Cape 20 Something

Negative News: Where's the Good Stuff?

Show me those soldiers who return home safe & proud;
Not just a death count of those who sadly did not

It’s tough to stay on top of Cape Cod news when I’m up here in Beverly working my butt off to graduate in the spring. I check out CCToday every morning and skim through the email updates when they come, but I’ve just kind of given up on watching the news. I am just oh so sick of the glorified and gory-fied stories that are all that seem to come from the Cape.

Ok let’s brainstorm. Senator Ted Kennedy had another mild seizure last night. He was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital, rightfully so. About three hours later, he was fortunately released, just in time to catch the first presidential debate. He’s got brain cancer. Has had it since last May. He’s going on 77 years old. A visit to the hospital is kind of a given, isn’t it?

But regardless of his rough shape, Senator Kennedy is still working from his Hyannisport home, communicating daily with the Senate, and having international guests visit. This in and of itself is a feat for what this man is currently dealing with. When will we hear about this positive news from the Kennedy Compound? Whether or not you’re a supporter of Uncle Ted, you are most likely rooting for his recovery. Right? Well I would hope so anyway.

I’m irritated by all the negatives that television news is feeding us. Why should I only care about the ‘oh nos!’ and the tear-jerking stories from the Cape—and from anywhere and everywhere? It’s not just the local stations either. It’s all the local and national news stations spoon-feeding us all these terrorizing tidbits of information. Where’s the good stuff? I know that this country is not overflowing with drunk driving accidents, shootings, rapes, murders, kidnappings, and soldiers dying.

Of course, these things do happen and are happening. But what about the lost-but-found 7-year-old girls, or the school shootings that were prevented in time to save uncountable lives, or the thousands of soldiers that return home and are healthy and proud? These things happen and are happening too, maybe even more often.

What about the convalescing Ted Kennedys as opposed to the hospitalized ones?