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Oblivion Issue 09
oblivion
1101100010
issue9spring2000
conglomerating angst corporate and mergers 1995
teen through buyouts media since
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Contents
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Features
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Tinker vs. who? . . . . . . . . . . line 0127
Jennifer Boccia learns that not only are her administrators ignorant
when it comes to the laws of the land, they actually stick them through
the shredder.
AOL blocks political information . . . . . . line 0290
Susan Wishnetsky takes a look at the filtering technology used by
America Online and what effect it has on political sites.
Just another victim of post-Columbine Hysteria . . . . line 0525
Matt Hall takes on expulsion, police, doctors in the mental ward, the
courts, and the school board and beats a few of them.
Women and children in Afghanistan . . . . . . line 0947
Josh Gilbert details the recent history of war-torn and poverty-stricken
Afghanistan, and how it affects women and children.
Pledge allegiance ... or else . . . . . . . line 1050
Ben Livingston explains the rules of pledging your allegiance and backs
them up with Barnette and Gobitis.
Regular stuff
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Oblivion speaks - by Ben Livingston . . . . . . line 0068
Newsbriefs - by Maria Gonzalez . . . . . . . line 0466
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . line 0651
Reviews - by Heather Kolowinski . . . . . . . line 1123
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Oblivion speaks
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Ben Livingston
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If you know anything about Oblivion, you probably know we started in
Olympia, Washington. Your humble editor has lived up north in Seattle for a
number of years now, and that means I -- like every unionist,
anti-frankenfooder, anarchist and sea turtle impersonator -- have my WTO
stories.
First and foremost, I must say the WTO protests were the biggest thing
I'd ever seen. So much planning, so much organizing, so much teamwork. In
the end, it not only left Seattle with some busted windows, it left us with
a vibrant and more-connected-than-ever grassroots.
Lisa (my girl) and I marched down with the University of Washington
contingency, since we live in the U-District. Lots of signs and chanting and
lots of cheering from the businesses along Eastlake. After a brief stint at
the Seattle Center, we joined the labor march and headed downtown. With
50,000 protestors and police that had been showering tear gas since 10 a.m.,
things got a little crazy. On 5th and Pike, we took the first tear gas of
our short lives. It wasn't much -- just enough to burn the eyes a bit and
irritate the throat, but we decided to head east stat. Covering our faces,
we moved quickly to 6th and got some water to rinse our eyes. We hung out at
the 6th and Pike sit-in for a while, then roamed around a bit, checking out
all the festivities.
Every block was different. Some had sit-ins. Some had human chains. At
least one block had a full stereo-setup for freestyle hip-hoppers and
whoever else wanted the mic.
We headed out at sunset, an hour before they started the full-on
"reclamation" of downtown.
Besides being downtown on November 30, I went down on December 2 to
protest the "no-protest zone," and ended up at the King County Jail
blockade, which was another great time. This time, no tear gas was fired and
we left around 10 p.m. after negotiations to let Direct Action Network
lawyers into the jail succeeded. (This means we negotiated to let prisoners
talk to lawyers, a right they are supposed to already have.)
Here's a humorous aside: for Christmas, my mother and her fiance gave me
a gas mask. It was very funny, but very practical considering I had actually
taken tear gas.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience for me. I did gain a gas mask
and a greater understanding and interest in trade issues, but I gained much
more than that. I gained experience. I gained connections and friends. I
gained encouragement and a little momentum. On top of it all, I gained a
little more of that stick-it-to-the-man attitude -- a little more hope that
David can put up a good fight and perhaps even whoop Goliath's ass.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Oblivion. We're trying to move towards
action writing -- articles that make you want to actually *do* something. So
please, if you feel inspired, do something! Anything!
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Tinker vs. who?
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Jennifer Boccia
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Oh, the joy of going to public school. Crowded hallways, inane rules,
incompetent administrators ... and the immediate suppression of discontent.
My school, like so many others, overreacted to the tragedy at Columbine and
started making all sorts of absurd new rules in an attempt to at least
*look* like they were doing something productive. Not only did they ban
trenchcoats (as if that was going to accomplish anything), but they called
in all the kids who normally wore them for a "talking to," even though most
of them voluntarily decided not to wear them that week. Then the students
who wore a lot of black clothing had that "talking to." And then they
proceeded to make the entire student body feel like potential criminals,
while ignoring what the students were trying to tell them -- if it happened
to be contrary to what they wanted to hear.
A group of my friends wanted to get the administrators to realize a
very important point: This massacre was apparently committed because two
very disturbed individuals felt alienated, singled-out, and picked on. Thus,
trying to alienate, single-out, and punish those who seem "different'" was
probably *not* a very intelligent course of action. At best, it's stupid,
ineffective, and oppressive. At the worst, it's dangerous. They created an
atmosphere of fear, of tension, and in the words of one teacher, "They've
created a powder keg and they're sitting on it and they don't even know it."
Since the school wasn't willing to listen to us, we decided to
communicate in another way -- a peaceful, nonverbal demonstration. About 15
of us donned black armbands to protest the school's new policies, and to
show our respect for the victims in Colorado. We chose this form of protest
because we were familiar with Tinker vs. Des Moines, a landmark 1969 Supreme
Court ruling that is one of the most important rulings for student rights in
history.
In Tinker vs. Des Moines, Mary Beth Tinker and Chris Eckhardt were
suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. After a
four year court battle, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students,
saying that public school students do not "shed their constitutional rights
to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
We decided that armbands would be the form of protest least likely to be
trampled on by the administration. After all, it was very clearly and very
explicitly protected. While the Tinker case protects many more forms of
student expression and student rights than just black armbands, we figured
there was absolutely no way it could possibly be argued that it didn't cover
the very thing the original case was sent to court to debate.
We underestimated the stupidity of our school administrators.
We were told to remove the armbands or be suspended. Since I thought
something like that might happen (although certainly not as extreme), I had
printed out a copy of the Tinker decision. I discussed it with the
vice-principal, and then handed her the summary of the case to look over.
She took it, turned in her chair and -- I kid you not -- ran it through the
paper shredder.
