Alex Poucher, a heavily involved member of Anonymous, sat down with Frank Ancona, Imperial Wizard of the Traditional American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan this Sunday. The two groups- Anonymous and the KKK- have had a feud over the last month regarding how to respond to action in Ferguson. Following the release of a controversial flyer by the KKK, Anonymous members took over the KKK's national Twitter 

 

 

This Klan leader's view of the mainstream media mirrors my own 

 

As reprehensible as I find the KKK history of violence and against Black people, I'd trust them more than I would mainstream media.

Come on, Troy. That's a pretty tired argument, blaming the media for everything. Any communication organ that steps on the toes of everybody must be doing somethingn right. 

 

High-rated Fox news whines about the liberal media even as their reporting is as about as biased as it can get in favor of conservative views. Those of all persuasions put their spin on the news and the spins are all biased.

 

"Allegedly" is a well used word in news reports and this alerts the reader to the accuracy of what's being reported.  Editorial pages are opinions. TV is visual and the camera doesn't lie. Furthermore, because the public is constantly bombarded with attacks on the media it has no excuse for not maintaining a healthy skepticism. "Don't believe everything you read" is an admonition that's been around for over a 100 years. So the media isn't as influential as its cracked up to be especially since, in the final analysis, people believe what they want to believe based on their personal prejudices.

 

The truth is very elusive so who can you depend on to deliver it?  Who knows the whole story about anything? And how objective is anyone when stating their versions.  The media has become a convenient scapegoat for disgruntled people. The media may be flawed but what is the alternative? And, of course  libel and slander are still legal options for those who feel they've been besmirched or discredited. 

 

Politics do make strange bedfellows, but one last question while you're fellowshipping with the Klan, when's the last time the media threw a burning cross on a black person's lawn?  BTW, what do you consider mainstream when it comes to the media??? And does it occur to you that the Klan wizard being interviewed was using the media to sanitize his organization?

"...while you're fellowshipping with the Klan..."    LOL! Cynique when was the last time the Klan put a cross on someone's lawn?

 

The point I'm trying to make is that the media is doing us a tremendous disservice.  They widely reported, speculated and circulated rumors.  "Allegedly" means nothing to people, all the noise on Twitter and Facebook, where all these rumors circulate like wildfire does not say allegedly--not that it would make a difference.

 

At least I know where the Klan stands.  That Youtube video does not count as "the media."  I'm talking about the Fox News, and CNNs of the world.

 

The alternative would be for the media to do the best they can to report the truth (actual facts they can substantiate).  That is information we need and can.  

 

Prior to the release of the transcript too many of us believed the young man was holding both hands up trying to surrender and was gunned down by a white racist cop who wanted nothing more than to kill a Black man, now that I heard more of the story the whole situation is not nearly as cut and dried.

 

But emotions have been inflamed, Sharpton has been unleashed, people have been tear gassed and arrested, and business have been lost.  I think the media bears much of the responsibility, due to their irresponsible reporting.