What is it about White Children?

[Scurvy]

It is all about ratings, and it is the public's fault. If people watched the news when humans of other races were in peril...

they only show what people watch.

Mikeeee

That's true, but so's the reverse - People can only watch what is shown.

I think that people would care just as much about the Caylee case if she was a different race. I don't know if the news would have given the case as much coverage, but I hope they would have. I agree with other posters that the "hook" has more to do with the amount of coverage than the race of the child. "Murdered Beauty Queen" is a better headline than "Murdered Child", and the fact that Caylee was missing so long before it was reported is also interesting enough to make her case stand out from other missing children. As for the photogenic thing - children of all races can be very photogenic, or very unphotogenic, and while I think that might have something to do with how much air time they get I don't think any race has the monopoly on that.

Sadly I've seen coverage of far too many missing or murdered children over the years, and they have been of many races.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I think that as a lot of these stories come across the desk of the media, they look at them, regardless of race, as another victim of their environment. It's sad, but not so shocking, when a child is murdered in a drug and crime ridden neighborhood. It seems people are fascinated though when people who seem to come from what is presented as a good family and background, and yet make the choices they do.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

I think it has more to do with the circumstances surrounding the murder/abduction. Not so much race/color.

 

[legalsea]

My last statement:

I think the death of ANY child is deplorable. Not just those who end up on CNN or in the Enquirer magazine. I care not about their ethnic heritage, etc. I think it is WRONG!

 

[Scurvy]

I am puzzled by the news coverage of children like Caylee and that little girl from Denver (Bennett) and the number of threads about them.

There was once an “Onion” article entitled (not literal, from memory): “Little Black Girl Abducted and Killed; No One Cares”.

This Onion article was based on a true story: the same day that Bennett girl was reported missing from Denver (or wherever) a young African American girl was kidnapped from her apartment building in Chicago and, later, found dead. No big stories about it, no people standing out in ‘protest’ or ‘memorial’, etc.

You watch: now that the body of the Caylee girl has been found, thousands of people, unrelated to her, will attend (or try to attend) the funeral. I think that is creepy.

I am against any child being kidnapped and killed. I know, in my heart, that all readers of Disney Message feel the same way. Yet, when the Caylee child was found today, we had some dozen new ‘threads’ started about that news. Yet during the period in which Caylee disappeared and today, we had some dozen children (my guess; I know of one in Fort Worth, a black child) who have been ‘abducted’ and, sad to say, killed. No big news story.

Is the Onion’s viewpoint correct: that the public only cares about ‘photogenic’ children? Those who would create some measure of sympathy in the public’s mind? Those children whom are ‘cute’?
I only ask the question.

Corndog: the point of the “Onion” article is (as you must know it since I believe you just cited the headline: “non photogenic girl kidnapped and killed; not one cares” was (I recall) the title of the ‘ironic’ article in The Onion)(again, go to Theonion.com, and see what they say; the article I am referring to is now in a book of collected pieces).

Anyway, only an idiot would think that I was meaning that ‘cute little black girl’ or whatever eqates not ‘photogenic’. I have more respect for you than that.

I think that your posts did suggest that you were implying that only white children were photogenic, since you refered to white children in the title of the thread and then asked the bolded question. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but it's easy to see how it could come across that way.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Are you trying to say that black children cannot be 'photogenic' or cute? I don't think I like what you're implying here

I hope that's not what they're trying to say. DS's school is a fairly good mix of white, Hispanic/Latino and Children of Color. And some of them are cute as heck!

 

[legalsea]

I think that your posts did suggest that you were implying that only white children were photogenic, since you refered to white children in the title of the thread and then asked the bolded question. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way, but it's easy to see how it could come across that way.

Jesus. I was quoting "The Onion". I did not imply that 'non-white' chidren were 'non photogenic'. It was the whole point of The Onion's article.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Jesus. I was quoting "The Onion". I did not imply that 'non-white' chidren were 'non photogenic'. It was the whole point of The Onion's article.

I believe you. Now let's keep the focus of the discussion on why we think the media gives certain children/circumstances the headline.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I think it has a lot to do with "loss of potential". If a child is attractive or rich, society usually deems that child to have a great future awaiting, so the murder is considered more devastating. A black kid killed in the projects? A poor white kid killed in a trailerpark in a flyover state? Those kids had no future anyways (so the media likes us to think) so who would care. No I am not saying that's right, sadly a way society & media perceives things.

Attractiveness (never underestimate how looks play into everything) and money seem to be what matters.

 

[legalsea]

I believe you. Now let's keep the focus of the discussion on why we think the media gives certain children/circumstances the headline.

Thank you!

 

[legalsea]

I think it has a lot to do with "loss of potential". If a child is attractive or rich, society usually deems that child to have a great future awaiting, so the murder is considered more devastating. A black kid killed in the projects? A poor white kid killed in a trailerpark in a flyover state? Those kids had no future anyways (so the media likes us to think) so would would care. No I am not saying that's right, sadly a way society & media perceives things.

Attractiveness (never underestimate how looks play into everything) and money seem to be what matters.

.
Thanks for the thoughtful post. "Loss of Potential" is a very interesting argument!

