Part-Time Pundit

DI Guest Column Up: Rush to judgment only perpetuates VT tragedy

I have a guest column up at the Daily Illini on the Virginia Tech massacre on the insane push to “do something” in the wake of these tragedies. If we stopped at the “shock and sympathy phase” and just had candle-lit vigils, we could credit it to a good and healthy society… it’s the insanity that follows in the press and halls of policy-makers in the wake of these incidents that show an ugly and stupid side of our society.

I had a brief debate with the editor about “enculturate” vs “inculturate” and the editor of course wins those debates.

On Business Law Matters

Make sure to have legal issues judged properly and hir a corporate lawyer to handle any large business claims. Having a business lawyer on your side can be a huge advantage in legal proceedings. So find a commercial lawyer who works for your business.

April 30th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, Columns, DailyIllini | no comments

Column: Sex Out Loud - Celebrating Tragedy as Triumph

The following appeared as a guest column in today’s Daily Illini:

Sexuality, by its very nature, is a vulnerable thing. It involves letting someone share the deepest parts of one’s body, heart, and soul. It has pride of place as an expression of romantic love. In its natural form, there is no better practice of intimacy.

March 14th will be the annual Sex Out Loud fair put on by the Feminist Majority. The general point of this fair, falsely dubbed a “sexual health fair”, is that as long as the physical consequences of sex can be controlled, nothing else matters. If it [physically] feels good, do it. But sex isn’t solely a physical matter and by treating it as such, grave harm is done to women particularly.

“Control”, “safe”, “protection”, these are the words that the “sexual health” groups use for sex. These attitudes are usually solely directed at controlling the physical aspects of sex.

The problem is that our sexuality cuts across all dimensions of our personhood. We are physical, emotional, and spiritual beings. Sexuality embraces all of these dimensions. By shrinking sexuality to a merely physical act and then bringing the full weight of science to control the physical consequences, we’ve adopted a sexual mentality based on impenetrability.

With the mainstreaming of contraception in the early part of the 20th century and the invention of the pill in the 60s, sexuality began to be divorced from the natural consequences of sex. With the “consequence” of conception out of the way, people were “free” to be with anyone they wanted.

Women were supposed to be empowered to finally love as equals and have sex with as much disregard as men supposedly did. Women were now free to be with anyone, yet get close to no one. The result is that the sexual revolution has delivered grave harm to women. A “revolution” that began in hedonism has bred a generation of cynics.

Instead of vulnerability, people approach sex trying to protect themselves. Instead of an experience of a person at their deepest levels, it’s an experience of mere gratification. “Protected sex” is sex that satiates but does not satisfy. The human wreckage from this idea is vast and is felt most by women.

Since men are brought up in the “bottle it up” school of emotional development, they are better equipped to handle the isolation that is a result of this sexual pathology. Women, on the other hand, are unable to escape the inevitable loneliness, depression, and isolation that results from this disconnected sex.

One only needs to look at adultery to see the emotional consequences that can result from sex. Even in a “free sex” world, something about cheating on a partner still registers as one of the greatest betrayals possible.

After having experienced the empty promises of sexual freedom for two generations, people are rediscovering chastity and the promises it holds. Chastity isn’t a new concept, it is what we already know in our hearts but refuse to acknowledge with our lips. We want to be fully and deeply accepted by another person on all levels of our being and that is only possible be reserving oneself for that “special someone.”

In books such as “The Thrill of the Chaste” by Dawn Eden, women retell their conversion from “sexually liberated” to “chaste” and show through their own experience that “protected sex” does not lead to the fulfillment we really desire. In embracing the true meaning of our sexual desires, we are free to approach others in a way where we can truly be connected and not objectified. It requires vulnerability not impenetrability.

The voices of chastity are increasing as more and more people see the broken marriages, broken homes, and broken hearts that are a result of “liberated sexuality”. Only in vulnerability and chastity can we truly find sexual fulfillment and the intimacy our hearts desire.

