Category Archives: Race & Racism

Celebrating Kwanzaa

It’s two days before Christmas, and many friends and family members are pulling their hair out with last-minute shopping as they brave the malls to scavenge bargain remains. Sound familiar? Many Americans put themselves in debt with holiday shopping, and 45% of Americans would … Continue reading →

Aside | Posted on December 24, 2012 by | Tagged , , , ,

The Dangerous NOPD

Posted on December 25, 2011 by

Last summer, I broke up a fight between two men near my Los Angeles home, and last night I stood between a man and a woman who were quarreling loudly in the street outside a friend’s home in New Orleans. … Continue reading →

Posted in Race & Racism | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Tower Heist” Reveals Nostalgia for Racist Stereotypes in Hollywood

Posted on November 4, 2011 by

Tower Heist (2011) the new movie starring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, is the latest installment in blatantly racist movie-making. It is embarassing for Hollywood and its “critics” to continue to be so ignorant. Continue reading →

Posted in Media/Media Criticism, Race & Racism | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Recession for White Americans, A Depression for Black and Latino Americans

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

A new study from the Pew Research Center reports staggering gaps in median wealth–a person’s accumulated assets minus her debt–between whites ($113,149), blacks ($5,677) and Latinos ($6,325). That’s a 20-to-1 white-to-black ratio of wealth and a 18-to-1 white-to-Latino ratio. Essentially, … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, Media/Media Criticism, Race & Racism, The Presidency | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Magic of New Orleans: Remarkable People

Posted on July 10, 2011 by

There is no way to do justice to “the people” of New Orleans in a blog post, a book, or even a thousand books, and that is not my goal here. Instead, I will introduce a few of the people I have come to love while living and working part of each year in New Orleans since Katrina. Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina/ New Orleans, Race & Racism | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lessons from Transformers 3: Machines are Subjects, Women are Objects, and Female Leadership is a Joke

Posted on July 5, 2011 by

Only two main characters in the large ensemble cast are women, and none of the Transformers (alien robots for the uninitiated) are female. And the two female characters are so offensive – an unmitigated object and a caricatured mockery of female leadership – that none might have been better.
Continue reading →

Posted in Media/Media Criticism, Race & Racism, Sexism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Rape in a Small Texas Town: Football, Family, and Politics

Posted on June 30, 2011 by

“Let’s just say, I don’t know a little girl who didn’t lie to her daddy.” Continue reading →

Posted in Media/Media Criticism, Race & Racism, Rape/ Sexual Assault, Sexuality | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A Cheerleader’s Rape in a Small Texas Town: Part II

Posted on June 21, 2011 by

I traveled to Silsbee, Texas five times in the past six months, with conservative blogger Brandon Darby, to investigate why, despite the volume of evidence, a grand jury did not indict two football players accused of raping a high school … Continue reading →

Posted in Race & Racism, Rape/ Sexual Assault, Sexism, Sexuality | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Battle:Los Angeles — Maybe the Aliens are Female?

Posted on April 12, 2011 by

I am sure that, given the thoughtful way you present a racially complex world, you didn’t mean to make me or other women feel erased. Continue reading →

Posted in Media/Media Criticism, Race & Racism, Sexism | 2 Comments

Fighting Hate with Hate: Anti-Asian Rant Inspires Misogyny

Posted on March 16, 2011 by

Over the weekend, a UCLA student posted an ignorant rant titled “Asians in the Library” that quickly became a viral video…I expected those who responded to this offensive video to be more thoughtful than the student who let loose with the jaw-droppingly racist rant. Instead, most of the comments used nasty gender slurs. Many derided the student’s large breasts, blonde hair and weight, and some suggested that rape or other violence be used against her. Continue reading →

Posted in Race & Racism, Sexism | 1 Comment