The Jena 6 drew attention because it struck a chord with Black people nationwide. It drew such a reaction that mainstream organizations and media were forced to take up the cudgel.
Michael Baisden was one of those that responded, covering the dispute instead of the standard fare his show, Love, Lust and Lies deals with. He did good work drawing attention to the Jena 6.
He seems to have gone back to his old format. And I can understand the draw, but in broadcasting allegations about Color of Change as he did threatens to undo the good he has done so far.
You need to think about this because even if Color of Change (which has been active in support of our political issues for years, not just months) is not your particular cup of tea, it is exactly the type of organization you want to attend to, i.e., honest and transparent. Check the campaigns they have run. Do you see even one you don't support? Check out Mr. Baisden's broadcasts and compare the implications to the facts. Everything documented and linked for your casual viewing pleasure. What organization do you know that does this?
Talk radio is about controversy; I'm not shocked by all this. It's just that it is actually damaging to punish new, effective, transparent organizations like this. They don't have the mass to absorb such blows. Only the old dinosaur organizations...the ones you're so dissatisfied with...can survive. And I don't think Mr. Baisden realizes this. I HOPE Mr. Baisden doesn't realize this.
And maybe I'm jumping the gun. Maybe the next step in advancing the story is to interview folks from Color of Change, to let them show what transparency looks like. Most of us haven't a clue, and their handling of this campaign should be the standard.
It doesn't look like it so far, though.
So I've written my own private cover letter to direct you to a page Color of Change has set up to ask ABC Radio to let them have time on Mr. Baisden's show. I don't do that normally; I just copy stuff like the lazy S.O.B. I am. But this is important. Important enough for Mr. Baisden to interrupt the format of his very successful radio show for Jena 6 coverage; important enough for him to start his own fundraising efforts. So it's important enough to make sure getting out the whole story was always the intent.
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Michael Baisden needs to answer
The FBI and CIA could not subvert a movement more effectively than when one of our own people turn against us in the struggle. Baisden took a swipe at all bloggers who supported the Jena 6 movement. It makes you wonder why donate to such causes at all, or why participate in fundraising. Until this is resolved, I am keeping every dime in my pocket. Either I support Color of Change or nobody at all. After all, Color of Change has an honorable history of service. But if a cloud of suspicion can be raised so easily and rumors go unchallenged, I may as well go back to watch tv.
I believe Color of Change until someone proves that I
shouldn't.
Thing is, Color of Change
Thing is, Color of Change came up with proof you SHOULD trust them.
I know that now, P6. I posted before I went to Color
of Change and saw how they defended themselves.
Color of Change
I think your comments are on point. Baisden has questons to answer. but we should not want to stomp him into the ground. there are a whole lot of alleged leaders who have done far worst things. I don't understand why we don't hold others who say dumb stuff to the same standard as some are trying to do with micheal baisden. I respect the brother, he just said stupid stuff. Its OK, there are a whole lot of folks that do and say stupid stuff every day. it would be wise for him to just apologize, bring the Color of Change group on the show, talk about it, problem solve and move on. i'd take Micheal baisden over some moron like black neo-consrvative talk show commentators any day. We should not run to sponsors everytime we disagree with a black man. white men can get away with murder in the media everyday, and we just allow it to happen. A black man says something stupid, and we want to cut a brothers legs off from under him? what!
Michael Baisden's Charges Against Color of Change
Michael Baisden's accusations about Color of Change run far beyond the category of being "stupid." They are deeply injurious both to the reputation of Color of Change and the individuals who run the organization. Baisden, for example, clearly implies that Color of Change and the persons who run it have misappropriated funds that were donated to the organization to aid in the defense of the Jena 6. He is in effect accusing them of stealing. This is an extremely serious claim that cannot be explained away as simply being the result of momentary stupidity. If Baisden made this claim and knew it to be false then he is being malicious. If he made these claims without adequately investigating the facts then he is being reckless. Whether or not he is also being stupid is altogether another question.
there are a whole lot of
Check to see how many show with him.
First time for everything...seriously. PT is right. Mr. Baisden and his people spoke to Color of Change, and they know they are wrong. I'm pretty sure this in an influence play on his part, and possibly on his partners part. Whitlock tried to throw the Jena 6 under the bus, and Mr. Baisden is trying to do it to Color of Change. Even the NAACP was suspect this time.
My general practice in such situations is to construct an honorable exit and push folks STRONGLY toward it.
Ignorance is bliss
So sad so sad so sad....... Mike is clearly wrong in the situation. But in his intentional ignorance because he chooses to hide under the cover of his constitutional rights he is underminding the work of this organization whom was at the fore front of this Jena 6. Mike should know better than this and he is making me second think his intentions in this. But like someone else mentioned its not hard to see from this guys career that he is well within the scope of this sort of characterization. This organization was in it way before Mike got there and its not fair to their hard work that the father couldn't at the least thank them while he was asking them to stop accepting money. Its sad that Mike even let it go down and shows that he is irresponsible on that level. Just because he got the paper work only cleared him legally to put the father on the air. Where was the moral paper work or explanation for the bad mouthing and incorrectly stated distribution of funds. I thought better of Mike until now. Hopefully he will be the man he has claimed to be so many times on air and apologize to the organization, he dose owe them and us that much.
Color of Change
This Guy is the Living example of Willie Lynch