MAXIE BLASTS LOCAL MEDIA OVER JACKSON VISIT

25-08-2007

The man who brought Jesse Jackson to Handsworth - Maxie Hayles of Birmingham Racial Awareness Monitoring Unit - has hit out at the local media for ignoring his organisation.

Hayles is incensed that in all the substantial newspaper and TV coverage of Jackson's trip, the role of BRAMU has been ignored.

"It stinks. It's absolutely disgusting" Maxie told The Stirrer.

"All the focus has been on the Reverend Jesse Jackson, but Jesse Jackson came here for a reason.

"It was to mark the abolition of slavery and to take forward the struggle for equality.

"But this our city and our people, and there simply hasn't been enough coverage reflecting the state of affairs of African-Carribean people here."

Ironically, much of the credit in the media for hosting Jackson has gone to Birmingham City Council, who welcomed him with a reception at the ICC on Thursday night.

But as Hayles points out: "He wasn't here because of the Council, he came because of us, and we are the people who now have to carry this work forward.

"If what the Reverend Jackson had to say meant anything, then those people covering his visit should be talking to us and finding out more and asking 'what next?'

"Instead we've been sidelined."

Also see "The Line of Slavery Is Not Broken - Jackson"

And "Praise For Motivator Jackson"

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