Amber Alert Update with a small Rant involved

This is an update about the Amber Alert concerning John B*ugh3r.  However, as I started to write about him and his arrest in Colorado, a rather nasty voice entered my mind.  It was a voice that was all too ready to rant against the news media and their portrayal of him.  I know that I have not spoken to the man in a good ten years, but mutual friends and family members still hold him in high regard. 

So instead of my words, I'd like to share some excerpts from two different letters to the editor of a local newspaper.  One is written by John's sister and the other by a close family friend.

"My mother and I are writing to say that we are very, very upset with all of the lies we have seen on the news regarding my brother, John.

It's unfortunate that the media have chosen to portray him as a mentally disturbed young man.  I cannot think of one allegation that is in fact true regarding his character...."

"I found myself asking questions and wondering if anyone else is asking the same things.  Why are we given so little information about the larger story, the context that prompted John to put himself and his children at risk?

Why would a gentle, caring father, a former Marine,and community college teacher go to such extremes?  The man is portrayed in the media as the mentally unstable abductor, but to many inside and outside his community he is the musician, the artist, the brilliant comedian, the accepting and compassionate companion, the patient teacher, the stubbornly passionate idealist, and now, the shattered soul."   

I am not saying what John did was right by taking his children.  He made a very bad choice and I truly wish someone wiser could have counseled him beforehand.  He was hasty and foolish.  There were other choices before him and now John is in jail.  He will have to wait a lot longer before he sees his children again.

But once again I have learned a valuable lesson.  Do not trust the media.  Do not believe everything you read.  Just because statements are made in black and white print do not mean they are factual or true.  The media sensationalizes stories to attract readership.  Basic facts are no longer used because our society has become Jerry Springerized. 

John made the wrong choice.  The Amber Alert was needed and it helped bring the children home.  A character assassination was unnecessary.   

Comments

[beccy]

I'm glad that the children are home but quite agree with you regarding the lies written by the media.

[DesLily]

It's never an easy call.. there are two sides and emotions that overboil.. as they say "till you walk in my shoes"...

[claudia]

If only more people realized what you just said. I have my undergrad in Mass Comm, and although we always were told to be "fair," we also had to have an "angle" in the story.
And yes, more and more, the news has to be sensationalized. You can even hear it in the newscaster's tones and their dramatic pauses. Oh, how I hate that.

[Pamela]

I am heartbroken

[Amanda]

I am curious what his motives were. I know John and I would say too that he is a pretty level headed and compassionate person. He must have had a really good reason to take off and make his kids the attention of a state-wide (and in this case several states-wide) abduction alert.

I don't believe the media about anything, to tell you the truth. And I didn't guy into their claims regarding John. It's sad that other people did because you are right about his defamation. He is ruined in that town forever.

[Matt]

K, sometimes I have trouble deciding whether to blame the liberal media or the right wing conspiracy.

It's all so confusing.

[Melissa]

Both my parents teach mass comm, my mom journalism specifically, and she did not teach her students to write with an angle. She hated the sensationalism of the media as much as everyone. I'm sorry about the character assasination you're seeing up front.

[momto3cubs]

I agree with you about the media. So many times I see articles about people and businesses that are full of wrong information and twisted facts. I'm talking about situations where I knew the first hand information, and couldn't believe how badly the media mangled it all.

I don't believe anything from the media, until I research it myself thoroughly from various sources. I'm sick of how every news stories has an angle and agenda to it.

[Angelina]

Context is pretty much EVERYTHING. I haven't read anything about it at all so I can't possibly comment on the events but I keep wondering what his motivations were and what was going on between him and his spouse that he felt the need to make the choices he did.

Anyway, I'm glad the kids are home too.

[swampwitch]

If the 'media' was ever held responsible for how they 'portray' a person, 'they' might be more careful with their attacks on them.
No matter how flat you make a pancake, there's always two sides.

[Gattina]

I don't know John's story, but what I understood by reading your post is that he is the father of the children he kidnapped probably for some good reason. So what ? Did he harm them, apparently not. So why blowing up such a apparently non existing story ? It happens all the time that fathers kidnapps their children if we want to write about that, then there would be no more room for the news in the newspaper ! anymore !

[chris B]

I'm glad the children are home safe and sound. The media have a lot to answer for as you say for the media it's all about selling papers and they don't care about the lies and hurt they inflict along the way.

[marnie]

The media usually likes to make a story into their own personal grab for ratings. A sad story with a sad ending. :(

[Sunrunner]

I'm glad that the kids are home. Hopefully they will be safe there, or at least the mother will think twice right now about hurting them, if that is what he was worried about. There's definitely two sides to this story. I wonder if he will get to tell his?

I hope so.

[wolfbaby]

the media sucks plain and simple

poor guy... must be one heck of a situation.

[Stephanie]

I applaud you.

And, strangely enough, I agree with both your mother and Matt.