Opinion
Racist ‘Talk’ with White Children
“ C h a lle n g in g P e o p le t o S h a p e
a B e tte r F u tu re N o w ”
B E R N IE F O S T E R
Founder/Publisher
B O B B IE D O R E F O S T E R
Executive Editor
T ED B ANKS
Advertising Manager
J ER RY F O STER
Account Executive
L IS A L O V IN G
News Editor
H E L E N S ILV IS
Multimedia Editor
D AV I D K I D D
Graphic Designer
M
O N IC A
J. F O STER
Seattle Office Coordinator
J U L IE K E E F E
S U S A N F R IE D
Photographers
The Skanner Newspaper , e sta b lish e d
in O c to b e r 1 9 7 5 , is a w e e k ly p u b lic a -
tio n , p u b lis h e d e a c h W e d n e s d a y b y
IM M P u b lic a tio n s In c .,
4 1 5 N . K illin g sw o rth S t.,
P.O . B o x 5 4 5 5 , P o rtla n d , O R 9 7 2 2 8 .
Te le p h o n e (5 0 3 ) 2 8 5 -5 5 5 5 .
E -m a il: in f o @ t h e s k a n n e r.c o m
W o rld W id e W e b site :
h t t p : //w w w .t h e s k a n n e r.c o m
n th e w a k e o f th e s h o o tin g
d e a th o f 1 7 -y e a r-o ld T ra y v o n
M a rtin in S a n fo rd , F la ., s to rie s
a p p e a re d in n e w s p a p e rs , o n b ro a d -
c a s t o u tle ts a n d o n th e In te rn e t
a b o u t “ th e ta lk ,” a c a n d id c o n v e r-
s a tio n B la c k p a re n ts h a v e a t s o m e
p o in t w ith th e ir B la c k s o n s a b o u t
s u rv iv in g in a s o c ie ty th a t d e v a l-
u e s th e m a s h u m a n s .
In a n A p ril 5 a rtic le p u b lis h e d in
T a k i m a g a z i n e ( t a k i m a g .c o m ) ,
N a tio n a l R e v ie w c o n trib u to r J o h n
D e rb y s h ire w ro te , “ Ye s , ta lk a b o u t
th e ta lk is a ll o v e r.” U n d e r th e
h e a d lin e , “ T h e Ta lk : N o n b la c k
Ve rs io n ,” h e s a id , “ T h e re is a ta lk
th a t n o n b la c k A m e ric a n s h a v e
w ith th e ir k id s , to o . M y o w n k id s ,
n o w 1 9 a n d 1 6 , h a v e h a d it in b its
a n d p ie c e s a s s u b to p ic s h a v e a ris -
e n . If I w e re to a s s e m b le it in to a
s in g le ta lk , it w o u ld lo o k s o m e -
th in g lik e th e fo llo w in g .”
H e th e n lis te d a s e rie s o f c le a rly
r a c is t a n d u n d o c u m e n te d c o m -
m e n ts . A m o n g th e m :
— T h e d e fa u lt p rin c ip le in
e v e ry d a y p e rs o n a l e n c o u n te rs is
th a t, a s a fe llo w c itiz e n w ith th e
s a m e r ig h ts a n d o b lig a tio n s a s
y o u rs e lf, a n y in d iv id u a l b la c k is
e n title d to th e s a m e c o u rte s ie s y o u
w o u ld e x te n d to a n o n b la c k c iti-
z e n . T h a t is b a s ic g o o d m a n n e rs
a n d g o o d c itiz e n s h ip . I n s o m e
u n u su a l c irc u m sta n c e s, h o w e v -
e r— e .g ., p a ra g ra p h (1 0 h ) b e lo w —
th is d e fa u lt p rin c ip le s h o u ld b e
o v e rrid d e n b y c o n s id e ra tio n s o f
p e rs o n a l s a fe ty.
— In c o n s id e ra tio n o f p e rs o n a l
s a fe ty, D e rb y s h ire a d v is e s : A v o id
c o n c e n tra tio n s o f b la c k s n o t a ll
k n o w n to y o u p e rs o n a lly ; s ta y o u t
o f h e a v ily b la c k n e ig h b o rh o o d s ; if
p la n n in g a tr ip to a b e a c h o r
a m u s e m e n t p a rk a t s o m e d a te , fin d
o u t w h e th e r it is lik e ly to b e
s w a m p e d w ith b la c k s o n th a t d a te
(n e g le c t o f th a t o n e , h e s a id , g o t
m e th e c lo s e s t I h a v e e v e r g o tte n
I
F ax: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 5 -2 9 0 0
The Skanner
is a m e m b e r o f th e
N a tio n a l N e w sp a p e r P u b lish e rs A sso c i-
a tio n a n d W e st C o a st B la c k P u b lish e rs
A sso c ia tio n .
