Detroit Public Schools justifiably have been taken to task for a poor record which, most recently, was displayed by record-low test scores that have been in the bright glare of the national media spotlight. As a city, Detroit has been an easy and frequent target of those who want to attack a variety of topics (including the quality of urban black leadership, so-called liberal ideology, the sting of decades of white flight, conflict at times between the city and the suburbs, problems associated with the troubled auto industry and more). Much of the criticism directed at Detroit mostly is justified (even as the city, in some ways, is showing signs of fighting back and perhaps rising up to a more respectable status).
But, even with Detroit’s problems, the comments by Fox News commentator Shepard Smith were irresponsible, ignorant, insulting and perhaps dangerous.
“If my kid were in Detroit, I’d try to burn the place down,” Smith said during a discussion on the city of Detroit’s recently acknowledged record-low test scores.
Obviously, Smith did not mean that comment to be taken literally (as if to say that parents or other citizens should run out into the streets and begin burning up everything in sight. In no way am I saying or insinuating that he had that reality in mind when he made his reckless comments. Two people who understand the discussion and the city of Detroit also believe that Smith went too far with his comments. The two people in question are school board member Tyrone Whinfrey and Detroit Parent Network Executive Director Sharlonda Buckman.
Here are their responses:
“We’re not going to burn down Detroit,” Whinfrey told local Fox affiliate WJBK after the interview. “We’re going to stand together in the city.”
Buckman, a fierce critic of the district herself, said Shepard’s comment was shameful. “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”
Well said by both Whinfrey and Buckman.
Fox News television commentators often are quick to ditch journalistic integrity, editorialize and take shots at people (almost always liberals or something they feel liberals represent or are responsible for on one level or another). Smith, who is not nearly as bad as most at Fox News, should have been more careful to understand the bitter history in the city of Detroit including fires related to deadly race riots and fires related to the infamous Devil’s Night. Smith’s comments are dangerous because plays to a theme of negative stereotypes of inner city black people rioting and burning stuff down.
It’s easy for people like Shepard Smith to pile on Detroit right now and make degrading comments.
Face it, that’s what a lot of opportunistic people do.
For far too many individuals, you can’t stand tall unless you’re standing on someone else’s back.
Come on Shep … you’re better than that comment.
MLive:
http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2009/12/fox_news_shepard_smith_if_my_k.html
