Getting away with Mass Murder
1. Years ago a student offered her honest assessment of a Social Justice class I taught: “You know, the work load in your class is overwhelming…and I tell all my friends that they have to…
A Brief History of Conscience against Empire
Bartolomé de las Casas was asleep And then he woke up Sophie Scholl was asleep And then she woke up Daniel Ellsberg was asleep And then he woke up Waking up Can cause you trouble…
Hospitality
He was an extremely smart and humble guy In the same class as my older brother and cousins He went to the University of Chicago Dropped out after a semester He then made his way…
J. A. Topf & Sons
Someone had an idea Someone mentioned it to a colleague Someone sent a memo to the higher-ups Someone gathered a group of movers and shakers Someone got the engineers on board Someone set production goals
I Know the Richest Person on Earth
1. In our Intercultural Studies class today Mariah, Ta’mare, and Rachel read the following stanzas Of “Our True Heritage” by Thích Nhất Hạnh: The cosmos is filled with precious gems. I want to offer a…
DIY
You have to write your own history, nobody’s going to do it for you. Allen Ginsberg
Present Moment, Only Moment
One day last fall Dianne told me on the phone “I think Hedy is dying of pancreatic cancer” I didn’t believe it But in any case All there was to do that day Was to…
Evangelistas
In The Book of Mev, there are 4 Gospels: The Gospel according to Ilza The Gospel according to Maria Goreth The Gospel according to Ann The Gospel according to Mev
Two Teachers
For two of my teachers I give thanks: Cao Ngoc Phuong Khuu Vinh Ngoc Thuy I first read Phuong’s autobiography Learning True Love: How I Learned & Practiced Social Change in Vietnam When it was…
The Delight of Short Chapters
That is why I want to use short chapters, each with verselike heading, and very many such chapters; slowly, deeply, moodily unfolding the moody story and its long outreaching voyage into strange space. And to…