Who else is sick of the missing-white-girl stories already?

[backscatter712]

First, it's Joran van der Sloot, now it's the girl in the sailboat.

Look, I'm sorry your white girls were murdered/raped/capsized/rescued, but you think I'm dumb? You think I don't know that the Rupert Murdochs are exploiting these stories in a desperate attempt to change the subject away from things that actually do affect the rest of us, like the BP gusher disaster, the financial reform bill, the disintegrating economy, the situation in the Middle East that has us spending billions of our tax money to prop up Israeli war criminal apartheid, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, etc. fucking etc.

In the face of those issues, you may find me cold, but I'm fresh out of give-a-shit about your missing white girl.

[elocs]

1. Maybe you could get yourself appointed the one who determines what others pay attention to.

This wasn't exactly some girl lost in a sailboat on a lake. New organizations are in the business of providing news which interests most people and that's all this one was, a human interest story.

Maybe you should submit your sequential list of which stories are the most important so all the news organizations should get it right?

I agree with your premise, it's just not grounded in reality.

[aquart]

2. You only open one window at a time on your pc?

[Wandawilkerson]

10. If you owned a media outlet, would you report the kidnapping of minority girls as well?

Or only white? In my very pesonal opinion, I would make sure that at least some minority girls get the benefit of media coverage that may help people find their whereabouts.

[left coaster]

3. Don't take it out on the dead white girls.. that's blaming the victim..

Keep all of your vitriol directed at the corporate owned media that churns out these hysterical "nooz" story distractions, and the dead eyed turnips who stay glued to their TV sets eating them up.

[backscatter712]

5. You're getting it.

It's the corporate media that keeps using these missing-white-girl stories to manipulate the public. You or I or anyone else that gives enough of a shit about current events to read sites like DU may see the real news stories, but the Rupert Murdochs are counting on the majority of people who just aren't paying attention. Because most people aren't paying attention, the Murdochs get a lot of power to agenda-set - make sure the nation's talking about missing white girls instead of financial reform.

And that pisses me off.

[snappyturtle]

4. I'm with you. These stories probably number in the tens of thousands.

It's not to say these aren't interesting stories however, they don't personally effect my life or most lives. What I have been forced to learn, just by their presence, is that some parents are neglectful in using the word, "No" and I already know that by taking a trip to the grocery store.

[ladjf]

37. To my knowledge, no 16 yr. old female has ever sailed solo

around the world. It took skill and courage for her to make it as far as she did.

[hayu_lol]

45. You, ladjf, have a sadly lacking background of knowledge...

May 15, 2010, Sydney Australia, Jessica Watson of Queensland Australia sailed her Ella's Pink Lady through Sydney Heads becoming the youngest(16)circumnavigator of the globe.

There are others who have been slightly older. Under 250 people have done this since Josh Slocum(1890s)performed the first sail around the world. He took 2 years and sailed 46,000 miles to do so.

[ladjf]

55. I'm familiar with Ms. Watson's voyage and have read most of

her log. She is bit older than Sunderland. I should have said that Sunderland was the youngest female to attempt the round the world voyage.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog

(Note: you might notice my post re Watson's voyage dated 5/15/2010)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4382408&mesg_id=4382717

I have read about Slocum's circumnavigation many times.

Also the Brit Francis Chichester, at the age of 67 made the run.

I personally have been a sailor for most of my life having owned a 38' Islander for several years.

I'm not sure why you chose to personally attack me when I was simply complementing Ms. Sunderland
for her skill and courage.

[Synicus Maximus]

60. Australian Jessica Watson, also 16, sailed around the world

solo last year.

[ladjf]

61. Yes. I should have worded that Sunderland was, to my knowledge,

the youngest female to make the attempt. Watson turned 17 3 days after completing her voyage.

[snappyturtle]

69. I guess you didn't get my drift. I wasn't talking about the girl.

I was referring to her parents. Most parents try to keep their children out of harm's way. I am tired of hearing about the consequences when said parents are as navive as their children.

[NoNothing]

6. Why is race relevant

I have to ask

[DailyGrind51]

8. Because the MSM never reports on black or Hispanic girls, unless they are also victims

of a suspect in a white missing girl investigation.

