Listening to podcasts alleviates the pain and mundane experience working as a temp office monkey.  A daily dose of Fresh Air, How Stuff Works, Marathon Training Academy, Talk of the Nation, Ring Theory and Sherdog provides a decent mixture of current affairs, useless knowledge, health, and some sense of masculine validation.

With the drama surrounding the racially charged elements of Arizona’s SB 1070, it was without coincidence that a caller into Sherdog’s Savage Dog Show would have made a comment pertaining to a certain tattoo on the chest of the next contender for UFC’s heavyweight title.  The caller took on a typical “reverse racism” angle by saying that the “Brown Pride” tat on Cain Velasquez would never fly if were it a Caucasian fighter with a “White Pride” tat.

Interestingly enough, “Hawaiian Sovereignty” shirt-wearing BJ Penn’s [1] site has a video with Cain discussing the importance of La Raza as a Mexican-American living in Califaztlan.

“For everything my parents did to come over to this country, all the hardships they had to take, crossing the border. Brown pride when we were growing up man, Mexican pride it’s just something we would say to feel proud about where we came from…Another reason I got it was because growing up I had no one to look up to, there was nobody that was my size, that was Mexican, that looked like me, that I could see in the media…Now I’m in that position I put “Brown Pride” on my chest to let people know I’m Mexican, I’m proud to be Mexican, I’m doing good things.”

Having parents who came to America undocumented and having earned his college wrestling chops in Arizona, Cain’s voice would be great to hear in the immigration discourse.  Searching the internet for any sign of the Salinas, CA native discussing SB 1070 turns up nothing.  With the middle America audience that Dana White tries to reach through UFC, one is tempted to question whether or not Cain’s political voice has been silenced so as not to attract “controversy”.  With a strong personal connection to issues of immigration, I hope this isn’t the case.

Check the video after the jump.

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“Anyone who supports Johannes and our Law Enforcement Officers may attend. This is a PEACEFUL rally to show our support for Johannes, his family, and our law enforcement officers. This was a tragic mistake that occurred while on active duty.”

Three words, FUCK OUTTA HERE. In light of everything happening with the Oscar Grant trials, leave it up to the folks of Claycord (Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek, Martinez and Pleasant Hill. Notice NO PITTSBURG however.) to engage in cowardice counter protest.

I say cowardice because instead of rallying in support of their supposed victim in places that would matter, such as Fruitvale BART or Downtown Oakland, they instead decide to rally in Downtown Walnut Creek. The set date is for Monday July 19th. As if the socioeconomic and racial undertones weren’t apparent enough. The only thing that would really interest me in all this would be the counter-counter protest.

-MAD

Still trying to process the verdict.

-Ninoy Brown

Robert Rodriguez filmed a Mexploitation flick that takes place in Arizona over a year ago.  Surprisingly, Fox backed him on the project.  Fast forward to today, and the situation in AZ is more heated than ever.

Interesting how planned projects with one intent ends up resonating on multiple levels due to timing.

You may have seen it on Grindhouse, but more was added specifically calling out Arizona.

More on Aint It Cool

-Ninoy Brown

Apologies for the lack of updates. Graduate school and the search for virtually non-existent school counseling jobs has gotten in the way.

But with the racist clusterfcuk that Governor Jan Brewer and the rest of the Arizona state legislature have created, I feel it important to share some words, or at least some links.

NY Times: If Only Arizona Were the Real Problem

The dude, Geologic, spittin’ for May Day: “Joe Arpaio”

Cool signs of solidarity in the world of sports from the World Boxing Council and the Major League Baseball players union.

Especially interesting is the city council of the conservative bastion, known by many as San Diego, has formally opposed SB 1070.

For great ongoing coverage:

New American Media

RaceWire

Think Progress

The Unapologetic Mexican

And I know it’s probably already been said by others, but this situation puts the classic PE track in a whole in context:

-Ninoy Brown

With all the talks about cook-outs, nooses, and racially charged incidents on a campus, somehow I can’t help but feel I’ve witnessed all this before. Oh wait, I have! After droppin’ the science 15 years ago, mo’ fuckas still haven’t learned what ‘higher learning’ is all about.

P.S. Considering I went to UCSD, only one song comes to mind. From our beloved Public Enemy, “The future holds nothing else but confrontation…” . Stay vigilant San Diego.

-MAD

A noose was left displayed in the main library following a noose previously displayed in a grove outside the Chancellor’s office. Demonstrations and reactions continue throughout the campus by community members demanding real action.

Union Tribute article
Local CBS TV coverage
LA Times

-Mark

This is what makes me proud to be a UCSD alumni:

UCSD minority students walk out of teach-in

-Ninoy Brown

More on UCSD’s most recent “post-racial” moment.

Within the last week, much public outrage has come upon UCSD as a result of the disgusting display of ignorance from the “Compton Cookout”.  National attention has been placed on the campus, and NAACP has recently spoken out against the incident.

With this, I wanted to post a letter that Dr. Jody Blanco, from UCSD’s Dept of Literature, had written for Kaibigang Pilipino.  Though intended for Filipin@ students and student organizations at UCSD, I felt the message was important for more folks to read, as well.

Dr. Blanco was an inspiration for many of us, student of color organizers, while attending UCSD.  In the letter, he contextualizes the “private party”, discussing why outrage is justified and why Filipino American students should stand as allies with our African American brothers and sisters.

Dear Filipina and Filipino students, colleagues, and friends:

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While attending UCSD, there were more than a few WTF/”that’s racist!” moments experienced.  And it appears to continue with a fraternty’s “Compton Cookout” themed bbq:

“UCSD party mocks Black History Month”

A weekend party that involved University of California San Diego students and mocked Black History Month has drawn the ire of black students and prompted a condemnation sent to all students and faculty by the chancellor.

An invitation to the “Compton Cookout” event urged participants to wear chains, don cheap clothes and speak very loudly, according to wording circulated by outraged students and verified by campus administrators.

As a guide for girls attending the event, the invitation read, “For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes…”

Read on

To read the entire invitation of the frat party, click here.

From a student run “satire” newspaper that intentionally published offensive and racist material and incited tension with the student of color organizations to fliers using images of KKK and lynchings to “joke” about pledging a fraternity, among an array of incidents, UCSD always brought out the angry minority within me.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these things continue to persist when the UC system continues to have one of the lowest minority enrollments in the nation.

-Ninoy Brown