Ooh!!! Look at the scary black people!!!

[TroubleMan]

How many fucking times is CNN (especially that Aaron Brown guy), gonna show the same 2 or 3 shots of black people looting?

They keep running the same two or three examples (it's probably all they have) over and over and over again.

The guests keep talking about starving people, disease, the horrible conditions, ect, and he keeps asking, "What about looting?" or "What about armed gunmen roaming the streets?" or "What about them sniping at helicopters?" Sniping at helicopters???? Give me a fucking break.

The guests are trying to move on to different points and he keeps getting back on that. Like that's the big story; like he's trying to especially emphasize that point.

I haven't watched CNN in years, but I'm concerned about what's going on, so I'm watching it. I was watching The Weather Channel, and their coverage was very good, but they started rerunning. So I turned it to CNN.

Apparently old Aaron's never been homeless and starving, or even poor. He can't even imagine what's it's like....I know he can't. However, he'll sit in his air conditioned studio and condemn people with no problem.

Now I see why I never watch the corporate news...I thought maybe I was being too judgmental myself by never watching. Now I know why - very few of the news people today have any real perspective. A few do, and it shows. Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel I really enjoyed watching. You could see he really cared. He didn't just sit there from his studio and judge. He went down in one of the worst areas, experienced it with them, and the main point he seems to emphasize is that people around the nation need to pitch in and help.

Sorry....I was just pissed off and had to rant. So many people watch CNN, and the "look at the scary black people coverage" influences a lot of people. A lot of people I see don't even realize they got influenced by it, but I'll see them parroting the same remarks the next day.

[bliss_eternal]

1. No need to apologize at all.

I totally understand your frustration as well as your need to vent. I posted a venting thread too near yours.

I'm getting disgruntled by the coverage, but what's worse is having to come here, a place I thought I could be supported to see people denying that the coverage is racist, the actions being taken are racist, etc.

:banghead:

I feel your pain. I'm sorry I can't be more of a comfort right now...

[TroubleMan]

2. The thing that really gets me is:

That I think a lot of it is unintentional. We've just been brought up with it all our lives. I don't think that most of them are intentionally trying to be racist....that's why they get so offended and righteous sounding when you call them out. They don't even know it. It's just they way the react naturally, because that's how the media has always been. We've had it drilled into our heads all our lives, sometimes subtlety and sometimes not so subtlety, that dark-skinned people are inferior.

I was raised in a white southern family, and for some reason my family always rejected this kind of stuff. I guess I was just lucky. I don't fall into any stereotypes myself, and I reject stereotypes for others. As soon I as I see this type of coverage, it stands out so clearly to me. I just can't believe that here we are in the 2000's and the old wounds of cotton fields so easily rear their ugly heads. Most people have gotten so used to it that they don't even notice.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised....I never watch corporate news, so this is probably the norm.

[omega minimo]

4. We're not falling for it-- we see human beings in misery being abandoned

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4567885

I began this thread to discuss the perception-- the blind spot that you mention, engendered by the media, of the non-white as The Other. The point I tried to make is that... well check it out, if you like.

[politicasista]

3. Don't apologize

I am sick of it too.

[jmm]

5. Many of these so called looters were given permission

take take what they want but few are actually checking the facts before they cast judgment. I have some family members down there and I hope they are looting if that's what they need to do to feed themselves. I know damn well Aaron Brown would not let himself or his family starve away as food rotted away on shelves.

[wildeyed]

6. I was watching CNN daytime coverage and noticed the same.

The anchor kept trying to bring the conversation back 'round to looting. The reporter in the field would say, whatever, yes they are taking necessities off the shelves, but it is survival. And then she would try to talk about the problems with evac and the sick and dying. And that dumb bitch Kyra, or whatever her name is, would say yes, but what about the LOOTING?

Like babies dying on roof tops for want of a bottle of water is not dramatic enough.

That was a few days ago. The coverage I saw yesterday was better. But maybe I just tuned in a better time.

There is a racial angle to this story, but it is not the scary black looters. It is why we left a significant portion of NO to drown, disproportionately black and poor.

Says a lot about what and who we value in this country. And it says a lot about the kind of country we have turned into. Disgrace. And there will be an accounting.

[qanda]

7. I am so frustrated with this stuff that it's hard to keep myself sane

I keep hearing talk of how violent and unruly New Orleans is and the undertones are so racist that it is tearing me up inside. I cannot remember the last time that I felt this way. Racism has a cold sting to it that is very hard to describe.

[msgadget]

8. Shoot to kill orders

(from GD)


02/09/2005 01:51 BATON ROUGE (AFP)

Iraq-tested soldiers in New Orleans with shoot to kill orders
A detachment of 300 Arkansas National Guard troops landed in anarchic New Orleans on Thursday, with the authorization to shoot and kill "hoodlums" Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said.

"Three hundred of the Arkansas National Guard have landed in the city of New Orleans," said Blanco.

"These troops are fresh back from Iraq, well trained, experienced, battle tested and under my orders to restore order in the streets," Blanco said.

"They have M-16s and they are locked and loaded.

"These troops know how to shoot and kill and they are more than willing to do so if necessary and I expect they will," said Blanco.


I'm sure there's disorder and lawlessness and I'm not ignoring that at all but...I don't know. Would this have been resorted to with such forceful rhetoric if most of the refugees were, say, blond and well-to-do instead of angry, nappy headed and black? And, once again all those around the chief do the dirty work, send the message while he's shown hugging black people. I have to go throw up again.

[TroubleMan]

9. Well, maybe Aaron Brown heard me - he changed his tune tonight

He actually brought up the point, and kept on it, that there's some racism going on here.

Damn.....along with the Kanye West, Geraldo, and Shepard, people are starting to see through the bullshit, if only just a little.

[goclark]

10. Racism is raising its ugly head nt