Opinion
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A Case for Why You Should Wash Your Hands Before You Go to the Bathroom, Too
A few weeks ago, while my wife and I were kicking it with some friends at a Pirates game, the subject turned to toilets. Namely, public toilets. Specifically, which establishments in the Pittsburgh area had the nicest bathrooms—a valuable consideration if you have an emergency situation and can’t wait until you get home. Several places…
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Trump’s 'Blackground': An Exclusive Interview With Black People Who Attend MAGA Rallies
Black Trump supporters have come under increased scrutiny after a recent crowd engaged in racist chants. On Wednesday, entertainer Bette Midler came under fire from Trump supporters for saying Trump paid African Americans to be in “the blackground.” In June, MSNBC’s Heidi Przybyla revealed that one of the black guys regularly seen at Trump rallies…
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Where Would You Like Us to Go Back To, Mr. President?
When I came to this country, America stood as a nation of hope to young children in forgotten and faraway lands. It once welcomed children like myself—and children like Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)—with open arms. That is why it was so incredibly painful to see a U.S. president goad his supporters in the racist, xenophobic…
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Straddling Two Worlds: Transracial Adoption and the Authenticity of Blackness
“You are my worst fear realized,” a black woman—and complete stranger—said to me after I concluded my keynote speech. She continued, “I came to hear you speak, and you have confirmed my worst fears. You aren’t a true black person.” I am part of the first wave of transracial adoptees (I’m black, my parents are…
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#ProposingWhileBlack: Couple Says They Had Proposal Interrupted by Security Guards Who Accused Them of Stealing
If this New York couple’s story is true (it’s totally true because you already know we can’t have anything nice), then add proposing in a scenic location to the list of things we can’t do while black. According to NBC News, on Sunday, Cathy-Marie Hamlet said her now-fiancé, Clyde Jackson, left New York City to…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Racism Life Support
When professor Henry Louis Gates founded The Root 11 years ago, he probably had no idea that its creation would one day become the internet’s number one source for black news (it’s not bragging if it’s true). He probably assumed he and his team were creating an outlet to give voice to a population that…
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What They Mean When They Say 'Send Her Back'
What is an American? Is it defined by borders, treaties, laws and the Constitution or is it a nebulous set of mutable ideas and fluctuating standards? And who gets to decide? Is it as everchanging as this country’s boundary lines or was it set in stone by the cabal of white men who first conceived…
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The Unofficial Guide to Whitesplaining Racism
Racism: Prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior —The Oxford/English Dictionary text Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) was born in Detroit. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was born in the Bronx. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) immigrated to…
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Dear American Airlines, I Hate You With My Whole Heart
Once upon a time, not long ago, when people wore pajamas and lived life slow, my wife and I were invited to a wedding in Dallas; ya know, deep in the heart of Texas. Because I believe that there’s nothing you should do today that you can put off until tomorrow—I don’t actually believe this,…
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If You Helped a Racist Become the Most Powerful Person in America, Then You’re a Racist Too
Legally, Lakeith Smith is a murderer. When he was 15 years old, police officers confronted Lakeith and a group of friends after the teenagers allegedly burglarized a home in Millbrook, Ala. One of the boys, 16-year-old A’Donte Washington, “brandished” a gun, according to police, forcing officers to shoot Washington four times, killing him. Alabama’s law…