Today a local woman who went missing a few days ago, has been "found" and classified by the local Police as "voluntarily missing". I had actually never heard of that particular phrase, my personal choice is "I am running away to join the circus!" I am not making light of the situation but rather saying I understand. In some of my recent posts http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=1782178044301941343&postID=5485249763379148212 I have blogged about the racial bias of missing persons cases in the eyes of the media. How missing caucasians are more likely to be headline news than say a missing black woman. So of course I had a rush of emotion when I clicked on the Facebook link to my local news show and it said Fresno woman goes missing, and she was white..... I was at first mad that here was another white missing woman getting media coverage, then I remembered what I had written. "When someone is missing, there are those that are left behind to deal with the events that will follow, the people that love them. I hope none of us ever have to experience the emotions they do every moment of the day not knowing if their loved one is ok. In all of these instances race does not matter, time does." So I instead requested to friend the missing woman on Facebook as her family had asked the public to do to be able to download a flyer that I would post at my job near a Greyhound Bus Terminal. I saw her ex husband and her daughter on the newscast and knew that they did not deserve to have to deal with this.
So when I saw the recent feed on my Facebook that she had been "found". I felt relief for them and was glad she was ok. I know a lot of other people will not think it was ok for her to do what she did.To just up and leave her child and people that cared about her. To leave them with nothing to go on. Then I also felt a sort of kindred spirit in her. I don't know about anyone else but I can really honestly say I too had thought just taking off and disappearing may be best for those I loved, that they would be ok. Some will say that is cowardice to run away from your "problems". Everyone has problems right?
Yes everyone does, but sometimes those problems are so overwhelming to us as individuals and the mere thought of being a failure, or unable to handle the stress of what our lives have become, is too much to bear. I do not know all of the details of why she left, but it does not matter. I understand why she did it. Maybe you won't. What I do know is what a powerful thing Facebook is. Her page had over 4000 "friends" all praying for her safe return, ready to go and post flyers or go on searches...amazing! What a great community of people in the Central California Valley we have. I hope those same people will be open minded about her "return" and will be nonjudgemental and instead be grateful that the outcome was not far worse if not for her sake, then for her daughters.
Showing posts with label missing persons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label missing persons. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
MEDIA'S RACIAL BIAS IN MISSING PERSONS CASES
Lacey Peterson, Natalee Holloway, Polly Klaas, Elizabeth Smart. All missing person cases, all white. You recognize their names immediately. Elizabeth Jane Smallwood, Tamika Huston, Phylicia Barnes, Evelyn A. Shelton, Brittany Renee Williams, all missing persons cases, all black. Have you even heard of these cases? Some of which are part of cases that are linked to several other missing black women, some who sadly have been found dead. Some currently open.
Take the case of 16 year old Phylicia Barnes, who went missing in late December 2010, and was found dead on April 20th. Her case though publicized on Good Morning America did not garner the media attention that famous missing person cases like Peterson, Holloway, Klaas or Smart's did. Phylicia Barnes who was a straight A student and had aspirations of becoming a child psychologist went to visit her sister in Baltimore and went missing a few days after Christmas, it was not until three weeks later that this case made national headlines. Sadly Philica Barnes was found dead 4 months later under suspicious circumstances. When Holloway went missing the media was quickly involved within a few days after her parents had flown to Aruba. She is still making headlines today. Her mother even has a show dedicated to helping other families of missing people.
It has been my opinion that when a person of color, including children goes missing it is not as big a deal to the national media. In most instances the blond haired, blue eyed child, or woman that goes missing under mysterious circumstances will get the headline before the black child, or woman, who also goes missing under mysterious circumstances. It is such a sad truth that this happens and it is unconscionable in my opinion.
When someone goes missing don't their families suffer the same emotions, whether black or white? Is it the socio-economic double standard? Peterson, Klaas, and Smart were from pretty well off families, we know this because of the coverage. I don't have stats on the missing Black persons families backgrounds, because there was no mention of their economic status. Seems to me the attitude of the media is that they are all about ratings and putting a missing white person on the morning news attracts more viewers statistically speaking. It is a fact. Its also a sad fact that law enforcement takes some cases less serious than others, especially kids who are classified as runaways, maybe there is a legitimate reason they run away. When black children run away who cares right? No one is going to miss them...except their families.
