What we are watching..

Whether you know it or not, those of us who are watching things unfold in the South with bated breath, are watching the dawning of a new era. It struck me this afternoon as we were watching CNN report on the current happenings in Gulfport and New Orleans. Never before--well, let me be clearer, five years ago, two years ago, maybe even one year ago, you would NEVER hear a reporter give his or her feelings on the news. They are supposed to be impartial and simply report the news. That is at least how it used to be. This is reality TV and news meshing together right before our eyes. The only difference now is that the folks on this reality TV show are real. They are not paid. Not at all. They have lost everything. More than everything. They have lost memories, physical things, can't pay bills, everything they spent their lives building up; it's all gone. These are not famous movie stars who are being paid to entertain us who are watching this. No. And these reporters, they are telling us what is going on, in some cases I think ill reporting (such as saying an African American is looting while a white person is 'finding food'---pure media hype, pure media errors) but maybe not in all. Telling us what is going on then telling us how they feel about it. In most cases, my feelings mirror theirs but still, it is amazing to me that they are allowed to say how they feel. Did it used to be that way? I just can't remember a time when it was like that. Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Dan Rather, Katie Couric, they all report (or 'ed' in a few cases) the news and that is that.

I don't know if what I'm saying is making sense, the news media is changing right before our eyes. With the Internet and radio and TV, there are so many ways to get your news now. Maybe they have to change with the times.....I don't know. Just be careful that you are still using your brains when you listen to them--just because they feel a certain way about it and are standing there saying it's so, doesn't mean it's really so. Keep your wits about you. I know I am trying to. What I'm seeing on the televsion is devastatingly sad. More than that even. It brings me to tears. It tells me we are all so lucky. Many many of them are going to have to start their lives over again. Many lost their lives. We all live in the same country and we are all brothers and sisters. If you don't watch this and feel an ache in your heart, something is wrong. It could happen to anyone. Maybe not in the form of a hurricane but maybe in some other form. A tornado, an earthquake, a terrorist act (God forbid), anything. It's just unreal to me what has unfolded.

Reach out in whatever way you can. At the very least....say a prayer.

--Jenn