The historical event that I chose to focus on for this assignment was the O.J. Simpson murder trial. There are so many different aspects of this event that could be studied through our intercultural communications lens. I want to focus on why there were so many conflicting views and opinions of this case, and how our cultural identity plays a big part in influencing our perspectives.
Perception of guilt or innocence is influenced by one’s culture.
The cultural divides that influenced us in this case were distinguished by gender, age, race
There was a ‘hidden history’ behind how certain communities felt about the LAPD. “For people whose histories are hiidden from the mainstream, speaking out is an important step in the construction or personal and cultural identities.” (Martin and Nakayama p. 94)
“The sensational coverage of the O.J. Simpson case drove a stake into the heart of civilized journalism, melding gossipy and unreliable stories with the heretofore higher standards of the establishment press.” (Miller – crimefeed.com)
“Hewitt, the creator of CBS’s premier news show, 60 Minutes, realized that the obsession for ratings trumped the dignity of news gathering and presentation during the trial. He protested during the trial that the cameras in the courtroom had turned the entire judicial proceeding into “an entertainment special.” (Miller – crimefeed.com)
Regardless of the real truth that two innocent people were murdered in cold blood, and it was almost certainly O.J. that did it, a person’s own cultural identity heavily influenced how they felt about the trial. The cultural baggage that clouded their perspectives blinded people, and allowed them to add more meaning to the trial than just guilt or innocence.