Smith College has always been woke to the point of insomnia. Now, however, it has embraced an “anti-racism reform” that even some on the left call looney. As discussed in a prior column on the same reform implemented at the University of Southern California, Smith has removed the word “field” from its social work program as racist. The reason? It reminds some of the field work of slaves.The department formerly known as the “Office of Field Education” will be now referred to as the “Office of Practicum.” Carolyn McDaniel, a spokesperson for Smith College, explained that this change is “consistent with the guiding principles of the social work profession, Smith College’s School for Social Work strives for intentional accountability.”“Language can be powerful, and phrases such as ‘going into the field’ or ‘field work’ may have connotations for descendants of slavery and immigrant workers that are not benign…This change supports anti-racist social work practice by replacing language that could be considered anti-Black or anti-immigrant in favor of inclusive language.”
The school heralded its replacement of the word “field” as another triumph in the fight for “dismantling oppressive and discriminating systems.”
Neither Smith nor USC is saying that the word is racist. They are saying that some may be reminded that slaves worked in fields. It does not matter that the word is not being used in even a remotely racist way. Rather than expect students to understand how words are used, it is better to ban them.
We faced the same type of logic at George Washington University when the school dropped the long moniker of “The Colonials.” I previously wrote about my opposition to the dropping of “The Colonials.” The university assembled a committee that seemed pre-disposed to drop the name after objections that, in my view, were historically and logically wrong. That followed an earlier panel that lacked any opposing views on the matter.
Now the school has adopted “The Revolutionaries” — a moniker that has greater appeal for many at the school but will likely be as usable in a sports context as the “Confectionaries.” Rather than expect students to know that our “Colonials” fought a war against an Empire and colonization, the school decided to drop the beloved moniker because some dismissed the actual reference and meaning. After all, a university can hardly be expected to stand on the meaning and history of language as an educational institution. The key is that when “The Revolutionaries” go to practice, they may want to avoid going to the “field” as opposed to “practicum place.”
It is that simple. The important thing is to believe . . . just like they said in the movie “Practicum of Dreams.”
What’s your field of
Specialty?
Americans have been duped by corporations and the Left, into thinking that the dictatorship of feelz goodz and acting on emotive impulses are more viable than the traditional Christian principles that founded Western Civilization since the Fall of the Roman Empire. Black Lives Matter was a lie, and anyone who supported them financially is bereft of any intellectual thinking that established Western Civilization. Everything that Woke Inc promulgates is done so in an effort to destabilize our world.
Black Lives Matter at risk of insolvency as debt soars
In the face of mounting debt, BLM GNF continued to hire relatives and friends of its founder on seven-figure contracts, according to the accounts. The Washington Free Beacon has reported that the group has spent two-thirds of the money it raised following the death of Mr Floyd. Last year it emerged that around $12 million of those funds were used to purchase luxury homes in Toronto and Los Angeles.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/24/black-lives-matter-insolvency-debt-soars/
Black Lives Matter’s woke industrial complex may finally be crashing down
Communist chiefs are perhaps the most glaring example of paying lip service to the interests of maligned ordinary working people in order to seize power, before focusing on their own priorities. Then there are the eco elites, preaching to us all about the apocalypse we’re causing by driving cars and flying on the cheap to Spain – who merrily jump on private jets to get to luxury climate conferences in far-flung corners of the world.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/27/black-lives-matters-woke-industry-may-finally-be-crashing/
All the black millionaires playing professional baseball and football must feel terrible about having to work out in the fields. The Diversity and Equity staff at these colleges getting the big bucks have to justify their existence in some way. Perhaps the time has come when the people of America are finally saying give it a rest. One can only hope. Don’t forget that these people get their marching orders directly from Joe Biden.
It is estimated that at least 20% of all the cotton clothing on the global market is derived from Uyghur slave labor in China. This is pure slave labor, not the typical factory that works the laborers 70 hours per week so they can live in a a dorm room and make about 500 dollars per month to keep the cost of the Apple products in balance with the big profits that executives need and deserve. When the CCP is done with the Uyghur, or when they reach a certain age, they are shipped to the Mideast and sold for their body parts so that rich people can get custom organ transplants.
Human trafficking is at epidemic levels and in the Untied States, the demand for children and underaged slaves for sexual gratification is appalling and disgusting. The bigger question is why does modern slavery exist? That is the heart of the question. It is the buyer.
Something else should be brought to attention. Many Universities have raised tuition at a rate greater than inflation. How do they pay for these hikes in tuition? Some of the parents have been saving for years to help their children attend good schools. Some of the schools have endowments to help students who could otherwise not afford an education. But a larger majority comes from student loans. This is a menacing and dark side to hight education. The institutions offer student loans. For some, this is a reasonable part of paying for education. When the student moves into a graduate program, they loans and interest continue to grow. Once they graduate, if they graduate, they are burdened with loan payment with no option of default. Then comes the lesson in modern tax law. You earn a dollar and you keep 60 cents.
The medical student might have loans in the 350-500K level and they will need to earn a million dollars to free themselves from such heavy burden. What if they do not graduate from their program? They wash out in the first or second year? What if they cannot pass their boards? What about the students who get degrees in a “field” that will not generate enough income to pay these back? It takes a decade or more for some students to unshackle these responsibilities.
