WACANupdate A fortnightly e-magazine, circulation 1,360 News and opinion of interest to the white anti-racist community April 15, 2009 Contact: news@wacan.org Publication schedule Letters to the editor Submission guidelines Privacy Advertising About WACAN   After WPC10 by Jeff Hitchcock The White Privilege Conference was sublime, as always. The conference continues to grow and mature. Nine hundred people attended. This number, down from last year, was still substantial in the face of the recession. Many people and organizations I know had to cancel plans to attend, yet 900 people, a full conference came. The conference garnered a little more publicity than in the past. A pre-conference feature column in the local paper stirred some awareness. During the conference David Duke’s website ran a story, with Eddie Moore Jr. and Abby Ferber featured prominently in photographs. In the wake of the conference, the same intrepid columnist ran a story about what had transpired. Next year the conference will be in Wisconsin. The following year Minnesota, and then New Mexico. People are waiting in line to host this event. But to host it you have to have a local organization in place. The Wisconsin folks, for instance, showed at this year’s conference in two busses, a 90-person contingent. It was pleasure to see old friends and meet new ones. A disappointment not to have had the energy to make it to Beale Street, but happy to have toured Graceland the day after the conference. The Summit consisted of good dialogue among a score of people. We are looking for groups and organizations with an interest in supporting white anti-racist development. It may be your purpose. It may be a perspective in your organization, caucus, etc. We are inviting organizations to join the summit planning committee for next year. If you know a group that is interested please ask them to contact me, Jeff Hitchcock   Subscriber drive ends Twenty new subscribers have joined us since the last issue. We have 41 new subscribers since March 4, when our spring subscription drive began. Thank you, everyone, for your help. Keep spreading the word about the WACANupdate.   Letters to the Editor One letter since the last WACANupdate. CLICK HERE Send us a letter   CALL FOR ACTION Urge U.S. to attend UN Durban Review Conference in Geneva CURE calls upon all white Americans who are concerned about racism to support the work taking place in Geneva, and call President Obama asking him to send the US delegation. MORE...       NEWS ITEMS General news The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case involving white Connecticut firefighters claiming discrimination. Middle Easterners don’t want to be white and discriminated against any more. Detroit’s former top lawyer files lawsuit after being demoted for describing court as ‘ghetto.’ Janet Jagan, first woman and white president of Guyana, passes on. Pittsburgh assault on police The man accused of killing 3 police officers in Pittsburgh had strong anti-Semetic and racist beliefs. He was a troubled teen. The Greater Pittsburgh Anarchist Collective compares public outcry to that when police shootings of people of color take place. Good things Layfayette, Indiana held a diversity summit, with Tim Wise as speaker. A local native advocacy group is holding forums in Rapid City, South Dakota. People in Niagara County, New York take a stand against racism. Canadian government provides funding to assist the National Anti-Racism Council of Canada. A Boston ‘white power’ conference is scrubbed. Reported on April 1, is this for real? Oakland, California partiers learn about cultural appropriation first hand, and take it to heart. Mississippi resolution dies over link to racist leader. A growing number of states assess the racial impact of drug laws. New York judge rules in favor of 1970s apartheid victims. Obama Chia Pet pulled from stores after complaints of racism. Racism Federal Reserve finds widening gap between wealth of white and black households. Black man’s killing by police shakes Louisiana town. Montgomery, Alabama, suspected of profiling communities of color with roadblocks. Riverside, California, sued by black barbers alleging racism, illegal searches. Washington, DC fire department becomes site of racial politicking in suspected white power grab. The New York City restaurant industry discriminates in hiring. Racial privilege on full display in NY Time’s “Why we travel.” Texas lawmaker tells Asian Americans they need to change names. A