YAAAAAAAAAAAAYY!!!

I'M GONNA BE AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tell It WOC Speak

Woo-Hoo! First Carnival!

Also, I know I've really been neglecting this blog. Right now, I'm just not sure about what to do with it. My brain goes in 10,000 different directions and I barely blog on my main blog as it is. I still really believe that forums like this exist, but I'm just not sure where to proceed. Any suggestions would be freakin' awesome.

Please forgive my rambling. It's been a wonky day.

Help Wanted!

I'm working on a series of posts dealing with definitions and real-world realities. I'm relatively new to the Progressive movement, and there's a lot of things I'm still learning. Something I have learned is that dictionary definitions often don't work in the real world. This series will analyze that, while offering my own thoughts on the different subjects. The series will concentrate on 4 areas: Race, Sex, Religion, Politics. I would love to get different points of view, especially in the areas in which I'm still very much a n00b. ;) If you would like to help me out, please e-mail me at malaika924 at yahoo dotcom.

Mauricia Grant

Let me get this out of the way first and foremost: I know diddly-squat about NASCAR and racing cars in general.

And, if the following comments are any indication of the "NASCAR community", then I would rather not have anything to do with it:

I am tired of black people holding up white people for thier hard earned money....either with a gun or a lawyer....its the same crime...this "get a check for racism" game is old....I like the facts...you should to....but you dont....and its all because "whitey" is a racisist and "de holdin me down"....and the attitude is commonly ghetto black....."they owe me" so I have a right to rob them.......or steal from them....or sue them....they are cowards with no personal fortitude or motivation.....unless it is to get a check....for not working...

Yea the Blacks in America are soooo repressed, That is why a black woman gets a job over a black man who gets the job over a white woman who gets the job over a white man. Oh yea the college funds and government programs that apply easier to some than others I am NOT racist this is fact.

Blacks are given more opportunites that whites in todays world. There are scholarships specifically for african/americans; grant programs for african/americans to get technical schooling free; a Miss Black America (do we have a Ms White America? no we don't cause that would be racist); welfare programs; food stamps; free housing; I could go on an on. If I wanted my kids to go to college, guess who had to pay for it.

The reverse racism is unbelievable. Blacks have the NAACP, Rainbow Coalition, BET, Jesse and Al, UNCF, etc. and none of those are racist organizations, however, any KKK member is racist because he believes in the protection of "white rights." This country remains divided because of the minorities who get the majority of welfare, college scholarships, oh and prison time.

as far as the n word, there is this thing called freedom of speech, people can say what they want no matter if it hurts feelings

I could go on, but there's an ever-increasing urge to punch my computer monitor...I like my monitor. ^_^

Not that these assholes need an excuse to be racist, but the reason they've "got their ire up" this time is the pending $225 Million lawsuit against NASCAR for racial and sexual discrimination filed by Mauricia Grant.

Ms. Grant, the first Black woman official at NASCAR, attended Spelman College and received a degree in sociology from SUNY-Stony Brook on Long Island.

Mo quickly tired of her desk job and adopted her stepfather's passion for working with tools. She was accepted in the Los Angeles Urban League Automotive Training Center and began an internship at Irwindale Speedway.

And she did it the hard way.

"When I started working at Irwindale Speedway, it was because of my own interest," Grant said. "I volunteered to work for free at the Dodge Weekly Racing (Series). It was something that I wanted to do. I was a L.A. girl and there was a short track close by — 30 miles from L.A. It had nothing to do with me wanting to help NASCAR diversify its sport.

"Once I was working at Irwindale and I got real great reviews from my bosses, Magic Johnson heard about me because Shav Glick wrote a story about me that appeared in the L.A. Times. Magic read it and invited me to speak on behalf of NASCAR at an event to celebrate John Mack, the former president of the L.A. Urban League."

When the late Shav Glick of the Times interviewed Irwindale Speedway principals, the reviews of Grant could not have been more admirable.

