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Clark’s Momma Speaks on News Coverage of the Jena 6
Africa Blanche Reilly Dark here with a few remarks to the national media especially the electronic media. That’s right –I’m talkin’ to you television news executives at NBC News, ABC News, CBS News with the not so cute and insincerely perky Katie Couric, CNN and the never fair and always unbalanced FOX News.
What’s the reason for not supplying adequate coverage to the injustice taking place in Jena Louisiana? As many of you know 6 young black men have been unfairly charged with violence from an incident arising from hooses hung from a tree in the school yard at the local high school.
The ensuing fights and other incidents meant to demean and intimidate the young men and their parents has culminated in a major protest demonstration scheduled for Thursday, September 20th 2007 in Jena, Louisiana by all people who stand for justice and what is right.
It is not fair those white teens who instigated the fights have not been punished. It is even more outrageous that the news of this travesty has received coverage by the foreign press in China, France and the United Kingdom.
America, where everyone is allegedly treated equally, is on the world stage for racial injustice because of the misdeeds of some severely bigoted city authorities including the La Salle Parish District Attorney J. Reed Walters.
But I digress. My point here is to address the fact much of the United States population knows nothing of what has happened to several black families in this mostly white small town of about 3000.
Why is it that the Jena 6 story is unknown to most of the nation? Why is it that the name of OJ Simpson, who is so 9/10 is all over the network news outlets? Why is it when I question my local television news outlets about this story I get excuses such as “We only cover stories of local interest.” I heard about the Duke LaCrosse story for about one year. I do not live in North Carolina. I do not live in Virginia where the story of Michael Vick has made national headlines. Yet I’ve heard more than I can stand of the details of his situation from, yes, my local news outlets.
Why can’t I get some real coverage of a story about a situation that could very easily have happened to any average American citizen’s child?
This story of injustice in Louisiana is not just about color. This story is about the decimation of our youth. The children are any nation’s most precious commodity.
The decision makers, news executives, producers, assignment editors even beat reporters all have a stake in insuring all of us are informed so we can better protect, guide and educate our children.
Gentlemen and ladies, you have a responsibility to report all the news. The viewing public is watching you. We know this is not the only story you’ve not reported. Does MCA ring a familiar bell? We want details, full details.
Forget about Paris, American Idol, Senator Larry Craig and others.
We look to you to provide news we can truly use.
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