WUSA reporter Andrea McCarren balks after backlash over teen drinking stories
Washington Post
At first, the comments from viewers were just nasty. No problem. Andrea McCarren, a veteran TV reporter, could handle that.
But then the response to McCarren’s reports about underage drinking on WUSA (Channel 9) took a darker, more threatening turn. Specifically, her two teenage children were harassed at school by peers and on Facebook by “friends.”
The volume and intensity of the backlash became so overwhelming last week that McCarren and WUSA decided on an extraordinary step: She would pull herself off the air and hand her latest teen-drinking story to her colleague, anchor Derek McGinty, to present her work Tuesday night.
“My kids were targeted,” McCarren said. “That’s where I drew the line.”
Her report drew e-mail and Facebook denunciations of McCarren from young people apparently angered that she had exposed an easy supply of illicit alcohol.
“Way to go! Not,” wrote one self-described college student in a profanity-laced posting. “You are now probably the MOST hated woman in the D.C. area. Yay you! What was the point really of doing that story? No one finds it interesting (well that’s obvious anyways because its channel 9 news), but you also just ruined weekends for all kids underage.”
McCarren chose to back away when her children told her that some of their high school classmates were making insulting and threatening comments, in person and electronically, as a result of her reports.
As a result of the bullying, one of McCarren’s children stayed home from school last week. She said both children are back in class, and “only minor name-calling continues.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't blame kids for being pissed about someone shooting holes in their plans for a fun weekend. If it weren't for a fine shopkeeper that looked the other way when I was in high school our weekends would have been much more dull. And if McCarren's kids had gone to school with me I'm sure they would have gotten a few ribbings over their mom's reporting.
But kids these days go to far. They wouldn't stop at calling someone a narc. They harassed McCarren's kids on Facebook. I think that's why things we're easier for kids in my dad. When the day was over you got a reprieve from bullying. Not you get home, log on to Facebook and get another dose of punishment.
Not to mention, these kids go to extremes with their drinking. Back in my day we thought a beer bong was as extreme as it could get. Now you got kids sticking beer bongs in their ass so the booze will hit their bloodstream faster. It's called butt chugging. We thought it was a thrill so sneak a few beers at lunch. Now the teen girls soak tampons in vodka.
Kids these days! Get off my lawn!
No comments:
Post a Comment