Laci Peterson, Lori Hacking, Natalee Holloway...the list goes on and on. Attractive young white women who disappear mysteriously...most never to be seen again. And always some sinister underlying subplot that the media can use to dangle menacingly in front of a voracious consuming public.
The latest has occurred very close to this reporter's home. In fact,
Taylor Behl had just begun her freshman year at Virginia Commonwealth University, where I have taught as an adjunct instructor for a number of years. On September 5, she disappeared. With the addition of the all-important sinister subplot involving a local troubled photographer (although the exact relationship and connection to her disappearance has yet to be explained), the national media picked this as their latest "missing attractive young white woman of the month" story line. Later, tragically, remains were found that proved to be those of Taylor Behl.
Taylor's story is tragic, as all innocent untimely deaths are tragic. What's become notable about this one is how the media is starting to
scrutinize itself. In many of the flood of stories that have been written over the past month about the Behl case, reporters ask why this case gets more attention than those of missing young black women, missing young or old men of any race, or even those of missing young white women who happen to be...ahem...less photogenic than others. Invariably, they find the reasons -- among them in this case, Taylor's disappearance calls attention to the fear all parents face as they send their children off to college for the first time, the dangers faced by young people who dally with dark relationships, etc.
Meanwhile, those who ask these questions also contribute to the ongoing flood of stories. What they do not do is tell the other stories -- the ones that just aren't Hollywood enough to warrant a Dateline NBC cover story or a visit from Greta Van Susteren.
When the media chooses the path of least resistance and follows the story everyone else follows, ignoring those that don't fit the prevailing pattern, it is our responsibility to help call their attention to those other stories. Perhaps, even, to explain why those other stories are more important than the ones that fit the pattern.
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