Race relations in Chicago: The role of the media (crimes, employment)

[lenniel]

We often read on CD about the poor race relations/segregation in Chicago.

While the reality of this situation is up for debate, when we read about incidences like the one linked below, it's hard not to get angry about this type of behavior that is typically (a vast majority of the time) perpetrated by young black kids.

11 charged after man beaten on Near North Side - chicagotribune.com

Does the media sensationalize these types of events because they know people will read about them or are they just reporting the news?

[marothisu]

Related to the event above, there's actually a lot the media didn't report. 45-60 minutes before that, there was a "flash mob" moving along Michigan Ave to Chicago Avenue. My stop is the Chicago stop. Got to the stop around 10:30 and there were probably 10 cop cars and a few hundred kids standing for no reason on the corners of Chicago & State. I walked through probably about 100 of them, Nothing happened to me, but made me wonder what was up. My friends showed me some stuff about some "flash mobs" going on then with 100.

Apparently the one in your link above might have been the same flash mob too. According to my friends, 11 were the ones nabbed, out of around 100. There's reports of around 50 of them ganging up on a girl too before that.

[MaryMary2012]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Related to the event above, there's actually a lot the media didn't report. 45-60 minutes before that, there was a "flash mob" moving along Michigan Ave to Chicago Avenue. My stop is the Chicago stop. Got to the stop around 10:30 and there were probably 10 cop cars and a few hundred kids standing for no reason on the corners of Chicago & State. I walked through probably about 100 of them, Nothing happened to me, but made me wonder what was up. My friends showed me some stuff about some "flash mobs" going on then with 100.

Apparently the one in your link above might have been the same flash mob too. According to my friends, 11 were the ones nabbed, out of around 100. There's reports of around 50 of them ganging up on a girl too before that.

Were the members of the flash mob black? I think it's just a case of teens lacking proper socialization, due to their upbringing. Also, it goes without stating, many of them are restless, due to not having any form of gainful employment or constructive activities to partake in during the summer months...

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by MaryMary2012

Were the members of the flash mob black? I think it's just a case of teens lacking proper socialization, due to upbringing, as well as the majority of them not having any form of gainful employment during the summer months...

Apparently they were. When I got out of the stop, there were so many there so I kind of "watched" for a minute. There were kids on all sides of the street, and even though the crosswalk had the white sign to go, nobody did. They all just stood there doing nothing. Didn't make any sense to me but whatever. Apparently someone got beat up at Chicago & State and yeah, cops came with tons of backup.

[MaryMary2012]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Apparently they were. When I got out of the stop, there were so many there so I kind of "watched" for a minute. There were kids on all sides of the street, and even though the crosswalk had the white sign to go, nobody did. They all just stood there doing nothing. Didn't make any sense to me but whatever. Apparently someone got beat up at Chicago & State and yeah, cops came with tons of backup.

I'd venture to guess that most of those teens are from the Southside. They are looking for something to do, but unfortunately, it usually turns negative, once they become bored.

The city should fund more summer programs.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by lenniel

We often read on CD about the poor race relations/segregation in Chicago.

While the reality of this situation is up for debate, when we read about incidences like the one linked below, it's hard not to get angry about this type of behavior that is typically (a vast majority of the time) perpetrated by young black kids.

Does the media sensationalize these types of events because they know people will read about them or are they just reporting the news?

Wow, you have jumbled a lot of different topics into a very short posting. I have a lot of thoughts...

First of all, it's OK to get angry at that type of behavior. Those idiot kids could have harmed anyone, not just white people. And at the end of the night those goons go back to a black neighborhood and victimize black people. So all of us have an interest in seeing thugs like this change their behavior. Don't frame it as "black thugs versus innocent white people." Frame it as "thugs versus good people of all colors."

The media can't sensationalize anything unless you the viewer allow them. The media reports stories that they believe will give them the ratings they need to charge the advertising rates they wan't to earn the profits they desire. Anything else about the "role of the media" takes a back seat to the fact that they will do almost anything that is ethical if it results in profit.

But how you choose to react to that is up to you, and is in your control. Just because these crimes are committed by black people, doesn't mean that white people should therefore discriminate against black people. It doesn't mean you shouldn't offer black people jobs at comparable pay. it doesn't mean white people should teach their kids that blacks are less human than whites. So if you find yourself hating black folks after watching the news, then that's a flaw in YOUR character, not in the presentation of the news.

By the way, I rarely watch the first 5-10 minutes of the news, because it tends to be a crime-fest, rather than any stories that add value to my life. What value did hearing about the beating add to your life? Are you suddenly going to top traveling downtown? Are you going to fear every black male you see? I would much rather see the news reporting on stories that affect my life, like corruption in politics, or health care debates. these are things that affect me.

One last thing... I look warily on groups of teen males of ANY race. I used to be a teen male and I know what stupid impulsive decisions teen males can make. Has little to do with being black.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by MaryMary2012

The city should fund more summer programs.

Yep, they should. I think it all comes down to money though. Steal something and sell it = easy money if you get away with it. The ones who are DOING IT I mean. We should be very careful about saying they all want to do this or whatever.. it's some of them, definitely not all.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Wow, you have jumbled a lot of different topics into a very short posting. I have a lot of thoughts...

First of all, it's OK to get angry at that type of behavior. Those idiot kids could have harmed anyone, not just white people. And at the end of the night those goons go back to a black neighborhood and victimize black people. So all of us have an interest in seeing thugs like this change their behavior. Don't frame it as "black thugs versus innocent white people." Frame it as "thugs versus good people of all colors."

It all comes down to what is actually NEWs (notice the word "new" in news). It's kind of like the boy who cried wolf thing. You say it enough times, and it becomes old. People become jaded about it and say "yeah yeah, whatever." The reason why it's reported on more of events happening in the Near North Side and Lakeview, is because it doesn't happen a lot. If this started happening every. single. day. I GUARANTEE you after 6-9 straight months of it happening, it would become old news and would become an afterthought, buried down 10 pages. I would bet at least $5000 real money on that. The media reports on things that are new, that are out of the ordinary. There's a reason why the number of people killed everyday in Afghanistan isn't front page news or even in the first 5 pages anymore. It's because it's been happening for so long that it's become the norm and people have become conditioned to it. The news has to come up with the next big thing to report on that is NEW.

[MaryMary2012]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yep, they should. I think it all comes down to money though. Steal something and sell it = easy money if you get away with it. The ones who are DOING IT I mean. We should be very careful about saying they all want to do this or whatever.. it's some of them, definitely not all.

It really troubles me to see so many black youth participating in anti-social/pathological behaviors. Perhaps they believe, any attention is good attention. I'm sure they figured out rather quickly that the media and police do not really care about what transpires in their predominately poor/black neighborhoods. For this reason, they want to venture into areas where most will take note of them.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by MaryMary2012

It really troubles me to see so many black youth participating in anti-social/pathological behaviors. Perhaps they believe, any attention is good attention. I'm sure they figured out rather quickly that the media and police do not really care about what transpires in their predominately poor/black neighborhoods. For this reason, they want to venture into areas where most will take note of them.

Well, this is just what you see in Chicago. There's all types of groups who do this, not just black youth. There are white kids up to no good in suburbs...it's just what we see and hear/choose to see and hear.