As I was watching the news tonight, within a twenty minute timeframe, there were three news stories, each with their own 911 tapes that played. It was excruciating to hear. The “Santa” shooting this week that has taken at least nine lives, including the shooter who took his own life, was tragic enough without hearing the fear and terror in the woman’s voice on the 911 call as she tried to go unnoticed by this man who thought nothing of shooting a little girl in the face as she answered the door. Another 911 tape provided much of the same fear and terror as another woman realized she was in the line of fire of that water main break in the northeast this week. We’d already seen the footage from the helicopters as the rescuers were doing their jobs, but for some reason, it just wasn’t enough until the 911 tapes were released. And of course, we’re treated to even more from the Casey Anthony case. I have to say, it’s become increasingly difficult to hear Cindy Anthony’s voice declare her daughter’s car smelled like a “damn body was in it”. By the way, how do the attorneys, whether the district attorney or Casey Anthony’s lawyer, expect to find twelve people who’ve not heard of this case? I’m still trying to figure that one out.

Have we become a society that just doesn’t shock anymore? Do ratings mean a network scrambles to provide a bigger alarm factor than its competitors? Has anyone stopped to consider the effect of some these tape releases? There are family members, as well as the victims, who no doubt have heard their own voices played time and again on the evening and morning news, not to mention the availability on the internet.

We’re more interested in the human tragedy of these incidents this week than we are the tapes that are said to have the goods on Illinois Governor Blagojevich. And by the way, tobacco companies are barred from cigarette advertising on television. The tragedies that are played via released 911 recordings several times on a daily basis would make cigarette commercials appear tame. The Marlboro Man has been replaced with Casey Anthony. And no, I’m not suggesting two wrongs make a right, but what I am asking is if the freedom of information we enjoy in this country hasn’t become a bit skewed.

It doesn’t stop with 911 recordings either. Anyone care to guess how many times the home video from a year ago of the high school girls in Florida who beat a classmate was shown on the major networks? Me either. I’d be old and gray before I’d be able to provide an accurate number. YouTube has changed the way we gain access to video footage on any subject on the planet, including a scorned woman who, for some twisted reason only she knows, felt it necessary to provide play-by-play details of her divorce hearings between herself and her now ex-husband and served as a tour guide for their home that she was fighting for.

Of course, there’s a big difference in someone posting their own stories online and those who placed desperate 911 calls but couldn’t have anticipated their own voices being played on the evening news.

Strictly from the perspective of family members who are dealing with this week’s breaking news stories that showcase their daughter or son or aunt or father in law, I can’t imagine how they must feel to hear those frantic calls. Maybe I’m wrong. I just think there has to be a line between the liberties of freedom of information and good journalism.