Uganda has received a lot of attention from the international community surrounding two very controversial topics: female circumcision and homosexuality. I hate to clump such important issues under one post, but I just wanted to post these two links and ignite some discussion.
Uganda Bans Female Circumcision (Source: CNN News)
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/12/12/uganda.genital.mutilation/
Uganda Bill Proposes Death Penalty for Gay Sex (Source: NPR)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121216492
Without question, most of the international community agrees with the passing of Anti-circumcision legislation. However, we must question the timing of this bill's passage. This topic has been debated for quite some time in Parliament- and its been stagnant for years. After working in Parliament this past summer, I am very shocked (happy, but shocked) because mot female MPs thought this battle would be fought longer. Without question, it is a tremendous victory--- but will it overshadow this issue of homosexuality in Uganda? Regardless of this recent "victory," we must continue to make noise and bring awareness about the anti-homosexuality bill that is up for debate. We must ask if this bill will be funded and executed properly. It is one thing to pass a bill, but its another thing to actually fund it. The Womens' Representatives rightfully capitalized off of this sensitive time in Uganda politics by pushing for women's rights. But will this measure be enforced? Is it going to be used to overshadow and ease anti-homosexuality legislation into passage?
Hmmm...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Hispanic Firerfighter in New Haven Suit
Check out the following article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/nyregion/03firefighter.html?_r=1&hp
It is fascinating how complex race and affirmative action can be. Mr. Vargas, the lone man of color involved in the lawsuit, should be applauded for his conviction, regardless of the fact that many of us would deem his position naive and misguided. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that our court systems are regressing by ignoring the fact that inherent institutional racism and racial disparities still exist.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/nyregion/03firefighter.html?_r=1&hp
It is fascinating how complex race and affirmative action can be. Mr. Vargas, the lone man of color involved in the lawsuit, should be applauded for his conviction, regardless of the fact that many of us would deem his position naive and misguided. Nonetheless, it is unfortunate that our court systems are regressing by ignoring the fact that inherent institutional racism and racial disparities still exist.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Troy Davis! Sign the Petition!
I am sure you have heard about Troy Davis, the innocent black man who is on death row for a crime that he did not commit.
Please sign the petition:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/2446/t/4676/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=369
You can get involved in many ways. The NAACP and Amnesty International are doing a lot of great work on this issue. Get in touch with your local NAACP or Amnesty International Chapter and see how you can help. There have been rallies, marches, and campaigns organized all around the country about this. Don't sit back and allow such an injustice to happen!
I am sure that there are some skeptics who would say that this is an isolated event, but it is not! Such injustices occur everyday within our judicial system. This case represents so much of what it wrong with the system as is. By standing up and making your voice heard, you are enabling change to occur.
You can also see what others are doing to raise awareness here at:
www.troyanthonydavis.org
Please sign the petition:
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/2446/t/4676/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=369
You can get involved in many ways. The NAACP and Amnesty International are doing a lot of great work on this issue. Get in touch with your local NAACP or Amnesty International Chapter and see how you can help. There have been rallies, marches, and campaigns organized all around the country about this. Don't sit back and allow such an injustice to happen!
I am sure that there are some skeptics who would say that this is an isolated event, but it is not! Such injustices occur everyday within our judicial system. This case represents so much of what it wrong with the system as is. By standing up and making your voice heard, you are enabling change to occur.
You can also see what others are doing to raise awareness here at:
www.troyanthonydavis.org
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Diners Club and Mail Order Brides
Diners Club Offers Payment Plan for Vietnamese Brides (http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/diners_club_offers_payment_plan_for_vietnamese_brides)
Diners Club Ends Relationship with Mail Order Brides Service (http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/diners_club_ends_relationship_with_mail_order_brides_service)
I saw this original link on Racialicious and it was updated with the second one. Basically a Diners Club affiliate partnered with Vietnamese Brides International to provide a payment plan option to purchase a mail-order bride with your credit card. It cost $167 monthly (interest-free ?!?) and you don't even need to make your first payment before you receive your new wife! And if you fail to pay for your wife, you didn't need to return her! There are other ways for the creditors to recoup their losses. (WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!?)
This sickened me. I'm glad the concerned people of change.org were able to alert Diners Club so that they terminated the relationship, but it's a scary world when you can purchase a human on credit.
