The media are racist

[Momof1]

I am so sick of watching the news. When was the last time that a black person's personal and private issues were for news consumption?

When was a black women killed while pregnant by her husband?

When was a black child kidnapped and tortured?

When was a black woman's life support pulled when that person was brain-dead?

Does all the media just think that we care about white people? Isn't there something else going on besides this crap I am watching on TV?


(on edit- my grammar sucks :) )

[Maple]

1. 10 people are dead

in the worst shooting since Columbine, but very little is on the news about it.

But then it took place on a reservation.

[Momof1]

4. EXACTLY!! They're Indian and nobody cares

This is making me sick!

If it doesn't effect the white guy in middle class nobody freaking cares!

[Syrinx]

7. I'm glad there was little coverage of that

It's not an extraordinary story. It's a local crime story.

Of course the alternative isn't exactly refreshing.

[Maple]

8. Columbine

wasn't a local crime story. But then they were white kids.

I'm stunned that anyone, anywhere, would think the murder of ten people was not extraordinary...and only a 'local crime story'!!

[Syrinx]

11. One lone psychopath doesn't affect national policy

Or at least he shouldn't. But of course he does, because that's what we've been brainwashed to believe.

[Maple]

15. 10 people are shot dead

and not even mentioned.

And if that doesn't affect your 'national policy' it damned well should.

[Syrinx]

I heard it mentioned

If you didn't, how exactly do you know about it?

[Maple]

25. I live in Canada

It's all over the news here.

And if it had happened here, the entire nation would be outraged.

In the US, it appears to be ho-hum, just another day.

[Syrinx]

38. I admit I like the Canadian system better

But why do you say the shooting wasn't covered in the US news? It most certainly was. The Schiavo case is getting an inordinate amount of coverage, that I object to, I agree. But these charges that the Indian episode didn't get coverage, and that that epitomizes some inherent racism in the American public, I find quite frankly, absurd.

[applegrove]

56. Actually the ones with the sociopathic tools are running the WH

As to race and TV stories..me I'm wondering where the stories are on the rich elites? You know... 1% of the news should be on them.

How to take care of Rhotodendrons... to fray or not fray all your Chanel suits... orchids.. you know.. important stuff that they are spending all of the tax money on - to keep our economy going.

Like they never do studies on the rich? I mean.. how much of those tax savings were invested in foreign stocks? That would be really informative. If we had numbers on how they invested and stuff ... we wouldn't need our own stock-brokers.. we could just follow their trends... what? What's that you? If we got the same advice as them then there would be no deals for them because they would have to compete with us. Oh - o k a y...

How about if we take all the SS money and take a third of it that is in government hands and invest that in the stock markets.. whatever stocks are blue chip (a bundle). that would be great and people would get the benefit of higher returns and not have anyone spending their money.. it would all be in the government's hands What? What's that you say...... If we put that big pile of stocks in the market... it would be so big in size it could afford really great stock-brokers and would compete with all the rich people and their stockbrokers investing opportunities .... oh - o k a y....

I think we need more stories on the elites - eh? And more studies on them. I think we do too many studies on the African Americans and should do more on the elites.

[tubbacheez]

26. Columbine was in a suburb with higher population than Red Lake. n/t

Racism MIGHT be a factor. And I'm not ruling it out here. But there are several differences besides race between Columbine and Red Lake. We shouldn't jump on to race until we know more.

Just my unsolicited opinion.

[Lone Pawn]

34. Columbine was a 'new thing' to most people--

a tragedy that seemed worse, in both scale and ferocity, than anything that had happened before--enhanced by the fact that the media was on it as it happened. Now that we've been bombarded with dozens of copycat murders, one more isn't that special.

[cynatnite]

41. Yep

It's a repeat and people generally aren't as shocked by the second time around.

The nation watched those kids being taken out of that school and that upped the caring factor.

Unless there is some compelling video, website or something more tangible, it won't grab the headlines like Columbine did.

[cynatnite]

13. Actually on CNN headline news

it's led at the top of the hour for over two hours now. I've been watching.

