Does the Media Create Expectations for Minorities?

[PanzerJaeger]

Well as I watched the Supreme Court announcement tonight I was struck by the disappointment some in the media seemed to feel when the anouncment was made and it was just a white guy.

I noticed the same thing during the papal election. A minority was certainly the media favorite, and they didn't care who it was as long as their skin wasn't white.

It seems like every time a position of power comes into play these days the media create a lot of hype for a minority or a woman of some kind.

The ethnicity and sex of a person seems to have become just as important or more so than that person's qualification.

I sat pounding my head as Bill Crystal and Fred Barnes discussed the risk Bush took in nominating a white male to the position and how a black woman like Brown would have been the safer choice.

It seems like this whole situation is being driven by the media as well. If you talk to most westerners of any persuasion I think they would say they want the best qualified people in positions of power, not token minorities.

Isn't this whole tolerance bit supposed to work both ways? In a color blind society should the media play cheerleader for minorities?

[King of Atlantis]

Panzer im with you. Racial equality really should mean equality, not handicaping white males cause they have been since the birth of the country.
People tell us not to judge people by their skin(which i dont), but then they can see it as far as rascit to not give minorities special treatment.

So many anti-racist-racists.

[rasoforos]

Panzer you are correct. The ethnicity or sex have become qualifying factors in most societies today and this is plain wrong. However until some years ago colour, ethnicity and sex were the only determining factors so it should take some time until we reach an 'ideal society' where things like that do not matter.

Unfrotunately racial and sexual inequalities persist, not only in the US ( where things are really bad...just look the percentage of young african americans in prison, from an economic point of view the loss of income is enough to hold them in ghetto conditions forever...) but also in Europe ( A white male will face much less unemployment than any other sex/ethnic/racial group in the UK ). Races form ghettos here as well.

Untill we manage to achieve a good homogenous income distribution and area distribution of all races and until races actually start mixing with eachother to blur the borders then we will still have people who are racially/ethnically disadvantaged. And we will have hidden racism ( those people who are ok with africans/pakistanis/indians and they even have some friends from these backgrounds but would really hate to see on of them move to their neighbourhood or see their daughter get married to one ). Until such homogeneity is achieved, some form of positive racial/sexual discrimination will unfortunately be needed. I hate it, I want it to stop, but I will accept it until we have an ideal and fair society that doesnt discriminate by the colour of one persons skin...

[Byzantine Prince]

Rasoforos you don't need a different color skin to descriminate. You can discriminate based on someone who is gay, you can even discriminate against someone who has a different fashion sense from you.

Just by getting rid of races, IMO a very bad thing, discrimination will not end.

What needs to hapen is that people need to be more openminded and more objective.

[rasoforos]

I did mention sexual discrimination my friend. My point is that until people stop discriminating others, some 'positive' discrimination , although it is something I do not aprove, will be needed.

I have just targeted racial discrimination because its the most obvious and has the most striking effects. ( believe me I know...my neighbourhood has like 10 curry and doner takeaways and no fish n chips shop , even here people try not to mix and interact with eachother )

[Ser Clegane]

I noticed the same thing during the papal election. A minority was certainly the media favorite, and they didn't care who it was as long as their skin wasn't white.

Which "minority" would that have been in the papal election?

[Papewaio]

I can understand the so called positive discrimination at entry level jobs.

But when it comes to the elite level surely it should be based on suitability and ability for the job regardless of ethnic background (or sexuality etc).

It would be a retarded requirement to make it that racial equality is enforced for sports teams at the elite level. Just as it is retarded not to encourage mixing of teams at the junior level.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

My point is that until people stop discriminating others

Not only do we all discriminate other people everyday its a nessicity of life.

[Kanamori]

I think we are losing sight of the meaning of 'discriminate'. Seeing a difference is inherently discriminatory.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I think we are losing sight of the meaning of 'discriminate'. Seeing a difference is inherently discriminatory.

Im saying we all disriminate against other people for various reasons. Some of them are needed. The problem is which are needed and which are just plain discrimination for no good reason.

[King of Atlantis]

Which "minority" would that have been in the papal election?

many of the balck canidates got the most press in the U.S. A lot of the news were aready calling them the winners.

[Ser Clegane]

many of the balck canidates got the most press in the U.S. A lot of the news were aready calling them the winners.

Considering the large number of black Catholics in Africa and e.g., Brasil I would not really consider them to be a "minority".

[King of Atlantis]

Considering the large number of black Catholics in Africa and e.g., Brasil I would not really consider them to be a "minority".

They are a minority in the U.S and they were treated with media minority care.

[Ser Clegane]

They are a minority in the U.S and they were treated with media minority care.

For the papal elections the ethnic setup of the US population is irrelevant - the coverage of black or "non-white" candidates seems rather appropriate in this context.

[King of Atlantis]

For the papal elections the ethnic setup of the US population is irrelevant - the coverage of black or "non-white" candidates seems rather appropriate in this context.

irrelevant? In america blacks are treated as the favorites. If a black man ran for pres the media would be all over it saying how great that there could be a black president even if he was a complete moron. It was kinda the same thing for the papal election.

[Ronin]

irrelevant? In america blacks are treated as the favorites. If a black man ran for pres the media would be all over it saying how great that there could be a black president even if he was a complete moron. It was kinda the same thing for the papal election.

so what?....if white morons have been running for president(and winning in some cases) from years now......at least a black one would have a flavour of novelty.

[King of Atlantis]

so what?....if white morons have been running for president(and winning in some cases) from years now......at least a black one would have a flavour of novelty.

so what? The whole point is race should not even be an issue.

