It has been a jarring couple of weeks. The largest terror attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 occurred. A hungry alligator became the pivot of all attention as a child tragically lost his life. LeBron James won a championship for Cleveland. It’s been quite the month for the U.S. media; they have lots of stories to feast upon. And they readily throw on some spice and serve it up to the American public.
The media has a lot to say. But of what quality are their words? This month calls into question the validity of the media. Their web of pet angles, fire and brimstone jargon and hollow ultimatums ruin their credibility. The media is a ploy, a game, and altogether sterile – devoid of life. And to read it is disenchanting.
The media would have you believe that Chick-fil-A, an immensely popular fast food chain restaurant, hates the LGBTQ community. The CEO of the company has publicly stated his views that homosexual marriage is wrong, but never refused to provide service to anyone. Yet despite being within his constitutional rights, Chick-fil-A has had to deal with saga after saga of drama over their non-PC views.
The media loves to write hate-filled articles about one of their favorite scapegoats and, true to form, neglects Chick-fil-A’s truly loving act of kindness. Chick-fil-A, who “hates gays,” provided free lunch to all blood donors at a clinic giving blood to help the victims from the gay night club Orlando shooting. Only through rogue Facebook postings did this news travel, not from the mainstream media.
The media is a ploy. They come from their angle: Chick-fil-A hates; they aren’t willing to see the world any other way.
This brings us to a broader scope of the Orlando terror attack. Will banning guns cure terror from our land? Would a civilian having a gun actually have saved lives in this incident? Do we need more or less control on guns? I can’t say. But the media sure can.
The media flocks to politicians bickering on Capital Hill over gun control measures. Where is the heartbreak for the victims of the Orlando attack? I know efforts have been made and people have sacrificed to help the survivors pick up the pieces, but I see far more headlines highlighting gun control or the lack thereof instead of displaying empathy and love for the victims of a horrible, horrible night.
It’s just a game. Politicians use terror as the cards and victims as the pieces to strategize for their next impromptu move. And the media is more than happy to let it remain that way.
A little boy lost his life to an alligator this month. The pain that all those connected to the incident are facing is unimaginable. And yet, the media’s first response is that “Disney has to pay.” Yes, Disney made a mistake. And yes, there must be consequences. But is revenge the best gut reaction to have?
Lost in the barrage of litigation is the power of empathy. Will talking tough to Disney and suing their pants off bring that little boy back? Is that what his parents need right now? I don’t think so. His parents need empathy, not a sterile, angry law story. A nameless, shapeless victim did not lose his life this month. A child, a son, an American lost his life. Is that not worth a tear instead of a lawsuit?
I realize that I am writing and publishing this article. By definition, I am the media, so perhaps this whole rant is quite hypocritical. I am willing to suppose that it is. Perhaps the form the media has taken is unable to empathize. It’s too big, too sterile. Perhaps my writing can’t provide empathy – it’s a flaw of the art.
But if you can’t believe me, simply listen. Listen to the earth; listen in the silence.
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Do you hear the world? It’s crying. The media has failed. So won’t you lend a hand, lend some hope, and lend a heart?
