Washington City Paper: Contents for Jan. 31

Uncle Scram
John Judge wages class warfare on the front lines of the D.C. school system.

Cover Story

Career Day, Cardozo High School. First session. Marine recruiter Sgt. Derrick Sanders is making his pitch.

"Good morning, class," he says. The students respond weakly. Sanders stands straight, raises his voice, and repeats himself. This time the students offer him a "Good morning" in return, almost in unison.

The Marine Corps, he tells them, is for the hard cases: the ones who want to be first in the fight, the ones who can handle the hellish, relentless boot-camp experience at Parris Island. Not to mention the ones who need an education--the Marines will pay for college, assuming you're willing to take your classes at night. Sanders harps on the money factor, but he never gets away from the idea that the Marine Corps is about more than just finances.

"You don't join for the money," he says. "You join for the pride of belonging."

Sanders, who is black, has an easy rapport with the Cardozo students, most of whom are minorities. He tells the kids that "a lot of 'em said I wouldn't make it [in the Marines], how it was too hard," and he lets his presence--as well as his spotless uniform, which is bedecked with gold buttons and gleaming medals--tell the rest of the story.

As Sanders is finishing his presentation, the kids, who have grown comfortable with him, get to the really important stuff: his haircut. One girl asks,"Does everybody have those high-top fades?" Sanders laughs and says, yeah, pretty much. He wraps up by telling the students that he has enlistment information with him and that he'll be available after class if any of them want to talk. Then, with a smile, he walks to the side of the room.... Continued

Issue of Jan. 31 - Feb. 6, 2003

News and Features

Uncle Scram
John Judge wages class warfare on the front lines of the D.C. school system.
Cover Story By Brian Montopoli
Pigeon Feed
What's hunting the street birds of Adams Morgan?
Feature By Chris Mooney
No Perking
ANC commissioners' curbside prerogative stalls out.
The City By Felix Gillette
Mwenea Ajanaku
1955-2003
The City By Annys Shin
Still-Life With Moving Van
The tenants of the Phillips Collection raise defiance to an art form.
The City By David Morton
Union Busting
The Mail By V. Hurt
Teachers Pests?
The Mail By Sharon J. Chambers
Cruel and Unconstitutional
The Mail By Andy Patterson
Fight the Power
The Mail By Brian C. Malone
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down
The Mail By Julie Eisenhardt
Priority Check
The Mail By Basil White
Offense, No Defense
The Mail By Dave Siegel
Art for Everyone
The Mail By Karen Topping

Columns

Commercial Realities
Cheap Seats By Dave McKenna
Driver's Test
City Desk By Josh Levin
Panning the Flash
City Desk By John Metcalfe
Crimes and Platitudes
Loose Lips By Elissa Silverman

Eats

Movies

Ghost Worlds
Film Review By Mark Jenkins
Death Be Not Proud
Film Review By Tricia Olszewski

Music

Dan Daring
Music Review By Michael Little
Advertisements for Myself
Music Review By Mark Jenkins
Mr. Jones
Music Review By Sean Daly
The Fireside E.P.
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Leonard Roberge
Young, Gifted and Black
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Joe Warminsky
Masters of Magic
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Shauna Miller
Richard Strauss: Four Last Songs/6 Orchestral Songs
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Trey Graham
I Just Can't Stop It
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Christopher Porter
Nursery Cryme
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Brent Burton
The Missing Link
A few of the things we're listening to this week, in no particular order
Music Review By Glenn Dixon

Theater

Some Like It Hot
Theater Review By Bob Mondello
Dress Parade
Theater Review By Trey Graham

Arts and Events

Unpacking the Boxes, Cleaning the Carpet
Art Review By Glenn Dixon
Ego Pluribus Unum
The State Department's new overseas-information campaign has enlisted some big-time U.S. authors. But can their self-satisfied essays sell America to the world?
Arts By Robert Lalasz
Other Visions, Empty Rooms
Artifacts By Matthew Summers
Remembering the Titans
Artifacts By Josh Levin