We're searching for this missing girl in Aruba

[Erika]

But the news makes no mention of the dead 19 year old Idaho girl killed in Iraq? Is this Alabama girl so more worthy of note than this 19 year old killed in Bush's war? Where are our priorities?

[okieinpain]

1. well if there was a possiblity of involving a rape in her death, she

would get some exposure.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Here is my level of cynicism wiht the MSM these days

run away bride, any questions?

[cestpaspossible]

4. I really don't miss it, and now I'm not helping to pay for it.

A good feeling. Democracy Now is good though....

[Syrinx]

3. Deaths are expected in war

Not on vacation.

(I'm very against the Iraq war, so don't get the wrong idea.)

[burrowowl]

5. In Aruba

they let everyone off work to go look for her.
Would that happen in the U$ of A?

[onenote]

7. not comparable

aruba depends on tourism, and a missing US teen is a big threat to almost everyone's livelihood on the island, so it makes sense to make the search the number one priority.

onenote

[Bhaisahab]

6. priotities?

what do you mean priorities? bushco has it all figured out:

PRIORITY #1: Get all the oil
PRIORITY #2: Kill all the hajis
PRIORITY #3: Steal public money
PRIORITY #4: Keep Americans in line by controlling information
PRIORITY #5: Laugh all the way to the bank

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. #4 needs to be #1. That's our biggest problem - Do 4 and you

can do anything

[sendero]

8. You know what?

Here's the thing. Everyone wants to blame "the media", but why do "the media" run this crap?

They run it for the same reason they run "runaway bride", "jacko is wacko", "petersen sucks" and any number of other stories with a soap opera, prurient, illicit quality.

Americans eat this shit up. They eat it up because as a society they are worn down and worn out, they are lazy and they are looking for entertainment everywhere, even in the news. The TeeVee is only interested in getting eyeballs, if bashing Bush** would get ratings (and there will be a time in the future when it will IMHO) they would run Bush-bashing 24/7.

Why trouble your beautiful mind with the fact that our men and women are getting killed every day in Iraq? Why submit yourself to the total downer that our political system is out of control, our economy is flagging for the 5th year, that we are stuck in yet another quagmire war and our leaders have no fucking clue what to do about it?

Why deal with that, when you can watch stories about the misfortunes of others and gather some kind of sick amusement from it?

[paula777]

13. Sadly, I agree

[Mike Daniels]

10. As another poster said, people die in war.

The fact that this girl was likely abducted while on a class trip on an island that has practically no violent crime whatsoever does make it somewhat newsworthy.

The entire economy depends almost exclusively on tourism and so yes, the entire island is going to knock itself silly trying to resolve this matter in order to avoid economic destruction.

[forgethell]

11. As of right

now, for all we know the Aruba girl may still be alive. Hence it is news.

[mtnsnake]

12. If she was ugly, she wouldn't be getting 1/10th the exposure.

I do feel bad for her, and hope for a good ending to this saga, but what about all the not-so-good-looking or poor kids that come up missing in this country every day? Where's the story?

[AUYellowDog]

14. I'm from 10 miles away of her home town

And it's the richest of the rich in the Birmingham Metro area. Those folks are old money and like to show it off. Had it been a kid from the slums, there would be no coverage.

Brandon

[quaoar]

15. Yes, she's from Mountain Brook

Which is quite wealthy. But wealthy parents love their children, too. And I feel badly for them. I hope they find her alive somewhere, though it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

This story is getting coverage as much as it is because:

1. She was on a class trip, so you have the juxtaposition of tragedy striking during a time that was supposed to be happy.

2. This happened in normally sedate Aruba, a destination that draws many, many American tourists to the casinos and extraordinarily beautiful beaches there. So there's the "Is Aruba now a danmgerous place?" angle.

3. It is news because it is different. Pretty young white girls don't turn up missing in Aruba every day. Others who are missing don't get the same attention unless there is something that separates them from other missing person cases. It's not right, but that's how it is.

[daa]

16. Just substitute black

for pretty rich wihite girl and the FBI wouldn't give her parents the time of day. Since when does the FBI, too busy with terra, have time to search foreign counties for missing tourists? You try that.