Should the media disclose political bias?

I am working on my third lesson plan for my Social Studies Methods class. This particular lesson plan is based on the SAC (structured academic controversy) model and, as the government class will begin discussion on the media next week, I have decided to create a debate-lesson about whether or not reporters should disclose political bias, either by revealing their bias in their writing or by participating in the political process.

The model breaks students into groups of 4, with 2 students arguing a particular side at any given time, and has both sets of students take either the FOR or AGAINST side for the argument at some point during the debate. The point is to force students to consider the multiplicity of ideas that come from debates so that they can make an informed decision for themselves about the question. Students read a selection during the class and have a few minutes to prepare an argument with the reading, which they present to the other two students in their group, who ask clarifying questions and then take a few minutes to present the other side of the debate. Then, students switch sides, and do the whole thing over again. After all students have had the opportunity to argue both sides, students participate in some kind of culminating activity. I'm going to ask my kids to express their own opinion and choose a side to give them the opportunity to freely debate the topic for the rest of the class period (they've done this sort of thing before).

The readings I chose:
FOR #1: http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/080208vote/
FOR #2: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1128354/posts
AGAINST #1: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/feb/05/local/me-parsons5
AGAINST #2: http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/2008/02/should_journalists_vote.html?sc=emaf

My take? I subscribe to a little bit on both sides. I don't think journalists should disenfranchise themselves. The honest truth is that everyone has some sort of bias and it's ridiculous to think that we are able to report on anything without being affected by our unique perception of the world around us and by our own history. However, at the same time, I still do not believe that journalists should be involved in political campaigning, or that a journalist involved with Greenpeace (an example from AGAINST #1) should be able to report on their organization.

Journalists should do everything that they can to limit their bias, but they should acknowledge that that bias exists and at times it may be appropriate to acknowledge what that bias is. I know that most American journalists would very much disagree with me on that point, including my journalism professors, and this is a large reason of why I decided not to be a journalist. Talking to people outside the profession has convinced me that a primary reason people do not trust the media is because the media does not reveal its bias. Friends and family have hinted, though not outright stated, that they might trust the media more if the media would reveal how it is biased.

Now, I don't think that every journalist should be out spouting all of their personal beliefs. That's just bad journalism. Part of journalism is learning how to build a boundary for yourself and limiting yourself from taking on a story that you know you are unable to report on objectively. Conversely, journalists shouldn't lie to themselves. No matter how much you try to limit bias, it will still show through.

Personal case in point: grading. I've been going through my first batch of student papers. I thought it would be easy, based on my perceptions from class. WOW! Not the case. After reviewing the papers once, I found that I needed to throw all preconceived notions out the window. They are all great papers, don't get me wrong, every student did very well. But I had completely pegged some kids wrong, and I think that that had a lot to do with what I've experienced in my own past and with my interactions with them over the past two months. I've become much more cautious in class since then, rethinking my perceptions of each student and why I perceive them that way. It has been very eye-opening, and I've been trying to grade their papers very carefully.

However, knowing my students the way that I do assures me that they will be able to handle this assignment, and that they will excel at it. I do not have the answer for them because I can see good points on either side, but I feel that that is how the classroom is supposed to be. It's not about me handing down an answer, but about me structuring the lesson so that they can construct their own learning and perspective on what they think about the question.

Hmm, subject-centered classroom, anyone? :) Go Parker Palmer.

Technology Modules

One class that all W&M education students are required to complete is a course in technology integration in the classroom. Obviously, this is right up my alley. Even more exciting is the fact that my GA adviser is the teacher! Mark always has great ideas in and out of class for technological integration. His rule of thumb is that yes, technology can do a lot for you, but what should you be using technology for? What is the relative advantage of a specific type of technology in your classroom ... meaning, what does it add to the classroom that you would not be able to do otherwise?

This week we are each meeting with Mark to discuss individual technology lesson plans. I'm still trying to decide what I'm going to do for mine. We have done some class exploration to learn about different types of technology and how they work in the classroom. Here are some class project examples from that exploration (the elementary people did these technology modules as well). I could easily come up with a lesson plan for the technology module I created (podcasting) but I think that I want to explore something different. I am considering blogging, Inspiration, PhotoStory, and Web Inquiry. Ideas?

Also, here is a sample of a movie that one of my colleagues (Eric) created during one of our classes to answer the age-old debate: Pirates vs. Ninjas.

Life in the icebox

I've been in the W&M Curriculum and Instruction program for eight weeks now, so I suppose it's time for me to write an update about what I've been doing.  I've been busy, obviously, but that's nothing new.  That seems to be what I write about whenever I do a "life update."  My weekly schedule consists of 16 hours of class, 10-15+ hours at my graduate assistantship (depending on the week), who knows how many hours of homework, and 3-5ish hours of prep work for my impending volunteer staff work with InterVarsity.

I have entitled this entry "Life in the icebox" because the 30+ hours I spend on campus each week are spent in Jones Hall and Morton Hall, where W&M campus staff have seen fit to set the thermostat at sub-70 degree levels.  At least, that's how it feels to me.  I've been bringing socks and zip-up sweaters to class/work so that I stay warm.  :)

My schedule in June was a bit more unpredictable, but my schedule for July is standard: work MWF for 5-8 hours, class TR for 8 hours.  Our class blocks are 4 hours long.  I had been dreading this length of time for class, but now it doesn't seem so bad.  It will be interesting to go back to 1 1/2 hour classes in the fall.  I've been learning a LOT about teaching, curriculum, instruction, assessment, tracking, learning styles, educational psychology, educational research, multidisciplinary learning, ... clearly, there's a lot for beginning teachers to learn.

