I see it as news, not entertainment. I'm not entertained but I am informed. He was killed for entertainment. Perhaps your outrage should focus on that instead.
I agree it shouldn't be on tv. I've been avoiding the video and haven't read much of the murder thread because I don't want to watch the video or read descriptions of the video. It would be sufficient for broadcasts to narrate that the murder was videotaped and perhaps put up the best stills that show the murderers' faces. Then they can post the video on their website for the snuff-fans that really want to see the primary source. I think it is because -- like he said in the OP -- there is already a thread on the murder. This thread is about media coverage.
As of 2005, there were 13,000 police officers in the city of Chicago. And 68,000 gang members. Something isn't right here. More police officers aren't necessarily going to solve the problem. The first step is improving the Chicago Public School system, IMO.
Obama isn't an inspiration to Chicago black youth, after all. Violence has gotten worse, since he became President.
I agree with PGabs here. At some point it ceases to be informative, and becomes exploitive. The horror of this story can be conveyed without the video.
As a parent, I don't think I would be inclined to want such video exploited. But my first thought was of the Emmit Till murder and how his mother insisted on an open casket to make a significant point. Perhaps this boy's parents feel the same about gang violence. We all know about gang violence but most of us don't ever see it (even in my case, living in the Third Ward and having lived on Chicago's South Side). It is often presented as an inevitable problem the rest of us can't do anything about.
Inspiration to some, but of course not all. Contrary to popular belief, all black people don't think, vote, etc... alike. Was George W. Bush an inspiration to all White children? Um NO. That violence in Chicago is all about Socio-economic status. Blacks in more affluent areas do not act like that. Same for white, asian, hispanics, etc.....
I haven't watched the video. The coverage of this pulls upon the gratification systems for reality TV or p*rnography (pr0n remains the best...). Just like reporting every detail and rumor of a scandal is not investigative journalism, they aren't reporting **** by showing the video. What they are getting is ratings. Ignore the details for important news and focus upon the worst and shocking aspects of our society. Free market at its finest.
A better topic of discussion would be (I don't feel like creating a third thread on the topic): What can be done to curtail gang activity and gang violence?
Arresting all gang-affiliated citizens (68,000+ in Chicago alone) would be extremely difficult, and shipping them to an island somewhere doesn't really seem like an option. Any others?
It sounds lame to suggest extra curriculars but apparently they work fairly well. Students involved in sports or other team based activities are much less likely to engage in a gang activity amoung other things (also less likely to use drugs or alcohol and are more likely to postpone sex). It won't fix anything but maybe it would help. I can't remember the name of the movie that documented krumping in LA but these kids basicly formed their own non-violent dance gangs and it kept them out of other gangs.
It was a reference to what England did (sent prisoners to Austrailia); perhaps it was in bad taste. Eliminating gangs is impossible, and asking a question on how to do it is rhetorical. However, reducing the gang activity is possible. Perhaps there should be an additional penalty if someone commits a crime and has confirmed gang affiliation.
I agree for the most part, however this is one case where I think the reporting of the story is an actual service for people to see how violent these communities are. this is the other america for most of us, even most black people like me. on the other hand, I didn't want to be disresepctful to the victim at the time, but the story I really feel exemplifies your post was the story about the girl found in California after being kidnapped years ago. The way they continued afterwards for at least a week was pure exploitation. there is a lot more violence among black teens in these decrepit neighborhoods that should be a focus, than women getting kidnapped and forced into sex slavery.
