The national Latino networks exist to serve the Latino community first and foremost, right? Wrong. Hispanics actually come a distant second behind their corporate interests, as was confirmed with their coverage of the historic swearing in of Congresswoman Mayra Flores (R-TX) by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
During a photo op following the ceremony, a sneering Pelosi was caught on camera elbowing one of Flores’s daughters. This display got ample coverage from the mainstream media, along with Pelosi's lame excuse that she was only making sure that the little girl was not hidden from the camera.
At the Spanish-speaking newsrooms however, the on-camera humiliation of a little brown girl by the second person in line to succeed the president of the United States, was edited out from the videos as Univision, CNN En Español and Estrella TV wiped the incident from their reports while Telemundo bypassed the historic ceremony (and Nancy's wickedness) altogether. In other words, they all appeared to agree that covering for Pelosi was infinitely more important than saving face for the family of a Republican Latina.
This report from Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, reveals how the network erased the racist incident from its coverage of congresswoman Mayra Flores swearing in:
Now we'll talk about the new Latino power. The first Mexican-born U.S. congresswoman, Mayra Flores, was sworn in by House and Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi to her position as a representative from the state of Texas. Flores, who is a Republican, managed to triumph in the 34th district that has traditionally been won by the Democratic Party. Flores came from Mexico when she was just six years old, and today she is a congresswoman.
Ironically, Ramos talked about how Flores “came from Mexico when she was just six years old,” close to the age of her daughter who had to bear Pelosi's infantile elbowing, something that will surely put a dent in the child's memories of her Mom's date with history.
Of course, not a word was said about it, nor about Flores accusing Pelosi of pushing her daughter: “No child should be pushed to the side for a photo op. PERIOD!!” Flores tweeted. “I am so proud of my strong, beautiful daughter for not allowing this to faze her,” she said. “She continued to smile and pose for the picture like a Queen.”
No wonder Latinos continue to shift away from the bias that passes for news in the Latino corporate media.
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