Friday, April 20, 2007

Acting White: Race Chicanery in the Media


ABC News: S.C. Teachers Accused of Sex With Boys

In the aftermath of the VT tragedy there has been much talk about the relevance of race and its place in the discussion of the event. I contend that the Pandora’s Box of race is relevant except when it is clear that it is not relevant. The VT killing spree is exceptional, by definition, thereby making the killer’s race important in considering all the facts that may unearth his motive(s).

Alternately, the race of a common mugger, in a city with thousands of muggings is not relevant, except if the perpetrator is either still at-large and the description would aid capture, or the alleged crime was carried out in manner that connoted special racial motivation. Simply being a different color than the victim is not proof of racial animus.

It is the mere difference of race that many whites leap upon, when they challenge the hypocrisy of media systems that do not automatically include the race of non-white perpetrators. Inasmuch as those whites feel that race dominates our thoughts and behaviors, they may be correct. However, history reveals a myriad of non-racial motivators behinds human action, and our understanding of race has simply not yet advanced to the point of discerning itself so clearly.

Having said this, this day I borrow from my white brethren in their media outrage. Today, I found out that in late March of this year two white female teachers in Clinton, South Carolina stand accused of sexuality abusing six black boys, students in their school. The story was written by an AP correspondent but not, to my knowledge, picked up by either the Washington Post or the New York Times. This alleged crime is appalling and the race of both the teachers and the students is important, as it goes directly to the question of what was motivating them. But why did I have to take a plane, a train, a bus, and a taxi, to find out this happened?

When people commit heinous acts we deserve to know about it. Their race, if it is relevant, should be included in the reporting, including being spoken of as a potential motivator. This communication needs to happen without the political correctness filter that short-circuits discussions of race and its influence. Every issue is not about race, but knee-jerk white-washing of events will keep us stupid and fighting each other forever.

James C. Collier

READ MORE ACTING WHITE...

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3 comments:

Mammy said...

You have been nominated for the thinking blogger award. I actually have no idea what the award might be or how voting is done, but since jblieu tagged me, I thought I would pass it on. So, uh… Tag, you’re it… congrats!
By the way – should you want to pass this on to 5 other lucky bloggers, there are 3 rules which go like this:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

PS – Disclaimer: this is a one time deal – I do not, as a rule, play these games, pass chain letters, send jokes or humorous stories or any kind of forwards for that matter.

PPS – If you want your name and link off my blog, let me know

Anonymous said...

I heard about this when it first happened. And the only reason why I hard about it is because I listen to Syndication One (Black talk news network).

And to make matters worse, the two teachers were able to get of jail and are to be home monitored until their trial because they did not pose a threat to the community; anyone who takes advantage of our children regardless of race, is a threat to the community.

Gavlae Reudo Maxric said...

The only reason we here at the Daily Pitchfork were able to bring the story to the masses is because our talented Terran affairs writer Diane Tomlinson pens an ongoing series entitled Edu-Cons about teachers and others in positions of power (members of the conservative Christian clergy especially) who commit crimes.

A few points if I may:

1) Who defines racial relevance in crime reporting depends in America upon the majority demographic economically. This is why in heavily African American DC the three local channels with newscasts drumbeat black crime. The vast majority of wealth in this area is across the Potomac in NoVa.

2) Such cases do to white women in the eyes of racial ideologues what is generally held of black men accused of rape it add hyperbole to their sexual image.

3) Reporting a white woman, a married white woman also demeans in the eyes of the above mentioned ideologues, the sexuality of her white husband. I believe the English term is cuckold.

I do enjoy your site and invite you to the Daily Pitchfork for the Hellac opinion of the affairs of the Living.

Qu'ul cuda praedex nihil!