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p ro p e rty o f
The Skanner . W e
a re n o t re -
sp o n sib le fo r lo st o r d a m a g e d p h o to s
e ith e r so lic ite d o r u n so lic ite d .
© 2 0 11
The Skanner . A L L R IG H T S
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IN
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R E S E RV E D .
OR
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PA R T
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The Seattle Skanner
T H E C URR Y
R EPO RT
G e o rg e E .
C u rry
to d e a th b y g u n s h o t);
do not
a tte n d e v e n ts lik e ly to d ra w a lo t
o f b la c k s ; if y o u a re a t s o m e p u b -
lic e v e n t a t w h ic h th e n u m b e r o f
b la c k s s u d d e n ly s w e lls , le a v e a s
q u ic k ly a s p o s s ib le ; d o n o t s e ttle in
a d is tric t o r m u n ic ip a lity ru n b y
b la c k c o n v ic te d m u rd e re rs o r to
b la c k in v e s tm e n t b a n k e r s — th e
L a w o f L a rg e N u m b e r s w i l l
i n e v i t a b l y k i c k i n . Yo u w i l l
o b s e rv e th a t th e m e a n s — th e a v e r-
a g e s — o f m a n y tra its a re v e ry d if-
fe re n t fo r b la c k a n d w h ite
A m e ric a n s , a s h a s b e e n c o n firm e d
b y m e th o d ic a l in q u irie s in th e
h u m a n s c ie n c e s .
— O f m o s t im p o rta n c e to y o u r
p e rs o n a l s a fe ty a re th e v e ry d iffe r-
e n t m e a n s fo r a n tis o c ia l b e h a v io r,
w h ic h y o u w ill s e e re fle c te d in , fo r
in sta n c e ,
school
d isc ip lin a ry
m e a s u re s , p o litic a l c o rru p tio n , a n d
c rim in a l c o n v ic tio n s .
— T h e s e d iffe re n c e s a re m a g n i-
‘In consideration of personal safety,
Derbyshire advises: Avoid
concentrations of blacks not all known
to you personally’
b la c k p o litic ia n s ; b e fo re v o tin g
fo r a b la c k p o litic ia n , s c ru tin iz e
h is /h e r c h a ra c te r m u c h m o re c a re -
fu lly th a n y o u w o u ld a w h ite ; d o
fie d b y th e h o s tility m a n y b la c k s
fe e l to w a rd w h ite s . T h u s , w h ile
b la c k -o n -b la c k b e h a v io r is m o re
a n tis o c ia l in th e a v e ra g e th a n is
w h ite -o n -w h ite b e h a v io r, a v e ra g e
‘Do not act the Good Samaritan to
blacks in apparent distress’
n o t a c t th e G o o d S a m a rita n to
b la c k s in a p p a re n t d is tre s s , e .g ., o n
th e h ig h w a y a n d if a c c o s te d b y a
s tra n g e b la c k in th e s tre e t, s m ile
a n d s a y s o m e th in g p o lite b u t k e e p
m o v in g .
— A s y o u g o th ro u g h life , h o w -
e v e r, y o u w ill e x p e rie n c e a n e v e r
la rg e r n u m b e r o f e n c o u n te rs w ith
b la c k A m e ric a n s . A s s u m in g y o u r
e n c o u n te rs
are
ran d o m — fo r
e x a m p le , n o t re s tric te d o n ly to
b la c k -o n -w h ite b e h a v io r is a
d e g re e m o re a n tis o c ia l y e t.
— A s m a ll c o h o rt o f b la c k s — in
m y e x p e rie n c e , a ro u n d fiv e p e r-
c e n t— is fe ro c io u sly h o stile to
w h ite s a n d w ill g o to g re a t le n g th s
to in c o n v e n ie n c e o r h a rm u s . A
m u c h la rg e r c o h o rt o f b la c k s —
a ro u n d h a lf— w ill g o a lo n g p a s -
s iv e ly if th e f iv e p e r c e n t ta k e
le a d e rs h ip in s o m e e v e n t. T h e y
w ill d o th is o u t o f ra c ia l s o lid a rity,
th e n a tu ra l w illin g n e s s o f m o s t
h u m a n b e in g s to b e le d , a n d a
v a g u e fe e lin g th a t w h ite s h a v e it
c o m in g .
