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I’m done being nice and cordial with some of my local media colleagues who don’t get it or don’t have a clue. I don’t care what outlet you work for. I don’t mind speaking with you when you’re out of line. An example:
Years ago, I saw a post from a former colleague Lucas Phelan, at that time assistant program director and personality at KDWB. I was in Kansas City hosting middays at the time. In his post, he justified Freddie Gray’s death at the hands of the Baltimore Police. I was floored.
He said that Gray had a prior record and basically he wasn’t worthy of humane treatment from the authorities. He was as outraged and called him out. Many former colleagues and associates of both of us chimed in. I tried my best to talk him out of this ridiculous take.
But he didn’t care. Because I “thought” he was a friend, I extended my hand to him. I told him that I would be back home over Thanksgiving and would love to talk to him face to face, look him in his eyes so he could see where I was coming from. To educate him. He didn’t say yes.
That would’ve great. He didn’t say no either. I could deal with that too. Cool. He ignored me and never said a word. That to me was the WORST thing to do. I lost all respect for him. But what he thought was that because he was with a cool radio station that played black music,
that he really knew Black people. No, Lucas knew nothing about the black experience.
I love the city of Minneapolis and I love the state of Minnesota. This is my home. But with the lack of diversity in media here, there are many stations that will attempt to talk about issues that affect Black people, but have nobody to give perspective. Major problem. So I ask
my white friends in the media to continue to educate yourself and also hire people of color to be able to help you articulate the societal problems that we all face. There are many folks I love and talk to all the time that get it. @KFANRosen @JonKrawczynski @ByKatieDavidson
@janashortal truly get it. I will not stand by and let others speak recklessly and not approach them.
