Articles Feature

Emperor Trump Has No Clothes

by richard2 2792

Columnists of Color Say Appeal Is Only Negative

Baseless Accusations in Trump’s Acceptance Speech

Was It ‘Shoot the Black Guy, No Matter What?’

Woman Pleads Guilty to Punching TV Reporter

Pediatricians Urge Media Honesty on Violence

$3M Gift Withdrawn in Flap Over Trotter Name

Public Broadcasting Leadership Diversity Falls Short

Taylor Terrell, Anchor in Macon, Ga., Dies After Fall

Short Takes

"African Americans for Trump" (Credit: YouTube)
“African Americans for Trump” (video) (Credit: YouTube.com)

Columnists of Color Say Appeal Is Only Negative

Judging from columnists of color who weighed in this week, the declarations from Donald J. Trump that he is appealing to more than a handful beyond his white base are little more than pipe dreams. And that is by design, they said.

“At the Republican Convention, this is what it boiled down to,” Julianne Hing wrote in the Nation Tuesday about the new Republican presidential nominee. “Police officers, white people, they are the infallible. Anyone who’s been victimized by a brown-skinned mass shooter or undocumented immigrant — they are the sympathetic. Everyone else — that is, black people, Muslims, or those who are confused for them, and immigrants — is suspect. . . .”

Héctor Tobar, a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, wrote Wednesday, “The nomination of Mr. Trump by the Republican Party will endure in the memory of Latinos in this country for generations to come. Our future historians will write about the Trump campaign and the nativist anger it unleashed with the same sense of hurt that African-Americans feel when they look back on the cruelties of Jim Crow, and that Asian-Americans experience as they contemplate the injustice of the Chinese Exclusion Act. . . .”

Some seized on the Washington Post’s report that an estimated 18 blacks were among the 2,472 delegates.

“Although that handful includes some of Trump’s most vociferous backers, the overall lack of ethnic diversity at the convention illustrates one of his greatest challenges: how to court black voters after four decades of controversy over his racial views, including campaign-trail rhetoric that has alienated many minorities,” Michael Kranish wrote in the Post on Wednesday.

The rhetoric brought back memories of painful racist pasts. “Leave aside that Trump may not be aware that his ‘America First’ doctrine has the ugly echo of the name used by a movement of Nazi appeasers and sometimes anti-Semites who tried to keep the United States from entering World War II,” Indira A.R. Lakshmanan wrote Friday in the Boston Globe.

Emil Guillermo wrote Friday for the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, “When I heard Trump link immigration and terrorism by saying, ‘We don’t want them in our country,’ it rekindled the fear-mongering hate rhetoric of the 1930s that led to the exclusion of Filipinos to America.”

Guest columnist Hannah Kubbins added Thursday for the Plain Dealer in Cleveland, “At a June 10 campaign rally in Virginia, Trump’s racism was on full display.” She noted Trump’s continual references to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., as “Pocahontas” after her claim to be part Cherokee and Delaware.

“There’s some debate as to the actual nature of Warren’s Native American heritage, but calling her ‘Pocahontas’ makes casual racism against Native Americans seem acceptable,” Kubbins wrote.

“This ultimately isn’t about whether Warren is Native American, or how Trump has once again made inappropriate comments. This is actually about whether or not the Republican Party is comfortable supporting a man who is dismissive of an entire culture when he uses offensive terms with no knowledge of their historical and cultural significance.

“Matoaka, Pocahontas’ historically accurate name, agreed to a marriage to a white man to save her family. Chief Wahunsenaca (also known as Powhatan), her father, agreed to the marriage in order to avoid likely reprisals from white colonists if he refused. . . .”

For other commentators of color, it was simply that there was no “there” there — by Trump or his convention supporters.

“Bruce LeVell, chairman of Trump’s National Diversity Coalition, said Trump is being unfairly stereotyped as ‘racist,’ ” Mary Mitchell wrote Friday in the Chicago Sun-Times.

“But that’s a tough sell when the first thing Trump said he is going to do is ‘liberate’ citizens from violence without uttering one word about the young black men who have been killed unjustly by police. . . .”

