exercising my literacy

Burn the witch of Salem...

Watch this 11 minute video of an MSNBC news segment about a teacher who is suspended for having topless photos on the internet.

http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=487917bf-fef6-4d1e-8d13-b13c7ae05240&f=rssimbot_en-au&fg=copy

Note how the newscaster dramatically throws out phrases like "aren't you embarrassed?" and "shouldn't you have higher morals?", and yet the 3 topless photos are showed without ceasing for the 11 minute segment. By my count I saw the same photo 32 times.

If the students didn't see the "immoral" photos on the net, they sure got to see them now. 32 times in 11 minutes. Am I the only one that can see the 3 photos even when I close my eyes now?

Note how the segment asks for the opinion of the teacher's attorney, and bring in two other lawyers that have nothing to do with the case. Three words that have never rung more true, or more literally so: trial by media.

Notice how the two women then bring in things like "I read a story that she did this, this and this..." In the court of television, cumbersome obligations such as "admissible evidence" and "fact", are usefully disposed of. Instead, anything goes - hearsay, rumour, whatever.

Note how many times the high school was honed in, "space statellite" style, kindly brought to you by MSNBC Google Earth. Did the topless photos change the topography of Austin High? Did it bring on a flood or fire or civil war?

It is ironic that amongst the moral outcry instigated by these photos, that I couldn't help but notice the lack of morality and high standards saturating that news segment. What about the morals and high standards of journalism? Or of the justice system?

The short 11 minutes aptly illustrated this. Amidst the reporter's sensationalist questions and the lawyer's catfight-like rants (was this the news or Jerry Springer?), the teacher stood out in her demeanour. She did not badmouth the other teacher, she did not blame other people, she did not get worked up or angry. The topless teacher came out the only one with integrity.

Another sad day for journalism.

Another sad day for justice.

posted by me. @ 4:50 PM 0 comments

Rain, rain, go away...

In a way it's like looking up at clouds of grey.

You know it's going to pour soon.

Of all people I should know.

But when the first lightning strikes, the first stinging drops of rain slap your skin... all the cognitive knowledge in the world does nought to save you from the primal fear as the first monstrous thunder roars.

If only life's woes were as simple as a storm.

I don't want people to die. I know they do, I know why they do.

But I just don't. The knowledge does nothing to take the fear away.

And like when I was three, I just want to curl up under the covers and pretend that there is no storm outside.

Rain, rain, go away.

posted by me. @ 11:11 PM 1 comments