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May-22-2010 12:26printcomments

FOX News: Racism 101 and John Stossel

FOX's Stossel has arguably gone beyond Beck, echoing segregationist arguments from the Jim Crow era; it's time for him to go.

John Stossel
John Stossel is on a ride that's ending; working for FOX at all in the U.S. is totally down in the dirt in terms of journalism, but now he personifies it.

(NEW YORK) - Last Wednesday, Rand Paul, the GOP’s US Senate candidate for Kentucky repeated his claim that a central piece of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was wrong, and that businesses should be free to discriminate against whomever they please[1].

Paul and his supporters don’t seem to care that without federal intervention, Black people might still be second-class citizens in many aspects of American life: where we eat, where we work, even where we live.

Then, on Thursday, FOX anchor John Stossel went even further, calling for the section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that applies to business to be repealed[1].

And he’s refused to back down.

While Paul may have started this outrage, he can be taken care of at the ballot box — FOX News can’t.

Stossel’s position is an affront to Black America and everyone in this country who believes in racial progress. It’s one thing to be a candidate with backwards views. It’s another to be employed by a supposed news network and to use that platform to push hateful ideas that our nation repudiated decades ago.

It’s time that FOX drop Stossel. If people like you stand up in huge numbers and FOX does not act, it will be clear that FOX stands with Stossel and his values — and we'll go directly after the network with a public campaign unlike anything we’ve pursued to date.

Can you add your voice to the call to fire Stossel? And please ask your friends and family to do the same. It takes only a moment — just click: colorofchange.org/stossel/?id=1664-1140074

FOX has a history of providing a platform for bigoted views and race-baiting. Most recently you helped us hold FOX accountable by stripping Glenn Beck of more than 100 of his advertisers, after Beck called President Obama a “racist” with a “deep-seated hatred for white people.” [3]

But Stossel has arguably gone beyond Beck, echoing segregationist arguments from the Jim Crow era:

"It’s time now to repeal that part of the law because private businesses ought to get to discriminate. And I won’t ever go to a place that’s racist and I will tell everybody else not to and I’ll speak against them. But it should be their right to be racist."

Stossel went on to argue something that history has disproved time and again — that private business will do the right thing, without being compelled by laws, because no one would patronize a business that discriminates. It’s a blind belief in market fundamentalism that just isn’t in sync with reality.

In the '60s, white-owned businesses that allowed Blacks as customers lost business. Market forces actually perpetuated discrimination; they didn’t combat it. Simply put: segregation would still be active in parts of this country if government hadn’t stepped in.

And recent history has shown that the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act is still needed. In 1994, it was used to hold Denny’s Restaurants accountable, after the chain repeatedly refused to seat Black customers[4].

Just last year, it was used to go after a Philadelphia pool that prevented Black children from swimming there[5].

It’s time for FOX News to make a choice. Are they going to give Stossel a platform to revive dangerously outdated perspectives?

Or will they move with the rest of the nation into the 21st century? Please call on FOX News to fire John Stossel. And once you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same: colorofchange.org/stossel/?id=1664-1140074

Thanks and Peace,

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Milton and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team May 22nd, 2010

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU -- your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

References:

[1] “Rand Paul On ‘Maddow’ Defends Criticism Of Civil Rights Act, Says He Would Have Worked To Change Bill,” Huffington Post, 5-20-10

[2] “Stossel calls for repeal of public accommodations section of Civil Rights Act,” Media Matters, 5-20-10

[3] “Beck’s UK broadcast runs without ads; over 100 companies have ditched Beck,” Jack and Jill Politics, 2-16-10

[4] “Denny’s Restaurants to Pay $54 Million in Race Bias Suits,” 5-25-94

[5] “Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Country Club Alleging Discrimination,” US Department of Justice press release, 1-13-10

Additional:

“Dancing with the Devil,” ColorOfChange.org, 3-14-07

Summary on FOX News and coverage relating to Black Americans




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OldStory June 3, 2010 11:20 am (Pacific time)

It is odd, those who are most often racist will be the first to say "well, I am not racist and don't support this view, BUT people should have their freedoms to be racist if they so choose."  You know, just as those who say something blatantly racist and then will exclaim, "but I have black friends!"  Those who live in a bubble and don't know what to do with themselves when they find their behinds being beat for saying something dumb.

