Mayor complains to Human Rights Commission about "Being White in Philly" article
Controversy over that problematic Philadelphia magazine March cover story called "Being White in Philly" continues to simmer. In the latest development, Mayor Michael Nutter has sent a letter to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations decrying the "disgusting" tone of the piece.
Mayor complains to Human Rights Commission about "Being White in Philly" article
Jenice Armstrong, Daily News Columnist
Controversy over that problematic Philadelphia magazine March cover story called “Being White in Philly” continues to simmer. In the latest development, Mayor Michael Nutter has sent a letter to the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations decrying the “disgusting” tone of the piece and accusing the magazine of having “sunk to a new low even for a publication that has long pretended that its suburban readers were the only citizens civically engaged and socially active in the Philadelphia area.” In the piece, based on anonymous interviews, Robert Huber makes the claim that white people are afraid to talk about race for fear of being called racist.
“That the magazine thought a collection of these despicable, over-generalized, mostly anonymous assumptions rose to the level of journalism is unfortunate enough,” the mayor wrote. “Worse, some of the residents of the nation’s fifth-largest city who are quoted in the piece seem to have ignored every positive anecdote they might otherwise have shared about a positive experience with African-Americans in favor of negative stories, many of them not even clearly attributable to African-Americans at all, to allow the author to feed his own misguided perception of African-Americans – notwithstanding his own acknowledged daily experiences on his own block – as an ethnic group that, in its entirety, is lazy, shiftless, irresponsible, and largely criminal.”
Nutter asked that the Human Relations Commission “consider specifically whether Philadelphia magazine and the writer, Bob Huber are appropriate for rebuke by the Commission in light of the potentially inflammatory effect and the reckless endangerment to Philadelphia’s racial relations possibly caused by the essay’s unsubstantiated assertions.”
Commission head Rue Landau has already responded saying, “The Commissioners and I share the concerns of the Mayor regarding the racial insensitivity and perpetuation of harmful stereotypes portrayed in the Philadelphia Magazine piece. We will take up the Mayor’s charge and, as a matter of fact, we are already looking at intergroup relations in the city, particularly in changing communities.”
The commision will take up the topic at their next public meeting which will be in the Fairmount/Brewerytown community, the geographical focus of the Philly mag piece. The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 18 at a location to be announced.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Philadelphia magazine editor Tom McGrath sent me an email on March 15 confirming details about a March 18 panel discussion called “Can We Talk About Race?” McGrath will moderate the discussion at the National Constitution Center which will be followed by a town hall session. Robert Huber, author of “Being White in Philly,” will be on the panel as will writer Solomon Jones, activist Chris Norris and Farah Jiminez , who heads up the People’s Emergency Center.
On March 19, McGrath is scheduled to meet with members of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. Norris, along with some Temple University, has organized a “Being in Philly” gathering for March 20, the first day of spring. There’ll be music and free water ice giveaways. Norris, the founder of Techbook Online, says he wants to show a positive side of black life in Philadelphia. According to Norris, Huber has agreed to attend.
- Earl - People "from the backwoods of dixie" dont shoot each other and act like professional victims.
— Professor1982 - The problem with the article was that it was portrayed in a way that made it look as if all Whites believed those things. I'm white and I don't have those same feelings as the article described.
Just as the article generalized blacks in the city, it generalized whites.— daxtremesolja 
This is going to be better than I thought.— Cuddles
Nutter is right on this. Sensationalism at its best to sell mags. Advertisers and Subscribers should continue to send the message and hurt them in their wallets.— Earl J- The sistas and brotas running (ruining) the city isn't enough for Nuttman.
He wants to continue stirring the pot until it boils over....stay tuned.— dogman5 - Cultural (not used to that word from a Black guy are you) Cultural pride, with a capital "C" is valid.
— Cuddles - I would call it "culture" when certain groups have rampant promiscuity, women with multiple baby daddies, "men" siring children out of wedlock, shooting each other and random victims in broad daylight, whose mantra is "stop snitchin' "
But that's just me— hannibal barca - We, one of the top ten racist nations in history where EVERYONE is racist have yet to even agree on the very definition of "racism" (perhaps with a small "R").
I, myself, do not see the word "racism" as synonymous with "evil".
— Cuddles - And let's look at that...in no other nation around the world have minorities had so much handed to them and done so little with it.
European Blacks are appalled with the behavior of Black Americans. Dont hate the message...hate the truth behind it.
We dont hear Asians complaining all the time about "what they dont" get or "what they dont have"?!?— Professor1982 - "no other nation in the world"
You do realize that for whatever reason America is the greatest nation in the history of the world and that these "minorities" you speak of comprised as much as 60% of the population in some 1776/1787 colonies that now claim to be of god.
You do realize that the "European" you speak of was in the midst of killing each other's children for the right to speak a language and plant a flag from Rome Zero BC, to March 15, 2013...Any French-Canadian will tell you this.
You do realize that the most stable nations of the New World in North and South America respectively just so happens to be the two nations with the most Blacks.
You do realize as you curse the ground you walk on that America, for whatever reason, is the greatest nation in the history of the world.
PS: Please move away from the land of Roosevelt.
ie: Go back to Europe.— Cuddles - This comment has been deleted. — hannibal barca
- @hannibal
1) Respectfully, Haiti is not in South America
2) Both The USA and Brazil have more "Blacks" than Haiti, respectively.
3) Apparently you just missed Black History month. Shucks you have to wait almost a whole 'nother year. Better luck next time.
— Cuddles - You do realize that 100% of all slaves that were brought to this nation were sold by their own kind out of Africa?
You do realize that 100% of the Constitution which gives you the rights you have were written by old white European guys?
You do realize that the US is in jeopardy of not surviving another 100 yrs b/c of fiscal collapse?
Cuddles - a professional victim
— Professor1982 - You do realize that America accepted Slavery with open arms far before July 4, 1776.
You do realize that the 3/5's Clause was a (thee) key part of the final compromise in September, 1787 giving birth to The United States of America...in order to form a more perfect union.
You do realize that when the top tax rate was 91% America had the strongest Middle Class AND Civilization in the history of the world.
You do reralize that Rural America loved (LOVED) socialist Roosevelt democrats until July 2, 1964.— Cuddles
Read more from Jenice Armstrong at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green."
Reach Jenice at armstrj@phillynews.com.
