Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tavis Smiley Responds to Cancellation of “Smiley & West” in Chicago


http://blackagendareport.com/content/tavis-smiley-responds-cancellation-%E2%80%9Csmiley-west%E2%80%9D-chicago


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Combo Platter" served up stale and cold.....

Quote:
"To so blatantly disregard an obviously critical mass of listeners in the scheduling of this program suggests one and or two things: that you don’t get it or that you don’t care. "
Ummm.... I'd venture an educated guess that its a little of both, a delicious combo platter of manufactured consent... or "dissent" if you will, is what all mainstream media strives for. And I'm sorry... but with the Republicans under Bush II filling the NPR Board with folks hostile to public radio and bullying the remaining stations and staff, NPR has joined the ranks of the Mainstream too.
Look, I'm no big fan of Rev. Sharpton but I at least give him credit for stating the obvious, for going on the record to highlight the blatant absence of any "diversity" of views or color tone during the so-called town hall presidential "debate." So much for affirmative action huh?
Heaven forbid, Mr. Smiley, that you adopt audience interactive concepts such as a "Speak Out Network," or "Take Em to Task," you might just make some Black folks and other persons of color, or Whites for that matter actually engage in critical thinking. And we all know that critical thinking in America is one of the most subversive acts one can engage in. You could get "droned" for critical thinking in America.
An additional observation is this, given the multitude of wealthy African Americans in America perhaps its time for a "true" BET. One that actually represents and serves the interests of the common Black folk, one that actually illumines Black folk's hopes, desires and grievances as truly MAINSTREAM, one that refuses to capitulate to the vanilla White, mainstream perspective for fear of being labled "radical," one that is financially endowed so that it doesn't have to temper its tongue for fear of losing sponsorship. We are more than minstrels aren't we?
Interesting how some of the most wealthiest and successful voices in radio today don't hide their radical views and general disdain for all things Afro-Centered and/or Progressive, and yet we (African Americans) cower like little babies at White folks claiming we are radical or "un-American." Where is the diversity and inclusive with Limbaugh, Savage, Imus, and Boortz? Overt racism on television and the radio airwaves have produced some of the wealthiest White media stars we've ever witnessed in history. Have you ever seen overt racism produce so many millionaires?
Pray tell, what has this cowardice and manufactured consent that NPR in Chicago and elsewhere so desperately seeks delivered for African Americans?
Hmmm... maybe Mitt is on to something... maybe Big Bird is a closet Republican??? LOL
 

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