More proof of indoctrination at U.H.

In Friday, Nov. 7, 2003 edition of Ka Leo, another student gave a testimony about the left wing indoctorination at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This student ,Chauntelle Alarie, a junior majoring in Political Science, gave this testimony in response to Stuart Hayashi's great letter and also indirectly in response to Tobin Jones angry letter against me.

And one more thing before you read the letter, I have never heard of Chauntelle Alarie before that letter was printed. Either way, here's her letter

Letters to the Editor

November 07, 2003

Student voice stunted
Stuart Hayashi's, "Keep off-topic rants out of the classroom," really hit the nail on the head. Students pay this university to provide them with professors to teach information in their field, not profess opinions on out of class topics. When I was a freshman at this university five years ago, an incident similar to the abuse of power described by Hayashi happened to me (just in a different form).

My problem occurred in English 100. My class was told to write an opinion paper on any subject that we desired. I selected why Bill Clinton deserved to be impeached. I wrote all my reasons and the explanations for my beliefs. Proud of my work, I gave the paper to my professor. Apparently, my professor did not like my opinion on the subject. When my essay was returned, there were red words scribbled on every margin of every page and even on the free space on the last page.

I could not believe how poor my grammar skills were until I read what was written in that terrible red ink. The writing covering my paper were not corrections, they were my professor's opinions of why I was wrong to think the way I did about my topic. My professor wrote that my views were ridiculous and without merit. This professor could not believe I had the nerve to assign blame solely on the shoulder's of Bill Clinton and not Monica Lewinsky. I did not know what to make of the situation so I assumed my professor was simply engaging in some "friendly" debate.

The next incident that occurred changed my mind. I cannot recall what the topic of our essay was supposed to be, but I do remember the professor asking the students in class for their topic choices. When I was called, I said, "Abortion." Instead of moving on to the next student, my professor asked if I was going to be writing from a pro-choice or pro-life perspective. Stupidly, I responded with my true feelings on the subject and stated I was pro-life. The next thing I knew, my professor started accusing me of depriving women of choice and that I was probably just religious.

Then the professor called on three girls who raised their hands. She proceeded to allow the women to tell me I was wrong and could only think the way I did because religious people were against abortion and I must be religious. The only thing I was allowed to blurt out was that I was not religious. I was not afforded the ability to express my reasons for being pro-life before the professor decided it was time for the next student's topic choice. I walked out of that room knowing I would not write my paper on abortion and feeling embarrassed because everyone in the class probably thought I was some religion freak.

To the guy who acts as if some professors do not press their ideologies on students in classrooms, my letter is just more proof of a disturbing trend that has infected universities nationwide. You may say this story is false, but one thing remains true. There are many students at this university who are afraid to express their true opinions for fear of a professor's ability to ruin a stellar GPA.

Chauntelle Alarie
Junior
Political Science

Now my response to this letter

Alarie said Stuart Hayashi's, "Keep off-topic rants out of the classroom," really hit the nail on the head. Students pay this university to provide them with professors to teach information in their field, not profess opinions on out of class topics.

My response : Boo-ya! Amen! Bingo! This is the exact point I was trying to make in my recent editorial for which Tobin Jones gave me a scolding for. What is wrong with her point, Mr. Jones? Is it because the ethical profs aren't supplementing their topics with radical left propaganda? Hmm? Hmmm? Hmm? What some REFUSE to understand is that the students are paying hard earned $$$$ to get an education to get qulaified for better opportunites, NOT TO LISTEN TO SOME ARROGANT PRICK EXPRESSING HATRED FOR CURRENT POLITICAL LEADERS, and NOT TO LISTEN TO SOME ARROGANT PRICK TELLING THE CLASS WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THE LATEST ISSUES OF THE DAY!

Anyways, Alarie said the prof punished her for believing Clinton should've been impeached. In my opinion, the whole Clinton impeachment was a waste of time. But should professors act as if their opinions are facts? NO! Should professors tell their students what to think about Clinton impeachment? NO! If I was a prof, I would've accepted Alarie's paper on Clinton's impeachment and just corrected the grammar, give credit for strong points, and ask for clarification on confusing points.

Alarie went on to say : The writing covering my paper were not corrections, they were my professor's opinions of why I was wrong to think the way I did about my topic. My professor wrote that my views were ridiculous and without merit

My response: Tobin might call this "supplementing" but I call this explicit indoctrination, very similar to the brainwashing "re-education camps" that the Vietnamese and North Korean communists used to punish non-communist thought! Unlike what Tobin believes, it is NOT the prof's job to tell anyone what to think about Clinton's impeachment, even though I think the whole media circus about Clinton-Monica hoo-ra was excessive, and a waste of time.

