On Dr. King’s Legacy and American Jewish Segregation: A Moment of Honesty

Just thought I'd share a blog post from one of my favorite blogs JVOICES written by Walter Issac

Jews of color
racism

Rick Warren Protest Atlanta GA

 
 
 
 


Rick Warren

Ashkenazi Privilege Checklist

This checklist was sent to me and was developed by members of the Jewish Multiracial Network online discussion group, 2006–2009. You are welcome to distribute this checklist, use it in workshops, and add to it.

Please check all that apply to you.

___ I can walk into my temple and feel that others do not see me as outsider.
___ I can walk into my temple and feel that others do not see me as exotic.
___ I can walk into my temple and feel that my children are seen as Jews.
___ I can walk into temple with my family and not worry that they will be treated unkindly.
___ I can enjoy music at my temple that reflects the tunes, prayers, and cultural roots of my specific Jewish heritage.
___ I can easily find greeting cards and books with images of Jews who look like me.
___ I can easily find Jewish books and toys for my children with images of Jews that look like them.
___ I am not singled out to speak about and as a representative of an “exotic” Jewish subgroup.
___ When I go to Jewish bookstores or restaurants, I am not seen as an outsider.
___ I find my experiences and images like mine in Jewish newspapers and magazines.
___ My rabbi never questions that I am Jewish.
___ When I tell other members of my synagogue that I feel marginalized, they are immediately and appropriately responsive.
___ There are other children at the religious school who look like my child.
___ My child’s authenticity as a Jew is never questioned by adults or children based on his/her skin color.
___ People never say to me, "But you don't look Jewish," either seriously or as though it was funny.
___ I do not worry about being seen or treated as a member of the janitorial staff at a synagogue or when attending a Jewish event.
___ I am never asked “how” I am Jewish at dating events or on Jewish dating websites.
___ I can arrange to be in the company of Jews of my heritage most of the time.
___ When attempting to join a synagogue or Jewish organization, I am sure that my ethnic background will not be held against me.
___ I can ask synagogues and Jewish organizations to include images and cultural traditions from my background without being seen as a nuisance.
___ I can enroll in a Jewish day school, yeshiva, and historically Jewish college and find Jewish students and professors with my racial or ethnic background.
___ People of color do not question why I am Jewish.
___ I can send my child to Hebrew School/Young Judea camp without him/her being subjected to racist slurs from other children.
___ I am not discriminated against in the aliyah process as a Jew of my particular ethnicity.
___ I know my ethnic background will not be held against me in being called to read the Torah.

Sound Off: Transportation Alternatives

clipped from www.facebook.com

Photo courtesy of J.P. Griffin

In case you haven't been paying attention. There is a gas shortage in the South and the city of Atlanta, and I am guessing here, was the hardest hit, leaving tons of Gas stations without fuel. Mainly for three reasons; One, there was already a fuel shortage. Atlanta drivers were already changing their driving habits due to the steady increase in the price fuel.

clipped from www.csmonitor.com

The double-whammy of Ike and Gustav came as supplies were already low. Refineries in the Gulf had begun to ramp down production of summer fuels before Ike, meaning supplies were already crimped in anticipation of the Oct. 1 switch to higher-sulphur winter blends.

Two, then came Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and the oil refineries were shut down and that meant less fuel through the pipeline. Three, add to that the EPA requires Atlanta to use a special blend of low-sulfur gas in order to comply with the Clean Air Act.

Gov. Sonny Perdue's solution is to first be in denial and then ask President Bush to release oil from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the pain of drivers in Georgia. What I want to know is when will our politicians start talking about other options? Such as giving people Transportation Alternatives. I for one feel incredibly fortunate that I live in an area where I can pretty much walk, bike, and MARTA to anywhere that I need to go. This is unfortunately not true for large parts of Metro Atlanta. Atlanta should have better options for its citizens to ween them off gas. We need more and better sidewalks for walkable communities, bike lanes, buses, commuter rail all of these options should be on the table. Instead we keep hearing Drill Baby Drill. And even though Republicans are easier to pick on, especially on this subject, I am not hearing better options coming from the Democrats in my state. Democrats had control of the state for decades and still control the city of Atlanta and are largely to blame for sprawl and the belief that the best options were to build wider roads. At least Senator Obama has managed to capture the crucial Bicycle Swing Vote and the Crucial Train Swing Vote and has promised to increase funding for Public Transportation. We shall see and I will be watching.

Atlanta
Gas
MARTA
Obama

Is the GOP exploiting their children of color?

I guess its bad enough that there are hardly any people of color in the GOP audience...But why is the GOP bringing out children of color raised by privileged GOP folks who also happened to be white. I mean it seems like they are exploiting their children.

GOP Convention

Happy Atlanta Pride

Remembering George Carlin

George Carlin talks about Stuff




RIP

RIP George Carlin