In light of this weekend’s events in Charlottesville, I find it necessary to revisit the topic I addressed last weekend. Like many Americans, I am horrified by the recent rise in white supremacist, neo-Nazi activity in the US. Many people smarter than me have written eloquent pieces about what happened this weekend, and I do not pretend to have anything new or particularly insightful to say. In case there is any doubt, let me be clear where I stand: Hating, discriminating against, or threatening anyone on account of their race, ethnic heritage, sexual orientation, or gender is despicable and unacceptable. Human is human, period.
Tag: race
The Weekend Listen
I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving, working out, and doing chores around the house. In this weekly feature, I’ll tell you about one episode I particularly enjoyed that week.
My choice for this week is Your Weekly Constitutional’s episode, “The Original Black Elite.” Your Weekly Constitutional is a public radio show and podcast hosted by a constitutional law professor, Stuart Harris, that addresses a variety of timely and controversial constitutional issues. In this episode, Stuart interviews scholar and author Elizabeth Dowling Taylor about her research into a largely overlooked period of black American history: the era between reconstruction and Jim Crow, when there was a proud “colored aristocracy.” I learned a lot from this discussion, and I hope you will too.
Are you listening to a podcast I haven’t mentioned yet? Tell us about it in the comments!
The Weekend Listen
I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving, working out, and doing chores around the house. In this weekly feature, I’ll tell you about one episode I particularly enjoyed that week.
My recommendation for this week is On Being’s episode Eula Biss–Let’s Talk About Whiteness. You may have heard On Being on your local public radio station. It’s a Peabody Award-winning show hosted by Krista Tippett that explores the question, “What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live?”
In this episode, Krista and writer Eula Biss talk about race, the language we use to discuss it, aspects of privilege like opportunity hoarding, and how we might start conversations about these things. It’s a thoughtful, frank, and insightful discussion.
Race is a subject that often provokes strong feelings. I encourage you to approach this interview with an open mind and to observe any emotional reactions that arise in you as you listen, whatever they may be.
Is there a podcast you think I should be following? Let me know in the comments, send me an email, or tweet using #LexListens.