Carol G’s blog

The Tavis Smiley Hour, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 
A must-listen. 
http://pubint.vo.llnwd.net/pb/production/mp3/tavis/local-tavis-692940.mp3?llnw_original_url=
http%3A%2F%2Fstream-ai.publicbroadcasting.net%2Fproduction%2Fmp3%2Ftavis%2Flocal-tavis-692940.mp3
%3Fvolomedia_src_url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.publicbroadcasting.net%252Ftavis%252F.
jukebox%252Fmedia%252Ftavis%252F692940%252Fmp3%252FFebruary2008podcasts%252Fpodcast%
252F480%252F692940.mp3

One could argue that outrageous lies like the ones Sally Kern spread in her recent rant against "the homosexual conspiracy" is so extreme that it gives us a larger than life target to focus on instead of the real work of social justice - examining our own hidden bias when we are confronted with situations or people that make us uncomfortable or disturb our real unconscious beliefs, and that do not correspond with our progressive and open rhetoric.  Yes, the fight in the world against the bigger offenders, the policy makers who step way out on a limb like Sally did,  is necessary, of course. Yes, and how about stopping an illegal war that will not even likely "succeed" in giving a handful of people control over Iraqi oil. However,  I think  that we are so easily baited to see the problem of bias when it is more obvious and vocal in the "other" rather than look at how we are all culpable.  Now when I say culpable, I don't mean that shame and self flagellation are the means to assuage our guilt.  I mean, to use this inevitable reality to help make change, to help think critically about what it is we want to change and to ask routinely, questions regarding the nature of the suspect thinking, actions or words at hand.  Here are the questions I try and ask myself when I feel pulled:  what am I feeling?  Why would I want to feel this way in response to whatever I've just read or heard?  What am I missing ?  and most importantly, WHO BENEFITS when I don't question what I just heard but just jump on the bandwagon.  Who is involved and Where's the money go? Who stands to benefit from my confusion and anger at my neighbor?
For example:  probably many people have received the hoax email

http://www.vosizneias.com/2007/11/lexington-ky-university-of-kentucky.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/education/27education.html
http://www-tech.mit.edu/V128/N9/rumor.html

that these three articles are written about.  When I have  receive this email, in it's myriad forms, I literally shake with 
rage because the very same kind of twisted propaganda is employed to incite hate crimes and eventually, genocide, 
against Jews and others targeted during the Holocaust.  I think of the trashing of Senator Kerry which was fiction
.I think about what just happened in Kenya:  
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19188853
Ultimately the oldest trick in the book is being employed and we silly "ordinary" folks, the labor force, we fall for
it every time. You can get people angry and then direct that anger and the chronic frustration they feel about 
their class and social status by employing it to benefit the wealthiest and smallest number of people in our 
population - get the have-nots to actively hate the have-even-less and you can protect those wealthiest and in 
control from being caught makin' off with the money. 
I really do not know why we are so wedded to " us and them" Emotional statement.  I do understand
some of the expressed intellectual "reasons''.  
One of my all time most favorite quotes which I found in the "Not in Our Town" Teaching Guide:
 "Since when do you have to agree with people to defend them from injustice?" - Lillian Hellman
The website for Teaching Tolerance is 
     http://www.tolerance.org/hidden_bias/index.html

Southern Poverty Law is http://www.splcenter.org/

http://www.pbs.org/niot/ 
This is for the film "Not in Our Town" and many resources and study guides.  In the study guide for the movie,
 go to page 14 for more great quotes.

"One may no more live in the world without picking up the moral prejudices of the world than one will be able to
go to Hell without perspiring."  H.I. Mencken 

bones skeletons feathers fossils broken windows walls demolished lunch leftover archeological ruins shells exoskeletons mummies scabs broken artifacts busted hearts snake shed abandoned buildings corn husks discarded diaries empty bottles dirty dishes shadows ghosts tree stumps nail parings dandruff pennies expired coupons ski ball tickets candle stumps out grown sweaters carapaces corpses gum wrappers forced bulbs a single earring grass cuttings last year's autumn dear john note sunflower husks glass splinters after it rains

plastic bottles peach pip bird droppings love letters 8 track cassettes lingering guitar solo ticket stubs a lock of hair missed appointment last night's dream N.Y. Times front page squash seeds outgrown iceskates recovered cow teeth sunsets after the time change
whatever remains

Old treehouse from http://carolg514.vox.com/