If you’re reading this article, odds are that you are aware there was an election this past week. You probably know that Gov. Chris Christie won re-election in a landslide and that Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe eeked out a narrow victory over Virginia’s soon-to-be former Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli.
But what you might know is who exactly voted for whom.
Looking at gender alone, it appears that McAuliffe owes his victory to the women of Virginia. But upon closer examination, it’s actually black women who voted him into office with 91% of black women who voted, voting for the Democrat. On Sunday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, our host and panel will break down the gender and race realities of this week’s exit polling data and discuss the relationship between race and the GOP.
This week, another name was added to the growing list of young black individuals killed at the hands of those claiming to have been in fear for their lives. 19-year-old Renisha McBride was shot in the face and killed in the early morning hours last Saturday after knocking on a stranger’s door after a car accident. The unnamed perpetrator, a white man who has not been arrested, claimed he thought she was trying to rob him and that his gun went off accidentally.
The incident occurred in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Michigan is a state with a “Stand Your Ground” law. Join us Sunday when host Melissa Harris-Perry and guests such as The Cycle co-host Ari Melber, civil rights attorney Vince Warren, and Michael Skolnik, political director for Russell Simmons, will talk about race as it relates to law enforcement and the recent 11-2 vote by Florida lawmakers to reject the repeal of “Stand-Your-Ground.”
When the Miami Dolphins take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday, two individuals will be missing from the field. Jonathan Martin, the offensive tackle who claims he is the victim of workplace abuse at the hands of lineman Richie Incognito, left the team at the end of October. In the wake of the allegations, which included a racially offensive voicemail, Incognito was suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins.
But as more details emerge about the alleged abuse and Incognito’s behavioral patterns, it is also clear that this incident isn’t limited to just two players. As their Miami teammates, past and present, offer their takes, it is evident that “tough guy” behavior and false machismo is deeply seeded in NFL culture. On Sunday’s MHP, we will discuss just what exactly it means to be a “man”–and a black man, specifically–in the world of professional football. Listen to what guest Jemele Hill had to say about it in her ESPN “His and Hers” podcast this week, and read everthing guest Dave Zirin has written about it in The Nation.
Lastly, if you’ve never visited the website Jezebel, then call your favorite feminist and have him or her introduce you because you are missing out. Now in its sixth year, Jezebel is one of the truly feminist websites out there that tells women what they actually need to know. Anna Holmes, creator of Jezebel, and her recently published coffee table book aptly titled The Book of Jezebel, will join us in #nerdland this Sunday to discuss all things feminism from A to Z.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 9 a.m. EST on MSNBC! Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
Rachel Zuckerman