As this WACANupdate goes to press, the news and opinion industry is working overtime on issues of race in the presidential primaries. Barack Obama has just made a speech in Philadelphia, PA that may signal the beginning of the end of the era of white male acendency started by candidate Ronald Reagon's speech in another Philadelphia (Mississippi) twenty-seven and one-half years ago.

Sometimes the story gets too big for us to cover. I say this by way of explaining what the WACANupdate aims to do. We seek out some of the lesser known stories that don't get the sound bites and headlines, and package them in a way convenient to our readership. In particular, we look for stories with an angle of interest for the white anti-racist community. Of course we use editorial judgment, and our decisions may not agree with everyone who considers themselves part of the white anti-racist community. But we have a sense of what our readers want, and feedback tells us our news gathering approach has some appeal.

From time to time, we include a story that reflects on a major news event. See, for instance, essays by Tim Wise on Obama in this issue. Other times the items we include are more obscure; items that might get lost in the daily deluge of news and information, but hold particular interest. Imagine this editor's surprise, for instance, in discovering the work of Damali Ayo (see the Resources section, below)! Yet she has been around for many years. Why did it take so long to find her work? Certainly some WACANupdate readers must already know of her work, but likely many do not. And that's how it is. Until we develop our own media, the white anti-racist community will have to locate information in bits and pieces, hit and miss, maybe and maybe not. The WACANupdate is based on the hope that we can do better than that.

It should be clear that we do not write the bulk of our content, but rather link to other stories published at other sites on the web. Our links take you to the original sites of publication. In this sense, we function as a news aggregator, but rather than being an automated RSS feed, we add a human component to the process of selecting news for your inspection. Some material is original. For now, this includes mostly the stuff up top (like this essay) and occasional links to WACAN.org contents. In the near future we hope to provide some original feature stories of white anti-racist events, groups, etc.

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An unusual number of stories involved the law and justice system have appeared in time for this issue of WACANupdate:

In Ontario a mixed-race couple complain to the Human Rights Commission about a racist letter from their landlord. A Canadian man of color complains about racism at Justice Canada (Canadian department of justice), claiming racism in Canada is more "subtle and insidious than it is in the United States." Vancouver police face an inquiry into their refusal to jail an aboriginal man at his request who later died of exposure in the cold.

The United Nations finds the US needs to address racial disparities. Housing discrimination is one area cited as needing action.

A New Jersey judge is dropped from the bench for making a slur against Asians. Jurors in Washington State make biased statements about an attorney of Japanese descent, and a California prosecutor removes all blacks from a jury pool. Both cases result in orders for new trials.

South Carolina goes nuts. White police officers threaten to kill a black suspect, and their superiors are forced to resign for a lackluster response. A black TV news crew is attacked by a white family implicated in a murder, while a white TV crew stands by and films the attack. A black civil rights activist fights to close a store selling KKK robes and clothing in a building owned by the activist.

Washington State pays $2.25 million over 1999 rampage in a Jewish community center by white supremacist. Black and Hispanic airport workers in Dallas receive $1.9 million for racial intimidation at work. The FBI promises to look into 26 unsolved civil rights cases.

Hate is growing, says Southern Poverty Law Center, fueled by groups targeting immigration. Increasing immigrant school populations correlate with anti-immigrant laws in north Texas.

The US attorney general forecasts violence in the street if crack users are released from jail, but the US House of Representatives considers leveling penalties with cocaine usage, while the Chicago area considers early release of crack offenders consistent with the recent change in US Sentencing Commission guidelines.

This UN-sponsored day is celebrated in Canada, by festivals, and a government-sponsored student film contest (article, and contest site). Not a peep in the US.

Students at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst rally to uphold the right of a black student to defend himself (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4). A Maryland high school bans Confederate flags. Parents pull their children from a West Virginia high school as white students threaten students of color. White student columnists write about the meaning of whiteness (Cornell); racism in society (Virginia Tech); and how anti-racist practices alienate potential white allies (U. of Arizona). Finally, a psychology professor defends Affirmative Action (Keene State College, NH).

The Australian Critical Race and Whiteness Studies Association draws critical review. Australian sportswear company uses African Americans in questionable ad. Australian hostel turns away Aborigines. Small town mayoral candidate wants Aboriginal families removed.

South Africa is still threshing views on race as the South African Human Rights Commission says "racism is alive and well in South Africa" (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5). A South African farm worker is victim of a racist attack.

British parents who send their children to public school may find their children's futures bright compared to privately schooled children. Soccer fans banned for racist and homophobic chants. British Iraq war vet fined for shouting he was "going to kill Pakis." Ireland turns diverse in the span of a decade.

If you've never heard of Damali Ayo, you should. As her web site says, "Since [the age of 4] damali has been using unique and creative methods to successfully educate white people about race, racism, language and inclusion."

Two of her interesting and provocative educational works:

The 12 White Steps. The first step is admitting you have a race. (I've heard this mentioned for years as something that should be done. It turns out Damali Ayo HAS done it, and done it well!)

I Can Fix It! (Downloadable guidebook to ending racism).

The overnight blog sensation Stuff White People Like has apparently led to another blog, Stuff Asian People Like.

Hollywood's 6 Favorite "Offensive Stereotypes," at Cracked.com.

Robert Downey, Jr. wears blackface to satirize white actors in blackface in new movie, Tropic Thunder, at EW.com. (But will we ever see more black actors in whiteface?)

Visual artist holds exhibition exploring racial stereotypes. Another exhibit, The Human Race Machine, allows people to "change" their racial features.

"Of National Lies and Racial Amnesia: Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama, and the Audacity of Truth," by Tim Wise. LiP Magazine, March 18, 2008.

"Iraq Vets: 'Racism Endemic; Comes from the Top of Command Chain,'" by Joshua Holland. Alternet, March 17, 2008.

"The Rap on Whites Who Try to Act Black," by Stacey P. Patton. washingtonpost.com, March 16, 2008.

"Lesson for Obama: Complaining about Racism Is Racist!," by Ken Layne. Ken Layne's Outrage, March 15, 2008.

"(Black America)-Invisible Nation," by Paul Rosenberg. OpenLeft.com, March 15, 2008.

"Bacon's Rebellion and Hillary's Wink and a Nod to Pennsylvania's 'Racially Sensitive' Voters," by Walter C. Uhler. Walter C. Uhler.com, March 14, 2008.

"Another Batch of White Whine: Obama, Black Voters and the Myth of Reverse Racism," by Tim Wise. LiP Magazine.org, March 11, 2008.

"Uh-Obama: Racism, White Voters and the Myth of Color-Blindness," by Tim Wise. LiP Magazine, March 6, 2008.

For more articles on the presidential race and white people, white privilege, etc. check Prof Vernellia Randall's ongoing listing.

Finally, from the category of "Not yet ready for the multiracial society..."

"The Heart of 'Whiteness,'" by Guy White. GlobalPolitician.com, March 18, 2008.