Thursday, December 9, 2010

Letters to Authors 2.) Tim Wise, and the basic structure of Letter and Response

In the interest of developing a model for dealing with responses to these letters, I present an email which was sent to Tim Wise (author, radical race relations reframer, and general justice junkie) earlier this year. Below the sent email, I will include his response, uncensored, unedited and unabridged. I prefer to display the author's writing in its received form because it bears out the tone and immediacy of the reply. This particular set of emails is rather tame, but it inspired me to create this blog on the process of writing for justice. Coincidently, the book that he mentions is currently in print, and available at his website, www.timwise.org.

The Sent Letter:

Dear Tim Wise,

To the end of introduction, I am working on my M.A. in Social Justice at Marygrove College, a new program in an old Detroit school. Our campus worked in coordination with the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights last month to telecast President Obama's Inauguration across the campus. After the broadcast, the organization aired your DVD "On White Privilege." Upon further research, I have noticed that you have responded to racial profiling and police brutality, but you have not written about the influence of media attention upon pending court cases trying these offending officers. Previous examples of harmful media involvement abound, from Rodney King to Malice Green, but, to my knowledge, you have not written on the media's capacity to keep men guilty of homicide out of prison. More importantly, however, though your work on Sean Bell (and Guzman and Benefield) is striking, I see no mention of Oscar Grant, a California case as recent as the first of this year. I urge you to write and speak out for justice in the trial of former officer Johannes Mehserle.

Sincerely,

LOLS

Tim Wise responds:

thanks for getting in touch...indeed i haven't written about media framing of these issues, per se, and how that influences court cases typically in favor of killer cops, nor have i written an essay about Oscar Grant (though I did post several items about Grant and his killing on facebook, where it probably got more notice than an essay would have, in some ways).

Fact is, I haven't written any new essays since the first of the year, having just finished up a new book on racism and privilege in the "age of Obama," and white denial in the current period...I will no doubt start writing again soon, and one of the pieces I intend to write will address not only Grant but similar killings that took place in two other cities around the same time, which are prime exhibits of how the nation is anything but "post racial" (the term given to describe this period, now that Obama is president, by folks who would rather ignore reality...

thanks again for your suggestions!

tim

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Letters to Authors 1.) Bankole Thompson, Editor of the Michigan Chronicle

I'll be doing a series of letters to authors around the country; writing for justice, writing to justice advocates, writing on unusual topics of human rights and civil rights, and reframing the arguments thereof to speak to an evolving world. As these letters will get pointed, and the responses potentially unpleasant, I felt that I should start it on a positive note.

Most Detroiters cannot name one inspirational person in the local media. I have been given the benefit of the wisdom of at least five. Bankole Thompson tops my list. As senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle, he has been an integral part of an established alternative media voice to Detroit for decades. He hosts "Center Stage" on WADL, tackles multiple news segments and projects for NPR - WDET 101.9, and participates in countless peace and justice efforts around the city and state. He has been offered positions with the Free Press and other local AOL - Time - Warner media outlets, and has refused each of them, choosing to publish diverse perspectives rather than succumb to the mainstream media machine.

Dear Mr. Bankole Thompson,

I had the good fortune to see you on American Black Journal in early November of this year, and have chosen to take this opportunity to express my high esteem and strong gratitude for your perspective as a progressive voice, and your contribution to Detroit via the Michigan Chronicle. Perhaps this choice requires more explanation. I was also fortunate enough to hear you speak to a graduate class on developing media campaigns for social justice at Marygrove College last spring, and heard portions of your contributions to various political media panels prior to that time. When I saw you on American Black Journal, you were discussing the importance of engaging young people in midterm elections, and you gave me inspiration and renewed vigor for my efforts in youth organizations for peace and justice. I updated my Facebook status about how brilliant and well- crafted your contribution was. Only after spending a month discussing your statements with friends did I realize that I ought to express my thanks personally.

Each time I hear you speak, I grow in respect and appreciation for your opinion and your eloquence in its delivery. This effect occasionally surprises me, as your words usually leave me with the impression that I could not admire you or your impact on Detroit any more, an impression which is proven wrong at every turn. It is in this spirit of admiration that I must inquire as to whether you have considered writing a book. I understand that, as a social justice advocate, newspaper editor, and active member on numerous boards and panels throughout the community, your time is precious. However, I feel that your reflections would be invaluable to a new generation of Detroit progressives, and would provide hope and direction to young people throughout the country. If you have written works available, or if you are currently working towards such a project, please let me know. Otherwise, keep hope alive, keep working for justice, and thank you for everything you do!

Happy Holidays,

LOLSistrata

I'll be sure to post responses to any and all letters, if and when they happen.
~ LOLS