Over two years ago when the UMW Blogs experiment got started I was really excited and passionate. I stalked many a student in their comments and tried my best to build community. I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought it would open up new possibilities for connecting and re-imagining teaching and learning. But tonight the dark side of this dream has been realized. Just a few short hours ago the following image was posted on the UMW Secrets blog, and to be honest, I’m terrified! See for yourself….
Not only is the likeness remarkable, but it makes me feel naked and vulnerable. What kind of sicko would do something like this? Has the ugly side of openness finally emerged on UMW Blogs? Is it time to fascistly filter what’s happening there to make the UMW web once again safe for teaching and learning? I think it is, because we now have solid evidence that there’s someone out there, watching me—in fact, he or she is watching all of us—and it’s important that we remember this and take the necessary precautions to strangle any modicum of joy, fun, and discovery out of the learning process all together, otherwise we’d actually be teaching people something about how the world works.
After seeing this image, I’m pretty sure I’m going to be staying up nights, too, but not because I want to watch the Reverend sleep…
When I look at this picture, I am reminded of something said by an art patron when looking at ‘the Kramer’:
“He is a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet I can’t look away.”
Looking at this image…with the right costume and makeup, you could be an excellent Cardinal Fang for Halloween!
“Yew arr hereby charged that yew did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church!”
Reminds me of Coca-cola commercials.
What a strange world we live in.
No telling what a person who’d make something like that is capable of.
Be safe.
I didn’t actually read this post, but I know it has the words fascistly and modicum. I don’t know what the first word means. A modicum of fascistly.
Anyway, that’s an AWESOME image. This is my new all-time favorite blog, and I’m your newest stalker.
Dr Fascistly,
I got it all wrong, and all this time I was thinking fascistly was an adverb and not a surname. I am a victim of the education system I rail against 🙂