Opinion
Opinion
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Joe Bidenâs Corn Pop Story Is a Parable About How White People See Us
I researched the poverty and housing crisis that enveloped the city.
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An Open Letter to the Bahamas from Americaâs âVery Badâ Gangsters and Drug Dealers
Dearest Bahamians, First, as the official spokesperson representing the Greater Association of Neâer-do-wells, Goons, Shitbags and Thieves of America (GANGSTA), a consortium of Americaâs worst crooks, I would like to offer my condolences and best wishes on your recovery from Hurricane Dorian. We pray that the people of the Bahamas make a swift recovery from…
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Decriminalizing Sex Work Makes the Entire Black Community Safer
I came out rather late, while I was serving in the military, hundreds of miles away from my parents, siblings and children. I was stationed in Fort Myers, Virginia, and I worked part-time in Washington, D.C. This was also the time when I started transitioning and doing sex work. Since then, I have seen thousands…
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The Last Holdouts: White Evangelical Christians, Why Canât You See?
A recent Quinnipiac poll found 50 percent of white Americans do not believe Donald Trump is racist. Among evangelicals, the poll goes on to say, âWhile half of voters think President Donald Trump is racist, religion shows an even bigger divide. Only 21 percent of white evangelicals believe the President is racist.â The inability of…
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Jay-Z Got Paid to Be the NFLâs Black Boyfriend
It begins the same way each time. Something with a hint of scattered racial flurries happens. Next comes a conversation about said thing, where (usually black) people articulate exactly why the racist thing was racist. And then either the (white) person accused of the act or a (white) person defending the accused will attempt to…
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Please Allow Jonathan Weisman of the New York Times to Teach You About White Supremacy
Here is the essence of white supremacy. Despite the pronouncements of those who proudly declare their bodies free of a racist bone, white supremacy is not the same as racism. Actions and their results are what determine whether or not something is racist, not belief or intent. Nor is white supremacy defined by tiki torch…
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A Case for Why You Should Wash Your Hands Before You Go to the Bathroom, Too
A few weeks ago, while my wife and I were kicking it with some friends at a Pirates game, the subject turned to toilets. Namely, public toilets. Specifically, which establishments in the Pittsburgh area had the nicest bathroomsâa valuable consideration if you have an emergency situation and canât wait until you get home. Several places…
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Where Would You Like Us to Go Back To, Mr. President?
When I came to this country, America stood as a nation of hope to young children in forgotten and faraway lands. It once welcomed children like myselfâand children like Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)âwith open arms. That is why it was so incredibly painful to see a U.S. president goad his supporters in the racist, xenophobic…
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What They Mean When They Say 'Send Her Back'
What is an American? Is it defined by borders, treaties, laws and the Constitution or is it a nebulous set of mutable ideas and fluctuating standards? And who gets to decide? Is it as everchanging as this countryâs boundary lines or was it set in stone by the cabal of white men who first conceived…
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The Unofficial Guide to Whitesplaining Racism
Racism: Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that oneâs own race is superior âThe Oxford/English Dictionary text Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) was born in Detroit. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was born in the Bronx. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) immigrated to…