Go figure.  One day people will wake up and figure out that the minorities have banded together and things won't be so pretty ;)  Be careful.


Sheldon Richman May 29, 2010 8:15 am (Pacific time)

You say, "Market forces actually perpetuated discrimination." Nonsense. Physical force perpetuated discrimination,namely, government sanctioned private violence and harassment. (Ever hear of the KKK?) Get your facts straight.


Honest White Liberal May 26, 2010 8:15 pm (Pacific time)

Even though it violates the American values of private property and freedom of speech and association, minorities need special protection from the superior white race because they are too stupid to protest a racist business and too obtuse to benefit by accepting all races at their businesses. They also need help getting into good schools because of the guilt we feel when all "the help" is non-white. Since we're wealthy and have special loopholes in the tax code, we don't care how big or expensive the government gets. Let the middle class pay for all that debt!   John Stossel and Rand Paul are racists because saying so will help the Washington elites stay in power. It doesn't matter that they were merely defending the right for racists to associate with racists. We know that 95% of blacks vote for us because they think republicans are racist. Why do they think that? Because we tell them what to believe, just like their slave masters did. Never mind more Republicans voted for the CRA than Democrats. Democrats just have to cater to their sense of victimhood in exchange for votes. "Wanna know why Whitey has more than you? Cuz he took it from you!"


Travis May 26, 2010 7:59 pm (Pacific time)

Obviously you don't get it. Government WAS the cause of segregation, they inacted the Jim Crow laws and forced businesses to segregate. The free market is blind. It doesn't care about your race because it wants to make money. If government did not enact the Civil Rights Act we would be about the same as we are now. Honestly, can you name anything the government does better than the private sector?–excluding the d.o.d.


Scam May 25, 2010 8:19 pm (Pacific time)

"Simply put: segregation would still be active in parts of this country if government hadn’t stepped in." Wasn't it the government that originally stepped in to enforce segregation? I thought this was suppose to be a free country? Good job supporting the destruction of freedom.


Henry Clay Ruark May 23, 2010 12:06 pm (Pacific time)

  Re Ayn Rand philosophy, impact on both Pauls, on Greenspan, on others, and on economic debacle-ties, see:
 
  Why Rand Paul’s “Internally Consistent Philosophy” May Be Worse than Racism
 
  Rand Paul’s supporters are pushing back against this whole  Civil Rights Act brouhaha by arguing that he’s not motivated by animosity towards people of color or fondness for segregation, but is simply a consistent, principled libertarian. I have no problem accepting that. But if you think about it, it’s truly a terrible defense. What he’s saying is that he wholeheartedly embraces equal treatment for all, but that private property rights trump that social good. That may be a perfectly acceptable position to take if the social good is, for example, some sort of environmental regulation. But here the issue is whether private businesses should be allowed to discriminate on the basis of race. Equal treatment for minorities is a bedrock principle of our liberal democracy."

  Article accessed on Alternet easy to find and read...


Henry Clay Ruark May 23, 2010 10:33 am (Pacific time)

  Stossel as defender of true liberty ?
 
  What he defends is outmoded, long-disproven, rational error-filled Libertarianism, deathly illegitimate spawn of 17th-18th Century philosophy fundamentally rejected in the Federalist Papers, and by our Founders when they invented our form of "experiment in democracy".

  His show is well-produced precisely to perpetrate-more since it pays extremely well; that's why he's on Fox, a part of Murdoch-made massive malign propaganda channels.

  To perpetrate more-of-same in early years of 21st Century is to force step-backwards in true definition of "freedom", which pragmatic forces today have progessed concept to fact of personal responsibilities beyond that ONLY of self.
 
  That's plainly-stated and provably factual dissent...SO let us hear any "defense"-- that's what freedom and dialog are all about...


Henry Clay Ruark May 22, 2010 12:51 pm (Pacific time)

  Thank you for undeniable fact re heavy continuing impact of racism on our American values and lifestyle.

  Please note Rand-name comes by father's choice from Ayn Rand, notorious libertarian known chiefly for selfish acts to preserve her false-values philosophy, now seen to have guided Greespan et al in the actions NOT taken by Feds,thus allowing housing-market collapse, triggering worldwide recession still damaging each of us.