[backscatter712]

11. Yep. The media doesn't care if minority girls have something horrible happen to them.

but they go completely nuts if she's white.

[DailyGrind51]

46. No one would have heard about that Peruvian girl, if Van der Sloot had not been the prime suspect

in the Natalie Holloway disappearance.

[liberal_at_heart]

64. bingo!

[Scout]

47. i see missing black children on the news quite often. n/t

[Wandawilkerson]

9. Minority missing women would benefit from wide media coverage

As their faces and cases would be out there, for more people to be able to help find them.
but you will never see a Juanita Sanchez or Laqueeda Johnson missing.

[backscatter712]

13. That sums it up. n/t

[RedRoses323]

14. True..

When I'm in Wally Mart, I stop and look at the board of missing children/adults - :wow: if only the media would cover one of these kids once a week - maybe more folks would be able to locate them.

[Dappleganger]

16. It's one decent thing which Walmart does...

I read them too, wondering if those momma's babies every made it home. :(

[RedRoses323]

19. "Its one decent thing which Walmart does.."

:rofl: Soooo true!!!

[Posteritatis]

33. The media definitely thinks it is

The further a kid is away from being white and blonde, the less likely their disappearance is to cause national media coverage, even if the circumstances are identical to the disappearance of someone who "qualifies" for that sort of thing.

As others have pointed out, you're not going to see one of those months or years-long handwringing festivals in the news over a Hispanic or black child. It's a marketing thing; pass the color test and you're guaranteed to glue millions to their screens. If you don't, you merit a "that's too bad" in the local, maybe state, news, and that's it.

[luvspeas]

7. Sailboat girl is a big waste of time....

She knew what she was getting herself into. I hope they have to pay for the search and rescue. Looks expensive.

[ehrnst]

12. Gwen Ifil calls them "Lacey Stories" because they all seem to have that name or similar. (nt)

[WinkyDink]

15. Apparently you are no fan of John Donne. Besides, we like "Missing White Men Who Fly" stories, too.

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

[burnsei sensei]

17. These are local stories

that have been taken national because editors want to fill up space.
It's the stupidest trend in journalism.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. Was there a missing black girl sailing solo across the ocean who was ignored by the media?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DavidDvorkin]

22. It's not this girl's whiteness that makes this a big story

Your own thinking cap must have slipped.

[MyNameGoesHere]

21. Today I have been listening to the TV in the background.

I find that the news is pretty heavily on BP disaster, Arkansas deaths in the flash flood, The South Carolina Dem candidate and then the dead PERUVIAN woman, she is hardly white. Perhaps you should change the channel or take a nice walk to the store for a newspaper.

Oh and I hope I am not the only one here that finds "your white girls" (egad and here i thought they were women) just as offensive if you would have said "those people".

[backscatter712]

24. The van der Sloot story gets airtime only because it's a continuation of the Natalee Holloway story.

It's a continuation of a missing white girl story.

[Regret My New Name]

30. Do you know of a similar instance of a non-white girl going missing similar

to Natalee Holloway? Do you think that perhaps the attention it got has more to do with the family being affluent and the way the Aruba authorities handled the situation? Do you think that if everything but Natalee's skin color was the same, that this would not have go any play?

[MyNameGoesHere]

35. Of course the Peruvian woman is of no consequence. I get it

you have some issues you need to work out I think. You see it as a "White girl" story, and yet there is a dead PERUVIAN WOMAN and a grieving family. May I suggest,


http://www.centerforhumandiversity.org/workshops.php

[Raine1967]

50. That is true... but Why are you trying to connect

Ms. Sunderland as part of the narrative?

It seems a bit apples and oranges to me.

[fishbulb703]

26. +1 wonder if i said "tired of your black boys gang violence news from detroit" nt

[JonLP24]

53. Those kind of stories

are buried in newspapers. Hardly make the front page.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. I'm sorry your television didn't come with a channel changer or an off switch.

Really, that sux.

[boston bean]

25. what do you mean by:

"your white girls were murdered/raped/capsized/rescued"

[NeedleCast]

27. Your white girls

Who's the "your" that you're referring to?

[lynne]

28. What about the little white boy that's missing? Is is okay to read about that?

I'm so sorry you're lacking in compassion. I'm interested in these stories and hope that both girl and boy make it home okay.

