NPR Hounded for Calling Africa the 'Dark Continent'

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2008/03/01/npr-hounded-calling-africa-dark-continent ^

[chessplayer]

New NPR ombudsman Alicia Shepard took up a flurry of complaints when veteran news anchor Jean Cochran told listeners President Bush was traveling to Africa, the "dark continent." They insisted NPR was sounding racist:

[Jim Noble]

Africa is what it is.

The question for the West is, should Africans be allowed to live as they wish, as Africans, or is the resultant suffering so grave that OUR morality obliges that we intervene and disrupt or destroy those things that give meaning to their African lives?

It's not a liberal or conservative issue.

[ChildOfThe60s]

Good old public education and the ignorance it perpetuates.

The term has nothing to do with the skin color of its residents.

Thanks to the illiteracy of the public (along with lack of spines among those that are educated) this is what we now have.

Pathetic. Disgusting.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

NPR!....How could you?....

[mass55th]

Dopes. It was labeled the “Dark Continent” in the 19th Century mainly because of the unknown and unexplored regions at that time...not because of the color of peoples’ skin. Always trying to play the race card whenever they can. It’s still a “Dark Continent” in my opinion.

[Ken522]

Good old public education and the ignorance it perpetuates.

Absolutely right - it's like no one ever read Lord Jim.

[JoanVarga]

Well said.

[csvset]

Here's Jean.

[Moonmad27]

A KFI radio news guy referred to the Dark Continent when talking about Bush’s trip. I cringed immediately, knowing the PC folks would be hounding him for that cliche!

[TLI]

Perhaps they should have said the chocolate continent?

[Grunthor]

“NPR Hounded for Calling Africa the ‘Dark Continent’”

The PC police have ruled, Africa is to now be called “Sweden.”

[Paved Paradise]

It’s always fun to watch the liberals get a dose of their own medicine.

[Grunthor]

Let them live how they wish to and stay the heck out of their business...all the way. No interference, no money, no food aid.

[Jeff Chandler]

[RepublitarianRoger2]

I live in California, and I RESENT it being called the Golden State, because my skin is not the least bit gold!!

[Eurale]

Great question. My preference is that we allow them to live independent of international intrusion. Their obsession with genocide, state sponsored starvation and mutilation (to name a few) eliminates any deserving connotation.

[Plutarch]

A visitor from out of space might call it that.

[Momaw Nadon]

World Night Sky Map

[Momaw Nadon]

GMTA!

[mathurine]

Why is Africa like Hillary Clinton’s sweet spot? Because everybody knows about it, but nobody wants to go there.