This has been a bad week for politics

The massive financial bailout and the scary shit surrounding it aside, can you believe this shit:

National Review's Mark Krikorian notes that (1) Washington Mutual became the largest bank to fail in American history yesterday and (2) its last press release touted the fact that it was named one of America's most diverse employers...

...

While juxtaposing these two facts -- (1) WaMu has a racially and ethnically diverse workforce and (2) WaMu collapsed yesterday -- the National Review writer headlined his post: "Cause and Effect?" He apparently believes that the reason Washington Mutual failed may be because it employed and was too accommodating to large numbers of Hispanics, African-Americans and gays.

I think this is a good time for a Friday Fuck You. Sometimes it really is the most accurate response.

Fuck you, Mark Krikorian.



... it's obvious to everyone that the reason WaMu failed was not a bazillion small errors caused by bad employees, but gross mismanagement at the upper management level (that also happened to occur at lots of other companies who didn't follow WaMu's lead on this), and that its hiring practices, therefore, had nothing to do with it, and thus the reason I am so pissed is that not only is this racism and heterosexism, but it's so obviously wrong on the merits, right? Krikorian is making shit up in order to justify an incredibly prejudiced set of beliefs: That people of color and non-heteros can't work at a bank. What the fuck?

Maybe it's time to tighten up that comment policy

DH education reporter Jennifer Moody has a story on the website dealing with dual-language education programs and the possible effects of Measure 58, which would limit the amount of non-English instruction for K-12 students to two years:

Jones will teach her second-graders in Spanish for half the school day. In the afternoon, they’ll move next door, speaking and hearing only English, while Jones works in Spanish with the group who spent the morning on the English side.

Dual-language immersion programs have been a popular option at Corvallis schools for about nine years. But their future is uncertain under an initiative on the November ballot, Measure 58, which would limit the time children can spend in classes taught in languages other than English.

I would encourage you to read the story; it's got some good information. The comments, however, are not as encouraging. There were three when I checked (just scroll down to the bottom of the story):

steveo wrote on Sep 14, 2008 7:38 AM:

" Its a sad day when schools start getting sued for not providing dual language classes, We have a common language to interact with each other and where will this stop 7 or 8 languages more with all this given to diffrent languages what will our children learn so they can make it in the world. It seeems we are becoming a nation to cater and I worry the basics will be lost and in the end more kids lossing the fundementals which they will need but I guess if we can all talk we can be more like our goverment talk,talk but get little done. "

I am tempted to make a comment about fundamentals and steveo's grasp of the written word. Moving on:

btrflygirl67 wrote on Sep 14, 2008 6:20 PM:

" I agree with Sizemore !!! We should be focusing on English. If Parents want their children to learn Spanish- Hire a tutor or HEY BUY A BOOK AND TEACH IT AT HOME!! I worry that we will be voting soon whether or not we have to choose if English or Spanish is our "first" language- C'mon People wake up!!!! "

And, of course, the it's-so-cliche-you-mean-it's-not-parody comment:

gmham wrote on Sep 15, 2008 8:39 AM:

" this isn't mexico or any other country!!!!!!!! this is america!!!!!!!!!!! if you don't like our language, which is english, then get the heck out and go home!!!!!!!!! talk about discrimation, why aren't there classes taught in chinese or russian??? i am sick of my kid coming home complaining he didn't understand things in class because it was taught in spanish..........i think it is about time to sue the school district myself for discriminating against my child for being american and speaking english.......it is a bunch of bull....."

I want to be clear about two things:

1) Dual-language programs have basically zero downsides. People who go through them are more employable, more able to move about in different cultures (and different countries), speak two languages, build community with more diverse groups and at younger ages, etc. Yes, it's a struggle to learn another language, but it's also much easier to do at an early age. Have I failed at learning another langauge as a teen and adult? Yes. Do I wish I'd had Spanish/English dual language when I was in elementary school? Heck yes.

