Source: Shutterstock

I thought white privilege was one of those indisputable truths of the world, like what goes up must come down, but apparently parents of students in one Wisconsin public high school don’t see if that way. According to Fox News, the “American Diversity” class at Delavan-Darien High School is now being investigated by its school district after parents complained that their children were being taught that minorities have been oppressed by white people throughout history. While for said minorities this probably sounds like an accurate relaying of history, one mother of an 18-year-old boy at the school, told Fox:

“They’re teaching white guilt. They’re dividing the students. They’re saying to non-whites, ‘You have been oppressed and you’re still being oppressed.’

“I felt it was indoctrination,” she said of the handouts her son was given in class. “This is a radical left agenda and ideology that is now embedded in our school. If you’re white, you’re oppressing. If you’re non white, you’ve been a victim.”

According to the handouts Fox obtained, the teacher of the class taught students about “white privilege,” which was defined as, “a set of advantages that are believed to be enjoyed by white people beyond those commonly experienced by non-white people in the same social, political, and economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc.” To explore this ideal, students were asked to visit the toy aisle of their local WalMart.

“They were told to go and count the number of dolls that were representative of blacks as opposed to whites,” the parent said. “It’s meant to divide and victimize non-whites and condition whites to feel guilty and to be more passive.”

When the parent brought her concerns to school officials and the new superintendent of the Delavan-Darien School District,  Robert Crist, he saw things from her perspective, telling Fox:

“A lot of red flags go up in my mind when I look at the materials. Her concern has merit.

“Ideally, you would want to present one theory that might be way on the left and another theory that may be way on the right and if you find one in the middle you can present that, too,” he said. “Now you have a well-rounded discussion in my opinion.”

With this issue now being looked into, the class will not be taught again until the investigation is complete. Even then, it may never be taught again at all, considering the same concerned parent also brought the class to the attention of the Young America’s Foundation. There, staff member Brendan Pringle called the course out as race-baiting.

“This course offers a snapshot of a larger trend that has plagued university curriculum for years and has only recent crept into high school classrooms,” he wrote in an essay. “Professors and teachers are increasingly telling white students that they are part of the problem of racism, and are telling black students that they are second-class citizens. This race-baiting technique is an attack on American values and can only breed bitterness and envy.”

Sorry, but while I think ideas always need to be presented in a balanced manner, to me, this entire argument sounds more like white people playing the victim themselves. Only those who benefit from white privilege have a hard time seeing it. This is why we get bombarded with this heroic American ideal of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” and the assumption that everyone has boots, or at least an equal chance of getting a pair. White people need to understand the privilege they have in society so that they can recognize institutional racism and not unconsciously (or consciously for that matter) play into it.  It would be silly to try to make white teenagers feel guilty for things that transpired years before them and contributed to our current societal makeup. But it’s just as silly to act like this type of hierarchy doesn’t exist in our society.

What do you think about this class?

Source: Global Grind

All sorts of interesting state laws are being used to justify the killings of black boys across the country. By now we’re all well versed in Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law but similar legislature in Wisconsin is coming under scrutiny following the killing of 20-year-old Bo Morrison March 3. Global Grind outlines the details leading up to the shooting death like this:

There was an underage drinking party at the home of Tim Hess, the neighbor of [Adam] Kind, which Bo was attending.  It was Mr. Hess’ daughters who were the hosts of the party.  Kind, 35, called police at about 1:00AM, complaining of loud music coming from a car parked in his neighbor’s driveway. He pounded on the window of the car and asked a woman inside to turn down the music. She refused.  The police arrive on the scene at 1:05AM.

For 45 minutes, the police try to get into the garage in the back of the Hess house, where the young people are partying, but to no avail.  They leave the garage area, but park their cars just a few hundred feet away from both the Hess house and the Kind home.

At 1:50AM, the police call Adam Kind and explain that they will cite the party hosts in the morning. They speak with Adam for 4 1/2 minutes. The police say he was appreciative and would give a statement in the morning.  Mr. Kind claims he went back to sleep with his wife.

