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VioletGray -> The role of race in conservative media (7/31/2010 6:19:58 AM)
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Ok, first let me say that I identify as a liberal, but I can respect conservative philosophy. Smaller government (which to some means more freedom), the right to bear arms (which for some means not being totally subservient to the government), Capitalism ( which for some means the right to prosper as much as their work and brilliance allows them to, without having to share it with people who didn't earn it), I get that. I mean no disrespect to the conservatism at its essence. I think that we need both parties, as it will be the job of each party to tug us back toward the center should we slide too far in either direction. I believe that it is the tension between these two that keeps the country running.
BUT---
As of late, have you noticed a theme as far as FOX news and conservative blogs to a lesser extent? Here's some examples:
Reverend Wright. issue: race.
"New" Black Panther party issue: race.
Shirley Sherrod issue: race.
As well as targets Van Jones, a civil rights activist, and ACORN, an organization that helped mostly poor minorities until it was viciously lied about.
Do you think it's odd that all of these issues have arisen since the Obama presidency? The "New Black Panther Party" has been around since the mid-nineties (and is NOT recognized as such by any of the REAL former black panthers.) Then you have this:
Rush Limbaugh: "Obama's after reparations for blacks!"
Glenn Beck: "Obama is a racist!"
Michelle Malkin: " Obama is a racial opportunist!"
As well as an entire chorus of birthers, racist picket sign holders, and people saying "Barack is a Kenyan Muslim Socialist/Marxist/Nazi who kills babies, kills them with the guns he confiscates from decent, hard-working 'mericans!"
So here's the question, and not just for conservatives: Do you feel like you're being fed something? Do you feel as if there is a deliberate effort by the right-wing media, through subtle implications and more overt means, to drive home the idea that the black people are out to get you? I don't want to make this post really, really long, but if you're not familiar with it, look up "southern strategy" on Wikipedia. It seems to me that the southern strategy is being attempted on a national scale because for the first time in history, we have a president that they think it might work on.
You know why I hate reality shows? Because they insult my intelligence. They want me to believe that every thing Snookie or Flavor Flav does just happened on its own, that none of the situations were written into the show, and they try to control my emotions through cheap editing tricks (especially contests, where they say "and the winner is..." and then prolong it with shots of the anxious contestants faces, for like 30 seconds with suspenseful music. I'm looking at YOU, Last Comic Standing!)
It's that same annoyance I feel with the right-wing media right now. Are there liberals trying to push some sort of propaganda onto the public as well? I'm sure. But really who cares? If the liberal movement was a T-Rex, the propaganda section would be the arms. And BOTH those arms are Rachel Maddow, who is awesome, but she can't do it all by herself.
I guess my point is that, seriously, the conservative point of view I think has enough merit on its own without having to resort to these terrible tactics. This is the same part of the Right that insists on the saying Barack HUSSEIN Obama.
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