I wish I’d written this, Part CCXX

Sally sends this: “The dark rigidity of fundamentalist rural America: a view from the inside.” I think it’s an interesting take on the Elites Don’t Get White Pain,” or some such thing. Here’s a tough part: At some point during the discussion, “That’s your education talking,” will be said, derogatorily, as a general dismissal of …

Wearing white on Election Day

This is not original with me, but there’s talk of people wearing white on Election Day to honor the suffragists who worked before us. American suffragists’ colors were white, purple and gold. I suppose if you wanted to make a true statement, you’ll include those in your repertoire. Me? I’m off to find a white pantsuit.

Read “The Original Underclass”

Sharon sent this, a really interesting article from The Atlantic. While we cast about to define why so many white voters are drawn to Candidate Drumpf: The gloomy state of affairs in the lower reaches of white America should not have caught the rest of the country as off guard as it has—and mobilizing solutions …

WHOLE lotta whiteness going on…

The 114th is “diverse,” if “diverse” means 80 percent white and 80 percent male and (it must be said) 92 percent Christian. Here. Read this, at The Daily Beast.

Dear evangelical friends who love Donald Trump:

From Bruce Wydick: I also am white, identify as an evangelical Christian, but do not share your support for Mr. Trump. And the purpose of my writing this is to try to persuade you that, even in your disillusionment with the status quo, even in a world troubled with terrorism and economic turmoil that may …

Why Medicaid for Flint, and Medicare for Montana?

Leftover sends this, an exploration as to why the folks of Flint, Mich., were given Medicaid for their toxic water, and the folks of Libby, Mont., were given Medicare for life. Writes Donna Smith at Common Dreams: Governor Snyder pressed the Feds to expand Medicaid coverage to children and youth under 21 years old and to …

The dreadful illness of povertenza

A rich white boy from Texas escapes serious punishment after killing four people and injuring another while drunk by pleading “affluenza.” Then surely  a poor black boy can plead povertenza as an excuse for appalling behavior. Love that last link, by Jessica Ann Mitchell. Here’s more on rich white boy Ethan Couch and his enabling mother because, as Mitchell writes: Basically, …

What happened in Oregon…

White people can be unbearably tender

So a friend of mine, the Rev. Dr. Shelley D. Best, posted this selfie on Facebook a few months back: If you can’t read what she wrote to accompany the selfie, it says: In a room full of folks talking about us (and the educational achievement gap) that don’t look like us… hmmmm … I saw …

What happens when the majority becomes the minority?

Because it’s really already happened, in schools. This country is becoming increasingly diverse, as evidence by this chart that parses public school enrollment. I find this fascinating. As I type this, the admin across the hall is speaking Spanish to someone who just called her on the phone. Last week, I had some of the best …