Journal 2-3 Max Bardowell 11-24-07

Al Qaeda- A New Enemy

Answer to last entry’s question: I could not find a full biography of Stephen Greenstreet, the Director of This Divided Sate, but I did discover that he has directed two documentaries in addition to This Divided State and he has been involved in the production of over a dozen other documentaries.

Al Qaeda, the Base, the sum of American fears. They are a new form of enemy, one which does not have a traditional form of organization which we are used to combating, but is fluid, and adaptive, and draws it resources directly from the people themselves. Because it is fueled by the passions and movements of the people, it is lasting and hard to eliminate and track. That is why Al Qaeda is scary, because they cannot be seen. Yes, they have leadership and front-men, but their attacks and soldiers remain unpredictable and invisible. How do we fight them?

First we must understand them. It is a difficult task, as they are a people very different both in religion, politics, and culture, but we must first know our enemy before we are able to defeat them or, if possible, reconcile our differences and achieve a lasting peace. It is a challenge that has been compared to Martin Luther King’s uniting of the Black and White people of America during the civil rights movement in the 1960’s, for how do you convince someone that is ready to kill you for your beliefs not only to listen to you, but to see you first as a human, and second as an American or a Christian. We have a long and rough road ahead of us, and our fates will be decided not by our strength of arms but by our willingness to listen and our ability to hope.

Question: What is the current state of Al Qaeda?

Journal 2-2 Max Bardowell 11-19-07

This Divided State

Answer to last entry’s question: The Student Press Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the First Amendment Center all have valuable resources that students can use if they fear they have been victimized by censorship.

To put it lightly, I was very troubled by what I saw in the documentary in this Divided State. When the petty political divisions of our nation spill over into a collegiate arena, and threaten one of the most treasured freedoms in our nation, it is certainly cause for alarm no matter to who you owe your political allegiances. To compare the situation surrounding the Utah Valley State College speakers to a media blackout in a totalitarian regime is not far fetched, and this fact alone is disturbing. By silencing the views of others we deny knowledge to ourselves, hindering our development, not only as individuals, but as a nation as a whole. It is a gross manipulation of our constitutional rights and cannot be allowed, lest we be included among the less developed countries of the world.

It was ironic that a citizen’s rights to free speech would be challenged within a community of higher education, an institution founded upon the principles of freedom of expression and the communication of ideas. It is also ironic that those who denounced Michael Moore’s right to talk on religious grounds, did so while under the protection of the first amendment. They acted against the very law that gave them the ability to do so. Such half hearted hypocrisy, betrays their true ignorance of America’s founding ideologies. Forgive my harsh words, but this is one issue that truly makes me angry.

Question: Who produced and directed This Divided State? What is their educational and political background?

Journal 2-1 Max Bardowell 11-13-07

The First Amendment

Answer to last entry’s question: the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)

The issue of 1^st amendment rights has laced American history from the most potent civil rights movement to the most petty office strike. Free speech saturates the American ideal, freedom of expression is as essential to our way of life as every blinking traffic light. Still these rights are questioned and challenged yearly, and, when the press is concerned, the very functionality of our democracy is confronted, and we must decide between censorship and truth.

Recently at the NSPA conference in Philadelphia, I was able to attend several sessions that discussed the nature of debates surrounding 1^st amendment issues, and one in particular stood out. In 2002, 18-year-old Joseph Frederick was suspended from the high school where he was a senior after he displayed a banner reading "BONG HiTS 4 JESUS" across the street from the school in Juneau, Alaska, during the Winter Olympics torch relay. This event evolved into the case of Morse v. Frederick, in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a school principal may, consistent with the First Amendment, restrict student speech at a school event when that speech is reasonably viewed as promoting illegal drug use. As Frederick was at a school sanctioned event, and his sign was clearly a reference to illegal drugs, the schools decision was viewed as justified.

The decision did somewhat limit my rights as a student journalist, however, unless I am planning to promote the use of illegal drugs, I can see no instance where this event can be sued to censor my writing. Fortunately, the staff at James River is very open about the student publications, and the Principle has a strictly hands off policy when it come to prior review. That is an uncommon luxury, and our newspaper has no problem in taking full advantage of that fact.

Question: What resources are available to support students victimized by censorship?