They released the video footage of Tyre Nichols’ murder at the hands of Memphis “law enforcement”. I have not watched it and I will not watch it. I find it disturbing that they released it at all. What’s the point of releasing the video? I didn’t watch any of the footage of the other high-profile murders by police either.
I ask again, what’s the point of releasing the video? I see no point at all. Some might say they watched it to be better informed. However, there’s no need to watch the video to be well informed about the case. I know the facts without watching the video. I’ll need a better answer than that.
The only reason I can think of for them to release the video, or for people to watch the video, is because there are a lot of sick people out there who get a thrill from seeing a murder. TV and movies don’t sate their appetites quite like the real thing. Like regular porn, watching the video is voyeuristic and objectifies the people in the video, both the murdered and the murderers. Objectification means that we cannot properly mourn Nichols or be properly outraged at the cops who murdered him. To do either of those things, we need to remember that they are real human beings with agency.
I find the idea of watching a murder disturbing and triggering. I would think all normal people would. Who knows, though? Maybe I’m the weird one for not watching the videos. I just hope that’s not the case.
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