A Beautiful Mess

Today, we were awoken by the raw power of a New York thunderstorm. We ended our day at Packer with lightning in the air.

Our first speaker of the day was lefty journalist Kai Wright, whose lecture on health and race focused on the issue of mortality in the black community. Wright’s lecture shook the group’s foundations by raising previously taboo subjects such as sex and drugs (though not rock and roll). After receiving instructions yesterday not to flirt, Wright’s talk added the combination of warmth and electricity that our group was sorely missing.

Wright’s honesty about his ideological leanings was refreshing, and his lecture sparked a passionate discussion about how we conceptualize choice in America. Wright questioned how conservatives have framed the issue of HIV/AIDS, arguing that the choices we make are a product of our circumstances. For example, prisoner’s decisions about sex, drug use, and tattoos are limited by prisons’ regulations regarding clean needles, condoms, and tattoos materials.

After Wright’s talk, we engaged in a discussion about discussion. Specifically, our discussion discussed the important (and sometimes undiscussable) discussion regarding the discussion of minority issues in America, and how they should be discussed. After a stormy discussion, we decided on a policy of two-finger raising. While we thought the storm had passed, we were in merely in the eye of the hurricane.

After our discussion, we watched Edward R. Murrow’s (of Good Night and Good Luck fame) Harvest of Shame (1960). Many were impressed both by Murrrow’s ever-present cigarette, as well as his willingness to cross journalistic boundaries to seek the truth. The film broke down racial boundaries, and was uniquely able to express the most compelling details of migrant workers’ personal narratives. While the group was disappointed that Aristide Zolberg decided to come in June, even without him we were able to have a good discussion about labor unions in the United States.

Our night ended with a social function at the home of Judith Goldstein. The wheels of the Humanity in Action machine were well oiled with gin and tonics, Carlsberg, wine, and Vodka. Alix viewed a video about Berlin, and decided her future was to spend her old age smoking cigarettes in this city with Edward R. Murrow.


Our night was further complicated by a steam explosion in New York City. One person was killed, but luckily, it was not a member of our group. While the alcohol improved the group’s function, our return home was quite dysfunctional. Due to a steam explosion near Grand Central Station, our travel arrangements home from Judy’s party were complicated, forcing many of us to take a taxi home.

July 18th was a day of mourning and explosions, from start to finish.

-Alix, Asia, Sean