White Aussie woman sparks racial fury - by winning job at black magazine

The Daily Telegraph ^ | August 04, 2010 | Peter Mitchell

[Piefloater]

AN Australian woman has made American magazine history - and sparked a storm of protest - by becoming the first white fashion director of iconic black lifestyle publication Essence. The hiring of Elliana Placas in the role - after a 40-year history of having an African American as fashion director - has been met with a vicious reaction from both readers and industry identities.

Essence, dubbed the ultimate fashion and lifestyle magazine for black women, has been slammed for the decision, with the magazine's former fashion editor, Michaela Angela Davis, launching an attack against Ms Placas' hiring.

"It is with a heavy, heavy, heart I have learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director," Ms Davis wrote.

[Nepeta]

This "racism for me but not from thee" attitude is beginning to seriously grate on my patience.

Essence is a business. I cannot imagine the woman would have been hired if anyone imagined that she would have anything but a positive effect on the conduct of their business. Nothing else should have mattered.

There are people in this country who will not be content until everything is divided up along racial lines, and it's not white people pushing for this.

[Roccus]

[Rembrandt]

Can anyone, anyone, anyone, Bueller(?), name a black woman who was a girlfriend to Barack Hussein Obama before Michelle? As I understand it, he chose to only date white women prior to Michelle ma belle.

[4rcane]

isn’t this a good step in racial harmony. There shouldn’t be any black only groups. Its a sign that ppl want to remain racist

[Bob]

Can anyone, anyone, anyone, Bueller(?), name a black woman who was a girlfriend to Barack Hussein Obama before Michelle? As I understand it, he chose to only date white women prior to Michelle ma belle.

While I could easily be mistaken, I can't recall a single mention being made of his having any girlfriends (regardless of color) prior to Michelle.

[BunnySlippers]

"It is with a heavy, heavy, heart I have learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director," Ms Davis wrote.

Wow! Change the word white to black and you can realize that she should be fired.

[B-Chan]

[Deagle]

Nobody really knows... the media won’t report on such matters.

[calex59]

This is definitely a racist reaction. Imagine the MSM sh** storm if an all white mag hired a black person and people raised he** about it. In America the PC crowd assumes blacks can’t be prejudiced, only white people can be racist in their eyes.

[Clock King]

For the FREEPERS, if you go to the Essence site, you will find that the VAST majority of readers have absolutely no problem with her being white. "If she's qualified, give her the job." The MSM is blowing this up per their Radicals rule book to keep racial animosity going even when there clean opportunities to show goodwill and cooperation.

[ottbmare]

Can anyone, anyone, anyone, Bueller(?), name a black woman who was a girlfriend to Barack Hussein Obama before Michelle? As I understand it, he chose to only date white women prior to Michelle ma belle,

As I understand it, there is no record he ever dated any woman of any color prior to Michelle. If you know what I mean and I think you do.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Well, I know how much whites hate it when some black person gets put in charge of our magazines. /sarc.

Seriously, beyond the obvious racism of “outrage” that a white person happened to be the best person for a job, is the overt acceptance that there is a magazine for “black people”. Can’t imagine such acceptance of a magazine for “white people”, much less a magazine for “white people” where blacks shouldn’t apply for a job.

[Minn]

One of my coworkers previously dated a black man...

Big butt?

[Minn]

Can anyone, anyone, anyone, Bueller(?), name a black woman who was a girlfriend to Barack Hussein Obama before Michelle?

Can anybody name a single non communist friend or acquaintance?

[Oztrich Boy]

While I could easily be mistaken, I can't recall a single mention being made of his having any girlfriends (regardless of color) prior to Michelle.

I believe the author of Dreams of My Father mentions his girlfriend.

[Walkingfeather]

....named rham

[Bob]

I believe the author of Dreams of My Father mentions his girlfriend.

I wouldn't accept anything he says or has claims to have written as being true without independent confirmation. (If he said that the sky was blue, I'd check for myself.)

[freekitty]

But, but I thought we were all equal.

ROTFLOL

[driftless2]

There are alternate standards for the various ethnicities. There can be a black congressional caucus, a black NFL head coaches association, and slew of other blacks-only orgs. That is not racist. However even though they don’t exist, if the opposite were true, a slew of whites only orgs, then that would be racist. Does that clear things up? Remember, with the election of Obama, the first real black president, we’re now living in post-racial America. Except we aren’t.

[Katya]

ok..shoot me. I could imagine quite a few scenarios where I’d question the choice of editor for an issues specific magazine. A learned, albeit atheist hired as an editor at an unabashedly christian magazine... I could go on.

It’s not racist... but it’s definitely a questionable choice.