Many of us outside of Alabama knew nothing of these events because we rely on the news outlet to report what’s going on, and we often think that is enough to keep us informed. However, the news is not required to give us all the information. Take a look at some of the footage they are using to report the protests. Some of the more violent videos or scenes of looting only consist of black faces, however, social media users managed captured plenty of videos of Caucasian people looting as well, yet these shots never made it on television. News outlets also failed to capture police officers slashing tires and macing peaceful protestors, but they capture citizens doing the cupid shuffle with the chief of police. These images are not an accurate representation of what is actually going on. What’s terrifying about it is we will continue to be misinformed if we continue to rely on news outlets as our main source of information.
So, how do we move forward and continue to keep our people informed of the truth? We capture the moment ourselves. Our cell phones, cameras, and social media platforms are our best bet to ensure our experiences are documented and shared. In an era where everyone has a platform to share information, we must take it upon ourselves to report our own news because the media won’t always do it for us, and when they do, it may not be the most accurate representation of what is actually going on. Also, take what you shot and upload it to the media outlets so they can see what you see. You never know, your voice may be heard on social media and on the news outlets!