Opinion: Journalists shape the opinion of the public
The story that emerged two weekends ago regarding the Covington Catholic School incident in Washington D.C. has been labeled a national “Rorschach Test.” The president himself took to Twitter, saying the Covington students have become symbols of just how evil “fake news” can be.
Overall, this incident has become a blaring reminder of the trend of sensationalism in the media and an example of what can happen when people begin sharing and reacting to a story without full context.
During the March for Life, a video of the incident exploded all over the internet, prompting national criticism. The video showed a group of students standing in front of a group of Native Americans playing drums and singing. The leader of the group, Nathan Phillips, appears to be confronted by a student, Nicholas Sandmann, who appeared to be smirking.
The media and Twitter jumped on the story, labeling the students of the school as Trump-supporting white supremacists. Even bishops in the Catholic Church and the diocese of the school issued statements condemning the actions of the high school boys.
Many people have even speculated that the reason this event was so sensationalized was because the students donned Make America Great Again hats. On “The View,” when asked about why the incident blew up the way it did, co-host Joy Behar responded, “Because we’re desperate to get Trump out of office. That’s why.” Whether it was because of politics or some other reason, the fact remains the same.
However, a more complete video serves as a blatant reminder to just how manipulative videos on the internet can be. What the initial video did not show was the harassment the students had received moments earlier from a group called the Black Hebrew Israelites. In response to the hateful insults and racial slurs, one of the students asked their teacher if they could perform their school chants to drown out the insults.
SMIRKING — Nicholas Sandmann was heavily criticized on social media for appearing to smirk at Nathan Phillips during their confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial.
The group started up a song in an attempt to diffuse the situation. They were trying to make their way to the Lincoln Memorial so that they could finish their prayer. As the Native American group made their way up the steps, the students began to part for them, that is until Phillips came face to face with Sandmann.
The media has made this “confrontation” out to be a blatantly disrespectful act from Sandmann toward the group of Native Americans.
This was a complete misunderstanding. The students did not know that Phillips’ group was trying to make its way to the memorial. The students saw a group coming toward them beating drums right after experiencing insults hurled at them from the Black Hebrew Israelites.
While the students are not entirely without fault, they were kids in a strange situation. They didn’t know exactly what was going on. They were just waiting for their bus.
Sandmann later stated in interview with NBC News that he believed at the time he was trying to diffuse the situation. Footage shows a student getting into a confrontation with one of Phillips’ companions, and Sandmann motions for him to stop. In regard to his notorious “smirk,” Sandmann stated he was smiling in an attempt to show he wasn’t angry. He also stated he had great respect for Phillips and his group.
All in all, this now famous “stand-off” is a result of a misunderstanding that got way out of hand due to the heated situation and the massive viral attention the video received.
Due to the misrepresentation, several students at Covington School, especially Sandmann, have received hate mail and even threats against their lives. The school had to close its doors Tuesday, Jan. 22 because it feared for the safety of its students.
Nobody was perfect in this confrontation. Even Sandmann said he wished he had “just walked away” in an interview with NBC Today. However, it is atrocious that people are actually threatening these students. They are high schoolers and teenagers. They are not expected to be perfect, and they shouldn’t have their lives threatened because of this situation.
In an age of YouTube and Twitter, the role of the media as a filter for news becomes increasingly important. The media exists to provide context and clarity, not plunge headfirst into the instant reaction business. The Covington incident is just the latest reminder of how journalists really do shape the opinion of the public.