Unnecessary information in Articles

[Kirux 1,224]

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/24/14672250-teen-arrested-in-killing-of-jessica-ridgeway-10-year-old-colorado-girl?lite

 

As many of you may have heard, on Oct 5th a little girl in Colorado was abducted. On Oct 10th her body was found dismembered. Well today they made an arrest in the case. The article was very informational until this particular part:

 

A former classmate, Austin Caisse, 17, described the suspect as “brilliant,” and told the Post he was into Japanese culture, anime, and shared an interest in collecting knives.

I understand they are relating the information given, but why the hell did they find it necessary to point out he was into Anime and Japanese culture? This is only going to further the thought process of some people that these are bad things to be into, a long with video games, and that they inspire violence and aggression.

 

Am I the only one that finds these sort of statements completely unneeded? What is the point of bringing these things to the public?

[King Riku 2,063]

If stupid, ignorant people are going to think I'm a murderer for liking anime and the Japanese culture, then let them. It just keeps the stupid people away.

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

I understand they are relating the information given, but why the hell did they find it necessary to point out he was into Anime and Japanese culture? This is only going to further the thought process of some people that these are bad things to be into, a long with video games, and that they inspire violence and aggression.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[WakelessDream 2,278]

Why'd they include that in there? And why did he give a stupid statement like that lol? The whole collecting knives thing makes it sound like he could be the killer/suspect lol.

 

Nvm I think I misread something lol...

Edited October 24, 2012 by WakelessDream

[HarLea Quinn 26,501]

It may be needless info but I'm more appalled at children killing children , especially in such a horrific manner.

[Kirux 1,224]

It may be needless info but I'm more appalled at children killing children , especially in such a horrific manner.

 

Me too, so I was already appalled and then I read that and the unintentional implications of it made it worse.

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

It may be needless info but I'm more appalled at children killing children , especially in such a horrific manner.

 

I feel like, because he was in his teens and is nearly a legal adult, he knew what he was he was doing. Especially considering he soaked that rag in chemicals before attacking that woman from behind. But that's just what I think. uwu

 

Me too, so I was already appalled and then I read that and the unintentional implications of it made it worse.

 

It makes wonder if they put that information there on purpose.

[Kirux 1,224]

I feel like, because he was in his teens and is nearly a legal adult, he knew what he was he was doing. Especially considering he soaked that rag in chemicals before attacking that woman from behind. But that's just what I think. uwu

 

 

 

It makes wonder if they put that information there on purpose.

 

I honestly think the might, as if to give some reason why the teen would do something. People need something to blame for bad things, and can't be assed to find the real reason this kid is so messed up.

[HarLea Quinn 26,501]

I feel like, because he was in his teens and is nearly a legal adult, he knew what he was he was doing. Especially considering he soaked that rag in chemicals before attacking that woman from behind. But that's just what I think. uwu

 

 

 

It makes wonder if they put that information there on purpose.

 

Well just bc hes a teen it doesnt mean he didnt know what he was doing nor did I imply him being a minor meant that he didnt know what he was doing . There have been cases of younger children then him killing and fully knowing it was wrong .

[Kirux 1,224]

Well just bc hes a teen it doesnt mean he didnt know what he was doing nor did I imply him being a minor meant that he didnt know what he was doing . There have been cases of younger children then him killing and fully knowing it was wrong .

 

Evil knows no age boundaries.

[LibertaerGER 5]

There have been cases of younger children then him killing and fully knowing it was wrong .

Did they know it to the full extent or just regret it later on? Right or wrong is not a generic term for some reasons.

[HarLea Quinn 26,501]

Did they know it to the full extent or just regret it later on? Right or wrong is not a generic term for some reasons.

 

I'm talking about some of the child killers who admitted they knew it was wrong as they were doing it but did it anyways .Some even admit they took pleasure in it. So does that answer your question ?

[FireRubies1 1,325]

Why did they find it necessary to point out the Japanese culture and video games?

Lots of American things can be more violent .___.

 

Haha my name is Austin

[Think Pink 1,967]

They probably included it not to insult Japanese culture, but because when they thought of that kid, that's what they associated him with. For instance, I know my friends have mentioned that when they think of me, they associate me with the military. So if anyone had ever asked what I was into, that's probably what they would have answered. It's not insulting the Japanese culture or video games, it's just something the kid liked. I don't think there was any kind of intended insult.

[Kirux 1,224]

They probably included it not to insult Japanese culture, but because when they thought of that kid, that's what they associated him with. For instance, I know my friends have mentioned that when they think of me, they associate me with the military. So if anyone had ever asked what I was into, that's probably what they would have answered. It's not insulting the Japanese culture or video games, it's just something the kid liked. I don't think there was any kind of intended insult.

 

It's not that it's an insult.

 

It's an article about a kid who brutally murdered and dissected a little girl. The fact that he liked Anime and Japanese culture has nothing important to add to the article at all. There was NO reason for it to be mentioned.

 

It's like if someone was writing an article about Charlie Manson killing those people and the added at the end "A neighbour says he was 'Very polite' and also mentioned how he liked long walks on the beach and the smell of flowers after the rain."

 

He has NOTHING to add to the story. If anything, it only adds to the STIGMA that being into anime/video games/table top rpgs/foreign cultures/etc is a negative influence onto people, whether they INTENDED it to or not.

