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What Does Pork Have to do with the U.S. Immigration “Problem?”

Years ago, I moved to Eastern Tennessee to work at the Highlander Research and Education Center. Highlander was founded as the Highlander Folk School, but reincorporated under its current name after its charter was revoked by the State of Tennessee in 1962 in an effort to dislodge the school from its pivotal position in the African American Civil Rights Movement.

Highlander is famous for hosting students like Rosa Parks, Dr. King, John Lewis, and Ella Baker. But I’ve always felt that its greatest accomplishment was organizing the Citizenship Schools. Under the leadership of Septima Clark, Bernice Robinson, and Esau … Read more “What Does Pork Have to do with the U.S. Immigration “Problem?””

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Conservatives

conservative kən-ˈsər-və-tiv adjective: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions

In Why I Support Same-Sex Marriage as a Civil Right, But Not as a Strategy to Win Structural Change, I got into trouble for using the term “conservative” to refer to “Christian” and to “marriage.” Because the post went viral, this was no small issue. A big bunch of you were offended.

Because writing and putting my ideas before the public to critique is a big part of my learning process, I read all of the comments I get from readers, both on Race Files … Read more “Conservatives”

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Malkin vs Vargas: The Battle Royal That Wasn’t

The twitter debate on immigration between right wing pundit Michelle Malkin and the most famous undocumented immigrant in the U.S., Jose Antonio Vargas, was, as per this BuzzFeed story, riveting. Seriously, follow the link. I had no idea that twitter could be so fun and educational.

If you need an incentive to look, consider the players. I love Michelle Malkin. Obviously, I despise her political views, but, at a time when much of mainstream political media plays like reality TV, Michelle Malkin is the Omarosa of punditry. The world of political commentary without Michelle Malkin and her ilk would be … Read more “Malkin vs Vargas: The Battle Royal That Wasn’t”

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The Other Side of Anti-Black Racism

 

Give me a place to stand on and I will move the earth

– Archimedes

I’ve argued in the past that the fulcrum of white supremacy is anti-black racism. A fulcrum, you probably already know, is what one rests a lever on to give it, well, leverage. Without it, a lever is just a stick.

I’ve called anti-black racism the fulcrum of white supremacy because I believe fear and loathing of black people is the driving force behind our racial politics. It has shaped everything from welfare policy to policing. While today unions may be working people’s best friend, … Read more “The Other Side of Anti-Black Racism”

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The Rebellion That Wasn’t

I’ve lately had multiple conversations with friends bewildered over the lack of widespread rebellion against economic elites. They wonder, given the hubris, the greed, the outright irresponsibility and callous arrogance that led to the bottoming out of the American economy in 2008, why no broad based revolt?

Yes there was Occupy Wall Street. But while it was at times glorious it was in the main an anemic rebellion confined, with some exceptions, to one narrow slice of the broad public affected by the crash. Where were the rest of us? Why aren’t we raising pitch forks and torches and … Read more “The Rebellion That Wasn’t”

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Guns and God: The Right Wing, Marriage, and What Lies Ahead

I’m anxious to move beyond marriage equality, both politically and in this blog. As Black Girl Dangerous recently pointed out, many injustices are being perpetrated while our attentions are riveted to the marriage debate. And, while marriage is a very important concern, this blog exists to draw our attention to the aspects of injustice that lurk beyond, beneath, and on the edges of the more obvious offenses to justice that tend to dominate the news cycle.

And, as my readers no doubt know, while the traditional nuclear family continues to be promoted as the ideal, the reality is that most … Read more “Guns and God: The Right Wing, Marriage, and What Lies Ahead”

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On The Things I Would Have Said On Democracy Now!

You’ve probably noticed that this is a racial justice blog. I don’t usually write about LGBT rights. In fact, the first post I wrote about LGBT rights was really more about the right wing and the way the right manipulates homophobia to build support for a broader, fundamentally racist agenda. I returned to the issue a few times, like here, here, and here. But these posts diverged from my usual topic and primary work.

But then I wrote about marriage equality on Monday and the post went viral. So many people went to read the post that … Read more “On The Things I Would Have Said On Democracy Now!”

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Beyond Either/Or: More Thoughts on Marriage Equality

My post yesterday about marriage equality attracted so much attention my website crashed…twice. And traffic isn’t showing signs of slowing. Obviously, people are hungry for debate. Many make enlightening arguments on both sides of the issue. I’ve learned a lot from reading them. And, if my email box is any indication, some people get really angry when you say that marriage equality is unlikely to eradicate fundamental structural inequities.

I’m fine with the anger. I get it. Exclusion from marriage is a slap in the face of same sex couples. It says our love and our families aren’t legitimate in … Read more “Beyond Either/Or: More Thoughts on Marriage Equality”

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Why I Support Same Sex Marriage as a Civil Right, But Not as a Strategy to Achieve Structural Change

The pending Supreme Court decisions concerning the constitutionality of California Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act have pushed discussion of same-sex marriage into the mainstream of the news cycle, with many civil rights advocates convinced that regardless of the court’s decision, eventual victory is a done deal. I don’t disagree. I’ve also argued in support of same sex marriage rights. However, I have some serious worries about the broad implications of this victory.

Why? First, the obvious. Marriage is a conservative institution. It licenses certain kinds of relationships and not others based on a template that reproduces a … Read more “Why I Support Same Sex Marriage as a Civil Right, But Not as a Strategy to Achieve Structural Change”

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More on the Real Meaning of Diversity on “Up” and MSNBC

My recent post critiquing Media Matters’ laudatory report about How Chris Hayes’ Show Differs From Other Sunday Shows In One Chart got a brief exchange going between me and Mr. Hayes on twitter. My critique was based in part on a six-month study by ChangeLab of the weekend political shows aired between January 1-June 30 of last year in which we analyzed all of the transcripts to isolate every instance in which a person of color was mentioned. That study puts Media Matters’ claim that Up is driver of diversity in a different light.

In regard to Asian Americans, we … Read more “More on the Real Meaning of Diversity on “Up” and MSNBC”