19 April 2009

but you tell me over and over and over again my friend

This makes me want to scream:



If you're outraged (I know I am), here's their email address: [redacted]. I already sent them a "confrontational" email to let them know what I thought of the video. Bravo guys. Seriously, way to go.

UPDATE 4/20:
I recieved this from Mr. Dennis Heitzmann, Senior Director, Center for Counseling and Psychological Services Affiliate Professor, Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Good morning [Sgt Malibu Niki]:

Thank you for the opportunity to give some background on this regrettable circumstance, and to allow us to sincerely apologize for the harm that has has been done. We have apologized to our campus vets and many others, many of whom have become supporters of our efforts to clarify and make amends.

The video you viewed was one of several that had been produced to highlight the services available to students, while addressing issues of relevance to members of the faculty (including ironically, unfair stereotyping of groups of individuals, sensitizing instructors to the unique milieu of their students, the inappropriateness of instructor-conveyed political positions in the classroom, reducing risk and mitigating anger). In the faculty workshop context, which has included veterans, the videos are used as a stimulus to discussion, and the very issues cited above, as well as others, are openly discussed in an effort to educate and support.

Unfortunately, since the posting of that single video to the cyber community, the portrayal of the student as a veteran, outside of the workshop context, unfairly stereotypes our student veterans. Whereas the producers of the video would never wish to be party to any such intention, it is understandable that this could be interpreted as such. Many weeks ago, upon realizing the unintended impact on some and the potential impact on others, we immediately removed the video from our website, and it will not be used in future workshops.

The Division of Student Affairs has enjoyed a longstanding quality relationship with the Office of Veterans Programs, and the student counseling service has helped scores of veteran students to resolve their unique challenges, as well as to facilitate their transition to the university. We would not want to jeopardize those relationships in any way, particularly in view of the many services we believe we have yet to offer this important student constituency. To that end, among other things we have been working with the Penn State University Veterans Organization to seek renewed ways to provide focused support and services.

As an infantry trainee at Fort Dix many years ago, I recall the words of Corporal
Ingram, my team leader, who reminded us that we can expect to fall time and again, but to get up, check your flanks, and keep moving till the mission's accomplished. Together with the support of the veterans, some of whom are seeing this as an important opportunity to not only right the wrong that has been done, but to advance the cause for all veterans, we feel a renewed sense of affiliation and support in our mutual efforts to provide quality services to our returning veterans --- perhaps the best way we can make amends to those who have been offended.........D.H.

P.S. If you have already forwarded your message to other veterans, I would appreciate I if you would forward my message above for their information

Dennis Heitzmann, Ph.D. Senior Director, Center for Counseling and Psychological Services Affiliate Professor, Clinical and Counseling Psychology

"ah, you may leave here for four days in space
but when you return, it's the same old place"

- Barry McGuire "Eve of Destruction" -

7 comments:

Angel said...

What was it? It would't work.... and oh yeah, wheres the rest of the Josh story???

ScooponthePoop said...

Wow... I wanted to reach through the screen and strangle the 2 teachers. I hate the way that colleges look down to veterans. Im sure Meg can better describe what has happened to her... including a student in her clas yelling to her "Jeez your not in Iraq anymore..." ask her about it.

ScooponthePoop said...

By the way, I would like to see the e-mail you sent.

Malibu Niki said...

Angel,

You probably can't view it from a gov't computer as it is a YouTube video. Try again from home?

Scoop,

Yeah, when I found it (on GI Kate's site) last night I was PISSED. I found an email address online (turned out to be the wrong department, so today I took the address down from my page) and shot off a short, angry email. The department forwarded my email to this guy, who I guess is handling the, ahem, Worrisome Veterans. He was very apologetic (I only posted one of his emails, but we sent a few back and forth today) and even asked to use part of my (later) emails anonymously in a future discussion, I guess to give some perspective. I told him they could use whatever they wanted. Maybe it will do some good, who knows.

Meg said...

I actually had to laugh at this video. I think I may have laughed until I cried. Its like those stupid stories they make you read in elementary school, the ones that are trying to make a moral point and suck.

I know I threaten my teachers with firing when they express opposition to the war. Cause I am all powerful.

Malibu Niki said...

Meg,

Yeah, I was pretty horrified, too, that they could get it so wrong. I mean, do we really act like that? I've seen people act like that, but I always assumed they were just assholes. Maybe I should start asking them what part of Iraq they were in?

Anonymous said...

When I was in college back in the Paleolithic era, we had a lot of Vietnam and Vietnam-era vets in classes. THEY, for the most part, were more left-leaning and anti-war than WE were. We had a few right-wing assholes, but so were some of the faculty.