[Think Pink 1,967]

It's not that it's an insult.

 

It's an article about a kid who brutally murdered and dissected a little girl. The fact that he liked Anime and Japanese culture has nothing important to add to the article at all. There was NO reason for it to be mentioned.

 

It's like if someone was writing an article about Charlie Manson killing those people and the added at the end "A neighbour says he was 'Very polite' and also mentioned how he liked long walks on the beach and the smell of flowers after the rain."

 

He has NOTHING to add to the story. If anything, it only adds to the STIGMA that being into anime/video games/table top rpgs/foreign cultures/etc is a negative influence onto people, whether they INTENDED it to or not.

 

I think they add it so you know more about a person than just "oh let's assume they didn't exist until this happened". That kind of thing is mentioned in most articles concerning crimes that I've read. They mention stuff like this all the time. It's just the fact that it's Japanese and this is a video game site that I think everyone is so riled up. Most people think nothing of it.

 

Personally, I like guns. But if I read something like this, and it referred to the person as "anti-gun", I wouldn't take any offense, And I wouldn't assume everyone is going to go "OMG THEY WERE ANTI-GUN" and make a big deal over it. 99% of people are going to be like, "oh, whatever," not "OMG JAPAN IS RUINING CHILDREN'S BRAINS"

[Kirux 1,224]

Ah but anti-video game culture is rampant in the media. Not as much recently, but far more often than it should be. media targets current things that could be bad influences. Video games/Anime/Music even certain books to an extent, yet amazingly no one likes to point fingers at movies/tvs being a bad influence, at least not that you've heard of recently.

 

I still stand that it wasn't needed to be mentioned in the article. I personally don't care what the person was into or wasn't. It has little to do with the crime he committed and, until he states otherwise, I would think it has little to do with WHY he committed it.

[Elijah Gravenhorst 480]

Stuff is messed.

[Oishii 3,987]

A former classmate, Austin Caisse, 17, described the suspect as “brilliant,” and told the Post he was into Japanese culture, anime, and shared an interest in collecting knives.

Rachel Bradley, another classmate, told The Associated Press that Sigg was interested in mortuary science. Sigg had enrolled at Arapahoe Community College, which has a mortuary science program.

I think it's more revealing when you quote the following paragraph.

 

I think it can be argued that the inclusion was benign, but putting Japanese culture and anime side by side with collecting knives and interest in mortuary science considering his crime doesn't sit well with me. And people obviously don't treat anime and Asian culture as nothing otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion to begin with.

 

Usually when we have these stories people want to know what was wrong with them that drove him to do this. Since there doesn't look like there was anything wrong in the family life, they were probably venturing into his interests as a red flag. Unfortunately, there is an old perception that Asians are strange, backwards people and used to be portrayed as crooks in western culture. Some of these stereotypes still exist today which is why people who express an interest in their culture also get labeled this way. It's subtle, but if you already hold these misperceptions, seeing this will only reinforce them.

Personally, I like guns. But if I read something like this, and it referred to the person as "anti-gun", I wouldn't take any offense, And I wouldn't assume everyone is going to go "OMG THEY WERE ANTI-GUN" and make a big deal over it. 99% of people are going to be like, "oh, whatever," not "OMG JAPAN IS RUINING CHILDREN'S BRAINS"

 

There was actually a similar situation that happened surrounding guns. After the Batman Massacre, Inside Edition made the connection that the killer's interest in paintball could have led him into shooting those people. Paintball shooters became very angry with this association, asserting that it's a recreational sport that people of all walks of life enjoy. They didn't want their sport to be labeled as something that violent and unstable people are into. This is basically what Kirux is calling out. It's more subtle so there is a possibility it wasn't meant to be taken that way, but unfortunately there will be people who will take it the wrong way considering the context it's placed in.

[Kirux 1,224]

UPDATE

A new article detailing the arrest and hearing of the suspect was posted here http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/25/14696928-prosecutors-say-colorado-teen-has-confessed-to-jessica-ridgeway-murder?lite

In the article, when describing what others have said about the teen, the article now reads:

Acquaintances have said Sigg was interested in mortuary science and forensic science, often wore black and hung out in the high school cafeteria's "goth corner."

Seemingly the fact he is into Anime and Japanese culture is no longer relevant, but now once again the media is casting shadows on the Goth community. Which gets A LOT of crap when things like these happen. Sigh, guess the media will never be truly unbiased.

[TheApprenticeofKingMickey 3,689]

UPDATE

A new article detailing the arrest and hearing of the suspect was posted here http://usnews.nbcnew...way-murder?lite

 

In the article, when describing what others have said about the teen, the article now reads:

 

 

 

Seemingly the fact he is into Anime and Japanese culture is no longer relevant, but now once again the media is casting shadows on the Goth community. Which gets A LOT of crap when things like these happen. Sigh, guess the media will never be truly unbiased.

 

 

You're kidding me. That's even worse than the insinuation when it came to the anime and the manga. /rages

[FlipMode 141]

 

Am I the only one that finds these sort of statements completely unneeded? What is the point of bringing these things to the public?

 

Because it makes people post the story on blogs and forums, giving them a lot of extra views.

[dusk 910]

Media loves to make big deal about everything that is litte bit newer thing or is more unknown to adults. Adults love to read articles like that to 'prove' that something they dislike or are unknown to is bad or causes harm. We just have to deal with it.