Thoughts on a New Divorce
For Josh
Sluffed off
This old institution
So inadaquate
And trite
Life leads us
To leave life
And live
Sometimes
How sweet
Our new found state
Not less
But more and
And and too
Life leads us
To show up
And live
Sometimes read more
Pedal Powered Humanitarianism
While issues, like global warming and the threat of decreasing natural resources paint the media headlines green, there seems to be less room for other pressing social issues. What happened to Guantanamo Bay? School of Americas? The war in Darfur??
Maybe there is only so much room in the hearts and minds of compassionate Americans? What if we could combine forces and create organizational ventures that are socially responsible and ecologically friendly?
Read more
White power hip-hop? Seriously?!
Recently, Turn It Down - a national campaign against white power music - was asked to contribute an article to a magazine overseas regarding the existence and potential of white power hip-hop here in the United States. Several European nations are seeing a sharp rise in racist and nationalist hip-hop, and our sister organizations wondered if America is seeing a similar cultural absurdity, particularly since America is essentially the birthplace and epicenter of read more
I’ve Had Enough With Anti-Immigration
I love a good joke. Speaking of which did you ever hear the one about the white supremacist and radio host who headed to Washington D.C. to lobby elected officials?
If you haven’t that’s okay. It’s not actually a joke.
read more
Hip-hop Republicans are Down With GOP. No, Seriously.
Skimming campaign news items last week I came across a commentary on the theroot.com that made me giggle. It was called We Down With GOP and was about Hip-hop Republicans. Nerdy title aside, I launched into the article with as much objectivity as I could muster.
Lenny McAllister, the author started by telling a personal story that convincingly explained why Republicans are real people who have a right to their political opinions. McAllister tweaked my interest a bit when he said, Read more
Olympic Coverage Marred by Media Bias
A few days ago an Associated Press article caught my attention. It told the inspiring story of Henry Cejudo and his road to Olympic Gold. It’s a powerful story - determined young man rises from poverty, fights the odds, and becomes the best. Unfortunately the read more
Listening to an Old Friend
Last night autumn
Blew into me
The scent of late roses,
Rotting flora,
Wet-asphalt first-rain,
And the dead flesh of summer sloth.
Like the candles that burn
The inside pulp
Of tradition and
Conger Haunted images
In full moon spectacle.
This morning I awoke
To the voice of an old friend
Laughing On the porch.
Her crisp laughter,
Carrying over into damp soil,
Whispering to blown leaves
And scattering like squirrels.
This read more
MLB baseball is a-changing
This week Major League Baseball approved the use of instant replay. Some may see this decision as a way of updating a sport that has defied the use of current technology for years. When the NFL began using instant replays in 1999 it was questioned by many. But today it seems to be widely accepted and praised. The same may be true for baseball, once the initial steps of implementing the system are through.
Old baseball players, analysts, and nostalgic “purists” may believe that the use of instant replay will be terrible for the read more
Audio: August 21, 2008 Blogcast
Filed under: American Identity, Culture, Immigration, podcast
Welcome to the August 21, 2008 edition of the Imagine 2050 audio blogcast. This week we take to the streets in Oakland, California where we do some more “on-the-street” style interviews. While this type of interviewing is tough, especially for those talking as here they are minding their own business, walking down the street and someone accosts them with tough questions. read more
Anti-Latino Bias Reaches American Professional Sports
However you’d like to refer to the game, be it soccer, football, or fútbol there’s only one thing you need to know. I love everything about it. I treasure those moments when new acquaintances question me about my love for soccer so that I can quote legendary English soccer coach Bill Shankly who said of the game “Some people believe read more
Should We Care When Politicians Cheat?