To perpetuate the Marxist narrative, there has to be an oppressed and an oppressor. Using this theory, the students need look no further than social media, the fashion industry, politicians (who look the other way or even promote human trafficking, especially children for sexual gratification), the massive porn industry, the medical industrial complex, and some aspects of the educational system. Media Barrons manipulate information. These are a few examples of the true oppressors.
In engineering master/slave has a specific meaning. Not racist. Yet we’re told that we shouldn’t use that terminology.
The concept that master/slave without context as racist is wrong.
Even the concept of slavery as being inherently racists is wrong. Those who actually believe that slavery is racist in origin need to re-learn their world history going back to ancient history.
This isn’t to say that many use race as an excuse to justify their actions. That’s a different issue. If you’re triggered by a word outside of the context of how its used… then you have an issue and should seek counseling.
-G
In the past when I did military engineering work, I designed and coded for Master/Slave VME boards in a large power inverter. I was told after about 6 months to stop using the terms Master/Slave because some of the AA’s on the shop floor heard the terms and were offended.
This country is a joke anymore.
“Yet we’re told that we shouldn’t use that terminology.”
You’re admonished for using the expressions “master cylinder” and “slave cylinder” in engineering?!
Please tell me you made that up.
@Sam
I have encountered this too. There are no limits to the unhinged fragility of the under 35; a great many of them are truly just not well. Like, they’d be in treatment during sane times not well.
Additionally: my wife and I and our tax dollars and productivity leave our blue city forever on Tuesday. We discovered during our selling process, realtors are no longer permitted to say ‘master bedroom’.
The young(ish) and woke are too stupid to understand etymology and that words have multiple meanings based on context and even history. Sad thing is, the truly young aren’t even ‘woke’, just neglected, dumb (not mute. See what I did? 😂), conformist, and trained.
It’s true. Corporate america has become a parody of itself. The way you have to walk on eggshells makes Orwell’s 1984 look good.
“[We gave you] a [restricted-vote] republic, if you can keep it.”
– Ben Franklin
____________
You couldn’t.
You couldn’t maintain the discipline and resolve necessary to “…secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity….”
You couldn’t maintain the discipline and resolve necessary to keep Ben Franklin’s [restricted-vote] republic.
You succumbed to one man, one vote democracy, which IS the “dictatorship of the proletariat,” the very antithesis of freedom and self-reliance.
Oh man we better stop printing labels on clothes that say made of cotton too, maybe say made with bush fur or something that doesn’t make people have ptsd from something that never happened to them.
Organic fiber = cotton.
Insect produced fiber = silk.
Any liberal arts degree can be replaced with a library card, without all the drama.
@western pa
Are we talking about students, or the MSM? 😂
Seriously, though: that would require the ability to read, and read and comprehend, and read and employ analysis, which modern students do not possess in quantity. They are very good at being verbally told what to do, though. Anything but think for themselves.
Some slaves were forced to prepare food for the slave owners in place called the “kitchen”, clearly a racist term that needs to be purged from 21st-century American life. I would suggest “food preparation room” as an alternative.
@catawba,
exactly. not just racist but classist because only the help were told to stay in the kitchen.
And unless your kitchen is built to ADA code, you’re an able-ist . Or it could also be sexist too…
So I agree we should stop using the word kitchen.
Same w the word snake. Misogynistic, negative connotation aka ‘trouser snake’ …
-G
Institutions of higher learning have turned into Marxist cesspools of ignorance.
Indoctrination centers.
I attended Smith because there were almost no blacks attending, working, or living near the college. It was wonderful and safe. So sad to see it destroyed.
Sometimes, there is a fine line between a troll and a moron.
@oldersmithie
Well, that’s nice and racist. I can forgive ignorance in the young, it’s tougher in folks who are of an age that completed college years ago. The content of your statement is not the point of any of this, get a less broad brush. It makes me think we now have leftist trolls posing as hillbillies.
How can it not be the point. Smith hired an African American women as its President whose objective was stated as racial equity in a school and area that is not diverse. It’s a ridiculous woke objective in a place that’s safe to be obnoxious. Kinda like Portland Oregon in 2020. Portland will not recover in my lifetime and it’s hard to watch Northampton start down that same road. Racist or not the statistics show that crime rates are highest in black areas. Their culture breeds violence. It is not better to be young as this woke agenda has proven. Young and ignorant. Stereotyping will save your life. Especially if you choice a career in intelligence and everyone knows this but doesn’t admit it. It’s time to just say what we mean. That’s what I did.
I attended Smith decades ago because there was little to no blacks attending, working, or living near the school. It was an ideal safe place to learn and live. I miss those days.
Question, what’s the difference between a Northampton dyke and a whale? Answer, 20 pounds and a flannel shirt. I know, that was insensitive .
Northampton Massachusetts, where men are men and sheep are nervous.
Ever notice what bunch of self-serving, petty, hand wringing, control freaks these liberals are? No wonder most of them are women.
Sally Practica. #FlyingNun