Roundup — Fighting Fire in a Burning World

First off, be sure to spend some quality time with the 18th Erase Racism Carnival at Kill Bigotry:

The 20 posts have been divided into 4 categories: 1) Our Criminal (in)justice System; 2) Quotes that Made you Run to your Computer; 3) A Trip around the Color Wheel; and 4) A History of Violence.

Next, Nezua brings us news of Mexican firefighters crossing the border to help out in California; though the New York Times takes the opportunity to plant some dark thought-seeds, the kinds of seeds which eventually sprout:

REPORTS ARE COMING IN from San Diego that paint a picture of racism and anti-migrant sentiment on the part of la chota, sadly, in the midst of what should be a time where we are concerned with human lives and health. Can't say I'm a bit surprised. But I am definitely disgusted.

See behind the cut for a detailed accounting from the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium of some of the tactics being employed, wherein white evacuees are treated kindly and given blankets and diapers while Spanish-speaking evacuees are first assumed to be criminal, and then deprived of help, and only shunted (against regular Police policy) directly to la migra; wherein people in need of help, who are hungry and homeless and scared already, are met with authority figures who choose such a point to level even more fear against them, who threaten to taze volunteers, who are very cruelly selective about whom to serve, whom to protect, and whom to persecute.

Brownfemipower is reminded of Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine:

Over at Intrapolitics, Sylvia discusses California, Louisiana, and the Right of Return:

The policies undertaken by law enforcement and developers in these regions of natural disasters, in my opinion, is part of a general scheme to displace the poor and minority property owners and renters. The backlash against social programs designed to help people obtain affordable housing, combined with the expected pitfalls of subprime mortgage lending, have placed us in a crisis of vulnerable populations losing the small allowances of economic power and self-determination they've had. Without aggressive organization of community advocates, racial awareness and support organizations, and political advocacy groups in Washington and at the state levels, we stand to lose more than we will gain as the demographics in both of these areas begin to shift.

Donna and Blackamazon have spoken.

So has Content Black Woman.

A tour of Egeehood over at Latino Politico.

We see at A Tiny Revolution that our nation's political-consultant-class is now validating Chomsky by openly declaring that in our electoral system, pitching a political candidate is "like selling toothpaste".

Down in Texas, XicanoPower serves up a Texas Progressive Alliance Blog Round-Up and congratulates Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina's first elected woman president.

Further down in Australia, a consciousness-raising call from FIre Fly.

Shifting our gaze toward Kenya, Sokari brings us a report on the Umoja women, as well as a call to 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, November 25th to December 10th.

Carmen and Rachel both get quoted in a New York Times piece on the recent noose fad in the US, which CNN also covers in this segment (via Angry Indian):

Manish has a first look at Mike Myer's latest brownface project.

Comments

[Man Eegee]

Thanks for the additional tips on reading, Kai. Great stuff to be found all over the place. paz

[Kai]

Man Eegee, you're most welcome, thanks for stopping by!