Category Archives: Academia

Posted on May 23, 2013 by

Pomona College had its graduation ceremony last Sunday. I had the pleasure of presenting a Pomona College trustee for an honorary degree. Here’s the video.

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Hero Worship & Human History

Posted on August 20, 2012 by

Last week, when I read Peter Richardson’s review of Seth Rosenfeld’s book on the FBI and Ronald Regan I was shocked to learn that Richard Aoki–a legend in Bay Area activist circles–may have been an FBI informant.  I teach about … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, History, News | 2 Comments

PROFESSOR HULK

Posted on May 11, 2012 by

“Hulk ready for grading…” “Hulk say use SPELL CHECK!!” “Hulk looking for your thesis statement…” “Hulk say you no properly credit source!!” “Hulk smash late assignment!!”

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Satan LOVES Academia

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Rick Santorum is catching hell for a 2008 speech in which he says that Satan is trying to conquer the United States.  The speech is now making the rounds after being discovered by the “Radical Right” (Matt Drudge featured it … Continue reading →

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A New School Year

Posted on August 30, 2011 by

Today I begin my 30th semester as a teacher in higher education.  With any luck, it will also be my last as an untenured, assistant professor. A new school year always brings with it a mix of emotions and stresses. … Continue reading →

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MONDAY BLUES (08.19.11)

Posted on August 29, 2011 by

Forty-one years ago today, more than 20,000 Chicanos in East Los Angeles–women, men, and children–protested the war in Vietnam and violent effects it had begun to wield within their community.  You see, though Chicanos represented only about 11% of the … Continue reading →

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The NY Times nos da Asco

Posted on August 28, 2011 by

I can’t tell you what a sublime and historic moment it is for the NY Times to have a full-length article on the Chicano artistic troupe “Asco.” Founded in 1972, in the era of the Chicano Youth Movement, Asco were … Continue reading →

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A Chicano and his Books

Posted on August 19, 2011 by

Every once in awhile, a young student will walk into my office and immediately be struck by the number of books s/he sees on my shelves. “Have you read all of these books?,” they’ll ask. “Yes,” I’ll say.  “It’s what … Continue reading →

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The Struggle for Ethnic Studies

Posted on April 28, 2011 by

On Tuesday, students in Arizona chained themselves together and occupied the board room where the Tucson Unified School District meeting was to be held. They opposed a scheduled vote which would have further marginalized their Mexican American Studies program. The … Continue reading →

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Teaching as an act of love

Posted on January 18, 2011 by

It’s that time of year! Today, I begin yet another semester as a college professor. Since my first semester teaching as a graduate assistant at UC Berkeley–way back in the fall of 1995–I have been lucky enough to be in … Continue reading →

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