Look at the shiny side, ignore the dirt

Inside many news stories there is a real story not being told. That's something to think about when you read the headlines each day. For example, there is a feel good article on Yahoo about a military dad sewing his daughter's prom dress. Check it out here if you want to read the entire piece.

On the surface it's a sweet story, and of course, it's a great thing for a dad to do, but there is a different story in there that remains untold. The dad makes the dress because they can't afford to buy one.  The daughter wanted a camo-style dress, they can't afford one, they buy the material and make it. As touching as it is for a dad to love his daughter, it's a tragic story as well because it highlights the situation American families are in.

How many families can't afford the basics at this point? If you can't afford the light bill you certainly can't buy your child a dress for a one-time dance, even if going to that dance has kind of become a hallmark of growing up in America.

There is something fundamentally wrong in our society and we all glaze over it when we ignore fluff pieces like this and say wait a minute, why can't the dad buy the dress? Why is that family on hard times? Why are we all struggling so much?

So keep on with the fluff pieces, the saccharin sweet stories that are supposed to make you smile but ask yourself, what are they not telling me? Where should the focus really be? Do I care about the happy junk when I see society falling apart around me?

Great job dad, that was sweet. Bad on you, American journalist for stirring the kool-aid and offering distractions.