Race Roundup

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Some stories from around the Web and beyond:

Parent Says Suspended Hixson Coach Made Racist Threat

Hixson High School parent says teacher Bill Eller told his mixed-race daughter that "white is good and black is bad," among other "racist comments" that were reportedly heard by other students at school last month. Last week, superintendent Dr. Jim Scales suspended Eller without pay. Eller, who is also the school's varsity boys basketball coach, has been with the county schools since 1995. He joined the Hixson faculty in 2000.
Boston can't shake racism rap

For some Celtics fans the years of Bird, McHale, Walton and Ainge comprised a magical era that will never be matched. But for many black Americans, the fact that so many whites were so passionate about the club was just one more confirmation of the prevalance of racism in America and in Boston in particular. But a lot has changed in the past 20 years. Or has it?
Is Kelly Tilghman a Racist?

Kelly Tilghman is a former golfer for Duke University and the play-by-play announcer for the PGA Tour on The Golf Channel. ESPN reported that the announcer apologized after stating that the young golf players today should "lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley," at the Mercedes-Benz Championship Friday.
Religionism Trumps Racism?

Christopher Hitchens in Slate joins in the Obamontificating, suggesting that Barack's victory in Iowa (less the victory itself, more the accompanying hubbub) is not a triumph of race, but a failure of our presumed war against "uplift, and deceptive
optimistic windbaggery" ....
India ready to play despite racism crisis

India will continue the tour of Australia as scheduled but warned they will pull out again if Harbhajan Singh is not exonerated of directing racial abuse at Andrew Symonds. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had halted the tour after their spin bowler was banned for three matches after allegedly calling the Australia all-rounder "a monkey". However, the BCCI released a statement today that said that they will complete the four-Test tour but will pull out again if their appeal against the verdict is not upheld.
Bloggers React to New Jersey's Belated Slavery Apology

New Jersey is officially sorry for slavery. After much emotional debate, the
New Jersey Legislature passed a controversial resolution last night to apologize for slavery. The measure passed 59-8 in the Assemby and 29-2 in the Senate. New Jersey is the first Northern state to issue an apology, though it comes nearly 160 years after the state banned the ownership of slaves.
City Settles Another Lawsuit Over 2004 Republican Convention

The city has settled a lawsuit with a group of people who were denied a permit to protest on Central Park's Great Lawn during the 2004 Republican Convention. The federal cases were brought by an Arab-American and an anti-racism coalition.