Blog Catalog

Friday, June 26, 2009

Are we nearly numb to murders?

I got a copy of The Kansas City Star yesterday and read with near-disbelief from the "Public Safety" column of one 17-year-old man who was charged with a shooting death this past Sunday of another young man. Then, additionally, police are looking, for the person who shot and killed another young man of 22 years age "about 12:15 am Wednesday."

Added to that, online, I read a local blogger (Tony's KC Blog) with this headline: "3-year-old Shot, Killed and Found in Front Yard in KCK Quadruple Homicide."

It seems someone killed 3 adults and a child this past Monday in Kansas City, Kansas.

I'm struck by two things in these 3 articles: First, the columns brevity each time, even though they're homicides and second, the cavalier tone of the writing in all of them.

It seems the entire metropolitan area of Kansas City is extremely relaxed and accepting of homicides when it involves people of color.

It sure was shocking to me, the deaths themselves, the coverage of them and the city's reaction to them.

I guess this is who and what we've become?


Links to stories:
http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/1276063.html
http://www.tonyskansascity.com/2009/06/3-year-old-shot-killed-and-found-in.html
http://www.kmbc.com/news/19842729/detail.html
http://www.kansascitykansan.com/news/x135724968/Monday-murder-victims-identified

2 comments:

Xavier Onassis said...

Zzzzzz.

When the witnesses, friends and families of the victims care enough to start cooperating with the police and testifying in court, maybe the rest of the city will start caring a little bit.

rubigimlet said...

you know i live like 6 or 7 blocks from two of the most recent murder scenes and literally maybe 3 blocks from another from a month or so ago. and i really don't spend any more time on those stories other than the minute or so to google map the latest one. I'm not indifferent but I feel that there's not a lot I can do other than to be watchful and cover my own ass and my children. i'd like to hear more open discussion publicly however, because as a citizen, i'm at a loss.