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ABC's 'Sic' Choice Suggests Belief in Afterlife an Error
NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

Posted on 01/01/2007 5:01:31 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest

sic: thus; so. Used to indicate that a quoted passage, especially one containing an error or unconventional spelling, has been retained in its original form or written intentionally. - Answers.com definition
Adding religious insult to mortal injury, ABC's coverage of the death of the 3000th US service-person in Iraq seemed to suggest that there was something odd or erroneous in the expression of a traditional belief in the afterlife.

Today's "Good Morning America" focused on the death of Army Specialist Dustin Donica of Texas, believed to be that 3000th serviceman lost in Iraq. Narrating the segment, ABC's Jonathan Karl stated: "The MySpace page he left behind bears the tributes of those whose lives he touched." The screen then displayed the message [shown larger-than-normal here for clarity's sake] from one of those friends:

"You were one of my best friends and I'll never forget you. All my prayers go to your family and I'll see you again." (sic)

There can be no doubt that the friend was expressing his expectation to see Dustin again in the world to come. That the reference to seeing Dustin again was prefaced by a mention of the family being in the friend's prayers emphasizes that religious faith was being expressed.

But for ABC, traditional religious belief is so odd or erroneous as to require it to add its condescending little sic.

Mark was in Iraq in November. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: abc; afterlife; msm; religion
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
(sic)
41 posted on 01/01/2007 6:43:40 AM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: NYer

NYer, please send to the Catholic Ping list.


42 posted on 01/01/2007 6:52:41 AM PST by Natty Bumppo@frontier.net (The facts of life are conservative -- Margaret Thatcher)
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To: 6SJ7

"ABC News (sic)" well said. That sums it up.


43 posted on 01/01/2007 6:52:41 AM PST by Malesherbes
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

You can only arrive at that conclusion if that is the one you desire, when the further function of (sic), as found in the Oxford English Dictionary, is considered. To consider the full meaning gives an entirely new view of the editor's possible intent.
What was the editor's response when you ask what his intent was in the use of the notation?


44 posted on 01/01/2007 6:53:09 AM PST by em2vn
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

What arrogance!


45 posted on 01/01/2007 6:55:01 AM PST by rabidralph (Happy New Year, y'all!)
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To: em2vn

ABC hasn't responded. But please tell me what you believe the possible error or misunderstanding there was in the original sentence that required the 'sic.'


46 posted on 01/01/2007 6:56:42 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Self-ping.
47 posted on 01/01/2007 7:05:03 AM PST by Iwo Jima ("Close the border. Then we'll talk.")
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To: em2vn; All

I brought the "sic" to the attention of a senior ABC News reporter with whom I correspond. He said that had it been his segment, he would have "never" inserted the "sic."


48 posted on 01/01/2007 7:12:54 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Intern screwup is my guess. I can't access his myspace page because it's set on private, but an ABC news article quotes the passage you're talking about, and assuming its version is literal, the passage does indeed have a pretty confusing misspelling.

"Just wanted to say there is no one else in the world like you and ill [sic!] never find another friend like you." ABC News story

Whatever kid was setting up the graphic probably didn't understand format correctly and put the sic at the end.

49 posted on 01/01/2007 7:16:52 AM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: SpringheelJack

Please have a look at the actual screen graphic. 'I'll' is spelled correctly. No need for a 'sic.'


50 posted on 01/01/2007 7:19:37 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

You know that isn't acceptable reporting. Until you have spoken to the person who made the decision to use (sic) or made an attempt to do so and were rebuffed, you are being as subjective as you claim ABC to be.


51 posted on 01/01/2007 7:20:02 AM PST by em2vn
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To: em2vn

Please answer the question I posted earlier: what is the possible error or confusion in the comment in the screen graphic that would possibly have required a 'sic'?


52 posted on 01/01/2007 7:22:31 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

The MSM is sick.


53 posted on 01/01/2007 7:22:41 AM PST by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest
Please have a look at the actual screen graphic. 'I'll' is spelled correctly. No need for a 'sic.'

That's why I think this has an intern's hands all over it. Apparently in the original there was the need for a sic, but the fellow setting up the graphic didn't have a clue what he was doing and fixed the spelling but tacked some editor's note pointing out the problem at the end.

54 posted on 01/01/2007 7:24:07 AM PST by SpringheelJack
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To: Lady In Blue; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


55 posted on 01/01/2007 7:24:24 AM PST by NYer (Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to Heaven. St. Rose of Lima)
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To: SpringheelJack

I went to the ABC story. The sentend containing "ill" doesn't appear in the screen graphic at all.


56 posted on 01/01/2007 7:24:35 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: governsleastgovernsbest

Paging ABC's advertisers....


57 posted on 01/01/2007 7:24:58 AM PST by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: SpringheelJack

Speaking of misspellings, that's "sentence" not "sentend" in #56!


58 posted on 01/01/2007 7:26:21 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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To: 6SJ7
forever known as ABC News (sic)
59 posted on 01/01/2007 7:26:31 AM PST by InvisibleChurch (The default mode of the heart is set for Drift.)
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To: SpringheelJack

I'd probably agree with you if there had been a "sic" near "Ill" in the online version of ABC's story, but there's none at all.


60 posted on 01/01/2007 7:29:32 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest (Watching the Today Show since 2002 so you don't have to.)
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