QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “There is a lot of anger out there and these hate groups are trying to stoke it. What we’re seeing is not a softening, but a hardening of attitude.” – Mark Pitcavage, Anti-Defamation League in Newsweek, May 4, 2009
PERCEPTIONS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOL MAY LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG BLACK CHILDREN: A new study by researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles found that 20 percent of African-American fifth-graders in public schools in Los Angeles, Houston, and Birmingham experienced what they perceived to be racial discrimination. The vast majority of the discrimination occurred while the students were in school. The study also found that students who believed that they had experienced racial discrimination were more likely to have symptoms of mental health problems such as depression and attention deficit disorder.
POLL FINDS THAT A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS NOW BELIEVE RACE RELATIONS
IN THIS COUNTRY ARE GOOD: According to a New York Times/CBS News
poll, a majority of both white and black Americans now say that race
relations in this country are good. The percentage of African
Americans who believe that race relations are good has doubled since
a year ago, before Barack Obama was elected president.
However, racial disparities remain on some key issues. For example,
70 percent of African Americans now say that the country is moving in
the right direction. Only 34 percent of whites agree.
RACIAL DISPARITIES IN CHILDHOOD OBESITY: A study by researchers at
Ohio State University has found significant racial disparities in
obesity levels among children as young as 4 years of age. American
Indian children are twice as likely as white and Asian-American
children to be obese. And African-American and Hispanic-American
children are significantly more likely to be obese than whites.
Nationwide the study found that 18.4 percent of all 4-year-olds are
obese. But for American Indians the rate was 31.2 percent. For
blacks, 20.8 percent of 4-year-olds were obese. The rate for white
children was 15.9 percent.
THE RACIAL PAY GAP WIDENS FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES: New data from the
U.S. Census Bureau shows that the racial wage gap for
college-educated blacks and whites has expanded. Blacks with a
four-year college degree earned on average $46,502. This was 78
percent of the median earnings of white college graduates. This was
the widest racial pay gap for college graduates since 2001.
RACIAL PROFILING HOTLINE ESTABLISHED IN ARKANSAS: The attorney general of the state of Arkansas has launched a telephone hotline that citizens can use to report incidents of racial profiling by law enforcement officers. The attorney general will compile data and issue reports to the legislature on racial profiling. When appropriate, the attorney general will notify local prosecutors of racial profiling allegations.
HEISKELL, TENNESSEE: A white man from Heiskell, Tennessee, was indicted on federal charges for erecting and burning a cross outside a black couple’s home. The man faces a possible 10-year prison term and a $250,000 fine.
COLLIERVILLE, TENNESSEE: A black coach of a youth baseball team in Collierville, Tennessee, found a racist note on his vehicle after a game in which the coach and an umpire were involved in a scuffle. The note read, “This is our sport and our town. We don’t need you niggers here taking our children’s future. Get on back to Memphis where you niggers and criminals belong!” (Memphis Commercial Appeal, 4-29-09)
PLEASURE RIDGE PARK, KENTUCKY: An African-American firefighter in Pleasure Ridge Park, Kentucky, has filed a complaint alleging he was a victim of racial discrimination by his superior. The complaint alleges that the fire chief surprised the black firefighter with a pillow case over his head. The chief made references to the Ku Klux Klan. (Louisville Courier-Journal, 5-1-09)
DONALDSON, ARKANSAS: Five white men were charged with burning a cross outside the home of a white woman in Donaldson, Arkansas. The white men allegedly were warning the woman not to associate with black men. (Associated Press, 5-1-09)
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a race discrimination lawsuit against a car dealership in Augusta, Georgia. According to the suit, a white management consultant subjected a black sales agent to a racially hostile work environment for a four-month period. The white man is accused of directing comments such as “Come here, nigger” and “Get me some coffee, nigger” toward the black worker. The comments were reportedly made in front of the entire sales staff at the dealership. The victim of the abuse complained to the dealer but no action was taken to stop the racial abuse, according to the lawsuit.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: A black woman employee of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against her supervisors. The woman claims she has been denied promotions on six occasions whereas every white employee who was hired at the same time she was has been promoted. The woman claims she has been subjected to racial slurs in the workplace. (Harrisburg Patriot News, 5-5-09)
ANDERSON, INDIANA: Racist graffiti was found on bathroom walls in a
dormitory on the campus of Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana.
The graffiti used the acronym OBAMA to spell out “Ordinary Black
African Man Assassinated.” Other graffiti targeted a black student
referring to her with a racial slur. (Anderson Herald Bulletin,
5-5-09)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: A black man who worked as a waiter in a New York City restaurant claims in a federal lawsuit that Hispanic workers in the restaurant routinely used racial slurs when referring to him. After he complained to the managers of the restaurant, the waiter claims he was sent home. The next time he came to work, he was told he no longer had a job. (New York Daily News, 5-5-09)
BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT: A 64-year-old white man was arrested on bias crime charges after he allegedly fired a gun at an African-American neighbor who was talking with some friends outside his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The white man is said to have yelled racial slurs before firing the gun. (Connecticut Post, 5-6-09)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: The head of the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Commission resigned after it was disclosed that he forwarded a racist e-mail message. The message contained an image of the White House showing a large watermelon patch on the South Lawn. The image carried a caption that read, “There goes the neighborhood.” (Charlotte Observer, 5-6-09)
GREECE, NEW YORK: A former substitute teacher has filed a race discrimination lawsuit against the school district in Greece, New York. The black man claims that he was not offered a full-time position while whites with lesser qualifications were offered permanent teaching jobs. (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, 5-6-09)
BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA: A black man has filed a federal race
discrimination lawsuit against the Mall of America in Bloomington,
Minnesota. The man claims he was harassed by mall security because of
his race. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 5-7-09)
TRACKING HATE CRIMES: For week May 3-9, the term “hate crime” appeared in the nation’s major newspapers and magazines 381 times. This is less than the 639 mentions of the term in the prior week. — So far in 2009, hate crimes were mentioned 5,427 times in the national press. In the January 1 to May 9, 2008 period, hate crimes were mentioned 5,562 times in the national media.