The other networks aren't paying much attention. Hopefully that will change by morning.

[Maple]

18. It happened

at 3pm yesterday. Monday, March 21.

[cynatnite]

28. I'm not saying it didn't

I'm not denying that there is some racism in the media.

It has been on the news on CNN. CNN Headline News and MSNBC. I've seen it.

Terri Schiavo is getting more coverage because of it's unique circumstances and the players involved.

This tragic shooting will garner some nation wide, but will overtake the news in Minnesota. This will probably revive the gun debate and questions will be asked how that person got a gun into the school.

I don't know what to tell you if the coverage isn't to your liking.

[tubbacheez]

23. Patience. See what coverage happens in the morning.

Yahoo News has multiple stories on this. And they don't all agree with each other.

Seems like facts are slower to firm up in this case than with Columbine.

[maveric]

2. Two Words" Shoshana Johnson

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/shoshana.asp

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Hardly our biggest problem.

Accomplices to treason and murder must trump racism, no?

[Maple]

6. Treason and murder are not on the news either

Terri is.

She's white, and that trumps everything

[Syrinx]

9. that's silly

It's not about race. It's about asshole hypocrite liars using religion to mask their fascism in a "god-fearing" shroud.

[Momof1]

10. Would they work this hard if she

was Native, Black, Asian...

Fill in the blank at this time. And I know if she was a lesbian it never would of gotten this far.

This is pure racism.

[FlemingsGhost]

14. Turn off your T.V.

It really is that simple.

[Maple]

16. Which solves what?

[FlemingsGhost]

22. Try it, and find out!

I think you will be pleased.

:hi:

[Maple]

27. Covering your ears

doesn't change reality.

[FlemingsGhost]

40. I don't own a television, yet I am very well informed.

How can that be?

By the way, define "reality." Yours or mine?

[Syrinx]

20. "she" who? The killer?

I honestly don't know what you mean.

[Maple]

24. She...Shiavo

You know very well who 'she' is.

You've only talked about her all day on here.

[Syrinx]

what the fuck are you talking about?

I haven't talked about her at all until this thread. What the FUCK are you talking about?

[Maple]

12. One white woman

with the entire government behind her is the only news, while 10 'Indians' are shot to death, and not even mentioned.

And you see no racism here???

What an amazing social view you have.

[FlemingsGhost]

19. Syrinx is correct. Schaivo is red meat for the Jesus freaks.

Rove et al. jumped on the story to placate the fundy base.

Yes, the media are racist. However, this particular PR/photo-OP is pure politics.

[Maple]

21. The point is...Shiavo is not the only news

Nor am I interested in Rove or fundies or Republicans.

Look what you're ignoring yourselves!

[FlemingsGhost]

33. Look at what YOU are ignoring:

Juxtaposing two unrelated stories, in order to illustrate an all together different, and unrealted issue.

See what happens when you watch too much T.V.?

[Jamastiene]

39. I see it.

Race DOES play a role. Why didn't the disappearance of Asha Degree make national news? There are actually web sites discussing whether or not the story of this little girl is a hoax or not, like they don't even want to look for her, but instead discuss whether or not she even exists...Sad. Racism DOES need to be worked on in this country and especially in our media outlets.

[Lone Pawn]

42. It's not about the fact that they're Indians.

It's just that school shootings are boring. Been there, done that, so sad, but not fascinating by any means. Feel down for a second or two and then move on, change the channel, find something more interesting.

Terri is interesting--it's drama. It's what people want to see. It's a better story. Hell, the best, most gripping movies usually involve the fate of one or two people--rarely will a movie in which the only fate involved is that of The World seem remotely as immediately interesting. Terri is a drama, and so Terri will get play. I don't dispute that racism exists, but there's too many other factors at work here to call racism based only on that.

[Syrinx]

5. media "are" racist. "do" media.

Media is plural.

