Brenda Bravo: Perceptions matter as much as reality
David Altheide, author of “Creating Fear: News and the Construction of Crisis,” says today’s mass media helps define reality through social media. The constant updates being published on sites such as Facebook are “normalizing” crime. Tragic events are viewed as entertainment and routine.
The constant focus on crime in Merced is damaging our community.
Perceptions influence the way we interact with each other and as a community. If the community of Merced continues to believe the city is infested with crime, then the consequences will be more crime and more people being pushed out of Merced. This is counterproductive and damages our local economy. What new business is going to want to open in Merced if owners believe the city is full of crime?
The media has enormous potential for positive change. Positive things throughout our community are being taken for granted. We need to remind ourselves that we are a community and we must not fear interacting with each other. Where we get our news is important, and knowing what is happening in our communities is also important, but focusing on crime is not the way to bring a community together.
Brenda Bravo, Merced
This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Brenda Bravo: Perceptions matter as much as reality."