Walmart Worker Trampled

Walmart in Valley Stream


Read Yahoo Article

I hate Walmart. I also hate Black Friday. That's why Walmart would be the last place on earth you would have found me yesterday: even if I hadn't been hibernating at home working on my end-of-semester projects, I most certainly would not have been busting down the door at Walmart.

While shopping is a hobby or source of enjoyment for many women, I am not one of them. Part of the reason I don't enjoy shopping might be a focus on living simply that my family and Mennonite community passed on to me. Part of it might be personal preference - while I don't mind shopping in an uncrowded store, I detest shopping amidst throngs of rabid bargain-hunters who will literally steal something out of your cart if you turn your back.

Part of the American dream that I don't understand or endorse is this desire to accumulate as much STUFF as possible. I heard on the news recently that flat screen televisions are the number one item being stolen from people's homes - they recommended positioning your TV so it could not be seen through your front window. It seems like a lot of Americans measure how successful they are by how much cool "stuff" they has, but I prefer the motto "you can't take it with you." The people in this article became so obsessed by the STUFF they could buy on sale at Walmart that they literally took a human life in their charge through the entrance.

I would love it if everyone shopping at Walmart on Friday had to live in a mud hut in a Third World country for a week before Black Friday. Or at the least, work behind the counter at a retail store themselves (preferably at Walmart!) for a week. I have lived in a poor country (although admittedly not in a mud hut), and I have worked in retail over Christmas. So I know that a lot of times the person working behind the counter is seen as "lower" or "less capable" or "less intelligent" than the customer because I have been treated that way many times. Many customers take the motto "The customer is always right" to mean that "The customer has more rights and privileges as a human being than the sales person."

The problem with these Walmart customers is that they have lost perspective of what is truly important - and tragically, the loss of a human life did not even jar them out of their hedonistic dream. Ironically, the vast majority are buying Christmas gifts; because trampling down another human in a quest to buy a flat screen TV for your husband is what this season of peace and goodwill is all about.

Hostage Situation in Mumbai

Candlelight Vigil in Mumbai




I heard about this on the news driving home from school one night. Just another example of what extremists will do to further their cause of hatred and divisiveness. I hate that innocent people suffer and die because these militants think that they can further their cause by mass destruction. What is truly tragic is that now a two-year-old child will have to grow up an orphan because his parents (who were 28 and 29, a Jewish rabbi and his wife) were victims of these terrorists.

Another related story I heard on the news interviewed Vikram Chandra who wrote a novel and one of the storylines involved a terrorist attack in Mumbai. Interesting how in this case fiction and non-fiction reflect each other. The terrorists in the book were actually Hindu (unlike the terrorists in real life, who were Muslim), but I thought one thing that Chandra said was very interesting: that the extremists on either side of the fence need each other to survive, and in a way, they only exist to support the other.

Singing about Injustice

"God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
you are our center, daylight or darkness,
freedom or prison, you are our home.

God in our struggles, God in our hunger,
suffering with us, taking our part,
still you empower us, mothering Spirit,
feeding, sustaining, from your own heart.

Those without status, those who are nothing,
you have made royal, gifted with rights,
chosen as partners, midwives of justice,
birthing new systems, lighting new lights.

Not by your finger, not by your anger
will our world order change in a day,
but by your people, fearless and faithful,
small paper lanterns, lighting the way.

Hope we must carry, shining and certain
through all our turmoil, terror, and loss,
bonding us gladly one to the other,
till our world changes facing the cross."

This is a song we sang in my church on Thanksgiving day. We meet for a short time to sing, read scripture, and reflect on what we are thankful for. I have to say that faced with all the injustice in our society - and in every society - I do think that the true Christian way offers an alternative perspective that values and validates those whom society looks down upon.

I remember reading a book titled The Upside Down Kingdom for a college class I took years ago; the premise of the book is that Jesus turns the standards of our society upside down. According to the teachings of Jesus, the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Blessed are those who mourn, who hunger, who thirst, who are persecuted. The things that this world values least are ultimately of the most value.

This song speaks to God's actions in our world, and verse 2 and three (in italics) specifically speak about God changing the world order through his followers. I'm not saying you have to be a follower of Jesus to bring about social change - there are many who have made significant contributions to this world who aren't Christian (Ghandi, Greg Mortenson); I'm saying that the inverse SHOULD be true, that if you are a Christian you should be an advocate for social change. Unfortunately, it seems that this is not always - or even usually - the case. Most Christians in our society benefit from the current status quo and so they want to keep it that way to protect their own privileges.

Jeffrey Stephens Murder

Akron Protesters

Click to hear WKSU story and view larger pictures

Looks like this is a police murder based on CFAWB - Carrying a Fire Arm While Black. Apparently this is a slightly more serious crime than DWB - Driving While Black - which Danica got stopped for earlier this year. I know that the details aren't exactly clear in this case, and that the police have been acquitted, but I agree with Stephens' friends and family that justice has not been served.

For starters, to get to the root of the problem, why are African Americans living in poor neighborhoods that are fraught with violence? The fact that many minorities, specifically blacks and Hispanics, live in some of the poorest conditions is a pervasive injustice in our society, and something that should concern all of us - not just those living in poverty.

Secondly, what are the chances that the police would have shot the man who was defending his own home if he had been white? In other words, if this had been a white neighborhood and Jeffrey Stephens, Sr. had been white, would he be dead today? It seems less than likely to me - even if the neighborhood had been equally poor and violent.

This is because many Americans, and yes, many police officers, operate on the stereotype that a black man with a gun is a criminal - while a white man with a gun is defending his home. I think the protesters in this case aren't just protesting the shooting of an innocent man, Jeffrey Stephens, but also protesting the unjust stereotype in an unjust society that probably contributed to his death.