"Mauricia is a great asset to our officiating crew and to the track in general," track VP Bob DeFazio told the Times. "Her enthusiasm seems perfectly matched by her ability to learn. We've asked the people at the Automotive Training Center to please send us more like her."

"The best word to describe Mo is sharp," Director of Racing, Lester Boyer told the Times. "She's not only one of the hardest-working track officials, she's the most friendly. Tech inspection is always an us-vs.-them deal, like we're trying to find something wrong with someone's race car. In reality, that couldn't be further from the truth. We just love it when a car sails through the safety and rules compliance inspection. Mo's smile and the way she does this important job just puts everyone at ease.

According to Section 21 of the lawsuit:

Defendant NASCAR hired Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT not only because of her skills and qualifications as a racing Official, but also as a symbol of NASCAR’s newfound, purported commitment to diversity. Indeed, throughout her employment, Defendant NASCAR repeatedly featured Plaintiff MAURICA GRANT at public out-reach programs designed to convince the media, corporate sponsors and others of the company’s diversity. At the same time, within Defendant NASCAR’s corporate headquarters and on its racetracks throughout the country, there was and remains a permissive and encouraging environment for racial and sexual discrimination and harassment among directors, managers, supervisors, officials and employees of the company against African-American and female employees.

Examples of the "permissive and encouraging environment for racial and sexual discrimination", were name calling ("Mohammed, "Nappy Headed Mo", "Queen Sheba", "Al Qaeda", "Black Sisters Revenge", "Mo from the Block", "Molicious", "bitch," "nigger", "Simpleton"), ignorant comments and questions ("How do you fix that hair?", "How come the palms of your hands are white?", "She's on Colored People Time", "It must be National Minority Day", "You can't possibly sunburn..", "What up, my nigga?"), and unwanted sexual propositioning ("Let me see your tits", "Do you wanna see my dick?"). There are too many allegations to post, but the lawsuit lists everything in excruciating detail. (***TRIGGER WARNING) The lawsuit also states:

123. Throughout her employment at Defendant NASCAR, Plaintiff MAURICIA
GRANT received positive performance evaluations, including from her direct supervisor, Public Relations Manager Doub Hanshaw. On numerous occasions, Plaintiff TRACEY WRIGHT was praised by her Supervisors for her natural aptitude in and enthusiasm for Public Relations, as well as for the excellent feedback Free People received from its media contacts concerning Plaintiff’s professionalism, responsiveness and demeanor.

124. Unfortunately, after Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT complained of racial discrimination and harassment, she was subjected to heightened scrutiny, unwarranted disciplinary action, degrading treatment and continued harassment culminating in her unlawful termination, in direct retaliation for her complaints.

Ms. Grant was terminated from her job on October 27, 2007 for "poor work performance".

The bullshit...it is strong...

NASCAR CEO Brian France claims he knew nothing about these allegations before the lawsuit.

"If any of those claims turn out to be accurate and have substance, we would have liked to have known about that two years ago, so that we could react and have done something about it because it's inconsistent with anything ... from a policy standpoint about how a work environment for our officials should be," France said.

First of all, I call bullshit. Secondly, given the circumstances, I could see why someone would be hesitant to approach their supervisors (emphasis mine):

40. Throughout her employment from approximately January 2005 through her
wrongful termination on or about October 27, 2007, Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT was one of approximately 30 Officials employed by Defendant NASCAR for its Busch Series. In 2005, only approximately five of those 30 Officials (or 17%), including Plaintiff, were women. In 2006, the number of female Officials decreased to four when one of the women was fired after she complained about the sexually hostile work environment. In 2007, Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT was one of only three women employed as Officials in the NASCAR Busch Series.

41. Throughout her employment with Defendant NASCAR from approximately
January 2005 through her wrongful termination on or about October 27, 2007, Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT was the only Black Official employed in the NASCAR Busch Series.

42. Throughout her employment with Defendant NASCAR from approximately
January 2005 through her wrongful termination on or about October 27, 2007, Plaintiff MAURICIA GRANT was the only Black female Official employed by Defendant NASCAR out of some 75 Officials employed for all its racing competitions.