At 1:55AM, the father of the party’s host come outside and kicks down the door of the garage and all of the young people run. Bo runs and hides in the Adam Kind’s enclosed porch in the back of his house.

At 1:56AM Bo is shot dead. The police cars are still outside the house. Bo is killed while the cops are only a few hundred feet from the house.

At 2:00AM Adam’s wife calls 911 to report the shooting.

Authorities say that Kind, who is white, was justified in shooting the biracial young man under the Castle Doctrine Law enacted late last year. It operates under the principle that man is the king of his castle and therefore can use deadly force to protect himself in the threat of imminent danger in their home. That thinking is very similar to standing your ground with deadly force when you believe you are about to be a victim of a crime. According to county District Attorney Mark Bensen:

“Under a reasonable view of the evidence the homeowner acted reasonably in his use of force based on the facts and circumstances.”

Kind says he shot Morrison once as he, wearing dark clothing, was coming toward him. He also says he immediately told his wife to call the cops. Morrison’s family says the boy was shot while crouching in the corner in the porch because the bullet holes in his clothing were found near the top of his shirt and the exit hole near his buttocks. This makes the idea that he was shot at a downward angle much more probable.

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When are republicans going to stay out of women’s wombs long enough to actually take care of things that need to be done?

Republican Senator Glenn Grothman of West Bend, WI, has sponsored a bill that would formally consider single parenthood a contributing factor to child abuse. Section 1. 48.982 (2) (g) 2. of Senate Bill 507 is amended to read:

Promote statewide educational and public awareness campaigns and materials for the purpose of developing public awareness of the problems of child abuse and neglect. In promoting those campaigns and materials, the board shall emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.

Section 2. 48.982 (2) (g) 4. of the statute is also amended to read:
48.982 (2) (g) 4. Disseminate information about the problems of and methods of preventing child abuse and neglect to the public and to organizations concerned with those problems. In disseminating that information, the board shall emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.

From reports on this outrageous law it’s not clear whether the Senator actually has any data to back up this claim, but my guess is no. As is often the case with outlandish legislation such as this, Sen. Grothman has a history of declaring a war on single parenthood. Last year, he proposed a conspiracy theory that single parenthood is all apart of a Democratic ploy for bigger government. He wrote that the:”Left and the social welfare establishment want children born out of wedlock because they are far more likely to be dependent on the government.”

While I’m no advocate for single parenthood, you can’t make that lifestyle a right or wrong issue. It’s about responsibility in some ways and for others evidence of a change in societal attitudes toward two-parent homes. Although according to Grothman, “the rise in single motherhood has been driven by all the great financial benefits single, low-income mothers receive.” So what should women do, have an abortion? Oh wait, you don’t want us to do that either.

This alleged link between child abuse and single parenthood is a slap in the face of single mothers (and fathers) everywhere who are handling their parental responsibilities. There are far better ways to discourage being a single parent.

Do you think this law has a chance of getting passed?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Trademarking your baby’s name may seem like an odd process but when you’re Beyonce and Jay-Z, it’s a necessary step—I guess.

On Jan, 26, the couple filed an application to trademark Blue Ivy’s name and protect it from unintended use, which there was already a possibility of, considering they weren’t the first to file an app. On Jan. 11, fashion designer Joseph Mbeh attempted to trademark “Blue Ivy Carter” just four days after the child was born in order to pitch a children’s clothing line to the couple using their daughter’s name and on the 20th, another applicant filed to use “Blue Ivy Carter” and “Glory IV” for a line of fragrances. Both applicants were denied and told the name belongs to a “very famous infant.”

Bey and Jay’s application is still pending, but is expected to be granted any day now, which has some giving the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office the side eye. The office gets thousands of applications per year, receiving 398,667 in 2011, and the process is supposed to be first come, first serve, with it typically taking anywhere from three to four months to get approval. But because of all the noise surrounding Blue Ivy’s birth, Cynthia Lynch, an administrator for trademark policy and procedure, said the office was on alert that several applications might pop up for that name and they were ready to shut down imposters—and apparently approve the rightful owners.

