Writing to you from the National Library Singapore. As you may know, we are publishing an Anthology of English Writing in Southeast Asia containing your work “Queen” from “The Gods We Worship Live Next Door”. We have already contacted Anvil Publishing and are awaiting their and your approval for this.

I wished to check with you though: in the course of my research, I came across an earlier edition of the book, printed by the University of Utah Press in 2006. As we are putting much effort into documenting the year of first publishing, I was wondering if you could confirm that the Anvil, 2008 version is indeed a reprint of the University of Utah, 2006.

Many thanks!

Best regards,
Jennifer Lew

On tonight’s episode (‘The Substitute’), for instance, they presented “beautiful, petite, blonde” Gwyneth Paltrow getting beaten-up (in an unprovoked attack) by a FAT, UGLY, LOUD Black girl (who, of course, “had an attitude” about nothing).

There was NO REASON for them to present this crude image of Black teen-girls (other than to reinforce the stereotype of the ugly, violent, loud Black).

The producers, writers and casting directors of this episode should be ashamed of themselves and the Black actress who took on this moronic role should hold her head down in shame.

This presentation of the Black teen girls was both offensive and pathetic in my opinion (and I AM NOT EVEN a BLACK person).

[NOTE:
This criticism does NOT include plus-sized actress, Amber Riley (a regular cast-member of the show) -- who has managed to present herself as both an attractive and a dignified character on the episodes I have seen ... unlike all of those other Black actresses who have appeared on the show in 'guest' roles.]

I like how you connected the racial profiling you’ve been subjected to in your own building on the UES to Arizona’s racist, fascist anti-immigration law. NYC is no Arizona, but it’s no utopia either. And when people call America a “post-racial” country, it reminds me of how the totalitarian government in Orwell’s “1984” called the government branch that waged war “the Ministry of Peace” and the branch that tortured citizens “the Ministry of Love.” Okay, my last sentence may go a bit too far. But maybe not. What’s certain is that racism is still very much alive in this country, even in liberal NY.

grateful to Marie for reposting it..

xo