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Part of Shawn Berry’s defense was that he was a bystander, not an instigator. The jury did not believe that claim, but assuming that such a situation could occur, what is the responsibility of an observer to an act of racism. Should bystanders who don’t intervene be held culpable in any ways? How might the responsibility to respond be different for blacks and whites? Racist acts can range from extreme violence to a thoughtless comment or joke. Have you ever witnesses any act of racism? What did you do? If the event happened today, would your response be the same? If not, what has changed?
4-6 sentences - Include an additional comment or two about other students' blog entries.
27 comments:
If I was to see racism and I was a bystander, I would immediately do something about it. I feel as if it would be my responsibility to step up to the opposition and do anything in my power to stop it. Seeing that I am from the black group I feel as if black people have been through enough as a race and black people should stand up for any racism. I do feel as if the responsibility would change if the power were put into the hands of a white man though.
Technically, a bystander doesn't have any responsibility when observing anything. However, depending on their morals or how familiar they are with the person, they could feel the need to intervene. I don't believe that bystanders should be held responsible, because if they did, there would be a very shady line for which you are held responsible or not. I think that blacks or whites have a tendency to intervene when their race is against another. I have witnessed acts of racism, mostly jokingly though. Even though I don't approve of it, I do sometimes make them. But, if it goes too far, I know when to step in.
SunnydLover:
I'm glad that you are willing to step up because most people wouldn't. I try to also when needed, but sometimes it is hard to tell whether intervention is actually needed.
An observer of racism should, but normally doesn't, stop it. Someone should always step in and try to stop the racist act. If no one steps up for the victim then racism will never end. Bystanders that do not intervene should not be held accountable for anything that may happen. However, in the instance in the movie, Shawn Berry was the driver of the car, he was not a bystander. He should for sure be held accountable. I feel like white people would be more likely to respond if the victim was white and the same for blacks with black victims and the same for any other race. Personally, I have witnessed an act of racism. Nothing extremely violent, but everyone has witnessed a small racist comment or joke at some point. I don't recall off the top of my head one exact instance, but I know I have heard someone say something racist. And in response to that, I honestly did not do anything. If someone says a small racist comment not to the victims face, then I probably won't stand up for the victim; Although, if there was a racist comment said to someones face or a racist act of violence I am confident that I would stand up for the victim.
78dragonslayer666:
I agree with what you said regarding bystanders not being held responsible. Im glad to hear that you feel you know when you should step in to defend a victim of racism.
The responsibility of an observer (bystander) of racism is to always intervene, and try to neutralize the situation. Berry, though he was not a white supremacist, was equally guilty in the murder of Byrd. He could have prevented the situation and could have decided to change the sequence of events. Moreover, like Berry, I believe that bystanders should be punished and held culpable if they witness a racist act and do not intervene.
Personally, I have witnessed many acts of racism. They have ranged from thoughtless comments/jokes to more hurtful instances. In some situations, I have stood up for the victim, other situations, I have brushed it off. I know I need to practice intervening more often and try to stand up for those individuals who can't.
If an event like the murder of Byrd were to happen today, I believe that there would be more harsh punishments for the culprits, also, a larger reaction.
In response to @BiggSwagggg, it's great that you also admitted that you haven't always stood up against racist comments/jokes. I think we all have witnessed something like that happening, and I know, that not all of us have stood up for the victim. We must all try to intervene whenever we can, and stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves.
A bystander does not have any responsibility when observing racism. But,depending on how close they are with the person, they might feel the need to act. I think that blacks or whites are more lickly to intervene when their own race is against another. I have witnessed an act of racism, but who hasn't. We do not live in a sheltered world, racism occurs everyday right before our eyes. In a situation where one needs to stand up for someone, it could be very tough for them to do so. The bystander might not want to get involved and get on the bad side of the other person.
@#Bigswagg
I agree with what you said about bystanders not always being held accountable. I completely understand your situation you described and understand where you are coming from.
