Students Stand up Against Discrimination
Chi Omega members stand against discrimination and the University of Alabama Listens!
Author Archives: Diverse & Inclusive
Private Felx Longoria, refused burial in local Cemetery
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I offer this photo of the grave marker of Private Felix Longoria, a Mexican American, who fought in World War II.
I first learned about him from The Shadows of Hate, a documentary produced by Teaching Tolerance (Southern Poverty Law Center).
This simple man, did his duty, went to war and died for his country. But, when his wife tried to bury him in the local cemetery in Three Rivers, Texas, she was basically told that “the whites might not like it.” The news reached Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson, (our 36th President)who arranged for Longoria to be interned at Arlington National Cemetery.
I visited D.C. (in 2004) and set out to find Mr. Longoria’s grave site. All I had was a name, no date of death or birth. With the help of the employees, we managed to find the site. That day, I must have walked about 3 miles to the site, and it must have been the hottest day of the summer, almost 95. When I finally found the grave marker, I shed tears, and apologized to Mr. Longoria for the hatred that had existed in his home town.
I wanted a photo of the marker, to show that I had paid my respect, but no one was around to take my photo. That day, I became creative, and took a pic of my passport next to the grave marker.
Petition to change School’s Name
Would this be a good reason to change the name of a school? What do you think?
Do hate groups have rights?
A racist and a white supremacist group want to live in a town with a population of less than 100, in Leith, North Dakota. Do they have a right to do so? The Lakota are protesting, as are Anti hate groups. What do you think?
Billions are wasted on racially biased arrests
ACLU findings suggested that blacks are disportionately arrested and jailed in America.
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/06/04/war-on-marijuana-racially-biased-new-report-suggests/
Using Comedy to fight stereotypes of Muslims. Humor as a form of healing.
Racists reactions follows the New Miss America Contest!
America is a diverse nation! It is time to acknowledge this fact. It is what makes this nation “Ameri-somos!” Which group will some go after next? The Wisians! Yes, the Wisians have taught us much about ourselves. Wisians, a made up group used in a survey, who managed to get better ratings than some of own members of a diversity society.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/showbiz/miss-america-racist-reactions/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
We can’t erase a legacy of Racism
Race baiting(ers)! Haters!Birthers! And then those who say, “get over it” racism does not exist today. Well, others say, “racism” is now directed at “white people!” It is rather difficult for many whose ancestors were slaves, were lynched, denied the basic right to go to school, and called “boy”‘ to “get over it!” Like it or not racism does exist. It may be disguised under a different name, but it is present. It may be more covert, but it is present.
I fear that “racism” is not limited only to white on black, Latino, Asian, Muslim, Catholic, Protestants. We have learned well how to hate each other, lessons that different groups in this country learned from was done to them. I just hope, that we don’t allow “racism against whites” to floursih to the levels that White America allowed racism against some many other groups to reach.
In the meantime let’s consider the following examples, of what White America, let happen.
1. Indians killed and/or removed from their lands
2. Slaves bought and sold at will
3. Mexicans (legally living on Mexican land) treated like dogs, some killed as well
4. Over 100,000 Japanese, (some Italians/Germans) put into concentration camps during WWII
5. Asians/Blacks forbidden to marry in some states
6. Housing, employment, health, education, transportation discrimination and even segregated cementaries
7. Segregated fighting units
Yep, it is not easy to break the “chains of racism, discrimination, slavery!” But, what do you think? Do you have positive examples of how whole communities stood up against the above forms of oppresion? Please share, if you have them.
In the meantime, see how these companies, or their predecesors profited from Slavery and amassed great fortunes that continue to this day.
Stop Racism!
Should we tolerate racist websites that promote the killing of other human beings? That denigrate people because of their skin color? Religion? Gender? Political opinions? Economic class? National origin? We can urge individuals not to go to these sites! We can make arguments against looking at these sites. What else can we do?
Promotes the white race as the right race… http://www.stormfront.org/forum/
Evelyn Coleman, Author Interview
Author Evelyn Coleman has written numerous books for children. Her book, To be a Drum, can be found on http://www.storylineonline.net/ and is read by Actor James Earl Jones. White Socks Only, a wonderfully written book is also found on http://www.storylineonline.net White Socks is a story that deals with discrimination. Ms. Coleman was kind enough to respond to written interview questions:
1. What inspired you to write White Socks Only? Is this in part something that happened to you or someone in your family?
It took me years to write this story …. I decided to write it after a student asked me if I had been a slave…I realized then that “time” was a complex idea for children and I wanted them to understand that the Civil Rights movement had happened in my lifetime not hundreds of years before. I had this idea running in my head for a long time regarding institutional racism and also witnessing children discriminating based on not just color of skin, but the way someone looked, or the type clothes they wore or even hairstyles or economic situations. Putting these ideas together with my own first experience of reading a Whites Only Sign where I thought it meant I should have on all white clothing the story finally came together in my mind.
2. What is the lesson you want children to learn from reading the story?
That it is not a good idea to discriminate against another human being for any reason. And that racism was and still is a hurtful experience that requires fighting against it by speaking up when you see it. Most of all I want children to understand that you should always speak up to defend the rights of others.
3. What do you want teachers to learn from the story?
That subliminal discrimination or racism is not acceptable no matter who is involved. Hopefully teachers will pay more attention to their own prejudices after reading White Socks Only.
4. What other books for children have you written?
To Be a Drum, Albert Whitman Books; Cecile’s Cameo Necklace, American Girl’s latest historical doll; Shadows on Society Hill, American Girl’s doll Addy’s first mystery; Circle of Fire and Mystery of the Dark Tower, American Girl History Mysteries; Born in Sin, Atheneum; The Riches of Oseola McCarty, Albert Whitman Books; Freedom Train, Simon & Schuster
5. Do you have any advice for young readers?
Yes, read as much as possible, pay attention to your own feelings and learn how to relay them to others either verbally or on paper, observe your surroundings, learn to conjugate verbs and understand what you feel passionate about and why.
Respectfully submitted by Idali Feliciano
Amerisomos - We Are Americans 