The News...

Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die?
At least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eyes
Mama said, "It's just make believe"
You cant believe everything you see
So baby close your eyes to the lullabies
On the news tonight

From "The News" by Jack Johnson

My mind has been everywhere but here today. I keep going online to cnn or google news every chance I get. I've watched as the events at Virginia Tech unfolded, leaving over 30 people dead and many more injured. I can't believe it. I've read stories of students and teachers jumping out of classroom windows, trying to get away from the gunman. Other students are being told to stay where they are, don't go outside or look out your windows. Not knowing the situation, they learn what little information they can from the internet. Just as I have. Can you imagine being in the center of mayhem and the only info you can get comes from a news website? My heart hurts just to think about it.

What caused this person to kill so many? Why did 2 hours pass before anyone knew about the first shots fired? Could this devastating scene have been avoided? I really don't understand...

As the day moves on, I continue to scroll through the pages of headlines. Bush is still selling the war, other politicians are trying to stop it, the Prince broke up with his girlfriend, Madonna is visiting some orphanages, and Sanjaya...well, he's still here. Oh and there's an astronaut running the Boston marathon in space, with a space tourist sleeping in the next cabin.

All of this is on the same page...but is it? What makes news newsworthy? What causes the writers, bloggers, news anchors, and photographers to write what they write, say what they say, and do what they do? What makes all of this interesting to the public audience? What determines what we hear and read?

How is it that there's more on the online news about what's going on with American Idol than about the millions of children who are starving? The thousands of people who are dying from treatable diseases? The devastation in Virginia is horrible. It's absolutely horrible. So many students have been interviewed saying they live in a small, quiet town. It's not something you would expect in a town like this.

I have to pose the question...why are we not shocked on a daily basis that people are dying unjustly in our world? There are men, women, and children who are in desperate need of help and hundreds of thousands of people stand by idly and watch them fall. Why can't we wake up to the fact that WE CAN DO SOMETHING?

There are ministries all over the world that need our money to continue the work. For the cost of a cup of coffee, we can help provide clean water to people who drink from sewage. For the cost of dinner out, I can help a child go to school and get medical care.

What if someone had reached out to, loved, and encouraged the man who shot all of those people today? What difference could that have made? Would it have made a difference? I know we can't really answer those questions. But...can we at least try to keep something like this from happening again?

A question that I continue to ask myself daily...DO I BELIEVE THAT LOVE IS STRONGER THAN HATE? And do I show others that I believe it?