I am sickened and disgusted by the self-indulgent pity party going on in MSM over Harper's banning the media coverage of the return of soldiers' remains to Canadian soil. The Toronto Sun's editorial especially made me bristle with anger today.
The Sun actually has the audacity to suggest that somehow their right to get a story trumps any rights of privacy or military tradition. The piece is totally nauseating.
On the other hand, the National Post is running an excellent editorial, which makes me ever so glad that I am a subscriber (no they don't pay me to say that). "When did our media become such whiners?" is more than worth the read:
"This was intended as a show of respect, but many in the media prefer to characterize the "media ban" as a cynical ploy to manipulate public opinion, or worse, an assault on fundamental freedoms. "
Check out Stephen Taylor's blog for some interesting comments from a soldier in Kandahar. He would like to see an expression of support in the form of better equipment. What a novel idea!
Let's do something for the living, and then maybe we can mourn the dead with some sense of dignity and self-respect.
17 comments:
I work in the media, and am uncomfortable with most funeral coverage - teen accident and murder victims, child sex-slaying victims, murdered gangsters and so on - because I think grieving families deserve privacy, and the news wasn't the funeral, but the events that caused it. Of course, I am a minority of one in that regard, and have no say in the coverage. The first dead from overseas can be covered, as a first is news, but once it becomes repetition, so serve some other agenda, I don't like it.
CBC Newsworld today in the return-of-coffins-"ban" issue - using it as a club to bash the Conservative government - was particularly annoying. Especially the academic "media ethics" twit they had on to carp at the Conservatives, with no presentation of the other side of the issue. Typical.
You probably already know my thoughts on the subject Joanne.
The media crossed a palpable line with a lot of people over this one. Hopefully they realize it (everyone send them a note in case they haven't) and they start acting a bit more responsible.
Their little war on Harper took on a scorched-earth flavour with this last bit of nonsense and military families have become collateral damage in a pissing match between the PMO and the Press.
Good news is, the blogosphere seems to be calling them on it.
Thanks, Anonymous for your input. I feel sorry for people who work for the Sun, etc. and worry that others think they share the same views as are in that editorial.
You are so right about media wanting to chase gruesome details. What's the saying? "If it doesn't bleed, it doesn't lead", or something like that? Maybe we the consuming public are partially to blame. I don't know.
Molar, yes, we have to call them on it at every opportunity. They are not interested in "Freedom of the Press"; they're interested in the almight buck.
if i had a buck for everytime i heard a blogging tory quote the toronto sun to support some conservative position or other,i'd have enough to send harper to fat camp this summer. funny how quickly conservatives turn their backs on trusted allies like the neocons at the sun the minute they don't tow the party line. joanne, you are indeed true blue and yet another harpocrite.
Davidson, I would love to know who wrote that editorial, because there are some columnists at the Sun who I truly admire.
I think it's pretty low to hurl personal insults about Harper. There are a lot of M.P.'s with less than perfect physiques, yet I do not go on about their short-comings. People used to make jokes about Chretien's mouth and I always thought that was out of place too.
joanne, chretien suffered from childhood polio. harper's physical condition is self inflicted. however, i take your point about hurling personal insults about his appearance, it's too easy and there's so much more to criticize in the way of broken promises that have become known so aptly as harpocrisies.
Davidson, being overweight can be caused by a genetic predisposition. I'm glad you've decided to give up on this line of attack.
Yes, harpocrisy. Very cute.
Let's hear some actual logic and facts now.
Joanne,
You are my Ontario connection can you tell me why the McGuinty government is quashing the Softwood deal? I can't mention this on my own blog cause I happen to know certain employers of mine read it, but you know I perhaps have an inside view of this from our neighbors perspective down south, and let me tell you a ton of work was put into this and this show of good faith was initiated by higher levels from the south last week. A flurry of negotiating took place and this is a sweet plum deal with only a certain window of opportunity. This is the Americans saying "ok lets gets this over with".... EXCEPT the media attacks the US over this flag debate and continually runs the U.S. name in the mud. DESPITE this, the U.S. tries to make a last ditch attempt to end the softwood impass. WHAT DOES ONTARIO DO? They stick their finger up their patoot and immediately react like babies. I've never been this disgusted with a government. On the DAY of a major breakthrough the mcguinty crowd thumbs their noses... ARGH! I can't believe it...
Riley, WELCOME TO MY WORLD!!!!
On the other hand, I was listening to a newscast this evening saying that the U.S. lumber industry wants quotas on what can be imported from Canada, so that may be the fly in the ointment...
I'll let you know via my blog if I hear anything else.
Is this the same media that wouldn't run the Muhammed cartoons to appease Muslims, or the same media that won't connect Islam to the 911 attack where 24 Canadians were murdered by 19 Muslims, or the same CBC that banned "Terrorist" or Muslim in the same article, or the same media that won't show the overt nudity during the pride parade where naked men flaunt their penis in front of little boys, or the media that avoided show the jumpers from the WTC .
Perception becomes reality and when the media censored the 9/11 evidence that it was Saudi Muslims and the Taliban aided terrorism , this allowed the conspiracy theorists to blame it on The-Jews or claim the planes we clones flown by remote control from a NORAD command post.
The media also failed to tell the truth about Arar and CAIR's link to Hamas and funding terrorism via the CAIR-USA head office.
Is that the same media, huh...huh....is it?
The next time a relative of a Politician is killed we should demand Media video and hound them all the way to the grave.
The silver lining would be that all of Canada will be more attentive and fullsome in their remembrance this November. The mission for citizens would be to give it momentum to carry forward this benefit into the future.
CC - That is a very uplifting way of viewing this whole fiasco. Thank you for that. Let's push for better gear for our soldiers too.
I don't think the Sun's editorial was that bad. However, what the MSM doesn't get is that they don't have the right to enter a Defence Establishment at any time. Most bases are restricted access areas, so when they are allowed on, they should feel privilaged. The base commander has the right to refuse access to pretty much anyone.
Anon - See, that's the problem right there. They think they are entitled to go wherever they want. The Liberal toadied up to them for so long, they are in shock now.
The media became whiners when their Liberal pals were booted out of office and now cannot get their way.
The fact that they are located in the Liberal heartland (center of the universe TO) confirms it.
Hey there Journeying Joanne: D'you every respond to your e-mail? Haven't yet. Maybe I've done something wrong. Besides,you're probably swamped with monitoring your blogsite. Keep Hammering.
TangoJuliette
Tango - Dang hotmail. Filters too much. Try again, and I'll watch the "junk" folder (no offence intended).
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