This wasn't the only example of the utter disrespect for (and ignorance
of) the laws of this country I saw displayed. These people have told me
that:
* Columbine is worse than Vietnam;
* they are not part of the government;
* the Constitution does not apply to them;
* the Tinker case gives them the right to forbid the wearing of black
armbands; and
* scissors are dangerous weapons.
This leads me to believer that they are:
* mind-bogglingly stupid;
* unfit to be responsible for the education of a hamster, much less a human;
and
* on a power-trip.
Being a good little girl who knew exactly what she was getting into, I
began keeping careful dated and signed records of what happened. I showed up
the next morning *with* my armband -- and was promptly suspended.
I contacted the ACLU and after serving one day of my suspension, filed
an appeal of the punishment. After waiting three weeks with no response, we
went to the media. Word got out and things got interesting. Nothing like
having your face plastered all over the TV to get the administration to
finally pay attention to you.
But while they were now paying attention to me, the school still refused
to be reasonable. In fact, they made even more threats and insinuations. I
was called into Principal Ira Sparks' office and told that my record would
be cleared only if I admitted I was wrong in my conduct. On top of that, I
would also have to promise not to talk to the media without first consulting
the school administrators.
When I *still* didn't give in, they seemed quite confused. (I suppose
I'd be surprised too, if a sheep suddenly refused to be sheared, had me
served with court documents, and made me the defendant in a well-publicized
case.) Then it got even uglier. I very nearly started tearing out my hair at
the sheer unmitigated stupidity, blatant lies, and pathetic attempts to
cover their ass that followed. I won't even get into it -- it's a whole
convoluted series of events that don't make any sense in any reality that I
know of.
To make a long story short, after realizing that I wasn't going to cave
in, they settled out of court and agreed to have judgment entered against
them on all counts. That was the only thing they *could* do, since we would
have kicked their ass in court had it gone that far.
In the end, I got to meet a lot of really great people, had a killer
essay topic for my college applications, and even got an award named after
me. And, I'm out of that school and getting ready to leave this whole town,
so I'm absolutely delighted with the way things worked out.
Now, this is the thing that still baffles me. Do they honestly think
that by teaching kids to sit down, shut up, and not question the whims of
authority any time there is a "crisis," that in 30 years we will still have
a democratic society? People have fought and suffered and died for these
rights, and I'm supposed to give them up because a petty school official
threatens to suspend me? No thanks.
Mine is not an isolated incident. In recent years, we've seen a rash of
suspensions for Tinker-protected speech.
Last Fall, the Wilson County School Board in Tennessee voted to
institute mandatory school uniforms. In October, sophomore Cory Vinson was
suspended for wearing an iron-on patch on that read "I miss my real
clothes." His sister, eighth-grader Kista Vinson, was also suspended -- her
iron-on read, "The board voted and all I got was this lousy uniform."
In November, the ACLU of Louisiana filed a federal suit on behalf of
Elizabeth Fisher, who was suspended from Parkway High School for wearing a
*black armband* to protest her school's newly implemented uniform policy.
Let's think for a moment about what us "kids" are being taught.
Differing opinions are dangerous and must be silenced. Whenever possible,
find a scapegoat. If there is a difficult situation that may require thought
to actually *fix*, simply take any kind of action at all, no matter how
ineffective, to show that you are "doing something." Then, proceed to ignore
the real problem. Any "rights" that you may have exist in name only and can
be suspended at the whim of any petty official. In any crisis, authority
figures have unlimited power to do whatever they deem necessary. Once you
give someone unlimited power, they do not relinquish it.
This is what we are being taught. And there are a frightening number of
people who will just accept whatever they are taught. This is dangerous.
This is potentially more dangerous than all the psychotics with guns and
bombs put together.
For those of us who question, who don't accept blindly, it is our
responsibility to challenge this propaganda, this brainwashing. The louder
we speak and the more vehement we are, the better the chance that someone
else will hear and question and speak. We will not go quietly into the
night. We will not roll over onto our backs and play dead. We will not tie
the blindfolds over our eyes, we will not play their games, and we will not
worship them. When they say jump, we ask why. And we *are* the future, not
the mindless sheep who troop blindly along wherever they are led. And that
frightens them. Because they don't understand -- they're sheep in wolves
clothing; scared to death of the lions in their midst.
The complete text of Tinker vs. Des Moines School District can be found
online at http://laws.findlaw.com/US/393/503.html -- it is case number 393
U.S. 503.
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AOL blocks political information
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Susan Wishnetsky
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On October 25, Internet service provider America Online (AOL) added its
nineteen-millionth household to its list of subscribers worldwide. With the
release of its latest version, AOL 5.0, each household may now include up to
seven accounts -- a "master" account for the person who pays for the
service, plus six sub-accounts for alternate nicknames or family members. So
another 114,000,000 people worldwide could potentially be using AOL
sub-accounts, which can be created, deleted, or edited at will by the
"master" account holder. The "master" account holder can also apply parental
controls to the sub-accounts.
AOL provides four progressively restrictive parental control settings --
"General Access," "Mature Teens," "Young Teens," and "Kids Only" -- to let
parents "take charge of their child's online experience to ensure it is
safe, fun, and enriching." It allows parents to limit their children's
email, control online chat, block instant message notes, prevent downloading
of files and software, and restrict access to the World Wide Web.
Parents might think that these controls block access to web sites of
"hate groups," or those which contain pornography, sexual discussion, or
extreme violence. What they may not realize is that parental controls also
block web pages of American colleges and universities, government agencies,
libraries, and major political parties. Yet they often do not block access
to the sites of gun shops, beer distilleries, and some sexually descriptive
material.
I tested the parental control settings on October 23-24, 1999. The
"mature teen" setting, suggested by AOL for 16-17 year olds, seems to
function as it is described. It enables the online user to access, as far as
I could tell, any site except those with explicit sexual material and
images.
