Nexus

Red Emma and crew read aloud words that some wish to suppress

Sometimes, things come together in surprising ways. For instance, today, DtB contributor and former Irvine Valley College adjunct Red Emma was among the organizers of a read-a-thon at UC Irvine to celebrate National Banned Books Week.

What’s that? Well, it’s “an event aimed at raising awareness about the importance of ensuring availability of those often unpopular books targeted for bans at many public and private schools.” Or so said the OC Reg (O.C. observes Banned Books Week).

As it turns out, OC is a book-banning hotspot! The Reg describes the many Neanderthalic episodes of book bannery (or near book bannery) in OC in recent years, including this incident in 2001:

[A] Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee wanted to bar high school students in Advanced Placement English classes from reading David Guterson's "Snow Falling on Cedars" and Isabel Allende's "Of Love and Shadows." Trustee Wendy Leece said they contained graphic sexual scenes; the award-winning novels were later OK'd in a 5-2 vote.

Wendy Leece? Why, that would be one of the hosts of Don Wagner’s “kick-off” campaign event tonight at the Balboa Bay Club! Don, the President of the SOCCCD board of trustees, is running for State Assembly. Don is the peevish fellow who, a few years ago, led the SOCCCD board in ending the colleges’ memberships in the American Library Association (ALA). They were, he said, a bunch of “liberal busybodies.”

But wait! Isn’t the ALA the very organization that is closely associated with National Banned Book Week? Yessireebob! Indeed, the Reg helpfully notes that “The American Library Association keeps … statistics of book challenges each year.”

All these connections! What do they mean? Not a goddam thing, I’m sure.

Red, aka Andrew, was interviewed by the Reg:

"A lot of these books appear on these 'hit parades' because they have naughty words or ideas many people don't like," said Andrew Tonkovich…. Tonkovich read from "The Bell Jar" from author Sylvia Plath.

"We just want to help people resist the foolishness of censorship and bans for many of these books," he said.

That’s our Red. Naughty words indeed.

Matt Coker on Don and Tom

The "Ronald Reagan Board Room"? What the F***?!

Looks like the OC Weekly’s Matt Coker has rediscovered our boy Don Wagner:

Don Wagner Kicks Off Assembly Bid With a Little Help From His Far-Out, Far-Right Friends.

And he ain’t happy.

Writes Matt,

Irvine's Don Wagner, the hard-core conservative president of the South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, kicks off his bid for state Assembly this evening with the help from one of the other hard-core conservatives on the college board's dais, "Chairman Emeritus of the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee" Tom Fuentes.

Wagner hopes to win the GOP nomination for the 2010 race for the Assembly seat currently filled by Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine)….

Among the conservative heavy hitters the Wagner campaign lists as supporters are: Chapman University law school dean John Eastman; Orange County Board of Education president Ken Williams; Williams' fellow trustee Alexandria Coronado; Irvine Values Coalition president Scott Peotter; and frequent state/municipal campaigner, OC Young Republican for life and newspaper columnist Jim Righeimer.

But it is Fuentes, the "Don Wagner for Assembly Campaign Kick-Off Party special guest and master of ceremonies," who will be tonight's star attraction.

After wreaking havoc for years as head honcho of the OC GOP, the dapper fancyman of Lake Forest was relieved of his command in favor of former Assemblyman Scott "Slime" Baugh. Fuentes landed an appointment to the South County college board when suspected Nazi sympathizer Steven J. Frogue resigned in 2000.



Less controversial than Frogue, who managed not only to bring out the worst in people but the worst people period, Fuentes has managed to rile several on the college district's two campuses, Saddleback and Irvine Valley community colleges.



He tried to stop the Spain study abroad program in 2005 after the European country's leaders withdrew soliders from the Bush Administration's Iraq War. Fuentes has also openly damned from his board seat faculty academic senates, campus worker unions and the college accreditation process.



Close board watchers say he has pledged undying support to divisive Chancellor and board toadie Raghu Mathur. Oh, and "the Lord," who former monastery enrollee and onetime Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange spokesman Fuentes frequently cites in quasi-sectarian board prayers and invocations. Wagner also referenced "the Lord" at the most recent board meeting. 


Can we get an amen from the chemistry lab?



Both Fuentes boy toys—that would be the Christ and the chancellor—got a run for their tidings during the Chancellor's Opening Session in August, when Mathur showed a video of images accompanied by the tune "God Bless the U.S.A." The collage ended with the words, "Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you—Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom."
 


