For those following the unrest in AFSC headquarters about the identity & status of its DEI Director Raquel Saraswati (previously blogged about here ), a clarifying email came in late Friday from AFSC staffer Layne Mullett. In it, Mullett answered the two big questions:
[NOTE: Some politicians are crusading against U. S. military programs to overcome residual racism and make space for LGBT persons in the ranks (& even a few who do drag in their out-of-uniform hours).
GOOD NEWS Washington Post There were few Black historic landmarks. Two brothers changed that. By Nick Tabor — February 11, 2023 In 1970, there were only two National Historic Landmarks focused exclusively on Black history. By 1976, that number had risen beyond 70. Behind this change was a large coalition of Black scholars, policymakers and … Continue reading Good News/Other News/Bad News
#1-France vs. “Le wokisme”: THE FRENCH ARE IN A PANIC OVER LE WOKISME The nation’s vehement rejection of identity politics made me recalibrate my own views about woke ideology. By Thomas Chatterton Williams Excerpts from The Atlantic, February 4, 2023 [NOTE: Williams] took part in “a two-day “taboo-free discussion” among public intellectuals about the … Continue reading From France & Texas, Two Striking Takes on Racism, Identity Politics & Cultural Turmoil
AP News: Spiritual advisers offering final comfort in execution rooms BY JIM SALTER — February 6, 2023 ST. LOUIS (AP) — For decades, Missouri executions played out in similar fashion: An inmate was strapped to a gurney in a drab room, alone except for the eyes of witnesses staring through thick, soundproof glass as unidentified … Continue reading Spiritual Companions Now Attend Executions; It’s a Tough Gig, but Righteous