Bill Moyers’ Journal – James H. Cone

This was an interesting discussion with the theologian, Dr. Cone, regarding  the relationships between the powerful symbols of the cross and the lynching tree.

Worker complains diversity video discriminates against whites

Ok, I’m not really sure that this item really merits being considered news, but it did catch my eye and in keeping with the purpose of my blog, I guess I’m putting it up. This is a short item in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent web site, about a Denver city employee who is offended by a White character in a diversity training video who is evidently portrayed very unflatteringly.

Offensive costume causes trouble for political nominee – Yahoo! News

Costume flap imperils immigration post - Yahoo! News By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press Writer – Sat Nov 17, 7:43 AM ET
WASHINGTON – Just when it appeared Julie Myers had cleared every hurdle in her quest to officially become the nation’s top immigration official, a dreadlocked wig and a prisoner’s outfit could cost her the job. Myers, director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ran into trouble earlier this month after she and two other agency managers gave the “most original” costume award to a white employee who came to the agency’s Halloween party dressed as an escaped prisoner with dreadlocks and darkened skin.

Poll Shows Race Distinctions in Black Community (NPR)

I came across this All Things Considered November 13th, 2007 story on the NPR.com site.   Pew Research Center’s latest polling of African-Americans shows that a small majority of blacks believe it is appropriate to think of blacks as a single race, because of the increasing diversity in their community. And few African-Americans feel that, as a group, they are better off than five years ago.  The page includes links to other related news and analysis.

An Economist Goes to a Bar and solves the mysteries of dating.

Journal Article: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MATE SELECTION: EVIDENCE FROM A SPEED DATING EXPERIMENT By RAYMOND FISMAN,SHEENA S. IYENGAR,EMIR KAMENICA,ITAMAR SIMONSON

I came across a column by Maureen Dowd on NYTIMES.com that referred to a study looking at what influenced the evaluations that men and women made about each other in a speed-dating context. The study was written up in Slate magazine under the same name. It contains some discussion of stereotypical gender roles and some discussion of interracial evaluations.

Income Gap Between Families Grows

Income Gap Between Families Grows
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Decades after the civil rights movement, the income gap between black and white families has grown, says a new study that tracked the incomes of some 2,300 families for more than 30 years.

UN experts find ‘profound and entrenched’ racial bias in Dominican Republic

UN experts find ‘profound and entrenched’ racial bias in Dominican Republic

30 October 2007 – Two independent United Nations human rights experts have called on the Dominican Republic to combat what they describe as a “profound and entrenched problem of racism and discrimination” against blacks in general – and Haitians in particular – in the Central American nation.

In Students’ Eyes, Look-Alike Lawyers Don’t Make the Grade

NY Times article: In Students’ Eyes, Look-Alike Lawyers Don’t Make the Grade By ADAM LIPTAK,  Published: October 29, 2007

A group of Stanford law students has launched an effort aimed at improving diversity at big law firms.

The Politics of God

NY Times Magazine article – The Politics of God By MARK LILLA, Published: August 19, 2007

After centuries of strife, the West has learned to separate religion and politics — to establish the legitimacy of its leaders without referring to divine command. There is little reason to expect that the rest of the world — the Islamic world in particular — will follow.

For the bible tells me so

Living and working in the “bible belt,” I am often distressed to hear Christianity employed as a rationale for hatred and discrimination.   It seems to me that Jesus Christ would have been the last person to shun and marginalize anyone on the basis of their sexual orientation. 

So, when I came across this Seattle Times review for the movie “For the Bible Tells Me So“, I was intrigued.  It turns out that I missed the local showing in town, so now I have to wait until it’s available on DVD.