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[justkidding]

No offense intended, I'm sure Atlanta could be a nice place to live.  But with the terrible humidity, dreadfully boring downtown, paucity of good restaurants, inadequate public transportation and extremely plentiful part-time "guides" hounding your every step, it is a truly hideous place for a conference. 

But at least I didn't go to jail. 

Follow the link to learn about one unlucky historian who did.  If you aren't an historian, you might not know that this man is brilliant, well-respected, kind and charming with the bearing of an Oxford don. 

http://hnn.us/articles/33409.html#Day3

[mrhistory]

Yeah, on my own thread I apologized to those who love Atlanta with all their hearts but for a short-term downtown visitor who had to hike from one miserable AHA venue to another all over the downtown area? Ugh.

Oh, and the kind "guide" gave me incorrect directions to my off-site interview hotel.  I arrived in that always-unattractive-sweaty-red-faced state. Fortunately, the SC took that to mean I had (and I quote): "oddles of interviews!"  Guess they think I'm a secret "star" rather than adequately accomplished (but devastatingly charming nonetheless)...

Everytime the AHA lands in Atlanta they spread out the official sites over too many huge hotels and then you are desperately running a 1/2 mile through one to get to the door of another where you run a 1/4 mile to your next meeting/session/interview.

For cryin' out loud:  put the job register, the message center, registration,  AND the book exhibit in the SAME hotel. I went nuts trying to figure out which was in the Hilton, which in the Marriott this time and then finding interview hotels was an extra layer of "where's waldo?"

[satanicmechanic]

I saw the guy getting arrested. I was a couple of feet away when he mouthed off to the cop, asking the police officer to show him identification. The police officer looked flabnergasted at hearing the question. Cops don't like being wised off to, and this one overreacted. Additional police officers arrived at the scene to arrest a middle-aged guy in a suit, giving the moment that lovely police-state touch that we Americans love so much.

Atlanta's a great city. But the sites are spread out the way they are in L.A. There's a  exhibition brought directed from the Louvre that is on display at one of the museums in Atlanta. Martin Luther King's house and church are definitely worth a stop, etc.
The rest of the city is strip malls, which sucks.

My biggest complaint with he AHA is that it attracts a ton of uptight dorks, kowtowing to whatever big name is relevant in their field. There are far too few people of color. It's remarkable how few African American, Latino, and Asian folks are in our profession. How is this not a major issue?

[eugenides]

I clicked the link and I could not believe what I saw.
OMG....
I feel for those who went to AHA.
(I went to MLA myself)

Yup, MLA 2006 was less white than I had thought.

[undisciplined]

AHA was total Whitesville. Nerdy, too (surprise!). It was so predictable. From my first flight, I could pick out the historians at each gate. I made it a game. It only got worse at Major Air-Hub City. There were the earnest young white male historians, with their new haircuts and squeaky-new briefcases they'd just gotten for Christmas. There were...wait! That pretty much sums it up!

[mrhistory]

AHA was total Whitesville. Nerdy, too (surprise!). It was so predictable. From my first flight, I could pick out the historians at each gate. I made it a game. It only got worse at Major Air-Hub City. There were the earnest young white male historians, with their new haircuts and squeaky-new briefcases they'd just gotten for Christmas. There were...wait! That pretty much sums it up!

Ah, yes. And, as I was sitting in an alcover of armchairs near-ish the job register hall, the other six white guys (I was number 7) felt quite comfortable discussing the "dismal" state of the profession where they were "severely outnumbered"  and had "no chance" of actually getting a job amongst themselves. My head was down "reviewing" my file--actually looking at my flight intinerary to avoid the whole thing.  Been there before, heard that a thousand times.  And, in the conversation it was CLEAR that 3 of the 6 were in my situation---they have t-t jobs they are trying to move on from so their own evidence makes their whining crap.

Then I went into the registry waiting room for my interview in the cattle pen arena.  In my half of the alphabet's waiting  room, I counted 4 women and one Black man in 20 minutes of sitting there. One of the women was in my own field and I know she has a book out and one in progress.  A second woman was telling a guy near me that she was interviewing for one of the  same positions I was at AHA. I guess I should have given up right there huh?

What crap. She was obviously a.b.d., I have 4 years of teaching, a book forthcoming and (from what I gathered) a different subfield.  Frankly, if they want a very junior X historian, I'm not even in the running and vice versa.

