About 4 weeks ago, I sat in the car with my mom as she asked what motivated me to pursue a career in communications. “I want to control the message,” I said. “I want to make sure that information is relayed fairly.” That’s the media’s job, merely to relay a message to its audience in an unbiased way.

The media have immense power to control our perception of newsworthy events. That perception can either be positive or negative. When messages are skewed and interpreted negatively, we blame the media for their unethical representation and bias. However, the media are made up of people just like you and me. Why do we do not hold ourselves to the same moral standard we ask the media to adhere to?

The media make up a huge piece of the puzzle that forms the systematically oppressed society we play a role in. But the puzzle’s underlying motivator goes deeper than destructive headlines. While we are busy condemning journalists for their bias and inaccurate perception, we miss something. The same bias exists in each and every one of us. 

“No no no,” you say. “I’m not biased, and I’m definitely not a racist. This article does not apply to me.” I beg you to take a hammer to that wall protecting your feelings and keep reading. You may not play a role in overt racism. But hidden racism lurks in everyday actions and phrases you may not even be aware of.

President Barack Obama is often referred to as “well-spoken.” I once referred to a peer the same way in one of my classes. Of course her response was “well why wouldn’t I be?” My intended compliment covered up the harmful underlying meaning in my words – the assumption that black people as a race are illiterate. I did not realize my implication until she handed me a hammer. So here I am handing you yours.

I’ll be honest with you, there was a time when I would have clicked right out of this article because I assumed it didn’t apply to me. I assumed that because minority enrollment at my high school was 82 percent that I had no racial bias. I assumed that because I believe #blacklivesmatter and don’t fly the confederate flag that I don’t play a role in endorsing racism. That assumption was wrong.

We as a nation have predominantly decided that racism is immoral. But concern still lies in the fact that we as individuals are not seeing the ways we contribute to unconventional racism. We aren’t perfect. And correspondents in the media definitely aren’t. But while we’re actively pushing to hold the media accountable, let’s also push to fix the widespread issue that fuels these unjust headlines. We have made our minds up that we aren’t part of the problem when the reality is we are. To combat racism, we must start by taking a look at our own mistakes. The assumptions that you and I have made are pushing us back when we should be moving forward.

I challenge you to accept that you are part of the issue. But more importantly, I challenge you to find the role you play in oppression and tackle it head on. Realize the implications in your words and change your message. Yes, the media can be biased in favor of white skin. But the media are made up of people, just like you and I. It’s time we admit that as individuals we play into a system we accuse of the same crimes we commit every day.

There is more in the fight against oppression than having black friends or voting for Obama. A part of that fight is accepting your own flaws and actively trying to catch yourself playing into racial bias. Think about the way your message can harm those around you. Then try to relay your message the way you expect the media to. Hammer on.

Katie Schafer is a senior majoring in public relations and political science. Her column runs biweekly.