Opinion: Story sought only to stir up racial contention

It doesn't matter whether you were black, white, brown or yellow, the ballots cannot not discriminate what race you are. The votes were counted three times and George W. Bush won each time. Also investigations by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and media outlets have not turned up any evidence that the state government intentionally tried to stop black voters from voting.

President Bush is not a racist, he has chosen black people for his Cabinet and is trying to pull the country together and heal the wounds of this election. I regret the writers of this article are just trying to keep this racial hatred alive.

The writers would serve the nation in a more positive way if they would use their abilities to help our community to share and be concerned with each other's hurts and learn to live with one another, rather than stirring up malicious feelings.
-- Ben Alexander, St. Petersburg

Fact-free thinking

As I read the article in last Sunday's Times regarding the African-Americans' opinions of the recent presidential election, I was struck by the fact that this was a classic example of an attitude that says: Don't confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.
-- F. Darrell Thomas, Trinity

Color factors are ignored

Re: It's 2001, but racism is alive for many and Disbelief, hard feelings, Feb. 18.

These articles really struck a cord. What I, as an African-American, cannot understand is Gov. Jeb Bush's casual attitude toward the whole issue. It is true that progress has been made, but I really hope the governor is not taking any credit for the changes. I think the poll results from Pinellas County best state the situation. Some Africans-Americans like his policies, but most feel his policies on affirmative action have made the racial climate and/or opportunity worse.

What I see developing from all the Jeb Bush policies is an acceptance of the "Super Negro" with no regard for those striving to improve or do better. If at first you don't succeed in the education arena with A+

or at the level of superprofessional, then forget it.

The real truth is that black America has never accepted second best. We will not do it in the classroom, on the job or as Americans, period. But we do recognize that sometimes you don't get it right the first time. And when you don't get there the first time, often there are factors of color bias within the system, which have prevented success. For Jeb Bush and the Republican party, these factors of color do not exist, and little effort is made to help those who have already been effected.
-- Frank Brunson, St. Petersburg

Compounding the racial problem

Why is it that each day when I open your paper it seems I'm confronted with some problem the blacks are having and, as usual, the cause of their problem is white racism? Do you really believe that promoting this idea with your constant preaching will accomplish some worthwhile goal?

You are accomplishing two things at least. One: You're instilling in blacks the notion all their troubles stem from something whites have done to them. They're learning to enjoy their victimhood and they become paranoid, looking everywhere for evidence of racism to blame for their own inability to compete in an industrialized, technology-heavy society. Two: You're boring the hell out of whites who are tending to tune out the constant whining. The result is you're compounding the racial problem rather than helping to solve it.
-- Bob Luckman, Largo

Picking at a sore spot

Re: It's 2001, but racism is alive for many, Feb. 18.

Your front page of Feb. 18 is outrageous. It is perpetuating hate and unrest. It's like a scab that's healing and your newspaper is scraping and scratching at it to keep it from healing. This is wrong. Why does the Times continue to inflame people to hate each other?

You are not reporting the news -- you are trying to make the news.
-- Dorothy E. Karkheck, Palm Harbor

Grateful the story has been told

Re: Disbelief, hard feelings, Feb. 18.

As a white, middle class, male teacher, I want to thank you for the article on the disbelief and hard feelings in the African-American community concerning the recent election debacle.

As Floridians continue in their rage and grief over the loss of our voting rights, it is especially painful for black Americans who fought hard in their own lifetimes to achieve these rights.

How is it that your paper is able to continue to serve the public by printing honest and balanced reporting of the news, while so many mega-media giants choose to turn their backs and go on with business as usual? There is definitely a story there, but don't hold your breath waiting to hear about it on CNN, et al.
-- Craig Ames, Boca Raton

Further questions

Your recent poll of black voters is of little value or import, especially regarding the alleged election irregularities, without those polled being asked and your publishing the answers to the following three questions:

1. Are your responses to these questions based on firsthand knowledge and verifiable?

2. Are your responses to these questions based on hearsay?

3. Are your responses to these questions influenced by material you've read in the St. Petersburg Times, especially by its editorial board, as well as but not limited to Martin Dyckman, Elijah Gosier and Bill Maxwell?
-- Ed King, Largo

Give us all the numbers

If there was any doubt that perception fuels reality, Sunday's front page article about the anger of black voters in Florida neatly lays it to rest. I can't say I blame them, however, given the diet of loose statistics, half-truths and innuendo that media outlets like the Times have been feeding them.