Pink Sari Renegades

Sampat Pal Devi, head of the Gulabi (pink) Gang

Click to read the BBC article

In a day and age where superheros are considered passe or nonexistent, the Gulabi Gang and leader Sampat Pal Devi show that not only DO superheros exist, but they still wear cool uniforms and fight injustice, Robinhood-style.

This gang of women has banded together in one of the poorest regions in India to stick up for those people who can't stick up for themselves - the untouchables, and specifically women from the lower casts. Women are typically married off at a very young age - Sampat Devi was married off at age 9 and bore her first child at age 13 - and domestic and sexual violence are common. The pink sari gang will often take justice into their own hands when the law doesn't do anything to protect the poor, or sometimes they just make sure the wrongdoer is humiliated for his actions.

Sampat Devi, like Greg Mortenson in Three Cups of Tea, is one person who has stood up to the injustices in society and is making a difference in her society, especially in the lives of women. Her gang is not afraid to stand up to police, and they have beaten police for holding an untouchable man without charges. While I don't agree with all of the Gulabi Gang's tactics (as a pacifist, I don't think I could ever be a part of a group that used violence as a form of retaliation), I admire the cause of fighting corruption and injustice, and I hope that Sampat Devi and the pink gang continue their fight.

More Racist Hate Crimes

Read LA Times article about white extremists

Well, I guess there is a flipside to America electing its first black president: not only does it ignite hope in people who believe in liberty and civil rights, it also ignites fear and hatred in people who believe in the power of white privilege. These people feel threatened by the idea of a black president so much that they will go any extremes to get their message out.

I feel so angry and personally affronted by these crimes that you would think I didn't have white skin myself. In fact, I really truly wish that I didn't when I see things like this. I despise my own race for committing these heinous acts. I know this probably is not a helpful response - responding to anger with more anger usually only makes the situation worse. But I truly don't know a way to productively respond to these messages of hate and intolerance.

They say that true love casts out all fear - so I suppose the best way to respond to hate crimes would be out of love. How do you respond to hate with love? This is something that many of my heroes have done: Jesus, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa. But I think that I would be more inclined to follow the lead of Sampat Pal Devi of the Pink Sari Gang and go out seeking vengeance, or at least humiliation, on these perpetrators.

Is one the better way? Obviously most of the superheroes in Hollywood don't set out to transform the bad guys through love and peaceful non-resistance; superheroes set out to punish and eliminate them for their evil deeds. Given the choice, I would say that Jesus is a better model for true reconciliation. But my human nature wants to put on a pink sari and beat down these idiots!

Hate Crime on Long Island

Coffin of Marcelo Lucero in Gualaceo, Equador

Click here to read the story

The other day I heard an NPR story about the money our government is spending to construct a border fence between Mexico and Arizona. Tell me, why are we spending all this money to keep illegal immigrants out instead of spending money to provide programs and education for the ones who are here?

I don't understand the idea of an "exclusive" America where some people belong and others don't. Apparently it is always the white people who belong. Well, in about 20 years whites will no longer have a majority, so will we still be the people trying to keep out people of color?

I thought America was supposed to be the land of the free where anyone could come to find life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm not sure exactly what America I'm thinking of, because the America in this article is one where people who were here "first" (as in, a couple hundred years earlier than current immigrants - but a few thousand years later than the first immigrants) feel justified in committing heinous crimes against those who are new to the country, whose skin is a different color, and who speak a different language.

The Hispanic immigrants who are here have no one to turn to for support but their own family members, and sometimes a church community. They see the police as the enemy since they enforce the immigration laws. The government provides no support to illegal immigrants (that I know of). How can you survive in such a hostile environment? Obviously, with hate crimes such as the killing in this article, survival is indeed a problem.

Times are changing, though, and since our economy has began shifting the immigration has gone down 42% Eventually America is going to realize that the cultural and linguistic diversity brought by these immigrants is a rich contribution to our nation's identity - but by then will it be too late????

Proposition 8

Proponents of Proposition 8 Celebrate
Click here to read LA Times article

"Research and polling showed that many voters were against gay marriage, but afraid that saying so would make them seem 'discriminatory' or 'not cool.'"

If Proposition 8 passed in California, what chance does the rest of the country ever have of establishing equal rights for gays and lesbians? California, which is probably considered the most progressive state in the U.S., passed a measure prohibiting gay marriage by 52% on November 4. While I am ecstatic about Obama's victory, I am also saddened and disappointed by this step back for the GLBTQ community. Although they are determined to fight it, the results of this election show that most people see this as a moral issue rather than a civil rights issue, and as a Christian, I could not disagree more. I do see marriage as a moral issue - committing to remain faithful to one person and doing so is a holy alliance. But I see the prohibition of marriage to certain people as a civil rights issue. Why prohibit someone from wanting to make a lifelong commitment that is respected by the rest of society?

I have not always been as progressive as I am now. I was raised in a conservative homophobic community, by conservative parents (one of whom is homophobic). In college, I would have been skeptical about accepting a gay or lesbian lifestyle, at least as a Christian lifestyle. This was also before I had any gay or lesbian friends. When I moved to Portland, I became friends with a number of people who were gay or lesbian, and I realized a few things: 1) most of them did not choose this lifestyle 2) most of them were not abused in their past and became homosexual as a result (a belief held by many people who see homosexuality as wrong) 3) most of them were just like me - in their 20s, looking for a good time, trying to make friends and find love. Or at least sex, if they couldn't find the other.

