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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 09:43 pm Murder trial stalled due to 'Indian' status issue

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011224.asp

Government prosecutors filed new murder charges against a Canadian man on Friday after a judge raised questions about the defendant's "Indian" status. The new indictment acknowledges John Graham is from the Southern Tutchone First Nation in the Yukon of Canada....
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 01:24 pm white speak on main street
Current Mood: awake
PLEASE PASS ON FOR DISCUSSION!

Even as I write this, I hear Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi telling the nation that the bail out intends to help middle class and Main street America. But, let me continue with Sarah Palin. I will let her stand as a metaphor for what is wrong with this loaded white message.

Last night and today, pundits, politicians and their allies repeat a howling and lock step mantra that Sarah Palin spoke to and connected with the middle class. As an African American, their contentions offend me and make me damn angry- fired up too much to keep silent. I hope you are too. If you are, let Congress and the world know it! Circulate petitions; write editorials and letters to editors.

These statements reflect the worst of America's history and practice of sidelining communities that are poor and colored. The middle class is not monolithic. It is is diverse like America. It experiences racism and sexism! I do not believe that Sarah Palin connects with many of our White friends and allies, especially women and youth. Certainly she fails to connect with middle class people of color. As a matter of fact, Palin makes it clear that she speaks to and represents beer drinking Joe Blows, and soccer station wagon moms.

These descriptions conjure up white images and sends coded messages to the White middle class that they are essential to America. Simultaneously, she sends a message that communities of color and poor communities are unessential and collateral damage that places heavy burdens on rich and middle class communities, and on state and national governments. However, she assures Joe Beer drinking Blow that he will be first in line to drink the water that trickles down from the cups of middle class. For communities of color who are poor or middle class, she makes it clear that our communities will drink out of empty cups.

Furthermore, her message makes it known that she wants to shore up the status of the White middle class because they hold up the base of white supremacist power and economic domination. This is not a Vice President that aims to represent Americans from colored communities. Nor is she a politician of change. She comes with the same stale and divisive language of racism and classism.

Black people should know from our history, struggles and victories that poor people matter! Many of us came from poor families, schools and communities. We represent their best work and deepest commitments. Why then are we silent when the power brokers erase poor people? Why are we silent in the face of coded white supremacist language that generates public policy decisions that assign our community, schools, children and families to the garbage heap of human waste in a technocracy?

Will you break this silence and bear witness that all people who are poor and from colored communities matter? Will you stand up and loudly remind the nation that people who are poor and people of color are life lines of America? We pay the highest price in times of war and economic crisis. We make the greatest sacrifices to advance democracy in American. We are heroines and heroes that keep our nation dynamic and save it from a status quo death.

Let it be known that we will not let the White power brokers and their allies overlook 37 million Americans who do not live on Main Street. They live on reservations, in urban ghettoes, barrios and rural communities with too many dead end streets and closed doors that shut off economic and social justice and opportunities. Far too many of them are people of color.

Two million of them are disconnected youth. 61% of disconnected youth are Black males. The next highest group are Black females. Our country and democracy will never reach their full potential when they do not attend to the least and most vulnerable of its citizens and guests.

For too many years Main Street was white and segregated and was the site where Whites economically cheated and exploited as well as terrorized and in some instances lynched or murdered people of color. As a Black youth in the South, I knew that Main Street was a dangerous White line that I dared not cross.

I know many whites and their allies of color argue that all of this is over. It belongs the past. We are beyond those days. For those of you who say this, I say that Main Street is still the great racial and economic divide. If Black, Native American and Latino youth are caught on Main Streets in America, they face police brutality, tazzing and public policies that load them into prisons and jails to economically bail out Main Street through the prison industrial complex. White people still control the state and local bureaucracies on Main Street.

Shame on these Americans! They do emphasize Main Street when the country calls on young people to die in Wars. Instead they sit quietly while the military machinery send their recruiters to neighborhoods where many young people of color live on dead end streets . where they leave their neighborhood to die in foreign countries rather than starve or languish in prisons in America.

To Black politicians and pundits, I remind you that our voices are most powerful when we speak as a national community and when we recognize that we are tied together by our common history and common conditions as Blacks in America. This is an inescapable knot that remains even in the face of classism.

For those of us who remember Main Streets America, Main Street language still sends messages of racism and apartheid. We know that Main Street is coded language for Whites and White concerns. It is coded language that reassures the White middle class that politicians will earmark them and their children. Make no mistake earmarks shore up states prerogatives over the welfare of the nation. It is state rights come back again. It mutes and obscures national needs and fragments the nation into competing balkanized states that have the last word over the federal government or communities who are poor and colored and that are blasted by national structural injustices.

Palin energizes the base. What base? Be real and say out loud - White base. If Barack Obama played the race card the way she does, America would rip and roar. Yet, pundits let her get away with this shameful exhibition of racism. She proves that America is not beyond race. The media might drown us with this message, but we need not buy it!