The chancellor of what is ostensibly a public institution welcoming all faiths (or none at all) defended showing the video at the subsequent board meeting, and Fuentes and Wagner said nothing to indicate they were displeased with the spectacle.


Though generally more polished, sophisticated and affable than Fuentes, Wagner's run on the board since 1998 has also included some controversial moments, such as when he attacked the American Library Association as "liberal busybodies." The practicing attorney successfully persuaded his fellow board members to cease the colleges' memberships in the ALA.



Though the Wagner campaign website boasts about the candidate's courtroom acumen, he didn't display legal smarts after faculty members complained at a board meeting that Mathur and other trustees were violating their rights when Wagner essentially said, "So sue us." They did—and won in court.



Of course, that was taxpayer money Wagner was playing with, not a client's, so his campaign doesn't have to count it against him.

Speaking of non-brilliant plays, Wagner at first joined Fuentes in criticizing the college accrediting agency to the point where the district nearly lost accreditation, something that would have proved devastating for students attending schools aimed at feeding major colleges and universities. "To his credit, he regretted this and worked hard to satisfy the accreds in the end," a board watchdog said of Wagner. [That would be me. -RB]

By the by, you read that correctly above the photo of Wagner that began this post. What's supposedly a nonpartisan panel meets in something they've dubbed the "Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room." Amazing.

Wagner's Assembly campaign website says he decided to run after becoming "frustrated" like so many Californians watching California's elected leaders "recklessly" commit the state "to spending programs we can't afford while ignoring badly needed reforms in the management of fiscal affairs."

"But rather than sitting on the sidelines, and with the encouragement of friends and neighbors, Don has decided to do something about it," the site explains. "That is why Don Wagner is running to serve in the California State Assembly."

Sacramento needs the type of "conservative, fiscally responsible leadership" Wagner has demonstrated on the school board, boasts his site. Um . . . yeah.

His Assembly kick-off party is scheduled from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the patio at Duke's Place within the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach. Business attire, slicked-back hair and the tightest of underwear only, puh-leese.

And don't forget to pray. To the Lord! Sounds like we'd all better get used to that.

More on Don Wagner’s BBC “kick-off” event

Marcia, Dave, John, and Bill come out to support ASSEMBLY candidate DON!

Yesterday, Allan Bartlett of Red County reported on the 70th Assembly District race.

Evidently, early on, Tustin’s Jerry Amante announced his plan to run for the 70th AD (which includes Irvine and environs), but his efforts to raise money have been disappointing.

Republicans like Don Wagner and Irvine businessman Shawn Black saw their chance. But, according to Bartlett, Wagner “has the momentum … with his endorsement recently by the [OC Young Republicans], Atlas PAC, Tom Fuentes, and many other notable conservative activists in OC.”

In yesterday's post, Bartlett mention’s tonight’s event at the Balboa Bay Club with Tom Fuentes as MC. He adds a list of “hosts”:

Family Action PAC, O.C.Y.R’s, Mark Bucher, Tammy Bullard, Dr. Alexandria Coronado, John Dodd, John Eastman, Jeremy Gray, Matt Harper, Bill Hewitt, David Lang, Hon. Wendy Leece, Lee Lowrey, Hon. Mike McGill, Marcia Milchiker, Kevin Muldoon, Scott Peotter, Atlas Pac, Jim Righeimer, Larry Smith, Serge Tomassian, Tim Whitacre, Hon. John Williams, Dr. Ken Williams, Phil Yarbrough

As you know, SOCCCD Trustee Bill Jay announced his support for Don at the September board meeting. Judging by the above list, trustees Marcia Milchiker, John Williams, and Dave Lang are on board, too.

And Bill Hewitt.

Admission is free. —“Hosted Cigars, No-Host Bar, and Music”

Note:

Back in 1993, Mark Bucher and Jim Righeimer (along with Frank Ury) fought for a school voucher initiative, which failed. After that, with money from Howard Ahmanson, Jr., the three founded Tustin's Education Alliance, a conservative "back to basics" group. In 1998, Ury, Righeimer, and Bucher authored the so-called “campaign reform initiative." You’ll recall that Proposition 226 would have required “all labor unions to obtain annual written permission from union members before allocating any dues for political action or political education efforts” (Cosmo Garvin).

Not long ago, at a board meeting, several trustees reported their attendance of an EA event. Don Wagner, evidently, is on EA's board.