I think that heterosexism is still an acceptable form of discrimination in our society. I notice this in Ohio where we live - most of my friends who have grown up in this area, and especially those who still live here, tend to be against gay marriage. Or, as they would see it, for one man one woman. It's not an issue I discuss much - especially with people that go to our church. I would love to be part of a liberal congregation that is against Proposition 8, or at least divided on the issue. But if that issue ever came up for vote around here I know that 99% of the people I attend church with would be hard-core in favor of it.

I included the quote at the top because I think it's interesting that people in California are positioned in opposition to myself; I favor gay marriage, but I'm afraid to speak up because people might think I'm not a Christian, or "uncool." What is this cool factor? I guess all of us want to be accepted and loved - which brings me back to the original issue. Gays and lesbians just want to be accepted and loved in our society; no one is out to destroy marriage or corrupt young children. GLBTQ people just want the same rights as everyone else: the right to get married, to have a family, to be seen as normal, to be "cool."

Al Qaeda Response to Obama

Click to read CNN Article

Wow! Just reading some of the comments on this YouTube video is enough to get me riled up. Don't get me wrong - I am for equal treatment of people from all religious backgrounds. What I dislike are religious extremists, whether they are right-wing Christians or Islamic fundamentalists. In my opinion, both members of these groups share more in common with each other than they do with moderate members of their own groups (ironically, this similarity seems to result in them hating each other MORE!).

These kind of polarizing remarks are made not with the intent of unifying people despite different views but with the intent of creating more divisiveness and hate between different religious and national groups. Ayman al-Zawahiri probably spews these kinds of insults in order to make sure that HIS power as an Islamic fundamentalist isn't threatened by more moderate Muslims who might even see Barack Obama as an American leader who could reach out more to the Muslim community.

I also take major issue with his assertion that the "Muslims of Afghanistan" will defend themselves against the American soldiers. The Muslims of Afghanistan have no choice! They are forced to live under the corrupt and fundamentalist governing power of Al Qaeda, and most Afghanis are incredibly poor and uneducated because they have been deprived of any kind of government that looks out for the needs of the people other than using them as human artillery to fight the evil West. ARGHH!! And it is people like this second-in-command al-Zawahiri who are at least partially responsible for all the bloodshed, not only of Americans but Afghanis and Iraqis. He is NOT trying to be a voice of diplomacy; instead, he is perpetuating his own twisted religious and political agenda because he would rather see the downfall of Western civilization than he would see his own country become more developed by creating a good relationship with the U.S.

The End of Capitalism?

What is happening to the U.S. auto industry is truly sad and devastating for many U.S. workers. Although Detroit is not that far geographically from Northeast Ohio, I have felt rather isolated from the economic impact of many of these car manufacturers potentially going under - until listening to this Michael Moore interview. He has a way of bringing things home and making them "real" for the average American listener/viewer such as myself (which is probably why he is such a brilliant documentary maker).

Michael Moore makes a good point that the people who are suffering as a result of this economic crash are not the people at the top - not the CEOs who are making 15 million a year. Rather, the people who are suffering are those who worked for these companies for 30 years and are depending on their pension and healthcare plans from these companies in order to retire comfortably. He also makes an interesting argument that those at the top don't really believe in capitalism at all, but socialism - because they are taking handouts for themselves even while their companies are sinking further and further into debt.

I think this disparity between the average auto worker and the CEO of an auto manufacturer demonstrates some of the growing socioeconomic inequalities in our nation. While McCain defines the upper limits of middle income as 10 million, most people in our country scrape by on less than one percent of that - and in many other nations, the lives of Americans living at poverty level looks luxurious. I wish I had a solution to the auto industry crisis - I don't even understand enough about this issue to know what all is at stake. But I am sure of one thing - that if these companies do not survive our economic downturn, even my life in Northeastern Ohio will be effected.

Racist Aftermath

Barack Obama

Click to read about a store in Maine that places bets on Obama's assassination

Frankly, I wish I were more surprised about this than I am. One of my first thoughts when I heard Obama was elected, aside from the elation that we now have a president elect that I respect and admire and trust, was a concern that some crazy nut-job would want to assassinate him. I expressed this fear to my husband even as we were watching Obama give his acceptance speech.

Part of the reason I felt this fear (overlooking the obvious factor that I am a complete worry wart who will obsess about anything - just ask my husband) is the amount of hope and joy that the election of Barack Obama has brought to so many Americans, and specifically so many African Americans. Before the election we were all hush-hush about the issue of race because 1) liberals didn't want the Bradley effect hurting Obama's chances and 2) conservatives didn't want to appear prejudiced by playing the race card. But wow! After Obama won, in a surprisingly short amount of time, the fact that we have an African American president elect became huge overnight news - as well it should have.

Another reason I felt this fear is that Obama reminds me of so many great charismatic leaders in American history who, you guessed it, have been assassinated: JKF, MLK, and Lincoln to name a few. Obama also aligns himself with these kinds of leaders, quoting from MLK and Lincoln in his speeches. Granted, I love the fact that our country has a young, intelligent, liberal, revolutionary (somewhat) leader. But this also reminds me that for all the good he has to offer, there are people in this crazy world who would love to snuff out this hope for our country.

This shop keeper in Maine is just one example - I am sure there are many more. He's just one person who was stupid enough to put up a sign saying "Let's place bets on the assassination of Obama - and hope it happens." How many other freaky racist right-wing fundamentalist nuts are there out there who aren't going to say anything, but secretly plot something? The thought of this scares me. Not just for the loss of human life involved, but for the sake of our country, and all the hopes of countless people that would be crushed. I think loss of hope is one of the most dreadful things - and this is why Obama is so good for our nation; he brings us hope at a time when we need it the most!

