Framing Exercise

1. We are examining the framing of pro Black Lives Matter articles and pro All Lives Matter articles. In our group is Nick Dennison, Rahele Tesfu, Connie Do, Marco Salinas, Rob Arias.

2.     Sources:

MARCO SALINAS:

1.     (a) Marco Salinas (b) “The Problems I have with the Black Lives Matter Movement” (c) The Huffington Post  (d)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rocco-papa/the-problems-i-have-with-_b_11536162.html

2.     (a) Marco Salinas (b) “The Truth About Black Lives Matter” (c) Commentary Magazine (d) https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-truth-about-black-lives-matter/

3.     (a) Marco Salinas (b) “'All Lives Matter and 'Blue Lives Matter' supporters miss the point” (c) The Hill (d) http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/civil-rights/287442-all-lives-matter-and-blue-lives-matter-supporters-are-missing

4.     (a) Marco Salinas (b) “A New Exhibit in the Case for the Black Lives Matter Movement” (c) The Atlantic (d) https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/04/a-new-exhibit-in-the-case-for-black-lives-matter/523209/

RAHELE TESFU:

1.     (a)Rahele Tesfu (B), MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVE 'UNFAVORABLE VIEW' OF BLACK LIVES MATTER, SAY BLACK CRIME IS A TOP CONCERN,(c) Newsweek,(d)http://www.newsweek.com/black-lives-matter-protests-police-646050

2.     (a)Rahele Tesfu,(b)Black Lives Matter Is Not a Hate Group, (c) Time, (d)http://time.com/4413786/splc-black-lives-matter/

3.     (a)Rahele Tesfuf(b),Black Lives Matter Slammed As Racist Hate Group, Rabid Animals(c)NewsOne,(d),https://newsone.com/3744858/philadelphia-police-union-leader-calls-black-lives-matter-pack-of-rabid-animals

4.     (a) Rahele Tesfu, (b)BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT: AT RISK YOUTH BY JWT ATLANTA, (c) US Edition, (d) http://www.newsweek.com/black-lives-matter-protests-police-646050

CONNIE DO:

1.     (a) Connie Do (b) “The Matter of Black Lives” (c) The New Yorker (d) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/03/14/where-is-black-lives-matter-headed

2.     (a) Connie Do (b) “What Happened to Black Lives Matter?” (c) BuzzFeed News (d) https://www.buzzfeed.com/darrensands/what-happened-to-black-lives-matter?utm_term=.ugPW5rml1#.bkYbwYl4v

3.     (a) Connie Do (b) “Why ‘All Lives Matter’ Is Such a Perilous Phrase” (c) The New York Times (d) https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/us/all-lives-matter-black-lives-matter.html?mcubz=0

4.     (a) Connie Do (b) “Every Time You Say ‘All Lives Matter’ You Are Being an Accidental Racist” (c) HuffPost (d) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jesse-damiani/every-time-you-say-all-li_1_b_11004780.html

NICK DENNISON:

1.     (a) Nick Dennison,(b) For White People Who Compare Black Lives Matter to White Supremacy, (c) The Root, (d) http://www.theroot.com/for-white-people-who-compare-black-lives-matter-to-whit-1798349198

2.     (a) Nick Dennison, (b) Black Lives Matter Is Bringing Food To Victims Of Harvey, But People Are Sharing A False Story About BLM Blocking Relief Efforts, (c) BuzzFeed, (d) https://www.buzzfeed.com/craigsilverman/conservative-fb-pages-spreading-false-claim-about-blm?utm_term=.ytNOLlNL4J#.tiOXBGzB07

3.     (a) Nick Dennison, (b) ‘Black Lives Matter’ Thugs Block Texas Rescue Efforts to Protest Trump… IMMEDIATELY REGRET IT, (c) Conservative Post, (d)  https://conservativepost.com/black-lives-matter-thugs-block-texas-rescue-efforts-to-protest-trump-immediately-regret-it/?utm_source=JAMES&utm_medium=JAMES&utm_campaign=JAMES

4.     (a) Nick Dennison,(b) POLL: MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVE A NEGATIVE VIEW OF BLACK LIVES MATTER,(c) Breitbart,(d) http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/03/poll-majority-of-americans-have-a-negative-view-of-black-lives-matter/

