There are those individuals and their lawyers who will go to any lengths to mischaracterize police encounters to advance their own personal and professional agenda.

The facts: Tyreek Hill, the 30-year-old wide receiver for the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, was en route to the stadium when he was allegedly stopped by a Miami-Dade motorcycle officer for a routine traffic stop. Hill was driving a 2018 Black McLaren with heavily tinted windows. Police bodycam footage shows the officer yanking Hill out of his vehicle and taking him to the ground after he refused to comply with police orders.

Whatever the reason for the traffic stop, Tyreek Hill was at fault and created the situation.

• Heavily tinted windows pose a significant risk to officer safety during traffic stops by obscuring the view inside the vehicle. This lack of visibility prevents officers from assessing potential threats, such as the presence of weapons or suspicious movements. The inability to clearly see the occupants increases uncertainty and heightens the danger, forcing officers to approach more cautiously, potentially escalating tensions during routine stops.

• Noncompliance with police orders or displaying an argumentative attitude during a traffic stop can significantly escalate the situation, increasing the risk of misunderstanding and potential use of force. Officers are trained to prioritize safety, and any perceived resistance or refusal to follow instructions can heighten their sense of threat. This can lead to more aggressive responses and complicate what might otherwise be a routine stop. Staying calm, cooperative, and following instructions would have de-escalated the situation dramatically and ensured the interaction remained safe for both the driver and the officer.

The media was quick to characterize the encounter as a racist police-on-black-man event.

The Dangers of Media-Manufactured Racism

In today’s hyper-connected world, the media wields immense power over how people think, act, and perceive societal issues. One of the most dangerous byproducts of this influence is the manufacturing of racism—where the media amplifies, distorts, and sometimes creates narratives of racial conflict. These narratives are often tailored for sensationalism, stirring emotions, and boosting ratings rather than fostering genuine understanding or solutions.

• Creating Division for Profit: At its core, the media thrives on attention. In an era of shrinking attention spans and constant competition for clicks and views, controversy sells. Stories of conflict, especially racial tensions, are guaranteed to captivate audiences. Headlines become more provocative, and stories are framed in ways that amplify the idea of “us vs. them,” encouraging division rather than unity.

  In pursuit of profit, news outlets often cherry-pick stories and manipulate facts to fit a particular narrative. This sensationalism obscures the full complexity of racial issues, focusing on isolated incidents or inflating minor conflicts, which can make it seem like society is on the brink of racial collapse. By doing so, media outlets contribute to a sense of fear and mistrust, reinforcing racial stereotypes and deepening divisions between communities.

• Ignoring Context for Sensationalism: One of the most insidious aspects of media-manufactured racism is the selective presentation of facts. Events are taken out of context or are disproportionately covered to fit an overarching narrative of widespread racism. Stories that would otherwise be local news are catapulted to national attention, creating a false sense of widespread racial hostility.

• Weaponizing Identity Politics: Media-driven racism doesn’t just manifest in news stories; it infiltrates sports, entertainment, social media, and political discourse. Many media outlets have learned to weaponize identity politics to pit racial groups against one another. By elevating certain voices and suppressing others, they construct narratives that villainize entire communities or portray them as perpetual victims. This binary view of race relations benefits no one.

• Exploiting Racism for Personal or Professional Publicity: In addition to the media’s role, there is a growing trend where individuals, including influencers, activists, and even some public figures, exploit racial issues for personal or professional publicity. These individuals understand that aligning themselves with trending social justice causes can increase their visibility, attract followers, and boost their brand, whether committed to the cause or not.

  Social media has made it easy for people to amplify their personal brands by joining movements or engaging in “call-out culture,” often with little understanding of the issues. For some, the allure of publicity outweighs the responsibility to engage thoughtfully. By turning complex racial matters into opportunities for self-promotion, these individuals risk trivializing serious issues.

Professional opportunists such as attorneys, agents, and media consultants also seize this moment. Some executives and public relations teams have used racial tensions as a marketing tool in corporate spaces.

Bottom line…

This was not racism, as the exact same thing happened to PGA Tour golfer Scottie Scheffler, and Scheffler happens to be white. It was even more unwarranted in Scheffler's case and the officer deserved the consequences of his actions.

While some police officers can be overly aggressive at times and deserving of discipline, this should be judged in the context of events from the officer's perspective.

In the end, combating media-manufactured racism is about reclaiming the conversation around race from those who profit from division. Only through thoughtful engagement, a commitment to justice, and a focus on truth can we hope to continue building a better nation.

In my opinion, Tyreek Hill should be sanctioned by the NFL and his team for his disrespectful celebratory mockery of the police.

We are so screwed.

-- Steve