Listen to the entire program

Dr. Laura announced on Larry King Live last night that she is leaving radio after her current contract is up at the end of the year. She told Larry King, “I want to be able to say what’s on my mind and in my heart and what I think is helpful and useful without somebody getting angry, some special interest group deciding this is the time to silence a voice of dissent and attack affiliates, attack sponsors.” The outcry to Dr. Laura’s racist rant was well-deserved, but not just because she used the n-word. She was defensive and insulting in a way that is all too common, and that often goes unchallenged. Subtle racism can be difficult to identify and challenge even for the most conscious. Why is that?

Before Barack Obama was elected President, the success of his candidacy was pointed to as evidence that the United States had crossed into a sort-of promised land, a much awaited post-racial era. Since his election the post-racial narrative has been advanced by both the Right and the Left, even as a resurgence of white supremacy has swelled the ranks of far-right organizations, from militias to the Tea Party movement. Anti-Racist essayist, author, and educator Tim Wise has spent his career exposing overt and subtle racism in America. In his newest book, Color-Blind: the Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equality, Wise argues that racism is alive and well. Worse yet, Tim Wise writes that the post-racial narrative works against progressive policies by ignoring a history of systemic racism and advancing the myth of meritocracy. Color-Blind is an essential read for anyone looking to challenge this subtle form of racism, or for those who want to examine their own discomfort discussing race. In addition to writing compellingly on the divisive topic of racism, Wise is also a brilliant lecturer. Without diluting his point, white-washing history, or making excuses, Tim Wise manages to get audiences laughing while he talks about the racial biases white people, even liberals, harbor, and the dangers of post-racial politics. Earlier this year, Tim Wise gave an inspiring and humorous lecture on the topic in Berkeley California that is also available now as a DVD.

Find out more at www.timwise.org

Thank You Gifts:

Colorblind – Book – $75
Colorblind – DVD – $110
Color-Conscious Pack – includes book, DVD, and Uprising interview with Tim Wise on CD – $180

Call KPFK at 818-985-5735 (KPFK) to make a pledge or visit www.kpfk.org.