Women of Color Ignored in Media Coverage of Missing Women, Girls

[Jahness]

Women of Color Ignored in Media Coverage of Missing Women, Girls


Source: Media Report to Women

Shortly after "runaway bride" Jennifer Wilbanks returned to her Georgia home after a nationwide search for her ended with her admission that she had balked at going through with the marriage, two writers produced columns alleging that had Wilbanks been a woman of color, the wall-to-wall media coverage given to white victims never would have materialized.

Douglas MacKinnon, a white male, former press secretary to U. S. Senator Robert Dole, addressed the news media in the Chicago Tribune May 8: "Your continual focus on, and reporting of, missing, young, attractive white women not only demeans your profession but is a televised slap in the face to minority mothers and parents the nation over who search for their own missing children with little or no assistance or notice from anyone."

And in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the same day, editorial page editor Cynthia Tucker wrote that of missing minorities, "only a small sliver get the Wilbanks/Laci Peterson/Lori Hacking treatment."

Tucker recounted the case of Stacy-Ann Sappleton, who like Wilbanks was"young (26), middle-class and planning a wedding." However, Sappleton was black. Last May, she flew from Detroit to New York, bound for Queens to the home of her future-in-laws. She never made it.

After her battered and bullet-riddled body was found in a dumpster five miles from their home, her fiance refused to talk to reporters. He said when his future wife first disappeared, he and his family had tried to get the media to publicize the case. "They wouldn't help us," he told The New York Times.

"The tragedies of ordinary women of color lack the cachet that provokes intense interest, sympathy,or even simple voyeurism," Tucker wrote. If Sappleton had been a celebrity woman of color, such as Halle Berry or Rasior Dawson, cable TV would have been all over the story, Tucker said.

MacKinnon says the imbalance in attention given to white and minority missing woman cases is based on an ugly ratings game. "I have a number of friends at the cable networks (or at least I did).... While all professed disgust with the underreporting of missing minority women and young adults, most were very uneasy with the though of shining a spotlight on their own management to ascertain an answer. 'Besides/ one of them told me, 'you've already figured it out. We showcase missing, young, white, attractive women because our research shows we get more viewers. It's about beating the competition and ad dollars."

To read these stories online in their entirety, use these links: www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ chi0505080347may08,l,1768148.story?ctrack=l&cset=true and www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/ 2005/050805.html

Copyright Communication Research Associates, Inc. Spring 2005

Publication date: 2005-04-01

© 2005, YellowBrix, Inc.

[MyBrother'sKeeper]

Greetings Jahness,

This post is the absolute truth. There have been many of our Afrikan Queens who have gone missing and no one really cared. Not even one news broadcast about it. The what makes it even worse is the fact that we say nothing about ir. We don't even protest about it. So what does what does that say about us as a collective people? Those krakkkas say If we don't give a d**n about our women, mothers, daughters, nieces, friends, cousins, etc then whay should they. Its as if they are mocking us. They are saying they love their people but don't care about us. Has it come down to this? DO we really not care about our own people? Do we hate each other that much? I know that in private we say its a shame but we do nothing. It hurts whe it is the krakkka that hurts and kills our women but it hurts even more when its our own kind and we are just stoic as to whats happening that we we just say another one down and we go about our day?Please let me know what have we come down?

[Akyeame Kwame]

Originally Posted by Jahness

Women of Color Ignored in Media Coverage of Missing Women, Girls


Source: Media Report to Women

Shortly after "runaway bride" Jennifer Wilbanks returned to her Georgia home after a nationwide search for her ended with her admission that she had balked at going through with the marriage, two writers produced columns alleging that had Wilbanks been a woman of color, the wall-to-wall media coverage given to white victims never would have materialized.

Douglas MacKinnon, a white male, former press secretary to U. S. Senator Robert Dole, addressed the news media in the Chicago Tribune May 8: "Your continual focus on, and reporting of, missing, young, attractive white women not only demeans your profession but is a televised slap in the face to minority mothers and parents the nation over who search for their own missing children with little or no assistance or notice from anyone."

And in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the same day, editorial page editor Cynthia Tucker wrote that of missing minorities, "only a small sliver get the Wilbanks/Laci Peterson/Lori Hacking treatment."

Tucker recounted the case of Stacy-Ann Sappleton, who like Wilbanks was"young (26), middle-class and planning a wedding." However, Sappleton was black. Last May, she flew from Detroit to New York, bound for Queens to the home of her future-in-laws. She never made it.