California lawmaker takes exception to the idea. Village president recorded using racist, sexist language. The NAACP scrutinizes the advertising industry’s tendency to hire white. Maybe that’s why they produce adds like this, or this. The fashion industry, too, is not hiring people of color according to Naomi Campbell. The KKK left calling cards in Florida restaurant. A Florida TV station receives racist artwork, music and writing from an unknown sender seeking publicity. KKK flyers are found in driveways in Angelina, Texas. Anti-Semitic and racist graffiti found outside home in Rockland County, New York. Pekin, Illinois residents find plastic Easter eggs with racist messages inside. Los Alamitos, California woman has car vandalized with spray painted racial epithets. White supremacist man gets life for murder of black woman in New Jersey. Woman with white supremacist associates gets life for two murders of police detectives. New FBI files say white supremacists paid for Martin Luther King’s assassination. The Dallas police officer who detained a black NFL player and family on their way to his wife’s mother’s deathbed, quits the police force. Campus watch Brown University will no longer celebrate a holiday named after Christopher Columbus. Reaction is mixed. White faculty accuse historically black college of discrimination. UCLA students want recognition for racial category of Middle Eastern. Closing of Lutheran campus ministry at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee raises questions. University of Virginia community protests when Sikh student is refused admittance to restaurant over headgear. Students protest racist graffiti at Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota. A Kansas high school student invents a dubious “KKK” board game. International Amnesty International says Austrian police, criminal justice system marred by racism. Retired London police chief denies racism in historic murder investigation. Rally against racism held in Minsk, Belarus. Turkish TV anchor dons blackface to address Obama. Australian government supports UN Indigenous Rights Declaration. Australian Aboriginal people are intermarrying with white Australians in substantial numbers. Some take it as evidence that racism is waning. New Zealand students want to hold “white supremacy” ball, and a radio DJ trashes a woman who complains. White supremacists also form ‘inappropriate’ plans for Anzac Day.         HUMOR   Caucasian Night rocks the Pie Lot Haus, by Jess Joking. Aversion editor ‘blown away’ to discover hip-hop (April 1 article).     PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE   Advice from Ask a Sex Goddess. Black woman wonders about white partner. Black and blue. Police on patrol in Philadelphia. Hard core racist now repents.     ARTS, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT   Good films that cast light on race relations. Amber Field explores race, gender and adoption in Jagadamba, Mother of the Universe. Gritty ‘Southland’ well done, if too white. New book, Slaves to Racism, lends understanding.     SPORTS   UConn women’s coach mentions (GASP!) race. Race and (men’s college) basketball. Is Florida recruiting white? Diversity missing among leaders of U.S. Olympic sports. Even with Tiger, golf battles race issue. European soccer stars Marcos Senna and Roger Guerreiro support Showing Racism the Red Card.     OPINION & ANALYSIS   “Economic inequality,” by Dedrick Muhammad. Counterpunch.org, March 31, 2009. “Whitewashed: America’s invisible Middle Eastern identity,” by Shyam K. Sriram. PopMatters, April 2, 2009. “U.S. corporate-militarist government motto: Oppress the dialogue on white supremacy – oppress the rage of oppressed people,” by Dr. Lenore J. Daniels, PhD. The Black Commentator, April 2, 2009. “The ‘Karmic justice’ of Lovelle Mixon’s act,” by Joseph Anderson. IndyBay.org, April 2, 2009. “They survived Katrina. but not the master plan to push them from New Orleans,” by Susie Madrak. Crooks and Liars, April 8, 2009. “RNC race relations: How the South was won, yet a race lost for generations to come?,” by Hassan Giordano. Baltimore Independent Examiner, April 9, 2009.     EVENTS How to submit an event CLICK April 17-19, 2009 Philadelphia, PA “Whites Confronting Racism" Workshop Training for Change CLICK July 7-12, 2009 Lyons, MN “Doing our own work. A seminar for anti-racist white people" Seminar Allies for Change CLICK July 23-26, 2009 Los Angeles, CA “Unmasking Whiteness Institute" Institute AWARE-LA