Roxane Gay, associate professor at Purdue University and author of Bad Feminist (Harper Perennial, 2015), discusses what the recent outpouring over the death of Cecil the Lion says about our society when an animal’s demise seemed to elicit more emotion on social media than the passing of Sandra Bland and Samuel DuBose.

Next: @rgay talks about how we mourn Cecil the Lion vs. how we mourn #SamuelDuBose. Here's what she wrote: http://t.co/6ssWpS4kw2

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

I don't think we get this kind of mainstream response to black ppl dying. It says quite a bit about what our culture values. -@rgay on Cecil

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

@brianlehrer I was actually very touched by Jimmy Kimmel's emotion. But the point Roxanne and others make here is valid, needs vital address

— Fafa Sojidellha (@fafa019) August 4, 2015

You don’t have to apologize for your fellow man or fellow white ppl. What you have to do is stand up more, in ways great and small. @rgay.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

Empathy for both is fine. Interesting to think lions deserve protection but it’s "too complicated" to think about human beings, says @rgay.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

Here's the @ajam article Brian is reading from now, "Samuel Dubose, Cecil the lion and the ethics of avowal": http://t.co/oL6RTtTEKx

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

Caller Linda on rethinking racial attitudes: It takes a lot to analyze what’s familiar to you and discern it’s wrong + you can’t promote it.

— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) August 4, 2015

My bf said he is listening to @rgay on @BrianLehrer so he can "be more sensitive as a man."

— Ellen Killoran (@EllenKilloran) August 4, 2015

@BrianLehrer expressing sadness for Cecil doesn't remove one's anger over these horrible racist crimes. Rational people are capable of both.

— Sophie Vershbow (@svershbow) August 4, 2015