Page A4
May 9. 2007
O pinion
Opinion articles do not
necessarily reflect or represent the
views o f The Portland Observer
Divisive Patterns, Practices in the Media
Issue far larger than an
isolated verbal assault
by C arolyn
C heeks K ilpatrick
1 was one of a small delega­
tion of leaders who met with
executives at NBC and CBS
(over Don Imus’ racist com­
ments). During both meetings,
we discussed the dire need for
increased dialogue and the im­
portance of constructing mean­
ingful partnerships to combat
divisive patterns and practices
in mass media.
From the onset of this de­
bate, I have maintained the is­
sue is far larger than an isolated
verbal assault. All Americans
have the right to free speech.
Weshould notallow individuals
to misuse and abuse their posi­
tions in the media to publicly
castigate and denigrate others.
We must promote a culture of
change to eradicate racially and
sexually degrading and other
discriminatory depictions in the
media. We can accomplish this
by pushing networks to increase
opportunities for minorities and
women, supporting ethnic me­
dia, and advocating for change
in govern­
ment.
We must
demand that
n e tw o rk s
and o th er
media orga-
n i z a t i o n s
im plem ent
policies and
p ra c tic e s
that promote diversity and in­
clusion. We need to ensure that
these companies provide mi­
norities and women with em­
ployment opportunities that in­
crease their numbers not only in
front of the camera, but also in
decision-making positions be­
hind the camera. We must work
Guns Do Kill
by J udge : G reg
M athis
G uns d o n 't kill,
people do. This pro­
gun slogan, at first,
seems to speak truth.
But the statement is
only partially true.
T ake the recen t
shootings at Virginia
Tech: a disturbed young man
kills 31 people and wounds
several more before taking
his own life. Prior to the
shootings, he'd legally pur­
chased two weapons and 19
rounds of ammunition, despite
court orders to seek psychiat­
ric counseling and several ha­
rassm ent co m p lain ts filed
against him. While he was
u ltim ately resp o n sib le for
making the decision to aim
and pull the trigger, w ide­
spread gun availability made
Apology
Only the
First Step
it quite easy for this
troubled soul to kill an­
other person.
Gun control can't put
an end to senseless
murders - we'll have to
also change the hearts
and minds of individu­
als. But stiffer laws that
make it difficult for would-be
killers to get guns can help.
Federal law prohibits gun
purchases by people c o n ­
victed of serious cri mes, com ­
mitted to mental institutions
against their will, convicted of
dom estic violence and others.
W hile states provide records
of convictions and other inci­
dents that disqualify a gun
purchase to FBI databases
that are used for background
checks, serious psychiatric
disorders are not reported.
Reparations and
restitution
by
W illiam D arity J r .
The few states which have re­
cently offered an apology for sla­
very and the system of Jim Crow
have only taken the first step to­
in collaboration with colleges about the lifestyle, culture,
and universities to offer train­ achievem ents, activities, and
ing, mentoring, internship, and ongoing struggles of ethnic
scholarship programs that en­ m inorities for equal opportu­
courage minorities and women nities in education, em ploy­
to pursue careers in the media. ment, housing, and healthcare
There are more than 1,000 in o rd e rto liv e a q u a lity life in
p u b lic a tio n s ta rg e te d at A m e ric a's dem ocracy. We
women and minorities in the must subscribe to these publi­
United States. We must sup­ cations, support their initia­
We must work to change existing
rules that regulate the industry,
because the government is the true
gatekeeper to providing equal
opportunities fo r media ownership.
port these organizations! For
180 years, black publications
have documented the African
American story and continue
to make sure the world is
aware o f the African Am eri­
can
e x p e rie n c e .
The
multicultural media serves as
a vital source of information
tives, and encourage bu si­
nesses and organizations to
advertise with them.
W hile we must work with
networks and other media or­
ganizations to ensure minority
and female representation, we
must also generate avenues
through which we can create
and control our images. We
must fight to remove barriers
to media ownership. We must
work to change existing rules
that regulate the industry, be­
cause the governm ent is the
true gatekeeper to providing
equal opportunities for media
ownership.
According to a recent study
com m issioned by Free Press,
a national nonpartisan media
research organization, women
com prise 51 percent of the
U.S. population, but own only
4.97 percent of all broadcast
stations. Additionally, minori­
ties represent 33 percent of
the entire population, but own
only 3.26 percent of all broad­
cast stations. W hile female
and minority ownership has
increased in other sectors of
the m arketplace, it has de­
clined in the broadcast indus­
try. I have asked the Federal
Communications Commission
to re-evaluate the agency’s
current rules and their impact
on minority ownership.
