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Do you think there might be some ways that corporate America, through its powerful advertising arm, can be effective in addressing changes

in police tactics that result in the killings of unarmed black people?  If so, how?  If not, why not?
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Posted - June 3, 2020

Responses

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    7269
    What the changes will be and how the changes will come about is the first thing to think of. I haven't  heard of a plan yet.  
      June 3, 2020 7:52 AM MDT
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  • 7919
    I mentioned the Verna Myers Ted Talk on another post- her idea that it's repetition- showcasing people of color in a positive light- that makes the difference in bias. I think she's right.

    There are large discrepancies in representation in advertising. I think at a basic level, simply including more minorities in advertising could stand to make a difference as long as it's authentic.

    I don't know how much it makes a difference when companies take a social stance by itself though. A lot of the PSAs are really just companies trying to win over customers rather than genuinely caring about the cause. 
      June 3, 2020 12:02 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    Meaning showcasing them in in a positive light will make them feel more positive about themselves?  How do you think advertising places them in a bad light?  First time I ever saw a dark person on an advertisement was when I was about 5 or 6 which was 1963. So not as though they are not in ads, esp in last 30 years. But what I have seen is they seem very suburban like they could be my next door neighbors.  Which even my neighbors of color don't behave like that.  There was an old motion picture Putney Swope in which a black man takes over an ad agency and markets to the way he say black people acting. I recall it was pretty funny for 1971. But my point is that it is not as though such issues are anything new. 
      June 9, 2020 8:42 PM MDT
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  • 7919
    I was specifically referencing Verna Myers theory from the video below.





      June 10, 2020 3:36 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    Sorry am not familiar with that video. Or theory. 
      June 13, 2020 9:12 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    It's difficult to change people's perspectives when they have an image of a group in their heads that is continually reinforced by negative press.  Featuring people of color in a more positive light would go a long way to showing that not every Black person is a criminal or gang member.  Having said that, the Black community needs to place a bigger emphasis on education.  Education is the key to rising from poverty.  
      June 3, 2020 12:27 PM MDT
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  • 7919
    "The Black community needs to place a bigger emphasis on education."

    Schools with high minority populations are at a distinct disadvantage. Being in lower-income areas, they have less money to begin with. That also means the parents are more likely to be working multiple jobs or funky hours, leaving them unable to engage with the kids on their schoolwork and/ or be involved with the school. It's a cycle that needs to be broken and probably has more to do with segregation and systemic racism than the Black community not focusing enough on education.  
      June 3, 2020 12:41 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    I agree, but I also believe that there are any number of parents who are able to be involved and aren't.  Asians are some of the hardest working people you'll ever find, yet their overriding concern is the education of their children.  
      June 3, 2020 1:24 PM MDT
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  • 52903

       As a product of that exact environment, what was called the urban inner-city, and being part of the demographic that usually succumbs to some of the worst outcomes possible thereof (poverty, born to a single mother who had multiple children by multiple men, etc., etc., etc.), I can vouch from personal experience as to the importance of education as a way out. My mother, while extremely trapped in several interlocking vortexes that held her back, is nonetheless an amazingly intelligent woman when viewed academically.  Even with all of her many parenting/motherhood deficiencies, she valued knowledge over many other concerns, so much so that she took an unprecedented step in investigating schools all over the city and enrolled us in one miles from our neighborhood and its low-achieving slum-mill of a school. Being a kindergartner at the time, I was neither aware of nor would I have understood the difference in educational opportunities between the two schools, but to this day I am grateful for her concern. Stemming from her efforts to teach us all to read by age two or three, the added measure of a great school reinforced everything we learned at home. This all took place prior to forced busing being the law of the land, and I don’t know how she worked it out, but she arranged for a school bus to go all the way into the ‘hood and whisk us across town to town to a “white school”*. Of course, being five siblings, we all came away with five varying results of our upbringing, and not all five of us valued and value education equally, but the seed was well planted anyway. Three years later, when I began the second grade, forced busing did take place, and 50% of students from the affluent neighborhood were sent to the schools in the ‘hood for half of the school year, and 50% of the students from the ‘hood were sent to the schools in the affluent neighborhood.  The second half of the school year, the other 50% of each side took the ride.  With my own 7-year-old eyes, I saw the vast differences between “black schools”* and “white schools”*.



