Over the course of the past year, mass shooters—from the Parkland shooting in February to the Tree of Life shooting earlier in November—have overwhelmingly been white males. These mass murderers continue to be sheltered by the media under the guise of some form of mental illness or similar excuses.
On the other hand, labeling innocent black males as “thugs” and “gang members” dehumanizes them. Stereotypes are inherently coddling actual shooters and hurting innocent black men.
A recent research study conducted at Ohio State University found that black perpetrators of crime “are treated as perpetually violent threats to the public,” while their white counterparts are “portrayed as ‘sympathetic characters,’ propelled by mental illness,” according to Pacific Standard.
The privilege of being sheltered by the media is not applied to people of color, particularly African American men who are accused of gang activity. They are labeled as “thugs,” while their white counterparts are coddled.
For example, as recently as 2015, current President Donald Trump tweeted, “Our great African American President hasn’t exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are happily and openly destroying Baltimore!” in reference to racially motivated riots. This follows Trump’s pattern of encouraging the hypocritical side of mainstream media.
Trump only continues to aid hurtful stereotypes in the media by calling people of color a variety of offensive slurs and stereotypes. For example, in June of 2015, he referred to Mexican immigrants as “rapists” in his speech announcing his run for presidency.
Painting African Americans as “thugs” and “gang members” diminishes their struggle in society. These stereotypes do nothing but promote the privilege that white males are easily awarded.
African Americans raised in some cities, such as Chicago and Detroit, have been riddled with violence since birth. Detroit alone witnessed over 13,000 violent crimes in 2017, according to The Detroit News.
This extensive violence most likely has led to PTSD, anxiety and depression. Their struggles are never coated as mental illness but labeled as “gang activity.”
This ongoing dismissal discourages black males specifically from seeking out therapy. Of the 45.7 million African Americans living in the United States, they are 20 percent more likely to experience mental illness in some form than their white counterparts, according to the U.S. Office of Minority Health. Black teenagers are also more likely to attempt suicide than white teenagers, the U.S. Office of Minority Health reported.
These mental illnesses can go undiagnosed and untreated due to social stigma within their communities and overall society. Black men are often encouraged to suppress their emotions. This tendency could be one reason for their increase in sadness and hopelessness, as reported in Mental Health America.
It can also be attributed to society’s lack of compassion toward African American males. They are ostracized and stereotyped. This is encouraged by Trump and often enforced by his supporters. Therefore, it is evident as to why they do not seek out mental treatment.
Additionally, stereotyping can lead to the deaths of innocent men. Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. was fatally shot on Thursday Nov. 22 after being mistaken as the gunman in an Alabama mall shooting, according to The New York Times. This only reiterates the fact that black males are seen through a “shoot first and ask questions later” mentality whereas white shooters are taken safely into custody.
Instead of downplaying the actions of white male criminals, perhaps the media should focus its energy ensuring black Americans receive the resources they desperately need.