From the National Post of Toronto:

Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., has hired six students whose jobs as “dialogue facilitators” will involve intervening in conversations among students in dining halls and common rooms to encourage discussion of such social justice issues as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and social class.

“If there’s a teachable moment, we’ll take it,” said assistant dean of student affairs Arig Girgrah, who runs the program. “A lot of community building happens around food and dining.”

She gave the example of a conversation about a gay character on television as a good example of such a moment.

“It is all about creating opportunities to dialogue and reflect on issues of social identity,” Ms. Girgrah said. “This is not about preaching. It’s not about advice giving. It’s about hearing where students are at.”

Jason Laker, dean of student affairs, said their activities will also include formal discussion sessions, perhaps after controversial incidents in residence, and open discussions of topical books or movies.

“They’re not disciplinarians. They’re called facilitators for a reason,” he said, adding that such a program is of particular value now that so much communication by young people happens over the Internet.

“It’s not trying to stifle something. It’s trying to foster something,” he said. “We’re not trying to be parental.”

Like dons, who serve as student authorities in residence, the six facilitators will receive full room and board and a stipend for the full-year commitment, and will receive regular training….

Daniel Hayward, a 46-year-old Master’s of Divinity student, applied to be a facilitator believing the role would offer him an opportunity to connect with many different students.

Yes, there’s nothing today’s coeds look forward to more than the creepy 46-year-old Divinity student who is paid to chat them up about white privilege!

(more…)

Here’s the official mural, entitled “Stepping Into the American Dream,” that Javier Cortada was commissioned to paint for President Bush’s October 15, 2002 White House Conference on Minority Homeownership, in which Bush denounced down payments as the chief barrier to adding 5.5 million additional minority homeowners. Bush orated:
“Two-thirds of all Americans own their homes, yet we have a problem here in America because few than half of the Hispanics and half the African Americans own the home. That’s a homeownership gap. It’s a — it’s a gap that we’ve got to work together to close for the good of our country, for the sake of a more hopeful future. We’ve got to work to knock down the barriers that have created a homeownership gap.

I set an ambitious goal. It’s one that I believe we can achieve. It’s a clear goal, that by the end of this decade we’ll increase the number of minority homeowners by at least 5.5 million families. (Applause.)

Some may think that’s a stretch. I don’t think it is. I think it is realistic. I know we’re going to have to work together to achieve it. But when we do our communities will be stronger and so will our economy. Achieving the goal is going to require some good policies out of Washington. And it’s going to require a strong commitment from those of you involved in the housing industry.

Just by showing up at the conference, you show your commitment. And together, together we will work over the next decade to enable millions of our fellow Americans to own a piece of their own property, and that’s their home.

I appreciate so very much the home owners who are with us today, the Arias family, newly arrived from Peru. They live in Baltimore. Thanks to the Association of Real Estate Brokers, the help of some good folks in Baltimore, they figured out how to purchase their own home. Imagine to be coming to our country without a home, with a simple dream. And now they’re on stage here at this conference being one of the new home owners in the greatest land on the face of the Earth. I appreciate the Arias family coming. (Applause.)…

To open up the doors of homeownership there are some barriers, and I want to talk about four that need to be overcome. First, down payments. A lot of folks can’t make a down payment. They may be qualified. They may desire to buy a home, but they don’t have the money to make a down payment. I think if you were to talk to a lot of families that are desirous to have a home, they would tell you that the down payment is the hurdle that they can’t cross.”

Here’s the HUD press release about the mural:

“Miami-based Cuban-American artist Xavier Cortada today unveiled his mural, Stepping into the American Dream, in a ceremony hosted by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez.

Cortada painted the mural at the White House Conference on Minority Homeownership, held on October 15 in Washington, DC. The painting illustrates the Blueprint for the American Dream Partnership, a collaborative effort of the Bush Administration and members of the housing industry to meet the President’s goal of 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the year 2010.

prez-message.jpg (62960 bytes) “The Bush Administration is committed to helping people across the country realize the American Dream,” Martinez said at the unveiling ceremony. “We are proud to work with our partners in the private sector to achieve the President’s ambitious goal. This mural is a visual representation of our strong mutual commitment.”

