Unnecessary Shaming: NY Daily News
The NY Daily News has unnecessarily shamed a man who died yesterday.
Charles Cheeseboro, Jr., 43, was involved in a scooter accident that left him with a serious head. He succumbed to his injury two days later. He was living homeless at the time. He used to work with the Doe Fund, a nonprofit that assists homeless people. He was outgoing and loved to make people laugh.
It could have been a nice tribute to someone that died tragically or a cautionary story about the dangers of riding e-bikes, but instead the NY Daily News needed to tarnish it by writing “he was a registered sex offender”; a fact that didn’t contribute to his death nor would the reader’s knowledge at this time protect the public in any way… it’s just another case of unnecessary shaming.
If anyone cares to share your thought with the authors, please feel free: Esha Ray [email protected] and Clayton Guse [email protected]
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really shows the character of American mentality and media that they even need to disparage the dead to make themselves appear better..what horrible people and what a sad cultural commentary.
I sent emails to the authors of this article. I encouraged them not to make such inclusions in the future and I explained why I feel that way. I would encourage you to do the same.
Unfortunately the story would have been boring and pushed to the back of the list to be published. The writer found a juicy nugget by discovering he was a registered offender and sensationalized the story. Journalism can be a cut throat business at the expense of other human beings. I doubt you will ever see a story that reads “Sex offender saves a drowning man” .even if it happened they would re-write the story to say ” A man was saved from drowning today while a sex offender was in the area”
Cherokee Jack The story of this man’s life could have been viewed in a entirely different way even if his past crime was brought up it could have been written in a positive manner like how he reformed himself and became a asset to the community despite his past or how his death should lead to changes in traffic safety by mentioning his transgression first and good deeds last since journalists know people tend to remember the last thing they hear and see. Instead they focused on what he did and not what he was doing.
Done. I hope as many as possible will respond to these two for shaming this man. Again, I am speechless.
I responded.
I have sent both email addresses an email with subject line “Do not speak ill of the dead!”
My response the the authors
I’m sorry to hear about the death of a young man recently who had suffered head injuries due to a scooter accident. It’s sad to hear that he had 3 young adult children who likely needed their father. It’s also sad that the story could have highlighted the fact that their father was an advocate for homeless individuals. His children could have proudly read the story and held their heads high.
One question for you fine authors though, what was the purpose in further defacing him, his family, and his death, by including an unnecessary fact of his being a ‘registered sex offender’, and not only that, you credentialed his offense. Why?
Clearly this young man made mistakes. Society and laws forced him to pay for them until the day he died. Despite that, he attempted to do something positive and ‘be the change’. Unfortunately, your mention perpetuated his punishment beyond his death. Was it to make him feel worse, or his innocent family? I’m very curious in the point.
Thank you for the consideration of a response.
-Dmb
well said