This Week in Race (ism): Michael Steele, Montgomery Bell Academy and the Nashville Scene

Okay, perhaps much to your surprise, Obama’s win did not signal an end to racism as we know it, or even an end to people talking about race and ethnicity. What with Nashville embroiled somewhat interested in a battle over legislation that sought to make the city less hospitable to those from other nations, you [...]

Nashville! Otsukaresamadeshita!

おつかれさまでした　ナスヴィル！
I wanted to be able to write-in “Aw Hell Naw” but it wasn’t possible, so now say it with me in your best Will Smith imitation.
Conventional political wisdom foretold the victory, though. As much as journalists and bloggers were on about English Only, most people did not really care, and the 9 or 10% turnout [...]

Eric Crafton: Spotted!

I had my head down listening to Little Dork chattering on as we entered the Bellevue YMCA last night. As we entered I noticed a rather non-descript gentleman meandering through the glass double doors, in plain grey sweats, shoulders hunched and chin tucked — either in self defense from the chill or in a natural [...]

Crafton-San

Eric Crafton, Mr. English Only, doesn’t even have to use the old “my best friends are foreigners” routine to defend himself against accusations of being racist. He married one. At the time they married, he was the foreigner though, when he married his wife in Japan.
I don’t think I’ve ever run into Crafton [...]

I Found Assimilation on a Two Way Street/And Lost it on a Lonely Highway

The Libertarian nativist is sparring with Aunt B over the cultural component of the immigration battle. AC fears that immigration will cause a loss of “cultural homogeneity.” B says poppycock.
Really, a loss of our cultural hegemony is the least of our worries regarding immigration. Immigrants, ethnics, people of color, all realize that part of [...]

kodomo no hi (children’s day)

Yesterday {edit: I started this on Monday} was “Boy’s Day” in Japan. In the interest of equality (there is a girl’s day however it is not a national holiday) it was changed to Children’s Day, which I suppose would be like changing Mother’s Day to Parent’s Day . . . if there wasn’t already a Father’s Day.
Anyway, [...]