Despite the best efforts of the oligarchical corporate media to sweep the story of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant’s murder under the rug, a hashtag created to raise awareness about the crime has gone mega-viral on social media.
The hashtag #SayHisName caught fire after citizens realized the stark contrast in coverage between the stories of George Floyd, a black man with a lengthy criminal record who died in police custody; and Cannon Hinnant, a white boy who was executed via gunshot to the head by a black man while riding a bike in his backyard.
The Floyd case was covered from wire to wire in the most grave and somber tone possible, and resulted in nationwide riots, looting, and violence. The site of Floyd’s death was turned into a religious shrine of concerts and baptism, and he was memorialized with a massive, garish, yellow rotating hologram that is slated to tour the country.
Meanwhile, the reaction to Hinnant’s death has split along political lines. The family of Hinnant’s alleged murderer Darius Sessions has received an outpouring of love, “support,” and prayers on social media, while others praised the boy’s murder as a courageous act of “revenge” against “white privilege.”
On Thursday, however, the story finally broke into the mainstream, though it continues to be blacklisted by the corporate media.
Hashtags #SayHisName, #SAYHISNAMECANNONHINANT and #CannonHinnant took over the trending page of Twitter, even as no news articles about the story appeared in Twitter’s “news” section.
Cannon Hinnant #SayHisName
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) August 13, 2020
Cannon Hinnant #SayHisName https://t.co/fDAfPxugSE
— Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) August 13, 2020
Have any mainstream media outlets covered Cannon Hinnant yet?
The deception in selective reporting is their most potent weapon because it drives availability bias which, in turn, distorts reality. It is the same as lying.
Just imagine if the races were reversed. #SayHisName
— Leonydus Johnson (@LeonydusJohnson) August 13, 2020
Just so everyone understands: a lone woman calling the police on a stranger threatening her/her dog in a park is considered national news.
The murder of #CannonHinnant is not.
— Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) August 13, 2020
CNN in particular was singled out for its lack of coverage on the story.
CNN has a total of zero stories on Cannon Hinnant–a five yr old boy executed by his neighbor.
Imagine if the races were reversed.
— thebradfordfile™ (@thebradfordfile) August 13, 2020
Hey @cnn, you fucking pieces of shit, you want to comment on the Cannon Hinnant murder?
— Tara LaRosa (@TaraLaRosa) August 13, 2020
Ground breaking journalism.
Can you feature Cannon Hinnant's story next? #sayhisname
— Lucy (@Tesla_1212) August 13, 2020
The family of Cannon Hinnant has organized a fundraiser on GoFundMe, which currently has raised $150,000 – over $14 million less than the GoFundMe for George Floyd.
