I want to discuss some aspects of two very different letters to the editor that were printed in today’s Peoria Journal Star (1/20/06, page A4.) I will discuss the first one tonight and the second one Monday night. The first letter was in response to an opinion piece written by Journal Star writer Pam Adams. As I’ve said, I’ve never been able to read one of her articles to its completion. (I have tried though.) Consequently, I didn’t read the original completely but did read enough of it to get a sense of it.
Reading the letter to the editor, I got the impression that the writer believes that Ms. Adams was “playing the race card” inappropriately. My own sense of my limited reading of her articles is that she “plays the race card” within almost, if not every, piece she writes. It is part of her outlook on life.
From what I have read of her writings, I would venture a guess that many (I can’t identify exactly what number, of course) readers would label her as a sexist (women first, foremost, and only) and racist (Black superiority complex—yes, Blacks can be just a racist as some Caucasians are). Let’s say for argument sake, that she is both a sexist and a racist. Furthermore, this fact is recognized by a majority of readers and the owner (who after all hired her) of the Peoria Journal Star. Also, the Journal Star insists on keeping her employed by the paper.
Let’s speculate, what reason would the paper give for keeping a sexist and a racist? Would it not be to provide a diversity of viewpoints within the paper? I would think that would almost certainly be the argument.
Speculating further, what if a journalist at the paper who has been working there for some time started writing racist and sexist material for the paper. However, his sexism is an obvious male sexism and his racism is an obvious Caucasian supremacy complex. Do you think he would be dismissed by the paper? Why? Because he is a sexist and racist? I think so.
Unfortunately, to most of those who preach diversity, one writer would be retained because that writer represents diversity. The other would be dismissed because that writer represents hatred, discrimination, and bigotry. In their view, it is only diversity if the diversity is according to their opinion of what is acceptable diversity. If it is not according to their parameters, it is everything evil that they have been fighting against to bring about the desired diversity they envision. The problem is: that is not diversity!
Reading the letter to the editor, I got the impression that the writer believes that Ms. Adams was “playing the race card” inappropriately. My own sense of my limited reading of her articles is that she “plays the race card” within almost, if not every, piece she writes. It is part of her outlook on life.
From what I have read of her writings, I would venture a guess that many (I can’t identify exactly what number, of course) readers would label her as a sexist (women first, foremost, and only) and racist (Black superiority complex—yes, Blacks can be just a racist as some Caucasians are). Let’s say for argument sake, that she is both a sexist and a racist. Furthermore, this fact is recognized by a majority of readers and the owner (who after all hired her) of the Peoria Journal Star. Also, the Journal Star insists on keeping her employed by the paper.
Let’s speculate, what reason would the paper give for keeping a sexist and a racist? Would it not be to provide a diversity of viewpoints within the paper? I would think that would almost certainly be the argument.
Speculating further, what if a journalist at the paper who has been working there for some time started writing racist and sexist material for the paper. However, his sexism is an obvious male sexism and his racism is an obvious Caucasian supremacy complex. Do you think he would be dismissed by the paper? Why? Because he is a sexist and racist? I think so.
Unfortunately, to most of those who preach diversity, one writer would be retained because that writer represents diversity. The other would be dismissed because that writer represents hatred, discrimination, and bigotry. In their view, it is only diversity if the diversity is according to their opinion of what is acceptable diversity. If it is not according to their parameters, it is everything evil that they have been fighting against to bring about the desired diversity they envision. The problem is: that is not diversity!
posted by Christian Gunslinger at 12:34 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home