When I was changing planes in Philly I got two pieces of bad news from New Orleans, the second of which was so harrowing it made the first seem trivial.
First, I learned the Saints suffered their first defeat of the season, in overtime, no less; to the Atlanta Falcons, no less; at the Superdome, no less.
Next, I learned a that a young boy had caught a bullet and had been rushed to the hospital. When I landed in New Orleans I read the news that he had died. His name was Jeremy Galmon. He was two years old.
That certainly does put things in painful perspective, like Cliff says. It’s hard to get too worked up about a football game when you’re confronted with such an atrocity.
And yet when I picked up the paper Monday morning, what did I see? Yes, the story of Jeremy’s death made a front page headline. So did the football game. But the football headline was two or three times as big. I felt a painful dissonance, looking at that front page.
In the days that have followed, we’ve had more coverage of the story of Jeremy’s murder, the grief of his family, the circumstances of his death, the response by authorities, the arrest of one suspect, the hunt for another. We’ve also had plenty of continuing coverage of how the Saints are responding to their loss, bringing in other kickers, and so forth. I haven’t done a serious analysis, but it’s clear that more ink has been spilled on the latter story over the last four days.
I’m sure the folks at the TP would say that they are giving the people what they want. I buy that, but only to a certain extent. Does our media reflect our culture or create it? I believe it does both. It may be true that, as a society, we are more concerned with professional sports than the murder of a child. But this is a time for our media to exercise some leadership. This is a time to provide some in-depth reportage on the underlying causes of violence. Look at the amount of analysis that fills out the Sports section every day. If we had half that much analysis of social problems we’d surely make some progress.
The tragic death of Jeremy Galmon is a story that people will respond to. Such tragedies are also learning opportunities, and we desperately need to learn some lessons. Across the political spectrum, people understand that violence is a problem. We also need to share an understanding of the root causes of this endemic social problem, if we are to come to consensus on solutions.
I’ve been beating up on the media here, but I want to be clear that the real villain in this story is whoever pulled the trigger. Yet the media do have a role to play, and it is a vital one. They need to engage the issues when the public is engaged, and this story is an example.
And why does Jeremy’s story move us so? Every loss of life is regrettable, regardless of age. If a victim is 20 or 200, it’s still tragic. But there’s something especially wrenching when a toddler is a victim of violence. Few of us are completely innocent; we’re all caught up in a web of social complicity to some degree; we all bear some guilt for what we’ve allowed our culture to become. The main exception to this is children. They are truly and unquestionably innocent. (And please don’t talk to me about “original sin.”) I know very little really, about Jeremy, but I can guarantee you this: He never hurt anyone. He didn’t deserve this.
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Such events affect so strongly because they firmly underscore the randomness of life–could anyone really argue that such an awful thing is part of a plan? Fate? Justice? No, none of the above. Just senseless tragedy and pain.
So interesting that the football game/ tragedy of shooting is the Dichotomy here.
Just yesterday we had the TV news coverage of the Pop Warner football parents
going off on a wave of undisciplined violence, Including the shot of the unprovoked sucker-punch to the back of the head from one apparently self-justified negro parent upon another.
Football–rah rah–hit ’em STICK “IM!!…
Facing up to the facts, and addressing your concerns with the energy they deserve.
American tackle football is a terrible way to train young people.
Football encourages Joe Bad-Ass behavior.
Football encourages Class-structured hierarchy of status beginning with
assignment of Position.
Football encourages your Criminal Gangster Low-Life Bullies on the schoolyard.
I know from direct experience that Concussions happen Every Day in practice,
and a general training in insensitivity and callous disregard is accomplished.
We need a new Activity, like Working-Tradesmen’s competitions in skills.
All the American Fatasses could be out in a happy gardening-gathering activity
instead of hypnotized by the screen, or jammed in a stupid stadium.
Twenty years ago, I was appalled as students explained to me that firing a gun on New Year’s Eve was just normal. My understanding is that after a stray bullet killed someone in the Quarter the effort at community education and enforcement finally put forth to put a stop to that tradition. Firearms in the hands of fools who treat them like toys… it’s unconscionable. Letting it happen over and over and over again, until someone’s toddler dies is absolutely beyond the pale. Every wonder why New Orleans has such a bad reputation? It’s not random when someone is discharging a firearm. It’s at the very least negligent homicide. To not pursue it and prosecute it to the full extent of the law is to invite repetition.
Kinda O/T, but you’re lucky to live in a city where a newspaper actually matters anymore. Can’t say that about my current city.
“We also need to share an understanding of the root causes of this endemic social problem, if we are to come to consensus on solutions.”
We know the root causes. But the two dominant ideologies in this country are so far apart in their worldview that no consensus will ever be possible. Pat Moynihan knew, and he is dead.
[…] Social & Pleasure Club, to collect funds for the grieving family of young Jeremy Galmon, who did not deserve his fate. You can continue to support the family financially by heading to any Liberty Bank branch nearby […]