Links for 2009-08-14
Compiled by Andrea (AJ) Plaid, Arturo R. García, Nadra Kareem and Thea Lim
“Between the two dorms — one destroyed by fire, the other smashed and debris-strewn — stands an empty carton marked ‘White Kittey,’ testifying to the racial divides that run deep among the facility’s 5,900 prisoners.”
“For years after the American invasion of Iraq, thousands of Iraqis clamored for admission to the United States and found the door all but closed — until the government reacted to widespread criticism in 2007 by making it easier for more to enter with special visas or as refugees.
“But now that Iraqis are arriving in larger numbers, many are discovering that life in the United States is much harder than they expected.”
Jon Stewart: “I thought Barack Obama wa-was post-racial.”
Larry Wilmore: “Yeah, he is–we’re not.”
“White people usually think that ‘racists’ are the ones who harbor racist thoughts and feelings, and thus the ones who commit “racist” acts. However, as Derald Wing Sue suggests, there are many, many ways in which white people can act with unwarranted and unconscious aggression toward people of color, and thus, act in “racist” ways. Mistaking non-white people for service workers is but one common example.”
“Officials insisted Wednesday they banned the woman’s use of the Islam-friendly suit at a local pool because of France’s pool hygiene standards — not out of hostility to overtly Muslim garb.
“Under the policy, swimmers are not allowed in pools with baggy clothing, including surfer-style shorts. Only figure-hugging suits are permitted.”
“Kind of like that term ‘blipster,’ the idea of an Asian trophy wife is only remarkable if one concludes minorities don’t have the same types of motivations, thoughts, likes, dislikes, and feelings as everyone else.”
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Roy wrote:
If you could find a spot for the following link for tomorrow’s list since ironically it’s India’s Independence day too tomorrow http://www.youtube.com/comment_servlet?all_comments&v=JvVAV09-dQ8&fromurl=/watch%3Fv%3DJvVAV09-dQ8
2 girls trying to convert another girl. The whole missionary zeal thing needs to be investigated alongwith C street and their attitude towarsd the natives in faraway lands.
Posted 14 Aug 2009 at 3:02 pm ¶
Paz wrote:
That Daily Show clip is awesome. Stewart’s “senior black correspondent” never fails.
“She wants her America back? Go tell that to the Indians.”
“White people had a good run, but it’s over. Sorry.”
W. Kamau Bell is also a really great comic that tackles racial issues, esp “postracial America.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vft8o8uO4H0&feature=related
Posted 14 Aug 2009 at 5:36 pm ¶
Kaonashi wrote:
Normally, I enjoy reading Marie Claire because they cover issues and areas not normally discussed in mainstream fashion magazines but Good Lord, I needed a bottle of brain bleach after reading that trophy wife article.
Posted 14 Aug 2009 at 6:33 pm ¶
GueraLola wrote:
On the topic of trophy wife I recall that Vh1 had a special race (Think, I love the ______ expect for race ) they only had two one was on interracial relationships and a comedian was talking on the level of dating women
1. Asian
2. white girl ( red or blonde)
3. Hispanics
4. Black girl
It was kinda a fail satire since some comedians tried to poke fun of the stereotypes and analyze them, others seems to enforce them. Also “‘blipster” WTF? Yet, I recall my friend, who was black got made fun of for being goth. No, wonder I am so misanthropic.
Posted 14 Aug 2009 at 8:09 pm ¶
Restructure! wrote:
When I was reading the Jezebel article, I wondered when Jezebel suddenly understood racial complexity and terms like “hybrid vigor”. When I saw the swirl reference, I then looked up at the author and saw Latoya Peterson’s name. Then it made sense.
Great analysis, Latoya! I had the same reaction as you: bafflement. I couldn’t articulate why I felt uncomfortable with the Marie Claire article, so it’s nice to see it put into words.
Posted 15 Aug 2009 at 8:36 am ¶
A. wrote:
Most people fail miserably at satire PERIOD because too many of them do it in a place where it’s internalized.
With that said, that’s the stupidest thing that I’ve ever seen in my life, but it also states WHY WoC will always need THEIR OWN magazines. We can agree and disagree with some of the magazines that WoC may have (there are a lot of women that don’t like Essence), but they will always have to do us a service of being that safe space. You see how much some of these women really, honestly, give a shit about WoC – they don’t.
Posted 16 Aug 2009 at 3:16 am ¶
Jess wrote:
@Roy — that video is kind of funny, to me anyway, since it just shows that the girl in it (the white girl) is painfully sheltered. I mean, I was thinking, girl, one day you will leave your little town and have to sort of deal with people, and God isn’t going to help you one bit.
And speaking as one of those who married an Asian woman, and whose grandparents and parents did, I can only say that people get married for all kinds of reasons. None of it ever fits terribly neatly into the categories fashion magazines especially put people in.
The problem I have with the Marie Claire piece is that there are grains of truth in it — I mean, there is a strong pressure in my wife’s family to ‘marry in’ that comes in some subtle ways (I am not sure they are even aware of it all the time). There is a certain amount of fetishization among some men, and there are some interesting issues that come up with cross-cultural marriages.
But a lot of that gets lost. Too bad.
Posted 16 Aug 2009 at 10:19 am ¶
TeakLipstickFiend wrote:
While it’s certainly true that you’re supposed to wear fitting swimsuits in French pools (my brother-in-law – white – was not allowed in wearing board shorts) the explanation given in the article by the pool official is rather bizarre: “These clothes are used in public, so they can contain molecules, viruses, et cetera, which will go in the water and could be transmitted to other bathers.” Surely fitting swimsuits can be “used in public”? On the beach for example? And the suit in the picture looks pretty fitting to me. Frankly I’ve always thought this rule ridiculous and feel more comfortable in board shorts with a swimsuit top than a fitted swimsuit.
Posted 22 Aug 2009 at 6:03 am ¶