wmtc "what i’m reading" posts to celebrate black august 2020
I thought Black August was something newly created by Black Lives Matter, but it turns out it has existed since the 1970s. I’m sorry I haven’t heard about it sooner,…
bigotry
what i’m reading: how to be an antiracist by ibram x. kendi
How To Be An Antiracist is an important, powerful, thought-provoking book. With unflinching precision, Ibram X. Kendi defines the roots of racism and explains how we can work to eliminate…
11 (more) things on my mind about the protests in the u.s.
In April, I wrote a post called “11 things on my mind about the anti-police-violence and anti-racism protests“. For reasons unknown to me, it’s one of the most widely-read posts…
rotd: "systemic racism" is redundant
Revolutionary thought of the day: “Institutional racism” and “structural racism” and “systemic racism” are redundant. Racism itself is institutional, structural, and systemic. Ibram X. Kendi, How to be Antiracist
john lewis and c.t. vivian, rest in power
What a sad and moving coincidence, that two great freedom fighters died on the same day. I chose these photos as a reminder that doing the right thing may involve…
essential reading on anti-racism: "we can’t tinker around the edges. we need to dismantle systems."
During the current focus on systemic racism, this is likely the best essay I’ve read. It’s written in a US context, but it applies to Canada, both for Indigenous people…
11 things on my mind about the anti-police-violence and anti-racism protests
1. Most violence is not being committed by protesters. What percentage of protesters are violent? Filter for police provocateurs, filter for white nationalists, filter for random thieves hiding under cover…
kareem abdul-jabbar: you start to wonder if it should be all black people who wear body cams, not the cops
One of the best things I’ve read about the protests rocking in the US and elsewhere is an op-ed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in the Los Angeles Times. In case you…
police resisters: not the solution to systemic racism, but an extremely positive development
I was shocked when Detective Dmaine Freeland, an active duty officer on the NYPD force, publicly condemned the Minneapolis officer who killed George Floyd and the other cops who witnessed…
george floyd, christian cooper, and when will this end?
The murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers may be the most shocking disturbing of any I’ve been aware of for a very long time, possibly since the murder…
what i’m reading: political graphic nonfiction: emma goldman, muhammad ali, eugene v. debs
I have been collecting graphic nonfiction with leftist political themes. I just love these books and am indulging myself in buying them. I was planning to review them, but I’ve…
The Coronavirus and Canada’s Bigot Epidemic
The images are apocalyptic, and the torrent of hysterical news stories are enough to make anyone reach for a face mask, or a hazmat suit.But so far at least the…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Gary Younge writes about the need to respond to a bleak reality with the dedication to imagine and create something better. And…
Tuesday Afternoon Links
This and that for your Tuesday reading. – The Canadian Press reports on the Libs’ desire to approve massive tar sands expansions no matter how the resulting production – to…
what i’m reading: ali: a life by jonathan eig
Ali: A Life is an extraordinary book about an extraordinary person. It’s an epic page-turner at more than 500 pages. This is simply a fascinating book about an utterly fascinating…
what i’m reading: ali: a life by jonathan eig
Ali: A Life is an extraordinary book about an extraordinary person. It’s an epic page-turner at more than 500 pages. This is simply a fascinating book about an utterly fascinating…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Sarah Schulman discusses the importance of sleep as a determinant of health, arguing that a safe bed is the first step toward…
Sunday Morning Links
This and that for your Sunday reading. – Chris Hedges writes about the damage oligarchs are doing to humanity and the planet. And Dominic Rushe points out how whiny the…
Wednesday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your mid-week reading. – Paul Krugman writes that complaints by the U.S.’ wealthiest few about Elizabeth Warren reflect their insistence that extreme wealth be coupled with absolute…