Concurrent with Michael Dukakis` selection of Lloyd Bentsen as vice presidential candidate (not choosing, among others, Jesse Jackson), you ran a large top-front page headline ”Blacks seeking not to be written off.”
This headline is irresponsible and contributes to a climate of racism. Your headline writer implies 1) that blacks will be ”written off” if Jesse Jackson is not Dukakis` candidate; and 2) that only a black candidate has blacks` interests at heart. Ergo, the black reader concludes that he or she had better support only black candidates.
I don`t think this was your headline writer`s intention. In any case, the headline impugns nonblack leaders` ability to look out for blacks`
concerns, insofar as they are uniquely blacks`. In the absence of any particulars to that effect, the headline is unnecessarily biased.
