Death and taxes used to be the only two certainties in life — but no matter how much progress it feels like we’re making sometimes, the sad fact is you can probably slide racism into that list. Are we in a moment of uprising that feels like it has the potential to create real, systemic change? Yes. Do people and organizations still show their ass on a daily basis? Oh, most definitely. And to keep tabs on all that ass-showing, we’re pleased to introduce our weekly racism surveillance machine. If you already get our newsletter, Minority Report, you’ve likely seen this — but now the rest of the internet can get a taste.
🗑 A 71-year-old Wisconsin man schools young whippersnappers by spraying White supremacist graffiti all over college campus
Earlier this month, a 71-year-old Madison man boosted his street cred — and his rap sheet — by spray-painting White supremacist tags on buildings on and around the University of Wisconsin’s campus. Unleashing his inner hip-hop, John G. Englert graffitied several buildings with variations of “AB,” “Aryan Brotherhood,” “WLM,” and “White Lives Matter Most,” all representative of pure, uncut hatred. (And some of the weakest scribble you’ve never seen — dude didn’t even use bubble font!) But the writings were on the wall for the senior citizen’s downfall, as the shittiest game of tag ever ended last week when he was recognized via surveillance footage. After being slapped with multiple charges of criminal property damage, and misdemeanor and felony bail jumping, the bigoted bomber was sent straight to jail, which is fitting since dude looks like a drugged-up Monopoly man gone (morally) bankrupt. (Wisconsin State Journal)
🗑 Pennsylvania restaurant prefers its racism doggy style, gets hounded by angry commenters
Fred’s Breakfast Club of New Hope, Pennsylvania has given the term dog-whistle racism a whole new meaning. Personnel at the members-only diner decided to spruce up the canine-themed decor with a sign that displays an off-color joke about a dog owner applying pooches for welfare. “My dogs are mixed in color, unemployed, can’t speak English, and have no clue who their daddies are,” the sign reads, followed by some more stereotypes copy and pasted straight out of Xenophobia for Dummies. The gag was reportedly submitted by someone seeking membership into the exclusive eatery, but the restaurant clearly barked up the wrong tree when an image of the sign landed on the Bucks County NAACP page. After getting dog walked by commenters online, the sign was removed and the owner apologized and offered an expected cop-out — innocent intent. We just want to know what Racism Watchdog thinks about all of this. Can we get a “woof woof?!” (Fox News)
🗑 Michigan father and son apple farmers keep racism in the family business
Racism: It’s about as American as apple pie. So it should come as no surprise that West Michigan’s EDS Schoenborn Orchards came under fire last week after audio surfaced of the orchard owner’s son verbally abusing employees. Travis Schoenborn, 31, was captured on tape spitting at workers and calling them racial slurs, leading some local companies to cease business with the orchard altogether. The apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree, though. After initially denying the authenticity of the recording, the guy’s dad, David, casually dropped the N-bomb while speaking with a local news outlet, insisting that his son’s colorful choice of language was misguided because, well, the employees in question are actually Mexican and probably responsible for their own abuse anyway. This pop-and-son pair is rotten to the core. (Wood TV)
Read more: This Week in Racism: Meet Rachel Dolezal 2.0