Sometimes the media should just shut up

The tragedy at Virginia Tech is a wake-up call. It reminds all of us how fragile and brief our lives really are. One nut can really mess up a good day. But Mr. Cho’s mental misgivings are not the focus of this discussion.

I was more amazed by the feeding frenzy that followed the work of a madman.
The media, fresh off their ever-fixated 24/7 coverage of Anna Nicole Smith, now had a real story. Like wolves foaming at the mouth, they couldn’t get enough. Should we stop guns? What about the nation’s mental health? Did Cho get into the United States legally? Did he have accomplices? Was he bullied? And, of course, who is to blame?

It shocked me how quickly the American media were willing to blame, of all people, ME. Somehow, this was all MY fault. You, too, of course, because you are evil and heinous as well. Was it our wealth, our decadence, the American social scene, the immense pressure to get ahead? Or was it boxers or briefs, paper or plastic, margarine or butter? You and I were supposed to feel guilty. You and I somehow created this situation. Even presidential candidate Barack Obama cast blame on the ills of American society. What a crock!

We have 300 million people in this country. If only 1 percent of us are out of our gourds, more than 3 million of us can be out of touch with reality. In Columbia alone, by the same comparison, more than 900 people can be hearing demons in their heads if just 1 percent of us are off our rockers.

Yet, our media wish to blame all that on you and me. Every day, every week, every year. Is it so hard to understand why our country is screwed up? Instead of Obama lashing out at “culture,” he need look no further than the insatiable media to find a cause of disdain and hate in our nation. They perpetuate guilt, they emphasize pain, and they thrive on chaos. They stoke the fire.

In this country, we are always trying to find fault. But sometimes there is no fault. Sometimes things just happen. Unpredictability makes us human. In fact, the only fault, in many cases, is that we are human to a fault.
Sometimes there is no magic pill. There is no magic excuse. Sometimes it’s not the fault of big corporations, big government, conservatives, liberals or global warming. Sometimes it’s just life.

Sometimes life is extremely sad, like in the case of Virginia Tech. Other times, it is exceptionally exhilarating. Had the school year ended with graduation at Virginia Tech, there would have been thousands of exhilarated families, beaming with pride. That news is rarely reported. So why shouldn’t we expect a negative attitude in our country? Why should we expect our politicians to be positive? Why should we expect our neighbors to think highly of us when all we tell them is how bad we are? Who stokes the fire? Who feeds the sharks? Who, at least in part, is to blame?
So here’s my version of the proper media report of this horrifying incident. Just one simple paragraph:

“Thirty-two young people were shot down today in the prime of their lives by a young man who went over the edge. May all their souls rest in peace and their families keep their spirits alive in their hearts. They will all be missed.”