Teacher Shortage Bill

CTU Explains New Teacher Shortage Law
By Jim Vail

CTU policy adviser Kurt Hilgendorf

The Illinois Governor signed a new law this summer that addresses teacher shortage problems so that retired teachers can sub more days, more people can qualify to substitute teach and teachers from out of state will be able to more easily transition to teach in Illinois.

When I first wrote up the story for a local publication called the News-Star, I sent an email to the Chicago Teachers Union Communications Director Christine Geovanis. She never answered my question about what the CTU position was on this bill now law.

I then received several conflicting reports from people who read my story posted on Facebook. One stated that the CTU opposed the bill, and another who served on the union's political action committee said it doesn't affect Chicago.

So I then sent an email to Kurt Hilgendorf, CTU's policy advisor who followed the bill, asking him to explain.

He replied with the following explanation:

Thanks for the question. Here's what happened on HB 5627.

That bill was introduced as ISBE's "big licensure reform". Included in the proposal were several things that we didn't like, such as easier access for for-profit charter operator grad schools (e.g. Noble Street's Relay) to the state licensure board, a sped-up alternative certification process (one year instead of 2), and a total deregulation of substitute teacher rules. CTU, along with the IFT and the IEA, opposed the bill as introduced, and discussions about how to change it moved forward.

The version that passed is substantially different.

1.  Retirees can now sub 120 days (instead of 100) without incurring pension penalties (CTU supports).

2.  Illinois will have licensure reciprocity with other states (getting an IL license has been a big issue for many CTU members).

3.  Many CTU paras pushed out via budget slashing want to sub but don't have a bachelor's degree. HB 5627 creates a short-term sub license for folks w/ 60 hours of college credit or an associate's degree, so the law creates a path for our displaced paras to get back into schools. 

Tsar Nicholas II

THE EXECUTION OF THE TSAR

THE 100 YEAR CENTENARY

By Stephen Wilson

 

Russian Tsar Nicholas II

MOSCOW -- I wake up at five in the morning in unfamiliar surroundings Astonishingly, this

is not a flat in Glasgow or London but In Moscow. This is not my apartment

and then i realize that i had agreed to look after two of my colleague's cats .

Next to my bed a huge front page photo of the the family of the last Tsar

confronts me . In the photo I see the gentle almost angelic faces of Nicholas

the 2nd ,his wife, four young daughters and youngest son staring straight at

me. They look so fragile ,frail and vulnerable. It is difficult for me to imagine

that around a century ago they were taken to a small cellar and put to death

in what was a botched execution. An icon of the family sits next to it and it

seems like a shrine has been erected in this room. When I drop into the

next bedroom I notice another huge photo of the last Tsar along with icons.

In the next room I notice the roof tops of Lefortovo prison which is still used

for political prisoners. I recall from reading Eugenia Ginzburg's memoir of

how she was detained in this very building and told by a guard that "Do you

know how many a day they're finishing off Now ? Seventy ! That is how many."

{Journey Into the Whirlwind, Eugenia Semyonovna Ginzburg,Harcourt, London

1995}

 

On many of the main streets of Moscow billboards have been erected

photos of the last Tsar and his wife where their words are quoted conveying

the virtues of the ideal family and the Orthodox religion. For example , 'We

must be grateful to God for everything he grants us " . Even the metro station

i pass through every week , Voikovskaya station reminds me of the cruel fate

of the Tsarist family. The metro station is named after the Bolshevik who had a

hand in his execution. Pyotr Voikov was responsible for ordering the sulphuric

acid from a chemist used to burn the remains of the deceased victims . The

metro station also has a notorious reputation for being a favorite place for

carrying out suicide. Attempts to change the name of the station failed after

a dubious local vote in favor of keeping the name!

There is no doubt that some kind of bizarre religious cult has been growing

around the last Tsar. This has largely been inspired by the fact that the Tsar

and his family were canonized in 2000 as saints or 'passion bearers' and you

can come across their icon in most Orthodox churches in Moscow. The film

Matilda, which dramatized the alleged love affair between the Tsar and

a ballerina, provoked outrage from some outspoken Russians who viewed

the film as a smear on the Tsar's reputation. While for most people this was

mere drama , some zealots equated the film as heinous as defacing an icon.

