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Bids/Classifieds To place your ad, email Advertising deadlines 12:00 Noon Monday Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. advertising@theskanner.com Book Review by Kam Williams The Colorization of America by Jeff Chang St. Martin’s Press Hardcover, $29.99 416 pages, Illustrated ISBN: 978-0-312-57129-0 “Race. A four-letter word. The greatest social divide in American life, a half-centu- ry ago and today. During that time, the United States has seen the most dramatic demographic and cultural shift in its history, what can be called the colorization of America… How do Americans see race now? After eras framed by words like ‘multi- cultural’ and ‘post-racial,’ do we see each other any more clearly? From the dream of inte- gration to the reality of col- orization, Who We Be remixes comic strips and contemporary art, campus protests and corporate mar- keting campaigns, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Trayvon Martin into a pow- erful, unusual and timely cultural history of the idea of racial progress.” — Excerpted from the Bookjacket E ach generation has its share of visionaries. Long ago, William Faulkner warned that “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” In the Sixties, R. Buckminster Fuller con- veyed the critical insight that “Geniuses are just peo- ple who had good mothers,” while Marshall McLuhan helped us understand exact- ly why “The medium is the message.” More recently, Ray Kurzweil anticipated the age of spiritual machines where computers lead and people follow. “Who We Be” is the work of a new sage thinker with his finger on the pulse. Don’t let yourself be dis- suaded by the grammatical- ly-incorrect title of his opus, or it’s Ebonics chapter head- ings like “I Am I Be” and “What You Got to Say?” for the actual text isn’t written in inscrutable slang as implied, but rather offers a very articulate analysis of the evolution of American culture from the March on Washington to the pres- ent. In fact, the author isn’t even black, but Asian- American of Chinese and Hawaiian extraction. Not one to be pigeonholed by his ethnicity, Jeff Chang previously penned a couple of books about hip-hop, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop,” and “Total Chaos.” Here, however, he suc- cessfully tackles subject- matter of much more depth and consequence in the process sharing a cornu- copia of profound insights on themes ranging from the rise of Obama to multicul- turalism to gentrification to the use of the N-word to Occupy Wall Street. For example, in a blistering cri- tique of the economic sys- tem, he opines: “Capitalism aspired not only to be the law, but morality, too. Freedom meant being free even from responsibility or empathy. All values would bow before economic value. Redemption would be rede- fined. Consumption would set the terms of the social. Creditors ruled everything In Loving Memory William H. Woods Sr. May 18, 1921 – Oct. 30, 2014 Sunrise: May 18, 1921, in Tulsa, OK. Sunset: Oct. 30, 2014, in Port- land, OR. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, 2014, at Bethel A.M.E. Church 5828 N.E. Eighth Avenue, Portland, OR. In lieu of flowers, donations in remem- brance of Mr. Woods, may be made to Providence Hospice, 6410 N.E. Halsey St., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213. Please sign the online guest book at www/ore- gonlive.com/orbits around us. Debtors—a cate- gory that included almost everyone—were parasites. Capital and the state debased fundamental human relations… It’s sociality itself that’s treated as abusive, criminal, demonic.” Sobering! With the help of a dizzying mix of evocative essays, anecdotes, quotes, quips and eye-catching car- toons and photographs, he amply illustrates what he refers to as America’s post- racial paradox. For although the country might be awash in a sort of melting pot imagery suggested by popu- lar movies, TV shows and rainbow coalition commer- cials, that superficial sym- bolism flies in the face of the undeniable reality of ris- ing re-segregation in terms of housing and school- ing. Pearls of wisdom from an Asian-American wannabe who deliberately employs double negatives, bad gram- mar, incorrect syntax and even an occasional double positive for the sake of street cred. Still, the Utne Reader saw right through that smokescreen and dubbed Jeff Chang among the “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.” Who he be? He be a phat prophet! You feel me? Congratulations Jesse and Norma Godfrey On your Golden Anniversary With much love from Your Children, Grands & Greatgrands! SUB-BIDS REQUESTED City of Portland CBWTP Digesters 1 & 2 Compressors Replacement Bids Due: December 2, 2014 at 2:00pm Bids may be received by fax at (503) 394-2169 or emailed to randgbids@aol.com R EXCAVATING, INC. 39300 Montgomery Dr. & Scio, OR 97374 G (503) 394-2190 FAX (503) 394-2169 CCB #65135 We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from minority, women and emerging small business enterprises. 11-19-14 November 19, 2014 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 7
