Blog archive
April 2024
Tulsa reparations, Religion and Politics
04/09/2024
March 2024
Trumps War with Black Women
03/31/2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
Caste and White Fragility in America
By Blog MasterPosted: 07/26/2020
- Dick Myers -
The torrent of news continues and continues to astound.
In our last meeting, on the 17th, our wide-ranging discussion touched many points:
- Removal of monuments, their significance and impact on our culture
- Necessity of myths in society
- Death of George Floyd should not be called a “wake up call”, the alarm has been ringing since 1619
- Significance of voting rights and voter suppression
- Learning about what was not taught in school
- Reiterate the hopefulness
Recently, a new and very interesting article was published in the New York Times. It talked about the enduring caste system in America. Caste systems are common in almost all societies if not all. Racism and racial prejudice or widespread also. What is it that makes the United States different? One thing, it seems, is that racial prejudice and racism have permeated government institutions and policy, and social customs and attitudes, in this country in ways that it has not in other countries or societies. The question that raises is, did slavery forge a link between caste systems and race that is different from the linkage in other societies? Here is a link to the article,
- America's Enduring Caste System: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/magazine/isabel-wilkerson-caste.html
After that, more articles appeared that might be of interest to discuss. The first is a comment on the book, White Fragility, by John McWhorrer. Many of us have read this book, and more have read about it, and it has been discussed and referred to often in our discussions.
Multiple articles followed, interviewing McWhorter and elaborating and exploring his thesis. Lastly, Senator Tom Cotton has introduced legislation to punish any school that teaches the curriculum outlined by the 1619 Project. All these articles provide perspective for our ongoing discussion. These articles constitute another step in the continuing assault on the project and against its goals of reviewing and reinterpreting our history. Links to some of the articles, as well as to the curriculum offered by the supporters of the project follow:
- The popular book aims to combat racism but talks down to Black people.: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/dehumanizing-condescension-white-fragility/614146/
- Tom Cotton, GOP senator, introduces bill to prohibit use of federal funds to teach 1619 Project –
- CNN Politics: https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/24/politics/tom-cotton-1619-project-bill/index.html
- The 1619 Project Curriculum | Pulitzer Center: ps://pulitzercenter.org/lesson-plan-grouping/1619-project-curriculum
The next meeting of the group is scheduled on Friday, August 7 at 10:00 PST. Link information to connect is sent to our mailing list.