No. That was the most recent one I saw. Quit being overly dramatic. If the case is strange, it is deemed newsworthy. Or maybe not. I'm not a journalist. As I stated, y'all might be correct, but if that's the case, how are we to trust anything the news gives us?
I have two takes for this case. The first, why the hell is this on the front page of BBC News? The second, I am glad the investigators, the people who are supposed to not stop caring, did not stop caring.
So, it's only strange if a pretty white girl is kidnapped and/or killed? Or strange enough to warrant around the clock coverage for months on end? I guess I shouldn't blame the media too much. They know what their audience wants to hear. I guess not enough minorities are watching CNN. I don't trust much of what they say anyway. They've become lapdogs to those in power, both politically and financially.
Anybody remember the Lindbergh baby kidnapping? Me neither... but the same phenomenon has been going on since the beginning of time. Prominence and influence gives you play. Sublte circumstance is also important. JonBenet was killed on Christmas Eve. Elizabeth Smart's sister witnessed the kidnapping. Natalie Hollowell was on her Senior Trip in a place that was thought to be safe. Anybody watch the CBS series "Missing?" There was an episode this past season when two young people... a white girl and a black guy... as I recall. Both went missing at the same time. The white girl got most of the police attention and virtually all of the press. The black mother was resentful and the white mother felt guilty for all the advantages being provided her case. I want to say that the episode ended with the white girl being dead and the black guy being found.
This certainly extended it, but the first few days of round-the-clock coverage didn't involve the parents as suspects.
It's all about the money, fellas. Don't get so upset. News is entertainment today. And it all comes down to what's gonna sell. If it wouldn't be a money-maker for a movie, it's not gonna make for attractive "news reporting." You can't view the news media as a public service dedicated to informing the world with some lofty air of righteousness. It's a business, son. And at the end of the day, the most important decision lies with what's gonna make the most money. As for Jon Benet, I have a feeling there's worlds more to this story. It's just all a bit too strange and uncomfortable.
I think it has less to do with black and white and more to do with GREEN. Bad things aren't supposed to happen to rich people, only poor people. Plus, I think the 24 hour news stations have a lot to do with it. There's only so much news to talk about in a day. When they run out of news worthy news, they have to fill up the rest of their time talking about the 'sexy' stories or people will change the station. I mean, Greta Van Sustran has to talk about something, right?
To show how bad the parents were. Plus they were the kid beauty pageant photos that reflected on the parents. This case wouldn't have been nearly as big if there was no suspicion on them.
There was a case in Philly where a little black girl was kidnapped (I think for ransom or something) and she made a daring escape and then led police to her kidnappers and they were arrested. It got national press because it was so cool, but probably less than if she'd been a pretty white girl. I think news people recognize who the audience identifies with. If the victim is white, middle-class and relatively presentable, middle America says, "that could just as well be my child," and the empathy ensues. If the kid is black, poor, fat, or whatever, middle America says, "it's a shame what happens in the ghetto," and may be sympathetic but not empathetic. They don't think the same thing could happen to them because of the racial, economic or other divide. It's not just race, but class and culture. Remember when Bill Cosby's son was killed? Or when Michael Jordan's father was killed? Those got plenty of press. In those cases, I think white people had an easier time feeling Cosby's and Jordan's pain because they're familiar and well-liked. I still don't think white people really identified with the victimization though. Did white people think, "if my son was on that roadside instead of Cosby's son, he'd be dead now"? I don't think so; I think there is a subconscious feeling that his blackness contributed in some small way to his death.
I was on board until this point, Juan. I believe people recognize color, but I don't concede that they necessarily associate or blanket race and ethnicity with reasoning for tragedy. I would argue that class (social status) is generally more the reason in this regard. Perhaps I'm mis-interpreting you a bit here though. Your classifying between empathy and sympathy is dead on. Empathy is ultimately what captivates an audience. So between coverage of Jon Benet or Natalie, people are in turn captivated into sticking around to learn about cialis and get influenced to drinking more coke. So whatever. As a businessman, I find the media genius. As a uninvested person, I call it BS.
I will admit this case had a "creepy" factor that most others don't... a little girl dressed up and acting like a woman, walking like a model, etc., all to satisfy the yearnings of the Mom. Sorry, but those pageants are sick. Any Dad worth his salt would have put a stop to that until at least the HS years. Because of this wierd dynamic, it wasn't a great leap to think Mom had something to do with it and Dad helped Mom cover it up. Still, the penalty for being a freaky parent shouldn't be the death of your kid and a people on TV calling you a murderer. If this is the guy, that's vindication in spades. I just wish they would do away with those pageants... in little kid sports you have a similar dynamic, but the participants are demonstrably kids and and winning doesn't involve acting like an adult in a provacative way for adult judges.
this guy is the textbook definition of "creepy looking" whats with the top button, hiked up paints and no belt look?
lol i was going to post the same pic from cnn. the man looks like a white Steve Erkel from Family Matters.
that pick classic. first of all they're walking out of there like when lee harvey oswald was coming out of the jail when ruby shot him. like this guy shot the president or something. the guy's head looks like it doesn't belong. and who's the guy with the hawian shirt?
