Do You Want To Be Like Jason?

These are quite possibly the 13 greatest words in SportsJournalists.com history.

 

With all due respect, Sweetness, that's a pretty short-sighted opinion.

Surely, you have to recognize the inherit skin privilege that comes along with being white. That means inheritently being given the benefit of the doubt, regardless of economic factors. While it's true that poor people face similar obstacles, to be poor AND black is double jeopardy.

Considering more than 60 percent of black men in inner cities don't have their high school diploma, the no. 1 cause of death for black men ages 18-24 is homocide, the disproportionate percentage of black men in prison, society's exhuberance at villifying black men, how can you possibly even say that an 18 year old white male faces the same obstacles as an 18 year old black male?

Like it or not, when the "dominant, decision-making group" looks just like you, that tends to work in your favor at some level. When you don't look like that "dominant, decision-making group," you constantly must prove you are capable of "fitting in."

Anyway, I'm all for Spike Lee's initiatives, but would also like an equally strong effort at the high school level. I was exposed to journalism in high school through a marvelous high school apprenticeship program at the Detroit Free Press. If there is a strong push at the grass roots level, I see the numbers changing. A lot of black kids just have no idea that a career in journalism is an option. When they think of writing, they think of authors. Or, when you say journalist, they think of Stuart Scott. They aren't really aware of the options in betwen.

I think Jason brought up a good point. Once exposed to journalism, I do hope they understand the sacrifice and commitment. Although, to be honest, some of these issues discussed here run across the board. I meet a lot of kids -- black, white, etc -- who don't understand how to build their careers. Friends of mine who are recruiters or in charge of hiring decisions routinely receive resumes from college kids who went through four years of college without a single internship and seem surprised to get a rejection letter from a major metro. I blame journalism schools for that. Some of their professors are so far removed from the newsroom and so unconnected that they are ill-equipped to inform young people about the level of competition in this industry.

 

dammit bruh. fair enough. i tire of agreeing with you.

 

Fortunately for Jemele, the inability to spell, to punctuate properly or to self edit wasn't an obstacle to a well-paying career in journalism.

 

i also think she gets paid by the word or actually is jvd.

 

I'm not the biggest fan of Jemele, but those last posts against her are bullshit. Not everyone spell-checks before posting on here.
Attacking someone's spelling skills on SportsJournalists.com is a desperate attempt at trying to ridicule someone. Almost as bad as coming down on someone for their anonymity on this board.
jackass.
I thought she made some excellent points. but i don't feel there's much we can do to help generate more minorities in this field.
let's face it. the hours suck. most sports writers i know have been divorced at least once. If you do it right, you live for this job and have little free time. and you don't get paid too well.
i've known several minority journalism with a lot of talent who i felt could go far in this field, but would eventually quit early in their career because teaching, selling insurance or even working at Enterprise renting cars pays better.

 

Weak, dude. Sadly weak.

 

Damn Riddick, you beat me to the punch. But watch out, someone might put your post in blue because you said, "I've known several minority journalism with talent ..." instead of "several minority journalists."

How hard is it to comprehend the functionality of a message board? We're having an open, live conversation no different than when you're sitting at the bar shooting the breeze or engaging in a hearty debate. How many of you put down your beverage in the middle of "Name Your Favorite Postgame Or Postpractice Establishment" to stop someone in mid-sentence and say, "Hey man. I don't think you used that word in the proper context" ... or ... "can you spell that again for me?"

Again, Jemele made plenty of valid points here, especially about starting at the high school level and implementing better programs, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't planning on sending the post through a copy editor first.

 

Dang, Double J. If someone wanted to be an ass, he might point out some questionable grammar in your own post criticizing Jemele.

 

dumbass.

 

To address one of Jemele's points, it's not just journalism and its out-of-the-loop profs.

It's in every walk of life.

Kids roll through their four years, internship-free or without any experience to speak of, and are offended when their application for a $75K per year job with ANY company is rejected out of hand, with a guffaw.

The new generation, to tar it all with the same brush, has a sense of entitlement like no other before it, especially the part of it that's middle-class on up.

Households where, if there are two parents, both work to make sure every perceived material need is met. The resultant guilt about the resulting lack of quality time with the kids means they get, and get away with, everything. You're the best, Little Johnny. The coach benched you, little Sally? I'll go confront him or sue him. You were robbed. I'll take care of it.

The post-college reality check is at an all-time high.

Friends I know in hiring positions (not journalism) are constantly faced with this as they go through the process. The first questions are nothing like, "Here's what I have to offer your company, because I've researched you and here's where I can fit in." Instead, the first things out most mouths are:
-"Do I have to work weekends?"
-"How much will I get paid?"
-"How long until I can take a vacation."

 

Simply a sider to the Spike Lee thing, plain and simple.