[Al Khalifah]

Possitive discrimination is wrong. British society (and American society) should be a meritocracy where the rewards go to most able and the most skilled, not to the most marginal or the most rare in order to make up quotas. It's just not fair otherwise.

The PC Police strike again.

[PanzerJaeger]

For the papal elections the ethnic setup of the US population is irrelevant - the coverage of black or "non-white" candidates seems rather appropriate in this context.

I dont think I made myself clear.

Over here in the US, and from what I read in European press, the media plays favorites with minorities in those countries.

Ratzinger was just as qualified as anyone else, but the black and latino papal candidates got all the attention in our media, and many were visibly disappointed when a white guy came out on that podium.

The ethnic setup of the US is very important to this discussion because its the US, and other western medias that create this enviroment.

[Spetulhu]

Ratzinger was just as qualified as anyone else, but the black and latino papal candidates got all the attention in our media, and many were visibly disappointed when a white guy came out on that podium.

I thought it was his hardcore conservative stance on issues that made people so disappointed to see him chosen. The catholic church is stagnant and the papal electors chose someone who will continue the old ways. No reforms.

[Spino]

The ethnic setup of the US is very important to this discussion because its the US, and other western medias that create this enviroment.

Amen. It's a classic case of life imitating art! The infusion of this mindset into the average North American or European via pop culture and the liberal media is both tragic and shocking because it demonstrates just how feeble minded and impressionable the average person really is. Basically all one need do is continuously repeat the same message until it eventually sinks in.

[Kagemusha]

I agree with you on this one.It shouldnt matter what we look like or whats our sex.

[Blodrast]

Amen. [...] Basically all one need do is continuously repeat the same message until it eventually sinks in.

Bingo. And I may be considered paranoid, but I've seen and known lots of cases where people got brainwashed by the media... "I've read it in the paper/I've seen it on TV, last night and the night before... they wouldn't lie".
It's sad that people can't understand that they should always take things stuffed in their face with a grain of salt, and try to think for themselves... but I guess it may be difficult to break the habit...

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

re the papal election and minorities:

Half the world's Catholics are in the Americas (49.9%); 26.15% in Europe; 12.84% in Africa; 10.3% in Asia; and 0.78% in Oceania.

According to Global Catholic News. Based on 2002 figures.

I believe the figures for the U.S. and Canada are roughly 10% of world Catholics.

so all races are minorities when it comes to share of believers in the Catholic church. The two largest groups are Hispanics and Whites.

However, the Cardinals are majority white so I guess that means the media favouring a black or Hispanic pope is an example of the media favouring minority candidates(as only a cardinal is likely to become pope).

[PanzerJaeger]

I think minority may have been the wrong word as majorities and minorities change throughout the world.

What I should have said is that the media has a favorite sex(female) and favorite races(anything but white). Qualifications are largely ignored in favor of enforced diversity.

[Azi Tohak]

What I like is that there seems to be no real argument. But of course, how many of us are white, above poor and college educated (or at least a parent is)?

I have 'diversity' rammed down my throat on campus. I was a member of a program on campus for 'minority and first generation college students' (how did I get in? I put other on ACT race box and wrote in European American [white is a color, not a race]). Everybody in that group (mind, I was the only person in the group who was a 'cracker' as one group member referred to me) had a story about how some white man was rasict. Whenever they started talking about it, I asked about the circumstances. "The circumstances don't matter Azi" my teacher (Latina feminist) would reply. "Why not?" "Racism does not depend on circumstances." What does that mean?

I've got an idea. How about just removing race boxes from any and all applications? Sure, if a name is John Smith the person might be European American. Juan Esparza might be latino. But what color is Aaron Lockett? Tim Brown? (Okay...maybe a bad example) Donovan McNabb? Tracy McGrady? Can you tell by their names?

And about black candidates for president...how about Barak Obama? Democrat senator from Illinois I think. The media was falling all over itself to praise him, even in the middle of a presidential election year. I don't know why the media thinks this is equal. Whites are still ~70% of the US population. Shouldn't we get more air time?

I love quotas. So do my female classmates. Female engineer? Does she have a pulse? Get her hired now! And the funny thing is, my classmates knew it too!

Azi

[PanzerJaeger]

You've touched on a much broader, and much greater, problem in the US Azi.

There is no reason a minority should get extra points on college admission.

Affirmative action is just a handicap for white males. If everyone is supposedly equal, why do some get a head start when it comes to education, job opportunities, and favorability in the media?

I wonder how many white guys have become racist due to the affirmative action policies implemented in this country..

And have you noticed how minorities are allowed to be as racist as they want? Its incredible how huge the free passes some people get and how they still complain.

[Marshal Murat]

I just can't believe that some black guy, who gives a sob story about growing up in a ghetto, and having a druggy dad should get a job above another person, who lived a moderate, average joe kinda life, both with the same education.

I really hate it when black people will make recist jokes, and if you do, then your called racist. You can't call black people that, because, they've been the minority, and beaten down upon, and if you call them racist, then your just wrong.

I also agree, that if you preach equality, make it so! Its not equal if a minority gets your job, even if your better qualified. Its just face service for the people from the NAACP to talk about.

The government should make laws to prevent this from happening.

[Idaho]

The world is run by a tiny minority. 50ish white men. They have most of the worlds wealth and hold most of the world's top posts. We already have positive discrimination - in favour of these bozos. What difference does any other discrimination make?

[PanzerJaeger]

The world is run by a tiny minority. 50ish white men. They have most of the worlds wealth and hold most of the world's top posts. We already have positive discrimination - in favour of these bozos. What difference does any other discrimination make?

Simply because the most successful people happen to be white males does not mean they should be punished or handicapped.

Did you ever think that maybe they worked for it?