When I attempted to explore the Web as a "young teen," I did not find
the experience "safe, fun, and enriching" -- it was confusing, frustrating
and disturbing. As a "young teen" (the category AOL suggests for people aged
13-15 years), I found practically no way to search the Web with search terms
at all. Users may enter search terms into the space for URL addresses or
into a small keyword search box, but almost every term searched that way
yielded only the message "The keyword you entered was not found. Please
check your spelling and try again." Those few terms that were acceptable all
seemed to lead to sites set up by AOL. There is also a search screen
entitled "AOL Find," which gives pretty much the same results. When I tried
to open the search screen available to "mature teens" and adults, what
appeared was the following message:
WEB RESTRICTED
You do not have access to this page as a result of the current Parental
Control settings. To change or review the Parental Control settings, the
master account holder must sign on, then visit the Parental Control area
online.
I was to view this message many times during my experiment. So as a
"young teen," I was essentially unable to search the web by subject, and
could only rely on links provided by AOL for news, entertainment, or
information. To access anything else, a "young teen" must know or guess at
the URL address of the web site they want to view.
So I tried entering some URLs. I began by exploring the home site of
Northwestern University. The home page was available, but the page for
athletics at Northwestern was blocked. The links to the Law, Medical and
Business schools were all blocked, but oddly, the page for the Dental School
was accessible. On the University of Michigan site, the situation was
similar; the Law School page was accessible, but the pages for Medicine and
many other science departments (such as the Physics Department) were
blocked.
I further tested the "young teen" setting with a list of political sites
from the Government Documents Department of the Ingram Library of the State
University of West Georgia (http://www.westga.edu/library/depts/).
Surprisingly, the page with this list was not blocked by AOL, so I was able
to simply click on the links provided. With the "young teen" setting:
* of the page's 33 working links to political parties, I was allowed to
access 13
* of the page's 34 working links to "Non-Partisan Sites" such as the Federal
Election Commission, Common Cause, Gallup Poll (not blocked), and the
Center for Responsive Politics, the Food and Drug Law Institute, and
Junior State of America (blocked), I was allowed to access 8
* of the 13 working links to "Media Sites & Publications" such as C-Span,
Congressional Quarterly, and The Hill, I was allowed to access 6
* of the page's 162 links to "Political Action Groups" such as the AFL-CIO,
Boycott Nike, and the Christian Coalition (not blocked), and the Alliance
to Save Student Aid, Child Support Reform Network, and Students for a
Better America (blocked), I was allowed to access 50
I was unable to figure out the possible criteria for blocking or
permitting access to a site. Some sites, such as the ACLU web site (which
includes articles on sodomy laws), are entirely accessible, perhaps because
of the perceived clout of the organization and their perceived ability to
challenge AOL's decision to block access. In other cases, the choices are
mystifying. The site for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is
accessible, but not the Center for Auto Safety. The site for Ozone Action is
accessible, but not Save Our Sky. And sites for organizations primarily
involved in youth rights activities, such as the National Youth Rights
Organization, YouthSpeak, Peacefire, and Americans for a Society Free from
Age Restrictions, were all blocked.
Remember that this setting is recommended by America Online for people
up to the age of 15, an age at which many young people might be expected to
start considering colleges and universities, or becoming politically active.
America Online seems to consider such activities inappropriate for 15 year
olds.
When I used the "kids only" setting, which AOL suggests for people aged
12 and younger, the library's web page with the list of links was no longer
accessible, so I had to enter every URL manually. The results were even more
limited:
* of the 33 working links to political parties, I was allowed access to 9
(the Republican National Committee was permitted, but the Democratic
National Committee was not!)
* of the 34 working links to "Non-Partisan Sites," I was allowed access to 2
* of the 13 working links to "Media Sites & Publications," I was allowed
access to 5 (but many articles were blocked on two of these)
* of the 162 working links to "Political Action Groups," I was allowed
access to 31 (but many internal links were blocked on 7 of these)
The "kids only" setting is better than the "young teens" setting in one
way: a search screen is available which actually permits kids to explore the
Web using search terms. The search screen looks different from the screen
provided for adults and "mature teens," with bright colors, bold block
letters, and links to special AOL sites for kids. It does provide a space,
however, to enter subject terms to search the Web.
The results of those searches may be less than satisfying. The search
for the term "bully," which yields 607 hits when performed by a "mature
teen" or an adult, yields only 7 hits when searched by a "kid." The results
are supposed to appear in order of relevance, and they do. The top item
listed in this search is an excellent site from the UK on how kids and
parents can deal with bullies. The second item listed is about bulldogs. And
the rest of the "hits" go downhill from there.
A "kid" interested in the topic of "curfew," which could easily serve as
the subject of a school paper, will find one match when this search term is
entered, a link to a citizen's handbook from the Parks and Recreation
Department in College Station, Texas. An adult or "mature teen" entering
this same term finds 162 matches. A search for the term "puberty," which
yields 331 hits for adult or "mature teen" settings, yields one hit for a
"kid" -- a link to an article on epilepsy medication.
If a "kid" enters the term "drugs," 114 hits appear, which is quite a
few, unless you compare it to the 10,716 hits that would have been found
with the general or "mature teen" setting. The top match, which is supposed
to be the most relevant, is a link to the "Drug-Free Children Program" of
the Church of Scientology, which opposes the use of Ritalin and other
prescribed medications.
So in the world of AOL, a child's first search screen is in fact a toy
search screen, designed to introduce the concept of searching the web
without actually permitting the real searches to take place. The "kids only"
search screen is like an "easy-bake" oven with a light bulb used for heat,
or a toy tool set with plastic hammers and screwdrivers, which let kids
pretend harmlessly, without actually doing any cooking or home repairs.
Once a child is considered too old by AOL to merely pretend to search
the Web, the toy is taken away, but nothing is put in its place! A "young
teen" on America Online is no longer even allowed to use the kids' search
screen, and must simply wait until the age of 16 to find the true wealth of
information available online.
This article originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. inaugural issue of
Youth Truth.
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Newsbriefs
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January 11, 2000
Halifax, North Carolina
Under a court-ordered settlement, the Halifax County School District must
amend it's uniform policy to allow for religious exemption. They must also
pay $30,000 in legal expenses for 9-year-old Aaron Ganues, who was twice
suspended from school. Aaron's great-grandmother, a local preacher, believed
the policy taught students to obey authority mindlessly, making them
vulnerable to the devil.
