Politics & Culture

The Philosophy of Fascism

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Philosopher Jason Stanley and Journalist Mehdi Hasan discuss the philosophy of fascism within the context of the Trump administration. "So fascism is a philosophy based on social Darwinism. Think of Hitler’s book. The title is My Struggle. So what he means by that is that value comes from winning in a struggle. Now we’re familiar with non-fascist varieties of this. Think of Ayn Rand and economic libertarianism. You only have value if you’re a winner. But fascism moves the individualist philosophy of libertarianism to the group and says, "Some groups have more value than others because of a glorious military past and great civilizational achievements."

Race & America's Long War

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Historian Nikhil Singh and Journalist Jeremy Scahill discuss why it's risky to erase the line between the horrible things Trump does and the horrible things the U.S. has done for a long time. It’s a complicated conversation. It means exploring the roots of white supremacy in the U.S., the way American wars are constantly put through a laundering process to make them seem noble and brave, the way “real American” has been defined and continues to be defined in our society. For eight years, we had the first black president in U.S. history, and now we have a reality TV host who spends a great deal of time tweeting and watching TV. So what is unique to Trump, and what is embedded in the politics of empire?

Congresswoman Ihan Omar Models Change

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Mehdi Hasan: A lot of people aren’t aware of the kind of crazy racist, Islamophobic abuse that you and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan have received since arriving here in Congress.
Ilhan Omar: It sort of feels like it comes with the territory. I mean, we’re shifting the idea of who should have a seat at the table. These systems really weren’t built for people like Rashida and myself. I think we can focus on the doors that we have to open and keep open or let this deter us...They would like us to be afraid...I know the people in our districts who voted for us knew that we were the right people to come here and shake things up.

Angélique Kidjo sings
"A Change is Gonna Come"at the
Women's March on Washington

California Community Colleges

FACCC Votes "No Confidence" in Chancellor's Office

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"At the heart of the problem is opposition to a new system that, as of this year, no longer allocates state funding to colleges based solely on enrollment....[F]aculty labor leaders and advocates say the transformation forces colleges to prioritize some students — those who are young and poised to climb an academic ladder — at the expense of most others. They include students who cannot march quickly through school because they have to work, care for a family, or who are enrolled for reasons other than earning an associate’s degree or certificate.

The association’s no-confidence vote follows similar decisions by the statewide California Federation of Teachers and local faculty unions in 13 of the state’s 72 college districts, including City College of San Francisco and Santa Rosa Junior College."

Vision for Success: 
A Faculty Perspective

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.”​
—Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.”
—Dolores Huerta
​California Community College students achieve their dreams regardless of any educational, social, or economic challenge. Each college works hard to provide an academically robust, diverse, inclusive, and innovative learning environment that engages students of every background to develop their intellect, character, and abilities; to explore, define, and achieve their goals; and to be socially responsible community members and leaders.

Why Faculty Matter:
​The Role of Faculty in the Success of Community College Students

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The California Community College system is the largest engine fueling the economy of California while educating and improving the lives of millions of people every year.

This paper argues that legislators and policy makers have a unique opportunity to keep California at the forefront of a transformational experience for students who are most underprepared and economically disadvantaged. Where would a relatively modest infusion of funds provide the greatest return for the advancement of California’s general economy and its residents? The answer is a community college system with a substantive core of full-time tenured faculty and part-time faculty who are appropriately compensated for their participation in the life of the institution through the provision of job security, equitable salary, and respect for their services.

© 2019 Debbie Klein