charitymartinandcalliejohnson

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

Social media and Racism

This article shares a positive tale that took social media by storm. A grandma mistakenly text the wrong person about Thanksgiving dinner. Grandma is a white woman and the person she texted was an African American student. Despite the mistake, the grandma, Wanda, kept the invitation extended to the young man; he went by her home to introduce himself prior to Thanksgiving to make the holiday less awkward and tension free. The story was shared through screenshots of the conversation on Twitter and received a number of positive reactions; the story was “retweeted” 180,000 times and was liked on Twitter over 300,000 times.

A number of stories regarding race are posted on social media daily; however, this particular story was able to receive similar attention to the hateful posts, but received positive reactions. It seems there are more hateful and negative posts on social media than anything else, or it just seems that way because the positive and hopeful stories are not getting the shares or attention like the others.Everything on social media doesn't have to be negative when it comes to different races. Maybe if we shared more stories like this on social media, there wouldn't be as much room for the promotion of hate between different races.

http://huff.to/2fAQ1kf

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This article discusses the “codes” developed for social media or avoid being banned from certain social media sites because of derogatory language and bullying. There are codes for different races, ethnicity, etc. Google has a software that sorts through posts and deletes ones that contain such language; this is why the “codes” were created, which initially started with just one and eventually others were added.

This article just shows the effect social media has on racism. Despite the efforts of Google to combat bullying and racism, people still make such posts using the codes that have been developed. Sure there are slang terms and slurs used in everyday speech, but racism has reached a point on social media that software developers are trying to combat it and the only response is to use codes. It is going to be hard for the software and social media developers to combat codes, which are common words, such as Google and skittles.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

Mass media and racism

This blog touches on the fact that racism is no longer just between whites and blacks; while that seems to be what is shared most and gets the attention, in today’s society racism occurs between many other races as well. It discusses stereotypes, specifically towards Asian Americans; how media has made racism normal; and the alteration of reports by the media leading to community consequences and moral panic. This article actually describes how mass media can be used to promote racism among all cultures and can actually cause hate crimes.

It is important to recognize that the media, which is often shared through social media, alters stories to get the ratings even though it may not be accurate. The media, and as a result social media, is a driving force between the relations that occur between people. The media and social media users choose what they want to report on or share, often deciding on a story that has a negative action involved because it will receive the ratings or likes that it, he, or she desires.

https://mediapromotesracism.wordpress.com

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Mainstream media

http://www.nationalistpartyamerica.com/how_the_mainstream_media_fuels_racism_to_provoke_race_war

This article is about the role media plays in the race war. It portrays the media is the fuel to the fire, so to speak. The mainstream media, which is the focus of the article, includes CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, and so on. In today’s time, mainstream media controls everything we hear and see. It’s job is to use racial wars and race related incidents to keep us divided as Americans. It’s also using racism as a way to keep us divided in this political campaign.

Although this article focuses on mainstream media, such as CNN, NBC, and CBS, it is related to social media through the sharing and posting of their stories by their followers; if one does not watch mainstream media on the television, they are still receiving the information that is shaping this country’s perception of the world through their social media accounts.

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This article discusses the avenues in which people are using to promote and advertise their extremist beliefs, such as white supremacists. These extremist individuals and groups use social media, such as Facebook, to connect, discuss, advertise, and promote their beliefs to anyone in the group or who may come across the group’s page. In addition to using the group page feature, these individuals post on their personal pages so that all their followers are able to see as well. Mentioned in the article is the fact that the First Amendment usually protects speech like this, however, if criminal threats are made in hate speech it is no longer protected.

Hate groups are more readily available now than they were years ago. All you have to do is go to the computer and with a click of a button have access to many many hate websites! Many of the hate groups are using hashtags that have multiple meanings so they appear on unrelated searches which allows them to spew their hate online for millions to see. It is unfortunate that technology advances and the use of the internet, which has become a norm, are being used for hateful reasons that anyone can access, view, and read.

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This article discusses the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the role social media has played in response following mainstream media’s report of the situation. Many responded criticizing the coverage and the photos of Michael Brown that were used in the coverage, stating it made him “appear threatening.” Stacia Brown believes the internet, such as social media, enables people to speak their mind and beliefs, but also the anonymous nature allows participants to share information without being embarrassed, ashamed, criticized, or judged by their peers.

