Pretty upset about the recent repeal of gay marriage in Maine today, so I made this to illustrate a point. Original photo: The Lynching of Will Brown, other than the detailing, I did not modify the happy expressions on the lynchers faces as they posed for a photo.

Photo Credit: Matt Braunger

It’s Newsweek so no hard science here, but someone found out that children actually perceive society’s racial differences on their own, from media and mostly from their parents attitude. Nothing new here, but here’s an interesting note on white liberalism “don’t ask, don’t tell” de facto policy:

The last third were also given the checklist of topics, but no videos. These parents were to discuss racial equality on their own, every night for five nights.

At this point, something interesting happened. Five families in the last group abruptly quit the study. Two directly told Vittrup, “We don’t want to have these conversations with our child. We don’t want to point out skin color.”

Vittrup was taken aback—these families volunteered knowing full well it was a study of children’s racial attitudes. Yet once they were aware that the study required talking openly about race, they started dropping out.

Read the article here.

Legislation that will end ethnic studies programs in Arizona high schools looks set to be signed into law by the state’s governor. Promoted by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, the law will deprive public schools that do not eliminate ethnic studies courses of 10% of their state funding.

— Savage Minds

(via)

Recent years have seen a depressing pattern in which notable “ethnic” political figures— from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on down—end up having to extricate themselves from the tangles of racial politics, defending themselves from charges of “reverse racism,” “identity politics,” or the like. This may have much to do with the fact that, unlike their “nonethnic” counterparts, such “minority role models” are regularly asked to put on the public record—at lunches, award ceremonies, community events—lengthy statements of their views on America’s most explosive topic: race.

— Slate: An Invitation You Can’t Refuse

Monica Youn is of course talking about the charges of “reverse racism” lobbed at Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayer, and that often, people of color are asked to talk about race and represent “their” race especially when achieving high office or appointments.

The charges of racism, because Sotomayer suggested that because she is a woman and a Latina, that she might have a better perspective than a white male judge, only really works if talking about race and racism was equal in this country. The sad truth of it is: it is not.

Whites do not have to talk about race. Whites do not have to defend themselves daily and especially when achieving high positions. Youn makes this point at the end of her article:

Frank talk about racial identity is neither racism nor its reverse and should be invited from “ethnic” and “nonethnic” figures alike. It’s hardly fair for minority candidates to be attacked for accepting invitations to talk about race when members of the silent majority are allowed to remain silent.

And that’s just it. While various ethnic groups strive to find individuality, acceptance and recognition of unique circumstances, mainstream America really only sees two “races”: white and not-white. Yet, whites often assume that since liberal teachings tell us that we are all equal, then the balance of these two races is just as equal. It is this myopic view where conservative pendants lash out when a person of color talks about race. They do not see, or they refuse to acknowledge the very real history and present reality of race in America.

Or maybe, just maybe, they are all too aware that with a black president, a powerful symbol of racial change, whites really will be seen as just another ethnic group.

Op-Ed Columnist – ‘What Color Is That Baby?’ – NYTimes.com

Mr. Obama scored upsets in several Southern states. Those victories were attributed to the growing number of migrants from other parts of the country, younger voters and a surge in turnout among blacks.

In other words: populations change, deal with it.

Read the whole thing.

Jae Requiro remembers her friend’s story vividly: Following a meeting in which her friend was the only Asian-American woman, a male colleague said to her, “You’re not at all like my Asian wife … you speak up.”

— Diversity Inc.

Glenda posted this on her blog and to me, this is a good primer for those of you who think there is such a thing as positive stereotypes. Some of my favorites from this article:

• “You’re not a minority because all Asians are rich and successful.”
• “Where are you from? No, where are you really from?” or “When are you going to go home?” or “How often do you go home?”
• “You aren’t like them” or “You don’t act very Asian.”

Read the whole thing.

via Video Bathroom

“With him as president, people seem to be working together toward the same goals and that has helped race relations,” she said. “Before there was more of a separation, blacks working for black goals and whites for white goals. Obama has helped change the perception of blacks in a positive way, but it’s also the times. ‘’

via Poll Suggests Obama’s Term Is Altering Views on Race – NYTimes.com.

My frend sent me this article via email:

Lawmaker defends comment on Asians
Call for voters to simplify their names not racially motivated, Terrell Republican says
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN — A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.”

The comments caused the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday to demand an apology from state Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell. But a spokesman for Brown said her comments were only an attempt to overcome problems with identifying Asian names for voting purposes.

The exchange occurred late Tuesday as the House Elections Committee heard testimony from Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans.

Ko told the committee that people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent often have problems voting and other forms of identification because they may have a legal transliterated name and then a common English name that is used on their driver’s license on school registrations.

Easier for voting?

Brown suggested that Asian-Americans should find a way to make their names more accessible.

“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.

Brown later told Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”

Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie said Republicans are trying to suppress votes with a partisan identification bill and said Brown “is adding insult to injury with her disrespectful comments.”

Brown spokesman Jordan Berry said Brown was not making a racially motivated comment but was trying to resolve an identification problem.

Berry said Democrats are trying to blow Brown’s comments out of proportion because polls show most voters support requiring identification for voting. Berry said the Democrats are using racial rhetoric to inflame partisan feelings against the bill.

“They want this to just be about race,” Berry said.

My favorite come back by racist people is how they blame their accusers of making everything about race. Guess what, it is about race! Not only is the ignorance and arrogance amazingly prevalent in these events, but also doesn’t this smack familiar to anyone else? I mean why stop wth those “difficult” Chinese names? Those Polish ones can be a mouthful and you know, Irish names with the O and the apostrophe? Those break web forms often times and forget about URLs… Why can’t they just make it easier, huh?

What? You mean your last name as special meaning to you? Represents your heritage, right? Hmm…