Can somebody please explain to us how NBC's hiring of Tim Russert's son Luke as a presidential convention correspondent could in any way cause someone to think it was the result of the "Affirmative Action Fairy"? Luke is white. And, in case anyone thinks affirmation action is based on gender, a man. Did we miss something?
Writes Miami Herald blogger James Burnett:
Seriously, my feelings ranged from slight haterism, as in silent grumblings of "wish that was me!" to annoyance, as in "what the hell did he do to deserve such a gig?" to downright anger over what I initially perceived to be a big old wet kiss from the Affirmative Action Fairy.
Then it occurred to me that this technically wasn't affirmative action, 'cause affirmative action is a formal government policy whose stated goal is to give a nudge to ethnic minorities and women who might otherwise face discrimination in certain hiring and schools admissions policies.
So I came to the conclusion then that young Russert had instead been kissed by the Nepotism Fairy, paternal twin of the Affirmative Action Fairy.
[...]
But here's the rub: While I've engaged in debate over this thing for a few days and listened to colleagues debate over it, and while I'm still sorta bugged by it, I can't be mad at Russert.
Whatever you want to call it - a form of affirmative action, a form of nepotism, simple old-fashioned back scratching/favoritism, or straightforward and above board, Russert, a recent college grad, has a unique type of experience that you just can't get in a J-school classroom. You don't grow up at the feet of arguably the best political broadcast journalist in modern times and not learn a thing or two.
Editorial Director
Is "haterism" even a word?
This so called journalist needs to take another english class. And while he's at it, he should look up the definitions of nepotism and affirmative action - NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THE SAME THING.
Idiot.
The guys an idiot — but imagine how the hard working journalists at NBC News who have been trying to catch a break and be given an opportunity for a few years leading up to this election feel about it.
Oye…Oafish Luke has his dead daddy's piggy characteristics learned kneeling in the Redskin owner's box with other kool kid luminaries.
So, a young black reporter gets slammed for being an idiot, because he points out an obviously unfair advantage given to this lunkish piece of light-weight establishment? If NBC wasn't so cloying and sanctimonious about Big Russ and the hard hitting journalistic ethos he allegedly embodied the hiring of the foundling prince wouldn't have been so egregious to the blogger. Even if his metaphor is strained he's calling nepotism not affirmative action.
Thanks, Please, for bringing race into it. The journalist, not the young black reporter, just the journalist, is an idiot because his first reaction to the Russert kid's hiring was that it had something to do with affirmative action. And your attempt to connect nepotism and affirmative action doesn't help his case — he's still an idiot.
I do agree that you can't equate nepotism and benefits from belonging to the old boy network to affirmative action. With affirmative action you have to be qualified to get the job.
I read the entire blog post. It seems to me the reporter did a human thing and said after his initial bout of anger, he calmed down and realized it was NOT affirmative action. So you're being disingenuous by suggesting in your snippet that affirmative action is the point he argues in that blog post.
And Lizle and Dreama, you're idiots. I'm no fan of stupid journalists, but since when did it become idiocy to have a snap judgment and then come to your senses. That's what the reporter says he did. And if you read the post, he defines both affirmative action and nepotism differently, thus acknowledging that they aren't the same. But he argues that it's his opinion they're equally bad. How does that make him an idiot? He also argues that these things aren't about race. They're about who you know. It seems to me you two should go back to asking who wants fries with their drinks, instead of passing name-calling judgments.