I try to read the news to keep up on events and what’s going on in the world, but it gets depressing after reading just a few articles. How much bad news can you read before it gets you down? I’m sure there are good things going on everywhere. Inspirational stories , of people with courage and determination, who have overcome struggles and tremendous odds against them, would be a refreshing change. Why not shine a light on those stories? They might actually motivate others to improve their own lives and the lives of others. Those kinds of stories seem to be buried in the back pages, while all the scandals and crimes are hyped up and sensationalized. Is this really ALL we want to read?
Today for example, I was browsing through the top headlines and what do I find? Another teacher, Melissa Dalton of Arizona, indicted for having sex with four (so far) teenage boys. She has only been teaching at that school one year. Who knows how many more boys will come out of the woodwork. How many has she had sex with at prior schools? Does anyone do a background check any more? Teachers having sex with students seems to be an epidemic. It used to be an occasional incident was reported, typically a male teacher and female student. Now the tide has turned and many women teachers are being accused o these crimes. And where are these sex acts performed? In the classroom, in the car, in the homes of the teacher or student. Dalton herself is already out on bail. OUT ON BAIL! After she admitted to having sex with teenage boys. If she was a man, she would have been burned at the stake. It’s disgusting.
Another story is about Mickey Shunick, a college student from Louisiana, who disappeared while taking a bike ride. She was riding at 1:45 am, making a four mile trip from a friend’s house to her home. She felt she was safe riding in a good neighborhood and preferred her bike to driving her car. She was 5’ 1” 115 pounds. Today is her 22nd birthday. The family knew something was wrong when she didn’t show up for her brother’s graduation. Of course, having two girls around Mickey’s age, I worry constantly when they are out. I can’t help it. Things like this are happening all the time, everywhere. The problem is that 20 something kids do not think like 50 something moms. They are sure nothing will happen to them. For example, my daughter was taking the train late at night, for me late is after 10 pm (frankly I don’t even like her taking it after rush hour). When I caution her about riding the trains at night, she tells me there are plenty of people on the train, as though that is supposed to reassure me she is safe. However, I answer her, “And I suppose they are all salt-of-the-earth people too?” I grew up in NYC and I read and hear too many news stories for me not to worry. Even when you warn your 20 somethings, they are pretty much going to do what they want. I tell my daughter the worst words she may ever say is “my mother was right or I should have listened to my mom,” because that means something she was warned about happened. Getting back to Mickey, I’m not sure if her mother asked her not to ride alone at that hour of the night or not. I don’t care if she is riding in the best neighborhood on earth. The way she is riding through it, a pervert or criminal can be riding through it. You have to anticipate risks and avoid them. I know known of us wants to live in fear of something happening, but it’s better than the alternative.
What else is happening? They found out where Casey Anthony has been hiding. Really? Who cares? She should go under a rock and stay there permanently. The second John Doe, suing John Travolta, has been revealed, his name is John Truesdale. He has since fired his first attorney and hired Gloria Allred. There are a couple of reality shows in the news for trivial nonsense too.
And breaking news yesterday in our area was the sentencing of Dharun Davi, the student who taped college freshman, Tyler Clementi, and encouraged other students to watch his sexual encounter at a “viewing party.” Tyler subsequently committed suicide. It seems the judge was much more concerned with Davi’s altering evidence by deleting text messages and making up new ones, than the actual invasion of privacy. For all his crimes, Davi got 30 days in prison. Davi’s mother was upset and made a statement about how the ordeal has taken a toll on HER son. What about Tyler’s family and the toll it’s taken on them? It was a 15 count indictment and he was found guilty of all of them…he got two days per indictment. What a joke! This is supposed to teach others not to cyber bully people?
I couldn’t find one article reporting any good news. It’s always the accent on the negative. And just wait until the campaign for this year’s presidential election gets going, we are in for an avalanche of negative news.
I would just like the news to be more balanced, the good with the bad, not just the bad. For every bad story about a teacher, there has to be a good story. For every child who disappears, maybe one is found. For every hate crime committed, there must be acts of love and compassion happening. Those are the stories I want to read every day. I would love to restore my faith in mankind, the faith that the media has been tearing down, day in and day out.
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