Ithaca Youth program teaches activism (barf alert to end all barf alerts)

Ithaca Journal ^ | Wednesday, July 17, 2002 | By MARGARET CLAIBORNE

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ITHACA -- In most places, youngsters spend their summers camping, or at the mountains or the beach. In Ithaca, they learn how to become social activists.

Sixteen young people, ages 12 to 21, turned up at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center Tuesday night for the third in a series of Youth Action Workshops, "Social Change through the Arts," sponsored by Cornell University's Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy.

[Phantom Lord]

How long before they move into a "communal living" community?

[Marysecretary]

I think so too. I visited that once. Awesome sight.

[Marysecretary]

Is it in France?

[Phantom Lord]

Yes it is. Name of cemetery is in #41

[Marysecretary]

And what would we use them for? Target practice?

[Marysecretary]

Cemetary=cemetery. Sorry. I'm a secretary. We obsess about such things (smile).

[Phantom Lord]

I am boycotting proper speling.

[Marysecretary]

All these puppets are so UGLY--evil maybe. Figures. They just reflect the hearts and minds of the creators.

[Marysecretary]

Oh, okay. That sounds reasonible (smile).

[Marysecretary]

I don't think that will ever happen unless he lives on the reservation lands his wife is from up in Canada. He's bought a house and has done all the work in it himself. He's not the girly-boy type you see in the marches. He's 6'6" tall, a former basketball player, and has a terrific job. He's a hard worker, has two children he adores. So he's not the usual peacenik type. He never was. He just considers himself a "man of the 90's." Sniff. He also became a Bahai, sniff, sniff. But, I keep praying for him to see the light again. (Oh, and he showers every day and uses deodorant. So, he can't be a peacenik!!!)

[Behind Liberal Lines]

...the kids sound a lot smarter than adults running the program. I liked the way they pointed out the obvious hypocracy. Gives me a little hope for the future.

Sorry, but read the read the article again:

Ley admitted to the group that Bernstein's challenge was a set-up to demonstrate another "street theater" technique -- deliberately starting a debate to get by-standers thinking and joining in.

In other words they told Bernstein (who is entering College this fall by the way, he’s no little kid) to ask the question so that they could further indoctrinate the children on the “evils” of corporations.

So much for hope.

[Billthedrill]

OK, I'm convinced - the Marple index has been needed for a long time now. Will there be a benchmark? Like, say, the Earth Day party in Ithaca having an index of 1.0? And what unit shall we use, Marples? I figure the WTO thingy in Seattle ought to come in at around 2.75 Marples, counting the somewhat fragmented cardboard sea turtles (cardboard sea turtles in rainy Seattle - yep, it turned out just about how you'd figure...)

But not all puppets are evil. Bunny Rabbit. He was the only redeeming character on the Captain Kangaroo show, and look how they silenced him. That commie Mister Moose was responsible.

[Phantom Lord]

Are his children named Peace, Rain, Sunshine, Scout, or other such nonsense?

[AnnaZ]

Ladies and Gentlemen:
the prosecution rests.

LOL!!!

[weikel]

Barf.

[AnnaZ]

"How can you be against large corporations when they make cars and television sets that you depend on?" asked Ithaca High School graduate Seth Bernstein.

Ley asked if Bernstein was saying that because demonstrators say the corporations are evil and drive cars, they are hypocrites.

OK....I have a couple of thoughts on this matter. First, the kids sound a lot smarter than adults running the program. I liked the way they pointed out the obvious hypocracy. Gives me a little hope for the future.

 

I thought so, too. 'Til I read this part:

Another participant joined in that the message was that large corporations should behave more ethically and treat their workers better.

Which was as controversial as the workshop got. Ley admitted to the group that Bernstein's challenge was a set-up to demonstrate another "street theater" technique -- deliberately starting a debate to get by-standers thinking and joining in.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I should have mentioned the article had a picture of some of the participants:

Alicia Irwin, 21, middle, tells Conner Sidle, 17, one of her ideas for their street theater skit on recycling as Leah Simons, 15, listens in Tuesday evening at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center. The Youth Action Summer Workshop is holding a free bi-weekly training seminar on how to help raise people's awareness on social and political issues. The workshops are sponsored by the Center for Religion, Ethics and Social Policy at Cornell University.

I can't believe one of them actually wore a "Grateful Dead" t-shirt. I couldn't have written a better parody.

[Phantom Lord]

That thing in the middle is a women!?!?!?

[AnnaZ]

I can't believe one of them actually wore a "Grateful Dead" t-shirt. I couldn't have written a better parody.

 

LOL!!!

 

You're right. It's Onion-worthy. (It's why I stick to non-fiction... if you made this kind of stuff up, no one would believe you.)

[NativeNewYorker]

Be THANKFUL she's wearing a shirt.

Sophomore Alicia Irwin, left, and freshman Sarah Reul dance to the music of the (appropriately named) band Sunny Weather during sunny Slope Fest celebrations in the West Campus "dust bowl" May 5,2000.

And, how about this:

Alicia Irwin '02, a communications major, plans to enter the Peace Corps after graduation.

"I want to learn another language, and Peace Corps orientation does that. I also decided that I can't sell my soul to corporate America and do P.R. for some greedy company. I also need to see the US from the outside right now to try to understand the rest of the world."

Irwin will be working in Central Asia making health materials there.

"I emphasized several times that I am most interested in Central Asia. They took that into account. I am told that during the 12-week orientation -- mine will be in Central Asia -- Peace Corps reps interview you further to determine your exact post."

In regards to the benefits, personal and financial, of the Peace Corps, Irwin said, "I will get a small stipend to live on. The major benefits I see are the experience and inspiration for my creative interests: drawing, painting, photography and folk dance."

City of Evil Fruitcakes.