Replies

No - nothing devious.

It's just that the media seems to select certain stories that involve human suffering and ignore others. For example, it's well documented that the New York Times had a reporter in the Soviet Union during Stalin's purges, who won a Pulitzer by blatantly reporting that things were going great in the Workers' Paradise. To this day, the New York Times has never renounced that reporter or returned that Pulitzer.

During the genocide in the Sudan over the past decade (up until about a year ago, when black Muslims started being killed by Arab Muslims, in Dufar), the only way to hear about the 2 Million Christians being slaughtered in that country was to watch CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) News. The media didn't consider that a worthy story.

Both of the above cases were much, much, more important, as they involved humans intentionally killing other humans.

In this case, it was simply a tragic event, but heck, the pictures were great.

It's just a problem that I have with the media - if the pics aren't good, it's a non-story.

The people there do desperately need help and the US is generally a big helper, which is fine by me.

Bob:

I don't know you, but you are entitled to your opinion. I find it to be very annoying when people hiding behind internet anonymity lash out at others for sharing their opinion. Just my 2 cents.

I do feel for the victims, as we all surely do...I do have a problem with people already criticizing the USA for "not doing enough", etc. I feel that material aid should be sent, along with liberal tree huggers, to help those in need. I do, however, feel that what aid we send should be proportionate to the aid we have received relative to the War on Terror. Help our allies, let the UN help the rest. One prime example...India. India has refused to send troops b/c the UN did not support the USA.

I do not endorse sending financial aid to certain relief groups as that leaves room for corruption and abuse. See UN Food For Oil, United Way, and 9/11 funds for examples. After all, it is our tax money...and we are carrying the lion's share of the burden and risks in Iraq.

But that's my opinion, for what it's worth...

PS--how many American flags were torched this year in some of these countries?

Indonesia:

http://quickstart.clari.net/qs_se/webnews/wed/ar/Qindonesia-us-bush.RHRw_DOL.html

I understand your point. You aren't saying this is not a major event or a major story, but that some media are using the images to sensationalize (beyond reporting) the story. although I don't know how much this catastrophe can be sensationalized beyond reality. I am too numb from the enormity of it to take it all in.

I think I have seen others hang onto the coattails of this time of sympathy outpouring and using it to scam well-meaning people.

I get your point, but the timing of it might have been off, not sure.

which is fine by me.

Well, thank you so damn much for giving us your stamp of approval.

Quite frankly, YOU are the type of poster who gives the MSM ammunition to call Free Republic a whack site.

Go away.

"Take away the pictures and this is virtually a non-story."

Unless it happens to YOU, my friend. Some people are just out-of-sight out-of-mind kinda people I guess.

This is one of the biggest, most tragic, worldwide,"non-story" of our lifetime.