Stepping into the American Dream, 96”x96”, is acrylic and mixed media on canvas. Images in the mural are meant to represent the various avenues through which individuals and families can achieve homeownership – homebuyer education, adequate supply of affordable homes, down payment assistance, and mortgage financing.

The mural features short messages from new homeowners throughout the country, as well as from President Bush, Martinez, and other members of the Blueprint Partnership.

Cortada has exhibited his works in museums, galleries and cultural venues around the world. He has served as Artistic Director of various efforts sponsored by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places, including Master Peace (a school-based art project in Miami-Dade County Public Schools) and PATH (Public Art Transforming Housing).

HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities, creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation’s fair housing laws.”

Recently, a Democrat was announced as the winner in the Senate race in Alaska. The Minnesota race is too close to call, but according to Intrade there is a 61-63% chance Democrat Al Franken, will win. If that happens, Democrats will have 57 seats in the Senate and will include Independents Lieberman and Saunders in their Senate caucus. If the Democrats can get 60 seats, they will have a “super majority“, which places extreme importance on the outcome of the Senate race in Georgia, which will be decided in December by special election. Intrade suggests, there is an 82.7%-83% chance that Republican Saxby Chambliss will win re-election. However, that race is still very much in play-and it is clear many in the Democratic Party would mobilize considerable resources to win it.

Immigration is a key factor in the election. From the website of the Democratic challenger, James Martin:

“Under the Bush Administration, four million new people have entered our country illegally. Saxby Chambliss has voted four times against increased funding for border security and has taken millions of dollars from the business interests that benefit from the broken Bush system. When he was Chair of the Immigration Subcommittee, Chambliss should have been holding the Administration accountable, not toeing the line for special interests.”

Martin is working real hard to make Chambliss sound lax on immigration. However, according to Americans for Better Immigration, Saxby Chambliss’s voting record earned him an A rating. Chambliss was given a perfect record on Border Security by ABI. The only areas in which that voting record is somewhat lax is in interior enforcement where Chambliss earned an A instead of an A+–and guest worker visas, where Chambliss earned a B. The only major vote of interior enforcement ABI took issue with Chambliss on was a 1996 vote that would have mandated better worker verification. However, on the issue of Guest Worker Visas like H-1b, Chambliss has a record of often supporting corporate interests over American workers.

I’m rather puzzled. There may be some limitations on the ABI ratings. However, it looks like James Martin’s staff are trying to play games. They know the public in Georgia wants less immigration-+and they are trying to convince Georgia voters that they will be better than Chambliss on the immigration issue. Martin specifically talks tough on the area of employment sanctions–and promises he will work on their enforcement.

However, Martin rules out any possibility of significant deportations and completely sidesteps the issue of H-1b/Guest worker visas–which could be a significant issue in Georgia, because that state has a significant IT industry, and H-1b expansion is an important enough issue that IT workers who have traditionally voted Republican will switch party affiliation to get action on that issue because they know their livelihoods and economic security are on the line. Such voters might make up less than 1% of the electorate, but in a close election, every vote counts, and it would be possible to target advertising to that group. Most importantly: Martin’s staff don’t show Martin will really be able to stand up to his own party leaders on the issue of immigration-which he will need to do since expansion of immigration emerged under Democratic rule and so many Democratic leaders want expanded immigration. Martin’s rhetoric sounds remarkably like other major national figures going for big campaign donations-and he does little to differentiate himself from the Democratic establishment-or show how his election would really improve the situation relative to Chambliss.

I actually agree with Martin on many issues. However, I doubt the entire Democrat platform means anything if US immigration is not contained and properly managed. Since the massive immigration expansion of the 1960’s, the US has moved towards greater inequality of wealth and income, to the point by some important measures, the US is nearing the level of economic inequality we see in countries like Mexico.

