Signs of humanity

Little Leaguers Discover They Are Winners After All. The Harlem Little League All-Stars were greeted by more than 500 people as they arrived home on Monday afternoon. By Andy Newman. [New York Times: Sports]

Inbetween the stories about soccer mom killing sprees and hockey fathers cracking open skulls, you really need a story like this to remind you that the felon parents are a teeny, tiny minority. Most parents are out there just supporting their children, hoping whatever they are doing helps them become a more well-adjusted adult. Although after seeing a friend's dad kill a guy, you have to wonder what we are adjusting them to.

I'm sure this is another area in the decline of civilization where we can blame the media. I bet if you look at the data, if any is even kept on the subject (and you know it is...by somebody), that parent violence at children's sporting events is down to historic lows, just as school violence is and kidnapping as well.

Sure the events that do happen seem more horific, not only for the death toll, but also due to intense media coverage. Go no further than CNN and their handling of the al Queda tapes. I can only imagine the talks that went on behind the scenes...

Producer 1: People love dogs. 85% of people in our target demographic respond positively to the image of a dog.
Producer 2: Well, there it is, we play the 'dog getting gassed' tape.
Producer 1: 65% of people in our target demographic like monkeys. Should we dig up that U.S. government footage of the monkey getting it's skull crushed?
Producer 2: Johnson you idiot! We want footage of the other guys experimenting on animals.
Producer 1: Oh yeah...that was us wasn't it? Sorry, my bad.

I'm almost starting to think that AOL/Time Warner might be the real hawk in this whole Iraq mess that's about to happen. A war on terror is only good for the ratings when you get to show something being blown up ever so often.

But then it's back to us. The war consumer. If we didn't watch it, they wouldn't put it on. Blaming the media is the cop-out excuse. We should just face the facts that we are the sickos in this deal with our TV and stop throwing hissy fits about it.

Hrm. Back at the top I started on about something positive, didn't I? Oh yes, way to go Harlem Little League fans! Don't let you kids watch CNN or Fox News and then should be just fine.