TEXAS’ Widest Circulated and Read Newspaper with a Black Perspective

Maybe we should put African-American News&Issues’ credo in Braille, because our bigoted detractors and/or outraged Black faces in high places must be blind.  Then again, they could be misled by other Black newspapers that fail to live up to their lofty credos.  If so, that’s perfectly understandable.  Yet, we pay a steep price to maintain the integrity of our credo and mission statement. Even so, we earned the credo, Texas’ Widest Circulated and Read Newspaper With a Black Perspective.  Accord-ingly, we don’t take being Black America’s editorial voice and watcher on the wall lightly.  That’s why we strive to cover all news without fear or favor.

   On the other hand, it’s not only acceptable, but is considered good business to make self aggrandizing claims.  Even so, ideally the press isn’t just a business.  It’s a public trust.  It’s the conscience of those that govern a Democratic nation that’s built upon the foundation of a free and uncompromised and objective press that informs a public that has a right to know how they’re being governed and/or how their tax dollars and nation’s resources are used.  Perhaps you’re wondering where we’re going with this?  Truth is, every since we started publishing, in February 1996, we’ve invested a great deal of time and money to develop a different kind of Black newspaper that will make a different how Black America perceives the world and how the world perceives descendants of slaves.

   We Must Understand, the general public has been lied to so long until they no longer recognize the truth when they read it.  However, when we claim to be Black America’s uncompromised editorial voice, with a Black perspective, we aren’t playing games. Even so, we’re constantly attacked by critics that apparently don’t understand what a true Black perspective is. Therefore, it behooves us to refresh all concern’s memories and explain more succinctly just what a true Black perspective is.  On this occasion, we just happen to have The Paris News, to use to make our point. The News’ publisher apparently has a White perspective of the world.  In addition, when he read an article involving their school board, he more than likely concluded that we were a traditional Black newspaper (that subscribe to the tenets of journalism and media protocol.)

   And for that reason they attempted to chastise our style of reporting.  For instance, he wrote, “These people need to go back to Dallas and take care of their own business and stay out of Paris.  They are causing a lot trouble,” in response to a scathing story by our Dallas Bureau chief, Darwin Camp-bell, at the behest of the parents of Black kids being unfairly treated in Paris ISD schools.  Perhaps that kind criticism works on traditional Black newspapers in 2006 America.  But, we owe them one of those unique Afro-centric thank you cards (a big seller at Shirley Ann’s Black Arts & Kollectibles Showroom.) Today’s media seldom asks hard questions, or seeks answer as they should, so it’s a compliment  when we’re indited for causing trouble, by simply asking and answering troublesome questions from a Black perspective.

   We Must Understand, it’s difficult for The Paris News’ publisher to even perceive a Black newspaper that has an audited estimated 2 million readers and millions more accessing its very popular and edifying Web page www.aframnews.com), each week.  Nor are there anymore Black newspapers in America that distributed over 300,000 free newspapers to 30 Texas townships, including Paris, Texas.  In fact, White publishers can be forgiven for not knowing the history of Black newspapers.  They were created in 1827 to report news from disenfranchised African people’s perspective and stir up trouble.  Moreover, Black faces in high places fail to understand what a true Black perspective is, so we certainly can’t expect White people to know that it’s something vastly different from “niggerized” Black people simply giving their programmed opinions. 

   Truth is, one only has to listen to Black people condemn Barry Bonds (without ever questioning why White sports pundits are wont to hate his guts), to understand where we’re coming from to say that all Black people don’t see the world from a true Black perspective.  In fact, most people can’t even define a perspective (FYI: A perspective is a noun that translates to: a way of regarding situations or topics etc.; a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty; a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence, but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof. - Wikipedia, the free eycyclopedia.) So, what’s a true Black perspective?  It’s our personal belief or judgement that is founded on well researched proof and historical fact.  Accordingly, we don’t waste time debating whether, or not, most things that this racist nation does to our people is because they despise and fear Black people.