Thursday, September 26, 2013

BSC Theatre Production "ReEntry", Provost's Forum with Prof. Alan Litsey

Next weekend, BSC Theatre will present Emily Ackerman and K.J. Sanchez's play "ReEntry" -- a current exploration of the lives of military personnel after they return home from combat in the Middle East. Performed in the College Theatre's Theatre One, it promises to be an intimate production, with a combination of both dramatic and comedic elements to make incisive points about current military conflict and its resounding effects on the lives of United States soldiers.

Performances are on October 3rd, 4th, and 5th at 7:30 p.m. and on October 6th at 2:30 p.m. in Theatre One. Tickets are currently on sale: $15.00 to the general public and $10.00 to BSC students. The BSC Theatre Box Office can be reached at (205) 226-4780, Monday through Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Attendance qualifies as an EEIS credit for BSC students.

An accompanying Provost's Forum featuring college president General Charles C. Krulak, BSC Theatre Professor Matthew Mielke, and a selection of BSC Theatre students is set to take place at Common Hour on  October 1st on the College Theatre's Main Stage. The panel will discuss ideas relevant to current global conflict, the military state of the United States, and how these elements manifest theatrically in Ackerman and Sanchez's production. Attendance is strongly welcomed and also qualifies as an EEIS credit for BSC students.

- Andrew Wisecarver -
BSC Library Student Blogger

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Steve Cole, Provost's Forum: "Haters Gonna Hate"

This Thursday, September 26, at 11 a.m. in Norton Theatre, Professor Steve Cole will deliver a Provost’s Forum. Professor Cole’s artist lecture, “Haters Gonna Hate,” is presented in combination with his art exhibit, “The Hate Project.” The factual exhibit depicts the growing popularity of intolerance by graphically illustrating the 1,007 hate groups currently active in the United States according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. According to Prof. Cole, his accompanying presentation “should be offensive to the sensibilities of normal people.” The exhibit will be on display until the end of the day on Thursday. So if you have some spare time, head on over to the Norton Theatre Thursday! And remember kids, in the wise words of Miley Cyrus, "forget the haters because somebody loves you."

Monday, September 23, 2013

Banned Books Week 2013

Artwork Courtesy of the
American Library Association
That's right, it's Banned Books Week, where we celebrate and defend the freedom to read!

Did you know that 9 of the top 10 novels of the 20th Century have been challenged or banned outright? From 1990 to 2009 the most prevalent reasons for attempting to ban books were "sexually explicit", "offensive language", and "unsuited for age group". More often than not, the challenges were initiated by parents concerned with the books on their children's school reading lists. However, most challenges end up being pretty ridiculous, as seen in the ten most farfetched reasons to ban a book (according to the ALA):

1. “Encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them.” (A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstien)

2. “It caused a wave of rapes.” (Arabian Nights, or Thousand and One Nights, anonymous)

3. “If there is a possibility that something might be controversial, then why not eliminate it?” (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown)

4. “Tarzan was ‘living in sin’ with Jane.” (Tarzan, by Edgar Rice Burroughs)

5. “It is a real ‘downer.’” (Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank)

6. “The basket carried by Little Red Riding Hood contained a bottle of wine, which condones the use of alcohol.” (Little Red Riding Hood, by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm K. Grimm)

7. “One bunny is white and the other is black and this ‘brainwashes’ readers into accepting miscegenation.” (The Rabbit’s Wedding, by Garth Williams)

8. “It is a religious book and public funds should not be used to purchase religious books.” (Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, by Walter A. Elwell, ed.)

9. “A female dog is called a bitch.” (My Friend Flicka, by Mary O’Hara)

10. “An unofficial version of the story of Noah’s Ark will confuse children.” (Many Waters, by Madeleine C. L’Engle)

Ridiculous? Absolutely. Real? Unfortunately, and the worst part is that attempts at censorship are still ongoing. To learn more about Banned Books Week and how you can help in the fight against censorship, visit the American Library Association's website.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Four Spirits: 50th Anniversary Event

“He spoke almost accusingly, as though she and the college students had caused the disruption. Actually, they’d done very little, and Stella felt ashamed. Only a few people, like Marti Turnipseed, had dared to align themselves with freedom. Tom somebody, too—very quiet, inoffensive-looking young man.” -- from Four Spirits, by Sena Jeter Naslund '64

Set primarily in Birmingham during the civil rights era, Four Spirits is dedicated to the four girls--Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair-- who were killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on Sept.15, 1963. It artfully weaves together the lives of blacks and whites, activists and bystanders, the wealthy and the poor, to create a panoramic tapestry of the social and political landscape of the Deep South during this turbulent period in our history.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the historic civil rights events of 1963. To help celebrate the movement and the great strides our state has taken to move forward, Birmingham-Southern will host Sena Jeter Naslund '64 as part of its Forward, Ever Birmingham commemoration program. Naslund's talk, "Four Spirits: Presentation and Reading" is open to the public, and will be held in the Norton Theatre at 11am on Sept. 17.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Summer Research Poster Session

The Science Center will be hosting its annual Summer Research Celebration and Poster Session this Thursday, September 12, during Common Hour. The posters will be displayed on the third floor of the Stephens Science Center, and refreshments will be provided by the Provost's Office and Isa Delgado. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about the fascinating research your fellow students are involved in (plus, it's also a great time to find out about how you can be involved in research too)!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Dr. Paul Cleveland, Provost's Forum

This week, Dr. Paul Cleveland will be featured in the first Provost's Forum of the semester! Dr. Cleveland’s lecture, “Christianity, Private Property, and the Dominion Mandate,” explores the nature of human action that gives rise to property as an offshoot of how people achieve their self-defined goals and purposes in this life, and Dr. Cleveland will examine why private exchange provides a non-violent means for the achievement of our ends, providing the most peaceful social setting. He will be giving his lecture during Common Hour on Tuesday the 10th in Norton Theatre (on the 2nd floor). This event is also an EEIS credit, so make plans to be there!