Gabby Petito

[WDWEPCOT]

You can’t say no one cares
I can’t show care if I’m not aware
I can’t be aware if it’s not reported where I can see it
It’s all so very horrible
There is a huge sex trade in my area - most people are not aware - very little news coverage yet this has been going on for years - sting operation last week - a few arrest - about three sentences in the news - very sad - these are more than likely missing women

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Oh yeah they are now doing one other guy a POC missing kinda

If this is referring to Jelani Day of Illinois, his body was identified yesterday.

I also had read stories about the murders of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner prior to the Petito/Laundrie case, and I am nowhere near Utah. It's not lack of coverage some are decrying, but the lack of volume of coverage. I guess the solutions are bombard everyone with wall to wall coverage of every crime against persons, or stop that type of coverage of any crime. At this point where they are searching for a known suspect in Brian Laundrie, I do agree with getting his face out there.

 

[Kms943]

Just to put in perspective how huge the issue of media coverage would be. In 2020, there were a total of 89,637 active missing person cases in the US. There would need to be whole news networks dedicated just to missing persons stories, so sadly that will probably never happen.

https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository...n-and-unidentified-person-statistics.pdf/view

 

[tzolkin]

Ok you say don’t go there but then you do. This part of the conversation started b/c a pp commented that it was interesting that ppl who said their own parents would likely protect them like this are also the ones who said they would for their own children. The person commented that it had to do with morality & having your parents teach you right & wrong. That’s is simply not true. As I mentioned, I can hardly think of a more moral man than my father, yet I am sure he would have done anything including something like this to protect his children. There are many levels of sacrifice we all are willing to make for our children. Some of us are saying we could see ourselves even going this far even if it’s not the right thing to do, but that are instinct to protect our children at all costs supersedes any other moral code we may have. Most of us are also saying that we are talking along the lines of believing our child made some horrible mistake or there was a horrible accident not protecting some cold-blooded monster. All of it discussed was only to say that some of us can understand why Brian’s parents may have gotten themselves into this situation & cannot rule out that we might have done the same thing.

But it does have to do with morality. It's just that what people consider moral and what they value or prioritize are different. So what's moral to one person may be different than what's moral to another.

You may see helping your guilty child escape as "protecting" your child and to you that is the "moral" thing to do. But others may believe that to allow their child to get away with avoiding the consequences of their actions is the more harmful course, so to them it would be more moral (and beneficial to their child in the long run) to encourage them to turn themselves in.

The problem everyone is having is not so much in understanding that others would choose to do something different than they would; it's that you explicitly stated it was because some people have "less of a connection" with their child. You had to know when you made that statement that you were going to upset people. Imagine if someone said that the reason why you would help your child escape is because you don't love them enough to turn them in. You would certainly be upset and feel that was a personal attack on your parenting.

 

[Marrila]

Just to put in perspective how huge the issue of media coverage would be. In 2020, there were a total of 89,637 active missing person cases in the US. There would need to be whole news networks dedicated just to missing persons stories, so sadly that will probably never happen.
View attachment 607067
https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository...n-and-unidentified-person-statistics.pdf/view

Exactly. And this is why when the finger pointing starts at "media" I just smh.
It's a complicated issue that doesn't have easy snap answers.
But it's certainly worthy of a thread.

 

[Dentam]

Exactly. And this is why when the finger pointing starts at "media" I just smh.
It's a complicated issue that doesn't have easy snap answers.
But it's certainly worthy of a thread.

The conversation has made me remember when years ago I lived and worked in NC. A short string of crimes was committed in Durham and Chapel Hill (by the same criminals) with two college students killed. One was a young white woman with blonde hair, the other a student from India. The media was all over the girl's story and every detail of her life, the details of what happened, etc were covered. Community vigils, the works. It took weeks to even learn the name of the student from India and the only details I ever read or heard could be written in a short paragraph. So, it is an issue in this country and just highlights the inequalities in our society. But yeah, probably best covered in a separate thread.

 

[neverlandsky]

There was an article just the other day that there was over 540,000 people missing in 2020 alone. The reason why this case has gotten so much attention is because there’s undeniable proof of the last person Gabby was seen with and the person of interest showed up without the missing person whom he had very strong ties to and is expected to be with. Oh and has her vehicle as well.

 

[mom2rtk]

There was an article just the other day that there was over 540,000 people missing in 2020 alone. The reason why this case has gotten so much attention is because there’s undeniable proof of the last person Gabby was seen with and the person of interest showed up without the missing person whom he had very strong ties to and is expected to be with. Oh and has her vehicle as well.