I was very excited about the program at the end of June, but a bit overwhelmed because I had started to realize how much more I need to learn before I start teaching.  Now, almost done with summer courses, I am still very excited and I feel more confident in my abilities.  We have been spending more time thinking about how to teach in terms of curriculum, instruction, and assessment this term, taking into account learning styles and developmental psychology, and I feel like I have a better grasp on what I am supposed to do as a teacher and different ways that I can do it.

I've been so blessed through other students in the program.  There are 44 of us total, 22 secondary education and 22 elementary education.  There are no men in elementary, and only 8 men in secondary.  So, there are a lot of women in the program, but that just matches the contemporary trend in education.  One of the secondary women, Cati, has been having us over for the past few weeks for dinner to just unwind and enjoy one another's company.  Last week there were about ten of us and this week there were about fifteen to twenty!  We're expecting more next week, and we're planning a BBQ.  :)  We all get along very well.

Work has been fun.  I've been working as a technical writer for the Technology Integration Program, mostly rewriting content for their Web site and writing papers that can be handed out at their events about how to use their various programs.  I'll post a link to these once they go up on the TIP Web site, at the end of the month.

Finally, IV.  I'm so excited that I can continue being involved in this ministry.  I have been so blessed by IV through GCF at W&L, going to Urbana, and going to winter camp, and it's wonderful to be able to give back and serve God through this ministry, even at another campus.  Marty, the W&M campus minister, and I have been meeting and talking about discipleship for the past two months and I'm really excited to get to know students this fall.

So, while life in the icebox is pretty cold, the people in the icebox are very warm and my work is fulfilling.  I can't wait to start classroom work in the fall!

Week 1

I am officially a graduate student!  I've just finished my first week at William and Mary, and I have to say, it was certainly fantastic.  I love my classes and the people in them.  We've actually all started to get to know each other because we spent the first hour and a half of both classes interviewing each other and introducing each other to everyone else in the class.  Here is a rundown of everything so far:

Monday

After presenting my in-depth project with my group in journalism, I packed up my car and drove to Williamsburg.  The only education-related thing that I did was meet with two of the Graduate Education Association (GEA) leadership girls, my roommate Ashley and another counseling student, Amanda, for dinner.  Did some unpacking and homework to get ready for class on Tuesday afternoon, and then it was time for bed.

Tuesday

Met everyone at orientation in the morning.  It was pretty long, but it was all valuable information, and I met some great kids.  My first class was in the afternoon, a research methods class.  Potentially boring, but the professor is really engaging and makes the course interesting.  He knows that most of us aren't math people, but we all have to understand this material.  I never realized how important research is to education.  In reality, research drives education.  What is the most effective way to teach a subject?  How do children of different ages learn?  How much rest do kids need during the day?  Should boys and girls learn in the same classrooms?  It's really interesting.  I met with my GA advisor afterwards and we talked through my projects for the summer.  It's SO great to be able to do research on something and use the skills that I have to make an impact.  And, then I went back to W&L to be an undergrad again.

Wednesday

Was rather proud of myself because I presented my anthro paper with minimal notes and minimal nervousness, I just kind of got up and spoke for 20 minutes.  I used to be really afraid of public speaking unless I was teaching something -- for example, in high school I was terrible at oral foreign language tests, but did fine when "teaching" a unit in one of my history or English classes.  It's something I've worked on a lot and know that I just need to keep practicing for when I'm a real teacher.  Anyway, my presentation made me feel great, and this feeling was further affirmed when I went to my first Foundations of Education class that afternoon.  The class is all about equipping us to understand ourselves as teachers and how we relate to the public school system, the community, and the teaching profession itself.  It's very reflective and our prof really makes us think about important issues.  He's very engaging, which is good for a class that meets 5:30-9:30 at night!  I don't think I got bored once.  And he brought us donuts :) as well as a sign-up sheet for everyone to bring in snacks, haha.  It's rather like a Bible study, just with the focus being teaching instead of the Bible.

Thursday

I spent the morning working on the anthro paper, and then went to Research Methods again in the afternoon.  Where Tuesday sparked interest in the subject that I figured would be boring, Thursday added an ambiguity that made me realize how difficult it is to define research.  We spent the first bit of class talking about qualities of good research questions and investigating research studies that appeared to be good on the surface, but really had fundamental flaws.  Then we spent about an hour or so in small groups working on research questions and discussing different steps.  I worked with the two other social studies ladies, Acadia and Sara, so that was fun.  I had never realized that defining research was such an undertaking!  The class is more challenging than expected, but the prof is really good at explaining.  Drove back to Lexington for the LOST finale, and all I have to say about that is ... wow.

Friday

Finished the in-depth project at 2:30!  Also turned in my anthro paper and did a lot of errands, like picking up my cap and gown.  Relaxed in the afternoon in the bliss of no more undergraduate work.  It's a beautiful thing.

And now I'm going back to Williamsburg, for the next few days, and then graduation.  God is good.  :)  I'm tired, and glad that I got through the crazy week.  Hopefully I'll have more time to blog now.

Journalism

One of my best friends got married yesterday.  I miss her already, but I'm so happy for her and her husband.  They're great.  :)  I have two more weddings to go to this summer, and I thought that I would be freaking out more about the fact that my friends are getting married, but I'm really not, because I know that it's right and I'm so happy for them.  Change is part of growing up, but that doesn't make it easy.  :)

Grad school starts on Tuesday!

