Wednesday
Diversity, Ethnic/Racial Identity, Featured, Latino, Urban EducationCNN presents: An Updated and Revised Consumer’s Guide to Latinos in America.
CNN presents: An Updated and Revised Consumer’s Guide to Latinos in America. A Toolkit for Diversity funded by the Whitewashing Media Professional Association, the Latinos Who Live in a Great Country Club and the Power and Privilege Sustainability Network?
On Wednesday, October 21, I watched the first session of CNN’s Latino in America, hosted by Soledad O’Brien. As I viewed this ‘exclusive and special report,’ I experienced numerous emotions, including excitement, pride, solidarity, sadness and anger. At times, I found talking back to the TV saying things like “That’s right!” “No way!” “Si Se puede!” “That church lady did not just say that!” and “Don’t tell me she gets pregnant!” Aha! The power of narratives in the media. I must admit, I was caught in the drama of it all.
Overall, I was excited because I was viewing and listening to diverse accounts of Latinos, who (cleverly) share a common Spanish last name–García–and are living in the United States. I felt that the program did an adequate job of showing the nuances related to sociocultural factors of what it means to be a part of this “umbrella” social category in the United States. I also saw a lot of research data “enacted” in the stories. At times it felt like I was watching a strange combination of data driven reality TV! Yet after watching this program, I wondered, how does my “academic side” shape my interaction with, and my consumption of, the narratives presented on CNN?
As a Latina, Puerto Rican, DiaspoRican, Gringa-Boricua doctoral student at The Warner School, I wondered: How are Latinos framed or positioned in these accounts—both as individuals and as a collective? Why is it important to hear the experiences of Latinos in America? In what ways do the narratives speak to tensions between cultural pluralism and the quest of a common American culture? To what extent does it give viewers a better understanding of diverse Latino experiences in the United States? How might this program reinforce deficit views and/or reify stereotypes about immigration, education, parental involvement, and linguistic differences? Does it consider the power and limitations of social class? According to this program, how do notions of egalitarianism or meritocracy relate to what it means to be Latino in America? How might the narratives perpetuate “Us Vs. Them” dichotomies without explicitly taking into account underlying historical and political realities that result in asymmetrical power dynamics? How might we deconstruct and reconstruct the narratives and interviews using different theoretical frameworks? What is missing? What underlying ideologies are at play? How do issues of race/ethnicity, class, gender, immigration, ability, language intersect when it comes to every different García? So what? What are the implications of keeping up—or not–with the Garcías?
Okay, enough with the questions. Simply put: What was your experience while watching CNN’s Latino in America? What did you think of it? I’d love to hear your perspectives of watching the first, second, or any part of this programming.
Perception of Latinos in America?
On, Thursday, November 12, 2009, The Warner School will host a public forum on Latino youths in urban schools.
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Nov 11, 2009
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Soledad O’Brien is such a phony. In April 2008, Reverend Jeremiah Wright gave a speech in Detroit to the NAACP. One of the things that he said in this speech was that black and white children learn with different parts of their brain, and then gave an “unflattering imitation of the way white pastors speak.” Peoples comments were that he gave a racial speech. Soledad O’Brien, on CNN, was quoted as saying, in a gushing manner, that the speech was a “home run” and “really funny.” When questioned about the things he said in the speech, she would say things like, what he really meant was …..or what he wanted to say was… Once again she’s covering the truth and being racist. Just as with the Henry Gates incident. In an appearance on Anderson Cooper, the night or so before CNN’s “The Moment of Truth” she appeared enraged that it was a racial profile against Gates. She said that she got calls from her FRIENDS saying it was all about Gates being black. She went on that show with the purpose, at all costs, to destroy the credibility of the white police officer and throw him under the bus. When Cooper was talking she wanted to make the point that Gates said “Thank You” to the police officers. By mentioning that, she was purposely misrepresenting the truth by playing down Gates’ belligerence and racial remarks, which she didn’t even mention. Even Gates’ attorney and friend, said to the media that he used very strong language. Colon Powell and President Obama both said he should take blame in the incident. I have seen this in many occasions with her, where she doesn’t speak the truth and hides the true facts. Another time on Anderson Cooper, Cooper said to O’Brien that Senator John McCain hasn’t brought race into the campaign, like he said he wouldn’t. You would think her response would have been something like, that’s great because he shouldn’t. Instead she strongly insinuated that he would, even in the last week of the campaign. Also, her questioning style, in interviews is completely different with a white person than it is with a black person. Like in her interview with Henry Gates in “The Moment of Truth” She just went along with his lies. I have seen several comments on various websites about her racism. There are many other examples I could give of her racial bias, dishonesty and hypocrisy. She seems to consider herself to be black. She mentioned in an interview that her parents made it clear to her “you’re black” and that’s all there is to it.
She’s all about being #1, she wants the world to revolve around her. She comes first, before her family. She wants to be a celebrity figure and a star. In interviews she says she works 6 days a week, mostly out of town, and on some holidays. She goes to gala events, concerts, lots of entertainment events, as a single woman, leaving her husband and kids behind.
I think Soledad O’Brien is a very poor journalist. What ever happened to the days of CNN with Bernard Shaw and Judy Woodruff? They were honorable journalists. You could believe what they said. John Las Vegas