Black People Rejecting Fox News And Its Divisive Messages

The ultra conservative Fox News Channel is so quick to brag about its precious ratings at every turn, but some aspects of the network's ratings are quite disturbing according to an article published by the Huffington Post which cites the New York Times.

The disturbing numbers, if true, are probably not all that surprising when you think of how hostile Fox News, with its 24/7 cycle of conservative commentary masquerading as news, has been, historically, toward black people and issues of importance to black people.

I know, you're stunned by that news.

From the Huffington Post:

Fox News may be the undisputed ratings champion in cable news, but not among black viewers.

The New York Times' Brian Stelter tweeted that, according to Nielsen Media Research, Fox News has averaged just 29,000 black viewers in primetime so far this television season (9/09-7/10). That represents just 1.38% of its 2.102 million total viewer audience.

CNN and MSNBC, meanwhile, both have far more black viewers, both in absolute terms and as a proportion of their overall audiences.

MSNBC has averaged 145,000 black viewers, representing 19.3% of its 751,000 total viewer audience.

CNN has averaged 134,000 black viewers, representing 20.7% of its 648,000 total viewer audience.

Is anyone really surprised that black people appear to be rejecting the messages of Fox News? Fox News is getting its ratings, but is doing it by racially dividing this country.

These ratings for Fox News are indicative of a bigger problem for Fox News (the fact that its messages tend to be rejected by a large number of people of color).

Since Fox News is in essence the public relations firm of the Republican party, eventually this trend will spell doom for the GOP if it does not broaden its political base (beyond just whites ... and particularly conservative whites).

Strong New York Times Column By Maureen Dowd Sees Race Motivation In Rep. Joe Wilson’s Outburst

Maureen Dowd, a columnist for the New York Times, has a very strong opinion about what she seems to believe are the underlying motives that spurred Rep. Joe Wilson’s undisciplined, inappropriate, unprofessional and disrespectful outburst. Wilson, barked “you lie” aloud during President Obama’s speech last week before a joint session of Congress. Wilson’s lack of self control and simmering anger came unglued in a mini fit of rage as he went after the president in a display that was far beneath the dignity of the setting he was in. Dowd went right after what she saw as the motive of Wilson and those who now are rallying around him in a show of support for the South Carolina congressman.

Wrote Dowd:

The congressman, we learned, belonged to the Sons of Confederate Veterans, led a 2000 campaign to keep the Confederate flag waving above South Carolina’s state Capitol and denounced as a “smear” the true claim of a black woman that she was the daughter of Strom Thurmond, the ’48 segregationist candidate for president. Wilson clearly did not like being lectured and even rebuked by the brainy black president presiding over the majestic chamber.

I’ve been loath to admit that the shrieking lunacy of the summer — the frantic efforts to paint our first black president as the Other, a foreigner, socialist, fascist, Marxist, racist, Commie, Nazi; a cad who would snuff old people; a snake who would indoctrinate kids — had much to do with race.

Indeed, we’ve heard all these repeatedly from far-right nuts who have been in full attack mode since Jan. 20 (if not before). Clearly, these are smears designed to attack the president and attempt to demonize and delegitimize his still young presidency (especially if you include the insane birthers who have looked like idiots) in every way possible. Now, I do believe a lot of the critics of the president are unaware of the racism that exists in them (not necessarily racist in the most hateful sense of the word, but certainly uncomfortable with a black man – especially a Democrat, running the country as president).

Dowd added this:

But Wilson’s shocking disrespect for the office of the president — no Democrat ever shouted “liar” at W. when he was hawking a fake case for war in Iraq — convinced me: Some people just can’t believe a black man is president and will never accept it.

She is correct in that Democrats could have reacted in a similar way in the runup to the war in Iraq. She is absolutely correct. I don’t know that I believe race was Wilson’s motive, but I think it is the motive of others. I think Wilson’s actions were more about being undisciplined, angry, out of control, disrespectful and blindly partisan. With Wilson, I do not sense that race was the motive with the president, but there is an underlying race factor many people ignore: the anti-immigrant (illegal immigrant) racism that has existed in this country since the horrible terrorist attacks on 9/11 that shook us all up and the growing Latino population that is on pace to become the majority in the country in like a few decades.

I think that is the real race factor related to what Wilson said.

New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13dowd.html?_r=2&ref=opinion

Fox News:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/13/white-house-dismisses-dowd-claim-wilson-outburst-race-based/

Tapes Reveal Richard Nixon’s Views On Abortion And Interracial Relationship

The New York Times has a story written (based upon recently-released tapes) that give insight to former President Richard Nixon’s views about abortion and about abortion related to interracial relationships and rape.

Nixon worried that greater access to abortions would foster “permissiveness,” and said that “it breaks the family.” But he also saw a need for abortion in some cases, such as interracial pregnancies.

“There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white,” he told an aide, before adding: “Or a rape.”

What an appalling comment.

New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/us/politics/24nixon.html?_r=1