Rant

This is a better-thought-out version of my third period rant today.

On Hurricanes and Such. . .My Take on the Media


Hurricane Katrina was devastating and caused more damage than just about any American disaster this century. I think it's important for citizens to be aware of the suffering and I think it's more important for people to do what they can to help the victims of the storm and its subsequent flooding. I also think that timely, thoughtful news coverage is critically important in getting significant information out to the public.
That said, I do think that it's also important that we be aware of our own limitations as viewers. As I mentioned in class today, most of my students are more mature than their age when it comes to intellectual and academic issues, but are still kids in many ways. It's hard to define exactly how much graphic news coverage is too much for children to view, but I know from my own level of immaturity that some of the coverage of the storm's victims is far too violent for me to take. I would suggest that you limit the number of hours you spend glued to the 24-hour news channels; last night, I was horrified to see a reporter for an unnamed station gloating happily over the "really great shot" he got in front of a bloated corpse. Most news agencies are responsible and want to convey valuable data to their viewing audience, but increasingly, in the ratings-war environment of the modern media, we have reporters vying for the top story, willing to broadcast just about anything.
Thus, a word of caution. Be informed. Be aware. But also be aware that stress can manifest in many, many ways, and allowing yourself to become an emotionally scarred voyeur will not help the victims of this tragedy. If you want to contribute to the Katrina cause, get out your wallet and your heart. The TV is not a refuge.