albert Ching, Comic Book Resources; RUCKA ON WHAT MAKES WONDER WOMAN SPECIAL: ‘ONE OF HER POWERS IS LOVE’ :

"CBR: Greg, late last month, an interview you did with Comicosity that discussed Wonder Woman’s sexuality generated a lot of subsequent coverage. I don’t want to make this interview about another interview you did, but what was your take on how that story took a life on its own, and the reaction to your comments?

Greg Rucka: I think we saw the reaction of a lot of people who don’t know anything about the character, and are deciding this is yet another hill that they’re going to stand their ground on. I rate this in the same place as saying, “You did a Ghostbusters movie, and they’re all women! You ruined it!” Really? I mean, really?

I was asked a specific question at point blank. DC would not want me to lie, or prevaricate, and I am not serving the character well or doing my job if I lie or prevaricate. Representation matters enormously.

I honestly think, if we really want to drill down on this, at the heart of the negative response — and the negative response has been loud and vocal, but from a minority, and a very small minority — you’re seeing the response of people going, “I didn’t want to have to talk about that!” OK, but the people out there who need to hear it, I care far more about them. I guarantee you, if we lost readers over this, we gained more.

For people to go, “It’s a publicity stunt” — no, it’s not. You’ll see it’s just another element of the character. It’s like when we were talking about Kate way back in the day, and I was writing Batwoman. Yeah, she’s queer. She’s also got red hair and is Jewish. These are elements of character. These are not the definition of character."

DC superhero punching for gender equality to be honoured at her 75th birthday party, attended by Ban Ki-moon and ‘surprise guests’; Guardian, 10/12/16

Alison Flood, Guardian; DC superhero punching for gender equality to be honoured at her 75th birthday party, attended by Ban Ki-moon and ‘surprise guests’ :

"The United Nations is due to welcome a new honorary ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls: Wonder Woman.

According to website Comic Book Resources, the superhero will officially be given her new title at an event in New York on 21 October – the character’s 75th anniversary – at the United Nations headquarters. The announcement is due to be attended by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, DC Entertainment president Diane Nelson and, said Comic Book Resources, some “surprise guests”, who the comics site speculated would include the actors who have appeared as Wonder Woman over the years, including actor Lynda Carter.

The event will also mark the launch of the UN’s landmark global campaign supporting Sustainable Development Goal #5, which is to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”.

“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world,” says the UN. “Providing women and girls with equal access to education, healthcare, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.”"

‘The Great British Bake Off’ Changes the Way the British Bake; New York Times, 10/18/16

Melissa Clark, New York Times; ‘The Great British Bake Off’ Changes the Way the British Bake:

"Moreover, the bake-off, with its multicultural roster of contestants, has put forward a contemporary vision of Britishness that emphasizes diversity and inclusiveness.

Although the premise of the show is overtly nostalgic — all of the baking is done outside in a tent hung with cheery Union Jack bunting, alluding to the tradition of a village festival — the contestants are a culturally and ethnically mixed group...

There was Norman Calder from Portknockie, Scotland, with his haggis pie; Tamal Ray, an anesthesiologist of Indian descent from Hertfordshire, who used syringes to infuse syrup into pastries; and Jane Beedle, a garden designer from London, who perfected the lemon poppy seed drizzle cake. And, most prominently, there was Nadiya Hussain, the Season 6 winner, who was born in Luton to a family of Bangladeshi immigrants and who wears a hijab. Ms. Hussain triumphed with creations like cayenne gingerbread and cream puff towers in bubble gum and peppermint flavors."

Gay Mutant Iceman Gets His Own Marvel Comic Book; NewNowNext, 10/17/16

Dan Avery, NewNowNext; Gay Mutant Iceman Gets His Own Marvel Comic Book:

"Another LGBT superhero is getting his own comic book: Iceman, the mutant X-man who came out as gay last year, is getting a solo series from Marvel Comics...

The character (real name: Bobby Drake) was introduced more than 50 years ago in 1963’s The X-Men #1."

New U.N. Leader Sets Goals: Humility, Empathy, Empowering Women; NPR, 10/14/16

Malaka Gharib, NPR; New U.N. Leader Sets Goals: Humility, Empathy, Empowering Women:

"On Thursday, the U.N. General Assembly welcomed Antonio Guterres of Portugal as the new secretary-general of the U.N., replacing Ban Ki-moon.

In a short speech expressing his "gratitude and humility" to the assembly for the five-year term, he highlighted his priorities: humility, empathy for the underprivileged and the "empowerment of women and girls."...

What has made us immune to the plight of those most socially and economically underprivileged? All this makes me feel the acute responsibility to make human dignity the core of my work."

Full Transcript: President Obama’s Rally Speech for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland; Newsweek, 10/14/16

[Full Transcript] Michele Gorman, Newsweek; Full Transcript: President Obama’s Rally Speech for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland:

[Pres. Barack Obama] "Donald Trump’s closing argument is “What do you have to lose?” The answer is: Everything. All the progress we’ve made right now is on the ballot. Civility is on the ballot. Tolerance is on the ballot. Courtesy is on the ballot. Honesty is on the ballot. Equality is on the ballot. Kindness is on the ballot. (Applause.) All the progress we made that last eight years is on the ballot. Democracy itself is on the ballot right now.