One person I spoke to told me : " This film is just an attempt to make money

from slandering the reputation of the Tsar. I doubt it is based on any reality ".

A more anxious student , Yevgeni told me : " Now nobody can say anything

terrible about this Tsar. It is an attack on freedom of speech". Indeed, the

tense atmosphere where even constructive criticism of the Tsar is interpreted

as an insult might become a predicament for some Russian historians.

As many as 100,000 people went on a pilgrimage to Yekaterinburg on the 17th

of July to attend a special memorial service to the last Tsar. This represents

a huge increase from past occasions reflecting a rising popularity in the role

of the family as esteemed saints.

Yet tense controversy surrounds the events concerning not only the role but

the execution and burial of the Tsar and his family. Historians are divided as

to who ordered their execution, whether the bones uncovered of the victims

are really those of the Tsar and his family and how should society perceive

the role of the Romanovs in Russian history.

 

THE FORMER ATTITUDE TO THE TSAR

 

 

It is worth pointing out that the attitude of most people to the Russian Tsar

in 1917 was a far cry from the current attitude. By March 1917 the Tsar had

practically lost all support not only among the peasants but practically

every section of society including the nobility. Nicholas the 2nd's reputation

as a weak Tsar who failed to keep order, being blamed for the defeat in the

First World War, the negative influence of Rasputin and fabricated allegations

of secret German sympathies as well as his intolerance of any kind of dissent

had turned him into one of the most hated Tsars. He was known as 'Bloody

Nicholas ' , especially after the events of Bloody Sunday not to mention his

secret approval of widespread pogroms of Jews. {See Orlando Figes 2017,

A People's Tragedy, The Russian Revolution, Penguin , Random house ,

London about the Tsar's attitude to pogroms.} Some of the Old Believers

even went so far to describe the role of the Tsar to the 'Anti Christ'.

So how did one of the most unpopular Tsars in Russian history attain

Sainthood? After all, most Russians prefer their rulers to be very strong

and authoritarian! Nicholas the 2nd was the most unsuitable Tsar. He

was the most reluctant ruler . He even confessed : 'I don't know how to

rule or what to do ." If you read the diaries of the last Tsar what strikes you

is how ordinary and dull they are . The Tsar liked to play cards, table tennis

and to do some gardening. He reminds you of an English man from an

Agatha Christie Novel than a Russian Tsar. In deed , he spoke impeccable

English.

When the Tsar was forced to abdicate he was put under house arrest by

the Provisional government at Tsarskoe Selo. He was treated quite well

but his movements were strictly curtailed. According to the then Prime

Minister Kerensky the Tsar was very happy to lose power. Kerensky wrote

in his memoirs : 'All those that watched him in his captivity were unanimous

in saying that Nicholas the 2nd seemed generally to be very good-tempered

and appeared to enjoy his new manner of life. it seemed as if a heavy burden

had fallen from his shoulders and that he was greatly relieved.' The Tsar

amused himself by playing Dominos, cards and table tennis.

King George v had promised that England would allow the Tsar's family refuge

and then withdrew the promise. The king did not want to offend the Labor

party.

 

CAPTIVITY

 

 

With the rise of the Bolshevik power the fate of the Tsar's family radically

changed. After some time in Tobolsk, the Tsar's family were finally sent

to 'The House of Special Designation 'in the town of Yekaterinburg or Ipatev's

house. The mansion was ominous . The windows were painted over in

white, the rooms dimly lit and members of the family were kept under strict

surveillance and escorted even to the toilets. What did the Bolshevik state

intend to do with them? According to reliable sources the Tsar was to be

taken back to Moscow to be put on trial and sentenced to death. However,

the approaching white army of Admiral Kolchak was about to take the

town so a decision was taken to murder the Royal Family on 17th July 1918.

