"A terrible tragedy...," the news reporter began solemnly as soon as I turned on the radio. In the same second I heard those words, I visualized a natural disaster, an act of mass violence, a bridge or building collapse, each resulting in a dozen children dead or orphaned.
"...UConn quarterback Jasper Howard was killed in a stabbing..."
What!? Is this the terrible tragedy!? So what!? My anger flared. How many times have I heard on this radio station a news report about a murder? There were 31 murders in Hartford in 20071. Not one was delivered with any more emotion than a typical report on the DOW Jones Industrial average. But because this murder involved a local sports hero, the incident is given special treatment.
This stabbing happened three weeks ago, yet it still attracts front page attention.
The real tragedy is that society has become so distracted by sports and entertainment, it fails to notice what's going on in real life.
Get a grip. Get some perspective.
1Data provided by City-Data.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
I can relate to your frustration. It's this majority of society that feel they have this connection to these "celebrities"
When Jamie Lynn Spears got pregnant at 17. I wrote a letter to all the gossip magazines. I said, I'm married to my wife. We're raising a kid correctly. If you want, you can have exclusive photographs and the story of our next child.
I guess my blog isn't big enough yet. I still haven't heard back.
I get what you are saying. His death should not be fawned over so dramatically when countless others suffer the same fate without so much as a passing mention. However, the tone of your post also seems to suggest that his death wasn't tragic. It was. To his family, his friends and his school. It isn't their fault that his murder is covered the way the others should have been.
Hi Molly & Andy:
You're absolutely right -- his death was a tragedy to his loved ones. I'm sorry if I implied otherwise.
Hi Eric:
Now you can write to them again and let them know you're raising four (or is it five now?) children correctly! :)
Thank you both for commenting!
Hey SPG, glad you expressed your thoughts and feelings about this -- Bolton cracked me up with his letter to the gossip mags..and I'm guessing The Bumbles hasn't read enough SPG posts, because I know (from reading your blog) that you aren't denying the horror and yuck of the sports guy's death - but kicking ass about warped media attention to anything that'll bring in numbers.
I'm proud to have played a tiny part in inspiring you to say your say! you go guy!!!
Thanks so much, Karen!
Post a Comment