Maybe we could learn a thing or two from observing what other countries are doing. For example, in Malaysia, the media has been urged to not sensationalise sex and crime reports in the news. Why? Because sensationalising death and violence and sex and crime helps create the culture of fear, a fear of those not like yourself, a fear of the unknown, a fear of demographics.
The culture of fear begets a culture of mistrust. The culture of fear undermines communities, it generates irrational fear, it births racism and hatred and feeds into a fuck-the-world mentality.
Its one thing to mention a murder or death or whatever in the news but when the news is a solid half hour of death and depravity then it can't help but permeate your thinking. If you are presented time and again with imagery of violence and racism then it only stands to reason that a certain percentage of the population will respond and generate their own violent and hate filled response.
Malaysia is taking steps to try and tone it down. I would call on the US media to try and do the same thing. Sensationalism may garner ratings but it undermines the foundation of the country and turns demographics against each other.
What I need is a Tivo that lets me skip over the depressing, bottom of the barrel of humanity stories or maybe I'll just not watch the news at all. Especially when they keep interviewing asshat Resmuglican pricks who spew the same lies that BushCo is trying to cram down everyone's throats.
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