An English prof is supposed to (gasp) just correct grammar and to encourage clear expressions of ideas. I didn't mind if a prof corrected my paper's grammar. If he just did that, I would be OK with it. But a prof's arrogant attitude in conducting class and his excessive editorializing in class is unacceptable! ANd those who defend his conduct are ass kissers.

Anyways, back to Alarie's letter. She continued, saying When I was called, I said, "Abortion." Instead of moving on to the next student, my professor asked if I was going to be writing from a pro-choice or pro-life perspective. Stupidly, I responded with my true feelings on the subject and stated I was pro-life. The next thing I knew, my professor started accusing me of depriving women of choice and that I was probably just religious.

My response: If Tobin knew my actual view on abortion (I'm pro-choice) that would collapse his view of me being a "right-winger". I do disagree with the President's signing of the partial-birth abortion ban, and I dont give a shit if Tobin agrees or not! But the prof has ZERO business to tell a student to be pro-choice! A prof can join Planned Parenthood or the Right-to-Life Coalition on his/her own spare time, but the prof has ZERO business forcing his/her views in class!

Alarie continued on to say: Then the professor called on three girls who raised their hands. She proceeded to allow the women to tell me I was wrong and could only think the way I did because religious people were against abortion and I must be religious.

Any prof who allows a bunch of students to gang up on another student just for their viewpoint is super-unethical! A prof is supposed to (gasp) facilitate civilized discussion, not indoctorinate.

And here is Alarie's last paragraph addressed to (drumroll, please) Tobin Jones

To the guy who acts as if some professors do not press their ideologies on students in classrooms, my letter is just more proof of a disturbing trend that has infected universities nationwide. You may say this story is false, but one thing remains true. There are many students at this university who are afraid to express their true opinions for fear of a professor's ability to ruin a stellar GPA.

Tobin's denial of indoctorination at UH is similar to the neo-Nazi's denial of the Holocaust! Tobin doesn't mind if non-leftist students are intimidated by the politically correct thought police, because after all, he IS part of the politically correct thought police. Tobin wants to silence me, and is satisfied that I (gasp) had consideration for my classmates who didn't pay hard earned $$$ to hear me and the prof argue! But Tobin can't stop me from writing my thoughts, and writing is one way to go over the heads of arrogant profs and speak directly to students in their own time.

And yes, some students do fear for their GPA! One of my friends told me that his classmate never wrote a paper that disagreed with Tehranian's (American Studies prof) viewpoint, because he feared that she'll give him a low grade, and with a low grade, he would've lost his scholarship! These profs who claim to be for the poor and downtrodden, are the ones using their politically biased grading to intimidate those who rely on scholarships.

Coming soon

My editorials re-printed on this site

Another Letter of Support

In today's Ka Leo, there was a letter complaining about (drumroll, please) Tobin Jones. I'll comment below that letter

Community Perspective: Keep off-topic rants out of class
November 05, 2003

What's with letter writer Tobin Jones's grudge against Ka Leo columnist Pablo Wegesend? Since December 2000, almost every four editorials Wegesend has written about national controversies has elicited a vitriolic response from Jones. It would be one thing if Jones had only two or three acidic responses, but he's written at least five of them obsessing about Wegesend and one that just made a quick potshot at him. Most of Jones's rhetoric has amounted to baseless accusations of racism against anyone who disagrees with him about finance and economics. Non-sequitur, man.

"Mr. Wegesend," Jones once whined, "has the energy to constantly bitch about the Left ..." I don't know about that, but it appears Jones has a lot of time and energy to "constantly bitch" about Wegesend, especially since Jones is now an "alumnus." Given that, Jones appears to actually be a devoted reader of Wegesend's. If that were not the case, couldn't Jones just ignore Wegesend, whom he so misguidedly berates as some enemy? It's embarrassing for all parties when a graduate parades his own petty, personal vendetta against someone in public.

Jones's latest wailing comes over Wegesend's observation that many professors (not just at UH) smother their students with unneeded political indoctrination. Wegesend presented the example of a Poetry and Drama professor wasting students' time by making wisecracks about politicians that don't actually pertain to Poetry (other than that a few leftist rants might actually follow an iambic pentameter?).

