(no subject)

[novapsyche]

Why in God's name would you choose to air such a story at this time? This is something our country didn't need to know now. Everyone in this country is hanging on for dear life to support the troops, and you have taken all our faith in goodness away. How many more reports can we watch like this before support fades?

We are losing our fight with other countries to support us, and now you have just sealed it. ... We've just lost the goal of helping anyone over there because of this show, and God help us. You are no better then those who did these horrible acts. Your reports are bringing down this country.
--Betsy Berra

Mailbag: Court Martial in Iraq

Yes, this is all CBS's fault. Let's not blame the people who actually perpetrated the crimes.

Comments

[inhumandecency.livejournal.com]

Well, there is the issue of overrepresentation. It could well be the case that 99.99% of U.S. soldiers are behaving themselves, and 99.99% of Iraqi civilians and prisoners are treated with respect. But you let this one really unforgettable set of images loose, and suddenly that becomes emblematic of the entire U.S. occupation. It's a lot like back in 1999 when nearly all the WTO protesters in Seattle were demonstrating peacefully, but the public only remembers the few who decided to start smashing windows and gave the cops an excuse to get violent. I'm not saying that the media should have buried the report, but a more reasonable response -- at least, after the initial shock -- would have been to report on conditions _across_ the country and put Abu Ghurayb in perspective. Then, we'd have reason to either condemn the whole U.S. effort or to find the few people responsible for this specific situation and unite in stringing them up for their sins.

If you believe that the U.S. really is doing some good in Iraq -- and this is at least something reasonable people can disagree on -- then I would say the current media coverage is needlessly destructive, due to the way it's being framed.

[akaiyume.livejournal.com]

That is frightening. Citizens actually begging to be brainwashed by the media and demanding censorship.

[dirtyfilthy.livejournal.com]

This is the kind of shit, aside from your most excellent poetry, that I read your for. Actually, the poetry was what started me.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

*smile* I think I'll be writing more poetry soon. But I'm glad people like the politics, too.