I'm sure it made the six clones I originally listened to (all khaki pants, blue blazers and rep ties) feel "better" about whatever failings they might have but the fact is that those six (and me) are doing just fine in this man's world.  I went to ASA in the fall and have to say that AHA remains the most white and masculine conference I attend.  But, its also where I have in the 10 years I've been a grad student and faculty member wandering and listening, the group most convinced they are undergoing systematic and brutal oppression.

I may not get "on campus" for the four interviews I had but, as I said in a thread I started while at AHA, there is one reason for that: I just wasn't having the most "on" day of my career.  For whatever reason despite my efforts. No one is "stealing" my potential jobs there, I just wasn't shining on Friday and Saturday. But, I guess I could blame women and feel better huh?

/end of rant about stupid convention interviewees!

[undisciplined]

Thank you, mrhistory, for your honesty.

[whiteknight]

I saw the guy getting arrested. I was a couple of feet away when he mouthed off to the cop, asking the police officer to show him identification. The police officer looked flabnergasted at hearing the question. Cops don't like being wised off to, and this one overreacted. Additional police officers arrived at the scene to arrest a middle-aged guy in a suit, giving the moment that lovely police-state touch that we Americans love so much.

As I stated in my "Notes on the AHA" thread in Job-Seeking, it strikes me that historians (and academics in general) think a little too much of themselves. Why woudn't one listen to a policeman who is doing his job and trying to keep people from being killed? Most of the folks on the HNN thread need to get a grip and stop thinking of the police as the Enemy. Heavens knows that if someone had been killed, the same group would be crying about how the government doesn't do enough and calling for a boycott of Atlanta.

[mrhistory]

"too much of themselves?"

Huh?  A zillion people were crossing mid block there as there were long stretches of time (esp on Saturday and Sunday) where it was raining hard, no cars were in sight way, way down that street and the corner was a bit of a walk. Is it jay walking? You bet ya. Do you take a risk doing that? You bet ya.  Did I see that arrest? Nope, but I did dodge across the empty street in the pouring rain en route to an interview that morning. Mid way a man yelled at me and I continued across to where he was and...it was NOT an Atlanta policeman, it was a security guard from the Hilton.  He told me to go to the corner next time, I said "sure, sorry" and was on my way.  That wasn't a function of my respect for uniforms, my non-combative nature or anything of the sort, it was my desire to get to the job registry with less rain damage than my paltry umbrella was providing. I assumed he was P.D. and when he wasn't I wasn't inclined by time or interest to make anything of it.  Enemy? Where do you get "enemy" out of this request to know who is yelling at you on the street?  If its responses in the HNN forum, run back over there and give 'em hell.

Give me a break. One man's demand for i.d. when given an order does not condemn an entire group---frankly, he was right. Why not ask who is giving you an order?  But to jump from one guy to "entitlement" assumptions or claims that a fatality at that crossing would lead to mass complaints and boycotts  is not only hyperbole but either dishonesty, a political position or delusion. Take your choice. If this man was arrested and jailed for asking questions---and the Atlanta PD has yet to claim it was MORE than that!---then perhaps more of us ought to ask a few questions more pointed than his.

As to the other poster who used "mouthed off" or "wised off" and then described that as only asking for ID---I hardly think asking for ID is either one of those two things.

[rh___]

Get on the subway and go up to the Varsity restaurant, the art center, Buckhead, Lenox Square, etc.  Or rent a car or take a bus to Stone Mountain.  Everybody's in the suburbs I'm afraid.

Downtown there isn't much.  There's underground atlanta, the cnn center, mlk museum.  You can't go to a braves game since it's winter.

But yeah I admit I've seen more to do in other downtowns like Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, and New Orleans.  I would take a job in New Orleans for the shrimp po-boy sandwich alone.

[larryc]

Man, I just hate nerdy white guys!

Oh wait....

[whiteknight]

"too much of themselves?"