2) The comments made about the story are racist and ignorant of history. I wish I could say I was surprised that the DH approved them, but I'm not (sometimes the "let them hang themselves" thing is outweighed by the harm that's done by posting the comments). Furthermore, the comments have little, if anything, to do with the actual story, but are instead reactions to a fear of a generalized Other. One might also call it xenophobia.

Sigh. Between this and the imminent and massive financial meltdown (and it's only Monday), I suppose it's time I retreat to my hideout in the Cascades and start the guerrilla radio broadcasts calling for the overthrow of the remnants of capitalism. I don't know how else I'm going to survive the week.

Tim Wise on white privilege and the election

Found at Eric Stoller's place, here is the opening paragraph of Wise's essay:

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for an easy-to-understand example of it, perhaps this list will help.

Follow the link for the list.

teh Stupid

Two items of note today:

Rep. Westmoreland calls Obama ‘uppity'

Fake Soldiers Used In RNC Video

If "shocked" is an emotion, I'm still human, even after eight years of this shit.

Billmon

Obama's done lots of stuff -- teaching, state legislature, writing books, etc. -- but "community organizer" seems like an odd one to fixate on.

Follow the link to see what Billmon thinks the GOP was getting at. I think Billmon is right.

[I Can't Title Posts] Forest for the Trees, or Something

After noting the myriad of problems he faced at the DMV, DH letter-writter William C. Hogg says this:

I have absolutely no problem with Spanish people here in Albany. Most of them are very nice and courteous and have beautiful families. But while at DMV, I observed many Spanish people go to the counter, present some kind of ID, then take a small test and have their picture taken. They were then provided with a driver’s license, which would be mailed to them. The exact way we used to get ours. What?

OK governor, senators and representatives, what are you trying to prove? How about the citizens?

Right. Because clearly no Spanish people could be citizens of the US. And clearly anyone who's not Black or Asian must be Spanish - not Mexican, Ecuadoran, Panamanian, or any one of many, many other identities. Nope. All Spanish, all foreigners.

This is a great example of unintentional racism. I don't think Mr. Hogg had malicious intent, but the assumptions he put in writing erase whole groups of people from existence and make unfounded assumptions about others. Not cool.... not to mention that he's making an assumption that his experience is representative of white people and the experiences he observed were similarly representative of whole groups.

From the 'Ungrateful' Files

Syndicated columnist Mona Charen, as reprinted in the DH:

What will George W. Bush be remembered for? If, as Clare Boothe Luce argued, every president gets just one sentence in the history books, then President Bush’s will certainly concern the war on terror and Iraq. His historical reputation will wax or wane based entirely on how well Iraq does in the coming decades. That’s the ballgame for Bush, historically speaking. And yet, as recent news about student test scores reminds us, a poignant aspect of this president’s two terms is his unrequited love for blacks and other minorities.

Say what? Is she kidding? No? You mean she's seriously claiming that Bush has love for people of color? WTF?

Oh, and in case you thought her opening was bad, check out how she concludes the column:

...the total contempt shown by the African-American community toward this president is a staggering injustice.

Yeah - the 'staggering injustice' of the Bush years is clearly how ungrateful African-Americans were for - what does Ms. Charen cite? - No Child Left Behind, AIDS funding for African and faith-based initiatives. Certainly it couldn't be Iraq, the War on Terra', the rapid expansion of the police state, massive deregulation of financial markets (with all the attendant consequences), letting energy companies develop energy policy, or any number of other things. Nope. The 'staggering injustice' of the Bush years is that black people aren't grateful enough. Jesus Fucking Christ, this is getting old.

I can't believe people pay her for this. And I can't believe Hering ran such racist drivel.

I want to puke.

Not what I would call 'prize-winning'

The Oregon State Song:

Oregon, My Oregon
Words by J.A. Buchanan
Music by Henry B. Murtagh

Land of the Empire Builders, Land of the Golden West;
Conquered and held by free men, Fairest and the best.
On-ward and upward ever, Forward and on, and on;
Hail to thee, Land of the Heroes, My Oregon.