 

[Rella Bella]

I'm not sure why some of these stories get so much publicity but here in Kansas City we had a very tragic murder of an abused African American girl.

Her identity was unknown for nearly four years but the community kept her before both the media and the authorities. The community even paid to bury her body and had a headstone made with the name she was known by "Precious Doe".

Because of the persistence of many people unrelated to her, her identity was eventually found and her persecutor/murderer tried and convicted.

It is a terrible story, but because it was such a part of all our our lives here in Kansas City for so long it makes it hard for me to believe these stories are racially based. All it takes is a few people who care to make a difference.

"Precious Doe"

 

[TDC Nala]

Besides the fact that she was a child beauty queen or whatever, JonBenet Ramsey was not abducted. She was murdered in her own home on Christmas Day - and apparently the parents didn't do it, so someone else came into the house and killed her. Whoever did it took the girl out of her bed, brought her to the basement without waking anyone else in the house, and strangled her with items that were taken from the basement. They then left a fake ransom note. That is rather unusual.

With Caylee Anthony there is this long-drawn-out search for the child and all the speculation surrounding the mother, who didn't report her kid missing for an entire month.

It's also a point about Jennifer Hudson's nephew - there was a connection to a celebrity.

 

[Tiger926]

As an English teacher, we focus a lot on media and so we know that the media focuses on what will sell, period. It's all about the hook - what is it in my story that will get others to watch? What will draw people in to my story, as opposed to other stories? Perfect example - we do not watch CNN in our home as it's mostly fabricated stories - it's entertainment and not news. Nancy Grace picks and chooses her stories based on her audience - she knows exactly who her audience is, and that is why she chooses the stories she focuses on. It is despicable that only certain races are focused on, but this shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The U.S. is all about value and currency as related to human beings - just look at Hollywood and no one should be surprised at what the media focuses on.

For me, it's sad that anyone is murdered, period. It doesn't matter what colour the child, the nationality of the person, or the country of origin of the soldier or victims of a terrorist attack such as 9/11, all human life is precious; it's unfortunate that the media doesn't support this same idea. My students and I discuss a lot about how the media attaches value to people and why they do this. It upsets my students in regards to the war coverage since some of their innocent family members have been killed, but this isn't reported at all as usually only soldier fatalities are reported. It's says a lot to my students about how certain people are more 'valuable' than others and this a very dangerous way for a society to operate.

May God protect all people who are taken from their loved ones, regardless of race, creed or country of origin, Tiger

P.S. People keep asking what 'Disney message' means - I am assuming the OP means "Disney Message Board."

 

[teacups]

Op I could be reading your post wrong, and I'm sorry if I am... but I get the impression that you couldnt care less about "that Caylee girl" or "That Bennett girl". Did you ever START a thread here about a missing african american child? I'd be just as concerned no matter the race of a child. As for the media... crazy. No idea. Unfair. I would guess in this case the african american population are more than happy not to be in the same ratings as this insane mother, Casey Anthony, mother of murdered child Caylee. I hope the african american poplulation doesnt see these missing or murdered white children as just "those white kids". That is just sad.

 

[teacups]

I'm not sure why some of these stories get so much publicity but here in Kansas City we had a very tragic murder of an abused African American girl.

Her identity was unknown for nearly four years but the community kept her before both the media and the authorities. The community even paid to bury her body and had a headstone made with the name she was known by "Precious Doe".

Because of the persistence of many people unrelated to her, her identity was eventually found and her persecutor/murderer tried and convicted.

It is a terrible story, but because it was such a part of all our our lives here in Kansas City for so long it makes it hard for me to believe these stories are racially based. All it takes is a few people who care to make a difference.

"Precious Doe"

Did her parents report her missing for those 4 years?
Why did it take strangers... wasnt there a family searching?
So sad. Poor thing.

 

[Stacerita]

Did her parents report her missing for those 4 years?
Why did it take strangers... wasnt there a family searching?
So sad. Poor thing.

If I remember the story correctly, the parents are the ones who murdered Precious Doe.

 

[ZachnElli]

I'm not sure why some of these stories get so much publicity but here in Kansas City we had a very tragic murder of an abused African American girl.

Her identity was unknown for nearly four years but the community kept her before both the media and the authorities. The community even paid to bury her body and had a headstone made with the name she was known by "Precious Doe".

Because of the persistence of many people unrelated to her, her identity was eventually found and her persecutor/murderer tried and convicted.

It is a terrible story, but because it was such a part of all our our lives here in Kansas City for so long it makes it hard for me to believe these stories are racially based. All it takes is a few people who care to make a difference.

"Precious Doe"

I don't know why the national media didn't pick this one up. But it was big news here too.

 

[TDC Nala]

Did her parents report her missing for those 4 years?
Why did it take strangers... wasnt there a family searching?
So sad. Poor thing.

The persons charged with the murder of this child were her mother and stepfather - that might explain why her parents never reported her missing. And the national media DID pick up on this. I am in Washington DC and have heard the story.

 

[teacups]

If I remember the story correctly, the parents are the ones who murdered Precious Doe.

Oh no...
all these poor babies. It makes me ill to think of how they are not wanted or who-knows-what. Sad and sick.