Sad (and unsettling) public memorial services.
First and foremost, the slaying of 15 year old Hadiya Pendleton in one of Chicago's lost neighborhoods (lost to gang violence ... lost to crime ... lost to a generation ...) is clearly a sad event for which there are no words.
But what I don't get is that the 24 hour news channel chose to air the memorial service in its entirety -- which made me a little uncomfortable. And maybe that was the point -- we all should feel uncomfortable about the violence on the city streets -- but I still felt like we were pushing what should be a private moment in order to goose the ratings. Suddenly the whole ceremony seemed less about a fifteen year old's loss of life, and more about grandstanding from a podium. (Father Pfleger -- I'm looking at you. I know you do a lot for the community, but you all but "dropped the mike" like a rapper would have as you walked away at the end of your performance at this service.)
I don't have answers -- sadly, I don't think many do for this situation that only gets worse and worse in certain neighborhoods -- but I'm hoping that Hadiya's family also finds a way to mourn in peace, and that her death, if nothing else, will inspire real change to this city that so desperately needs it.
TO BE FAIR, HE'S REALLY DONE A LOT, SO I SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO CRITICIZE:
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090826/REVIEWS/908269997
MORE TO COME THIS WEEK FROM OBAMA:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-obama-hadiya-pendleton-20130210,0,964750.story
SOMEONE ELSE WHO SHARES MY OPINION:
http://www.urbanbaby.com/topics/54028823
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