“Screwed, On par, Sad, Disappointed, Typical, Idiot” - these were the responses from young women when I asked them to tell me the first thing that came to mind when I said ‘Edward’s Affair’. One woman struggled for a minute and finally said “indifferent”. I found it interesting that the one person who read more
No Blacks, Immigrants or Aliens Allowed;Review of The Brother From Another Planet
By Walidah Imarisha
I have probably seen John Sayles’ The Brother From Another Planet (1984) almost a dozen times. I first saw it when I was in high school, bored, flipping through our cable channels. I was skeptical at first, given the low budget special effects, but the film quickly sucked me in. Last year I taught in a college course my co-instructor and I put together called Race and Gender in Science Fiction Film. Through all my viewings, that was my first experience watching it with a large group of people and I fell in love with the film al over again for its uncompromising politics, its connections between people of color, and its biting wit.
Read more
IMAGINE 2050’s New Poll! Will racism rise as “Minorities become the Marjority”?
Wednesday (August 13, 2008), the Census Bureau confirmed that by 2042 - 8 years earlier than previously thought - the United States will no longer have a racial majority, that white Americans will no longer be the majority.
Here’s the new data calculated for 2050:
Whites - 46%
Blacks - 15%
Hispanics - 30%
Asians - 9%
But does any of this really matter? Is race a 21st century issue?
When pollsters say the read more
So Tired of the Cultural Competency Talk
By Marjorie Nemes
Yeah, I think it’s important, but I feel myself getting tired. I am tired of the cultural profiles. I am tired of the people who think they have all the answers. I am tired of the people who don’t think it matters. I am tired of organizations that make superficial attempts to diversify and become more inclusive. Did I mention I was tired?
In any case, I was asked to put together trainings and educational information regarding cultural read more
The Olympics: Purebreds and Nationalism
I was recently at a bar and looked up to find the Olympics on the television hanging on the wall. I don’t remember ever going into a bar before and seeing the Olympic games, not only on the television, but actually being watched by a good amount of people. Perhaps I’ve just not been in the types of bars that were watching previous Olympics, but I certainly thought it was an interesting sight.
A CBS sports columnist, Gregg Doyel, recently went off on a huge rant about how players read more
The Political Center Is Not Where It Seems
I have an addiction and I’m going to tell you what it is.
I’m addicted to CNN (Cable News Network). I love CNN and watch it constantly. Something has always fascinated me about 24-hour news coverage. When CNN started its second news channel nearly a decade ago I was elated because I could flip between channels with my remote control and really get continuous news, but I digress. When read more
Ads in California Ask Environmentalists to Consider Racism
Yesterday an organization, called Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), began running radio ads in areas of California targeting environmentally-concerned citizens. They want people to know that immigrants are destroying “natural treasures” through over-population. In their press release they state:
“If we want to start healing our environment, we’ve got to slow population growth. More people mean more cars, more sprawl, higher energy demands, more air pollution, more demand for water and more paved-over farmland.”
THE ENEMIES OF EQUALITY
In late May of this year, the Washington State Republican Party held their 2008 convention in Spokane and adopted a party platform for the upcoming election cycle. In one particular section entitled, “Borders, Immigration, and Homeland Security”, the state GOP stake out a position in clear opposition to one of the fundamental rights protected under the read more
Democrats, Stand for what you Believe in
While I sipped my coffee during my Sunday ritual - a big fat cup of coffee with two eggs over-easy, four pieces of bacon, and two pieces of white toast - I learned that the Democratic Party actually compiled a party platform. Even more, the so-called “platform’s” release party is scheduled for the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO – read more
I’m Not Shopping at Wal-Mart because I like to
“The other day while I was shopping at Wal-Mart…”
No, I can’t admit to people that I shop at Wal-Mart.
“The other day when I was at the grocery…”
This is what I’m telling myself as I’m explaining to people how my daughter lost her mind the other day and I thought quite possibly, loose mine as well.
I’ve stopped myself from saying the “W” word on many occasions or followed it shortly by a brief explanation and apology.
“I only go there when I need to get all my shopping done at once,” or read more
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