In defense of balloon boy's dad?

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By Ryan Noel

New York Times writer Frank Rich bucked the media trend of assaulting Richard Heene on Friday with his piece entitled "In Defense of 'Balloon Boy' Dad." By shifting blame from the poor parenting and general insanity of the Heene clan to the ever-wilting American economy, Rich has conjured up excuses for Heene - and missed the point entirely.

Sure, the American "bloodlust," as he calls it, led to the fervent media attention around the country and increased the intensity of the hoax accusations after Falcon's non-flight had ended. Rich posits that the downturn in the American economic situation is to blame, and that it's a reason to lay off of Heene.

But, was it really the economy and the lack of job opportunity that sent Richard Heene down this road? Or was it just a case of an attention-seeking father selling out his family for his "15 seconds of fame"?

Richard Heene is nothing more than a poor parent who attempted to exploit his own child for media attention - attention that he apparently wanted to parlay into a reality television series.

The lack of job opportunities didn't force Heene to hide his son in an attic and (purportedly) drug him into vomiting on national television.

The lack of economic strength in the stock market didn't create a "prototype" flying saucer that was intended to bring possible television fame to a family looking for its 15 seconds (again, remember they had already been on ABC's "Wife Swap").

No, the economy was no factor in this series of tragically misguided events. The hoax that captured America for more than six hours back on October 15 was merely a case of parenting gone bad. Richard Heene was looking for the quickest way to Internet and television stardom - and that path went through his own son. There was no monetary pressure or pressing job search. There was only an attention-starved father who could not stand the fact that his voice wasn't being heard.

The fact that Frank Rich decided to defend this detestable father is appalling, and it should be to everyone. It's these excuses that fuel more fathers and mothers like the Heene's to sacrifice their own children in search of attention.

Why dignify this father and his lack of parenting with an excuse of any kind? There are plenty of fathers and mothers across the country that could be using the economy as a crutch for their poor decisions, but are instead dealing the best they can. Those same struggling parents aren't out seeking media attention or television glory by using their six-year-old child as a prop in a hoax.

Sorry, Mr. Rich, but you have this one all wrong. There is no grand explanation or magical excuse for Heene's actions. There's only bad parenting and simple narcissism to blame.

Originally Published: Issue 821 - October 28, 2009

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