Was Michael Brown accurately portrayed in the media?

BY GILBERT YOUNG

Michael Brown was portrayed in the media as yet another black brute of a teen with criminal tendencies. The only question of the matter is whether or not he deserved what he got. Regardless of personal opinions on the matter, three things remain constant. One, a black teen was slain. Two, a white cop in Missouri did the slaying. And three, people are pissed. Rioting is super common. Militarized forces keep moving into Ferguson everyday. Curfew is enacted. All for the death of a black teen and the rioting of the people. However we must analyze why Michael Brown was killed in the way he was.

He was a big black man.

A lack of understanding breeds fear. In the climate of Missouri, a lack of an understanding between the black community and the police has created massive tension. When Michael Brown was slain, I believe the officer did so in fear. The confrontations between officers and blacks in the city had always been common and this was a tipping point. Fear led to Brown’s death. Nothing more nothing less. The six shots indicate fear or intense anger. Regardless, the officer took a life of an unarmed man.

So what stories have we heard so far? They lie on such opposite ends of the spectrum it is in my opinion damn near impossible to discern what really happened. One shows a high and aggressive Brown charging at a police officer with malicious intent. The other has Brown being submissive and gunned down in cold blood. And with such confusion, people look towards the media for answers. To be honest, the media is just as confused as the people are. Thus, the media will always choose one of these stories and focus on it at their leisure.

Now in order to dispel any sort of misconception, I am not saying that Brown was as innocent as a schoolboy. Nor am I saying that he was as pure as a saint. I am saying that Brown was a black teen. Undebatable. He was unarmed. Undebatable. He was shot and subsequently killed at a distance, making further serious and immediate physical harm to the officer impossible. Undebatable. The police refused to come out with any details for 6 days. The mother of Brown was not notified of her son’s death immediately. The police officer himself has said nothing on his side of the story. The police report didn’t come out. Brown was shot 6 times. Kill shots, not intended to incapacitate.

The media will always choose a side.