The Fog of Media Nonsense

Has anyone noticed that the media continues to emphasize and elaborate on the fact that the Brazilian immigrant who was accidentally killed by London Police was suspicious because he was wearing a bulky jacket on a “hot” day?

On the other hand, did anyone notice that all of the live camera views after the shooting on the major networks like CNN showed the police wearing yellow jackets, with shirts and vests on underneath? Is that a little strange for a hot day?

Or did anyone take note that most of the pedestrian passers-by on live television were also wearing long sleeve shirts, sweaters, coats and leather jackets, and only the occasional person was even wearing a short sleeve shirt?

Or did anyone consider that the temperature in London that day ranged from 55 to 69 degrees F (12 to 20 degrees C)? Since when is 55 F (12 C) in the morning considered “hot”, especially to a Brazilian?

Let’s not blame this on the London Police. We don’t know that they emphasized or originated the “hot” part of the story. The simple fact that a large jacket could conceal something is more pertinent, and is probably closer to the actual truth.

But we can blame the people in the media, who like to add their own spin, spin their desired yarns, and continue to report gossip, hearsay, and exaggerations.

What is even more ironic is that several radio show hosts in San Francisco have continued to push this particular “hot” angle of the story, while at the same time they probably wear their own jackets while out in the cold, foggy summer mornings of San Francisco.

A couple of quotes widely attributed to Mark Twain are appropriate for this situation, as well as the weather in both London and San Francisco:

The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco. - Mark Twain

Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. - Mark Twain