The Soviet official version was that only Nicholas the 2nd had been executed

while the rest of the family had been allowed to live and evacuated to another

secret location. This led to a spate of legends of surviving members of the

family. However, in 1926, a book was written revealing that an investigation

had been carried out by Nikolai Sokolov which found the whole family and

attendants had been murdered. However, the government insisted that the

order had not been issued by Lenin but by the local Ural Soviet . Even the

Soviet Government felt uneasy about confessing to murdering unarmed

children along with their parents in a dark and dismal cellar. However,

this version was undermined by Leon Trosky who let the cat out of the bag. He

wrote the following in his diaries in 1935:

'My next visit to Moscow took place after Yekaterinburg had already fallen {i.e.

after July 25, 1918}. Speaking with Sverdlov, I asked in passing, "Oh yes, and where

is the Tsar?" "Finished", he replied. "He has been shot " "And where is the family?"

'The Family along with him ." "All?" I asked , apparently with a trace of surprise. "All,"

Sverdlov responded . "Why?" He awaited my reaction. I made no reply . "And who

decided the matter?" I inquired. "We decided it here. Ilich thought that we should not

leave the Whites a live banner, especially under the present difficult circumstances".

The second piece of evidence that Lenin ordered the execution of the Tsar comes

from archives where on the 16th of July, an official called Goloshchekin sent a secret

coded telegram to the Ural regional Soviet ordering their execution.

The rationale that the execution was carried out to deter the Whites seems odd.

None of the White armies were calling for the restoration of the Tsar. This was

because he was almost as unpopular among the White armies as the Red.

 

A BOTCHED EXECUTION

 

The execution turned out to be a very botched operation. Yakov Yurovsky, the chief

of the execution squad woke the family up at 1:30 a.m. telling them they were taking

them to a safer place because of nearby fighting. They took them to an underground

cellar with very little space. At just after 2 p.m. 7 Romanovs along with 4 attendants

were forced into a room escorted by an execution squad .Each guard had been

allocated a specific victim to kill. Yet when they entered the room they found that

each victim stood behind another .Yurovsky then read out a statement. "In view of the

offensive being launched by your relatives against Soviet Russia, the Executive

Committee of the Ural Soviet has decided to sentence you to death." The Tsar

answered: "What? What? " and turned to face his family. Yurovsky repeated the

order and then ordered his men to fire. The guards had been ordered to aim for

the heart. The victims then shouted some inaudible words but the guards began

shooting. The shooting took around two to three minutes. Yurovsky stated: 'I

killed Nicholas on the spot' . He then had to finish off his son who was badly

wounded on the floor. But the bullets ricocheted all around the room. They failed

to immediately kill the daughters because bullets bounced off some jewels they had

concealed in their clothes. So they even had to finish off the daughter Anastasia

with a bayonet. The disposal of the bodies went wrong. Yurovsky had to persuade

the drunken guards not to rob the victims, the mine shaft they had to use to bury

the victims was not deep enough and the truck broke down. They failed to even

burn the remains of the victims. This is why it was later possible to dig up

the remains of the bodies and identify them using the most up-to-date forensic

DNA analysis.

Despite the on-going reservations that the bodies are not authentic, the Russian

investigative committee confirm they are the Tsar's family. According to the Genetic

analysis 7 of the 11 found remains correspond to the mother, father , 4 daughters and

examination of the family'. Nicholas the 2nd's remains were identified by comparing

them to to the exhumed remains of his father, Alexander the 3rd.

So then why is the Russian Orthodox Church not persuaded than the bones are

authentic? Perhaps they jealously seek to preserve the legacy of the Tsar and

his family's remains as their sole property! It could well be due to the fact they

feel their influence over this matter has been slighted or diminished. Yet strictly

speaking a dead body or bones belong to nobody. Whatever, the last Tsar

seems more popular after his death than during his lifetime. I wonder what he

would make of all this debate over his fate? 

Teacher Shortage Law

Governor signs law to ease teacher shortage

By Jim Vail
Special to News-Star

One of the biggest problems for schools is the shortage of teachers in classrooms and the governor took a step to fight this by signing a bill that will change license requirements to make it easier for out-of-state, retired and substitute teachers to get certified to teach in Illinois.

There is a growing shortage of teachers in the state with one in five Illinois teaching positions going unfilled due to licensure requirements, according to the governor’s office.

Nowhere is this more true than in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) where schools are left with vacant teaching positions during the school year. This has a ripple effect, where the difficulty of finding a substitute teacher compounds the problem and forces classes for special education, bilingual or music and art to be cancelled so that these teachers within the building can temporarily fill in the vacancies.

