Note to the Parents of Southwestern College Students (Something to Think About Over the Thanksgiving Weekend)

This is addressed solely to those people who have children attending Southwestern College. I know some of you read this regularly. I also know some of your kids will make you read it (at least this one post).

...Sorry about that.

In the past few weeks, I've had a couple of conversations with parents who have children going to school there. In each case, the parents say they know their students have told them about the troubles at the school. But they've also heard - usually by reading the San Diego Union-Tribune, it must be noted - that President Raj K. Chopra denies these charges levied against him by the students and faculty members.

Just this week, I spoke with a man who is a respected member of the community. He told me that his child had told him about President Chopra's continued attempts to quell free speech, and about the student protest that Chopra dishonestly referred to as a "riot" that was inspired by several members of the teaching staff.

This man (who is, yes, remaining nameless) reported that it is hard to justify what his child told him with what Dr. Chopra continues to say, again and again and again.

He didn't say why, but I suppose I can understand. It is in a child's nature to lie to his or her parents. "No, I didn't break the window. No, I didn't take the car out. Yes, I did my homework."

As such, it's in a parent's nature to take what a child tells them with a grain of salt.

On the other hand, one expects people in authority to be honest. We expect that the president of the college the child attends to be honest. We need him to be honest.

Your son or daughter has likely told you that the students held a rally to protest budget cuts, and then decided to march on the president's office to be heard. They will tell you they (the students) met the police, spoke with them, and after half an hour or so, went their own way. No one was arrested, no one was harmed, and no one assaulted anyone in uniform.

Raj Chopra has said that members of the teaching staff incited a riot, by going on the microphone and urging the students to march. He has said that his students followed the professors, attacked the police, and threatened the safety of all and sundry on the campus. In fact, here he states (and I quote): "Then there was a faculty member who went on the microphone and said they should march with the students and incited them."

Parents, understand, that is not true.

Again, as I have said here and here, and in other places, I was present at the students' protest, and at the administration building when the police stopped the march. At no point did the professors incite the students to do anything, and at no point was there a riot.

I am no young student. I am a middle-aged man likely older than many of you parents reading this. I know some of you have wondered if what your children have told you is true, and I know that many of you assume that if the college president says it, it must be true.

Please stop. Raj Chopra has been dishonest about this situation from the beginning, and now he has no choice but to continue to do so. He has to continue to call this a riot, and to blame the professors, because if he admits to any of it being a lie, then his entire house of cards tumbles. He has more to lose than anyone - his position, his power, his pension, and his local prestige. Of course he'll do anything to keep that.

As SWC president, he has a voice in the media that no one else has. He is able to simply make a statement and to some members of the press (the Union-Tribune, for instance), it is true. For some readers, because it's in print, it's automatically true.

It's not. Listen to your children. They may likely tell you something different than the newspaper has. Listen. Because they're right.

Just a Few Things I'm Thankful For...

I'm going to keep this simple. In the United States, it's an often-overdone custom that we spend the Thanksgiving holiday being thankful for things and people close to us.

Though I often sneer at such remedial sentimentality, I am of a mindset this year to participate. I pledge to you that I shall not engage in mawkish silliness, or purposeful heartstring-tugging. No, I'll keep it simple, keep it honest, and keep it short. That last, to those of you who read this regularly, know that will be a blessing in and of itself.

I'm thankful to my family, my loved ones, my friends - both in real-life, and here. I see no reason to say more. They know how I feel. I'm thankful that I've had a chance to know, and like or love other friends and family who have passed on.

I'm thankful for the members of my writers' group, who have given me praise when I deserved it, and smacked me around when I needed it. I'm thankful for those of you who have done the same here and on the Annex.

I'm thankful for the faculty and students of Southwestern College, who continue to stand up to a a dishonest, shameless administration. I'm also thankful for their parents who have joined the fight, the members of the public who are standing up to be heard, and for political movers-and-shakers who are disgusted with that whole lot on the Board, and in the President's office.

I'm thankful we live in a country that is, despite the best interest of certain conservative special-interest groups, is beginning to tolerate those that are different; is starting to respect those with intelligence and education; and is attempting to regain its respected place on the world's stage.

I'm thankful that we live in a country where I can say these things whenever I want, and outside of a few psychotic right-wing nut jobs, no one gets angry at me for saying it.

I'm thankful we live in a world full of miracles, where we can communicate with each other across long distances, and read each others' silly thoughts and ideas.

Thank you. Thank you, all of you.