The Pink Shoe Diaries

the only word that can describe my day is "sobering". In my first class today (Literature and the Political Imagination), we watched the Battle of Algiers, a film made in the 60s about the struggle of Algerians for independence from French rule. It is told from both points of view and i think admittedly you struggle to figure out who is right at times: the Colonel who tortures and lies and manipulates the media, or the Arabs who use their women to carry bombs in picnic baskets and purses to blow up dance clubs.

Then after this foray into cinematic politicism, i find out in the elevator that Professor Vandermere was arrested after an altercation with a National Guard recruiter. According to my source who was also an eye witness, while Professor V and some students were handing out notices about the Moment of Silence for Peace being observed tomorrow, the recruiter made some remarks regarding "People like you should be shot in the head" Professor V said something back to him, was shoved, and a physical altercation ensued which ended with Professor V being handcuffed and taken off campus to the courthouse. The Recruiter as allowed to resume what he had been doing.

As my Fiction Workshop Professor said "Right now is such a terrible time to be young."