Missing: Black Voices

This week folks in Durham will begin discussing race, courtesy of a new exhibit at the Museum of Life and Science called "Race Are We Really That Different?." If things go the way that they usually go 'round here, there will be one thing missing from these discussions; black voices. Especially, black folks that won't white wash the issue.

Seems like, in recent years, someone came up with the novel idea that race issues could be discussed without black people. Don't believe me? Name some African American columnists or radio talk show hosts in the Triangle area?

(I'll Wait...)

And the one or two that you probably named have been there for at least a decade or two, right? You mean to tell me that no black person with an original thought has come around since Bill Clinton was the prez?

It is a cryin' shame that with thousands of black folks in this area we're supposed to be too stupid to notice the lack of African American opinion shapers. Although many people preach about diversity, the most segregated places in this part of NC are media newsrooms. It seems that the only integration going on in some of the local newspapers is in the weekly crime sheet, other that they are lily white.

Now, I know that some are going to argue that there are quite a few African Americans on the TV channels, especially WTVD, who "report" the news. However, this is not the issue. The issue is the serious lack of black folks who "editorialize" the news of the day.

Since I'm one of the dudes that is rarely invited to these feel good "race" discussions, (imagine that) for the next few weeks, I am going to run a series on No Warning Shots Fired.com dealing with the race issue from a black perspective.

So, stay tuned as we give you the real, uncut, deal about Race in America.