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News & ArtsWednesday, April 4, 2012
Crime Headline of the Day
Posted by Charles Mudede on Wed, Apr 4, 2012 at 11:42 AM
Study: Republicans, whites more tired of Trayvon Martin coverage
The story:
Far more Republicans (56%) than Democrats (25%) say there has been too much coverage of Martin's death, according to Pew, which surveyed a "nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults" last Thursday through Sunday about top new stories.What kind of story would not exhaust a Republican?
In addition, 43% of whites said the story has garnered too much coverage, compared with just 16% of blacks, Pew said.
44
Good Morning Charles,
I don't know what kind of story would exhaust a Republican. But, I do believe Liberal activists and their media are doing their damnedest to exploit Trayvon Martin. Shelby Steele nails it:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424…
I don't know what kind of story would exhaust a Republican. But, I do believe Liberal activists and their media are doing their damnedest to exploit Trayvon Martin. Shelby Steele nails it:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424…
43
@29: To be fair, you do not know all the details of the investigation, and no one in the media or public should. Facts of an investigation are kept secret unless they leak (as in this case) or the police think it is would protect people if they knew the facts (like in a serial killer case for instance).
We only know what we know because of leaks. For all we know, there is evidence that completely exonerates the man and we do not know about it, or their is evidence that condemns him, and the police are processing it/waiting till they have enough to slam dunk him in court.
Seems most likely though that there is not enough evidence to say either way, and well, tie goes to the accused. It is the cornerstone of our justice system.
We only know what we know because of leaks. For all we know, there is evidence that completely exonerates the man and we do not know about it, or their is evidence that condemns him, and the police are processing it/waiting till they have enough to slam dunk him in court.
Seems most likely though that there is not enough evidence to say either way, and well, tie goes to the accused. It is the cornerstone of our justice system.
42
This just in, the same number of people feel like there's been too much coverage of bullshit on TV. Also polls are exact science.
41
If it were a white teenager the question would be, "Now that you got back from the store unharmed are you ready to do your homework?"
40
39 comments and no vote for "Casey Anthony?" I know, that was so 2011, but there's a topic I'm sure we all hunger for more coverage of, 'cause that was a case that really had great importance in our lives.
39
@28: I think you really hit the nail on the head: These "Stand Your Ground" laws are basically tailor made to fit this scenario and to allow highly subjective enforcement.
The law says, "If you feel threatened, you are entitled to do anything you want." Well "everyone" (heavy sarcasm) knows that black teenagers in hoodies are INHERENTLY threatening. Boom! Done. Case closed.
If it was a white teenager, then the question might actually have been asked, "Well, what *exactly* did he do that was threatening?"
The law says, "If you feel threatened, you are entitled to do anything you want." Well "everyone" (heavy sarcasm) knows that black teenagers in hoodies are INHERENTLY threatening. Boom! Done. Case closed.
If it was a white teenager, then the question might actually have been asked, "Well, what *exactly* did he do that was threatening?"
37
@17 Correct me if I'm misunderstanding you (and I'm honestly not trying to lock horns just trying to understand what you attribute success to) but based on your last two paragraphs I feel like you're implying that white privilege is THE reason behind a white person's success, lifestyle, etc as opposed to part of the reason. I can see how whites obviously have it easier than blacks in this country that much is a no brainer, but I lose the connection between white privilege and success when I consider the absolute number of whites in this country. In other words, when you take blacks out of the equation (which is what the proponents of white privilege argue is happening) white people are still forced to compete with other white people in order to succeed. This is why someone like my father (who I think you hired as a ghost writer for some of your post because I’m forced to listen to his rants once a week and it sounds shockingly similar) loses his shit when someone implies that his success was a direct result of who he is as opposed to what he’s done. He’ll look at the world and think there were still millions of others who had the same privilege as himself, "why did I make it?" Then add in the portion of voting D, doesn’t discriminate, etc. which is him basically saying "Holy S! What else did you want me to do?" and you've got a recipe for an old person who can be pretty defensive when someone questions their success.
36
new black panther party stories fascinate them. basically, anything that confirms their belief that they & their culture are under assault.
35
#30 - Mr. Zimmerman may be a lot of things, but he sure ain't white. If I saw him coming down the street, I'd make sure my gun was handy. Especially if he was wearing a "hoodie".
God, I love my "white privilege"!
God, I love my "white privilege"!
33
Stories that have garnered too much coverage:
1) Who is hosting TV shows. If you don't watch the show, why would you care? If you do, you'll find out when you tune in.
2) Celebrities marrying, divorcing, having kids, gaining or losing weight...it's annoying when that stuff takes up pages space on news websites.