"Do you," Wegesend asked us, "want a well-paid professor who spends class time venting out his/her opinions while thumbing his/her nose at those who disagree?"

Jones states that Wegesend's example wasn't a hypothetical one, because they were both in such a poetry class. "Only in the first five to ten minutes," said Jones, "was there any conversation about current events, and the professor made it clear that he was tired of students not knowing what was going on in the world and this was his attempt to remedy the problem. ... He spoke against Bush because he does not like him. Plenty of educators don't like Bush. ... These are current events and discussion of them supplements the curriculum. ..." Supplements? It is a transitive verb ... that means to complete or make an addition.

To put it frankly: If your class is about poetry, then the poetry professor taking "five to ten minutes" to denounce a politician is five to ten minutes too much. It's one thing if it's a class on liberal studies or political science. If the class is on a topic other than politics, then the professor's political views are IRRELEVANT to the discussion. Many poetry students DON'T CARE if their professor loves or hates Bush; they're paying him or her money and their valuable time to teach them about POETRY. The students don't even have an ethical obligation to care — it's THEIR money, THEIR minds and, most importantly, THEIR LIVES.

One or two stray remarks is understandable, but a professor's REGULAR carping about his or her hatred of a politician or businessperson is also a waste of class time if the subject is juvenile delinquency, geology, English literature, etc. If the poetry professor is so concerned about telling his students what he thinks about foreign or fiscal policy, he can arrange a get-together with WILLING pupils and they can all talk about it on their OWN TIME.

And since Jones so dramatically declares he was in the same class with Wegesend, then did Jones actually speak to Wegesend directly and tell him that he disagreed with his columns? If he did, then such a confrontation should've settled his issues already (get on with life!). If he didn't, then it's quite cowardly to only spring an attack like this when Wegesend cannot look him in the eye.

Stuart Hayashi resides in Mililani

Thank you Mr. Hayashi!

Now comments:

Stuart wrote:
To put it frankly: If your class is about poetry, then the poetry professor taking "five to ten minutes" to denounce a politician is five to ten minutes too much

My response : AMEN to that, though to people like, Jones and his allies, that statement is considered blasphemy! To them, all classes (including Tropical Agriculture, Fashion Design, ICS, and Engineering) should come with 5-10 minutes of indoctorination in the latest leftist spin on current events not related to the topic of the class! If the class is Poetry and Drama, concentrate on Poetry And Drama, let the students be ignorant about other things if they want to be that way! If the prof wanted to cure the students ignorance of current events, why didn't he go and teach a social science course?

Professors like Katherine Irwin, David Swift and David Mayeda do have liberal tendencies but they also had A LOT MORE HUMILITY and THEY CAN HANDLE A CIVIL DISAGREEMENT on ANYTHING! They never belittled anyone who disagreed with the latest leftist spin of the day!

Next comment

Stuart said : One or two stray remarks is understandable, but a professor's REGULAR carping about his or her hatred of a politician or businessperson is also a waste of class time if the subject is juvenile delinquency, geology, English literature, etc. If the poetry professor is so concerned about telling his students what he thinks about foreign or fiscal policy, he can arrange a get-together with WILLING pupils and they can all talk about it on their OWN TIME.

My comment : AMEN to that! We only got a limited amount of time in class to get educated on the topic we signed up for. Any propaganda is a waste of time. Profs and students can talk all they want about their ideologies if they were eating dinner at Paradise Palms or Manoa Gardens!

Last comment on Stuart's letter

Stuart wrote:
And since Jones so dramatically declares he was in the same class with Wegesend, then did Jones actually speak to Wegesend directly and tell him that he disagreed with his columns? If he did, then such a confrontation should've settled his issues already (get on with life!). If he didn't, then it's quite cowardly to only spring an attack like this when Wegesend cannot look him in the eye.

My response: Tobin said nothing to me in class, he didn't even look me in the eye the whole 6 weeks of class! But then again, it's hard to look someone in the eye, if their eyes are the type of eyes you'll find in a Hotel Street junkie!

I was waiting the whole 6 weeks for Tobin to make a wise-ass remark to me, it didn't happen. His reasons for that- I really don't know!

Fan Mail

Here is some fan mail I've gotten last week from a friend. Since I've yet to ask his permission, I won't print his name.