Bill Hewitt, an IVC counselor, is an officer of the SOCCCD faculty union (Faculty Association/CCA/CTA).

Watch "silver tongue" Don in action

Hand sanitizer. Right.

Today, members of the campus community (at Irvine Valley College) received an email. It included a brief letter from IVC Police Chief Will Glen.

In the letter, Chief Glen reminds us that the college is drafting a plan to prepare for an outbreak of the Swine Flu. He offers some prevention advice from the CDC—cover your mouth, wash your hands, stay home if you’re ill—which, he explains, is displayed on posters all over campus.

Then comes the fun part:

we are issuing individual bottles of ‘hand sanitizer’ to each employee as a reminder to wash your hands.

I checked my mailbox and, sure enough, it contained a bottle of hand sanitizer.

It would be ridiculous to suppose that one can combat Swine Flu with bottles of hand sanitizer. But it is not ridiculous, I suppose, to offer these tokens as a reminder.

I guess.

I asked one of our scientists if the hand sanitizer works. “Yes,” she said, “but you’ve pretty much got to keep using it every time you touch anything.”

Oh.

Yeah, but it’s a reminder, a reminder to keep washing your hands. As I understand it, you’ve pretty much gotta keep doing that all day to do any good.

Hand-washing. I bet it would be more effective to wear a button that said, “Screw Swine Flu.”

Why always the silly gestures? I don't mean IVC and Swine Flu. I mean us, always, all the time.

“We cut 'em in half with a machine gun and give 'em a Band-Aid.”

"Nazi youth rally" at the Balboa Bay Club

Earlier today, I received an email from a reporter informing me that he had just received a press release concerning Don Wagner and Tom Fuentes. He joked that, according to the release, Fuentes is “hosting a ‘Wagner for Assembly’ Nazi youth rally at the Balboa Bay Club on Wednesday night.”

He asked me for some background on these two.

I mentioned all of this to Rebel Girl, who then found the following “upcoming event” listed at the OC Republican Party’s website:

Wednesday, 9/30/09

5:30 PM

Special Event

Campaign Kick-off Party For Don Wagner for Assembly

Featuring Special Guest Tom Fuentes, Chairman Emeritus, Republican Party Of Orange County

Where: Balboa Bay Club & Resort, Newport Beach

You are cordially invited to a campaign kick-off party for Don Wagner, candidate for State Assembly, with special guest and Master of Ceremonies Tom Fuentes, Chairman Emeritus of the Republican Party of Orange County. Reception will be held on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 5:30pm at the Balboa Bay Club on the patio at Duke's. To RSVP or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact Desiree at 949-794-7204 or desiree@dezandassociates.com.

This, of course, is further evidence that Don Wagner has sold his soul to the devil, aka Tom Fuentes. Nothing good can come of it. Frogs will soon fill the sky, pumpkin juice will replace the seas.

Rebel Girl also found this announcement:

Friday, 10/16/09
5:00 PM
Special Event
A Poolside Birthday Party Smoker
In Honor Of Tom Fuentes

Where: The Radisson Hotel, Newport Beach

You Are Cordially Invited To



A Poolside Birthday Party Smoker



In Honor Of



TOM FUENTES

Chairman Emeritus of the Republican Party of Orange County


Senior Fellow, The Claremont Institute



With Special Guests



BRUCE HERSCHENSOHN


Former California Republican Nominee for the United States Senate



And



SIR ELDON GRIFFITHS


Former Conservative Party Member of the House of Commons of the British Parliament



At The Opening Night Of The


2009 Western Conservative Political Action Conference 


...



The Radisson Hotel

...


Complimentary Cigars


No Host Bar


Music 


Regnery Books Door Prizes 


...


Attire: Business Casual



RSVP: conservative@westernCPAC.com

Rebel Girl's Poetry Corner: "burning the world to live in it is wrong"

If Rebel Girl were teaching this semester, rather than sabbatical-ing, she would probably share this poem in a creative writing class and fashion an assignment inspired from it, using a speech as the form and premise.

From the September 28 edition of The New Yorker:



A Speech to the Garden Club of America
by Wendell Berry

(With thanks to Wes Jackson and in memory of Sir Albert Howard and Stan Rowe.)

Thank you. I’m glad to know we’re friends, of course;

There are so many outcomes that are worse.

