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Jewish World Review March 27, 2012/ 4 Nissan, 5772 What's different about Trayvon Martin? By Cal Thomas
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | If you watch the news in any large city you are probably desensitized to stories about crime involving young black men. Most nights there are reports about several of them getting shot; often, more than one dies. It might be a gang fight, a revenge killing, robbery or a drive-by. Someone is likely killed for their cellphone, or simply because they talked to the wrong girl at a party. Tragedy has become routine. Too many young black men die on our streets; too many rot in our prisons. Two weeks ago, the The media love these stories because they up the ratings and spike newsstand sales. Fear sells. "If it bleeds, it leads" is a familiar saying among those in the news business. Politicians use these horrific stories as an opportunity to pontificate for the cameras. They all deplore the violence, denounce it and demand its end, their outrage well timed to make the 10 o'clock news. Rev. The facts in this case are not yet fully known, but that doesn't stop people from thinking they have them, giving some an excuse to resurrect racial templates from the past. The Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by I will leave the questions about this tragedy to those looking into it, but the politics of it is worthy of comment.
In light of the number of young black men who are too often gunned down on America's streets, what's different about the Trayvon Martin case? Is it the fact that he was killed in a gated community and not in an alley in Would The media bear some responsibility for exacerbating racial tensions. By too often featuring stories of violent young black men they appear to promote the very racial stereotyping they deplore. Why don't we see more stories about young black men making right choices, staying in school, rejecting drugs and getting married before having children? They exist. Can't the media find them? The steady drumbeat of crime and violence in the media and their association of race and crime with certain parts of town feed into the often irrational fears of white people. I'm not suggesting these stories shouldn't be covered. I am suggesting that local news ought to tell more stories of young black men who make good decisions that benefit themselves and their communities. Or have we forgotten what "good" looks like? Trayvon Martin should not have been killed, but Zimmerman shouldn't be the only one facing indictment.
JWR contributor Cal Thomas is co-author with Bob Beckel, a liberal Democratic Party strategist, of "Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That is Destroying America". Comment by clicking here.
© 2011, Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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