The world is changing and becoming more diverse.
Globalization has encouraged the movement of people into different parts of the world away from their home countries. The American society, for example, consists of people from different nationalities, numerous races and ethnic communities, distinct sexual orientations, and a variety of skills. The changing nature of the composition of the world’s populace has resulted in calls for diversity from different organizations. As these calls intensify, there has an increase in the reported and documented cases stereotypical comments and practices. Stereotypes have been defined as “oversimplified standardized images” (Houghton et al. 11). The essay will focus on the matter of Michael Brown shooting in 2014 as the basis of a past event because of the general reactions that the event got. The most important outcome of the event was the emergence of activists who fought towards dismantling the stereotypes spread by the media that mainly affected the Black community. The issue is vital because it relates to the present time events. Events observed during the event are still witnessed in the current time; it is almost nothing has changed at all. The paper argues that strive towards diversity has not increased the angry feelings on stereotypical groupings, but instead has unfolded the deep roots of stereotypes within American society.
Michael Brown’s shooting
On 9 August 2014 in Ferguson, a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, who was only 18 years old, lost his life in the hands of the police officer, Darren Wilson. A report by the U.S Department of Justice notes that the encounter between the two individuals was roughly over two minutes (3). Further, the reports states that the meeting happened after Brown and his friend had robbed a convenience store, and stole a few packages of cigarillos (Department of Justice 3). Officer Wilson had the description of the suspects of the thieves during the initial encounter with the suspects.
The two men (Brown and his friend) were told to walk on the sidewalk because the officer suspected them as the perpetrators of the theft incidence (Adamson 196). The officer used his SUV to block the men’s way, and ‘accidentally’ hit Brown (Department of Justice 3). Brown reached for the officer and punched him through an open window. Brown was shot six or seven times, the first time being during the struggle in the SUV (Adamson 196). There were reports that Brown was shot in the back as he tried to run away, but the prosecution could not prove this (Department of Justice 4).
Importance of Michael Brown’s Shooting Event
The media and stereotypical reporting
The media plays an essential role in the portrayal of ethnic and racial groupings (Everbach et al. 2). It has the capability of shaping people’s opinion on different events and happenings, which help them, form new agendas and accounts (Adamson 190). According to Dukes and Gaither, individuals from racial minority groups are overrepresented as criminals, unlike the White population (790). After the shooting of Michael Brown, a particular image circulated the different media houses. The photo used by the mainstream media portrayed Brown as a criminal (Everbach et al. 28). The images used in the media intentionally or unintentionally create a validation of why unarmed black men are killed. Statements such as “I’m sorry, but Michael Brown’s people say he is a gentle giant...He was acting like a thug, not like a gentle giant” by Bill Maher of HBO talk show is an indication that the media is often out to portray individuals of color in the most stereotypical ways possible (Dukes & Gaither 790). The shooting of Brown was a closely followed event, which brought to light the clear stereotypical descriptions that Black victims have in the mainstream media.
The emergent role of activists
According to Demby, Ferguson would not have made it to national news if the shooting had happened a few years prior. However, with activists involved, any fatal encounter makes the national news because they understand the importance of social media. Mainstream media often pay attention to stories covered in social media such as Twitter, with an aim to get different sides of the stories (Demby). Demby notes that it was the shooting in Ferguson that made the activists aware of their role in cases of fatal encounters of Black men and the police. Everbach et al. highlight the importance of activists and social media. The activists on social media often critique the media coverage of the events that affect their peers (Everbach et al. 28). The role of the activists became an important area for the Black community in the US. The activists help fight against any stereotypical portrayal in the social media as well fight for the rights of their community.
Connection to a recent event
Philando Castile was fatally shot by an officer in front of his girlfriend on July 6, 2016, in Falcon Heights (Williamson et al. 408). After the acquittal of the police officer involved, there were thousands of protests across the country with a “Justice for Philando Castile” slogan (Williamson et al. 408). Williamson et al. conclude that there is a connection between deaths caused by police and protests (409). After Brown’s shooting event, the number of social media activists increased. The protests from the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement became stronger during Ferguson’s event. Activists were more ready and willing to protest to reduce the number of deaths caused by police officers. Further, the activists worked towards a reduction of the stereotypical portrayal of victims of police brutality. These changes were evident during the second event involving Castile.
