Jabberwocky for 2004 March 8

We had a discussion in my 8 a.m. class this morning. The unit in the reader is about language and its power to build or destroy. The writing assignment is about the place of perjorative words in our lives--nigger, bitch, queer, etc. One of the articles we read was a defense of profanity written by a student in Iowa or somewhere. He argues that profanity is a "real" way to talk, and people should be genuine, and those who don't like it can... well you know.

I was extremely surprised at the number of students who think it's OK to use rude language when they are with their friends, who call their friends by rude names, and who behave coarsely. Their argument is that when they are with friends, "it is real" and "safe" and they don't have to be polite.

Huh. I'm glad they feel they have to be civil in the classroom. I tried to talk to them about how friendship is precious and our friends deserve our best, not our worst, but apparently they don't have those values.

Two issues of Smithsonian have come in the mail. I didn't know where they came from. At first I thought Ruth Davis got another of those buy one get one gift subscription free deals, because a couple of years back she gave me a year of Smithsonian. But she says no. Then I thought maybe I ordered it with my Delta Airlines frequent flyer miles that were expiring. I'm not sure what magazines I ordered, but This Old House has been coming.

However, today I got a statement from Smithsonian. Big deal special offer, limited time only. I suspect that they sent the two magazines so I would get used to it and then they sent a bill thinking it would get paid automatically. Pretty sneaky of them.

No, I'm not going to subscribe.