"Me, we."

-Muhammad Ali

The UCLA Rant seen 'round the world

In spite of the fact that UCLA poli-sci student Alexandra Wallace made the decision to remove an ill-conceived youtube "rant" titled "Asians in the Library" and issue an apology, a re-posted copy has already reached close to a million views on youtube and inspired many responses and spoofs. Demonstrating white privilege at its finest, Wallace simplifies Asian students into one monolithic category who's right to be admitted to UCLA and to be considered "American" she resolutely calls into question without the blink of an eyelash. I cannot wait to show my students this tape so we can un-package her rhetorical convictions. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think:


Here is a response from a non-UCLA student:

MY USC EDUCATION FOR FREE (new series): Race the Power of an Illusion

I first watched this series as an undergrad at UCLA in my African American Politics class. Some years later, the central arguments in the film about the legal and political significance behind the construction of race and whiteness in the US, remain as a part of my lexicon.

If you are even remotely interested in the construction of RACE in the US and have a modicum of knowledge about US legal and political history on citizenship, naturalization, and public policy like the post-WWII GI Bill, you need to watch this film (available online for viewing). My students are watching it as we speak:

http://video.nku.edu/index.php/videos?task=viewvideo&video_id=1180

and please take a look at the producer's recommended resources, and maybe even take the test:
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm

On presence

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble, It empties today of its strength."

worrying empties one's ability to be present, in the one. my mind fixed on future, with no productive promise for the moment, why do we do it? why does a human animal have a propensity towards worrying?

The Tree of Life

shajara

"a green tree amid dry trees"

We need a new word

how we have cheapened it:

also see entry 1: see: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=awesome

MLK Jr & the Montgomery Bus Boycott: "The Montgomery Story"

a 50 year old comic book was recently translated into Arabic by the American Islamic Congress:

this is what an ice blended date shake looks like