April 30,2010

Hey Eli,

 

I can only begin to imagine how completely awful this must feel. I am just happy to know you could be with Anu at such a horrible time. If someone is "studying" something that involves real people or movements, they should be accountable to those people and movements, their knowledge and experiences, and their actual lives. It's totally exploitative, but all too common for academics (especially white academics) to focus more on their own career advancement or institutional pressures than the people who might be involved in their studies, but that doesn't mean it's okay, and we don't have to accept it. In this case, it's even worse because you let the people at Columbia know that this harms you and still, it's continuing. Even without knowing more details of what they are doing, it's clear that this is a violation of your trust and a violation of you too.

 

I will definitely spread the word and let people know, but I'd also like to help and offer solidarity in other ways. If there is anything else you would like in terms of solidarity statements, actions, etc., please let me know. I'm cc-ing Tim because his Iowa email doesn't work anymore now that he lives up here in Montreal too. I know he will want to know too, and this way you can also have his new email address.

 

I hope, with Anu's help and support, you are taking super-good care of yourself right now. Being violated hurts, and the vulnerability is compounded by the fact that things didn't change after you bravely spoke up about how this affects you.

 

I think the answer to your question is yes, that is exactly what our schools are teaching. In general, our schools teach that actual suffering doesn't matter except insofar as it offers job opportunities for people to be the managers of suffering. It's especially bad that it's a Social Work program where this is happening, but I'm also not surprised. That is how sick and twisted it all is. Yet somehow there are people like Setsu and Dylan who hold onto a space to use it for other purposes.

 

If there is anything else beyond spreading the word that could provide some real support or solidarity now, just let me know.

 

Sent with a big hug and lots of love,

adrienne