Okay, so the point of this post: my journalism major.  I've spent the better part of the last five weeks working on my capstone project for my journalism major.  This has at times caused me great frustration.  The journalism school at W&L has professional majors (like me) complete a six week in-depth journalism project to show off the fact that we've actually learned something in the past four years.  Each group of four has a topic that we're supposed to investigate in current events and especially in how it relates to Rockbridge County.  This year's groups are looking at alternative energy, emergency management, the mortgage crisis, and senior care facilities.  I'm in the alternative energy group.  We are supposed to report on multiple aspects of the topic, culminating in 15-20 minutes of video for the broadcast component, four or five print stories, and a Web site to tie it all together with fun elements and such.  My role has mainly been to build this Web site, so I've spent a lot of time learning CSS, HTML, and Dreamweaver templates, as well as going on interviews and all that jazz.

This is a good way to culminate the major in a couple ways.  First, it allows us to look at a topic over a period of time and really get to know it.  This is how journalism is supposed to be.  Granted, getting the story out on deadline, especially if it's a big story, is very important.  I'm not disputing that.  However, I feel that a lot of problems in contemporary journalism could be solved if journalists just took the time to sit down and think about what they're doing, and not just take information for granted.  Second, contemporary journalism is no longer separated.  Broadcast, print, and Web journalists all work together and journalists need to be able to produce content for all platforms.  This is an integrated project that helps to utilize all of our journalism resources.  Third, lots of contemporary journalism is done in groups.  It's better for your story if you can get a range of opinions on how to present it ... this helps with objectivity, and creativity.

But there are some drawbacks to this capstone.  There's not much room here for people who want a journalism major but who aren't actually going to be journalists (like me).  Also, many of these topics are so big that they're hard to cover, even in such an in-depth fashion.  Groups also don't always get along, and that can really put strains on friendships.  The biggest thing, though, is that this is a spring term, the six weeks before graduation, class, and everyone really just wants to be done with it.  Even the kids who are going into journalism.

Either way, it's been an interesting class.  I'll be VERY happy when it's over, in the very near future, but it hasn't been a bad way to spend the last five weeks.  Regardless, I can't wait to go to Williamsburg tomorrow!

Winter Term 2008: Latin American Environmental History

I've been promising write-ups from my classes for the past five months, so here is the first in an installation, a write-up of Latin American Environmental History.

This class was fascinating because I got to study an area of interest that I hadn't yet studied in college (Latin America) in a way that I wouldn't have expected to study it (a focus on interactions with nature).  Environmental history can mean a lot of different things, but in this context, it refers to how people groups interact with an environment, and one another, over time through their lifestyle and how they use resources.  It can be measured in the ways that people groups treat one another geographically, how people groups trade commodities with one another, how people groups directly affect the environment through resource extraction or their living, etc.  It can really be interpreted in a lot of different ways: economically, politically, socially, culturally, religiously.

Why is this a good way to study Latin America?  Because many of the squabbles that people have about Latin America have to do with resource allocation (bananas, sugar, rubber, trees, etc), land distribution (Amazon Rainforest), and indigenous peoples (where they are allowed to live, what they are allowed to do, etc).

We looked at resource allocation and land use in these contexts over time, from pre-Columbian indigenous use to the coming of the Spanish and Portuguese to modern day Communist states.  A few things that struck me about our conversations were that most of the articles we read were written by so-called "Westerners," non-Latin-Americans.  Having family in Brazil, I felt that I had a unique perspective in understanding their point of view that the Amazon belongs to them and not to the world.  One perspective that I had not considered is the idea that a lot of members of the Global South have that we have no right over their environment just because we messed ours up -- they shouldn't have to change their consumption patterns because we didn't plan ours economically.  Now, there are debates on both sides, and I don't know which one I agree with more, but I can definitely see their point.

I was also struck by how many differing ideas there are about Latin American history and interpreting it.  A good way of looking at this is seeing where authors placed blame: on indigenous peoples, on the European conquerers, on Christianity, on governments (both colonial and modern), on capitalism, on communism, on the poor, on the rich ... I think every possible group of people was blamed somewhere in one of the articles we read, but the overarching blame was really placed on the Western world, especially the United States.

The thing that stood out the most to me is how our tastes and whims affect everyone else around the world.  This is especially visible right now with the use of corn ethanol.  Because we're using corn for fuel instead of food, thousands of people are starving worldwide because there is now a food shortage.  This isn't affecting us in the United States so much, but it's affecting developing nations to a large degree ... and corn ethanol isn't even that environmentally friendly ...

Anyway, this was a great way to look at history.  It provided a lens through which to look at events and really see why they matter.  I think one of the main reasons people don't like history is because they don't see why history matters.  Looking at history through a particular lens shows how history has affected people groups and continues to affect us today.  Every article that we read said something about Latin America in the past and Latin America in the present, and about the rest of us.  Understanding these truths about the past help us make more informed decisions for the future, and decisions that include the whole of creation, and that won't just benefit us, the Western Americans.

From my copy editing professor

Prof. Luecke sent this to us today while we were creating our front pages:

"An English professor wrote the words: 'A woman without her man is nothing' on the chalkboard and asked his students to punctuate it correctly.

All the males in the class wrote: 'A woman, without her man, is nothing.'

All the females in the class wrote: 'A woman: without her, man is nothing.'

Punctuation is powerful!"

I feel that this epitomizes our copy editing class of eight girls completely obsessed with design, grammar, and writing.

Yeah.

Music, movies, and mountaintops

I've thought of quite a few things to blog about in the past week and a half, but I've been a little too busy to write about them all. I saw "Juno" with a couple girls from the pledge class and, like "27 Dresses," I thought it was fantastic, but for different reasons. For one thing, it has an excellent soundtrack. I've been listening to it for the past week. I also really like the humanity of the characters. They really feel like real people and not like fake, perfect chick flick characters. There are some definite twists in the movie, and it didn't end the way I expected it to end. I also really like some of its observations about relationships and family. It's my pick for best picture, I think, though I haven't seen "Atonement" yet and I really want to.

