Thursday, September 01, 2005
 well what an interesting day and a half. Lets review what we have learned.
We've learned that some people have a very difficult time discussing racial bias in journalism. We've learned that some people have a very difficult time realizing that the media's influence in public perception is stronger than some believe.
And we've learned that some people have a hard time believing that the press can make such blatantly racist blunders, which could be symptoms to the underlying racism that still exists in American culture.
We were also reminded that the anonymous negative commentors are just as clueless and worthless and cowardly as we always remembered them as being. In fact the usually logical Abner Delecroix for some reason refused to read the entire post that he chose to comment on, and decided not to click the link that showed the AFP had indeed called Blacks looters and whites "finders".
I spend so much time writing, do the anonymous commentors Only look at the pictures and choose which words they are going to read? Lately I have only written one or two posts a day. Do us all a favor and read them before you put your foot in your mouth.
Yes in the initial post I provided two pictures, but I linked to a third. That third one showed that AFP was capable of calling alleged looters looters, and that, unlike some have claimed, it was not an issue of two different agencies defining terms. The problem at hand was that AFP had called Blacks with goods looters and whites with goods finders.
Not only had I explained that in the body of the post supported by links, but I also answered this in the comments. But at the root of anonymous negative commentors is something twisted that makes them poor readers, poorer critics, and that might lead to their cowardice of refusing to play the game like everyone else and putting their real name/email/blog next to their bullshit.
Abner went a step further and alleged that I was a race-baiter. Because as we all know, if you see the press call whites "finders" and Blacks "looters" and you call the press out on their bullshit, and if you link to other discussions where others have concurred, then you are a race-baiter.
Bloggers and wanna-be bloggers out there learn from this lesson: no matter what you do to prove a theory or write a post there will be snipers that will come at you from the weeds. They will attack you when you are making a clear and valid point. Instead of aiming at the issue at hand they will name-call and try to distract the audience away from the point. Ignore those critics, especially when they don't have the nads to put their real name/email/blog next to their distortions. They will try to smear and discredit you and all I can say is ignore them, theyre just slapping at your arm as youre driving the lane. Go for the hole and tick tock don't stop.
But ultimately we learned that racism still does exist. In fact its so pervasive that it is deep inside of respected journalism and it seeps out when even they don't see it coming. Which means its probably in more people's hearts than we all think. Therefore think about your perceptions and your biases and if youre a journalist, just tell the damn story and keep your opinoins to the Op-Ed page.
And bloggers, definitely call out those who deserve to be called out, especially those who propigate stereotypes to millions through captions of photographs. Odds are there are far more people who will read the caption than the story, so those words are the most powerful in the grand discussion that we are all part of.
danielle + ben + blogger unknown
# | |
Previously on busblog...
|