A clothing boutique in Wisconsin does already own a trademark for “Blue Ivy.” Their app was filed in January 2011 before Beyonce was pregnant and granted in August, so the Carter’s will have to accept the store’s right to use the name on their building, website, and more, unless they want to purchase it from them, which I could actually see happening.

What do you think about this trademark business? Necessary or just a rich people “problem?”

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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By Alexis Garrett Stodghill

Milwaukee is facing a staggering problem, as black male unemployment in Wisconsin’s largest city has reached an alarming 34%. Jobs for the unskilled used to be plentiful, but in recent years the area has lost 56,000 positions, most of which were in entry-level manufacturing. Today, African-American males just graduating from high school and others without training are finding it difficult to find jobs without the help of programs. CBS News reports:

Just 40 years ago, 8 out of 10 black men were employed. Most found jobs in manufacturing, where a kid coming out of high school used to be able to earn a decent wage and support a family, but not anymore.

Now, Milwaukee has begun a new program which matches high school drop-outs, low-skilled workers, even some ex-felons, with businesses willing to train them. For six months, men like Darius Smith are paid to learn carpentry or electrical installation skills.

“If we provide a little bit of opportunity for them it spreads,” says contractor Troy Reese.

Reese says he was eager to sign up to be a trainer and has taken on some tough cases.

“We’ve had people that are 12 years out of prison, (and) their first job is our job. So we really have to balance out the needs of each applicant,” Reese says.

In the five months since the program started, 124 trainees have signed up. Of that group, 88 are now in transitional jobs and six have landed full-time jobs. None have dropped out.

Programs such as these are assisting a handful of black men at a time, when thousands are at risk of enduring long-term joblessness. Milwaukee has become the first city in America to set up a task force to combat this massive predicament, but it is not the only locale struggling with similar circumstances. America in general is experiencing what has been termed a “mancession” — a recession in which men have lost most of the jobs — with black men being the hardest hit nationwide.

The persistent problem of black male unemployment has yet to be adequately addressed by any community. It is absurd that Milwaukee is the first and only city making a special effort to tackle a conundrum whose permutations touch so many lives. If black males are not working, their lack of income contributes to their mass incarcerations rates, the trials of the poor single mother, and many other social ills. This challenge will not be beaten with a few well-meaning programs, although leaders contributing to them are to be commended.  More municipalities must work in a concerted effort with African-Americans overall if the quandary of black male unemployment will ever be solved.

(AllHipHop) — Over the last several weeks, concerned citizens from across the nation have trekked to Madison, WI to fight for the rights of working people. Newly elected governor, Scott Walker, stepped into office in January with an agenda to balance the budget and get Wisconsin back on track financially.  Of course, lots of people disagreed with his plans for the land of the cheese heads.

Read More…

(Wall Street Journal) — Republican senators in Wisconsin Wednesday night maneuvered around Democrats to pass legislation stripping public employees’ unions of collective-bargaining rights, setting the stage for other states to pursue similar steps in one of the broadest challenges to organized labor in decades.  A vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s “budget-repair” bill had been stymied since Feb. 17 when 14 Democratic senators left the state, kicking off a rancorous, three-week political drama. Without the Democrats, the senate lacked a quorum to vote on certain fiscal items in the bill.

On Wednesday night, Republican senators convened on short notice and removed appropriations items from the bill to allow a vote on the remaining issues—including curbs on the collective-bargaining rights of public-employee unions. The vote to pass the amended bill was 18-1, with no Democratic senators present.  Republicans said they had waited long enough for Democrats to return to Madison. Democrats complained that their political rivals had abused their power. Spectators in the senate gallery screamed, “You are cowards,” while the vote was taken.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said, “The people of Wisconsin elected us to come to Madison and do a job. Just because the Senate Democrats won’t do theirs doesn’t mean we won’t do ours.” Gov. Walker said in a statement that he applauded passage of the bill to “take a step in the right direction to balance the budget and reform government.”