Sharon Broussard wrote Friday for the Plain Dealer in Cleveland that “in an effort to win the votes of the white working class, currently its prized demographic, convention speakers talked more about racial problems than [they] did about racial solutions. . . .”

“I get tired of hearing Republicans accuse African Americans of blindly clinging to the Democratic Party without considering why that might seem to be the case,” Harold Jackson wrote Friday for the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s not just that their party only pays lip service to adding more African Americans to its ranks. On the issues most important to black voters — income disparity, public education, fair justice, access to health care — the GOP is out of step. And Trump seems uninterested in doing better.”

The lack of commitment to issues of concern seemed equally true for Native Americans. indianz.com wrote Friday, “Trump avoided talking about the environment and climate change and only made a brief mention about increasing energy production, an issue high on the agenda for tribes and tribal activists.

“Elsewhere, Trump advanced several ideas that could negatively impact the first Americans. He vowed to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, the law that made the Indian Health Care Improvement Act permanent.

“Republicans have been trying to do that for years but Democratic opposition and a Democrat in the White House — President Barack Obama— have prevented it from happening.

” ‘We will repeal and replace disastrous Obamacare,’ Trump said.

“As president, Trump vowed to eliminate ‘wasteful spending projects’ within his first 100 days in office. With the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service already suffering from underfunding, that spells trouble for Indian programs.

” ‘The politicians have talked about it — I’m going to do it,’ Trump asserted.

“Trump also promised to ‘appoint justices to the United States Supreme Court who will uphold our laws and our Constitution.’ He voiced praise for the late Antonin Scalia, who remained extremely hostile to tribal interests up until his death in February. . . .”

In the Washington Post, Eugene Robinson suggested Thursday that Trump’s smoke-and-mirrors approach applied to other issues as well. “In Cleveland, Donald Trump was like a corporate raider who engineered a hostile takeover — and then, at his first board meeting, put his feet up on the table and couldn’t remember anybody’s name. . . .”

Baseless Accusations in Trump’s Acceptance Speech

“Donald Trump does not exactly have a record in public office that can be used to assess his likely performance going forward,” vox.com reported Friday. “Nor does he really have a policy platform in a traditional sense.

“What he does is speak. A lot.

“Trump’s words — at rallies, on television shows, and in press conferences — have been the alpha and omega of his campaign.

“And his nomination acceptance speech, delivered Thursday night in Cleveland, is the biggest, most important speech he’s given yet.

“Painting a bleak period of a nation facing a ‘moment of crisis,’ Trump pledged an emergency response to a growing set of threats to the physical security of everyday Americans as well as a broad range of economic woes. The speech featured striking claims about ‘chaos in our communities’ and widespread violence, and a bold promise that ‘the crime and violence that afflict our communities will soon — and I mean very soon — come to an end.’

” ‘I will present the facts plainly and honestly,’ Trump said. But did he? We counted dozens of factual claims in the speech, and fewer than half scored as true or almost true. But there were also plenty of falsehoods, misleading or disputed claims, or baseless accusations. . . .”

North Miami police shot Charles Kinsey, a mental health care worker who was trying to coax a young man with autism out of the street. (Credit: Miami Herald)
A North Miami police officer shot Charles Kinsey, a mental health care worker who was trying to coax a young man with autism out of the street. (Credit: cell phone video)

Was It ‘Shoot the Black Guy, No Matter What?’

“When Charles Kinsey, who was flat on his back with his arms raised high in the air asked the North Miami police officer who subsequently shot him why he had done so, the officer replied: ‘I don’t know.‘ ” the Miami Herald editorialized on Thursday.

“Let’s hope such simple transparent honesty continues to guide any and all investigations into this dubious-looking shooting of Mr. Kinsey, a mental healthcare worker who was trying to coax a young man with autism out of the street where he sat playing with a toy truck. . . ”

The editorial also said, “When police arrived, they ordered both men to the ground. Mr. Kinsey did so, the young man, possibly not understanding the situation, did not. Video clearly shows Mr. Kinsey in compliance. That’s when the officer fired three times hitting the healthcare worker in the leg. Why? The officer himself said he did not know.

