The Multiracial Activist Newsletter 04
February/March/April 1999
The Multiracial Activist Newsletter is an informational digest of news, events, new websites and other information of interest to the interracial/multiracial/transracial adoptee community. Published irregularly, with special alerts as news items warrant. The Multiracial Activist Newsletter is registered with the Library of Congress, Washington, DC – ISSN: 1522-6905. Past newsletters and alerts are archived at https://www.multiracial.com/newsletter.html.
February/March/April 1999
Editor, James A. Landrith, Jr.
https://www.multiracial.com/
email: racial_politics@hotmail.com
Read this month's editorial at: https://www.multiracial.com/edcorner.html.
Activism Update
LANDRITH INTERVIEWED BY NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO REGARDING BJU
James Landrith of The Multiracial Activist and wife Cheryl Gamble-Landrith were interviewed on National Public Radio's Morning Edition regarding religious intolerance towards interracial marriage. The ongoing struggle to end indirect state funding for racist Bob Jones University is mentioned. To hear the interview, with Real Player click here: http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/me/19990415.me.03.ram or visit The Multiracial Activist https://www.multiracial.com/ and click on the link on the front page (to hear interview requires Real Player or Windows Media which can be downloaded from http://www.npr.org). (April 15, 1999)
PROJECT RACE AND THE MULTIRACIAL ACTIVIST RESPOND TO CONTROVERSIAL DRAFT TABULATION SCHEME
Susan Graham of Project RACE & James A. Landrith, Jr. of The Multiracial Activist issue Blood Pressure, a review of the Office of Management and Budget's long awaited draft proposal for tabulation of multiracial persons in the United States. To view the report, visit the following links: The Multiracial Activist at https://www.multiracial.com/news/bloodpressure.html and Project RACE at http://projectrace.home.mindspring.com/action.html (March 15, 1999)
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Federal Update
PRESIDENT CLINTON SUPPORTS HATE CRIME LEGISLATION
President Clinton urged Congress to expand hate crime laws to include offenses based on sexual orientation. The President also endorsed a program to educate students on hate crimes. The program would require that colleges report hate crimes on campus annually and would also establish a program to educate middle school students against intolerance. "The president is signing this directive to increase public awareness and information about hate crimes among young people and doing whatever he can in his power to advance this cause while we wait for Congress to act," said Bruce Reed, the White House domestic policy advisor. (AP 4/6/99)
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SEEKS TO PROTECT INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS BY EXAMINING PRACTICE OF "RACIAL PROFILING"
On April 8, 1999, the Clinton Administration urged law enforcement officials to examine complaints about police searches using the practice of "racial profiling." Attorney General Janet Reno announced that the Department of Justice is currently investigating numerous cases to determine if law enforcement officials violated individuals' rights by targeting them based on race. "It is so very important that we address the feelings of Americans who feel that police officers are stopping them because of race.. Let's address it, let's hit it head-on." said Attorney General Reno. (New York Times, 4/9/99; Los Angeles Times, 4/9/99)
OMB RELEASES DRAFT REPORT ON TABULATION OF MULTIPLE RESPONSES TO RACE QUESTION ON CENSUS
On February 17, 1999, the Tabulation Working Group of the Interagency Committee for Review of Standards for Data on Race and Ethnicity issued a report, "Draft Provisional Guidance on the Implementation of the 1997 Standards for the Collection of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity." This guidance focuses on several three areas: collecting data using the new standards, tabulating data collected under the new standards, and building bridges to compare data collected under the new and old standards. See this controversial report at: https://www.multiracial.com/RACE.PDF. (Requires Adobe Acrobat which can be downloaded from http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html)
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State Update
BOB JONES UNIVERSITY STANDS TO LOSE INDIRECT STATE FUNDING FOR RACIST ADMISSIONS PRACTICES TARGETING INTERRACIAL COUPLES
On February 20th, South Carolina State Senator Darrell Jackson introduced GB 508 in the South Carolina Senate. GB 508, as introduced, effectively prevents schools residing in South Carolina that practice discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin from receiving state funded scholarships.
Most affected by this bill will be the fundamentalist, private Bob Jones University (BJU), which currently prohibits students from dating interracially and bans interracially married couples from attending the school as a couple. See https://www.multiracial.com/issues/issues-bobjonesuniversity.html for more information on this issue.
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Local Update
AMHERST POLICE DEPARTMENT TARGETS INTERRACIAL COUPLES FOR RACIAL PROFILING
Provided to The Multiracial Activist by longtime INTERRACIAL VOICE writer A.D. Powell – The following information is from an article on "Racial Typing on the Highways" published in COUNTERPUNCH, a political newsletter published by journalists Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair (March 1-15, 1999, Vol. 6, No. 5):
"The problem is not merely one of racist cops, but of a policing system that encourages and promotes racial typing. In Amherst, Massachusetts, the police department held seminars for its officers on "perpetrator profiles." The officers were told that `interracial couples' were more likely to beengaged in drug dealing than white couples."
More information can be obtained from COUNTERPUNCH, 3220 N Street, N.W., Suite 346, Washington, DC 20007. 1-800-840-3683, fax 1-800-967-3620.
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Sincerely,
James A. Landrith, Jr.
Editor & Publisher,
The Multiracial Activist
https://www.multiracial.com/