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So since Thursday, I've been in Florida. I just got back today. I went with the ASLC (Associated Students of Laney College) to the APCA (Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities) conference. Look at all those acronyms!

It was pretty cool. Some of the workshops were great, some not so great. I got a lot of ideas from the speakers and other students on how to do my job better and how to make it easier. Blah, blah, blah.

What was the best part about it was how the four of us--Lisa, Prez; Yves, VP; me, Pub Commish; and Bill, Senator--all got to bond. No, really, it was awesome in a super kind of way. We got further acquainted with each other's senses of humor, what we have in common, our opinions on things. We seem to have a really good board this year.

Unfortunately, while we were there, Lisa got a message from the football coach that the college board wants to build a 19-unit apartment complex on our football field. The field that houses our winning, NFL-lineup-producing, honor student football team. Now, I'm not really a sports fan, but I understand what it means to have your bliss taken away. I mean, the Arts Annex is in a similar position, with negotiations being made to sell the building to CALTRANS so that they can expand the freeway. This is the building that houses ceramics, printmaking, painting, and sculpture. And there are NO plans for building a replacement. None at all. And of course, we would not be getting another football field. But we would get money. Money, money, money.

But you know what? WE wouldn't get money. The board of trustees is notoriously bad at making sure that money goes to the students. For all the things we have given up in the past, student programs have seen none of the improvement one would expect.

Yves said, Maybe they'll be able to build us more parking. And we do need more parking. But I was like, wait... that sounds like the argument, If we give up our freedoms, maybe we can get... freedoms? Do you see what I'm saying? And maybe we won't get freedoms. And we will have given up the ones we had.

This is really frustrating. I hate it. I hate how we are constantly being asked to give up more and more, without recompensation. Even worse, we are not being asked. They are trying their best to pass these deals behind our backs. And we are expected to suffer the change, and we are supposed to accept it little by little, these degradations to our quality of living. Especially community colleges, because we're only here temporarily, right, only a couple years, so we can't care too much about what happens to our school, we'll be out soon anyway, right, we'll be jumping ship before it sinks, so who cares anyway. The outgoing students won't care what's being taken away, the incoming students won't know what they're missing.

Fuck you. I don't know who I'm saying that to, but fuck you, alright? I hate that people are preying on our schools in order to make their own fortune. I hate that our schools are forced to seriously consider these offers in order to stay alive. I hate these budget cuts that are bleeding our education system, and I hate the administration that is making these budget cuts necessary. I hate that I'm forced to wonder if this will be a good place to raise my kids. I hate that I have to consider which country I would move to if things got too bad here. I don't want to move to another country. This is my home.

I know, I'm being dramatic. I'm a very hopeful person, I truly do hope for the best and I think people will come to their senses. I hope it happens soon. But allow me to direct your attention to the following metaphor:

If you drop a live frog into boiling water, it will jump right out. The frog is a highly adaptable and reasonably smart animal. But if you put it into water that is room temperature, and raise the heat slowly, the frog will adjust to the minute changes in temperature. It will adjust, and it will adjust, and it will adjust, until it is boiling.

Homeland Security. The Patriot Act. CAPPS II. Cuts in education. I will not be a boiled frog.

1:18 p.m. 2003-09-14�

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