Inside from the Inside

History is riddled with stories of progress and good coming from disasters and atrocities.  Racism can be added to that list of “bad” seeking good.  No I’m not some pollyanna, in fact I am more of a realist than a glass half full optimist. 
Few would disagree that the temperature related to race relations has been [...]

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I was reluctant to sign up for this blog project.  Lots of reasons, but three big ones:

I’m a middle-aged, middle-class, middle-American white guy.  What do I know about race?
For a guy like me, talking about race is like running blindfolded and barefoot through a field full of cow poo.  You’re probably going to step in [...]

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That’s Troy Davis, granted a stay of execution Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justice Antonin Scalia wrote a scathing dissent.  Scalia is often touted by conservatives as the poster boy for strict constructionism, the philosphy that limits judicial interpretation to the text as it is written. Let’s see if his vote in this case holds [...]

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“Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, Thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought is great and swift and free.” 
Bertrand Russell
Ellen is a passionate activist for a large disenfranchised demographic being discriminated by those in power. 
The Wall Street bubble bust created a financial tsunami that was felt the worst [...]

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Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star does his best to get through to incoming NBA rookies.  This year, he was partnered with Dr. Harry Edwards, sociology professor, to drive home some messages that the players need to receive so that they have a better chance to make the most of their off-court and on-court [...]

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The fight against health care reform is in full force.  Two polar opposites are generating surges of electricity in the media and the masses, so it seems.  On one end of the spectrum are powerful special interests and uninformed people fighting for profits and the status quo.  The other side has President Obama, health care reformers and [...]

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The ad is for Luxor Spas, developed by a Belgian ad agency and running only in Europe.
Gut reaction when I saw it:  Pretty funny and clever.  Love the afro, the shades, and the smile on that guy’s face. He is completely chill when he should be anything but.
Next thought (as a marketing guy):  While the [...]

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My ex senator, fallen narcissist John Edwards, contended ad nauseum that there are two Americas. I contend there are three.  There is the America consisting of those people who are capable of independent thought, for whom the truth is more important than ideology. There is the America consisting of those who actually own and control [...]

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A mere seven days ago The Beer Summit brought us two grown people squaring off mano a mano to resolve an explosive racial issue.  It seems like the fire has been put out for the time being.  Is this a great country or what?  Today sixty eight senators voted to seat a “wise Latina” as [...]

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In an earlier post I referenced the work of Noel Ignatiev and his newsletter, Race Traitor. In his book, “How the Irish became White”, he tells the story of how the Irish went from being a despised minority to full fledged members of the oppressor class. The English historically considered the Irish as being only [...]

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