CSPAN: "portions of Mr. Farrakhan's speech were lost due to technical problems"

[Syrinx]

First, I will say I'm no fan of the Mr. Louis Farrakhan. I think he is a bigot, bitter and hateful.

But I must admit that as I was just watching an event from a week and a half ago, that C-SPAN experienced "technical difficulties" at a terribly convenient time. Just as he was reaching a crescendo in a rant about the possibility of imminent presidential assassination, the screen faded out and back in, and the on-screen caption came up about the technical error.

This is terribly ironic in my mind, because I don't totally discount the idea that Farrakhan was involved in the murder of Malcolm X. But I distrust the "cable and satellite industry" at least as much as I distrust Farrakhan.

My tinfoil hat, today, is of the non-stick variety of Reynold's Wrap.

Did anyone just see what I'm talking about?

[Bucky]

1. Alas the tinfoil doesn't work when it comes to keeping out the stupid.

Louis Farrakhan isn't important enough to be worth censoring, CSpan doesn't have a track record of censoring, and if they ever were inclined to censor him, then why would they broadcast him in the first place? Given the budget CSpan runs on, the occasional technical error is a hell of a lot more plausible.

[Syrinx]

3. What do you make of Tavis Smiley?

It was his event, and he was pictured clapping enthusiastically for Mr. Farrakhan.

[Bucky]

7. Tavis always makes me think. I don't always agree with him, but he never fails to give me insights

In an ideal world, all journalists would have his rigor and integrity.

By the way, I don't think CSpan was censoring Tavis Smiley either.

[cali]

2. no loss. I'd be delighted if Farrakhan never appeared on the airwaves again

along with other haters like Pat Robertson.

[Syrinx]

4. what about Tavis Smiley?

I thought he was a good guy. But he hosted the event, and was shown showing enthusiastic support for Mr. Farrakhan.

[cali]

5. I think it's a shame. I thought he was smarter than that.

[handmade34]

6. I watched this on C-Span last night

and I was delighted by all speakers. I did note the "technical problems" The Black community is right and appropriately working to begin organizing again.

I believe Farrakhan to be correct, in that lots of white folk have been enriched off the backs of black folk... I also believe that lots of rich folk have been greatly enriched off the backs of poor folk... I am white but I grew up in Michigan during the troubled '60's and I understand...

[cali]

8. He's a stone cold bigot.

It's disgusting to see anyone here defend the fuckwad. He's no better than any other piece of crap virulent hater.

Fuck all the bigots.

[ThomWV]

9. Have you tried to find a complete version on You Tube?

C-span is the only quasi-public institution that indeed I do trust and because their technical difficulties are so infrequent and don't have any indication of targeting anyone or anything I'd say its just that something had to be on wen the machines broke, and the thing you wanted to see was it - sorry about that. As for Farrakhan and your desire to hear what he has to say I think that's a good thing. I see him the same way you do, but that doesn't mean that I ignore what he says.

[Syrinx]

10. I agree with you

I haven't checked for youtube videos, because C-SPAN would be the primary source anyway. But come to think of it there may be some IPhone footage or some such. :)