Our instructor walked in and I didn't recognize him. I should have, he attached his photo to his instructor's policies. I think it was a picture from the 1980's. Before me is a freakishly tall man wearing a short-sleeve shirt that belongs on a smaller man. His tie is atrocious. He reminds me of Brad Garrett with the voice of Ray Ramano. He's a deputy sheriff for Sun City County and heads up some sort of undercover task force (that is now less covert). He told us a story of when he was working with the D.A.R.E. program at a local school and the kids told him he looks like a certain Disney character. I immediately said, "Baloo." I was right. Katniss laughed and whispered "Some one's got a blog name now." Indeed he does.
Baloo brought up the fact that we go to a non-traditional university. He said he knows it isn't easy (but isn't it?) because he got his degrees the same way. What I wouldn't give to have an instructor that got his Master's from a brick and mortar university. He bragged about how University of Fictitious Bird is repetitive and easy in the very next sentence. "Yeah, it's for profit and pretty easy, but they're here to make money off of you." You're right, because it certainly isn't to challenge us....or maybe just not to challenge me.
Next, he wanted us to introduce ourselves. He listened and shook everyone's hand as they spoke of their jobs and families and goals. When he got to me, I introduced myself and offered him a firm handshake that he limp wristed. I mentioned my service in the Air Force as a cop and my educational experience and goals. I said I was a mother to a four-year-old and my husband was currently in the state law enforcement academy and that once he finished, we would hopefully be moving near Austin so I could get my Masters from UT. He replied, "Oh, well someone just has it all figured out then, huh?" like a petty teenage girl. Am I supposed to be apologetic or ashamed that I have a plan?
He brought up current events and wanted us to decide if they were possibly tied into organized crime. The first was the shooting in Colorado at the Dark Knight Rises showing. I said that no, it was not tied to organized crime but of course, The Deputy and Fat Alberto said that it could be. After all, where did the guy get those guns? Um, he legally purchased them. The next example was the man who shot up the Sikh temple in Wisconsin. I of course said yes because he was a member of a Neo-Nazi group. As disgusting as his group is, they are an example of organized crime.
That got us discussing different racial pride groups and if there was anything wrong with that. While we sat in uncomfortable silence, I finally said yes. Any group that thinks their ethnicity is superior to another is racist. We (Baloo and I) started talking about racial issues and hate groups and even Chick-fil-a. It was a wonderful discussion. But Baloo decided to cut it short and inform me that he needs to let the rest of the class talk. He laughed and then asked another question. Silence. Pretty sure I heard crickets. Then he asked if anyone knew what affirmative action was. Silence. It was quite long. I smugly stated, "This is why I am the only one speaking." The class laughed and still, no one answered.
Baloo pointed to The Deputy and said "What is affirmative action?" The Deputy sat up straight and confidently replied, "Positive words." Baloo looked confused and asked him to clarify. Again, he said that the definition of affirmative action is "positive words." Baloo then asked if anyone, anyone except me, knew what affirmative action was. He finally had to have someone Google what it is and I sat with a shit-eating grin on my face.
We broke for lunch and Baloo asked me to speak with him in the hallway. I already knew the conversation we would have, a slightly less effective one than the conversation I had with Big Time Army. While Big Time Army encouraged me to keep voicing my opinions and not get discouraged by the idiots I was surrounded by, Baloo said, "Gosh you are real smart. I mean real smart. You should get your PhD and teach this stuff. Your paper was the first one I have ever given full credit on. Ever. But no one else is gonna talk because you're smarter than them." I smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you. But I have been in class with these people for several months now and I speak so much because no one else will. I can assure you that my silence will not prompt them to speak." He said that he was going to try and draw them out. I couldn't help it, I answered "Greater men have tried and failed." I think he mistakenly took that as a compliment.
Semper Fucking Idiot is back in class with us. Oh joy. He hates me. He's tried to argue "freedom of speech" after everything I say. When Baloo asked me if the Aztec and Mayan wall murals in downtown Sun City were offensive, I said, "No because that's about heritage." SFI said "Well what about white supremacists? What if they put a swastika. That's their race and heritage, the Nazis." Game on.
Me: Actually, Nazi was a political party, not a race of people.
SFI: No cause their white.
Me: There is a difference between ones beliefs and their race or ethnicity.
SFI: But...
Baloo: No she's right. It's not the same thing.
SFI scowled at me. Honey, didn't I tell you that just because you wear hipster glasses doesn't mean you're smarter than me? Oh, I did that via my blog. But I did smack you down verbally and intellectually the last time you dared to cross me. I guess he didn't learn his lesson. This should an entertaining next four weeks. I wonder if I'll leave here without him taking down my plate number and having his cop buddies harass me.
