Searching for Grace in Tucson
The shooting in Tucson and its aftermath have convinced me, for the first time, that a life lived in total sequestration from broadcast media – at least when it comes to stories like this – may be preferable to any of the alternatives.
I was in the car on Saturday when the story broke and heard non-stop coverage via satellite radio, from two news sources that are conventionally considered to inhabit ideological poles. Yet what was most striking in their reporting was their similarities.
In both cases, I was left feeling that this is a medium unfit for grief. The biological imperative of broadcast media is to continue talking. In instances where reverential silence is the only civilized reaction, this leaves the resulting wall-to-wall coverage smacking of the macabre.
With factual information necessarily limited, the silence was filled with broadcasters who became self-appointed homicide detectives, psychoanalysts, and sociologists. Yet it wasn’t the pretense of erudition that was galling. It was the fact that, with blood still on the streets, the reportorial class conducted itself with the clinical detachment of an archaeologist excavating a Minoan ruin.
Time and time again, we are told that professional journalists levitate above the partisan fray. And time and time again, their reporting belies that claim. Yet in this instance – on one of those rare occasions where the emotional investment of a journalist would not only have been acceptable, but would have been a baseline index of humanity – most were emotionally inert. These people went to journalism school and learned that Walter Cronkite declared the war in Vietnam lost. They did not learn, apparently, that he wept when President Kennedy was killed.
Anyone, journalist or otherwise, whose first reaction to the news of Congresswoman Gifford’s shooting and the murder of six innocents was to ponder Sarah Palin’s culpability or anticipate Paul Krugman’s next blog post ought to take a long holiday from politics. This was not a story of murderous hatred driven by partisan acrimony. It was a story of a man who broke from the inside out and was not content to descend into darkness alone. Politics was, at most, an accessory.
Particularly for those who were directly affected, this is one of those waking nightmares that can be explained but never understood. And frankly, the more the media attempts to explain, the less I think we understand.
Standing in such long shadows, there is little that we can do. Turn off the television. Say a prayer for the bodies of the living and the souls of the dead. And linger a little longer in a loved one’s embrace. In the end, that’s all there is.
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Dec '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Troy Senik: total sequestration from broadcast media – at least when it comes to stories like this – may be preferable to any of the alternatives.
I find myself taking on this approach lately. The urge to "see what the other side thinks and engage in their opinion" may be wise and noble, but it has a time and a place. This attitude seems to have been well demonstrated in Peter's latest Uncommon Knowledge interview with Thomas Sowell. Dr Sowell's confident ability to distill heated issues into one liners is a skill I admire. I seriously doubt he's constructing a thorough analysis of this current media situation.
Oct '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Very well said, Troy. Indeed, I am astounded at how quickly this atrocious event devolved into a singularity of crass cynicism and opportunism for the Left, and depressed by its utter predictability.
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Thank you, Troy, for putting into words what I've been feeling. I haven't been able to write about this incident -- or anything at all actually -- since it happened. I've needed time to mourn and to figure out why I found this event to be particularly traumatic.
I am absolutely revolted by the pundits you describe who race to ascribe culpability to Sarah Palin, or the Tea Party, or talk radio, or this, or that. It's incredibly saddening to see that so many lack the grace and compassion and soul to put aside trifles to support and comfort their fellow Americans who have experienced immense loss and suffering.
Nov '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
That is quite profound. The MSM has no taste, no grace and no sense of decorum. In a word, it has no class. Journalists have a mighty high opinion of themselves, but, as Mark Steyn has pointed out, journalism is actually a dirty and downright sordid profession. Reporters routinely lie, cheat and steal in order to get a scoop.
It is worth noting that, in the immediate aftermath of the JFK shooting, it was also Cronkite who darkly hinted, on the air, that sinister right-wingers were responsible. This kind of [expletive deleted by an editor] has been going on for a long time.
For the record, I gave up radio and TV years ago, and I do not miss it one bit.
Edited on Jan 11, 2011 at 2:47amMay '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
With the exception of seeing the initial reports on FNC, I did not turn on any TV news for the entire weekend. Mainly because I adhere to the old military adage..."The first reports are always wrong", but also given the circumstances I knew it would denegrate into what it has.
In today's world, I would much rather have a moving news story aggregated and crowd-sourced via Twitter, than listen to the blather of cable news.
I am not looking forward to going into work today (yesterday was a snow day!), since CNN will be droning on in the background....
Jul '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
The journalist today is, more often than not, a political hack that conforms to certain dogmas in order to achieve professional advancement. The pleasant surprise for me (which I did not experience directly, not being a television person) was ABC White House correspondent Jake Tapper, who reportedly not only did not partake in the disgusting partisan blame game, but had choice words for those who did. It is reassuring to discover a journalist in the wilderness. (Ricos do not count, this is a lot of things but not wilderness.) One kudo to ABC.
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Perfect.
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Troy, what a beautiful post. It amazes me that the lens through which some people--most pundits--see the world reduces everything to politics. What a dull, gray world they must live in where grace and compassion take a backseat to partisan bickering.
May '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Ah...much wisdom therein. Your point about the limitations of this medium, "unfit for grief", is especially worth thinking over. Expressions of grief and sadness can be cathartic, an opportunity for community healing, but such expressions require compassion, perspective and some time to develop. The news media in it's current form has none of these.
Rather these outlets feed on other emotions, shock and anger, sometimes fear and suspicion, and on a heart-racing immediacy that precludes careful thought and deeper feelings. Alas, this works for them, since an audience can get hooked on the drug-like rush of adrenalin and the release of rage. But again like a drug, the quick rush of the sensational gives way to some long-term trouble.
Lincoln spoke famously of the "better angels of our nature" implying that there are other angels, even demons, in that nature also. It is easy to determine which "angels" these reports and commentaries are feeding, and seeing that, make good use of the "Off" button.
Perhaps, in addition to being the "Party of No" we can declare ourselves the "Party of Off", encouraging all to use that Off button and dare to think our own thoughts.
May '10
Re: Searching for Grace in Tucson
Speaking of reverential silence, football games should probably stop asking for a moment of silence for tragedies like this until they are ready to allow more than just a second. Otherwise, it ends up feeling more like an insult.