2008 Woodie Awards
In defense of Richard Holbrooke and America's active role in world affairs
By: Josh Jorgensen
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Opinion
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The Mac Weekly's position on the Convocation address by Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and its relation to the Institute for Global Citizenship was somewhat shocking and completely disappointing.
The gist of the editorial board's opinion in "Holbrooke plays Kipling to Mac's new burden" is that Macalester is rejecting its activist history in favor of a more privileged and powerful position that promotes a "missionary relationship with the rest of the world," and has founded the Institute for Global Citizenship (IGC) to seal the fate of our radical past. Ambassador Holbrooke's Convocation address was only another element of this project.
I expect more from the Weekly's staff. In fact, I'm inclined to believe the opinion they printed was only a ploy to incite submissions that fill space on their pages. Briefly mentioning the IGC's "troubling relationship to power and privilege" is underhanded and misleading. It's hard to respond to this type of mudslinging because the Weekly included no substantive criticism of the IGC. I assume, however, the editorial is resorting to the tiring and baseless complaint that the Institute is somehow disconnected, secretive, and/or imperialistic. The alternative which the Weekly highlights is our noble activist tradition. But leading a march to the St. Paul Capitol in protest of the Iraq war is only one form of action against injustice.
The capacity for critical thinking and engagement with the broader world necessary for a life of meaningful activism is not endangered by the "systemic transformation" embodied by our new Institute. Rather, the IGC is built to facilitate students' acquisition of the skills necessary to truly make a difference in the global community. Some may see this type of global citizenship as the undertaking of an unsolicited burden. Many, however, view a future working to enhance equality, negotiate peace, bring economic development to countries experiencing dire poverty, or cure illness as a highly admirable and worthy goal.
The gist of the editorial board's opinion in "Holbrooke plays Kipling to Mac's new burden" is that Macalester is rejecting its activist history in favor of a more privileged and powerful position that promotes a "missionary relationship with the rest of the world," and has founded the Institute for Global Citizenship (IGC) to seal the fate of our radical past. Ambassador Holbrooke's Convocation address was only another element of this project.
I expect more from the Weekly's staff. In fact, I'm inclined to believe the opinion they printed was only a ploy to incite submissions that fill space on their pages. Briefly mentioning the IGC's "troubling relationship to power and privilege" is underhanded and misleading. It's hard to respond to this type of mudslinging because the Weekly included no substantive criticism of the IGC. I assume, however, the editorial is resorting to the tiring and baseless complaint that the Institute is somehow disconnected, secretive, and/or imperialistic. The alternative which the Weekly highlights is our noble activist tradition. But leading a march to the St. Paul Capitol in protest of the Iraq war is only one form of action against injustice.
The capacity for critical thinking and engagement with the broader world necessary for a life of meaningful activism is not endangered by the "systemic transformation" embodied by our new Institute. Rather, the IGC is built to facilitate students' acquisition of the skills necessary to truly make a difference in the global community. Some may see this type of global citizenship as the undertaking of an unsolicited burden. Many, however, view a future working to enhance equality, negotiate peace, bring economic development to countries experiencing dire poverty, or cure illness as a highly admirable and worthy goal.
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