A fascinating interview with James Baldwin, fifty years ago, discussing race in America. As with all Baldwin interviews, this one too is amazing for how much of his analysis about the nation’s predicament — and the system of white supremacy — remains pertinent today, despite the end of formal and legal segregation. And the white […]
I wish there were an actual recording of the speech itself, rather than just this re-reading of it, but still, this is powerful…and a reminder that white people have a choice as to whom our role models will be. That more people know of George Wallace and Bull Connor than Charles Morgan Jr. tells us […]
As we reflect on this past week’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, hearing the guttural effluent spewing from the mouths of America’s right-wing makes it clear where they would have stood — and where most of their ideological forbears did — a half century ago. Just as the nation’s most […]
This is so much better, and more important, and more honest than anything said at the actual march this week, John Lewis excepted, perhaps; but I think even Lewis would agree, this is special, and especially because in 1963, the Kennedy Administration tried to intervene to keep Lewis from delivering his own speech, afraid that […]
My appearance today on MSNBC’s The Cycle, along with longtime friend and colleague Barbara Arnwine, discussing the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and the ongoing struggle for justice Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
So, yeah, when Rush Limbaugh says that people tell him he “sounds like MLK” (or at least more so than the President), yeah, um, neither of y’all do…in Limbaugh’s case, I doubt he’s ever read a single one of MLKs books or listened to any speech beyond the “Dream Speech,” and even then he didn’t […]
I know, I know. I’m a few days late with my third installment of “The Week in White Deviance,” but never fear, my tardiness is hardly related to a lack of compelling material. Oh no, there’s plenty of evidence yet again this week that white culture, the white family, and perhaps even white America, writ […]
** NOTE TO READERS: Unfortunately, many of the crucial links in this piece are not functional at this time. The links in question (concerning homicide rates and numbers, by race) were from a truly incredible and interactive database, compiled by the Wall Street Journal, and published on their website shortly before this essay was written. […]
My appearance on MSNBC’s NOW With Alex Wagner (Joy-Ann Reid hosting), to discuss the right-wing freakout over the so-called “racial double standard” in crime reporting between the shooting of Trayvon Martin and Australian baseball player Chris Lane. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
NOTE TO THE READER: Because the below essay involves a lot of data, and some occasionally confusing terminology (and because it’s hard to explain statistical analysis in a reader-friendly way), I am putting the key points in bullets here at the beginning of the piece. For the details as to how these conclusions were reached, […]