A story that has NOT garnered too much coverage: Trayvon Martin's killing.
1) Who is hosting TV shows. If you don't watch the show, why would you care? If you do, you'll find out when you tune in.
2) Celebrities marrying, divorcing, having kids, gaining or losing weight...it's annoying when that stuff takes up pages space on news websites.
A story that has NOT garnered too much coverage: Trayvon Martin's killing.
32
@29 I'm with you. bagged and tagged... like a deer on the road. animals have no families to be notified...
30
This is a reflection of the eternal progressive hope that a "real racial dialog" will solve our race problems. This particular story is a terrible choice of backdrop for the conversation though. Sure, it would be nice to see justice if this guy were guilty and even more sweet if he were outed as a racist but where does the problem of white men shooting black kids fall in the spectrum of problems that racism creates? Near the bottom. It's the institutional racism that people need to admit exists but those stories don't get TV ratings so we're left to force the dialog into whatever racially tinged story goes national.
In any case, the racial dialog isn't going to solve anything. The problems that racism creates will only go away when we're all born looking the same.
In any case, the racial dialog isn't going to solve anything. The problems that racism creates will only go away when we're all born looking the same.
29
@28,
Also, the outrage is about how the police completely washed their hands of any investigation or prosecution once they released Zimmerman. There was no attempt to contact Martin's girlfriend. There was no attempt to analyze the voices on the 911 tapes. There was no attempt to even contact Martin's family to tell them he was dead. They bagged him and tagged him, as though he was just some lowlife.
Their own homicide detective wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter, and he was ignored.
All of these facts expose the morons who parrot the lies about there being no outrage about black-on-black crime for exactly what they are: racist trolls.
Also, the outrage is about how the police completely washed their hands of any investigation or prosecution once they released Zimmerman. There was no attempt to contact Martin's girlfriend. There was no attempt to analyze the voices on the 911 tapes. There was no attempt to even contact Martin's family to tell them he was dead. They bagged him and tagged him, as though he was just some lowlife.
Their own homicide detective wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter, and he was ignored.
All of these facts expose the morons who parrot the lies about there being no outrage about black-on-black crime for exactly what they are: racist trolls.
28
@17 nice post FNARF
I think the reason this is still a story is very simple.
There is no one who can say sincerely that the shooter wouldn't be in jail facing serious charges if the only thing changed was race. If it was a black shooter of a 17 yo white kid everything would be different. We all know this, unconsciously if not consciously.
These "stand your ground" laws are perfectly suited to racially biased subjective enforcement in an extreme way. The gun nuts know this but don't care. The white "Republicans" and their ilk know this and feel protected by the double standard, as they always have.
If you are a black person walking alone with no witnesses there are multiple states where you are walking in a world where morality and law are turned on their head and it's open season for any white gun nut who has the itch.
It is very disturbing and to have the means encoded into law takes us back a hundred years.
I think the reason this is still a story is very simple.
There is no one who can say sincerely that the shooter wouldn't be in jail facing serious charges if the only thing changed was race. If it was a black shooter of a 17 yo white kid everything would be different. We all know this, unconsciously if not consciously.
These "stand your ground" laws are perfectly suited to racially biased subjective enforcement in an extreme way. The gun nuts know this but don't care. The white "Republicans" and their ilk know this and feel protected by the double standard, as they always have.
If you are a black person walking alone with no witnesses there are multiple states where you are walking in a world where morality and law are turned on their head and it's open season for any white gun nut who has the itch.
It is very disturbing and to have the means encoded into law takes us back a hundred years.
26
"What kind of story would not exhaust a Republican?"
A Bible story? But then again, based on their words and actions I can only assume that most Republicans have no clue what's actually in the Bible.
A Bible story? But then again, based on their words and actions I can only assume that most Republicans have no clue what's actually in the Bible.
25
They would never tire of people shot down going about their daily activities. You know, what we already hear every day because of pro-life gun laws.
24
@18, QED.
By the way, Ta-Nehisi Coates has dismantled your vacuous "why come blacks no talk about black crime?" meme better than I could: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/arch…
In short, you're full of it.
By the way, Ta-Nehisi Coates has dismantled your vacuous "why come blacks no talk about black crime?" meme better than I could: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/arch…
I came up in the era of Self-Destruction. I wrote a book largely about violence in black communities. The majority of my public experiences today are about addressing violence in black communities. I can not tell you how scared black parents are for their kids, and whatever modest success of my book experienced, most of it hinged on the great worry that black mothers feel for their sons.
