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CNN readers respond angrily to 'race or gender' story
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| Lira |
I thought it was interesting that CNN itself published an article about it:
| quote: | Within minutes of posting a story on CNN's homepage called "Gender or race: Black women voters face tough choices in South Carolina," readers reacted quickly and angrily.
Many took umbrage at the story's suggestion that black women voters face "a unique, and most unexpected dilemma" about voting their race or their gender.
CNN received dozens of e-mails shortly after posting the story, which focuses largely on conversations about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that a CNN reporter observed at a hair salon in South Carolina whose customers are predominantly African-American.
The story states: "For these women, a unique, and most unexpected dilemma, presents itself: Should they vote their race, or should they vote their gender?" Read the story
An e-mailer named Tiffany responded sarcastically: "Duh, I'm a black woman and here I am at the voting booth. Duh, since I'm illiterate I'll pull down the lever for someone. Hm... Well, he black so I may vote for him... oh wait she a woman I may vote for her... What Ise gon' do? Oh lordy!"
Tiffany urged CNN to "pull this racist crap off" the Web site and to stop calling Hillary the "top female candidate."
"Stop calling Barack the "Black" candidate," she wrote.
Many readers were upset that the story did not delve beyond a cursory mention of the issues.
The article stated: "While race and gender play a role, most women here say they plan to vote based on the issues. They rank health care, education and the economy in order of importance."
The salon owner, Angela Jackson, a Clinton supporter, is quoted as saying: "They don't pay my bills. And they're not attached to my belly. Nobody is attached to my belly but me. They don't feed me, clothe me. I don't care what they think. ... She's a woman, I'm a woman."
A reader named Joan e-mailed: "Really CNN, is this how you view black women[?] Are you suggesting that white women are going to have it easier [?] How about issues? Should a black woman consider the candidates position on issues, or should we just stick to race and gender. Disgusting!"
Matt e-mailed, "The article itself shows black women have brains and actually choose candidates based on issues and not just gender or race, but CNN doesn't seem to give them that credit."
Others responding to the story wrote that they want CNN and other media to focus on the substance of the candidates' accomplishments and stances on issues, rather than their appearance.
"Since Edwards no longer officially exists, as a white male I face the same choice - either I vote my race (Clinton) or my gender (Obama). Or I could just pick the candidate based on who I think would be best," wrote Michael.
Another e-mailer, D.T., who describes herself as a young, white woman, said voters should choose the candidate best qualified to lead.
"I'm sure there are plenty of black women who are Republican and could care less who the Dem leader will be," she said. "Close your eyes and look at who can fulfill the best to their promises." |
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITIC...=rss_topstories
I liked Michael's reply, personally. Although I'm not much into American politics, I find it weird that they seem to represent a "minority" (to the media) rather than their ideals... |
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| donnybrasco |
This is beautiful example of how liberals in this country favor minorities...not because they understand or empathize with them (not by a long shot), but rather because they pity them to such a degree with presumptions of minority ignorance...thus engaging in the very forms of racism which they themselves claim to deplore.
Racism isn't always as obvious as the KKK or similar hate-groups. It just as often hides behind pity, born out of feelings of superiority. |
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| Lebezniatniko |
| quote: | Originally posted by donnybrasco
This is beautiful example of how liberals in this country favor minorities...not because they understand or empathize with them (not by a long shot), but rather because they pity them to such a degree with presumptions of minority ignorance...thus engaging in the very forms of racism which they themselves claim to deplore.
Racism isn't always as obvious as the KKK or similar hate-groups. It just as often hides behind pity, born out of feelings of superiority. |
whaaaaa...?
How does this story represent liberals doing anything? Are you implying once again that CNN is a liberal news agency, because if you are, I'd first like you to prove it. |
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| josh4 |
| quote: | Originally posted by donnybrasco
This is beautiful example of how liberals in this country favor minorities...not because they understand or empathize with them (not by a long shot), but rather because they pity them to such a degree with presumptions of minority ignorance...thus engaging in the very forms of racism which they themselves claim to deplore.
Racism isn't always as obvious as the KKK or similar hate-groups. It just as often hides behind pity, born out of feelings of superiority. |
I thought it was a disgusting example of how main stream media has become. I used to get a lot of my news from CNN but somewhere along the way I just couldn't take it anymore. |
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| donnybrasco |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lebezniatniko
whaaaaa...?