While social media seems to promote race wars and division among people, not just in America, through the topics and stories being shared by social media participants, it also allows people to have a voice and criticize areas of mainstream media that are biased, promoting wrongful activity, or even reporting in an unjustified and biased manner to get a particular response from their followers, including violence. It is important that we as a society have an avenue that allows us to speak our minds and even criticize those who have more power in the media; if we do not have this option, the mainstream media will continue to share what it wants to get what it wants with no one to correct their wrongful actions.

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http://www.civilrights.org/publications/hatecrimes/exploiting-internet.html

Hate groups are using the internet to bully other races. The first amendment is meant to protect us from such bullies, but it's hard to prosecute due to the anonymous ways they are making their comments. Also, with the fact that many of the victims are on the internet, which means these hate comments are crossing over different state lines. Social media is making it so easy for the hate to spread worldwide.

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http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/01/not-just-hashtag-activism-why-social-media-matters-to-protestors/384215/

This article talks about how people that are affected by racism are able to get their side of the story out, where before it may have been swept under the rug. In times where only one side of the story was told, that has changed since social media. Now everyone with a computer or a smart phone has a voice.

It is important to understand that social media is more than just a meeting ground for people to dump all of their outrage or issues on to their followers. It is a place for people to connect, gain knowledge, and share their beliefs and feelings. The activists have a clear understanding of this and are using social media as such; just because the media reports on a topic it does not mean that it how things will go or what everyone’s belief is. Social media allows everyone to have a voice and share it if they so choose.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

https://mediapromotesracism.wordpress.com

In today's time, media plays a huge part in carrying on racism and promoting uproar among the different races and cultures. A lot of times, they only report one side of the story leaving the social community angry due to the fact of not having the full story. Also, you can't always believe what is reported 100 percent of the time.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

I’m sure that when computers first came out, google came about and social platforms we’re formed, that they weren’t thinking people would use these platforms to promote hate and racism. However that is exactly what is happening. This article gives the correct definition of cyber racism.

It is unfortunate that such advances in technology have lead to people using it for hate. While it is our right to speak out and share our beliefs, it is also our job as citizens and users of the internet and other technological advances to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

This article talks about the civil rights movement that was made possible by the large scale use of social media. It has helped organize peaceful protests in response to some of the cop killings that have gone on over the past couple of years. It also talks about the response of the police to these protests. Social media can either add fuel to the fire, or help calm the masses.

Social Media is more than just an avenue to connect virtually; it is a way to promote and organize. While postings may be full of hate and obscene language against another race, protests are organized to counter the hateful treatment and language and even to gain rights, protection, and equality.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

In this article, it is explained how different sayings could have different meanings, depending on whose reading it. People say things in everyday conversation that could be taken out of context if said on a social media platform. When posted on social media you are unable to see that persons eyes or her the laughter in their voice, which could lead to misunderstandings. Then you also have those that use this to their advantage to make racial slurs, and mean exactly what they say. It can be hard to tell the difference.

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This article depicts how social media can have a positive and negative impact on different races. We see people from other races and can either uplift them or degrade them. The choice is ours. We can use social media as a way to enlighten others about the beauty of other races and their differences or as a way to tear them down.

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

More Than Just White Privilege…

I saw this illustration posted by @deray who has been doing incredible work in Ferguson. I looked at the illustration and I thought: White privilege (and say cis, male, class privilege etc.) is the fact that his path is damn near obstacle-free and he’ll pretend hers is too; White supremacy is the notion that he inherently deserves such a path and she does not; racism is the blame she’ll face if she doesn’t reach the end when he does, gets harmed along the way, or reaches the end in both pain and promise and is then used as a “token” to shame/justify racism against all of the others on similar paths; anti-Blackness is the idea that she’s no different from the obstacles on the path itself, that she is either an obstacle or object to sell/consume; and that he derives pleasure and/or profit from her and this path itself, while denying her sentience. The obstacles are the ramifications of intersecting oppressions. (Also, notice his grin; heh. Perfect for saying “why are you angry?” as a response to her more tense face in response to her own path.)

[charitymartinandcalliejohnson]

Jesse Williams LET THEM KNOW! He has always kept it 100 and speaks in defense of Black life, celebrity career to “protect” or not. And I'm not saying that there is not a price for speaking out (as some Black celebs over time and definitely non-famous Black people are punished and abused for speaking out) or that the racism itself that a Black celeb has to speak against/not speak against is their fault. It is not.

But even so, taking the politics of respectability route or conflating intraracial violence with State violence/systemic abuse/Constitutional violations route, thereby denying the reality of extrajudicial execution and State violence on Black life is the route he did NOT take.

Thank you, sir. ❤