presentation on occupation of palestine

http://www.annainthemiddleeast.com/

Posting this from email:

ANNA BALTZER TO SPEAK ON PALESTINE:

Jewish American scholar and Palestine solidarity activist Anna Baltzer is returning to Columbia. As those who attended her talk in May know, Anna, author of “Witness in Palestine: Journal of a Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories,” through her photography and story-telling, puts a human face on the situation confronted today by the Palestinians. She offers an insightful and compelling look at life under occupation, and a powerful critique of the actions of Israel and its sponsor the United States.

Anna will be giving three public Columbia presentations, thanks to the organizing efforts of our good friend Jeff Stack of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

* On Monday, October 23rd at 7:30 pm in the Ellis Library auditorium on the MU campus;

* On Tuesday, October 24th at 7:00 pm in Charters Auditorium located in the Dudley-Walter Halls on the Stephens College campus; and then

* On Wednesday, October. 25th, in the Islamic Center, at Locust and 5th St. A socializing time will begin there at 6:30 pm followed by her talk at 7:00. She will also speak on a few different radio talk shows and in classrooms across mid-Missouri (details forthcoming).

The events, free and open to the public, are sponsored by the Columbia Peace Coalition, including Peaceworks, the Stephens College Women's Studies Program, UMC Peace Studies program, Boone Tikkun, Islamic Center of Central Missouri and the Muslim Student Organization. Anna’s website is www.annainthemiddleeast.com. For more information call 449-4585 or 875-0539.

I saw the presentation tonight and it was quite interesting particularly because little is heard about Palestinians unless of course it is about violence and attempts to make these individuals look like nothing more than crazed & terrorists. What I especially appreciated is that this presentation was given by someone who is 1) American and 2) Jewish and because of this she has been met with comments about how her stance against Israeli occupation of Palestine is 'anti-Semitic' or 'self hate.' She didn't seem to be someone ashamed of being Jewish. She did make a point, however, to distinguish 'Jewish' from 'Israeli' from 'Zionist' which may be sometimes - inappropriately & incorrectly - used synonymously.

Anyway, I think it's well worth seeing.

-Monique

drumming up support for kopn

Drumming Up Support for KOPN

I don't have a show or work with KOPN, but my friends have a show on Saturday night/Sunday morning from 2-5 am: Mystery Science Radio 3000. Because of this, and because I really like the variety on KOPN, I wanted to post this here.

KOPN is currently having a pledge drive until the 20th of October (Friday). This pledge money aids in maintaining the radio station, equipment, etc.

The current goal is $75,000 and I believe they are at about 40% of their goal. Meeting this goal in the fall/winter drives will allow them to cancel the pledge drive in the springtime so that the programming can go uninterrupted (that is, without mention of the pledge drive).

According to the site, "As a special incentive you will be automatically entered to win a trip to the BBC."

Your pledge doesn't have to be much - a year ago I pledged $20 and this drive a bit more. Any bit really helps, I think.

If you're interested or for more information you can see:

the KOPN pledge form


Business Office - (573) 874-1139
Fax - (573) 499-1662
Studio line - (573) 874-5676
outside Columbia - 1-800-895-5676
Talk show call-in - (573) 443-8255 (443-TALK)

or visit the KOPN website

Like I said, I'm not associated with KOPN but I do really appreciate community radio.

-Monique

heading south

Thursday, 5 of October: This night, I went with some colleagues to see Vers le sud. There was a criticism of the movie on IMDB that stands opposite to how I felt about the movie, so I will post it because I think it is an important critique -

One of those films that bit off more than it could chew. The subject could hardly be more challenging and raises multiple, complex issues : female sexuality, male prostitution, North- South relations. But the treatment somehow fails to tackle any of them convincingly. The film is surprisingly claustrophobic, most of it taking place in a "huit clos" atmosphere with mostly close-up and medium shots - this is presumably the director's choice, but the effect, as far as I was concerned, was to make it feel like one of those rather unsuccessful screen versions of stage plays. Much of the dialogue sounded thin and false to my ear. One good point - Karen Young's sensitive portrayal of Brenda. Charlotte Rampling did almost too well what was expected of her and the resultant performance is perhaps a trifle predictable.

