The White Girls' Shirts Spelled "Ni**er"

January 25, 2016

Some blur faces -- media "cautious with a hurtful image"; Japanese-Americans still fighting use of "Jap"; frustration builds among blacks in corporate suites; Comcast, BET among best firms for people of color; theory: Trump makes media discuss what they've avoided; Wolf Blitzer says Bernard Shaw changed his life; Wickham wants J-diversity money at black colleges; Flint crisis called part of environmental racism (1/25/16)

Some Blur Faces; Media "Cautious With a Hurtful Image"

Japanese-Americans Still Fighting Use of "Jap"

Frustration Builds Among Blacks in Corporate Suites

Comcast, BET Among Best Firms for People of Color

Theory: Trump Makes Media Discuss What They've Avoided

Wolf Blitzer Says Bernard Shaw Changed His Life

Wickham Wants J-Diversity Money at Black Colleges

Flint Crisis Called Part of Environmental Racism

"The water crisis in Flint, Michigan is more than just a natural disaster or a series of unfortunate, environmental events— it is an inexcusable, egregious human and health rights violation against a majority black city, where 56 percent of the population is African-American,"Jaimee A. Swift wrote Sunday for theGrio.com.

"With full cognizance of the hazardously, toxic water supply since 2014, Governor [Rick] Snyder's lack of political action on this issue fits perfectly into the narrative that not only was this intentional, but as Flint native Michael Moore has declared, it is a racial killing and genocide.

"Unfortunately, Flint is not the only city where African-Americans and people of color are suffering from the onslaught of environmental racism and discrimination.

"Detroit schools are so heavily infested with rats, roaches and mold that more than 85 schools closed on Wednesday, as teachers staged a sickout in protest to the deplorable conditions.

"In Baltimore, the levels of lead poisoning among children is three times the national rate. Before Freddie Gray became a victim of racialized state violence in Baltimore, he too, was a victim of lead poisoning as a young child; tests showed that his blood lead levels were as high as seven times the reference level given by the Centers for Disease Control [and Prevention].

"Louisiana's 'cancer alley'[;] the polluting garbage and medical waste facilities in Chester, Pennsylvania; and the crude oil plant in Richmond, California are only but a few further examples to correlate that the water problem in Flint is not an isolated event — the poisoning of Black communities in America is certainly not a new phenomena.

"Historically and contemporarily, people of color, especially in low-income communities, have and are continuing to be killed slowly, softly, and silently in their households, in their schools, and on their jobs with impunity — and at a greater rate than police killings and racialized state violence. . . ."