Essay 657

Around the world with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• “What does it mean to be a black man? Imagine three African American boys, kindergartners who are largely alike in intelligence, talent and character, whose potential seems limitless. According to a wealth of statistics and academic studies, in just over a decade one of the boys is likely to be locked up or headed to prison. The second boy -- if he hasn't already dropped out -- will seriously weigh leaving high school and be pointed toward an uncertain future. The third boy will be speeding toward success by most measures.”

That’s the start of a series from The Washington Post titled “Being a Black Man.” Click on the essay title above to check it all out.

• Folks in Germany are concerned about the blatant racism expected to erupt during the World Cup soccer finals. Minority players are routinely harassed by fanatical fans, facing verbal and physical threats on and off the field. Non-White World Cup visitors are even being warned to steer clear of certain areas in the country, as they may also become victims of discrimination and potential hate crimes. “It used to be violence, and violence is still a part of the picture at least in parts of Eastern Europe. But it’s now about race," said the director of Kick It Out, a London-based group focused on fighting racism in soccer. You know it’s bad when there’s a group solely dedicated to the issue. Somebody get Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton a few soccer balls already.

• “We are racists, certainly,” said Isaac Humala, leader of the Peruvian Nationalist Movement. “We advocate saving the copper race (the Incan descendants in Peru) from extinction, disintegration and degeneration. Everyone is a racist, because nationalism is something that is in the blood, just like it is with the Japanese in Japan and the Germans in Germany.” Somebody get this guy to the World Cup soccer finals.