January 10, 2000
Leon, Kansas
Sarah Boman, a 17-year-old honor roll student at Bluestem High School, was
expelled for writing a poem from the point of view of a madman, angry over
the death of his dog. In the poem, Boman wrote: "You know who killed my dog.
I'll kill you if you don't tell me who killed my dog. Tell me who did it.
Tell me. Tell me. Tell me." The school felt the work was "threatening" and
gave her the boot. The ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri vowed to bring a
court challenge if the punishment wasn't rescinded.
December 6, 1999
Scottsburg, Indiana
The Scottsburg School Board, in a effort to instill moral values in
children, has proposed a plan to post a paraphrased version of the 10
Commandments, entitled the "11 Precepts," in public schools throughout the
area. These precepts urge children to "Trust in God," "Respect authority,"
and "Honor your parents and family members." The Indiana Civil Liberties
Union has asked the Board to back down from it's plan, saying the 11
Precepts promote religion, which is unconstitutional in a public school
building.
November 2, 1999
Dallas, TX
Christopher Beamon, a 7th-grader at Ponder High School, was freed from jail
after serving ten days for writing a Halloween story in which he killed
several classmates and a teacher. Jan Beamon, Christopher's mother, hired an
attorney and her son was released early. Christopher received an A+ on his
essay, despite the concern it caused.
October 22, 1999
Redmond, Washington
Seventeen year old Mike Lavers, CTO of Matrixcubed Internet Services, was
allowed admission to Comdex, the huge computer convention in Las Vegas.
Originally, the young entrepreneur was denied admission because of his age
-- under-18s aren't allowed into this high-tech mecca. Although Comdex made
an exception for Lavers, their "no minors" policy is still in effect,
shining as a symbol of their ageist ideals.
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Just another victim of post-Columbine hysteria
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Matt Hall
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It all started with my birthday -- sweet sixteen -- definitely something
to be excited about. I started a countdown. "Six days," I'd say.
"Until what?"
"Six days."
My friends figured it out. Other people that don't know me too well --
and think I'm a psychotic, gun-toting maniac -- hypothesized that I would
bomb the school or go on a shooting spree. Add to this the fact that my web
page URL had been circulating around school, and suddenly I'm the new
antichrist.
Leave it to the school to nail me to a crucifix.
My web site was a humorous look at everything bad. I had sections for
sex, violence and foul language, as well as parodies, jokes and cartoons.
Some of it was serious, like the essays on school violence. Some of it
wasn't serious, like the pornography I censored or the giant rabbit eating
the Quake character with a subtitle "Don't do drugs. This could happen to
you." Some of it was downright tasteless, like the parodies I created for
the "O.J. Simpson knife kit" or the Calvin Klein ad-spoof "Incest."
Day five of the countdown, November 18. The principal called my father
into the school for a meeting. He showed my father the web site -- not the
whole site, just the parts that made me look really psychotic. According to
the principal, the sex section was full frontal nudity and *he* had censored
it. He showed him a few other pages, but mainly the sex section. My web site
had nothing to do with my birthday countdown, but it was very incriminating
when they misrepresented it to my father.
I was called into the office. Suspended, they told me. As I sat in the
office, they asked me outlandish questions such as, "Are you a member of any
hate groups?" They also made remarks about my choice of dress, which is
mostly black.
Fine, I'll take your little suspension.
To this day, no school administrator has come to me and asked, "Matt,
what was the countdown all about?" Well, in case you're wondering, I was
planning on bringing cake to school. Not a bomb, not a gun --cake. I guess
they just don't like cake.
Their joyride isn't done yet -- not by far. They've tasted blood and
they want more. The police are called in. They go around interviewing
people, most of who are not my friends. Of course the story they get is not
in my favor. On Sunday, November 21, they come to interview me.
"Look, I'm not talking to you until my attorney is present," I tell
them.
"Alright, I'll call around four tomorrow to find out who he is."
Monday comes and 4 p.m. rolls around. Guess who shows up but none other
than my good friends from the Keokuk Police Department, accompanied by the
Lee County Sheriff's Office. They've got a court order stating that I am --
and I quote -- "believed to be severely mentally impaired and a possible
harm to himself or others." They take me to mental ward at the University of
Iowa Hospital in Iowa City.
So I get an all expenses paid trip to a mental ward. Just what I always
wanted. Thanks State of Iowa, I'll have to send a Christmas card.
Tuesday, November 23 -- my birthday and also my first day in the mental
ward. The doctors want to speak to me. I walk into their office and say,
"You know, today is my birthday, I hope I get cake."
"And what do you think will happen if you don't get cake?" he asks.
Not even in the chair, and already he's started the analysis. I think it
rather unfair, but oh well, this whole thing is rather unfair. I guess he
wanted me to say something like, "I'll have to kill every person in this
building until I do." But instead, I reply, "Oh, well. I guess I won't get
cake."
Because of Thanksgiving, my hearing isn't until Monday. What do I have
to be thankful for? For being taken out of my home? For having to spend my
birthday and Thanksgiving away from friends and family? For everyone
thinking I'm insane?
Judgement day. I'm transported back to my lovely hometown of Keokuk to
stand before the judge. Good news, I'm not insane! Case dismissed.
The school doesn't like that at all. They figured they would keep me
locked up in Iowa City and never hear from me again. So they try once more
to rid themselves of me. Expulsion is their game, and the rules are
downright unfair.
Picture this: a trial complete with prosecutors, defense lawyers, and a
court stenographer. However, the school board is the judge, jury, and
executioner. Nevermind the fact that their case was lies and hearsay.
Nevermind the testimony from my friends and family saying I'm not a violent
person. Nevermind the document stating I am not mentally ill. We're facing
the school board here, and to not expel me would be saying they were wrong.
That's not about to happen, is it?
I lost my case. They expelled me for allegedly promoting fear and
concern among the student body by spreading rumors and because my web site
had bizarre content and I encouraged others to visit it. Oh well, I guess I
get to sleep in.
