Friday, August 1, 2008

This literally is a title about a title.

Out of the most horrible of situations I got a most delightful surprise today.

Obviously I was upset yesterday. I think my post made that pretty clear. The tragedy on the bus was bad enough, but the panicking and finger pointing was truly becoming unbearable. You know in the space of I think about twenty comments following one article I read, that the attacker went from "pretty big", to "6 foot, 200 pounds", to "6'4, 250 pounds". Why isn't the constant exposure and modern involvement in media making us any smarter when it comes to using it?

There was one headline that I found particularly irresponsible:

Children see man decapitate fellow passenger on Greyhound bus in Canada

Elana Schor in Washington
The Guardian,
Friday August 1 2008


Everything I'd read had said that everyone was off the bus when that happened. It was late, and I fired off a loopy, badly written, cringingly snippy, but dammit very Sincere! response:

Re the article:

"Children see man decapitate fellow passenger on Greyhound bus in Canada"

Elana Schor in Washington
The Guardian,
Friday August 1 2008

Namely the title. Did they really? How did the children see the man in the back of the dark bus standing with his back in front of the victim behind rows of tall seats, while they were being rushed out the door for their lives, commit this act? Did their parents hold them up to the window when they got outside?

Please reply. This is very very troubling. This is a tragedy affecting my community, and I am not impressed by flagrantly inaccurate reporting. Please please verify these claims.


Bless their hearts, they responded, and wow, quickly!

(Here I have to note that this is a straight copy/paste. That is to say, their spelling error, not mine, neener!):

Thank you for your email. The foreign desk have spoken to Elana Schor who did not say in her report, and does not say now, that the children witnessed the decapitatioin. The headline went beyond what she wrote. We are removing it from the web site and correcting it in the newspaper.
David McKie


Give it up for the Guardian, folks. They totally stepped up to the plate.

So what's the lesson for today?

That it is worthwhile to speak up. The media shape our lives, so we need to make sure they're reporting and portraying ours accurately.

And we can.

Oh yeah, and buy my stuff.



www.tattytiara.etsy.com

22 comments:

Sandra Williams said...

Well done Tatty!

The whole situation is extremely disturbing.

Oh, and your shop is lovely!

Lissa said...

Good job! I've often thought of doing the same with our newspaper..but when I'm upset, I make no sense..even to myself :/

tattytiara said...

Haha, well lissa, I'd say if my late night e-scrawl proved anything it's that you don't have to make a lot of sense to make a difference!

LazyTcrochet said...

Wow! Way to make a difference!

Sandra Evertson said...

I had to visit you after seeing your beautiful black kitty! Great blog!
Sandra

AuntDsHandcrafts said...

Good job for making a difference!!!

Gladys Strickland said...

Good for you for questioning them on the headline!

And I LOVE the pictures of your cats!

Unknown said...

WoooHooo! Good for YOU for sticking up to the media. You did the right thing. I too an unimpressed by inaccurate reporting and you made a valid point and made a difference.
BTW I love your blog title...LOL!

Unknown said...

let your voice be heard!
and lovely card and pic, as well.

Peregrine John said...

Hey, cool: the cat is the fiddle!

(Coffee ain't activated me brains yet. 'S all I gots.)

Katie said...

I love your art!!! I opened my Etsy shop (www.IndigoRiverJewelry.etsy.com) last night, and I am asking around to see how different people market what they make. What works best for you?

kim* said...

yes how traject. this is not a safe world... :(

hope you get many sales :)

Vivian said...

Good for you! Nice blog, by the way. Hope your shop does well.

scandata said...

That made the news here in Florida. When I heard that it happened in Edmonton it naturally caught my attention. Very tragic.

On the upside, good for you to vent on the paper for fabricating a headline strictly for shock value. Maybe next time they'll think twice before doing that just to get people to pay attention. I've griped about that on my own blog (the entry is here http://scandata.blogspot.com/2008/05/im-really-getting-sick-of-media-spin.html).

tattytiara said...

Thanks everyone - I'm very impressed with the Guardian for acting on it so quickly.

Theresa said...

rofl good for you!

i have been out of touch -- looking to get back in the loop :)

love
t

Cherry Lane Jane said...

good for you! somebody has to keep them in line!

Sandra Evertson said...

Fabulous! Love the card!
Sandra

Theresa said...

Hey sweetie, tomorrow is your birthday -- yes?

Happy Birthday!!!! May the coming year bring you all joy and happiness.

I miss you!! (((hugs)))

love
t

scandata said...

Wishing you a Merry Christmas this holiday season. Have a great 2009!
-Mike

Tracey Kumer-Moore said...

Hello,

Thank you for posting a comment on my blog & I answered your question as well on my blog post (2nd from the top).

Happy New Year and all the best

Peregrine John said...

Some follow-on to the story.

How's stuff up there? Miss hearing from you.


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