The following story was sent to me by Dan Walter of the Center For Independent Media, and it's interesting for a few reasons:
First, there is the sensitive issue of race and journalism: Do journalist have an obligation to report the news no matter what? Or, should they show some sensitivity to certain racial groups given the history of race in this country? Second, do journalist report the news based on their own bias and fears? And finally, given the fact that we just found out that Hispanics are becoming citizens faster than any other racial group, should we pay attention whenever there seems to be a rift between African Americans and Latinos? Judging from this article maybe we should.
"By Gwyneth Doland 4/10/09 1:24 AM.
ALBUQUERQUE — Some African-American community leaders are unhappy with the way a story in Thursday’s Albuquerque Journal may unfairly affect the city’s small black community. The front-page story, which carried the banner headline “Cops Bust Memphis Mob,” featured large mug-shot images of six young black men accused of breaking “every law in the book.”
The Albuquerque Police Department worked with a consortium of law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, to arrest or charge nearly 50 members of the cocaine-dealing gang, nine of whom face federal charges, according to the story. (You can read it online here, but unfortunately the photos are available only in the print edition with the eJournal service.)
ALBUQUERQUE — Some African-American community leaders are unhappy with the way a story in Thursday’s Albuquerque Journal may unfairly affect the city’s small black community. The front-page story, which carried the banner headline “Cops Bust Memphis Mob,” featured large mug-shot images of six young black men accused of breaking “every law in the book.”
The Albuquerque Police Department worked with a consortium of law-enforcement agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service, to arrest or charge nearly 50 members of the cocaine-dealing gang, nine of whom face federal charges, according to the story. (You can read it online here, but unfortunately the photos are available only in the print edition with the eJournal service.)
According to 2000 Census figures, Albuquerque is slightly over 3 percent black; New Mexico as a whole is less than 2 percent black. There is no mention in the story of the names of the alleged gang members pictured in the mug shots, or the racial makeup of the gang.
While few would disagree that breaking up the gang is a positive development for the city, the image of six young black men’s mug shots on the front page troubled some.
'It’s just another example of — I don’t want to use the regular words like ‘racist’ — but convoluted thinking. It’s just an absence of thought. It’s amazing how people on a major newspaper, who are supposed to be intelligent would do that, unless they’re just trying to sell papers,' Ron Hinson of the African-American Chamber of Commerce told NMI.
Hinson said the story might have bothered him less had it been published on an inside page. He also thought it ironic that the story appeared alongside another item about a bill passed by the Legislature that would create a Department of Hispanic Affairs.'
Not only are we angry, but … today I find that there’s also an article about the governor having some serious thoughts about passing a bill that’s going to make things better for a Hispanic cultural group — which is 42 percent of the population. Now what problems are they having? They just got through stomping a black guy nearly to death, who was supposed to be in protective custody,' Hinson said.
Not only are we angry, but … today I find that there’s also an article about the governor having some serious thoughts about passing a bill that’s going to make things better for a Hispanic cultural group — which is 42 percent of the population. Now what problems are they having? They just got through stomping a black guy nearly to death, who was supposed to be in protective custody,' Hinson said.
Hinson was referring to a recent incident in which an African-American inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center was beaten so severely by another inmate that he was partially paralyzed. The accused attacker and a correctional officer who is facing charges of intimidating a witness in the case are both Hispanic. Just this week the victim’s family and community groups spoke out about the attack.
'We may have a black president, but we have not changed the hearts and minds of other cultural groups who have been misguided in their zeal to always have someone to step on,' Hinson said."
Some of you have commented on this before; ---especially you folks who live out West and in the Southwest---the tension among brown people in this country. Well here is my two cents: We really need to get a grip and start recognizing just where we (Af. Americans and Latinos) stand in this country. Because here is the deal: No matter how different we think we are from each other; there are still quite a few Lou Dobbs types in this country who still believe that we are all the same, and they will do everything in their power to keep the status quo.
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