The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has filed numerous grievances against violations of the contract because teachers who have to sub do not get their allotted time to prepare their lessons (full disclosure: I’m a CTU member and CPS teacher). This has led to deteriorating morale and frustration all around.

There are many reasons why there is a teacher shortage in this state beyond the licensing requirements. Schools in rough neighborhoods are tough to staff because of student behavior problems and the onslaught of corporate America’s Common Core curriculum attacked teachers and made the profession much more onerous.  Education schools have reported significant drops in enrollment due to the education reform movement’s attack on public education.

Chicago schools on the North Side as well as the South Side have huge problems finding substitute teachers. One principal thought CPS did not do enough to recruit subs who a few years ago had to be fully-certified teachers, whereas now they just need a bachelor’s degree, as it was when I first started subbing 15 years ago.

However, according to the new requirements in HB5627, a substitute teacher will only need an associate’s degree (two years of college classes), similar to what a teacher aid needs to work in the Chicago public schools.

The new law will address the teaching shortage crisis by creating a “Short Term Substitute Teaching License” so people with either an associate degree or 60 college credit hours can substitute teach, providing reciprocity for comparable and valid educator licenses from other states (currently there are only certain states where teachers have the requirements to teach in Illinois), allowing teachers whose Professional Educator’s License lapsed to qualify for a substitute teaching license and increasing to 120 the number of days retired teachers can substitute teach without affecting their retirement benefits.

“We cannot deliver great education without great teachers,” said Gov. Bruce Rauner. “A majority of our school districts are reporting shortages, and it is unacceptable. Modernizing our licensing systems is a strong first step to that ought to help schools attract high-quality, transformative teachers for our students.”

However, another reason for teacher shortages is teacher pay, and the governor whacked teachers by backing the recent Janus Supreme Court decision which no longer allows unions to automatically collect every member’s dues. Teacher unions could lose a significant number of members which would impair their work to collectively bargain for higher wages and benefits, and thus attract the top candidates to teach in the schools. One teacher in Wisconsin noted that after the state became a ‘Right to Work’ state which limited the unions’ power, health benefits increased to $800 per month, significantly cutting their take-home pay.

According to a 2017 Teacher Shortage Survey developed by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) and analyzed by Goshen Education Consulting, 78% of the districts surveyed identified either a minor or serious problem with teacher shortages. Over half (53%) of the surveyed districts indicated that they have a serious problem with substitute teacher shortages.

“We have a statewide teacher shortage and this measure will help address it by making it easier to substitute teach,” State Senator Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) said in a press release. “Readily-available substitute teachers give full-time educators a support system when they are sick or need time off. Most importantly, this measure helps our schools provide the best educational experience for our children.”

In April the IL Senate fast-tracked (versus slow-tract the Elected School Board bill that even though overwhelmingly passed both Houses sits bundled up in a committee) a bill to privatize substitute teaching staffing, which the CTU opposed, in an apparent attempt to address the substitute shortage problem.

“This legislation is tone deaf given CPS’ disastrous track record with privatization,” CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said in a press statement. “It will allow CPS to contract out classroom-critical services, likely for less pay – just as has been the experience of privatized charter teachers and janitors in CPS – to the detriment of our students. And it will cost. In Indianapolis, the contracting agency slapped a 36% fee on the cost of substitute positions. The bill also fails to address the root causes of a shortage of substitute and full-time teachers – their need for a living wage and decent working conditions.”

A teacher at Acero (formerly UNO) Charter School which uses a staffing agency to assign subs, reported that the agency was ineffective and the school still suffers from a shortage of subs. 

Legend of Loch Ness

PROPOSED RUSSIAN SCOTTISH SCHOOL PROJECT SPURNED AS 'TOO POLITICAL'

By Stephen Wilson

 

A proposed project aimed at uniting Scottish and Russian schools on the theme

of shared legends of monsters has been recently rejected by the local Inverness

Council in Scotland.The reason provided for spurning the proposal was that it was

deemed 'too political.' Perhaps local politicians regard such an innocuous idea as

getting into unwanted hot water. The proposal comes at a time when relations

between Russia and Britain have reached an all-time low. However, why such a

project is considered 'political ' has yet to be fully clarified or elaborated unless one

can banally claim that 'everything is political'. But such a claim can explain everything

and nothing. It is generally accepted that politics refers to how we make decisions

and debate profound issues related to how we govern. Which political party the

Loch Ness Monster belongs to remains unclear.