Sexual Harrassment in Egypt

Click here to read 400 Teen Boys Arrested for Flirting

How would you like to be arrested for flirting? It seems like there is a hard-to-define line between sexual harassment and "boys being boys." In the case of this article, which takes place in largely Islamic Egypt, I see this as a huge victory for women who, for most of their lives, have to put up with this sort of treatment without any kind of recourse.

On the other hand, it seems that the police jumped from one extreme to the other - going from few sexual harassment convictions to 400 arrests is a pretty broad leap! I would be curious to see where all these charges came from so suddenly, but the article doesn't provide much background information, other than to say many men were arrested on a Muslim holiday.

As a woman, I feel privileged and grateful to live in a place like the U.S. where people are made aware of injustices like sexual harassment and women are given many opportunities to succeed - in education, professionally, and personally. I see a very stark difference between our society and an Islamic society which often tries to keep women in narrowly defined roles with limited opportunities to pursue things outside of these roles.

So, given my limited background knowledge on this article, I have to say that overall I want to say "Yea!" to all these men being held accountable for actions that they probably have been perpetrating for years and never been disciplined for. As a teacher, I see it as an important part of my role to establish clear boundaries and define the line between appropriate and inappropriate behavior for my students.

Internet Suicide

Yahoo Article on Teen that Commit Suicide Online

I can't believe that we live in a day and age when this kind of thing can happen. There are two things that I see as very wrong with this picture: 1) the fact that anyone would want to broadcast their own suicide to an audience, and probably more disturbing, 2) the fact that people would WATCH said suicide live and not report it or do anything to prevent it from happening.

Since Abraham Biggs was being treated for a bipolar disorder, the fact that he was a candidate for suicide is not what makes this such an interesting story. Rather, the fact that he chose to televise the suicide over the Internet is what makes the story noteworthy. In many ways this typifies the urge of teens in modern society (and not just teens, but people of many ages) to broadcast any and every iota of their lives online.

I just joined Facebook a few weeks ago, and so I can testify firsthand to how addicting it is and how much it can govern your lifestyle, instead of the other way around. In my opinion, creating relationships and forging bonds over the internet should be SECONDARY to forming friendships with real people - as apparent in this article, many of those online "friends" are not going to do anything to help you in real life.

That brings me to the most disturbing aspect of this article: how could you watch someone kill themselves by ODing on medication, and then write something like, "he he" or "LOL" when the police show up? Does our society not have good Samaritans any more? I know I am not a saint, and I know that I have turned a blind eye to suffering, but I hope that I would NEVER watch someone die - at their own hand or anyone else's - and not do something to stop it. Unfortunately, I think that this story is most disturbing because it illustrates some ugly aspects of human nature; our self-centeredness and our apathy to suffering, not to mention our modern addiction to entertainment in any form.

Three Cups of Tea

I just finished reading this book - what a powerful read! I don't want to give away too much here because I'll also be talking about it for my end-of-semester presentation, but I'll give a short summary and touch on some of the themes that relate to what we've talked about in class.

Greg Mortenson started out as an ordinary mountain climber - his mission in life was to summit K2. He failed in his attempt and instead ended up lost and struggling for survival in Korphe, a small village in Northern Pakistan. After the residents of this village helped to nurture him back to health, he vowed to build a school to repay them. The rest of the book is about his quest to fulfill this promise, and the doors that opened for him through his determination, perseverance, and vision.

As an avid reader and writer I have to make a disclaimer that the writing is not the best part of this book. I think Relin, the writer, gets bogged down in too many unimportant details that slow down the reader. But the story itself and the unflinching character of Greg Mortenson compel you to keep reading.

The themes in this book relate to much of what we have talked about in class. One of Greg's strongest beliefs is in the power of education to dismantle poverty and inequality in society. In conservative Islamic cultures such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, this belief is truly radical, especially as it relates to women. Greg also believes that providing education to girls is the key to helping these impoverished village communities develop; he focuses especially on infant mortality rates, which are shown to decrease if girls are educated.

After the rise of Al Quada and the 9/11 attacks, you think that Greg is going to get out of this region as soon as possible: instead, he does the opposite. He decides to expand his school-building to Afghanistan, and he becomes an advocate for rebuilding there at a grassroots level even as the military is pouring millions of dollars into the war.

Obviously, Greg Mortenson is an example of one of those rare role models we have talked about in class: he is someone who sets out to make a difference, and he does. He doesn't succeed through luck or easy breaks, but through hard work, tough times, and lots of determination. Reading his story gives me hope that I, too, can make a difference as an ordinary person if I follow my vision and don't give up.

Union workers campaigning for Obama

Listen to a podcast of This American Life story To listen to the segment on union workers campaigning for Obama, go about half-way through.

Yet another one of my blog entries that has originated from a story on NPR - can you tell that I listen to that station a lot while I'm driving? This story caught my attention because it touches on the subject of class as well as race. This American Life has followed union workers in PA who are actively campaigning for Obama and encounter the issue of race daily.

At one point in the story commentator Ira Glass states that if you equate white male union worker with McCain, you're wrong. A lot of these union workers have had to confront racism in themselves and their fellow workers in making a decision about who to vote for in this race. One worker shares a story of confronting a co-worker and friend who states outright that he won't vote for Obama because he'd never vote for a black man. I thought it was especially poignant how this man expressed disappointment in his coworker's views, and stated that he felt "betrayed" to know how this man truly felt.

