the nameless, the faceless

today's papers dedicated A LOT of print to this season's first real snow storm - 4-12 inches that delayed the feds and closed the schools; all but the district of columbia public schools, that is. parent's were pissed and the pundits speculated as to the extent of the obama factor on the mayor's and chancellor's decision to keep open the district's schools.

i guess this was news worthy, but my eyes were drawn to this article in the post. the article focuses on the increased murder rate in certain neighborhoods in ward 8 and the 7th police district. the interesting part of this news article was that there was really no news. it was more like a quasi-journalistic litany of dangerous stereotypes - southeast, east of the anacostia river, open air drug markets, murder, overworked, under-prepared police, poorest neighborhoods in the city, blah, blah, blah, blah ... not one victim's name, not one specific location, no real attempt to provide information regarding any of the 11 murders - all the stuff to keep you scared, and keep you away.

the stories that need to be reported are that:

1) these 11 victims are human beings with families and friends and are just as valuable as those victims who die on the other side of the river - the side where your name ends up in the paper and your story is told ... the side of the river where people read stories in the paper about 11 murders in fewer than 60 days and then hold protests and insist on increased patrols, intervention and protection; and

2) the communities of northeast and southeast dc east of the anacostia river are strong, vibrant, and established communities with people from all walks of life - including those who, just like their counterparts in all other wards and quadrants of the city, make choices that are not the best for them or for their communities.