Episode 206 with David Mura, Thoughtful, Thorough, Wise Student and Chronicler of the Ills of White Supremacy and the Ways in Which Racism Works, and Author of The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself

Notes and Links to David Mura’s Work

 

   For Episode 206, Pete welcomes David Mura, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early reading and writing and the ways in which his parents’ imprisonment as Japanese-Americans affected their and his views of being an American, his more expansive reading as he matured that changed world views, the prescience and fullness and profundity of James Baldwin’s writing, ideas of shame/guilt and white supremacy, the stories told about ”great” white men, and blind spots-unintentional and intentional-that have led to racism in policing, schooling, medical care, and so many other parts of American life.

 

 

   David Mura's memoirs, poems, essays, plays and performances have won wide critical praise and numerous awards. Their topics range from contemporary Japan to the legacy of the internment camps and the history of Japanese Americans to critical explorations of an increasingly diverse America. He gives presentations at educational institutions, businesses and other organizations throughout the country.

 

 

David's Website

 

David’s Wikipedia Page

 

Buy The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself

 

Review for The Stories Whiteness Tells Itself from The Star Tribune

At about 1:45, David discusses the ways in which Japanese-American concentration camps, language and ethnicity shaped his reading and family’s life

 

At about 6:30, David discusses the ways in which he now looks back at work that was trumpeted as about “great (white) Americans” that he read in the past, including a sharper view of Abraham Lincoln

 

At about 11:00, David talks about the ways in which white Americans have failed to learn from past wrongdoing

 

At about 13:00, David expands upon a meaningful and emblematic meeting between James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Robert F. Kennedy, and others

 

At about 14:55, David describes the ways in which James Baldwin was prophetic in his depiction of the moral/spiritual emptiness of white racism

 

At about 16:55, David responds to Pete’s question about texts and quotes and passages and writers that thrilled and challenged him-he quotes (verbatim!) from an excerpt of a profound text from Baldwin-"The Devil Finds Work"

 

At about 21:45, David recounts racist and transformative experiences that shaped James Baldwin’s world view

 

At about 24:35, David reflects on ideas of forgiveness and how Baldwin’s views on Black and white people and myths and stories were shaped by experiences in New Jersey, the American South, and elsewhere

 

At about 28:25, Pete details a memorable example of hypocrisy involving Tom Tancredo and past guest Gustavo Arellano

 

At about 29:30, Pete asks David to further explain shame/guilt as it mentioned with regards to white racism in David’s book

 

At about 30:35, David reads a telling passage from his book related to the above question, and he references Tom Cotton and Ron DeSantis as two of many examples of denial of racism and white backlash

 

At about 33:15, David continues talking about shame and guilt and likens reactions to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ work 

At about 37:00, David deals with the hypocrisy and white supremacy shown by Ron DeSantis’ takedown of AP African-American history and ideas of white validation 

 

At about 40:00, Pete wonders if David sees any improvements and hope coming with younger generations and a more inclusive story; he brings up the ways in which Ruby Bridges’ story is emblematic of conservative, Moms for Liberty backlash

 

At about 44:45, The two discuss an infamous photo featuring Jerry Jones, and Pete cites a stunning story from the book involving Kiese Laymon and a racist incident with a future politician 

 

At about 47:30, David provides historical background on “blackness” and “whiteness” and the ways in which the white elite has promoted these ideas to working-class whites

 

At about 49:40, Pete talks about ideas of reading and empathy, and he asks David about burdens and learning and working against ignorance 

 

At about 52:30, David tells a story of learning about different perspectives from Alexs Pate and from Black artists “laughing with pain” from DWB (Driving While Black) experiences  

 

At about 55:20, David relates a telling anecdote related to the movie and novelization of Amistad and the ways in which these two works of art showed disparate understandings of race and racism 

 

At about 1:00:30, David describes the potency of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

 

At about 1:03:15, Pete cites a moving specific and universal story from Douglas Kearney in the book, and David homes in on ideas of “what American means” to students of color in the Minneapolis area and connections to Black men killed by police and systemic racism

 

At about 1:09:40, David cites medical racism and ignorant and regressive ideas cited in a 2016 study of white medical students; he cites connections 

 

At about 1:12:05, Pete and David wonder about the NRA’s lack of action in support of the Black Panthers and Philando Castile 

 

At about 1:13:40, Moon Palace, Birchwood Books, and Magers & Quinn as good places to buy his book

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   Please tune in for Episode 207 with Ursula Villarreal-Moura, the author of Math for the Self-Crippling, Gold Line Press fiction contest winner; writing has been nominated for Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, a Pushcart Prize, and longlisted for Best American Short Stories 2015

   The episode will air on October 3.