Sunday, August 26, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
speaking in fragments
this morning i walked around with a cup of tea, mumbling nonsense, repeating random (maybe not so random) words like "bad," "bitches," "bad,", etc. you get the picture. there's a nanci griffith song that mentions a "worried mind" (though she uses this to refer to jealousy, or at least i think she does) but i felt it aptly described my morning state of being. i was jacked up on the last of a pg tips tea bag, speaking in fragments, hoping to heal a rather wounded ego from the previous day's battering by an anonymous reviewer. by mid-afternoon, i pulled it together, trudged to the office, printed off two essays, brought home three books, and plowed through the first 50 pages of a textual analysis of sexuality, love, and desire. since my latest effort was characterized as "stubbornly unreflective," by some anonymous turd with a little bit of power, i spent the afternoon reflecting on how every feminist text i read these days feels like it was hooked up to foucault's (or derrida's, or lacan's, or lyotard's, or whatever the name of your favorite postructuralist is) brain by ethernet and transferred to the hard drive of contemporary feminist criticism. it's this type of reflection that gets me into trouble and it's more than likely why i typically generate the most unpleasant outside reviews. though this latest one stung, it also reminded me of my very first paper rejection i received in grad school . . . i was described as creating a "demonic postcolonialism". imagine that. me. demonic. postcolonialism. i should title my fucking book that for all my anonymous fans.
to continue with yesterday's post: i'm out of the mainstream with my discipline. i'm out of step with most people writing on similar things. i don't want to treat my work like a mad lib and plug in "agency" "power" "constitutive" "resistance" in random spots to illustrate how well i've absorbed the good teachings of postmodernity. instead, i use terms like "exploitation" "prostituted" "liberation" and, god forbid, "nationalism" only to be treated like a relic from another planet. and, don't bother talking about imperialism, cause that shit aint cool these days. it's all about representation baby . . . and, isn't it a shame that feminist crit. seems to have drifted further and further away from reality/material conditions (at least in the U.S.) at the precise moment things are worsening around the world? when another foreclosure sign gets posted in front of a house sending shady and unscrupulous investors hiding under their hedge fund, or 500 people are blown to bits by suicide bombers, or the petraus report is really the bush report, or any number of things that are bound to happen to us in this fucked up situation of satellites and domestic spying, theorists are going to have to come to grips that this aint no simulacra . . . no imagined community. this shit is real with enormous consequences. i remain stubbornly convinced that we should theorize these things to make sense of our world, and as the old saying goes, to change it. damn. is that so hard?
to continue with yesterday's post: i'm out of the mainstream with my discipline. i'm out of step with most people writing on similar things. i don't want to treat my work like a mad lib and plug in "agency" "power" "constitutive" "resistance" in random spots to illustrate how well i've absorbed the good teachings of postmodernity. instead, i use terms like "exploitation" "prostituted" "liberation" and, god forbid, "nationalism" only to be treated like a relic from another planet. and, don't bother talking about imperialism, cause that shit aint cool these days. it's all about representation baby . . . and, isn't it a shame that feminist crit. seems to have drifted further and further away from reality/material conditions (at least in the U.S.) at the precise moment things are worsening around the world? when another foreclosure sign gets posted in front of a house sending shady and unscrupulous investors hiding under their hedge fund, or 500 people are blown to bits by suicide bombers, or the petraus report is really the bush report, or any number of things that are bound to happen to us in this fucked up situation of satellites and domestic spying, theorists are going to have to come to grips that this aint no simulacra . . . no imagined community. this shit is real with enormous consequences. i remain stubbornly convinced that we should theorize these things to make sense of our world, and as the old saying goes, to change it. damn. is that so hard?
Friday, August 17, 2007
Not of the Mainstream
Markos Moulistas (founder of the Daily Kos) had an interesting take on the use of MSM by some of those in the blogosphere when referring to the mainstream media. Markos argues that we should not distance ourselves from the mainstream, but embrace it, thereby pushing right wing pundits to the fringe. I don't agree. He supports his comments by pointing out that blogs have more power than ever, are representative of what a democracy should look like, etc etc etc. All this is true, but I don't want to be the mainstream . . . life on the fringe is better. . .gives a clearer picture of things. Mainstream is boring, boring, boring stuff. I was disappointed that many progressive blogs are failing to acknowledge the current crisis in the Philippines or the recent detainment of the activists. This should have been news considering the Philippines is in lock step with US policies concerning "terror". I digress. In my own sequestered world, otherwise known as the life of the mind, I am reminded by peers through anonymous reviews that I am not mainstream enough . . . too fringe . . .too "stubbornly unreflective." The peer review process is a lot like posting scathing, derisive comments on someone's blog, just cause you know you will never have to meet the person or actually have a decent conversation with them. Anonymity makes people assholes. Instead of wallowing in my own deflated ego today, I've decided to embrace this outlaw status in my field -- one governed by idealogues worshipping at the temple of all that is diverse and complex. Fuck em.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Off the "watchlist"--GABNET 3 Update
Apparently, the Arroyo regime lifted Enrile, Rosca, and Mirkinson off the "watch list" and allowed them to return to the United States yesterday. I guess GMA and her cronies felt 9 days of unwarranted harassment were enough. What a mess.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Free the GABNET 3!
