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”
Category Archives: Racism is Alive and Thriving in the US
Codependence Day
It’s the Fourth of July, 2021. I’m sitting here, in my comfortable, small apartment, biding time before going to a commUNITY event here in Salem. This will be a slightly different Independence Day celebration. The focus will be shifted from fireworks and mock war to building community and diversity. Before I head on over toContinue reading “Codependence Day”
It is My Privilege…
There’s often a lot of confusion surrounding the term “white privilege”. Much of this confusion comes from hard working white folks who feel slighted at the suggestion that anything other than hard work was a reason for their success in life. So I’m going to take a second and give an example, using my ownContinue reading “It is My Privilege…”
White is not a Culture
I have seen, countless times, people ask why is it okay to say “black power” but not “white power”. Let’s break this down. Over 400 years ago, the North Atlantic slave trade brought lots of people over here to the new world (remember this is pre United States). Over the course of a couple ofContinue reading “White is not a Culture”
Idealism at End
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”
Black Lives Matter
Note: This list will continue to be updated as time and information allows. 2020 May George Floyd 46, May 25th [One officer charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, three others will face charges of aiding and abetting murder – it took several days of WORLDWIDE protest to get charges filed] Killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, duringContinue reading “Black Lives Matter”
Just Get Over It
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”
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””
The Fragile White Liberal
Interesting story here…at least to me. Hopefully it is for you, as well. I should probably start by saying that there are few musical artists that have had a bigger impact on me than ani difranco. From the start, I was captivated by her kind of strange and funky, modern folksy, punk rock original sound.Continue reading “The Fragile White Liberal”
Talk About Representation
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”