The events that transpired today in Blacksburg, Virginia were tragic. I can't believe Wikipedia already has it cited as the Virginia Tech massacre. And... you know, I don't know how the media should cover events like this. But what I do know is... sometimes... when things like this happen... we need to just mourn. It is terrible. Someone obviously had a serious problem; now a lot more people have some serious problems. And there's not always an answer. Or an immediate answer anyway. So... please... do we have to point the finger so soon? Do we have to speculate how everyone could have handled things so much better, when they're probably doing the best they know how? Give people a break. We're not news stories; we're real live people who get up each day and don't suspect a national crisis is going to be on our hands. And when it comes... we NEED to mourn. We need to mourn.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Message to the media
The events that transpired today in Blacksburg, Virginia were tragic. I can't believe Wikipedia already has it cited as the Virginia Tech massacre. And... you know, I don't know how the media should cover events like this. But what I do know is... sometimes... when things like this happen... we need to just mourn. It is terrible. Someone obviously had a serious problem; now a lot more people have some serious problems. And there's not always an answer. Or an immediate answer anyway. So... please... do we have to point the finger so soon? Do we have to speculate how everyone could have handled things so much better, when they're probably doing the best they know how? Give people a break. We're not news stories; we're real live people who get up each day and don't suspect a national crisis is going to be on our hands. And when it comes... we NEED to mourn. We need to mourn.
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5 comments:
Yes, yes, a gazillion times yes! I was thinking this very thing this morning when the news shows were pressuring the president of the university to admit that something had gone wrong in notifying the campus community. PLEASE ... the man is facing a tragedy the scope of which we have never seen before ... as you say ... let's mourn, let's remember the students/faculty ...
Dan, you're right, this isn't the time or the place for finger-pointing, but I think I understand the chain of events that brings it about. The parents, who entrusted the safety of these kids to the university so they can feel good about sending them away (something many of them have a problem with anyway) may very well turn their anguish to anger as a stage of their grieving. The media doesn't even wait for that happen, they start right away. The finger-pointing does serve a purpose, but the timing is very bad. Where I work, the higher-ups don't really KNOW what's going on in the ranks and the only device they have to find out is to start finger-pointing in order to prioritize change. It acts as a driving force to get to the bottom of problems and get them solved. I don't know how many times I've heard "well the boss is absolutely livid about this." No he's not, he just wants it changed and he's going to do some yelling, then want daily progress reports. So MAYBE all of this will lead to more panic-buttons and campus security phones, more campus cops with better training, and maybe better lock-down procedures. I mean, there was a day when you could access the roof of campus buildings, before the clock-tower shooting in Texas.
Anyway, it's too early for all this, but I'm sure pressing the accountability issue will eventually make the campus safer, and maybe even other campuses. At least, that's the hope.
I was thinking one great idea would be to register the student's CELL PHONE numbers and maintain a database of them, then TEXT MESSAGE alerts. That would be one instantanious alert, when was the last time you saw a college student without a cell phone? And even if they didn't have one, the kid standing next to them does.
Tammie,
Yeah, that's the sort of thing I was referring to. Sometimes there actually are more important things than finding out who is at fault and why something happened.
Thanks.
MR,
I agree with you about the accountability issue. We certainly need people like you who are able to think clearly and analytically - especially in times like this. I get too wrapped up emotionally.
But the problem we see all too often in situations like this doesn't have to do with creating positive change. From some of the initial news reports I saw, they just wanted someone to pay; and they were willing to blame ANYONE, just so someone would have to be responsible. A lot of people want to put a "face" on evil, and they don't like the idea that it's possible ANY ONE OF US could just as easily have been there and done that. And people are totally uncomfortable with the idea that we are ALL partly responsible. Just like when Jesus was crucified - some people just want to blame the Jews; when the truth is... it was all of humanity who is to blame. A lot of people can't handle that, and they think by blaming someone else it somehow makes them better.
I think that is perhaps what is at the heart of the media being so quick to sensationalize everything. That, and a desire for better ratings. It's like - if I can create the biggest panic then more people will listen to me. That seems to be what so much of the news is about anymore. And I'm sick of it. I don't even want to watch the news anymore. And I pretty much don't.
Aaaanywayyyy... I appreciate your points. Maybe I'm just trying to call the media to some accountability. Thanks for the input.
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