Central KY News' "Devine Worship": When Too Much Kindness Murders the Message

September 22, 2026

Yesterday, I wrote about the culture of youth murder and the death penalty from the perspective of an inmate with violent charges. (*LINK HERE ANG*) This morning unusually I turned on Lexington, KY's local news, me locked down in nearby Amtrak stop Danville. Like everything on non-pay stream-free TV it was a rerun.

Beginning with a tale of taken hope, a tearful Black mom, and another young African-American heads this route. Contrasting is the fixture, Devine Carama, a community leader, rapper, and heat-seeking missile on neighborhood violence. Diligent and devoted after losing a sister to it, his efforts are admirable. Taking hundred-mile hikes to raise awareness, building insular libraries within their Public joint, and community healing sessions in his pile of pursuits to combat crime. Nobody with genuine soul would condemn these efforts. Mine is still here last check and this is no indictment.

Giving you a framework I'm a Sociology near-grad at an Historically Black College. Out in the LGBTQ community 40+ years I'm immersed now in all conceivable demographics. Diversity and inclusion in media are subjects of deep interest with me. Moving ahead, I'm offering an analogy.

Let's say Katy Perry donates a large sum to Ukraine relief. Shortly after that she builds a web of support for refugees and with a Bono style of zeal begins showing up on news shows sometimes au naturale to discuss matters pertaining to the Russian conflict. One year later, with innumerable concerts and talking head appearances the battle rages on. Another year passes and swaths of Americans realize the amount they working annually to put guns into the hands of foreign kids to murder other foreign kids, and here's Katy still doing her benevolent thing. Mind you, she's legit: tireless, aspects of her persona outside Ukraine withdrawn. What we can see is she's become the avatar for a sore and sensitive subject. Allies and potentials roll their eyes at her now. Since I made this up, I'd rather not see "The Devine Carama Effect" manifest in Lexington's lexicon.

Mind you, he shouldn't slow down a bit because his efficacy is arguably there. Homicide in Lexington has declined drastically since the horrors of 2022 with 44 to under half presently. Definitely the community health issue of violence warrants a multidisciplinary attack. What he does should hit the news calendar. However, when every single time without exception I see local news spanning years now there's a feature on this person conjoining stories of urban assault and loss, it's media handling thats the problem. One appearance after multiple projects and better charted success allays this.

According to the Roper Institute 45% of viewers turn channels when offended and 15% completely off. Not labeling Devine as such, his victories arent obvious to casual viewers when juxtaposed to nightly reported incidents, funerals, and associated fare. Interspersed as testimony to those on sparser occasions could garner supporters wanting to help a successful enterprise. This immersion runs risk of defeating itself appearing the opposite.

Here at home, this is by Governor Beshear's decree the Programs/Education and Reentry Prison. Northpoint needs news focus as this is possibly a turning point for Kentucky. By design the young Black men I noted previously afraid of coming back to Lexington and Louisville for the unending violence can be breaking it by uplift through vocational education, GED, and college credits with degrees. After leaving I want to become a journalism grad primarily to teach the incarcerated. They have stories, insights, and acumen for elevating a troubled industry. Examining our facility shows taxpayers what their investments in rehabilitation are and that merits scrutiny.

Our media has a responsibility on a national level shirked to oblivion with kids wisely refusing Kool-Aid from any cup. Local can be better, and people need to have honest conversations for them to achieve this.

Thanks for your time. If this was interesting, inciting, or deserves your discourse, comment or share please!