WACANupdate A fortnightly e-magazine, circulation 1,561 News and opinion of interest to the white anti-racist community October 21, 2009 Contact: news@wacan.org Publication schedule Letters to the editor Submission guidelines Privacy Advertising About WACAN   WACAN begins online topical discussions by Jeff Hitchcock Starting with this issue of the WACANupdate, I invite you to come to WACAN’s online forum at WACAN.org for a discussion. (WACAN.org requires registration and a login. Most WACANupdate subscribers are already registered, but if you are not, you can find a link to register at www.wacan.org.) Facilitating each discussion will be WACAN volunteer, Kathy Muhm. While Kathy is not an “expert” on any given topic, we expect she will keep the dialogue lively. This week’s topic: What 3 things can you do—as soon as tomorrow—as an anti-racist, to slow or disrupt systemic racism in our society? Share and Discuss.   Letters to the Editor No letters since the last WACANupdate.   NEWS ITEMS Resistance A white anti-racist ally testifies before congress. Racial killing at Dollar Tree leads to new law. Anti-racism group protests neo-Nazis in Calgary. Bozeman, Montana, residents organize to counter hate group. Halifax Baptist congregants march to protest violence and seek racial reconciliation. Canadian youth invited to submit videos on anti-racism to contest. Massachusetts group holds discussion on racial justice. Mississippi mandates civil rights classes in schools. Las Vegas resident questions racialized stereotypes of neighborhood schools. Mixed race marriages on rise in Canada. Columbus Day and beyond A new video, Reconsider Columbus Day, made the rounds last week. In Honolulu the 12th Annual Papal Bulls Burning took place. Venezuela celebrated Indigenous Resistance Day with the cooperation of the government, but officials said some youth went too far by toppling Columbus statue. In the USA, schools are taking a second look at the Columbus heritage. Earlier this month Congress apologized to Native Americans. Thanks, but no thanks said the Indian Law Resource Center. Try doing something to make real change, says another critic. Then on Columbus Day itself, the Obama administration takes a real and significant step toward addressing Native American concerns. Newlyweds denied “mixed” marriage A Louisiana mixed-race couple was denied permission to marry by a local justice of the peace. The story went nationwide and many called for the justice of the peace to resign, including the governor. Discrimination St. Bernard Parish continues post-Katrina housing discrimination. Milwaukee night club sued for refusing admittance to black men. John Deere plant in Georgia investigated by EEOC. South Gate, California settles $18 million discrimination suit. Stanley Furniture of Virginia settles suit with EEOC. Racism and hate Georgia man posts public sign with “n-word” criticizing Obama. A Connecticut town official resigns over racist email. A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper is suspended for a similar action. Florida lawyers suspended from lobbying group over racist mailing. Swastika carved into golf course, criticizing Obama. Illinois teacher (of unidentified race) warned on racist and anti-gay slurs. Pennsylvania woman (of unidentified race) arrested for shouting racial slurs at trooper (of unidentified race). Police officer in Illinois town assaults special education student on camera. Southern Christian Leadership Conference backs black student arrested after cutting line at Wal-Mart in Missouri. Police stop more that 1 million people on the street each year says Associated Press. Guilford County, North Carolina, community leaders disagree about presence of racial profiling. Diary of Boston cop hints at deep racism. White supremacists The Montana Human Rights Network identifies an upswing in recent white supremacist activity. Portland, Oregon, white supremacist arrested for mailing noose. White supremacist in California convicted of killing former colleague. New DVD a hit among white supremacists. Campus watch Two hundred students protest race discrimination at Chicago bar during senior class trip. Hampton University’s first white Homecoming Queen suffers “racism” (Article 1, Article 2). White Tufts student defends Asian students speaking out about racism. University of Oregon multicultural advocate takes student commentary writer to task for his white privilege. Northeastern University police officer alleges discrimination. Release of slavery report sees no furor at University of Maryland. International Young Australian builder charged in drunken race-hate killing. South African white supremacist demands Afrikaner state. Poor whites in South Africa. South African university drops charges against race row students. Swiss tensions rise over “racist” minaret poster. Anti-racist protestors outnumber racists in Manchester streets (Article 1, Article 2). The white working class are not racists, claims British columnist. British celebrity mortified over racist faux pas. British government denies spying on Muslim communities. BBC reporters highlight racism on Bristol estate. More South Asian men married to British women are becoming victims of domestic violence. Northern Ireland holds Anti-racism Workplace Week.         ARTS, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT   Australia is embarrassed by a blackface performance mimicking the Jackson 5. American host Harry Connick, Jr. objects, and gets recognition from Stuff White People Do. Not to be outdone, Vogue of France does a blackface spread. Writers of color respond (Article 1, Article 2). Whitewashed casting draws the ire of Angry Asian Man and Racialicious. As if Australia did not have enough to be embarrassed, controversial show on race relations airs. Disney upset by fallen icon of whiteness in “Ho white” satire. “Illegal Alien” costume a very bad idea for Halloween. Ad for coffee machine has odd racial subtext.     PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE   Jane Elliott (brown eyes, blue eyes) unable to reach British audience using 40 year old approach. What’s life worth when a white man can’t take Indian artifacts anymore? Black CEOs and the Teddy bear effect. White New York City political candidate touts interracial family. How to become a racial justice activist. Judge who desegregated East Texas schools is remembered.     BOOKS   Racially exclusive suburbs across U.S. dubbed the new “Whitopia.” Excerpt from Searching for Whitopia by Richard Benjamin.     SPORTS   Rush Limbaugh tried to by a NFL team. Black players spoke out. Limbaugh blamed everyone for his defeat except the wealthy conservative NFL owners who nixed the deal. White football coach at historically black university charges racial discrimination. European soccer set up a racism watch facility. British soccer wants the World Cup. The tout their anti-racism credentials. Everyday examples this week can be found in Halesowen and Stoke City.     OPINION & ANALYSIS   “Rush, Rams and reverse racism: The right’s search for a black racist,” by Paul Scott. Heraldsun.com, October 17, 2009. “The omission of racism, racism + sexism, in planned, educational reforms,” by Suzanne Brooks. The Black Commentator, October 15, 2009. “Why white America chose Obama,” by Robin of Berkeley. American Thinker, October 14, 2009. “Why conservatives are really afraid of a black president,” by Jonathan L. Walton. AlterNet, October 10, 2009. Not ready for the multiracial society “Traditional Americans are losing their nation,” by Pat Buchanan. WorldNetDaily, October 20, 2009.     EVENTS How to submit an event CLICK October 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 CLICK December 4-5, 2009 Durham, NC "dismantling racism workshop" 2-day Workshop dRworks and The Heirs Project