Chicago Mayor Refuses Interview with White Journalists | Abroad

Lightfoot is known for its anti-racism agenda and support for Black Lives Matter. She finds it “a shame that in a city where half of the inhabitants are black, Latino, Asian or Indian, the press force is overwhelmingly white,” said the 58-year-old Democrat. “Our media should reflect that multiculturalism.”

The mayor instructs news companies to actively hire people of color, give them a chance as journalists, and investigate whether underground prejudices are present.

Ben Shapiro, an Orthodox Jewish and conservative political commentator for The Daily Wire, calls the action “ pure racism ” in his podcast. Latino reporter Gregory Pratt of the Chicago Tribune is also critical. He said that because of the issue, the newspaper has put an end to an interview that was scheduled. “It is not up to politicians to determine who writes about them.”

Black journalists

Not even the National Association of Black Journalists support the decision. It is a daring action that rightly addresses an important theme, says the organization. “But we never condone the exclusion of journalists, even if it is only for one day and to make a point,” said the advocate for journalists of color. Yet there are also some black and also white journalists who speak of a justified action.

Some journalists point out that the mayor invariably declines interview requests about abuses involving minorities. The civil mother would also complain about requests for public information, as regulated by law.

Racism

However, the majority of politicians, commentators and opinion makers seem predominantly critical, cynical and shocked. Many Republican commentators, black or Latino, among others, do not agree with the mayor’s action.

A well-known entrepreneur says: “There is a word for this: racism.” A local journalist also speaks of racism. According to another, “Martin Luther King turns over in his grave.”

The editor-in-chief of The Triibe, which explicitly focuses on the black community in America’s third city, responds positively to the decision. “This is a daily struggle for black journalists in Chicago. Let’s talk about that, instead of the people who complain that they don’t get access for a day. ”

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