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caseymoz

(5,763 posts)

17. Just presume everything you hear from a crisis

Fri Dec 28, 2012, 02:22 PM

Dec 2012

. . . for the first week is going to be wrong. I mean, in a massacre, survivors are confused and in shock. The hysteria they feel can spread to the responders and the reporters. Eye-witnesses are frequently wrong, and are worse under stress. The same stories are told multiple times with so many different details that people think it's different stories. Plus, I have no proof, but I really think under stress some people will just hallucinate. Meanwhile, reporters do hang back from checking details because the survivors are traumatized and responders are busy and/or traumatized.

Then there's the fact that everybody tries to turn horror stories into hero stories. They don't care if any of the heroics reported are true.

Personally, I'm impressed when they can get the body count right the first day.

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Highlight:

Newtown Gunman Adam Lanza Did Not Wear Body Armor At Massacre [View all] DonViejo Dec 2012 OP

Another good story ruined by the facts? AnotherMcIntosh Dec 2012 #1

All I know is, everything you know is wrong. slackmaster Dec 2012 #2

Whatever happened to the lead about him having an altercation at the School in days prior? MjolnirTime Dec 2012 #3

Meh.. naaman fletcher Dec 2012 #6

I later saw a police denial of that story. n/t PoliticAverse Dec 2012 #16

No surprises ProgressiveProfessor Dec 2012 #4

The same thing was claimed during the Co shooting incident. ileus Dec 2012 #5

Grammar question: is it correct to use "donning" CJCRANE Dec 2012 #7

You're right. He'd have to be doing both at once. nolabear Dec 2012 #9

Today's "journalists" are SOOOOO literate. kath Dec 2012 #12

It's where you go when you can't cut the BA in English literature. Igel Dec 2012 #15

a lot of it is offshore Skittles Dec 2012 #21

Wish it were further off. Eleanors38 Dec 2012 #24

Heh, that jumped out at me, too. Brickbat Dec 2012 #14

Well that clears that up....... Historic NY Dec 2012 #8

Before the Internet Remmah2 Dec 2012 #10

Nothing was right about this story. Nothing. TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #11

Just like Aurora, at the theater shooting. AtheistCrusader Dec 2012 #13

Just presume everything you hear from a crisis caseymoz Dec 2012 #17

Reporters checking details? Lurks Often Dec 2012 #18

Some of that is not necessarily the reporter's fault. caseymoz Dec 2012 #22

It wasn't just that, it was a Lurks Often Dec 2012 #23

That's why I've kept the conjecture down to a minimum Major Nikon Dec 2012 #19

thanks for that link UpInArms Dec 2012 #27

What was IN the utility vest pockets? The mini-story is tantalizing in what we are NOT told. MADem Dec 2012 #20

Yes, probably spare magazines. nt HooptieWagon Dec 2012 #26

One awful GOP/RW news organization has run regular de-bunking stories: Eleanors38 Dec 2012 #25