Prometheus 6

Sometimes, against my better judgement

I am not a supporter of imperialism, fascism and other recent favorite philosophies of the current regime in D.C. I am a supporter of getting everyone's viewpoint out there, even if they're fishing around in this . . . mess . . . for material to make their point.

From BlackPressUSA.com
Ethnic but not Racial Diversity Prevails at War Headquarters
by George E. Curry

DOHA, Qatar?In one sense, one couldn?t ask for more diversity at the daily press briefings at the United States Central Command at Doha, Qatar. One moment, I was sitting between journalists from Japan and Finland. A few minutes later, I was talking to colleagues from France, England, Germany, Holland, Mexico, Korea, Canada, or from one of 30 countries represented here. But when Army Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, An African-American, looked into the audience to call on reporters last week, there was only who shared his racial heritage-me.

That?s not a tribute to me or my news organization-it?s an indictment of the American news media.

It is true that a handful of African-Americans were embedded with troops in Iraq. Byron Pitts of CBS, Keith B. Richburg of the ?Washington Post,? Ron Harris of the ?St. Louis Post-Dispatch? and Ron Allen of NBC are a few of the African-Amercians reporting from the war zone for major news organizations. But it is equally true that in Doha, where the daily briefings would be televised, often live, to billions of people around the world, there was not one Black reporter representing a major U.S. news outlet. Think about it: More than 700 journalists were issued press credentials at CENTCOM, as it is called, and not one of them African-American.

. . . There are dozens of Black journalists who could cover any aspect of the war on Iraq as well as, if not better, than White reporters. Not because they are Black but, like Brooks, because they are the best at what they do.

War against Iraq Showcases Top Black Leadership
by George E. Curry

DOHA, QATAR?If United States Supreme Court justices want know how affirmative action works before ruling in the Michigan cases pending before them, they should visit the Army base here, the place where the war against Iraq is being coordinated. Everyone on this side of Mars knows by now that daily briefings are conducted by U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, an African-American. His is the official voice and face of the war, the person who conducts daily briefings that are beamed around the world.

. . . During oral arguments in the affirmative action cases before the Supreme Court, Justice Antonin Scalia said if the University of Michigan is so interested in diversity, it should lower its standards. Of course, university officials reminded Scalia that the institution does not need to lower its standards in order to attain a diverse student body.

If Scalia comes here, he will see that the Army didn?t lower its standards to produce quality leadership.

posted by Prometheus 6 at 4/18/2003 12:04:52 PM |