So if you want to send a message, make it loud. Turn back the voices of cynicism. Turn back the voices of ignorance. Send a message of progress. Send a message of hope. Send a message by voting for Hillary Clinton, and show our kids and the rest of the world we remain the greatest country in the world."

Michelle Obama’s Speech: As Personal As Political Gets; BillMoyers.com, 10/14/16

Lynn Sherr, BillMoyers.com; Michelle Obama’s Speech: As Personal As Political Gets:

"Rush Limbaugh noted Trump’s comment that “when you’re a celebrity, they let you do anything,” and said, “How can there be assault if somebody’s granting permission? How can it be assault if they let you do anything?”

Newt Gingrich called the claims “30-year-old gossip,” saying “I don’t think it’s relevant.”

I do. And so does Michelle Obama. In her speech she destroyed the false equivalency of “he said/she said,” using her powerful platform to make it clear that what she said that afternoon was far more relevant than anything he or his cronies either said or could say in defense of such behavior. She didn’t just go high when he went low; she soared. And connected.

“I listen to all of this, and I feel it so personally,” she said, meaning it. “The shameful comments about our bodies. The disrespect of our ambitions and intellect. The belief that you can do anything you want to a woman. It is cruel. It’s frightening. And the truth is, it hurts. It hurts. It’s like that sick, sinking feeling you get when you’re walking down the street, minding your own business, and some guy yells out vulgar words about your body.”"

Salon Talks: Comics are becoming more inclusive, especially for women, but still have a long way to go; Salon, 10/11/16

[Video] Salon Staff, Salon; Salon Talks: Comics are becoming more inclusive, especially for women, but still have a long way to go:

"Last week on “Salon Talks,” Amanda Marcotte spoke to Ryan North and Erica Henderson, writer and artist for Marvel’s “Unbeatable Squirrel Girl,” respectively. The trio discussed the graphic novel, the role feminism plays in comics and New York Comic Con."

Poignant portraits show what it’s like being LGBT in China; Washington Post, 10/10/16

Kenneth Dickerman, Washington Post; Poignant portraits show what it’s like being LGBT in China:

"Despite being decriminalized in 1997, homosexuality is still heavily stigmatized in China. It was even considered a mental illness there until 2001, when it was finally dropped from a list of mental illnesses. Even with some of the strides made to get society to accept homosexuality, it is still difficult for many people to find acceptance. This is especially true in China’s smaller cities and rural areas. Because of this, many gay people move to bigger cities, such as Beijing, where they can live freer lives.

Photographer Teo Butturini traveled to Beijing to meet some of these people and tell their stories. With the help of the Beijing LGBT Center, Butturini found people and asked them to take him to a place that was important for each of them living as LGBT in the city. Here are some of those portraits and stories."

Many men talk like Donald Trump in private. And only other men can stop them.; Washington Post, 10/8/16

Shaun R. Harper, Washington Post; Many men talk like Donald Trump in private. And only other men can stop them. :

"I am fairly certain that hearing the vulgar words Trump spoke over a decade ago will compel many more women to vote against him next month. Electing the first female president will not end sexism, though, any more than electing Barack Obama ended racism. To make progress, men need to do more than vote against Trump. We must stand up to him and call out others who say things similar to what we heard him say on the video. We have to stop excusing the disgusting degradation of girls and women as “locker room banter.” Feminists and courageous others have done much to contest exchanges like the one between Trump and Bush. But it takes men like me to hold our friends accountable for things they say and do to objectify women. We must challenge their values, language and actions.

I have known Trumps far too long — they are my friends, my fraternity brothers and so many other men with whom I routinely interact. I understand now, more than ever before, that letting them talk this way about women makes me just as sexist. By excusing their words and actions, I share some responsibility for rape, marital infidelity and other awful things that men do. I want other men to recognize this, too — not only because they have mothers, wives, sisters, aunts or daughters – but because sexism hurts all women and men in our society."

After failing to seduce Nancy O’Dell, Trump reportedly tried to have her fired; Washington Post, 10/8/16

Ellen McCarthy, Washington Post; After failing to seduce Nancy O’Dell, Trump reportedly tried to have her fired:

"O’Dell released this statement on Saturday: “Politics aside, I’m saddened that these comments still exist in our society at all. When I heard the comments yesterday, it was disappointing to hear such objectification of women. The conversation needs to change because no female, no person, should be the subject of such crass comments, whether or not cameras are rolling. Everyone deserves respect no matter the setting or gender. As a woman who has worked very hard to establish her career, and as a mom, I feel I must speak out with the hope that as a society we will always strive to be better.”"

CHRIS CLAREMONT & MORE EXPLORE THE LGBT CHARACTERS OF THE X-MEN; Comic Book Resources, 10/7/16

Meagan Damore, Comic Book Resources; CHRIS CLAREMONT & MORE EXPLORE THE LGBT CHARACTERS OF THE X-MEN:

"On Thursday evening, “Uncanny X-Men” legend Chris Claremont, “X-Factor” scribe Peter David, “Jean & Scott” cartoonist Max Wittert and Marvel editor Daniel Ketchum took the stage at New York Comic Con to discuss the X-Men’s LGBT legacy. Additionally, the creators shared how they feel about the direction of Marvel Television, whether Marvel is becoming more diverse and more."

