When one works in the media we often grow accustomed to seeing the good, the bad and the ugly of news. One of the first things we are taught while covering stories is to always be impartial.
Because journalists are trained to be somewhat disassociated, we can become a bit detached from things that may affect other individuals rather adversely. For us, some things just aren’t so surprising, devastating or traumatic.
Now of course there are isolated instances that can tug at your heartstring. Some for me have been the 9/11 attacks, a 3-part series I did on homelessness in Indiana and there was a television interview I did with a woman who was a product of rape, her mother was later killed and she was placed in various foster homes until she turned 18.
The point I am trying to make is that while journalists are not supposed to show much emotion relative to the stories we cover, we are also human beings who sometimes are filled with emotion.
As I did my normal scouring of various news outlets in recent weeks, I found myself a bit floored by some of the things that have been occurring in the United States as well as other parts of the world.
And even for me; someone who has seen a lot of ugliness in this business, certain acts have me completely taken aback. Things that just make you wonder what the heck people are thinking.
The most recent example is the 31-year-old naked Florida man who savagely ate another man’s face, stopping only to growl at a police officer who tried to stop the occurrence. The assailant, Rudy Eugene was shot twice by the police officer and died.
This incident sounds more like something featured in a gruesome Hollywood movie rather than an actual attack in broad daylight. The preliminary assumption that Eugene was under the influence of some LSD-like drug that makes users overly aggressive and gives them exorbitant strength, further drives home the Hollywood-effect.
I literally get sick to my stomach every time I think about Eugene’s horrific act, but his actions weren’t the only disturbing newsmaker in recent weeks.
There was also the insidious act of a Detroit man who allegedly had a friend kidnap, tie up and douse a pregnant woman with lighter fluid. The woman was also shot and set on fire. Authorities believe Jamal Rogers orchestrated the attack on Latonya Bowman because he didn’t want any more children.
Despite the attack, Bowman was able to free herself and stop the fire by rolling repeatedly after her assailants left her to die. Bowman’s efforts saved her life and she delivered a little boy by emergency C-section.
Here’s a sad story that really caught me off guard.
After being teased for being the only boy in a home of eight females, a 7-year-old Detroit boy hanged himself from a bunk bed with a belt. Seven years old.
All three of these instances not only remind me of the harsh realities of the world we’re living in, but it also underscores the need to have proper coping skills for adults and children.
If the suspicions are correct and the face-eating Rudy Eugene was on some sort of drugs, then the underlining reason as to why he was doing drugs in the first place needs to be addressed. Data show that people who are frequent users of drugs are generally trying to “escape” something. If Eugene had better coping skills perhaps such a vicious attack would not have occurred.
The same can be said of Jamal Rogers. When is ending a life (two lives counting the unborn child) an easier solution than wearing a condom? Isn’t that a much more humane and legal way to potentially not have a child? Or, don’t have sex at all…there’s a solution. But don’t try to kill a woman who is nine months pregnant.
And then there’s the unfortunate incident involving the 7-year-old boy. I know it’s tough being a kid and being bullied. That’s why we all have to do our best to ensure that children have outlets to discuss their frustrations and insecurities. The issue of bullying is so much larger than most people expected and getting to the bottom of it is just as complex. We have to do our part as adults and talk children out of bullying tactics. We also must tell other children to alert an adult if they notice a child being bullied. Studies show that generally parents and teachers are the last to learn a child is being bullied. We have to teach our children to be first-responders in these incidents.
Reports stated the boy’s mother was not at home when he hanged himself because she was going to talk with her pastor about the incident. Unfortunately in this regard, her timing was off.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