A pet peeve of mine. Sorry.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

43. Media is a collective noun standing for the aggregate of journalists.

It is not plural in the sense the poster used it. The poster is using Media as a single collective organization, not as a plural for "medium". Media in this case refers to the the whole group of journalists acting as a single entity (as opposed to focusing on the individual efforts within that group). Since it is focusing on the group activity instead of the individual activity within the group, it takes a singular verb.

[Momof1]

47. My first post... I used "is"

My grammar sucks, and I know it...lol

I corrected it, after I was notified.

:)

[SemiCharmedQuark]

49. But it's not wrong! You were correct the first time.

Here's a link on the subject:

http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/0206.html

[Syrinx]

53. In my opinion, you were wrong, but that's okay

I make grammar mistakes all the time.

It's the substance of this thread that has me mad.

:hi:

[Syrinx]

50. Jesus, there is rationalization for everything

Thanks for the education, though. :hi:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

17. They're also "liberal".

Please don't generalize to this degree. It's not true that the media are "racist" (a lot of Americans would argue that its not "racist" enough, hence the "liberal" tag), and even if some of the media were "racist", its simply erroneous to generalize to the entire media.

[Momof1]

29. I'm sorry

I think that if we can't hear anything besides Laci, Jessica, and Terri all day....grrr

Its just pissing me off.

When do we hear about the harlem children that get kidnapped?

When do we hear about lesbian partners that can't disconnect life support

I am sorry that I label it with the same word. Maybe just discrimination should of been my title.

[Lone Pawn]

31. You'll hear about those

when lesbians outnumber straight women and blacks watch more man-hours of television than whites do. It's capitalism. If you don't like it, petition the FCC for forced race/sexuality quotas--nothing short of that will have any long-term effect.

[Lone Pawn]

30. A couple points:

First of all, I'm intentionally putting media in the singular. In modern English, 'media' as a contraction of 'newsmedia' is now an unpluralized noun--the 'media' is the medium through which information is transmitted.

First question: Michael Jackson. OJ Simpson. The Beltway Snipers. Big show trials. All involving black men. Hell, MJ's as personal and private as you get. Moreover, one would expect that in show trials, blacks would consitute approximately 13% of all 'persons of interest.' I'd say that holds pretty well.

Secondly, the fact of the matter is we (and I mean America at large, not myself and/or some cadre of racist DUers) DO just care about white people. I'm terribly sorry to report this to you, but people are racist. People naturally segregate themselves--they simply feel more comfortable around people of their own culture, which in America usually means their own race. Moreover, human interest in affairs is greatly affected by mere-experience bias--that is, they're more interested in things they understand better. People prefer to see things about people who look, talk, and more or less act like them (see: George W. Bush and the art of pandering to the stupid. He gets this.) It's unfortunate, but true.

The media is not government-owned or more than minimally government-controlled. As such it has no functional duty or responsibility save to turn profit. Also unfortunate, and something that requires correcting. But they've found that when they show tragedy happening to blacks, most of the non-black 13% shrugs and turns the channel. Whites are simply more numerous--and, with their higher average incomes, a more valuable target market. And so they show things of interest to white people--that is, other white people. As far as Robert and Julia Whitepublican care, if a brain-dead black's life is on the line, hell, it'd be just one less welfare leech. So the media isn't particularly racist. It's just doing--and is always, without fail doing--what will sell best.

[Momof1]

46. Michael Jackson????

A Man that for the last 20 years has turned himself into Joan Crawford?

(see his arrest photo...twins maybe?)

Can't we bitch about reality? Yes that is the way it goes. The same way that I know that next week there will be another little white girl, or another white husband that grabs America's attention. Never a Hispanic girl. Never a black husband in this situation. Is there no one else on this earth that America pays attention too?

It just makes me sick.

And the whole congress thing last weekend...

I'm pissed.

(sorry if I sound bitchy, but there are other people in this world who are not white, and they do have problems too)

[Tomee450]

71. I agree with you.

Rarely is there widespread coverage of a black child that has been abducted or a black woman brutally murdered. The media doesn't even give equal coverage to our soldiers. Just think of how differently Lynch and Johnson were treated. There was a black child missing at the same time that the Small child was abducted. Where is the coverage? I don't think she has been found. The media will, however, give widespread coverage to a blacks who commit crimes. Of course that just supports the negative image already in the minds of many. The media is racist, always has been.