Donald and Billy on the Bus; New York Times, 10/8/16

Lindy West, New York Times; Donald and Billy on the Bus:

"If you have spent your career brutalizing and dehumanizing women legislatively rather than personally, you are no better. If you were happy to overlook months of violent racism, xenophobia, transphobia and Islamophobia from the Trump campaign, but now you’re mad that he used a bad word and tried to sleep with another man’s wife, you are no better. If you have derided and stigmatized identity politics in an effort to keep the marginalized from organizing, you are no better. If you snicker or say nothing while your fellow men behave like Donald Trump, you are no better.

The truth is that all of you have failed women for generations, and you deserve to lose our votes. Next month we will grab you where it hurts. By your ballots."

First Woman Sworn In As Librarian Of Congress; NPR, 9/18/16

Michel Martin, NPR; First Woman Sworn In As Librarian Of Congress:

"MARTIN: I was curious about what it means to her to be a first, to break these barriers.

HAYDEN: I started out in librarianship, and I was a children's librarian and then I realized - and it was very evident - that the top management of most libraries was male. And so to be the first female Librarian of Congress speaks to what Melvil Dewey said when he started the Library Association in 1876 and decided that women might be good for the profession because - and I love this quote - they had a high tolerance for pain and monotonous work and that it was time to let women into the profession of librarianship because there was a lot of work to be done. And so to be a female heading up the largest library in the world, I think Mr. Dewey might have something to say about that."

Big Week For WIPO Marrakesh Treaty On Access For Visually Impaired; Human Rights Side Under Focus; Intellectual Property Watch, 10/3/16

William New, Intellectual Property Watch; Big Week For WIPO Marrakesh Treaty On Access For Visually Impaired; Human Rights Side Under Focus:

"Prof. Laurence Helfer of Duke University Law School, one of the authors asked by the WBU to draft the implementation guide, said in an interview that the hope is the treaty “will not be seen as only an IP treaty, but also as an agreement that uses copyright to achieve human rights objectives. Marrakesh is thus one of the first treaties that is focused on the public interest side of IP law.”

Fellow guide author Prof. Molly Land, a human rights law professor at the University of Connecticut, said there is a connection between the Marrakesh Treaty and human rights treaties, such as the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). They are looking at how “ratifying and implementing the treaty is one way that states can fulfil their obligations under these other human rights instruments.”

“At the crossroads of human rights and IP, it’s really important to be able to see the treaty in light of both regimes,” she said. “Both in interpreting it, and also in implementation. States have commitments under both IP treaties and human rights treaties, and the guide is about how states can bring those together in implementation.”"

KA-POW! Pitt professor flips from poetry to comics; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/28/16

Marylynne Pitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; KA-POW! Pitt professor flips from poetry to comics:

"In her Regent Square home, Yona Harvey occasionally awakens from a dream with an idea for a poem.

This year, her subconscious journeys led to Wakanda, a mythical technologically advanced place ruled by the Black Panther, a Marvel Comics character created in 1966. Over the summer, the University of Pittsburgh professor created a 10-page origin story for Zenzi, a revolutionary leader who appears in a Black Panther spinoff, “World of Wakanda.”...

She and feminist author Roxane Gay are the the first black women to write for Marvel Comics. In July, when Marvel announced that two white men would write an origin story about a black female Iron Man, social media exploded with protests.

Ms. Harvey’s visits to imaginary Wakanda began in June when her co-author Ta-nehisi Coates, a Howard University classmate and contributing editor to The Atlantic Monthly, asked if she was interested in writing for Marvel. Mr. Coates also is working with Ms. Gay on a story arc about Ayo and Aneka, two of the Black Panther’s elite female bodyguards.

“The big exciting thing is that there is a woman at the center of the story. I think just that alone is going to make it have a big impact for young women. When I was growing up, the women were the girlfriend. They weren’t the protagonist,” the 42-year-old poet said during a conversation in her tidy office on the Cathedral of Learning’s fourth floor."

This Badass Feminist Is Diversifying The Future Of Comics; Huffington Post, October 2016

[Video] Huffington Post; This Badass Feminist Is Diversifying The Future Of Comics:

"Feminist author Roxane Gay discusses becoming Marvel’s first black comic book writer and what it’s like to break the mold."

Dialogue with the Dean of Students; University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, 10/4/16 at 7 PM

University of Pittsburgh; Dialogue with the Dean of Students:

"How can we work together to make Pitt a more inclusive campus? Register today for Dialogue with the Dean, part of the on-going conversation regarding diversity and inclusion on Pitt’s campus.

Join the on-going conversation regarding diversity and inclusion on Pitt’s campus: come to a round-table discussion hosted by Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kenyon Bonner.

RSVP is required.

Sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the Office of Cross Cultural and Leadership Development."

Supreme Court Takes Up Case That Could Affect Redskins Trademark; NPR, 9/29/16

Eyder Peralta, NPR; Supreme Court Takes Up Case That Could Affect Redskins Trademark:

"The Supreme Court has decided to hear a case that might decide whether the government can deny Washington's NFL team a trademark because it has deemed the team name is offensive.

