Social Media New Activism Research Paper

As the case grew people were retaliating more that it wasn't a fair ruling protesting that consideration to be taken into account and an investigation. The people wanted Justice for Trayvon and the ruling to be a fair one in order to be assured that in this case and the future if any case similar occurs, fair judgment will be used in the situations unlike the verdict in this case. The department before this shooting was accused of protecting relatives of police officers involved in violent incidents with African-Americans. Within the community in Sanford Florida after the Martin case this made the distrust increase even more between police and Sanford’s black community.

All across the nation, in the news the black community has been making their voice heard, in regards to white police brutality, and murder against the unarmed black community. Many of these brutal attacks and flat out murders of unarmed black people haven’t been largely prosecuted, some officers have even been acquitted of any wrong doing or murder. This has led to outrage in the African American community at large. The shooting of an unarmed black teen named Michael Brown caused the racial strain in this country to break.

I and a community of others are outraged that Zimmernan was initially interviewed and let go with no charges filed more than six weeks after the shooting, Zimmerman still had not been charged with a crime, igniting a national outcry over what many considered to be state-sanctioned vigilantism. For many African-Americans the case had even deeper implications: Trayvon Martin, who had no criminal record, had been doing nothing more suspicious than walking. Many saw his death as another tragic example of racial profiling, the latest in a seemingly endless succession of unarmed Black men shot for appearing suspicious: Robbie Tolan, who survived being shot in his Bellaire, Texas, driveway in 2009 by a cop who thought he was trying to steal his own car; Amadou Diallo, shot and killed in 1999 in the Bronx when police mistook his wallet for a gun; Sean Bell, killed in 2008 on his wedding day in Queens, New York, by cops who thought he had a gun; Oscar Grant III, fatally shot by an Oakland transit cop on New Year's Day in 2009 while restrained and on the ground; and now Trayvon, with only a pack of Skittles and a can of iced tea in his possession, shot dead on a Florida street.(Amber, 2012)

17 year old african american boy Trayvon Martin was going into a 7 Eleven to get a snack before he flew back home. He walked out of the store and was being stalked by a strange man who turned out to be a volunteer cop. The cop had then told the station that there was suspicious juvenile. The police said not to pursue but he did anyways. He then shot Trayvon in the chest instantly killing him. This was not the only occasion that a police officer beat up an african american for no reason at all. Police brutality towards african americans in america needs to end. Excessive police brutality towards african americans is an issue/ongoing problem that needs to be addressed because it is unjust. Readers can expect to learn the cause and reason why this happens.

On February 26, 2012 a 17 year old black teen was wondering around a neighborhood in Sanford, Florida wearing a hood over his head was gunned down and killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. The evening of February 26, Martin was heading back to his father’s townhouse from a convenient store when Martin decided to cut through a neighborhood that had been riddled with multiple robberies that year. Zimmerman saw Martin with his hood over his head and Zimmerman decided to contact the Sanford Police Department on account of suspicious behavior. However, before the police were able to arrive on scene an altercation occurred between Zimmerman and Martin which resulted in Martin being shot in the chest where he died on the scene.

The event that spiked a national movement against police brutality was the murder of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American in Sanford,

It is a devastating tragedy that there were not enough evidence to bring the civil rights charges in the case. This killing of this young African American hit home for most parents and black male teens. He was shot by a men name George Zimmerman. This case was setting the national debate on race and guns law off the walls. Everyone was feed up. The Trayvon Martin case was talked about all over the world. In school, at home, everywhere because it was unbelievable that a grown man can get away with killing a young teen. Michael Brown, hands up, do not shoot. The Michael Brown case was a nationwide wake up call. He got killed by the police. He was unarmed and a black teenager. A white police officer named Officer Wilson. “Officer Wilson Fired 12 rounds (Nytimes.com 2015).” Mr. Wilson did not get indict. Everything was clearly caught on video. Tamir Rice was killed in Cleveland, Ohio Park. He was a 12 year old black young boy that got shot by the police officer. The police officer said that he, Tamir Rice the 12 year old, to be carrying a pistol on a swing set. “When officers arrived at the scene, they say Rice reached for his toy, he did not point it at them, prompting a policemen to fire shots at Rice from a short distance (Strochlic, Nina).” Tamir Rice only was playing with a bb gun. VonDerrit Myers Jr., yet, another African American that was shot in the head not so far from where Michael Brown died. The 18 year old, VonDerrit, was shot by an off duty police officer. “The officer fired at him 17 times (Strochlic, Nina).” Myers was unarmed and only holding a sandwich. A crowed gathered at the scene and a lot of violence broke out. Police vehicles were damaged and gunshots were being fired. Do this remind you of the riot in South Central? The officer the shot and killed VonDerrit Myers was a white men name Jason Flanery. Laquan McDonald, 17 year old black male and he was too shot and killed by a police officer in