After her battered and bullet-riddled body was found in a dumpster five miles from their home, her fiance refused to talk to reporters. He said when his future wife first disappeared, he and his family had tried to get the media to publicize the case. "They wouldn't help us," he told The New York Times.

"The tragedies of ordinary women of color lack the cachet that provokes intense interest, sympathy,or even simple voyeurism," Tucker wrote. If Sappleton had been a celebrity woman of color, such as Halle Berry or Rasior Dawson, cable TV would have been all over the story, Tucker said.

MacKinnon says the imbalance in attention given to white and minority missing woman cases is based on an ugly ratings game. "I have a number of friends at the cable networks (or at least I did).... While all professed disgust with the underreporting of missing minority women and young adults, most were very uneasy with the though of shining a spotlight on their own management to ascertain an answer. 'Besides/ one of them told me, 'you've already figured it out. We showcase missing, young, white, attractive women because our research shows we get more viewers. It's about beating the competition and ad dollars."

To read these stories online in their entirety, use these links: www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ chi0505080347may08,l,1768148.story?ctrack=l&cset=true and www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/ 2005/050805.html

Copyright Communication Research Associates, Inc. Spring 2005

Publication date: 2005-04-01

© 2005, YellowBrix, Inc.

Another BlackCellent post by Jahness!

[Jahness]

Originally Posted by MyBrother'sKeeper

Greetings Jahness,

This post is the absolute truth. There have been many of our Afrikan Queens who have gone missing and no one really cared. Not even one news broadcast about it. The what makes it even worse is the fact that we say nothing about ir. We don't even protest about it. So what does what does that say about us as a collective people? Those krakkkas say If we don't give a d**n about our women, mothers, daughters, nieces, friends, cousins, etc then whay should they. Its as if they are mocking us. They are saying they love their people but don't care about us. Has it come down to this? DO we really not care about our own people? Do we hate each other that much? I know that in private we say its a shame but we do nothing. It hurts whe it is the krakkka that hurts and kills our women but it hurts even more when its our own kind and we are just stoic as to whats happening that we we just say another one down and we go about our day?Please let me know what have we come down?

Greetings MyBrother'sKeeper!

Welcome to the discussion. First and foremost let me thank you for taking the time out to even check this post out. This issue of no one paying attention as to when our women are missing, is one that has gone unnoticed for years.

There is much more I can even add to the subject because you did and excellent job in stating all the same points that i have issue with on the subject. I too always wondered why it seems that no one cares enough to even cover crimes like these when they happen to Afrikan people.

What bothers me even more is the fact that we as a people seems so complacent when it comes to this issue that to me that is another slap in the face. Why is it that our lives are worth nothing to anyone including ourselves.

When one of yt's children go missing, everyone stops the world and looks for them, we go missing for years before someone even realizes we lived next door. Why is this happening. And why are we not protesting this type of treatment.

Yt's children get all type of laws named afted them. Even when they runaway or lie and hie-out, they still get more attention that anyone else, and to me every persons life is sacred.

Sister I cannot speak for everyone, but i know we as a people have to change some of our negative ways towards ourselves. There is no reason for us to allow yt to treat us this way, and for us to even treat our own selves this way is even worse. It is a downright shame.

We have to take a stand and rise to the occassion to fight injustice on all fronts. And we have to hold ourselves equally responsible for allowing some of these things to happen without protest on our part.

We have to know and believe that our lives are sacred, and when our women are getting raped, killed, and kidnapped we need to make sure that all is done to help them just the same. We have to care about ourselves before others will even begin to care about us.

Much appreciation for your valuable contribution sister!

Peace & Blessings!

[Godssoulja]

The truth of the matter is that white people produce most of the news that is viewed in this country called amerikkka. News is but a story produced in the writer or who ever viewed its point of view. There for it is easy to understand how our people that are missing get left out of the news media they edit it out.

Could you imagine for a moment what would happen if they (whites) published the news as it should be told to the black afrikan masses in the country? Again they try to oppress at any avenue they can the news in not an exception to this fact.

[Jahness]

Originally Posted by Godssoulja

The truth of the matter is that white people produce most of the news that is viewed in this country called amerikkka. News is but a story produced in the writer or who ever viewed its point of view. There for it is easy to understand how our people that are missing get left out of the news media they edit it out.

Could you imagine for a moment what would happen if they (whites) published the news as it should be told to the black afrikan masses in the country? Again they try to oppress at any avenue they can the news in not an exception to this fact.

