Take the 2009 Anti-Racist Parent Survey at Anti-Racist Parent – for parents committed to raising children with an anti-racist outlook

We want this Web site to be the premier resource online for anti-racist parents. And we need your help. Please take a moment to complete a brief survey that will help us uncover the issues that are of most value to you. We will share highlights of the survey results next month.

via Take the 2009 Anti-Racist Parent Survey at Anti-Racist Parent – for parents committed to raising children with an anti-racist outlook.

Black Male Faces More Likely to Be Seen As Threatening | Miller-McCune Online Magazine

A research team led by psychologist Jenessa Shapiro of the University of California, Los Angeles conducted a preliminary study and three experiments to determine whether whites are more likely to perceive facial expressions as threatening if the face in question belongs to an African-American male. Their disturbing results are detailed in their paper “Following in the Wake of Anger,” which was published online Tuesday in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

via News Blog Articles | Black Male Faces More Likely to Be Seen As Threatening | Miller-McCune Online Magazine.

Feathered Bastard – SPLC’s Heidi Beirich Whacks Joe Arpaio for Playing Pattycake with Nativists and Neo-Nazis

But the juicy stuff came when Beirich’s PowerPoint presentation alighted on the subject of the local nativist population and Sheriff Joe’s pandering to both the nativists and the neo-Nazis. Beirich showed photos from this blog of armed United for a Sovereign America members counterdemonstrating at the recent children’s walk to Joe’s Wells Fargo offices. Driving home the point of U.S.A.’s virulent racism, she threw up U.S.A.’s prejudiced caricature of President Obama as “Uncle Sambo,” and First Lady Michelle Obama in a “mammy” kerchief as Aunt Jemima.

via Phoenix – Feathered Bastard – SPLC’s Heidi Beirich Whacks Joe Arpaio for Playing Pattycake with Nativists and Neo-Nazis.

Reform Madness – White Minority

Thanks Laura! Best quote:

No one GIVES America back… you keep it, until someone takes it from you.

 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Reform Madness – White Minority
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Spinal Tap Performance

via Video: Reform Madness – White Minority | The Daily Show | Comedy Central.

Many Paths, One Journey

I met with my new minister earlier this week to talk about some observations and interactions I’ve had in the six weeks or so that I’ve been attending services, which are very much related to why I stopped attending services in the first place. I talked, and talked, and talked… for about two hours.

“But it is still the case that the most frequently asked question I receive as I travel the country is how we can become more racially and culturally diverse. My response, always, is that the objective of finding a few more dark faces to make our white members feel better about themselves is not spiritually grounded. Nor will it be successful. Racial and cultural diversity will, I pray, come to Unitarian Universalism. But it will come as we become known as a faith community that strives to live our open hearted theology, and a faith community that is willing to be an ally in the struggle for justice.”
—William G. Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Association, General Assembly Fort Worth, TX (June 2005)

By the time I realized why I was fed up and didn’t feel connected and why Sunday services had started to drain me, I’d had it up to HERE with feeling like the kids and I were a poster family… a nod to the congregation’s diversity.

The UUA already has anti-racism resources, but it’s a long and at times challenging process.  Uber-liberal white people, especially those that come from a long and proud tradition of social action in civil rights movements, can be dismissive of the need to participate in programs like The Journey Toward Wholeness Path to Anti-Racism.  The UUA is also developing resources for multicultural youth and young adults through The Mosaic Project,

I’m going try to help facilitate an identity group for multicultural families to provide support and resources.  And one defunct interfaith playgroup aside, I really have no experience with covenant groups/small group ministry… so if you do, I’d love any suggestions, advice or resources you have.  If you don’t have any experience but would like to participate in something like that if you could, I’d love any feedback you have about what you’d like to get from such a group.