Black and White and read all over

First Cousins

As a journalist, I try not to express an opinion when I don't know all of the facts. But as a journalist, I am more and more appalled at the bullshit that bombards us to fill news shows, to get ratings, to sell ad space. And that makes me scared. Because I am the aunt of a dark-skinned teenager. And when news like that of the last few days reaches me, I have to say something.

I'm sickened by the fact that none of our lives matter when it comes to news coverage: dead dogs, sobbing sons, aggrieved grandparents. It doesn't seem to matter. There doesn't seem to be any privacy, compassion...or for that matter, actual news.

Speculation that falsely names shooters, out-and-out lies to benefit candidates, hashing and rehashing non-stories about emails diverting attention from actual issues.
Please stop.
Stop writing them. Stop publishing them. Stop reading them.
Stop. It has to stop.

The headlines sensationalize actual occurrences to play to their perceived lowest common denominator. Why did I click on an article about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? Why do I have to see insipid pics of media grubbing K-clan in "respectable" news feeds? (You can do better, #NPR!) And with the latest shootings of civilians and police officers, I have to ask why?

Why is this country still so deeply rooted in racism? I know you all know we spent time in Africa. Sorry. But I gotta go there. We saw a racism that I had never experienced before. I knew white women who wanted blacks obliterated from the planet. It was shocking.

But it's not as if I've never seen prejudice. As a female from the Philippines, I can vividly replay and still dredge up feelings from racist, sexist words and actions I've experienced in my life.

My family moved to the United States in 1966. We were called Japs, Chinks, associated with Vietnam and Korea. Most of the people who hurled profanity had no idea where the Philippines were or that Filipinos fought alongside the US in WWII.

There were times where I felt physically threatened, but not because I was someone from Asian descent, but because I was female. A female tourist in Turkey. I had been awoken from a deep sleep as our boat was ready to disembark. I wore a black sleeveless dress to sleep knowing we'd have to get up at some point to leave the ship. Under my dress, I wore bicycle shorts that came to my knees and men, offended by my clothing tried to corral me into a corner, tried to separate me from Peter. I believe they would have beaten me had ship attendants not come to intervene.

Our son had experienced reverse racism in Botswana. A drunk black man harassed him to hand over money. Our son was only 4-years-old. He didn't have any so the man picked him up, shook him and was strangling him when other children tried to get the man to stop. Finally an adult pulled our son free.

I don't know what my nephew has experienced. We don't talk about it. But the news of a young man walking through a neighborhood being shot, makes me stop and think. The many, too many other incidents where young men and women are killed because someone was afraid and overreacted. The man just the other day who had a license to carry his gun but was killed nonetheless. I have to think, what is going on? Why these senseless killings?

Both Snowboard, play video games, are really
into cars, and share countless similarities
because they are first cousins. But out in the
world will they be treated the same?

And the answer is the media. The news markets create fear, hatred, misunderstanding and are responsible for the quick, lethal, defensive actions that cause these unjust killings.
Sure, I agree that there needs to be more screenings of police officers, training, better this, more effective that. There needs to be more diversity on TV, in movies and books so that the bad guys aren't always those of color. There needs to be more empathy, understanding, exposure...yes, yes, yes.

And as a journalist, I say, let it start with the news. Stop glorifying guns. Stop victimizing whites. Stop demonizing blacks. I say, it's all on you, media outlets, it's all you.

As the aunt of a young man of color, I need to do what I can to stop the insecurity that plagues our nation and makes us hate, fear, kill. I need to do it before those headlines become something more than something I read.

I never want to be on the other end of the bi-line. Because while I don't know all of the facts in those other cases, when it comes to my nephew, there will never be a reason for anyone to use deadly force. Never.