The media has been going on about how what happened yesterday in VA is the “worst ever” massacre in American history. There are a few moments in American history that belie that. Here’s one:
Although official counts put the number of dead at 39; 26 black, 13 white, it is generally accepted that this number is substantially higher, especially among black victims. Estimates range from seventy-five to over three hundred. Based on the evidence available, most experts agree that the actual number of black citizens believed to be killed during the riot number around 300. Many of these, who will probably never be accurately identified, are believed to have been buried in unmarked and sometimes mass graves.Of the some 800 people admitted to local hospitals for injuries, a vast majority are believed to have been white, as both black hospitals had been burned in the rioting. Additionally, even if any of the white hospitals operating at the time would have admitted blacks under these special circumstances, injured blacks had little means to get to these hospitals. Several among the black dead were known to have died while in the internment centers. While most of these deaths are thought to be accurately recorded, there are no records to be found as to how many detainees were treated for injuries and survived. These numbers could very reasonably be over a thousand, perhaps several thousand.
No arrests were ever made nor charges filed for the loss of life and property that happened during the sixteen-hour riot.
I understand that yesterday’s horror had to do with a single shooter and the example I’m sighting has to do with mobs, but I hate the fact that our media has such horrible amnesia when it comes to the long, bloody history of American violence. And I am ignorant myself- I have no doubt that there are other examples of “race riots” (which should be understood as “lots of white people burning non-whites out of their homes”) which affected Native American and Latino/a communities that somehow didn’t make it into the history books with which I was taught.
We’ve come a long way, and lynch mobs are (mostly) a thing of the past. But when it comes to Americans killing other Americans, the shooter yesterday is not the “worst” example in our history.
Front page
They kept revising and extending
First it was the worst mass killing in US history. Then people reminded them of 9/11. Then it was the worst by one individual. Then people reminded them of Oklahoma city.
I think the media settled on the worst shooting spree ever by the end of the night. Their history intelligence is pretty piss poor.
Dear Media: Black People are "People" Too
I’ve been living in Singapore for the last two years. One of the most extraordinary things I’ve noticed is that there has been only ONE shooting in all of this time. ONE! Guns are illegal here — this tiny “red dot” of a country is probably the safest country in the world.
There were white race riots, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphi…
The more privileged whites burning the less privileged whites out of their homes…
indeed, susie- that's exactly my point
do a little digging and wow! the history of american-on-american violence that isn’t part of the civil war is long, bloody, and contains plenty of of forgotten stories of ugliness.
but our stupid media can’t help but use superlatives just to drive up ratings, “worst ever! in the history of ever!” more sloppiness from our lazy, lazy press.
turns out the shooter in this case is from south korea. i hope the discussion that follows is of 1) how a foreign student can buy a gun 2) what cultural differences would cause him to do this while here and not why we should immediately bomb north korea.
Death field...
also known as Wounded Knee, where the army took away the arms of 300 Lakota, the majority women and children, and then proceeded to shoot most of them.
Wiki “masacre” for some truly sobering reading. It’s a wonder we survive as a species.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” — MLKJr
This is NOT a racist matter
This is NOT a racist matter it was horrible as was the riot you spoke of and as the white riots pointed out to you earlier. Why is it that in the mist of such a horrific event the focus can’t just be on that rather than dragging the mistreated black card into the mix! Grow up! I’m sure some of the 32 victims dead from this were African American people also, or are you deranged enough to think that the media and cops and everyone neglected to mention them? At a time like this people should focus on the victims and their families and pray for all those hurting not try to stir up hard feelings about something that isn’t even an issue so on behalf of the media I am sorry they didn’t choose to ignore this event to focus on a riot that happened years ago! I truly am sorry for the lives lost in the riot you spoke of and I hope you can see how this is a tragedy too not worse but still bad!
bridgett, the critique was of the media
a media that has forgotton how to use language properly, and of those events in the past which belie the idea that this is was the ’worst ever’ american on american violence event in our history. the title of the post is snarky, which means tongue in cheek and sassy.
there are many things to say at this sad time. our media isn’t saying them. that is the point of this post.