Ruby Nell Sales
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[info]lbazul, posting in [info]debunkingwhite
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 07:15 pm Indian boot camp ends with swim from Alcatraz

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011223.asp

Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota once again took part in a unique health program in San Francisco, California. Nancy Iverson, a doctor who grew up in South Dakota, started Pathstar five years ago. She wants...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 07:15 pm White Mountain Apache water bill sent to Bush

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011222.asp

The White Mountain Apache Tribe of Arizona will be able to plan a clean water system under a bill that has been presented to President Bush. The Senate unanimously passed S.3128 on September 25. The House passed the bill in...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 12:06 pm Gook: John McCain's Racism and Why It Matters
irwin tang talking about john mccain's racism.
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[info]stoneself, posting in [info]debunkingwhite
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 11:35 am YAY
Current Mood: accomplished
I ran today for the first time in almost a year! I've started doing a program I found in Runners World (online) that steps you through how to get back into running. I had been out of it for so long, I could no longer just charge out the door and log a good run without getting tired, getting discouraged, etc. Today I did 30 minutes, alternating running one minute and walking (quickly) two. Then I stretched by the lake (I live in Oakland, CA) and walked home. It was awesome. I actually felt pretty uncoordinated and out of shape, but the fact that I did it makes me want to do it again tomorrow. AND I finally gave myself permission to post here, since I finally did run. So hello everyone!
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[info]gleflambeur, posting in [info]runners
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 11:32 am My Little ... Cthulu?
Current Mood: amused

My Little Cthulu, by SPIPPO
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[info]dravon
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Oct. 7th, 2008 @ 07:20 am It's a girl thing
( A girl thing - may I ask a personal question?(I couldn't find anything about this in the memories section so sorry if this has already been discussed) )
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[info]sassafrassle, posting in [info]runners
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 06:19 pm Editorial: New York can't ignore reservation taxes

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011221.asp

" Upstate Citizens for Equality's motorcade Saturday to protest the state government's failure to collect sales taxes on products sold by Indian-owned retailers to non-Indians was designed to highlight a major revenue gap in the state's troubled finances. And while...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 06:19 pm Charter school helps Tohono O'odham succeed

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011220.asp

A charter school in Arizona is helping youth of Tohono O'odham Nation stay connected to their culture and succeed in the academic world. The Ha:sañ Preparatory & Leadership School, which isn't located on the reservation, met adequate yearly progress...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 06:19 pm Border city might join Northern Arapaho lawsuit

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011219.asp

Officials in the city of Riverton, Wyoming, will meet tomorrow to discuss a lawsuit filed by the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Mayor John Vincent said the city needs to be named a defendant in the case, along with Fremont County. The...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 06:19 pm Narragansett Tribe won't argue at Supreme Court

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011218.asp

The Narragansett Tribe won't be allowed to present its side of a land-into-trust dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices issued an order today that rejected the tribe's request for time to argue at the November 3 hearing. The...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 05:21 pm Supreme Court won't hear Osage Nation case

http://www.indianz.com/News/2008/011216.asp

The U.S. Supreme Court today refused to hear a taxation case involving the Osage Nation of Oklahoma. The tribe sued the state over income taxes assessed on members who are employed by the tribe and live on tribal land. The...
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 12:52 pm Random question re: headphones and pierced ears
Does anyone here have a tragus piercing? If so, what kind of headphones do you use while running? Do they irritate your piercing at all? I've had mine pierced for almost a year now, and I keep having trouble with it. It will seem to be all healed, then just randomly get sore and swollen. I have headphones sort of like these, and while they don't hurt the piercing when I wear them, I can see how they would irritate it. I just don't know if there are any styles out there that would be any better.

Can anyone help? TIA! You all are the best!
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[info]bohogrrl, posting in [info]runners
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 11:57 am Basic communications across racial lines: exploring contrasting worldviews.
So I’m taking this class - Sociology 210 - “Race and Ethnic Relations.” It’s a pretty good class as far as content goes, though I feel the actual structure and presentation of the information is incredibly lacking.

Part of the problem is that the teacher spent the first couple of days teaching what I guess you can call ‘racial terminology’ from a powerpoint presentation. That is, concepts of things like “dominant groups” and “oppressed groups” and other concepts which are very important to an understanding of race in America, but really can’t be approached from a powerpoint perspective. Rather, they need to be approached from a personal standpoint. [This is a good idea for another blogpost]

Another problem I have with the class is that the teacher has very poor control of the conversational flow and direction in the class, which means that she might ask a question about the election, but someone with a personal agenda can bring up affirmative action which then steers the entire conversation off course until it crashes and burns.

But those conversations have led to some good insights about the differences in perspectives and viewpoints that people bring to the race conversation.

We dived right into some very complex and in-depth questions in class this past week, yet the students seemed to spend a lot of time talking past each other. The reason for this, I feel, is because we have not set up any shared frameworks or common grounds to talk about issues like affirmative action or unintended racism. Before people tackle such advanced issues, we need to build a basic understanding of race.

And in order to build a basic understanding of race, we need to build a basic understanding of how people think about the world.

