Some of you may have seen it on the news: a few days ago a plane crashed near Tripoli/Libya airport and all but one passenger were killed. All other 103 people in the plane died, passengers and crew. Seventy of them Dutch citizens.
All of them, but one 9 year old boy. A Dutch boy. A boy who lost his Mom, his Dad and his big brother in the plane crash. A boy who was now in a Libian hospital having multiple surgery on his badly broken legs, who could not clearly remember what had happened, who was surrounded by hospital staff that speaks a language he can’t understand.
Right after finally one of the Dutch Embassy staff was allowed to go see him and find out the identity of this Dutch boy, and it was confirmed that it was indeed a Dutch child, one of the tackiest Dutch papers around did something astounding…
Now don’t get me wrong. I am not against journalists or journalism in general. Gawd knows that investigative journalism has opened up many cans of worms that people, organizations, governments rather would’ve kept shut. It’s done much good. It’s brought so much to the surface that the world needed to know.
But what good can come out of picking up the phone, posing as someone close to the boy, calling one of the Dr’s of this young boy, have them hand the phone to him and ask him how he is doing, whether he was already informed (and of course at that time he had not) that he was in a plane crash and that he was the sole survivor. Whether he realized that meant that his parents and brother are no longer alive?
And then splattering the story on your front page and wondering what all the backlash and fuss is all about? I mean WTF? Seriously!?!? THAT is good investigative journalism? And you are now wondering why half of Dutchyland is bashing you for having no scruples, for just being cruel, and cancelling their subscription? You are now bashing Dutch celebrities for calling upon the Dutch public to cancel their subscriptions and protesting your actions?
I already thought that particular paper is the crapiest one in all of Dutchyland but right now I just never want to set eyes upon, let alone touch, a copy of that shit paper. What your journalist did to that boy is every level of cruel and then some. This boy has survived something that to most of us is one of the scariest things we can imagine. He has to deal with losing his closest family in that disaster. He is the sole surviver out of 104 people in that plane. He is hurting physically and mentally.
For Gawd’s Sake: Leave The Boy Alone!
Leave him alone to deal with that in peace. Let him be with his aunt and uncle who are taking him back to Dutchyland today and let him heal without the pressure of the media and your fucking cruel actions. And pray, pray, pray, p.r.a.y. that there is no such thing as karma that can come back and bite you in the cruel shit for brains ass…
And Ruben? I wish you all the best. I can’t imagine what it is like to have to endure this. I hope you manage to somehow find peace and be able to be surrounded by people you love and that love you for the rest of your life.
IMHO, about 80% of journalists are decent people who report the news and try to correct injustice and wrong doing when they can. The remainder are bottom-feeding scum who don’t care who they hurt as long as they get a story. I saw this in Colorado when the Columbine incident occurred. Shoving a microphone in the face of a parent whose just been informed their child was senselessly slaughtered and asking “So how do you feel right now?” is inexcusable and should be a felony. Congrats to the celebs who are leading the boycott of this toilet paper.
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May 15th, 2010 at 7:54 PM
Thanks Dave, I completely agree
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That is horrible. News has gotten so sensationalized, and I feel that paper deserves to be put out of business.
Lynda´s last blog ..CP and Me
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May 15th, 2010 at 7:54 PM
I SO wish they would fine or put a journalist or paper like that out of business but alas..
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I agree. It’s beyond disgusting and tasteless. He’s freaking 9 and his life will NEVER EVER be the same. Leave him the f*ck alone!
ugh, it makes me so angry I could spit.
Renée (@PinkyPie)´s last blog ..Do You Remember? 
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May 15th, 2010 at 7:58 PM
Spit all you like, I know how you feel (just mop it all up before you leave the blog)
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Awww that poor kid. Totally saying some prayers for him.
Fucking paper. That is disgusting.
Sybil Law´s last blog ..Quickie
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That poor, poor kid…my prayers go out to him.
Tug´s last blog ..The Old Weathered Woodbox 
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Really? Really!? WTF is the matter with people?
Poor little angel. I’ll be praying for him.
Finn´s last blog ..Contemplating The Spoon
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