|
The day after David Brooks published the first interview with Dylan Klebold's parents in the New York Times, other media are jumping in with their accounts.
The Klebolds are not talking to anyone else directly--and say they're not about to--so mostly the other media are left to rehash the Brooks piece, with an additional bit of new info from the attorney, and other material already available.
The AP piece--post on CNN, MSNBC, and elsewhere--leads like this:
Columbine killer's parents: Don't need forgiveness
NEW YORK (AP) -- In their first interview since the Columbine High School massacre, the parents of one of the killers said they feel no need be forgiven and didn't realize their son was beyond hope until after he was dead.
Good lord. Of course the victims' families are outraged. AP takes Brooks' thoughtful approach to a really delicate and complex subject, and headlines the one comment most likely to outrage people, slaps it up there out of context. Sleazebags.
Their whole approach is not about understanding, but grabbing attention. No wonder everyone hates the media.
And you can argue that that is news--of a sort--but it could still be broadcast without packaging in such an inflamatory way. Look at the Denver Post headline and lead:
Klebolds regret missed flags
The parents of Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold say they will never forgive themselves for the warning signs they missed about their son's mental state but that they didn't do anything as parents that they need to apologize for.
The Post still gets in the part about not needing to apologize, but within some context. It's a far Much more accurate characterization of what the Klebolds actually had to say.
Sleaziness is not required.
---
By the way, there is an ongoing comments thread about Columbine, linked from my Columbine Almanac.
|