For those who don't know her, Melissa Harris-Perry (MH-P) is an American author, television host and political commentator with a focus on African American politics. She is a professor of political science at Tulane University. Prior to this position, Melissa was an associate professor of politics and African American Studies at Princeton University (2006-2010) and taught political science at the University of Chicago from 1999 to 2005.
Currently, MH-P hosts a weekend news and opinion television show on MSNBC. I watch the show faithfully every Saturday and Sunday. It's a source of information and amazing data on current events, issues, and historical trends. The show serves as an avenue for me to discover new faces and spend time with a variety of folks from the media and political arenas.
In a recurring segment of the Melissa Harris-Perry Show, the host delivers an open letter to prominent figures in the news about vital issues of the day. I find the segment compelling, focused, and down to the nitty-gritty. When she begins, saying "it's Melissa", one who doesn't know better is caught off guard, maybe even disarmed. By the time time she signs off as "Melissa", she has made her point and shook out the truth with wit, candor and grace.
One example is Melissa's open letter to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal about his refusal to set -up a state-run insurance exchange required by the Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare).
Take a look at some of the content:
"Bobby, you're the governor of a poor state," Harris-Perry, a Louisiana resident said. "Being a governor of a state with this much poverty and inequality ought to give you a certain sense of urgency—but you don't seem to give a damn. What you do care about is reaching higher office. And why not? You're term limited in Louisiana and the White House will have an opening in four years."
Harris-Perry charged that Jindal has made a number of national political moves recently, and that it "looks like [his] 2016 machine is raring to go."
She later added, "Tell you what governor, if you're bored with dealing with the real problems that face us in Louisiana; if you want to move on to the national stage, don't wait until the end of your term. Pull a Palin, quit now. We'll find somebody else."
Melissa has written to Justice Clarence Thomas, George Will and New Jersey Govenor Chris Christie. I particularly liked her letters to my state's senator Majority leader Harry Reid telling him "get tough on assault weapons, Harry Reid". Her letter to Indiana's G.O.P. failed senatorial candidate Richard Murdock addressed his controversial comments on rape.
"You see, Mr. Mourdock, the violation of rape is more than physical. Rapists strip women of our right to choose, of our right to say no, of our right to control what is happening to our bodies. Most assailants tell us it is our fault. They tell us to be silent. Sometimes they even tell us it’s God’s will," she said. "That is the core violation of rape– it takes away choice. Richard, you believe it is fine to ignore a women’s right to choose because of your interpretation of divinity. Sound familiar?"
I love the show overall and particularly the "Letters from Melissa" segment and highly recommend it to you and yours.