— T h e m e a n in te llig e n c e o f
b la c k s is m u c h lo w e r th a n fo r
w h ite s . T h e le a s t in te llig e n t 1 0
p e rc e n t o f w h ite s h a v e IQ s b e lo w
8 1 ; fo rty p e rc e n t o f b la c k s h a v e
IQ s th a t lo w . O n ly o n e b la c k in s ix
is m o re in te llig e n t th a n th e a v e r-
a g e w h ite ; fiv e w h ite s o u t o f s ix
a re m o re in te llig e n t th a n th e a v e r-
a g e b la c k … “ L ife is a n IQ te s t.”
— T h e re is a m a g n ify in g e ffe c t
h e re , to o , c a u s e d b y a ffirm a tiv e
a c tio n . In a p u re m e rito c ra c y th e re
w o u ld b e v e ry lo w p ro p o rtio n s o f
b la c k s in c o g n itiv e ly d e m a n d in g
j o b s . B e c a u s e o f a ff i r m a t i v e
a c tio n , th e p ro p o rtio n s a re h ig h e r.
In g o v e rn m e n t w o rk , th e y a re v e ry
h ig h . T h u s , in th o s e e n c o u n te rs
w ith s tra n g e rs th a t in v o lv e c o g n i-
tiv e e n g a g e m e n t, c e te ris p a rib u s
th e b la c k s tra n g e r w ill b e le s s
in te llig e n t th a n th e w h ite . In s u c h
e n c o u n te rs , th e re fo re — fo r e x a m -
p le , a t a g o v e rn m e n t o ffic e — y o u
w ill, o n a v e ra g e , b e d e a lt w ith
m o re c o m p e te n tly b y a w h ite th a n
b y a b la c k .
D e rb y s h ire e n d e d h is a rtic le b y
s a y in g , “ Yo u d o n ’t h a v e to fo llo w
m y v e rs io n o f th e ta lk p o in t fo r
p o in t; b u t if y o u a re w h ite o r A s ia n
a n d h a v e k id s , y o u o w e it to th e m
to g iv e th e m s o m e v e rs io n o f th e
ta lk . It w ill s a v e th e m a lo t o f tim e
a n d tro u b le s p e n t fig u rin g th in g s
o u t fo r th e m s e lv e s . It m a y s a v e
th e ir liv e s .”
George E. Curry, former editor-
in-chief of Emerge magazine, is
editor-in-chief of the National
Newspaper Publishers Associa-
tion News Service (NNPA) and
editorial director of Heart & Soul
magazine. He is a keynote speaker,
moderator, and media coach.
Republicans: Playing the Race Card
w o u ld lik e y o u to d o m e a
fa v o r. W e a ll k n o w R e p u b li-
c a n s . In fa c t, y o u m a y b e a
R e p u b lic a n .
S o , h e re is m y
re q u e s t. T h e n e x t tim e y o u h a v e a
d isc u ssio n w ith a R e p u b lic a n
frie n d o f y o u rs – o r if y o u a re a
R e p u b lic a n — a s k th e m a q u e s tio n
fo r m e : W h y d o th e R e p u b lic a n s
k e e p fa llin g b a c k o n th e ra c e c a rd
in c h a lle n g in g P re s id e n t O b a m a ?
D o n ’t g e t m e w ro n g . I a m n o t
su g g e stin g th a t th e p re sid e n t
s h o u ld n o t b e c ritic iz e d . In fa c t,
re g u la rly c ritic iz e h is p o lic ie s in
m y c o m m e n ta rie s . N o , I a m ta lk -
in g a b o u t s o m e th in g v e ry d iffe r-
e n t. I a m a sk in g , w h y d o
R e p u b lic a n -a lig n e d g ro u p s re g u -
la rly p la y w ith th e ra c e c a rd . O r,
p e rh a p s I s h o u ld g o fu rth e r a n d
a s k , e v e n w h e n th e y d o n o t p la y
th e ra c e c a rd , w h y a re th e y a ll to o
o fte n s ile n t w h e n th e ra c e c a rd
g e ts p la y e d ?