On August 5th, Dr. Annalisa Enrile (chairperson of GABRIELA NET USA) was prevented from returning home to the U.S. after a month-long stay in the Philippines. According to airport authorities she was on a "watchlist" of the Philippine government. In addition to Enrile, Ninotchka Rosca and Judith Mirkinson (both renowned for their work on women's rights, Filipino activism, human rights, etc) are allegedly on the watchlist too . . . they had plans to board a plane on the 14th, but we'll have to see what happens. I would offer you a hyperlink to the various articles concerning this deteriorating situation in the RP, but due to a new computer, operating system, what have you, the toolbar in blogger is preventing me from doing so. I might have to download Mozilla Firefox to see if that changes anything, but in the meantime, I will paste the pertinent information below. Clearly, the impact of the recently passed "Human Security Act" in July 2007 by the Macapagal-Arroyo regime are being illustrated by this unjust detention of human rights activists. To update: since her election in 2001 there have been 885 extra-judicial killings in the Philippines, and hundreds more disappeared. Of this number, 98 are women activists, mostly associated with GABRIELA the umbrella federation of women's groups. Below is Enrile's letter to the U.S. Embassy and a chronology of events.
Letter of Prof. Annalisa Enrile
to the US Ambassador to the Philippines
August 8, 2007
Her Excellency Kristie A. Kenney
Ambassador. Embassy of the United States of America
Roxas Boulevard, Manila
Philippines
Your Excellency:
I am an American citizen, an assistant professor of the University of
Southern California who recently brought and led a graduate class of
25 for direct field experience on the subject "Feminist Theory and
Social Change."
I am requesting the Embassy's assistance because the Philippine
government is refusing to let me return to the United States even
though I know of no charges or cases against my person.
Furthermore, I have been and am being shuffled from the Department of
Justice to the Bureau of Immigration to some office called NICA.
Since August 5, 2007 when I was stopped from boarding my flight home,
I have not been told any specific reason as to why I am being
prevented from returning to my home country.
My human and civil rights are being violated by this surrealist
procedure dictated by some unknown entity/person. This is causing me
extreme distress, as well as jeopardizing my professional standing
and causing me financial hardship.
As I have not made provisions to stay in the Philippines beyond August
5, I am practically a homeless person, dependent on the good will of
friends for my board and lodging.
I am of mind to sue whoever gave the "hold" order for actual and
punitive damages, which are accumulating daily. It would be good if
the Embassy can help me find out the basis for this hold order and
its veracity, as well as its origins so that I may seek justice.
Please find attached my signed declaration on the events of the past
four days. I may be reached at 0918-273-0744.
Thank you very much.
Respectfully,Annalisa Vicente Enrile, Ph.D., MSW
Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
School of Social Work
**********
Chronology of Events
On August 5, 2007, 8 p.m., I checked in my luggage for my flight back
to Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines.
I was accompanied by three other women who were all US citizens. Five
of my students who were on the same flight had gone ahead and checked
in without incident. Twenty students and an instructor who had earlier
flights also were able to leave without incident.
I paid my airport terminal fee and proceeded to the Immigration booth
to have my passport exit-stamped. The agent scanned my passport and
then called a supervisor over. The two conferred. They asked me my
name and I gave them my name: Annalisa Vicente Enrile. They said I
was on the watchlist.
I asked them what that meant and what was a watchlist. They said I
couldn't leave the country; that I needed to get clearance from the
Bureau of Immigration and Deportation. They then returned my boarding
pass, having written "offloaded" on it. They also returned my
passport.
As it was already quite late, I had my bags taken off the plane and
proceeded to a friend's house so I could wait for office hours. The
next day, I went to the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation where
they told me I had to file an affidavit of denial because the name on
the "watchlist" didn't have a middle name nor a birthdate on it. I had
to seek the help of a lawyer to prepare this affidavit.
