The news media is guilty of stoking racial tension and unrest (suspect, death)

[Vejadu]

Recently we've been witness to several incidents in which an unarmed young black man has been killed at the hands of a white cop. Each time one of these tragedies occurs, we're fed a partial story before all of the facts are in. Sensationalist headlines about racist white cops executing unarmed, innocent young Black men quickly whip people into a frenzy, who want to think the worst about cops.

In this most recent event in Wisconsin, the teen killed by the cop was reported with a photo of him in his graduation garb accompanied with quotes from his family about how he was a peaceful soul. These are the stories that we're presented, which provide a completely one-sided account of the event and make it appear this is another incident of a racist white cop playing jury, judge and executioner. People are naturally incensed, which leads to protests and in some cases, more violence and rioting.

Once people are sufficiently angry the truth starts to come out, vindicating (at least in most cases) the cop's actions. Robinson, the victim, was already on probation for armed robbery. The cops were responding to a disturbance, not looking for trouble. When they encountered Robinson, he bashed the cop in the head and was killed in the struggle.

One third of cops shot and killed on duty are killed by "unarmed" assailants who kill the cop with their own gun. If you're armed and attacked, you're going to do what's necessary to make sure you get to go home at the end of the night. Could this death have been avoided? We don't know because we only know bits and pieces of the story. But its evident that this was not as the media first reported it.

These events are reported to us with racism as the biggest factor. Forget that the kid had a violent criminal record. Forget that he was a suspect. Forget that he attacked a cop. This is how these events are being reported, and anyone who doesn't read beyond the headlines or their Facebook feed is getting a narrative, not news. The media, in how they report these stories, is knowingly latching on to stories they know will get a massive amount of attention and outrage. In reporting these events in such an obviously biased manner, they're creating more racial tension, more outrage and guilty of making race relations worse. Should our media be held accountable for the damage they're doing by perpetuating racism and inspiring even more racism and violence?

[TheMoreYouKnow]

We will continue to see and hear stories of "unarmed black teens" getting shot my police while "doinnuffin" as long as the left can use these stories to push a political agenda.

[greywar]

Sigh. No, the media is not to blame. Institutionalized racism, inequality, hopelessness, etc etc.

Without any of that the media wouldn't be enough to "cause" any of the things you are complaining about. The DOJ report made it quite clear whats been occurring in Ferguson for decades.

Listening to you its "Theres no underlying problem, its all the medias fault!". Thats just sad. Seriously, the DOJ report is pretty bad.

[Pretzelogik]

Ratings and advertising bucks.

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Originally Posted by greywar

Sigh. No, the media is not to blame. Institutionalized racism, inequality, hopelessness, etc etc.

Without any of that the media wouldn't be enough to "cause" any of the things you are complaining about. The DOJ report made it quite clear whats been occurring in Ferguson for decades.

Listening to you its "Theres no underlying problem, its all the medias fault!". Thats just sad. Seriously, the DOJ report is pretty bad.

In case you missed it the DOJ also pointed out that what took place with Michael Brown had nothing to do with the rest of the things they found in that investigation. Micheal Brown is why Michael Brown got shot and killed.

[jim9251]

Originally Posted by Pretzelogik

Ratings and advertising bucks.

Exactly!

[Indentured Servant]

Originally Posted by Vejadu

Recently we've been witness to several incidents in which an unarmed young black man has been killed at the hands of a white cop. Each time one of these tragedies occurs, we're fed a partial story before all of the facts are in. Sensationalist headlines about racist white cops executing unarmed, innocent young Black men quickly whip people into a frenzy, who want to think the worst about cops.

In this most recent event in Wisconsin, the teen killed by the cop was reported with a photo of him in his graduation garb accompanied with quotes from his family about how he was a peaceful soul. These are the stories that we're presented, which provide a completely one-sided account of the event and make it appear this is another incident of a racist white cop playing jury, judge and executioner. People are naturally incensed, which leads to protests and in some cases, more violence and rioting.

Once people are sufficiently angry the truth starts to come out, vindicating (at least in most cases) the cop's actions. Robinson, the victim, was already on probation for armed robbery. The cops were responding to a disturbance, not looking for trouble. When they encountered Robinson, he bashed the cop in the head and was killed in the struggle.

One third of cops shot and killed on duty are killed by "unarmed" assailants who kill the cop with their own gun. If you're armed and attacked, you're going to do what's necessary to make sure you get to go home at the end of the night. Could this death have been avoided? We don't know because we only know bits and pieces of the story. But its evident that this was not as the media first reported it.

These events are reported to us with racism as the biggest factor. Forget that the kid had a violent criminal record. Forget that he was a suspect. Forget that he attacked a cop. This is how these events are being reported, and anyone who doesn't read beyond the headlines or their Facebook feed is getting a narrative, not news. The media, in how they report these stories, is knowingly latching on to stories they know will get a massive amount of attention and outrage. In reporting these events in such an obviously biased manner, they're creating more racial tension, more outrage and guilty of making race relations worse. Should our media be held accountable for the damage they're doing by perpetuating racism and inspiring even more racism and violence?

I think the larger issue is police use of deadly force....and that is getting lost. Its like the issue of class vs race. When is it a class issue and when is it a racial issue....but the impact of racism has had a class impact on blacks. In other words, blacks are disproportionately poor, due to historical racism, and hence fall victims to issue of class disproportionately. The same goes for police deadly shootings. The larger issue is the use of deadly force by cops, but given the position of blacks in society that deadly force manifest disproportionately on blacks.

Police seem to practice no patients these days. Instead of a lone police officer waiting for backup....they realize that their gun and the license to use deadly force gives them POWER. If an unarmed guy is saying that he is going to kick the cops azz if he puts his hands on him.....and the cop is not strong enough to physically subdue the person.....the cop should retreat and wait for backup. I mean...darting in and out of traffic, as in the case in Wisconsin, is not an offense that someone should be killed over....PERIOD. The reason that the black community is making this about race is because the white community does not seem to give a damn about the excessive use of deadly force by the police. You all should be outraged too when whites are killed under similar circumstances by the police....since you are not...then it becomes framed in black.

[greywar]

Originally Posted by TheMoreYouKnow

In case you missed it the DOJ also pointed out that what took place with Michael Brown had nothing to do with the rest of the things they found in that investigation. Micheal Brown is why Michael Brown got shot and killed.

Nope, didn't miss that at all. But thats a nice way of ignoring my point.

Heres reality for ya, if the city had been well run, wasn't full of corrupt jerks, didn't discriminate, didn't look at the usage of insane fines levied heavily on the colored portion of its people, etc etc....

Michael brown could have been completely unarmed, had his hands raised up.....been shot dead.....and no one in that town would have gave a damn beyond his family.

[desertdetroiter]

I don't blame the media. That's a cop-out to me in this instance.

People stoke hatred and unrest within themselves quite well without the media, and were doing so long before there was much of a national media.

It's what Americans do and have always done quite well. It's what they'd do if there was no such thing as a media.

[chucksnee]

Originally Posted by greywar

Sigh. No, the media is not to blame. Institutionalized racism, inequality, hopelessness, etc etc.

Without any of that the media wouldn't be enough to "cause" any of the things you are complaining about. The DOJ report made it quite clear whats been occurring in Ferguson for decades.

Listening to you its "Theres no underlying problem, its all the medias fault!". Thats just sad. Seriously, the DOJ report is pretty bad.

Please, the media intentionally made the zimmerman case racist....

If you have 80% (name any race) in a community, why the hell would anyone think the majority of people getting in trouble are not that race?