Hey Pablo,

I cannot believe all that bullshit Tobin  Jones
wrote in the Ka Leo today and I think you did a great job defending yourself. The only reason why that idiot Tobin thinks that U.H. professors are unbiased is because they think the same way he does. If it were vise versa where the professors were spreading conservative ideology, he would be complaining just as much about these professors as you and I complain about fuckers like Foltz, Andersson, Tehranian, and Okamura. Since Tobin thinks that oppression is okay if it is done through left wing ideology, then I guess he wouldn't mind being a citizen of a country run by Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Kim Il Sung, Ho Chi Minh, or Fidel Castro.

My response: AMEN to that! Andersson and Tehranian are 2 American Studies profs, and Okamura is an Ethnic Studies prof. I didn't take any of their classes, but that friend told me that they all try to promote left-wing propaganda in class and thumbed their noses at those who disagree.

Tehranian actually told my friend to re-write a paper just because he wrote from a non-leftist perspective. Also, according to my friend, Okamura did expect liberal answers on tests, and his classmate got a lower grade on an exam question for giving non-liberal answers. And Tobin says there's no indoctrination on campus?

A Little Apology

I know in one of my emails I've sent out to my allies, I criticized Tobin Jones for calling W. "howdy - doody looking." Yet, I've committed the same sin in my previous blog post, by calling Tobin Jones "curious george on drugs" and by saying he reminds me of that SkeeLo song "I wish I was a little bit taller."  I also committed the same sin by calling Jones' mentor Dr Foltz an "anorexic punk". All of that was extreme hypocrisy on my part. Since that was very shallow of me to concentrate on their looks, I won't do it anymore! 

I apologize for unintentionally offending those who may look like Tobin Jones and Dr Foltz!  

Is it Racial?

It's been commonly said that black leftist commonly show more hate for black conservatives than white conservatives. An example would be that the black left leadership would express some dislike of white conservatives like Rush Limbaugh, but show excessive hatred toward black conservatives like Clarence Thomas, Larry Elder and others like them. It's been said that the extra hatred is because those black leftists don't like the idea of a black person showing the white community that not all black people are aligend with Maxine Waters, Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton. So they'll call Clarence Thomas, Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell, etc. "Uncle Toms", "sellouts" and "anti-black" to intimidate other black people from publicly expressing agreement with Thomas, Elder, etc. Black conservatives comment that this hatred comes because the black leftists don't want any other blacks to escape the "Democrat plantation."

Since Tobin Jones can't find a black conservative or even a Hawaiian non-leftist on Ka Leo, he'd target the closest thing to it. He probably saw my 1st name, and thought to himself "Oh shit, someone with a Hispanic 1st name actually dares to criticize the Left! I'll show him who's boss!" I could be wrong, but that could the reason why he spends more time complaining about me than any other Ka Leo writer! He is obssessive of getting rid of any non-leftist with some non-white blood.

More comments on Tobin's Ka Leo rants

On his rants last week, which you can read at http://www.kaleo.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/29/3f9f4c1b8e013

Tobin said: "You are complaining about an English class that only counted three credits."

My response: If someone hit Tobin in the face in that class, and he complains about it in the Ka Leo, how would he feel if someone said "You are complaining about an English class that only counted three credits." Not very good, right? So what if that class was just 3 credits. Most classes at UH are 3 credits.

The reason I brought up that class in my editorial is because the professor wasted class time, (and indirectly wasting the $$$ of me, my family, my classmates and their families, and the taxpayers) by commenting on things unrelated to the course. I didn't pay that money to hear a prof express hatred of the President, or rudely saying "NO!" to students who didn't give the hidden meanings that he wants to hear. 6 weeks of my life was wasted on that class that I only took to get a core requirement over with!

Of course, Tobin Jones wants me to shut up and kiss the ass of the status quo. It's not the first time he suggested that to me. Here was that comment in his rant published on 10/17/02 which you can read at

http://www.kaleo.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/10/17/3dae5667c9b66?in_archive=1

Tobin said : "Here is my suggestion to you: lead, follow or get out the way. Lead your fellow Rightists and have something to show, follow your current leaders and develop something to show, or stop bitching and get out of the way"

My response: Stop bitching and get out of the way? Here is Tobin indirectly saying that I no right to speak, just because (gasp) I dared to say things he disagrees with it. This just shows that Tobin doesn't want a civilized debate. He wants to shut up the opposition, so since he can't do that, he'll do the next best thing, which is write angry letters in the hopes of intimidating me from ever writing an opinion he disagrees with.