Monday Roundup

I have an unbelievable amount of work to catch up on today (like 4 weeks of Spanish workbook assignments that I didn't bother to look at before), so blogging will be limited. Larry the Liberal has something he wants to try later, but other than that, there won't be a lot.

I do want to cover a few things, though. First of all, let's look at some Syracuse news. I haven't been fisking the Daily Orange lately, and there are 2 reasons for that. #1: Their editorial staff seems to have gone moderate on me, and I've actually agreed with a couple of them. I guess that's a sign of progress, but it gives me less to work with.

At the same time, when they do have editorials and letters, they're usually all cut from the same cloth that I've ripped apart numerous times before. Take one of today's, for example:

Homosexuality not a choice Since I was young, I knew that one day I would have the opportunity to marry the person I loved. Today, I do not have that opportunity. Currently, lawmakers are trying to pass federal legislation that will deny me that opportunity for as long as I live. Why? Because I'm gay...I never asked to be gay. The choice was never given to me, just like it wasn't given to you. I can't change my sexual orientation any easier than you can change yours...

...And so on. I've beaten that dead horse too many times, and there's really no point in doing it again. Give me something new to work with, people!

There's also some Syracuse-related stuff on Critical Mass today:

...students at Syracuse University are promoting their annual production of "The Vagina Monologues" with a giant six-foot vagina and other vagina-themed displays:

Their booth flows with glitter, glue and pipe cleaners for a "decorate-your-vagina" activity, but its main attraction is a 6-foot vagina. Passers-by and vagina aficionados can donate a dollar to stick their heads through a hole cut near the top of the decorative, cardboard creation and have their pictures taken.

It crossed my mind to blog about this when I first saw it in the DO a few days ago, but I never got around to it. Anyway, the post says:

Additional information about the "decorate-your-vagina" activity was not available at the time of this posting. If you are a Syracuse student who has engaged in or witnessed such decorations, please do write to explain--especially the part about the glue.

Well, I am a Syracuse student, but I don't spend much time at the student center, and I didn't actually see this event. However, the DO has some additional information that the referenced article didn't include, so I'll put some of that in the extended entry...now!

This weekend's "Vagina Monologues" productions kick off V-Week, a series of educational and inspirational fund-raisers sponsored by Students Advancing Sexual Safety and Empowerment. SASSE (pronounced "sassy") spearheads four big events throughout the week.

Last year the events raised $12,000, Hernandez said. This year SASSE will split its proceeds between the SU R.A.P.E. Crisis Center, the Rape Crisis Center of Syracuse, the Vera House, Planned Parenthood, the Chadwick House and an international organization. That organization aims to help Mexican women that "disappear" and are sold into prostitution or slavery.

Always good to see Planned Parenthood thrown into a "women's rights" cause. Here's more detail about the event itself:

Despite the absurdity of the latest addition to the student center, it seems most of the university community has warmed up to it. Even so, two faculty members in the lobby were too uncomfortable to talk about it.

The SASSE crew admitted that in past years the Food Services staff has asked them to move the word "vagina" away from the Schine Dining Center. They say Food Services thought it was unappetizing.

"I think it enables and excites the appetite," one vagina decorator chimed in. "Makes you salivate."

...a senior Spanish and television, radio and film major...was working at the Caribbean Student Association booth next to SASSE's display yesterday. She praised the giant vagina as an effective marketing technique, and said it is subtle enough to keep it from being awkward or offensive. She also commended the "Vagina Monologues" booth for attracting more attention than her own.

So, there's some more information. Hopefully, the trackback will serve its purpose and help to answer some of Erin's questions about this "empowering" event. I couldn't find much more, although today's DO has a review of the actual "Vagina Monologues" production, which is available for reading here. The basic premise is that the show stresses "sexual identity." You can read more for yourselves if you're interested.

I think that's enough for now. Larry will be here later to introduce a "brilliant" idea he came up with. We'll see about that...