Diane Sawyer Reports on America's Children Living in Poverty in Appalachia in her report called “A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains”. Although most of what she reports may be true, it is definitely not a solid representation of all the children of the mountains.
Reporters followed four children: Erica, Shawn, Courtney, and Jeremy. Courtney lives with a lot of relatives in Kentucky and has to keep her clothes in a suitcase under her bed. Her mom has a drug problem and is trying to recuperate and get her GED by walking 2 hours to her class and 2 hours back, a 16 mile round trip! Shawn has to sleep in his truck to avoid all the thievery and dangers, but wishes to be the first in his family to earn his high school diploma and maybe even college. Jeremy had to give up his dreams when his girlfriend got pregnant; he had to accept a job working 3.5 miles underground in the coal mines.
Diane Sawyer also touches on the “heroes” of the region such as doctors and dentists reaching out to help “these people”. One of them is a doctor from India, Anant Chandel, who reports that, “it's hard to believe but yes… people are poorer in this part of the country than where I was in India." One dentist even used his own money to convert his truck to a mobile dentist office, which cost $150,000. Then Sawyer gives the statistics for “toothlessness” for central Appalachia, which is the highest in the country.
I remember watching all this one night because I wanted to know what all she had to say about it (I even recorded it on my DVD Recorder and still have the copy). I recall that she mentioned that she was from this area in Appalachia, but I strongly feel that if she really was or if she had strong feelings, not for, but with Appalachia, she would not have been so quick to create an image for Appalachia that I felt to be like a hideous, forsaken place for its citizens. Sure the statistics may be true but only for the area which she was reporting; the story could make anyone have an image that all of Appalachia is such a disastrous place!
Jarrod,
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good review! I like your distinction between feelings for and with Appalachia. That is an interesting parallel. Feelings 'for' Appalachia seems to be an outsider's view, as in they would come to Appalachia and feel sorry for Appalachians. You do a good job defending your argument by acknowledging that some areas in Appalachia do experience these kinds of problems. It makes you seem very credible. Overall, great job. This is an impressive post.
Leigh
I think the same issue is what comes up with controversy considering the photography of Shelby Lee Adams: people see these works and assume this big chunk of the United States is living in extreme poverty, which is simply not the case. Although, with this being a news article, I could see them wanting to portray things in a bit more drastic of a light, but that's just personal bias speaking ;)
ReplyDeleteTim