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Saturday, December 12, 2009

The singularly biggest story in Kansas City both this year and right now

The biggest story in Kansas City is our murder rate and how mostly innocent people are being shot and killed.

I also think that it's one of the most under-reported stories in the local paper, too.

There is a notice on the front page of the paper today says it will have a story breaking tomorrow that will go five days after their "reporters spent six months investigating America's effectiveness in combating modern-day slavery, traveling to Guatemala and Tijuana to trace the steps of immigrants and traffickers."

Guatemala and Tijuana?

How about go on the East side of the city and do an in-depth story on what the churches and community might do to reduce the murders in our own city?

There's a thought.

Here's another--how about going on the other side of Troost to do an expose' on how to get people to turn in the shooters and murderers?

No, no, the Star has to send reporters to South America to cover sex trafficking.

And yes, it's an important story and should be covered--but not before they cover local issues. Let's maybe leave sex trafficking for after we cover our own murder rate.

The newspaper, the churches, the community and all socio-political bloggers in the city should be covering this story until we can get this problem of shooting and murders solved.

It's too important.

We're losing people. And for no reason.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I couldn't agree with you more. Two thoughts: "big" international reporting probably garners more attention from the "awards" organizations and is more likely to be picked up by other news outlets, and people don't like to read depressing news about their own community. It's easier to read about suffering thousands of miles away.

Mo Rage said...

similarly, I agree with you--when I saw mention of the articles to come on sex trafficking, I figured they're going for state and national awards.

One more thought, too--if they report on this shooting/gun/murder and murder rate story here in town, they open themselves up for a ton of criticism, to boot.

thanks for reading.

MR

Mo Rage said...

also, not only is it "easier to read about suffering thousands of miles away," but they'll also be seen as trying to "right a wrong", even if they are ignoring the glaring wrongs in our own back yard.