Here’s a story in response to @adamdavidson’s thoughtful tweets about journalists and self-censorship.

Many years ago we launched the first Black in America Doc on CNN. It was v expensive and a big deal. 6 hours. 3 nights. I was asked to present to the Television Critics Assn

I was asked about the doc. How long did it take to shoot? How did we pick the subjects? The last question was about what my biggest takeaway was. This was 2008, by the way.

I said my biggest takeaway was about policing. That the poor Black people we’d featured, and the middle class Black people, and the wealthy Black people—when it came to policing—all sounded identical. Like they were reading off a script: ‘when my son turned 13.. I sat him down..

…I told him if you’re stopped by police for any reason. Say nothing. Do not move. Put your hands on the wheel where they can be seen..’

So that was my answer. The consistency of this strategy regardless of social-economics.

Panel wraps up. I leave the stage.

My boss’ boss’ boss stops me as I’m coming off the stage. I feel pretty good. No crazy questions. I did a solid job answering.

But he says—‘that’s not true.’

(What’s not true? I just spent 18 months shooting this doc)

He says it’s not true that Black people have this conversation with their kids. I say—no I’m pretty sure it is.

He says white people have the same conversation with their kids.

I (person who grew up in a completely non-diverse town) say I think it’s a different discussion.

I say—I think the conversation among Black parents in every socio-economic group is teaching their sons (and sometimes daughters) how to survive an interaction with the police. So they don’t die. I don’t think white parents consistently have that ‘talk’.

He says—well it’s not true. And tells me not to tell that story again.

So I didn’t.

Because I liked my job and wanted to keep it. We’d go on to do 9 seasons of Black in America.

People shut down ideas that make them uncomfortable. And those in positions to do so, often do.

Anyway, one day I decided to go ahead and tell this story. Because it illuminated a more interesting and challenging dilemma—how we edit ourselves to remain employed.

-fin-