Nevertheless, a headmaster called Keith Russell of a Primary school in the borders

of Scotland supports the project. It is not near Loch Ness but still something. A school

in Tver, by the name of V.V. Andreev, organised a cultural festival in May where kids

were encouraged to become acquainted with Scottish legends of monsters, Scottish

songs, dancing and other Scottish customs. A painting competition was organised

around who could paint the best picture of a monster. The founder of the

project, Maria Koroleva, a folklorist, linguist and teacher of Scots Gaelic, explained

to Second City Teachers the main idea for the project. 

"We hope to use the idea of shared monsters to not only educate children but also

awaken their interest in Scottish and Russian customs of folklore," she said. "When I visited

the school during the festival I was teaching the children how to perform Scottish

dances as well as songs. We are using the theme of monsters as a kind of spring

board". 

Local Russian teachers and politicians believe such a project would

help not only educationally and culturally but also attract attention to ecological

issues. It might also represent a boon to the tourist industry. After all, Loch Ness

represents a major tourist attraction . According to Olga Grigorevna: "We need

to strengthen our relations between Tver and Scotland, to cement cultural,

economic, sport, tourist and trading ties.The idea of connecting Brosya with

Nessie can be an example of civil diplomacy."

Asked whether she believed in the existence of the monster Maria replied: " Yes, of

course. There are a lot of reported sightings of the monster going back to ancient

times. For example, you come across one report written by a monk in the 7th century,

in his Life of Saint Columbia, where he writes that monks from Iona were attacked

by the monster while sailing across on a boat. Saint Columba managed to pacify

the monster. The Scottish monster seems quite aggressive and can attack anyone.

Whereas our monster from Tver known as Brosya is reputed to have saved a city

from the invading Mongol Tartars. It even leaped out of a lake and attacked a German

bomber during the war. "

The idea of inspiring the interest of children in folklore through legends of monsters

is a good ploy. For centuries, people have been almost obsessed by the idea of

both sea and lake monsters . Those monsters have been blamed for sinking ships,

fishing boats as well as attacking local villagers. And Loch Ness is not the only

place in Scotland with legends of monsters. At the Angus Coast near the town of

Montrose, at the turn of the 19th century, fishermen reported encountering a monster

of "distinctly snakey appearance ....The uncanny looking animal made no noise, and

apparently, swam at great speed'.

According to old legends and recent reported sightings, a reptile monster haunts

Lake Brozno, a lake located only 250 miles northwest of Moscow. It is reputed to

be 16 feet long and luminous. It has been blamed for reports of missing fishermen.

as well as spreading terror to fishermen in the Volga river. One elderly woman who

lives in Benyok stated in an interview: "I do not feel comfortable staying in this place.

The monster could crawl into my house any day". But many people are skeptical

about such fears and reports. Lyudmilla Bolshakova , at the Moscow Institute of

Paleontology stated : " It sounds like a country fairy tale, the kind of story told over

the years in the countryside.'' Much of those reports are dismissed as mere hearsay,

gossip, blatant invention or confused identification. Critics state witnesses really

saw either a huge moose or wild animal. The fishermen may have died because of

an eruption from an underwater volcano. This reminds me of how Scots scoffed

at the reports of witnesses by claiming floating logs or ripples in the water can

resemble monsters. It is very easy to be cynical . What is certain is that just like

around Loch Ness, local people have reported strange inexplicable events where

they have seen odd animals or apparitions. Indeed, many local witnesses in Loch

Ness keep silent lest they be ridiculed as lunatics! They do not wish to attract

unwelcome attention to themselves.

But does it really matter whether such a monster exists or not? At the end of the

day legends of monsters are an integral part of Scottish and Russian folklore. And

the songs, stories and music of folklore are what make our lives richer, more

entertaining and enchanting! Why kill the magic?

