7/5 Prisons

Tuesday July 5th, 6:30pm
MU Student Center 2200

Workings of the U.S. Prison System:

The United States Prison System

http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00342/The%20Prison%20System.html

Summary of the Findings by the Commission on Safety and Abuse in America’s Prisons

http://prisoncommission.org/pdfs/prison_commission_summary.pdf

Solitary Confinement and its Effects

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/03/30/090330fa_fact_gawande

Masked Racism

http://colorlines.com/archives/1998/09/masked_racism_reflections_on_the_prison_industrial_complex.html

Disproportionate Incarceration of Young Black Women

http://ethnoblog.newamericamedia.org/2011/03/in-post-racial-america-prisons-feast-on-black-girls-1.php

SCOTUS Ruling on Overcrowding in CA Prisons

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/05/supreme-court-upholds-order-requiring-release-of-thousands-of-prisoners/

America’s Addiction to Incarceration

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-slovick/addicted-to-incarceration_b_868473.html

Conditions Vary between Lifers and Death Row Inmates

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11179/1156707-53.stm

Alternatives:

Problem-Solving Courts:

http://www.nadcp.org/learn/what-are-drug-courts/models/problem-solving-courts

Drug Courts:

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/campaign/166311-drug-courts-save-lives-tax-dollars

10 Alternatives:

http://www.forbes.com/2006/04/15/prison-justice-alternatives_cx_rd_06slate_0418alter.html

Norwegian Prison System

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1986002,00.html

Flogging?

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/06/20/flogging_interview

Prison Vouchers

http://volokh.com/2011/05/31/prison-vouchers/

6/28 Controversies in Art

Tuesday 6/28, 6:30pm
MU Student Center 2200 (study rooms near traditions lounge)

Controversies in Art

Ethics of buying and selling art:
http://thegazette.com/2011/03/28/art-experts-break-down-pollock-controversy/
http://www.jrank.org/history/pages/6579/Trafficking-In-Antiquities.html

Cultural and jurisdictional ownership rights:
http://gogreece.about.com/od/museumsingreec1/i/marblereturn.htm
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,447136,00.html

Gender and culture concerns:
http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/02/01/where-are-the-women-in-googles-art-project/
http://paintingsgalleries.blogspot.com/2010/10/artists-painting-beauty-of-women-figure.html


The implications of forgeries:
http://www.archaeology.org/0101/abstracts/goddess.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,768195,00.html

What is Art?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkteNuJepzU
http://www.philosophytalk.org/pas

6/21 Drug Decriminalization

Drug Decriminalization
June 21st, 6:30pm, MU Student Center Traditions Lounge

There are a lot of articles here, so just read what you have time for. Try to balance the pro & con opinions to get both sides.

Commentary on the 40 year Anniversary of America's War on Drugs
Jimmy Carter
White House National Drug Control Policy
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Tax and Fiscal Issues
Obama: Legalizing Pot Won't Grow Economy
Social Cost vs. Government Spending
Pro/Con

Central American Crime
America's Third World
Guatemala's State of Siege
Myths about Mexico's Drug War

Health
UN Backs Decriminalization
Portugal
Harmful Health Effects

US Policy
US Congressman Backs Marijuana Legalization
Don't Legalize Drugs

2011 Summer Update

The Social Justice Reading Group (or Just Read if you love puns) is happening again! Bring it on, summer 2011. For those new to the group, our philosophy is pretty simple: respect for all viewpoints. We're all coming from different places and educational backgrounds and we will disagree sometimes- which is part of the fun. If something offends or upsets you, try to address that in discussion to give everyone a chance to clarify their position.

A note on the format: SJRG is not a book club for two reasons. The first is cost, it gets expensive to require all the members to buy books. The second is sustainability. We can cut down on the environmental impact by passing along books after we read them. On that note... we're also doing book swaps this summer. Anytime you have a book you want to lend out, bring it to a meeting!

Meetings will be every Tuesday at 6:30pm, location TBD (but probably the MU Student Center).

10/18 Last Chance to See

Social Justice Social & Last Chance to See
October 18th, 6pm, Amy's Apartment
Join Just Read for a social and movie night. We'll be watching Last Chance to See, about the crisis of endangered species. Reading is optional for this event, but the articles could provide some good background.

Bird of Doom (pdf)

Biodiversity Conservation and the Millennium Development Goals (pdf)

Loss of biodiversity threatens livelihoods of world's poorest

Discussion Questions:
1. How does one balance sustaining human life and interests with that of endangered species?
2. How can we address human vs. nature dualism, or the idea that human life is separate from the natural world? To what extent are social and environmental issues part of a larger system?
3. How do we market biodiversity protection? Beyond the Cuteness Doctrine, what about species that are not inherently likable?
4. Sustainability has a reputation for being a movement for the privileged, however poverty is closely linked to environmental problems and biodiversity loss. How can we balance these needs? To what extent is it true that placing an emphasis on preserving nature can hurt the economic development of impoverished people?

