Showing posts with label race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race. Show all posts

Friday, July 11, 2008

Black in America: Sheri Mitchell Wonders if Fox News Tricked Jackson




Like everyone else I was taken aback by the comments made by Rev. Jackson about wanting to, well in essence, castrate Senator Obama. Making comments about emasculating Black men isn’t something our community appreciates even if another Black man says it. But Rev. Jackson apologized to the point of stopping short of offering his own “nads” up as a peace offering and Senator Obama graciously accepted his apology. What I was wondering is was the taping really an accident?

Most of us know this isn’t Rev. Jackson’s first slip of the tongue. We have had to opportunity to sit back and watch his Presidential bid crash and burn when he made his famous Himey town comment. He is human he also comes from an era where every little thing that was said anywhere didn’t have the potential to be taped. He should also know that in this day and age there is always the possibility that someone is listening. I listened to the whispered conversation clip on the news and without subtitles I really wouldn’t have known what he said. I have a hard time understanding Jesse when he speaks normally but I’m going to assume that they quoted him correctly because he didn’t deny that he said it. Rev. Jackson should be savvy enough by now to know that there is always a possibility that the microphone is on. Here is where my conspiracy theory question comes in, was the microphone really supposed to be off?

Rev Jackson was being interviewed by Fox News, can you say red flag? Fox News is known for not agreeing with most of the Black Leaders in our community unless they are saying something bad about us. Why would I think that they would waste and opportunity to try to catch anything they could by just ….accidentally…..on purpose….having the mic on, knowing that Rev. Jackson is known for making what he thinks are “private” comments. Who is the first one to jump on this story? Why it is ole buddy Bill O’Reilly, need I say more? Although Bill is more into “Lynching Parties” I’m sure a little Black male castration would be right in line with his Slave Master mentality. This would be the same Bill on the same network that ran a story last September that reported that Rev Jackson said that Senator Obama was “acting like he’s white” when referring to how Senator Obama was responding to the Jena 6 case. But you want me to think that this network that employs three of the most intentionally ignorant men in media wouldn’t pull a stunt just to embarrass a prominent Black leader? Okay and I would like to buy some of the land in Costa Rica that was for sale in the email I got the other day.

This just gives them more reason to talk about things they have no intention of learning about and to discredit our leaders and cause tension in our community. You notice now they want to have a discussion about the differences we have within our community with each other and our philosophies but no one wanted to touch why the majority of African Americans that I talk to from all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds agreed with most of what Rev Jeremiah Wright said. Let’s not have a conversation about why so many of us listen to and respect Father Flager and those like him. Fox and their “Three Stooges”, just denounce anyone who criticizes America and points out racism as being bad, without trying to understand the history and the experiences behind the statements.


So although I think Rev Jackson should have been smart enough to learn from experience and keep him mouth closed, especially in a FOX studio, I don’t think it was his fault entirely. I think it is obvious by the people the network employees that they are willing to play dirty. I fully believe that they left Rev. Jackson’s microphone on purpose and they got what they wanted. Congrats to Rev Jackson for once again opening mouth and inserting foot and thank you FOX for probably setting him up with the opportunity to do it. You have once again proven to me what a classy organization you really are. Can we get on with the real issues now?

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Fox News Protestors Hit Bill O'Reilly Where it Hurts

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.net

At Your Black World, we had a strong and powerful protest of Fox News and the racist Bill O'Reilly. Shortly after our protest, I started to notice protests by other websites, such as ColorofChange.org, Moveon.org and others. I love the fact that groups are working hard to challenge Fox News for what they are doing to this election.

However, I am concerned that we in the blogosphere are starting to actually believe that getting petitions and having people sign them is going to actually change something. I spoke with the people at Color of Change, whom I respect for their amazing campaigning ability. When I asked what they planned to do with their petitions, I was told that they plan to present the signatures to Fox News when they reach 100,000. Fine idea, but I think that more might be required.

You see, Fox News can be like the devil: The devil enjoys when you pour grease on a grease fire. Fox enjoys the protests, they enjoy the petitions. They will receive the stack of signatures and likely throw them in the garbage. These individuals are intelligent enough to realize that controversy means ratings, and that the more liberals hate them, the more their conservative (sometimes highly racist) base loves them.

When it comes to Bill O'Reilly and others, you have to hit them where it hurts.

Corporate sponsors are a bit different from highly charged, Jerry Springer-like media outlets such as Fox. They are truly CONSERVATIVE (and not in a cutting-edge, insanely racist, Michelle Malkin- Ann Coulter sort of way...more like the "we don't like rocking the boat" kind of way). They don't like the controversy, because it puts their corporate brand at risk. Shaking their foundation makes the board members nervous and they take away their sponsorship of Fox News. That's how you hit em hard. Well, that's at least how you can marginalize them a bit more than they've already marginalized themselves.

Also, good old fashioned protest works as well. I agree with Rev. Jesse Jackson, who explained that bloggers do a lot of writing, but we don't actually get out there and get it done. I recommend forming protests and having people with picket signs, standing in front of Fox News' top 2 or 3 corporate sponsors.

That might be more effective than a list reminding Fox that 100,000 people hate their guts. To be honest, I think they already know that.