I don’t think most Democratic leaders wanted this to happen. Some like Eugene McCarthy had the integrity to admit they had made a horrible mistake-and actively worked to correct that mistake. The important leaders of the left wing congress, including figures like Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders and Peter DeFazio, have come to admit expansion of H-1b was a horrible mistake-though they are sometimes unsure what really ought to be done to correct the situation. Clearly Martin could take a strong stand on this issue if he had the will to do so-and the backing of his party leaders.

It comes down to a question of just how badly does the Democratic party want to win? Democrats clearly have the money it would take for Martin to run a credible race the next few weeks. I’m amazed the Democratic leadership let Martin be outspent 4-1, and it is a credit to Martin, and Obama’s coat tails, that Martin did was well as he did. However, it will take more than money for Martin to win. He will have to also look truly carefully at the issues.

I would love to see both candidates seriously debate immigration policy. On immigration, we know quite a lot about Saxby Chambliss. However, I would like him to explain just why he continued to vote for expansion of H-1b visas even after US workers were being edged out of technical occupations and US students were seeking other educational options based on the changing market conditions. How does this relate to his overall pattern of seeking less immigration?

I would like James Martin to explain just what the votes are he’s referring to suggesting that Chambliss is not tough on illegal immigration. More importantly, Martin needs to explain just what kind of immigration policy he wants for the United States: How many immigrants should the US admit each year?

How should the US select from its over 10 million applicants for immigration each year?

How stiff does Martin think penalties on employers must be to be effective-and how far is he willing to go?

Under what conditions should these policies be changed? What protections does Martin propose for American workers and just how will he change his proposed policies if the US continues to move towards greater inequality of wealth and income?

This is also a case where small groups like the Programmers Guild just might force themselves to be heard. Just a few radio ads detailing the key issues-and challenging both candidates to start answering questions could force some issues in a race where this much is at stake. Neither Chambliss or Martin are clearly a friend of American tech workers. Let them explain why they are the lessor evil. Of course, there is a good chance they will lie–just like Lamar Alexander did, but let them lie blatantly in ways that will show their true character.

If Democrats win this race, they have no excuses if their program fails to help the American workers. If their program is tried with real integrity, failure to advance their position in congress and the senate in 2010 will be a horrible humiliation. We might also see a breakdown of party discipline with more independents like Bernie Sanders having electoral success. James Carville may be right yet–and we could see collapse of the GOP and emergence of a party that takes US worker’s interests seriously.

Michael Kinsley writes about something the press studiously ignored during our recent campaign, which sure seemed more like an extended coronation ceremony than an actual contest: although he claimed he was quitting, Obama still smokes.

One way he avoided press scrutiny in general was by not traveling by bus to campaign events with the press on-board. Instead, he’s grabbed a ride with a campaign staffer and light up a cigarette.

With Obama’s high-strung, sensitive personality, it’s likely a good thing that he self-medicates with cigarettes. The odds of him coming down with lung cancer and making Joe Biden President are not infinitesimal, but they aren’t so high that we’d want Obama to be himself with no nicotine in his system to calm him down.

It’s interesting that there is no press interest in whatever else he might be medicated with. Obama released a brief, unrevealing letter from his doctor awhile back, but it didn’t mention what prescription drugs he has taken.

I would guess that Obama has been on anti-depressants at least once in his life, and probably tranquilizers as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! The number of people who have benefited from these kind of drugs must be in the scores of millions by now. For example, I had prescriptions for both anti-depressants and tranquilizers for about six weeks after being diagnosed with cancer in 1996. In particular, the tranquilizers were effective in fending off panic attacks. I was prone to having a panic attack not only over fear of dying but, more debilitatingly, I would get a panic attack over fear that I would have a panic attack–a rather nasty vicious circle. After a couple of weeks, just having the bottle of Xanax in my pocket was reassuring enough that if I started having a panic attack, I could quell it, so I didn’t even have to take Xanax any more–just carry it around like a good luck charm for another month.

Finally, a reader who lives in the same apartment complex as Obama’s mystery man Mike Signator offers a plausible explanation of why Obama often briefly visits Signator’s apartment after working out in the apartment building’s gym: to take a private shower. In an age of cellphone cameras, the last thing we need on the Internet are pictures of the President-Elect in the health club shower.