There is a kind of sincere black person who really would like to see even more outrage about violence in black communities. I don't think outrage will do it at this point, but I respect the sincere feeling.
And then there are pundits who write more than they read, and talk more than they listen, and prefer an easy creationism to a Google search.
In short, you're full of it.
23
@17
Ooo. Gold star comment from Fnarf.
I'm gonna steal that one for future use.
White privilege is one of those things that gets harder and harder to see the further you are inside it.
Ooo. Gold star comment from Fnarf.
I'm gonna steal that one for future use.
21
Rush Limbaugh has been pushing the "this isn't a story" story since it happened. So in the minds of the conservatives who take their cues from Rush and other approved pundits, it is not so much a spontaneous expression of weariness with the coverage of this story as a dutiful repetition of the current approved narrative: "Real Americans don't care about this sort of thing. This is just another instance the Liberal Media whipping up hysteria."
20
I don't know of a single white Republican who grew tired of Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky, or the "ground zero mosque."
19
The only reason people feel the need to argue over the "facts" in this case is because the overwhelming majority of the coverage on this story has been spin. Either to prop up an agenda, or merely to get people angry so that they'll stay glued to the toob.
But the story itself is quite simple. You don't have to pore over surveillance tapes to figure out the obvious: a black guy was walking on the street when a paranoid guy with a guy shot him. The same story has been told countless times.The situations change, but the narrative is essentially the same. Remember Hurricane Katrina?
Maybe Martin will get justice, maybe he won't. It's a toss-up in America. The fact that people don't think he deserves it, or already received it, is proof enough how casually Americans feel about justice. The media certainly isn't interested.
But the story itself is quite simple. You don't have to pore over surveillance tapes to figure out the obvious: a black guy was walking on the street when a paranoid guy with a guy shot him. The same story has been told countless times.The situations change, but the narrative is essentially the same. Remember Hurricane Katrina?
Maybe Martin will get justice, maybe he won't. It's a toss-up in America. The fact that people don't think he deserves it, or already received it, is proof enough how casually Americans feel about justice. The media certainly isn't interested.
18
If the media weren't so hell-bent on shoving the racial element of the incident down our throats, then media consumers wouldn't be so annoyed.
The case, at its core, is a neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed an unarmed teenager. The fact it involved two different races is the only thing the media is running with. The media loves to reinforce the notion that our society is racist, and will push that agenda every given opportunity.
How about the media start talking about all the black people who kill other black people. Oh wait, nobody cares, not even the people in the black community. But when a white/Hispanic/whatever guy does it, it's a national crisis.
The case, at its core, is a neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed an unarmed teenager. The fact it involved two different races is the only thing the media is running with. The media loves to reinforce the notion that our society is racist, and will push that agenda every given opportunity.
How about the media start talking about all the black people who kill other black people. Oh wait, nobody cares, not even the people in the black community. But when a white/Hispanic/whatever guy does it, it's a national crisis.
17
A story about how the stock market was just going to go up and up and up forever without pause.
The Republican take on the Martin story is more complicated than just "Martin was bad and came to a bad end". It's more about the broader implications of the story, and Republicans are heavily invested in the idea that there ARE NO broader implications. Republicans believe that race doesn't exist and the race question has been settled for good and that racism was vanquished in 1964 (largely by Republicans), and anyone who so much as brings it up now is "playing the race card" and "making excuses" and "playing for preferential treatment".
As is so often the case, to really understand Republican thinking you just have to look at Stephen Colbert. He waves his hand in front of his face and says "I see no color", and that settles it.
The main focus of Republican rage on the Martin case is in opposition to the very idea that race played any part in his shooting. Zimmerman didn't shoot him because he was black; he shot him because he was being attacked by a known criminal, wearing the criminal uniform. This argument can be expressed as "you would have done the same" or as "Zimmerman's a fuckup, he has nothing to do with me", but the result is the same: there is no race prejudice here.
This story is ridiculous and offensive on the face of it, but so much of Republican thinking these is exactly this kind of counterfactual nonsense.
If you listen to Republicans a lot, as I am unfortunately bound to do, you will hear this same story over and over again: I used to be a Democrat, I supported civil rights, I would never discriminate in my personal life, I had to work hard and struggle all my life, or my parents did, we didn't get any special advantages, but now that black people are equal before the law they want special advantages purely based on race, and it's unfair to us white people, when they are the ones doing all the raping and murdering and test-flunking.
White privilege is one of those things that gets harder and harder to see the further you are inside it.
More...
