I'm from Newtown, and I have something to say to the world:

[Springslips]

17. Kill the messenger.

This is not to blame the blogger of that link, he/she is going through he'll, but to others not personally hurt by this tragic and horrible event not to spread the meme brought on by his/her psychic pain.

I have problems with the media myself; but the turning on them late into the piece is a clear cut form of Kill The Messenger. Kill the messenger come from a deep primordial place where one want to retaliate on the person who brought them pain. Obviously, Adam Lanza isn't around to do that, so blame is transfer on the mode in which the pain came--the media. This is highlighted by her rant accusing the media of "wanting this," and so by wanting it they are to blame. This is running ramped in DU too, it is very natural thing, but one has to try to control base impulses and activate higher reasoning if we actually want real solutions, and not ape like action.

The truth is the media needs to cover this. I am sure it would less psychic painful to close our eyes and plug our ears and repeat "it isn't so, it isn't so" but such attitude is more psychic damaging and only goes to enabling the problem. It is their job. And it is also good for us to have the conversation via media about solutions to mass murder and violence after tragic events. This is the function of the press in a democracy.

This is not to say any critique of the media should be prohibited. Interviewing children is problematic. (Although I tend to the pro side here.) When the media saturates itself with non-stories like a blonde going missing on vacation--accusation of blood lust are germane. Broadcasting "facts" that turn out to be wrong deserves harsh criticism. But blasting them for covering a story that needs to be covered, and blasting them for discussing issues surrounding horrible events is unhealthy, unhelpful, and reeks of blame transference.