Diners Club Ends Relationship with Mail Order Brides Service (http://humantrafficking.change.org/blog/view/diners_club_ends_relationship_with_mail_order_brides_service)
I saw this original link on Racialicious and it was updated with the second one. Basically a Diners Club affiliate partnered with Vietnamese Brides International to provide a payment plan option to purchase a mail-order bride with your credit card. It cost $167 monthly (interest-free ?!?) and you don't even need to make your first payment before you receive your new wife! And if you fail to pay for your wife, you didn't need to return her! There are other ways for the creditors to recoup their losses. (WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!?)
This sickened me. I'm glad the concerned people of change.org were able to alert Diners Club so that they terminated the relationship, but it's a scary world when you can purchase a human on credit.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Happy Birthday Malcolm
He would've been 84. I wonder what he would be saying if he were around today. Any thoughts?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Obama at the White House Correspondents Dinner
Not only does Obama have "swag", but he's got jokes to. Check out this footage from the White House Correspondents Dinner:
Cleary, Obama's "got it." He definitely gave the dinner some "fla-va." Enjoy.
Cleary, Obama's "got it." He definitely gave the dinner some "fla-va." Enjoy.
Justice Appalachia Style
Mix the following ingredients:
"Former high school football stars"
"All-white jury"
"Small town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania"
"The beating death of a Mexican immigrant"
Injustice.
It's hard sometimes to make sense of something like this. But lets go for the obvious--what does this story tell us?
To humans, to society the value of human life is variable. In Shenandoah, the death of a Mexican is worth less than the death of a white citizen. Simple assault charges were given for a gang beating that, according to the medical examiner, resulted in the "brain oozing from his skull." And even if Ramirez wasn't blameless, he was fatally kicked in the head after being knocked unconscious. I can hear the underlying the sentiment of the jury. It just doesn't make sense to punish these fine young men just because a Mexican died. Why inconvenience them? The DA probably thought the same thing.
Boys will be boys.
Now there is a statement that I've heard before. It's used to explain away a lot of mischief that boys find themselves into. But why have I felt that it hasn't and doesn't apply to me? As a black man (and very recently a black boy) I was never the recipient of this sort of grace. Not in the classroom and certainly not in a street fight.
Imagine for a moment if I, along with a few of my football playing black friends, beat up and killed a white man, I don't think things would've been explained away this easily. The resulting narrative would've certainly played out differently. Perhaps we were in some sort of defacto gang. Sure we were talented football players but we were always the selfish and egotistical, not the hardworking "lunch-pail" types that Piekarsky and Donchak were.
Subconcious racially tinged narratives are all around us. They bleed into many parts of our lives, regardless of race and affect both how our actions are perceived and how we are treated. For some it helps us and for others it constrains us. For Donchak and Piekarsky, I have a hunch that this dynamic played a role in jury deliberations. It probably helped them and I am certain that it didn't hurt them as it would've for me in the other scenario.
Regardless of the details of the story, the life of Luis Ramirez was brutally taken, and his family has not found justice. That is the profound tragedy in this story. Sadly, the justice system often fails to live up to its name and even in the age of Obama, we find no dearth of examples. Even sadder; we aren't surprised by stories like that of Ramirez.
"Former high school football stars"
"All-white jury"
"Small town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania"
"The beating death of a Mexican immigrant"
Injustice.
It's hard sometimes to make sense of something like this. But lets go for the obvious--what does this story tell us?
To humans, to society the value of human life is variable. In Shenandoah, the death of a Mexican is worth less than the death of a white citizen. Simple assault charges were given for a gang beating that, according to the medical examiner, resulted in the "brain oozing from his skull." And even if Ramirez wasn't blameless, he was fatally kicked in the head after being knocked unconscious. I can hear the underlying the sentiment of the jury. It just doesn't make sense to punish these fine young men just because a Mexican died. Why inconvenience them? The DA probably thought the same thing.
Boys will be boys.
Now there is a statement that I've heard before. It's used to explain away a lot of mischief that boys find themselves into. But why have I felt that it hasn't and doesn't apply to me? As a black man (and very recently a black boy) I was never the recipient of this sort of grace. Not in the classroom and certainly not in a street fight.
Imagine for a moment if I, along with a few of my football playing black friends, beat up and killed a white man, I don't think things would've been explained away this easily. The resulting narrative would've certainly played out differently. Perhaps we were in some sort of defacto gang. Sure we were talented football players but we were always the selfish and egotistical, not the hardworking "lunch-pail" types that Piekarsky and Donchak were.
