Comments on: AtP2: Alabama Burning http://positiveposition.com/blog/2006/03/08/alabama-burning/ A NEW and IMPROVED rant about the good, the bad, and the ugly in public relations. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:39:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Ike http://positiveposition.com/blog/2006/03/08/alabama-burning/#comment-1780 Ike Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:43:55 +0000 http://positiveposition.com/blog/2006/03/08/alabama-burning/#comment-1780 I'd have to say that most Alabamians, being closer to the constant media coverage, knew early on that these were white churches this time around. I concede that the passage of time may have dulled local memories to the facts surrounding the previous round of church fires. As to attitudes "leaking" out of Alabama --- there are always those with an agenda, who benefit from cultivating and nurturing certain stereotypes and biases. That's not so much a "leak" as a blatant attempt to distort or disregard fact. My point is focused more on those outside who might get just a 15-second blurb on their local or national news. They are more likely to absorb an impression of what happened that is in line with their prior dispositions. The dearth of coverage and paucity of new facts will not be enough to overcome their internal story. Therefore, less of a chance of an attitude change. I strongly recommend to you (or anyone else for that matter) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738206717/sr=8-1/qid=1141864945/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-3152900-2839302?%5Fencoding=UTF8" title="Find this book on Amazon.com" rel="nofollow">The Story Factor</a> by Annette Simmons. I’d have to say that most Alabamians, being closer to the constant media coverage, knew early on that these were white churches this time around. I concede that the passage of time may have dulled local memories to the facts surrounding the previous round of church fires.

As to attitudes “leaking” out of Alabama — there are always those with an agenda, who benefit from cultivating and nurturing certain stereotypes and biases. That’s not so much a “leak” as a blatant attempt to distort or disregard fact.

My point is focused more on those outside who might get just a 15-second blurb on their local or national news. They are more likely to absorb an impression of what happened that is in line with their prior dispositions. The dearth of coverage and paucity of new facts will not be enough to overcome their internal story. Therefore, less of a chance of an attitude change.

I strongly recommend to you (or anyone else for that matter) The Story Factor by Annette Simmons.

]]> By: Drew http://positiveposition.com/blog/2006/03/08/alabama-burning/#comment-1778 Drew Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:23:59 +0000 http://positiveposition.com/blog/2006/03/08/alabama-burning/#comment-1778 An interesting question is whose perceptions need to be changed first? No doubt, Alabamians are projecting racist motives onto these fires as much as the outsiders are. I've heard plenty of criticism come from those located in other parts of the nation, but are those perceptions based on history or on the attitudes leaking out of Alabama? Is this a problem that must be fixed from the outside in or from the inside out? Great closing line, by the way. An interesting question is whose perceptions need to be changed first? No doubt, Alabamians are projecting racist motives onto these fires as much as the outsiders are. I’ve heard plenty of criticism come from those located in other parts of the nation, but are those perceptions based on history or on the attitudes leaking out of Alabama?

Is this a problem that must be fixed from the outside in or from the inside out?

Great closing line, by the way.

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