Probably the most striking story for me was the man who said he did not consider himself racist, but when it came to voting he was leaning more towards McCain. Then he heard a union leader speak and encourage everyone to imagine that race was not part of the campaign - i.e. if both candidates were white, who would you vote for? Only then did he realize that his views aligned more with Obama's, and he became an adamant supporter of Obama.

This story is encouraging to me because it represents not only the ground war on the voting front, but also the ground war on the racism front. I think as someone who is middle-class and college-educated, I have the misperception that it is my responsibility to educate those who aren't as "enlightened" about issues such as racism. In reality, though, these fellow union workers are doing a much better job than any intellectual argument would, because they are meeting their coworkers at their level and speaking with the power of experience behind them.

How prejudiced are Americans against Muslims?

Colin Powell speaks in favor of Obama

It makes me proud to be an American when I read articles like this. Of course, I am biased in favor of Obama to begin with, so it makes me excited to think that someone with the credentials and the Republican party affiliation such as Powell feels led to endorse him. Some conservatives would argue that this is a matter of supporting him because he is of the same racial background, but Powell argues against that in this article.

There are many things that make me proud in reading this article: the first is that Powell is calling out the McCain campaign on using polarizing rhetoric in order to make Obama look like a risky candidate (and having Palin on board as VP isn't risky???) This idea was highlighted in my favorite column in the Kent Stater, written by a political science senior who often articulates his thoughts about political issues. A recent column described the inflammatory reaction against Obama in McCain rally's - an old man carrying a stuffed monkey labeled "Obama" and people calling Obama a "terrorist" and "unpatriotic." I agree that this rhetoric has gone too far, and although the negative campaigning is coming strong from both directions, you don't see people making these kind of sweeping generalizations about McCain (Palin, maybe...).

But the thing that made me BY FAR the most proud in this article is Powell's statement that Obama has "always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, what if he is [a Muslim]? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America. Is there something wrong with some 7-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president?" I wanted to stand up and cheer when I read that statement. Ever since reading "Three Cups of Tea," a non-fiction book set in Islamic Pakistan and Afghanistan, I have come to realize more and more how prejudice against Islamic people - and the Islamic religion - is becoming (or already is) acceptable and mainstreamed in American culture. Muslims are being ostracized in the way that the Japanese were in WW2. Have we learned nothing from our past?? Instead of addressing this prejudice, people like Obama and McCain avoid the issue for fear that they will be called "unpatriotic" themselves. But thankfully Powell shows us that SOMEONE is willing to take a stand and say what needs to be said. Now, if only people would be willing to listen....

10 Years since Matthew Shepard Hate Crime

Listen to the story on NPR

I heard this story on NPR as I was driving to school, and it seemed to serendipitously concide with the week that we are discussing issues surrounding gender and sexual orientation. As I was walking to/from the library to check out the video It's Elementary, I also noticed signs on the sidewalk saying "Remember Matthew Shepard!" and "It's ok to be gay." I'm not sure if this week was planned to coincide with the 10th year of Matthew Shepard's murder (probably not!) but it's quite timely that it did.

I remember hearing about this story when I was in college, although at the time it did not have a huge impact on me. I was still living in a sheltered environment and I didn't have any openly gay friends that I knew of. 10 years later, I hear about this story and I am apalled that crimes like this happen - but even more so, I am appalled that people - like the ones in this story - make up excuses to cover up the prejudices that are a the root at the crime. For example, people are quoted in this story as saying that it is a drug-related issue and not related to sexual orientation at all. It seems that this story is completely unfounded, but perpetuated to make the crime look more acceptable.

I find Shepard's mother Judy to be an inspiration and an example of how to be an advocate for gay and lesbian rights. Since losing Matthew, she says that she thinks he would be "proud" of her and "surprised" to see what she has accomplished in this new role. Too often it takes some tragic or hateful incident to prompt people to action! I also think that she can play a unique role as a heterosexual advocate of gay/lesbian rights; as was mentioned in "It's Elementary in Appalachia," having strong heterosexual role models who are willing to make sacrifices for gay rights is powerful and necessary to see some of these changes be made in our society.

SNL Vice President Debate

This clever SNL parody captures some of the highlights of the vice-presidential debate. Their discussion over granting rights to same-sex couples relates to some of the discussion we had in class on how to teach acceptance of different sexual orientations.

One thing I noticed during the actual vice presidential debate that of course the skit writers picked up on is that gay rights are not going to be strongly advocated by either party in this election (or in the near future). Basically, if you are gay or lesbian, the best you can hope for is a law that grants you as a couple the same rights as a married couple. But even the Democrats, who supposedly support these rights, will not come out and say "We support gay marriage."

I guess I don't understand people who see gay marriage as undermining the American family. Yes, it doesn't fit the picture-perfect view we have of the American family as a mom, a dad, a son, a daughter, a pet dog, and a white picket fence. But whose family does fit this stereotype? People get divorced at an alarming rate and I don't see candidates saying divorcees should not be allowed to get remarried because it threatens the American family. I'm not saying we should move backwards and refuse others the right to get married - I'm just saying that the argument that gay marriage undermines family values is ridiculous, and that a hundred other equally-founded arguments could be used to prevent other people from getting married. This argument is simply used to mask a prejudice that people are too close-minded to acknowledge.

This little skit also hones in on the "tolerance" word. Tina Fey, portraying Palin, says that she "tolerates gays" and even "knows a few of them - but not personally." The implication of the word "tolerates" is that she puts up with them despite her best judgment, like you would tolerate sitting next to a person with bad B.O. Although I am in favor of the idealogy of teaching tolerance, the more I hear that word, the less tolerant I am of it! I think "acceptance" or "respect" would be a much better word because it offers a more positive / proactive view than a negative / reactive view towards differences.