Greetings Godssoulja!

Welcome to the discussion. You are right on point with your
assessment of the situation. Yt runs the media, so therefore
they are doing what they do best, and that is to care less
about what is happening to Afrikans.

I hear you load and clear, they are the oppressors, and oppressing
others is what they do best and that also goes for the the way
the media covers issues that concerns us as a people.

This is why I am also outraged when our people don't rise to the
occassion to help our people who need the media to get their
cases accross. This is where we as a people can boycott
watching some of these media stations, because they are not
serving our community the way they should.

Thanks for taking the time to share and for allowing me to share
with you. Your input is truly valued.

Peace & Blessings!

[rebelAfrika]

Sometimes I am confronted by people who do not know the benefit of the liberation of Africa to Africans outside of Africa. One of the examples I use to show them the benefit is in cases like where there is one "measly" little white person from amerikkka gets into a jam in another country and how "THE UNITED SNAKKKES OF AMERIKKKA" puts a "fraction" of their political weight on the situation and everybody starts running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.

They have a missing (blonde) white girl in Aruba right now. It's ALL OVER THE NEWS. But peep how the united snakkkes has transformed this situation into THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY of the entire country. Just by putting a little weight on the situation.

Back in the day, it was the white boy about to get cained for graffiti-ing in Singapore (and there are several other instances we could mention). But the point is, amerikkka being the "united" snakkkes is empowering "IN ITSELF" to any of her citizens ANYWHERE in the world. When AFRICA is united, it will be EVEN MORE SO empowering to all AFRICANS though out the world. So that when ONE African sister has problems...ANYWHERE in the world...it will be ALL over the news...ALL African people will respond...and ENTIRE COUNTRIES will be transformed to meet AFRICA'S agenda. Just a thought I have on the matter.

[Goddess IsIs Akkebala]

Thanks Beloved Jahness:

Beloved RebelAfrika, BullsEye everytime. I am in total agreement with you.
Beloved, for every Afrikan that gets raped/etc, here in amurder (america), we Afrikans here, should be in the courtroom where the criminal is on trial. We should be outside the courthouse protesting, by stoning them to death. Now that is the March we should particpate in.

Looking at the oppressor Rapist style of our ancestors, and the oppresors children ruling and reigning, it is quite clear why these rapist gets off. The court system is a Rapist system, and having rapist come into their courts only feeds into that energy.

When my brother was missing in New York back in the 1960, at age 9, there was not much publicity. His picture was in the papers, and that is all. No family members put up fliers, searched for him, and when there is lack of support from family, the Law Enforcement officials make little to no efforts to search.

A Showdown For Justice. We have the Divine Creator right to be our own judge, jury, and executioners, because it happene to us. One may call it what one desire. I ask that they do not forget to call it EQUAL OPPOTUNITY.
Turn the criminal over to the family of the ones who was victimzed. A showdown for justice will prevail...and then some.

Sojourner Truth said. Ain't I a Woamna

IsIs says: Ain't I a Judge
Ain't I a Jury
Ain't I a Executioner
Ain't I Me
Ain't I Free
Ain't Thee Divine Creator Thee Master of My Temple Domain

HILY

G-IsIs

[Draptomania]

A couple of years ago, a former classmate I attended high school with turned up missing. I didn't hear anything about it on the news, all I saw was flyers her family posted on the corner and in grocery stores. Well, at the same time, Jill Behrman was missing, the FEDS were called in for ole Jill, while the damned pigs didn't even care about my old classmate. Another way that the media plays on you is: I remember Jill's name, yet I totally forgot my classmates name and I went went to school with her for four years :?

I know I'M not shocked about the inequality when it comes to matters like this.

[Akyeame Kwame]

Mo dupe l'owo re for starting this thread, Jahness and to all the respondants as well...

i find that everything in this kkkountry operates to beat the idea into US that krakkka life is valuable and Afrikan life is worthless...and to a large extent WE go along with this (whether at a conscious level or subconscious level)

from the krakkka protagonists in movies that Afrikans hope don't get hurt and cry for/root for b/c of identifying with them...to the kkkriminal injustice system never (literally NEVER) sentencing a krakkka to death for killing Afrikans while an Afrikan who kills a krakkka would be legendary for even making it to trial...

in line with this is the media...telling US blatantly, frankly and directly that Black life...specifically that of Sistas is worthless...to be ignored...could WE expect anything less from Our eternal enemies, the krakkkaz (and i mean every one without exception)...should WE expect anything less???...

so my question is 2 the WE...now that WE have identified the problem what is the solution???