“Here are some possible reasons:

“1. The officer’s weapon malfunctioned.

“2. The officer was poorly trained.

“3. The officer was following an unwritten rule that seems to guide too many officers these days: Shoot the black guy, no matter what. Here, Mr. Kinsey fit the description.

“The ensuing [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] investigation must get to the bottom of this. . . .”

Woman Pleads Guilty to Punching TV Reporter

“Waheedah Wilson, who interrupted and then threw a sucker punch to an eye of Telemundo 62 reporter Iris Delgado while she was broadcasting in front of City Hall last month, pleaded guilty to simple assault Wednesday,” Mensah M. Dean reported Thursday for philly.com.

“Wilson, 37, who has been jailed since the unprovoked June 8 attack because she could not afford bond for her $25,000 bail, entered the courtroom of Municipal Court Judge Jacqueline Frazier-Lyde wearing the same green T-shirt she wore during the incident, which made international news after it was captured on video.

“When given a chance to speak, Wilson said she regretted her actions.

” ‘I’m very apologetic. You won’t have to worry about me coming back in here for these problems,’ said Wilson, who said she dropped out of school after 11th grade and had been living in a Broad Street homeless shelter.

“Frazier-Lyde sentenced her to 60 days in jail with credit for time served. The sentence means that Wilson will be released from jail in 19 days.

“Assistant District Attorney Elia Robertson said her office initially offered Wilson a plea deal of five to 18 months in jail followed by six months of probation for counts of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

“Defense lawyer William J. Ciancaglini said he counseled Wilson not to take the deal, which he considered too harsh for a single punch.

” ‘It’s Philadelphia. People punch each other all the time,’ he said during a court break before the judge’s ruling. . . . ”

Pediatricians Urge Media Honesty on Violence

“The news media should acknowledge the proven scientific connection between virtual violence and real world aggression and stop portraying the link as controversial,” the American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday.

It also said, “Virtual violence – violence experienced via media or realistic technologies – is an inescapable component of children’s lives, and research shows that without guidance or controls it has the power to make children more aggressive, violent and fearful. . . ”

The group also recommended:

  • “Pediatricians should consider a child’s ‘media diet’ as a part of wellness exams, considering not just the quantity of media but also the quality.
  • “Parents should be mindful of their child’s media consumption, and should co-view media and co-play games with their children.
  • “Protect children under age 6 from all virtual violence, because they cannot always distinguish fantasy from reality.
  • “Policy-makers should consider legislation to prohibit easy access to violent content for minors and should create a robust and useful ‘parent-centric’ media rating system.
  • “Pediatricians should advocate for and help create child-positive media, collaborating with the entertainment industry on shows and games that don’t include violence as a central theme.
  • “The entertainment industry should create content that doesn’t glamorize guns or violence, doesn’t use violence as a punch line and eliminates gratuitous portrayals of violence and hateful, misogynistic or homophobic language unless also portraying the impacts of these words and actions.
  • “In video games, humans or living targets should never be shot for points. . . .”
A sign welcomes students at the Trotter Multicultural Center at the University of Michigan.(Credit: University of Michigan.)
A sign welcomes students at the Trotter Multicultural Center at the University of Michigan. (Credit: University of Michigan.)

$3M Gift Withdrawn in Flap Over Trotter Name

“University of Michigan board Chairman Mark Bernstein and his wife will withdraw a $3-million gift slated to help finance a new multicultural center on campus after concerns were raised about naming the building for them,” David Jesse reported Friday for the Detroit Free Press.

“The current multicultural center is named for William Monroe Trotter,” the legendary black journalist. “It is the only building named for an African American on U-M’s Ann Arbor campus.

“In April, Bernstein and his wife, Rachel Bendit, announced they would give $3 million to help fund the construction of a new center in the middle of the campus. Per U-M’s standard procedures, the center was to be renamed as the Bernstein-Bendit Hall. The Trotter Center was to retain its name, but the building would not have the Trotter name on it. . .”

In a follow-up story Friday, Jesse noted, “After the gift was announced, U-M officials began to hear from students, faculty and staff who were glad for the gift but displeased to have Trotter’s name taken off the building, U-M President Mark Schlissel said during Thursday’s board meeting.”

