MASS MEDIA AS PROVOCATIVE MEAN OF ZOOT SUIT RIOTS ERUPTION

Abstract

DOI 10.18522/1995-0640-2024-4-200-208

Recently the attention of the audience and scientists has been caught by such phenomena as “culture of repeal” and practice of “humanness” of the enemy. Although their meanings of these new phenomena are quite simple to guess, there is a necessity to dive deep into the history of all the precedents to understand all the background processes and technologies. The USA history and their media give a splendid opportunity to analyse these phenomena on the valid examples taken form socialmedia. One of the most vivid examples of the negative influence on the people was the story of the style “zoot” and its followers. In the social-media followers were represented as public enemies, then were turned into victims of several violent actions. Research further found out that the aggression of the press was inspired by racial contradictions and prejudices. They mixed the news about poor life of people of colour (POC), their behaviour and loud costumes. That brought to “zoot suit” a negative racial and anti-American connotation. Thus, one of the first examples of “humanness” the social media used has led to spate of violence in California against the representatives of Latin America in the neighborhood.

Key words: mass media, “zoot suit”, “zooter”, Mexican-American, Afro-American, anti-Mexican campaign, minority of people of colour (POC), “pachucos”, “latinos”, racism