Comments on: If I Were Balloon Boy’s Mom… http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/10/15/if-i-were-balloon-boys-mom/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:09:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Barb Szyszkiewicz, sfo http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/10/15/if-i-were-balloon-boys-mom/comment-page-1/#comment-4874 Barb Szyszkiewicz, sfo Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:09:09 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=6147#comment-4874 Cecilia, this isn't new. I remember back in 1987, on my way home from grad school, hearing a news bulletin during an airplane flight about a child who had been stuck down a well for a few days and how she was rescued. Again, media was all over a very possibly tragic family situation. 22 years later, the media is a little more "instant" and saturated, but really not any different. Once you bring IN the media, good luck keeping them out. I'll add that this situation also shows that "reality TV" is not good for children--not in any way. I really feel bad for these kids who are on Wife Swap and other shows. Cecilia, this isn’t new. I remember back in 1987, on my way home from grad school, hearing a news bulletin during an airplane flight about a child who had been stuck down a well for a few days and how she was rescued. Again, media was all over a very possibly tragic family situation. 22 years later, the media is a little more “instant” and saturated, but really not any different. Once you bring IN the media, good luck keeping them out.
I’ll add that this situation also shows that “reality TV” is not good for children–not in any way. I really feel bad for these kids who are on Wife Swap and other shows.

]]> By: Cecelia http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/10/15/if-i-were-balloon-boys-mom/comment-page-1/#comment-4844 Cecelia Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:02:04 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=6147#comment-4844 Mostly, I was deeply saddened by the very real possibility that the millions of Americans and others around the world were going to watch a most tragic event in the life of a family. Even recognizing that there may be a splendid ending, we had no business whatsoever in the private, agonizing hours of that family's life. Even knowing now that this may have all been at worst a fabrication and at best a horrifying false alarm, I'm ashamed we've come to this. Yes, I watched some too. Where is our respect for the dignity of the human person and the right to deal with one's pain in the safety and solace of one's private life? Mostly, I was deeply saddened by the very real possibility that the millions of Americans and others around the world were going to watch a most tragic event in the life of a family. Even recognizing that there may be a splendid ending, we had no business whatsoever in the private, agonizing hours of that family’s life. Even knowing now that this may have all been at worst a fabrication and at best a horrifying false alarm, I’m ashamed we’ve come to this. Yes, I watched some too. Where is our respect for the dignity of the human person and the right to deal with one’s pain in the safety and solace of one’s private life?

]]> By: Jenna Patrick http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/10/15/if-i-were-balloon-boys-mom/comment-page-1/#comment-4840 Jenna Patrick Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:33:42 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=6147#comment-4840 I watched this live today on some of the 24 hr. news networks. Everyone first thought that he had actually flown away with the balloon; thankfully, it looks like he just set it off and then got scared about being in trouble for it. Even more bizarre, in one of the interviews with the family, the kid said something about how it was all done for some "show". I will be following this story in the next couple days. I watched this live today on some of the 24 hr. news networks. Everyone first thought that he had actually flown away with the balloon; thankfully, it looks like he just set it off and then got scared about being in trouble for it.

Even more bizarre, in one of the interviews with the family, the kid said something about how it was all done for some “show”. I will be following this story in the next couple days.

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