Several foundations and organizations have been created because people had to somehow continue the legacy of their loved ones who were missing and in most cases found dead. Here are links to several of those sites.
When I was researching info for this post I clicked on link for the Spartanburg County, South Carolina's link for missing persons, and though Evelyn A. Shelton is currently missing, a photo of a woman who has been missing since 2002 is the only missing person listed on that site. She is white, blonde haired and blue eyed! Terrible! This proves my point perfectly.
Evelyn A. Shelton 42, has been missing since May 20, 2011, when she left to meet a study date in Spartanburg, South Carolina, her car was found the next day on the outskirts of Spartanburg, an orange HHR. Please watch this video made by a family member and recently posted on youtube.com. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Evelyn please contact the numbers provided at the end of the slideshow or go to this link. When someone is missing, there are those that are left behind to deal with the events that will follow, the people that love them. I hope none of us ever have to experience the emotions they do every moment of the day not knowing if their loved one is ok. In all of these instances race does not matter, time does.
Take the case of 16 year old Phylicia Barnes, who went missing in late December 2010, and was found dead on April 20th. Her case though publicized on Good Morning America did not garner the media attention that famous missing person cases like Peterson, Holloway, Klaas or Smart's did. Phylicia Barnes who was a straight A student and had aspirations of becoming a child psychologist went to visit her sister in Baltimore and went missing a few days after Christmas, it was not until three weeks later that this case made national headlines. Sadly Philica Barnes was found dead 4 months later under suspicious circumstances. When Holloway went missing the media was quickly involved within a few days after her parents had flown to Aruba. She is still making headlines today. Her mother even has a show dedicated to helping other families of missing people.
It has been my opinion that when a person of color, including children goes missing it is not as big a deal to the national media. In most instances the blond haired, blue eyed child, or woman that goes missing under mysterious circumstances will get the headline before the black child, or woman, who also goes missing under mysterious circumstances. It is such a sad truth that this happens and it is unconscionable in my opinion.
When someone goes missing don't their families suffer the same emotions, whether black or white? Is it the socio-economic double standard? Peterson, Klaas, and Smart were from pretty well off families, we know this because of the coverage. I don't have stats on the missing Black persons families backgrounds, because there was no mention of their economic status. Seems to me the attitude of the media is that they are all about ratings and putting a missing white person on the morning news attracts more viewers statistically speaking. It is a fact. Its also a sad fact that law enforcement takes some cases less serious than others, especially kids who are classified as runaways, maybe there is a legitimate reason they run away. When black children run away who cares right? No one is going to miss them...except their families.
Several foundations and organizations have been created because people had to somehow continue the legacy of their loved ones who were missing and in most cases found dead. Here are links to several of those sites.
http://tamikahuston.org/
http://www.pollyklaas.org/
http://www.nataleehollowayfoundation.net/
http://www.blackandmissinginc.com/cdad/
http://www.pollyklaas.org/
http://www.nataleehollowayfoundation.net/
http://www.blackandmissinginc.com/cdad/
When I was researching info for this post I clicked on link for the Spartanburg County, South Carolina's link for missing persons, and though Evelyn A. Shelton is currently missing, a photo of a woman who has been missing since 2002 is the only missing person listed on that site. She is white, blonde haired and blue eyed! Terrible! This proves my point perfectly.
Evelyn A. Shelton 42, has been missing since May 20, 2011, when she left to meet a study date in Spartanburg, South Carolina, her car was found the next day on the outskirts of Spartanburg, an orange HHR. Please watch this video made by a family member and recently posted on youtube.com. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Evelyn please contact the numbers provided at the end of the slideshow or go to this link. When someone is missing, there are those that are left behind to deal with the events that will follow, the people that love them. I hope none of us ever have to experience the emotions they do every moment of the day not knowing if their loved one is ok. In all of these instances race does not matter, time does.
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