    *I detest referring to schools by color or race (ethnicity), but it is an unfortunate reality from my past. 

    ~

    This post was edited by Randy D at June 3, 2020 9:34 PM MDT
      June 3, 2020 7:58 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    It is unfortunate that children might have to be bused miles from home in order to get a good education which is why it's so important for people to have a voice in our educational system.  Coming from the background you did, your mom still made your education her primary goal.  Today, there are too many children who think that being educated is for wuses.  I can't decide whether they really think that or whether they act that way because they don't have the support to try to do better and push themselves.  Clearly, having a stable home life, even if it's with a single parent, goes a long way towards that support.  There are plenty of single parents whose children succeed in life.  Unfortunately, we usually don't hear about them unless they are so unusual as to be kids from poverty who manage to get scholarships to every Ivy League College.  The communities themselves need to help each other out as well and extend a helping hand to those who need the help.  It can be done.

    Edit:  Thank you for your unabashed honesty about your early life.   This post was edited by SpunkySenior at June 3, 2020 9:49 PM MDT
      June 3, 2020 9:27 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    I would guess hard work and self-respect. Can say what you want about that Jesse Jackson but in the days when he would get up and lead people in reciting that "I am somebody" I think that had a positive impact. We learn by doing and by picking solid role models. That is education. Then maybe we would not have so many people running around thinking the police are somehow some kind of rival "gang". 
      June 9, 2020 8:31 PM MDT
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  • 19942
    You picked a poor example of a role model. 

    "Jackson, who is a minister, has made a career out of preaching to inner city youth about avoiding drugs, crime and unmarried children. Well, two out of three ain't bad.

    He admitted this week that he fathered a daughter -- born in May, 1999 -- out of wedlock with Karin Stanford, a former poltiical [sic] science professor who ran his organization's Washington office."
    https://www.realchange.org/jackson.htm  There have been continuing instances of sexual harassment by other women.

    Not only that, his son, Jesse Jr. also had a child out of wedlock and later spent two years in prison for fraud.  

      June 10, 2020 12:31 PM MDT
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  • 6477
    In theory it should be eminently possible to positively influence change. Education is a very powerful force for change and this has been proven many times over. Examples include wearing seat-belts in the UK, turning drink driving into a taboo and many others. 

    The real question is WILL they? That's the crux of the matter... and perhaps the sticking point. Some seem to feel it's a low priority and, worse, some even believe it's ok :(

    In the UK we are seeing adverts everywhere - tv, emails etc. of solidarity. This also serves as education, for those who have perhaps not thought about the issues.. 
      June 3, 2020 1:19 PM MDT
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  • 29
      June 3, 2020 5:30 PM MDT
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  • 22853
    (Your avatar and profile page remind me of someone.)

    :)

    I've not seen that movie. :)
      June 3, 2020 6:55 PM MDT
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  • 29
    In a more positive light, I hope :)
      June 3, 2020 7:04 PM MDT
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  • 22853
    The person of whom I think, I think of very highly.
    :)
      June 3, 2020 7:17 PM MDT
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  • 44173
    Simple short answer to the question. Yes they could, but corporate America is only interested in profits and keeping share-holders happy. That's all they have ever given a crap about.
      June 3, 2020 5:35 PM MDT
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  • 6098
    Corporate America does not support such actions. Get advertising into it and all you get is "black lives matter" the point of which is to tell us that we think somehow that black lives don't matter which never occurred to any of us.  Or that our lives don't matter if we are not black. No, things like that blown up by advertising only give people something to push back against.  What is the matter with The Bible except that few of us believe in it any longer? We grew up believing that God loves all people because they are part of God's creation. 

    Police department procedures are subject to the town or city that hires them so must be handled at the local level. The thing is I think when there exists no trust and only fear then people - of any color - are going to act from self-preservation first and not think about social ramifications.  Doubt very much police manuals go into how to kill unarmed black people. But a lot comes from street experience where they think if they don't come down on someone they will either get away or kill them so they act from duty or fear. 
      June 3, 2020 8:36 PM MDT
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  • 1893
    Randy at the end of the day it will be all Lip Service.  You were in the Corps and saw the Hypocrisy.....  I will suggest it will be the same
      June 10, 2020 5:55 PM MDT
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  • 22891
    maybe
      June 22, 2020 1:52 PM MDT
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