February, 2020 archive
The Colorbind Society 0
At the Hartford Courant, sociology professor Johnny E. Williams reminds us that “race” is a social construct fiction created to legitimize white dominance. Specifically, it was formed in the English colonies in the colonial period so as to justify chattel slavery and theft of labor.
Here’s a bit from his article:
But there is no “white race.”
Whiteness is a shared conglomeration of fabricated meanings and ideas about biologically insignificant human differences. Whiteness only exists in relation or opposition to blackness and other fictitious racial categories created by whiteness adherents for the purpose of cementing a higher status and material advantage over other people that are excluded from being white.
The Creeping Crawling Chaos 0
David’s caller suggests that we are living in a simulation worthy of Nyarlothotep. Like David, I don’t buy the simulation idea, but the creeping crawling chaos notion seems spot on.
Aside:
I’ve been an H. P. Lovecraft fan for decades (that’s the primary reason I linked to this). I will grant that Lovecraft’s plots can be repetitious, but I’ve read no other author as adept at creating atmosphere as he. The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath is my favorite Lovecraft tale, followed by At the Mountains of Madness.
The Cats of Ulthar is just a bit too realistic for my taste.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
The writer of a letter to the editor of The Tampa Bay Times asks a good question regarding Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict the American dream to persons whose looks he likes (follow the link for the complete letter):
Epidemiology in Trumpled Times 0
And, in related news, predictions of possible products of the potential pandemic proceed from potential to present.
Image via Juanita Jean.
A Notion of Immigrants 0
Methinks Noz has a point.
The Law’s Delay 0
Nancy LeTorneau reports on the years of efforts to pass a federal anti-lynching law that preceded the recent successful passage of such legislation (which, as of this writing, has not yet been signed).
Trumpling Science, Reprise 0
Thom and his caller discuss the Trump Adminstration’s cuts to government’s ability to respond to public health crises. The relevant portion of the clip starts at about the one minute mark.
Trumpling Science 0
And, for more Trumpling of scientists. . . .
A Notion of Immigrants, Catch-22 Dept. 0
It’s the best catch there is:
And in a neat little catch-22 worthy of The Bad Place itself, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s rewrote its rules for implementation to say that applying for a green card makes immigrants more likely to depend on public benefits and should officially count against them. Thus, applying for a green card now makes you less eligible for a green card.
Catch up with the rest of the story at the link.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Selfie politeness is the politest kind.
The report goes on to say that she thought the gun was unloaded. It leaves out the part about her being too stupid to make sure.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid.
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you brother,
You can’t have one without the other.
Diet of Worms 0
Crazy worms, that is.