The court granted certiorari on Lee V. Tam. If you remember, The Slants, an Asian-American rock band, sued the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because it refused to trademark their name saying it proved offensive.

In December of last year, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided that the band's name was private speech and therefore protected by the First Amendment."

Participate in Banned Books Week with Outspeak; Huffington Post, 9/19/16

Outspeak, Huffington Post; Participate in Banned Books Week with Outspeak:

"Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. It runs from September 25th to October 1st this year.

We’re encouraging as many people as possible to celebrate the freedom to seek and express ideas that some consider taboo with Banned Books Week. The week aims to bring together the entire book community; librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types, in shared support of the freedom of expression and information.

The week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Banned books are those that have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available.

This continues to happen because people (like you) are speaking up about frequently challenged ideals within the pages of banned books. So speak up and join the effort to erase censorship from our schools, libraries, and governments."

It Gets Better: U.S. Patent and Trademark employees share their stories; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 6/25/15

[Video] U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; It Gets Better: U.S. Patent and Trademark employees share their stories:

[Kip Currier: While prepping for a patent lecture for my Intellectual Property and "Open" Movements course next week, I serendipitously found this inspiring "It Gets Better" video from 2015, featuring USPTO Director Michelle K. Lee and openly LGBT employees in the USPTO.]

"“Do not let the bullies of the world distract you from the commitment to achieve your fullest potential,’ says USPTO Director Michelle K. Lee in this video featuring stories from our employees, “It does get better.”"

Why ‘Star Trek’ was so important to Martin Luther King Jr.; Washington Post, 9/8/16

Elahe Izadi, Washington Post; Why ‘Star Trek’ was so important to Martin Luther King Jr. :

"Then, she broke the news to him that she was quitting the show. His smile faded, Nichols recalled later, as he firmly told the actress that she couldn’t leave “Star Trek.”

“He said, ‘Don’t you understand what this man [Roddenberry] has achieved? For the first time on television, we will be seen as we should be seen every day, as intelligent, quality, beautiful people who can sing and dance, yes, but who can go into space, who can be lawyers and teachers, who can be professors — who are in this day, yet you don’t see it on television until now,'” Nichols recalled in a later interview.

He went on: “Gene Roddenberry has opened a door for the world to see us. If you leave, that door can be closed. Because, you see, your role is not a black role, it’s not a female role. He can fill it with anything, including an alien.”...

Nichols stayed on the show, and said she never regretted that life-altering decision. She went on to help NASA recruit new astronaut candidates, many of whom were women and people of color."

Campuses Cautiously Train Freshmen Against Subtle Insults; New York Times, 9/6/16

Stephanie Saul, New York Times; Campuses Cautiously Train Freshmen Against Subtle Insults:

"The exchange was included in Ms. Marlowe’s presentation to recently arriving first-year students focusing on subtle “microaggressions,” part of a new campus vocabulary that also includes “safe spaces” and “trigger warnings.”

Microaggressions, Ms. Marlowe said, are comments, snubs or insults that communicate derogatory or negative messages that might not be intended to cause harm but are targeted at people based on their membership in a marginalized group."

On Being a Black Female Math Whiz During the Space Race; New York Times, 9/5/16

Cara Buckley, New York Times; On Being a Black Female Math Whiz During the Space Race:

"Christine Darden, now 73 and retired, had worked her way out of NASA’s computing pool to lead engineering research into sonic booms. Katherine Johnson, who recently turned 98, lives in a retirement home with her husband of 57 years, James A. Johnson, and is enjoying a recent surge of fame. She calculated rocket trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo missions, and last year President Obama personally awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her life’s work."

How history forgot the black women behind Nasa’s space race; Guardian, 9/5/16

Emine Saner, Guardian; How history forgot the black women behind Nasa’s space race:

"In 1940, [Margot Lee Shetterly] points out in her book, Hidden Figures, just 2% of black women got a university degree and more than half became teachers. But a few defied all expectations and obstacles and joined Naca (the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which would become Nasa). Their work underpinned some of the biggest advances in aeronautics, during some of the most defining moments of the 20th century – the second world war, the cold war, the space race, the civil rights movement, and the adoption of electronic computing.

While some of this generation of female black scientists were recognised – in 2015, Katherine Johnson was awarded the US’s highest civilian honour, the Presidential medal of freedom for her work, which included calculations that helped the moon landing – the fact that there was a crack team of all-female, all-black maths whizzes is largely unknown."

Flame Con 2016: PRIDE & The X-Men with CHRIS CLAREMONT Panel; Newsarama, 9/2/16

C.K. Stewart, Newsarama; Flame Con 2016: PRIDE & The X-Men with CHRIS CLAREMONT Panel:

"Geeks OUT’s second annual LGBTQ pop culture event Flame Con boasted an expansive line-up of guests this year, but perhaps none with as storied a career and comics legacy as Chris Claremont. Claremont joined Superwoman's Phil Jimenez, Silk’s Tana Ford, and Flame Con director Josh Siegel for an hour-long discussion of his life, influences, and his iconic X-Men runs, particularly on New Mutants - a series that has resonated deeply with LGBTQ fans throughout the years."