I haven't been to school since November 18. Where it goes now, I don't
know. All I know is this paranoia has to end. Just because a few kids look
to violence as a solution for their problems, doesn't mean we're all that
way. Ever since Columbine, people have been on edge, looking at every kid
wondering if he'll be the next one. Then they bust them, and get their
fifteen minutes of fame for cracking down on a problem child before they
were a problem.
It's not the games. It's not the music. It's not the TV, the movies, or
the Internet. No one listens to us. We've got problems, but no one to tell
them to. Kids get picked on at school and they retaliate with guns. Whenever
something bad like that goes down, everyone is quick to jump at the easy
scapegoats, but too quick to realize that if they had sat down and talked
with us about it, the problem might not have blown up like that.
Since I'm already expelled, I guess it's okay to keep encouraging folks
to visit my site: http://www.gatecity.com/~hall433/hate
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Letters
------- - -- ---- - - --
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Want some free t-shirts?
------- - -- ---- - - --
We're always interested in sponsoring teen zines. We're a teen apparel
company. We may sponsor you with some of our products (tops, tanks, dresses,
accessories, etc.) for you to give out as freebies or in contests, in
exchange for you putting us on your banner or writing an intro of our
company. Please email me if you find this idea interesting.
Cathy
Marketing
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hey Cathy,
We're not really interested. We're not much for fashion. Thanks for the
offer though.
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Your buttons are causin' a ruckus
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hey,
I thought you'd like to hear about some of the trouble your buttons have
caused:
"I am also proud to say that I wore the button that said: 'This uniform
violates my rights,' which raised quite a few brows, plus a good talking
to by the assistant principal, who told me not to wear it. I kept it on,
and even wore it the next day. I then got another talking to. I was fed
up with all this bull they keep giving me. I told them that they can't
make me take it off because in the Student Code of Conduct/Bill of
Rights book, it said that every student has the right to the freedom of
expression, which in other words, is my button. I was then able to wear
the button without any more 'talking to's' and influenced many other
people to wear buttons. None were against the school or its dress code,
but it still gave the children more power. I have also had many offers,
so lets get a button maker, and we could make some money off of them."
Liz Palmer
BRAT
http://www.brat.org/
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hi Liz,
Thanks for the letting us know about this trouble! Just in case you
didn't know, we love BRAT!
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Fungus bot from the Drop Out collective
------- - -- ---- - - --
hey oblivion kids!
thanks for the trade! i read the whole zine the first i got it. i'm not
sure what to say about it. the contents of the zine was amazing. you manage
to cover a lot of the youth topics that need to be addressed. how many ppl
are involved w/ oblivion? i'm part of the drop out collective and we only
have a few ppl to work with.
did you ever get dropout 7? i'll send you kids one if you haven't. if
you can actually send one for drop out too, that would be great. oblivion
would be a great addition to our zine library. here's one of my zines,
breakdown. it's antischool so maybe someone would be interested. actually, i
wanted to write for your zine. maybe i can do something abt school. take a
look at it to see my writing style. hopefully it'll be fine.
thanks. and be sure to keep in touch.
fungus bot
breakdown productions
po box 188602
sacramento, ca 95818-8602
ce7in@antisocial.com
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hey fungus,
Oblivion's the work of a core group of folks, with many more
contributing art, writing, etc. You can find out more on the table of
contents page. We're always looking for writers, so if you'd like to write
for us, let us know or simply send an article in!
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Big important typo in Oblivion 8
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hi.
In Oblivion 8, in the article about distribution, you put the prior
review case as "Burch v. Baker" but it is actually "Burch v. Barker." No
wonder I couldn't find anything about it online. The only way I found it was
in my principal's copy of "Deskbook Encyclopedia Of American School Law." I
was pleased to find out that it was a 9th circuit court ruling and not just
a Washington ruling, so it's applicable up here in Alaska too.
Chris Swasey
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hey Chris,
Thanks for pointing that out. That is a rather important spelling error.
Our bad! Remember all you zinester kids, Burch vs. *Barker* is the case you
want to know if you plan on distributing your zine on campus. Read it, know
it, distribute.
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Aren't you just a cog in the machine?
------- - -- ---- - - --
Oblivion,
Hello, i just got my issue of Oblivion today -- it's good. I just
thought that I would tell you something.
OK, so you are "angry" & you release your anger with Oblivion. Sure,
that's productive & admirable in comparison to those that do nothing, *but*
does it really _do_ anything? Obviously, there's millions of shit already in
print on how school sux, govt. sux, etc. A lot is in the local library.
Secondly, don't you contribute money to the nation's GDP (1,666 inches of
paper must cost something). Also, I'm sure you pay taxes -- directly or
indirectly -- somewhere in the production of Oblivion. Either way, you
strengthen the very forces you are trying to weaken; namely those of _the
government_.
Don't you think that they love that? Yes, you're publication may annoy
them a bit, but _that's all_, if even it does that. Your publication gives
you the _illusion_ of freedom, but does anything actually change? No way
man! Like Ted Kaczynksi wrote in his manifesto: you can do anything you want
as long as it's not important.
Obviously, the government doesn't give a fuck about youth rights & they
never will if left to their own devices. You may try to show them how mature
& reasonable you are by publishing as opposed to, let's say, terrorism. But
either way, it's hopeless.
Emma Goldman: "Easier to condemn than to think."
Okay, so how about taking your anger one step further -- actually make
your dreams and aspirations true! It's been done before & can be done again.
Create your own high school! Show them that you have what it takes. It looks
like Oblivion is well-organized with contacts here & there. Be an example to
Amerika's youth: We beat the system! Otherwise, the more you whine &
complain, the more helpless it looks.
Also, there's something else that must be brought into consideration.
Perhaps you like having a scapegoat to blame your problems on. Hitler always
kept enough Jews here & there so that he could blame them for all his
shortcomings. Of course, this is perhaps a too dramatic example, but keep it
in mind.
Umm ... I'm finished. I'm curious what your response is (if you have
even read this far). You must think that I'm an idiot.
Thanks for your time. Good luck on all your endeavors!
