Date: Sun, 20 May 2001 10:36:18 -0700
From: “George Winkel”
Subject: Letter to the editor re Congratulations tomorrows children
Dr. Francis Wardle, Ph.D., has written a thrilling progress report for the New People Interracial e-Magazine, published by Yvette and Daniel Hollis. Dr. Wardle exclaims, “We win! We win! We win!!!” The new census 2000 count of people who selected more than one racial or ethnic category (6.83 million people = 2.42% of American respondents) make the multiracial community a real winner, he explains. It’s inaccurate, unduly small now. But it means that finally we’re squarely in the myopic media’s view – broadcasts and newspaper pictures showing pie-charts with thin slivers labeled “Multiracial.” The word is out there! Dr. Wardle notes, “Interestingly this new information about mixed race identities has also prompted the media to examine the entire construct of race and ethnicity.” (!!)
And things are starting to turn, he reports, now that interracial parents at last have Government on their side confronting the “check one” oligarchs (e.g., those school officials: “Pick one [race/ethnicity] …. Why are you so uptight about your child’s identity?”). Pundits who couldn’t be stirred before are starting to sit up. Formerly obstructionist multicultural “elite” are pompously starting to claim credit! “([T]hey don’t believe any positive societal change can occur without their leadership).” ;~)
But Dr. Wardle gives credit where it’s due: To multiracial children, adults and their interracial parents all across the land who fought with administrators, simply refusing to accept the government’s labels; to the internet, which gave us a way of coming together and circumventing the academic “gatekeepers” at media bottlenecks; and last but not least to the courageous hard working advocates who went to Washington and pressed for census change.
Dr. Wardle describes, too, this amazing societal revolution’s wondrously swooping up under the radar of conventional politicking. He says we are “one of the truest examples of a grass-roots movement” – no funding, media support, or political leaders – not even agreeing on our agenda except our demand to be recognized. Academics, he says, already are analyzing and “deconstructing” our multiracial movement, trying to comprehend how this happened. You don’t want to miss Dr. Wardle’s report, and enjoy feeling a part of it all.