Indifference is Deadly: A Reflection and Calls to Action After Mass Shootings
It has taken me a week to be able to write this post in the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton shootings. At first, the news was both devastating and increasingly familiar. I realize I am fighting a dangerous and growing numbness towards mass shootings in America. “Another weekend, two more mass shootings in America” CNN stated nonchalantly. So far in 2019, at least 62 people have been killed in mass shootings. I couldn’t talk about the shootings for a couple of days and I felt myself avoiding news particularly after learning that the majority of those slain were Latinx and Black.
As a Queer Trans Black Indigenous Person of Color (QTBIPOC) in the US, I am constantly reminded about the disproportionate violence my community faces as hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are the highest in a decade. While I processed and disengaged from discussing the shootings as a means of self-care as a QTBIPOC (as stated in a previous Awaken post, please don’t mistake self-care with apathy), avoidance and disengagement en masse foster indifference which is the foundation upon which identity-based violence against BIPOC communities thrives.
How can we process mass shootings and find ways to engage with others while trying to get through our day at work? What are the connections between these incidents and our workplace cultures? What can allies and leaders of companies do in the days and weeks following these incidents?
Here are three ways to start:
1. Acknowledge and communicate to build psychological safety
Acknowledging mass shootings as soon as they happen company-wide or team-wide is a recommended first step. If you haven’t done so yet, it is better late than never. Don’t be afraid to share your emotions and the impact these events have on you — vulnerability builds trust and psychological safety in the workplace while we may not feel safe in the world at large right now. Let your colleagues and team know you’re paying attention and that you believe it’s important enough to acknowledge. Our previous post on managing in times of political trauma provides a step-by-step guide on how to do this. Here are some phrases you can use to get you started:
- “I want to acknowledge what is happening in our country…”
- “I am devastated by what happened over the weekend…”
- “There’s a lot going on politically right now…”
2. Center impacted communities when discussing the events
Latinx and Black people were disproportionately impacted in the El Paso and Dayton shootings this past weekend. At this time, it is believed the El Paso shooter intentionally targeted Latinx people and expressed explicit anti-immigrant sentiments online and the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime. Some news reports are also pointing out the devastating reality of undocumented survivors who remain largely invisible and unable to access medical care.
While these shootings devastate all of us, Latinx and Black people may feel particularly vulnerable given these recent incidents and current events. Just a few weeks prior, several Congresswomen spoke out against xenophobia and anti-immigration vitriol directed at them. Therefore, whenever these shootings or others are acknowledged, it is important to name the disparate impact on targeted communities and to pay particular attention to how you may be able to support team members belonging to an impacted community.
3. Challenge biased media narratives with a critical lens
A 2019 study featured in Journalism Practice used the 2017 Las Vegas and 2016 Orlando mass shootings as case studies to explore alleged double standards in reporting of events featuring Muslim and non-Muslim mass perpetrators of violence. The study used framing theory and content analysis to examine the Los Angeles Times and New York Times coverage of the shootings during the one week immediately following each event.
The Orlando shooting, carried out by a Muslim person, was allotted more coverage despite the fact that it produced nine fewer fatalities than the Las Vegas shooting, perpetrated by a white non-Muslim man. The analysis also showed that the examined newspapers were more likely to employ a “terrorism” frame in their coverage of the Orlando shooting than in their coverage of the Las Vegas shooting and link the Orlando mass shooting with the global war on terrorism. Framing differences found in this study may contribute to downplaying the threat of U.S. born white male gun violence, and to reinforcing fears of Islam and Muslims.
We see similar bias in the framing of the El Paso shooter where mental illness and video games are being used to deflect from the shooter’s white supremacist beliefs. Authorities believe Patrick Crusius, the 21-year-old white male alleged shooter, posted a 2,300-word manifesto rooted in the ideology of white supremacy and white nationalism moments before he unleashed hell. Crusius found common cause with the murderer of 51 Muslims in New Zealand.
In Conclusion
Now more than ever, organizations must reassess their commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and supporting marginalized employees. If you haven’t started the conversation to acknowledge the impact the El Paso and Dayton shootings have on your colleagues, it isn’t too late to start. Even if you have brought it up, let this be the beginning of regular check-ins and on-going communication to build psychological safety in the workplace.
Should you observe colleagues or friends discussing recent events while omitting the impact on Latinx and Black communities or using biased framing in regards to the assailant, point out the biases in the narrative.
Increasing foundational awareness through training beyond checking boxes, implementing clear anti-bias and discrimination policies, and holding space for marginalized communities in the wake of the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings is a vital way for organizations to counter the continued attacks on marginalized communities.
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About Awaken
Awaken is a leading provider of interactive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops that go beyond “checking the box. ” We create compassionate space for uncomfortable conversations to develop inclusive leaders and teams.
