RaceFiles

On race and racism in our politics and daily lives

Why I Voted for Barack Obama and Will Again

Scot Nakagawa
by posted on 9/8/12 in RaceFiles / 11 responses

A lot of folks I think of as leftists have told me they are considering not giving their vote to Barack Obama in November. They say they feel cheated that the actions of his administration didn’t live up to the soaring rhetoric of his campaign, and are opting out in protest. I’m no Democratic Party loyalist, nor am I uncritical of the President. But their disappointment to the point of opting out frustrates me nonetheless. My frustration can be summed up by the question, “what in the world did you expect?” It speaks to an uncritical liberalism not worthy of Read more »

Read This: Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America

Scot Nakagawa
by posted on 7/23/12 in RaceFiles / 0 responses

If you’re like me, the bubble economy of the turn of this century, how it burst, the economic crisis that followed, and what it means that those who were behind all this mess were ultimately bailed out at tax payers’ expense, has you by turns confused and angry. We may understand the machinations of elites and the manipulation of the rest of us in broad strokes, but the specifics are enough to make us cross-eyed. I’ve looked for good reading material to help me decode the whole situation, and have found a lot of it very dense and difficult reading. Read more »

Read This Book: Slavery By Another Name

Scot Nakagawa
by posted on 6/6/12 in RaceFiles / 0 responses

If you’re like me, you grew up with the belief that the Civil War ended slavery.  Slavery By Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans From the Civil War to World War II, by Douglas A. Blackmon puts that lie to rest by telling the story of the period of neo-slavery in America – a 75-year sweep of history, starting at the end of the Civil War up to the mid-20th century. Slavery By Another Name is an accessible and highly informative read. You should check it out. I promise, it’s easy on the noggin, even if hard on the Read more »

Read This Book!

Scot Nakagawa
by posted on 5/7/12 in RaceFiles / 5 responses

Today is my birthday. The passage of time has me reflecting a lot on the years behind me, especially as I’m looking down the barrel of 50. Among the most frustrating yet inspiring experiences I’ve had over the years was the time I spent working on criminal justice reform. During those years I spent a lot of time in juvenile detention facilities, jails, prisons, and courtrooms. From that perch, the racism of the system seemed so plain as to be indisputable. Just as plain was the amazing resiliency of people caught up in the system, many of them non-violent drug Read more »

The Writers

Scot Nakagawa

Scot Nakagawa
@nakagawascot

Lifelong political activist, community organizer, organization builder, and trouble-maker.

Soya

Soya

Research Paper The Importance of Asian Americans? It’s Not What You think. Future Directions in the Racial Justice Movement. Read more »