Speaking of good music, I also saw the movie "Once" with a few friends. It's an independent Irish film about a guy and a girl (named Guy and Girl) who become fast friends and push out a demo CD in a week so that Guy can go to London and become a music artist. There's not much that happens physically, but there's a lot that happens emotionally. I liked it for it's analysis of human behavior; it explores the idea of putting off an idea for so long that eventually you just never do it, but "once," you wanted to. There's also a whole lot of song writing, that's the bulk of the movie, and I really enjoyed that. Another good soundtrack that is now in my iTunes music library.

Lest you think my life is all about movies, the new worship team met for a planning meeting last Thursday night. I am so excited about everyone who is interested. Paul and John played guitar for a while afterward and I sang, and it was so much fun. I can't wait for a full practice tomorrow night. My first batch of quizzes have come back with good marks, and I'm getting ready for my first batch of essays/tests.

I spent Saturday hiking with Rachel, Robert, and John. We went up Mt. Pleasant and Mt. Pompey, both located in Amherst County between Lexington and Lynchburg. We had a great time talking about all sorts of things, ranging from Scripture study, to family, to classes, to God. The views were amazing -- we were very high up, and we could see the clouds resting on the mountains across the valleys from us. It was quite windy, but it was a warm day so it was fine. We were all inspired to go hiking more often, and we spent some time planning our next challenges. :)

Updates

For all who are interested, I finally posted Chapter 12!!!  Very exciting news.  A link to my stories can be found under the links on the right sidebar of my blog.  Please read and review.  :)

I'm mostly on top of my work for this week.  I have an editing quiz and a macroeconomic quiz, but I think they will both go well.  Happily I have no editing classes this week because my professor is out of town.  This will add more time to my day on Monday and Wednesday, though I do enjoy the class so it's a little sad.  The macro quiz is on GDP calculations.  I'm finding that I enjoy macroeconomics more than microeconomics.  I find it easier to understand and apply, though I am also finding that I understand microeconomics more with the addition of macroeconomic concepts.  They support and build upon one another.  I'm also really enjoying the system of macro homework online.

I did some copy editing for the Ring-Tum Phi after GCF tonight and got the most wonderful comment from Jacob.  I walked in with my guitar and asked if he needed any help and he was very grateful, and then commented on the guitar.  I said that I was the lead worship person for GCF and told him that I could serenade them if they wanted (jokingly) but then he said that he had already heard me play.  Apparently the Phi office can hear all of the music we play at GCF.  This wasn't much of a surprise as they are right down the hall in the Commons, but I had never really thought about it.  Jacob commented that he knows all is right with the world when he hears "the Christians singing" on Sunday evening.  This really made me smile.

Also, went to see "27 Dresses" with the girls last night.  LOVED it!  I'm continually impressed with Katherine Heigl's acting, and the story was fantastic.  Very funny, and good delivery from all actors/actresses.  I highly recommend it.  It's not just a chick flick, it actually kind of turns traditional romance on its head, which is really amusing in itself, but there are just such good one-liners.

Lastly, Jenny booked cruise tickets for a bunch of us for spring break last week.  We're going to go to Passion in Atlanta to spend a couple days worshipping God, and then we're going to go on a cruise with Carnival, haha.  A little ironic.  But it so matches the kids that are going.  The cruise leaves from Jacksonville and will go to Key West and Nassau, Bahamas.  Should be an awesome time!

Mock Convention 2008

I am currently watching the final session of Washington and Lee's 2008 Mock Convention on Channel 18 (Lexington's public access channel), and taking notes on what the speakers are saying to write up a full report later.  Va. Sen. Jim Webb is speaking right now and he'll be followed by Harold Ford, Jr., chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and West Va. Gov. Joe Manchin III.  Speakers yesterday included Va. Gov. Tim Kaine, Charles Wilson, Jesse Jackson, and others.  I only heard Tim Kaine.

W&L hosts a mock presidential convention every four years, in accordance with the democratic primaries.  Since 1948, the only nomination we've predicted incorrectly was in 1972.  We chose Ted Kennedy for the Democratic nomination.  Our picks don't always get elected, but they usually get nominated at least.  ;)  And it's understandable, since we're always picking a non-incumbent nominee.  It's a generally-known fact that incumbents tend to win over nominees that are new to the position.

To cut to the chase (I'm writing this background after the close of ceremonies), W&L chose Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination and Harold Ford for the vice presidential nomination.  A lot of people don't think that we'll get it right this year because the race is so close, but we'll see.  There's still some time before the official conventions in August.

The convention is held over a period of two days.  Happily, our classes on Friday were cancelled for the festivities.  ;)  Over 90% of the school participates in some fashion, usually by joining a state delegation.  I was a member of the Virginia delegation...state pride, ya know?  Each delegation does research to figure out how their real delegates are likely to vote in August, raises funds to support the convention, tries to find good speakers, and designs a state float to be trailed in the parade on Friday morning of the convention.  I'm sure they do more work than that also, but those seemed to be the most important responsibilities to me.

As for the convention schedule, there's the parade Friday morning.  The floats were pretty good -- I watched from the warmth of my office.  The convention officially convenes at 1 pm on Friday for a series of speakers.  I went to the first hour and a half or so of this, and saw Tim Kaine.  That was really cool.  He's a very dynamic and engaging speaker.  He spoke about voter participation and his support for Barack Obama...his speech compelled me to call up the Virginia voter registration office and order my absentee ballot and nearly compelled me to vote for Obama.  Nearly.  I didn't attend any of the other Friday speeches because I had things to do, and I wanted to call my Mom.  :)

This morning I would have attended, but it was cold, and I didn't want to get all dressed up, so I have been watching the proceedings on TV, while sitting on the couch in my pajamas.  It would have been cool to have actually been there, but...I'm still happy with my decision.