Read More…

The labor union movement has been an integral component of Black history and a necessary, contemporaneous part of everyday life for people of African descent.  Historically, when society-at-large was either hesitant or recalcitrant in giving opportunities to African-Americans for economic advancement and civil rights, it was the labor unions that provided those basic liberties.  During the times when segregation was ubiquitous throughout American society and Blacks were denied the right to vote, it was the labor unions that ensured that African-Americans workers were treated just like other workers.  Indeed, it was the deep democratic struggles of the labor movement that often provided the backdrop for at least several of the most seminal events in Black history, including the 1955 bus boycott in Montgomery and the 1968 Memphis Sanitation strike.

To be sure, the labor union movement has not always been inclusionary to African-Americans.  During the formative years, many of the labor organizations were deeply racist and discriminatory and in many instances had no Black members.  In response to this explicit disparity, African-Americans such as Isaac Myers and A. Philip Randolph fought hard and formed their own labor unions (i.e., The Colored National Labor Union in 1869 and The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925) until more integration occurred in the 1930s.  Through the efforts of W.E.B. Dubois, Myers and Randolph, many rank and file members of national unions began to look beyond their prejudices.  In the face of unsatisfactory compensation, maltreatment, arbitrary dismissals and deplorable working conditions, the establishment and actions of these organizations soon became essential for civil rights amongst the working poor and the African-American community, in general, for years to come.

Fast forward to 2011, we find that the plight of these historically significant and modern-day organizations have come under fire,- specifically in the state of Wisconsin.   Recently, Wisconsin’s Republican governor Scott Walker proposed legislation to reduce public employee union bargaining power and benefits under the guise of repairing the state’s budget during tough times.  Certain commentators have expressed that Governor Walker is doing the right thing via this legislative proposition.  Like Governor Walker, these proponents believe that state workers and public employee unions are the primary reasons for their budget woes because of exorbitant pay, “Cadillac” health insurance and pensions, and collective bargaining.  Additionally, supporters of Governor Walker believe that somehow public employee unions are no longer needed, as America has more professional jobs and no longer has dangerous working conditions due to the existence of OSHA and EPA regulations or unfair, unjust and discriminatory practices due to the presence of labor laws.  Really?

As some may think that Governor Walker’s actions are noble in nature, the facts bear witness to a darker truth.   According to the nonpartisan Pew Center for the States, documented evidence indicates that Wisconsin’s pension fund for public employees is “very strong and is not in fiscal trouble,” which is opposite of Governor Walker’s ominous picture.   The Pew report also notes that the pension is primarily managed by “Wall Street professionals who were paid $194.7 millions to manage the fund’s assets.”  Moreover, objective nonpartisan legal review by Wisconsin transportation officials has indicated that the passage of the anti-union legislation would likely result in the forfeiture of millions of dollars in funds for transportation under federal labor law provisions, which would put the state in an extremely difficult fiscal situation when compared to the purported pension fund.

So, with the unbiased facts being noted, what is the real impetus behind Governor Walker’s proposed legislation?  It is his moment to bust public employee unions in his state and to establish a precedent for similar actions in other states.  It is his time to threaten over 10,000 honest and hard-working teachers, state workers and other public employees with layoffs, although objective and factual evidence indicates that Wisconsin’s deficit of roughly $140 million can be largely attributed to Governor Walker’s fiscal mismanagement and three of his specific initiatives:

• $48 million for private health savings accounts;
• $67 million for a tax incentive plan to benefit employers; and,
• $25 millions for an economic development fund.

Without equivocation, labor unions are still needed in this country.  These organizations are a necessary fabric of the American workforce and a major cornerstone of Black society.  Dr. King, Dubois, Myers, Randolph and many other African-American who fought for our present-day liberties and sacrificed their lives knew the importance of sustaining labor unions.   Governor Walker’s deeply-rooted partisan motives threaten to turn back the clock on a plethora of deep democratic victories.  It’s very interesting how history can repeat itself.

Anthony Jerrod is a bestselling author, speaker, and public policy expert.