“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” (Martin Luther King Jr., I Have A Dream.) This statement, broadcasted in Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech I Have A Dream, demonstrates the ever-present conflict of racism in society. Racism has existed since the beginning of time; different cultures and nations have always attempted to assert dominance over groups they deem as “inferior.” However, racism is not a characteristic a person is born with at birth. It is a learned behavior that is developed over time. While racism is primarily taught through people in an individual’s family of origin or close environment, its message is also echoed and distorted through the media.
A person is not born with racist behaviors. For example, a baby does not discriminate between people based on their color of skin or ethnic group. In a sense, individuals are colorblind at birth and have no ability to discriminate between people …show more content…
“[…] Stereotypes blur our vision and corrupt the imagination.” (Shaheen, Jack. The Media’s Image of Arabs.) For example, an African American male athlete is far more likely to be featured on the cover of a sports magazine verses a white male athlete. Another common example is when a white police officer shoots a black man. The media is quick to portray the white cop as a murderer and the black man as a victim, regardless of what the exact reality of the situation entails and often before facts are even assimilated. This unfounded approach by the media only creates mistrust and misunderstanding in the minds of the audience. “[…] The absence of positive media images nurtures suspicion and stereotype.” (Shaheen, Jack. The Media’s Image of
A person is not born with racist behaviors. For example, a baby does not discriminate between people based on their color of skin or ethnic group. In a sense, individuals are colorblind at birth and have no ability to discriminate between people …show more content…
“[…] Stereotypes blur our vision and corrupt the imagination.” (Shaheen, Jack. The Media’s Image of Arabs.) For example, an African American male athlete is far more likely to be featured on the cover of a sports magazine verses a white male athlete. Another common example is when a white police officer shoots a black man. The media is quick to portray the white cop as a murderer and the black man as a victim, regardless of what the exact reality of the situation entails and often before facts are even assimilated. This unfounded approach by the media only creates mistrust and misunderstanding in the minds of the audience. “[…] The absence of positive media images nurtures suspicion and stereotype.” (Shaheen, Jack. The Media’s Image of