As a sixth term member of
Congress and current Chair­
woman of the Congressional
Black Caucus, an organization
that represents more than 40
million Americans of all racial
and ethnic backgrounds, 1 have
supported— and will continue
to support— increased oppor­
tunities for all minorities and
women in mass media.
D iv ersity is A m e ric a 's
strength. We must teach our
children and grandchildren to
celebrate and appreciate our
differences. We must help them
understand that all people have
value and deserve respect. We
must come together and use
our differences to address our
collective challenges if we are
serious about preserving the
American Dream and building
stronger families, healthier com­
munities, and a united America.
Congressw om an Carolyn
Cheeks Kilpatrick is serving
her sixth term as the U. S.
R e p re se n ta tiv e f o r M ic h i­
gan's 13th District.
But stiffer laws would make it more difficult
According to the FBI, about
half the states don't report
such disorders. They aren't
required to.
So, even though the Virginia
Tech shooter had once been
Rifle Association for these lax
gun laws that allow madmen to
legally purchase weapons. The
NRA is the largest gun-sup-
porting lobby in the country; it
has more than 3 million mem­
We can thank the National
Rifle Association fo r these lax
gun laws that allow madmen
to legally purchase weapons.
declared a "threat" to himself
and others by a judge, when he
purchased both of his weapons,
the quickie background check -
it takes less than three minutes
- came back clean.
We can thank the National
bers and it spends millions of
dollars each year, pumping
money into the pockets of poli­
ticians and fighting any laws
that may restrict access to guns.
The NRA does not support
any legislation that will prohibit
ward healing the wounds of racial
inequality.
There is an additional step that
needs to be taken, which is restitu­
tion.
M embers o f Congress have
sponsored a bill that would pro­
vide restitution to the elderly sur­
vivors of the Tulsa Race Riot of
1921, one of many — perhaps the
most drastic — acts of white terror­
ism that consolidated conditions
of racial inequality throughout the
United States while destroying
property and prosperity attained
by black Americans.
O ther instances o f white mob
violence w ith sim ila r c o n se ­
an individual from buying a gun
orthat will make guns unattrac­
tive to buyers. Chi Id safety locks
on guns, theelimination of semi­
automatic weapons, a waiting
period on gun purchases; the
NRA has lobbied against all yf
these laws.
The group would have us
believe that there is no proof
gun control prevents crime. But
restricting gun access to indi­
viduals who are likely to com­
mit crimes would help.
Requi ri ng states to report psy­
chiatric disorders to FBI data­
bases is a place to start. Call
your local legislator, ask them
to create and advocate for laws
that require states to do just
that. You can make a differ­
ence. With the 2(M)8 elections
fast approaching, gun control is
likely to become a hot cam­
paign issue. And then ask
them to support the National
Violent Death Reporting Sys­
tem . A m ong other things,
N VDRS tracks gun deaths. With
more data, gun control advocates
will be able to strengthen their
arguments. While they may never
match the NRA in dollars, they
will be able to beat them with the
data.
We can't legislate our way out
of society's problems. But we
can. with laws that consider the
well being of the country's citi­
zens. begin to stem some of the
senseless violence that has taken
far too many lives.
Judge Greg Mathis is na­
tional vice president o f the
Rainbow Push and a national
board member o f the Southern
Christian Leadership Confer­
ence.
quences occurred in Colfax, La.,
in 187.3; Danville, Va., in 1883;
W ilm ington. N.C., in 1898; A t­
lanta in 1906; Springfield. III., in
1908; and R osew ood,
Fla., in 1923.
These riots were part
of the very fabric of en­
forcement oftheJim Crow
regime and, like both sla­
very and Jim Crow, have
had an impact that spans
g e n e ra tio n s
to
the
present.
It's especially pleasing to see
state legislatures in Maryland, Vir­
ginia and North Carolina offer
apologies, but compensatory mea­
sures are necessary.
T h e a p o lo g ie s w o u ld be
strengthened by ack now ledg­
ment o f the dam age and harm
engendered by ongoing racial
discrim ination in em ploym ent,
education, political par­
ticipation and access to
wealth.
T he startin g point
should be the formation
of a commission of the
type proposed for many
years by Congressman
John Conyers toexamine
the long-term effects of slavery.
Jim Crow and ongoing discrimina­
tion on American society.
William Darity Jr. is professor
o f African and African American
Studies and economics at Duke
University.
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