Land of the rose and sunshine, Land of the summer's breeze;
Laden with health and vigor, Fresh from the western seas.
Blest by the blood of martyrs, Land of the setting sun;
Hail to thee, Land of Promise, My Oregon.

What a racist, sexist imperialistic pile of crap.

[Old Media] Since When is Open Sexism Acceptable in the Pages of the Democrat-Herald?

A letter to the editor in the DH:

Flying in style

I have a suggestion on how we could save the taxpayers of this great country money on jet fuel costs for Air Force One.

Vote for Hillary; she could travel on her broom.

Donald A. Parker, Albany

Let's be clear: The fact that this is a letter in no way excuses the fact that sexist content appeared in the pages of the DH. The DH would have been perfectly within reason not to run this letter.

I know Hering's old and cranky, but this should be unacceptable to his (significantly younger) staff, at least - and enough so to raise a ruckus.

What gives?

I guess we can expect jokes about Barack Obama eating fried chicken and/or being lazy next.

I mean, what the hell, it's all just white people in the valley anyway, right?

Shit.

The Outrage of the Day (Warning: Intense)

And I say 'day' because this sort of shit happens on a daily basis.

I've known for some time that Australia treats the Aboriginal people with disrespect, but this is so far beyond the pale that I don't think there are words (and make no mistake - the relationship between Aboriginal Australia and white Australia makes a huge difference here):

NINE men who pleaded guilty last month to gang-raping a 10-year-old girl at the Aurukun Aboriginal community on Cape York have escaped a prison term, with the sentencing judge saying the child victim "probably agreed" to have sex with them.

I have no coherent reaction to this.

There is more:

Cairns-based District Court judge Sarah Bradley ordered that the six teenage juveniles not even have a conviction recorded for the 2005 offence, and that they be placed on a 12-month probation order.

Judge Bradley sentenced three men over the age of consent of 16 - aged 17, 18 and 26 - to six months' imprisonment, with the sentence suspended for 12 months.

Because the 28-day appeal period has expired, the sentences cannot be altered.

....just go read the whole thing.

Via Feministe.

Disney Gets in on the Noose Business

Via Offsprung... this is unreal.

Tom Tancredo

Step back for a second and marvel at the fact that this man is running for President of the United States on a major-party ticket and no one is batting an eye:



Pretty scary, if you ask me.

Good LTE in the GT

...Ms. Novak basically defends the continued use of these mascots simply because the majority of people feel that there is no problem. For example, she mentions that 15 high school students “identified” as Native American said that they had no problem with Native American nicknames. However, it could be that these students were not willing to confront the entire school of white peers on something very controversial.

The above quote is from a CHS high school student, in a letter printed in the Gazette-Times.

She recognizes the effect of peer pressure and how it's related to the mascot issue.

Good for her.

College Racism Roundup

It can be found over here.

Shamelessly stolen from Stoller, who constitutes most of the OSU section - since the Baro isn't really doing their job on any of this. Har.

"And Now a Noose at OSU"

Basically, go read Michael's post. It's short, but you need to know about it.

The Barometer's Amazing Lack of Professionalism

I submitted an op-ed awhile back that, had it been printed, would have run around the 1st or 2nd of November, but neither the Baro or the GT decided to run it. While I am not terribly bothered by the decision - I know the writing could use some work and of course it is the decision of a paper's editorial staff to run submissions or not - I am less than enamored of the way the Baro handled it: They didn't.

As in, I sent it off and apparently addressed it to a black hole. The GT at least had the courtesy to say no.

Anyway, in light of Michael's letter and post as well as Luke's post detailing his own little affair with the Barometer's amazing lack of professionalism this year, I'm going to run what I wrote here:

Barometer Should Have Known Better

The OSU Daily Barometer's admission that they need to do better when it comes to listening to the OSU campus (see The Daily Barometer, “Examining Offenses,” 10-26-07) is too little and too late.

Every couple of years the Barometer runs something incredibly offensive or ignorant, often around race or religion; rarely do they actually bother to respond to the subsequent outrage or criticisms, often hiding behind the implied claim that they bear zero responsibility for the speech of their columnists.

