One of the reasons I’m wary of talking to mainstream media reporters and doing taped interviews for mainstream news shows is bias.
As a conservative and, let’s face it, a black conservative at that, I know there’s a fairly large gulf between my views and those of the reporters, producers, and most of the audience. I don’t trust those news organizations to be fair and accurately portray what I say.
Actor and conservative columnist Joseph C. Phillips, whom I consider a friend, appeared on CNN’s “Black in America,” a show (series?) I didn’t see because I don’t watch TV. (Remind me to share my “off TV” story sometime.) I can’t comment on the show’s content, but I believe Joseph when he says CNN gave his liberal counterpart much more time to make his point, while giving Joseph a mere sound bite that put him in a less than favorable light.
I understand how the process works. You can talk to a reporter for an hour, but you’re lucky if the story includes one sentence from the conversation or more than a few seconds of your comment.
Fortunately, CNN gave Joseph a forum to expand on his point about racial disparities in sentencing. From “Black Americans should be masters of our fate” (emphasis added):
“I have little sympathy for men and women who prey on the innocent hardworking members of the community. I am particularly critical of men who are guilty of criminal behavior, as this runs counter to what I see as one of the primary duties of men: to be guardians of the home and of the community, not parasites on that community. I am, however, uncertain that society gains very much by sentencing thousands of young black men to prison for nonviolent drug offenses. The sentences introduce them to a system from which it is difficult to extricate themselves and begins the downward path to joblessness, absentee fatherhood and more criminal behavior — in short, creating more of the very behavior we are trying to discourage.
“The disparity in the guidelines’ impact does not in my mind prove systemic racism. I would, however, argue that it does not represent the best the American justice system has to offer and in fact undermines faith in that very system, especially among black folk.”
Agree or disagree?
If you watched “Black in America,” tell me this: Was it more of the same “Jim Crow is returning!” hysteria or something reasonable and balanced?
(And read my review of Joseph’s book, He Talk Like A White Boy.)
Update: It appears that “Black in America” is available (legally?) on YouTube. I don’t think I’ll watch it. Not interested. 