Book Review Philosophy

BOOK REVIEW : THE ART OF PHENOMENOLOGY

 

By Anna Yampolskaya, Kairos Ripol Classic Moscow, 2018

 

ИСКУССТВО ФЕНОМЕНОЛОГИИ АННА ЯМПОЛЬСКАЯ

KAIROS МОСКВА, 2018

 

A new book on Philosophy titled: 'The Art of Phenomenology , ' represents a bold

attempt to not only define phenomenology but to widen the discourse to encompass

not only students but artists, writers and anyone not afraid of questioning the very

foundations of their most cherished beliefs. The book is in Russian. It is not light

reading. However, it will appeal to those who like Sartre , Heidegger , Husserl and

Derrida. And that is to name but a few thinkers! Yet given the large number of

highly advanced and sophisticated people in Moscow who often drop into

cafes and libraries to listen to philosophy talks, this book should find an audience.

My experience as a teacher in Moscow readily confirms that there are many

Russians who can quickly grasp complex philosophical ideas.

The book is not just academic. In attempting to draw on the thoughts of philosophers

on topics such as the promises we make to each other, the nature of feelings,

confession, forgiveness and death, it deals with the questions which matter most

to us. But the breath and scope of this book is staggering!

The book begins with the question 'What is Phenomenology?' The author answers

that it, of course, is mainly associated with the philosopher Edmund Husserl. This

daring and passionate philosopher attempted to establish a new 'science of

Phenomenology ' where a person would attempt to study how the actor perceives

the world around him and how he should best study the nature of phenomena.

He argued that consciousness could be selective in that we intentionally draw

our attention to certain things around us. He developed a complex methodology

which would allow the observer to 'bracket ' the most irrelevant things in order to

capture the essence of an object . That is we have to control and contain

prejudices which distort and cloud our perception. Most people take the world

for granted and don't acutely observe things. They could pass the same tree

in a street they'd lived in for years without noticing never mind fully acknowledging

it. But phenomenology sought to explore how consciousness could perceive an

object or person in so many different ways . This led to attempts to create a new

science of mental illness, criminology and, in Heidegger's case, an ontology

of being based on death.

Yampolskaya's work declares that almost anything should be up for debate by

philosophy. Even the very definition of the word is open to debate . I mean is

philosophy 'the love of wisdom ' ? Is it mainly concerned with preparing for

death?' or is it concerned with discovering the truth? Now philosophy has

almost been reduced to subdivision of linguistics ! For instance, an indication

of how far philosophy has been marginalized in Scotland is how students of the

social sciences and natural sciences are no longer obliged to study it for

a year which was previously the case. The study of philosophy which encourages

people to think critically is unwelcome in a society based in an answer all

culture where the answers are already assumed in advance. What matters most

in Britain are the narrow values of effectiveness, efficiency and economic growth.

The subject philosophy is almost a dirty word in many parts of Britain.

A clue to Yampolskaya's own perspective is when she tells how Dante descends

into Hell and fully perceives his woman Beatrice not as an object or his own self

but as a wholly unique person in her own right. 'Dante compares Beatrice with

Christ - but the figure of Christ does not narrow ,nor replace the real humanity

of Beatrice : Beatrice remains herself, and is not turned into a transcendental

idea of beauty and love , and appears herself as an earthly woman.' From this

it follows that we should perceive people as unique beings who are special.

The philosophy of Phenomenology therefore represents a kind of spiritual

effort where we overcome our old egoism and become a new subject or

better person. We should attempt to perceive the person in all his complexity

rather than as a mere object or even an annoying obstacle which gets in our way.

Perhaps the notion that Phenomenology can represent a saner way of doing

philosophy is best illustrated by the warm relationship between Russian philosopher

Leon Shestov and Husserl . He once told his friends in front of Shestov : "No one

has ever attacked me so sharply as he - and that is why we are such close friends".

Husserl not only helped to publish articles by Shestov but got him acquainted with

Kierkegaard. Once he scolded Shestov with the words: "You have turned me into

a stone statue, raised me onto a lofty pedestal, and then with hammer - blows you

have shattered this statue to bits. But am I really so lapidary? " Shestov had

misconstrued and misunderstood Husserl's project and portrayed him as some

kind of soulless rationalist which was far from the case. But Husserl was a very

open-minded person who never took disagreements personally, but on the contrary

welcomed critique of his ideas.

