Danger: CRIMINALBLACKMAN

Katheryn Russell-Brown coined the term, criminalblackman, to refer to the image of a dangerous person in contemporary America.

As shown in this book, there is ample evidence that the mainstream media disproportionately focus on crimes committed by people of color, especially African Americans.

So when I got this email alert from the university police, it really caught my attention:

Campus Crime Alert

Appalachian State University Police Department

December 2, 2012

At approximately 5:55 pm this evening, a male student reported to ASU Police that he was walking on Holmes Drive when two unknown black male suspects physically knocked him down and stole money from his wallet. The incident occurred at the Holmes Convocation Center near the Faculty Street intersection. The male student reported that there were no weapons involved and the black male suspects fled the area in a red older model Jeep Cherokee. The suspects are described as follows: Suspect 1 is a black male early 20’s approximately 6’0, thin build with short hair wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and jeans; Suspect 2 is a black male early 20’s approximately 6’0, thin build with short hair wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. ASU Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Anyone with information regarding this or any crime is encouraged to call the ASU Police
Department at (828) 262-2150, or you may also contact Crimestoppers at (828) 268-6959. If your information leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a reward up to $1000.00.

You may also report crimes anonymously at:

 http://police.appstate.edu/crime-tip-submission-form.

 

Notification of a serious crime to the campus community is required by federal law.  

It is not the first description of the suspects that caught my attention, not is it the last describing suspects 1 and 2. It is the middle one, saying: "The male student reported that there were no weapons involved and the black male suspects fled the area in a red older model Jeep Cherokee."

Why not just say "there were no weapons involved and the suspects fled the area ..."

Because, yeah, we already know they are black males. So what is the point of saying that again? It's like someone writing this asked himself or herself, "How many times can we say they are black men?"

This is a great example of how race is used in the media to scare people.

If you don't think this has consequences, ask the surviving family members of Trayvon Martin or Jordan Russell Davis.

Be afraid, be very afraid.