Author Dawn Eden will be giving a talk at 7:30pm, March 13th in Newman Hall’s Lewis Lounge. She will also be at the chastity booth during Sex Out Loud on March 14th.

March 12th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Columns, DailyIllini, Sex | 3 comments

Does the University of Illinois MBA Program Hate the Troops?

Breaking News: This will be updated in this post as more information comes in. (Hat Tip to Marathon Pundit.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has established an innovative program specifically targetted to Illinois veterans of the War on Terror. Basically, the state and the University will allow them to get a FREE executive MBA from UIUC (in there Chicago office) or attend the MBA program in the Champaign campus by having the state pay for the program with Illinois Veterans Grants (IVG) and the College of Business picking up the rest (about 54% of the total yearly tuition). The program was touted far and wide by Rumsfeld, Congressmen, and the State of Illinois. There were 110 slots for veterans. In the end, according to varying reports, 46 were accepted. The details of the program can still be viewed on the College of Business website.

The architect of the program has left the University and has filed a lawsuit, alleging anti-military bias and discrimination. The University of Illinois system is the same system that employs William Ayers as a distinguished professor of education. That’s the same Bill Ayers that tried to blow up government buildings and infamously quipped that people should kill their parents.

According to Robert Van Der Hooning, the architect of this program, the University (specifically Dean Ghosh) tried to scale back the amount of “jarheads” in the program. He alleges that the criteria for acceptance was changed after the vets were promised slots. That is why only 46 of the 110 slots are currently taken by students. According to anonymous sources, the reason that the number is so low is that the remaining applicants did not meet the criteria for acceptance by the appropriate deadlines. One would assume that a free executive MBA would draw more than 110 applications and that applications denied for cause would not have lead to a high-profile administrator in the College of Business not only leaving the University but filing a lawsuit.

Currently, Dean Ghosh is referring all questions to the University Public Relations office and Lt. Gov. Quinn is unavailable as of this writing to comment further.

According the University spokesperson Robin Kaler, the EMBA program only has a capacity of 60 students. The room will only accomodate that many students and there is only enough faculty to handle one class of those 60 students. The program has cost the College of Business $650,000 and according to Kaler, “all commitments were honored regardless of whether they were authorized or not.”

At present, the facts on hand don’t warrant the kind of article that Marathon Pundit put up (and Pajamas Media linked to). I’m not saying the University is in the right, I’d like to see more information.

Possibility 1: That Ghosh and company did in fact have a problem with too many jarheads in the program. This, after having supported the creation of a program almost exclusively for jarheads.

Possibility 2: Miscommunication about what can and cannot be done with Van Der Hooning over-extending the University.

Possibility 3: Van Der Hooning is engaging in a press push to keep the heat on the University while his lawsuit is working his way through the court of claims in Illinois.

Kaler made some pretty good and fatal points to Van Der Hooning’s claims. One of them is lying, the facts will determine which one.

More facts need to be had before condemning the University, or at least Dean Ghosh, of being on an anti-military crusade. There are more questions to ask, and the downside of blogging, is that people want to rush their stories to the web without doing all the footwork to get the facts straight. Will update with more information when I get it.

(Waiting on calls back from others in the know, will update as I get it).

Learn More Online

Find an online university that has the right program for you. Whether you are looking for an online MBA, or you are more interested in helping people with an online nursing degree it’s a great way to learn online without having the educational experience take up your whole day.

March 5th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, Education, Military / War, Politics, University of Illinois | 12 comments

Response to Candidate Questionnaire from Campaign for Comprehensive Sex Education / Planned Parenthood

The conventional political wisdom is not to respond to candidate questionnaires from “hostile” political organizations. It just doesn’t sit well with me not telling voters or political groups where I stand though. So this is what I sent Planned Parenthood in response to whether I would support a standardized comprehensive sex ed program for Unit 4.

The question of sexuality, particularly sex education, is invariably tied into a question of values and value systems. As such, any discussion immediately becomes polarized between right and left. The options are either abstinence-only or comprehensive-only sex education. This is a false dichotomy, but also makes a dangerous assumption about the role of schools and government.