I found the chapter centered around a debate between Derrida and Austin and

Searle's speech act theory intriguing. Austin stated that uttering words does

many things such as make promises , marriages and friends and so causes

significant actions. However, Derrida claimed that speech had been privileged

over the written text and that the words themselves could change their meaning in

such a way the outcome could be open-ended. A word itself can lose its meaning

if the context is no longer available. Searle argued back that Derrida did not

recognize the possibility of rational discourse and agreement between actors

and, worse, was a relativist. However, it would be fairer to state that Derrida

only stressed how highly problematic any form of rational discourse has become.

If you read Alasdair Macintyre's ' After Virtue,' you will notice how much discourse

has become characterized by a self righteous tone where people are speaking

from incompatible perspectives.

One thorny issue which is raised is whether swearing an oath in court 'To tell

the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth' ... can be taken seriously.

What if the person does not believe in God or the fact we have a new context

where the country has become secular? Has not the oath lost it's strength of

purpose? Why make promises we can hardly keep? The Philosophers believe

that people are not swearing to the God of Abraham, Issac or Christ but a

' political device.'

Yampolskaya ends her book with a chapter on death. This is perhaps the most

controversial. She states : 'Of all the philosophical problems , the problem of

death presents the closest to non philosophers : we all confront the deaths of

other people and everyone of us knows that sooner or later they are also going

to die. Or to be more exact, everyone is mortal and we try not to think about our

own deaths. However, there are exceptions, philosophers, and to philosophize

means to learn how to die'. In a sense, philosophy is a preparation for death.

However, according to Yampolskaya , this itself is problematic because if I die,

I can't return to learn the errors of how I died. Unless one takes the examples

of returning from the land of the dead seriously. I can only die my own death

and not the death of another person. In a sense, dying is one of the loneliest

experiences. Many people have argued that the intensity of almost dying

sharpens the intensity of their lives and offers a fresh perspective on what

really matters most. Most people dread or fear death . A passage from

Tolstoy's : 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich ' is cited as demonstrating the dread

and fear of dying. Death is feared by some because, to quote Shakespeare's

Hamlet ; 'It is the undiscovered country' . But it is worth asking 'Is death so

dreaded by so many? Is it so trivialized or concealed in discussion?"

It largely depends on how people perceive death! There are a wide spectrum

of beliefs on death and the reason why suicide was strictly forbidden by

the church was due to many Christians taking their own lives so as to

quickly enter paradise. There are worse things than death such as illness,

torture and loss of the soul. Although there might be one biological death,

it is worth asking how many different forms of death there are. A person

can die by failing to love other people or simply to live a profoundly meaningless

life. In Shakespeare's work: 'Measure for Measure, the Friar tells Claudio:

'What's yet in this life that bears the name of life? Yet in this life,

lie hid more thousand deaths: yet death we fear,

That makes these odds all even.'

That death can be a welcome relief to someone tortured by pain can't be

underestimated. My grandmother yearned for death because of the pain

she was experiencing. I recall a touching story by the Scots Storyteller

Duncan Williamson where a character personifying death drops in to see

a woodcutter he is fond of. But he drops in at the wrong time when he is not

present, instead scaring his young granddaughter. The woodcutter

returns to meet 'death', treats him to some bread and soup and

leaves to go with death. Death replies: "Where are you going? I have

not come for you yet. You still have many years to live. I have come

to take an old woman ill, in agony, to relieve her of her misery. I visited

you only because you are the only person i know who understands my

job and appreciates me'. There is a lot of sense in the story.

Yampolskaya writes that our fear of death is not always abnormal as:

'When I am afraid of death, when I experience fear of death, I am myself

forced to feel my own uniqueness. That I exist as a single kind of person,

like the Tower of Pisa or the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, means that

the end and irreversible destruction of my self, my inner world with

my rich wealth of memories and what I went through perishes

entirely.'

Yampolskaya has written a very thoughtful, arresting and appealing book. It is

food for the soul and thought for the mind! It is well worth reading.