Unlike in the previous decade, there is a higher probability of a protest when it comes to killing by police, especially for an unarmed Black man. While the officer in Castile’s case was acquitted of all charges, the rise of the BLM movement and increased protest indicates the importance of Ferguson’s event. From the demonstration, activists can challenge the stereotypes of a “big Black man” portrayed in the mainstream media (Adamson 190). The issue on stereotypical portrayal of Black men, which leads to use of deadly force from the police is still a major issue. As Jablonski states, a majority of individuals are not conscious of the connection of stereotypes and their thoughts (102).
Implications for the Future
Stereotypes against the African American community have been there for decades. However, the current political atmosphere in the country may interfere with any changes regarding the increasing stereotypes. There have been many documented incidences of racial prejudice against the African-American community. Many people recorded on these videos majorly judge the Black person according to their skin color and assume they must be doing something wrong. Is any change possible? It is currently impossible to predict the future because of the volatile environment. However, the more things continue to change, and the more things continue to stay the same. It is possible that there will be continued protests, and negative stereotypes against the Black community may not cease. The future, however, does not look promising. Minority groups continue to face and encounter situations that ignite prejudice against their race.
Conclusion
Police brutality against an unarmed Black man has always been guided by the stereotype of a “big Black man.” The media has largely contributed towards the growth of this stereotype among the populace and the police as well. The media is fast to portray a negative picture of a Black man when there is a case of a fatal encounter between them and the police. As witnessed in the case of Michael Brown, the mainstream media did not portray him as the victim of a shooting encounter rather a case of a criminal. The emergence of social media activists during this time has not helped much in the fighting against such stereotypes. The Black community continues to face discrimination because of preconceptions that people have them. In the age of social media, it has become easier to spread videos recorded using a cell phone to the world. For this reason, it has become easier for the world to recognize more instances of stereotyping than before. People have not suddenly become easily offended because of matters of stereotypes and appropriation. Further changes in how messages are transmitted have changed, which has encouraged a growth in the knowledge of other’s culture, and elicited different reactions.
Works Cited
Adamson, Bryan. "Thugs, Crooks, and Rebellious Negroes: Racist and Racialized Media Coverage of Michael Brown and Ferguson Demonstrations". Harvard Journal On Racial & Ethnic Justice, vol 32, 2016, pp. 189-278., Accessed 3 Nov 2018.
Demby, Gene. "The Butterfly Effects of Ferguson". Npr.Org, 2016, https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/08/11/489494015/the-butterfly-effects-of-ferguson. Accessed 3 Nov 2018.
Department of Justice. "Department Of Justice Report Regarding the Criminal Investigation into the Shooting Death of Michael Brown by Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson." The Shooting Death Of Michael Brown And The Ferguson Police Department: DOJ Investigations (Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement And Corrections), Keith Gonzalez, Nova Science Pub Inc., 2017, pp. 1-78, Accessed 2 Nov 2018.
Everbach, Tracy et al. "#Iftheygunnedmedown". Electronic News, vol 12, no. 1, 2017, pp. 23-41. SAGE Publications, doi:10.1177/1931243117697767. Accessed 2 Nov 2018.
Houghton, Stephanie Ann et al. Critical Cultural Awareness: Managing Stereotypes through Intercultural (Language) Education. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2014.
Jablonski, Nina G. Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color. University Of California Press, 2012.
Williamson, Vanessa et al. "Black Lives Matter: Evidence That Police-Caused Deaths Predict Protest Activity". Perspectives on Politics, vol 16, no. 02, 2018, pp. 400-415. Cambridge University Press (CUP), doi:10.1017/s1537592717004273. Accessed 3 Nov 2018.
