WACANupdate A fortnightly e-magazine, circulation 1,555 News and opinion of interest to the white anti-racist community October 7, 2009 Contact: news@wacan.org Publication schedule Letters to the editor Submission guidelines Privacy Advertising About WACAN   We're back by Jeff Hitchcock WACANupdate begins a new season with this issue, and none too soon. The country is facing many challenges as dreams of the post-racial era have faded. At an elemental level there is a struggle for the heart and soul of the country. Those who wish for a multiracial nation, for racial justice, and for a society in which care and respect are extended to all find these simple notions under attack. The word “racist” is bandied about until it means just about anything to anybody. White supremacy still informs our society. Many pundits have speculated about its role in the highly visible politics and organizing by the right. In the end it will be impossible to sort out. The white anti-racist community still struggles with the question of how white privilege and white supremacy operate on our own psyche. All too often we find it has disrupted our best efforts from within. The country voted for change, overwhelmingly. Some people believe they are fighting for their way of life, but the American way of life has always been to keep on moving. Staying where we were simply supports a decaying system of white hegemony. It’s time to keep our candles lit, to redouble our efforts, to learn from our mistakes, and to find the best way forward.   Letters to the Editor No letters since the last WACANupdate.   TAKE ACTION Two opportunities to educate Saturday, Oct. 10 - Performance artist damali ayo would like you to panhandle for reparations. (WARNING: sound intrustion) Monday, Oct. 12 - Tell a friend about Columbus. Hand them our Columbus flyer.     NEWS ITEMS Minnesota workshop threatened by Nazis A workshop on white privilege at the YWCA in Minneapolis last Saturday drew the attention of a local Nazi group, who threatened to demonstrate. They did, but were met by a couple hundred counter demonstrators (Article 1, Article 2). Bad policing FBI confirms civil rights probe of Burbank, CA police. California Highway Patrol officer guilty of hate crimes for ethic slur. Federal lawsuit accuses Texas district attorney of systematically seizing assets of black drivers not charged with crimes. ICE program encourages Texas authorities to step up policing efforts against Hispanics. ACLU charges racial profiling taking place in Louisiana parishes. Black state troopers in Mississippi face discrimination from within. Police cleared in shooting death of black man in Iowa fail to apprehend white man who started it all. Rockford, IL police gun down black man in church in front of children. Maryland judges hear request to see police bias reports. Edmonton police officer never investigated for writing racist emails. In Palo Alto, CA, a new police chief tries to undo a legacy of past profiling. Hate Georgia man held without bond in Cracker Barrel beating of black woman. Man charged in racial attacks in Minneapolis suburb. Leaders of Anti-Racist Action in Calgary attacked in family home by Nazis. Political candidate in Mississippi finds signs vandalized by “KKK” and racial slur. Vandals defile Richmond, VA, park with racial slurs. Father wants beating of white son involved with black girlfriend treated as hate crime. Maine Indian scalps offered on Craigslist to “white people only.” Discrimination Native American farmers sue the US Department of Agriculture. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sues Missouri construction company, and North Carolina firm. Thirty-two Iowans allege the state is stopping African-American applicants. Fort Pierce, FL, settles federal racial discrimination lawsuit. US Attorney sues over racial discrimination in renting in Brooklyn, NY. Odds and ends Canada asylum ruling will foster racism, South Africa says. Bill would probe fiscal legacy of slavery in Massachusetts. Pennsylvania state commission finds compelling evidence of racism in summer swim club incident. International South Korea drafts first anti-racism law. Israeli Arabs warn state’s racism may lead to explosion. Desperation stalks Zimbabwe’s white farmers. Professor studies race relations in France and US. Tales of everyday racism set France on edge. British schools secretary considers banning British National Party members from teaching. Anti-racist carnival draws thousands in Hull, Great Britain. British celebrity campaigns for Hope Not Hate anti-racism party. Another celebrity is caught voicing racial slur. Official anti-racism may teach victim mentality claims author. Campus Charges dismissed in trial of anti-racist activist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee student government leader accused of posting racist comments on internet. Virginia Tech student arrested for racist graffiti. University of North Dakota faces deadline on “Fighting Sioux” name. Campus newspaper editor at California State University – Long Beach apologizes for cartoon stereotyping Latinos. Maryland high school sports teams have new code of conduct following racial name calling incident.         HUMOR   An Inuit perspective on “Why White People Are Funny.” How convoluted can you get? Objection to Obama’s policies is anti-white. Sub-prime mortgages, slasher movies mark progress in racial justice.     PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE   Asian American man in Minnesota describes a life under the hostile scrutiny of police. How far will white people go to not believe a black woman? Publisher of N.C. newspaper that won historic Pulitzer for anti-Klan crusade dies. Skin whitening a worldwide phenomenon (Article 1, Article 2). US national parks mainly appeal to white people. Maybe the whole idea is reflective of white culture.     ARTS, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT   The Cleveland Show on Fox little more than recycled stereotypes of black people. Black Barbie has a remake. Rapper gets 2 years for cop-killing song. Controversial film, "Wigger," set to premiere in April 2010.     OPINION & ANALYSIS   “Your joke is not my joke: Racism and sexism in jokes and satire,” by Princesse de Clèves. Racialicious, September 29, 2009. “Liberals and racism,” by Jim Sleeper. The Washington Post, September 21, 2009. “Tea party movement returns Christian right to its racist past,” by Michelle Goldberg. AlterNet, October 2, 2009. Not ready for the multiracial society “White guilt awareness day,” by Caroline Rushing. Human Events.com, September 22, 2009.     EVENTS How to submit an event CLICK October 11, 2009 San Francisco Bay Area "The UNtraining: A program for untraining white liberal racism" Workshop UNtraining CLICK October 18, 25; November 1,8 Philadelphia, PA "White anti-racist identity development training" Workshop First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia CLICK November 7, 2009 Towson, MD "Racial justice: Yesterday....today....tomorrow" Day long program Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace CLICK November 13-15, 2009 Philadelphia, PA "Whites confronting racism" Workshop Training For Change   Unsubscribe? CLICK HERE This email has been sent to ${email} as a subscriber to the WACANupdate, a bi-weekly e-magazine from the White Anti-racist Community Action Network (WACAN). WACAN is a project of the Center for the Study of White American Culture, Inc. For questions about WACAN, send email to admin@wacan.org. 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