I believe that a bystander should have full responsibility because they chose not to stop the racism. I feel like that whites would be more afraid to intervene because they don't want to not be included or accepted in a social situation. I've witnessed an incidence of racism at the craft store, and I did not intervene, I simply let it happen. I should have done something differently. I think I might at least show a negative reaction to the comment, not get fully involved in fear of conflict.
I disagree with #Smallswaggg's stance that the bystander should have no responsibility when observing racism. The bystander can speak up to the racist people and stop further racism. If they don't intervene and just remain a bystander, it might continue in the future.
I agree with #Smallswaggg, I don't think that an observer to an act of racism really has a certain responsibility.
Depending on what type of person they are, though, they may choose to step in and do something to stop the act from happening, or help the person that was targeted. I think that bystanders can be held accountable depending on the situation. If the racist act is very violent and the bystander would be putting themselves in danger by trying to intervene, then I don't think it's expected for them to do so. I think the responsibility for each ethnic group is bigger if someone of their own kind is being discriminated against. Like everyone, I have witnessed racist acts. Although, it hasn't been anything drastic; just maybe little comments said by people. I probably just ignored them even though I should have said something. If this event happened today, people would take any types of prejudice or racism way more seriously and I would as well.
I think that bystanders should be punished depending on the situation. Also, the responsibility is no different for blacks and whites. I dont believe i've seen many racist acts, and if I have I don't remember. If that event from the documentary happened again I don't think I would do much. Sadly, murders happen every day and just because someone was ignorant to do it because of race it's still murder and the ones who are responsible are still going to be punished. Now if they were to get away with it then I would be angry.
78dragonslayer666:
I completely agree with you. If we were all inclined to intervene then the risk of coming in between conflict can be pretty high. As selfish as it seems it still should be kept to ourselves. If the situation was serious then call for help and let the police handle the situation because that is their job.
I think that bystander that does not intervene should be held responsible. If they don't step in to stop it then they are just letting it happen as if they were a part of the act. I don't think the responsibility to respond should be different depending on what race you are. If someone needs help, no matter what race they happen to be , then the person who witnessing should help no matter what race they are. I believe that I have witnessed a racist act like a comment or a joke. I probably just ignored it but if this were to happen today I would probably step in and say something.
I disagree with #smallswaggg. If someone was just watching this racist act happen then they might as well be apart of it. If the person doesn't intervene then it could turn violent and someone could get really hurt.
A bystander is someone who is around observing the racism going on. Under no definition does it state that a bystander is someone who is suposed to stop the racism they are around. In this case however, he was the one driving the truck. Even if he was forced into dragging the man from behind his car, he still commited the crime, and therefore- is not a bystander, but one of the murderers. However, at the begining of the situation he was a bystander, and at the point he should of steped in and tell his freinds off. But he didnt. He got pressured into doing something he didnt want to do, and ultimatly now has to pay the price.
I dissagree with Bishup that bystanders should be punished for not doing anything. Most of the time, the bystander is just someone who doesnt know either of the parties and is just going aobut his or her daily lives. Also, most of the time, poeple dont want to go out of their way to get themselves in a sticky situation.
I think that any observer of any act of racism should say or do something. If a bystander lets an act of racism happen and did nothing he should be held culpable because he or she could have stopped it, and any harm could have been stopped. I think that as a person in this world, everyone should have a responsibility to respond to a racist act. I have witnessed an act of racism, which was intended as a joke and said that they were teasing but it felt like they meant it in a way. I told them it was mean, and they shouldn’t say that again.
I don’t agree with #Smallswaggg. If you were to in a situation where you are bullied due to your race, you would want someone to help you, not just see people walk away. Also you should help because it is the right thing to do. That is why I believe that every person should have responsibility to help others.
