BlackPressUSA.Com:

BlackPressUSA.com has removed a Charlotte Post article from its Web site after receiving E-mail letters protesting that it stereotyped Latinos. The Post published a story in late March on the reaction of the city's black residents to the area's growing Hispanic population.The Hispanic population in North Carolina grew 394%, up from 76,726 in 1990 to 378,963 in 2000. Written by Artellia Burch, the piece quoted several black professionals living in Charlotte, including Walt Little, a 40-year-old computer engineer, who stated, The government tries to control our black population by introducing birth control methods on our women...

Why don't the government go after (Hispanics)?

BlackPressUSA.com news editor Todd Borroughs stated in a letter to Web readers that while the Web site respects free speech, the article was removed because stereotyping of any sort was not condoned. BlackPressUSA.com is a joint Web venture of black community newspapers and the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service. The NNPA is an association of more than 200 community newspapers throughout the United States.

Burch told Weekly Report she was very shocked that her article was removed and said Borroughs' letter made her look bad. She added that her man-on-the-street story did not reflect the view of the Post. The paper has received letters and E-mails from all over the country since the piece was published. A Fox News sent a crew to Charlotte to see if there was a racial/ethnic rift between blacks and Hispanics. Burch recently reported in the Post that many Latinos in the city also have their own stereotypes about African Americans. Aided by an interpreter, she interviewed several Latinos, including Edgar Islus, a 23-year-old cab driver who said, I know whites and Latinos are dangerous, but blacks are the most dangerous. When I see black people I don't want to pick them up. Burch also interviewed Madine Fails, president of the Urban League in Central Carolinas who said she doesn't see division between African American and Latinos.

I see a rift trying to be created by the media and some political bodies, she said. I think as people of color, blacks and Hispanics have more in common than differences.