From: ANTHLAL@UMNACVX.BITNET
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Subject: give the people what they want
Date: 12 Jan 93 17:29:45 GMT
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...even if those people seem to be a few degrees off center and write for
obscure popular-culture-is-really-a-study-that-belongs-in-the-academy-really
rags.  well, hi there.  how y'all doin'?  cold here in the twin cities.
in the midst of a big ol' snowstorm.  glad to see that the list is right
where i left it (no puns intended).  mr. moss mossin' right along...
discussions of natural law indefinitely on hold...kerry kilburn clearin'
up scientific confusion...tim throwing in his six cents' worth just
timmingly. anything of a political nature in this post, you all are
asking yourselves?  ja, youbetcha, just keep reading....

item one (i'm gonna adopt this sort of nouveau-beat john mclaughlin style,
here):  we goin' to war again or what?  what is up with that?  i say,
hey, daddy-o, that man with the mustache in the cradle of civilization,
knockin' on heaven's door once again, just seein' how far he can push
the cool cats with the translatory devices singin' songs of love.
my prediction?  boutros boutros-ghali will astound the world by adding
yet another "boutros" to his name, thus confounding folks who play
"the name game" and upsetting journalists who have a deadline and are
comparatively slow typists.

item two:  interesting situation here in minneapolis.  dig if you will the
picture of an individual who has been accused of being the serial rapist
who has haunted the twin cities scene for a year or so.  19-ish victims,
we are talking, here.  the police have an excellent case against him, or
so i am told.  okay, now before you all start screaming about "innocent
until proven guilty", be aware that i agree with you.  but here's the thing.
throughout the whole ordeal, the police have said "we are working with the
rapist to come to a equable agreement."  huh?  "the suspect is very
frightened and we do not want to upset him."  huh?  "we are trying to make
sure that he is feeling okay about this decision."  huh?
the twelve-steppers may have overdone their job, here.  what about the women
who have lived in fear for the last year, 18-months?  wait...it gets better.
there is a gang group in this town that has been working with the police.
they claim that they knew this guy was the man in question, and have known
for some time.  huh?
questions for further class discussion:  how come we are so freaked about
not upsetting this individual (currently being held on drug charges, being
subjected to requests for dna fingerprinting stuff)?  i agree...we don't
want to accuse unjustly, but maybe he ought to be a little bit upset.
how come the police were allowed to just kind of pursue this case (with
documented low manpower)?  how come the police did not get upset until
white women started being assaulted?  how come nobody seems to be
concerned that the gang coalition thought it was "no big deal" that
african-american women were being raped?  how come no one cares that said
coalition apparently knew who this guy was and still said nothing?
discuss.

item three:  bill clinton has hired an army of elvis impersonators to
march in the inaugural parade.  does anyone but anyone feel the slightest
twinge of unhappiness about this?  does anyone wonder about the meaning of
ritual and the trappings of state that are necessary to valorize
government?  or am i just being my normal, anal, anthropologist little
self?

item four:  the super bowl is gonna be really, really boring this year.

i want in on the wwf controversy that i guess i missed.
coming soon:  fighting wars on multiple fronts, how the sun never sets on
the american empire, free-trade fun with our dictator, and the futility of
nuclear-arms-anti-proliferation treaties.  oh, and lest i forget,
"unfortunately-named world leaders" trading cards, featuring takeshita of
japan  and panic of whatever-they're-calling-it-now.

thus remaining,

anneliese.
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