John Ridley on Weightism

Weightism Article

Katherine brought the subject up of weightism in our last class, and since she did I have had this "ism" pop into my everyday life. My husband manages a retail store that is connected to a larger business, and part of his responsibilities include hiring people to work in the store. Other people who are part of the business are in on the hiring process (i.e. the owner and head of HR), since it is a small business. Well recently Joe hired a heavier man, and the owner was in on the hiring process. Later, however, the owner heard someone comment on the man's weight and decided that since he was overweight he should not be working in retail - and he asked my husband to fire him! I was appalled and outraged that this happened, and I told my husband so. He finds it hard to stand up to the business owner (since obviously it can effect his job), and this kind of thing has happened before where he works.

If you read John Ridley's article, I think you will agree that weightism is one of the last acceptable prejudices in our society. America does have a problem with obesity, but like racism or any other "ism" it is more a result of systemic inequalities and problems with our society than it is the fault of any one individually. What makes me so angry is that people like John Ridley don't seem to understand this - they blame obesity solely on the person who is overweight without that society contributes to this problem. For example - the fact that the cheapest foods are the ones that are the most processed and contain the most saturated fat contributes to the combined problem of obesity being a problem with the poor.

I find major fault with his argument that any individual can control their weight - which he says makes it a different issue from race or gender (I guess he isn't taking into account the fact that people can now change their gender!). Who in a society as un-friendly towards the overweight as ours is would CHOOSE to be fat? Anyone who is even 5 pounds "overweight" is always talking about dieting and trying to lose weight. In women especially this can become an obsession. I think most people have as much control over their weight as they do their gender - our body shape comes mostly from our genetic code, not just our eating habits!

Our society has a problem with eating - people eat too much, or they eat the wrong thing, or they eat to little, or they make themselves throw up, or they become completely obsessed with eating the right thing to the point where they live their life around their eating habits. None of these lifestyles are healthy, and I think our society needs to work to find a way to encourage people to live healthy lifestyles and NOT to point fingers at people who have a different body shape than the one that is held up as the ideal by the media.

Obama Effigy at George Fox University

Read Article about Obama Effigy

The fact that someone would hang an effigy of Obama is shocking to me, not because of the action itself (I'm sure there are plenty of KKK members who would love to take credit for it), but because of the time and the place. Time: 21st century America. Place: small liberal arts college on the west coast.

George Fox University is a small liberal arts college with Quaker roots very close to Portland, Oregon. When I lived in Portland I attended a small Quaker church that was very white in its membership, but also had a very strong emphasis on social justice, peace, acceptance, and open-mindedness.

So for this reason I'm saddened and disappointed to see that there are people who will commit acts of hate even in the least expected places - the places that you would expect to be impervious to racial hatred. I guess this just shows that there is no place that is perfectly safe.

As someone who is white I have grown accustomed to the illusion of safeness that I have been raised with. From a young age I have been taught to think that I am protected, that the law and law enforcement is there to protect me, and that the world is safe. Obviously anyone from a minority background would see things quite differently, and with good reason: the law is often not their to support you, but to make you appear guilty for a crime you didn't commit. The world is not a safe place, but full of people who hate you for no reason but the color of your skin.

Presidential Debate at Ole Miss

Article about Klan involvement at University of Mississippi

This article interested me because it takes place on a university campus, and also because of its ties to the current presidential election. Frankly, I am surprised that race has not been more of an issue in this race. While I might not be in touch with the racial undercurrents, it seems that having the first black presidential candidate has been overshadowed by issues such as the economy and the failed bailout program and by having Sarah Palin on the Republican ticket. To me, it seemed like there was a much stronger sexist reaction to having a woman presidential candidate (at least Hillary Clinton) than a black candidate; although, I might just be more in tune to this because I am a woman.

Regardless, the prospects of having KKK show up at the debate to try to recruit members shows that they still have a presence in our society, and that racism is still present, even on university campuses. The university has come a long way since the civil unrest of the 60s, but there still appears to be some underground racial currents.

At first I thought the comment made by the editorial board to the KKK to "take our indifference as the ultimate symbol of your failure" showed that they do indeed no longer have a strong influence. But then I thought, shouldn't the response be outrage that such a group still exists, even if they pretend to "play nice"? I supposed indifference is better than actively supporting the group, but if I were black I think I would feel more than indifferent to the presence of the KKK - I would feel angry and afraid. This seems to be another case of the ignorance of white privilege speaking.

The story of Taylor was also enlightening in showing that racism still has very real effects on college campuses today. Obviously, in this situation, the white fraternity had more power than the black visitor. But I wonder if a white person visited a black fraternity party, what kind of reception would he/she get? In this case, the power might be reversed, since there is power in numbers. (This reminds me of Michael's suggestion that we all attend a black fraternity party!) Undoubtedly, racism is still a problem, and with only 14% African American students, there is still s strong majority of whites. I wonder how the situation at U of M compares to that at Kent State - would we have similar segregated parties and racial incidents that get swept under the carpet?

Charging Women for Rape Exam

Link to the Story

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Wasilla charged women for their own rape exams while Sarah Palin was the mayor - but really, come on people! Sarah Palin's taking the Republican VP platform should demonstrate that women can be strong leaders - yet she's not strong enough to stand up against a policy that discriminates against her own sex? Of course, there is no public record that shows she knew of such a policy, in which case I wonder how ill-informed she really IS.

This is an issue of money as much as it is about sexism - how is Palin going to spend tax-payers' money if she WOULD be in the position of president? This is just one small example, but it seems to me that Palin is not concerned on spending money that to help minorities, or to help with any social causes except those defined by her narrow religious perspective (which causes would be to prevent gays from getting married and to make sure no one has sex before they get married!)

