Wednesday, July 30, 2008
“Anytown, simply put-- there’s nothing like it; but its more complex than that. If only I could tell you it’s possible that such great happiness, sadness, anger love and family can come from strangers within five days. Well I had this at Anytown. Anytown is the “Home away from Home” as Stated by Paul Miller. At Anytown, there were thoughts, ideas, beliefs, minds, and hearts are shared. To be honest with you, what caught me by surprise was the fact that it’s true. No matter whom you are, where you came from, what religion you believe in, it is Anytown where all of that ceases to exist; there is no judgment. I never knew such peace walked the earth. On the outer-walls of Anytown one is subject to hate, discrimination, racism, sexism and criticism. But no-- not at Anytown. It kept my heart alive to be able to see all of that fade away. For strangers who became family, to embrace one another with love rather than hate. It is that which is in need for the world’s survival. One of my dreams is for the entire world to experience Anytown not in a temporary setting, but a permanent one. In for those who believe dreams come true, we also share the belief that anything is possible especially at Anytown.
Much thanks and love to Bari Katz & Liz and to the rest of the Anytown family.”
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Thursday, February 14, 2008
A Voice of Change
Venkat Kausik, Anytown 2007 Delegate from Horace Mann High School reflects on his experience at our summer youth leadership program:
This summer, my advisor, Dr. Tischler, asked me if I wanted to attend a program called “Anytown.” The pamphlet said that it “promoted social justice and harmony,” and, thinking that that couldn’t be too bad, I decided to go.
About a month later, I found myself grumpily sitting on the bumpy Anytown bus, wondering why I hadn’t read the pamphlet more carefully. I had never even heard of Warwick, NY. I already had friendships with “people of diverse backgrounds.” As I got off the bus, I remembered my mom’s warning not to get too close to the campfire, and prepared myself for what I thought would be four boring, trite days without an I-pod.
Looking back, I marvel at just how absolutely wrong I was.
Although I had always thought myself to be an open person, at Anytown I first felt what it was like to be completely free of the prejudices of society. It was my first breath of fresh air- I was reborn; the slate was wiped clean and I learned what harmony truly meant. I made some of my best friends at Anytown, friends that I know I will be able to trust for the rest of my life.
Together, we talked about racism, sexism, ageism, classism, and homophobia. All of us were of unique ethnicities, yet as a group we celebrated all of our ethnicities for their uniqueness. We sang songs, we wrote poetry, we danced- well, I didn’t really dance that much, but that’s probably a good thing. Over dinner, before we went to bed, and when we woke up, we talked about combating oppression.
I came out of Anytown prepared to face the world and show them how dangerous prejudice was. How prejudice was responsible for so many of the world’s problems. It was not only my privilege, but my responsibility, to better my society now that I knew how.
Anytown made me see prejudice in myself and change it. It made me see prejudice in society and want to change it. And I believe that as long as I remember what I learned in Anytown, I will change it.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
"'A Colorblind Constitution': Ideal or Impossible?"
The United States Supreme Court ruled on June 28, 2007 that race cannot be used to assign students to public schools as a way of achieving or maintaining integration. In a 5-4 decision, the majority invalidated programs in Seattle and Louisville, Kentucky that used race as a factor in creating diverse learning environments. Justice Stephen Breyer, writing the dissent, declared that “this is a decision that the court and the nation will co me to regret.”
Little Rock Nine, 1957
Using the Brown vs. Board of Education decision of 1954, Chief Justice Roberts tried to use the argument made in that case to justify this decision stating that race should not play a role in assigning students to school at all, embracing the notion of a “colorblind constitution.” The lawyer in the Brown case who made this argument in 1954 (now a judge in New York City), said
“ All that race was used for at that point was the deny equal opportunity to black people… It’s to stand that argument on its head to use race the way [the court]
AP Photo/Ed Reinke; Louisvile, KY; 2007 uses it now.”
The issue that must be considered is the intent of how race is being used in the process of placing students in schools. The intent during the Brown decision was inclusion. The current decision by the Court overlooks the systemic problems that advantage some and disadvantage others in our society that continues to make race a factor in achieving integration in our schools. As Justice Stevens wrote in his dissent, the opinion "rewrites the history of one of this court’s most important decisions by ignoring the context in which it was issued...”
This Supreme Court decision places access and opportunity to pursue the “American dream” in jeopardy. One can assume that individuals and groups that have historically been denied access will continue to fall short, increasing the social and economic divide.
More information:
New York TImes Article on Supreme Court DecisionAtlanta Journal Constitution Article on Supreme Court and Race
