This announcement came over the West Hartford Listserv today:
Top African-American Scientist Visits The Children’s Museum for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Physicist and Author Dr. Ronald Mallett Will Speak to Students and Families
Ronald L. Mallett, Ph.D., Professor of Physics at the University of Connecticut and author of Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality, will speak at The Children’s Museum in West Hartford on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday January 19, 2009 at 12:00 pm. One of America's first African-American Ph.D.’s in theoretical physics, Dr. Mallett will discuss his life and Time Traveler, an account of his childhood and what inspired him to discover the basic equations for a working time machine. Time Traveler is being made into a movie by Spike Lee.
The announcement goes on with some words from The Children's Museum CEO, Kevin Sullivan, and other details of the program.
In this day and age when we are all striving to be "color-blind" why is it that we continually reinforce labels of race? Why isn't Dr. Mallett simply recognized as being a pre-eminent physicist or scientist? Why does he have to be showcased as the "African American" for Dr. King's remembrance?
Dr. King's dream was such that no man is judged by the color of his skin and no man should be seen for just the color of his skin. Perhaps Dr. King would have liked it much better for the celebration of him and his dream for The Children's Museum to present "an accomplished Scientist" instead of specifically an "African American" one.
There is no mention of his religion or his height or age. He could very well be an African American Buddhist Vertically Challenged Senior Citizen. Of course that is silly. But honestly do we need the labels for anything other than this man's wonderful accomplishments?
To rid ourselves of racism, and any other "isms", we surely must dispose of the labels which perpetuate differences.
Just something to think about as we remember Dr. King.
17 WH Responses:
"Whenever the issue of compensatory treatment for the Negro is raised, some of our friends recoil in horror. The Negro should be granted equality, they agree; but he should ask nothing more. On the surface, this appears reasonable, but it is not realistic."
"A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for the Negro.”
Martin Luther King
Until there are more African American PhDs in Physics who serve as be role models, it does matter what color his skin is. It matters because it shows African American kids that they can be a brillant scientist. They can be president. When these examples are no longer note worthy, then we can stop talking about his race.
And while it would be nice to believe we have reached the day where Martin Luther King's kids are "not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character," we are not there yet.
We are not there yet because we insist on making is some oddity that black people can achieve.
Black (or African American if you prefer) kids already know there are black Ph.d's and black lots of everything elses.
These achievements ARE no longer noteworthy. Racists and people who like labels make them noteworthy.
Sorry but your argument is lame.
Not There Yet is right. African Americans have successfully risen to high positions in many industries, but not in science. The same is true for women; both are probably due to the "old boys' club" of academia. As a woman, it was extremely important for me to have female role models to show me that it's possible to be a successful woman in science. I suspect that African American science students would be thrilled to have similar role models.
Erica so you are telling us that when there is a conference or an event that it is important for the person to be introduced in promos as Chris Doe female scientist? That way you can identify with that person and get some self esteem or something?
That's absurd.
It is one thing to know that there are others in your field achieving, but for them to be introduced as whoever they are with a gender or ethnic or race label only perpetuates the need for labels.
Basic Equations for a working time machine?
Is he claiming that there is a working time machine?
are we for real here?
Clearly, West Hartford is the land of equal, unbiased opportunity. Let’s turn up the music and Celebrate Our Diversity!
Except that NONE of my kids, who are in three different public schools right now, has EVER had an African-American teacher. Ever.
Except that there are NO elected officials in or from the town who are not white. And, in the last elections, we didn’t even have a LOSING candidate who was not white.
Of COURSE, African-Americans can achieve.
But in West Hartford??
Oh, in case anyone is preparing to play that tired old “There you go, playing the race card!” card, here’s my hand: jack-high-flush, in hearts. Ante up!
IBlog
"Except that there are NO elected officials in or from the town who are not white. And, in the last elections, we didn’t even have a LOSING candidate who was not white.
Of COURSE, African-Americans can achieve."
Not this crap again.
I can't speak for the Dems, but if you recall in the last election the GOP had an empty seat on the ticket. No one volunteered. All a Black or Latino had to do was show up for a spot! No one did.
cynic you've been peddling that tired crap for a while now. Give it a rest. The fact that blacks and latinos didn't flock to fill a seat on the West Hartford Republican ticket simply shows that they are as smart as or smarter than the majority of white West Hartfordites. We recognize that the WH GOP is just like its state and national counterparts: a mouthpiece for political reaction, racism and anti-worker policies.
Once, I was in a restaurant and I noticed that none of the entrances were handicap-accessible. I asked the manager if he was ever planning to put in ramp. He thought for minute and then said: “No reason to. The handicapped never come in here anyway.”
So what's your point Peter G.The spots were open, the minorities didn't want them.
So go complain to the Dems who won't let them in!
Peter G - before you get your shorts in a twist let me remind you that there were no blacks or Latinos on the Democrat ticket either pal. Face it - minorities are very disengaged in politics here, and party isn't a reason. Perhaps they are all too busy trying to make a living (to pay taxes) and being with their families instead of becoming "volunteers"
Enough BS, you're right and I would go one step further and say that most people who live in West Hartford and work for a living are doing all they can just to stay afloat and so are less likely to be engaged in the campaigns of either party.
But as iBlog pointed out with the analogy to the disabled-accessible entrance, if you're not making room for people don't be surprised when they don't show up. Making room for them doesn't automatically get their business, but not making room guarantees that you won't.
Cynic's repeated rant that he just can't figure out for the life of him why in the world people of color aren't rushing to run for office on the Republican ticket doesn't even pause to contemplate the context. A party that is increasingly recognized as the party of rich white people is as unlikely to draw minority participation in West Hartford as it is everywhere else. Oh, and that's EVERYwhere else.
" Cynic's repeated rant that he just can't figure out for the life of him why in the world people of color aren't rushing to run for office on the Republican ticket doesn't even pause to contemplate the context. A party that is increasingly recognized as the party of rich white people is as unlikely to draw minority participation in West Hartford as it is everywhere else. Oh, and that's EVERYwhere else"
Peter G, That is not what I said, and it certainly wasn't a rant. I simply said that the spots were open for anyone who showed up. It doesn't matter to me who they are.
On the other hand it doesn't seem to matter to you that the Dems who proclaim they have the best interest of minorities at heart in this town are not trying to encourage them to run. But you limosine liberals like to change the subject and accuse the Republicans of being selfish, uncaring and rich.
Perhaps you can point out some of the poor Dems in office.
In the last election in this town, I don't think either party fielded any candidates that were either exceptionally well off or poor. And non expected to get rich on the Council or the Board
Finally if you are so concerned about it why don't you get out there and start recruiting candidates for the next election in Nov.
LOL "limousine liberals." Yeah, that's a four year old Ford Focus sitting in my driveway - and it's the only car we own.
Sorry, you'll have to come up with a different stereotype that you can rely on to dismiss what I've said.
Give it up, Peter G. I noticed the optional cloth bucket seats in that WHITE Ford Focus you drive.
While I was shoppin' for a new car, which one's me?
A cool Convertible or an SUV?
Too bad I didn't know my credit was whack,
Cuz' now I'm drivin' off a lot in a used Subcompact.
F-R-E-E that spells free,
Credit report dot com baby.
Saw their ads on my T.V.
Thought about going, but was too lazy.
Now instead of lookin' fly & rollin' phat,
My legs are sticking to the vinyl and my posse's gettin' laughed at.
F-R-E-E that spells free,
Credit report dot com baby.
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