Kacper Jarecki
Brooklyn, NY
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Kacper,
First off, I don't think you're completely insane. You're correct, we do
contribute to the gross domestic product. But despite individual ideologies,
Oblivion isn't an anti-capitalism organization. We're not trying to weaken
the government. We're trying to raise awareness of youth issues.
The idea of creating your own high school is a good one. However, it's
no better than publishing a zine. We occasionally get letters asking why we
publish this youth shit when there's real issues out there -- a few recent
ones being police violence and nuclear waste in space. That's bull shit.
Police violence is a legitimate issue. So is space junk. So is youth rights.
Your issue is not the only valid one.
So, while I agree that creating your own high school is a good idea, I
must disagree with your notion that publishing a zine is a bad idea.
With Oblivion, we hope that some folks will get involved in something --
anything! I don't care if it's youth rights or saving the whales. Do
_something_!
And yes, you're Hitler comparison is way too fucking dramatic. We're not
blaming society's problems on the Jewish religion. If a legislature passes
an anti-youth law or a school suspends a kid for dying their hair, we should
be able to call it out. It's not placing blame or scapegoating -- it's
called accountability. Accountability is required of public officials. If I
am paying your salary, I want to know that you're not making stupid
decisions. Accountability differs considerably from blaming Jews.
How about *you* create your own high school, then *we* can publicize it.
It's a win-win situation.
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Want a free vacation?
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hi Oblivion,
My name is Kate Tucker, and I am the Marketing Director of an outdoor
adventure company for teenagers in Golden, Colorado. We focus on learning
leadership skills, building confidence and teamwork through camping,
backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, horseback riding, sailing, mountain
biking and white water rafting adventures throughout the west, pacific
northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Costa Rica and Europe. Summer 2000 is our 24th
season!
We would love to invite a writer to join our program to see what it's
all about. Your teen readers will love what we have to offer. Please contact
me for further information and to set an appointment to talk.
Thanks,
Kate
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Hello Kate,
Thanks for the interest in Oblivion, but I don't think such an article
would fit in our zine. We focus mainly on politics and activism -- curfew
laws, free speech issues, the juvenile justice system, etc. As much as we'd
love a free vacation, it just wouldn't fit our theme. So again, thanks for
the offer, but we must decline.
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Tunisia lacks zines. Help!
------- - -- ---- - - --
Dear sir,
I am a teacher of english at a secondary school in Tunisia. We lack
english magazines which are very essential to pupils. Could you please send
me some issues to my pupils to improve their english?
Messaoudi Makram
------- - -- ---- - - --
Messaoudi,
Damn! Mailing to Tunisia is expensive. I hope your students enjoy the
zines!
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Buttons good, profanity bad
------- - -- ---- - - --
Hello --
My name is Kelly and I am 15 years old. I appreciate the buttons and
their meaning very much. I am known to as the "modern-day hippie" in my
school, and I have to say, I wouldn't mind wearing those buttons, working
against the establishment, and stickin' it to the man. *However, I do not*
feel that "f** the curfew" is appropriate. I feel that this phrase,
especially the use of profanity, would completely defeat the purpose, and go
against the cause. Also, it truly offends me. Someone who wore that would
not get much use out of it, because the establishment would force whomever
wore it to take it off. Not only that, but those who saw it would not think
highly of the hippie/nonconformist race.
Thank you for your time. I hope you will consider my plea.
God's Peace and Love --
Kelly/Billy Bob/hippie chick
------- - -- ---- - - --
Kelly,
I understand where you're coming from. I generally prefer slogans sans
profanity as well, but that's not to say profanity doesn't have it's place.
Sometimes people feel like saying "fuck the curfew," and I say more power to
them. If it offends you, I'd have to say too bad. A lot of things offend me
-- the mall, the Super Bowl, that "God Hates Fags" guy. However, I don't
think we should banish any of those. Diversity requires tolerance --
tolerance of things you find offensive. Without that, we might require
fag-hating or, God forbid, all become hippie chicks.
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Keep up the good work
------- - -- ---- - - --
I remember when I had to go look at the etext site to get old issues of
oblivion; you are doing a kickass job. If I have anything intelligent to say
ever I will contribute it. Again, thank you so much; you do a lot of good in
simply getting this material out.
Del
efjohnson@ou.edu
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Women and children in Afghanistan
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Josh Gilbert
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Afghanistan has experienced conflict, turmoil, and civil war since 1973,
when King Zahir Shah was overthrown by his cousin, Mohammed Daud. With the
communist coup and Soviet invasion of 1979, the People's Democratic Party of
Afghanistan moved to prohibit traditional practices which were deemed feudal
in nature, including forced marriage and bride price. Education was stressed
for both women and men. Civil war continued along with serious human rights
violations, forcing millions of people to flee Afghanistan. Soviet reforms
were viewed by many Afghans as an imposition of western, un-Islamic values.
In 1992, the pro-Soviet government collapsed and the power struggle
continued, this time between the various factions and militias that
controlled different territories throughout Afghanistan. Civilians were
targeted in retaliatory attacks. Many women were raped and some kidnapped
and sold into prostitution. Along with those wartime atrocities, many parts
of the country forbid women from exercising fundamental rights they
considered un-Islamic.
In 1995, a group of fundamentalist Sunni Muslim called the Taleban swept
through the country with military successes against rival factions. Today,
the Taleban controls an estimated 90% of Afghanistan.
Under Taleban rule, women have been barred almost completely from the
workforce. The Taleban contend that "In spite of war condition in the
country and with no work in the offices, the communist regime forced a large
number of women to attend government offices only for their amusement."
Though female health professionals were given special exemptions and allowed
to work under strict guidelines, the state of women's healthcare has gone
from bad to worse. Women are forbidden from working outside approved health
care structures and segregation is a must.
The Taleban forbid girls from attending school and shut down schools
that taught girls. In June of 1998, they issued an edict ordering the
closure of more than 100 private schools that were educating girls in
defiance of the ban. Many of the home-based schools were run by
international aid groups who said such education was vital to the rebuilding
of Afghanistan.
The head of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of
Vice (DPVPV), however, accused the schools of spreading anti-Taleban
propaganda. Home-schooling for girls would be allowed, they said, provided
the girls are under the age of 8 and lessons are limited to the Koran.
