Posts Tagged ‘affirmative action’

Getting What We Deserve? Wealth, Race and Entitlement in America

Everywhere you turn, conservatives are bemoaning the so-called “mentality of entitlement.” To hear such folks tell it, the problem with America is that people think they’re owed something. Of course, income support programs, nutritional assistance, or housing subsidies have long been pilloried by the right for this reason — because they ostensibly encourage people to [...]

Tim Wise on CNN, 9/24/11, Discussing Affirmative Action and its Opponents at UC-Berkeley

Here’s video from my interview on CNN, from 9/24/11, regarding the anti-affirmative action “bake sale” at UC-Berkeley. It was edited down a ton, but still, the thrust of my argument in opposition to this silliness comes across…

Tim Wise on CNN (from May, 2011), discussing Donald Trump’s attack on President Obama

Here is the old clip (which I didn’t know had ever been made available, frankly) from CNN, in which I discussed (via telephone) Donald Trump’s absurd, and frankly racist allegations about President Obama’s lack of academic credentials. Dated now, but still a pretty good one…

Short Presentation on White Privilege/Racism – Austin Peay State University, 2011

Here is a short presentation on white privilege, from earlier this year at Austin Peay State University, in Clarksville, TN. Since my other WP presentation on the web is quite a bit longer, this one might be more user friendly for some folks, either for classroom or personal use. Somewhat basic 101/201 level, but still [...]

Tim Wise Interview and Speech, Edmonds Community College, May 2011

Here is an interview and full speech video from May at Edmonds Community College, in Lynwood, WA, conducted by Christine Hudyma. This interview was immediately following my lecture at the school, and explores issues ranging from my own upbringing and involvement in antiracist work, to larger matters of institutional racism, white racial resentment in the [...]

Race, Intelligence and the Limits of Science: Reflections on the Moral Absurdity of “Racial Realism”

Some things are so predictable that you can very nearly set your clock by them. High on the list of predictable happenings in my own life is the regular and repeated receipt of e-mails or Facebook messages whose authors insist that in my passion for the elimination of racial inequities, I am wasting my time, [...]

Trump Card: White Denial, Racial Resentment and the Art of the Heel

There is no one in the world more creative than a white person trying to deny their racism, after having said or done something incredibly racist. Whether it’s the Orange County California Republican activist who recently sent around the e-mail with the picture of the Obamas portrayed as chimpanzees, or the folks who show up [...]

A Bad Year for White Whine: College Scholarships and the Cult of Caucasian Victimhood

Texas State University student Colby Bohnannon would like you to know, it’s hard out there for a white guy. When looking for money for college, the Iraq War veteran claims he had a hard time finding any, at least of the scholarship variety. And this, he wants you to believe, is due to the lack [...]

Twisted Dream: The Disappearance of the Real MLK

This essay appeared on Colorlines, under a different title. _________ It’s been a rough year for Martin Luther King Jr., and for his legacy. First, as has become an annual ritual, politicians went to church or some other civic gathering for last year’s King Day celebration, even as they continued to support public policies that [...]

Affirmative Action for Dummies: Explaining the Difference Between Oppression and Opportunity

One of the best things about getting to speak to audiences across the country is the opportunity to engage with them during the question and answer sessions that follow my formal presentations. Although the questions posed are often contentious — no surprise given that the subject is racism and white privilege, and oftentimes white folks [...]