Jimmy Olsen is working at the Express?
When I came across this photo caption in the East Bay Express' 30-year anniversary edition last week, I could smell the bad blood from cyberspace:
"For years, Yusuf Bey was treated with undeserved deference by this newspaper and the Oakland Tribune." The Bey context is explained below but what I found sad is that the Express had to make sure to share the blame of fluffy reporting about Your Black Muslim Bakery with the Trib. It's like a kid hollering "He did it too, mom!" Come on, reporters don't run to their mommy and tell. It reminds me too of when the Express published a several part story slamming the Alemeda News Group papers (now Bay Area News Group) written in part by "Jimmy Olsen." You know, the boy-photographer in Superman. (I checked: There was no one by that name employed at the Express.) Don't get me wrong: The stories were good and it is the only print outlet writing critically but honestly about the company and about BANG's effort to unionize.)
Anyway, here is the excerpt from the Express series, which I otherwise liked.
"2002
After years of ignoring dark accusations and rumors, the Express published a 17,000-word series on the shameful legacy of Your Black Muslim Bakery, the bizarre cult of personality run by Yusuf Bey. "Members and associates of the Bey 'family' have terrorized countless Oakland residents, fomented racial hatred, and even allegedly threatened to kill apostate women who break with the organization or go public with their stories," wrote Chris Thompson, who received credible death threats as a result of his reporting. The stories not only documented numerous real and alleged crimes, they also criticized the politicians and newspapers that allowed this situation to fester. "In May 1994, mayoral candidate Yusuf Bey organized a massive hate rally that featured disgraced Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Muhammad ranting about the 'no-good, hook-nosed Jews sucking our blood.' Yusuf Bey heaped praise upon his guest speaker and scolded Jews who objected to Muhammad's appearance. How did the East Bay Express respond? By running a profile of Bey later that summer that treated him as a thoughtful statesman." Five years later, after the tragic assassination of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, the Oakland Tribune and other news outlets regurgitated much of our coverage without ever reconsidering their own shameful track records."
"For years, Yusuf Bey was treated with undeserved deference by this newspaper and the Oakland Tribune." The Bey context is explained below but what I found sad is that the Express had to make sure to share the blame of fluffy reporting about Your Black Muslim Bakery with the Trib. It's like a kid hollering "He did it too, mom!" Come on, reporters don't run to their mommy and tell. It reminds me too of when the Express published a several part story slamming the Alemeda News Group papers (now Bay Area News Group) written in part by "Jimmy Olsen." You know, the boy-photographer in Superman. (I checked: There was no one by that name employed at the Express.) Don't get me wrong: The stories were good and it is the only print outlet writing critically but honestly about the company and about BANG's effort to unionize.)
Anyway, here is the excerpt from the Express series, which I otherwise liked.
"2002
After years of ignoring dark accusations and rumors, the Express published a 17,000-word series on the shameful legacy of Your Black Muslim Bakery, the bizarre cult of personality run by Yusuf Bey. "Members and associates of the Bey 'family' have terrorized countless Oakland residents, fomented racial hatred, and even allegedly threatened to kill apostate women who break with the organization or go public with their stories," wrote Chris Thompson, who received credible death threats as a result of his reporting. The stories not only documented numerous real and alleged crimes, they also criticized the politicians and newspapers that allowed this situation to fester. "In May 1994, mayoral candidate Yusuf Bey organized a massive hate rally that featured disgraced Nation of Islam spokesman Khalid Muhammad ranting about the 'no-good, hook-nosed Jews sucking our blood.' Yusuf Bey heaped praise upon his guest speaker and scolded Jews who objected to Muhammad's appearance. How did the East Bay Express respond? By running a profile of Bey later that summer that treated him as a thoughtful statesman." Five years later, after the tragic assassination of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, the Oakland Tribune and other news outlets regurgitated much of our coverage without ever reconsidering their own shameful track records."
Labels: BANG, Dean Singleton, East Bay Express, hit pieces
posted by A.W. Woodall at 10:00 AM
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