Speaking Treason Fluently is an examination of the way in which racial privilege shapes the lives of white Americans, in every realm of daily life: employment, education, housing, criminal justice, and elsewhere. Drawing on a wide range of anecdote and data, Tim Wise demonstrates the numerous ways in which racism not only burdens people of color, but also discusses the ways in which racial privilege can harm whites in the long run, and make progressive social change less likely.

In the sixteen essays included in this new collection, Wise makes forceful yet accessible arguments that counter common excuses for racism made by white Americans to exculpate themselves and deny their involvement in widespread systems of oppression.

In "Passing the Buck and Missing the Point," Wise counters the attitude of many whites that blacks overreact to perceived racial slights and then goes further, accusing the mainstream media of focusing on individual instances of bigotry as if racism were nothing more than a character flaw. The inordinate amount of attention wasted on sensational episodes of racism (such as Imus's "nappy headed ho" comment or the semi-psychotic string of vitriol spewed by Michael Richards - Kramer - a few months back) is a deliberate subterfuge, Wise argues, allowing the mainstream media to divert attention from the backdrop of systemic and institutional racism against which they occur.

In "White Pride and Other Delusions," Wise starts off in more-or-less generally accepted territory, explaining that any claim for the validity of a white pride movement is false, since all months are white pride months due to the events of modern history. As Wise gains momentum, he exposes the true extent of the damage caused by racism, which does not only oppress minorities - it also does some of the worst damage to proponents of of white pride, since it causes them to overlook their own economic interests and align themselves with economically powerful groups who do not protect their interests. "Instead of focusing on the trade agreements that allow companies to move wherever they can get the best return on investment—agreements which have, even by the government's admission resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs," writes Wise, "white workers are encouraged, by racism and white bonding, to focus their ire on the workers themselves."

The essays cover a range of pressing topics, including white complacency and ignorance surrounding the disaster in New Orleans, racial tension in the Duke LaCrosse trial, the controversy over performance enhancement drugs in professional baseball, and the unbalanced Eurocentric version of history that is taught in America's schools

Examining the ways in which whites are blind to a system that is deeply infected by racist policies and attitudes, Wise provides a group of concise and well-argued pieces that will prove relevant to activists and educators and will act as a wake-up call for general readers unaware of the extent of racism present in unfair housing policies, impartial criminal justice practices, job discrimination, unequal access to healthcare, and the overwhelming wealth gap. "Where," asks Tim Wise, "is the outrage?"

Tim Wise is among the most prominent anti-racist writers and activists in the U.S., and has been called, "One of the most brilliant, articulate and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation," by best-selling author and professor Michael Eric Dyson, of Georgetown University. Wise has spoken in 48 states, and on over 400 college campuses, including Harvard, Stanford, and the Law Schools at Yale and Columbia, and has spoken to community groups around the nation. Wise has provided anti-racism training to teachers nationwide, and has conducted trainings with physicians and medical industry professionals on how to combat racial inequities in health care. He has also trained corporate, government, entertainment, military and law enforcement officials on methods for dismantling racism in their institutions, and has served as a consultant for plaintiff's attorneys in federal discrimination cases in New York and Washington State. In summer, 2005, Wise served as an adjunct faculty member at the Smith College School for Social Work, in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he co-taught a Master's level class on Racism in the U.S. In 2001, Wise trained journalists to eliminate racial bias in reporting, as a visiting faculty-in-residence at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2005 and 2006, Wise provided training on issues of racial privilege and institutional bias at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), at Patrick Air Force Base. From 1999-2003, Wise was an advisor to the Fisk University Race Relations Institute, in Nashville, and in the early '90s was Associate Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Nazism: the largest of the many groups organized for the purpose of defeating neo-Nazi political candidate, David Duke. Wise is the author of White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son, and Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White. He has contributed essays to seventeen books, and is one of several persons featured in White Men Challenging Racism: Thirty-Five Personal Stories, from Duke University Press. He received the 2001 British Diversity Award for best feature essay on race issues, and his writings have appeared in dozens of popular, professional and scholarly journals. Wise has been a featured guest on hundreds of radio and television programs, worldwide, including CNN’s Paula Zahn NOW, ABC’c 20/20, MSNBC Live, Donahue, and ESPN’s “Quite Frankly, With Stephen A. Smith,” where he was a regular commentator on racial issues in the world of sports. He is one of several white anti-racists featured in the documentary, “Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible,” by filmmaker, Shakti Butler. Wise has a B.A. in Political Science from Tulane University, where his anti-apartheid work received global attention and the thanks of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He received training in methods for dismantling racism from the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, in New Orleans. He and his wife Kristy are the proud parents of two daughters.

Wise tours continually, below is his Jan-Apr 2008 speaking schedule:

JANUARY 10
Mott Community College - Flint, MI
15 Cornell University - Ithaca, NY
17 The Caedmon School - NYC

22 Suffolk University - Boston, MA
23 The Wildwood School - Los Angeles, CA
25 University of Michigan, Dearborn - Dearborn, MI
29 Mercer University - Macon, GA
30 University of Georgia - Athens, GA

FEBRUARY 6 Trinity College - Hartford, CT
11 Suffolk County Community College - Selden, NY
12 Assumption College - Worcester, MA
19 Abington Friends School - Jenkintown, PA
21 Grace Church School - NYC
26 Mandana House - Oakland, CA
27 East Bay Church of Religious Science - Oakland, CA
28 U.S. Department of State (S.F. Passport Agency) - San Francisco, CA

MARCH 4 West Metro Integration District - Edina, MN
7 Scarritt-Bennett Center - Nashville, TN
8 Capital University - Columbus, OH
13 Gustavus Adolphus College - St. Peter, MN
14 College of Charleston - Charleston, SC
19 Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN
25 Cleveland H.S. - Reseda, CA
28 St. Andrews School - Middletown, DE

APRIL 1 Oakland Community College - Bloomfield Hills, MI
3 The Winsor School - Winsor, MA
5 Kaiser Health, Psychiatric Health Conference - San Francisco, CA
7 Association of Independent Schools in New England, training
9 St Edwards University - Austin, TX
10-11 Great Lakes College Association Conference - Toledo, OH
17 Colorado Academy - Denver, CO
23-24 Oregon Leadership Association - Salem, OR
27 Antioch College - Yellow Springs, OH