Is the media afraid to identify race in suspect descriptions?

cholo

cholo

¡Tengo una tarjeta verde!
Why does the media feel the need to omit race in suspect descriptions? Take the description in the WTOP's story about the 18 year old who was stabbed to death in Germantown:

The suspect seen with the knife is described as about 5'10" tall and 160 pounds. He is believed to be between 18 and 22 years old. Police say he has cornrows and was wearing a black do-rag, a black tank top and blue jeans at the time of the incident.

The second suspect is described as 5'4" and 160 to 170 pounds. He has short black hair.

Police say he appeared to be about 16 years old. He was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. The third suspect was not seen.
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Nowhere in the story does it say whether the suspects were black, white, asian, hispanic, etc. You could say that this was inadvertent, but I have noticed it a lot in all forms of news media, and it frustrates me. Are we to assume that since a crime was committed that the suspects are black? Sure, in this particular story, there is a more likely chance that the suspects are black, given the "cornrows" and "black do-rag" portion of the description. But even some white kids these days have corn rows and wear do-rags.
 
Toxick

Toxick

Splat
cholo said:
Nowhere in the story does it say whether the suspects were black, white, asian, hispanic, etc.
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We're all the same on the inside. It doesn't matter what color the suspect was.

If they were to mention the suspect's race as black or hispanic, no doubt you white racist rednecks in SOMD would profile every single person of color.



And don't give me that "accurate description so I can keep an eye out" bullshit.
 
cattitude

cattitude

My Sweetest Boy
Toxick said:
We're all the same on the inside. It doesn't matter what color the suspect was.

If they were to mention the suspect's race as black or hispanic, no doubt you white racist rednecks in SOMD would profile every single person of color.



And don't give me that "accurate description so I can keep an eye out" bullshit.
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Bad day, huh?
 
Toxick

Toxick

Splat
cattitude said:
Whew! Thought the New Agers had gotten to you. :lol:
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Apparently several people did. I got lots of Blank Red because of that post.



And to those people I say: I ain't changin' my sarcastic ways, you non-sense-of-humor-havin' chumps.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
cholo said:
Why does the media feel the need to omit race in suspect descriptions?
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Because Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton pissed and moaned, so now it's racist (and you could be sued or at least criticized) if you mention skin color as a description of a criminal suspect. Unless they're white or Asian or Hispanic - then you can mention it.
 
G

gooch

~~
Toxick said:
We're all the same on the inside. It doesn't matter what color the suspect was.

If they were to mention the suspect's race as black or hispanic, no doubt you white racist rednecks in SOMD would profile every single person of color.



And don't give me that "accurate description so I can keep an eye out" bullshit.
Click to expand...

I pull out the race card on YOU!!!! If the person/s have a certain skin color it SHOULD be annotated if the person/s is seen. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round, but just takes one to make the entire bunch sour!
 
ylexot

ylexot

Super Genius
gooch said:
I pull out the race card on YOU!!!! If the person/s have a certain skin color it SHOULD be annotated if the person/s is seen. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round, but just takes one to make the entire bunch sour!
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Wow! Didn't get the :sarcasm: even after it was announced/pointed out multiple times. Good job :)sarcasm:).

Edit: added the second :sarcasm: so that you don't think that I think you did a good job.
 
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Toxick

Toxick

Splat
gooch said:
I pull out the race card on YOU!!!! If the person/s have a certain skin color it SHOULD be annotated if the person/s is seen. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round, but just takes one to make the entire bunch sour!
Click to expand...



Keep reading.... I'll wait.
 
Sharon

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
Toxick said:
If they were to mention the suspect's race as black or hispanic, no doubt you white racist rednecks in SOMD would profile every single person of color.



And don't give me that "accurate description so I can keep an eye out" bullshit.
Click to expand...

:lmao: :yay:
 
Ponytail

Ponytail

New Member
Toxick said:
We're all the same on the inside. It doesn't matter what color the suspect was.

If they were to mention the suspect's race as black or hispanic, no doubt you white racist rednecks in SOMD would profile every single person of color.



And don't give me that "accurate description so I can keep an eye out" bullshit.
Click to expand...


:yay: :lmao:
 
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