THE BORDER: THE 500-YEAR OPEN VEINS OF THE AMERICAS

A few weeks ago, Truthout published a shorter and different version of this story under a different name. Here is the original and longer version, with the original opening. A few of the comments that had been omitted are found here. This is done in the spirit of the many hundreds of children who remain separated and or detained with their families: https://xicanation.com/the-border-500-year-open-veins-of-the-americas/

Those Impacted by Colonialism Speak Out on the US’s Legacy of Family Separation

Those crying children, separated from their parents and detained for crossing the US border, are part of the original peoples of this continent. They symbolize all of the children that have been ripped away from their mothers’ arms since the era of colonialism.

To be sure, Donald Trump is doing what the US has always done best: destroying and dehumanizing nations and peoples; destroying lives and peddling pseudo-religious-politico providential narratives. However, this time, it is the US itself that is imploding and being slowly destroyed by a would-be dictator and a spineless and complicit Congress.

On this continent, the crisis at the border began in 1492, and there is a direct line that begins with genocide, theft of a continent, theft of bodies, souls and even identities — all of which resulted in the destruction and enslavement of many peoples and cultures in many countries.

For the rest of column, please go to: https://truthout.org/articles/those-impacted-by-colonialism-speak-out-on-the-uss-legacy-of-family-separation/

Tucson Skirts International Law in Refusing to Reinstate Mexican American Studies

The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) school board recently defended its decision to not re-implement the highly successful Mexican American Studies (MAS) program after Arizona’s 2010 HB 2281 legislation essentially banned the subject from the district’s schools.

The majority of the board contends that the district’s new “Culturally Relevant Curriculum” (CRC), introduced after 2012, is essentially the same as the terminated Mexican American Studies curriculum.

Their argument, however, neglects the fact that A.Wallace Tashima, a US federal judge for the District of Arizona, found HB 2281 unconstitutional in 2017, ruling the legislation was motivated by racial animus when then-Gov. Jan Brewer signed it into law eight years ago. It also neglects the fact that State Superintendent Diane Douglas said that the state would abide by the decision. Despite this, TUSD officials still refuse to reintroduce Mexican American Studies.

For the rest of the column, please go to: 

https://truthout.org/articles/tucson-skirts-international-law-in-refusing-to-reinstate-mexican-american-studies/

BROWN JOURNEYS THROUGH MEXICO PROFUNDO

BROWN JOURNEYS THROUGH MEXICO PROFUNDO:

https://xicanation.com/brown-journeys-through-mexico-profundo/

(posted by XicaMedia)

The above is the longer version of a recent piece I wrote for Truthout's Public Intellectual Page. The piece was shortened and given a different title. The first part is pretty much the same and the second part expands on the relationship between law enforcement violence, racial profiling... and this topic of light-skin preference and the Smiling Brown Project. The primary reason for posting these articles/columns is to solicit more stories for the project. Thanks to all who have contributed thus far. Stories can be sent to or for more info, write to: XColumn@gmail.com

Earlier article here: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/44493-mexico-s-color-line-and-the-cultural-imperialism-of-light-skin-preference

The first piece I wrote regarding the Smiling Brown Project is here: http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/17461-smiling-brown-people-the-color-of-the-earth

To support the work of Xica Media networks, donations can be sent via: https://www.paypal.me/xicamedia

Mexico's Color Line and the Cultural Imperialism of Light-Skin Preference

Truthout’s Public Intellectual Page
By Robeeto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez

The color of the people of Mexico is one of the things that had a most profound effect on my psyche when I first visited the place of my birth in 1976 at the age of 22. The people came in all colors, though primarily different shades of red-brown, owing to the nation's Indigenous roots.

Having grown up in a white-dominant society, it was an affirmation of my own brown skin color, in sharp contrast with the artificial color of official Mexico. I was used to seeing government bureaucrats and those that graced the nation's television screens with light skin, bleached blond hair and artificial blue or green eyes.

The truth is, more than 40 years later, the nation's color line has seemingly not changed much at all. For the rest of the column, go to:  http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/44493-mexico-s-color-line-and-the-cultural-imperialism-of-light-skin-preference

This story on color and color consciousness is linked to the Smiling Brown Project. If you have a story on this topic, please send or contact me at: XColumn@gmail.com

* The original piece was a little longer and I will post a link to the longer article shortly.

Support the MAS Women's Plaza Honorees Campaign

As part of the Raza Studies continuing struggle, many of the mostly young women who took direct action, including: getting arrested after HB 2281 was signed in 2010; taking over the school board on April 26, 2011; and getting arrested at the highly militarized meeting on May 3, 2011, are being honored as part of the MAS Women's Plaza Honorees Campaign Project at the University of Arizona. Initially, some 2 dozen students, community members and elders are being honored with a brick in their name. Kim Dominguez, who herself has already been honored at the Plaza, is coordinating this campaign. Please contribute so their roles in history are not disappeared. About half the funds needed have already been raised! Donations are 100% tax deductible and there is no minimum. Just select N/A or Gift! THIS is precisely how you pass the mic and leverage your resources.
https://mailchi.mp/041d6123a4f6/l6scyiofvs

It's Time for Arizona's School Board to Implement a Court's 2017 Raza Studies Ruling in Good Faith

It's Time for Arizona's School Board to Implement a Court's 2017 Raza Studies Ruling in Good Faith

TRUTHOUT

Despite a favorable 2017 court decision, the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) school board continues to refuse to abide by a historic ruling against the state of Arizona in regards to the 2010 legislation HB 2281. This Orwellian legislation outlawed the teaching of courses that promoted segregation or race hatred; it fined any Arizona school district that was found to be out of compliance 10 percent of its budget.

The court found that the state was motivated by racial animus in the passage of the anti-Ethnic studies proposition. Rather than abiding with the decision, other school board members are proposing Latino or Hispanic studies in place of Raza or Mexican American studies. FOR THE REST OF THE COLUMN, GO TO: http://buzzflash.com/…/it-s-time-for-arizona-s-school-board…

*** IMPORTANT NOTE: As part of this continuing struggle, many of the mostly young women who took direct action, including: getting arrested after HB 2281 was signed in 2010; taking over the school board on April 26, 2011; and getting arrested at the highly militarized meeting on May 3, 2011, are being honored as part of the MAS Women's Plaza Honorees Campaign Project at the University of Arizona. Initially, some 2 dozen students, community members and elders are being honored with a brick in their name. Kim Dominguez, who herself has already been honored at the Plaza, is coordinating this campaign. Please contribute so their roles in history are not disappeared. About half the funds needed have already been raised! Donations are 100% tax deductible and there is no minimum. Just select N/A or Gift! THIS is precisely how you pass the mic and leverage your resources.
https://mailchi.mp/041d6123a4f6/l6scyiofvs