  See current OpEds for same impacts on educational reform  and progress...


Craig K May 25, 2010 2:34 pm (Pacific time)

Sorry Salem-News, you're wrong on this one. Where did Jim Crow laws come from? Institutionalized racism via the government - forcing businesses to segregate and not serve people of other races. I always thought we were supposed to accept the good with the bad when it comes to freedom? It's certainly true with freedom of speech, why is it different with freedom of association? Racism and segregation would have gone away a lot quicker if there weren't laws enforcing it.


aphen May 25, 2010 1:55 pm (Pacific time)

What is worse? Bigotry? Or using violence against bigots? This article is both bigoted and advocates the government using violence to solve problems. While, Stossel actually advocates a non-violent, anti-bigotry solution.


Liberals are Racists May 25, 2010 1:21 pm (Pacific time)

Liberals, listen to yourselves. You are some very hateful and racist people who spend all day pointing your grubby fingers ate EVERYONE ELSE. Look in the mirror. The man said that the GOVERNMENT shouldn't be allowed to pick and choose but that PEOPLE should. You whine and cry about astracization of a race of people WHLE YOU BLATANTLY TRY TO OSTRACIZE PEOPLE. What hypocrisy. This country USED to allow free speech, now it only allows liberal's hate speech.


RG May 25, 2010 10:39 am (Pacific time)

Congratulations Salem News! Through your leadership we may be able to bring about fully enforced government bigotry for everyone! Yes we can!


KnippRS May 25, 2010 8:40 am (Pacific time)

Stossel is absolutely right! There are, in the case of serving the public, competing interests, but I believe strongly in the right to discriminate as an element of free speech! It may offend some, but it is an absolute right to think however one wishes to think.


Dan B May 25, 2010 8:08 am (Pacific time)

I see the author went out of his way to find a wide range of references for this article: Huffing-and-Puffington Post, Media Matters, Jack and Jill ... gosh, there's no liberal bias there!


Staunch Black Dem May 25, 2010 6:47 am (Pacific time)

Even a racist has a right to have certain jobs. If Fox fires Stossel, FOX MUST FIRE MOST OF IT COMMENTATORS.


Sully May 24, 2010 9:07 pm (Pacific time)

Dear Tea Party and libertarians, The "I'm not a racist, but private business has the right to be" defense sounds a lot like you are a racist and a bit of a coward that won't admit it.


Daniel May 24, 2010 7:38 pm (Pacific time)

I liked John Stossel better when he was part of the village people ! I think he was the cowboy or was he the cop . WMCA it's fun to be at the WMCA .


Gary May 24, 2010 3:06 pm (Pacific time)

I never understood how John Stossel lasted so long at 20/20. I stopped watching it because I was tired of his idiotic beliefs. Why on earth Fox hired this loser is beyond me. He needs to go.


Anonymous May 24, 2010 7:30 am (Pacific time)

Ersun it actually sounds like you are describing MSNBC. If you ever spent much time watching FOX you would see that they have their news programs and their opinion programs. They always have people from all ideological viewpoints on their shows, while outfits like MSNBC simply put out cherry-picked items that are woven into their propaganda. Since FOX is growing their audiences and all other cable networks like CNN and MSNBC are losing market share, it's obvious the intelligent Americans have made their choice. This is how the free market system works, and what do FOX's opponents do? They just continue to spit in that headwin.


Ersun Warncke May 23, 2010 4:24 pm (Pacific time)

Those hiding behind libertarianism and individual freedom arguments are nothing but liars and hypocrites. Businesses are subject to regulations that intrude on their practices to a far greater extent, and have a much greater effect on their profits, than anti-discrimination laws. Why focus on business regulation related to racial discrimination? Obviously, it is only a way of asserting a racist viewpoint, while maintaining plausible deniability. Fox's script writers are masters of this kind of propaganda. The purpose is to attract, appeal to, and give validity to the views of an audience that clings to racist ideologies. Racist propaganda is used to divide and conquer, spread fear, and prime people to vote for demagogue politicians on an irrational emotional basis. This is a well established formula, and there is no question that this is what Fox does on a regular basis. That being the case, I don't really care what puppet actor reads the script. They can get rid of this D-Bag, and they will just get another D-Bag to read the teleprompter. There is no shortage.


