This weird mini-week is coming to a close, and if you’re already feeling stressed, remember: It only gets harder from here!
Just kidding. Freshmen, you’re practically old pros by now: You know where your classes are and which bus to take; you’ve learned how to navigate Turlington Hall (right?) and you’ve realized that trying to fit in a Starbucks run during the 15-minute class period break is an exercise in futility.
So relax, put your feet up and don’t go anywhere — it’s time for the first-week-of-Fall edition of Darts & Laurels.
Did the mayor of San Diego skip HR training or something? If you’ve been following the San Diego Mayor Bob Filner case, today’s the day officials will present a settlement deal to the city council regarding multiple sexual harassment complaints made against Filner.
To date, at least a dozen women have come forward with icky stories of 70-year-old Filner’s lascivious behavior over the years, including the now-infamous “Filner Headlock,” in which he would sling an arm around a woman’s shoulders and pin her to his body. Gag.
Passing a dart to Filner would be way too obvious, so instead, we’re giving a LAUREL to the brave women who stepped forward, ranging from his former communications director to a retired Naval officer to a San Diego City College administrator, and brought attention to Filner’s gross, misogynistic behavior.
Although it was a great week in the battle against workplace sexism, the battle against unfair voter ID requirements rages on. The Justice Department announced yesterday its intent to sue the conservative stronghold state Texas over a voter identification requirement enacted in 2011.
Reuters reported, “Texas state lawmakers passed the requirement to deny the right to vote to racial minorities and, unlike other states with similar laws, failed to take steps to prevent the law from being discriminatory, the Justice Department said in a statement.”
So for that, we’re throwing a the-stars-at-night-are-big-and-racist DART to Texas and its shady voter requirement dealings.
Another quick DART to everyone making the same “Bradley Womanning” joke after the news broke yesterday that whistleblower Bradley Manning is transgender and wishes to undergo hormone therapy and live the rest of her life as Chelsea. Compassion and tact in regards to trans issues are universally valuable, regardless of your politics.
Good news for graduate teaching assistants this week: UF and Graduate Assistants United agreed to a contract that would provide about 500 graduate assistants a 10 percent raise on their minimum stipends.
For their tireless work since at least November to rally for wage increases and better benefits, we give UF’s GAU members a LAUREL. Those graduate assistants help professors and teach classes all while earning advanced degrees, you guys — they need to eat, too!
A version of this editorial ran on page 6 on 8/23/2013 under the headline "Darts & Laurels"