[rebelAfrika]

Originally Posted by Goddess IsIs Akkebala

When my brother was missing in New York back in the 1960, at age 9, there was not much publicity. His picture was in the papers, and that is all. No family members put up fliers, searched for him, and when there is lack of support from family, the Law Enforcement officials make little to no efforts to search.

Let there be a "UNITED STATES OF AFRICA" and see what happens when one of our brothers or sisters are "missing" in the diaspora, or one of our people are threatend or mistreated by a foreign government while traveling abroud or living outside of Africa. I would love to see the president of the united snakkkes on t.v. talking about "as a country, our number one priority at this time is to find Kwesi" LOL!!!

[Goddess IsIs Akkebala]

Beloved King god RebelAfrika, as always I bow to your awesomness. :cheers:

HILy
G-IsIS

[CoffyBrown]

As some have pointed out, all this attention to these missing white girls, and indifference to missing non-white girls, springs from the main tenet of white supremacy -- that white life is more valuable and important than all others.

Also, Natalee Holloway was from a rich krakka town in Alabama, just like that Runaway Bride Jennifer Wilibanks was from a rich family in Georgia. The FBI dispatched 10 agents to Aruba to look for that drunken Bush Twin wannabe. If a black girl goes missing the pigs assume she just ran off with her pimp or something. IF she doesn't show up in a couple of weeks they might start calling it suspicious.

Natalee's disappearance was blamed on black men (although it appears that those men are innocent), and the Wilibankkks bitch blamed her fictitious "kidnapping" on a "hispanic man". The white media likes to get hysterical about their pure angelic white women getting grabbed up by dirty black/brown people.

I have more to say on this issue but I will wait until the details of this girls fate and those responsible become more clear. There was a lot of racism surrounding how the case was handled.

For now I'll just add........

[Jahness]

Originally Posted by rebelafrika

Sometimes I am confronted by people who do not know the benefit of the liberation of Africa to Africans outside of Africa. One of the examples I use to show them the benefit is in cases like where there is one "measly" little white person from amerikkka gets into a jam in another country and how "THE UNITED SNAKKKES OF AMERIKKKA" puts a "fraction" of their political weight on the situation and everybody starts running around like a chicken with it's head cut off.

They have a missing (blonde) white girl in Aruba right now. It's ALL OVER THE NEWS. But peep how the united snakkkes has transformed this situation into THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY of the entire country. Just by putting a little weight on the situation.

Back in the day, it was the white boy about to get cained for graffiti-ing in Singapore (and there are several other instances we could mention). But the point is, amerikkka being the "united" snakkkes is empowering "IN ITSELF" to any of her citizens ANYWHERE in the world. When AFRICA is united, it will be EVEN MORE SO empowering to all AFRICANS though out the world. So that when ONE African sister has problems...ANYWHERE in the world...it will be ALL over the news...ALL African people will respond...and ENTIRE COUNTRIES will be transformed to meet AFRICA'S agenda. Just a thought I have on the matter.

Greetings rebelafrika!

You have the perfect thought on the matter my beloved comrade. We have to have a United Afrika that will speak for Afrikan on the continent and in the diaspora. That is sound thinking. that is the Afrikan way of thinking. If you hurt one of us you hurt all of us.

I remeber all of those incidences of which you speak about. AmeriKKKa makes sure that all its white citizens are advocated for globally if they run into any problems, wheter the citizen is wrong or right. No matter their position on an issue, they bombard you with until you are in agreement.

While all of this is going on, issues that concerns Afrikans on the continent and in the diaspora are not ever discussed properly. Our lives are of no worth to yt, unless they make a profit on our heads. This is not a new philosophy. This is the way it has been from day 1, when they stole us from the motherland.

Unfortunately, not enough of our Afrikan brothers and sisters believe this or think this way. We are still seperated and act as seperatists when we still today in this time advocate all the ism's of yt land to continue to be prejudiced against our own brothers and sisters. we believe in yt more than we believe in ourselves. Even amongst ourselves, we do not value or respect each other's lives.

We as a people must understand, that until we are in control of our own destiny, then we will have no say or determination into what type of future we have. We have to be for Afrika as Afrikans 24/7/366 it's that serious. We really have no time to waste. I know we can do it, the problem is does the rest of our people even have a vision of what Afrika can and should be for Afrikans.

Thanks for sharing you input is truly valued.

Stay Blessed!