SHOULD THE U.S. SHOW THE PEARL MURDER VIDEO ON T.V.?

March 6, 2002

[bourbon]

As I said, I wouldn't want to watch this, and it probably should not be shown, at the very least out of respect to his family.

That said, I bet there is another reason it will NOT be shown. The media will not want Americans to see this. Just like they don't want us to confront other very real horrors (say, abortion), they know that showing this video would scare the populace and show them again that this war is very much for real. Most importantly, they surely know that this will only firm our resolve to fight. I venture to say this is something they and the Dasholes of the world would prefer that we ignore lest we become "vengeful" and "immoderate."

[TC Rider]

I will cross the street to avoid seeing it.

..and that F-16 fighters -- which Pakistan purchased from the United States but never received -- be delivered.

You Want Munitions With That Jet?

[narby]

It was necessary to show the pictures of Nazi atrocities so that the people of Germany would finally know the people they were led by. And so the rest of us could properly resist any temptation by latter day Nazis to go that way again.

Showing this tape will go a long way toward stopping these monsters for good. No decent person, no matter their religion or nationality, would willingly support people who do such things.

If there is any good to Daniel Pearls death, it may be that showing his sacrafice, even edited to remove the more graphic details, might help to stop more bloodshed.

[onedoug]

But Islam is Peace. That's been on TV.

[IncPen]

"I will not describe [the violent scenes] out of respect to Daniel Pearl and his family," Chung said.

Come on Connie, tell us. Just between you and me.

God help me if I ever suffer the indignity of being a 'media focus'for any reason.

The horror.

[duck soup]

Given the statements by the Pakistani Police that the video is a fraud, I say show it to the world.

[Marauder]

I think it would be too disturbing even for adults.

I agree; but I also think that it should be required viewing for:
(1) Utopian liberals protesting our "treatment" of terrorists at Camp Gitmo, and
(2) Lawyers who for publicity's sake are suing the US gov't over whatever they say they want (all they actually want is the associated exposure).

Maybe that would slow down the protests and frivolous suits.

[gorush]

"As long as they don't show American servicemen being dragged through the the streets of Somalia they shouldn't show Pearl's execution."

..In other words, absolutely show it, the TRUTH will (and must) out.

[Tacis]

What are you, a bunch of sc**bag leftists? No one would even ask this question if this guy was a media weasel. If he had been a businessman, the media would be suing the government on behalf of the "public's right to know," no matter how distasteful.

This guy is a media weasel!!! Heworked for a decent enough publication but the same one that employs Al Hunt. It is news and MUST be shown. No one gave the media the right to disclose what it wishes and conceal what it wishes. I may not choose to watch the actual decapitation but, who knows? Again, if this was anyone but a presstitute, there would be no question and Larry King or some other media sc**bag would be sticking a mike in his widow's face and asking, "And, how does that make you feel?"

[narby]

Ya do have a point.

[blackbart1]

Exactly! I might start watching it but I know I couldn't watch it for long. However, it should be out there as a reminder of what we are up against.

[CyberCowboy777]

Show it or at least give the detail in written form.

Americans need to stop being coddled IMHO. This is what the world is REALLY like. Horrors like this happen all the time and most Americans do not even know it. It is time to wake up and smell the decaying Flesh.

[doyle]

This is the wrong video to show. Out of respect for Daniel Pearl and his family, friends, and associates, it should not be shown.

On the other hand, I would like very much to see a video of his kidnappers and executioners receiving appropriate punishment.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Personally,--I don't need to see the tape to know that those who killed Daniel Pearl are evil...and that we are right to eliminate them from the face of this earth.

[Right_in_Virginia]

...and, may Daniel Pearl rest in peace.

[PoisedWoman]

But sometimes it is as nessary as viewing Hitler tapes of mass murder to know that evil is worth fighting at all means.

The problem was, no one saw tapes of Hitler's atrocities and hardly anyone knew there was such a thing as a concentration camp. To most people, the "holocaust" part of WW2 came as a surprise at the end of the bloody war that pitted Nazi soldiers against soldiers from other countries.

For exactly this reason, I think the tape should be shown. We do need to know what the Muslims are doing, especially when they're doing it to an American citizen. Also, what about those of us who travel? Shouldn't we be making informed decisions about touring Muslim countries? If American tourism falls off, those Muslim governments may well feel the financial pinch and rush to do round up terrorists in their midst.

I forced myself to look at that Chechan beheading, believing that I owe myself the whole truth. If the Pearl beheading tape is show, I suggest that they edit out all the anti-American propoganda and leave in only the "I am a Jew" part and the beheading itself.

[KneelBeforeZod]

I just got back from a tour of the Evil Empire. (China...where it is now 'good' to critcize the Red Guard...at least for tour guides with Americanos)

They showed CRAZY stuff on TV...no nudity, but one scene at 5pm showed a lady getting shot in the head...they show the back of her head splatter as she is shot in the forehead.

And the numerous kung fu sword scenes. Since China's murder rate is so much higher than the US this PROVES violence on tv leads to violence in the street and that culture and penalties have nothing to do with crime. After all, you get executed for murder in China. In the US, you get 10 years or so.

Thats why there is so much murder in the US compared to China. And in Japan, where I saw arms and heads getting cut off on broadcast tv. (samari show)

Tipper Gore was right!

[ErnBatavia]

Don't show it - but what SHOULD be shown, and only as a 'training film' to our troops, is that drone film of the SEAL getting dragged off to be shot.....at this point it's got to become like with the Marines on Guadalcanal; they tried taking prisoners for the first couple of days - but only until they learned how the Nipponese were executing the American wounded.....no more Japanese prisoners from that point (not to mention the easier logistics)

[Cinnamon Girl]

Sadly, Daniel Pearl's murderers may be set free by the Pakistani government which claims it has no case against them. And while the U.S. government has made it clear that we want to extradite Omar, the passion to follow through on this may wane as the public moves on to other concerns.

[2Trievers]

Glad you are home safely Zod ... bring back any souveniers?

The tapes should be shown, as well as the tape of the Navy Seal being dragged off to his death. So many Americans are super-whimps ... we are at war! ... WE WILL NEVER FORGET!