Thesis statement
Examining the issue of race relations as it pertains to the shooting of Michael Brown, while focusing on the feedback from the media and community, with emphasis on language and text.
Introduction
The issue of race relations was brought to light in Ferguson, Missouri after a teenager, Michael brown was fatally shot by a white police officer, Wilson. The issue of race relations between the white and black community crept up in this issue, with many black protestors condemning the act on grounds of racism. The deceased had earlier on robbed a store and had been commanded by the officer to step out of the street into the sidewalk. A struggle ensued after that, where the officer followed Brown and shot him several times. The question people with which people seek an answer is whether the officer had cause to shoot Brown, or he did so because he was clouded by racism.
Racial relations
The issue of racism has been in focus, especially in crimes, where black people have constantly complained of suspicions afforded to them on the basis of their color. Critics have argued that the issue would have been handled differently if it had involved a white offender. The black community has come strongly condemned the act on social media, with many stating that they are always seen as a threat even when they are harmless (Jonsson & Patrik, 3). Assuming that a black man is dangerous, which is speculated to have triggered the shooting by Wilson, is racist. There is an estranged relationship between a white police force and black offenders, whether petty or serious ones that the media has highlighted upon the Ferguson issue. Social media campaigns on hash tags such as ‘if they gunned me down’ have taken center stage. Most expose the white police force as showcasing an unethical approach to the black community. The victim of possible police brutality fuelled by racism was an unarmed teenager; hence, the media lack options on whether they should follow up on the story to know if the teenager deserved such brutality.
The black community is the largest minority group in Ferguson, a place that has a history with racial relations. The issue on racial relations has received different view. The black community sees this act as an escalated move on the white police force against young black men. Many people are saying that racial discrimination can happen anywhere in the United States. The difference happens when the discrimination is very obvious, and authority does nothing to stop it. The view on racial discriminations extends to the Justice system, which the black community does not trust (Gov., 2). However, the people in authority express different sentiments about racial relations with specific detail to the white police community. Some are saying that resisting arrest is could be the main cause of brutality and that it is exceptionally hard for the police to deal with arrests resistance that, usually, ends violently. Most of these sources are speaking from a subjective point of view because the truth as to the facts surrounding the issue remains unknown. The witnesses give conflicting accounts of the events, thus leaving the rest to speculation, fuelled by personal feelings. Most of the facts in which these opinions are based only aim towards propaganda that tends to persuade the audience. The truth is that Wilson shot Brown, but the circumstances are yet to be made clear. It is subjective to assume the motive Wilson had when he shot Brown.
The Washington post has also highlighted the issue and is merely giving accounts of what is happening (The Washington Post, 1). The newspaper is a trusted source since it remains unbiased by not giving opinions, but simply reporting on what is happening. Other papers around the world such as Le Monde and The Guardian might are critically analyzing what they term as a racial divide in the USA. Such sources rely on second-hand information and might be laced with unfounded criticism, therefore making them untrustworthy even though they are respected prints in their countries.
Most of the reporting sites and media have adopted a neutral and rhetorical language in their representation of the data (The Economist, 2). Such language has made their audience think critically about the issue and asked themselves questions that will enable them decide on which side they support. They have adopted such perspective in the issue to ensure they are can work on their social function in society, with issues that threaten the political and social aspects in the society. However, there are some that have used an accusatory language, therefore probing the reader to make a decision. The language is, therefore, different across the sources, depending on the aim each source intends to achieve.
The format of the source persuades the reader to think about the facts before making any judgments on the issue of racial discrimination. The source makes the reader acknowledge the fact that there could be a misinterpretation on the matters surrounding the issue. It gives the reader room to think and make their decisions, without subjecting them to any rushed decisions. It makes us interpret the information in a calm way, and orders us to seek more information on the subject matter, while thinking critically, before deciding on what we think. The intended audiences for my sources are the people in society who want answers on the issue of racial relations as brought to light by the Ferguson issue (Lowery, Wesley, 1). My sources present both sides of the story and engage the audience in an internal debate on how they should think on the issue. The sources also showcase the magnitude of the issue and involve opinions from other people in the community.
Conclusion
In my view, it is a hard endeavor to know whether the motive behind the shooting was fuelled by racism. However, the fact that the officer shot the young man many times raises a few questions on the intention of the act. The justice afforded to the young man is not an issue of his color because it is a brutal way for anyone to die, whether black or white. As such, the general issue that the public should be complaining about is the brutal shooting of the young man and the wrong use of power. We do not know if he was shot because he was black. In my opinion, letting our feelings on racial relations cloud our judgment on what we should be focusing on does not help us find justice. Justice can only be found when the real issues are brought to light, even though the complexities surrounding the issue might make that difficult to achieve.
Works Cited
"Gov. Nixon Asks U.S. Department of Justice for an Independent Investigation of Fatal Shooting in Ferguson." States News Service 11 Aug. 2014: 2. Print.
Jonsson, Patrik. "Was Ferguson the Beginning of a New Civil Rights Era?" The Christian Science Monitor 14 Sept. 2014: 3. Print.
Lowery, Wesley. "Holder: Ferguson Shooting Presents Country with 'Moment of Decision'." The Washington Post 25 Sept. 2014: 1. Print.
"The Lessons of Ferguson; Race Relations in America." The Economist 23 Aug. 2014: 2. Print.
"Will Ferguson Be a Moment or a Movement?" The Washington Post 23 Aug. 2014, 1 ed., sec. 1: 1. Print.