Huh?  A zillion people were crossing mid block there as there were long stretches of time (esp on Saturday and Sunday) where it was raining hard, no cars were in sight way, way down that street and the corner was a bit of a walk. Is it jay walking? You bet ya. Do you take a risk doing that? You bet ya.  Did I see that arrest? Nope, but I did dodge across the empty street in the pouring rain en route to an interview that morning. Mid way a man yelled at me and I continued across to where he was and...it was NOT an Atlanta policeman, it was a security guard from the Hilton.  He told me to go to the corner next time, I said "sure, sorry" and was on my way.  That wasn't a function of my respect for uniforms, my non-combative nature or anything of the sort, it was my desire to get to the job registry with less rain damage than my paltry umbrella was providing. I assumed he was P.D. and when he wasn't I wasn't inclined by time or interest to make anything of it.  Enemy? Where do you get "enemy" out of this request to know who is yelling at you on the street?  If its responses in the HNN forum, run back over there and give 'em hell.

Give me a break. One man's demand for i.d. when given an order does not condemn an entire group---frankly, he was right. Why not ask who is giving you an order?  But to jump from one guy to "entitlement" assumptions or claims that a fatality at that crossing would lead to mass complaints and boycotts  is not only hyperbole but either dishonesty, a political position or delusion. Take your choice. If this man was arrested and jailed for asking questions---and the Atlanta PD has yet to claim it was MORE than that!---then perhaps more of us ought to ask a few questions more pointed than his.

As to the other poster who used "mouthed off" or "wised off" and then described that as only asking for ID---I hardly think asking for ID is either one of those two things.

I saw only police officers, with either badges and/or POLICE in big, bright letters on their jackets. Why ask for an ID?

How would you feel if you had to keep telling individuals engaged in illegal activity (it's just jaywalking, right?) to stop? I would be a bit testy myself. It seems that academics would know how to conduct themselves with decorum. But I suppose if one has to get to an interview or a panel, then laws can be broken. Never mind using better time management. (I'll wait for the expected response: "I had five interviews with R-1 or top-ranking SLACs back-to-back and just HAD to race back for the next golden job.")

Say what you want; I'll say what I want. More than one of us can be pompous and dismissive.

[prytania3]

Mrhistory:

Give me a break. One man's demand for i.d. when given an order does not condemn an entire group---frankly, he was right. Why not ask who is giving you an order?  But to jump from one guy to "entitlement" assumptions or claims that a fatality at that crossing would lead to mass complaints and boycotts  is not only hyperbole but either dishonesty, a political position or delusion. Take your choice. If this man was arrested and jailed for asking questions---and the Atlanta PD has yet to claim it was MORE than that!---then perhaps more of us ought to ask a few questions more pointed than his.

As to the other poster who used "mouthed off" or "wised off" and then described that as only asking for ID---I hardly think asking for ID is either one of those two things.  

I read the article, and the behavior of the cops was ridiculous. I wish he would sue them; they deserve it. Atlanta has real crime but yet the cops are busy arresting a professor for jay walking--that is just absurd. It's the type of thing that happens in fascist states like Connecticut.
 
 

[minor_t]

During the 84 Olympics in Los Angeles, LA's finest decided it was time to implement the jaywalking rule.  There were many confused and upset foreigners being cited for doing what comes naturally at home.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse (or so I'm told) but I did not hear of any citations before or since for jaywalking. 

I read the article and listened to the three-part interview.  I have no idea whether the cops or the historian were right or wrong, but I love a good story, and this historian sure does know how to tell a good story.  Guess that's what makes him a good historian.

Frankly, I can't stand Atlanta - being in it, near it, or driving around it.  I was once in a traffic jam where it took me one hour - ONE SOLID HOUR - to get from a freeway off ramp to my hotel a half-mile away WHICH I COULD SEE FROM MY CAR!!!!!!  I hate Atlanta.

mt

[justkidding]

I was crossing the street on that same day -- the cops whistled and yelled in a completely incomprehensible manner.  I actually turned to my friend who was  with me and said, "Is that guy a cop?  Do they have crossing guards in Atlanta?"  There was no visible sign he was a police officer; he was wearing a blue coat with no markings.  Perhaps after this debaucle the police changed their attire, but when I saw this it was not clear who was yelling at me. 

Where I come from, you don't pull out your wallet for just anyone.  If a guy is wearing a badge, I wouldn't worry.  But some strange man with no visible identification and a whistle is not going to see where I keep my money.

And no matter what, throwing someone to the street for JAYWALKING and then clearly asking to see some identification is ridiculous.  He should sue, the AHA should sue. But more importantly, we should never have to go back to Atlanta again.

Please, get back to harassing historians for being tweed-clad nerds with an overinflated sense of their own importance.  That, at least, makes some sense.