A 'High-Tech Media Lynching'

by El Diario/La Prensa, NAM (reposted)

Sun, May 4, 2008 8:16AM

Originally From New America Media

Saturday, May 3, 2008 : Americans soldiers are dying every day in Iraq. The economy is tanking. This is the worst housing market since the Great Depression. Public school education is broken. Fifty million Americans have no health insurance whatsoever. These and other important issues deserve debate and discussion. Yet, mainstream English-language media and pundits are obsessing over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the recently retired pastor of Barack Obamas church. The focus is ostensibly on Wright damaging Obama. But what we are really witnessing is a racist double standardcharacter assassination masquerading as journalism when applied to the black candidate, but not to white ones

Over in John McCains camp, sundry white preachers have referred to Allah as a demon, are known for their homophobic speeches, and have called the Catholic church "the great whore. Each received 15 seconds of media attention but no one held the candidate responsible for the comments. McCain distanced himself and all was forgotten.

In the rarefied air of mainstream media coverage, a white racist hatemonger making a political speech at an official campaign function is a footnote, a joke, no ones fault; but what a black preacher says to his congregation in church is a dagger pointed at the heart of America.

Obama disagreed, explained, and rejected. He tried to address the issue of race in something that went beyond a 10-second sound bite. His mistake. African-Americans and Latinos are not allowed to dissent from the platitudes enforced by the mainstream media without risking a high-tech lynching (in Clarence Thomas memorable phrase).

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For more information: http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_...

§Black Officials in Pittsburgh Buck Party Machine to Support Obama

by NAM (reposted)

Sun, May 4, 2008 8:18AM

Originally From New America Media

Saturday, May 3, 2008 : PITTSBURGHMost Democratic officials in Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, are firmly in the Hillary Clinton presidential camp. But the partys most loyal blocAfrican Americansis of a different mind, NNPA reports. Thomas Sumpter, Jr., chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus, said that among the 60 black elected officials in Allegheny County, The majority support Obama.

Meanwhile, Jim Burn, chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, which is predominantly white, stated, In Western Pennsylvania and in particular Southwestern Pennsylvania, the votes out have been heavily favoring Sen. Clintonthats just what it is. The split, generally along racial lines, has created some uncomfortable situations. State Rep. Joseph Preston of District 4 said being an Obama supporter in a sea of Clinton devotees has been tough. My campaign manager is a close friend of the Clintons and most people assumed that I was going to be a Clinton supporter, he said. I usually go to his house on New Years but I met him in the supermarket and he told me he was so sorry but he had invited all these Clinton supporters. This is not the first time that Black Democrats in the Pittsburgh area have differed with the mostly white party leadership. The Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly was formed in 2003 after the Allegheny County Democratic Party endorsed a little-known but politically connected white candidate for county controller over a qualified black candidate, NNPA reports.

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