Illegible Black Death, Legible White Pain: Denied Media, Mourning, and Mobilization in an Era of “Post-Racial” Gun Violence

Gun violence is a daily reality; mass shootings, from suburban enclaves to inner city parks, are commonplace. Yet, all violence, all death, all lives, and all gun shootings are not treated equal. This essay examines the ways that anti-Black racism and White privilege (White supremacy) infect discussions of gun violence. In examining a series of incidents, and the broader media/political discourse, this article concludes that race and space overdetermine who is afforded the rights of safety and security, and where violence is normalized, expected, and therefore nothing to worry about. Race, space, and class affect the legality and illegibility of gun violence.