NAACP to Protest

Professor · #1 02-26-2009, 10:10 AM

NAACP to Protest At 5 NC Fox Affiliates Thursday, Joining 70 Protests Nationwide

The above cartoon from The New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch, has sparked an avalanche of protest nationally. On Thursday at 11 a.m., NAACP leaders in five North Carolina cities with Fox affiliates, also owned by Murdoch -- Charlotte, Durham, Wilmington, High Point, and Morehead City -- will gather at the stations to ask their general managers to join the protest.

"It's an invitation to the assassination of the 44th president," says the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, president of the NC NAACP. The nation's largest and oldest civil rights organization is asking that the Fox Corporation immediately fire the cartoonist, the editor-in-chief and increase diversity in the news room.

The NC State Conference of the NAACP and its affiliates will deliver letters to WCCB-TV in Charlotte, WRAZ-TV in Durham, WGHP-TV in High Point, WFXI-TV in Morehead City, and WSFX in Wilmington, asking the general managers to write a letter to Fox Corporation owner Rupert Murdoch supporting their demands.

"Dr. King says it is the silence of our friends that allows evil to flourish," Rev. Barber stated. "We are calling on our local Fox affiliate general manager to join us in expressing opposition to the hate speech of the New York Post, which is owned by their parent company. We ask Fox affiliates in North Carolina to be good corporate citizens and go on record against this abhorrent display of overt racism."

The cartoon, which showed police shooting an ape with a caption saying "I guess they'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill," was juxtaposed against a photo of President Obama signing the stimulus package. Both Fox News and the New York Post have come under criticism by a variety of media watchdog groups for racially insensitive and biased reporting. Fox News was widely condemned for calling Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama" and then-candidate Barak Obama's fist bump with this wife a "terrorist fist jab."

While Murdoch has recently apologized for the cartoon, the NAACP does not believe that is enough.

"There is a pattern of lack of diversity in the newsroom and racial insensitivity in the news at Fox News and the New York Post," Rev. Barber says. "Likening our African American president to a monkey is unacceptable. African Americans have for too long been called primates as a way of dehumanizing an entire race of people. It's time for this pattern at Fox news to stop."

NAACP supporters have sent more than 20,000 e-mails demanding that New York Post owner Rupert Murdoch apologize for the racist cartoon and fire the people responsible for it. Murdoch, who also owns Fox TV, Fox News, and the Wall Street Journal, apologized in the Post Tuesday morning - but he hasn't said how he's going to fix the problem.

Mr. Murdoch could resolve this unfortunate situation in 15 minutes by meeting to develop substantive measures to ensure that this type of incendiary incident doesn't happen again.

[Take action] Tell Murdoch to fix the problem!

DrPhil · #2 02-26-2009, 10:29 AM

Murdoch has apologized.

Al Sharpton says that's not enough so people want to boycott the NY Post and Fox affiliates. They also still want the cartoonist to be fired.

Are these protests hitting Murdoch where it hurts? Maybe not.
Are there much more pressing matters that are being put on the backburner so that some black people can be sidetracked by almost every potentially offensive thing that comes along? I think so.

Professor · #3 02-26-2009, 10:39 AM

I may agree with you that there are other issues that the NAACP can pursue. However, isn't that the argument that is always used when we want the organization to forgive, forget, and move on? I suggest the issue at hand demonstrates that racism still exists even while there is a Black man that serves as president of our great country. This country has yet realize Bro. King's dream that suggests that we treat each other by the content of character and not by the color of our skin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Murdoch has apologized.

Al Sharpton says that's not enough so people want to boycott the NY Post and Fox affiliates. They also still want the cartoonist to be fired.

Are these protests hitting Murdoch where it hurts? Maybe not.
Are there much more pressing matters that are being put on the backburner so that some black people can be sidetracked by almost every potentially offensive thing that comes along? I think so.

Professor · #4 02-26-2009, 10:43 AM

check this out
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_169933.html

Senusret I · #5 02-26-2009, 11:02 AM

Watermelon IS pretty delicious, though.

DrPhil · #6 02-26-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor

However, isn't that the argument that is always used when we want the organization to forgive, forget, and move on?

No.

I didn't say anything about forgiving or forgetting. I said to move on. Propaganda and offensive tactics will always be here. Always.

In general, black people have been taught that the opposite of being complacent is to be easily distracted. Some black people will ignore an oncoming train if someone shows them a racist cartoon. Sure, you've paid attention to the offensive material and expressed your disgust but now you're dead--way to lose the war for winning the battle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor

I suggest the issue at hand demonstrates that racism still exists even while there is a Black man that serves as president of our great country.

People already knew this eventhough I don't believe the NY Post cartoon is an illustration (no p.i.) of that. However, those who didn't know this are either dumb or in denial (or young in age)--regardless of race. Don't waste time on dumb or in denial people when there are larger goals. Not everyone can fit on the bus but the bus must leave this stop and get to its destination.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor

This country has yet realize Bro. King's dream that suggests that we treat each other by the content of character and not by the color of our skin.

You know that wasn't the extent of King's dream and I really want people (in general, not necessarily you) to stop falling back on this in discussions of race and racism. It's really a simplistic way of addressing the issue. This country may never realize the goal of race no longer being a factor because there are so many layers to this.

[vent]Moreover, societies will always be divided by status group membership. A lot of race civil rights activists are content with sexism, classism (as long as it doesn't intersect with racism), and other -isms as long as race appears to be the dynamic that is declining in significance.[/vent]

DrPhil · #7 02-26-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Watermelon IS pretty delicious, though.

Yeah.

Not all watermelon is created equal, though. Curse the gods!!!

5Knowledge1913 · #8 02-26-2009, 10:00 PM

Maybe it is just me, but I think that people are too sensitive to some things. Was the cartoon in poor taste? YES. Does this mean that everyone should have a hissy fit? NO.

The media is not going to go light on President Obama, just as they didn't go light on any other president. Just as many media outlets teased Presidents Bush (both), Clinton, Ford, Carter, Nixon, Reagen and the list continues. I remember a comic in a London newspaper that showed President Bush putting a DVD in a toaster. Was that probably offensive to him and those that like him? I'm sure.

I don't see things changing with this president.

Just my $.5...

Phrozen1ne · #9 03-01-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor

check this out
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_169933.html

It will never end or at least not in our life time. Behind every glorious moment, there is a ignorant a** hole. I guess the question is are we going to sue and demand that the individual gets fired everytime we are "offended" or are we going to be resilient and move forward.

ETA: I don't believe the cartoon was racially motivated, but it was of poor taste and a bad judgement call. Also I want Al Sharpton to sit is a** down!

Phrozen1ne · #10 03-01-2009, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

In general, black people have been taught that the opposite of being complacent is to be easily distracted. Some black people will ignore an oncoming train if someone shows them a racist cartoon. Sure, you've paid attention to the offensive material and expressed your disgust but now you're dead--way to lose the war for winning the battle.

Not everyone can fit on the bus but the bus must leave this stop and get to its destination.

Nice.