ADOS/FBA weirdos rejoice 
WHITE ALLIES!
According to a Thursday night tweet from WWL-TV news anchor Charisse Gibson, a viewer warned that the small pendant she wore on air, one shaped like the African continent, implied a lack of patriotism.
“If you persist in wearing a medallion of Africa, please know that I will change channels,” the viewer wrote via email, according to a screenshot posted by Gibson. “You are an American first and should be proud of that.”
Gibson seemed unswayed by the aggrieved viewer's warning. Her response on twitter was simply: “Nah.”
Reached by phone Friday, Gibson, a Black woman, said she gets her share of criticism, and often it’s race-based. “I typically don’t like to share it,” she said, but this time “I wanted people to see.”
Gibson said she wears her Africa pendant regularly. She thinks it might have drawn the attention of the viewer because it symbolizes the history of the slave trade. “My ancestry is African,” Gibson said, and it’s natural to try to find your way back to where you came from.
A New Orleans native who attended Warren Easton High School, Gibson says she can trace her family to St. John the Baptist Parish and Mississippi. Farther back, her family tree can't be traced, because her ancestors were taken from their homelands against their wills and given new identities as enslaved people.
To some, she said, her African pendant “is a reminder of that erasure, of that original sin.”
Gibson said she sees no conflict in being of African descent and being American. “I’m African-American. It’s what I’m rooted in," she said, "and where I came from helped build this country.”
She said never intended to debate with the viewer who challenged her to choose her Americanism over her African heritage. “I’m not arguing this,” she said. “I’d never deny my culture.”
Nor would she deny the various heritages of fellow Americans. “You know what’s insane, too,” she said. “I’ve always taken joy in learning about other cultures.”
Without a doubt Gibson said she’d be wearing her African pendant during Friday night’s broadcast and thereafter. In fact, if there was time, she planned to do a little shopping for some earrings to match before stepping in front of the camera.
Evening News Anchor Charisse Gibson talks over stories during the daily afternoon news meeting at the WWL studio in New Orleans, Friday, July 19, 2019.
PHOTO BY DINAH ROGERS
Gibson said she was reassured when her Twitter followers rose up in her defense, with comments such as:
“We fully support anchor Charisse Gibson," executive news director Keith Esparros said. "At WWL, we embrace diversity in the people we hire, the stories we tell, and celebrate the diversity of all New Orleanians. We will continue to support Charisse and continue to celebrate diversity and inclusion. “
According to her online WWL-TV bio, Gibson's journalism career has taken her to Cincinnati and Shreveport as well as New Orleans. She is a national Murrow Award and Emmy Award winner, and is president of the New Orleans Association of Black Journalists.
WHITE ALLIES!
According to a Thursday night tweet from WWL-TV news anchor Charisse Gibson, a viewer warned that the small pendant she wore on air, one shaped like the African continent, implied a lack of patriotism.
“If you persist in wearing a medallion of Africa, please know that I will change channels,” the viewer wrote via email, according to a screenshot posted by Gibson. “You are an American first and should be proud of that.”
Gibson seemed unswayed by the aggrieved viewer's warning. Her response on twitter was simply: “Nah.”
Reached by phone Friday, Gibson, a Black woman, said she gets her share of criticism, and often it’s race-based. “I typically don’t like to share it,” she said, but this time “I wanted people to see.”
Gibson said she wears her Africa pendant regularly. She thinks it might have drawn the attention of the viewer because it symbolizes the history of the slave trade. “My ancestry is African,” Gibson said, and it’s natural to try to find your way back to where you came from.
A New Orleans native who attended Warren Easton High School, Gibson says she can trace her family to St. John the Baptist Parish and Mississippi. Farther back, her family tree can't be traced, because her ancestors were taken from their homelands against their wills and given new identities as enslaved people.
To some, she said, her African pendant “is a reminder of that erasure, of that original sin.”
Gibson said she sees no conflict in being of African descent and being American. “I’m African-American. It’s what I’m rooted in," she said, "and where I came from helped build this country.”
She said never intended to debate with the viewer who challenged her to choose her Americanism over her African heritage. “I’m not arguing this,” she said. “I’d never deny my culture.”
Nor would she deny the various heritages of fellow Americans. “You know what’s insane, too,” she said. “I’ve always taken joy in learning about other cultures.”
Without a doubt Gibson said she’d be wearing her African pendant during Friday night’s broadcast and thereafter. In fact, if there was time, she planned to do a little shopping for some earrings to match before stepping in front of the camera.
Evening News Anchor Charisse Gibson talks over stories during the daily afternoon news meeting at the WWL studio in New Orleans, Friday, July 19, 2019.
PHOTO BY DINAH ROGERS
Gibson said she was reassured when her Twitter followers rose up in her defense, with comments such as:
- “Ask if she needs me to send her fresh batteries for her remote.”
- “Exactly … You're an American first! Which means you can wear what you want, when you want, where you want.”
- “If your necklace is the biggest problem in their lives, they are blessed! Good grief.”
“We fully support anchor Charisse Gibson," executive news director Keith Esparros said. "At WWL, we embrace diversity in the people we hire, the stories we tell, and celebrate the diversity of all New Orleanians. We will continue to support Charisse and continue to celebrate diversity and inclusion. “
According to her online WWL-TV bio, Gibson's journalism career has taken her to Cincinnati and Shreveport as well as New Orleans. She is a national Murrow Award and Emmy Award winner, and is president of the New Orleans Association of Black Journalists.
How are we weirdos for wanting our own ethnic identity? You weirdos are obsessed with us lol
man these cacs so fragile...
*takes a bite* WOW 
The festival is this weekend, there'll be food, music, but the highlight I hear will be the River Dancers, let's bring them out, Jill:
Fantastic work gang, could you keep up, Jill? 
But I think I need a bit more time to practice. Thankfully there's still time to prepare for all of us. And again it's this weekend at...
the kids would enjoy it
make it make sense.