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Funeral in the Den by Dan Walker

By on April 20, 2013

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 Dan Walker on….

 

 

 

 

 

I had a funeral service for my cable box this morning. OK, I’m very irritable when I’m sick. I have a  cold that was running at its peak. I have no business posting something like this. Consider it a home remedy.

bosbomWhat really, really  bothers me  about how the News is devoting so much time — and in TV, time is money — to this story of the Boston Marathon bombings, basically glorifying these terrorists, is that THIS IS A BIG REASON THEY COMMITTED THE ACT IN THE FIRST PLACE. They want the attention; having their names stated over and over on the news helps them achieve martyrdom, a huge incentive for Muslim extremists.

 

siteThis is beyond sensationalizing the news. It is a huge insult to everyone who was every victimized by tragedies/travesties like this senseless act.  I felt this way after Aurora (both times), Columbine, Ft. Hood, Sandy Hook and — I hate to say this because it’s still such a sore point — 9/11.  DON’T keep repeating the names of these jackals.  And DON’T give us 24/7 interviews their uncles, babysitters, their school chums and their mail delivery people.  Just give us what we need to know.  STOP telling us what his last Twitter feeds were.  Stop assaulting every poor person in the neighborhood who sticks his head out of the door.

 

Easy enough to say  “then don’t watch the news” but that’s not my point.  I HAVEN’T been watching the news since the event went into overdrive.

 

breakingI understand news is a business and a business’s primary concern is making the value of their share as high as possible but there has to be a point where HUMANITY shouldn’t be sacrificed for ratings, advertising dollars, the hopes of winning a Pulitzer prize or Emmy and any other personal and financial glory the media can milk this for.  All this excessive coverage just influences people who are balance-beaming the sanity fence and confirms the worst of their warped thoughts.  We have put ourselves in a terrible position where we accept this practice over and over and it needs to stop.  Common sense has to step in.  It has to.  Advertisers: sacrifice your CEO’s desperate need for bigger numbers, increased exposure and his absurdly bloated year-end bonus and PULL YOUR ADS.  Viewers: Stop watching and being part of the feeding frenzy that occurs every time a tragedy, especially one of this magnitude, happens.  Think of how agonizing it is for the victims’ families to have an terrible tragedy amplified by the media to such a grotesque level, so out of control, it’s completely inescapable for them.

 

Put yourselves in the shoes of the victims and their families and friends. At MINIMUM, put yourselves in their shoes

 

realityTVLook at the Casey Anthony trial: CNN Headline News made a business out of a murdering skank (Not a word I normally use and not necessarily appropriate for this site but accurate to desribe her. Look it up.) and now they’re doing it with this Jody Arias, whose parents admitted she has mental problems and is probably psychotic.  These are not names that should be in the news but we know them more than we know of newsworthy people like great teachers.

 

How warped ARE we?  Has everyone lost their soul?

 

realityYes there is something we can do about it.  IGNORE it.  Let the authorities, law-enforcement, legal and judicial systems perform their functions and hope to God they get it right and do it FAST.  With the intrusion of the 24/7 media out of everyone’s way, that’s likely what would happen.  And I guess fewer people would be inspired to copycat these jackals.  Real human misery should not be a substitute for your favorite reality TV show.

 

Make your mark by being a good person. Especially in this day and age, that should be enough.

 

BrokeIf you’re not part of the solution,…  Turn off the fucking set and do something of redeeming social value. Like read a book, or see a great film. Or maybe even see a not-so-great film.

 

Dan

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2 comments on “Funeral in the Den by Dan Walker”

  1. John Necci on said:

    I think a great many people would agree with you on this. The news outlets tend repeat the same story over and over again until we forget what the previous story was that they were repeating over and over again.
    During the course of this coverage – a brief mention was made of North Korea – and oddly enough – it was refreshing to hear something different and then I thought – oh what happened to that story?

    Anyway – I am reading – at your suggestion and because of your inspiring review – Life of Pi and loving it

    Take Care
    John

    Reply ↓
  2. DPW on said:

    I’m glad you agree and hope you’re forwarding the article to other people and they do likewise, John. I’m hoping to get a Pulitzer out of this.

    The North Korea thing is so frustrating and logic-defying I can’t even begin to comment on it. Or can I…?

    No, I can’t.

    I’m glad you’re liking “Life of Pi” so far. If, by the end of the book, you find you’re reaction is not similar to mine, I’ll reimburse you the cost of the book you bought.

    But only if it’s in paperback.

    And only if it was used.

    Reply ↓

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