Mainstream Media Absent as Activists Against Racism Movement Delivers 700 Signatures
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October 18, 2009 - On Friday, October 16, 2009, (14th anniversary of the historic Million Man March and 150th anniversary of John Brown's insurrection at Harpers Ferry, WV) AARM members and supporters delivered approximately 700 signatures of Rochester city residents to Federal Prosecuting Attorney Douglas E. Gregory's extravagant home, located in one of Penfield, New York's plushest neighborhoods (24 Dundas Road) --- that is, neighborhoods where houses routinely cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The petitions denounced the current racist and absurd use of the RICO statute in a case against 24 poor African-American men and women from one of Rochester, New York's poorest neighborhoods (located in the so-called Northeast Crescent).
Why didn't you read, hear, or see this reported by the mainstream media? One major reason why is because, roughly nine months after AARM reached out to all major media in Rochester and engaged them in dialogue and interactions with communities of color --- in attempts to help them regain sight (if indeed they ever had it) relative to the errors of their ways concerning their institutional role in helping to perpetuate individual and institutionalized racism --- they have seemingly slipped back into their comfortable niche of unofficial, yet clear agents as the collective mouth-piece of the wealthy and well-to-do. As it relates to the mainstream media reporting on anything other than (for the most part) shootings, murders, and other types of violence within communities of color, we are now back to ground-zero.
If it was not so sad and sick, it would be ironic that mere hours before AARM delivered the petition to Gregory's home, 15-year-old Tyquan Rivera stood in a courtroom in Rochester, NY where he was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed under law --- for having been found guilty of shooting a Rochester police officer. And of course, all mainstream media outlets were there. Not only were they present, which was to be expected, but symbolically, they were operating like a pack of blood-thirsty, rabid wolves. The following quote is but a small example of the extraordinary measures taken by representatives of mainstream media institutions --- in order to ensure that they would be able to provide blow-by-blow coverage of that which some have referred to as a "miscarriage and mockery of justice, and legal-lynching" of young Tyquan Rivera: "Valentino ruled yesterday that the Democrat and Chronicle will be allowed to take still photographs throughout the entire sentencing. One media representative will be allowed to shoot video of the sentencing. The video will be shared by all media outlets that made formal requests to Valentino prior to yesterday's hearing. Laptop computers will also be allowed during the sentencing. Starting at 9:30 a.m., today you can view a combination of live video and a live blog on our live video page. To view the live blog only, you can click on our live blog page."
Others insist that the only way in which the Rivera situation could even come close to resembling true justice is if Rochester Police Department officer Kevin Mack is dismissed from his position with the RPD, arrested, and charged with first-degree assault for allegedly "beating the crap out of Tyquan --- shortly before the misguided youth made a foolish decision --- in an attempt to get even with officer Mack." It is most interesting that the local, black-owned, radio station WDKX has a recording, in which a man called into a talk show --- after the shooting took place --- to say that there is concrete evidence that officer Mack is in fact guilty of beating the crap out of Tyquan just before the shooting took place. Of course, Mack's alleged brutality against Tyquan does not represent a legitimate reason or excuse to pick up a weapon, but the Rochester Police Department, the broader Rochester community, and particularly mainstream media, are (to say the least) hypocritical for not pursuing an investigation of Mack's alleged brutality against Tyquan. With regard to Mack, Tyquan and, the shooting, the following perspective, which was reported in the Democrat and Chronicle is interesting to say the very least: "Rivera was convicted Sep. 4 of attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault following a four-day trial. He was accused of taking a 22-caliber rifle and aiming it at Officer Kevin Mack, with whom he had had a confrontation moments earlier." "Confrontation"? Right.
Even though AARM issued a press release on October 16th, which was sent to all local media, most were too busy (all day and half of the night) covering the Tyquan Rivera case and other such tragic situations to even consider showing up at Douglas E. Gregory's estate.
We predict that the day will come when mainstream media institutions will necessarily rethink their supposed "fair and objective" journalistic roles, if for no other reason, because they will need to --- in order to regain their dwindling market-share relative to readership, listenership and viewership --- as more and more people turn to non-traditional, non-mainstream, and independent sources such as Indymedia, Minority Reporter, Challenger, and Smugtown Beacon for their NEWS.
Please click on the link below to see a video of AARM members and supporters --- delivering the above-referenced petition to the extravagant home and plush neighborhood in which Federal Prosecutor Douglas E. Gregory resides.