Professor's Response to Twitter Slur Goes Viral; Inside Higher Ed, 8/30/16

Inside Higher Ed; Professor's Response to Twitter Slur Goes Viral:

[Kip Currier: Reading this story about Prof. Eric Mendenhall conjured up for me the memorable "When they go low, we go high" maxim from First Lady Michelle Obama's 2016 DNC speech.]

"The fall semester has just started but Eric Mendenhall, an assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Alabama at Huntsville, already has schooled the Twitterverse on how to shut down slurs. Mendenhall said a student who had just followed him on Twitter posted that "My genetics teachers is a faggot." Believing the comment to be about him, the professor had this to say..."

Safe Spaces, Trigger Warnings And The University Of Chicago; On Point, WBUR, 8/31/16

[Podcast] On Point, WBUR; Safe Spaces, Trigger Warnings And The University Of Chicago:

"The University of Chicago is the latest school to push back against trigger warnings and safe spaces. We’ll look at the debate over political correctness on campus.

Guests

Stephanie Greene, senior at the University of Chicago, majoring in English. President of the Organization of Black Students. Member of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Student Advisory Committee. (@all_worn_out)

Cosmo Albrecht, junior at the University of Chicago, majoring in public policy. Community and government liaison for the University of Chicago student government. Member of the student group, "Chicago Student Action." (@cosmo730)

Charles Lipson, professor of political science at the University of Chicago. (@Charles_Lipson)

Jonathan Chait, staff writer for New York magazine. (@jonathanchait)"

I’m a black UChicago graduate. Safe spaces got me through college.; Vox, 8/29/16

Cameron Okeke, Vox; I’m a black UChicago graduate. Safe spaces got me through college. :

"UChicago should know that trigger warnings and safe spaces exist to give those with firsthand experience a way to engage without sacrificing their well-being or safety. This accessibility is the key to a truly open marketplace of ideas and an essential pillar of academic freedom. Recklessly painting trigger warnings and safe spaces as enemies to academic freedom will only make UChicago a more hostile environment for marginalized first-years.

Being diverse isn't easy and our diversity ain’t free. Don’t let us in if you can’t make room for us."

"Alphabet"; Bizarro, 8/31/16

Dan Piraro, Bizarro; "Alphabet"

A Hero For The Arts And Sciences: Upcoming Marvel Covers Promote STEAM Fields; NPR, 8/28/16

Jason Slotkin, NPR; A Hero For The Arts And Sciences: Upcoming Marvel Covers Promote STEAM Fields:

"Readers may notice that Marvel's tapped a diverse field of heroes for the covers — characters Riri Williams and Moongirl are African-American, and Spiderman Miles Morales is of Hispanic and African-American descent — all working in fields in which educators and officials say women and minorities are underrepresented.

"The media literally shapes what people aspire to be," said Virginia Booth Womack, president of the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates.

Womack also oversees recruitment and retainment efforts for students from underrepresented communities at Purdue University's College of Engineering. She says part of getting students to feel like they belong involves seeing people who look like them engaged in their field, in their own communities and the wider culture."

Colin Kaepernick protest has 49ers fans burning their jerseys; Washington Post, 8/28/16

Cindy Boren, Washington Post; Colin Kaepernick protest has 49ers fans burning their jerseys:

"Kaepernick’s team spoke of the symbolism of the anthem while also pointing out that Kaepernick’s protest was in keeping with “such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression.” His coach, Chip Kelly, supported his right to protest.

The NFL, in a statement, said that players are “encouraged but not required” to stand for the anthem and O’Connor, among others, defended Kaepernick, writing: “This is what American servicemen and women have defended here and abroad — Kaepernick’s right to sing the national anthem at the top of his lungs, and to refuse honor it altogether. As long as he’s not interfering with his teammates’ right to make their own red, white and blue choices, what’s the problem here?”"

Vintage posters of America's national parks – in pictures; Guardian, 8/26/16

Sarah Gilbert, Guardian; Vintage posters of America's national parks – in pictures:

"A collection of posters created to promote tourism to the national parks is part of the creative legacy of the New Deal developed by Franklin D Roosevelt. Between 1938 and 1941, the Works Progress Administration and its Federal Arts Project designed a series of artworks promoting, and inspired by, the landscapes and wildlife of the parks. The collection is housed in the Library of Congress"

The alt-right attacks sci-fi: How the Hugo Awards got hijacked by Trumpian-style culture warriors; Salon, 8/23/16

Amanda Marcotte, Salon; The alt-right attacks sci-fi: How the Hugo Awards got hijacked by Trumpian-style culture warriors:

"Since 1955, the Hugos have been awarded through a fairly straightforward process: Members of the World Science Fiction Convention nominate and then vote on their favorites in a variety of categories. Past winners have included luminaries like Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Connie Willis, Robert Heinlein and George R.R. Martin.

That all changed two years ago, when a group of conservative sci-fi fans and writers, believing that sci-fi had been taken over by “social justice warriors” who supposedly emphasize diversity and progressive themes over quality, revolted and set out to take over the Hugos so that the nominees and winners were whiter, more male, and more conservative.

Two overlapping groups of conservatives — deeming themselves the Sad Puppies (more standard conservatives) and the Rabid Puppies (more alt-right and white supremacist) — began publishing suggested ballots, prior to the Hugo nominations, so that their people could vote for finalists as a bloc and crowd all other potential nominees off the ballot. Collectively, they are known as the Puppies, a choice which not coincidentally makes them sound cuter and sweeter than a nest full of reactionaries and outright bigots has any right to sound."

