(no subject)

Just a quick thanks for everyone's comments to my IBARW postings, especially all the book and movie recs! And for all the discussion - I'm learning a lot. (I've only had to banninate one Islamophobic creep. >:-)

Check out the fascinating index of IBARW postings - scroll down the list of topics, races, ethnicities, shows and books, etc, and see if something interesting catches your eye.

ETA: Check out this posting about the awesome Frank Pembleton!

Grab your COC!

It's International Blog Against Racism Week! Visit ibarw for lots of links and resources.

rydra_wong suggests that, for IBARW, we grab a Character of Colour and pimp him or her. I think I'm going to broaden that out and pimp whole episodes of stuff. Just three this time, 'cos I'm knackered today. :-) In no particular order, here goes:

1. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Past Tense

In an unusual pair-up for DS9, Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Sisko and Siddig El Fadil (now Alexander Siddig) as Doctor Julian Bashir find themselves trapped in a crisis in history - our future, their past - as a riot breaks out in a ghetto for the unemployed. Brooks in particular is outstanding as Sisko, in one of the first really meaty, political stories of the show, and one of the first times we see Sisko emerge from his usual strong, silent act. Bashir is his usual goofy, earnest, highly ****able self.

2. New Doctor Who: The Impossible Planet / The Satan Pit

Someone described the supporting cast of this two-part SF thriller as the best looking supporting cast in the history of Who, and by gods, they weren't wrong. Amongst the many goodies to choose from are Shaun Parkes as Captain Zachary Cross Flane and Ronny Jhutti as Danny Bartok. ( SPOILERS )

3. Original Doctor Who: The Aztecs

First screened in 1964 as part of Doctor Who's very first season, this story still holds up today - there are no SF elements other than the time travel which brings our heroes to pre-conquest Tenochtitlan. They're quickly caught up in a power struggle with political and religious elements, which demonstrates both the highly civilised and the frighteningly bloodthirsty elements of Mexica culture - "beauty and horror", as Barbara says. There's a genuine effort to get the details right, even if it's not 100% successful.

Piccies nicked from time-and-space.co.uk, trekcore.com, and david_macgowan over in dw_pics.

Cultural Etiquette

I have another book rec for you! I just found an online extract from Cultural Etiquette: A Guide for the Well-Intentioned, a small book - almost a zine - which I picked up in DC some years ago. It was my first introduction to attempting to keep one's foot clear of one's mouth - and one of my earliest introductions to looking at the world from a perspective other than my own. (It's also the reason I capitalise the word "Black") I hugely recommend it.

(no subject)

Finally worked out what to do for an icon for IBARW. :-)