( long post is looong )
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[info]jinnigan, posting in [info]debunkingwhite
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 12:23 pm Last Minute Advice - Fresh Legs?
I've trained all summer and now the Hartford Marathon is on Saturday. I feel ready - I ran 13 miles yesterday, skipped a long run all together last weekend and ran 22 miles the weekend before that. I suppose that is sufficient and that my training is finished.

Here's my question - does anyone have any last minute advice on how to have fresh legs on race day? I ran a solid 13 miles yesterday, although I was feeling tired in the middle. I've been under ridiculous stress lately and haven't gotten much sleep - I'm assuming that's where my fatigue was coming from. I was able to get a full 8 hours of sleep in last night. However, today I feel exhausted and my hips are sore (I've been battling hip problems this entire time) and legs feel tight.

Is there anything else I should be doing (besides nothing) to have fresh legs on race day? I was planning for a 3 mile run today as part of my taper, but am tired. Do you think I should just rest, load up on food and get plenty of sleep these next few days and not worry about running at all? I do have (low impact, low exertion) karate classes tonight and tomorrow, do you think I should skip running and just attend these classes instead and call it a night? Halp?
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[info]_gatecrasher_, posting in [info]runners
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 09:27 am (no subject)
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[info]auryanne, posting in [info]bad_rabbit
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 11:55 am Stole Patterns?
I got my hands on two skeins of Euroflax sport weight yarn (270 yards each) in black. I'd like to knit my mother a stole with it for Christmas (maybe with a beadd edge?), but I am having trouble finding patterns that would only require 540 yards. Advice? (Perhaps a stole or shawl that requires two colours - I can always grab another skein or two of the Euroflax, but probably not in the same dye lot.)
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[info]chasingtides, posting in [info]20sknitters
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 09:47 am first injury
I got my first injury from running yesterday. It is a muscle involved in plantar flexion/ankle extension and also in controlling foot pronation over rocks (don't know proper name for this). It sort of feels like peroneous brevis, but I'm not sure. It felt a little funny before the run. Maybe I've been training it too much too quickly, but I think it was more that I did something to it while sleeping the night before. I had not done a serious trail run for a week. I don't think it is involved much in road running. It is involved in cycling, though. Either I just plain had a wreck going downhill, or I was trying to control the rolling over the rock and the muscle gave out. I think it was the latter. And it hurt more after that and didn't want to work any more the rest of the day. I thought I would resume the run after that, but I realized that was a bad idea. I was pretty sad because I had been hoping for a nice run, and it was already over and I broke both my Clif Shots and didn't get to eat them. So I walked home with my tech shirt scratched and with a big spot of dirt and blood. And I didn't feel much like doing schoolwork the rest of the day. I guess I'm taking a break from trail running for a while. Has anyone else had a similar injury? How long did it take to heal? Road running doesn't feel bad, but does anyone think it should be avoided?
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[info]clintpatty, posting in [info]runners
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Oct. 6th, 2008 @ 03:47 pm First marathon
Current Mood: content
Ran the 23rd Budapest Marathon yesterday as my FIRST marathon ever!

The weather was pretty cold in the morning, I was wearing a coat and still felt I was gonna freeze. I cycled to the train station, and from the final stop to the start of the race, because a friend of mine borrowed my bike so she could follow friends running the race.
We almost missed the start as I wanted to meet a friend who was running the fun-run (3.5K), then had to get to the building of Szechenyi Bath where the ladies' changing rooms were located, get ready, then get back to the start...all this in about 30 minutes. I was quite worried about my knees, so I rubbed some Deep Relief cream on them, put a bandage on the left knee, below the knee-cap, and took a painkiller(yes, I know that's dangerous, but I wanted this marathon badly).When I dropped my bag, I realized it was 5 minutes to the start, which made me start panicking. I met my running-buddy at the start only, because men's changing rooms were somewhere else. When the gun went off we were still busy putting on our bibs :D Started off at the back of the pack, but that was our original plan, so no worries. Our costume was a blast! We got so many lovely comments, some people even asked us if we would stop so they could take a picture LOL
We started out slowly,with my my knee hurting on and off,but never too bad,so we could run steadily until about halfway, when my buddy's stomach decided to act up. Bummer.. Luckily, he got better soon, so we kept a good pace for the next 10kilometres again. After 30K, however, his knee(which was seriously injured in an accident years ago) started to bother him to a point when he could hardly walk. Of course, he is a pretty strong and stubborn young man, so he kept running, only stopping for a short walk-bit when he felt really bad. I have to admit, I was very worried about him! We slowed down quite a bit,our knees hurt, his stomach cramped, but we still enjoyed the run most of the time (yeah, sounds like a contradiction, but runners are like that ...or some of them, at least...LOL). I especially enjoyed firing up many back-of-the-pack runners to pick up the pace or start running again when they thought they couldn't keep on :D
So my first marathon-time is 5:05, but I don't care :) It is still a PR after all LOL

crossposted to my journal

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[info]bozotkutya, posting in [info]runners
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