Racism

Read more about the article Review: Black Panther #1

Review: Black Panther #1

The opening story arc is called “Who is the Black Panther” for a reason, and it is for that reason that T’Challa, the Black Panther most people know, does not appear in this issue. In fact, while writer Reginald Hudlin has said he’d be using elements of Christopher J. Priest’s critically-acclaimed, if not overwhelmingly supported, run, it seems that he’s looking to make good on his promise that “by the end of the second arc, the character will never be seen the same way again.”

So far, so good.

While most comic book fans know the Black Panther by name, relatively few know much about him, never mind the fact that “he” is not a single person, but a position of power and honor that is handed down from generation to generation, the leader of his people. As such, complaints about T’Challa not appearing in the issue miss the point. Wakanda is as much a part of the Black Panther’s identity as Uncle Ben is to Spider-Man’s, so it makes sense that Hudlin takes the time to explore its history first, offering a stronger context to present the Panther to a new, and hopefully larger, audience. More than makes sense, I’d say it’s crucial to the success of his intended elevation into the upper echelon of the Marvel Universe where he belongs.

My favorite scene was the racist General sputtering “BULL!” in response to Everett K. Ross’ story of how the Black Panther defeated Captain America during WWII. And how he has to be restrained as Ross adds, “If it makes you feel better, he beat the Fantastic Four…” It reminded me of the internet fanboys getting all up in arms, as if there was some dishonor in Cap being beaten by the Panther. Brought a wry smile to my lips.

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Read more about the article Comment: Being Black in a Four-Color World

Comment: Being Black in a Four-Color World

It's an old joke: Why is Black History Month the shortest month of the year? There's no punchline to that one, of course. The question is the joke. In time for Black History Month 2005, Marvel Comics is relaunching the Black Panther in his own series, his fifth including the short-lived, unfortunately-titled but highly-regarded Jungle Action in 1974, by Don McGregor and Billy Graham; and his most recent eponymous incarnation, under the Marvel Knights imprint, which lasted six years under the redefining direction of writer Christopher J. Priest and a passel of artists, before ending in September 2003. This time…

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Read more about the article The Kerry Compromise

The Kerry Compromise

Life is all about knowing when to compromise and I think I've found mine w/r/t my vote for President thanks to a timely email from Dan Cantor of the fledgling Working Families Party here in New York: In New York, the WFP’s main goals are to get a solid vote for Kerry-Edwards on our line (Row E), and to help our priority candidates win. We ask your help in both. In the Presidential [election], votes for Kerry-Edwards on Row E/WFP are worth JUST AS MUCH as a vote on the Democratic line, but carry an extra message. Long-time WFP voters…

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Racists say the darndest things: "In the end it is an historical fact that if you mess with white people too much, they will destroy you."Because this quote came from a "friends-only" post on LiveJournal - excerpted from the reposting of an email sent to the LiveJournaler in question - I won't name the offender other than to say that he's a published author of genre fiction and not known to me personally.While his quote is ironically true - to a degree, as we know that, historically-speaking, white people haven't usually waited to be messed with before destroying someone - it's the context…

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Read more about the article Jesse Helms is back! And this time he’s black.

Jesse Helms is back! And this time he’s black.

You can’t make this stuff up.

“Jesse Helms is back! And this time he’s black.” That’s Winston-Salem city councilman Vernon Robinson’s campaign slogan as one of eight GOP candidates in the July 20 primary for North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District.

Pretty inoffensive, though, compared to the radio ad he’s running:

ANNOUNCER NO. 1: Vernon Robinson, conservative. The aliens are here, but they didn’t come in a spaceship. They came across our unguarded Mexican border by the millions — illegally.

They’ve filled our criminal courtrooms and invaded our school. They sponge off the American taxpayer by clogging our welfare lines and our hospital emergency rooms. They’ve even taken over the DMV. These aliens commit heinous crimes against us, like Maximiliano Esparza, who raped a nun and strangled her with her own rosary — illegally.

They commit crimes but won’t commit to learn our language. You walk into a McDonald’s restaurant to order a Big Mac and find to your horror that the employees don’t speak English — illegals. You may be in the heart of America, but you feel as though you are in the Twilight Zone.

Vernon Robinson will secure our borders, cut off the welfare payments and once and for all make English our official language. Press one for English? No. Vote Vernon Robinson for English.

VERNON ROBINSON: I’m Vernon Robinson, and I approve this message.

ANNOUNCER NO. 2: Yo Gringo! Este episodio de Twilight Zone era pagado para Robinson por congreso.

The ad’s come under fire, not for it’s extreme offensiveness but for the fact that the required disclosure at the end – “This ad was paid for by Robinson for Congress.” – is in Spanish.

…?

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Read more about the article On Gay Marriage

On Gay Marriage

This whole gay marriage controversy is simply ridiculous. Sedalina has one of the better takes on the topic (as well as some particularly ignorant feedback from readers), and also led me to do to a little Googling to find the following:

An Act to Preserve Racial Integrity

5. It shall hereafter be unlawful for any white person in this State to marry any save a white person, or a person with no other admixture of blood than white and American Indian. For the purpose of this act, the term “white person” shall apply only to the person who has no trace whatsoever of any blood other than Caucasian; but persons who have one-sixteenth or less of the blood of the American Indian and have no other non-Caucasic blood shall be deemed to be white persons. All laws heretofore passed and now in effect regarding the intermarriage of white and colored persons shall apply to marriages prohibited by this act.

from the Virginia Racial Integrity Act of 1924

Eugenic Laws Against Race Mixing

Paul Lombardo, University of Virginia

By 1915, twenty-eight states made marriages between “Negroes and white persons” invalid; six states included this prohibition in their constitutions…

The 1958 case of Loving v. Commonwealth of Virginia initiated a challenge that would eventually overturn the law… By unanimous decision, in 1967 the [United States Supreme] Court struck down the Racial Integrity Act and similar laws of fifteen other states, saying: “[T]here can be no doubt that restricting the freedom to marry solely because of racial classifications violates the central meaning of the Equal Protection Clause… Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the state.”

from the Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement

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Read more about the article 10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR GEORGE W. BUSH

10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR GEORGE W. BUSH

10. Because you'd like to see him elected legitimately this time. 9. Because women have too much control over their own bodies. 8. Because affirmative action is reverse racism and slavery was a long time ago. 7. Because you are a CEO or other high-ranking corporate executive. 6. Because you're single with no kids and drive an SUV. 5. Because you can afford your own health insurance, have significant money in the stock market and/or send your kids to parochial school. 4. Because those uncivilized Arabs need a Starbucks, Wal-Mart and McDonald's on every corner. 3. Because the Pentagon is…

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