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July 28, 2007 I have lived in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona for over 17 years yet I still consider myself a Californian. I have been to many places in this city and have incorporated the Arizona way of life into my life out of necessity. It is difficult for me, as a former Californian to even compare the two places. I grew up in California, I went to school there and my family and friends lived there. My father, my brother, my grandfather and some of my friends died there and are buried there and my heart will always BE there no matter where else I live. Even though my mother died in Arizona, she is buried in California. I left behind a lifestyle that I have never been able to replace. Yesterday, as most of you probably know, Arizona suffered a tragedy. The following links will cover what happened because it's easier to link to the coverage than to list all of the names and describe what actually happened. azfamily.com abc15.com This tragedy is shared by everyone who lives here because although Phoenix may be the fifth largest city in the United States, it is VERY different from Los Angeles. My son was driving by a park on Indian School Rd. when he heard on his radio that a car chase was in progress and that certain streets were blocked off. He was listening to the news when he looked up and saw two helicopters collide in mid-air and fall to the ground surrounded by black smoke and flames. He called me before any of this was broadcast locally or nationally so I tried to find some coverage but it wasn't there yet. My son was very shook up, as you can imagine, because he knew immediately that NO ONE could have survived what he had witnessed. Ultimately, he was about to sit in his car for over two hours as the fire and police departments cordoned off the street where he was and the surrounding areas as well. As I waited, the story came to life on my television set. First, I saw it on the national media channels...Fox News, MSNBC and CNN. Then came the local coverage. The local coverage was heart-breaking and difficult to watch as the reporters both in the studio and in the field could hardly keep it together. They cried openly and some had to defer to someone else because they couldn't speak at all. The point of this article is not just the telling of a story that ended with tragic results but a picture of the difference between news coverage in a small town as opposed to a big city. In Los Angeles, tragedy is a daily occurrence and the reporters are more like those who cover the news on a national level. Here in Phoenix, they call it "Arizona's Family" at channel three where two of their own were killed in that collision yesterday. It was simply a catch phrase for me until yesterday. But, soon after the crash I began to see citizens who live here converging on the two local news studios and at the scene of the crash. They didn't come to rubberneck, they came to comfort and console and to cry with the people who come into their livingrooms every single day to bring them the news. They became one with local celebrities and there was no distinction between a recognizable anchor person and the guy from down the block. What I witnessed was truly a real shared family experience; one that I have never witnessed before. At that moment in time I finally understood one of the many differences between my hometown and my adopted home. I used to live in a BIG CITY and now I live in a SMALL TOWN......the difference was profound. I'd like to add my sincere condolences to the families of the four men who lost their lives yesterday and to their co-workers and friends at KNXV-TV and KTVK. ------------ About the author: Meri has a Medical/Legal background and is a former forensic researcher specializing in psychological profiling. Visit the Xlibris Bookstore! Email: writers2@cox.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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