I do not really believe MSNBC should hire only black hosts

Empowerer

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Sun Jan-23-11 10:01 AM
Original message

I do not really believe MSNBC should hire only black hosts

Edited on Sun Jan-23-11 10:06 AM by Empowerer

as I suggested in another thread. It was a thought experiment.

It would be wrong for a network to hire only black hosts, just like it's wrong for them to hire only white hosts - which is exactly what MSNBC and CNN do.

But your responses to my "shoe on the other foot" hypothesis are very telling.

Interestingly, many of you were lightning quick to scream "RACISM!" at the mere thought that only hosts of one race be hired - at least when that race is black. Yet there seems to be little, if any concern about the networks' exclusive hiring of white hosts and the consistent and blatant exclusion of blacks from the primetime anchor chair. For some reason, racial exclusivity doesn't bother some folks here - as long as that exclusivity benefits whites. If it benefits anyone else, it is racism and can't be tolerated.

Not only is there little objection, comments here and in some other threads reveal an assumption that these all-white lineups aren't evidence of racial bias but are merely the result of white folks being the most qualified for these positions while the absence of blacks in these positions only means they just weren't good enough to make the cut. This despite the fact that, prior to being groomed for and then given an opportunity to host their own shows, none of current primetime hosts had any unique or superior journalism experience that many black journalists and commentators don't have. Keith Olbermann was a sportscaster before he was given Countdown, for example - he was hardly a journalistic or progressive giant before being provided a national platform.

In other words, these hosts become what they became because they were placed in positions that enabled them to do so. On the other hand, blacks are being told that they haven't proven themselves worthy of being in these positions because they have not yet risen to the levels of the people who are already in them - people who were given the opportunity to grow, develop and prove themselves.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, some people here seem to believe that cable news is a meritocracy with a set of objective standards when in reality it is a purely subjective arena in which all manner of progressive voices could do well. Yet only white people have been allowed in. And folks don't bat an eye or utter a peep of objection.

The cable networks' failure and refusal to hire blacks as anchors in primetime is an abject disgrace. And unless blacks are somehow inferior to whites, this is not a naturally-occurring phenomenon. Given the number of black folks out here who are just as articulate, interesting, intelligent and compelling as any of the white people already there or who are being suggested or considered, one has to go out of their way NOT to pick someone of color time after time since a fair selection process would naturally include SOMEONE of color. It may not be intentional, but it is reality - white people are being cherry-picked while blacks are passed over again and again and again and again.
And, sadly, few people here seem to notice or care - and deeply resent it when this very essence of "white entitlement" is pointed out to them - to the degree that they lash out, whine and accuse those of us who point it out of being racist while giving a free pass and even defending those who are engaging in demonstrable racial exclusion.

Bottom line - If it is wrong to pick only blacks to host the cable networks' primetime shows, it is just as wrong to pick only whites. And if you strongly object to the mere suggestion that whites not be hired to host primetime cable shows, you should be just as offended by the continued actual failure to hire any blacks. If you aren't, why aren't you?

I hope you learned something from this exercise. I certainly did ...

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