Is the months-long writers’ strike finally coming to an end? We should have more answers as the strike enters its 146th day on Sunday. Negotiators from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and their counterparts at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major Hollywood studios, will meet for a […]
Author: James West
Debunking Florida’s Argument That Slavery Could Benefit the Enslaved, in 120 Seconds
In my latest video, I tackle the controversy surrounding Florida’s teaching standards. These new guidelines, approved last month, sparked an avalanche of criticism by suggesting that enslaved Americans “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to distance himself from the new rules, saying, […]
When White People Became “White People”
How exactly did white people become “white” people? It seems like most white people have no idea about how they came to identify as “white”. That’s a problem. Overlooking this part of our history, I think, means white people can misunderstand ongoing critiques of white identity politics in today’s culture wars. So, I’ve broken it […]
When White People Became “White People”
How exactly did white people become “white” people? It seems like most white people have no idea about how they came to identify as “white”. That’s a problem. Overlooking this part of our history, I think, means white people can misunderstand ongoing critiques of white identity politics in today’s culture wars. So, I’ve broken it […]
Tim Scott Once Confronted Racism Head On. Not Anymore.
Once upon a time, Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina condemned racism. Now, not so much. What happened? The presidential hopeful might be finding it difficult to make headlines in an increasingly crowded Republican primary field, but he’s still hauling in crucial campaign cash. The latest figures, unveiled last week, disclosed that his campaign has […]
Tim Scott Once Confronted Racism Head On. Not Anymore.
Once upon a time, Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina condemned racism. Now, not so much. What happened? The presidential hopeful might be finding it difficult to make headlines in an increasingly crowded Republican primary field, but he’s still hauling in crucial campaign cash. The latest figures, unveiled last week, disclosed that his campaign has […]
Yes, Nikki Haley’s Attack on Obama Is Silly. It’s Also Very Telling.
I get the sense that former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, along with other candidates of her ilk, find themselves most relevant when they’re sparking outrage. One of her recent nuggets of outrage-bait? Taking aim at Barack Obama, a president who hasn’t been on a ballot in over a decade. Last week, in an op-ed […]
Kamala Harris Leads a Furious Chorus Over Ouster of Black Tennessee Lawmakers
Public outrage was immediate and intense on Thursday following the Tennessee legislature’s Republican supermajority decision to expel two Black lawmakers for an act of protest. Fired-up demonstrators in the State Capitol rotunda welcomed Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, both Democrats, as fallen heroes with impassioned chants. Their anger was amplified from the highest office […]
Exclusive: Defiant Tennessee Dem. Decries “March to Fascism” Ahead of Her Possible Expulsion
“I feel like North Korea has more democracy than we do in the state of Tennessee, and it’s terrifying to me that we’re in this march to fascism,” state Rep. Gloria Johnson told me today in an exclusive sit-down interview at the Capitol in Nashville. “And it seems like the Tennessee supermajority is leading the […]
My Video Responding to Racist Comments Went Viral. Let’s Talk About It.
The generations-old debate over reparations for the descendants of enslaved Black people has fascinated me for my whole adult life. I’ve been to town halls, film screenings, and public hearings on the topic. Recently, my fascination took me on a trip to San Diego, where I took a front-row seat to one of history’s most […]