One of the first things the user says is that none of these important issues are tackled, and I think that it is entirely true. However, when seeing the movie, I noticed immediately that the ones who are given more screen time and more of a voice are the women. I thought this in itself was a commentary - those whose opinions 'matter' or who are actually heard the most are those who were 1) White 2) were from a higher SES (comparatively).

The fact that the movie does not go deeper into the issues of Haiti is something that surprised me at first, because the movie - at least here - was advertised as one in which these women traveled to Haiti for an 'e(x/r)otic paradise' and discovered the socio-political instability of the area. It is true that it is revealed to us, and I think that those watching the movie, I hope, care about the suffering of these characters - but it becomes apparent to me that these women do not. That I think is a political commentary. These women are more concerned with their own physical and emotional satisfaction that at best they can only offer to these men a way out for the individuals, but they are not concerned with the lives of others on the island, whereas these men who are serving as their escorts and prostitutes are certainly concerned about the lives of their friends, family and acquaintances.

I think that there is a strong contrast between these women who have come to the island with the mindset "What I want and need" versus the prostitutes of the island who seem to have much more a communal mindset. It is not just about "my survival." To me, that is an issue of economics influencing cultural values and values influencing economy - and I think it is an issue that is very much present throughout the movie although not discussed explicitly.

This is certainly not a film one watches hoping that the characters will be transformed. These women are not here to start a revolution, they are here to orgasm and to feel loved. That happens throughout the movie - and I think it is very realistic and a very relevant commentary on the overall apathy of those individuals who are coming from the exploiting society.

As the user said on IMDB, the dialogue is a bit contrived. There is something stiff and contrived when Brenda is talking about her first sexual experience on the island. I guess I just hate the word "cock" and descriptions of sexual encounters always seem so - romance novel? They are generally very cheesy in the way I would expect from the fanfiction of a young kid, and the lines were corny in a way I didn't expect from a film. Brenda's interview stood out for me as one of the most disjointed interviews - it just didn't flow with the rest of the film because the lines were very awkward. I thought immediately about the movie 10 Things I Hate About You and the guidance counselor who was writing a trashy romance novel, and trust me when I say that that teen movie is never something I want to think about when watching this sort of politically fueled drama.

Overall: The movie was frustrating because the women gave me something too realistic - apathy. I liked it but it was like saying I enjoyed a slap in the face. It's awakening, and that's good, but it stings. Like I said, there were a few awkward parts in the film, but overall it was upsetting and frustrating enough to be considered worthwhile for having pulled those emotions from me.

-Monique

forever, you said forever

I haven't updated as often as I would have liked, but I have been especially busy this semester and I am happy to say that. I am enrolled in some wonderful classes with some especially bright and awe-inspiring professors.

Over the weekend, Paul & I traveled to St. Louis to see the wedding of my ex-roommate, Heather. She was marrying her long time partner, Shawn, and they looked so happy together. I really think that they are perfect for each other. Throughout the ceremony I thought about the times that she said she wasn't ready to think about love or marriage, and he was definitely the person who brought it all out of her. I'm really happy for them, but mostly I am really happy for her because she has been one of the most wonderful people I ever had the privilege of meeting and certainly one of my best roommates.

She threw the bouquet and for the record, I caught it. I don't think I have ever tried before to catch it at any wedding, and I am quite clumsy. Most of my friends can attest to this. I don't know what it was then, that helped me to catch it, because for a moment I felt like something pushed my feet up from the ground and it landed neatly in my hand. Heather looked at me and said "You're next." The guys stood on the sidelines looking at Paul.

The 18th of this month will be our three year anniversary. It is crazy to think about how things could have been so different. I think about the fact that I could have always fallen in love with someone who could not legally marry me. I think about my past relationships and how everything always fell through. I think about all the terms that I have used in order to describe myself, all of them socio-political, and I think about the consequences of being in a male-female relationship. It's all very interesting.

I think about all this, but I also think to myself that I have found someone I love very much.

-Monique