Whining White People

by Ruth A. Sheets

On “Weekend Edition” on NPR, the show seems to be following a trend for the past year and a half. Interview, whenever possible, a dissatisfied, seemingly disenfranchised, disgruntled White person or persons.  These people are brought in to “balance” coverage.  Donald Trump or one of his familiars does or says something outrageous or illegal which must be covered at every news break. Then, someone is asked to “explain” it.

It is best when a prominent person, often White, tells everyone it is not as bad or illegal as it appears.  It is best if the person is from Harvard, Yale, or some other “big” school. Alan Derschowicz was it today.  He told us that much of Trump’s executive pronouncement against refugees, and immigrants and travelers from 7 mostly Muslim countries was really mostly Constitutional.

OK, then, a woman who had been interviewed before the election was introduced to someone who had criticized her on Facebook for voting for Trump.  She claimed she had voted Democrat in the past, but saw some white guys shooting up in front of her building and decided there was too much crime (or something - she was not really clear about that).  The Hillary supporter she spoke with talked about helping others and caring what happens to people in difficult situations.  The Trump supporter talked only about herself and those horrible people who don’t use the Government help to get ahead the way she did.

Wow! That pretty much sums up the herds of scared White people who voted for Trump, self-absorbed, unaware of their advantages, besieged on all sides by (O God why can’t those people be like me!).

Then, as if that were not enough, we had to hear from an artist who wants to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts. He assured us that without Government interference, art would be better. Now it is the poor paying for the rich.

I honestly don’t know which planet this guy lives on. In many communities, the NEA’s help is what gives local, small-time artists, composers, photographers, playwrights, and performers a chance to put their art out there for people to appreciate.  It sounds like sour grapes to me. But, he is so sure the free market would give people like him a better chance, it must be right for everyone, so ditch the NEA.

Are the whining White people and the media tasked to protect them so scared of their position in society their presence must be out there every minute of every day?

It seems there must be “balance” for anything said or written by or about anyone who is not White and put upon.  We who are tired of hearing about this particular group of oblivious white people may find our support for your programming fading.

So, keep it up NPR!