It really is not surprising to know that FOX News Channel does not respect minorities at all. As Fox News was covering one of the biggest corruption cases in US history, they apparently felt that all black Congressmen look alike. While reporting on the story of Democratic Louisiana Rep. William Jefferson’s indictment of 16 counts of bribery, the Fox News showed a clip of House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers suggesting it was Conyers who was charged instead of Jefferson.

TPM Media, of Talking Points Memo, were the first to break this story, which they posted a video clip of the gaffe on YouTube. In the video, TMP’s Joshua Micah Marshall contended that only a few weeks ago, FOX portrayed black people as fraudulent voters. FOX told USA Today that it was an “inadvertent error” and said it would issue an on-air apology for running stock footage of Rep. Conyers while reporting on the indictment of Rep. Jefferson on bribery charges. Fox has put all the blame on a 22-year-old production assistant; whom the network claims hurriedly grabbed the wrong videotape. Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum told viewers.

“Yesterday at this time, news of the indictment of the Congressman William Jefferson came down. We mistakenly ran the wrong video to accompany this story, and we apologize for that error.” [See video]

In reaction to FOX News’ on-air apology, Conyers said the FOX News was insincere and its inaccurate reporting should not be tolerated, especially when dealing with people of color, according to RAW Story. Conyers also said that the mistake was to be expected by a network known for being the exact opposite of its motto - “fair and balanced.”

“Fox News has a history of inappropriate on-air mistakes that are neither fair, nor balanced. This type of disrespect for people of color should no longer be tolerated. I am personally offended by the network’s complete disregard for accuracy in reporting and lackluster on-air apology,” said Rep. Conyers in a statement sent to RAW STORY.

In an article in BusinessWeek, Melanie Roussell, Conyers’ press representative, said the Conyers was very upset that Fox’s on-air mea culpa did not say specifically what the blunder was nor did they mention his name.

It was reported that Fox’s Washington bureau chief was mortified by the error and had called Conyers’ office personally to apologize. He said he spoke to a press secretary and asked what he could do to make things right, including coming to Conyers’ office to apologize in person. He said that no one returned his e-mail. However, according to Jonathan Godfrey, communications director for the House Committee on the Judiciary, he received Wilson’s messages several hours after FOX News aired their apology. Apparently, Wilson had offered his apologies approximately two hours before the on-air apology broadcast. MacCallum again issued a correction for Jefferson/Conyers error. This time around, MacCallum acknowledged Fox News had mistakenly aired video of Conyers during its segment on Jefferson and apologized to Conyers for the mistake.

On Monday, in our report on the indictment of William Jefferson, in error we aired some video of Congressman John Conyers of Michigan. That tape was labeled “a meeting about William Jefferson” and it was mistaken as video portraying Mr. Jefferson. We regret this mistake. We in no way meant to suggest there was any connection between the Jefferson indictment and Congressman Conyers. We have extended our apology privately to the congressman, and we do so here as well. [See video]

This is really a serious matter because this is not the first time and it will not be their last time they mix up African-American elected official. In fact, the whole notion of “all those non-white people look same” is typical stereotyping, which should have been refrained in the first place. The truth that FOX News twice is appalling, just because Wilson could not contact Conyers before they offered their first apology, it would have been common sense to apologize to him directly and mention their error.

Nevertheless, this is Faux News, so nothing is surprising. Not when they are willing to keep an overt racist like Bill O’Reilly who is openly advocating for a “white, Christian, male power structure” here in the US. First of all, O’Reilly used an article done a known Latina conservative, Linda Chavez, to justify his claim. Instead of acknowledging that Chavez is voicing the same concerns that we on the left are voice, Latino Fear and Loathing, he asserted that the open border people want to destroy the “white Christian male power structure.”

O’REILLY: But do you understand what the New York Times wants, and the far-left want? They want to break down the white, Christian, male power structure, which you’re a part, and so am I, and they want to bring in millions of foreign nationals to basically break down the structure that we have. In that regard, Pat Buchanan is right. So I say you’ve got to cap with a number.

MCCAIN: In America today we’ve got a very strong economy and low unemployment, so we need addition farm workers, including by the way agriculture, but there may come a time where we have an economic downturn, and we don’t need so many.

O’REILLY: But in this bill, you guys have got to cap it. Because estimation is 12 million, there may be 20 [million]. You don’t know, I don’t know. We’ve got to cap it.

MCCAIN: We do, we do. I agree with you. [See video]

The fact that McCain did not stop O’Reilly or openly disagree with him, says a lot. Silence does speak volumes and I found that McCain’s silence to be an expression of prejudice. I am truly happy that Conyer’s stepped up and called out FOX News the way he did. I am even happier that he did not even back down like most Democrats who do after showing they have a backbone.

If there were ever a time to step up, that time is now. We need to ensure that we will not let them get away with this crap. No matter what your race or income level, you know is just plain wrong. Nobody is going to change the status quo for us, only we can do it. Let’s start making the first step together.

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