Students Won the Campus Culture War; Daily Beast, 8/23/16

Lizzie Crocker, Daily Beast; Students Won the Campus Culture War:

"As of December 2015, students at roughly 80 schools nationwide had submitted lists of demands to their universities: calls for new deans and presidents, more globalized curricula at liberal arts colleges, and school-endorsed “safe spaces” for minority groups, among other things.

Many universities and colleges have attempted to assuage students—and right the wrongs of history—by abandoning symbols and traditions with ties to racism, colonialism, and slavery...

Indeed, a number of liberal arts schools have developed new diversity and inclusion initiatives in response to protests by the “Firebrand Generation”—a nickname, coined the New Yorker’s Nathan Heller, for today’s politically restive students.

As the new school year begins, it’s clear that universities are bending to student activists’ forcefully stated will.

These students have won many small and large battles against old-school institutions, sometimes refusing to eat until their vilified college leaders resigned. Do not expect students’ demands for change to die down anytime soon.

Here’s our guide to the most high-profile student protests over the last year—and how school administrations are heeding their calls for change."

Trolls Will Save The World; Breitbart, 8/20/16

Milo, Breitbart; Trolls Will Save The World:

"A warped currency today governs popular culture. Instead of creativity, talent and boldness, those who succeed are often those who can best demonstrate outrage, grievance and victimhood. Even conservatives are buying into it. Witness, in the days since Breitbart executive chairman Stephen K. Bannon was announced as Donald Trump’s campaign manager, how establishment stooges have bought into the worst smear-tactics of the left. As with the left, nothing is evaluated on its quality, or whether it’s factually accurate, thought-provoking or even amusing: only whether it can be deemed sexist, racist or homophobic.

Campuses are where the illness takes its most severe form. Students running for safe spaces at the slightest hint of a challenge to their coddled worldview. Faculties and administrations desperately trying to sabotage visits from conservative speakers (often me!) to avoid the inevitable complaints from tearful lefty students.

In this maelstrom of grievance, there is one group boldly swimming against the tide: trolls.

Trolling has become a byword for everything the left disagrees with, particularly if it’s boisterous, mischievous and provocative. Even straightforward political disagreement, not intended to provoke, is sometimes described as “trolling” by leftists who can’t tell the difference between someone who doesn’t believe as they do and an “abuser” or “harasser.”...

...I believe there’s one environment where trolls have yet to fully penetrate, and where they could make all the difference: the university campus.

This is the epicenter of the feelings-focused, danger-phobic, coddling culture described by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff in their viral Atlantic essay. This is where the disease starts, adopts its most virulent form, and then spreads itself out, diluted, to the rest of society. This is the place where the doctrine of political correctness is freshest, and also where its adherents are at their most fragile. This, more than anywhere else, is where we need to see frog memes."

Black woman inundated with racist abuse while tweeting for @Ireland; Guardian, 8/22/16

Bonnie Malkin, Guardian; Black woman inundated with racist abuse while tweeting for @Ireland:

"A black British woman who was chosen to tweet from the @ireland account for a week has been subjected to a barrage of racist abuse, forcing her to take a break from Twitter.

Michelle Marie took over the account – which is curated by a different Twitter user in Ireland each week – on Monday. She introduced herself as a mother, blogger and plus-size model.

Originally from Oxford in England, she wrote she had settled in Ireland and “it has my heart”.

However, just hours after taking over the profile – which is followed by nearly 40,000 people – the abuse began."

If US national parks are to continue to thrive they must reflect the diversity of our population; Guardian, 8/21/16

James Edward Mills, Guardian; If US national parks are to continue to thrive they must reflect the diversity of our population:

"As the NPS celebrates its 100th anniversary this week, the idea of public land for everyone to enjoy is the basis of a new vision of environmental conservation to carry us through the next 100 years. Though rival candidates in our presidential election debate the many social issues which drive us apart, too often along racial and socio-economic lines, I am optimistic for the power of nature to bring us together, despite our differences, as a united people. The Next 100 Coalition, led by national park advocate Audrey Peterman, aims to raise awareness about making our natural spaces more accessible and inviting for all people, regardless of race or ethnicity, to enjoy. The Next 100 Coalition includes a variety of different organisations, including Outdoor Afro, a community network with leaders in 28 states, which promotes positive experiences in nature for African-American families...

In the next century of national park conservation, the coalition insists that we must acknowledge the contributions of African-American, Latino, Asian and Native American explorers and adventurers. Matthew Henson (it is the 150th anniversary of his birth is this week) was a black man from Baltimore, Maryland, who, with Robert Peary, was the first person to reach the North Pole in 1909. And Walter Harper, a native Athabaskan of Alaska, was the first to reach the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America, in 1913. We have to inspire young people from all backgrounds to pursue study that will expand their knowledge and love of the natural world and preserve it into the future."

