If you watch the news at all you have to have seen at least one of those
incidences of a member of the military stationed overseas secretly coming back
and surprising their unsuspecting family, who are then overcome with joy. More
likely, you have been bombarded with them.
I see on this morning's news it happened again yesterday in a big way at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia, when airman Sgt. David Sims appeared to his
family unexpectedly at a Braves Major League baseball game. A very nice touch
for a Memorial Day, I suppose.
However, I've seen so many of these on the news lately, service people
popping out of boxes, out of various disguises, and using other clever ruses to
surprise family members who think their loved one is thousands of miles away
doing Uncle Sam's bidding.
I admit that for a while I found this type of thing heartwarming and moving
nearly to tears - and I have to say, few things move me to tears. But now it has
become in my mind an extension of our voyeuristic society and fixation on
"reality" television. Why must these things be made into media events?
And honestly, with all the truly weighty matters that are newsworthy on a
local, national, and international level, it's kind of hard for me to understand
how these comparatively trivial matters make their way to the news. In fact,
there are too many fluff-type and purely trivial stories that take up newscast
time these days, in my opinion, and if you don't read newspapers or the
newswires as supplements, you may find yourself woefully uninformed on some
major happenings.
Now I confess to owning a cynical streak that I try with varying degrees of
success to keep in check, but these reunion things are in my mind beginning to
take on the appearance of publicity stunts. How sweet, And how nice of the
Braves, or the local school, or whoever, to put it all together (and then notify
the media).
I'm beginning to think we would be better served with a return to the
fifteen minute newscast that consisted of headlines and brief summaries. And
hold the analysis, commentary, and the fluff. But maybe that's just me.
10 comments:
Agreed. Heartwarming at first, but then as the saying goes, 'a little bit goes a long ways'.
As for 'reality' TV? Yeah, sure, that's reality all right.
Unfortunately, as with politics and religion, pandering to the mediocre mind is what pays. You can be sure that if such scenes hurt rather than boosted ratings, we would see less of them.
In the meantime, here is a piece of real reality from my outdoor cathedral:
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/5pIRp2/img.earthshots.org/2011/full/160.jpg
If you must be indoors, this makes a wonderful wallpaper. Tip - expand the size with windows photo viewer, then right click and choose 'set as desktop background'.
I agree Doug. If my husband or father was returning from war I would not want the media there for the homecoming. I also think the so called local and national news has become more for entertainment than to actually give the facts and real news. I for one don't want entertainment when I turn to the news... I want the facts about what is going on in the world.
I wholeheartedly agree.
I think it is done for the entertainment value and for recruiting purposes. I don't know who arranges these things, but I'd bet it is a commercial/recruitment collusion between the Defense Dept. and big business. It isn't just for a heartwarming surprise for the family.
@ Exrelayman,
Oooh, I checked that out and it was gorgeous. I wish I had that in a large frame to hang on my wall. I've often thought it would be neat to have a scene like that in the four seasons. And I would hang each picture in its turn according to the season.
@ Sylvia,
Yeah, I wouldn't want something that intimate broadcast that way. And I agree totally that the news is more entertainment. That and analysis, which I find a bit insulting. I'm pretty good at forming my own opinions.
@ Doug Robertson,
And you know what? I don't see an end is sight!
@ Georgia Mountain Man,
Aha, a fellow cynic. :)
I posted a comment on a friend's FB status post regarding the Braves game reunion. I got crucified by a t-bagger. He said it was a simple family reunion. Sure, a simple family reunion in front of 30,000 people and a national TV audience. I have no doubt as to the validity of the reunion, just the motives behind it.
@ Georgia Mountain Man,
I just think the saturation point has been reached on this as a media event. Family reunions are great. I just don't see them as news stories. Like you, I think there is more back of these things.
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