Two days ago Americans were locked onto their tv screens watching and rewatching the devastating news of another school shooting. As the 24/7 news crews found new and interesting ways to spin the same 10 minutes of horror, they quickly dubbed it the worst school 'massacre' in US history.
We are constantly bombarded by the question 'why?!' It seems we refuse to understand that ultimately the answer to this question is not going to make us feel better or even make sense. I mean honestly when was the last time you thought to yourself "I totally get why that wacko killed those people'?
Last night, the news was almost giddy with their latest coup. The extremely mentally disturbed mass murderer had taken a few minutes out of his attack to send a package off to NBC, knowing full well that NBC's desire to tantalize and out report their competitors would drive them to air this disgusting video and pictures that were included.
Instead of asking why this man went out and shot up the campus, which like the answer or not it's quite simple he was mentally imbalanced, and the warning signs were there and ignored, the real question is why has our news become little more than a technocolor tabloid.
I heard Brian Williams preface the airing of the tape with the fact that it was sent to further 'victimize' the victims and yet they aired the tape. So in the end NBC became a willing accomplice to Cho Seung-hui, by adding further injury to the greiving families. The tape revealed nothing we didn't already suspect about the man; but it spoke volumes about our media.
There was other terrible news yesterday of mass bombings in Iraq, but of course the 32 people killed at home took over the news. Is it because asking the question of 'why' to the man responsible for the carnage in Iraq is too difficult for our media or do they realize that George W. Bush will never fully explain his motives for sending all those lives in to harms way.
Chris Shaw with the BBC asks the question, and I would love to know your opinion.
Should killers be given airtime?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2061176,00.html
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