Race

If you had to name one group in our society that plays the most significant part in fueling racial tension and distrust, who would it be? The white supremacists? The Ku Klux Klan? How about the media?

Today, the Tribune ran this story with this headline: Collegiate ban on Indian nicknames and mascots raises questions for many Montana high schools.

The premise of the story is straightforward. The reporter suggests that, in light of the NCAA's recent ban on the use of Native American mascots and team names, local high school officials must grapple with the issue as well. The premise, though, is also false. For as the article itself says: "The college ruling has no direct impact in Montana. And the issue hasn't even been raised with the Montana High School Association." So, where's the story?

From reading the article, the best I can tell is that that the Tribune decided it would go around to people involved in high school sports, ask them their opinions of the ban, and then print their opinions. So, when the headline says that the ban "raises questions," it should really read as follows: "Great Falls Tribune decides that collegiate ban on Indian nicknames and mascots should raise questions for high schools."

So what is up with this kind of reporting? I would submit that it is either one of two things. First, it is yet another example of the Tribune's creating its own news. Three months after the NCAA ban was enacted, the Tribune sends some guy around the state with a tape recorder to create a news article, where absolutely none exists. "Hey, everyone's having fun with the girls basketball and football seasons, let's stir up some racial dissatisfaction."

Second, probably more likely and more infuriating, is that the press has already decided what they think the outcome should be. I'll bet dollars to donuts that the politically correct 'powers that be' at the Great Falls Tribune think that the Montana High School Association should adopt a similar ban in deference to 'racial sensitivity.' Since there seems to be no move in that direction, the Tribune figures they can give the issue a little nudge. Not content to report the news, they need to create it and influence its outcome.

Soon, perhaps at our paper's urging, or perhaps just with the power of the paper's suggestion, someone will go to the MHSA and raise the issue. What do you think the Tribune's editorial stance will be?

Is that the role of a newspaper? This seems to be a disturbing trend.