Where are your white friends Mr. President?

Black journalist from all over these divided states are in my town for the NABJ Convention. I would have attended but I am not a journalist. A couple of you folks gave the field a holla ( it must be the back of my head) while grubbing in the Reading Terminal. (You black folks sure love to eat) Folks did look like they were having a good time and handling their business, so it was all good.

Anywhoo, as is always the case with black folks, it seems that there is a bit of controversy surrounding the conference. Apparently some of you "real" journalist didn't like the fact that the permed one got the gig on MSNBC and you wrote about it. Well, unfortunately, the good Rev. got all sensitive and cried crabs. I am not mad at Jeff Winbush, he was merely saying how he felt and expressing a sentiment that I know that a lot of you real journalist are feeling but -some of you- are too afraid to say. (You never know when you might need the permed one. He does have a lot of powerful friends.) Black folks! *shaking head*

Finally, I wonder how many of the black journalist in town were talking about how FOX Nation dissed their boy? And black people wonder why O tries to stay away from them. As soon as he wants to let his hair down and let his black side flow, you white folks on the right call him on it.
"To most news Web sites, what happened at the White House on Thursday night was a private 50th birthday party for President Obama. To an editor at Fox News, it was something a little different.

“Obama’s Hip-Hop BBQ Didn’t Create Jobs,” read the headline on an article on The Fox Nation, a conservative arm of FoxNews.com, which is owned by the News Corporation. Below the headline were photos of Mr. Obama and, separately, three black celebrities who attended the party, the basketball player Charles Barkley, the comedian Chris Rock and the rapper Jay-Z.
Not pictured were any attendees of other racial backgrounds, like the actor Tom Hanks or Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago.

The article, published Friday morning, generated more than 2,000 comments and substantial objections from people who found it to be inaccurate at best and racist at worst. Media Matters for America, a progressive group that campaigns against Fox, asserted that the article was part of a pattern of “race-baiting headlines and content” on the Web site.

No reporter or editor’s name was attached to the “hip-hop BBQ” article. Through a spokeswoman, Bill Shine, the executive vice president for programming at Fox News, declined to say whether the article adhered to the site’s standards.
The “didn’t create jobs” comment in the Fox headline most likely was a reference to the White House press secretary Jay Carney’s statement earlier this week that “the White House doesn’t create jobs.” Mr. Carney said the White House declined to comment on the Fox article.

The Fox Nation, an offshoot of the main Fox News site, exists mostly to elicit comments from users and link to news sources. The “hip-hop BBQ” article contained no original reporting; rather, it contained excerpts from several accounts of Mr. Obama’s party, including Politico’s, which listed the attendees and noted that the party included jazz and R&B performances and a D.J.’s hip-hop music.

“The president asked everyone to dance — and they did!” read the Politico account. The menu included barbecue chicken, ribs, hot dogs and salad.
Mr. Shine said in a statement, “We used the hip-hop reference per Politico’s Playbook story this morning which stated ‘Also present: Chicago pals, law-school friends, donors — and lots of kids of friends, who stole the show by doing dance routines to the hip-hop songs, in the center of the East Room.’ ” [Source] 

Hmmm, no mention of watermelons? I guess we will have to wait for FOX & Friends for that one.


 

The Crayola threat!

The Crayola Factory in Easton, Pistolvania is a wonderful place. Lots of things to see and do. If any of you have small children I would strongly suggest that you take the little rugrats to experience it.

I took my six year old niece a couple of years ago and she had a ball. Why am I talking about the Crayola Factory? Because sadly, it seems that they too have come under attack from the wingnuts over at FOX.

"Despite the diversity of America, the America of "America's Newsroom" is distinctly melanin challenged with only a few, select, darker hues allowed. And while much of the world beyond Fox "News" welcomes diversity, Fox knows that the residents of their world do see color in very stark terms. One has only to see the comments on "Fox Nation" to see that the rainbow is not welcome in the land of Fox. Thus, earlier this week, "Fox & Friends" expressed disgust that Crayola, in attempting to be "ethnically sensitive" (Oh, the Horror, The Horror) is marketing "multicultural" markers. (The "flesh colored," albeit more Mediterranean, Brian Kilmeade referred to them as crayons.) America's favorite "anchor baby," (by the standards of those who want to change the 14th Amendment!) Michelle Malkin (definitely more than taupe) said that this was "pandering" to evil libruls. Interestingly, the original source for this un-American move by the free market, which has been around since 1992 in response to Maryland children who wanted a color, other than black, with which to color MLK, Jr., seems to be the right wing Volkh Conspiracy site. And also interesting is that in true Fox "News" style, this right wing and borderline racist story was repeated on today's Fox & Friends. I guess the message is that when it comes to crayons/markers, yellow isn't mellow, brown shouldn't stick around and black needs to get back - but if it's white, it's all right! [Now now Mr. Newshound man, they might have a point about Crayola having an agenda. For instance, look at the Crayola box. Why can't the white crayon and black crayon be next to each other? And why is the black crayon in the back?]

Weekend Fox & Friends warrior Dave Briggs introduced the segment against a visual backdrop of a photo of Crayola boxes with "Crayola Goes Multicultural" over it. His "Cavuto marked" chyron set the agitprop message "PC Gone Too Far? Crayola Introduces Multicultural Markers." The melanin challenged Briggs described the markers and asked if "political correctness has gone too far?" Briggs said that "nobody is against multicultural sensitivities" and asked conservative (not mentioned by Briggs) African American radio talk show host *James T Harris [Remember him? He was the "slave catcher" who wanted John McCain to do something about Obama.] "If crayon companies should teach our children about it."Harris felt it was "dangerous territory" to label products as multicultural. His voice dripping with sarcasm, Briggs read the lesson plan that accompanies the markers which includes how this enables children to build their sense of self. Briggs asked African American author, Lavaille Lavette if there was "a trap here" if you "don't fit one of these particular colors." She responded that she supports this marketing because it's a "teachable moment" that opens up "an opportunity for dialogue." She cited how when she was young she had only one color - "flesh tone." Harris asked why Crayola is "giving us these labels" and said that this kind of labeling is "what's happening in our society." [Source]

Yes, because nothing will bring down a civilization faster than too many crayons.

*I need a Red Stripe*