My impressions on this morning's speakers:

• Jim Webb: not as engaging as I had hoped, however he had some interesting points; tendency to ramble and to jump from topic to topic; was surprised by his statistic that the Republican party filibustered 62 times last year; agreed that the current administration doesn't have an exit strategy for Iraq and that's really not acceptable; some quotes: "You don't take out a hornet's nest by sitting on it, it's time to do something else;" "This issue is not going to turn around until we have new leaders...we have these leaders, we will work toward solutions;"
• Harold Ford: very dynamic and engaging, a lot of people I have talked to liked him; I felt that he mostly talked about things I already knew, so I actually didn't pay very much attention to most of his speech; did like his point that we're the only generation that has ever financed two sides of a war (we support our "enemy" with our dependence on oil); memorable quotes: "We have asked our military men and women...to go fight while at the same time you and I subsidize those who seek to kill them day in and day out." "Pick a Democrat who the nation will wrap their arms around, pray for, and believe in...a tall one for the world."
• Joe Manchin: talked a lot about blessings and being thankful for what we have, and giving back; really emphasized his West Virginia roots; pointed out that a good leader has to look past party lines and unite groups of people; we have to be careful to preserve the nation for future generations; every child should have a safe place and a healthy start; on 9/11, did it matter what was in your bank account?  did your house or car matter  did your race matter?  or were you more concerned about your family, friends, and fellow Americans?  that's what you need to think about today; memorable quotes: "If you think you can come from right or left and govern, you're wrong." "We as a nation came together as a country for this one day like never before, as Americans." "We need a change from the top to the bottom, and the change starts here...the greatest generation sitting before me now has the power to do that...not only for this nation, but for the world."

I feel extremely empowered.  This was an interesting and fun experiment, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this all pans out over the next year.

Choose your own adventure

If you were a teacher, would you fudge scores to encourage an underperforming student? Would you call that student out if you found out they were cheating?

If you had a friend in prison for something that you did, too, and you could reduce their sentence, would you turn yourself in? What if it was a matter of life and death, meaning you could save them from execution if you agreed to a prison sentence?

Would you risk the lives of eight men to save one?

Well, you could think about all of that, or you could just watch "The Emperor's Club," "Return To Paradise," and "Saving Private Ryan."

My journalism ethics class has been discussing these movies this week as a means for discussing the points of view of key moral philosophers.  We're looking at 7 key philosophers and their views of morality:

1. Aristotle: virtue-based; judge an act based on the virtues of a good person; a good person will act virtuously and seek to attain happiness, which is the final good; virtue is making choices guided by reason in accordance to the doctrine of the mean --> harmonization of the soul; you recognize virtue in other people and are naturally drawn to them
2. Jesus: care-based; the Golden Rule --> do unto others as you would have them do unto you; exemplified in the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which we learn that we must even do good unto those who are abhorrent to us because everyone is our neighbor
3. John Locke: rights-based; morality will extend and protect individual rights; respect for the government is tantamount to morality; the government exists to protect rights; moral behavior fully respects the rights of others
4. Immanuel Kant: duty-based; conduct conforms with universalisable rules; anti to situational ethics; can't use people as a means to an end; it's not what you do, it's what makes you do it --> your duty matters the most, not the results you are trying to achieve; do something if you could in good conscience tell everyone else to do it too
5. John Stuart Mill: consequence-based; morality is based on effects (utilitarianism); greatest good for the greatest number; minimize pain and suffering
6. John Rawls: justice-based; morality as actions that conform to principles of fairness that we can all agree on; very interested in social equality; if Rawls had his way, morality would be drawn up by a group of people who anticipated being placed in a stratified society but didn't know who they would be in the society (e.g. rich or poor), so they would have to agree on moral rules that would benefit themselves and everyone else before knowing how they would fit in; the idea is that people in this situation will seek the best solution that minimizes inequality and harm
7. Baier: trust-based; morality strengthens trust to constitute society

We haven't actually discussed Mill and Baier yet, so I don't have notes for them.  It's really interesting to consider the aforementioned ethical dilemmas in the context of these philosophies, though.  Some various thoughts we have discussed about morality in general:

• ethics is not just restraint, you don't avoid wrong by doing less or doing nothing
• ethics is not the brake pedal, it's the way that you drive
• the challenge with ethics is to create institutions that cultivate morality
• we are driven by sentiment, the nobility of the soul
• we could agree on the right thing and still be unwilling to do it
• morality generally has to do with assigning a value to people

So what would you do?

Snow Day

Washington and Lee actually cancelled classes today.  I mean, cancelled.  Not a two hour delay, but a real cancellation!  We had several inches of snow, though it did not start snowing until about 7 a.m.  Morning classes were allowed because of this, so I still went to Ethics as usual, however the university closed starting at 1 p.m.

I was still in the J-School around lunch time, when the cancellation email was first sent out.  Kat, Nicole, Elliott, and I were all in the Lab preparing for this afternoon's Rockbridge Report.  We are all copy editors doubling as producers this term and knowing the J-School, we weren't sure if Rockbridge Report was actually going to be cancelled.  Prof. Luecke told Elliott that we weren't going to have it, but Nicole had already started packaging some of the J253 stories for the web.  Kat, Nicole, and I discussed the matter and realized that if we didn't produce the web site, the stories would be killed, and the reporters would lose their first articles.

Well, we couldn't have that.  We got the three 253 reporters, John, Helen, and Jane, and a 202 assistant, Queenie, in on our idea and when Luecke and Richardson showed up in the lab we told them what we had decided: we were still going to produce the web site.  They were skeptical because the roads were getting worse but we explained that none of us had to drive home because we all live downtown.  The professors were waiting for the storm to die down and roads to be cleared before they drove home, so they agreed.

