UPDATED: 22+ Links to Help You Learn About and Act for Racial Justice

UPDATED: 22+ Links to Help You Learn About and Act for Racial Justice

Friday, May 29, 2020

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Let's get a few things straight, right up front: The first is that you can find much better & much more comprehensive lists of "how to act for racial justice" & "resources for antiracism" elsewhere (& I have linked to some of them below). This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, nor an overall how-to in antiracism/racial justice work.

Because, to be clear, I am not an expert in anti-racism/racial justice work. I am not trained in racial diversity, equity, & inclusion (REDI) principles. I aspire to be both an ally & an activist, but neither of those labels are the sort you can give to yourself; you have to work for them, continually & indefinitely. 

I am nobody. I am a white person who is trying. But I am also a white person with a medium-sized audience that includes many other white people, & I feel that with that comes a responsibility to help others to join me in learning, acting, & continuing to educate both ourselves & others around us.

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Accidental Counterprotest?

Accidental Counterprotest?

Friday, May 20, 2011

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I have a few questions about the photo below. Questions like, "Why is the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Portsmouth, New Hampshire?" and "Why is it sitting in a hotel parking lot?" and, of course, "Why are abortion protesters picketing the local diner?" (Some of their signs had the restaurant's name written on them, but not in conjunction with any message directed at it.)

But mostly, I want to know this: Am I the only one who finds it pretty darn funny that abortion protesters chose to picket right next to a giant wiener...?

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Freaky Friday: The Flasher & the Fighter

Freaky Friday: The Flasher & the Fighter

Friday, January 2, 2009

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Tonight I experienced a double-whammy of city livin'. While trying to convince a cranky security guard to let me into a locked building to deposit my (late) rent check, a man with very, very few teeth sidled up & yelled, "Me, too! I got rent!" The security guard ignored him, focusing on me & my fast-emerging teardrops, until he turned back to the man in shock & yelled, "Sir! ZIP UP YOUR FLY!" Against my better judgment, I did the unthinkable - I looked down. The man quickly followed the security guard's instructions & hurried away, but you get the picture -- I know I haven't been getting any action lately, but that was certainly not a welcome view.

Don't worry. The security guard dropped off my rent for me.

And after that, I headed into the Van Ness Metro station to make my way home for a fun-filled night of movie-watching. As I attempted to hustle past a group of people -- excuse me: of ESCALEFTERS -- to hurry into the station, one of the girls blocking my way passively refused to move, saying brusquely, "Read our sign!" Hers read "STOP THE MASSACRE OF PALESTINIANS." I gave the sign a sideways glance, knowing full well that she was one of the "peace" protesters who'd just come from the hundreds-deep rally outside the Israeli Embassy. And as I tried to scoot past them & their signs in silence, she yelled something to the effect of, "Doesn't that mean anything to you? Are you just like every other American?" I slid past without saying a word.

Needless to say, by night's end I felt pretty violated on more than one level.

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