The story of Kiera Wilmot seems to have taken the Internet by storm. However, mainstream media and I include NPR in this, have ignored this pressing issue. The pressing issue is racial and also has a lot to do with common sense and fear. It is racial because Kiera Wilmot, a 16 year black honor student of Bartow Florida, was taken in by Bartow Police and may very well be charged with a felony for doing something that most aspiring scientists do: she blew something up. Well, actually in the scheme of things it looked more like something George Lucas or Steven Spielberg might do for one of their special effects segments. Kiera could produce the next great Sci-fi epic for all we know. Mixing drain cleaner and aluminum Bucky balls in a plastic bottle is going to produce nothing more than a smallish pop and some smoke. Is this story going to go up in a puff of smoke? At present, Kiera's future as a scientist or great film director is in doubt. There's no reason, given her stated intent, to expel her from school or worse, charge her with a felony. This was hardly a terroristic act and I do wish 9/11 and now the Boston Bombings wouldn't be used as an excuse to violate the rights of innocent citizens. That only cheapens the lives that have been lost tragically in those events.
What is more a wonderment is why mainstream media has yet to cover this story. It has all the drama of an Afterschool Special combined with the societal issues surrounding race, gender, age and the problems with the education system in the United States. Yes, the local Florida papers have covered it, but they would. A petition from Change.org has, at the last time I checked, garnered more than 150,000 signatures since Wednesday when I signed it.
http://www.change.org/petitions/state-attorney-jerry-hill-drop-charges-against-kiera-wilmot
NPR, of all the media outlets, I would presume to be interested in this story. Its storied "Liberal" image would make at a natural venue for this very human story. Why have they ignored it? Shame on them!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Kiera Wilmot Story. Why has Mass Media neglected it?
The story of Kiera Wilmot seems to have taken the Internet by storm. However, mainstream media and I include NPR in this, have ignored this pressing issue. The pressing issue is racial and also has a lot to do with common sense and fear. It is racial because Kiera Wilmot, a 16 year black honor student of Bartow Florida, was taken in by Bartow Police and may very well be charged with a felony for doing something that most aspiring scientists do: she blew something up. Well, actually in the scheme of things it looked more like something George Lucas or Steven Spielberg might do for one of their special effects segments. Kiera could produce the next great Sci-fi epic for all we know. Mixing drain cleaner and aluminum Bucky balls in a plastic bottle is going to produce nothing more than a smallish pop and some smoke. Is this story going to go up in a puff of smoke? At present, Kiera's future as a scientist or great film director is in doubt. There's no reason, given her stated intent, to expel her from school or worse, charge her with a felony. This was hardly a terroristic act and I do wish 9/11 and now the Boston Bombings wouldn't be used as an excuse to violate the rights of innocent citizens. That only cheapens the lives that have been lost tragically in those events.
What is more a wonderment is why mainstream media has yet to cover this story. It has all the drama of an Afterschool Special combined with the societal issues surrounding race, gender, age and the problems with the education system in the United States. Yes, the local Florida papers have covered it, but they would. A petition from Change.org has, at the last time I checked, garnered more than 150,000 signatures since Wednesday when I signed it.
http://www.change.org/petitions/state-attorney-jerry-hill-drop-charges-against-kiera-wilmot
NPR, of all the media outlets, I would presume to be interested in this story. Its storied "Liberal" image would make at a natural venue for this very human story. Why have they ignored it? Shame on them!
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