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I don't think CanadianLibertarian meant any disrespect, but he is only stating the truth. I doubt that a run-of-the-mill teenaged boy who survived a shark attack would have received such attention. The fact that she was a competitive surfer girl is a major factor in the media interest. It's unusual, it's the hot new thing (see MTV's entire reality series called "Surfer Girls"), and it comports with the media's interest in advancing feminism.

It is the same thing with Jessica Lynch. She was made into a national hero by the media because she was cute, blonde, female, and a soldier who only joined the Army because she wanted to get enough money to go to college to be a Kindergarten teacher. Her story was an allegory for the senselessness of war (though I argue her story is proof that Clinton's feminized military is a disaster).

Shoshana Johnson was ordinary looking, black, and a single mom who chose the Army as her career. Both women were POWs, but who did the media harp on? The one that fits their big-picture agenda: War is stupid.

Do we hear from very many troops upon their return home who express the opinion that the fight in Iraq is, truly, a logical and righteous extension of the war on terror? No. 60 Minutes this week is doing a whole story on amputees at Walter Reed -- all of whom oppose the war in Iraq. We only hear of those who believe the fight is right from troops who have created their own blogs. 60 Minutes has no use for them.

At the risk of having to spend the day in my Nomex flame suit, the real reason the surfer got the publicity is that she is a head turner, as is Pvt. Lynch.

Beauty sells, draws viewers, readers, - all of which feed the media coffers. Should you doubt this, how many photos were there of unattractive women in the media? Hummmnnnn???

Her looks may be part of it. However, there were several boys who were attacked by sharks down here in Florida that got some national new coverage as well, a few years back.

The fact that she was a young athlete expected to turn pro any day is part of the story as well. Imagine if that 14-year-old kid who just signed a pro soccer contract were seriously injured in an accident. I think he would get similar national coverage.