Innocence, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is freedom from legal guilt of a particular crime or offense.

Based on Ticktin’s article, my questions are, have we stretched this word into a realm where it no longer ‘protects’ the individual it describes? Has this word now entered the weighty discourse that only gives power to those who use it to describe others?

It reminds me of the social construct that has been built around ‘illegality’ of humans.

Did Aylan’s ‘intrinsic’ innocence actually change the face of the Migrant and Refugee Crisis? Most people believe it did, because their inherent reaction to his lifeless, limp body on the white sand beach of a popular tourist destination, prompted them to respond. However, I think the images of Aylan served to freely put his innocence in the hands of those with power — political power, and those who have the power of choice. Aylan’s image did not change the face of the crisis; it masked it. It gave the world something less palatable to chew on, forcing people out of this indifferent slum, and into “action-mode.” Somehow black or colored bodies (emphasis on the plural) laying lifeless on the ground have somehow been more palatable to the general public before this picture went viral. The fact that ONE singular ‘Aylan’ could start action conversations, and thousands of African bodies can barely get the attention of one eye, shows that this has nothing to do with inherent innocence. If we use the definition of innocence given at the start of this post, A black 4 year old and Aylan should be equally innocent, no? Sadly, that is not the case.

If innocence is now delineated by skin color, how is the definition and narrative being shifted? Simple (not really), we are now changing conversation from one where everyone is “innocent until proven guilty”, to one that says you are guilty unless your skin proves otherwise. Guilt no longer exclusively covers ‘wrongdoing’.

The power of innocence no longer lies in the hands of those who can claim it, but is instead given to those who control the ‘look’ of innocence.