The United States is a values-pluralistic society. With rare exceptions (e.g. crime) all values should be respected and the government should not try to mandate one set of values over another. Many players in this debate are encouraging exactly that: a mandating of a particular set of values.

It is my belief that parents present the value system of their choice to their children, and the schools and government should respect that. I do not support a standardized sexual health curriculum for Unit 4 because that would entail me making a decision on what values are important for someone else’s child, a decision I would not want imposed on myself as a parent.

I believe the policy of the Board should be to, as far as practical, handle the issue as the parents decide they want it handled. If they wish to have comprehensive sex education taught to their child, that is there choice and it should be available to them. If they wish only abstinence education be presented, that is likewise their choice. If they wish to handle the matter themselves in private with no interference from the schools, that should also be respected.

It is my firm and unwavering belief that the schools are not a tool to be used by government to prescribe value systems to our children aside of what is necessary to be a good citizen. The diversity of our nation and community requires that governmental leaders allow these value system choices be made by individuals and parents, not by elected officials.

Learn More Online

No matter what your views are on sex education everyone can agree that education is an important part of modern life. That’s why there’s a great online college out there for you. There are many benefits to doing your bachelors degree but the best part is the flexibility to do what you want! Find a great online university today!

March 4th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, Education, Elections, Politics, Unit 4 Race | one comment

Why Normal People Don’t Run for Office

I decided to run for the Champaign Unit #4 school board because I was tired of complaining in my columns and to others of my dissatisfaction with Unit 4. I ran to try to be part of the solution, not to be another pundit engaging in a blog B&W session. For this, I have been rewarded with being accused of 83 felonies that carry a maximum penalty of 457 years in prison and that’s not even counting the misdemeanors.

It’s not that I have a problem with Mr. Brayfield challenging my petitions. It’s not a problem that he sees problems with the school board and is trying to do what “one man can do” to help fix it. It’s that his attacks are personal, destructive, and undemocratic.

Despite claims to the contrary, these challenges are not democratic. Democracy entails the freedom to choose when voting. That freedom is not enhanced by one person showing up in a hearing in which the public can witness but not participate (except for public comment which has no bearing on the objections themselves). That freedom is not enhanced by attempting to take away people’s right to choose from a variety of diverse candidates and making sure they are only presented with candidates that fit some preconceived ideological mold. These objections aren’t democratic, they are undemocratic and they are an affront to everyone who has fought and died for democracy to suggest otherwise.

I will criticize no one for attempt to contribute constructively to Unit 4. Even if I disagree, I will welcome any participation. If you have ideas, I will make sure you have the resources to bring solid and complete proposals to the Board, even if I disagree with them. However, that does not give license to individuals to contribute destructively by disparaging people in the press and in objections for running massive criminal enterprises just to get 50 or more signatures to run for the unpaid position of school board member.

I, and the other 4 candidates, have been accused of fraud, perjury, forgery, and conspiracy and on that basis we should be removed from the ballot. These accusations are not presented with any factual basis whatsoever. One candidate, a bank executive, has had to explain to his superiors and co-workers the nature of these allegations of fraud. Fraud, for a bank executive, is a career-ending proposition.

All that Mr. Brayfield has accomplished with this stunt is to discourage honest people running for school board in Champaign. Why would anyone submit there name to have the Brayfields of the world run to the press and start accusing them of being criminals? It has been said that there is something about running for and holding office that will turn honest people into felons (ok, I said it), but this is a little off the mark. The biggest threat to democracy is that only a certain class of people runs for office, and Mr. Brayfield is part of the ongoing actions that discourage all but the most pathological from running.

It is clear from his selection of candidates that he objected to, that he has an ideological agenda and has engaged in a radical smear campaign to destroy the integrity of the people he disagrees with. If he has a problem with a candidate, then those issues can be addressed on April 17th in the ballot box. Exactly the way democracy is supposed to work.

