Is White Supremacy Coverage dying in the Media, or is it just Being Ignored?

Jaiden Tabor jt283118@ohio.edu As movements such as black lives matter start to rise in media and in America, it is clear that Americans face more threats to internal minority groups than just what is assumed. Although everyone knows about ISIS and external terrorists, the most dangerous groups are not always imported or foreign. Unfortunately, these are also the groups that receive the least amount of coverage in the media. Some are entirely unaware that they are the biggest threat because of the overstimulation of foreign coverage. After the attacks in Charlottesville, at the hands of white supremacists, many journalists struggled to properly report due to the fact that the words used could have been very offensive. This simply could be many of the reasons why it is so hard for journalists to report on topics related to white supremacy. Not only is the topic difficult, but one slip up, and your reputation could be ruined. Many of the terms used by the groups are deemed derogatory and racist. They are essentially the reason why ethics come into play when reporting on such topics. You are supposed to seek truth and report it but at what cost? When using precision and language you can either be part of the problem or better describe and help others understand the problem. For instance, when discussing the events at Charlottesville, instead of repeating the phrases that may be offensive, explain what the nazi slogans meant and add a deeper meaning to the story.

Another thing that causes difficulty is the fact that it is inevitably human desire to want to pin the occurrences on one political party. This could be upsetting to the party at hand. This is a problem that has occurred often in the past which has caused Fox and CNN to maintain a far-left or far-right political side. When writing independently it is important to not attack one party because this can create bias. It is also important to not label the act that occurred as terrorism because the intent is unclear. Although it may seem like hate crimes are automatically an act against a minority it is important to clarify the driver. All of these things are important to consider when reporting on the unfortunate events of not only acts against minorities but all white supremacy acts. It is still something that goes on in our generations and it still has a following. Many people are unaware because it is unclear how to properly report on the matter. If we ignore it it will not go away. It is important to make the public eye aware of the events that still unfold in our day-to-day lives. Photo sourced to The Nation "how to dismantle White Supremacy"