Why do you hate white people???

[proteus_lives]

29. "but I'm fresh out of give-a-shit about your missing white girl"

Hmmm, change the word "white" and what do you sound like?

Think about it for a minute.

[Mudoria]

48. I think the word starts with an R

[boston bean]

31. I use to get angry about the missing white girl stories all over the news

but it was because they were ignoring an illegal war and filling up air space.

Yes, I do think there is a disparity in the type of reporting of missing persons, white vs. black and that is a concern.

but this is just a bit too much, YOUR missing White Girls????

Please explain... do you personally have less empathy for a missing white girl, than you would a missing black girl??

[Swede]

32. Change the fucking channel if you are bothered by it.

Others,obviously aren't.

[Sheepshank]

34. 16 yo sailor lost at sea while sailing around the world alone.

not buying that this story is only interesting and reported because she is white. If this child were hispanic I'd still be interested.

[ladjf]

36. The Sunder land story is not, IMO, another "missing-white-girl" story.

It's a news report about a very skilled and courageous young woman who was attempting an amazing feat. She was knocked down by terrible weather and was in danger, 2000 miles from the nearest land. I consider her challenge and situation to be very interesting.

I find you to be more than "cold". You seem almost dead.

[Seneca]

39. He said "missing" white girl

She made some stupid decisions, such as sailing into the south Indian Ocean in June. Her skills are overrated and her courage tempered by her idiocy.

She's alive. Good. Now send her home, and may we never hear of her again.

[WinkyDink]

41. Because hearing of her places an undue burden on your brain?

[Seneca]

38. + googolplex

:thumbsup:

If I read one more "follow your dreams" type of bourgeois white person defense of her escapade, I may just projectile vomit.

[ProgressiveVictory]

40. so if it was a girl who was African American or Mexican American it would be ok?

[backscatter712]

43. If she was African American or Mexican American, we'd never hear of it.

Don't you love our "enlightened" mass media?

[ProgressiveVictory]

44. we need new media

[Bluebear]

42. Sorry. "Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind."

[Raineyb]

49. Yet they don't really report "any man's" death.

That would be the point of the OP I believe.

[Bluebear]

52. Maybe...but I can't grieve less for "dead white girls" or be sick of hearing of them...

Dead white girls, Afghani wedding-goers, homeless left to die, pelicans covered with oil . . . what a time.

[liberal_at_heart]

65. No one is saying we should have less comapssion for them.

We just need to demand the our media cover all races and economic classes in their stories.

[Raineyb]

66. The point is the coverage is an indication of who matters in this country

and who does not.

It is painfully obvious who does not matter in this country.

[Darth_Kitten]

51. Why, are white, teenage girls lesser human beings?

Last time I checked, it wasn't white, teenage girls wrecking the world.

[Biker13]

54. Unrec...

Leave race/ethnicity out of it. Begin the search for your "give-a- shit"and regain your humanity.

[Skip Intro]

56. Racist bullshit. nt

[liquid diamond]

57. If these chicks were ugly nobody would give a shit. Our society

is fully of superficial assholes.

[lonestarnot]

59. Ugly and not rich, not rich more.

[liberal_at_heart]

58. I haven't really paid much attention to either the Halloway story or the girl in the sailboat.

I leave that to the authorities. I do think it is sad that families from the inner cities don't have the resources or the media attention to investigate their missing person cases the way most upper middle class caucasian families do.

[ShamelessHussy]

62. raises both hands... however, it is the kinda sick drama the M$M and elite know will distract us

since it has a very clear bad guy for everyone to hate.

[Raine]

63. Turn on MSNBC they don't have any of that

but don't bother with MSNBC on the weekend unless you're addicted to prison stories.

[chillspike]

67. I kind of agree

Missing women have become just a tool the media uses to command attention...Not to say, it's not important to find missing women but the media is using those stories for viewership.

[TexasObserver]

68. These stories are in the news because they appeal to a large demographic.

That demographic is white women, many of whom cannot get enough of the missing white woman stories.

It's obnoxious that these stories get covered, while stories of missing blacks or latinas don't.

These stories appeal to people who can think "that could be ME!"