CPR news uses its platform to amplify vague accusations. Newly-appointed Tim Hernandez joins the the dogpile. Happy International Sloth Day!
When you accuse, should you be held to a standard? Should our media be more thoughtful about what accusations it prints and what it doesn't?
The CPR article linked first below, and the living document* of grievances that inspired it are linked first and second below.
I'm not going to wade in on the accusations made against CU. Read the articles, read the letter, think it through, and come to your own conclusion there. Myself, I'd like to see the other side here and/or any sort of results of an investigation.
And that last sentence there is related to the point I want to make.
When you make an accusation of bad behavior, shouldn't that accusation be specific? Shouldn't it be testable, falsifiable?
I mean, if you think about it, this is the only way to assure that accusations can be handled fairly.
If you accuse me of something, for me to defend myself, and for some arbiter to decide, there have to be specifics and we have to all agree on definitions. Without those, I'm left at a distinct disadvantage.
Without those we get back to something akin to a witch trial.
And, if you look through the living document linked below that lists the grievances of CU grad students and statements of support from various other signatories (see the attached screencap for a collage of pseudo-randomly chosen) you see what looks an awful lot to me like the kinds of accusations that are vague enough to be ones you cannot address.
There are some details, but a lot of it is buzzwords and throwing jargon. They're long on slinging mud and negative words, and short on details or supporting evidence.
Again, I am not going to wade in on whether any one accusation is true or not. Besides being too damned numerous, I don't know any of the people involved
They are not, however, properly phrased if what we're seeking is a redress of grievances. They are not properly phrased if we're to have a discussion that is fair and productive for all.
I have to say, too, that I'm disappointed that this article was published and that it was done this way. Put this in some other context than an allegation of racism and tell me if you think it fair for a news organization to give the mic to (what are right now unfounded) accusations that are this bad.
I mean, we're not talking about someone being accused of breaking wind here; people have been fired for less than what is alleged here.
Didn't it used to be the standard that journalism required some sort of verification before rushing to print? Is that just a false memory I have?
Disappointing and yet more nails in the coffin of trust in the media if you ask me.
*Fancy way to say that people can go online and add their signatures and thoughts to the open letter I suppose. I've not heard this term used in this way before.
https://www.cpr.org/2023/10/08/cu-boulder-students-and-faculty-allege-hostile-work-environment-for-women-of-color-professors/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13niQs1KJXVOVnneZvDYz55EDAGtZfkE1eGU6ZtTGjyc/edit
In the post right prior to this one, I put up a collage of signatories and what they wrote in support of the accusations of racism and etc. at CU.
I said that collage was pseudo-random and that is because, outside of the inclusion of the statement I attached to this post, the others were randomly picked.
Mr. Hernandez's accusations, while not specifically sought, were chosen for inclusion when I saw his name because this is the same Tim Hernandez that recently was appointed by a Democrat vacancy committee for a seat in our state's General Assembly.
I underlined some of the things in Mr. Hernandez's statement because I thought they needed addressing.
In the first link below you will get juicy details on CU Football's Deion Sanders' contract. Quoting, it has Sanders salary at " ... up to $29.5 million in salary alone."
Yep. Nothing says exploitation like earning $30 million over 5 years. Now, perhaps CU does exploit other minority employees, but don't include Sanders. He makes more in two years than I'll likely make in my lifetime.
Oh, and regarding the raking in money hand over fist, let me point you to the other screenshot, taken from a recent CPR article. CU probably rakes in money from its athletic programs, but they spend big too and you can't just talk revenue.
Look at the expenses and look in particular at how much financial aid goes to student athletes.
Yet another obvious case of exploitation.
Here's the thing. When you incentivize stupid behavior, and when you incentivize saying the right words (regardless of their truth) you get politicians like this.
And I say this without regard to party too. If you like her, please do, but I can't help draw a parallel here between politicians like Hernandez and Boebert (with AOC tossed in for good measure).
They say the things their most ardent supporters like regardless of whether they fit reality or no.
https://collegefootballnetwork.com/deion-sanders-salary-contract-net-worth/
https://www.cpr.org/2023/09/12/colorado-universities-athletic-programs-cost/#:~:text=Of%20the%20three%20Colorado%20DI,Stadium%2C%20which%20opened%20in%202017.
Today is International Sloth Day
And it happens to be a Friday and the last post of the day, so you know what that means: something for fun and then back at it come Sunday!
I know I've posted about this before, but I'm posting again.
If there's a way to stay upset and/or angry after looking at the face of a sloth, I haven't yet seen it. We could all use a little smile every so often so I won't do much more than just recommend that you take a second at some point today, go to Google Images, and punch in "three toed sloth".
If you want to see one for real, they're native to Central and South America so you can go down there. If you don't want to go that far, the only one that I'm aware of in the States is in an aquarium in Dallas (see the link below).
We went there a few years back and really enjoyed seeing the little sloth. I attached some pictures from our trip.
Cute little guy (I mean, look at that last picture). You can tell he's a male by the yellow patch on his back.
What's not often apparent from pictures is how small they are (about the size of a house cat) and just how achingly slow they move! This little character did everything including blinking at about half speed.
Have a good Friday, take a second to relax even if it isn't by looking at a sloth and see you Sunday!
https://dwazoo.com/animal/brown-throated-three-toed-sloth/