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Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)

68. "Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America." by Richard Benjamin

Sat Jul 20, 2013, 02:26 AM

Jul 2013

is his most famous work

About the Author

Rich Benjamin is a well-connected scholar, lecturer, and commentator on contemporary American politics and culture. His commentary is featured on NPR, FOX radio, newspapers and the blogosphere, including The Huffington Post, Tom Paine, Afronetizen, and Talking Points Cafe). He has PhD from Stanford University in Modern Thought and Literature; in 2001/02, he was a visiting scholar at Columbia Unviersity Law School, and he is currently a senior fellow at DEMOS,a progressive national think tank based in New York City.

Release date: October 6, 2009
"It sounds like a recipe for a riot: an inquisitive black writer journeying into some of the most segregated neighborhoods in the country. But Benjamin...pulls off his quest with good cheer."
--Time
"[Benjamin] offers in the end a chilling vision of the future for progressive values."
--Daily Kos

"Exploring the identity, inhabitants, and social and political implications of...small towns...is the premise of Benjamin's provocative new book."
--The Daily Beast "Benjamin examines the history, politics, economics, and culture of race and class as seen in the growth of these `whitopias,' racially and therefore socioeconomically exclusive communities from the exurb St. George, Utah to the inner-city enclave of Carnegie Hill in Manhattan. . . . This is a thoroughly engaging and eye-opening look at an urgent social issue.

http://www.amazon.com/Searching-Whitopia-Improbable-Journey-America/dp/1401322689#_

http://www.powells.com/biblio?inkey=65-9781401322687-2

http://books.google.com/books?id=rgtAANgg010C&dq=Searching+for+Whitopia:+An+Improbable+Journey+to+the+Heart+of+White+America&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Yy3qUe-BG4Hw8QTa9oDACg&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAA

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Salon Writer Asks If Eric Holder Is President Obama�s �Inner N****r� [View all] AllINeedIsCoffee Jul 2013 OP

What is wrong with this country? BainsBane Jul 2013 #1

What dumb bastard thinks this is ok?! uponit7771 Jul 2013 #2

"The liberal blogosphere has lost its fucking mind" Number23 Jul 2013 #3

They're all ProSense Jul 2013 #4

Yep. The "stupid" bar is pretty high right now. You gotta jump awwwwwfully high to reach it Number23 Jul 2013 #9

Check this out....Obama did not spend enough time on the streets..according to DU msanthrope Jul 2013 #61

I have that Cha Jul 2013 #65

Amazing hatred from those who claim to be on the side of angels. nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #66

Spot on...many twisted souls here BeyondGeography Jul 2013 #79

That's a good way to put it, BG.. Cha Jul 2013 #81

And I love the 6-0 jury vote to leave. As a black poster in the AA forum just sagely noted Number23 Jul 2013 #86

DU has a contingent of firebagger/libertarians who think this President owes msanthrope Jul 2013 #89

Richard Benjamin is an African-American quinnox Jul 2013 #5

Who knew? ProSense Jul 2013 #7

The OP left that out quinnox Jul 2013 #12

Again, what difference does it make? ProSense Jul 2013 #20

if you don't understand the difference, I can't help you quinnox Jul 2013 #23

You apparently don't understand why this is wrong, that's your problem. n/t ProSense Jul 2013 #26

really? dsc Jul 2013 #24

Yes, really, and ProSense Jul 2013 #25

that if a white person did it it would be worse dsc Jul 2013 #29

What the hell does that have to do with labeling the comment offensive? ProSense Jul 2013 #31

you seriously think dsc Jul 2013 #32

Who cares? n/t ProSense Jul 2013 #36

and I made a typo is for if dsc Jul 2013 #35

I'm thinking Prosense doesn't see race. At least he wants to make it known he doesn't acknowledge it Ed Suspicious Jul 2013 #51

From a white person these comments would be beyond the pale (no pun intended). nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #73

The site is mainstream and not geared toward African Americans BainsBane Jul 2013 #16

That is a matter of opinion quinnox Jul 2013 #18

It's disrespectful BainsBane Jul 2013 #19

the president does not get any special protections in terms of what people say about him quinnox Jul 2013 #22

