If They Gunned Me Down

So after Michael Brown was killed, there have been protests on twitter cagainst how the media portrays young black men.

Instead of explaining this completely, I'll just post some photos. You should understand.

Michael Brown: (Photo used in media vs. Regular photo)



http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...k-youth-michael-brown-death-article-1.1900415

If you want to see some of the photos people are posting to protest, just look up #IfTheyGunnedMeDown


Examples:




What are your opinions on this topic?



I don't think there is a thread about this, but let me know if I am wrong. The only one I saw that was a little similar was made by @"Color", but I think this is different enough for it's own thread.

I think its an example of human intelligence nowadays.

Epidemic said:

I think its an example of human intelligence nowadays.

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Could you elaborate a little bit more?

Media will do whatever to make money.

You have brought up a really great point.
They always want to show you at your absolute worst or in a way that will portray you as the bad guy.
They try to put an idea into your head.

I think it is a great way of "protesting". It is a lot more constructive than the looting that has gone on the past week, which is very disrespectful to Michael Brown and his family.

Not everyone, but a lot of people paint this picture of African Americans, in which they associate them with gang activity, guns, high school drop outs, or simply "good for nothing" people. As a black person myself, this picture has really demoralized the African American culture and has left me along with many others blacks ashamed of their skin color. Just because someone is black doesn't mean they're a troubled person. No one gets to choose their skin color, but anyone and everyone can choose the way they act. Anyone can choose to join a gang, wield a weapon, drop out of high school, or commit a crime. It has nothing to do with race, but people still associate blacks with such happenings the most often. There are good people in every race, but we choose to focus on the bad.

I truly despise telling people that I am black (via the Internet) because I feel I am judged the very minute I do so.

Jason said:

I think it is a great way of "protesting". It is a lot more constructive than the looting that has gone on the past week, which is very disrespectful to Michael Brown and his family.

Not everyone, but a lot of people paint this picture of African Americans, in which they associate them with gang activity, guns, high school drop outs, or simply "good for nothing" people. As a black person myself, this picture has really demoralized the African American culture and has left me along with many others blacks ashamed of their skin color. Just because someone is black doesn't mean they're a troubled person. No one gets to choose their skin color, but anyone and everyone can choose the way they act. Anyone can choose to join a gang, drop out of high school, or commit a crime. It has nothing to do with race, but people still associate blacks with such happenings the most often. There are good people in every race, but we choose to focus on the bad.

I truly despise telling people that I am black (via the Internet) because I feel I am judged the very minute I do so.

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I agree with you 100%. It's much more constructive, and honestly, I think this protest is pretty powerful. It's very eye-opening. I hope it sparks some change.

Pretty sure this isn't exactly true. Most media is really liberal and they'll usually make the person who was killed out to be a really good person (attracts more attention, therefore more money).

Example: there are a bunch of pictures of Trayvon Martin smoking weed and stuff and his Facebook is full of stupid shit like "aye tray we hittin dis blunt 2day or wat" posted on his wall. However, the media shows him out to be a clean cut great kid that is an angel.

The media would post the pics of those guys in their graduation caps and Shit.

Painkiller said:

Pretty sure this isn't exactly true. Most media is really liberal and they'll usually make the person who was killed out to be a really good person (attracts more attention, therefore more money).

Example: there are a bunch of pictures of Trayvon Martin smoking weed and stuff and his Facebook is full of stupid shit like "aye tray we hittin dis blunt 2day or wat" posted on his wall. However, the media shows him out to be a clean cut great kid that is an angel.

The media would post the pics of those guys in their graduation caps and Shit.

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You should do some more research before posting your ignorance.

Kirby said:

You should do some more research before posting your ignorance.

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No, maybe you should hit the books before you start talking.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/martin.asp

Calling me ignorant is actually pretty funny. I see every race equal. If you really think the post I made was ignorant you aren't very smart. I am a libertarian, egalitarian pro-same sex marriage individual. So basically, your argument that I'm ignorant is invalid.

Just because Mike Brown is black, there is literally 100x the attention that if a white person the same age, build and economic status was shot. I find that kind of stupid, because if all races were equal, that wouldn't happen. These people have families, and they're not going to post the pictures of the people drinking or doing drugs. If I were gunned down, I would be 100% sure that the media would post pictures of me with my family, playing sports, doing service work. The #IfIWereGunnedDown movement is cool and all, but I really don't see it as true.

Basically my argument is that black people being killed attracts more attention than whites being killed, but only if a white killed a black. So I don't exactly understand what people are complaining about, since the liberal media isn't going to post the bad pictures of an "innocent" person, no matter what race.

People really need to stop with the white guilt. There isn't really a definite report on the reason the kid was killed but there have been word on the kid reaching for the policemans handgun and robbing a store for cigars before being shot.

Just to let you know guys know, he robbed a store before he was shot. GG.

I would have to disagree. Does anybody remember the Trayvon Martin incident a year or so ago? The media showed pictures of him from when he was 12, even though he was actually 17.

Painkiller said:

Calling me ignorant is actually pretty funny. I see every race equal.

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I never called you ignorant. I claimed you had an ignorant view, which I still believe. I'm not sure why you go from talking about ignorance to racism, because I never called you a racist, and those two words have complete different definitions.

Painkiller said:

I am a libertarian, egalitarian pro-same sex marriage individual. So basically, your argument that I'm ignorant is invalid.

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Congratulations. What on earth does this have to do with anything?

Painkiller said:

Just because Mike Brown is black, there is literally 100x the attention that if a white person the same age, build and economic status was shot. I find that kind of stupid, because if all races were equal, that wouldn't happen. These people have families, and they're not going to post the pictures of the people drinking or doing drugs. If I were gunned down, I would be 100% sure that the media would post pictures of me with my family, playing sports, doing service work. The #IfIWereGunnedDown movement is cool and all, but I really don't see it as true.

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There is more attention on this case because of the specifics, not just because he was black. The photo of Michael Brown that surfaced the media originally is just one case that validates this movement.

Painkiller said:

People really need to stop with the white guilt. There isn't really a definite report on the reason the kid was killed but there have been word on the kid reaching for the policemans handgun and robbing a store for cigars before being shot.

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I am not trying to put guilt on any race, and neither is this movement. The movement, as stated in OP, is based on how the media portrays young black men.

Painkiller said:

There isn't really a definite report on the reason the kid was killed but there have been word on the kid reaching for the policemans handgun and robbing a store for cigars before being shot.

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There are many witnesses that claim otherwise. What you wrote is only one side of the case. Do some more research.

https://medium.com/matter/a-bad-week-for-america-by-the-numbers-38b0fb3b269
Here you go heres more good examples..

Skunk said:

I would have to disagree. Does anybody remember the Trayvon Martin incident a year or so ago? The media showed pictures of him from when he was 12, even though he was actually 17.

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As you have stated, Trayvon Martin was 17. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the victim is a minor, their parents choose the picture first used.

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Legend said:

Just to let you know guys know, he robbed a store before he was shot. GG.

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Him and his friend were stopped for jaywalking, not robbery. It was only found out afterwards that he robbed a convenient store for cigars...

"Ferguson police did release information on Friday that suggested Brown may have stolen cigars from a local convenience store shortly before his death"

GG.