Kudos, At Long Last, To KCPT, "Ruckus" and Mike Shanin

At last.

At long last.

I've posted here, at least a few times, if not several, how our local PBS station has singularly, only white people, time after time and week after week, on the show to discuss and hopefully solve Kansas City's issues and problems. In spite of our considerable Black and HIspanic and others population, the program had just that, only white people. Alone.

So imagine how pleased I was this week when they included Jamekia Kendrix on the weekly panel to discuss and talk and be heard. She was and is eloquent and intelligent and well-spoken and more than held her own and gave different viewpoints.

Thank goodness.

Here's hoping it's the shape of things to come for them, for the program and for all of us.

Kudos and salutations, KCPT.

And thank you.

Their "Week in Review" was its same bleached whiteness but at least this "Ruckus" was inclusive.

Hoping they learn, at long last.

Links:

Ruckus | Watch Online | Kansas City PBS Video - KCPT

Ruckus - KCPT

KCPT's "Ruckus": All White, All the Time

Once again this week, KCPT-TV's weekly news program "Ruckus" was all white people, solving all the people's problems. The most open minded they could be was having two women on the panel.

They even discussed the DACA, "dreamers" controversy, possibly effecting 800,000 Hispanic people in the nation but do you think they'd include one minority, one Hispanic from the Kansas City metropolitan area?

NAH.....

They'll keep it lily-white.

Who are we kidding?

Because there aren't any minorities in this city.

No Blacks.  No Hispanics. No Mexican-Americans. None of them. Not in this town.

We know that.

Right?

Well, except on their own commercials, asking for donations and contributions--money--to keep the station running.

Side note:  In a -little bit--of a defense of KCPT here, they did include one Black man, Eric Wesson, on their show this week. Of course, it was a discussion, on that show, about the minority community demanding a percentage portion of the work if we do, in fact, build a new single-terminal airport. Two white men, one white woman and Mr. Wesson.

#Lttlegains

For a Little Window of Time There, America....

For a little window of time there, these past nearly full 8 years, we had intelligence and calm and lucidity and rationality and strength and a lot of things good and right in the country. Not perfect, no, not by a long shot. But we had it good and right.


The first of humanity to declare "Nothing lasts forever" had it so right.

It was great while it lasted.

KCPT: Minorities Don't Matter In Kansas City?

Once again, our local PBS TV station, KCPT had a full one half hour discussing local issues and once again, one more time, they chose to make it an entire half hour, an entire show, all participants, the whole panel full of white people.

Only white people.

The closest they got to a minority was having a white woman on the show.

Otherwise?

All middle-aged or senior, white men.

Check it out.

The show began with an interview with one Wendell Cox, Principal of Demographia. Then it went to a panel discussion, mostly on the just-passed election with the following panel members:

--Jason Grill, media/public affairs consultant, 

--Mike Sanders, Attorney with Humphrey, Farrington and McClain

--Crosby Kemper III, Executive Director of the Kansas City Public Library and 

--Annie Presley, Author

All white.

Every. Single. One.

In the longest segment, they discussed the recently-executed 2016 presidential election. You would think that would include some input from, oh, I don't know, some Black Americans? Some Hispanic Americans? Mexican-Americans? Any other groups?

Nah.

Just the white folks. Not so much as even one "token", to be crude.

You would think there weren't any Black or Hispanic or any other minority people in this entire city, watching this show, most weeks and that the election didn't effect them in any way whatever.

It apparently, really is a white man's world. At least in Kansas City.

Ironically and coincidentally (hypocritically?), the program was followed by two ads promoting inclusion and helping young minority youth in the city.   I nearly choked.

To be clear here, however, they will accept monetary contributions from minorities, rest assured.

Link: Ruckus | KCPT

What Is It With KCPT and White People?

(crackers.  far as the eye can see).

Okay, so I asked here 3 weeks ago about our local PBS station, KCPT and their local, weekly news program, "Ruckus" when they had a fully bleached-white guest panel.  I will note that, since then, for whatever reason, they've wisely and kindly had mixed-race guests. Hopefully, that will go into the future.

Now, this week, their local news program "Kansas City Week in Review" with the very British and wonderful Nick Haines discussed two issues this week--the upcoming Missouri tobacco tax and the Johnson County Public Safety tax.

On neither issue was their even one "person of color."

Just saying.

Now, we know there are no Black or Hispanic people in Johnson County, sure. (Right?). That's why everyone moved out there, all those years ago, of course. And still, to this day, we know there are no "people of color" in any positions of authority, in government offices out there. I'm just sure of it. (Is it even legal?).

But on that first question? The Missouri state tobacco tax?

Nothing but white people?

Over the entire state?

Just asking.

Link:  Kansas City Week in Review - KCPT

KCPT and Their Lily White "Ruckus"

The local PBS station, KCPT, has a weekly news/conversation program each Thursday evening called "Ruckus" it is widely known. And it's usually a pretty good program, definitely, discussing local government and business current events. Given the shrinking of the Kansas City Star in town, it becomes an even more important outlet, if brief, at 30 minutes.

Last night's program, however, had at least one glaring problem I and I believe a lot of others would agree.

There was the very white, Right Wing host, three white men and one white woman.

That was it.

I swore there were Black Americans and Hispanics and other races that lived in our city.

I swore there was. Is.

There wasn't even any indication there was a Liberal or Left Winger on the program. Honestly, not one. You'd think they might have one so they could gang up and verbally beat up on and abuse them, the way now-deceased John McLaughlin used to do to Eleanor Clift on "The McLaughlin Group."  Maybe Steve Glorioso wasn't available? Someone else? The program has had "people of color", minorities on it in the past, as anyone who watches it knows, just not last night.

Apparently, their idea of "inclusion" is letting a woman sit with them. Heck, the host, Mike Shanin, even asked her a question. Two, even.

Between the host and the crotetchety, deeply Right Wing attorney Steve Mirakian  and, again, the Libertarian, they got the Republicans and Right Wing covered, 10 ways from Sunday. (I will say one good thing about the Libertarian. At least he's against the unnecessary boondoggle of a new, billion dollar airport). 

The other part of this inclusion of theirs is letting a self--professed Libertarian (whatever that means) on the show.

But a Black person from the city this week? A Hispanic? Heck, an Asian? Anything else?

I guess that would make a ruckus.
Understand, I love my KCPT and PBS, absolutely. I wouldn't want to live without it.

I just thought their standards were and would be higher, and more inclusive, than this.

Link:  Ruckus | KCPT