In many ways I admire Palin, and to be honest, I would love to see a woman in the position of president. Just not her. I want a woman that will do something for other women besides charge them for their own rape exams. A woman who doesn't have to be part of the "good old boys" club in order to get on the platform. All the things that the media has honed in on - her hockey-mom status, her moosehunting hobby - are things that make her stand out because she is so rough and tough like one of the guys.

A college woman who I heard interviewed on NPR said it best: "I see it as a sign of progress that Sarah Palin is nominated to be VP. After all, there have been a lot of underqualified men out there who have had positions of power, so if we have a woman with her low qualifications, at least we're making progress!" (paraphrased) Although I don't agree with Sarah Palin's political views, I do admire her willingness to step up to the challenge. I hope that someday we will have a qualified woman candidate who holds more similar views to mine that I can stand behind.

Justice: American Style

Troy Davis Story

This is a story that jumped out at me as I was listening to NPR on the way home from school. Troy Davis is a black man accused of murdering a white police officer in 1989 - and tonight he is scheduled to be executed despite the recantation of several key witnesses and some evidence that the witnesses were pressured to testify against him in the original trial. The story points out some weaknesses of our justice system as well as being a powerful demonstration of how LITTLE power African American men have in our society.

On one hand, I am outraged that this kind of injustice happens in our society - "the land of the free." Yeah, if you're white, maybe. This story demonstrates more than any other I have encountered in recent memory exactly who holds the power (the white policemen) and who doesn't (the African American male). It doesn't seem to matter to the parole board (I wonder if they are white or people of color?) that 7 of the 9 witnesses have recanted their account of the crime, or that a few have pointed their fingers at another suspect. To me, this story seems like a modern-day lynching at the hands of our justice system. I want to hope that there is a better story, something the parole board knows that we don't, but I doubt it - this seems like a case of black and white injustice.

On the other hand, I am inspired by the actions that numerous people have taken to try to change the situation. Not only Davis' family - who you would expect to be rallying for his life - but also international groups and many leaders such as Pope Benedict XVI, former President Jimmy Carter, and former FBI Director William Sessions to name a few. I am inspired by these positive role models who are able to stand up and take action to say, "This should not be happening!" I'm also inspired to see whites and people of colored working together to try to prevent this injustice. And yet...it still seems to be happening.

Finally - to reflect on the media's role in this system, I want to examine how readily available this story is to the public. I heard it on NPR's morning edition, and was blown away by the story. I thought, "Wow, this story must be all over the news!" (By now you may have guessed that I'm not that up on the news) So I went to CNN online to see if I could find the story. I typed in "Troy Davis" and what did I find? Nothing. Or a least nothing that related to this story - a lot of other Davises seem to be more important in the news. Apparently a lot of things are more important than a black man being executed - such as the presidential election, the economy, and lest we forget the plight of polar bears starving.

But wait! I just did a new search on CNN and what did I see? A story about Troy Davis (put up 58 minutes ago).

Read CNN's Version of the Story

As you can see, this story - titled the very UNbiased, "High court to rule if convicted cop killer Troy Davis dies" - takes quite a different slant than the NPR story. It focuses on the victim's family and the loss they feel - and how they are certain they are executing the right man. Just HOW they are so certain is not exactly clear. I am against the death penalty to begin with, so I have my own biases in this case, but I still don't see how anyone - even the victim's family - could be convinced that this is a case of justice being served.

Racist Commercials

I don't understand how anyone - ANYONE - could have thought these commercials were a good idea (with the possible exception of the Comedy Channel who later used them for fodder). In the Gary's Mattress commercial at top, he manages to make racist statements against not one, not two - but FOUR different American ethnic groups. Wow! I'm impressed that this is even possible in a 53 second sound bite.

He starts by stereotyping Japanese and Chinese by saying "We are karate-chopping prices just for you" while wearing an funny hat. Then he plays on a Jewish stereotype and says, "Even we would buy it." For the Arabic community he puts on a long mustache and says "At Gary's Mattress, we're blowing up prices." Finally he dresses up as an American Indian, with a tomahawk and says "We're scalping prices." Like I said, I don't even understand how anyone could consider this a good commercial. He's essentially insulting a good portion of his potential clientele - unless he's hoping the commercial will draw in whites, or other groups he doesn't stereotype. This commercial is just a train wreck on so many levels.

The commercial for a Dodge dealer, pins the evil import man (Chinese or Japanese?) against the American superhero who is fighting for domestic products. While I have no problem with buying American, I do have a problem when people make a blanket statement about imports being "evil." First of all, our economy could no longer survive without imports - as much as some people might hate to accept this, it's true. Secondly, there is nothing wrong with supporting the economy in China or Japan or anywhere else - we do it inadvertently whether we want to or not. The only exception I can think of are the Amish who don't use cars, make their clothes, grow most of their food, and buy the rest from local grocers. But even most Amish probably have purchased an imported product at some time or other.

My point is that we should want to support the global economy and strive to work on building symbiotic relationships with other countries - not taking a negative view of them or making THEM out to be the parasites. Right now, with our present economy in a downward tailspin, most Chinese probably see US as the evil importers who are hurting THEIR economy!

Wildest TV Commercials

Last night the hubbie and I watched part of a show on the E channel that showed some of TV's "wildest" commercials complete with commentary by three comedians. Some of the commercials were completely ridiculous - i.e. a local furniture store advertising furniture by the store owner zapping "aliens" (people dressed up in cheap outfits) off of the sofas. As I watched the advertisements, I became more and more reminded that "sex sells" in our culture.

