Would the media have cared if the missing girl in Aruba were black?

[socalover]

I have never seen such a case get so much media attention. It's all part of the changing tides here in the US.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Don't make me answer that

But you know I have wondered the same thing. Sad isn't it?

[whistle]

2. Have the authorities found her yet?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Turn on CNN

I am sure they will let us know as soon as they do.

[billbuckhead]

6. If she was rich enough and pretty enough they probably would

Bill Cosby's son was such an instance.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. There is always an exception

The important thing is what is the rule?

[billbuckhead]

22. A poor white girl might not have made the cut

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe there is caste system in America based on race, it's just that a lot of white people fall through the cracks as well based on class. Not really playing devils advocate but making amends for some of my misunderstood rants against country people.

What about all those Mexican women and girls murdered in Ciudad Juarez on the Mexican-USA border? Where's the outrage there?

<http://author.voanews.com/english/Another-Women-Murdered-in-Mexican-Border-Town.cfm>

[deadparrot]

4. In a word, no.

I grieve and wish for the safe return of any missing person, but the blatant imbalance of cases presented in the MSM is appalling, to say the least.

[Pithlet]

7. I agree.

It is sad. It doesn't make me feel any less for the poor girl who is missing. But the disparity in coverage is just a symptom of the racism that is still inherent in our society.

[AX10]

20. I concur.

[Webster Green]

5. Not a chance!

We wouldn't even know about it.

[rzemanfl]

8. Or fat and unattractive? n/t

[Cleita]

9. I would be interesting to find out how many

young girls have gone missing in Aruba in the past five years and why suddenly this one is so special.

No, I don't think a black or hispanic girl would get this much attention.

There must be young men who go missing too of any race and you never hear about them either.

[The Straight Story]

10. I have not watched MSM Since 1/1/05

At all. Don't even watch local news much. I am not sure really if I have watched any TV since then except a few shows I recorded on my DVR.

The media covers crap, so I am not thinking I am missing much. I am sure though if she was of another race it would probably not be much news.

Hell I read more news online that covers more things in one day then the MSM covers in months. I read news from American indian sources to religion to politics (govexec.com and tons of federal sites with press releases).

Screw the MSM, I get my news by looking for it myself.

[walldude]

11. Or if she were a soldier fighting in Iraq?

That's what came to my mind today. Now I know all about this one missing girl, but don't know the names of anyone who died in Iraq this week....

[rzemanfl]

13. Look around there's the name of 19 year old now dead GI on DU

tonight. I don't know the name of the girl who is missing in Aruba either.

[walldude]

28. Yeah I found him after my post

Sucks that I have to come here to see this while the missing girl was the 2nd story on all major newscasts today(right behind the MJ trial :eyes: )

[rzemanfl]

12. It just occurred to me that this plays into the "captive fantasy" bit.

MSM loves stuff like this. If this girl is dead, it is really going to hurt tourism in Aruba.

[MnFats]

15. aruba is an expensive trip. what do we know about her community?

see, I'm thinking that, around here at least, a school that was predominantly black...or any people of color, now that I think of it, would not be affluent enough to send the senior class to Aruba. They MIGHT be able to scrape up enough to go to Camp Snoopy, Six Flags or the Mn. Zoo.

so....is it getting all this attention because the community is affluent?

again, i have no idea...it's just something that occurred to me.

[brook]

21. Places like Aruba run cheap packages...

for "Senior Week". The school doesn't 'send'' them. They pay their way or stay home.I imagine it's often a graduation gift from loving families.

Yes. It's the whoremedia thing to vomit these stories on the hour and every few minutes in between...but then, they vomit so much - and we hold them responsible for so little. We don't even ask them to clean up when it's over.

I see nothing to be gained by ascribing the mendacity of our press in these cases to racism though. It serves none of us well. The press isn't reporting - they are simply 'casting a part' and looking for good box office . If this girl, or Lacey or The Runaway Bride - didn't exist - the media would have to invent them - not only to distract us from what is actually vital - but to maintain their assigned parking spots in their chosen hell.

[QC]

24. She's from one of the richest municipalities in the country.

A trip to Aruba is certainly not a stretch for these people.

[socalover]

16. This will kill tourism from the US for Aruba, was wondering if

Aruba was siding with Chavez in any way with this being possible pay back?

Is not, I say this is just another case of inherent systematic racism!

I hope they find the girl though...

[TomClash]

17. Only if she were a pretty upscale African-American

'cause it ain't race - it's class that they care about.

[mopinko]

18. did you ever hear of diamond and tianda bradley?

i rest my case.

[Ivan Sputnik]

19. All other things being equal, no

They would if it was a black celebrity or the daughter of some prominent African American. Otherwise, probably not. They "care" if it's someone the majority of viewers (i.e., whites) can sympathize or identify with. Like everything else on commercial TV, it's all about ratings.

[BringEmOn]

23. Would they care if the "suspects" were Caucasian?

Those nigras are after your white women...git a rope.

[okieinpain]

27. yep

[linazelle]

25. Not so much nt

[spindoctor]

26. Most people would not make it to prime time in abduction cases

It's a case by case thing. Is the girl attractive? is the family interesting? Is there anything better going on? Where did it take place? Is there a potential for a bigger story?

Under the right circumstances, a black girl would get the same misplaced attention. Most girls, black, white or purple would not.