As I am typing now we have the next tragic news story. Let me first say that the events in Fort Hood, Texas are terrible and shocking but further investigation is needed. There will be some conclusions that will be rushed for the sake of breaking news. There will and have been experts that will use words to shock and sensationalize. There have already been questions on motive based on the suspect's last name and religion. There are some who are already bringing up the possible motive of this being a "terrorist attack." No one has asked if this was a workplace violence case or someone who snapped because he was being sent to a war that he either agrees or disagrees with.
It is a huge coincidence that I am writing about this on this morning because this was going to be about the jump to judgement of past news stories. We have had the false alarm with military boats firing shots near the Pentagon on 9/11 of this year near President Obama (see a previous post on that subject). The nation was riveted about a boy on a balloon which was later proven to be a "show" produced by the boy's family to gather attention and sole purpose to gain celebrity. I admit that these are two completely different subjects but the latter expresses the problem more than the former because the parents knew that the story they created would give them the exact attention that they were seeking.
There have been some worthy and important news stories that needed to be told but there have been many others that creates and multiplies this hysteria. Let's admit that we are a nation on eggshells. Each breaking news story shock and galvanize more that ones reported before. There is the search for why this has happened and what will happen next. The blame game is next asked and the question of whether we should be more afraid for today and tomorrow than we were yesterday. I will just say that danger is everywhere, for we do not know everything that is going on with everyone. True fear is the unknown and just as how much we know or don't know the motive of the most recent tragedy, let's not rush to judgement and create more unnecessary fear.
An Outraged Note:
I would just ask that the cable news networks and the news media in general to check their sources before making their breaking news reports and their exclusives. I know that I speak for many that say don't get the story quickly, just get the story right because there are consequences for getting it wrong. Breaking news is usually first page or first segment news, however retractions and corrections are placed elsewhere where many will never know.
It is a huge coincidence that I am writing about this on this morning because this was going to be about the jump to judgement of past news stories. We have had the false alarm with military boats firing shots near the Pentagon on 9/11 of this year near President Obama (see a previous post on that subject). The nation was riveted about a boy on a balloon which was later proven to be a "show" produced by the boy's family to gather attention and sole purpose to gain celebrity. I admit that these are two completely different subjects but the latter expresses the problem more than the former because the parents knew that the story they created would give them the exact attention that they were seeking.
There have been some worthy and important news stories that needed to be told but there have been many others that creates and multiplies this hysteria. Let's admit that we are a nation on eggshells. Each breaking news story shock and galvanize more that ones reported before. There is the search for why this has happened and what will happen next. The blame game is next asked and the question of whether we should be more afraid for today and tomorrow than we were yesterday. I will just say that danger is everywhere, for we do not know everything that is going on with everyone. True fear is the unknown and just as how much we know or don't know the motive of the most recent tragedy, let's not rush to judgement and create more unnecessary fear.
An Outraged Note:
I would just ask that the cable news networks and the news media in general to check their sources before making their breaking news reports and their exclusives. I know that I speak for many that say don't get the story quickly, just get the story right because there are consequences for getting it wrong. Breaking news is usually first page or first segment news, however retractions and corrections are placed elsewhere where many will never know.
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