As conspiracy theories go, this one's a hoot: Our governor, Jeb Bush, in a deliberate effort to sway the election in his brother's favor, directed his minions to suppress the minority vote as much as possible. Never mind that there is no actual proof that anything of the sort occurred. As we've all learned in our sound-bite-driven culture, it's only the perception that matters.

To support this perception, the Times gives us statistics: More than 90 percent of blacks in Florida believe that they were the victims of electoral discrimination, that their votes were disproportionately thrown out. Fair enough. However, this figure also reflects the overall percentage of blacks who voted for Al Gore in the first place. As a statistic, this only illustrates two real points: that blacks overwhelmingly tend to vote Democrat and that blacks who voted for Gore were upset that he lost.

The most relevant statistics were the ones the Times left out of its article. If it could be shown that the number of discounted votes -- particularly those in minority districts -- was significantly higher in 2000 than in other election years, then maybe there would be a story. Or perhaps a comparison of vote error rates in Florida with those of other states -- if there really was foul play, wouldn't there be a noticeable difference? Show me all the numbers, not just some of them, and let me decide for myself.
-- Marc D. Giller, Clearwater

Fanning the flames of racism

Re: A poll of African-Americans in Florida.

This is one of the most inflammatory and irresponsible pieces the Times has ever done. Playing solely to emotion, misconception and prejudice, there is no mention of facts in this report at all.

Just because people believe a myth does not make it so. For example, there was a recent Fox TV show attempting to cast doubt on the Apollo moon landings as being an elaborate conspiracy staged by the government. If we are told this enough times by enough sources, this might actually become believable, even though it has no real basis in fact.

It's the same with the Florida elections. Blacks have heard so much from their so-called leaders, such as the Rev. Leighwynn Howell, that the election was "stolen," many have actually come to believe it.

But be certain of this. Neither Gov. Jeb Bush, nor the government, nor the "vast right wing conspiracy" stole the election for George W. Bush. He was duly elected by an impartial count of votes (and a recount and another recount, etc.)

Yet folks still listen to these charlatans like Jesse Jackson and Rep. Alcee Hastings -- whom we now know to be liars and frauds -- and continue to forgive their "indiscretions." This is simply incredible!

Instead of sticking with these phonies, blacks ought to turn instead to men like Rep. J.C. Watts, Justice Clarence Thomas and commentators like Dr. Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell. These are literate, logical black men of integrity, who encourage self-sufficiency and do not just spew a party line.

The Times should be ashamed for trying to fan the flames of racism through this horrible journalism.
-- J.L. Rasmussen, Tampa

Getting an early start?

Re: Disbelief, hard feelings.

Don't you think this Feb. 18 story is starting your campaign against the re-election of Gov. Bush a trifle early?
-- Joseph Groesbeck, Clearwater

What a way to start the day

Thank God for the St. Petersburg Times. It and a cup of good Cuban coffee are all I need to get my 70-year-old motor running each morning.

To heck with "fair and balanced." Give me muck-stirring, rabble-rousing partisanship any day. To heck with reporting the news -- not when you can make your own. Load the questions, aim at the appropriate fish in the appropriate barrel and fire the results as news.

I always wondered where the Clinton White House got the technique. I love it. I immediately went out and bought an extra copy the Sunday Times so that I could send it to Al Gore to use in his journalism classes. I know, there are plenty of other examples out there, but none quite so good about local issues.

Keep up the good work and try not to get burned by those darn fuses. They sputter so.
-- Neal McLaughlin, Tarpon Springs

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