In the days since 18-year-old Mike Brown was shot and killed by Ferguson police, the nation has been rocked by yet another instance of unnecessary gun violence. What should be a national conversation about police brutality and gun violence has once again turned into a spectacle of placing the dead victim up on a national media trial.
While we have thus far only learned the shooter’s name, we’ve learned that victim Mike Brown was allegedly involved in a robbery and could have had marijuana in his system. The revelation of his alleged crimes has taken the forefront of the reporting on the shooting in some news outlets, as if to suggest that his crimes could be a rationale for his death. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new phenomenon in the treatment of black male victims. Huffington Post has thoroughly pointed out that black male victims aren’t treated with the same respect as white male suspects.
In this case:
https://twitter.com/LordSWVP/statuses/498892967231238144
Mike Brown’s death has engaged the country in a debate about race, police brutality, and how to treat an 18-year-old’s death in the media. Not all the debates have been helpful, especially the emphasis on the alleged robbery. Actor Jesse Williams has been vocal on the entire Mike Brown situation, especially on the treatment of Mike Brown in the media. Williams’ CNN appearance is an example of celebrity power being used appropriately, to demonstrate being a leader in a cause instead of just a supporter of it.