He quoted Bernstein saying, “It was not our intention to diminish the Trotter name.

“ ‘When we realized that it (the gift) was not necessary for the building to be built, and hearing from people on campus about their concerns, we decided to restart the process. We have never sought to put our name on anything at the university. The bulk of our philanthropy we have done privately.

“We wanted to make this gift as a public statement of our commitment to this important issue. We appreciate this is an enormously complicated issue and situation. We wanted to show that we, as white Jewish leaders, are very supportive of the work being done.”

Withdrawal of the gift means the name will stay the same. Bernstein said he and his wife will look for other ways to help support multiculturalism on campus, Jesse reported.

Public Broadcasting Leadership Diversity Falls Short

“People of color are significantly underrepresented among public broadcasting executives, according to a new report from Current, the trade publication covering public media,” Current said in an announcement Thursday.

“While public radio and TV in the U.S. are more diverse than other media, the inclusion of 67 minority-owned public stations in national data makes the workforce appear more inclusive than it actually is.

“According to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, people of color held 21.7 percent of executive and management jobs in public TV and 20 percent in public radio in 2015. But those figures drop to 13.7 percent in TV and 12 percent in radio if local stations operated by African-American, Hispanic, Native-American and multicultural organizations are excluded.

“Racial minorities make up about 23 percent of the U.S. population, according to Census data. When white Hispanics are added, the percentage rises to 38 percent.

“Public media’s employment trends compare favorably to the findings of the latest Radio Television and Digital News Association survey on newsroom diversity. At TV stations that air local news, 8.6 percent of general managers were people of color; in radio, 3.6 percent.

“We have reported extensively on public media’s service to diverse audiences but have never examined how staffing and leadership can influence what public media sounds and looks like from the inside,” said Karen Everhart, Current’s managing editor.

“The report is a centerpiece of Doubling Down on Diversity, a special edition of Current covering national and local efforts to diversify public media’s workforce, content and audience. In addition to a look at station leadership, Current reports on:

“Funded in part by a grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, this Current edition will be distributed in August at the joint convention of the National Associations of Black and Hispanic Journalists and the Public Media Development and Marketing Conference. . . .”

Taylor Terrell, Anchor in Macon, Ga., Dies After Fall

“Local morning news anchor Taylor Terrell died Thursday after falling from the peak of a waterfall in North Carolina on the evening before her 25th birthday, officials said,” Laura Corley reported Friday for the Telegraph in Macon, Ga.

Taylor Terrell
Taylor Terrell

 

“Terrell, of Conyers, anchored 41NBC News at Daybreak and 41Today.

“ ‘Taylor was a hard worker with a bright smile. She rose through the ranks from intern to reporter, to weekend anchor, to morning anchor and was eager to prepare for her next chapter,’ News Director Brandon Long wrote in an email to The Telegraph. ‘This is a devastating loss for us here at 41NBC and most definitely for her family.’ . . .”

Sarah Glover, president of the National Association of Black Journalists, said in a statement, “Taylor was one of our young stars and it’s so sad to receive the news that she passed away. She was a go-getter in the newsroom and a committed member of NABJ. . . . ”

 

Short Takes

Robert A. George
Robert A. George
Alyse Eady
Alyse Eady
Richard Prince’s Journal-isms originates from Washington. It began in print before most of us knew what the internet was, and it would like to be referred to as a “column.” Any views expressed in the column are those of the person or organization quoted and not those of any other entity.
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2 comments

Joseph H. Brown July 23, 2016 at 11:28 am

Why was it necessary to identify Robert A. George as a “black conservative?” It’s a throwback to the old days when newspapers only identified the race of a crime suspect if he happened to be black. So what if he writes from a conservative perspective. I thought this Website was about promoting diversity in journalism.

Reply
richard July 23, 2016 at 11:35 am

Thanks for the comment! Given the varying editorial positions of the Daily News and the New York Post, Robert George’s political orientation would seem to be relevant. But it’s now reworded so the phrase “black conservative” does not appear.

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