Black Journalists Complain About Lack Of Racial Diverity In White House Correspondents Pool

Little Diversity at White House

(Note: My comments are not directed at April Ryan in particular)

Fear not - members of the "Unity Conference" - Ebony and Essence Magazine will be deploying permanent reporters to the White House in response to the Obama presidency.

Where as the Black press corps are focused on RACIAL diversity the truth is that they themselves have little tolerance in regards to ideological diversity. Just as Clarence Thomas brown skin is no evidence that the "Black perspective" is represented on the Supreme Court - so is the case that the ideological basis of any Black press agent sent to the White House would be conditionally examined.

If a crew of Project 21 agents were sent to sit in the Obama press conferences to 'darken it up' there would be a problem. If they chose to fire hard ball questions as the president those seeking racial diveristy would register protest.

At the end of the day - What unique policy perspectives does a progressive biased Black reporter bring to the table that their White liberal progressive counterparts cannot?

Empty name calling from a "bitter Black conservative" you say?
Let's run some scearnios by for consideration:

• EDUCATION - The Presidential Adminiatration developed a comprehensive educational reform policy for public schools, focusing upon failing inner city schools. (School that are already administered by the people who are elected by the local populace). During 4 years of implementation various progressive interest groups such as the teachers unions fight substantive changes but push for more money in salaries. At the end of the term more money is spent on education but the performance of the students of focus has not substantively improved.
• DRUG POLICY - The much vaulted "sentencing disparities" between powder and crack cocaine are equalized (crack is lowered). The sentencing is retro-active, allowing tens of thousands of current inmates to be released. The Administration initiaties a multi-billion dollar "prisoner return" program aimed at educating people who had been incarcrated. After 4 years the crime rate spikes as a significant number of them return to crime. The various service agencies receiving the money, however experience high rates of employment and their owners profit significantly
• JOB CREATION - A 5 year, $75 billion jobs program is created as a means of revitalization of various inner cities. Various enterprenaures line up for the money to start businesses and employ individuals. This government funding triggers a stimulus in national employment numbers but this money also adds to the national debt. Centerain targeted areas boast new business districts. Two years beyond the program's duration there is a 50% falloff in businesses that were incubated from this program. Various charges of fraud and misappropriation of funds threaten the extension of the program for another interval.

I purposely crafted several scenarios that define a popular domestic problem, defines an initiative to address them, have a large monetary component to the program and finally have mixed results in the outcome.

The difference between a biased conservative journalist and a biased progressive journalist is that either will choose to focus on the good or the bad of the policy and money spent depending mostly on the partisan and ideological leanings of the occupant of the White House.

Since so much of these programs are focused on the benefit of the people the real measure of journalistic integrity should be focus upon the actual benefit to the masses rather than defense and protection of the president in office. Using this as a reference is there a track record for journalistic independence among Black Progressive Journalists as it relates to Democratic Presidents?

First let me dispense of the question of their ability to attack Republican governments. We only need to look at No Child Left Behind to see this. NCLB was, depending on the day "A scheme from Houston" which doctored test scores to make it appear that education was taking place OR a good program that was shortchanged by the Republican administration which did not spend the money that was promised. Keep in mind that this Republican government spent more money than the previous Democratic administration that was viewed favorably in its educational policies. The Black journalist who split from the pack and attempted to present a fair reading are few and far between.

With Barack Obama - the stars have aligned for many progressives. They see this as the ascent of progressive orthodoxy into national power. This power complements the progressives that are no doubt locally in power in areas that Black people predominate. In many cases the state is favorably progressive as well. The Black progressive journalist sees their role as communicating the good news about the growing political fortunes of Black people now that more "Black faces" are in office. If they are short on their delivery then this is a sign that more road needs to be covered against the conservative adversary who does not want "us" to succeed.

Take a step back for a minute. Make note that despite the growth of the progressive Democrats over where our people live - much of the conditions that afflict Black people have not proportionally change - SPECIFICALLY among the poor class of Black people despite the promises. While the overt racist attacks from White people have been put in check - the civil rights of Black people have been no more assured as Black people assume the role of attacker. Can anyone point out a running series in any of the Black local newspapers, or the syndication efforts from the National Newspaper Publishers Association in which they targeted the PREVAILING POLITICAL ORDER for the failures to deliver for our community?

You see there are three distinct elements invovled here: The Black Community, The Elected Leadership of that Community, the Government bodies which they enter into as a means of receiving that which has been promised.

I view the press as the agent which works to pursue the best interests of the people by exposing some painful realties that are within the other 2 elements. Where as the Black press was originally developed because the mainstream press was only interested in defending the powers that were trampling upon our community, today it has become an agent of the establishment in its own regard. Their desire to have Black and or Progressive leadership into power under the auspices of solving many of the problems using PROGRESSIVE policy changes had them advocating for these politicians and social activists during their ascent. The uncharted territory of these same press operatives is for them to act as an independent advocate for the people when the Progressive political operatives are in power sans a conservative antagonist for them to strike out against.

I have yet to see them split from the establishment and be the independent voice of the people.