ROB ARIAS:

1.     (a) Rob Arias (b) “Black Lives Matter lawsuit against Buffalo Police alleges discrimination” (c) The Buffalo News (d) http://buffalonews.com/2017/09/05/black-lives-matter-buffalo-files-lawsuit-buffalo-police/

2.     (a) Rob Arias (b) “Black Lives Matter Slammed As Racist Hate Group, Rabid Animals” (c) NewsOne (d) https://newsone.com/3744858/philadelphia-police-union-leader-calls-black-lives-matter-pack-of-rabid-animals/

3.     (a) Rob Arias (b) “PEOPLE ARE USING HOUSTON TO CRITICIZE 'ALL LIVES MATTER'” (c) Newsweek (d) http://www.newsweek.com/people-are-using-houston-talk-about-why-all-lives-matter-dumb-perspective-and-656442

4.     (a) Rob Arias (b) “VIEWPOINT Was the Resist March the 'All Lives Matter' movement of 2017?” (c) Windy City Times (d) http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/VIEWPOINT-Was-the-Resist-March-the-All-Lives-Matter-movement-of-2017/60282.html

3.     Anti-Black Lives Matter groups often used public opinion poll results and recorded acts of violence caused by Black Lives Matter associates to support their claims. Pro Black Lives Matter groups used statistics as well, especially citing the increased rates of incarceration/murder of African-Americans compared to other races. They also cited many publicized police shootings of African-Americans like Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Phillando Castille, etc.

4.     In the Buzzfeed article it describes social proof. Alicia Garza, an African-American activist and editorial writer, helped to start the phrase “black lives matter.” Patrisse Cullors then helped to form the hashtag phrase. As this spread, mainstream media has made the movement more active and has encouraged others to act as well.

In Conor Frieder Sdorf’s article for The Atlantic, he uses Cialdini’s persuasive strategy of authority when he invokes the authority and opinion of Radley Balko, who Sdorf calls, “ one of the country’s most knowledgeable law-enforcement-policy journalists.” Balko’s given authority helps strengthen Sdorf’s point and gives credibility to the quote that Sdorf uses in support of his point. This technique exemplifies how authority can be persuasive.

5.     Black Lives Matter is essentially fighting against racial inequality in America. Especially regarding violent acts done to African-Americans by law enforcement, Black Lives Matter is protesting the unfair treatment of black citizens. This quote sums this ideology up well: “Some Americans tend to see racism as a zero-sum game, meaning that gains for African Americans come at their expense. Some black people see it differently. From their point of view, the rights pie can get bigger for everyone.”

            All Lives Matter is basically an anti-Black Lives Matter group. They insinuate that the idea of Black Lives Matter is racist because it implies that the other “lives” or races of people do not matter. They also claim that other races are also subjected to violence by law enforcement, insinuating that African-Americans are not as targeted as they claim to be.

Both of the frames used by mass media to cover Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter agree that violence is wrong. The ontological difference between the two lies in who is at fault. This is an issue stemming from ontological differences of the groups: Black Lives Matter seeks political and judicial reform and was started as a response to the injustices performed against black bodies.

            All lives matter is ontologically more conservative--preferring established laws and convention to change and difference. All lives matter was begun as a reactionary movement to Black lives Matter because they believe that Black Lives Matter, and not police officers, are the more violent party. They do not agree with a violent approach to seeking change and believe most officers are worthy of respect and not scrutiny.

            Both frames often use statistics about how much more likely a black man is to be convicted of a crime or the target of police violence. Black Lives Matter, as a politically motivated movement, uses these numbers to show how black men are scrutinized and targeted more by police than white men. And All Lives Matter uses these numbers to show that Black men are more likely at fault in most situations since they have a higher rate of conviction.

6.     Both sides acknowledging the need for equality for underrepresented minority groups. It would acknowledge the hate crimes committed by all of the population, not just one particular race or subgroup, but it would not blame a particular demographic. A neutral frame might also talk about police violence against citizens in general, rather than one particular demographic. By addressing the issue of police violence as a whole they don’t alienate any particular group/race. A neutral article would plainly state statistics about police violence while also addressing racial inequality in our country. They would also be vocal against violence towards police, as that seems to be a fundamental issue for All Lives Matter groups.