The Tao & the Monday Reminder

At Progressive University, every Monday morning is Happy New-Week Day.

Every Monday morning, the President sends an email to all faculty and staff — and cc’s the DNC.

In her email, she provides a bold, bullet-point list of important topics we should all discuss this week.

All week, that’s all anyone talks about.

Today, her email said “It’s spring! Talk about the days getting longer! Talk about the leaves on the trees!”

Then, in the hallway between classes, I bump into the Spanish professor. “It’s spring!” he says.  “La Primavera!

I see the astronomy prof in the men’s room. They say, “Days will start getting longer!”

Outside on the quad, I spot the chair of the art department. “Look!” she beams. “Have you seen all the leaves on the trees?”

“Hey!”  I say. “What’s the latest news on that administrative corruption scandal?”

She looks at me surprised: “Was that in the email???”

My Pronouns are Papa/Gringo

Years ago, when I started as a college English Professor, I was the one teaching about pronouns.

I taught all the classic pronouns — personal, objective, possessive.

Now, we got new pronouns.

But only the people using those pronouns know the rules about using them.

I have one student who says:  “My pronouns are they/them.”

Okay.   I’m all about honoring personal choices.

But they said, “My pronouns are….”

Not “Our pronouns are.…”

Why must I refer to them in the plural when they refer to themselves in the singular?

That’s not equity.

That’s semantic discrimination.