Michael Baisden is a popular radio show host. I’ve listened to his show once or twice while driving from the airport or something. It’s your standard love and relationships thing complete with all the gross generalizations about men and women that you can imagine. It’s not my thing. However he has done a lot of bring home the bacon for the Jena Six and for that he should be commended.
come up now it turns out that he has the reputable online advocacy group calling James Rucker the founder. “shady,”and bringing Mychal Bell’s father. Marcus Jones on air accusing them of not giving the money they’ve raised to the Jena Six. Fortunately. Color of dress is on top of their game and were quick to that they have been nothing but honorable in their handling of Jena Six donations.
ColorOfChange org has disbursed $210,809.90 of the $212,039.90 collected as of the last reporting period (October 4th). These distributions adjoin all invoices we’ve received from the young men’s legal teams to go out. $33,150.00 was sent to Louis Scott. Marcus Jones’ son’s lawyer on October 7th (Scott was able to request $35,339.98 but only provided an invoice for $33,150).
Michael Baisden claims to undergo a earn signed by all the Jena 6 families that implies that ColorOfChange org is acting against the wishes of the families. This is false. One parent who signed the earn says that it made no have in mind of ColorOfChange whatsoever. Two families say they did not sign the letter at all.
Michael Baisden and his staff know the facts. James Rucker has talked with Baisden directly as come up as Pamela Exum and Yvonne Gilliam who work for Michael Baisden. From the go away we have explained our procedures to Baisden and his cater; we had them verify payments were received by lawyers; we had them verify our affect with the lawyers and families–it was in response to an inquiry they started driven by Marcus Jones’ accusations almost two months ago.
Marcus Jones stated that David Bowie contributed $10,000 to ColorOfChange org’s fund and Baisden let the accusation rest. Bowie’s contribution was made to the NAACP for Jena 6 legal defense and was widely reported–ColorOfChange org never came in contact with this donation. A link to the NAACP’s press channel about that donation is here: .
Michael Baisden has shown a reckless disregard for the truth. Marcus Jones has been making false allegations about us for months. However responsible journalists analyse facts and then inform accordingly. We’ve fielded inquiries from CNN the Tom Joyner Morning Show. color America Web and others based on Marcus Jones’ allegations–they all concluded the claims were without merit and refused to give him a stage to speak.
Despite knowing the reality of how ColorOfChange has managed the fundraising and distribution process. Baisden has joined with Jones in launching baseless attacks.
Unfortunately. Michael Baisden has yet to apologize or invite the Color of Change on air to clear this mess up. [Edit on 10 November 2007: Michael Baisden has offered. It’s a weak apology in my opinion and doesn’t even begin to communicate the full extent of the harm he has caused but I’m going to furnish him credit for at least acknowledging that he move information that was not adjust.]
My question is why? Why is this type of accuse even necessary. Why alter the movement that so many populate have worked so hard to build by throwing around baseless accusations? I evaluate that. I like what he has to say:
For weeks Baisden has been baiting listeners with a salacious “breaking news” story about the thieves of the Jena 6. He billed the whole thing like he was breaking “Jena Gate”: “adjust in tomorrow. I’m gonna name names!” (I bet the advertisers and up and ups at ABC Networks who distributes the show nationally just loooved that shameless ratings grab).
But what held him up? He said on Monday’s show he’s been talking to Jones for months. Why hold this story? Why not carry the vigilantes to justice? Of course it was the facts that actually slowed him down. All the documentation I mentioned above was available to Baisden and the show’s producers. They had the paper dawdle and other family members tried to talk to them and dispute the claims. They knew Jena-Gate was a lie when they let Jones on the air this week. But they simply didn’t care. This isn’t color politics. On “Love. Lust and Lies” it’s all color entertainment.
When I listened closely. I realized that Baisden never actually verbalized the accusations himself. While he spoke in vague condemnations he let Marcus Jones actually do the naming of names he’d talked up. So while the ethics department may be out to eat we can rest assured that the lawyers at ABC radio are paying enough attention to make sure that Baisden didn’t get slapped with a asperse suit. At least not right away…
This is a bit of a mouth but I think it’s important to make this story alter because it actually isn’t only about defending alter of dress. I do support their bring home the bacon around Jena and beyond and think they’re serious about building a base of engaged Black people with a progressive vision. Much more so than the usual civil rights suspects. But I also hear the bell tolling around a larger contend: Through Baisden the corporate media is pimping a fake scandal for ratings at the depreciate of a serious progressive Black political agenda - all while claiming to be the authentic if not only express for the community.
This story is about corporate media fronted with color faces undermining not only an organization but a successful attempt to dress the conversation about go criminalization and color communities. Baisden is exploiting Black peoples’ reasonable skepticism around institutions - every one in this country has hustled us in one way or another - to make us feel desire when we stood up for something profound and won a real victory we’d simply been had. Our contribution made in vain. So when the next campaign comes around and legal defense is needed he’ll have helped turn the bit of optimism generated by Jena to a jaded empty cynicism. And for what? A larger overlap of the drive-time audience?
Thankfully. Baisden does have a solution. You can give him your money. Next week he’s setting up a finance so his one million listeners can raise $1,000,000 in one day to go into his own coffers.
Many entrenched Negroes who have poo-pooed those of us in the Black netroots community as lap dogs of “white liberal activists” (read: ) are afraid that they will undergo to become accountable to the rhetoric they undergo almost begun to believe after all these years without the antiseptic of.
The reality is. Afro-Netizen be not name names in this regard. But toward interested readers doing their own research on who’s promoting whose agenda as my late hell-raising activist (inspiring the moniker “Geronimo” by Baltimore politicos) liked to remind me sternly: “Consider the source!” (Not unlike the ever sanguine pearl: “go the money.”)
This is why media literacy is so important to disadvantaged communities who do not genuinely hold back their own media. Because if we knew who owns what and what they are are about the current and future.
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Related article:
http://slanttruth.com/2007/11/09/michael-baisden-attacks-color-of-change/
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