Being White in Philly

[tpeichel]

An article about race in Philadelphia Magazine has prompted this response from the mayor:

While I fully recognize that constitutional protections afforded the press are intended to protect the media from censorship by the government, the First Amendment, like other constitutional rights, is not an unfettered right, and notwithstanding the First Amendment, a publisher has a duty to the public to exercise its role in a responsible way. I ask the Commission to evaluate whether the “speech” employed in this essay is not the reckless equivalent of “shouting ‘fire!’ in a crowded theater,” its prejudiced, fact-challenged generalizations an incitement to extreme reaction.

The article is certainly protected speech. I generally like the mayor, but on this he is dead wrong. This speech is not punishable. Funny how we always hear about the need to have this grand discussion on race, and then when someone honestly tries, they get threatened with punishment.

[duane1969]

Link?

[tpeichel]

Link?

http://www.phillymag.com/articles/white-philly/

[pwaldo]

Funny how we always hear about the need to have this grand discussion on race, and then when someone honestly tries, they get threatened with punishment.

Because like with everything else people don't really want an honest open discussion they want to have their point be the one and only acceptable answer and to squash out anybody that disagrees with them or their idea. The mayor is totally off base here and comparing it to shouting FIRE is extremely stupid on his part.

[JustAlex]

Poor white people....why is this country so unfair to them?

[mess0312]

I completely agree with the mayor being wrong, but the media, in this day and age, just absolutely misrepresents race on a constant basis. I lived in NY for years and read the Post, the Daily News, and the NY Times and they always made race an issue when it further some form of racism.

Countless examples of whites committing crimes that make front page news for hate crimes and the like, whereas hate crimes of black on black. or black on white get buried in the paper with no mention on race. Think I am being unfair???? just follow big city papers and see if I am wrong.

Don't get me wrong I am not advocating that whites have had a rough time by any means, but I will say that the white liberal media is more racist against whites AND blacks than other other group.........

[Wickabee]

I read the article. As a total outsider who knows nothing of Philadelphia this doesn't put the city in a better or worse light. It's an honest piece and there are many sides to racism, including the "poor white people" who aren't racist but still feel the guilt society places on us all...except women...or children...or the elderly...or the disabled...
I see nothing wrong with the piece and the Mayor, I think, jumped the gun.

[ajcorleone]

LOL really?

Poor white people....why is this country so unfair to them?

[mrveggieman]

LOL really?

Chris Rock was doing a skit once in front of a bunch of white people. He told him that none of them would switch places with him if they had the chance even though he has more money than any of them. He brought up an interesting point.

[ajcorleone]

It is an interesting point and yes there iss till rampant racism in America but i think we are past the slavery and Rosa Parks eras of it.If you look at civil service jobs or city job like in Harrisburg PA you get preference in the following order.1. military service 2. race. 3 gender then all other like test scored and qualifications come into play.I think there is more advantage now.

Chris Rock was doing a skit once in front of a bunch of white people. He told him that none of them would switch places with him if they had the chance even though he has more money than any of them. He brought up an interesting point.