Turning into what should’ve been a regular news report about a New Jersey shootout between a cop and citizen, the attention was quickly drawn to a reporter’s remarks and choice of words when interviewing witnesses and associates of the assailant.

Sean Bergin’s remarks only revealed the stereotypes he believes to be true about Black men. Fatherless, wayward sons who ultimately have a rift with cops. My question is, why is it ok to believe and promote these stigmas about Black people, thus generalizing, minimalizing and ignoring their struggles as individuals? It’s safe to say no two people has ever shared the exact same life, so why does the media always promote these stereotypes and pass them on as facts about Blacks? How do these ideas pass as true?

From him asking the security guard who was physically assaulted if the assailant was drunk or high, this made his report objective and purely bias.

The media has ways of showing its true colors when it comes people OF color. However direct or subliminal their messages may be, it still promotes the same beliefs and behaviors towards people of color.

Black male and the word “thug” are now synonymous in media coverage. White mass murderers are deemed as mentally or emotionally unstable individuals, while Black murderers are criminalized and demonized as humans with no morals. There is no room made for understanding.

The media covers and promotes violence within Black communities at rates higher than any other community and further paints false and often exaggerated views of Blacks. Statistics that are only reported to inform viewers of the struggles within the Black community, (i.e. low test scores in school, lack of jobs) never report the causes or factors that continue contribute to these “statistics.” Accomplishments made within the Black community are seldom given the media coverage.

It seems people that have the least relativity and experience in the matter say the most with the no validity. They only repeat what they have been told to believe and like many cases, Sean had a platform to express it. He ignores the police brutality that plagues Blacks, especially Black men in this country.  The reporter was suspended and has now quit.

“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” – Malcom X

Take a listen to the full report: