The San Diego Reader endorses racism
Josh Board is a writer (if he can be called that) for The Reader, another local San Diego paper. He sent me some fan mail earlier this month saying he thought I was a great addition to CityBeat. We chatted back and forth for a minute, during which time I politely outed myself as a vehement critic of a particular piece he’d written in March. He didn’t seem too phased and continued to compliment my writing and also commented on my “cute kid” (he must have looked at the pics here). He subsequently referred to Ruby as “him” and “he” but it doesn’t much matter as it all seems completely disingenuous now.
Yesterday, on the blog he writes for The Reader, Board attacked a recent CityBeat editorial. He then sent a link to our editor, Dave Rolland, who sent it to a number of the CB writers. I, of course, responded to everyone in the string, calling Board out on his nonsensical, racist diatribe (I have called him on his sexism before, too) and his complete lack of ability to weave coherent sentences together. Then I suggested that he educate himself about racism by reading Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?, by Beverly Daniel Tatum. He had some suggestions for me, too, in an email that he removed from the string and sent only to me:
You should try finding (or writing) a book about why black kids sit in cars, with their stereos blasting, as if they think everyone else wants to hear 50 Cent. Or, why they sit in movie theatres making noise, talking on cell phones or at the screen, as if they are Chris Rock.
I’m sure you’ll get to deal with all that fun, when your little one grows up.
(read Freakanomics, they talk about how adopted kids are never as smart…because they get the intelligence from the folks that gave them up).
So, good luck with that.
Geez, now that I think about it, it’s probably good you couldn’t have kids. It’s one less idiot that has your genes in this world.
J
This man is employed by The Reader.
Please consider this the next time you pick up the publication.
Wow. What a giant asshole.
whaaaaaaa?? he said whaaaa??
i am appalled. i live in san diego. the reader is a staple… are you kidding me? this is awful. have you written a letter to the magazine? done anything else? can i sign a petition? post this on my blog?
While I am sure there is someone like him in every city, in every age group, in every religion, and in every race, how dare he write you things like this when he is supposed to be an unbiased writer? Why doesn’t he explain to us why he thinks he is entitled to share his opinion with you?
Hate will be the death of him in his old age. Cancer feeds on bitterness and the heart cannot survive long with that kind of evil inside.
There are so many things so horribly wrong about what he said to you (and indirectly to me and my kids) that I dare not justify his position with a snarling, vicious attack of my own, and especially not here.
But you can bet your strappy Vera Wang that I’ll be writing his editor and complaining my ass off.
Consider him dust in the wind. And what he does not know about Karma could fill the Universe. xoxo
Wow. A grown man said those things to you?! That is disgusting and inexcusable. I don’t even LIVE in SD and am going to email the editor. Unreal.
Incidentally, and not to compare the two, I had to read the book you mentioned in college and found it pretty racist itself, not to mention unconvincing since it had precious little evidentiary support.
I will never understand hate and racism. Awful.
Ruby is so lucky to have the parents she has. At the end of the day there will always be people like this man (if you can call him a man), that are racist and full of hate. The fact that he writes for a paper and has any public word is scary. Hopefully he will not have a job at the San Diego Reader or any where else.
Oh My God…
How completely unprofessional. You’d think that if a supposedly intelligent person felt he HAD to have such views then he would also have the brains to keep such moronic thoughts safely inside his head and never let them out. (Instead, he leaves a paper trail!!! Just goes to show that maybe HIS genes shouldn’t be perpetuated as well…. just a thought…)
I am always shocked (although I’m not sure why) when I hear/read things like this. I would NEVER say something like this to another person. His sad little heart must be filled with so much hate. I cannot imagine thinking these things, let alone typing them to someone and subsequently hitting “send”. You must have some thick skin mama… I will certainly not be picking up his employer’s publication this week when I am in town…
I’m almost speechless. What effing nerve! I won’t even use the Reader for my cat’s litter box.
I can tell him why my 16 year old WHITE son sits in his car at the stoplight blasting Led Zeppelin with the bass shaking the car. Because he’s a teenager. Jeez.
Someone who doesn’t realize that when you say “mans son” it should be “man’s son” has some nerve calling himself a writer–regardless of his views on anything.
don’t know where to start or where to put that. speechless. passing this info on to some friends in san diego for their info.
so sorry- that guy is clearly an idiot.
I am at a loss for words. But that’s not going to stop me from writing a letter. Like right now.
I am utterly appalled. I’ve been sitting her in shock for some time now. I agree with the above sentiments: Ruby is lucky to have you, and so are we.
I am completely and honestly floored.
Not only a racist, this guy is an idiot.
And this isn’t this first time I’ve thought so.
OH.MY.GAH. I clicked over here from 3 Continent Family, and I’m glad I did. I have some letter writing to do. What a complete and utter fool. I cannot believe an “educated” (and I’m using that term loosely right now) person could be so ignorant. That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve read all week. Thanks for making us aware.
What a moron, to write something like that to a fellow published writer… doesn’t he know that this one is going to bite him in his stupid little ass?
Wow. This makes me sick to my stomach. How dare he?
That guy is sick, insensitive and on some other planet. I’m glad you called him on it.
I am totally and completely shocked. I just can’t even believe it. What a loser.
One can’t help but wonder what horrors befell this man, Josh Board, to give him such ugly misguided views. He is pitiable…. and it’s doubly unfortunate that the San Diego Reader would stoop to such depths.
Our daughter is Ethiopian, my husband is Indian and I am a Brit American. We live abroad and I keep forgetting that this kind of behavior is acceptable in the US (as well as where we live). I would think the email you received would be grounds for peer review and possible dismissal of mr.board. He does not seem to be capable of taking responsibility for his words. I hope you will let them pass you by.
Ruby is a most wonderful name.
We are sending good thoughts and hoping we can all weather these strange utterings from sorry folks.
Best,
Elizabeth