Also because he went on the run.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don’t believe that no one cares. Look at all the cold cases that are coming to light now that have been shelved for 30, 40, 50 or more years, in some cases, thanks to DNA technology and ongoing fierce detective work. Despite some of the original detectives on their scenes retiring, these unsolved cases still haunted officers. And they cared. In some cases I’d seen where pictures of the victims were still hanging in police stations all these years so they weren’t forgotten. That deserves some recognition.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

If this is referring to Jelani Day of Illinois, his body was identified yesterday.

I also had read stories about the murders of Kylen Schulte and Crystal Turner prior to the Petito/Laundrie case, and I am nowhere near Utah. It's not lack of coverage some are decrying, but the lack of volume of coverage. I guess the solutions are bombard everyone with wall to wall coverage of every crime against persons, or stop that type of coverage of any crime. At this point where they are searching for a known suspect in Brian Laundrie, I do agree with getting his face out there.

I agree but I didn't see much about those women that is what I am saying. Also I can't agree that the answer is either bombard everyone with wall to wall coverage of every single missing person or stop that type of coverage of any crime. But a lot of coverage comes from interest and her story was interesting and has a lot of twists and turns and I do think certain people get more coverage but it's complicated and mostly the news is a money making thing. We need to really get that in our heads. It's about what makes the most money. She was already known blogger and social media was and is pushing this story. It's not necessarily what some news places are saying it's about either. I do hope they cover the missing indigenous women and children more now that that is out bc I actually did see a story about it in the past and wanted to know more and thought this really needs to be pursued.

 

[Dentam]

Just to put in perspective how huge the issue of media coverage would be. In 2020, there were a total of 89,637 active missing person cases in the US. There would need to be whole news networks dedicated just to missing persons stories, so sadly that will probably never happen.
View attachment 607067
https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository...n-and-unidentified-person-statistics.pdf/view

I don't think anyone is expecting that every single case could be given this much coverage. What is being pointed out is that the cases/people that do get the 24/7 coverage typically fall into one category.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

The conversation has made me remember when years ago I lived and worked in NC. A short string of crimes was committed in Durham and Chapel Hill (by the same criminals) with two college students killed. One was a young white woman with blonde hair, the other a student from India. The media was all over the girl's story and every detail of her life, the details of what happened, etc were covered. Community vigils, the works. It took weeks to even learn the name of the student from India and the only details I ever read or heard could be written in a short paragraph. So, it is an issue in this country and just highlights the inequalities in our society. But yeah, probably best covered in a separate thread.

I have to tell you something interesting. Where I live in my state and area it is not IN or popular to have blonde hair, at all. And hasn't been for many years. My niece was a strawberry blonde that made her hair black. A friend I hadn't seen in twenty years who was always blonde I just saw a couple days ago at a Bridal shower and I didn't recognize her bc she now has long curly black hair, hair extensions too. She got mad at me too bc I didn't recognize her lol. If you look at the culture and generation of pop stars now, most are dark haired, or POC. In my area in Northeast it has been that way for many years now, particularly with Jersey Shore, Kardashians, etc. Commercials on TV, rare if any blondes, and always people of color or mixed couples, or people that can pass for a variety of cultures. We have a friend whose kid does commercials, they like him just for that reason. So I am not saying it doesn't happen but what I am saying is true too. Even body shape has changed, they even got rid of the models Angels from Victoria Secret. In my day it was about Heather Locklear, Farrah Fawcett, Stevie Nicks. Nowadays no pop star etc looks like them in anyway, they now have darker skin, darker hair and big booties. And the kids try to look like them the same way I had a Farrah haircut. There is change happening.

 

[Sinder]

There was an article just the other day that there was over 540,000 people missing in 2020 alone. The reason why this case has gotten so much attention is because there’s undeniable proof of the last person Gabby was seen with and the person of interest showed up without the missing person whom he had very strong ties to and is expected to be with. Oh and has her vehicle as well.

I think it's more about it having a story behind it. It is like a real life Lifetime movie. A young engaged couple traveling across the country, seemingly in love and excited to start their vanlife. One returns in the van they've been living in during their travels and the other is nowhere to be found and nobody has heard from her. Sadly it makes a story that the media can exploit. If there is no story then the media can't exploit it for ratings. When someone just disappears, people care but they won't be invested in the story of the disappearance unless it has drama. It's a sad fact of reality, we care about the person but I guess not enough about their story to tune into the news so therefore the news doesn't bother to report it 24/7 for a few weeks. Gabby's story will be out of the news in a few weeks unless there's more drama to report. Then they'll be on to something else that gets them viewers and ratings.