When I tried to file the affidavit of denial, the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation told me to get clearance from the
Department of Justice. By this time, I was so exhausted and
traumatized that I asked a lawyer-friend to help me get the
clearance.
At the Department of Justice, she was told to get a clearance for me
from NICA. At NICA, she was told to go back to the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation.
Today, August 8th, we were told by the Bureau of Immigration and
Deportation that we should go to the Department of Justice.At this
point, it became clear that this process was one of intimidation and
harassment, that there was actually no legal nor ethical basis to
hold me in the Philippines and to prevent me from returning to my
home country.
This is such an overt violation of my civil and human rights that I
decided to seek the help of the US Embassy in Manila, which in
accordance with the stated foreign policy of the US government,
should be in support of open, clear and democratic processes, and
should be fostering respect for civil and human rights, first and
foremost for it's own citizens. -
Annalisa Vicente Enrile,
Ph.D., MSW Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
School of Social Work
Letter of Prof. Annalisa Enrile
to the US Ambassador to the Philippines
August 8, 2007
Her Excellency Kristie A. Kenney
Ambassador. Embassy of the United States of America
Roxas Boulevard, Manila
Philippines
Your Excellency:
I am an American citizen, an assistant professor of the University of
Southern California who recently brought and led a graduate class of
25 for direct field experience on the subject "Feminist Theory and
Social Change."
I am requesting the Embassy's assistance because the Philippine
government is refusing to let me return to the United States even
though I know of no charges or cases against my person.
Furthermore, I have been and am being shuffled from the Department of
Justice to the Bureau of Immigration to some office called NICA.
Since August 5, 2007 when I was stopped from boarding my flight home,
I have not been told any specific reason as to why I am being
prevented from returning to my home country.
My human and civil rights are being violated by this surrealist
procedure dictated by some unknown entity/person. This is causing me
extreme distress, as well as jeopardizing my professional standing
and causing me financial hardship.
As I have not made provisions to stay in the Philippines beyond August
5, I am practically a homeless person, dependent on the good will of
friends for my board and lodging.
I am of mind to sue whoever gave the "hold" order for actual and
punitive damages, which are accumulating daily. It would be good if
the Embassy can help me find out the basis for this hold order and
its veracity, as well as its origins so that I may seek justice.
Please find attached my signed declaration on the events of the past
four days. I may be reached at 0918-273-0744.
Thank you very much.
Respectfully,Annalisa Vicente Enrile, Ph.D., MSW
Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
School of Social Work
**********
Chronology of Events
On August 5, 2007, 8 p.m., I checked in my luggage for my flight back
to Los Angeles via Philippine Airlines.
I was accompanied by three other women who were all US citizens. Five
of my students who were on the same flight had gone ahead and checked
in without incident. Twenty students and an instructor who had earlier
flights also were able to leave without incident.
I paid my airport terminal fee and proceeded to the Immigration booth
to have my passport exit-stamped. The agent scanned my passport and
then called a supervisor over. The two conferred. They asked me my
name and I gave them my name: Annalisa Vicente Enrile. They said I
was on the watchlist.
I asked them what that meant and what was a watchlist. They said I
couldn't leave the country; that I needed to get clearance from the
Bureau of Immigration and Deportation. They then returned my boarding
pass, having written "offloaded" on it. They also returned my
passport.
As it was already quite late, I had my bags taken off the plane and
proceeded to a friend's house so I could wait for office hours. The
next day, I went to the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation where
they told me I had to file an affidavit of denial because the name on
the "watchlist" didn't have a middle name nor a birthdate on it. I had
to seek the help of a lawyer to prepare this affidavit.
When I tried to file the affidavit of denial, the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation told me to get clearance from the
Department of Justice. By this time, I was so exhausted and
traumatized that I asked a lawyer-friend to help me get the
clearance.
At the Department of Justice, she was told to get a clearance for me
from NICA. At NICA, she was told to go back to the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation.
Today, August 8th, we were told by the Bureau of Immigration and
Deportation that we should go to the Department of Justice.At this
point, it became clear that this process was one of intimidation and
harassment, that there was actually no legal nor ethical basis to
hold me in the Philippines and to prevent me from returning to my
home country.
This is such an overt violation of my civil and human rights that I
decided to seek the help of the US Embassy in Manila, which in
accordance with the stated foreign policy of the US government,
should be in support of open, clear and democratic processes, and
should be fostering respect for civil and human rights, first and
foremost for it's own citizens. -
Annalisa Vicente Enrile,
Ph.D., MSW Assistant Professor
University of Southern California
School of Social Work
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