The Republican take on the Martin story is more complicated than just "Martin was bad and came to a bad end". It's more about the broader implications of the story, and Republicans are heavily invested in the idea that there ARE NO broader implications. Republicans believe that race doesn't exist and the race question has been settled for good and that racism was vanquished in 1964 (largely by Republicans), and anyone who so much as brings it up now is "playing the race card" and "making excuses" and "playing for preferential treatment".
As is so often the case, to really understand Republican thinking you just have to look at Stephen Colbert. He waves his hand in front of his face and says "I see no color", and that settles it.
The main focus of Republican rage on the Martin case is in opposition to the very idea that race played any part in his shooting. Zimmerman didn't shoot him because he was black; he shot him because he was being attacked by a known criminal, wearing the criminal uniform. This argument can be expressed as "you would have done the same" or as "Zimmerman's a fuckup, he has nothing to do with me", but the result is the same: there is no race prejudice here.
This story is ridiculous and offensive on the face of it, but so much of Republican thinking these is exactly this kind of counterfactual nonsense.
If you listen to Republicans a lot, as I am unfortunately bound to do, you will hear this same story over and over again: I used to be a Democrat, I supported civil rights, I would never discriminate in my personal life, I had to work hard and struggle all my life, or my parents did, we didn't get any special advantages, but now that black people are equal before the law they want special advantages purely based on race, and it's unfair to us white people, when they are the ones doing all the raping and murdering and test-flunking.
White privilege is one of those things that gets harder and harder to see the further you are inside it.
15
Republicans are horrible people, this is just more proof of that one incontrovertible fact.
And I'm old enough to remember when this wasn't necessarily the case. But, in 2012 America, if you self-identify as a 'Republican', there's a whole raft of horrible tenets you have to embrace in order to wrap that (moth-ridden) GOP banner around you..
And I'm old enough to remember when this wasn't necessarily the case. But, in 2012 America, if you self-identify as a 'Republican', there's a whole raft of horrible tenets you have to embrace in order to wrap that (moth-ridden) GOP banner around you..
14
Also, @1 touches on a good point about core conservative beliefs.
Conservatives tend to believe in the false premise that the world is a just place - that "what comes around goes around."
They also believe that outcomes are based entirely on personality traits and not at all on environmental/situational factors. Thus, if a person is unemployed, they believe it's because the person is lazy, not that there are no jobs available. If a woman is raped, they believe it's because the woman was slutty, not that the neighborhood is in poverty.
It's this basic philosophy that drives their agenda and lives.
That's why they're tired of the Martin case. They believe Martin was killed because he must have done something to deserve it. If he hadn't done anything, he wouldn't have been killed. They completely disregard the fact that blacks are viewed with suspicion automatically, they disregard the fact that there is racial tension in the south. No, they believe none of that exists, they believe that everyone is born completely equal, with completely equal opportunities - that Martin had just as much chance to become a billionaire Harvard graduate as does the son of a billionaire Harvard alumnus. They believe that if someone doesn't end up as a billionaire Harvard graduate, it's entirely because of that person's lazy or unambitious personality and not at all because of that person's socioeconomic status, race, or the neighborhood they grew up in.
That is the foundation of their principles, as wrong as it is, and everything they do and everything they believe in will be tainted by that incorrect foundational core.
blah blah blah... rant over.
Conservatives tend to believe in the false premise that the world is a just place - that "what comes around goes around."
They also believe that outcomes are based entirely on personality traits and not at all on environmental/situational factors. Thus, if a person is unemployed, they believe it's because the person is lazy, not that there are no jobs available. If a woman is raped, they believe it's because the woman was slutty, not that the neighborhood is in poverty.
It's this basic philosophy that drives their agenda and lives.
That's why they're tired of the Martin case. They believe Martin was killed because he must have done something to deserve it. If he hadn't done anything, he wouldn't have been killed. They completely disregard the fact that blacks are viewed with suspicion automatically, they disregard the fact that there is racial tension in the south. No, they believe none of that exists, they believe that everyone is born completely equal, with completely equal opportunities - that Martin had just as much chance to become a billionaire Harvard graduate as does the son of a billionaire Harvard alumnus. They believe that if someone doesn't end up as a billionaire Harvard graduate, it's entirely because of that person's lazy or unambitious personality and not at all because of that person's socioeconomic status, race, or the neighborhood they grew up in.
That is the foundation of their principles, as wrong as it is, and everything they do and everything they believe in will be tainted by that incorrect foundational core.
blah blah blah... rant over.
13
I'm not tired of it.
Neither is Homeland Insecurity, which just ordered a quarter million hollow point bullets for the upcoming riots.
(source: RTF paper)
Neither is Homeland Insecurity, which just ordered a quarter million hollow point bullets for the upcoming riots.
