I'm reading a book for class about African American's voyages back to Africa-one of these people's names is Keith Richburg and he makes me VERY ANGRY.
Richburg is a reporter for the Washington Post who went to East Africa while Somalia's government (or lack thereof) was undergoing great trouble with warring clans and famine. Richburg quickly grew frustrated with Africa, claiming that Africans were "self-destructive" and "backwards", and even praising South Africa's apartheid regime, saying it looked almost American with its shopping malls and paved roads. Richburg had the gall to go to Goree, a site of slave transport in Dakar, Senegal, and praise the Africans who left centuries ago (in chains) leaving their backwards brothers behind.
*deep breath*
RICHBURG YOU ARE AN IDIOT! By making broad generalizations about the African condition, by not going over the history of the places you were studying, by insulting African women (calling them "easy") and by praising a racist regime, you made an absolute fool of yourself (imho).
However, this also goes to show that it's impossible to report on something without putting your own twist onto it. Unfortunately, Richburg's twist was ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
Journalism isn't about putting down some people and praising others. Journalism isn't about persuasion. Journalism is about exposure, exposure of problems in society, humans rights issues, corrupt politicians, environmental problems, and any injustice in this world! (And a myriad of other things!)
GAH!
Of course he'd be a reporter for the Washington Post (it's so conservative).
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