Opinion
-
Candace Owens Was Named in the New Zealand Shooter's Alleged Manifesto. But Christchurch Is Bigger Than Her
Every time I write about Candace Owens, I feel manipulated. I feel manipulated because Candace Owens, on her own, is not newsworthy. She’s not witty or particularly charismatic. She’s billed as a commentator and activist, but to describe her grasp on politics, history, gender, or race as shallow would be doing a great disservice to…
-
No, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Didn't Call Ronald Reagan a Racist. But She Should Have
One of my earliest memories in life was the night Ronald Reagan was elected president because it was also the night I prayed harder than I ever have in life. During the presidential campaign of 1980, I distinctly remember being terrified after I heard an adult say: “If Reagan is elected, he will send black…
-
Tucker Carlson Won't Apologize for Calling Women 'Primitive', Joking About Underaged Girls, and That Sounds About White
Fox News host Tucker Carlson isn’t an outstanding white man. He can’t do anything extraordinary. He can’t sing or dance or jump really high, but he does possess one trait that stands out above most all white men: He’s the loudest whiny white-guy voice in a sea of whiny white guy voices. He’s made a…
-
No Points for Guessing: Woman Attacked by Jaguar After Hopping Zoo Barrier
See that scary-ass black cat? That’s not a dry seal or some kind of deceptively cuddly anime character. That’s a damn jaguar. Thanks to those among us who enjoy their potato salad as white as Dow Jones’ editorial staff, we’ve another predictable interaction between dangerous predatory animals and adventurous white folks. Animals, who jumped out…
-
The Root’s Clapback Mailbag: Bad Words
Happy Clapback Day! From now on, I will only refer to the day between Thursday and Saturday as “Clapback Day.” I’ve done the etymological research and discovered that the day was named after the Greek god of hot grease, Frysomethis. It’s not that I want to censor or outlaw the old name. But, as a…
-
Black Women Deserve the Truth From Their Doctors. Trump Is Trying to Keep Us in the Dark
When I was 19 years old, I walked into a health center in Michigan knowing I was pregnant but uncertain of my future. To this day, I remember the compassion and grace of the nurse who helped me, who saw me scared and crying but calmly let me know that I had options. I could…
-
Jersey Black
When I tell people I’m from Jersey that usually garners one of three reactions: “Oh yeah what part, Newark?” Translation: All Black people from Jersey live in Newark. “Like Jersey Shore?!” Translation: That’s the most memorable Jersey reference I have. “Oooooh so you’re a Jersey Girl?!” Translation: I still don’t know what this means…
-
This Ain’t It, Amanda Seales
In 1935, an Australian farmer brought a suitcase filled with 101 cane toads from Puerto Rico and unleashed them in Australia.
-
I Took a Healthy Cooking Class Because I Haven’t Made a Proper Meal Since Thanksgiving…2016
So, I’m not a cook. Or an epicurean. Definitely not a chef. I do know how to prepare food, and there are certain dishes that I am repeatedly complimented on: my arroz con gandules, my collard greens, my homemade apple pie. But because I don’t do it often enough, it can be hit-or-miss, because, like…
-
Fat Tuesday in Mobile: Like Regular Mardi Gras … But Blacker
The citizens of Mobile, Ala., know it’s the birthplace of Mardi Gras in America. If the subject of New Orleans comes up, they might mention the Big Easy’s Fat Tuesday party. Anyone who has attended the twin bacchanalian Fat Tuesday celebrations in New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., will testify that the real Mardi Gras takes…