Pop-in-the-eye-zee
Everyone is talking about the reporter that got beat up recently. This brings to light a topic I have secretly debated with myself for a long time. Should reporters, and more importantly, journalists and paparazzi be protected by the same laws every day people are protected by?
(First of all let me say that I am not talking about those who do a good job and respect others as they gather evidence and facts. There are good reporters out there and the reason they are good is because they are also decent.)
Reporters, journalists, and photo-hogs treat people in a way that most of us wouldn't treat our own families. They ask hurtful, snide questions, expose private issues, and basically make a nuisance of themselves all for the sake of getting a story. They purposefully make people angry in an attempt to create a story if none exists. They have blocked cars, invaded homes, and even rent helicopters just to get closer to a celebrity/man- woman-of-the-hour. Given that this is the way they chose to behave I think it should be alright to knock their fucking block off every once in a while.
If you are going to shove a camera, microphone, or tape recorder in my face, ask me embarrassing or hurtful questions about my own private actions, and call me names when I refuse to answer I should have some recourse. I should be able to cold-cock anyone within two feet of my space. There should be a decency clause on assault. If one can prove that the offender was being a supreme prick the violence should be justified.
As it is these scum-bags can pretty much do anything they want while crying, "Freedom of the press!" If one does touch them, they have the court on their side. How is this fair? If a regular person were to behave this way they could be arrested for harassment.
If you choose to make targets out of other people, you should carry a big ol' target on your back as well. Perhaps if the veil of protection were lifted these assholes would think twice about their horrible actions. We squish cockroaches without punishment, why can't we squish them?
(First of all let me say that I am not talking about those who do a good job and respect others as they gather evidence and facts. There are good reporters out there and the reason they are good is because they are also decent.)
Reporters, journalists, and photo-hogs treat people in a way that most of us wouldn't treat our own families. They ask hurtful, snide questions, expose private issues, and basically make a nuisance of themselves all for the sake of getting a story. They purposefully make people angry in an attempt to create a story if none exists. They have blocked cars, invaded homes, and even rent helicopters just to get closer to a celebrity/man- woman-of-the-hour. Given that this is the way they chose to behave I think it should be alright to knock their fucking block off every once in a while.
If you are going to shove a camera, microphone, or tape recorder in my face, ask me embarrassing or hurtful questions about my own private actions, and call me names when I refuse to answer I should have some recourse. I should be able to cold-cock anyone within two feet of my space. There should be a decency clause on assault. If one can prove that the offender was being a supreme prick the violence should be justified.
As it is these scum-bags can pretty much do anything they want while crying, "Freedom of the press!" If one does touch them, they have the court on their side. How is this fair? If a regular person were to behave this way they could be arrested for harassment.
If you choose to make targets out of other people, you should carry a big ol' target on your back as well. Perhaps if the veil of protection were lifted these assholes would think twice about their horrible actions. We squish cockroaches without punishment, why can't we squish them?
posted by Barbarian02003 | Friday, September 08, 2006
2 Comments:
This might be the first time we do not agree on an issue. Reporters server an important job in our society; they are the checks and balances. Without them, people would get away with a lot more shenanigans. I wish we had more reports like this guy to ask tough questions but our media today are a bunch of pussies, fearful of offending somebody.
In this case the reporter was not even interviewing the woman or her attacker husband. He was interviewing the African American gentleman that (thankfully) threw the attacker to the ground before he could kill the guy. This attacker was a bully who had attacked people in the past and is also accused of a real estate scam bilking San Diego residents out of thousands of dollars. I want this guy in jail, not only for the attack but for the real estate scam.
People are allowed to ask question. Just because a question is asked doesn’t mean you have to answer it. It also certainly does not give you the right to pummel the person asking the question. Asking a question is certainly a free speech issue. I was raised to believe the only stupid question is the one not asked or the one that was already answered. I believe in this.
I was eating lunch at the Imo’s over on Hampton near Highway 40 and in walks Elliot Davis, the local reporter that exposes many corrupt government officials. He has been attacked many times by people not wanting to answer his questions but he is an important check and balance by exposing many of the corrupt local politicians and scumbags. Anyway, I walked up to him, introduced myself and thanked him for this awesome work. Because of reporters like him the world is a little better.
As far as the paparazzi, I could care less. If people are in the spotlight or famous; that is part of the job. If I had billions of dollars, some measly reporters wanting to ask me questions or take my picture would not bother me in the least. In fact if I was the President, I would have monthly town hall meetings in different cities were reporters and the American people would be invited to ask me any question.
Anyway, I hope this reporter pursues this matter and puts this guy in jail. Bullying is not accepted in our society.
When I was a little girl and lived in Germany I saw on the news a bunch of people who had just learned their loved one's died in a fiery air plane crash. They had JUST found out. They were crying and screaming and falling into each other's arms. A reporter shoved his mic in one of their faces and asked, "How does it feel to know you've just lost your loved one?"
Where is the decency in that?
I agree, darthimmortal, with everything you said. However, if my loved one had just died and some callous asshole wanted to know how I was feeling I think I should be allowed to slap him across the face for such a stupid question. There are lines, and reporters and popparazzi cross them every day.
Please re-read my second paragraph.
Mud-slinging and dirt-digging have gotten way out of hand. Just because someone made a movie that everyone likes doesn't give anyone the right to dig through their past and expose it.
On the other hand, freaks like Tom Cruise are just asking for it. This isn't a black and white issue, it's a whole spectrum of gray.
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