How does this story represent liberals doing anything? Are you implying once again that CNN is a liberal news agency, because if you are, I'd first like you to prove it. |
You seem to think it's "fair and balanced", so there-in lies the proof.
:tongue2 |
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| Lebezniatniko |
| quote: | Originally posted by donnybrasco
You seem to think it's "fair and balanced", so there-in lies the proof.
:tongue2 |
Ah yes, here we have the classic case of a person without the intellectual capacity to back up arguments, resorting instead to baseless assertions defended with personal attack and deflection.
I hardly think CNN is "fair and balanced" and I'm a little surprised you jumped to that conclusion from my previous post, as CNN does a fine job of distorting news through both lenses.
Point is, even if you accept that there is a liberal media bias (which I do not for the basic reason that any study that shows so has been roundly discredited in academic fora), CNN has repeatedly been one of the most moderate news sources evaluated. Only CSPAN has stuck more closely to the center of the political spectrum, but then again, what kind of commentary does CSPAN offer?
So anyhow, would you care to substantiate your claim that CNN is a liberal news network, or are you going to fling accusations and run from debate as usual?
Here's a study that can get you acquainted with what you're talking about, and from a non-"liberal" perspective too. Imagine that.
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal...-UCLA-6664.aspx |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lebezniatniko
Point is, even if you accept that there is a liberal media bias |
yeah, it irritates me no end when people say this. mostly because they don't seem to be able to grasp that a media outlet's ideological "bias" is completely relative to the bias of the person making the statement.
i for one see most media having a conservative bias; it IS a corporation after all! |
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| Lebezniatniko |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
yeah, it irritates me no end when people say this. mostly because they don't seem to be able to grasp that a media outlet's ideological "bias" is completely relative to the bias of the person making the statement.
i for one see most media having a conservative bias; it IS a corporation after all! |
There are academic studies that have concluded both - that there is a liberal bias or a conservative bias depending on the methodology used. Point is, there are conservative views and liberal views on each major network (with the possible exception of Fox, since Colmes isn't even a liberal). They average out. They really do - if they didn't, then the media wouldn't be popular among both demographics or respected.
Take MSNBC for example. Keith Olbermann is no conservative. That much is clear. But what about Chris Matthews? He practically foams at the mouth when talking about Hillary and gets a hard-on when interviewing John McCain. Olbermann's bias is known and advertised. Matthews is their hard-hitting objective journalist who is anything but objective. Since their liberal mouthpiece is known (therefore not really a bias persay), couldn't it be said that MSNBC has a conservative bias since conceal it to a far greater extent?
And if you compare American media to media abroad, in Australia or Great Britain and continental Europe, our media is overwhelmingly conservative. All one needs to do is watch a half hour of CNN followed by a half hour of the BBC or CNN International to get an idea. |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by Lebezniatniko
And if you compare American media to media abroad, in Australia or Great Britain and continental Europe, our media is overwhelmingly conservative. All one needs to do is watch a half hour of CNN followed by a half hour of the BBC or CNN International to get an idea. |
yeah, that's the impression ive always gotten. that said, the US paradoxically produces some of the best "liberal" documentaries you'll ever see. i don't understand the disparity.
PBS and jim lehrer rock my world too. |
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| Lebezniatniko |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
PBS and jim lehrer rock my world too. |
Yes, Jim Lehrer and Charlie Rose on PBS are top notch!
Makes me want to eat my ass out with a spoon when I watch Tim Russert or Wolf Blitzer. |
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| donnybrasco |
Watch CNN and watch Fox News nightly, and you can SEE clearly the differences.
I happen to think Fox IS fair and balanced. There are many people who think CNN is fair and balanced. That means to either of us, the other network MUST be by default then, at the other end of the middle-ground, no?
And who exactly am I supposed to get to "prove" the difference between Liberalism and Conservatism? Who defines such things? CNN? Or Fox?
Get my point ;)
I'll call CNN what I want, and you call Fox what you want, and Al Quada will call Al Jazeera what they want, and Brits will call The BBC what they want, etc...
There is no absolute truth about what outlet is what, there's only individual perception...and yours is no more valid than mine. It's just pure individual opinion...
:D |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| quote: | Originally posted by donnybrasco
I happen to think Fox IS fair and balanced. |
oh man, you CANT be ing serious! :eyes: |
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