Zogby Asks If "Good White People" Should Have to Sacrifice For Blacks

Cross posted from work at Stop Big Media The unfounded attacks against Mark Lloyd, the Federal Communications Commission’s chief diversity officer, have reached a new low. FAIR’s Peter Hart spotted an appalling Zogby poll question that was clearly biased against Lloyd, a distinguished journalist, scholar and civil rights leader. It reads: Federal Communications Commission Chief Diversity Czar Mark Lloyd wants the FCC to force good white people in positions of power in the broadcast industry to step down to make room for more African-Americans and gays to fill those positions. Do you agree or disagree that this presents a threat to free speech? This is a classic push poll. The question twists comments Lloyd made way out of context, to suggest some secret FCC agenda to force white people from their jobs. It’s no different from calling people up and saying, “If you knew Barack Obama beat his dog, would that make you more or less likely to vote for him?” As Nate Silver of the highly respected fivethirtyeight.com blog explains: To be clear about the issue at hand, there is a distinction between a merely leading question — merely couching a statement of fact in favorable terminology — and a misleading one — reporting a highly questionable statement as fact to the respondent. To imply from Lloyd’s statements that the FCC is considering pursuing a policy of forced resignation for white broadcast personalities seems pretty far over the line. That the question as posed is highly racially charged is somewhat tangential to the ethical issue at hand, although it arguably raises the stakes and may certainly further indict John Zogby’s judgment. The idea that efforts to diversify media ownership pit “white people” against “African-Americans and gays” speaks to a divisive time that I had hoped we’d put behind us. That Zogby employs such racially divisive language to create a biased poll is deeply disturbing. According to ChattahBox.com (h/t to Lisa Fager of Industry Ears), the poll questions were co-authored by conservative pundit and direct marketer Brad O’Leary to use in promoting his book Shut Up America – the End of Free Speech, which purports to expose an Obama administration plot “to ration speech like the old Soviet Union rationed wages and food.” ChattahBox.com also posts the transcript of Lloyd’s remarks at the 2005 National Conference for Media Reform in St. Louis that Zogby and O’Leary misrepresent. Of course, those trying to smear Lloyd can’t be bothered with facts, context or nuance. This is all part of a larger effort to slander Lloyd and marginalize his work at the FCC. Last month, after Lloyd became the target of attacks from conservative talk show hosts including Glenn Beck, more than 50 civil rights, public interest and grassroots organizations — including the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the National Urban League, ColorofChange.org and the Communications Workers of America — signed a letter supporting Lloyd and the agency’s longstanding mission to promote localism, diversity and competition in the media. To be clear: There’s no secret plot at the FCC. But there is an obligation at the agency, mandated by Congress, to find ways to increase media ownership by Americans who historically were restricted from such ownership. This makes sense: The FCC should work to increase ownership by women, people of color and other disadvantaged groups so that our media system reflects the dynamism that makes this country great. But despite the requirement to pursue policies that increase diversity, competition and local ownership, our media system has been falling into fewer and fewer hands. As Free Press showed in Out of the Picture (PDF) and Off the Dial (PDF) the miniscule levels of media ownership by people of color and women are a national disgrace. When ownership reflects the full range of experiences and backgrounds in America, the result will be media that are more entertaining, creative and informative, and we will all benefit. For that reason, women, people of color, young people, the poor, and other disadvantaged communities deserve opportunities to own parts of our media system. We need more voices, not less. Yet Zogby and O’Leary are still trying to divide us by race in 2009. Really? Those tactics should have been left in 1869. RSS

Working on Finishing This Book

I will be updating while I finally finish this book - Nov. Deadline. RSS

This Black Jew's Music You Have to Listen To: Nas - I can

Nas Inspires and I love Past Weeks: Lenny Kravitz - Can't Get You Off of My Mind Angie Stone - Brotha RSS

