How our side needs to talk to biased liberal reporters with an agenda
Kristin Collins, a reporter with the Raleigh, North Carolina
News & Observer, sent an e-mail to William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration:
I’d like to talk to you either this afternoon or tomorrow for a story I’m working on. I can explain in more detail what it’s about when you call. My number is below.
Thanks,
Kristin
Gheen replied (and distributed the e-mail to anti-illegal immigration activists):
Ms. Collins:
No thanks. I cannot count on receiving any semblance of fair treatment from you or the News and Observer. You and your publication are part of the political opposition. You have a political agenda and that agenda is more important to you than accurately reporting on issues, organizations, or individuals. Your bias has been so pervasive and consistent, I do not see any reason I should even spend my time conducting an interview.
Furthermore, I do not feel that you should be writing articles about immigration matters, considering the fact that so many people clearly see your political bias, which is prevalent in article after article you produce on this matter. Most of the time, you are more interested in trying to put a burn on groups and leaders in our movement. I’m sick and tired of the legendary N&O smear machine.
Last month you lied in your article claiming we only had a dozen people at our rally and press conference at the legislature, when we had over thirty people. You constantly write sob stories about poor illegal aliens who can’t get everything they want from mean old Americans, while you ignore the gang rapes and murders, lost jobs, lost wages, lost homes, and lost medical and educational resources taken from innocent Americans.
Your opinions should not affect your reporting. If you want to engage in opinion writing, then write an editorial or go to work for a campaign or group instead of a newspaper.
If you are trying to contact me for a story, it most likely means you see some opportunity to try and chalk up points for illegal aliens in NC or smear my cause. I would advise any allied leader or organization to simply refuse to be a party to your political creative writing.
I look forward to the day when the N&O has to close down because the “drive by” media can’t compete, now that your monopolies on information have been destroyed. More people are learning each week how you abuse your power in the media. It is no wonder that McClatchy is scrambling to build a new market among Spanish speaking immigrants and illegal aliens. You all are in search of new suckers, now that the American public has had about enough of you.
Your days of control and manipulation of politics in this state are numbered and I hope they will let me volunteer, when the time comes for demolition crews to pull your old presses out into the street for proper disposal.
People in my state are dying and suffering greatly due to illegal immigration. The abuses of media ethics which are so prevalent in your writings and the N&O share the blame for that.
William Gheen
Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (www.alipac.us)
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The correspondent who forwarded the exchange to me said that Gheen’s reply to Collins reminded him of my reply to Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center a few years ago.
- end of initial entry -
Mark Jaws writes:
My anti-illegal immigration group here in Virginia has received very good press and radio coverage. Of course, it helps to have a handsomely charming spokesman for your group who can flatter the female reporter with those delicate little compliments which the ladies always find so appealing.
LA replies:
Gosh, I just didn’t think of that when Beirich wrote to me. But maybe you’re on to something.
Mark Jaws replies:
I am not kidding. I have flattered three different reporterettes and have gotten good coverage every time. One of them was a black female and she had come equipped with the standard race stereotypes of her own. She could not believe that a white conservative could grow up in a low-income housing project with Puerto Ricans, and, who could speak Spanish to boot. She wrote a very objective article on my group, which I sent to you months ago.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at July 20, 2008 03:13 PM | Send