American conservatives this week are up in arms about a graphic shared by the National Museum of African American History and Culture which addresses some of the ways in which white culture is dominant and has become the default cultural setting in the US. They made such an uproar about it that the museum removed the graphic, rather than engaging in conversation about it and perhaps learning something. White culture is so much the American default that we often don’t see it, just as fish don’t see water until they’re taken from it.
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RIP John Lewis
Today we are grieving the loss of longtime member of Congress and personal hero Representative John Lewis of Georgia, as well as celebrating his life and tremendous contributions to American civil rights. I’m sure most of you are well aware of his work both in the Civil Rights Movement and in Congress, where he served as a conscience for the body, speaking to colleagues about the effects legislation and policy could and did have on Americans, especially his constituents in Atlanta. Continue reading RIP John Lewis
Social Justice Walrus
“SJW” is commonly used as a pejorative by the American right wing these days. According to Google Trends, the term “social justice warrior” was first used in August 2011, picked up steam in 2014 and 2015, and hit its peak (so far) in December 2016, the month after failed businessman Donald Trump was declared the winner of the American presidential election. “SJW” quickly followed as a recognized shorthand for “social justice warrior”.
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