How The U.S. Navy Named a Ship After Harvey Milk To Show Its LGBT Pride; Daily Beast, 8/20/16

Lizzie Crocker, Daily Beast; How The U.S. Navy Named a Ship After Harvey Milk To Show Its LGBT Pride:

"“It’s important to remember and honor naval heroes—sailors and marines who have sacrificed so much for America,” [Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus] said. “But it’s also important to recognize and honor those who have fought in a different way and sacrificed… those who have fought for the ideals that we cherish as a nation: justice, equality, and freedom.”

Under his leadership, the Navy has now created a new naming convention (in January, Mabus named the first ship in this new class of command replenishment vessels after John Lewis, the Georgian politician and civil rights activist).

“My uncle always told me that it poisoned the soul to have to lie about or hide who you were,” [Stuart Milk, Harvey’s nephew and leader of the Harvey Milk Foundation] said, recalling how his uncle gave him a book in 1972, Seven Arrows, about Native Americans when Stuart was 12 and not yet out of the closet.

“He told me that my authenticity and the fact that I felt different from everyone else was important, and he wrote in the front, ‘All of your differences are the medicine that the world needs, even when the world doesn’t recognize that.’ I think the USNS Harvey Milk can telegraph that message to the world.”"

This couple didn’t tip their Latina server. They left a hateful message instead.; Washington Post, 8/21/16

Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post; This couple didn’t tip their Latina server. They left a hateful message instead. :

"About that time, John Elledge walked into the restaurant. He’d heard that the people who wrote the nasty message to Sadie were back and marched to the restaurant to meet them face to face.

“We didn’t talk much,” Elledge told The Post.” She was mad that I posted it … the guy, he was being really belligerent.”

” … She was asking me why I posted it,” Elledge said. “I said obviously, it was an insult — your signature against my granddaughter — darn right I’m going to post it. And no apologies.”"

U.S. swimmer ignites interest in unusual chest condition; KPNX, 8/19/16

Pete Scholz, KPNX; U.S. swimmer ignites interest in unusual chest condition:

"It was June 2016, right after Cody Miller, 24, qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. It was then he shared with the world what he had been dealing with for the past 10 years or so...

Doctors told Miller his breathing was likely reduced by as much as 20 percent. ASU student Michael Mihuc had a similar experience as a young teenager...

Miller inspired many, many people to not let pectus slow them down, and the same could be said for Mihuc. He's gone back to school to become a doctor to help patients who are also dealing with this tough condition."

Rendell: USA shows off its wonderfully diverse athletes at Olympics; Philly.com, 8/19/16

Ed Rendell, Philly.com; Rendell: USA shows off its wonderfully diverse athletes at Olympics:

"The first thing I noticed about our team was that there were more women than men (292 to 263). Then it quickly became apparent that our team was more diverse than ever before, as fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad - the first Muslim-American Olympian to compete wearing a hijab - was part of the contingent. As the games unfolded, that diversity became even more apparent...

As the Olympics draw to a close, America is again proving its greatness when it comes to sports. We have won nearly twice as many medals as our nearest competitor, China. Our team is diverse, inclusive and encompasses Americans from every region of our country and from every possible background.

While I have enjoyed all of the success the team has had, perhaps the most enjoyable part of the Olympics for me is learning about all of the incredible life stories and backgrounds of our athletes. Though we still have problems, we are a great country with great people, and our diversity is one of the most important things that makes us great.

CC: Donald Trump"

LOOK: MARVEL HONORS MATHS, SCIENCES & OTHER EDUCATION WITH STEAM-THEMED VARIANTS; Comic Book Resources, 8/19/16

Andrew Paul, Comic Book Resources; LOOK: MARVEL HONORS MATHS, SCIENCES & OTHER EDUCATION WITH STEAM-THEMED VARIANTS:

"It might be obvious, but in addition to being superheroes, many Marvel Comics characters are major book worms. Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Tony Stark -- the list goes on and on. Embracing this fact and promoting education, Marvel has announced special STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) themed variant covers for a handful of titles this November."

NBA Rewards New Orleans’ LGBT Tolerance With All-Star Game Selection; Huffington Post, 8/19/16

Daniel Marans, Huffington Post; NBA Rewards New Orleans’ LGBT Tolerance With All-Star Game Selection:

"The NBA announced Friday that the 2017 All-Star Game will take place in New Orleans, in a move that has been interpreted as a nod to Louisiana’s relatively tolerant attitude toward LGBT people...

Silver did not explicitly mention LGBT tolerance in Friday’s statement. The NBA had originally planned to hold next year’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, North Carolina, but withdrew the city’s selection in July in protest of North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law...

“By moving the 2017 All-Star Game to New Orleans, the NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver have sent a clear message to lawmakers in North Carolina and across the country that discrimination against LGBTQ people has consequences and will not be tolerated,” Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement."

Federal Judge: Religious Liberty Includes a Right to Fire LGBTQ Employees; Slate, 8/18/16

Mark Joseph Stern, Slate; Federal Judge: Religious Liberty Includes a Right to Fire LGBTQ Employees:

"It finally happened.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Sean F. Cox found that Hobby Lobby’s broad guarantee of “religious freedom” to businesses exempts religious employers from the federal ban on workplace sex discrimination. Cox ruled that, under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, for-profit corporations may claim a legal right to fire employees for being transgender. His decision marks the first time a court has used Hobby Lobby’s holding to abridge LGBTQ employees’ rights under nondiscrimination law—an extension of “religious liberty” that anti-LGBTQ advocates insisted would never occur...

