The Notorious B.I.G. once said, “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Kills You.” Look no further than Gary Webb. Although he had won a Pulitzer Prize, he didn’t achieve national acclaim until he stumbled upon a story connecting the Nicaraguan Contras to the Los Angeles crack trade. The series and the book titled “Dark Alliance: The CIA, …
Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion Read More »
A recurring theme in my talks with Occupy Portland participants has been the “media war”. Consider Jason Parker collateral damage. Parker was arrested a couple of weeks ago at the encampment for allegedly pulling a gun on protesters during an argument. According to the news reports, he pulled the gun after protesters challenged him for …
Check out the new article. Supporters Want Occupy Movement to Address Racial Issues.
Check out my new piece on Richard Heinberg’s speech as a part of the East Portland Area Project. Focus East Portland: City Pushes Neighborhood-Sized Projects.
Racist costumes have become a hallmark of Halloween, especially on college campuses. Not long ago, I even remember running across an “Crips and Bloods Party” in my Facebook news feed. Students at Ohio University have chosen to start a campaign with posters saying, “This is not who I am and it is not okay.” However, …
Offensive Halloween Costume Ideas: Why Should White People Have All the Fun? Read More »
Author’s note: I originally wrote this following the killing of Osama bin Laden. Since, we’ve seen the assassinations of many others, including Anwar al-Awlaki, his 16 year old son and most recently Muammar Gaddafi. I find it interesting that so many in the US cheered on the images of Gaddafi’s bloody corpse not even a …
Check out my recap of the Teaching with Purpose Conference 2011. If you’re in the Portland area, and an educator, parent, community member or simply a person, try and attend next year. Don’t miss out on the innovations that could revolutionize education. Education Expert Augusta Mann: Black Students Need the Five R’s.
Protesters in the Occupy movement have chanted they are the “99%” but it’s hard to ignore the fact that the majority of protesters are white. Many wonder why more people of color aren’t showing up to the protests, considering the disproportionate effect the financial crisis has had on them. In the case of Portland, look …
Check out my new article in the Skanner on the Teaching with Purpose Conference here.
One image that stuck with me from Occupy Portland was a man burning a dollar bill. There couldn’t be a more apt protest technique than destroying the tool which allows bankers to control the people. It says “In God We Trust” on the dollar (The phrase has been on coins since 1864 and paper money …