The media all over our country and even talk show hosts have weighed in on the topic of "stowaway boy," the 9-year-old North Minneapolis child who managed to get aboard an airline and fly to Las Vegas. Click here for Star Tribune article.
JNS blog has not made an effort to learn the names of the parents or even obtain a copy of the petition because when the mainstream media are chewing up a big story, it is my habit to wait until a unique blogging angle becomes apparent. I mean, I sort of thought the big media boys who were ALL OVER THE STORY would soon publish this info. I was wrong.
If a copy of the court petition comes into my hands, I would of course publish it verbatim, and probably within 5 minutes of becoming aware it's in my email inbox. (hoffjohnw@gmail.com)
It's public info. And it's the job of the media to make such relevant info accessible, not to sit on the info.
So why aren't the local media providing info to the public about this incident, such as the actual court petition which makes the names of the parents....
...a public record?
The Star Tribune article linked above illustrates the pattern. It appears a tendency toward political correctness has kept the Star Tribune from asking relevant questions that need to be asked. In fact, the article states the Star Tribune has the court petition but will not publish the info. Are the media now in the business of KEEPING INFO FROM THE PUBLIC? I thought that was the job of, oh I don't know, the CIA or something.
Let's look at the Star Tribune article and how it falls short, BESIDES being in possession of the court petition and NOT publishing that info so the public can draw its own conclusions.
FIRST OF ALL, the article says the family moved to Minnesota from Illinois several years ago. The article doesn't state WHY the family moved here from Illinois. Unfortunately, the tendency of less than stellar people to leave Chicago and move to Minneapolis has been extensively documented over the course of decades. Some even speculate Chicago has been quietly engaging in a policy of "Greyhound Bus Therapy" to export criminals and unemployed to Minnesota. In this instance, the Star Tribune should have explained WHY the family moved to Minnesota.
SECONDLY, the Star Tribune makes mention of the petition filed and says the family has no criminal history IN MINNESOTA.
Do I even need to STATE what the obvious follow up question would be? No, I do not. And the fact I don't have to state it shows how FREAKING OBVIOUS it is. Also, I bet a doughnut the word "Chicago" is somewhere in that petition, but the Star Tribune is saying "Illinois" to avoid stirring the raw emotions about dirtbags from Chicago constantly moving to Minneapolis.
THIRD, are the parents employed or are they recipients of Food Stamps, Section 8, etcetera? If the child is in poverty and the parents aren't employed, that's information relevant to his behavior. If the family is actually employed, owns their own home, and is doing well, that's ALSO relevant information. But the media should be uncovering this information instead of hanging back, afraid to ask critical questions for fear of giving offense.
FOURTH, are the parents married? I'm not seeing that mentioned anywhere and I have searched for that info. Apparently having children and not being married isn't even a subject the media cares to comment upon, not even when the child thinks Vegas (baby!) would be a superior option to his home life. So what is his home life? We don't know, because the people in charge of asking questions (so they can sell advertising) aren't asking the relevant questions.
When a child stows away on an aircraft, eluding security meant to keep out bombs and terrorists, the public has a right to know why and to know all the details. Indeed, it appears the entire NATION is interested. And instead of doing their job, the Star Tribune has fallen back upon Minnesota Nice and political correctness rather than ask WHY DID YOU MOVE HERE FROM ILLINOIS? DO YOU HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS IN ILLINOIS? DO YOU RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE? DO YOU HAVE JOBS? ARE YOU MARRIED?
Do your job, Star Tribune. Don't make a blogger do it for you.
The Strib did publish the petition with all the names redacted because they are not public information and are protected by law. For you to obtain the names and publish them would be unethical. Not that that would stop you.
ReplyDeleteIf the petition was published with the names redacted, it was probably the Strib that did the redacting.
ReplyDeleteSeems like 90% of reader comments on various media sites boil down to either "Blame the parents!" or "Don't blame the parents- you don't know what's really going on!" Hopefully JNS gets further information on why this happened and, yes, who is to blame. Everyone has a strong opinion on the parenting, based on virtually zero information.
ReplyDeleteNo, the names of JUVENILES involved in C.H.I.P.S. proceedings are confidential by statute. The names of juveniles involved in crimes are confidential as well, unless they have been certified as an adult.
ReplyDeleteBut then, someone with a law degree should know that, yes?
Again, for you to publish that information would be unethical, and maybe illegal depending on the source.
I was talking about the names of the PARENTS, obviously. If the names were redacted, I'm sure it was the STrib that did the redacting.
ReplyDeleteA little more checking found that the judge ordered the names made non-public to protect the child and parents from reporters and harassment.
ReplyDeleteThe judge, according to statute, may restrict information: "Any document which the court, upon its own motion or upon motion of a party, orders inaccessible to serve the best interests of the child..."
DO not,I repeat, DO NOT take the local bird cage bottom newspaper- seriously when it comes to this because they will continue to appease that certain element of society for either personal gain, or cowardice, veiled in half truths.
ReplyDeleteThey live in fear of a lawsuit based on their amateurish stance of ineffective and reprehensible faux-pas journalism with utter aversion to the idea of legitimate reality and equality.
Cite your source.
ReplyDeleteAnd even if true, the Star Tribune could publish the Petition like all the documents I publish on this blog. This blog provides source material so readers can judge for themselves whether the stories are accurate and whether I've cited the relevant facts. If you don't like the story, you still get accurate source material. Not so the Star Tribune, not most of the time.