I'm glad to to see that this time is different, that at least the editorial staff ran a response. However, the failure of the editorial to adequately address the issue suggests a lack of understanding of the nature of the problem, and a problem that outlasts the high-turnover Barometer staff – but not Frank Ragulsky, the Barometer's faculty adviser.

It is my opinion that these sorts of mistakes could easily be avoided if the Barometer's editorial staff had some sort of journalism-oriented diversity or cultural competency training. But they don't. When I served on the Student Media Committee, I pushed for the editorial staff to participate in just this sort of training. But I was rebuffed, and it was obvious that no one, including Mr. Ragulsky, saw such training as beneficial or necessary.

By all accounts, Mr. Ragulsky is an excellent advisor. However, he has been the constant throughout all the incidents that have occurred for a long time, long before I ever came to Corvallis. I find it extremely troubling that he consistently fails to show any interest in educating the staff of a college newspaper about the intersection of journalism and diversity.

Journalists, like everyone else, bring to work with them the sum of their experiences and their values – and are therefore not the neutral or objective actors that ancient media theory hold them to be. It would be nice if the sum of their experiences included some awareness that would allow them to avoid the sorts of mistakes that seem to occur with a disturbing regularity.

So I propose three things, hoping they will provide long-term solutions:

First, that Mr. Ragulsky personally endeavor to have his staff participate in some form of training that addresses the intersection of journalism and diversity at least once every year.

Second, that the Student Media Committee take a more active role in overseeing the newspaper. As it stands, the committee is largely a rubber stamp, having little to no role beyond hiring for a mere seven positions for all of student media. Instead, the Committee members should have unfettered access to information, giving them them the ability to decide for themselves what information is relevant. As it stands, Mr. Ragulsky tends to control the flow of information to such a degree that it forces committee members to do his bidding.

Third, that The Daily Barometer institute a public editor to write columns detailing the internal decision-making processes of the newspaper, as well as receiving and responding to reader criticism of the newspaper. Such a position could provide a wonderful training tool for journalists and editors at a university with no official journalism program.

I suggest these things out of frustration and sadness at seeing a paper I have long been enamored of continue to make offensive, avoidable mistakes no matter who fulfills the role of editor-in-chief. I would like nothing more than to see The Daily Barometer take a more active role as a member of the OSU community rather than hide beyond decades-old ideas about the proper behavior of journalists.

Lebanon School Board Meeting Part Three - The Superintendent's Report (with a special shout out to anyone interested in racist mascots!)

This is a new feature of board meetings, and it is supposedly designed to promote better communication between the board and superintendent.

Good idea. While it should have been done a long time ago - is communication really so bad between the superintendent and the board? - I am glad to see it done now.

Anyway, there were six items on the agenda. I'm going to skip some most of them.

One item that got some time was an update on the Unfair Labor Practice filed by Kim Fandiño over Jim Robinson's ridiculous information control policy. A lone administrative law judge had offered a preliminary ruling that included calling Robinson's policy illegal, so the district is appealing to the full panel.

Wineteer wanted to know why the board did not get to decide what to do, since the Board is usually responsible for ULPs, and Robinson responded by saying that legally, his actions up to this point are his purview - but anything beyond this, like actually challenging the ruling of the full panel, would require board action.

Robinson then some something transparently self-serving: He suggested that if there had been no Superintendent's Report added to the agenda, the Board would not know about this issue at all! Because it was THE ONLY WAY they could have ever found out!

Gag me. Sometimes his attempts at making himself look caring and communicative really suck, probably because it's not his inclination and he's forcing or faking it. In the long run, he's genuinely got to get this 'open communications' thing down - meaning really believe in it, not just hold his nose and pretend - or he's not going to make it, I think.

The only other item I'm going to mention was Robinson's reporting of his meeting with other Oregon superintendents regarding the proposal that's been kicked down the line to eliminate all mascots and logos that are Native American-themed. I could tell the second he brought this up that most people in the room were pissed - not at Robinson, but at the idea that they'd have to change at the behest of someone else.

