WJTV Defends Web Poll Focusing on Obama’s Race
We turned around and asked them the same question: ‘What would you say to people who would vote for John McCain just because he’s white or for Sarah Palin just because she’s female?’ and they were offended. They will vote for Barack Obama because he is black, but they are offended if somebody else would vote for John McCain because he’s white or for Sarah Palin because she’s a female.”
Lavaree Jones, of the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee, took offense to the poll, though, going as far as writing to Professor Walter E. Williams of George Mason University, who is on the board of WJTV and is African American: “I am writing to protest a poll currently posted on the web page for WJTV in Jackson MS. As a member of the Democratic Party and an African American, I find the poll offensive and not worthy of fine people whom I know personally who work for WJTV. We have requested that this poll be taken down and it still remains on the site. The general manager is not taking phone calls.”
In a return e-mail, distributed widely by Jones to a Democratic listserv, Williams responded: “Lighten up a bit. It’s a nonsense poll. Spouting nonsense is one of our rights. Cheers.”
Jackson Free Press
9/25/8