[Maple]

32. Absolutely frickin' amazing

A teen shoots 10 people to death, wounds many more...and so far almost everyone on here has come up with one excuse after another to simply ignore it.

Population size, story confusion, local stuff....

And even ...just turn off the TV.

Stunning.

Yet everyday, everyone on here wonders...how did we get to the point where we can accept attacking Iraq and 100,000 innocent deaths, and nobody cares?

Mirror. Look in one.

[cynatnite]

35. You don't like what's said and you assume that we don't care?

We don't show our outrage as you want us to, you say we don't care.

Un-fucking-believable.

[FlemingsGhost]

36. We preach what we need to learn the most ...

"Mirror. Look in one."

And now, you.

[Lone Pawn]

45. Oh, come on now.

I haven't ignored it. I'm just saying that people don't find it interesting. I don't automatically assume that The Entire Goddamn World believes what I believe and would feel just as shocked and horrified and interested as I would if only the BAD RACIST MEDIA would SHOW THEM!

I recognize that we have a free-market media that shows what sells. This act, while horrifying, does not sell. This is not interesting to most people. This is unpleasant news, but not gripping news. And that is the kind of news that people avoid. That is the kind of news that people don't like listening to--much like Iraq. And avoidance of bad news is why so many people watch Fox: it only shows the Good Things our government is doing. And people do want to love their country and love their government. I know damn well how we got to this point. It isn't the racist media, or the right-wing media. It's a media dedicated to making money. And optimism, petty drama, and bread-and-circus politics sell. Nationalism sells. People might say they don't like the junk news they push, but they watch it. And so that's what the media will show.

You know, understanding that people don't feel the same anger I do doesn't really mean I don't feel anger. It just means I am capable of thought. I'm not implying you aren't, I'm just saying that understanding people isn't agreeing with them.

[rhino47]

37. I agree with you Momo

Take the case of an African-American girl that went missing in Cleveland last year.There was no Amber alert put out for her.
It barely made the news.That was only after they found her dead.
The sad thing is the only reason it made the news at all was the outrage in the African American community.They reported (which was totally untrue) a riot caused by the girls uncle.
This was all lies that were later retracted.If that so called incident was reported the girls disappearance/murder would have went unnoticed.
How sad is that.

[cynatnite]

44. Is that the same girl the welfare department lost?

It's gotten some coverage, but I've always felt it needed more. It's such an unfortunate tragedy and the first time I saw the reports, it just broke my heart.

[Hardrada]

48. Some historical perspective on this:

Who recalls the many dead in the 1930's who tried to organize Republic Steel or the lynchings of that period? All the media rage then was the story of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. This was horrifying and tragic but had the effect of putting other news in the shadows.

[Behind the Aegis]

51. You don't say?!

I am just giving you a little jab! :)

The media IS racist, sexist, and many other things. It is a reflection of our society as a whole. When I saw (on DU, no less) that there was a school shooting, I thought..."oh hell, here we go with days of coverage!" WRONG! It made the local news here...all two minutes! And here I thought the media credo was "if it bleeds, it leads." I guess it has to be white blood. Like, oh, I don't know...THE FUCKING SHOOTINGS IN ATLANTA! Yes, I know CNN is in Atlanta, but fucking raisin roundies...doesn't 10 people gunned down at least warrant a special report?!

It is sad that people refuse to see the prejudice in the news and pretend it doesn't exist...much like it doesn't exist in hiring, housing, etc. :eyes:

Just remember Momof1, there are some of us that care about all peoples, not just the ones that look like us, act like us, have the same religion, or whatever...we need to continue to challenge the stupidity that is still out there!

[Momof1]

52. thank you

:)

[Syrinx]

54. "white blood"

I didn't know such a thing existed.

