October 4

Skin Complexion Determining Lethal Force

News Paper cartoon from Washington Post that illustrates police brutality.

Cartoon that reflects the police shooting of African American men in Cleveland.

The authors coloration of the different characters in this cartoon greatly illustrates racial separation.

The two males displayed as officers in this cartoon are of two different shades. The officer to the left of the woman in the photo is lighter in skin tone than the officer by his side. However, both of their skin tones are lighter than the other characters in this cartoon.

The woman standing behind the stroller, who is assumed to be the mother of the child in the stroller, is of a darker shade than both of the male officers. The baby in the stroller holding a rattle is also the same complexion as the woman.

This depiction of the different skin tones illustrated how it doesn’t matter if the officers are Caucasian, Hispanic, mixed race, or other; the officers are still hold an higher position over the woman and the child because of their darker skin tone.

Image from: https://claytoonz.com/tag/cleveland/