Check out this woman's sign Now personally, I don't have a huge problem with this. Yes, she specifically calls out for whites to rally for the cause, but is there anything inherently wrong with that? If whites are in the minority in an area, and there's a civic issue that will affect said minority, why not raise attention to the issue? Other ethnicities do this all the time. If there's any type of legislation that obstensibly affects a particular group, rest assured that that group's community leadership will get out in front of the issue and make the group aware. I can't tell you how many times I've been in church where the pastor will openly request "us black folk" to stand up against Proposition X or Legislation Y because of the way that legislation will affect our community. It's really no different. Except that it is. You see, the one thing not taken into consideration in this is power. Traditionally, white people have held the power in this nation. That's neither bad nor good - it is what it is, period. So when a white person puts a sign in her yard asking other whites (at the exclusion of other ethnicities, whether implicit or explicit) to rally around a cause, the immediate perception is one of segregation, racism, and hatred, not community awareness. It's not fair, and more than likely not true, but it is what it is. The power structure in this country is such that minorities often don't feel like whites need help in order to get things accomplished. How hard could it be, right? They're white. What struggles do they have to overcome? When something like this happens, it's not seen as a call for help, it's seen as a call to arms. Minorities who rally other minorities for a cause are seen as leaders, as the vocal cords of their communities, as the head of their social spear. Whites who do the same are seen as hate-mongers, as racists, as Neo-Nazis or Klansmen bent on the destruction of other "inferior" races as a way to elevate their own. It's a very sad commentary on our society that this is even an issue. Again, I stress that I don't feel that way - I think it's good that she's raising consciousness about an issue, regardless of how she does it, because people need to take a vested interest in their communities' workings. However...

"It's 2005," said Mrs. Pierucci, a Mexican-American. "It seems so backward. It almost seemed like a call to arms," the Irving resident added. "When you put 'whites' out there, the tone seems to be that we've got to be united because there's something that's shaming us."

This is kinda what happens when you do it this way. She even said "call to arms", like I did. Rock on.

Thoughts?

Peace.