| Equal
Justice Society e-Newsletter - Issue 11 - Fall 2007 | |
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Editors:
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Law
in the Time of Cholera: This has been a strange time for us here at EJS. Our work is going well but the world seems stranger than ever. Our own Senator Dianne Feinstein was the key vote that got Judge Leslie Southwick confirmed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, located in New Orleans. EJS
offices are located in Northern California so we watched with horror and sadness
as the southern part of this great state burned. We were also horrified and saddened
when we learned that authorities mistreated Brown people and immigrants. We also
were surprised to learn that the firestorm evacuees were seen as "civilized"
as compared to evacuees in New Orleans. |
| Notes on the Right: The Racist Roots of the Anti-Immigration Movement
Prominent leaders of the anti-immigration movement would have us believe that not a ounce of racism lies behind their efforts. The most media-visible figures in this camp, such as Lou Dobbs, Pat Buchanan, Tom Tancredo and Victor Davis Hanson may argue the case for restricting, deporting, rounding up and cutting off public services to those “illegals” stigmatized as culturally backward, unhealthy potential terrorists. But they protest that their motives for doing so are as pure as the driven snow. In
their writings and media appearances, the leaders of the anti-immigration movement
claim their politics are based not on a hatred of the racial Other but on their
commitment to the rule of law, the integrity of “our culture,” the objective
findings of social science, or better employment prospects for American workers. | |
| The
Real Significance of the
The Supreme Court’s decision in its last term limiting school districts in their ability to achieve desegregation is not a sudden turning away from Brown v. Board of Education. The Court abandoned Brown 30 years ago and the most recent decision is simply a continuation of that sad pattern which has led to American public schools being increasingly racially segregated. The recent decision, Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School Dist. No. 1, will make it harder for schools to desegregate, but its greatest significance is its signaling a Court likely to order an end to affirmative action programs in colleges and universities across the country. | |
| Putting Race on the Table … Or Unmasking Racism?
In the opening moments of a panel called “Putting Race Back on the Table” at the annual conference of the American Constitution Society this summer, Eva Paterson asked the panelists to address whether racial discrimination still exists in the United States today and, also, what the role of law should be in ameliorating the effects of discrimination. The panel looked promising, with an impressive lineup of participants, including Frank Wu, the Dean and Professor of Law at Wayne State Law School; Brian Nosek, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia; and, to offer the full range of perspectives, Roger Clegg, the President and General Counsel of a right-of-center group called the Center for Equal Opportunity. | |
| Immigration and the Black Community: Conflict or Common Interest?
On July 31, 2007, the Equal Justice Society, along with the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) put on a standing room only community forum at the Oakland Museum on the issue of "Immigration and the Black Community: Conflict of Common Interest?" The event was cosponsored by Latino Issues Forum (LIF), Greenlining Institute and Centro Legal de la Raza. | |
| Unconscious Bias Workshop Anchors Motley Civil Rights Fellowship Luncheon
EJS established the Motley Fellowship to invigorate the next generation of progressive legal practitioners seeking to transform anti-discrimination law and policy. The luncheon featured a presentation on unconscious racial bias by Dr. Shakti Butler of World Trust Educational Services. | |
| Hon.
Theodore A. McKee Speaks at Judges Reception EJS
sponsored a reception on August 9, 2007, for judges and friends attending the
American Bar Assocation national conference. The Honorable Theodore A. McKee,
Judge, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, was our honored guest and
speaker.
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| Rep. Miller's Port Chicago Legislation Wins Backing of National Park Service and Other Organizations
The
Equal Justice Society has been a long-time
supporter of improving the Port Chicago National Memorial and creating awareness
of the disaster. Our staff serve on the Friends of Port Chicago committee, developed
the Friends' website (portchicagomemorial.org)
and EJS serves as the group's fiscal sponsor. | |
| OSI & Gerbode Help EJS Advance Racial Justice, and Other Development Notes
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| Riding the Train: A Reflection on Unconscious Bias
I
love public transportation. Riding the train allows ample time for people-watching.
And, during my long commutes throughout the Bay Area, trains and buses became
sanctuaries for reflection and laboratories for testing my thoughts - mostly,
about my work at EJS. | |
‘In the Valley of Elah’ an Honest Look at the Toll of War By Bob Burnett
Perhaps Americans are put off by the title — Elah is the valley where David fought Goliath — or maybe we’re not ready for such an unsparing look at the consequences of the Iraq war. But don’t worry, if you don’t get to see In the Valley of Elah before it closes, you’ll probably get another chance early in 2008, after the Academy Award nominations are announced. | |
| Read
more about our staff changes, and honors and recognitions bestowed on EJS board
members. | |
From
Eva Paterson
By
Lee Cokorinos
By
By
Marianne Engelman Lado
By
Nicholas Espíritu
By Miguel Gavaldón
By Nicole Medeiros
Judging
from the small audience at the screening of In the Valley of Elah I attended,
and its limited release — 326 theaters — Paul Haggis’s masterpiece
isn’t going to be around very long.| The Equal Justice Society (www.equaljusticesociety.org) is a national advocacy organization strategically advancing social and racial justice through law and public policy, communications and the arts, and alliance building. Equal Justice Society, 220 Sansome St, 14th Flr, San Francisco, CA 94104, Ph (415) 288-8700 |