The Internet is My Silver Lining

In light of the recent election,  It's almost impossible to be silent. I tried it, but naturally it didn't last for long. I'm not going to be objective in this post by any means, but in raising my own opinion and listening to those of others all day, I now only have one though in my mind — It's going to be ok.

And I have to believe that.

Today I received one of our campus emails, except this on was about how racial slurs are now being used on campus just hours after the election. Hours.

With the whirlwind of emotions that surfaced provided these election results, I realized that only one was most personally pressing for me— fear.

I had never really ever been scared for myself or people like me. People who may not have personally experienced oppression but know it's real and exists. I'm scared of what is going to happen.
The country just got in this really cool place where people were making an impact. Every day, average americans were changing lives, getting justice and holding groups of power accountable for unimaginable crimes. But what's going to happen now?

In class we previously watched three specific videos, all which I believe, when looked at together show a progression. The first being the video captured by George Holiday of Rodney King being brutally beaten by multiple police officers. This was essentially the birth of citizen journalism. An every day man, being at the right place, at the right time with the right equipment visually demonstrating injustices that would've just otherwise stayed in secret. Unfortunatly then no justice was served, but eventually there would be about 14 years later. When the footage from a police dash cam proved an officers previous claims to be false regarding the shooting of 17 year old Laquan McDonald. An article from The Huffington Post revealed how the efforts of two independent journalists and a lawyer were able to hold the Chicago Police accountable, resulting in a murder charge. What Strides, what amazing strides! But are they going to continue?

Back to what I said about it's going to be ok. I had to find a silver lining. Something for myself that would suck up all the fear and turn it into promise.

That's when I remembered the third video.

Jim Gilliam of Brave New Films spoke about how the internet saved his life, and how the internet was his religion. Now, I grew up Christian myself, and I doubt the web will replace my faith. However I do believe the internet, and more specifically, people on the internet mean something just as impactful to me. They're my hope.

The internet is my silver lining. The bloggers, citizen journalists,  and independent news outlets. Whether through text, images, or video; I have hope. And ironically after a crappy outcome, I can say I'm excited for what the future has to hold.

I'm grateful for a course like this that has completely opened my eyes to both the effects and importance of independents in the news. Although yes. Im sure they will definitely try and stop us, this is going to be some amazing years for not only journalism, but for change.

One of the most impactful quotes I have heard to date derived from this course. It was from Izzy stone, and he states,  “The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you’re going to lose, because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins.”

Rodney King lost. There was no justice, but the people fought anyone. Journalists and a Lawyer fought and justice was served. It's out turn to fight because may people have already lost, and lost, and lost. I truly believe we are the someday, and the somebodies who believe in the same things.

We can do this, and we can win.