But I must add I’m sorry for getting here

By a sustained explosion through the air,

Burning the world in fact to rise much higher

Than we should go. The world may end in fire

As prophesied—our world! We speak of it

As “fuel” while we burn it in our fit

Of temporary progress, digging up

An antique dark-held luster to corrupt

The present light with smokes and smudges, poison

To outlast time and shatter comprehension.

Burning the world to live in it is wrong,

As wrong as to make war to get along

And be at peace, to falsify the land

By sciences of greed, or by demand

For food that’s fast or cheap to falsify

The body’s health and pleasure—don’t ask why.

But why not play it cool? Why not survive

By Nature’s laws that still keep us alive?

Let us enlighten, then, our earthly burdens

By going back to school, this time in gardens

That burn no hotter than the summer day.

By birth and growth, ripeness, death and decay,

By goods that bind us to all living things,

Life of our life, the garden lives and sings.

The Wheel of Life, delight, the fact of wonder,

Contemporary light, work, sweat, and hunger

Bring food to table, food to cellar shelves.

A creature of the surface, like ourselves,

The garden lives by the immortal Wheel

That turns in place, year after year, to heal

It whole. Unlike our economic pyre

That draws from ancient rock a fossil fire,

An anti-life of radiance and fume

That burns as power and remains as doom,

The garden delves no deeper than its roots

And lifts no higher than its leaves and fruits.

~

In-Goo we trust

Evidently, the Reg’s Gary Robbins is paid by the word. Tonight, he asks: Is it wise for Chapman to recruit aging star professors?

About two years ago, Chapman University recruited Vernon Smith, who’d won the Nobel Prize in economics. Last year, Chapman hired Yakir Aharonov, who has been named by Thomson Reuters as one of the seven most likely people to win the Nobel in physics this year….

Smith, 82, and Aharonov, 76, are still active, but they’re in the twilight of their long careers. Major research schools, like UC Irvine, rarely hire eminent figures who are over the age of 60….

We’d like to know what you think of Chapman’s recruiting practices.

Really? You wanna know?

Inside Higher Ed has a story today about political correctness: A Tale of Two Posters.

At Tufts University, … Two weeks ago, In-Goo Kwak, a freshman studying international relations and an immigrant from South Korea, put up a series of posters around his dormitory parodying the campaign poster of Alice Pang, another freshman of Asian descent who was running for the Tufts Community Union Senate. Kwak was not actually running for a student government position, but posted the parody next to Pang’s at the encouragement of his dorm mates….

Pang’s poster included the campaign slogan, “small person, big ideas,” with the exclamation “hurrah!” next to her portrait. Kwak’s parody poster looks strikingly similar in design to Pang’s and includes the slogan “squinty eyes, big vision.” Next to Kwak’s portrait is the word "kimchi!" – a traditional Korean dish. Additionally, where Pang's poster read "vote on Thursday," Kwak's said, “Prease vote me! I work reary hard!” in deliberately broken English….
…
“Though this was a satire of [Pang’s] poster, this was not a personal insult in any way,” Kwak said. “I thought it would be funny to satire the oppressive environment of political correctness at Tufts. I think it’s unhealthy that people feel afraid to express their views. One of the Asians on my hall saw the poster and showed it all over campus and eventually the director of the Asian American Center contacted me, but not one of the students who found this offensive contacted me directly. Instead, they had someone else do it.”

Linell Yugawa… did send an e-mail to the entire Tufts community denouncing Kwak's parody, which she called “racist.”

“Many Asian/Asian Americans and individuals of other racial backgrounds have been angered, hurt, and offended by these posters,” Yugawa wrote in a letter co-signed by directors of other groups at the university, such as the Latino Center and the LGBT Center. “The posters not only mocked an authorized campaign poster, but used negative and racist stereotypes that correlate with the discrimination and dehumanization of Asians. These posters go beyond affecting one individual or group, but offend all who have an understanding of how racist stereotypes impact our lives.
…
The Tufts administration had a more reserved response to the matter, preferring to let student groups facilitate the discussion Kwak’s poster has stirred.
…
Kwak … said that he has since apologized to Pang, explaining the purpose behind his poster, and that she graciously accepted his apology. Pang did not respond to requests for comment.
...
“People are so afraid to talk about this or to express their support of my poster because they’re afraid of getting in trouble with one of the groups on campus,” Kwak said. “And this is happening on a college campus, where people should be comfortable sharing their views. I mean, I was [comfortable]. I put my name on the poster in big letters. There’s this taboo against the discussion of racial issues. I’m not going to be afraid to talk about them, and I’m not going to back down.”….