Memphis area blogger Steve Ross (vibinc) posted a nice follow-up to a contentious confirmation process for nominees to the city’s Charter Commission. Ross was nominated to the commission by City Councilman Shea Flinn, Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowery, and Mayor Elect AC Wharton.
Ross’s past blog posts about various councilmembers caused Councilman Joe Brown in particular to express outrage at his nomination proclaiming himself to be “a real black man.”
Ross encountered vocal resistance during committee sessions from council members upset with critical comments he has made on his blog about council members. Council member Shea Flinn, who recommended Ross, came to his defense during an emotional committee discussion – clashing with Brown as Lowery and Wharton watched from the end of the council committee table.
“I’m a real man,” Brown told Flinn at the end of the exchange. “I’m a real black man. I hope you are a real white man.”
Ross was not confirmed, but had this to say on his blog:
I am surprised at some of the rhetoric used by City Councilman Joe Brown in reference to me. Invoking the word “blogger” as if it were a slur or a swear is something that I have heard more than once, but never in a public meeting. Councilman Brown has every right to voice his opinions, but in the end, I’m a concerned citizen that uses my blog to talk about areas of concern in my community, as well as in state and national politics. How that constitutes something negative is lost on me.
Blogger Newscoma takes offense to the use of the term “blogger” as a perceived slur.
What completely infuriates me is that Joe Brown, and others, just don’t get that Steve Ross is not just a “blogger.” He’s a businessman who is participating in the state of his city. His traffic, according to him, is basically comprised a great deal of community leaders reading his research (stuff they could have done themselves quite frankly). So when Brown decides to say the word blogger as a slur, it pisses me off.
LeftWingCracker takes offense to Councilman Brown’s proclamation of his manhood.
Councilor Brown, are you THAT insecure about your manhood? Are you THAT thin-skinned about what Ross wrote? You kept referring to Steve as THAT BLOGGER, never even referring to him by name. Well, I’m a blogger and I’m a man, too, and what you did to Steve Ross was not exactly manly, pal.
Memphis Councilman Brown’s proclamation of his blackness is a far worse offense that deserves attention. There was no reason for him to proclaim his blackness other than to highlight how white Ross is.
Racism in state politics isn’t the sole domain of the white Tennessee Republicans who have made national and international news over the past year for blatant racism (in large part due to this blog), and it’s our duty as citizens, and bloggers, to address it when and wherever it occurs.
NIT
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