Fox News and the Stoopid Pack May 23, 2010 2:04 pm (Pacific time)

The "followers" of Fox "news" would be doing themselves a favor by turning it off. Except for their Fox Across America segments, they are basically cats playing with mice. They have you their followers cornered and pretty much tell them what to feel about any given thing at any given moment. I'm sure they make bets about this kind of thing all of the time.. how far can they go..? It's opinion, right? Not news.


Seriously May 23, 2010 1:52 pm (Pacific time)

Hard to believe Oregon is such a hateful place. Seriously. Didnt realize there were so many racists here. Amusingly pitiful.


tbone May 23, 2010 12:04 pm (Pacific time)

What a fool! Stossel is a JEW and god knows if Stossel was around when Hitler and them creamy faced Nazi youths were pulling out their gold filling, stealing their art work, using their skin as leather bags(one of the more sickening atrocities the nazis did) and throwing them into ovens(ALIVE!) he wouldn't be kissing the white man's a** like this. He talks about freedom to discriminate and that is what the Nazi did to the jews and to this day the Jews feel that hate. John Stossel is a jewish coon kissing the white man's a** for a buck. What a sell out.


Henry Clay Ruark May 23, 2010 10:20 am (Pacific time)

Michael: Mine re Greenspan attitude and actions stemming from Ayn Rand teachings reflects his known statements, and was so reported in national source. Due to move, files now in chaos so cannot cite and send for "see with own eyes", but it is indisputable fact. SO is known fact about Fed chief Bernanke, too, whose doctoral dissertation was on Great Depression causes and how to prevent --yet his Fed actions failed to apply his own findings when desperately needed...that,too, from better national sources than you or me, mere observers while best trained reporters seek out the best possible sources and then cite what they learn... Take care, and always seek out the source and its telling background...sometimes more revealing than the report.


JTaylo May 23, 2010 7:57 am (Pacific time)

Right so we are supposed to repeal laws that pertain to food safety,public education,guns,? Allowing racism is RACIST!


phil May 22, 2010 9:01 pm (Pacific time)

yes, such class, go after the guy who supports freedom. Stossel has integrity because he always supports freedom, even when the position is unpopular. tonight he defended the right to view pornography, he defended the right to burn the American flag. yes, what class to try to silence the guy who defends everyone's right to not be silenced.


lola May 22, 2010 5:10 pm (Pacific time)

These Fox dudes are sooo BCE.


Inner Anarchy May 22, 2010 2:21 pm (Pacific time)

Liberals can't handle true freedom. Stossel made it very clear that he is not a racist and would not support a racist buisness. But that's not enough for the statist witch-hunters. Now just supporting the (righteous) idea of free association without state interference make you a racist. The evil of Liberalism knows no end. I'm sure colorofchange.org is a real diverse group too haha. Echo of Jim Crow? You are clueless. Jim Crow laws were STATE INTERVENTION. That is exactly what Stossel is arguing against. It is just over the Liberal's heads.


Rob May 22, 2010 1:47 pm (Pacific time)

Grow up, Did you forget we live in a free country with free speech? Stossel is one of the greatest consumer avocates ever and helps millions of people daily.


trey May 22, 2010 9:04 pm (Pacific time)

you are calling for the man who defends everyone's right to not be silenced...to be silenced. Wow, you probably won't get it, but everyone else will. Stossel defends unpopular ideas such as the right to view strong pornography and the right to burn the American flag. He is consistent in supporting freedom. What exactly are you supporting here? mob rule? conformity?


Anonymous May 22, 2010 6:56 pm (Pacific time)

Republican candidate Rand Paul's controversial remarks on the 1964 Civil Rights Act unsettled GOP leaders this week, but they reflect deeply held iconoclastic beliefs held by some in his party, and many in the tea-party movement, that the U.S. government shook its constitutional moorings more than 70 years ago. Mr. Paul and his supporters rushed to emphasize that his remarks did not reflect racism but a sincerely held, libertarian belief that the federal government, starting in the Roosevelt era, gained powers that set the stage for decades of improper intrusions on private businesses.


baconbits May 22, 2010 6:45 pm (Pacific time)

Stossel is awesome. You'll never make me hate being white and living in the suburbs. I do ask you to pay some lip service to the Nazis for being mean to my ancestors in the Czech Republic. K, Thanks