It was a whirlwind of an afternoon!  Kat, Nicole, and I all produced.  I was in charge of multimedia...photos, slideshows, and extra graphics.  Kat did general organization and assignments, and Nicole actually put everything together.  Kat, John, Helen, and Queenie produced a breaking news story about the day's snow.  I took some photos around W&L and a local elementary school and made a slideshow.  I also worked on a graphic for one of John's stories, and taught Queenie and John some Photoshop basics.

We're dorks.  We know.  We didn't have to produce the web site.  Classes were cancelled.  But seriously, this is what real reporters do, right?

That's what makes us those kids.

Breaking News!!!

Va. Attorney General supports ADV churches

That's right, folks.  Remember my three article series?  Yup, the Va. Attorney General just said that the Virginia Division Statute is valid.

I'm going to go bask in the sun.  Check out some of the comments on the article, too.  They're fantastic.

Rush Week is nearly over!  Time to return to normal, and we get our babies tonight!  I've some really interesting discussions this week in class.  I'm going to try to be better at keeping a blog this term and writing about things that I'm learning and am interested in.  Issues to look forward to include:

• Latin American environmental history
• Ethics of journalism
• Copy editing
• Working in a newsroom
• Macroeconomic theory
• Waiting for graduate school applications
• What to do with my life if I don't get into graduate school
• Continuing coverage of the ADV vs. TEC situation
• Commentary on the book of Acts, which we are studying in my small group
• Updates on my PhoenixSong stories

Hopefully this will actually happen ;)

Christmas break fun!

Grades are in...and I'm pretty stoked. :) Looks like my teachers liked my term papers and the TFC articles. It seems like most of my senior friends had similar experiences with getting better grades as an upperclassmen. I guess you get better as it as you go along. The moral of the story is that I'm so glad that I worked really hard this term. It definitely paid off! It makes me feel less nervous about grad school and I'm fairly confident now that everything I am sending in makes me look like a really good candidate. I've finally finished my essay, so I should be able to send everything in today or tomorrow, and then I just have to wait until April.

I've been at Georgetown for the past two days visiting with Caelah while she's been finishing up her finals. Her roommates are really sweet and it's been fun to chill in a college dorm again. We went and got Ben and Jerrys last night (which kept me up for hours) and I felt really nostalgic for freshman year, going to the Co-op with Rachel and Christine for ice cream runs around 10:00. Good times. :)

Jesse and I played squash yesterday at the gym. Neither of us are particularly good, but we had so much fun. We didn't keep score and just rallied back and forth, switching the serve when we would have otherwise. It was a good way to get the essentials of the rules down and to practice hitting good shots and returning them. We also went to Jana's apartment on Monday night for a party she was hosting and to meet some of her grad school friends.

So, all in all, I'm having a relaxing and rewarding break. I think it might be time to give back to it and do a little more writing than I've been getting done. ;) Perhaps "Something Brilliant" and "Heart of Gold" chapter 12 will be finished this week! That would be brilliant. ;)

Through the narrow wood

Finals are almost over! I finished my article series on The Falls Church for my opinion writing class late last night and turned it in this morning (more on that below), today I took my microeconomics exam, and tomorrow I will take my European history exam. I've already taken Islamic history, on Saturday, and that will be all of my exams for this term. It's been a very challenging term academically, and busy as well. I've hardly had much time to myself! Christmas break will be interesting as I'm not working this year, so I'll have a lot of time to write, read, and spend time with friends.

I have posted my articles series about The Falls Church in the several posts below. I posted them in reverse order to make reading easier. They are meant to be read in order, and though they are not meant to be entirely comprehensive, I think that I did a good job of describing the debate and issues. There is so much more that I could have included, but I had a 700 word limit for each article, and I was either right on it or just barely below it for all! Happy reading.

I very much enjoyed summarizing and reading over the debate again. I feel like I know more about it now and am much better equipped to discuss the particulars with anyone. John Yates, Martyn Minns, Peter Akinola, and the others have really done such a great job expressing their beliefs in a strong but humble manner. They are such an encouragement to me! It is so good to be amongst Christians who aren't afraid to publicly and respectfully express their faith.

Well, I must get back to revising for my European history test. I've been watching the movie "Miss Potter" while going over my notes. I love these quotes:

"There is something delicious about writing the first few words of a story. You're never quite sure where they will take you. Mine brought me here." ~ Beatrix Potter

"Stories don't always end where their authors intended. But there is a joy in following them, wherever they take us." ~ Beatrix Potter

Part 1 - A New Beginning

It was an Advent Sunday like any other. The priests and acolytes filed in to the sounds of choir and organ lifting Christmas praises to the heavens. The cross proceeded in front of them, a reminder to the overflowing room of the reason they gathered together.

John Yates stood to welcome his congregation to the service of lessons and carols. He then made reference to the results of a church vote, gesturing to the television crews waiting in the upper corner of the church.

The crews would have to wait. Yates explained that they would announce the congregational decision at the end of the service.

It was December 17, 2006.

The vote would determine whether or not Yates’ congregation, The Falls Church of Falls Church, Va., would disaffiliate with The Episcopal Church in favor of the greater Anglican Communion. It would be the culmination of more than three years of debate, and the beginning of a property dispute that went to trial Nov. 13, 2007.

The Episcopal Church brought suit against ten Virginia churches last January over their church property after the churches voted to secede over doctrinal issues. The Falls Church was among them, with 90% of the eligible church body voting to break communion.

