This morning in #nerdland, we discussed the critical importance of Latino voters to the 2012 elections. The issues driving Latino vote choices in this election are complex. I encourage you to bookmark NBCLatino and read it often during this campaign. One of my favorite academic texts on this topic is Matt Barreto’s “Ethnic Cues: The Role of Shared Ethnicity in Latino Political Participation.”
#nerdland was stoked to have Majora Carter at the table to talk about environmental justice this morning. I first fell in love with this issues a few years ago I taught a course on environmental justice. My co-instructor was Professor Kimberly Smith, whose fantastic book, “African American Environmental Thought: Foundations,” you should read. Also, check out the My Plastic-free Life blog of another of our guests today, Beth Terry.
I took a moment to comment on the racial discrimination lawsuit facing ABC’s “The Bachelor.” My favorite critical text about reality television comes from media critic (and prior #nerdland guest) Jenn Pozner. Check out her great read, “Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV.”
The most emotional segment for me, as you may have seen, was the discussion concerning sexual assault in the military with Congresswoman Jackie Speier, attorney Raul Reyes and Ariana Klay, who survived sexual assault during her time in the Marine Corps. Compare reports on the topic from the U.S. Department of Defense to those of Protect Our Defenders.
Finally, we spent a little time discussing the Tea Party movement. Easily the best academic text on this political phenomenon is Jill Lepore’s “The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party’s Revolution and the Battle over American History.”
Have a great week! And happy reading.
Melissa Harris-Perry