Why the Release of the Uvalde Video Is Important
Many are wrongfully attacking journalists for releasing the video of the Uvalde terrorist attack
The terrorist attack on Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas was horrifying. Watching the video even more so. For the families of the victims, the distress is unimaginable. As a parent, the frustration and anger with law enforcement are understood. As painful as watching the video must be, journalists in Austin, Texas did what they’re supposed to do.
They acted in a way law enforcement should have.
Seven weeks after the attack police are continuing to suppress information and mislead the public. If it seems intentional, it probably is. Given the history of policing in the US and the cover-up culture it breeds, if it wasn’t for journalists, the country wouldn’t know anything about what happened that day. The video, shocking as it was, shed light on police cowardice.Â
In that area of Texas, which is mostly Latinos who identify as white, support for police is a part of life. Much of that stems from law enforcement being a leading employer. Whether it's local, county police, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a sizable portion of South Texas residents are police or related to someone who is.
One of the biggest hurdles to talking to people in the area is the fear of cops retaliating against citizens for speaking to the media. Many are also afraid of doing harm to the careers of those they love. With more and more of the US becoming aware of the breadth of police misconduct, the culture war created by many reactionary and often racist groups drives many fears.
Now, with the release of the video which police have been withholding for nearly two months, the anger in Uvalde is growing. Earlier in the week, a march was held in the city led by activist groups to voice the community’s displeasure with police inaction. Prior to that, we heard very little from anyone in the community. With the over-policing of the area, it’s no wonder why that is.
Anger with Republican leadership in the state is growing. Democrats have been the loudest voices speaking for the community. While Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn immediately staked their position on defending police - before any information was made available - they’ve been largely silent since then. The reality is that defending cowards in Texas is frowned upon and right-wing politicians who drive culture wars know that.
Whoever leaked the video to reporters in Austin knew it would be published and it appears that the anger about Uvalde is growing among more than just the community. Someone with access supplied journalists with the video. Whether it was someone in law enforcement or someone working alongside them means very little after we all saw what occurred that fateful day.
To be upset with the journalists who published the video and not the police who have been suppressing information is misplaced anger. Of course, the families should have seen the video before the media but that’s not what reporting the news is. The primary mission of journalism is to hold people to account. That’s what they did. As they should have.
Don't be angry at them.
Channel that energy towards the structures that empower cowardice; toward the cowards who did nothing and continue to try and provide cover for each other. At the end of the day, this is how white power structures work. It’s been that way since the beginning of this nation’s founding and continues to be that way today. What’s happening in Uvalde is how white supremacy works.
There’s not much question about it.