As long she remained the "poster-girl" for NASCAR's Drive for Diversity initiative and kept for mouth shut, there wasn't any problem. Now that she's asserted herself and is fighting against a racist corporation, "She chose to make this about money and about a lawsuit."

I wanted to get into all of the bigotry surrounding this sport, but I just don't have the strength right now. (I'm sure there'll be quite a few NASCAR trolls knocking on my door as soon as I hit "Publish".) I'm tired. I'm frustrated. And I'm mad.

I think I'll just end (for now) with Bill Center:

“NASCAR races are different for me,” [Milton Hines, the program and operations director for ESPN Radio 800] said. “From officials to fans, I do get looks. I find myself keeping my hands in my pockets. I love the sport, but there are a lot of places I wouldn't go. I'm sorry, but it's just a fact"...

...

I do know that I've heard racist comments like the ones she puts forward in NASCAR settings. And I do know that when Milton Hines walks through the garages at Fontana, he gets strange looks. I've been there. I've seen it.

Why Seal Press Sucks, Part Deux

It's only a week since Seal Press issued a public apology for the racist imagery in Amanda Marcotte's new book, and the publishers are introducing a new book from two expat [White] Americans entitled (grab your barf bags), Tales from the Expat Harem.

Commenters rightfully pointed out the hypocrisy. Only to receive the following responses:

From one of the authors...

I suggest you read before condemning to understand exactly why that word and metaphor were specifically chosen.

From the publishers...

Tales from the Expat Harem is neither a sexist nor a racist title. Please, let's not look for the racially embedded wrong in every one of our books.

I heart Susie:

"Please, let's not look for the racially embedded wrong in every one of our books."

Because if it's there, you really don't want to know about it. You couldn't be making that clearer. Less than a week after your heartfelt apology, you're given the opportunity to listen to women of color trying to tell you something, and you dismiss them out of hand once again, informing them that you know far better than they do what is and isn't racist. You don't say, "Well, I can see why you'd be concerned about that, but we definitely considered that as an issue and here's why we feel it's not inappropriate." No, you just shut down discussion, and you shut it down by saying explicitly that you aren't willing to accept any consequences, like heightened scrutiny, for the wrong you admit you've done and for which you are supposedly so deeply penitent.

I'm really gobsmacked by this. You'd think common sense would keep you from being this openly arrogant and condescending, if a sense of decency doesn't.

Update:

From the publishers:

We apologized for the images in the first printing of It's A Jungle Out There. We made a mistake, we've owned up to it, we're doing everything we can to make things right for the book, for the author, and for our readers. We are working to do better.

"Now where's our damn cookie?!"

Seal has been around for more than 30 years. We've published a lot of great titles. We've informed a lot of women's lives.

Their new slogan: Seal Press...Racially-Igorant for Over 30 Years

In the two years since we published Tales from the Expat Harem, we have not heard that this book is pissing people off, let alone that it is racist. Quite the opposite. This travel literature title has received great reviews, has given travelers and arm-chair travelers alike a peek into Turkish culture from non-Turkish women's perspectives. Initially, we questioned the title too, but the editors of this anthology, both accomplished women we respect, helped us to see that from our narrow Westerner lense, the title which made us uncomfortable, was actually, an appropriate way to clarify the female powerbase aspect of a harem.

"The two White ladies who published this book assured us it wasn't racist."

This doesn't take away our mistakes. We realize that. Pushing the envelope is difficult, and we will continue to make mistakes along the way. It's never our intention to offend our audience, but we know that causing a stir, shaking people up, getting people to discuss things that push their boundaries and are challenging is part of our important job. And we take it seriously.

"It meaning making money. To hell with racism!"

Before you accuse us of publishing racist books, I do hope you'll read them, so we can have more informed discussions that we and our authors can participate in.

Anyone else get the warm-'n-fuzzies from this "apology"?

Nah. Me neither.

Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

First Brownfemipower...

Now Blackamazon...

...dammit.

The Article

**sigh...

What the fuck, people?

What the fuck?

**speechless...but not surprised...