I have written elsewhere about how we fail to observe Veterans' Day at Claremont McKenna College. Today, I am sad to inform you, we do not observe Presidents' Day.
Though it would be wise to observe Presidents' Day for a number of reasons -- not the least of which is the close proximity (at least this year to Parents' Weekend -- we do not.
I am not advocating a simple day off, though. I would hate to see Presidents' Day turn Sunday evening into a night of drinking and merrymaking.
I would prefer to see many more activities and meetings. Imagine, for instance, if the Dean of Students office paid as much attention to Presidents' Day as it does to Martin Luther King Jr. Day in which it spends a week bringing some left and far left speakers to campus.
In many respects I find this to be symptomatic of the larger problems facing the American university -- that we try so hard to cater to political minorities instead of embracing the principles which ought to unite us.
Nowhere were those principles more in evidence than today. I had the good fortune to hear Professors Spalding and Barilleaux today. Luckily we still have scholars willing to teach children about the great individuals.
And yet it seems there are so many forces which insist on dealing with "great movements" or "social histories." So it is with Caesar Chavez Day, which I am informed that we observe Caesar Chavez day out of courtesy for the other five colleges. Of course, I believe Caesar Chavez Day is a waste of time and taxpayer money for the reasons Steve Sailer so clearly outlines. I happen to think that Claremont McKenna ought to stand on principle and go to class, but I can imagine that that plea might fall on deaf ears. (After all, the only day that Pam Gann has canceled classes was the Kerri Dunn hoax. 9-11, or the day after, did not warrant a day off. Or so I'm told.)
Pretty, though, not all is lost. Maybe we will come to celebrate Presidents' Day if the Left succeeds in getting their guy, St. Barack, into the oval office.
Far fetched, you say?
Consider this. We are already on our way. In the Athaneaum there is a gilded plaque in honor of Caesar Chavez with the words "Si, se puede" etched in. Si, se puede. Yes, we can.
Just where have I heard that one before?
Monday, February 18, 2008
General Musings about Campus Life On Presidents' Day
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6 comments:
get ready for cesar chavez day in march. only the claremont colleges seem to celebrate it, even when I've talked to other CA college students. and for some reason no campus in the country celebrates Presidents Day, or Veterans Day in Nov for that matter, but we can always make room for the rest for some reason.
Well Charles I think you've hit the nail on the head with this one. I agree 100%! I'd be interested to hear the administration's reasons for not celebrating Veterans Day or Presidents Day, while giving us a day off for Cesar Chavez day.
Look at most of the 5C workers and ask yourself again why we might celebrate Cesar Chavez Day at the 5Cs...
Not quite sure what you mean, anonymous commenter number 3. Please explain.
After your money final comment the post before, and your comments regarding pandering to the minority when we should be focusing on the American themes that will unite us, I found myself yelling at my computer I got so pumped. And what is up with that video???
They're nearly all Hispanic. Most of my friends in East Coast schools have mostly black workers at their college, and they have MLK Day off. I'm not saying it's the only reason, and it might not be the reason at all, but I speculate that it might play a role.
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