Black Reporter Is Attacked by White Family Live on Camera in South Carolina

Posted by Pam Spaulding, Pam's House Blend at 10:11 AM on March 13, 2008.

Sweet jeebus. Racism - what me worry? When are we going to have that sane discussion about race in this country?

In South Carolina, a black reporter was attacked by as she did a stand-up at a crime scene. Another crew was there to film the attack (by members of the suspect's family). Via Huff Post:

Three people upset that a news crew was reporting on the arrest of a relative attacked the television reporter and yelled racial slurs at her and a photographer, authorities said Tuesday.

The family members, all white, began yelling and charged at black WSPA-TV reporter Charmayne Brown while she was standing in the street near the family's home in Union, said news director Alex Bongiorno.

Brown was punched in the head, and black cameraman Ti Barnes was also struck as he tried to pull family members off Brown, Bongiorno said. A video of the attack shows Brown, who wasn't seriously injured, defending herself. "I think she's more affected by the verbal abuse than the physical abuse. She's really shaken up," Bongiorno said.

The fight was taped by a white crew from a second television station. They were not attacked.

Yes, Union, South Carolina. Home of Susan Smith, who strapped her two young children and released her car into a lake, drowning them -- then made up a story blaming a black male carjacker (more here).

As former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, who recently joined Bill O'Reilly as his permanent guest host on the Faux News bully's radio Factor, said back in 2003:

Here's the unmentionable secret: Racism isn't that big a deal any more. No sensible person supports it. Nobody of importance preaches it. It's rapidly becoming an ugly memory.

Tagged as: racism, south carolina

Pam Spaulding blogs at Pam's House Blend.