One of the things media and news outlets are horrifyingly good at is deciding what people are worthy to be written about and who not. One of the most tragic things about media is the fact that when a Caucasian person dies, is kidnapped, has an accident, survives, has a heroic story; the media is careful to report on it and give it much coverage. Whenever something happens to a Caucasian person the media is all over it When the same happens to a person of other races the media does not care nearly as much. The coverage is much less and interest in reporting on the case fades quickly.
This makes me want to scream. The way the media reports on people based on their skin color. The lighter the better. The darker you are, the less you matter. Sorry, but the media only cares about the white. It is hypocrisy at its worst and I HATE it.
But there is one thing I also hate. When people decide not to care about news or what has happen abroad in the world or bad accidents based on skin color. Because many people are guilty of the same hypocrisy. They do not care about others unless the people are the same race as themselves. This can apply anywhere.
BUT, that does not mean everyone reacts to news like that. It is not as if all Caucasian people care only about Caucasians, All black people care only about black, all Hispanic people care only about Hispanics, All Asians care only about Asians and all native/indigenous people care only about indigenous people. So we have created a nice stereotype that states that people only care about others that are of their same race, the rest does not matter one bit.
The world is more complicated than that and human nature is as well. People all over the world love, respect and have sympathy for other people irregardless of their skin color and ethnicity. They react to sad news from all over the world with sympathy and respect and express condolences and offer support. They are aware of the media bias and fight back.
So it makes my blood boil when I read blogs from people that state they don't care or will not offer their sympathy for other accidents or terror attacks where white people are involved. They will not do it because the media/people do not care about when people of other races die.
It makes me wonder whether people watched the terrorist events in Norway in 2011 and decided 'Nah, Norwegians are mostly white so I don't care'. Or whether people watched the collapse of the factory building in Bangladesh and decided 'Nah, they're brown, I do not care'. Because, people's death only matters based on their skin color.
Can I just scream?!
First of all, all shootings, terrorist attacks, accidents, natural disasters warrant our sympathy no matter where they happen or who was involved. A persons life is worth so much and they are so loved no matter where in the world you go. When a person is shot or killed it is always a tragic, horrifying event. The same applies for any person that inhabits this planet. Race has nothing to do with the tragedy of losing a human life. Every human death that is unnecessary and uncalled for is tragic and deserves our sympathy. Every human life is worth the same, irrespective of what the media blasts out.
You see, I am white so I shouldn't care. I should only care about white people and what happens to them. Because some stereotype has decided that I, because I am white, care only about people that share the same skin color. And I should not notice the media bias because of course white people matter more than brown or black. Except I do not. So excuse me if the Bangladesh victims are on my mind. Excuse that I cannot forget Rehtaeh Parsons or Audrey Potts. Excuse if the death of Trayvon Martin still affects me.
People all over the world are sorry that they do not apply to that neat little stereotype. They are sorry that they see beyond skin color and race and care about people because they exist, because they are alive and have the same right as everyone else.
Except, no one is ever going to apologize. Because this is a fundamental step towards reaching a more equal world. Loving and caring for others is what makes us human.
Racial problems and racial tension is very prevalent and affect our society. But if we are going to continue this charade we are never going to get anywhere. We will never reach a world where races can live together in harmony and respect if we continue deciding that our sympathy only lies with people of our race. Sympathy, empathy, respect, outreach and love are the tools we need to care for and about each other and reach a better world without racism.
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