The Case of the Missing Teacher- Part Duh

I won't torture you with the boring details, but if you want to find out what happens...

(This is mostly just for you, Joolie)

As usual, I couldn't resist the bait.  My reply to Anna Nemchuks:

Wow, Anna, no need to be so hostile.  Feel free not to pray, will you, but try to be a little kind to your fellow classmates who were simply showing some genuine concern for their teacher and a fellow human being(which apprently you aren't).

Some of us have taken online classes before where the instructor was quite involved and posted assignements on a regular basis.  While I'm sure none of us have mistaken Ms. Tull for our MOMMY, we certainly would like to know that she is both okay and still with the class.

Do I get extra points for my subtle use of righteous indignation? And her reply to me in kind:

"Hostile"? Funny, I wasn't the one making accusations. As for showing
concern for a fellow being, I'm more than certain most people in this
class couldn't care less about what happens to the instructor as long as
they pass. And, as I said, it would seem that emailing the teacher or
attempting to seek her out in any but the easiest way, ie., posting on a
forum, which she obviously doen't have time to read if she hasn't
updated otherwise, would be preferable to having the audacity to "pray"
for "all of us".

I DO have a problem with this, most especially with the Christian
religion, and having someone feel free to tack my name onto it, and as I
am being neither rude nor "without concern", I see no reason not to
express my opinion, as the first post obviously has done so most freely.

Feel free to express concern all you'd like, if you wouldn't rather
actually attempt to find out the facts by any other means, but, I
repeat, keep your religious protestations limited to yourself and any
others explicitly stating consent.

Still have a problem with me, Amy? I have a problem with religion being
forced upon people in any form, which is exactly what I stated in my
first post. My lack of sugar-coating comes, I suppose, from my lack of
patience at the many, many ways religious people feel they have the
right to impose their beliefs on others every day.

And, if you didn't catch it the first time, (Or was it just my tone
you've taken a disliking to? Wow, seems we have a lot of fundamentalists
here. Odd for an English class.) Mrs. Tull is perfectly fine, and was,
in fact quite present during today's lecture in Shakespeare. However,
she's the head of so many things right now, most of which were thrust
upon her last semester, that she's BUSY and probably trusts students
independent enough to take online classes to also be independent enough
to study without her for a while.

Did Anna Nemchuks really just allude to me as a FUNDAMENTALIST? BWaha ha aha hahaa!  And apparently arrived at that conclusion based on my 'dislike of her tone'? Eh?  At this point, Guilan jumps in with much apologies:

Hi, Anna,

I can understand your feeling. I have nothing to say but to regret that
I should not have posted my worries and wishes here in class.

I remember our teacher told us she would not be online until February 8.
Almost three weeks have already  gone, but still we have not yet
received any voice from her. I don't worry about my grades just worry
about her, and this worry reaches to a point that I cannot control
myself but pray. I don't know much about religion, I just want to
express my concerns in this way. And now I know it's not a proper way.

I'm sorry, Anna. I didn't realize this would irritate you so much. Sorry
again.

Guilan

And Guilan, again, with the Double Whammy slams her apologetic cowtowing home:

Hi, Anna,

Thank you for telling me the news that you saw Professor Tull on campus.
Now I can feel like she is standing in front of me, even though she
hasn't announced any information in our "classroom".

Also thank you for your open-minded opinion. It helps me figure out what
mistake I have made.

I really appreciate it! Thank you very much!

Guilan

I reply, with more righteous indignation and a slight tinge of wild-eyed agitation:

Guilan,

You haven't made any mistakes.  Your right to your views, religious or other, are
protected both by the California State Constitution and the United States Constitution. Further, your right to share and express those views is also protected by the Bill of Rights.  Seperation of church and state refers to the institutionalized imposition of religion.  Since you do not represent Ohlone College and they do not officially sanction your viewpoint, the argument for seperation of church and state has absolutely no application here.  Discussion of religious viewpoints, particularly in an educational environment where student opinion is solicited and encouraged, is a natural evolution.

I am not a religious person, however I do recognize the kindness and consideration of Ms. Tull that your posting indicated.   I appreciate the positive sentiment, regardless of its religious embodiment.

Amy

I indulge myself in the power of the back-to-back post:

Well, Anna, you have a very negative view of your fellow human beings then.  I prefer to believe that most of the students here would be concerned for the instructor, regardless of the outcome of the class.

I, actually, did e-mail the Dean of the language department last week to find out what happened to our instructor.  I've never had an online class before where the teacher just checked out for two weeks at a time.

As far as the law goes, you don't have to expressly give your consent for Guilan or anyone else to express their views in a public forum.  It would be up to our absent instructor, as moderator of this forum, to censor such expression.  In the absence of that, I don't see where you get off.

No one is forcing anything on you.  You certainly have the right not to participate, as we all do.  Should no one be allowed to advertise a product on television that you don't wish to use?  Should no one be allowed to express their opinion within earshot of someone who doesn't agree with that viewpoint?  Well, that would infringe upon their rights, now, wouldn't it?  Your rights have not been harmed in any way here.  You've been allowed to express your opinion, you haven't been forced by the college to particpate in praying for your instructor.

I think it is highly prejudicial of you to lump Guilan into a stereotype like you have. Were you able to gleen her position as 'one of those religious people who want to force religion on everyone' from one post?

So, yes, I do have a problem with you, your tone and your quick judgement of people.
:)

Note my ironic use of the smiley! But look out, folks, Anna's not done yet:

Oh, please don't worry, Guilan, you're not the problem. Actually, my
earlier comment was aimed at people exactly like Amy, and my opinion is
once again reinforced. Thank you so much, Amy, for reassuring me that
there are, indeed, people who will waste time simply attempting to prove
others wrong and whose views are so terribly narrow they cannot see that
the right to free speech also includes the right to protest, something
you don't seem to agree with. Such a load off my mind. Oh, and those
constitutional rights you spoke of? That's exactly what I'm doing:
exercising my opinion to disagree with someone's views. Wow, it looks
like I've offended someone without even trying: must be my lucky day.
But then, I suppose people exist who look for offense in everything.
Once again, Guilan, please don't apologize, it wasn't you personally I
was rallying against.

Oh, but wait... one more for the road.  My reply:

Actually Anna, you said "Please keep religion out of a public class".  You weren't merely stating your opinion but trying to influence someone to not express hers.

Huzzah, you leetle beyotch!! So, while Anna's stunning display of verbiage has reduced me to making chimp noises and flinging my feces at hapless passerbys, I still have to ask does the color coding help out here?

Comments

[Kate]

Ah, it's nice to see you engaged in your natural habitat: a flamewar. That sure brings back memories. :)

[Joolie]

Oooh! Just...wow.

Did I detect just a hint of sarcasm in Guilan's second post? She said she's an entomologist, so maybe she knows how to deal with creatures like Anna.

And the color coding is delightful.

[Biologisvensk]

*shakes head* Ain't nothin' like a little college drama. Anna could stand to sit in a church service, as it sounds like it would be worse than chinese water tortue for her. That, and she could maybe wake up and realize that she is in college, not highschool.

Oh yeah, one more thing...

YOU GO GIRL!!!! :-D

[Guava]

What an insight into online learning! I do like Guilan's mention of an "open-minded opinion." Outwardly, it seems that the anger in the first response to the prayer post stems from its use of "we" as opposed to "I" or "me." Perhaps it is only natural that a student so enamored of English classes and reading should be so passionate about a particular pronoun? Anyways, I'm a bit scared of this Anna.