In all fairness, Robinson did a damn good job explaining this while remaining neutral on the merits. He went over Che Butler's presentation for the benefit of the board, relayed the position he had presented on behalf of the district at the meeting and outlined possible futures.

I'm not going to rehash the following conversation in detail, since it resembled perfectly every other debate I've ever heard about this issue. To wit: I'm Native and I don't care! Self-identified Native students in this district don't care! This is just PC extremism! What's next, banning everything!? I think Warriors are honorable! It's been that way for years! They can pry my mascot out of my cold dead hands! It's all the victim's fault! Blah blah white privilege blah blah blah!

Repeat for 20 minutes with no one disagreeing personally, but with another white person (in this case Robinson) hypothetically & carefully pointing out the reality of the situation, and you've got the debate.

Robinson and Sprenger both pointed out - and I think this is absolutely true - that no matter what the position of the district was, the district had to develop one, and had to be prepared for the possibility that they were simply going to be told what to do with no say in the matter. This was not popular, but I got the sense the crowd actually agreed with it. I would consider such an acknowledgment of reality, however small, a good thing.

Robinson also pointed out - as I have before - that if the state mandates a change without buy-in from the relevant districts, things will not go well. There is some education and learning on the part of the districts that needs to happen for this to work.

On the other hand, making Che Butler go to 16 districts around the state is a pretty harsh example of a person of color educating white folks...again.... when the white folks can fairly easily educate themselves.

Josh Wineteer called Native Americans, or possibly the Warriors mascot, "stoic."

Education and learning indeed.

Robinson pointed out that Aloha High School is also the Warriors, but they are Polynesian Warriors, and that meant they were excluded from possibly changing. Robinson spun this as positive, noting that it might allow LHS to keep the name but not the mascot. (Bizarrely, he also noted that "we have many warriors fighting overseas at the moment," which I think was a mistaken sop to the conservative folks who oppose him - he can't really think that making the LHS logo a soldier is a good idea, can he?)

Wineteer complained that it was a double standard, which indicates to me that he really doesn't understand the issue AT ALL. He really put on a show over this one.

So it goes. I think there's going to be a lot more racist crap spewed unknowingly before this is over, and I think it's going to end in the Warrior mascot being changed, though it may take years.

Aside from Josh's outbursts, the anti-Robinson folks were pretty quiet. I think it was because they are way out of their comfort zone on this one, and probably afraid of saying anything racist.

One, maybe two more posts to go.

It's Not Quite Blackface, But it's Still Racist and Stupid

Via a couple of places (including Think Progress), this AP story:

A top immigration official has apologized after awarding "most original costume" to a Homeland Security Department employee who dressed in prison stripes, dreadlocks and dark makeup for a Halloween gathering at the agency.

Oops. And, of course Think Progress points out the fact that Ms. Myers is totally unqualified (this was not at all surprising to me).

Maybe if the government didn't actually target dark-skinned men for prison, such a stereotype would not exist.

Where's the Happy Ending?

Jason Prothero leaves a pretty good comment on the Barometer and Blackface post, and I wanted to address it with its own post.

First of all, Jason, thanks for the comment. Let's see what's going on:

I guess I'm saying that the normal person who goes to Beaver games doesn't think of that as a first thought.

Why is ignorance of this historical fact normal? Is it not worth knowing? If it's not, how do you justify that? I agree with you that most people don't necessarily know about blackface, but there is certainly a reason for that. Is that reason, whatever it is, a good one? Or does - as I think - that reason have to do with a historically white-centric curriculum in schools and a tendency to marginalize the suffering of people of color?

I think here something has to be said about intent. Clearly the intent had nothing to do with racism. Once they know people are offended it should stop. And of course being ignorant to it is no excuse, but intent should be in there somewhere.

I have noted elsewhere that while intent is important (indeed, most of the arguments defending the presence of black facepaint hinge on intent), I think effect (or how the action is received and understood) is also incredibly important.

