Well put Federico.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 9, 2010, at 9:21 AM, Federico Subervi <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Esteemed colleagues:

I was out of town when I read the AEJMC PAC’s statement about Obama.  I then read Dwight’s concern, which reflects mine: With so many other pressing issues, why had that one been selected?

I opted not to chime in on the e-mail discussion because I did not wish to do so via my iPhone, the only outlet I had to communicate with all who were expressing their concerns, indignation, and call for action.

Today I’m back at the home office and can share these points:

1.     1. As has been stated by others, the AEJMC-PAC is an official component of AEJMC that the members supported. The members of the PAC, appointed by the President, are listed in the AEJMC home page as follows: Carol Pardun, University of South Carolina; Marie Hardin, Pennsylvania State University; Paul Lester, California State University-Fullerton; Julianne Newton, University of Oregon; Jennifer McGill, AEJMC; Mich Sineath, AEJMC. 

2.    2.  It should be evident to anyone reading those names that ethnic-minority voices are woefully missing on that council.  I suspect that if any one of us (those who have expressed their views on this discussion) were a member of the PAC, a different issue would have been selected for official concern by AEJMC.

3.     3. Four distinct suggestions that have been made to express the indignation of CSM/MAC members are not mutually exclusive.

a.     Dwight could and should write (not call) Carol and ask her for some background on the Obama issue.  Given their academic friendship, he might obtain some valuable information that might otherwise not be easily forthcoming.

b.     Leaders of MAC/CSM should communicate and agree with each other first, and then contact Carol to let her know that the PAC’s statement has raised indignation from many MAC/CSM members because of its inaccuracy.  [Dwight and/or whoever from MAC/CSM contacts her should be ready for a possible defensive posture/reaction from her and/or anyone else from PAC with whom she shares her side of the story about these contacts from us.]

c.     With input from MAC/CSM leaders, Dwight’s insights, and others’ concerns, a resolution should be drafted to strongly and assertively expresses our opposition to PAC’s statement.  That resolution should also express a more well-informed view on such matter as well as our concern for having PAC speak out on issues that express concerns about the Arizona situation and other issues summarized by Dwight.

d.     Before signing off on the resolution, MAC/CSM members should be informed about the controversy and also polled on the resolution.

4.     4. On points c and d, this incident should be a call to action for all of us, individually or via MAC/CSM should take more pro-active positions on the issues that concern us.  What we are doing now is a reaction statement.  Pro-active discussion among ourselves are long overdue, as is a plan of action to get our members and also AEJMC at large to take positions that affect our communities and our association, schools, and nation at large.  Let’s not wait to be offended by another PAC statement; let’s get issues that concern us on the PAC’s agenda and AEJMC’s agenda, too.

I close in solidarity to take well-informed and decisive steps not only now, but also at the Denver convention and year-round.  We cannot afford to just react once in a while when we feel offended, or otherwise complain among ourselves once a year at our business meetings.

Cordially,

Federico

Federico Subervi, Ph.D.
Professor & Director
Center for the Study of Latino Media & Markets
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
Texas State University - San Marcos