When you sit behind a keyboard completely away from such a situation, it's easy to say that you would have intervened and saved Byrd. But really, in such a situation, an individual is so very stressed and threatened that they are ethically stunned. It begs the question: Should people be morally expected to intervene in other peoples' business? In a perfect world, bystanders always get involved to defend people, but I don't think we should frown upon them for not. I personally have not been in a violent or serious racial situation. Other than racial banter I overhear among strangers, I just move along, there's nothing I can change about their worldviews.
@Mickey
It's easy to take the high-horse position and say that bystanders should intervene when they see racism. But I think you really need to consider how often such actions have any effect, let alone if such actions are morally obligated.
In my opinion bystanders should be held culpable for not intervening in dangerous or illegal situations, It's kind of like being an accessory to a crime. Based on a persons race, for example if a black guy needs help, people might be less likely to do anything versus if a white person needs help. I have witnessed racism alot and I used to say how it wasn't nice, but for the past few years I've given up doing that because I have felt that I'm not making any difference. If I experieced racism today I would say something because I understand now that doing something as simple as saying something can really help to make a difference sometimes.
The responsibility of an observer to an act of racism is to stop the act of racism itself. I feel that bystanders that don't intervene should have to pay some sort of price for not stopping a situation. The responsibility might be different for blacks and whites because they each have been through different situations in the past trying to fight for their rights. I have witnessed some act of racism but they haven't been violent, but instead have been cruel jokes. I usually don't do anything and just brush it off. My response would change if somebody made a cruel joke now. I would tell them to stop making the joke.
@#mediumswaggg I agree with what you had to say about bystanders, and how they don't have to stop the racism when they are around. I liked how you said that one of the guys who was driving the truck wasn't a bystander but instead one of the people who acted on the crime. I feel that he should have done something because now he is currently in jail now until he dies.
I belive that they should be responsible in way not fully but every has the ability to stop something. I think that people respond better to white people then black black people. no i have not.
I really agree with medium swag about his points that bistanders should be introuble.
Although bystanders are bystanders they have as much of a role in any act as the person or persons committing any act of racism or crime. Blacks would feel more inclined to act upon the situation than whites. I have personally experienced racism, I've been called a nigger while participating in sports and within school halls. In both situations I reacted in a violent retaliation because you can do anything to me except call me out of my name especially if you're using a term with such attached negativity. Today I'd probably respond more with my words than physically.
I think the responsibility of a bystander of a races act has FULL responsibility to stop the racist act. If the bystander does not intervene or at least run away from the situation and call the cops he should be fully responsible. He had a chance to stop a racist act and didn't do anything. Not doing anything to stop a racist act is just like being a part of it since you let it go on. I think responsibility to respond for black and white might be different since they have completely different backgrounds. They both went through totally different times when racism was so common to black people. I have witnessed a racist joke and comment. It was directed to me in a while as a joke, but really was not funny to me at all. I didn't say anything to the person because I did not no him and didn't want to start anything. To this day I regret not saying anything. I really feel more apart of my jewish religion today which is what the person was making fun of. I would have been a lot more offended today.
I completely agree with Sunnydlover: If I was a bystander to something racist today I would immediately do something about it and step in. I would a hundred percent feel it was my responsibility to do something. Also if it was my friends that were doing the racist act I would know there absolutely not my friends.
I believe that a bystander who doesn't intervene should be held culpable in some ways. They should not be punished as much as the person who committed the act. But if they would have done something than they could have prevented it most likely.
Agreeing with Swagg, I don't think that a bystander to an act of racism really has to be held responsible for that action. It strictly has to do with what kind of person that one individual is, and what their beliefs are. I think that bystanders can be held accountable depending on the situation. If the racist act is very violent and the bystander would be putting themselves in danger by trying to intervene, then I don't think it's expected for them to do so. The responsibility of the individual is important no matter what race that the victim may be. If this event happened today, people would take any types of prejudice or racism way more seriously and I would as well.
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