I think this is less a race issue than a class issue. It’s easier for media outlets to cover something when they have easy access to information, and that’s more likely to happen with well-off groups than marginalized groups.

But, the disproportionate media attention that is indicative of a higher value placed on attractive, white, affluent lives then of that placed on poor, brown or ugly lives is a real issue and one that is worthy of discussion. These biases have an impact on this sort of advocacy, which Urbanis expanded upon nicely. I thought the accurate portion of the MRN’s comment could serve as a useful jumping off point for that discussion – rather than simply calling him a troll.

Kevin, That’s exactly what MMR did and it’s simply a false accusation. In fact, he went beyond that when he accused Streetsblog of bias on the grounds that this woman had a vigil attended by hundreds of people while other victims have not. Tell me what Ben Fried was supposed to do about that.

Maybe it’s me, but in my mind, the story here is more about the failure to file any charges against the driver than it is about the identity of the victim. And I don’t mean that in any way to minimize the tragedy, of Ms. McKay-Dalton’s death, or Mr. Rivera’s death, or anyone else’s.

The SUV- or garbage-truck-driving Grim Reaper is color-blind.

This attitude was most blatantly summed up for me at a recent bicycle event, where a pretty fashionista said to me with some disdain, “Well, those delivery men aren’t really bicyclists. They just ride bicycles because have to.”

Yuck.

I would not accuse this site of this sort of media bias but in my opinion it is widespread. To simply brush off MNR’s (accurate) observation as “trolling” is lazy.

The problem is not the response and the coverage of McKay-Dalton but the lack of response and coverage of so many other victims. It would not take me (or you) long to dig up a long list of victims that do not fit into the young, attractive and white categories that SB has covered in depth, trying to bring justice to all victims of traffic violence. But it would be a far better response than simply yelling “troll” and patting each other on the back.

I’d mix more metaphors at you, but you get the point.

Just expect the trolls. This site’s on the internet, after all. I myself will stick to trolling other commenters, as opposed to the authors on the masthead; hope that’s ok.

Streetsblog pursues this type of information whenever we can, and in this instance we were able to obtain it. That’s what sets this case apart.

If you’re referring to the crash that killed TJ Campbell, the police could not even properly identify him when we asked them for information. Save your scorn for NYPD, which has repeatedly failed to make available reports from crash investigations, even after clearing motorists of wrongdoing.

Perhaps you could organize a vigil for Mr Rivera, and give Streetsblog a chance to cover it?