In his essay entitled "Frames of Reference," Michael Eric Dyson explores the way media subtly fuels racial stereotypes with word choices that trigger responses in television viewers and readers of newspapers. The story of the Boston Marathon bombings was unfolding as this paper was written; the assignment was to watch local news coverage to determine if there were any biases and/or stereotypes in evidence. The reporters, at the time of the writing, did not have much information and they were careful not to speculate and further alarm frightened citizens.
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April 15, 2013 is Patriots' Day in Massachusetts, and a particularly notable day in Boston because of the running of the marathon. Local news coverage in the morning consisted of pre-race interviews with runners and spectators. By mid-afternoon, tragically, the focus had shifted from the elite athletes and their sport to the explosions that killed two and injured many others. The explosions occurred before millions of people, both those at the scene and those watching on television in the Boston area, where the entire event is covered live.
Reporters spoke rapidly in excited voices. There were reporters at the scene and in the studio. They all struggled to make sense of what happened and tried to relay to viewers what little information was known. At first, there was speculation that the explosions were an accident, but it soon became apparent that small bombs were detonated deliberately to disrupt the event and cause grievous harm. Additional explosive devices were found. The local news station was getting its information from Associated Press and relaying it, as fast as it could, to viewers.
In his essay, "Frames of Reference," Michael Eric Dyson discussed the way media outlets framed black and white victims of Hurricane Katrina. He pointed out, for example, a report that a black youth had gotten food by looting a grocery store, while a young white couple found food at a grocery store. Dyson elaborated on the difference, explaining that the black youth was framed as a criminal, while the white couple (who also took food from a closed store) were merely doing what they had to do to survive. The difference is both profound and sad, as it perpetuates the racial stereotype of a black youth as a criminal.
New Orleans and Boston are very different cities with respect to their culture and demographics. New Orleans is in the Deep South and still retains vestiges of the racial prejudice that has blighted the nation even after the Civil War. It is not to say that racial prejudice does not exist in Boston, but it is not as much of an issue as in New Orleans, if for no other reason than that Boston is predominantly white, as is typical of New England. Thus, the interviews and news footage of witnesses mainly feature whites, since whites comprised many among the runners and the spectators.
Nearby Cambridge is home to Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both world-class institutions. The Boston area is well-known for its colleges and universities as well as for its medical centers; all these institutions attract talent from all over the world. While one would probably not call Boston a diverse city when compared to someplace like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, it is one where diversity is a conscious effort.
The news media are not jumping to any conclusions about who may have perpetrated the crime. The media has only stated that it is not known whether it is the act of one or many, and whether it is the act of a domestic or foreign terrorist. The public is naturally eager for news, but the media is being cautious and appears to be making every attempt to verify information before relaying it on air.
Several hours later, not much more is known. There are, so far, no changes to the number of people killed in the explosion (two), but the number of injured has risen from the initial twenty-three reported to over one hundred. News reporters continue to fill airtime by reporting what they saw. They are refraining from speculation, which is good, as the public is already alarmed and should not be troubled by reports that have insufficient basis in fact.
One reporter noted that a "Saudi National" was seen running from the scene and was tackled by a civilian. The reporter wisely qualified the statement by adding that it was not known if this were a person of interest or if the individual was just one of the many people fleeing from area. There has been some conversation about heightened security and heightened tensions post-9/11. The Saudis were not responsible for the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center but, unfortunately, many Americans still put anyone from the Middle East in the same category: potential terrorist. There has not been additional information on this individual or, indeed, any possible suspects. The focus of the news reports is on the people who were killed or injured, and the people whose lives are affected by this tragedy.
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