solanasaurus.com

Okay, the Saturday Night Live video below is sort of funny as satire, but ends on a pretty serious note. Up until recently, everyone seemed to be patting each other on the back congratulating America for not playing up Obama’s race or Hillary’s gender as an issue. I think Hillary’s campaign has helped change this. If he talked about “male” voters, as much as she talks about “white working class voters”, I think it would become more apparent to us.

Two articles this week help illustrate, what I unfortunately think we may see more of in the near future. One, is from the Washington Post talking about different racist comments encountered by Obama campaign staffers. And the other is from Clint Hendler at the Columbia Journalism Review, explaining how many journalists don’t provide the necessary framing to stop people from getting away with “para-racism”. It’s a constructive argument and a critical reminder of how important the press is in setting the tone of the debate.

The conclusion goes:

The para-racial attacks on Obama won’t stop as he turns towards the general. When they happen, reporting on them is a good thing. When they are false, debunking them is vital. But explaining them is right.