There is a great article in Slate that discusses the phenomenon of how the New Orleans crisis seems to have victims that are 99% black yet no TV broadcaster will so much as mention the subject.
He writes:
"Race remains largely untouchable for TV because broadcasters sense that they can't make an error without destroying careers. That's a true pity. If the subject were a little less taboo, one of last night's anchors could have asked a reporter, 'Can you explain to our viewers, who by now have surely noticed, why 99 percent of the New Orleans evacuees we're seeing are African-American? I suppose our viewers have noticed, too, that the provocative looting footage we're airing and re-airing seems to depict mostly African-Americans.'"
9.01.2005
Race and Class
There is a great article in Slate that discusses the phenomenon of how the New Orleans crisis seems to have victims that are 99% black yet no TV broadcaster will so much as mention the subject.
He writes:
"Race remains largely untouchable for TV because broadcasters sense that they can't make an error without destroying careers. That's a true pity. If the subject were a little less taboo, one of last night's anchors could have asked a reporter, 'Can you explain to our viewers, who by now have surely noticed, why 99 percent of the New Orleans evacuees we're seeing are African-American? I suppose our viewers have noticed, too, that the provocative looting footage we're airing and re-airing seems to depict mostly African-Americans.'"
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Political correctness continues to make us prisoners of our own freedom.
Maybe he or she(the reporter) could refer to them as looters rather than finders.
Most of the people left behind in NO were those who did not have the means to get while the gettin' was good. No money for a bus ticket, plane ticket, tank of gas...or maybe they didn't have a car. So, assume that those left are the poorest of the poor. What do most poor people have in common? Lack of education. Louisiana ranks 46th...and that's among ALL residents of the state. Who has typically been disenfranchised from quality education? Minorities. Where is this most prevalent? Southern states. So, yeah - all we're seeing are pics of African Americans on a rampage. Nope, the reporters aren't going to mention that - but it's the unfortunate reality. Now - thinking ahead...what can we as a society do in the future to create a better, more diverse, and more educated mix of looters?
I agree with andria!
Hey Barry how about starting a cheers & jeers for Wise County, I have a few.
all i see on TV are black people...stealing nike's, TVs and sportswear
I think bringing up race is a lose lose situation. No matter what someone gets offended.
Interesting! I thought the 2 pictures below really fit this discussion.
Seems the white couple "found" bread and soda from a grocery store, and the young African-American boy "looted" the grocery store (can't see what's in the bag/backpacks in either picture, but the kid's carrying a 12 pk of Pepsi).
http://webpages.charter.net/mnmgreg/flood/flood1.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/mnmgreg/flood/flood2.JPG
I think many people don't realize the demographics of New Orleans. I am pretty sure whites were the minority before the hurricane.
The Year 2000 demographics of the Parish Orleans, Louisiana:
28.1% White, 67.3 Black
By the way, Wise County in 2000 1.2% black
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