February 24th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, Education, Politics, Unit 4 Race | 3 comments

My views on the Chief

Because I’m in the Daily Illini today with a soundbite, I’m going to clarify my views on the Chief matter. My views have largely not changed since I said retire the Chief in 2003. However, I would not consider myself Anti-Chief. The Peoria, the descendants of the Illini Confederation, have asked us to retire the Chief. Since it represents them, I think they and only they have a say here. Not the Lakota, not the Sioux, not the Cherokee, or any other tribe. Hundreds of years ago they spent time kililng each other and it is stupid to lump all of those very disparate cultures under one umbrella as “Native American” and then say they are all the same. That would be like saying the Irish and Italian are of the same culture… European.

In 1995, it is true, the Chief of the Peoria said they were honored by Cheif Illiniwek and they wanted him to stay. The controversy should have died there. In 2000, they had a private vote without comment and changed their position. Regardless of their reasons, it is their heritage and they can do with it as they want. If Bertie Ahern called up Notre Dame and wanted them to drop the Fighting Irish, I think they should do it too.

That said, I am more opposed to the Anti-Chief movement than I think the Chief should be retired. It’s obvious the Peoria know they have bigger problems. I think the Chief would have been retired years ago if it weren’t for the obnoxious, stupid, and sometimes violent activities of the Pro-Chief movement. Making this a “Native American” thing is beyond stupid and exposes the absurdity of the racist claim. They don’t even know the basics about the race they are talking about. How the Chief dance metaphysically creates an oppressive environment for minorities, I have no idea. Of course, the overt hostitilty towards conservatives and Christians actually in the classroom is not only unimportant, it’s “the way things are supposed to be.” Likely, if the Anti-Chief movement would have likely approached the Board in a constructive way, I have full confidence that they would have retired the Chief awhile ago. Instead, it took the NCAA having to pay off the University. And while that is my conjecture, based on the timing and the letters, it is a reasonable conclusion that the NCAA has given the University something to do this. Which leads me to my last point.

The Open Meetings Act requires business to be done in the open. No backroom votes, no secret deals, nothing. The law is VERY clear on this point. There are only very narrow exceptions to the Open Meetings Act, and not only do none apply, but if Eppley wants to claim one he had to do it in a public announcement before the fact. If it was truly urgent, and it is hard to see why an issue that has been going on for 15 years suddenly became urgent, he could have declared an emergency meeting of the Board. The law allows for that. However, dealing with this under a shroud secrecy has clearly violated the Open Meetings Act, is apparently a Class C Misdemeanor, and the decision could be voided in a court of law by anyone who wanted to file suit.

The University, the public, and the alumni deserved for this decision to be made in public. This is the biggest decision the Board has made in decades. It deserved to be made legally.

February 19th, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, DailyIllini, Law / Legal Issues, University of Illinois | one comment

Statement Regarding the Arrest of an Urbana Teacher on Suspicion of Child Molestation

See story in the News-Gazette.

The arrest of a second grade teacher in Urbana is a disturbing event. While the facts of the case remain unclear it is too soon to rush to judgment. However, in the light of these events it serves as a reminder to the schools in their responsibility to provide a safe environment for children.

The purpose of public schools is to provide a sound education for our community’s children. Part of that responsibility is to ensure that the teaching environment is free from harm. Allegations of sexual assault must be seriously investigated and policies put in place to make sure that the likelihood of such assaults is extremely low.

To be clear, this is not an allegation of insufficiency of policies that are currently in place. However, every policy should be routinely reviewed to make sure they still meet the needs and goals of the community and the schools. This event is a reminder to take such a review to ensure policies regarding sexual assault and allegations of such assaults both ensure that, as far as legally possible, the risk to our children is low and that teachers are protected to the greatest possible degree against capricious or false allegations of sexual assault.

I call upon both the Urbana and Champaign school districts to review their policies to make sure that the risk of sexual abusers gaining employment is low, that policies and procedures regarding investigating allegations are fair yet thorough, and that the schools take prompt action to both remove predators from the schools or clear the teacher of wrong-doing.

February 2nd, 2007 Posted by John Bambenek | Chambana, Politics, Unit 4 Race | no comments