Phobia: an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. Some people fear spiders, others fear Black people. The term used by TIME magazine is called “negrophobia.”
The latest eye-brow raising Journalism bit suggests that the deaths of Eric Garner, Michael Brown and the many Black men who’ve died (in similar circumstances) before and after are a result of an irrational fear. But the controversial “negrophobia” term is problematic on so many levels and raises several questions.
Where are the medical diagnostics? Is it not contentious to reintroduce the term “negro” to present day lexicon? By using the word “phobia” are we not being asked to have sympathy toward racists and bigots?
The article written by Brandon Hill, a Political Science and African & African American Studies major at Stanford University, ends on a solid note. Everything before it is a conversation about racism without using the term “racism.”
Needless to say, social media didn’t let today’s holiday get in the way of causing a viral uproar. Hit the flip to see tweets of blacklash and revolt. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Photo: Instagram