Please, get real. ProSense Jul 2013 #30

I believe I have made my opinion very clear, its a nuanced one and not black or white quinnox Jul 2013 #34

sick puppy. Whisp Jul 2013 #43

It may be none of our business what they say among themselves BainsBane Jul 2013 #44

well, your post seems reasonable to me. You do have a right to say what you think quinnox Jul 2013 #55

If you don't see the difference between what people say in private BainsBane Jul 2013 #47

Do you have to be "someone special" to refer to the president a certain way? hughee99 Jul 2013 #82

No one should refer to the president that way. No one. BainsBane Jul 2013 #83

No one should, but anyone can. That's my point. hughee99 Jul 2013 #84

I will not be giving him a pass just because he's black. bravenak Jul 2013 #58

Amen. -eom Justitia Jul 2013 #60

Totally stupid and offensive comment no matter what, I agree. You don't talk about the President nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #74

Holder, that paragon of advocacy. (nt) enough Jul 2013 #6

Yeah, AG Eric Holder. Cha Jul 2013 #39

Wildly offensive. I expect Salon to be boycotted with fury. JaneyVee Jul 2013 #8

Amen, Amen, Amen. Tutonic Jul 2013 #27

Thank you. nt Tarheel_Dem Jul 2013 #59

+1 nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #75

There is a school of thought that says it is fine for blacks to use that word (nt) Nye Bevan Jul 2013 #10

I don't think that school of thought is reaching the Twitter community. nt AllINeedIsCoffee Jul 2013 #13

Surely you jest. SMC22307 Jul 2013 #38

Yeah, I'm guessing Rich Benjamin Tutonic Jul 2013 #28

I guess so... But RE: the President of the U.S.A.? I think that's a bit different... nomorenomore08 Jul 2013 #76

the people complaining are old school Niceguy1 Jul 2013 #78

*This* Richard Benjamin? WorseBeforeBetter Jul 2013 #11

This Richard Benjamin and others like him madashelltoo Jul 2013 #40

Thank you, madashelltoo.. Cha Jul 2013 #42

I would never have used that language, or entertained those thoughts. WorseBeforeBetter Jul 2013 #48

Whatever point that ass was trying to make madashelltoo Jul 2013 #53

I wouldn't know... WorseBeforeBetter Jul 2013 #54

You clearly have not spent much time at DU quakerboy Jul 2013 #77

I think I want to throw up. That would be my Inner Nausea. Hekate Jul 2013 #14

Help a white hispanic girl out.... Redford Jul 2013 #15

I think the latter BainsBane Jul 2013 #17

Salon is a joke LittleBlue Jul 2013 #21

Oh dear.. I just saw that on salon from a link on TOD. Cha Jul 2013 #33

you do realize mr. Benjamin is black dsc Jul 2013 #37

as a matter of fact I did not. But, I still think he's Cha Jul 2013 #41

Since you've mentioned that multiple times ecstatic Jul 2013 #45

I mentioned it twice dsc Jul 2013 #52

Being black does not excuse him! madashelltoo Jul 2013 #46

It's a so-called news publication BainsBane Jul 2013 #50

Profile of Richard Benjamin Douglas Carpenter Jul 2013 #49

wow, impressive. A PhD from Stanford quinnox Jul 2013 #64

"Searching for Whitopia: An Improbable Journey to the Heart of White America." by Richard Benjamin Douglas Carpenter Jul 2013 #68

The fail is ever so strong with this thread. And I ain't talking about the OP... Number23 Jul 2013 #56

Very telling with the "I MUST READ MORE BY THIS RACIST" nt AllINeedIsCoffee Jul 2013 #80

Read it. bravenak Jul 2013 #57

Why does his hair look stupid? HangOnKids Jul 2013 #62

Because I don't like it. My mom has the same style and I tell her all the time that I hate it. bravenak Jul 2013 #63

You said it looked stupid and I asked why you said that HangOnKids Jul 2013 #67

And I told you why. But you didn't really want me to answer. bravenak Jul 2013 #69

Go away HangOnKids Jul 2013 #70

Didn't I tell you good day? bravenak Jul 2013 #71

Don't you love it when simple... er, I mean people jump into a conversation for no reason Number23 Jul 2013 #87

Makes me feel so warm and fuzzy. bravenak Jul 2013 #88

Richard Benjamin - Whitopia - a 4 minute video Douglas Carpenter Jul 2013 #72

Instead of Benjamin trying to troll people like this, Jamaal510 Jul 2013 #85