Could you send me a sample?

Racism.

[Momof1]

57. Eeeewwww, talk about a title to twist the thread???

[Behind the Aegis]

58. I could, but it is a bio-hazard

"White blood" would have DNA that would be of Caucasian extraction. Usually, it just means people that "look" white. There is that unwritten rule: "white is right." Right meaning correct and not a direction. Thus, I was saying, if the victims are white, they will be more likely to be newsworthy than those who are not.

[Syrinx]

61. and that is different than racism, how?

Really, how?

[Behind the Aegis]

62. I am confused

What is your point? I am serious. I really don't understand what you are getting at. How is what different from racism?

Racism is the discrimination of a group with power against another group, usually a different 'race', that has little or no power. It doesn't work in "reverse" though.

Do you have another definition? What are you saying is racist about my original post?

[Syrinx]

64. If you can't see the racism in your post, I can't help

I agree that it "doesn't work in reverse." Because racism is racism.

The claims by those here that only recognize that certain assholes are capable of committing racism are equally ridiculous.

"Reverse" has absolutely no relation to "racism." I don't get you people.

[Behind the Aegis]

70. Can't see what is not there.

Stating that the media is more biased toward white people is not racist; it's observational.

You go on to say: "I agree that it "doesn't work in reverse." Because racism is racism." and then, ""Reverse" has absolutely no relation to "racism." I don't get you people." What's not "to get?" It seems we agree..racism cannot be "reversed."

Where we do diverge is that some can be racist and others cannot. Based on 'traditional' definitions, racism works both ways. However, many sociologists, counselors, educators, and other professions recognize that racism equals power and bigotry with race as the "motivating" factor. Under that definition, certain groups cannot be racist toward certain other groups, because they lack societal (institutional) power, even if they may have it personally. People will use one definition or the other. Bigotry, on the other hand, knows no bounds.

[Syrinx]

66. I will stick with your definition

Racism is the discrimination of a group with power against another group.

Sue me if I'm wrong.

[muriel_volestrangler]

59. The school shooting is the top story on American news websites

NBC, ABC, CNN, CBS (ie all I checked).

So does the complaining on this thread mean that these organisations are showing different things on their broadcasts than their websites?

[Behind the Aegis]

60. yup!

You got it! What is being shown on the TV doesn't match the internet. I saw bits of two different newscasts tonight, one had a two minute story, and one mentioned in less than 30 seconds! Now, it may be because I am in Oklahoma, so I can't speak to other places. That is why I get my news from the web...there are more stories and usually the are much more in-depth (but I guess that is to be expected, somewhat).

[Momof1]

63. It happened at 3pm yesterday

You know when the lawyers were going to go to Federal court.

And now...you hear about it?

[muriel_volestrangler]

68. I'm in Britain; I heard about it on the midnight news

(ie 6pm Minnesota time, I think), as a developing story. By 8am (2am) it was the top story on BBC radio.

I do tend to assume that the top stories on websites are also top on the broadcast news.

Have the early morning news programs started - what are they leading with? When I lived in the USA, one thing that always surprised me was the lack of late evening national or inernational news - you only got what the local news setup thought was important. Now the national operations have their time slot, are they covering it?

[UdoKier]

55. Well, it also helps if they are pretty and middle-class.

So they are lookist and classist as well.

[Lone Pawn]

69. Oh, Jesus, not 'lookism' again.

People look at television.
People look at what they want to look at.
If a television station shows people nobody wants to look at,
Everyone watches a different station,
And the 'nonlookist' station goes out of business.

It's not 'lookism.' It's survival of the fittest.

And that same survival of the fittist is what has led to 'lookism,' by the way. Nearly every thing people find attractive in members of the opposite sex is an evolutionary advantage. It's basic biology, hardwired in.

[rl6214]

65. Move to texas

it's all about hispanics.

[TWiley]

67. Right you are. Things are worse under the Bushtapo.

That is the type of "Christianity" they practice. It is more like tribalism than anything else. If you are not among the chosen few, then burn in hell.