Tonight on PBS they are showing the documentary “Raising Adam Lanza.” It has gotten quite a bit of press prior to airing and I would be surprised if it isn’t one of their most widely watched shows ever. I’m not going to watch. The voyeur in me really wants to but I will refrain, and here’s why.
It’s only natural that we are all still walking around wondering “why?” But we’re never going to know why. “Why” died on December 14 with his victims. Heck, even in the CO and AZ cases, the shooters are still alive and we don’t know why. We’ll never know why. There is no why.
I don’t know what PBS’s motives are in making the show, other than ratings. And we are huge fans of PBS. But Nancy and Adam Lanza are now deceased, and seeing as how they have not done any press as of yet, I don’t see any footage from Dad and Brother happening. Maybe I’m wrong. So what we’re going to see (presumably) is a bunch of armchair analysts–prior teachers and therapists who for whatever reason feel compelled to be on the show. If they are such experts on him and his behaviors, why didn’t they try harder to prevent this? Or, if the argument is made that they couldn’t have predicted it, then they have no business being on the show talking about him now. And I’m sure there will be a hefty dose of “specialists” who have never met Adam or Nancy, giving their analysis of what happened and why.
I don’t see how this can be helpful. “Never before seen photos and video footage of Adam Lanza.” How is that helpful? On one of the morning shows I saw a “never before seen video clip” of Adam Lanza when he was 4 1/2. How is that helpful?
I fear for all kids who have behaviors, diagnoses and characteristics similar to Adam Lanza’s. In our quest to prevent this from ever happening again, I don’t want the public to now view every kid that is even somewhat similar to him, as him. If there is a child in a classroom who so much as sneezes as Adam Lanza, I fear for him being further ostracized. Parents won’t let these kids in their homes, or play with their children on the playground.
I’m ok with not having all the answers. While curiosity and wanting the answers is part of human nature, inner peace (I think) comes with some levels of acceptance that we will never have all the answers. I would love if there was a way to predict and prevent this. But there isn’t. I just don’t see how reviewing Adam Lanza’s short life in pictures, videos and hindsight commentary is a benefit. Sure, TV has an entertainment value, but there’s none in this.
I would be interested in hearing from you, if you are or have been experiencing backlash as a result of this incident or this documentary. Guest posts, and they can be anonymous, are always welcome.
I’ll just watch Pawn Stars or Storage Wars or whatever else I normally watch, and hug my kids. And keep fighting for the rights of all kids with disabilities. Even the Adam Lanzas of the world. Because one thing that is fairly certain–if he had been properly supported, this may not have happened, so we have to keep trying.
The viewers of PBS aren’t as stupid as you make them out to be.
Also you are making assumptions about a program no one has seen. Assumptions that would mean that a consistently high quality series is suddenly going to transform in “Dateline” or some other hack psuedo news show.
I hope I’m wrong. I don’t know, but I don’t think that there’s enough good hard information or knowledge even out there, to make this a quality, helpful program. And if it is a good program, then they absolutely chose the wrong trailers to promote in the press ahead of time. Because the trailers I’ve seen just scream that it’s going to be a Dateline type show.
I am also okay with not having all the answers.