Virgina Tech. We all remember the tragedy of when 33 students and faculty members died in a school massacre. Northern Illinois University. We again remember the shootings so very recently where a gunman walked into a class and fired at will. Columbine High School. Yet another tragedy of two boys walking into a high school and killing 12 people. These were all horrible incidents that were horrific in every way, shape, and form. The other day, while watching a news report on how NIU was planning on building a memorial for the students that died, it occurred to me that the real tragedy of all these shootings, is the way the media has a way of glorifying the killers. Every time I flipped a channel during the week after the NIU shootings, all I saw was the murderer's face. I hate seeing it. Its like staring hate and evil in the eyes. But no matter what channel I was on, they had his face front and center, like a movie star. What is wrong with this picture? Can we be any more of a sick society? Those people are sick, cold blooded killers, not rock stars that deserve so much news coverage. I don't want to see their ex-girlfriends, I don't want to hear from their families, I really don't care. What does that say to the rest of the sick people of the world? You kill...you become a hero.
2 comments:
Really interesting stuff. I still think it is the publics right to be informed on all situations, including tragedies like these. I don't think showing the picture glorifies the killer at all, and keeping his picture hidden would mean a higher position like a news company or the government tampering what the people are allowed to be exposed to - something I don't agree with at all. You claim "Its like staring hate and evil in the eyes". I think it is appropriate to show the killers face if it rises this type of deserved emotion towards the person, like it does for most viewers. I really respect your opinion though and definitely see where you're coming from.
I wouldnt go as far as becoming a hero, the killer(I forgot his name) was never portrayed positively. His face was shown for a different effect, I think to prove how "normal" citizens can be murderers. This past week with the killings at Auburn witht the girl who was found while her car was also found burning, I think they show those pictures to try and catch the men who killed the girl. Not in anyway are news channels glorifying what these people have done. I do agree how it IS disgusting how these people can take other peoples lives because they are not satified with their own.
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