If it’s all right with everyone, I’d like to split that into two as it’s a bit jarring to read both together. People who want to write about Wendy should continue to do so under the original post. Others who want to contribute to the debate that’s been going on about reporting on deaths (to which I’ve attached all previous comments) can come here. I would like to emphasize, in response to calls I’ve had, that the Darcy McGee commenting here is a veteran commenter on this blog who has used this pseudonym for a long time and is not connected in any way to a relative of Wendy’s with a name that is similar, though not spelled the same.
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The day before this a baby’s body was found in a bag. Without diminishing the _personal_ loss that Wendy’s death has cause (and I’ve a friend who knew her well) is this death really more significant and worth of coverage than that child’s?
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Darcy, what a ridiculous question. Both deaths were reported in the news. This is not the time or place for measuring who’s death is getting more attention on blogs or inches in a newspaper. Is that really the most burning question you have about these senseless murders? It’s shameful.
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Both deaths were not reported here.
And no it’s not the most burning question I have about these senseless murders. It’s the most burning question I have a persistent media bias which values those in West Vancouver more than those in the rest of the city.
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Darcy,
I understand your concerns. I’ve written columns before about the difference in coverage between, for example, a young Asian woman connected to a wealthy family killed with a bow and arrow and a young Asian woman, an immigrant working in a Vietnamese restaurant killed by her boyfriend. Yes, a world of difference. I don’t think your examples here are valid, though.
Do you honestly think that if the accomplished and community-minded sister of an MLA or MP from the east side of Vancouver (or Abbotsford or wherever) who was killed while jogging in a public park would not get massive coverage?
And the reality is that Wendy lived a life that touched many, many people and the manner of her death is shocking and unusual. A few-days-old baby, disposed of in a way that is tragically all too common, hasn’t had the chance to live a life that is mourned by so many.
One small note. I am not a mainstream news outlet, just one person. So I don’t report on all deaths here. Mainly on the ones that touch the areas I cover.
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Thanks, Frances. You’ve said pretty much what I was going to say.
Certainly there are often important political questions that need to be answered in situations like this, but perhaps it would be sensible to wait a little while. And yes, that’s directed at Darcy’s commentary, but it’s also directed at Alex’s.
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I would have liked to see what you had to say, Stephanie. Well, maybe you can chime in as the conversation proceeds.
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Frances:
I should have actually added to my post that I think you’re one of the better, more balanced journalists in this city. I was endlessly pleased when you joined the Globe and Mail.
I understand the difference between mainstream journalism and this blog. I’m not meaning to be _aggressively_ critical of the fact that you didn’t cover the death of a child here, but it might have been nice to note that Wendy’s death wasn’t the only shocking one of the the week…the month…whatever reasonable “recent” period. The random death in Vancouver lately is shocking to me. I recognize that many of them are gang ware related but still the sheer number of them is shocking. It seems to have no end.
This sentennce:
> A few-days-old baby, disposed of in a way that is tragically
> all too common,
….my god, it saddens me to the depth of my being to live in a world that a discarded baby is considered “all too common.” It just breaks my soul.I had a friend who knew Wendy. She was quite upset. Someone who touched my life was murdered when I was young. I sympathize with those who have lost. It’s the last I’ll say on the topic.
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Everyone here agrees that no one human life is more valuable than another, that we all share I’m certain.
I hope that the media bias discussion will continue perhaps under another heading as these comments have clearly drifted off topic.
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Sorry Steph, I didn’t realize this was strictly a memorial page…
Your comparing my comments to Darcy’s ill-timed and WRONG assertion, means that you either didn’t carefully read my post, or you just don’t like my point and couldn’t conjure the gray matter to reply accordingly. Your comment about my posting was idiotic.
Item: A gay man was knocked into next century three weeks ago because he’s “a fag”…
Item: A baby is disposed of like common trash.
Item: Wendy’s murder.
All within weeks…
If you think I’m being insensitive by suggesting that we are doing nothing to stop this kind of senselessness, then too bad for you.
All this must stop and the current system stinks.
Catch and release is great if it’s a lazy Saturday afternoon and you’re plonked on the couch watching some fishing show…
Wake up and spare me the piffle.
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Alex: What was wrong about my assertion?
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Hi Darcy:
You suggested, I believe, that the reporting of Wendy’s death might be more important than that of the child found in a bag…
It isn’t, but is it more newsworthy…well, that also depends on who’s listening or watching the report….an unknown infant, with few details to the story…a beloved, accomplished woman who had her life snuffed out in the most brutal of ways, in a very public well-used park.
I think I’ve painted the picture for you: Is one death more significant than another? Without getting into a philosophical back-and-forth, of course not. But is one story more news worthy than the other? Absolutely.
