Twitter Updates

from: racialicious.com

Re-posting this because it’s so great. Racialicious does a great annual Halloween round-up here.

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I’m gonna be honest here as the past several posts have been on racial issues. While it’s important for me, I should say it’s not the only thing I think about. But I’m sure a little book that’s making BIG waves has something to do with it (see previous post). Rah’s book is influential; and people are talking about it everywhere and it’s lighting up the blogosphere. So naturally there’s a lot more chatter about race issues. But a small detail has gone unnoticed – anyone recognize that’s it’s “Asian / Pacific-American Heritage Month”? Holla. Read more…

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I’ve been making my way through Korean-American author Soong-Chan Rah’s recent new work The Next Evangelicalism. Now careful here, reading it is like gargling with salt – it stings on the way down but clears the sinuses of quaint tokenisms and so-called “color-blindnesses” that perpetuate faulty systems. Basic premise: while the de facto representation of American evangelicalism is predominantly a Caucasian playing field, the fact of the matter is, “American evangelicalism” is fast becoming non-white. I think this is no mystery, and just today heard this sentiment expressed, by a Caucasian brother for that matter. What’s the big stink then? Why the ranting against the establishment, when folks recognize the nation over this phenomenon of “the browning of America”? Read more…

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OK, so this made me really upset today.

How far do we still have to go? Is it still necessary to work through some of our deep racial issues that surface in our political cartoons? Apparently so. So tell me; in your view, is cartoonist Sean Delonas a racist for depicting this image of our pres. or is he just making light of a recent monkey slaying incident? And shame on you New York Post for letting this get past your editors.

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The small town of Tulia, Texas will unfortunately be back in the spotlights soon in infamy – what with the upcoming 10-yr anniversary and the pending movie directed by John Singleton and starring Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry, scheduled for release this year. It’s a convergence point – where politics, nationalism, and drugs combine to rear the ugly head of racism – in an incident where a community unfairly indicted 46 blacks for alleged cocaine distribution – w/ very little due process and with the very spotty testimony of one unrealiable witness – a corrupt bounty hunter of sorts. It’s upsetting to say the least, all the more so as some of these townsfolk claim to be religious, but it’s not my role to re-tell the story.

Any of my friends from TX got the (real) scoop on Tulia?

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As per a past post I re-raise this issue where angels fear to tread; well, thank goodness no one reads my blog anyway. Professor of New Testament, Rikk Watts, here @ Regent College has given a chapel lecture titled: “Up Zion’s Hill: Imagining a New Jerusalem” – and I walk away feeling like I missed the punchline – kinda half-full / half-empty – but here’s the synopsis: Read more…

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Atif Irfan and his wife, Sobia Ijaz, were among nine passengers removed from a flight Thursday after commenting on the safest place to sit. (By Phelan M. Ebenhack For The Washington Post)

I’m all for deconstructing prejudices but there’s an oft-missed dimension of prejudice that is not adequately addressed, namely, fear.

As much as we can wax progressive in cross-cultural ideals let’s face it; we’re really terrified of the ‘other’ are we not? For example, what happens when this xenophobia is mixed with, say, fear of flying? All of our progressive ideals get tossed out the window. In light of 9 Muslims getting booted off a plane – sure it’s discrimination – but it reflects a national sentiment and deeply-rooted fear since 9/11. What we need is dialogue – more voices from the Muslim community – and more talking to address this issue of fear. I’ll be the first to admit; ever since 9/11 I’ve hated flying more than ever. Anybody else echo that sentiment?

My prediction – and I hope I’m wrong – is this latest round is going to be the longest, most acute, persistent case of xenophobia ever.

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The recent trampling of a Long Island, NY Wal Mart worker on the morning of Black Friday has elicited a lot of commentary about our economic mess, consumerism, and why we ought to Buy Nothing (Day). While I’m deeply saddened, probably the only fresh perspective I can offer would be as a former Long Islander looking in and my misgivings about the whole “Buy Nothing Day” idea. Read more…

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Today I participated in the systemic oppression of the balloon people.

It was thru a little exercise w/my cohort @ Leadership Whatcom – and it was quite an experience to be the most-privileged, richest, elitist class of society in the room – albeit through roleplay. It awakened me to my own privilege, in terms of class, economically, socially. And while I’ve taken the victims’ stance many times a past, and complained of the oppressiveness under the privileged, it was surreal to have the tables turned – and I realized that I was complicit as well. America is complicit today when it comes to privilege in a global sense. Not to say we ought to be ashamed, but to face the reality that when our market crashes, so does the rest of the world. How can anyone say anymore that we don’t hold economic power over others? At any rate,

what are your thoughts on privilege, beit economic, gender, sexual orientation, race?

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It seems every week there’s another piece of below-the-belt politics, whether it’s waffles, calling someone a terrorist, or the most recent $10 bill depiction replete with fried chicken, watermelon and food stamps.

While I’m not out to rant, (there’s plenty of that going around) it’s clear from all of this there are sizeable segments of the U.S. population that don’t realize it; they are racist. Whether it’s intentional or out of ignorance (“I have minority friends!”) is not for me to call out, but the real question is, how do we address it? More specifically, how do we fix it, heal it? Do we as minorities lash out / lash back? Read more…

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