Baloo is having us read from the slides. When he got to me, he skipped like 6 or 7 slides because he deemed them "too wordy" and had me read one about the RICO Act. After I finished, he said "Let me just say that you read that wonderfully. Really, you didn't stammer once." I was not aware that being able to read was such a great accomplishment. He managed to wipe out any compliment that he has given me when he asked us about why some guy got his fingers chopped off. He looked at me and said "You mean you don't know? There's something you don't know?! Usually you just blurt out the answer" followed by his annoying chuckle. Wow. I haven't said anything unless he asked me. Let's demoralize the one student who actually participates. Fuck this guy.
Seriously. I am not participating from now on. Want to know what affirmative action is? Have Moobs Google it. Want an opinion on a current event? Get Doppleganger Housewife out of her boozey haze and have her answer. Watch as Fat Alberto repeats what you say word-for-word as his answer. I will sit here and observe and write an awesome blog each week. If he tries to dock my participation points, I will kindly remind him that if I speak he chastises me and acts as if I am disruptive.
He just compared banks to organized crime. He has a slide up that has the logo's for Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch. He asked what all of these things were. Silence. He said "Bank is a clue guys. Anybody know?" We locked eyes for a second and I gave him a look that said I knew but I wouldn't answer. He continued to poke and prod but no one said an answer. In my mind I answered that they are all financial institutions that were bailed out by the federal government even though they lost their customers money. But the class never came to that; he eventually had to explain it to them. He said "Come on guys, shout out an answer." Really? I answer and I get accused of shouting out an answer but he wants them to answer? Got it.
This is the first time I honestly feel that this school is a waste of my time. It's one thing to know you're smarter than everyone in the room (or school) but it's another to be discriminated against because of it. I truly feel dejected right now. He's created an environment that rewards people for being, well, retarded. SFI has blurted out ridiculous answer after ridiculous answer and he hasn't been shushed. Everything he says is not just inaccurate, but not relevant. I actually discuss the course material as outlined by the slide show and the syllabus, but it isn't welcomed.
He just started talking about politicians and stated that they all, regardless of party, say whatever they need to to get them elected and then nothing changes. He said, "I challenge any of you to disagree with me. Seriously, anyone?" What did he get? You guessed it, silence. He finally, after an agonizing 2 to 4 minutes, asked me for my opinion. I said, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to blurt anything out or get shushed." He assured me he wanted to know and I said this:
"I believe that if a politician isn't doing their job, it is our responsibility to call them out on it. Groups like the Tea Party, though I do not agree with all of their views, have sent the right message by letting politicians know 'if you don't do what you said you would do, we're gonna get rid of you.' Look at Beto O'Rourke (sn: they laughed at the way I pronounced his first name) and how he ousted Silvetre Reyes. Though they were in the same party, Beto echoed the people by saying that they have had enough with his corruption and nepotism and only looking out for himself instead of the people he represents."
Good right? I thought so. Baloo said, "You're absolutely right, and that's one example of how it's supposed to work. Checks and balances and all that. But do people really care?" I started to say "Not in the Sun City" and was going to add how it's so unfortunate that the American people allow our officials to abuse the system and our trust and allow themselves to be be influenenced by organized crime and private interest groups, but he cut me off to start talking about what El Paso used to be like. He even put his hand up as if to shush me, but did nothing as Doppelganger Housewife and Piercy Paula carried on a side conversation and Semper Fucking Idiot took under his breath digs at me.
Katniss and I talked after class about Baloo and his obvious targeting of me. She said that it's like he wants to dumb me down to make the actual dummies feel better about themselves. She's right. He didn't get them to participate on their own accord. He bullied and forced them into answering rapidly until one of them spit out some semblance of a correct response. He would stalk in a predatory manner back and forth demanding someone give it a try and when they failed, ask me. As soon as I answered it right, he would ridicule me because I'm just "sooo smart." He made me the bad guy so that they wouldn't think he was.
I hope he comes prepared next week, because Fat Bottomed Girl is not a victim. I'm not scared of him and his abusive tactics. I have my advisers on speed dial and I know that complaints from students get your class to class contract terminated. I know the head of your department and know that he wants to weed out any instructor that has a non-traditional Masters, the same one you bragged about how easy it was to get. I also know that I recorded the whole class on my iPhone because I was worried I wouldn't be able to live blog. I wonder how well your berating of me is going to go over with your bosses?
Maybe I should call myself Katniss because I am a girl on fire right now. You want to make an example of me? Fantastic. Because I wipe my ass with smug egomaniacs like you. I don't need to report you, but by the time I'm done with you, you'll be wishing you were one of Sandusky's victims instead of mine. Oh wait, too soon?
See you tomorrow people.
2 comments:
What an asshat. He "hearded" you all like a bunch of cattle. I bet you he is threatened by your intelligence. If he gets you quiet, then he sounds more intelligent. I am sorry you had to deal with that.
He's a gonner and he doesn't even know it. I almost feel bad for him.
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