The Media's Spin
October 9th 2007 12:53
Just when I think there's nothing left in the world to blog about, I spot the Daily Telegraph (involuntarily) and get a rude awakening.
It's not that I don't view the death of an Australian soldier as a tragedy, because I do. It was rather the headline that I found disconcerting.
'TERRORISTS KILL BATTLER'
There are so many things wrong with this headline. The use of the term 'battler' appears to be a lame, jingoistic attempt to conjure up patriotic images. To say that a 'Terrorist' killed the aforementioned battler, implies that a particular terrorist set out with a mission to kill Australians.
Thereby making it personal i.e 'so NOW this war on terror is personal because it hit our shores!'
Well no it never hit our shores. If anything, we are bringing this war onto ourselves, when we could very well stay the hell out of it.
This death is a tragedy yes, because it signifies that our own soldiers are dying for a non-cause.
I would also make a mention of relativity. One wartime death of a soldier makes front page news. Numerous innocent civilians die almost daily in Iraq and other developing countries and it's lucky to make a few lines. If mentioned at all.
We never know their names. We just know that they were bombed with 'pinpoint accuracy'
Yes I take issue with the way the media has spun this piece of news because it masks with great insidiousness, where the real tragedy lies.
It's not that I don't view the death of an Australian soldier as a tragedy, because I do. It was rather the headline that I found disconcerting.
'TERRORISTS KILL BATTLER'
There are so many things wrong with this headline. The use of the term 'battler' appears to be a lame, jingoistic attempt to conjure up patriotic images. To say that a 'Terrorist' killed the aforementioned battler, implies that a particular terrorist set out with a mission to kill Australians.
Thereby making it personal i.e 'so NOW this war on terror is personal because it hit our shores!'
Well no it never hit our shores. If anything, we are bringing this war onto ourselves, when we could very well stay the hell out of it.
This death is a tragedy yes, because it signifies that our own soldiers are dying for a non-cause.
I would also make a mention of relativity. One wartime death of a soldier makes front page news. Numerous innocent civilians die almost daily in Iraq and other developing countries and it's lucky to make a few lines. If mentioned at all.
We never know their names. We just know that they were bombed with 'pinpoint accuracy'
Yes I take issue with the way the media has spun this piece of news because it masks with great insidiousness, where the real tragedy lies.
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Sorry, it's important, lest we forget that we are all battlers. Deep down. Unless you're Muslim. Then you're a terrorist.
I think if you stare at that long enough, then the following subliminal message jumps out at you:
'THE DAILY TELEGRAPH IS SENSATIONALIST GARBAGE''