That's Hot

*h/t to Karnythia

Mental Illness and the Black Community

"We in the black community would rather say that we have a relative on drugs or in jail than utter the words 'mental illness".

- Terrie Williams, author of Black Pain, on Depression: Out of the Shadows

"You can call it what you want: bi-polar, schitzophrenia, brain/mental disorder, etc., but the fact of the matter remains that this "disease" has been around since the guy in the Bible and back then they called it: possessed with many devils (or in our terms: demon possession). The only cure for bi-polar, schitzophrenia, etc. is to cast these devils out by the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus the Christ. Medication is a temporary relief, but casting out is a permanent fix, and one has to be prayed and fasted up in order to have power to be able to cast out devils."

- customer review for the book 72 Hour Hold

"Between 1980 and 2000, black male youths aged 10-14 showed the largest increase in suicide rates relative to sex and ethnicity, increasing by 180%. Among 15-19 year old black males, rates have increased 80%".

- "Suicide and Youth", Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network

Thoughts?

Overheard Stupidity

*In the waiting room at the doctor's office. Made-for-TV movie "10.0", about an earthquake that breaks off a chunk of California, is playing on the television. Two people at the other end of the room are talking...

Person A: ...y'know, like [the earthquake] in China?

Person B: Didn't that kill, like, 90% of the population?

*I take out a pencil and paper, and listen for more gold.

Person A: It was 90,000. (*Note: As of 10:00 AM CST today, the number is at 34,073.)

Person B: Well, isn't that, like, more than half of their population?

...

Although the death toll wasn't that high, it's still very devastating and it continues to climb. CNN has compiled a list of reputable(?) charity agencies that are accepting donations for the relief efforts in both China and Myanmar. If there are any that are not listed, or if there are some that may not be so reputable, let me know.

Oh, I am pissed...

How can it be that a new X-Files movie is premiering this July, and I'm just now finding out about it?!!! Hmm?!!!?!!

And Chris Carter is coming back to direct!!!! CHRIS FUCKING CARTER!!!!

Internetz, you have sorely disappointed me. Even after I've been there for you and watched you grow up so! [*sniff...] How could you?!!?! My former love is coming back to my arms and you never bothered to tell me!!! WHY??!!?!

Don't apologize now, Internetz...It's much too late for that...Sure, one day, my heart will heal and this betrayal shall pass, but it's gonna take some time, Internetz. It's gonna take some time.

[*deep breath...]

...Now what shall I wear to the premier?

Why Seal Press Sucks, Part Deux

It's only a week since Seal Press issued a public apology for the racist imagery in Amanda Marcotte's new book, and the publishers are introducing a new book from two expat [White] Americans entitled (grab your barf bags), Tales from the Expat Harem.

Commenters rightfully pointed out the hypocrisy. Only to receive the following responses:

From one of the authors...

I suggest you read before condemning to understand exactly why that word and metaphor were specifically chosen.

From the publishers...

Tales from the Expat Harem is neither a sexist nor a racist title. Please, let's not look for the racially embedded wrong in every one of our books.

I heart Susie:

"Please, let's not look for the racially embedded wrong in every one of our books."

Because if it's there, you really don't want to know about it. You couldn't be making that clearer. Less than a week after your heartfelt apology, you're given the opportunity to listen to women of color trying to tell you something, and you dismiss them out of hand once again, informing them that you know far better than they do what is and isn't racist. You don't say, "Well, I can see why you'd be concerned about that, but we definitely considered that as an issue and here's why we feel it's not inappropriate." No, you just shut down discussion, and you shut it down by saying explicitly that you aren't willing to accept any consequences, like heightened scrutiny, for the wrong you admit you've done and for which you are supposedly so deeply penitent.

I'm really gobsmacked by this. You'd think common sense would keep you from being this openly arrogant and condescending, if a sense of decency doesn't.

**x-posted at Purple

Update:

From the publishers:

We apologized for the images in the first printing of It's A Jungle Out There. We made a mistake, we've owned up to it, we're doing everything we can to make things right for the book, for the author, and for our readers. We are working to do better.

"Now where's our damn cookie?!"

Seal has been around for more than 30 years. We've published a lot of great titles. We've informed a lot of women's lives.

Their new slogan: Seal Press...Racially-Igorant for Over 30 Years

In the two years since we published Tales from the Expat Harem, we have not heard that this book is pissing people off, let alone that it is racist. Quite the opposite. This travel literature title has received great reviews, has given travelers and arm-chair travelers alike a peek into Turkish culture from non-Turkish women's perspectives. Initially, we questioned the title too, but the editors of this anthology, both accomplished women we respect, helped us to see that from our narrow Westerner lense, the title which made us uncomfortable, was actually, an appropriate way to clarify the female powerbase aspect of a harem.

"The two White ladies who published this book assured us it wasn't racist."

This doesn't take away our mistakes. We realize that. Pushing the envelope is difficult, and we will continue to make mistakes along the way. It's never our intention to offend our audience, but we know that causing a stir, shaking people up, getting people to discuss things that push their boundaries and are challenging is part of our important job. And we take it seriously.

"It meaning making money. To hell with racism!"

Before you accuse us of publishing racist books, I do hope you'll read them, so we can have more informed discussions that we and our authors can participate in.

Anyone else get the warm-'n-fuzzies from this "apology"?

Nah. Me neither.