Fox - Fair And Balanced, Or Racist And Xenophobic?

For qualification, reading my blog will tell you I am a card carrying member of the Conservative Right. I loathe Political Correctness, multiculturalism and anything which hints at a hyphenated America of some kind.

When Fox News first came on the scene I welcomed it as a seemingly Fair and Balanced alternative to the MSM. Truth be told, as regards Brit Hume and Fox's serious news component, I still do. Hume is perhaps my favorite anchor and the majority of the serious punditry at Fox I find to be first rate.

Unfortunately, I also have serious concern as to how those opinions can continue to weather assault from the Left when that facet of Fox is broadcast on a network which I have all but concluded is racist and xenophobic, or at least content to fuel such evil sentiments in viewers attitudes and perceptions. Those biases are the worst of all of us, certainly. And it is near impossible to conclude other than that they have become Fox's stock in trade.

My observations are based upon some observance of Fox News' evening component of faux-news entertainment shows billed as news, such as On The Record and Hannity and Colms. Without dredging up details uninteresting to a political or media audience, permit me to briefly qualify the context for my observations prior to pointing out the facts supporting my accusations.

I covered the Natalee Holloway disappearance in great depth. And now another topical possible criminal case has been occupying Fox late entertainment news. I am referring to the allegations of rape at Duke. There are few if any genuine, absolutely document-able facts known to the general public in either of those two cases. Consequently, when covering them, perception, point of view and inference is everything.

The stark contrast between Fox's editorial decision-making around those two different cases demonstrates their incredible bias likely geared toward stoking up their audience and fueling the repugnant sentiments of racism and xenophobia among their viewership.

In the Holloway matter, a white, blond Alabama teenager remains missing, last known to be in the company of a Dutch National and two dark-skinned Surinamese boys. At Duke, it is a case of the white and privileged being rightly or wrongly accused of rape by a black exotic dancer / student / Mother / college student.

So, what is it that Fox decides to do, keeping in mind that no real facts exist for them or the public to know at the time? In the Duke case, a prosecutor still insists there is reason to suspect a crime. I am not suggesting I am of that view. I, like most, including Fox, really just don't know.

In the Holloway case the Dutch boy has been called every kind of name by Fox, including rapist, child pornographer, and repeat sexual abuser, all without any proof. His Father is a judge, which has repeatedly been suggested to be all but proof positive that it is only cronyism and corruption which has kept the young man out of jail. Does anyone think for a minute that there might not be a few judges among the parents of members of the Lacrosse team at Duke? But no such suggestion has or will ever be made by Faux News. It wouldn't play to its audience, I suppose.

In the Duke case we hear from these faux pundits at Faux News that we must be patient ... that we must gather the facts. No need to rush to judgment when it's American white boys who might eventually be hung for an alleged assault on some trifling black go go dancer. But it simply wasn't so for the Surinamese or the Dutch. Why they have to be guilty Fox has consistently spewed to its audience almost from the time the story began.

In fact, Fox has smeared an entire island, Aruba, a colorful island, to be sure, without giving it a thought. And they haven't spared Holland, a loyal American ally either. They went so far as to be complicit in support of a boycott of the colorful island of Aruba without any evidence of a crime. I wonder, will they call for America's graduating high school seniors to also boycott Duke? Don't hold your breath.

To be clear, I am not suggesting the students at Duke are or are not guilty of some crime. It at least appears as perhaps they might not be. That is not my point.

My point is that if you are white, from middle to upper class, with Fox, you might at least get a chance to state your case. But if you happen to not be American, or a dark skinned exotic dancer with two kids ... sorry, I wouldn't be too sure.

My fear, as a serious Conservative, is not whatever happens as regards Fox's faux late eveing news. It is the irreparable harm such pathetic hate mongering might do to Fox's serious news content which has so refreshingly and finally given a voice to the Right.