ETA In this day and age where most people have access to social media maybe the way to get the overlooked stories out is to have the family and friends of these people flood their social media. Keep their missing loved one's name out there. Enough people pick up on it and it has the chance to make the MSM notice.

 

[MillauFr]

Is it possible to keep this thread about Gabby and the police investigation? The bickering between a couple of posters and conjecture about "my parents would or wouldn't" is making it difficult to weed through and read.

The thread is already up to 48 pages. We don't need post after post about those two. We need to expand focus to the thousand of others who are in the same situation as those two and don't get near enough exposure.

 

[Dentam]

I have to tell you something interesting. Where I live in my state and area it is not IN to have blonde hair, at all. And hasn't been for years. My niece was a strawberry blonde that made her hair black. A friend I hadn't seen in twenty years was always blonde I just saw a couple days ago at a Bridal shower and I didn't recognize her bc she now has long curly black hair, hair extensions and curls. She was mad at me too lol. If you look at the culture and generation of pop stars now, most are dark haired or even POC. In my area it has been that way for many years now, particularly with Jersey Shore, Kardashians, etc. Commercials on TV, no blondes, and always people of color people or mixed couples, or people that can pass for a variety of cultures. We have a friend whose kid does commercials, they like him just for that reason.

Okay...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The thread is already up to 48 pages. We don't need post after post about those two. We need to expand focus to the thousand of others who are in the same situation as those two and don't get near enough exposure.

In fairness here, the thread is titled "Gabby Petito" so yeah post after post is going to be about her. Tangents are going to happen and tangents are fine. But yeah, this thread is primarily about Gabby.

A great topic "what happens to all the other missing persons out there" "is there reasons why one missing person(s) gets more attention than another", etc are good for their own thread and who knows maybe you'll get more than 48 pages worth of discussion

 

[DLgal]

I know that for my saying that my own parents definitely would NOT help me, I believe it is more bc in their day or at least I was raised that way to respect and obey the law. Always. You don't steal, you don't murder, you don't do it and if you do you will deal with the consequences. They were "religious" people also. So different times or I don't know, but I was raised that way. And yes I know different cultures etc have different views and relations with the law as someone mentioned and it is a complex issue for many, but that was how I was raised, there were no excuses or coddling either. If you stole or did something bad, you got in trouble. I would not be coddled or hid or helped to escape.

Yep. My parents weren't even very religious, but this was how they were also. I got busted for shoplifting lip gloss when I was 14. You'd have thought I murdered someone by the way they reacted...

 

[DLgal]

I agree but I didn't see much about those women that is what I am saying. Also I can't agree that the answer is either bombard everyone with wall to wall coverage of every single missing person or stop that type of coverage of any crime. But a lot of coverage comes from interest and her story was interesting and has a lot of twists and turns and I do think certain people get more coverage but it's complicated and mostly the news is a money making thing. We need to really get that in our heads. It's about what makes the most money. She was already known blogger and social media was and is pushing this story. It's not necessarily what some news places are saying it's about either. I do hope they cover the missing indigenous women and children more now that that is out bc I actually did see a story about it in the past and wanted to know more and thought this really needs to be pursued.

I think the reason why this story is being covered so widely is due to 2 major factors:

1. The social media involvement/number of people who made it a trending topic. Trending topics on social media often become news stories.

2. It's a scary story. Fear is the #1 motivator for news media to tell a story. They want people to think "this could happen to me" so they blow up these stories of seemingly "perfect" looking people/couples when something bad happens. It shatters the illusion that all is well and that gets people sucked in.

The ratings machine is all that matters with media. They have to sell ads for airtime. If there is no public interest, there is no point in reporting on a story.

 

[Kms943]

I don't think anyone is expecting that every single case could be given this much coverage. What is being pointed out is that the cases/people that do get the 24/7 coverage typically fall into one category.

Agreed. Sadly which cases gets covered is decided by a very small group of media executives whose prime motivation is money. I really wish we could have news outlets that were not reliant on ratings and ad revenue unlike the current model of infotainment that is the norm.

 

[DLgal]

Agreed. Sadly which cases gets covered is decided by a very small group of media executives whose prime motivation is money. I really wish we could have news outlets that were not reliant on ratings and ad revenue unlike the current model of infotainment that is the norm.

You have to be careful with that kind of "wish."

This is how communist dictatorships "news media" is and it's NOT better.