Imagine this response to the Baro's running of the photo and the Facebook group:

1. The photo and Facebook stuff appear.

2. Someone points out how the image and idea reference a piece of history that's maybe not worth emulating - i.e. blackface and minstrel shows.

3. Proponents of black facepaint read the provided links and hold a discussion on Facebook, in person, and in the pages of the Barometer as to why they want to use black facepaint, and how they are very conscious of what it means and intend no disrespect. They request to hear the opinions of others, making sure to listen to the comments of people of color.

At this point it can go two ways:

4a: The discussion is great, and the folks who raised the issue in the first place understand that those folks painting their faces black understand and respect the history behind. Perhaps black facepaint at OSU games takes on a whole new meaning, one that honors and respects the history in question. Or perhaps the idea is dropped and orange facepaint is used.

4b: The discussion doesn't go so well, and the objections to black facepaint stand. Some folks still use it, but some don't, understanding how it's hurtful towards others.

Frankly, I'd have been happier with either outcome, because they both involve an element of learning about why this is an issue. Instead, we get comments on Facebook that are pretty clearly racist and reveling in their ignorance, or simply claim that since "I" don't see the problem, no one else should either (which is really not that different from reveling in one's ignorance).

No wonder people are upset - it's not that it happened (though certainly I am of the opinion that it should not have) but that the (mostly) white folks who are doing this have refused to listen to any dissenting voices, and indeed have been pretty effective in marginalizing them.

Sounds like you're reaching a bit. They should apologize, not encourage that behavior again and use it as a learning experience. No need to take it too far.

Agreed - except that in the case of many of the Facebook folks and the comments left on the Gazette-Times website, there are few if any apologies or acknowledgments. Instead, there are lots of complaints that people should just "stop whining and get over it."

What is too far? In this case, it appears that too far is asking for white folks to do some learning and perhaps admit to a mistake.

Compare that to these suggestions (if you want some that maybe "go too far": Black facepaint should be banned from games, the Beavers should stop wearing black entirely, the editor, advisor and all other staff responsible for the photo should be fired, the students who wear black facepaint and/or leave racist comments on Facebook should expelled or forced to take a class on racism... I could go on, but you get the point. I have yet to hear anyone advocating any of these suggestions.

What's being asked of white people is not a lot, not really. And yet some of us still react like it's the end of the world.

Say hello to white privilege.

And Jason - I have read Zinn's A People's History of the United States cover to cover. For the record =)

Hering, Evidence, and Assertions

I couldn't resist noting a little problem this Hering editorial: There is zero connection to the problem at hand and Hering's conception of a solution. In fact, I'd say his characterization of the "problem" is, in fact, a problem itself.

Let's see exactly what Hering says...

Here is the problem:

An anthropologist at the University of Oregon has told state Superintendent Susan Castillo that research has shown that the display of Indian stereotypes, no matter how positively they might be intended or regarded by white people, damages the self-esteem of Indian students, even if they don’t admit it.

(My only comment: Of course - even positive stereotypes create impossible expectations on behavior.)

Here is Hering's solution:

One way may be to end the official status of tribes as “nations” that always need help, and of their members and descendants as protected minorities. If people are told all the time they need special help and treatment, fragile self-esteem might not come as a big surprise. (hh)

Does anyone else see the incredibly gigantic disconnect between his assertion and the evidence he offers?

The mascots in question - Warriors and other "positive" stereotypes of Native Americans - bear absolutely no resemblance to what Hering describes as the state of affairs regarding Native Americans. In fact, the evidence Hering does cite - the study that found that all stereotypes are damaging - sort of disproves Hering's point entirely by showing that even if Native Americans had a solid material existence and were confronted with positive stereotypes, they would still be faced with what Hering calls "self-esteem" issues.

This is, of course, to say nothing of how shitty it is to suggest that the real problem is that Native folks just have "low self esteem" and that if, as Hasso suggests, those stupid Indians just suck it up, we could all go on and enjoy our white-supremacist mascot traditions.

I wonder if Hering has any idea how incredibly deprived, bigoted and racist this editorial is.