After several weeks of protests in response to the brutal murder of Michael Brown, individuals continue to question the system of policing and media reporting in the United States. Many have said that there is a “lack of justice” throughout the nation and have expressed outrage in how the media depicts victims of police brutality.
At a White House vigil held on August 19, 2014, many expressed concern about injustice, racism and society’s response to historic problems associated with police brutality. The bewilderment of the younger folks expressing themselves is especially significant, as many have only heard canned reporting from corporate media outlets and a contortion of statements from Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson.
Corporate media outlets have sensationalized the alleged robbery of a convenience store and eluded to rumors that Officer Darren Wilson had been injured in a physical altercation with Michael Brown.
When corporate media only concentrates on such rumors, they fail the public. All while the obvious questions in this case are not pursued.
As corporate reporters sweep aside facts and no longer engage in investigative journalism, many have seen failures in the Ferguson Police depiction of the shooting death of Michael Brown. President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder hope that the people of Ferguson can trust the process, but corporate media outlets and the Ferguson Police have yet to prove themselves worthy of their trust.
There continues to be too many instances of police shootings of unarmed black men and women and investigative journalism on these issues. Until there is fairness and transparency in both media reporting and policing, people will continue to take to the streets to demand fairness for all Americans.