The Falls Church was established in 1732 as an offshoot of Truro Church, another seceding church located in Fairfax, Va. It is one of the largest churches in the Diocese of Virginia, and existed as part of the worldwide Anglican Communion before the creation of The Episcopal Church after the Revolutionary War. The Episcopal Church makes up only 3% of those in the world who affiliate with the Anglican Communion; missionaries have spread Anglicanism not just in the West, but also to Africa and Asia.

The central issue for the seceding churches is the place and authority of the Bible in church practice. Specifically, the churches are concerned with the election of Gene Robinson, an openly homosexual man, as a bishop in 2003 and the election of Katherine Jefferts Schori as presiding bishop, the highest Episcopalian religious authority. Schori has publicly broken with biblical teaching by asserting that there is more than one method of attaining salvation, ignoring the biblical principle of Jesus Christ as the only means through which one can approach God.

Yates referred to these issues as symptoms of a bigger problem in his statement “Can Two Walk Together, Except They Be Agreed?” from June 2006. Though Yates has sought reconciliation with the Diocese of Virginia and Virginia Bishop Peter Lee, he stated in this document that the time might come when the church would have to choose between their beliefs and staying in the denomination for tradition’s sake.

Yates sought reconciliation until the Episcopal General Convention in June 2006, when Schori was elected as presiding bishop and the convention failed to pass a resolution affirming the Bible as the supreme authority over the church.

For Yates, the tide had turned. These decisions deepened the rift, and the time had come to consider affiliating with the wider Anglican body who had previously affirmed the stance of The Falls Church.

The churches banded together and wrote a protocol for secession, which was endorsed by Lee until Dec. 1 when it became clear that the churches may actually vote to leave.

In his sermon that December Sunday, Yates remarked that while he bears “no ill will” toward Schori or The Episcopal Church, “when two groups have irreconcilable differences, the pastoral thing to do is find a gracious way to separate.”

The Diocese of Virginia brought suit despite these efforts, claiming an interest in the property of the church. However, The Falls Church has argued correctly its right to keep the property according to the Virginia Division Statute, Virginia Code § 57-9, which recognizes the right of congregations to keep their property when separating from a divided denomination or diocese.

The Falls Church has the legal right to secede from their mainline denomination if they are confronted with an irreconcilable difference. Further, they have a right to their property under Virginia law. The following articles will examine these issues in greater depth as we await the decision of the Fairfax County Circuit Court.

Part 2 - Is Property the Issue?

Last January, the Diocese of Virginia declared that the rectors and other leadership of the ten seceding Virginia churches had severed ties with the Episcopalian communion and therefore do not recognize the authority of The Episcopal Church, and “have openly renounced the doctrine, discipline, or worship” of The Episcopal Church.

As such, the diocese declared the real property of each church abandoned and stated their wish to take charge of it. However, the rectors and congregations had not vacated the premises, and therefore the diocese felt it necessary to bring suit against them.

Further, the diocese claimed that the parishes belonged to The Episcopal Church and not to individual congregations because the denomination is hierarchical in nature and property is held for the use of its overall mission. As the churches wanted to leave the denomination, their use of the property could not be for its greater good.

The diocese asked the court to declare that each parish’s property was held for the benefit of an Episcopal congregation and must be used for its mission, that the parishes could not use the property for any other purpose except that provided for in its own constitution, and that the court issue an injunction to stop the churches’ use of the properties.

The requests were made in response to the churches’ filing under Virginia Code § 57-9, the Virginia Division Statute, informing the state of their majority voting decisions to separate from The Episcopal Church.

The code was passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1867 in response to denominational schisms over slavery and the Civil War. It provides that where a “church or religious society” experiences a “division,” affiliated congregations may vote to determine which “branch” of the divided overall body they wish to join. The church must report the results of this vote to the local circuit court and its approval is “conclusive as to the title and control of any property held in trust for such congregation.”

In essence, if a religious body is split over an issue and congregations are forced to take sides, they have the right to keep their property. A claimant under this code must prove that they belong to a religious body that is in dissention, that a majority vote has been conducted, and that the congregations are joining an affiliated branch of the church body.

Clearly, The Episcopal Church is a church in crisis. The dividing issues of sexual behavior and biblical authority have been widely publicized in the news and its leadership has made statements about them. Likewise, The Falls Church has been affiliated with The Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion for centuries. It has sent representatives to leadership meetings and has participated in discussions about its place in both bodies in recent years.

Further, it is easily proven that The Falls Church acted according to the stipulations of Virginia Code § 57-9 – a vote was conducted, resulting in 90% of the eligible voters declaring that they wished to secede, and the results of that vote were reported to the Fairfax County Circuit Court.

The Falls Church also expressed its wish to align with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) and the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV). These bodies were “created in response to the subject division as an offshoot for Episcopal congregations that desire to remain part of the Anglican Communion,” according to a statement from the defendants.

Virginia Code § 57-9 leaves the decision up to individual congregations and provides every means for the government to stay out of the decision. However, the requests of the Diocese of Virginia ask the court to take the property because it can only be used to further the mission of The Episcopal Church. In essence, they request that the government impede on The Falls Church’s right to exercise what they believe by taking their property.

The Episcopal Church is asking the court to crush a smaller body. Their interest is not so much in the property, but in asserting their authority, whereas The Falls Church wishes to secede peaceably.

The court should uphold their filing under Virginia Code § 57-9.

Part 3 - Two Diverging Roads

The Falls Church did not arbitrarily conduct their vote and decide to leave without warning. In fact, the church has been engaged in dialogue over this issue and the issues of contention with The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion for at least a decade.

In 1996, Assistant Bishop Righter of the Diocese of Newark performed the ordination of a practicing homosexual. The greater Anglican Communion condemned this action in 1998 decennial Lambeth Conference, a meeting of the leaders of the worldwide Anglican Communion. However, The Episcopal Church continued to defy the greater church authority with the election of Gene Robinson in 2003.