(source: RTF paper)
12
@5
"The liberals are just as quick to construct a narrative based upon the opposite view."
Yep. And if the facts start to contradict THEIR world view then they will start to get tired of the reporting. But the white Republicans will (amazingly) then find a renewed interest in the case.
"The liberals are just as quick to construct a narrative based upon the opposite view."
Yep. And if the facts start to contradict THEIR world view then they will start to get tired of the reporting. But the white Republicans will (amazingly) then find a renewed interest in the case.
9
Well, if someone killed a Republican's kid in cold blood, I imagine what he might do...and it doesn't involve long essay writing. Stand your ground.
8
@3: I dunno, there have been several instances of this law being tried under cases where there was pursuit and attack. I have no time on my short lunch to find and link this, but I did read of a case where a man chased a burgler off his property, and stabbed him dead when he caught up with him, off of his property.
The man was acquitted under "Stand Your Ground." There was no public outcry, but I do not remember the races of the two men.
But it is likely an amalgam of things, as all truth eventually is. But I do think that the racial issue is the biggest when it comes to coverage. Would Al Sharpton be rabble rousing if it were a white kid that got shot?
Back to work I go.
The man was acquitted under "Stand Your Ground." There was no public outcry, but I do not remember the races of the two men.
But it is likely an amalgam of things, as all truth eventually is. But I do think that the racial issue is the biggest when it comes to coverage. Would Al Sharpton be rabble rousing if it were a white kid that got shot?
Back to work I go.
7
"What kind of story would not exhaust a Republican?"
Stories about how gays are living in sin? Stories about evidence in favor of global warming being fabricated? Stories about rich people getting richer and poor people getting poorer? Stories about college students getting beaten and pepper sprayed? Stories about minorities getting beaten and pepper sprayed and shot? Stories about Iraqis and Afghans getting beaten and shot? I could go on, but...
Stories about how gays are living in sin? Stories about evidence in favor of global warming being fabricated? Stories about rich people getting richer and poor people getting poorer? Stories about college students getting beaten and pepper sprayed? Stories about minorities getting beaten and pepper sprayed and shot? Stories about Iraqis and Afghans getting beaten and shot? I could go on, but...
6
"What kind of story would not exhaust a Republican?"
Stories about a Democratic president's (real or imagined) character flaws/extramarital affairs
Stories about a Democratic president's (real or imagined) character flaws/extramarital affairs
5
Oh, and @1: The liberals are just as quick to construct a narrative based upon the opposite view. Neither side knows all the facts, but both condemn the one who is guilty in their prescribed worldview.
Everybody: trust the evidence, not your feelings. As challenging as it always is.
Everybody: trust the evidence, not your feelings. As challenging as it always is.
4
I'm sure they wouldn't get tired of a news story about an undocumented Muslim Mexican lesbian who'd recently had an abortion walking into a church and shooting everyone.
3
@2,
That's not true, it's the circumstances surrounding the whole thing that has people's attention:
Teen kid, unarmed, is killed by a guy who allegedly pursued him, then claimed self-defense.
Yes, if Zimmerman was black, there'd be much less coverage, but it really is the pursuit-then-self-defense claim that I think has people talking about it most.
That's not true, it's the circumstances surrounding the whole thing that has people's attention:
Teen kid, unarmed, is killed by a guy who allegedly pursued him, then claimed self-defense.
Yes, if Zimmerman was black, there'd be much less coverage, but it really is the pursuit-then-self-defense claim that I think has people talking about it most.
2
What I find unendingly saddening is that this case gets nationwide press, while the everyday occurrance of black kids getting killed on the streets is ignored.
Sad that the people only care about a black kid getting killed if it is under circumstances so incendiary it can sell ample newspapers and ad spots.
The lesson is: it is a nationwide concern when a non-black person kills a black kid, but as long as it is a black kid killing another black kid, no one should care. Shameful.
Sad that the people only care about a black kid getting killed if it is under circumstances so incendiary it can sell ample newspapers and ad spots.
The lesson is: it is a nationwide concern when a non-black person kills a black kid, but as long as it is a black kid killing another black kid, no one should care. Shameful.
1
Yep. Because they've (white Republicans) already filled in the narrative that they need to justify the events in their world view.
Martin was bad. And he came to a bad end. So why cover it more?
Presenting more facts just means that there is a chance that the real events will not fit with the narrative that they've constructed in their minds. And that is just unacceptable.
Martin was bad. And he came to a bad end. So why cover it more?
Presenting more facts just means that there is a chance that the real events will not fit with the narrative that they've constructed in their minds. And that is just unacceptable.
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