VA Tech Tragedy and The Media **1/2

Yesterday was a terrible day, wasn't it? I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't hear the unsettling news of the happenings that occurred at Virginia Tech yesterday until the early afternoon when my office-mate mentioned something about it. The campus of this school is a mere four hours from DC and I was surprised I hadn't heard a mention of the incident earlier. I went to CNN.com and sought out the information. The Who, What, When, Where and, my God, Why? At this point, the Associated Press was reporting 31 people were dead, and 28 injured. I could not wrap my head around it.

Several colleagues and I gathered in a conference room for a conference call and while we waited, we tuned in the television to hear some more of the story. Seeking answers like everyone else. I was disturbed at the images that were shown to us over and over again. The constant replaying of footage of a large spattering of blood on the walkway was one such image.

This morning I found it impossible to read through everything that was printed in The Washington Post. The articles were difficult enough to stomach because of the whole tragedy of the situation, but the pictures took it to a different place - and I'm not certain that we needed to go there.

As Americans I worry that the media desensitizes us. Admittedly, I have little to no reaction when I hear of our soldier's death toll in Iraq every night on the evening news. In the daily paper I see images of suicide bombings, the carnage of war, and I move on to read my horoscope without so much as a pause. But it's different when it's so close to home, isn't it? I still tear up when I see images of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

And yet.

As someone who hopes to be a parent someday, I can't help but feel that if my child made it out of that terrible scene yesterday alive, I wouldn't want them to be immortalized in the national news in pictures such as these.
There's a fine line, isn't there, between reporting the news to keep the nation informed and propagating anxiety and fear at the expense of the victims of such a terrifying event. I am uncertain where that line lies. I do have a gut reaction when it has been crossed. I felt that yesterday. The news was alarming enough without the illustration. By constantly bombarding the public with images like these on a regular basis I fear the media aids in the erosion of our humanity. For that, I give their coverageof yesterday's events two-and-a-half stars. I appreciate the reporting; but there really can be such a thing as too much information.

On a personal note. I don't know anyone who attends Virginia Tech. My heart goes out to the families and students who are grieving their loved ones. You are in my thoughts.