warning: I channeled Grandpa McCranky-Pants while writing this

I participated in the Fall 2010 English Composition Writer's Showcase yesterday (10 Dec 2010.)  Basically, everyone in the ENC1101 and 1102 classes remediated an essay they worked on into visual form.  Most folks made a poster or a tri-fold cardboard display for their topic.  Some made videos.  I didn't see any interpretive dance or song, but it may have co-mingled in there somewhere and I missed it.

I remixed my essay on Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) by creating a board game where players pretended to be a gay servicemember serving under DADT.  Given real-life scenarios, they were given choices.  Depending on their choice, they were given a consequence to their action.  The intent of the game was to demonstrate to the uninformed how unfair, cruel, and dishonest DADT is to not only gay servicemembers, but to the military as well.  I watched four groups of students participate in the game and answered their questions.  It was great to see the light bulbs go on inside their eyes.  I think the game does a good job of driving home the point that DADT is a lot more than just not saying "I am gay."  I was heartened to see two other displays about DADT in my room.  Both endorsed repeal.  There may yet be hope in the world. 

Where I might have lost hope was when everyone was herded over to the CAC to view student-produced videos... here's where I put on my cranky pants.  The sheer lack of respect was overwhelming.  Folks would not shut up and listen to the videos.  I get it.  It's the very last day of the semester.  It's the afternoon.  Everyone wants to get the hell out of school.  The videos weren't MTV-quality and the subjects might not be as interesting as the Kardashians.  Perhaps it was poor planning to do the Showcase when it happened.  Perhaps, the venue and technology limitations didn't lend to an orderly viewing of students' work.  But good gravy, I wanted to scream "Shut the hell up and show a modicum of respect!  You're of age.  You can vote.  You can die for your country.  You can be charged as an adult and sentenced to death for capital crimes.  You have will power.  Be quiet or take your piss ant conversations outside - is that so difficult?"  (told ya I was gonna get cranky)  The group of adult children to my immediate left couldn't hold their water about something on their cell phones.  Involuntarily, I looked over to them and said, "Hey!  A little respect.  Please?"  The cherry on top was finding out other classmates heard folks rip on their projects - really? I thought.  Doesn't anyone follow the golden rule anymore?

I really don't like confrontations.  It's probably 20-years in the Air Force.  When the host/boss/speaker says we're starting, everyone shuts up and listens.  Military folks are humans just like civilians.  We're not happy about it.  We're mid-thought.  We're with our friends.  We have gossip to spread.  We're bored to tears about the subject.  In the military, safety briefings given every on three-day weekend are not riveting.  But we do them.  Why?  Because without fail, there's at least one asshat that tunes out - and yep - goes joy riding with a six-pack in their blood stream.

Of all my classes this semester, only one displayed lack of respect every class session... my English comp class (primarily with freshman aka "first time college students".  That class on a regular basis demonstrated the axiom of "give a man enough rope and he'll hang himself."  Allow computers on the desks - they're on Facebook.  Allow free discussion, they're whispering about unrelated-BS.  Give them the freedom to write about whatever they want - they write nothing.  Then they had the gall to bitch about not knowing what to do.  I've been told swearing is an indication of a lack of imagination, intelligence, or both.  My English comp class made me want to swear myself stupid sometimes.

Looking at the subject as a broader theme, lack of respect is certainly not confined to the younger generation these days.  I participated in a function about a month ago in my condo.  About 100 folks gathered and the entire group of adults (most of them 50 plus) wouldn't hush when we were handing out prizes.  Why is it so hard to respect one another?  Events, speeches, gatherings, gift exchanges, parties, seminars, talks, rallys, classes ... life ... they don't happen without a little work, sometimes a lot of work.  Respect that.  If you don't like what you're seeing, hearing, doing, etc. -- leave, go away, don't involve yourself.  Easy peasy, mac n cheesy.

Why is respect so hard to find these days?  Is it because we see folks like Kanye West storming the stage to take the microphone from someone?  Is it because we keep shows like "Jerry Springer" on the air for 20 years?  In its attempt to capture more and more advertising dollars, media displays more and more appalling behavior.   Is it because we're more and more isolated behind our technology?  I don't honestly know.  I know evolution is real.  I've witnessed it.  Contrary to popular belief, evolution doesn't always PROgress.  Sometimes it's regression.  Where we went from Neandrathals dragging each other around by the hair and clubbing our dinner to death with bones to a society of manners, respect, and civility.  Today, it seems we're going backwards.  I see it everyday.