Media Distrust

Trends in mainstream media reflect political movement. However, The Washington destructive standards, intensifying prejudices and increasing distrust. Post, The Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press all failed to call out their acts as “terrorism” or label the couple “terrorists” in any of their THIS EDITORIAL REFLECTS THE VIEW OF THE reports. If this same crime had been committed by LE JOURNAL STAFF. TWENTY OUT OF 23 VOTED a Muslim, it would not only be called terrorism but IN SUPPORT OF THIS VIEW. fester on national and international headlines for weeks, according to Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman

Arms formed a wall during the unrest at for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, in the University of Missouri as demonstrators the same article. desperately blocked journalists from reporting By not viewing incidents like these objectively, on the race-related protests Nov. 9. This adverse the media has carelessly injected its own biases into response was valid considering the protesters the content. As many groups work to diminish have little reason to believe media coverage would prejudices, the media only devalues the issues they benefit them. Yes, the freedom to assemble and work towards and increases prejudices. Because of the freedom of the press are equally guaranteed this, the MU protesters’ choice to reject the media under the first amendment, but because of the was only an attempt to avoid this disturbing trend. media’s history of failing to maintain objectivity, Contrastingly, headlines tend to air disbelief these students had their own right to anticipate Do you trust the American and praise the character of alleged white killers. that the media would, yet again, distort their image or the image of media to report issues fully, accurately, and fairly? Fox News ran a headline “Oregon school shooting suspect fascinated with their cause. Most often not guns but was a devoted

Media distrust is a or never Mormon,” and a Whittier legitimate response to Daily News headline a loss of objectivity and ethics in mainstream media and has been ingrained in the 15% 47% Sometimes read “Santa Barbara shooting: Suspect was ‘soft-spoken, polite, a gentleman’,” according to minds of 60 percent of Americans, according to 38% The Huffington Post. Because of the a Gallup poll. Regardless prejudice the media of age, racial identity exhibits, minorities and or political affiliation, real issues are left behind Americans should be wary of the press because of its devaluation of *270 students were surveyed All or most of the time as bias takes over. The media demands to be scrutinized if they cannot crucial issues. at least objectively name murderers for what they

A promotion of prejudices may be the are instead of “soft-spoken gentlemen.” But the MU protesters’ reason to distrust the media, media can also take racism, sexism and violence whether they realize it or not. According to a a step further and sensationalize it, as seen in the 2014 Huffington Post article, headlines following coverage of recent political campaigns. murders tend to dismiss and even blame black Republican presidential candidate Donald victims for their deaths. An NBC News headline Trump consistently leads with the most air-time read “Trayvon Martin was suspended three times after debates. But the debates aren’t the only time from school,” and an Omaha World-Herald he uses impulsive, outlandish comments to draw headline read “Shooting victim had many run-ins attention to himself. Mainstream media has fed with the law,” demonstrating black victim-blaming off of these racist and sexist comments such as in the media. Trump’s referral to undocumented immigrants

This trend is perpetuated in other forms such as “criminals, drug dealers [and] rapists” in his as creating false representations of Muslims and presidential campaign announcement and his those from the Middle East. According to a 2014 referral to Fox News journalist Megyn Kelly as a Washington Post article, a white couple committed “bimbo.” an act that would fit under the definition of By sensationalizing these comments, the media terrorism: adopting an extremist, anti-government can (even unintentionally) send out an alternate ideology, killing policemen and a bystander and message that these discriminating views are not wrapping one of their victims in the flag of a only Trump’s views, but they are also correct. And mainstream media therefore normalizes racism and the objectification of women.

Over-publicizing issues such as Hillary Clinton’s emails, Trump’s sexism and racism and Ben Carson’s autobiographical claims not only plagues mainstream media, but hides the issues of the campaigns themselves. Voters must dig and click through countless accounts of trivial matters concerning the candidates, unable to find their stance on issues that will actually affect the rest of the nation like foreign policy, healthcare and education.

This has also become the case with mass shootings within the last few years such as the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, Aurora, Colorado and the University of California Santa Barbara. Are the names Adam Lanza, James Holmes or Elliot Rodger familiar? If they aren’t, their faces would be. Mainstream media hands mass murderers the fame and audience they crave.

According to a 2013 Wall Street Journal article, a 1984 study found during a suicide epidemic, the suicides dropped by 75 percent after the mainstream media minimized and de-glorified their coverage of the incidents. This correlation would apply to mass murders as well. In the past, reporting guidelines like those have been released in the United States, but there is little to be done to enforce them with a commitment to a free and open press, according to the same article.

There are unwritten rules to the free and open press such as protecting the privacy of sexual assault victims and minors involved in crimes and protecting the safety of the general public. While mainstream media respects these precedents, they fail to recognize there is a need for new ones to be set surrounding a wide range of issues from race to politics to violence. And they fail to recognize the impact media has on the (sometimes unconscious) mind of the public. Instead, they ignore the upsurge of mass shootings, for example, at the expense of the death of innocent people.

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz was right during the Oct. 28 CNBC debate; the majority of Americans do not trust the media. This isn’t just a sentiment to be shared among Republicans toward a traditionally liberal media; rather, the media should be held accountable by all Americans.

But at the same time, Americans should still watch and take in information from the media but do so carefully, fact-checking and finding alternate sources. They need to keep in mind that all media is biased. Instead, people should think critically about how the media presents issues and form their own inferences. They must not let their own opinions be formed for them and cannot scathingly blame the media for their own ignorance.

French teacher of 20 years Pam Dykes left an inspiring legacy of joy, patience, encouragement and amazing strength. Students and faculty shared memories through a visual memorial set out by art teacher Linda Blasdel. Visit lejournallive.com to read more about Dykes’ impact on the community.

MAISONS

Illustration by AP Art Student Caitlyn Swope Assemblies Replace Our Home Maisons have been pushed aside students to connect with other grades and form for assemblies, straining the bonds they would not otherwise be able to make community aspect of our school. outside of the classroom. Maisons are also a great way to relax and BY KATHLEEN WATZ REPORTER decompress. It is like the high school version of recess. It is also a time to talk about school The bell rings and the activities, to take school-wide surveys and to give students shuffle around, one another advice on any topic. gathering papers and And food. ‘Nuff said. books, getting ready to While assemblies over Food For Thought bolt to maisons scheduled and Nostra Aetate are important and essential, for Thursday morning. putting these on a different day or time than Before anyone can leave maisons would benefit the students because they the classroom, the teacher would have the opportunity to then enjoy both tells the students they events. must report to the gym for an assembly. A groan Perhaps updating the school calendar on echoes throughout the entire school as students the website more often to show what replaces realize maisons are cancelled yet again. maisons will be more useful so the students are

It feels like maisons are being pushed aside not surprised by the announcement. for other assemblies. Yes, the students understand This way, students and teachers will not the concern for taking away more class time, make food and plan for maisons just to realize an but continuously being disappointed week after assembly is scheduled for maison time yet again. week gets exhausting. In French In a normal week there are three or four the word maison means “house.” A house is supposed to be a place “In October, full schedule days. On one of these days an assembly could be where a family can go to meet. But in October, maisons maisons only scheduled, then students could also keep their maison time. only met once and in November, only twice. The students are beginning to miss their “home” met once and in November, Using one of these solutions, students won’t miss out on important school assemblies and because “families” have not been together. Maisons is a way for only twice” girls will be able to spend time with their maisons again.

Star Abandons Social Media

Essena O’Neill is right to shut down her ‘fake’ accounts that caused unhealthy obsession.

BY CLARE KIMMIS REPORTER

Social media is like a lung or a leg that is necessary for us to live, breathe and function. Pulling teens away from their phones or computers earns adults eyerolls and sighs for adults attempting extraction.

As much as it is a part of my life, social media isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. As social media star Essena O’Neill recently proved, sometimes social media can ruin lives, and maybe it’s time to take a break from what can be a destructive distraction.

Essena O’Neill was a “famous” model on Instagram with 612,000 followers with what she described as a “dream life.” Even more people subscribed to her YouTube channel where she talked about her vegan diet. She was a gorgeous swimsuit model, a vegan Youtuber and someone that people were thoroughly interested in.

O’Neill lived a perfect life on social media, but that wasn’t who she was in real life. She felt as though she was living a lie. Who she was on social media portrayed a completely different person than she was in real life, according to her last YouTube video.

Once she realized this, O’Neill cut herself off completely from her previous accounts, revealing the self-harm and insecurity that came with her previous fake life.

When she was famous, the thoughts that ran through her head everyday only had to do with how many likes she could get on an Instagram photo, or how many views she could get on one of her YouTube videos. She wouldn’t eat for an entire day just to make sure she looked skinny enough for a swimsuit picture to post on Instagram. She also suffered from severe acne that she woke up every morning to hide with as much makeup as it takes to make her skin look pristine, according to Essena O’neill’s last YouTube video.

Clearly, O’Neill’s social media was anything but healthy, driving her to obsessing over others’ opinions of her.

Now, O’Neill challenges teens to get off of social media for a week and see how it feels. She’s challenging teens to question whether their relationship with social media is healthy or toxic.

O’Neill’s call to abandon social media is a chance for teens to reevaluate the role of social media in their lives. Teens should contemplate the amount of time they spend checking twitter, or change the way they are seen on social media to better represent their true personalities and lifestyles. Teens do not have to cut off their leg, but they should try to go a day without checking social media and reconsider the major role that this distraction plays in their lives.