WACANupdate A fortnightly e-magazine, circulation 1,602 News and opinion of interest to the white anti-racist community December 30, 2009 Contributing to this issue: Mell Steven Cosnek, Charley Flint, Lee Maxwell, Susan Wolf Contact: news@wacan.org Publication schedule Letters to the editor Submission guidelines Privacy Advertising About WACAN   Happy New Year by Jeff Hitchcock The WACANupdate is going on winter break and will return on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. In retrospect, 2009 was another year of slow growth in white anti-racist presence. Most encouraging has been the Let’s Build a US for All of Us project, a collaborative effort by several groups across the US involved in racial justice concerns. President Obama continues to govern, as a segment of the white population finds old, racist passions arising anew. The pipe dream that we are living in a post-racial society has been thoroughly punctured by reality. And the slow grinding work for racial justice continues. Doing our downtime we will be doing needed systems work and catching up on other pressing duties. Here’s wishing you a happy new year, with the hope that the coming year will move us closer to achieving a multiracial and just society. See you in six weeks.   Letters to the Editor No letters since the last WACANupdate. Send us a letter Hall of Remembrance and Commemoration Nominations remain open. So far we have received eight nominations: William Lloyd Garrison, Angelina Grimke, Sarah Grimke, Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer, Viola Liuzzo, Benjamin Lundy and Albert Parsons. Make your nomination here (login required). View the Hall, now open to the public. Now available, video of the January 2008 Hall ceremony commemorating Malcolm X.       WACAN.org DIALOGUE Eddie Moore, Jr. appearing in the WACAN Forums through tomorrow. What’s the story behind the White Privilege Conference? Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., founder of the White Privilege Conference, is meeting with Kathy Muhm through tomorrow, December 31 in the WACAN.org Forums. Join them for an enlightening discussion. Join them for an enlightening discussion (login required).   In another topic, Kathy asks how WACAN.org members "choose your battles," so to speak. To which current political questions do you as an anti-racist activist devote your energy/resources, and why? Join the discussion (login required).     FUNDRAISING PROGRESS REPORT Closing in. We need help to make our final goal Our Annual Appeal has one week left. With the help of 25 donors, we have raised $1,625 toward our goal of $2,000. Please consider making a donation.     CALL FOR ACTION Let's Build a US for All of Us US for All of Us is growing at a moderate pace. We continue to need people and organizations to sign the statement. WACAN has joined the US for All of Us planning team, working on strategy and technical support. Read and sign the statement.     NEWS ITEMS Memorable Moments For the year, 2009, and for the decade (Article 1, Article 2) Immigration Federal indictments on criminal charges are brought against 3 police officers involved in the cover up of the July 2009 murder of a Latino man in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. ICE has secret holding pens, making it difficult to impossible to track detainees. Activists denounce raids at bus stations and racial profiling against Latinos. American Apparel sticks up for immigrant workers swept up in ICE raids. Denver police respond to concerns about attacks on South Asian refugees. Odds and Ends Are HP computers racist? Yes, claims this video. Though done in humor, it’s problematic, to say the least, for HP. “Black Pete” makes blackface appearances in Dutch celebrations of Christmas (Article 1, Article 2). The Olympics continue to face protest. A torch bearer is allegedly knocked down by protestor, but accounts differ. In preparation, Vancouver takes a high handed approach to street art. The US Census Bureau released another projection about when the nation will become less than 50% white. As usual, they fail to take into account that historically the definition of who is white has always broadened as the percentage of white people has shrunk. Some who are already classified as white object to the failure of the 2010 census forms to ask about ethnicity. Racism In New York City, white people smoke pot but black people are arrested. The New York City police are ordered to hand over data on police shootings. Canadian Muslim accuses Windsor police of abuse. Rev. Jesse Jackson calls for federal investigation of police shooting in Rockford, Illinois. Gift item disparages Chinese. Texas Sikh student flees after racial attack. Man found guilty in “nip tipping” assault. Racial gap in health widens in Chicago. Kentucky’s GOP senate race roiled over racism charges. Nevada governor, lawmakers, graded on racial equity. Discrimination Greenwich, Connecticut, settles police discrimination case. Racism charges made against Dr. Pepper, Snapple in Northlake, Illinois. Wisconsin pays $80K to settle parole agent’s bias case. HUD accuses landlord of housing discrimination in town of Arab, Alabama. Twelve black employees of Cleco in Louisiana allege racial discrimination. Denton County, Texas, district attorney’s office sued for racial discrimination. City of Dallas sued for discrimination by 13 water department employees. Tie-Tek of Marshall, Texas, loses discrimination suit by repeatedly failing to show up in court. Minority workers at Albertsons win second largest discrimination settlement in Colorado history. Police lieutenant sues San Jose police department for discrimination. Studies show African Americans have