How We Report Capital Crime

-by Bill Watkins 3/23/2017

Pre-religion cultures may have it right.

“We don’t talk about the dead,” say Aboriginal and Native American cultures.

They don’t do so for varied reasons:

1. Respect for Life
2. Courtesy to the Bereaved

The Life Cycle continues, and the fallen human is absorbed into the ground from whence they came, spirit is renewed and cleansed with our tears—

not unlike a burned hillside regenerates with rain and time.

***

Modern “Western” reporters blare out “death” like it means so little.  Like Life means so little. An obvious desensitization…

From where does our cold edge and limp heart toward our fallen brothers and sisters come?

Alcohol? Drugs? That cagy punk, the Devil?

We are beating to the Devil’s drum, I think—a good percentage of people, heading sadly toward that “wide path of destruction” spoken of by Jesus of Nazareth.

Tragedy brings us to proper heart beats.  Loss.

Near death experiences to be sure.  Alcoholics finding the light in hospital beds as I did years ago.

***

Reporters:

Consider amending your cold reports, talking about “the dead” as numbers for your cold statistics and news stories.

Pause and be real.

Pause and be human.

Find that poet within, the pre-religion nature lover, the post-religion respect and love for all people and things.

Back up from tragedy, human loss… and

Feel.