“It is the worst of times because it feels as though the very earth is being stolen from us, by us; the land and air poisoned, the water polluted, the animals disappeared, humans degraded and misguided.”
Alice Walker
Earth Day 2010 is upon us and if you are anything like me, it has you feeling a lot of different emotions. I feel grateful that Mother Earth is still here and kind enough to give us some absolutely beautiful spring days. On the other hand, I feel guilty because I don’t always take my own coffee mug to Starbucks. Wait, I guess I should feel guilty about even going to Starbucks. But back to Earth Day … this day is ripe with opportunities for each of us to sit back and think about our commitment to greening our lives.
When Earth Day started 40 years ago, the world was not that much different from the world of today. There were anti-war protests, high unemployment for people of color, and the like. But in the midst of these issues, a group of committed 20-somethings developed a grassroots campaign to bring attention to the declining health of our environment. Four decades later, the movement has grown and Earth Day events are celebrated throughout the world. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Thursday, April 22 International Mother Earth Day and acknowledges the need for a global commitment to the greening of our world. Locally, there are events planned throughout weekend and we could certainly use the extra time to renew our commitment and actually do something to help ease the burden that we are placing on Mother Earth.
I plan to curb my consumption, walk more, and text less. I plan to actually stop and smell the roses and take my reusable cup with me wherever I go. I also plan to think more about how the green movement will impact disadvantaged communities. For some areas, the green movement seems to be stalled. Many communities of color lack access to safe drinking water. Larger numbers of communities of color live in urban areas where city water systems are more likely to be fluoridated than in some suburban and rural water systems. Fluoridation chemicals can cause a range of health problems including premature births and learning disabilities. For more about the top environmental issues affection urban America, check out http://www.thegrio.com/news/the-top-ten-environmental-issues-affecting-america.php.
The greening of our world is a movement in which we can all participate. For the green movement to succeed, it has to be more than just a trendy cause cèlébre. The success of the green movement will depend on our collective ability to understand that environmental devastation impacts each and every one of us and sometimes that impact is felt most by those least equipped to deal with it. The earthquake in Haiti and the volcano in Iceland are two very tangible reminders of the way in which environmental instability can bring our daily lives to a screeching halt. Let’s use this moment to think about how these events impact poverty, class, and privilege.
This movement is about saving the land, but it’s also about making the land safe for all of us. This movement is about helping each other learn new ways to live efficient and productive lives. This movement is also about urging our elected officials to work on behalf of environmental justice, not corporate profit. This movement is very much about recognizing the larger scale impact of climate change, not just in Cincinnati and not just in America. On this Earth Day when we have recently lost Civil Rights icons Benjamin Hooks and Dr. Dorothy Height, let’s remember the spirit in which they fought for change and do our own part to help ourselves.
I am turning off my Blackberry and shutting down my computer. I am determined to take this day and the rest of the weekend to do my part. It’s my turn to send Mother Earth a Happy Mother’s Day card!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
A Different Kind of March Madness
At this time of year, almost everyone seems to be caught up in the annual hardwood induced euphoria of March Madness. The month of March has come and gone but the madness continues.
Just a few weeks ago, Wal-Mart shoppers in Washington Township, New Jersey were surprised to hear a calm, male voice on the store system announce, “Attention, Wal-Mart customers: All black people, leave the store now.” The incident was thoroughly denounced by all concerned parties and is currently under investigation as a possible bias crime. A 16 year old was arrested and has been charged with harassment and bias intimidation.
A new study from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) reports that Hispanic students graduate at lower rates than their white peers at similarly ranked colleges. This report is another reminder of the troubling racial and equity divide that persists in secondary and post-secondary education.
And finally, a new television show premiered on cable network, FX. It seems that new shows premier every day, but this one is different. Justified focuses in large part on a fictional white supremacist group in Harlan, KY. Like Justified, Sons of Anarchy also centers on the exploits of a less than savory all-white motorcycle club in the fictional town of Charming, CA. The show features a number of characters who belong to white supremacist groups. At first glance the presence of these shows may seem like any other moment in popular culture; however, there may be a more troubling side to the presence of these shows. A recent Newsweek article, “Primetime Supremacy" points to a connection between the shows and the nation’s anxieties. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), membership in white-separatist groups has been on the rise. SPLC attributes the rise to ongoing anxiety about the current administration, the economy, and illegal immigration. Is this an example of art imitating life with which we should be concerned?
Since these events don’t take place in our area and don’t seem to have a direct impact on life in the Queen City, should we be interested in any of these events? Are these isolated incidents or do they signal that we are thoroughly mired in a culture of intolerance and incivility? How can we discuss these and other issues as they appear in our own community?
The mission of BRIDGES is to bring people together. The mission of this blog is to bring people together to talk about the issues that affect us throughout this region and our nation. So tell me, are the Wal-Mart shoppers sensitive or was this an incident of racial bias? Are colleges and universities failing in their efforts to create inclusive communities? Is Justified just a drama or a reflection of our cultural moment? Are we really living in a ‘post-racial’ world or are we still refusing to speak honestly about difference and diversity in our community?
Talk to me … I want to hear from you.
Just a few weeks ago, Wal-Mart shoppers in Washington Township, New Jersey were surprised to hear a calm, male voice on the store system announce, “Attention, Wal-Mart customers: All black people, leave the store now.” The incident was thoroughly denounced by all concerned parties and is currently under investigation as a possible bias crime. A 16 year old was arrested and has been charged with harassment and bias intimidation.
A new study from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) reports that Hispanic students graduate at lower rates than their white peers at similarly ranked colleges. This report is another reminder of the troubling racial and equity divide that persists in secondary and post-secondary education.
And finally, a new television show premiered on cable network, FX. It seems that new shows premier every day, but this one is different. Justified focuses in large part on a fictional white supremacist group in Harlan, KY. Like Justified, Sons of Anarchy also centers on the exploits of a less than savory all-white motorcycle club in the fictional town of Charming, CA. The show features a number of characters who belong to white supremacist groups. At first glance the presence of these shows may seem like any other moment in popular culture; however, there may be a more troubling side to the presence of these shows. A recent Newsweek article, “Primetime Supremacy" points to a connection between the shows and the nation’s anxieties. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), membership in white-separatist groups has been on the rise. SPLC attributes the rise to ongoing anxiety about the current administration, the economy, and illegal immigration. Is this an example of art imitating life with which we should be concerned?
Since these events don’t take place in our area and don’t seem to have a direct impact on life in the Queen City, should we be interested in any of these events? Are these isolated incidents or do they signal that we are thoroughly mired in a culture of intolerance and incivility? How can we discuss these and other issues as they appear in our own community?
The mission of BRIDGES is to bring people together. The mission of this blog is to bring people together to talk about the issues that affect us throughout this region and our nation. So tell me, are the Wal-Mart shoppers sensitive or was this an incident of racial bias? Are colleges and universities failing in their efforts to create inclusive communities? Is Justified just a drama or a reflection of our cultural moment? Are we really living in a ‘post-racial’ world or are we still refusing to speak honestly about difference and diversity in our community?
Talk to me … I want to hear from you.
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