Racism in Media

Racism in Media 

        There was a court case in 1964 that argued about the First amendment right to freedom of press. It was called New York Times v. Sullivan. This court cased was one of many that tried to censor news outlets for covering the Civil right movement protest in the south. Many media outlets were scared and afraid of retaliation. They knew that delaying the progress will hinder growth. This in itself is racism that is seen on a national scale. 

        The thing that’s stuck out to me was that journalist did not stop; they kept doing their job regardless of what was going on. They documented truth and pushed for those voices to be heard. It is important for black journalist to know that you must find your truth in the ways of which you see it. The world is not black and white and is full of people of all backgrounds. 

        This is the thing though. Many people would try and show their solidarity with the phrase. “I don’t see color” this statement is very controversial as it paints the world in a nuance canvas. My fiancé’s grandparents said something similar to my mother-in-law. They said, “I don’t care if she is black, white or purple, as long as she makes him happy”. At first, I thought this was a beautiful statement, but I still felt uncomfortable. It is as if they did not see me and the things I have gone through because of my skin color. It also got me thinking about if we were to have children and how they would treat them. 

        It is because of multiple factors that people would think this way. They are white people from the south that have their own opinion about topics that may be considered conservative. If they were to allow themselves to look into other people’s perspective, maybe they would not feel like tit is okay to say those things. The things we see and believe in media cause many people to my illiterate in media and build upon the nation of learned racism. This is racism that is taught thought environmental conditions. I hope to see media outlets because more neutral in topics and coverage because it would allow people to think for themselves and formulate their own opinion.