"These schools weren't just for children. They also included 14- and
15-year-old girls," said Religious Affairs Minister Haji Khulimuddin.
Women must be completely covered. Completely. In order to "protect the
honor, dignity, and personal safety of the women in Afghanistan," women must
wear a veil over their face any time they are in public. Women who don't
comply with these edicts are publicly ridiculed and beaten by members of the
DPVPV. Women have been lashed on the back of the legs by Taleban guards for
showing their ankles or wearing the wrong colour shoes. A women who ran a
home school for girls was shot and killed in front of her husband, daughter,
and students. A women who was caught trying to flee Afghanistan with a man
that was not related to her was stoned to death for adultery. It's ironic
that these laws are supposedly implemented to ensure the physical protection
of women, yet being beaten for violating these laws is one of the biggest
concerns for Afghan women.
In another ironic twist, Afghanistan has become the second largest opium
exporter in the world while the Taleban forbid drinking, smoking, and
gambling. Selling opium is completely kosher to the Taleban, because
according to their interpretation of Islamic law, using opium is forbidden,
but selling it is not. This argument is dismissed by countless muslim groups
and Iran has come to the brink of war with Afghanistan because of it's drug
trafficking.
Meanwhile, the human rights situation for men is not favourable either.
The UN says that children as young as 14 are being used as soldiers in
Afghanistan's long running civil war. Famine is widespread; the UN predicted
a food shortage of 1.13 million tons by next year. Because of the drug
trade, the best farming lands in Afghanistan go towards opium growing.
Countless refugees are displaced because of the continued fighting. Anyone
-- man, woman, or child -- accused of theft has their hands cut off,
sometimes even whole limbs.
It must be observed that such treatment of people -- women in particular
-- is not the product of Islam. The situation arises from politics;
religion is a guise. "Obviously, the Taliban's military prowess far exceeds
their knowledge of Islam," said Dr. Hassan Hathout, Director of Outreach at
the Islamic Center of Southern California.
So what can you do about such atrocities going on so far away? Perhaps
the most important thing is to write your government officials. In Canada,
write to your member of Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In
the U.S., write to your representative and senators as well as the Secretary
of State. Last October, U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright met with
Taleban officials and offered more normal relations if the country expelled
international terrorist Osama bin Laden. With regard to the status of women
in Afghanistan, Secretary of State Albright said "I say it is criminal and
we each have a responsibility to stop it." Urge her to stand firm on that
and not to recognize the Taleban until such atrocities stop.
Visit the Amnesty International Canada web site at
http://www.amnesty.ca/library/1999/asa1111.htm for information. You can also
visit the Women's Alliance for Peace and Human Rights in Afghanistan at
http://www.wapha.org/.
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Pledge allegiance ... or else
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Ben Livingston
-- - - ---- -- - -------
It happens over and over and over again. A student abstains from saying
the Pledge of Allegiance and they're reprimanded. Over and over and over
again, schools reverse their decisions after hearing from the American Civil
Liberties Union or after being taken to court.
The Supreme Court weighed in on the matter nearly 60 years ago, in West
Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943). In that case, the
Court ruled that students could not be required to recite the Pledge of
Allegiance. "Words uttered under coercion are proof of loyalty to nothing
but self-interest," the Court wrote.
"Neither our domestic tranquillity in peace nor our martial effort in
war depend on compelling little children to participate in a ceremony which
ends in nothing for them but a fear of spiritual condemnation. If, as we
think, their fears are groundless, time and reason are the proper antidotes
for their errors. The ceremonial, when enforced against conscientious
objectors, more likely to defeat than to serve its high purpose, is a handy
implement for disguised religious persecution. As such, it is inconsistent
with our Constitution's plan and purpose."
Previously, in Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940), the Court
ruled that Lillian and William Gobitis, aged twelve and ten, could not be
expelled for not reciting the pledge because their religious beliefs forbid
them from pledging allegiance to anything but God.
The Barnette case went further than the Gobitis case. It didn't rule
specifically on religious exemption. The Court ruled that abstaining from
the pledge constituted an act of dissent infringing on the rights of no
other individual, and as such, was exactly the sort of speech -- or lack
thereof -- protected by the First Amendment. "We think the action of the
local authorities in compelling the flag salute and pledge transcends
constitutional limitations on their power and invades the sphere of
intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment to our
Constitution to reserve from all official control."
An unknown number of students are reprimanded every year for not saying
the Pledge of Allegiance. They may receive detention, be sent to the
principal's office, be suspended, or face other such punishment.
The American Civil Liberties Union knows the issue all to well. It seems
that within the first week of every new school year, they're taking on yet
another Pledge of Allegiance case. In Washington State, the first case of
the year came in Elma, where a sophomore refused to stand for the pledge
during an assembly and was subsequently suspended. He was told by his
principal that not only did abstaining disrupt the educational process, but
that the Supreme Court had ruled all public school students must stand
during such a flag exercise.
Sorry! Wrong answer.
The good news is that students who contest their punishments almost
always win. In this particular case, the ACLU of Washington contacted the
school and gave them the details on the real Supreme Court rulings. The
student was allowed back in school the next morning and the suspension was
removed from his record.
So remember, you do not have to pledge your allegiance to the flag. You
do not have to stand up while others are pledging their allegiance to the
flag. If you want to stand or recite the pledge, that too is your right. If
others attempt to force you to recite the pledge, stand your ground and
attack them with Barnette and Gobitis.
The Gobitis case can be found at http://laws.findlaw.com/us/310/586.html
and is case number 310 U.S. 586. The Barnette case can be found at
http://laws.findlaw.com/US/319/624.html and is case number 319 U.S. 624.
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Reviews
------- - -- ---- - - -- by Heather Kolowinski
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Breakdown #4
$1 or stamps
PO Box 188602
Sacramento, CA 95818-8602
It's hard to say if this would classify as a zine ... or a book. This
wonderfully packaged little zine is crammed full of solid information about
the ifs, ands, and why's of dropping out of school. There's a huge list of
web sites and related zines to further your studies if you think school is
nothing more than a pain in the ass. Learn about self teaching and the "nice
things about not going to school" such as sleeping in, thinking for
yourself, and peeing whenever the desire hits.