One ad stuck out in particular, an ad for Carl's Jr. Burgers that consists of a woman riding on an electric bull while eating a burger.



I find it interesting that this ad is geared towards a specific demographic - most likely, men, and possibly women, living in the western part of the U.S. I am not sure what message the marketers are trying to convey by this ad: that it is sexy and attractive to eat a burger while riding an electric bull? That men want beef and sexy women? That if you want to attract a man you should be bold and brazen? That a cheap burger tastes better on an electric bull? Frankly I find it more confusing than I do offensive.

I think the ad is meant to entertain and captivate men especially by combining the trifecta of sexy woman, bull-riding, and beef. I don't know that this ad operates on a fear of the other so much as it does put women in a position of toy/sex object to attract men. At least this woman seems to be enjoying the ride.

Some of the other commercials in the show were more disturbing - for instance, an advertisement for a strip club in Ohio, Dayton Gold. It showed a woman trying to find work at some other "sleezy" strip club, and then it showed all the happy women who were working at Dayton Gold where they were treated right. Please! Like any woman wants to work at a strip club because they are treated right. I will respect the women who choose to work there, but I think strip clubs prey on women and certainly put men in a position of power over women.

What I want to know is why sex sells for men, but not for women? Why are there no pictures of shirtless men riding electric bulls eating burgers? Or ads for chip n dale strip clubs? Obviously because men are - or traditionally have been - the ones in power in our society and it's okay for women to be seen as sex objects. But to do it the other way around is either impossible or a joke.

Homosexuality is an Abomination

The following letter is something I stumbled upon on the internet; at the bottom is a short video clip from the television show West Wing that probably preceded the actual letter. In any case, they both demonstrate a reaction to Dr. Laura's condemnation of homosexuals as an "abomination" of God's standard of living as set forth in the old testament book of Leviticus.

Click to view reaction letter to Dr. Laura

Now I think that everyone is entitled to their own religious or cultural perspective; however, when that perspective endangers or discriminates against someone or a group of people, I have a problem with it. Our culture (and most cultures - frankly, the U.S. is one of the more tolerant cultures as far as the issue of homosexuality is concerned) has always discriminated against and refused to give civil rights to gay men and women. This appears to be changing, as California at least is recognizing gay marriage.

For the Christian church and other religious groups this is an especially hot topic - since obviously passages of scripture speak out strongly against it. I think that most Christians zone in on those particular passages of scripture to justify their fear of the "other" rather than because they wholeheartedly follow everything the scripture says. As the letter and video point out, it is absurd, and even impossible in our contemporary culture to follow the exact letter of the biblical law. Hasidic Jews are the only ones who still try to follow the old testament literally, although with some obvious exceptions (I don't know of any stonings!).

I think one reason our culture and religious groups especially fear the "other" of homosexuality so much is because people see it as a threat to the traditional family system - a mom, a dad, 2 or 3 children, some pets, and a picket fence. Suddenly when 2 women get together, it is not like the family that we are used to and expect to see. On a darwinian scale, it also poses a problem for reproduction - not that humans are in any way under-populated!

I know that I was brought up to believe that 1) gays were an anomaly in our culture (and they CERTAINLY didn't exist in my Mennonite subculture - gasp!) 2) gays should not be allowed to be part of the church, UNLESS they agreed to live a celibate lifestyle - because that is SO healthy. Since I moved away and lived in urban regions where I had some gay and bi-sexual friends I realized that 1) gays are PART of our culture and 2) gays should have the same rights as everyone else. They should be able to go to church, get married, have the same freedoms as I have.

Harry Potter and the One Black Character

George Harris as Kingsely Shacklebolt

Harry Potter has become a national phenomenon in the past ten years, one that I have only started to participate in the past year or so since I read the book series. The premise of Harry Potter is a make-believe world made up of people with magical powers - witches and wizards - who exist along with muggles, or ordinary people. The series follows the coming of age of its protagonist, Harry, over a period of seven years during his training at Hogwarts school of wizardry and witchcraft. It is classified as young-adult fantasy fiction, and as such offers an escape into the imagination for the readers and viewers of this alternative reality.

I did not think of Harry Potter (HP) in terms of multiculturalism until I began watching the most recent movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" a few days ago. When I began watching the movie I was surprised to find that there was one black character. Note that I was not surprised to find ONLY one black character, but rather I was surprised to find ANY black character. This is a new character that Rowling introduces into the 5th novel who goes by the name of Kingsley Shacklebolt. In the book she does not indicate that he is black, so I assume this is a liberty taken by Hollywood.

When I analyzed my reaction to the black character in Harry Potter, I had to ask myself some uncomfortable questions. 1) Why was I surprised to see a black character? 2) Why does seeing a black character not fit with my view of HP's reality? 3) How would a black person see the situation differently? This jarring experience brought to mind Peggy McIntosh's article on white privilege and her list of some of its daily effects. I think I can add a few more: 1) I can expect to identify with the hero or heroine of most Hollywood movies as sharing my white privilege 2) I can expect even a "fantasy" world to follow the rules of white privilege.

I don't purport that HP is essentially racist, but I do think it is an interesting slice of pop culture that shows how marginalized blacks still are in our society, and also the luxury whites have of ignoring it. Note: in the movie, Kingsley is on the good side - that is, he is part of the Order of the Phoenix that is fighting for the powers of good. So I think having a black character in the movie is a good thing, but I'm surprised that I sat up and took notice as much as I did. I guess since I have been programmed by my culture - as well as the four previous HP movies, of which all the main characters were white with the exception of one Asian - I should not be surprised at my own surprise!