VALDOSTA —
The Internet is a world wide presence in nearly every home, workplace, school, church and government office. It provides invaluable access to data and information in addition to rapid means of communication. However, the downside of instant communication is becoming more recognized as tragedies, such as the recent death of a VSU student, are demonstrating.
The parents of Jasmine Benjamin have told news outlets across the country that their first notification of their daughter’s death was via Facebook, a horrific and impersonal way to find out such tragic news. Their story has resonated far and wide, broadcast on all the major networks and disseminated through popular media outlets such as People magazine.
Unfortunately, in the age of instant communication, as a society we can expect this to become far more common and the “norm” than the traditional method of learning bad news, which has typically been through law enforcement officials. Military wives learn about their husband’s deaths overseas long before the men in uniform come to their door. Even celebrity’s families learn of their loved one’s passing after the general public does. And it’s not just deaths, but divorces, accidents, pregnancies and more. There is no way to stop people from posting what they know, and the old rules about respecting privacy, especially for victim’s families, is dropping by the wayside.
News outlets typically abide by requests from law enforcement to withhold the victim’s name pending notification of next of kin, but those requests are becoming more and more difficult to honor as the person’s name is already circulating long before the paper comes out or the news airs on television.
How do we as a society cope with this new instant communication? How do the new lines get drawn about when and how and who notifications of bad news are to be done? If we can’t decide how to answer these questions, we can expect to see more of these stories repeated.
What We Think
Era of instant messaging and bad news
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Charity never tasted so good
For one night, you can indulge your sweet tooth while contributing to a worthy cause at the same time.
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Historic day celebrated
On January 1, 1863, Pres. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, announcing that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are and henceforth shall be free.
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How this garden grew
A special-needs couple wanted a garden. A teacher not only wanted to teach gardening skills but she also wanted to instill a sense of community purpose within her young students.
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Happy Father’s Day
He beamed with pride on our birth. He understood worry upon our birth. He is the giant by which we would judge all men. He protected us. He provided for us. He often sacrificed time with us to provide for us. He spent time with us.
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Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To Stevie Young of Valdosta. The owner of Artistic Taxidermy, Young won Best in the World, Turkey, in the 2013 World Taxidermy Championship. His eastern wild turkey display dominated the competition, earning him the distinction of best in the world. Another title for TitleTown!
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Canning preserves food, way of life
When the going gets tough, the tough getting canning. Valdosta-Lowndes County residents have this opportunity.
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PSST!: Round Two!
With tonight’s opening of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” Peach State Summer Theatre presents its second show of the 2013 season.
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A responsible fix for pets
The photo and story in Sunday’s paper about the dog whose owners had left him tied up with an electrical cord elicited a tremendous response from readers, outraged at the dog’s treatment.
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A band-aid in a crisis?
The announcement Monday by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities that a crisis stabilization center will be built in Lowndes County is good news for some, not so great for others.
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Slowing down for summer
Twenty-some years ago, it seemed Valdosta and South Georgia slowed down for the summer. School was out. Controversies seemed to dwindle. People seemed to work shorter hours despite the longer days.
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Charity never tasted so good
