Atlanta Mayoral Election Shows Racial Divides Remain in Obama’s America
Think the election of President Obama ushered in what's been dubbed as "post-racial America?" Think again. The mayoral election in Atlanta indicates that race still plays a crucial role in politics. Candidate Kasim Reed, who is African-American, beat rival Mary Norwood, who is white, in the city's mayoral runoff by 715 votes, a margin of less than 1 percent. Because the margin was so small, Norwood has requested a recount. Whoever's ultimately deemed the winner can thank members of their respective racial groups for voting for them.
Read more...Does Racism Increase Your Chances of Being Unemployed?
On Monday, the New York Times published an article called "In Job Hunt, College Degree Can't Close Racial Gap." In the piece, reporter Michael Luo asserts, "Black joblessness has long far outstripped that of whites. And strikingly, the disparity for the first 10 months of this year, as the recession has dragged on, has been even more pronounced for those with college degrees, compared with those without."
The Tiger Woods Car Crash: Rife With Racial and Gender Double Standards?
The events that precipitated golfer Tiger Woods' car crash early Nov. 27 have not yet been made public, but reports are circulating that Woods drove his Cadillac Escalade into a tree and fire hydrant near his Florida home after a domestic dispute with his wife, Elin Nordegren, turned violent.
The Word on the “Princess and the Frog,” Disney’s First Film With a Black Heroine
After much ado, Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" opens Nov. 25 in select cities. The film will be the first Disney production to feature a black heroine. While much of the viewing public is excited that an African American will be added to Disney's multicultural list of leading ladies, which includes Mulan, Pocahontas and Esmeralda, others have lambasted the film long before its November release.
Sammy Sosa’s Skin Controversy
With significantly lighter skin and green contact lenses during an appearance at the Latin Grammys, baseball great Sammy Sosa has found himself at the center of controversy. Just how did this Dominican's skin go from dark brown to pallid?
The former Chicago slugger told Univision reporter Tony Dandrades that a European skin cream caused his skin color to lighten, EURweb.com reported.
Latinos Cheer Lou Dobbs’ Departure from CNN
Founding CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced his resignation from the network Nov. 11, despite the fact that his contract didn't expire for two more years. Latino advocacy groups are not only cheering the move but taking credit for it. That's because they campaigned for Dobbs to be removed from the network for misrepresenting immigrants and Hispanics generally.
Dobbs, for example, was forced to apologize after characterizing the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as "an organization that is interested in Mexico's export of drugs and illegal aliens to the United States," NPR reported.
To boot, he blamed Latin American immigrants for a rise in leprosy cases in the States, despite the fact that incidences of leprosy haven't notably risen in the U.S.
What "Precious" Means for Race Relations
The film "Precious" premiered in select cities Nov. 6, and reviews are pouring in about the movie with a Harlem teen whose life transforms through education. To say that the circumstances of Precious Jones' life are bleak would be an understatement. Precious is illiterate, living with HIV and has been victimized by her parents in numerous ways, including sexually. Her father has twice impregnated her, and one child she's borne by him suffers from Down syndrome.
"Precious" tackles an array of issues. Because the protagonist is black, however, both the media and the public have raised questions about its effect on race relations. Read more...
“Top Model” Biracial Shoot Creates Uproar
When I posted a blog about Harry Connick Jr. objecting to a group of Australian performers wearing blackface, many readers suggested that it was silly to take offense to the Jackson Jive's performance because group members were of Indian and Lebanese descent and, therefore, couldn't be racist. I tried to explain that the ethnicity of the performers was irrelevant, as people of color are capable of racist behavior as well.
Tyra Banks of "America's Next Top Model" is a case in point. The supermodel-turned-television personality created an uproar last week when her show featured white contestants in dark makeup. The goal was to make the girls appear to be biracial. Banks called it a "fashion interpretation" of culture.
Are Bars and Clubs Using Dress Codes to Racially Discriminate?
No baggy pants, no baseball caps, no athletic wear.
These items are among the apparel bars and clubs across the country ban to keep out a certain element. But are African Americans the element they have in mind? According to Macon D., who is white and runs the blog Stuff White People Do, the answer is yes. To make his case, Macon pointed out the public uproar surrounding six black Washington University students denied entry into a Chicago bar Oct. 17 during their senior class trip to the city.
Read more...Tragic Mulatto Myth: The Reason Justice Denied Marriage License to Mixed Couple
By now, you've likely heard about the Louisiana justice of peace who recently denied an interracial couple a marriage license. The justice's move has sparked public outcry.
After all, no matter his opinions on interracial unions, it's no longer illegal for mixed couples to marry. Therefore, Keith Bardwell, the justice of peace in question, overstepped his bounds by refusing a marriage license to Terence McKay, who is black, and Beth Humphrey, who is white. Quotes attributed to Bardwell suggest that the justice considers his refusal to grant McKay and Humphrey a marriage license to be an act of conscience.
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