For years, mainstream media has been dominated by people who don't look like me. Therefore issues that concern me rarely if ever get addressed. Blogging has opened up an avenue for people like myself and others to share information that you won't see on your nightly news. Black bloggers in particular have taken advantage of this avenue. The diversity within the black blogging community is amazing. I strongly suggest you check out ALL of the blogs listed on my blogroll to see what I mean.
Last week, the President invited some of the top Black bloggers to the White House..........I assume my invite got lost in the mail. The meeting was an effort by the White House to reach Black voters to make sure they know how important this mid-term election is. Although a few Black bloggers had concerns that the White House was using them (something I TOTALLY disagree with), the effort and invite was long overdue. Many Black blogs have hundreds of followers who will log on to that blog to find out what's going on before they will a news site. So the effort by the White House was a smart move.
CUE THE FAKE OUTRAGE FROM CONSERVATIVES!
It seems like anytime this President has a meeting with more than 2 or 3 black people, conservatives lose their minds. "SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WAS A RACIST". That was the general theme of the comments posted by people on most sites(New York Times), that objected to the invitation. While I was reading some of the hateful things people were saying, it reminded me of a conversation I had a few years ago with a former co-worker. He said, "Mod, can I ask you a question without you getting offended?" I said, "Sure, as long as I can answer without YOU getting offended." He agreed, then asked me the question.
"Mod, why is there a Black Entertainment Television and a Black Miss America and a Black magazines and stuff?"
I answered by explaining to him that when I look at shows like Everybody Loves Raymond, I can't relate because the characters are corny to me. When I watch the commercials on tv, there aren't any products that cater to my needs. When I look at the Miss America pageants, there may be ONE Black woman and she is normally so light skinned, she can pass for white. When I look at People's magazine list of the 100 most beautiful women, besides Halle Berry and Beyonce, I don't see anyone else that I find attractive. So that's why you have a Black Entertainment Television and Black Miss America and magazines and everything else. After thinking about it for a few minutes, he said, "Mod, I never thought of it that way."
I wonder if the people who are criticizing the President for inviting Black bloggers to the White House ever considered how they would feel if they turned on the television and saw a daily press conference and every reporter in the room was Black........ with the exception of the one token white reporter. I wonder how that would make them feel.
Would they feel like they were taken seriously in this country?
Would they feel like their voice was being heard?
Would they feel like their concerns were getting addressed?
Would they just sit back and say nothing about it for 40 plus years?
NO, they wouldn't!
Yet, when a small group of bloggers get an invite to the White House, they come under attack.
Ok, I will chill because I could go on and on about this one. I guarantee you, if the GOP/Tea Party doesn't take over Congress this mid-term, look for the conservative echo chamber to come after Black bloggers the way they did ACORN. But they better come correct, because we fight back. Hopefully, the White House won't hang us out to dry the way they did ACORN.
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