10/15 US v. John Brown

United States v. John Brown
October 15th, 7pm, Missouri Theater
Meet outside at 6:45, followed by discussion at Kaldi's coffee

John Brown, renowned 19th Century Abolitionist, led a raid on the pro-slavery settlement of Pottawatomie Creek in the Kansas Territory on May 24, 1856. Five men were dragged from their homes and murdered during the raid. Brown was never tried for these crimes. Until now. Please join us as a jury of your peers decides: was John Brown a freedom loving patriot who wanted equality for all men or was he full of hatred and desire to strike terror in the hearts of his countrymen?
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168233997328&index=1

John Brown Background

John Brown's Body Hymn

Discussion Questions
1. Can the impact of acts of terror justify their usage in pursuit of higher goals?
2. How do we historicize activism?
3. What are the connections between this and current violent movements? Is the use of violence contextualized by situation?
4. In circumstances of extremely violent oppression, is the use of force permissible? Laudable? Effectual? Can conditions of extremely violent oppression only be effectively undermined by the use of force?
5. If violence is ever appropriate, how do you negotiate such a question of propriety? Is the use of force a concession to the inherently flawed 'ends justify the means' methodology?
6. Is abhorrence of violent activism a product of privilege?

October Events

October Events:

Sustain Mizzou Food Drive
October 12th-16th

United States v. John Brown
October 15th, 7pm, Missouri Theater
John Brown, renowned 19th Century Abolitionist, led a raid on the pro-slavery settlement of Pottawatomie Creek in the Kansas Territory on May 24, 1856. Five men were dragged from their homes and murdered during the raid. Brown was never tried for these crimes. Until now. Please join us as a jury of your peers decides: was John Brown a freedom loving patriot who wanted equality for all men or was he full of hatred and desire to strike terror in the hearts of his countrymen?
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168233997328&index=1

Social Justice Social & Last Chance to See
October 18th, 6pm, Amy's Apartment
Join Just Read for a social and movie night. We'll be watching Last Chance to See, about the crisis of endangered species. Hosted by Stephen Fry!

Voices Documentary
October 21st, 7pm, Chamber Aud
“Voices” is a documentary featuring stories of survivors of relationship and sexual violence. The documentary was a collaborative effort between the Stephens College film department and the Shelter. This film is a very emotional and graphic retelling of actual events in women’s lives. Panel discussion will follow.

September Event Update

We have some awesome social justice opportunities coming up! Please join us if you can, and spread the word!

Thursday, Sept 17th- Take Back the Night!, Stotler Lounge
6:30-7 Rally 7-7:30 March
Just Read Portion: 7:30-8:30 - Coffee and Discussion/Debriefing @ Memorial Union Cafe (this is the same time as the speak out, if you wanted to attend that)
Take Back the Night is a national movement created to raise awareness about violence against women in our society. At the rally, keynote speaker, Kelley Lucero, with The Shelter will share her story. Following this, we will storm the streets as we march through campus raising awareness and visibility! To conclude the evening, there will be a Speak-Out to give survivors of rape and sexual assault a chance to speak out about their experiences. Join us as we shatter the silence to end the violence!

Monday, Sept 28th - Kristen's Story
7pm, Jess Aud
Just Read portion: directly following speaker - Discussion @ location TBA (Berg? It's close.)
"Kristin's Story" is a mother's tale of her daughter's rape and subsequent suicide. A vibrant 20-year-old, Kristin, committed suicide shortly after she was raped by a friend in 1995. Her mother, Andrea Cooper, now shares her daughter’s tragedy with college students across the country in order to educate and inspire others to get help.

Erin and I are also compiling a list of documentaries we'd like to watch. Let us know if you're interested, and we can find days that work for everyone.
-Stephen Fry's Secret Life of a Manic Depressive
-Stephen Fry's Last Chance to See

MORE TO COME - Also, add your own stuff to the list. :)

Peer Education Resource

Remember that time I gushed about what an amazing conference Meeting of the Minds is? WELL NOW YOU CAN SHARE IN THE JOY.

MoM has posted all the presentations and outlines from each speaker on their website. Definitely look at Alan Berkowitz's stuff, but there is a lot of great material there. You might even find some particularly well crafted outlines on the topics of LGBTQ Suicide Prevention and the intersectsions of Mental Health, Alcohol, and Tobacco.

http://mom.missouri.edu/schedule.html

If you are a peer educator, or any of their covered topics are something you are interested in, I definitely reccomend attending next sping.

District 9

Friday! Sci Fi! Social Justice! Yes!

If you'd like some background, check out these articles:

Living Apart: South Africa Under Apartheid

District 6 Museum

**Immigrants in South Africa deal with hostility, xenophobia (video)

Xenophobia in South Africa

LA Times on District 9