Fact or Fiction?

Within in the last week and a half I have had two stories somewhat close to me featured in the news/newspaper...and I must say that these news reporters SUCK.

The not-so-observant Charlotte Observer posted blantant lies about a car accident of someone I went to high school with, and tried to make the people who live near my parents house look like idiots. Let me explain the second...

Last Friday night while I was typing my happy little post about my day at the Biltmore Estate, my parents house was being hit by a tornado. (Gasp! I know) They are all okay, and suffered compartively minor damage to their home, but a freaking tornado hit. Two windows were sucked out of the house. The grill, pool chairs and birdhouses were thrown 20 yards away. Six healthy, large trees were uprooted or split straight in half. Pieces of trees, shingles and pool chairs from other homes were in the yard. It was a sight to behold.

On Saturday morning the fire marshall came out and surveyed the damage and declared it a tornado as the houses that had reported damage were in a straight line for 3 miles and the type of damage was pretty indicative of a tornado.

Channel 9 news was reporting from my old church, and stated, "though it was not a tornado - ask anyone on Sandy Ridge Road and they'd say it was." Then they proceeded to interview a man (whom I just happen to know) whose home was NOT even hit, and basically knew nothing of the situation. It was just the kind of condescending undertone that gets me all fired up. That's right a-holes, make them look like podunk idiots who cry wolf.

This minor little quip doesn't need to be front page news, but get your facts straight. Seeing how NOT-seriously they took a minor story scares the hell out of me. If they can't even get a witness for something as small as this story, when well over 10 homes were hit with plenty of people who would be willing to tell how it sounded like a freight train and made their ears pop - and they're gonna go pick some poor guy that doesn't even KNOW what happened, what the heck else are they lying about?? What kind of biased opinions are they reporting as facts in our everyday newspapers?

I have always thought the news media had their own agenda, and seeing such poor journalism cements that idea in my mind. I'm afraid they have lost my trust, and my business. So do your research, know your stories (especially around an election) because these people only want what makes the better story even if it means reporting lies.