Fox Attacks Again

This time, it's bloggers. Honestly, this video is shocking in showing clearly the systematic attack on free speech of Bill "O'Racist" O'Reilly and his fellow Faux News hacks. To compare progressive bloggers to Nazis is irresponsible in the extreme and highlights how very fearful these conservatives are. Fearful in particular of those progressives who have successfully challenged and begun to beat back Fox News' reign of misinformation.

Watching this, I shuddered a little to think -- wow, if Fox is willing to spew what is essentially hate speech and completely mischaracterize the netroots, currently seen as mostly white, in a desperate attempt to protect themselves, how will they react to a growing list of black bloggers willing to push back? Will they compare us to the Ku Klux Klan too?

We'll just have to wait and see. Check out the video. Jack and Jill Politics has signed on with a bunch of other bloggers to fight fox and attack back. If you are a blogger, please join the coalition.

If you would like to add your voice to ask Fox's advertisers to reconsider supporting Fox, click here. First, though, check out the video...

Fox Attacks CBC Member Obama -- Again

You'd think after the whole John Conyers/Dollar Bill Jefferson screwup that Fox would be laying low and pulling its punches on Congressional Black Caucus members. But that would suppose they actually even cared about what they consider their pawns and patsies feel about being smeared as terrorists and criminals.

From ThinkProgress:

This past weekend, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) delivered a speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of his Protestant denomination, the United Church of Christ. In the speech, Obama argued that faith in the United States has been “hijacked” by “the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, all too eager to exploit what divides us.”

Last night on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter responded to Obama’s comments by implicating him as a terrorist. Coulter remarked, “Anyone named B. Hussein Obama should not use the words ‘hijack’ and ‘religion’ in the same sentence.” Host Sean Hannity added that Obama’s remarks were part of a “black separatist agenda.”

Watch it:


Fox News is still planning to hold a Democratic presidential debate cosponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus in September. Yet this sort of racist and religious bigotry aired by Fox is nothing new. Earlier this year, the network basely suggested that Obama attended a radical anti-American madrassa “financed by Saudis” as a 6-year-old old in Indonesia.

Get a full breakdown here at NewsHounds. Can someone tell me again why the CBC would consider cooperating with Fox for a minute until they change their ways? Only strong action will convince Fox to stop their attacks on Black America.

Conyers Smacks Back at Fox News

I firmly believe in applauding leadership and appropriate behavior rather than only being critical. Therefore, I'd like to join Color of Change and other bloggers in congratulating Rep. John Conyers for standing up to Fox News and asking the rest of the CBC to follow his lead. Conyers, a civil rights legend, deserves at least as much support from the CBC as um, Bill Jefferson.

Here's what CoC has to say:

"We applaud Chairman Conyers for calling attention to Fox’s history of marginalizing and denigrating black Americans," said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. "Today, we’re calling other CBC members to stand with Congressman Conyers and denounce Fox, a network that has called black churches cults, implied repeatedly that Senator Obama is a terrorist, and has used the solemn occasion of Coretta Scott King’s funeral to call black leaders 'racist.'"

Fox News' on-air apology is completely inadequate and doesn't even mention Conyers at all! Conyers says no one called him personally prior to the on-air announcement to apologize. He's right. Watch below.



From USA Today (emphasis mine):

"Fox News has a history of inappropriate on-air mistakes that are neither fair, nor balanced," [Conyers] said Tuesday. "This type of disrespect for people of color should no longer be tolerated. I am personally offended by the network's complete disregard for accuracy in reporting and lackluster on-air apology."

[Brian] Wilson [Fox News Washington Bureau Chief] said he called Conyers' office on Tuesday to apologize. He said he spoke to a press secretary and asked what he could do to make amends, including coming to Conyers' office to apologize in person. No one got back to him, he said.

Conyers' press representative, Melanie Roussell, said the congressman was upset that Fox's on-air apology did not say specifically what the mistake was.

Fox News Channel has become a political issue itself recently, with Democratic presidential candidates refusing to appear in a debate sponsored by the network.

Funny how the AP failed to mention that the debate is supposed to be co-sponsored by the CBC and that's why it's a political issue for pete's sake! And Conyers is right on target. Media Matters points to another strikingly similar case of mistaken identity mingled with insidious racial undertones, just before an election, mind you (emphasis mine):

Indeed, as Conyers suggested, Fox News made a similar mistake during the November 6, 2006, edition of The Live Desk, as Media Matters documented at the time. Footage of [Harold] Ford played on-screen while MacCallum said, "I was reading something about evolution and it talked about virility and, you know, health and fitness and survival of the fittest. It's sort of a natural instinct, in many ways, to look at someone like Barack Obama as you point out, and say, you know, he looks young, he looks healthy, he looks strong."

Um -- Huh? Guess both Ford and Obama are healthy virile black bucks that would be strong behind the plow. Or something. Since when did you hear anyone talk about white Members of Congress and candidates like that. Give me a break, please.

Now there's a second, completely fallacious apology from Fox. View it here at ThinkProgress.
Basically they said the tape was mislabeled, but how could that be? Jefferson isn't even on that committee. That's footage from the Gonzales hearings, right? Big news story not too long ago. Do they just have a file that says "Negros in Congress" and pull at random? Um, so sorry. Try again. The "apology" actually manages the feat of being more insulting than the "mistake" itself. They sho' must think we colored folks is dumb as hell.

My hope is that FINALLY the CBC will understand who their true friends are (that would us, their constituents) and who has a back-stabbing agenda against them. I hope this is a turning point where they realize those piddling Fox donations to the CBC might have a cost that's too high for Black elected officials.

I know it may not always feel this way, Members of the CBC and Staff. Black bloggers like me really are ultimately on your side. Especially given that Conyers is a fellow blogger and should be a natural ally of African-American bloggers.

And seriously, we look to you, the CBC, as leaders. It's fantastic and inspiring when some of you actually behave like leaders.

A Fist in the Air Award also to the Honorable John Conyers and his staff.

Why are the CBC Fox Debates so important?

I saw in the comments from my last post on this that a lot of people are getting a little fatigued on this subject. I feel ya. It's frustrating. But if we can't hold the CBC accountable and secure our win on something this obvious, how will we fare in beginning to tackle the big issues like healthcare, Iraq, education and the environment.

The CBC Fox debate is a way of highlighting the corruption of those elected to serve the people. I know -- it's tired. And the CBC is so very tired and sad on this issue. But we gots to keep their feet to the fire. They know now, in part because of this issue, that they are being watched. By you. And by me. And a new generation that demands more of its black leaders than the fact they are black.

So I appreciate your support. I think we're close to the finish line, so hang tight and bear with me a little while longer.

Dennis Kucinich as the Black Candidate? Not if he's in bed with Fox

I don't think so. For reasons that seem unclear to me, Dennis Kucinich has gone loco and decided that he wholeheartedly embraces the Fox/CBCI debates. Looking at his blog, he is also so proud that Black Agenda Report recently described him as the Black Candidate. Hmph. Sounds like we might need to revoke that Honorary Negro Card.

From Kucinich's press release:

"Lets face it, the race for the presidency is the World Series of politics, and here you have three candidates for President who are admitting that not only can they not hit right-handed pitching, they're even afraid to step up to the plate and take a swing. Well, I'm one candidate for President who can hit any pitch anyone throws at me. And I'll be taking the field in Detroit this September with the Congressional Black Caucus."

"When the Cleveland Indians get into the World Series, and Fox broadcasts the games, I assure you I'll be there," Kucinich said, "and when Fox broadcasts a debate sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus,