Black American Black Man

 Currently, media in modern society shape our perceptions and beliefs. However, when

it comes to the representation of Black Americans, especially black men, the consequences

are severe and can lead to many ramifications. Media representations determine the

perceptions of society, either promoting acceptance or furthering misconceptions.

Historically, Black men in America have been presented by the media using various methods

and techniques of portrayal, most of which have been negative. Below is the objectification

of black men in the movies right from the black-and-white cinema period. This trend is also

evident today, where media such as television, news programs, and movies almost always

depict the black man as an aggressor. These representations help to cultivate environments of

having a perception of fear and anxiety in whites through strengthening biases and

stereotypes.

According to Kumah-Abiwu (2020), media gatekeepers have a central function in

deciding which messages get amplified and how these messages will be packaged. Those

who control the access to such resources are white and of a different race than the people they

are excluding and, therefore, have implicit bias. Hence, stories that tend to portray the darker

side of black societies are most likely to be aired and published. This negative portrayal

causes Black male subjects to be seen through the lens of criminality and potential threats

instead of concentrating on their positive contributions.

For example, when news programs constantly portray Black men as responsible for

criminal activities, the masses are fed with this information and begin to judge all Black men

as potential criminals. Race plays a special role in the presentation of crimes, for when a

criminal is a Black man, then his criminal actions are highlighted and reported more actively

than those of the white man. Such a difference in the coverage of stories further extends the

stereotype of Black males as creators of violence and danger, which is a synthesis of the

climate of fear among the white audience.

A crucial influence in fostering these perceptions is popular culture. In TV shows and

movies, conventional methods are adopted in narrating the stories, and Black men are always

assigned roles that are degrading and depict them in negative images. For instance, the thug

character is something that is often provided in full measure in Hollywood productions.

These characters are commonly portrayed as criminals and are aggressive and kill people

without any remorse or concern for the consequences of their actions or the law. While these

are characters that are literary and are not real, they do make a huge difference when it comes

to how society judges black men.

According to Rizzo (2024), these unfair representations argue that the Black Arts

Movement played a crucial in countering such negative portrayals. Specifically, the Black

Arts Movement aimed to give blacks a proper portrayal in media to fight against the

stereotypes that mainstream media portrays. However, even with these initiatives, the popular

culture paradigms remain rather largely unaltered. Consequently, the negative representations

implicit in these discourses are not only internalized by Black men from the perspective of

the white other but also from their point of view. Racialization is cyclical, whereby non-

whites are portrayed as dangerous or inferior, and hence, it affects self-image and personality.

This climate of fear and anxiety leads to threats to real-world situations, as seen in the

following instance. Stereotyping, which is fuelled by the media, has various and real-life

manifestations, for example, in the criminal justice where a Black race is depicted in a

specific manner. Black males experience increasing police interaction encounters and arrest

rates and are being imposed with more severe penalties than their white male counterparts.

This does contribute so much to the feeling of fear and anxiety extended to the blacks by the

media, hence creating such horrifying incidents as the shooting of black men of color who

have not embraced the use of guns by the police.

Furthermore, such generalization impacts economic and social opportunities for Black

men because they cannot pursue some opportunities due to the stereotype. This injustice is a

clear disservice to Black men as they instantly become unworthy of the employers’ attention

due to their unspoken agreement with the media. This results in high levels of unemployment

and staggering economic inequality. It also hinders social relations with other people as white

people feel more threatened by Black men, additionally creating social isolation. Therefore,

media gatekeepers must realize their part in reinforcing such images and redouble efforts to

provide better depictions. This means focusing on the positive images of Black men, the

successes of Black men, and the portrayal of the positives that Black men bring to society.

They must ensure that those who are in the position to change the perception are diverse.

Moreover, it is high time the creators of popular culture ceased using inherently

reductive stereotypes and increased the use of characters with multiple attributes. Black men

must be depicted in different roles that demonstrate true experiences and identities to their

contemporary lives, not just the stereotyped. As media depictions of Blacks continue to play a

major role in shaping perceptions about Black men, and when people see positive portrayals

of Black men in the media, some of the predictors of fear and anxiety could be overcome.

Negative perceptions have, therefore, been created by those who control the media

and its contents through selective reporting and representation, stereotypes without presenting

balanced views that portray blacks in a positive light. To alter the prevailing narrative, one

needs to fight for a better representation and depiction of Black men to embrace and

appreciate their positive attributes and recognize their humanity. This helps dismantle fear

and anxiety, hence establishing a society of justice and an equitable society.

                                                           References 

Kumah-Abiwu, F. (2020). Media gatekeeping and portrayal of Black men in America. The

Journal of Men’s Studies, 28(1), 64-81.

Rizzo, M. (2024). Black Arts Cities.

Citizens being involved with public policies

Citizens should have input when it comes to problems that the public are faced with. Public policy should reflect the ideologies and opinions of voters because if public policy is the way governments address problems that affect the public and citizens, then citizens could help solve some of the issues. Public policy is a set of elements that are like laws, regulations, guidelines, and actions to solve a real-world problem. The government does a lot now and could base some laws and regulations that are for the public by using some opinions from the citizens. Afterall the citizens are the one who must live by the regulations, laws, and guidelines. 

 

Citizens have a lot of knowledge living in society to know how to solve a lot of the issues that are faced with every day. The public may not be able to directly make the laws and guidelines, but the government can use opinions and ideologies of voters to help create the public policy. In an article name “What Role for Citizens in Developing and Implementing Public Policy? Part 1” by Richard Curtain, he states” Citizens are also now more capable than ever of engaging in policy making. As has been noted in relation to Canadian citizenry, they are better educated, more diverse, and less deferential than any previous generation.” Citizens can play a role that is beneficial for the government, without being biased but understanding that public policy does not just affect one person but everyone. Curtain also states in his article that “Citizen participation can play an education role, by proving an opportunity to explain an issue in more details and to propose alternative options.” Involving citizens in public policy can result in a better way of solving public issues. 

 

Public policy is what makes up for how the government regulates public issues. Each day the government is faced with more public issues and that is why there are guidelines, laws, and regulations to solve the issues, so citizens can live a more comfortable lifestyle and less chaos for everyone. Well with the help of citizens' opinions and ideologies then a good change could be made in how the government solves public issues. In a journal article name “Citizen Participation in Decision Making: Is It Worth the Effort?” by Renée A. Irvin and John Stansbury, it states “With citizen participation, formulated policies might be more realistically grounded in citizen preferences, the public might become more sympathetic evaluators of the tough decisions that government administrators have to make, and the improved support from the public might create a less divisive, combative populace to govern and regulate.” Involving citizens in public policy results in less disagreements and hostility between the government and citizens.  

 

Pushing for citizens' involvement with public policy is something that individuals see as an opportunity to play a role in how and what guidelines, regulations, and laws the governments make with citizens opinions and ideologies. Throughout the 1900s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pushed for national and regional enchantments in environmental making because of the goal of wanting to improve community relations. This led to a citizen participation program being launched in 1950. Stansbury states that “At all levels of government Citizen participation programs have been launched since the 1950s (Day 1997), with the underlying assumption that if citizens become actively involved as participants in their democracy the government that emerges from this process will be more democratic and more effective.” Programs being launched for citizens to voice their opinions on public policies show how important citizens being able to play a role in public policies is important.  

In conclusion, everyday issues are governed by the government, such as the laws that are set from the guidelines we must follow when going to certain places. In all citizens of America should play a role rather its small or big to solve issues that need to be solved, which leads to less chaos for everyone. Public opinions on issues can be involved if they fit the government guidelines and regulations. Involving citizens does not have to be chaos, it can lead to an outcome for the government and the individuals getting along. After all the citizens must follow whatever, the government set in stone, so citizens should be able to have a say so publicly and have a role of being able to voice their opinions and ideologies.