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no_hypocrisy

(46,210 posts)
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 09:58 AM Dec 2012

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher kills his girlfriend before committing suicide

Is it me or do any of you feel that there's been more focus of this tragedy on the lost potential of this football player rather than on the fact he murdered the mother of his child and that he left the two-month old child an orphan?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/chiefs-player-killed-girlfriend-article-1.1211469

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher kills his girlfriend before committing suicide (Original Post) no_hypocrisy Dec 2012 OP
If it wasn't for the fact that he was a footbal player, the media wouldn't care at all. NutmegYankee Dec 2012 #1
Agreed 1,000 percent. no_hypocrisy Dec 2012 #2
There's roughly 500 incidents per year in the US Recursion Dec 2012 #3
In a major metro area, the average murder suicide would not be covered. FarCenter Dec 2012 #5
Sadly... KharmaTrain Dec 2012 #4
It seems to be expectable. bluedigger Dec 2012 #6
I am with you on this one. Vattel Dec 2012 #7
Manhood, football and suicid no_hypocrisy Dec 2012 #8

NutmegYankee

(16,201 posts)
1. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a footbal player, the media wouldn't care at all.
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 10:16 AM
Dec 2012

These grotesque murder suicides happen all over, but are usually only covered by local news.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
3. There's roughly 500 incidents per year in the US
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 10:44 AM
Dec 2012

though there's no central tracking of murder/suicides, so that's just an estimate. It seems to be down from twenty years ago, like all other categories of violent crime, but it's still way too common.

 

FarCenter

(19,429 posts)
5. In a major metro area, the average murder suicide would not be covered.
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 11:06 AM
Dec 2012

Smaller metros and rural areas will have local news coverage.

The national coverage is strictly due to pseudo-celebrity status.

KharmaTrain

(31,706 posts)
4. Sadly...
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 10:46 AM
Dec 2012

...there are many of these types of murders these days. In Chicago seems like every day there's yet another tragic murder that gets lost in the shuffle with another tragic murder. It's as though we're immune to the carnage and almost accept these stories as "routine". I only know the basics in this story and there are many questions to be answered, but nonetheless, there's a child who will now grow up without parents and another senseless, tragic murder that will be surpassed by the next one.

bluedigger

(17,087 posts)
6. It seems to be expectable.
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 11:24 AM
Dec 2012

He was the figure in the public eye, not his victims. The fact he committed the murder is the underlying premise to the coverage, but the topic being explored is why did it happen. Perhaps as the story has time to develop we will hear Kassandra's story as well, but for now, more information is available for review on Belcher. To better understand his terrible choice, it helps to see what he gave up, as well as what he took. Some reporters will frame it better than others, of course.

 

Vattel

(9,289 posts)
7. I am with you on this one.
Sun Dec 2, 2012, 11:34 AM
Dec 2012

I don't understand how anyone could display a poster of him and toast his memory so soon after he committed murder. That is just wrong.

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