Beck: Don’t Stifle Brea’s Voice

Cross Posted at Stop Big Media When I see Glenn Beck’s face turn red, his fist hitting the desk in rage as he says the words “localism” and “diversity,” I can only think one thing: Why doesn’t Beck want my younger cousin to own a radio or television station someday or to have a voice in our media system? That is the message that Beck and fellow talk show hosts deliver when they denounce localism and diversity. What they are saying is that they don’t want young Black women like my 11-year-old cousin to dream of owning their own media or of having a say over who speaks to and for our communities. My cousin Brea Childs has had a future in media since she could first start moving around and making sounds. My grandfather used to call her the “walking ham.” She would bug the entire family to be her audience for a few minutes. Even when no one was watching, she would just sing out loud to the world. But Brea doesn’t just perform; she has helped promote the arts in her community. Already, Brea has worked to put on theater productions, volunteered to set up events, and sought out opportunities to learn different aspects of performance art. She has a knack for creating opportunities to showcase her talent where none already exist. If Brea doesn’t succeed in becoming the next Oprah (or the first Brea!), she should be able to fall back on her natural management abilities. She should be able to own broadcast stations or the Internet broadcast stations of the future. Under the current system, our airwaves are gifted to an elite few who get them for free. In return, broadcasters are required to provide news and programs that are both local and diverse. But broadcasters routinely skirt these rules, and the Federal Communications Commission has historically been lax on enforcement. Recently, the FCC has expressed its intention to better enforce the broadcast rules. The agency appointed Mark Lloyd, a distinguished civil rights leader, acclaimed historian and successful attorney, as the FCC’s first Diversity and Localism Chair. Lloyd co-wrote a report outlining ways to make localism and diversity in the media a reality for all Americans. This move was a red flag for media extremists who see the call for localism and diversity as encroaching on their media empires. Talk show hosts Beck, Rush Limbaugh and others have begun attacking Lloyd in an effort to discredit him, and have been misrepresenting localism and diversity as a way to get conservatives off the air. But these broadcast principles are simply about injecting new voices into the media. Because when you ask Americans: Do the media reflect your community? Are they relevant to you? Are they as creative, funny, engaging and informative as they should be? The answer is always no. The public deserves a vibrant, diverse, skeptical, adversarial media so we can have an informed and engaged democracy. And my cousin deserves a chance to create and own media. As she continues to develop her passion and skills, no one should stifle her. So when Glenn Beck attacks localism and diversity, think of your baby sister, cousin, son or daughter, the gifted child up the street, and ask,” Shouldn’t they have a means to own or be part of the media someday?” RSS

Jordan's Favorite Things: Opportunity For Forgiveness

I have done some really crappy things. Things that make me blush when thinking about them now. I am sure we all have similar thoughts and stories of how we have failed not just other people but acted so below what we expect for ourselves. And yet here we stand still loved and trusted. Forgiveness is this amazing thing we really don't appreciate. That despite our direct actions, words, or thoughts, the people and indeed even Hashem move past them to embrace us as flawed human beings. Oscar Wilde wrote in one of my favorite plays and movies An Ideal Husband, "it takes great courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it. And even more courage to see it in the one you love." Courage extended to me so many times, we should all appreciate more how amazing that is. That is really what Yom Kippur is all about, asking G-d for yet another chance. I am thankful for the opportunity, I hope I get that chance of forgiveness, not just with G-d but with all of you. Past Favorite Things: Apples and Honey Start of Football Season Labor Day My Friend's Marriage Made Possible by Massachusetts' Marriage Equality Women In Media and News.org p>RSS

This Black Jew's Music You Have to Listen To: Tupac Changes

Because its the season of changes and the need to make them, I decided its a good pre-Yom Kippur reminder. This song is still so relevant today. Past Weeks: Y-Love and Dov Rosenblatt Lenny Kravitz - Can't Get You Off of My Mind Angie Stone - Brotha RSS

Failing to Fill My Thermometer

I have high expectations for myself. In the 4th Grade I had a Rabbi draw different sized thermometers on the chalk board. He explained that in Judaism we do not judge other people because we don't know their thermometer, we can only be true to our own. While we can give guidance and support out of love at the end of the day we are responsible for filling our own thermometers. It was a lesson I took to my soul and I dedicated myself to fill my thermometer. This year more than most I have really disappointed myself. Not because I didn't grow, but because I didn't grow enough. I have learned more and more that I have been gifted so much in this life which makes my squandering of it so much worse. I am sorry to each of you, were my words insensitive? Needlessly harsh? imprecise? or wrong and hurtful? There are so many ways to fall short and I know I do them all. For that I am infinitely sorry. This Rosh Hashanah has been a scary mix of profound fear and hopeful anticipation of a new year. For once all things seem to be looking up with the check boxes one would make for a life. But they all seem undeserved; as I made valiant attempts to amend my clear weaknesses they seem to have gotten worse not better. I only hope I can get myself together in time. Not just for me... but for the people I meet, I hate the wake of hurt I often leave. The people who I interact with don't deserve it. To all of you since you are probably reading this, I am sorry. Last years post still as relevant as ever: Hashem Will I Die? I am really not ready to go, despite all my actions. And yet this time of the year I am always more worried than ever. Yom Kippur is supposed to be the most solemn day of the Jewish year. It certainly is as we make one finally plea for our souls. But I always found Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year much more worrying. We say during the holidays: "On Rush Hashanah it is writing on Yom Kippur it is sealed." Rosh Hashanah is actually the day we are judged. By Yom Kippur it’s nearly to late, we just pleading one last time for G-d to take our innate flaws as humans into consideration. And let’s face it, I have been horrible. I mean I have broken nearly every commandment and countless requirements as a Jew and more important as the torah tells us as a human. We actually need to apologize person to person before we can even approach G-d for forgiveness. I have done so many deeply hurtful things even a deep heartfelt apology is often not enough for the people left in my wake. The saddest part is that I know better every time. I do it and it causes nothing but trouble and pain for me. I know better but that doesn’t stop me from being a righteous prick. As life is a process, I think I am getting better, learning from my deep transgressions. I wish I could apologize more to all those I have hurt. I am sorry. I just hope I continue to get the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from my mistakes. While Rosh Hashanah is supposed to be a celebration of the New Year I have to admit that I am always scared as I approach G-d during this holiday. I just know I am not ready. RSS