Monthly Archives: January 2019

Black Men Driving: Race, Gender, and the Rhetoric of Announcing Presence

I have had regular hour-plus commutes for over a decade now. During this time I have consistently noticed an interesting correlation: Drivers who drive with the driver-side window down and with their arm/hand on the edge or slightly outside of the car are often (80-90 percent of the time) Black men. Said driver is alsoContinue reading “Black Men Driving: Race, Gender, and the Rhetoric of Announcing Presence”

Unemployment data is a distraction.

Despite rhetoric from businesses and governments, unemployment/employment statistics do not provide useful information. And worse, whether about the Great Depression or about today, they are a distraction.  Unemployment data says nothing about: what work or employment mean what jobs pay available “benefits” how many jobs a person has how many hours a person works underemployment unofficial economiesContinue reading “Unemployment data is a distraction.”

Notes on: The Hate U Give (2018)

It is impossible to be unarmed when our Blackness is the weapon that they fear. The Hate U Give (2018) is a powerful movie. Its ultimate power stems not so much from its indictment of institutional and systemic racism but from its positive portrayal of Blackness. The film, and the outstanding book from which it grew, focusContinue reading “Notes on: The Hate U Give (2018)”

Notes on: What is Religion?

Often, people don’t recognize how multifaceted the answers are to “what is religion?,” “what are the sources of theologies,” “what are the components of theologies?” Talking about Christianity, the Bible is often seen as the theological source. By recognizing how the associated histories and theologies, as well as how the Bible is far from the onlyContinue reading “Notes on: What is Religion?”

Recalling the Books I Read in 2018

During 2018, I read about 9,000 (!!) student writing assignments, at least a thousand or so articles, and 35 books, listed below. In addition, I “read” and studied lots and lots of popular cultural texts (songs, movies, tv shows). American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America The Argonauts Aristotle and Dante Discover theContinue reading “Recalling the Books I Read in 2018”