The "knockout game" deserves government attention for two reasons. First, the violence appears to have been very widespread for many years, during which the mainstream media ignored or downplayed the problem; this needlessly allowed the game to proliferate. Second, the mainstream media may have ignored or downplayed the problem because it involves a racial angle which the media may be uncomfortable or unfamiliar dealing with, one in which African Americans victimize people of other races, often white people. It was not until October 2013, when Jews in Brooklyn were specifically targeted, that the "knockout game" gained widespread attention (Jews being more easily conceptualized as victims). Related evidence is in media reports and internet videos that both date back years.