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Alex: you’ve got that 100% backwards. Ironic, given that you say Steph failed to not “carefully read [your] post.”
Perhaps, like so many people who are active in politics, you’re developing the habit of hearing what you want to hear rather than actually listening?
Both of this province’s party leaders are exceptional at it. You’ll do well.
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Alex: I don’t believe that the problem is a failure to understand you. However, if people do misunderstand you, you might want to consider that you are so gratuitously unpleasant that whatever point you might have is obscured by your delivery. Perhaps if you were to adjust your signal-to-noise ratio to something reasonable people might want to engage with you.
The death penalty is a serious topic, and I would prefer to discuss it with serious people.
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hohoho // Apr 6, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Darcy: “It’s the last I’ll say on the topic.”
Unfortunately, you didn’t.
It is you who is bringing politics into this and hearing what you want while twisting the words of others. And you’re doing it in the most shameful way possible by using these murders to criticize other people or their politics. What the fuck does any of that have to do with these horrible murders?
You are digging your hole deeper with your incredibly insensitive statements, and are attacking people for pointing that out. You are the one who seems like a calloused, cold and heartless individual based on your comments so far. And how you managed to out-do Alex in that department is pretty remarkable (no offense, Alex).
7 responses so far ↓
1 MB // Apr 6, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Bravo Stephanie!
‘Insensitive’ is too mild of a word when it comes to evaluating the previous comments by AGT, HO and Darcy to an extent.
Revenge talk and inappropriate carmudgeonry emanating from a three-headed hydra becomes static after so long, and people just turn off.
Let’s remember Wendy Ladner instead.
2 Reg Tupper // Apr 6, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Thank you SO much Francis for posting that bit about the McGee psuedonym ; WHAT a RELIEF
The Darcy McGee I know, and that my cousin Julia referred to, is an old friend of our family, and a respected man in the legal cmmunity.
He is a gentleman and humane; it was almost as hard as the fact of Wendy’s death to contemplate Darcy being author of this savagery.
Well handled Bula!
3 hohoho // Apr 6, 2009 at 5:21 pm
And exactly why/how am I being lumped in with Darcy, MB? So you support her ridiculous comments about whose murder is more important? How pathetic.
4 gmgw // Apr 6, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Speaking of media coverage, does anyone else find it exceedingly strange that there was no mention whatsoever of this story in Monday’s Sun? In Saturday’s Sun there was a small mention, buried in an inner section somewhere, of the fact that a body had been found; and on Sunday, the Province gave it banner treatment on the front page and along (for the Province) story on Page 3; on Monday the Globe front-paged it; but the Sun? Zero. Zip. Nada.
I’m all for avoiding sensationalism, but this total non-coverage of what, by any standards, is a major local story is, in a word, bizarre. The only thing I can assume is that the CanWest wire service hadn’t picked it up yet. That was a weak attempt at sarcasm, but it may actually hold some validity. Since the Sun, ever-more-pathetic rag that it’s steadily becoming, doesn’t run much of anything now but CanWest wire service stories, maybe that might actually be the reason. I can’t think of any others…
gmgw
5 Loxy // Apr 7, 2009 at 12:11 am
As part of the mainstream media, I covered Wendy’s death all weekend. I was the first reporter on the scene at 41st and Camosun.
I don’t know her. I don’t know anyone that does. I haven’t lived in Vancouver that long, so my knowledge of her family’s history is limited to the recent council featuring her brother… I researched her only once finding out that she was the likely victim.
But the reason this story has impact for me, is that an able bodied person LIKE MYSELF was believed to be killed randomly doing something that is likely very routine, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD DO. And by the sounds of it, it a very violent brutal way in a place of frequent foot traffic.
It could’ve been me.
6 MB // Apr 7, 2009 at 8:36 am
Ho: A hyperbolic tone really detracts from a sense of remembering. Lighten up, will you?
7 JPW // Apr 7, 2009 at 7:48 pm
As a person who has faced loss and tragedy similar to both cases in my life, I am not sure there is any merit to weighing which story has greater importance and in turn which death is more significant. They are both compelling, tragic, sad and very human. They both ultimately speak to the vulnerability women and children share. I think perhaps the media was quieter about the infant story to allow time for the mum to come forward which I respect greatly. It was fate that then stepped in with the death of Wendy. No question one may have overshadowed the other, however, in the midst of all this the mum has come forward and this will allow some closure to the tragedy. I sincerely hope the killer in Wendy’s case is found quickly and that the police, media as well as the public will recognize the importance of truth, justice, and empathy in both these horrible circumstances. I think we all need to stick together on these 2 cases to understand how we can help prevent them in the future.
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