OPINION: The Media’s Lack of Coverage on NAACP Bombing is an Expected Disappointment

Marvin Logan is a senior Pan-African studies major and a columnist for The Kent Stater. Contact him at mlogan6@kent.edu.

Marvin Logan is a senior Pan-African studies major and a columnist for The Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].

Marvin Logan

Last week, a seemingly domestic terrorist attack took place at a Colorado NAACP office. On Tuesday, Jan 6, the Colorado Springs, CO office of the NAACP was bombed. Information of the bombing, which is currently being investigated by the FBI, has spread throughout the Internet and social media. However, there was little to no coverage of the event on major news stations. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been around for over 106 years fighting the endless battle for civil rights of blacks in America.

CNN, who has covered extensively recent racially charged happenings in Ferguson and New York over the deaths of Mike Brown and Eric Gardner, had very little coverage in the event. Some have argued that the small amount of coverage they have provided has been slanted.

There were originally two suspects: a white male and the other a black male. CNN, however, only provided the profile of the black suspect. The lack of coverage of this act of terrorism comes on the heels of another. There has been massive coverage of the terrorism that has taken place in Paris through the past week. 20 people wound up dead as a result of recent attacks in Paris.

It is disheartening that it seems that our media outlets at home do not equally cover the value of our security here. The event has gained very large airtime in social media and independent Internet media sources, however, the coverage by large media entities has been minimal. There has been a recent rise in the FBI’s participation in the investigation. I am also disheartened by the fact that I am not the least bit surprised at the lack of TV time this incident has received.

Keep in mind, no one was injured in the bombing, and still, I would argue strongly that had this event happened at the location of a government building, school, or place where the majority of occupants are not blacks or other people of color, this would have been everywhere. Any time there’s a bombing abroad that somehow becomes synonymous with Islam, we are bombarded with constant images. This bombing endangered the lives of American citizens, and yet the cries from those who wish to stay informed have gone unanswered. Newspapers continue to cover the story with every development. Our major news stations need to do the same.

No explanations have been offered as to why major news stations don’t see this as news. Social media has seen large debate over the issue as NAACP has been trending for the last week. As race relations continue to deteriorate, issues such as this only continue to grow the divide between people sitting on different sides of the isle. Even President Barack Obama offered comment on the attacks in Paris. Yet, we have an attack take place within our own 50 states and not even a tweet. Some have even shared their research and documentation of news coverage of attacks on entities of the NAACP.

Before you read this article, I would gamble that you were relatively unaware. Stay informed, stay awake and stay tuned.