Be the change you want to see in the world - Gandhi

Last night I went to Call and Response, and my head is still reeling. For those who don’t know what Call and Response is, it is a movie of performances given to end slavery; the slavery that exists in the cocoa, sugar, cotton, and sex industries of the 21st century.

The following is just some comments or quotes regarding the film.

First I encourage you to to watch the film or check out the website www.callandresponse.com. As one of the men interviewed said, “We are stuck between oblivion and paralysis.” We don’t know the need, and then when we do, we don’t know how we can change something that is a catastrophic and gargantuan problem. One step towards fixing the problem is acknowledging it, and no one really wants to be oblivious.

The movie is supported by some very influential names. Another quote from the movie was from Ashley Judd, “I don’t want to wear someone’s despair.” Basically she is asking if your $5 t-shirt is the result of someone’s slavery.

Finally, since the movie revolved around musical performances, another important quote given, I believe by an individual who had been enslaved as a child soldier, was: “Music is the only thing that can enter the mind and heart without permission.” These musicians have decided to use their gifts to try and change the world. It was very interesting to hear some of the songs that were birthed out of the movement to try and give this issue a voice; songs that have such a deeper and more incredible meaning than their good acoustics and presence on the billboard charts.

I know this is not nearly as articulate as it should be, but this issue is hard to process and I wanted to at least articulate my immediate reaction.

As the movie says, “You’ve heard the Call, now be the Response.”

I usually don't laugh at students - but this was hilarious

Today in my literature class we started The Scarlet Letter. It is always interesting to introduce the book that deals with guilt, secret sin, forgiveness, and love. I haven't taught the book for three years, and I have never taught the book in a non-Christian setting.

It was an interesting first day. I think I gave some of my students mini heart attacks when I told them to write down their deepest, darkest secret and I pulled one out to read. Shook my head and said, "That's interesting." I later told them that it was a blank one I had planted, but they were sufficiently freaked and only started breathing easier when the papers were in the trash and I threw papers that I had been amassing over the last few weeks on top.

As part of the book, we needed to talk about the definition of adultery and what is considered adultery. One of my students is a little bit airy sometimes, no joke, today he raised his hand and when I called on him, he said, "Wait, I am still processing my question." The boy cracks me up.
But that wasn't what he said that had me laughing for the rest of the day.

Forgive me, because I am not going to tell this perfectly, and you will not find it nearly as funny as I did, but I had just told the students that the Puritan belief was that you couldn't have sex with anyone other than your spouse. He raises his hand and says, "What if you were married?"

I replied, "Do you mean could you have sex when you're married? Head nod yes as a response. "Because, yeah you can," I answer as I and the whole class have burst out laughing. (Whatever was the actual question, he made it seem like he was asking if it was okay to have sex when you are married.)

He realized his mistake (and probably that his married parents had to have sex for him to be here) and said, "No, I didn't mean that."

"Did you mean is it adultery if a married person has sex with someone besides their spouse?" Head nod yes. "According to Puritan belief, if you had sex with anyone other than your spouse, it was wrong."

"Oh, that's what I thought."

I went on to the next activity and told him, "I know what you were meaning to ask, but I will be laughing the rest of the day about that."

Cleaning out my car is a feat. It is amazing what my car can all hold without really seeming to have much in it at all:

-two pairs of running shoes
-pajamas
-five maps of Wisconsin
-two rain jackets
-an umbrella
-a pair of snowshoe poles
-blanket
-down jacket
-a set of dribbling cones
-pair of slippers
-2 batteries
-bottle of lotion
-stick of deoderant
-a 250 piece art kit
-a windbreaker
-lime potato chips
-a box of breakfast bars
-a bag of cookies
-a box of cheerios
-a pair of slipper socks
-a pair of pants
-two shirts
-a Bible
-two floppy disks
-a pair of socks
-kitty litter
-shovel
-three snow and ice scrapers
-jumper cables
- a container of rescue

All this and I didn't even open my glove compartment!