Michael May 22, 2010 6:34 pm (Pacific time)

Mr. Ruark in your below comment you claim that Greenspan's actions incorporating with Ayn Rand's false values caused the housing market collapse? Wow! Thanks for the update. Stossel is certainly no racist, in fact he's far removed from that state of mind. Maybe Jayzee would be a better candidate for one in the public eye that causes considerable influence to our children. Just look at his lyrics that are available on the net. Not sure what his address is, but he is a regular guest at the Whitehouse, so I imagine they have his address if further inquiry be needed.


mike May 22, 2010 5:13 pm (Pacific time)

I find this attack piece absurd. How can you call Stossel racist and an advocate of jim crow laws? Should the government tell private businesses who they can and can not serve? As far as adults are concerned, Its a good question. John stossel is a died in the wool libertarian. He isnt for inteventionist anti-racism laws and he most definitly is not for re-enacting the racism laws either. How could you make up that conclusion? Your emotional insults are sad and baseless. On a side not the market forces work both ways. My white grandmother in Massachusetts kicked racist salesmen out of her house in her younger days.


Henry Clay Ruark May 22, 2010 3:35 pm (Pacific time)

IA: Since when has regulating private-gain greed by govt. been made into "righteous association without state interference ? That has other roots than you wish to name here, sir ! "Anon": Please, UNswallow that myth about NAmerican union; it sets on fact-check about as poorly as other/side re world govt. by Rothschilds, totally impossible for any rational mind to accept. AND if you have not courage to sign real-name, why in h...should we pay attention to masked man ? One dons mask only to hide face, for obvious reasons here. Better stick to your novel, sir; might peddle to one of those specialized magazines.


Anonymous May 22, 2010 2:56 pm (Pacific time)

Both color of change, and glen beck are fibbing sacks of pooh. For those who are starting to see how all MSM, all government, and groups such as color of change, all misinform due to their agenda, here are a few names that do not have an agenda, except getting the real truth out. If you want to keep living in this left/right paradigm hoax while the country falls apart, disregard. If you truly want to learn what is going on, here is the list. These people are not perfect, but better than MSM and this article. Max Keiser Gerald Celente AlexJones Mike Rivero E.G. Griffin just to name a few. I could write a novel, with facts that could be checked, showing how badly this article misinforms. Glen Beck can kiss my big toe too. Oh, and funny, color of change takes credit for glen becks sponsers bailing. Sorry, it wasnt you, it was Alex Jones who did it. In closing, as a person who has worked in the civil rights movement for blacks, nothing has hurt them more than not protecting our southern borders, enforcing federal immigration laws, and coming up with a visa system that would help those south of the border to be able to come here legally in a more timely fashion and less red tape. Past and current administrations do nothing. The agenda is a North American Union, no matter who it destroys while getting there.


Inner Anarchy May 22, 2010 2:20 pm (Pacific time)

Liberals can't handle true freedom. Stossel made it very clear that he is not a racist and would not support a racist buisness. But that's not enough for the statist witch-hunters. Now just supporting the (righteous) idea of free association without state interference make you a racist. The evil of Liberalism knows no end. I'm sure colorofchange.org is a real diverse group too haha.
Echo of Jim Crow? You are clueless. Jim Crow laws were STATE INTERVENTION. That is exactly what Stossel is arguing against. It is just over the Liberal's heads.

Editor: This is comical, you are what you eat little buddy, and you are on the wrong team.  You can dress it up but you can't change the reality of Stossel and Faux news.


frank May 22, 2010 2:11 pm (Pacific time)

The fact that any of you people are trying to pull the racist card on what is NOT a racist issue is stupid. You do know that blacks, Latinos, Asians, ANYONE can be racist. This has nothing to do with racism; it has to do with the government forcing private business what to do.


Henry Clay Ruark May 22, 2010 12:50 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you for undeniable fact re heavy continuing impact of racosm on our American values and lifestyle. Please note Rand-name comes by father's choice from Ayn Rand, notorious libertarian known chiefly for selfish acts to preserve her false-values philosophy, now seen to have guided Greespan et al in the actions NOT taken by Feds,thus allowing housing-market collapse, triggering worldwide recession still damaging each of us. See current OpEds for same impacts on educational reform and progress...

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