L e t’s ta k e a lo o k a t th e b irth e r
m o v e m e n t, th e m o v e m e n t th a t h a s
s u g g e s te d th a t P re s id e n t O b a m a
w a s n o t b o rn in th e U .S .A . W h ile
it is tru e th a t w e h a v e n o t h e a rd
v e ry m u c h fro m th e m re c e n tly, I
w a s a b s o lu te ly a m a z e d a t h o w th e
R e p u b lic a n P a rty h a n d le d th a t
is s u e . T h e re w a s e ith e r s ile n c e o r,
w o rs e , s e v e ra l o f th e G O P p re s i-
I
M ay 30, 2012
T RANS
A F R IC A
B ill
F le tc h e r J r.
d e n tia l c a n d id a te s s u g g e s te d th a t
th e y b e lie v e d th a t to b e th e c a s e .
T h e b irth e r m o v e m e n t h a s n o th in g
to d o w ith th e lo c a tio n o f O b a m a ’s
b irth , b u t it h a s e v e ry th in g to d o
w ith a s e g m e n t o f th e W h ite p o p u -
la tio n th a t fe e ls th a t a B la c k p e r-
w ave
of
R e p u b lic a n -b a c k e d
e ffo rts to s u p p re s s th e v o te , e v e ry -
o n e w ith a n IQ o f m o re th a n 1 0
k n o w s th a t th e o b je c tiv e is to s u p -
p re s s th e p ro -O b a m a v o te . W h ile
th is s u p p re s s io n is b e in g d o n e in
th e n a m e o f fig h tin g v o te r fra u d ,
th e p e rp e tra to rs o f th is c h a ra d e
c a n n o t d e m o n s tra te a n y s ig n ifi-
c a n t v o te r fra u d th a t n e e d s to b e
a d d r e s s e d . Ye t th e ir a n tic s a r e
c le a rly b e in g a im e d a t m a k in g it
th a t m u c h m o re d iffic u lt fo r th e
D e m o c ra tic e le c to ra te , in c lu d in g
b u t n o t lim ite d to A fric a n A m e ri-
c a n s , to g e t o u t to v o te . A s k y o u r
frie n d — o r a s k y o u rs e lf — w h y
w o u ld th e R e p u b lic a n P a rty h a v e
To borrow from the old album by the
group Public Enemy, these
Republicans are playing on the White
fear of a ‘Black planet’
s o n , b o rn a n y w h e re o n th is p la n e t
(re g a rd le s s o f p a re n ta g e ) s h o u ld
b e in e lig ib le to b e p re s id e n t.
Vo t e r s u p p r e s s i o n i s a n o t h e r
is s u e . T h o u g h P re s id e n t O b a m a ’s
n a m e is n o t fe a tu re d in th e th e
a n in te re s t in a d e c lin in g e le c to ra te
a n d m a k in g it m o re d iffic u lt fo r
B la c k p e o p le to v o te ?
T h e n w e c o m e to th e d is c u s s io n s
a m o n g th e s o -c a lle d S u p e rPA C s ,
th e s e m o n s tro s itie s th a t h a v e b e e n
fo rm e d a s a re s u lt o f th e S u p re m e
C o u rt’s g o -a h e a d in th e C itiz e n s
U n ite d c a s e th a t p e rm its m a s s iv e
e x p e n d itu re s in e le c tio n s th a t
fo c u s e s o n W h ite fe a r. To b o rro w
fro m th e o ld a lb u m b y th e g ro u p
P u b lic E n e m y, th e s e R e p u b lic a n s
a re p la y in g o n th e W h ite fe a r o f a
‘B la c k p la n e t.’ N o w , w h ile it is
tru e th a t a t le a s t s o m e p e o p le in
th e R e p u b lic a n p o litic a l e s ta b lis h -
m e n t h a v e fin a lly s u g g e s te d th a t
th is m ig h t n o t b e a g o o d c o u rs e o f
a c tio n , w h y is it th a t o n th e R e p u b -
lic a n s id e o f th e a is le s u c h c ra c k -
p o t, ra c ist id e a s a re re g u la rly
flo a te d ?
To b e h o n e s t, I a m tire d o f ru n -
n in g a c r o s s B la c k R e p u b lic a n s
w h o , fo r w h a te v e r re a s o n , w o u ld
r a th e r ig n o r e s u c h s h e n a n ig a n s
a n d p re te n d th a t th o s e ta c tic s d o n ’t
re a lly h a v e to d o w ith ra c e a n d
d o n ’t r e a lly s p e a k to h o w th e
R e p u b lic a n P a rty v ie w s its s m a ll
A f r ic a n A m e r ic a n c o n s titu e n c y,
in c lu d in g th e m .
T h e y s h o u ld b e a s h a m e d .
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a senior
scholar with the Institute for Poli-
cy Studies, the immediate past
president of TransAfrica Forum,
and the co-author of Solidarity
Divided