Cox’s decision, then, will almost certainly be overturned. But it is still a useful reminder of Hobby Lobby’s power in the hands of anti-LGBTQ judges. There’s a reason states rushed to pass mini-RFRAs in Hobby Lobby’s wake: A right-leaning judiciary can always cite “religious liberty” to abridge others’ rights, and LGBTQ people are usually first on the chopping block. For years, conservative activists have sworn that the new campaign for religious freedom is not a Trojan horse designed to legalize anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Judge Cox just proved them wrong."

Tony Perkins blamed gay people for God's wrath. His house was swept away; Guardian, 8/18/16

John Paul Brammer, Guardian; Tony Perkins blamed gay people for God's wrath. His house was swept away:

"In a 2015 interview with Messianic Jewish pastor Jonathan Cahn, Perkins agreed that Hurricane Joaquin, a devastating storm that hit the Bahamas last year, was “a sign of God’s wrath”, punishment for abortion and for the legalization of same-sex marriage...

“This is a flood of near-biblical proportions,” Perkins said on his radio show. “We had to escape from our home Saturday by canoe. We had about 10 feet of water at the end of our driveway. Our house flooded, a few of our cars flooded.” Thankfully, none of his family was harmed.

You could be forgiven for thinking of this as some kind of twisted justice, or at least as a delicious bit of divine irony.

I’ve been out of the closet long enough that Perkins’ words don’t affect me anymore, but I remember what it was like to read them when I first came out in rural Oklahoma, before same-sex marriage was legalized and before I had other gay people supporting me. It was incredibly painful. It was a reminder of the thing that had kept me in hiding for so long: we are so misunderstood. We are so hated.

But to react with glee to news of Perkins’ plight – to regard it as comeuppance or karma – would, though tempting, be to engage in the toxic one-dimensional thinking that I loathe in the religious right...

I wish Tony Perkins hadn’t spent so much of his life squarely positioning himself against my thriving and that of my community. I wish Tony Perkins didn’t think of hurricanes and floods as God’s wrath. But I don’t wish harm on him. He’s a person.

My hope is that the flood makes Perkins reflect on his past statements. I hope that he contemplates whether or not his actions have truly been Christian.

Tony Perkins and I disagree over whether God sends storms to punish people. I don’t believe that. But if in these events he sees a sign from above to humble himself, I hope he heeds it."

White Male Privilege Is Why We Laugh At Lochte And Vilify Douglas; Huffington Post, 8/18/16

Emma Gray, Huffington Post; White Male Privilege Is Why We Laugh At Lochte And Vilify Douglas:

"It didn’t take long for people to point to the cognitive dissonance between the compassionate, light-hearted response to Lochte, Bentz, Conger and fourth swimmer Jimmy Feigen’s drunken actions, and the widespread online vilification gymnast Gabby Douglas experienced just a week prior.

Douglas, who is just 20 years old, failed to put her hand on her heart during the national anthem, and did not style her hair and/or face to every individual’s liking. For those “crimes,” she was widely criticized for being “disprespectful,” “unpatriotic” and “un-American,” and called words that we’d rather not repeat in this piece. Lochte and friends reportedly defiled a gas station restroom, fought with a security officer, lied to national news sources, and may have filed a false police report. And the four of them get to be framed as talented “kids” (reminder: Lochte is 32) having one debaucherous night of fun.

The vast gap between these two public perceptions has everything to do with the identities of the people involved. Lochte is a straight, white man, who has long been beloved for his pretty face, doofy personality and charmingly slow demeanor during interviews. Douglas is a young, black woman who has battled racialized critiques of her appearance and attitude for years, despite winning three Olympic gold medals."

Recruiting Leslie Jones May Have Been a Cynical Move for NBC, But Damn Is She Making Their Coverage Better; Slate, 8/18/16

David Canfield, Slate; Recruiting Leslie Jones May Have Been a Cynical Move for NBC, But Damn Is She Making Their Coverage Better:

"In 2016, regular contributors on NBC’s Olympics team have shown little interest in departing from the network’s standard narratives. Inadvertently or not, their default styles of commentary have sometimes marginalized the accomplishments of American women, people of color, and LGBTQ people...

Jones, meanwhile, fixates on Biles’ pure athleticism. “She is … BAD,” she said, awestruck, after watching Biles win a gold medal. “Whew! She’s a flipper.” (She also shrieked at full force during one of Biles’ routines.) And she has similarly applauded the skills of Gabby Douglas—Biles’ Gold Medal-winning predecessor. Her enthusiasm is boundless: “Michael Phelps is a BEAST!” she yelled after seeing Phelps take gold. Amid a lineup of cookie-cutter correspondents in Rio, her passion is contagious, her style uniquely candid. She’s a perfect proxy for the rest of us watching the games at home. Since arriving in Rio, she has been delivering NBC’s messages with the kind of authenticity and energy that the network had been otherwise unable to muster. She relays genuine interest in every event. She gives “harmless nationalism” some spike."

Sexism in Olympics Coverage; New York Times, August 2016

[Video] Natalia V. Osipova and Katie Rogers, New York Times; Sexism in Olympics Coverage