Arse Politica – What Joe Knows

Double-Down on Doublespeak

sticker on a lightpost that reads "1984 is now"

I clearly remember 1984. Not just the book, but the actual year. Yes I’m that old. I was 14 and had already been led into a deep love of fantasy literature by the likes of Robert Jordan, Lloyd Alexander, Ursula K Le Guin, and Anne McCaffrey. I loved science fiction in comic books and tvContinue reading “Double-Down on Doublespeak”

The Trade for Team USA

Brittney Griner stretching long for a layup.

On December 7th, 2022, WNBA basketball player, Brittney Griner, was finally released from a Russian prison. She was released in a one-to-one trade for Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout. Immediately, here in the United States, we saw an avalanche of rhetoric spouted on all news and social media outlets regarding the fact that the BidenContinue reading “The Trade for Team USA”

Pinocchio Joe

Pinocchio with three birds perched on his nose

So…time for a little background info… I don’t often talk about any “oppression” or “bullying” that’s happened in my life. I’m fairly adaptable, my skin has grown thick over the years, and, quite frankly, I recognize the privilege I have in comparison to a lot of other people who are like me. I try toContinue reading “Pinocchio Joe”

All-American

Fireworks over Willamette River, behind the Ellsworth Bridge, in Albany, OR

I’m going to date myself a little here, lol. Way on back, around 1989, I was a college student…first at San Bernardino Community College and then at Linn-Benton Community College, upon moving myself and my two-year-old son back up here to my hometown. I originally started my college career as a Biological Sciences major. IContinue reading “All-American”

Idealism at End

close up of tears streaming down young boy's face

I remember grade school, in a little country school here in this humble, blue-collar river town. Knox Butte Elementary school had less than eighty students. It was so small that some of our grades were combined – second and third grade shared a classroom as did fifth and sixth grade. Aside from the typical dramasContinue reading “Idealism at End”

Just Get Over It

confederate statue topped in Durham, North Carolina

Just get over it. Such an easy phrase for some folks to utter. Give me a second, tho, and let me spell out for you why this is something that, in the case of race relations, is easier said than done for some folks up in these United States. It all started around 500 yearsContinue reading “Just Get Over It”

The Fallacy of “Colorblindness”

someone standing behind a young woman and covering her eyes with their hands

One of my pet peeves is the very white-culture concept of “colorblindness”. What irritates me even more is when white folks get bent out of shape when the topic, and it’s harmfulness, are brought up. So, today we’re going to talk about “colorblindness”, what this means, and how its perceived by the people we’re supposedContinue reading “The Fallacy of “Colorblindness””

Talk About Representation

U.S. Senators seated at their positions in the Senate chamber

A representative democracy hmm? What would you say if I told you that in the entire 245 years of the United States of America’s existence, there have been a total of 11 Black senators, in all of that time? One of them is now our VP-Elect. Please note that Warnock is brand new. Raphael WarnockContinue reading “Talk About Representation”