Race

A water drop and ripples

These are dangerous thoughts to express these days.

By Justin Katz | January 11, 2022 |

I got myself in a little bit of trouble a few weeks back for expressing ideas like this, from Larry Alexander: In general, blacks as a group are doing better than ever before materially. And for those who are not doing well, the cause is not the effects of slavery or Jim Crow. Nor is…

Harrison Tuttle and Richard August on State of the State

State of the State: Black Lives Matter-RI PAC

By Richard August | January 9, 2022 |

Harrison Tuttle of Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC speaks with Richard August about his organization and possible his own possible campaign for office.

Sign reading "Racism Is A Pandemic"

How did racism become so widely accepted in our society again?

By Justin Katz | January 5, 2022 |

Honestly, I thought the matter was settled.  Judging people and giving them preferential or detrimental treatment based on the color of their skin is wrong.  Segregating people and providing opportunities to different groups based on race is bad. I don’t know how it happened, but one is apt to be called a “racist” for saying…

A water drop and ripples

We’re watching the radicals define mainstream opposition right out of the conversation.

By Justin Katz | January 4, 2022 |

Interestingly, this is essentially the same point I just finished being proclaimed a racist for making with regard to the racial net worth gap, and an academic journal wouldn’t let a mainstream scholar make it: I suspect the real beef the ELJ Executive Board has with the essay is that Larry explicitly stated that racism…

Silhouette of hikers with leader

Politics This Week with John DePetro: A Little Leadership Would Go a Long Way

By Justin Katz | January 3, 2022 |

John and Justin cover the controversial topics in Rhode Island politics today.

Family on the beach at sunset

Imagine If We Were Able to Analyze What’s Really Going on With Inequality!

By Justin Katz | December 31, 2021 |

Rather than focusing on racial differences and calling each other names, we should be working together to spread the wealth around naturally, through our ingenuity and hard work.  All of us would benefit. Oh, well.  Maybe in 2022.

A model house and key

UPDATED: Finding “Systemic Racism” in Net Worth Disparities

By Justin Katz | December 30, 2021 |

To understand racial differences in wealth, blaming “systemic racism” is a simplistic way to ignore the harm of radical policies.

A water drop and ripples

For reference, this is what horrifying racism actually looks like.

By Justin Katz | December 29, 2021 |

With Rhode Island’s politics-watchers all atwitter and fainting over a white woman’s expression of regret about a lost friendship that seems to her to have been related to differing races, the need for context seems urgent.  For comparison, consider this story out of London: The attack, which took place at 7.20pm on December 2, happened…

A water drop and ripples

Rep. Brianna Henries reminds us how awesome our country is.

By Justin Katz | December 28, 2021 |

Here’s the comment of Est Providence Representative Brianna Henries on today’s biggest news in RI: gob·smacked /ˈɡäbˌsmakt/ adjective INFORMAL•BRITISH utterly astonished; astounded ….however I’m not surprised. I can’t even fathom meeting this level of racism with a clever quip, it does not merit that. This is the reality of our world. We simply must do…

A water drop and ripples

Geena Pham isn’t really disproving Morgan’s concerns. [Language warning]

By Justin Katz | December 28, 2021 |

Geena Pham is a progressive candidate for state senate and a public school teacher.  Here she is tweeting about Patricia Morgan’s controversial comment: Delete your fucking Twitter, Patricia. You’re a disgrace to Rhode Island. Honestly, a world in which a public school teacher running for political office tweets such a thing is exactly a world in…