It took 45 days of protest for the killer to be arrested.The trial that followed the arrest was watched with interest by the nation.There was a survey taken in July 2013, 78% of African Americans believed that the case raised important issues about race that needed to be discussed, as compared to 28% of white Americans.Nearly 6 in 10 African Americans reported following the trial compared with only 34% of whites, with 63% of blacks claiming that the trial was focusing on a conversation that was talking with friends.But theses only give a little sketch outline of the killing of Trayvon

Seventeen year old Trayvon Martin was shot after leaving a 7-Eleven by the neighborhood watch captain a close connection of Sanford Florida police. This person of authority abused their power and shot an unarmed teenager. Unfortunately for Martin’s family this man took their child's life. Because of his race and the way he had dressed, Zimmerman

On February 26, at 7:11 pm it was a rainy night in Sanford, Florida when a neighborhood watchman, 28-year-old mixed Hispanic George Zimmerman, calls 911 to report a suspicious person. “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about” (Genius). That suspicious person was 17-year-old African American Trayvon Martin returning home after stopping by a local convenience store to purchase, the now infamous, Arizona Ice tea and Skittles. When the 911 dispatcher asked Zimmerman if he was following Martin he replied “yeah.” The dispatcher in return said, “Okay, we don’t need you to do that” (Chicago Tribune). That call would last four minutes.

Imagine. It’s a dark February night in Miami. You step out to your local convenience store to grab a couple of snacks. On your way home, you realize someone is following you. After you confront the person, a scuffle breaks out, and it results in your parents having to bury you at a cemetery. This was the unfortunate story of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Martin was killed walking home from the local convenience store only armed with a bag of skittles and an iced tea. After being followed George Zimmerman, a local neighbourhood watch volunteer, Martin decided to confront Zimmerman. The end result leaving Trayvon Martin dead and George Zimmerman a free man. The story of Trayvon Martin proves the point that racism will is still alive and

Until February 2012, many Americans most likely had most likely never heard of Sanford, Florida. Even in the immediate aftermath of the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman on February 26, media attention was mostly contained to the local area (Banesh, 2014). Although Martin’s family contacted civil rights attorney Ben Crump two days after Martin’s death, it was not until March 5, 2012 that Crump and his partner contacted a publicist to develop a media strategy (Trotta, 2012). Two days later Reuters ran a story about the case and it was picked up by other media sources, sparking nationwide interest and igniting a media frenzy.

While in this course, I have found myself becoming gradually more and more drawn to the idea of media activism in relation to new media policy. The topic of change and improvement means a lot to me when it comes to current issues in media policy in general, and I found myself very intrigued by what Malcolm Gladwell had to say about the laziness, easiness and security that comes with being an online activist in this century. I sincerely believe that media activism is not getting the credit it deserves in a day and age where the internet is such a powerful tool to bring people closer together to do outstanding things. This being said, there are several arguments on either side of this debate on activism. In this paper I would like to take Gladwell’s

I think hashtag activism is a great method for people all over America to have a say. Speaking of social injustices and explaining what upsets someone gives rise to awareness of the injustice. The first step in change is knowing you have to change. I feel with hashtag activism, because there are so many things to support, so many movements people get lost in what they are supporting and so the activism simply remains an idea. No actions are made to actually activate because people only support on the internet, not many people are willing to actually go out and protest what they believe. These kinds of people are called armchairm activists because they support from the comfort of their couch. Saying you are going to do something and actually

A body lays face down in the grass, police sirens echo through the neighborhood as colors of red and blue flash beneath the night sky. The police sergeant approaches the body and checks for a pulse, then proceeds to perform CPR at 7:21 pm for 6 minutes. Firefighters and EMS arrive at 7:27 pm to continue the efforts of resuscitation. At 7:30 pm Trayvon Martin was pronounced dead. On the night of February 26th, 2012 Gorge Zimmerman, on patrol for the neighborhood watch, pursued Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American teenager, because he felt that he looked like a “real suspicious guy”. Several minutes later an altercation took place between the two and Trayvon Martin, armed with an Arizona tea and bag of skittles, was shot and killed by Zimmerman. This controversial case ignited a series of violent protests and created the black lives matter movement. The shooting of Trayvon Martin is one of the most famous cases of vigilantism. Had George Zimmerman listened to directions of the first respondent and remained in his vehicle instead of pursuing Trayvon the whole situation could have easily been avoided, and the life of an innocent teenager would not have been taken. Vigilantism has a negative impact on society, it has the potential to take lives in the pursuit of false justice and it is also extremely biased.