One for the Good Guys

[mamculuna]

I wrote about my former college's censorship of the gay and lesbian literature course several days ago. There was also a very gloating and hate-filled letter sent out to many faculty and staff from the faculty sponsor of the student right-wing religious organization. One of the English faculty met with the VP in charge of business and legal matters to complain about this letter, and he was very supportive! Agreed that letter should not have been sent, that diversity and tolerance are good, and will reprimand the sender of the letter. Still waiting for meeting on even more serious curriculum issue, but sounds like the administration is not sympathetic to the worst of the yahoos, at least.



55 Feng: Abundance [Fullness]

The image

Both thunder and lightning come:
The image of ABUNDANCE.
Thus the superior one decides lawsuits
And carries out punishments.

This hexagram has a certain connection with Shih Ho, BITING THROUGH (21), in which thunder and lightning similarly appear together, but in the reverse order. In BITING THROUGH, laws are laid down; here they are applied and enforced. Clarity [Li] within makes it possible to investigate the facts exactly, and shock [Cheng] without ensures a strict and precise carrying out of punishments.

The lines

Nine at the beginning [yang at bottom] means:
When a man meets his destined ruler,
They can be together ten days,
And it is not a mistake.
Going meets with recognition.
To bring about a time of abundance, a union of clarity with energetic movement is needed. Two individuals possessed of these two attributes are suited to each other, and even if they spend an entire cycle of time together during the period of abundance, it will not be too long, nor is it a mistake. Therefore one may go forth, in order to make one's influence felt; it will meet with recognition.

I obviously relate this to the situation I describe above. However, there's also a thunderstorm brewing, so I'm getting off line now!

Comments

[lakrids404.livejournal.com]

So does the gay and lesbian literature course go through this semester?

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Well, not this semester, since we're two weeks into it. Hopefully next semester, possibly using a different course #. We don't know that yet, but it was good to know that the adminstration found the hateful letter unacceptable and agrees with the basic premise of tolerance. We still have another round to go, on academic freedom and free speech, so the battle is not won, but it looks much more hopeful than it did.