Liberal Media Bias and the Super-Ugly Democratic Presidential Campaign
My last two letters to the Boston Globe:
Editor,
Letter-writer Chris Hogan, who penned an outstanding letter (Letters, March 16) on how the liberal media establishment goes out of its way to identify Republicans when they are even remotely associated with wrong-doing or unpopular legislation but is silent to party affiliation when the “culprit” is a Democrat, had to chuckle as I did after reading Devastation at 3,000 feet (editorial, March 16).
The editorial whines on and on about selected ills of coal mining, takes several gratuitous shots at President Bush (he’s a Republican, you know) but only says this in addressing a bill winding its way through Congress that would make current coal mining practices more costly, most notably negatively impacting the economy of West Virginia, “none of (West Virginia’s) members of Congress has signed on to” the proposed legislation.
For those who did not know, West Virginia’s US Senators are former KKK member, Robert C. Byrd (Democrat) and Jay Rockefeller (Democrat). Two of West Virginia’s three US Representatives are Democrats. Rep. Allan B. Mollohan (Democrat) is especially notable for he is under Federal investigation, a fact that forced Rep. Mollohan to very reluctantly step down as the top Democrat on, get this, the House Ethics Committee. (End of first letter.)
Editor,
I'm positive Sen. John McCain is not lamenting that he's been pushed off page 1 since wrapping up the Republican nomination (Barack Obama called remarks by his former pastor "inflammatory and appalling" and removed him from a campaign committe, March 15, A1; Clinton role in health program disputed, March 14, A1; Geraldine Ferraro quit Hillary Clinton's fiance committee after saying that Barack Obama's race is what makes him the party's front-runner, March 13, A1; and, tangentially, Scandal engulfs N.Y. governor, March 11, A1). (End of second letter.)
My last two letters to the Boston Globe:
Editor,
Letter-writer Chris Hogan, who penned an outstanding letter (Letters, March 16) on how the liberal media establishment goes out of its way to identify Republicans when they are even remotely associated with wrong-doing or unpopular legislation but is silent to party affiliation when the “culprit” is a Democrat, had to chuckle as I did after reading Devastation at 3,000 feet (editorial, March 16).
The editorial whines on and on about selected ills of coal mining, takes several gratuitous shots at President Bush (he’s a Republican, you know) but only says this in addressing a bill winding its way through Congress that would make current coal mining practices more costly, most notably negatively impacting the economy of West Virginia, “none of (West Virginia’s) members of Congress has signed on to” the proposed legislation.
For those who did not know, West Virginia’s US Senators are former KKK member, Robert C. Byrd (Democrat) and Jay Rockefeller (Democrat). Two of West Virginia’s three US Representatives are Democrats. Rep. Allan B. Mollohan (Democrat) is especially notable for he is under Federal investigation, a fact that forced Rep. Mollohan to very reluctantly step down as the top Democrat on, get this, the House Ethics Committee. (End of first letter.)
Editor,
I'm positive Sen. John McCain is not lamenting that he's been pushed off page 1 since wrapping up the Republican nomination (Barack Obama called remarks by his former pastor "inflammatory and appalling" and removed him from a campaign committe, March 15, A1; Clinton role in health program disputed, March 14, A1; Geraldine Ferraro quit Hillary Clinton's fiance committee after saying that Barack Obama's race is what makes him the party's front-runner, March 13, A1; and, tangentially, Scandal engulfs N.Y. governor, March 11, A1). (End of second letter.)
posted by Zack at 5:20 AM
2 Comments:
Conscience:
I'm commenting here about your "cold turkey" suggest re race relations, since you mention it in this post and I didn't want it to get lost in the delay.
While I certainly concur with the goal of not noticing race, I'm not sure I agree that it does enough to address the issue. The problem is that people do notice race and don't do the things you say -- so, while you and I might hope that people would go "cold turkey," that doesn't mean it will happen. I also agree that quotas and other governmental programs that formally make race an issue are oftentimes detrimental. That said, I think there's more that can be done to bridge the racial divide than sit back and wait for/hope that prejudices will disappear. As I've said before, I do think diversity is a good thing, and if there are things that are preventing diversity in certain circumstances, they should be corrected. For example, if a university has a 2% minority student body, I think the Bd of Trustees should investigate why that is so and whether there is something the university is doing, intentionally or not, that is causing it. I also think that trying to achieve a diverse student body, in terms of all categories -- diverse races, socioeconomic backgrounds, outside interests, etc. -- is something that universities can and should take into consideration in their acceptance policies. Not sure I have a great general solution, but do feel that something affirmative (though not traditional affirmative action) needs to be done.
Conscience,
First, thanks for the thoughtful answer.
Second, I absolutely concede "cold turkey" does not yield timely or noticeable results in units of measure less than decades. But, I repeat what I wrote in my original post, the USSC has ensured we will not start the clock on not noticing because it codified noticing for 25 more years.
Third, "cold turkey" requires people exposed to the concept to spread the concept by challenging people who notice. "Well, you know how THEY are." "No I don't, why don't you tell me."
I also wrote in the original post that there is a massive machinery, social, economic and political that all has to move together to make this happen. Just to your point of high education, how about inner city voters stop electing Democrats who have demonstrated complete and total failure in educating the young people who live in inner cities. Reform inner city schools? Not if it harms the teacher's unions! My goodness, what's the objective of schools? What the hell are inner city parents thinking about? Anyway, move the giant machinery such that inner city kids are receiving a better education and just maybe in less than 25 years we don't have to notice skin color in assessing college applications.
3/18/08 5:36 pm
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