It is a must for all serious students of philosophy!

World Cup

RUSSIA HAS HER DAY ! RUSSIANS JUBILANTLY CELEBRATE

VICTORY OVER SPAIN

By Stephen Wilson

 

Moscow exploded in a frenzied uproar. Just after finishing a lesson last

Sunday I was walking along the main road near the French Embassy to be

greeted by a chorus of car hooting, fans chanting "Russia, Russia ....",

and two young fans draped in a Russian flag who took it off and waved

it at drivers going past . Strangers went to each other ,embraced and

kissed each other. A man was standing in his car drinking a bottle of

wine and waving at pedestrians. The nearby metro station was

invaded by swarms of fans dawning Russian football strips or flags

making a din. Never had I seen so many beaming faces carried away

by a gusto of euphoria. Russia had beaten Spain in the World cup and

practically every Russian I had asked anticipated a defeat. They had

won the game with penalties 4 -3. Against all odds , Russia has beaten

three teams and entered the quarter final. This represents an unprecedented

feat. Many of the fans seem suspended in a state of disbelief. Is this a just

dream and have I really woken up ? But if it is a dream , few would want to

be woken from it !

A young student Alexandra , 24, stated jokingly, "I'm a true patriot . I

have watched all the games . When I saw Russia win I was tempted to

buy a big Russian flag for sale. Everyone was buying one from this

seller. I was going to buy one but since it was a 1000 rubles and I

would only wave it around for five minutes my husband was against it".

Russia is not only winning at football. They seem to be winning the

public relations war as many football fans don't feel threatened or

intimidated by their hosts. On the contrary, they are enjoying the hospitality ,

warmth and assistance of local people. An army of volunteers is at the

ready to guide any lost foreigners . Free excursions and entertainment

is being made available for fans. Even the law against drinking in the

streets has been relaxed as well as demonstrations, However,there are limits !

When Mexican fans attempted to stage a 'Day of the Dead' march on

Red Square as a treat for local Russians, the authorities stopped it.

They were afraid of offending hard line supporters of Lenin.

Much debate has been going on about how Russian girls are 'flirting'

with so many foreign fans. Is it a surprise? Many local women might

be bored out of their minds and simply seeking an adventure . While

some might be meeting fans for romance, others are seeking to

learn something about different cultures and to hone their linguistic

skills . Is there anything shameless in this ?

"How do Mexican fans with such huge hats get on and off the plane?"

pondered one Russian called Vitali asked me . I don't have a clue .

The English fans who stayed at home must be very disappointed ,pointed

out one fan to a Russian journalist." We are having a great time ! They

must be killing themselves. My friends told me I was mad to go to Russia.

They said I would never come back ."

Concerning all the hype about how dangerous it is for English fans to come

to Russia , the musician , Frank McGuire bluntly declared the Newspaper

warnings were : "First degree bullshit ..... Don't hesitate if you are thinking of

coming because I can assure you you will receive the warmest welcome

where ever you go. You are shown nothing but hospitality and friendship

even from the cops. "

Of course , the face of Moscow has dramatically changed over the past

three months. Pavements have widened, brand new benched have

mushroomed in the nearest park I walk in. Table tennis facilities suddenly

sprung up in the park.

However, critics claim that all this represents a convenient distraction

from increasingly repressive measures by the state. A proposal to

increase the retirement for men from 60 to 65 and Women, from 55 to

63 has provoked mass waves of protest in many cities throughout Russia.

One estimate claims that 40% of men, and 20% of women won't live long

enough to receive their pensions. This indicates an escalation in the

program of austerity against the poor ! It is surely reckless by any

standards and will dent the already waning popularity of Putin.

There is also an increased crack down on dissidents with new charges being brouht against Yuri Dmitriev and the continued persecution of film and theater directors as well as many

other people who nobody has heard of because they lack good P. R.

or support networks. The rights of women to be protected from abuse,

violence and unfair pay has been put back for years ! But even the

euphoria of the recent World cup victories , if it really represents a

distraction then it is a crudely ineffective cover up. It is more likely an

attempt to reassure the World that Russians don't have horns potruding

from their ears.