diverse genetic background. Racial bias broadcast from TV character to viewer. White supremacists The Anti Defamation League warns against rising white supremacist violence. White supremacist William White convicted on four charges of threatening people. One target, an ex-NJ mayor, applauds the hate crime conviction. Fugitive Calgary white supremacist arrested after standoff. Houston area white supremacist charged in Christmas day convenience store killing. Judge agrees to early release for former white supremacist in Salt Lake City. Reputed white supremacist gets more than 24 years in Las Vegas. Alleged white supremacist gets three years for lying to obtain passport in Los Angeles. Detectives suspect man gunned down in Monrovia, California, was a white supremacist. Neo-nazis are using free music downloads to recruit youth. But activists stopped a live band appearance in Chicago. Campus watch Ku Klux Klan satire falls flat at Georgetown University. Here’s the article. The University of Michigan remains under fire for proposed curriculum for teachers containing material on white privilege. Ferris State University wanted an anti-immigration speaker, and got a white supremacist. Asian and blacks students experiencing violence in Philadelphia school are caught in a larger system. Black Men at Penn (University of Pennsylvania), an anti-racist student group, is advising the Philadelphia high school principal in question. Tennessee police look for perpetrators of hate graffiti on Horn Lake High School. International Repeating a theme, a group of New Zealanders dress up like Nazi guards. Columnist hails flying of two flags as sign of progress in New Zealand race relations. Malaysian politician calls for unity across racial lines. Tanzanian women dying for white skin. Black Jesus nativity scene in Verona, Italy angers ‘White Christmas’ Northern League party. France opens a racial Pandora’s box. Black Royal Navy officer has to pay sizeable court costs after losing racial discrimination claim. British columnist no longer optimistic about race relations in Great Britain. British Supreme Court finds Jewish school in breach of race relations laws. Scotland Yard continues investigation into death of anti-racist activist 30 years ago. Philip Davies MP bombarded watchdog in ‘political correctness’ campaign. Students at the London School of Economics dress in brown face and mock Muslims.         HUMOR   The white professional “anti-racist.” Whites are going to be a minority in 2050! On the same theme: Party like it’s 2050.     ARTS, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT   Avatar dazzles, but falls short due to racial undertone. The Blind Side: Sandra Bullock, white women and racism. Reading the Afro: A hairy issue for Publishers Weekly. Jose Feliciano protests use of his ‘Feliz Navidad’ for musical spoof about illegal immigrants.     PEOPLE & LIFESTYLE   Children of white supremacists often transcend their upbringing. The Orientalist Riff is an example of white culture and tradition. A family man wonders if he should move his white family to Whitopia. A poem about a “white” family who may already be there.     HISTORY, HERITAGE & TRANSFORMATION   Some background on the song, “Strange Fruit.” Blogger calls for pardon of John Brown.     OPINION & ANALYSIS   “Apologies: Does too little, too late count somewhat?,” by Marvin Read. The Pueblo Chieftain, December 5, 2009. “Institutional racism has social, cultural impact,” by Rich Jones. TCpalm.com, December 19, 2009. “Pockets of white America are in the throes of an existential crisis,” by Rich Benjamin. AlterNet, December 19, 2009. “There are no poor white people,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates. TheAtlantic.com, December 22, 2009. “Hate crimes for Christmas,” by Brenda Norrell. Censored News, December 27, 2009.     EVENTS How to submit an event CLICK January 31, 2010 Princeton, NJ "The Princeton Prize in Race Relations - Application deadline" Students grade 9-12 working to improve race relations in each of following regions: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rochester, San Francisco, St. Louis, Seattle, Washington DC and the states of Connecticut and New Jersey Princeton University CLICK February 19-22 & March 19-22, 2010 Lyons, MI "Doing Our Own Work: A Seminar for Anti-Racist White People" 2-weekend Workshop The Leaven Center CLICK April 7-10, 2010 La Cross, WI "White Privilege Conference" 4-day Conference White Privilege Conference, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs & The Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion       Your donation counts!   We have raised $1,625 toward our goal of $2,000 for our 2009 Annual Appeal. View progress report Why donate? HOW TO DONATE CREDIT CARD Online: Fax or USmail: (print this form) Phone: (click) PAYPAL Follow this link to our PayPal page. CHECK OR MONEY ORDER Send a check payable to "Center for Study" 245 West 4th Avenue Roselle, NJ 07203 (print this form) PREMIUM OFFER If you donate $75 or more, you may select one of the following: BOOKS •Walk with Us •The Anti-Racist Cookbook •Lifting the White Veil   DISCUSSION GUIDE •The Racial Awareness Quiz Or, if you donate $100 or more, select our newest release: BOOK •Talking About Race ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Your donation is tax-exempt. All donations acknowledged with receipt. For more information about the Center for The Study of White American Culture, see www.euroamerican.org Our online credit card donations are processed by Groundspring.org, a reputable partner to many activist organizations. For more information about Groundspring.org, see www.groundspring.org GO ONLINE TO WACAN www.wacan.org