Sexual Assault in College Campus

One Georgia college, Emory University, is on a list of 55 colleges and universities under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for possible violations of federal law over the handling of sexual violence and harassment complaints.

“When students go to college they assume they’ll be safe on campus. But the Department of Education’s extensive list shows that colleges and universities across the country — including small, large, public and private — are facing Title IX sexual assault complaints. The Department’s decision to make this information public allows students and parents everywhere to know which schools are under investigation and track the resolution process.  This critical step puts a spotlight on an issue that’s been hidden for too long,” said Fatima Goss Graves, vice-president for education and employment for the National Women's Law Center, in a statement earlier today."

read more at:
http://www.ajc.com/weblogs/get-schooled/2014/may/01/feds-release-list-55-colleges-under-investigation-/

This is a very shocking news to me. Emory is Georgia's pride. If there ever were sexual assault that has been hiding for a long time, I hope the Feds get to the bottom of it and reveal all the truth, so that the campus can be healed and move on.

Propp's functions in journalism

Vladimir Propp was a 20th century formalist who studied common narrative structures in Russian folk tales. His main idea was that there are limited functions in stories that, put together, construct a story. In this view, each narrative has repetitive elements such as departure, wedding, solution, victory and punishment. Later structuralist scholars have suggested that what is original about a narration is the way it is expressed. But, if you could analyze every existing story, you would find common elements in them. These functions are not only found in fiction. They can also be found in journalism.

In this New York Times story which describes an existing tension in Iraq, for example, I recognized Propp's struggle function.

Because journalism is not the exact reflection of reality, but a reporter's account of that reality, the stories we read every day in newspapers are constructions. These narrative constructions, have, as well, common functions.

Saw this posted on National Association of Science Writers list-serve, and thought it had some good tips on interviewing, storytelling, etc. It's a series of quotes from journalists at the recent narrative conference at Boston University. Wish I had known about it. Would have liked to have gone to it.

http://www.niemanstoryboard.org/2014/04/08/its-not-about-the-cameras-its-about-how-you-see-the-world-and-49-other-tips-and-inspirations-from-the-bu-narrative-conference/

Russians in Crimea, Truth or Consequences

My final story for our Proseminar class addressed Minnesota's Ukrainian and Russian communities' reactions to the events in Crimea and Ukraine. The NYT offers excellent and comprehensive coverage almost daily.  I read the article below in the paper a few days ago and discovered it online for posting at the Blog.

What I liked about the article was that it resonated with some of the remarks I heard from Minnesotans who had relatives in Crimea.  Most of those I interviewed did not want to go on the record for concerns regarding their loved ones still living in Crimea and Ukraine. The article discusses transition problems from Ukraine to the Russian Federation.  It was tragically easy for Putin; unencumbered, waltzing in, taking over.  East Ukraine? All Ukraine? The Baltics? The Cold War Served Hot?  The verdict isn't in. 

I realize, after revisiting MacFARQUAR's well-documented and nicely written article, mine was understated. That made me happy as I often think of Minnesotans as understated. This article took it's toll.  I said to myself today, well, one has a moral obligation to be miserable at least one day a year whether one wants to be or not.

Under Russia, Life in Crimea Grows Chaotic

By NEIL MacFARQUHARAPRIL 21, 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/world/europe/under-russia-life-in-crimea-grows-chaotic.html?_r=0

Post Script:  I loved the class last evening.  Jenifer B. McKim's writing was superb.  Each article held the ring of truth based on my time in DCFS [Minnesota.]

Where should comments be edited, removed, or prohibited?

I think profane, rude, or hateful comments should be prohibited or removed, as should personal attacks.

I do think we need to be careful, though, not to censor political views or views on social issues that run counter to our own. I consider myself a moderate as I agree with liberals on some issues and conservatives on others. But, I actually had journalists try to censor me on the National Association of Science Writers list-serve because I disagreed with the liberal orthodoxy on some issues. I found the thought of journalists trying to censor someone with opposing views absolutely frightening. In my mind journalists should be champions of free speech, even for those with opposing views.

Shutdown the trolls

When should comments be edited, removed or prohibited on news sites?

Comments on online news stories have a vast array of responses from argumentative, to profane and affirming to educational.  A term called "trolling" has been coined for commenters who purposely comment to provoke others and/or comment in an inappropriate or attacking manner.

If comments are highly inappropriate by using vulgar or profane language, then comments should be deleted.  "Trolling" comments serve no purpose for public good, or contribute any level of intelligence to the conversation - however, I can certainly understand each person's right to free speech.

In the setting of an online comments forum for news stories, the comment section - in my opinion - should serve as a contribution of opinion and informative debate.  

Edited, removed, or prohibited...

When should comments be edited, removed, or prohibited on news sites?

Prohibited or Deleted

As a general rule, I think it’s always justifiable to delete comments that are crude, profane or bigoted. Comments that are intended to harm or offend should always be prohibited.

Spam can sometimes be blatant, and other times it can be cleverly constructed to seem like it’s relevant. Either way, if a comment is provably spam then I think it’s correct to delete it.  

Edited (sometimes)

It’s less clear-cut when a comment is on-topic but excessively argumentative or when a comment is on-topic but troll-y. In those cases, I think whether the comment should be edited depends on its severity.

Example: I was reading an article about a Salvadoran refugee who was being deported from Canada (after having lived here for many years with his family) because of his past connections with the FMLN, a revolutionary paramilitary group in El Salvador that fought government forces during the civil war, but has since become a legitimate and leading political party in the country. The comments section in the article was filled with hateful comments directed at refugees in general—about how refugees shouldn’t be allowed into Canada, and how refugees are taking jobs away from Canadians and crippling our economy. 

I was irritated after reading the comments. That kind of hateful thinking doesn’t make sense to me. But I would never advocate censoring them. Why? Because the comments were voicing an opinion and they weren’t derogatory or obscene. I don’t agree with that opinion, but that isn’t grounds enough for censorship.