------- - -- ---- - - --
Chumps On Parade
$1 or trade
PO Box 6647
Grand Rapids, MI 49516
http://www.freespeech.org/chumps/
chumpsonparade@hotmail.com
Finally, out of nowhere -- otherwise known as Grand Rapids, Michigan --
comes a zine I can relate to that just makes me stand up and say, "Hell
yeah!" Chumps On Parade was formed through forced censorship by school
authorities, and social unrest. This snappy looking zine features articles
covering important issues like gay rights, character vs. appearance,
swearing in public schools, and television censorship. Also included, but
not so imperative to the betterment of humanity are comics, games and even a
fun-filled trip to the mall. If the writers of C.O.P. ever show up in
Washington they should be sure to look us up. These are some cool catz. All
they need now is to learn how to staple their zines together in such a
fashion that they can easily be read.
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Teenage Revolution
$1
3149 Windwood Drive
Mississauga, ON L5N 2K4
Canada
http://www.oblivion.net/htp/
heretitleplace@iname.com
Here Title Place is dead, and to mark the occasion, they've created this
one-shot zine. It serves both as a "Best of Here Title Place" and a guide
to publishing an underground school paper. This is a great zine. If you've
ever thought about publishing an underground paper, get it! It covers many
of the issues you'll face, from paper size to anonymity. You'll also get
ideas on content from the best zine -- hell, the best anything -- ever to
come out of Canada.
------- - -- ---- - - --
Q.U.E.E.R Zine
Free
PO Box 52812
New Orleans, LA 70152-2812
khwerrouge@hotmail.com
As much as the title leads you to believe this zine is all about gay times,
it's only half true. Mostly you'll find a kid in Louisiana who's bored and
frustrated with society and just wants to have his voice heard. A particular
highlight was the page on how to destroy a family by whispering things into
the ear of a little child and saying, "Go tell this to mom." ("Do you bleed
a lot when daddy has his special time with you too, mommy?" ... or ... "How
big is Jesus under the white cloth?") You'll find a couple lengthy
interviews and many many reviews of music, movies, and zines. Definitely
worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood.
------- - -- ---- - - --
Kid's Korner
February 1999
$20 subscription for 12 issues (CH/MO)
PO Box 760
Logansport, LA 71049
This zine claims to be packed with family-oriented information and
supportive articles for divorced couples. Contests, news, and ads. After
reading it cover to cover I was left with a dull, fuzzy feeling of
nothingness. Honestly. One article talked about the percentage of households
in America that keep and dry their flowers. Another was a
barely-held-together, incoherent letter from some lady trying to convince
herself of her own worth and happiness after finding God after a divorce
from her drunken husband -- all the while it being quite evident that she
wasn't coping well with reality. Maybe the fact that I'm not a
family-oriented, God-fearing individual has something to do with my
disinterest in this ad -filled zine.
------- - -- ---- - - --
Youth Truth, January/February 2000
$2
PO Box 11358
Chicago, IL 60611-0358
http://www.asfar.org/zine/
info@asfar.org
With the second issue of Youth Truth, Americans for a Society Free from Age
Restrictions (ASFAR) has shown they can publish on a regular, scheduled
basis, which is perhaps the most amazing thing any zine can accomplish. The
articles are interesting, though they read more like essays written for a
debate class. It's obvious these folks are interested in political science,
and well they should be -- ASFAR is a political organization. This
heavy-paper newsletter covers Mosaic 2000, that killer-kid-finding software;
the "for the children" excuse; gulag schools; the South Park movie; and the
anti-child bias of childrens' advocacy groups.
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The back bytes, skillet
------- - -- ---- - - --
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Copyright
------- - -- ---- - - --
Everything in Oblivion is copyright by the individual contributor. Ask
first.
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Useless information
------- - -- ---- - - --
We say Oblivion is published quarterly -- even though that's a lie.
We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Nobody makes money from this. We're
poor, but we've still got mad angst.
Subscriptions to Oblivion are $10 for 4 issues or $5 if you're poor. We
accept cash, checks, money orders and stamps.
We accept donations, and those donations are tax-deductable.
Everything herein can be found on our web site along with much, much
more.
We enjoy all kinds of zines. We only review zines that focus on youth
issues. We haven't reviewed music, but we might if it's particularly
relevant to youth. The same goes for movies and everything else.
We are open to sponsorship, an idea we stole from BRAT magazine. We
won't run ads for your breakthrough acne cream and we don't give a damn
about the Levis/Mod Squad cross-marketing campaign you're running. Don't
even bother asking us. We are, however, open to sponsorship from people who
don't simply want to sell worthless crap to kids. If you're cool, we'll
trade space for money. If not, fuck off. We don't need your money.
We're always looking for writers and distributors. Writers get free
shell accounts on our server, oblivion.net. Contact us!
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Selected review quotes
------- - -- ---- - - --
"I must say these young whippersnappers make sense even to an old fogy like
me."
-- The Parenting Review #6
"This zine will definitely make you angry, and if you're still in school,
should make you angry enough to get involved and hopefully change the
bullshit policies that students everywhere are forced to endure."
-- Funhouse #8
"It's great because these kids are angry and trying to figure out how to
change things."
-- Maximumrocknroll #197
"Oblivion succeeds at giving us youth who gi
ve a fuck about our rights a
voice, while keeping it interesting for those that don't."
-- energy suicide #1
"If you're in high school, you need to read this."
-- Ralph Recommends #51
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Things we like
------- - -- ---- - - --
Zines: typograpunx, Book of Letters, Here Title Place
Tunes: A New Found Glory, Me First and Gimme Gimmes, Radiohead
-- - - ---- -- - -------
Houston, we have contact
------- - -- ---- - - --
PO Box 95227
Seattle, WA 98145-2227
Web: oblivion.net
Email: oblivion@oblivion.net
Submissions: nemo@oblivion.net
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- --- ------- ---- -- --- - --- ----- ---- - ---- ----- -- ---- --- - EOF