The Archbishop of Canterbury appointed a commission that issued the Windsor Report in October 2004, criticizing the consecration and stating that the worldwide communion had made its position clear. The report called for a moratorium on additional consecrations.

Further actions by The Episcopal Church continued to fly in the face of the Windsor Report, so much so that in 2005 the Anglican leadership asked The Episcopal Church to withdraw its members from the council until the next Lambeth Conference in 2008.

Virginia Bishop Peter Lee voted to approve Richter’s actions at the 1997 General Convention, and adapted the policy of the Virginia Theological Seminary to match them. He also supported the elections of Robinson and Schori.

In contrast, The Falls Church has upheld the standards of the greater Anglican Communion and engaged in dialogue with Lee and The Episcopal Church about them. Such dialogue led them to ally themselves with like-minded members of the Anglican Communion in the United States, and to withdraw their monetary support of the Diocese of Virginia.

Yates, the vestry, and the leadership of the other ten churches have written innumerable statements regarding their beliefs and viewpoints, and have made every effort to reconcile with the Diocese of Virginia.

When it became clear to them that reconciliation was no longer an option, they drew up a statement of protocol through a council appointed by Lee.

This protocol called for a period of discernment and reflection on whether to leave The Episcopal Church of at least 30 days, voting on the issue at a special congregational meeting called by the vestry, a majority of at least 70% for the motion to pass, that any dissenting vestry be given voice to submit their opinions, and a second vote over whether or not the congregation wishes to keep the church property. The Episcopal Church agreed that the churches could secede if both votes passed by majority.

The Falls Church and its cohorts acted according to these principles, only to be sued by the Diocese of Virginia once they had been carried out.

Granted, The Episcopal Church has an interest in its flock. It also has an interest in expressing its concerns and beliefs and ensuring that those who align with them are given a voice.

However, it is pointless for the diocese to bring this case to court because the law clearly favors The Falls Church.

Lee and other Episcopal leaders, including Schori, gave the churches the impression that while they would be saddened by their departure, they respected their protocol and decisions.

Further, the dissenting minorities in the majority of the seceding churches are so small that it is ludicrous for The Episcopal Church to attempt to seize the property on their behalf. There are over 1, 300 adult members of The Falls Church, and only around 100 of them voted not to break communion.

It is clear that the majority of members wish to align with the greater faith body that shares their beliefs. It is The Episcopal Church who is expressing a minority opinion in this case, comprising only 3% of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

As Yates said last December, the best thing that a leader can do in an irreconcilable dispute is to find the most gracious way to separate. The other leaders and he never wished to fight the case in court.

One road has diverged into two. The best road for peace would be for The Episcopal Church to end litigation and resolve differences cordially and respectfully, instead of trying to bully the churches into giving in to their demands.

--------------------------------

Reports referenced in the articles can be accessed at the following web sites:

www.thefallschurch.org
www.americananglican.org
www.episcopalchurch.org
www.globalsouthanglican.org
http://kendallharmon.net/t19
www.thediocese.net
www.40daysofdiscernment.org

A new beginning

I am working on a 3 article series for my opinion writing class about the Anglican realignment. Hence I have been reading innumerable articles and statements from The Episcopal Church, the Virginia Diocese, The Falls Church, Truro Church, etc about perspectives, history, the court case, etc. The court case seems to have gone very well. We'll know the fate of the church properties in about two months when the judge announces his decision, but the trial could hardly have gone worse for TEC. At one point the presiding bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori basically admitted that she had lied to Archbishop Rowan Williams, the bishop of Canterbury.

Anyway, so I've been going through all of the documents again, and I just can't believe some of the things that TEC is claiming! They've basically written their own gospel! I just can't see how someone can say that they believe in the Bible and use the Bible to prove their own points, and then say that all expression of human sexuality in any context is okay.

To validate a church statement because it's societally acceptable is logically, and theologically, incorrect. That's like saying that if it became societally acceptable to lie, we should get rid of that commandment. Mike and I had a bewildered discussion about this after reading through TEC statements together while I was working on my articles. Will post them later today after they are done.

"A New Beginning," by the way, is the title of the series. Let's hope.

To tide you over, here is my series proposal:

The organization of the Christian church is a pressing issue of our time. In recent years, debates have centered around theological differences and methods of church leadership. Such debates have been divisive and caused rifts in more than one historical denomination. These rifts have lead to further discussions about church property and whether or not a denomination can legally halt the secession of a member church. The Episcopal Church is currently suing over ten Virginia churches that have voted to disaffiliate with the overarching church body over theological differences. The lawsuit over the church properties went to trial on Tuesday, November 13.

I would like to examine the arguments and actions of The Falls Church and Truro Church, the two Virginia churches most invested in the debate, to validate their dual claims that they should be able to split from the church body and keep their church property. I will not consider their theological arguments; that is for them to defend. Rather, using historical evidence from the Virginia Division Statute, Virginia Code § 57-9, which recognizes the right of congregations to keep their property when separating from a divided denomination or diocese, and examining their actions from 1996-2007 I will show that they are well within their right legally to disaffiliate and that they did their best to resolve the debates before taking drastic measures.

My main opinion is that the churches have acted in accordance with the law and should be allowed to part ways. My first piece will introduce the debate and the main opinion, setting the tone for a more thorough examination in the latter pieces. My second piece will examine the Virginia Division Statute and my opinion will be that the court should hold up the law and allow the churches to keep their property. My third piece will examine the actions of the churches to seek reconciliation with the overarching church body and my opinion will be that they sought every means necessary to close the rift, felt that there was no other option, and so conducted their vote in a reasonable manner. They should be allowed to part ways.