Subconcious racially tinged narratives are all around us. They bleed into many parts of our lives, regardless of race and affect both how our actions are perceived and how we are treated. For some it helps us and for others it constrains us. For Donchak and Piekarsky, I have a hunch that this dynamic played a role in jury deliberations. It probably helped them and I am certain that it didn't hurt them as it would've for me in the other scenario.
Regardless of the details of the story, the life of Luis Ramirez was brutally taken, and his family has not found justice. That is the profound tragedy in this story. Sadly, the justice system often fails to live up to its name and even in the age of Obama, we find no dearth of examples. Even sadder; we aren't surprised by stories like that of Ramirez.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
East High School, Home of the Orientals
http://www.racialicious.com/2009/05/01/east-high-school-home-of-the-orientals/
Obama's Swagga
Thumbs up to CNN for spending time enlightening it's viewers on a very important quality of President Obama, "swagga". The anchor, Kyra Phillips is absolutely giddy about her discovery that Obama has "swagga" and none of the other Presidents before him did. The white camera man also does not have "swagga". Shaft does though.
My fav line: Swagga, it's like swagger with a little more flava.
T.J. Holmes "swagga guru" (who knew?) broke it down: Obama goes to b-ball games and nice dinners, only black men have "swagga" and other black men "will look at" Obama's "swagga" and call him a "brotha". Hugging is a part of Black culture, everyone does it. That's why Obama is comfortable hugging people and that's why people love him. This "swagga" assessment takes place on Obama's 100th day in office; completely absent from this segment is any discussion of policy. The focus is on our President's "swag". Awesome.
The clips speak for themselves.
short and sweet:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/the-most-embarrassing-cnn_n_193095.html
a bit longer:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/swagga_like_tj_holmes_115299.asp?c=rss
My fav line: Swagga, it's like swagger with a little more flava.
T.J. Holmes "swagga guru" (who knew?) broke it down: Obama goes to b-ball games and nice dinners, only black men have "swagga" and other black men "will look at" Obama's "swagga" and call him a "brotha". Hugging is a part of Black culture, everyone does it. That's why Obama is comfortable hugging people and that's why people love him. This "swagga" assessment takes place on Obama's 100th day in office; completely absent from this segment is any discussion of policy. The focus is on our President's "swag". Awesome.
The clips speak for themselves.
short and sweet:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/29/the-most-embarrassing-cnn_n_193095.html
a bit longer:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/cnn/swagga_like_tj_holmes_115299.asp?c=rss
Friday, May 1, 2009
Gay Taunts Causes 11 Year Old to Commit Suicide
MUST READ:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=7328091&page=1
The homophobia and ignorance that plagues our society should not affect our children like this. As a society, we need to fight against the restrictions of gender roles, especially when dealing with its intersection with race. Because the young, black boy smiled, he was gay?! Worst of all, he felt he had to take his life because of this. None of these children are to blame. We, as a society, share responsibility for Joseph Walker Hoover's death. We perpetuate hate and intolerance in music, television, churches, and everyday conversation. We allow our children, sliblings, and ourselves to use such hateful speech.
Joseph Walker Hoover, our prayers go out to you and your family.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=7328091&page=1
The homophobia and ignorance that plagues our society should not affect our children like this. As a society, we need to fight against the restrictions of gender roles, especially when dealing with its intersection with race. Because the young, black boy smiled, he was gay?! Worst of all, he felt he had to take his life because of this. None of these children are to blame. We, as a society, share responsibility for Joseph Walker Hoover's death. We perpetuate hate and intolerance in music, television, churches, and everyday conversation. We allow our children, sliblings, and ourselves to use such hateful speech.
Joseph Walker Hoover, our prayers go out to you and your family.
A Woman of Color on the Supreme Court?!
It's a possibility. David Souter, the Bush appointed "Conservative turned Liberal" is said to be leaving the court in June.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/01/toobin.souter/
I was estatic, to say the least, when I cam across this article. In this day and age we should not limit ourselves to race and gender when evaluating people for this position. Nonetheless, there is currently only one woman on the Supreme Court and there is very little color on the supreme court. The disconnect between the court's ethnic and gender make up to that of America seems to have disabled their ability to comprehend minority and women's rights.
Hopefully the Obama administration will keep this in mind.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/01/toobin.souter/
I was estatic, to say the least, when I cam across this article. In this day and age we should not limit ourselves to race and gender when evaluating people for this position. Nonetheless, there is currently only one woman on the Supreme Court and there is very little color on the supreme court. The disconnect between the court's ethnic and gender make up to that of America seems to have disabled their ability to comprehend minority and women's rights.
Hopefully the Obama administration will keep this in mind.
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