(no subject)
I feel the need to vent. It's going to be about the recent over-reported and media crazed reporting of the school shootings, so if that is going to throw you off the handle, nobody is gonna point a gun at your head and make you read this post.
So, I have been just a little irate lately. The local news was doing a report on how this church was trying to milk every last penny they could from the congregation, so they could send someone down to Newtown, CT *personally* and deliver these care packages and monetary donations to the citizens and families. This might sound like a good thing, especially to those who feel the need to do anything and everything they can to help as well, but let me remind you: Michigan is one of the TOP states with the highest number of unemployed and those on welfare. I can guarantee you, there are countless families right here in our community who are going hungry, unable to have had a Christmas, and still need winter boots and coats. I'm not saying we should just help our own and not worry about them. Okay, maybe I am, BUT...
I have seen at least half a dozen National news stories about how that town has been so enormously overwhelmed with the amount of gifts and monetary donations, that they are literally just storing all of the unopened gifts in shipping containers and unused buildings, because there is no way the people can even handle having all of them in their homes. There has been such an immense amount of money donated, that each family has millions of dollars now, and are not in need of anything. Did you hear about that lawsuit that was made by one of the surviving kid's parents? Well, it was dropped because the kids who survived those school shootings are also receiving 'donations' and plenty of support, gifts, and aid from outside sources.
I am just miffed that I am seeing videos online of news media bashing on performers too, because it apparently hasn't been long enough yet for anyone to wear any costumes that may resemble violence, or for news reporters to do any stories involving guns, or for any movies that were previously scheduled for release to be post-poned because they contain too much violence. I mean, how long do they have to wait then? How much time has to pass before the rest of the world can keep on turning? Because we can wait, and put all media and all news on hold, and just have black screens everywhere, because God forbid someone say the word 'gun' these days, but 6 months won't matter. 6 years won't matter. Nothing is going to un-do what happened.
What I CAN say, is that as long as that small town is inundated with reminders of this tragedy, and as long as NEWS reporters go running to make a story out of every time one of the families steps out their front door, those people will NEVER heal from it. The news and critics will continue to blame the singers and actors and performers, for having a concert overseas and daring to wear such an "offensive, immoral" costume onstage, but that is not what is affecting those families. They would not have even heard of this concert had the media not swarmed over it and spread the video footage over all the networks and internet.
I just hope those in the reporting business can put down the stinking cameras, leave that town alone, and stop looking under every nook and cranny to FIND something that is offensive and immoral to report about. Let these people move on, and STOP blaming everyone else for making it impossible for them to heal.