By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
Cross-posted at MediaMythbusters.com/blog/

UPDATE: Hannity and Colmes on Fox News spoke on this tonight… Let’s hope that gets the word out.
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Wow, just simply wow… The arrogance, bigotry and vileness of this so-called journalist is staggering. And not a peep of this anywhere in the press no less. Gee, I wonder why the silence from the ‘old media’?

To most Americans, this type of behavior is heinous. I don’t care if you own a ton of newspapers and have more money than you can count. “Kramer” and Imus were called on the carpet – shouldn’t this person be held accountable for his vulgar actions? He needs to resign as Executive Editor of the Village Voice and a boycott should be levied against his alternative news-weeklies. I personally have no patience for someone who is this hateful and insulting. And to receive a journalistic award on the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination? What a monumental insult…

From Jerrod Washington:

Subject: Please consider covering – n**** word used by Village Voice Exec. at awards banquet

Please consider spreading the word and covering this atrocious incident which occurred Friday night in Phoenix. While accepting an award at the Society of Professional Journalists awards banquet, on the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination, Village Voice Executive Editor Michael Lacey, who co-owns the Phoenix New Times and who has ownership in more alternative weeklies across the U.S. than anyone, gave a short vulgar acceptance speech in which he called another reporter a prick, told a story about a deceased reporter’s wife falling off her chair inebriated and implied she kept calling him afterwards from Rio De Janeiro as if she wanted to have an affair, and then referred to the deceased reporter as “my n*****” and said he fired him.

There were African-Americans present in the audience, including the mother of a deceased reporter who was accepting an award for him on his behalf. Another African-American reporter present from the East Valley Tribune, Billye Paulson, was so offended he sent Lacey an angry email afterwards.

Paul Curci, the publisher of Philadelphia City Paper, an alternative weekly newspaper, has written a furious letter to the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, below.

No national news media has covered this, and so Lacey has gotten away with nothing more than a mocking apology, which said in part, “It is regrettable that any phrase of mine offended those attending a First Amendment awards banquet.” This is a double standard considering others who have made similar remarks – like Don Imus – have lost their jobs over it.

Lacey is a hypocrite whose Phoenix New Times is quick to label local officials as racists. While the Phoenix New Times is known for its rough style of journalism, this goes way over the line of acceptable journalism and is doubly egregious considering Lacey is a powerful, influential national media owner.

Michael Lacey must resign. If he doesn’t, Village Voice should remove him. Help put pressure on Village Voice to remove him by sending them email at http://www.villagevoice.com/aboutus/index.php?page=contact or emailing the editor-in-chief at tortega@villagevoice.com

Posted April 10, 2008
Letter to the Editor RE: Michael Lacey’s Comments

By Paul Curci

For as long as I can remember, journalists have been accused of acting irresponsibly and “hiding behind the first amendment.” I tend to shrug the notion off, as I am a staunch defender of the right to free speech.
And then along comes a guy like Mike Lacey, Executive Editor of Village Voice Media LLC, who during a speech at an awards dinner hosted by the Phoenix Society of Professional Journalists, referred to his deceased friend, journalist Tom Fitzpatrick, as “my nigger.”
Put aside the fact that this was a Society of Professional Journalists awards dinner. Put aside the fact that Mike Lacey is white, as was Tom Fitzpatrick. Put aside the fact even, that Lacey is the titular head of a rather large consortium of alt-weeklies, and therefore represents them when speaking in public. The speech, delivered on the 40th Anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, was vicious and hateful, and undermines all that are our association is supposed to stand for. The speech also followed the acceptance of a award given to an African American journalist, and accepted posthumously by his 82 year old mother… who then had to listen to Lacey’s racist rant.
For Mike Lacey to use that expression, and then later offer up a half-hearted apology, which ended with “It is regrettable that any phrase of mine offended those attending a First Amendment awards banquet,” is at best some next level arrogance, and at worse something much more serious.
Anyone with half a brain, and even the slightest bit of credibility knows how painfully inappropriate it is to use that word; to even think about using that word. I’m embarrassed for you, Mike, and I don’t even know you. I do, however, publish an alt-weekly. So I’m doubly embarrassed, because your remarks reflect on me, Mike. They taint our whole association. And that’s why I’m calling you on it. You see, Mike, ignorance really pisses people off. But, ignorance from someone who’s presumably educated, and a supposed “leader” of a media company, is inexcusable. In one speech, you’ve managed to diminish our entire industry. You’ve made it infinitely harder for your staff to do its job. They deserve better. We deserve better.
You can drape yourself in an American flag the size Phoenix, Mike. That won’t save you from this one. My advice? Muster some real contrition, and fast. Or, get the hell out of the game. You’ve clearly lost touch.
Paul Curci
Publisher
Philadelphia City Paper
p: 215.825.2480
f: 215.875.1820
e: paul.curci (at) citypaper.net

BIO from http://www.aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/ViewPerson?oid=oid%3A5048
Michael Lacey is the executive editor of NT Media, a group of twelve metropolitan newsweeklies that stretch from Miami to San Francisco. He writes frequently for Phoenix New Times, the flagship paper, which he co-founded in 1970. Lacey’s work has been recognized in the following journalism competitions: Unity Awards in Media, Mencken Awards, Heywood Broun Awards, Golden Quill Awards, Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism, Nixon Newspaper National Journalism Writing Awards, John Bartlow Martin Awards, Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Awards, Best of the West Awards, Maggie Awards, and the Arizona Press Club’s Don Schellie Award for Feature Column Writing.

Watch video clip (it’s short) http://www.azfamily.com/video/3tvextra-index.html?nvid=234409

MORE COVERAGE
http://intellectualconservative.blogspot.com/2008/04/alternative-newspaper-magnate-gets-away.html
http://sonoranalliance.com/?p=2228
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/113250
http://arizonamajority.blogspot.com/2008/04/who-is-michael-lacey.html
http://arizonamajority.blogspot.com/2008/04/michael-lacey-new-times-editor-should.html
http://azpoliticalintel.blogspot.com/2008/04/campaign-to-fire-michael-lacey-from.html
http://www.yellowsheetreport.com/home.htm/page/newsArticle.newsArticle&articleID=2687
http://redstatearizona.blogspot.com/2008/04/michael-laceys-demeaning-use-of-my-n-at.html
http://lighthouseblog.blogs.com/lighthouse_blog/2008/04/new-times-co-ow.html
http://arizonapoliticalheat.blogspot.com/2008/04/why-hasnt-the-village-voice-fired-lacey.html
http://bobmccarty.com/2008/04/11/journalist-launches-n-word-at-awards-banquet/