Monday, May 03, 2004
Ted Koppel and His Sweeps Week War Spin
On the last NightLine show, Ted Koeppel spent the whole half hour show listing the names of American soldiers who died in the Iraqi war. I could not believe the number of TV and radio shows that discussed this at length without any cognizance of what was wrong with it or why many of us considered it political spin. The general media is so biased that they weren't even to the point where they could defend a negative portrayal of the war; rather they think a one-sided view is objective, and they can't even see the other side.
Brian Lehrer of NPR, who, although liberal himself, usually does a good job of putting his own personal political views aside in an attempt to have rational discussion and look at both sides of an issue, ran a whole show asking the same question repeatedly: What is wrong with listing all the names of the dead soldiers? Shouldn't the public know what the cost of the war is in real terms? Is it worth having these men (and women) die?
However, listing the names of dead soldiers is more than information; it is political spin. Why? Because it is ONE-SIDED! If you want to know is "it" worth it, you have to know what "it" is!
Is Ted Koeppel also going to show the good things that are coming from the war? Is he going to show that schools and hospitals are up and running at a very high percent, is he going to show that little girls are now getting educated and that children are not being taught to hate America?
Is he going to show that for the first time in 30 years Iraqi's have a choice of newspapers and news sources without government concealment of information? Is he going to show how the free market there is allowing many families to start their own small businesses, many of which are prospering despite the current instability of their country?
Is he going to show the polls that show a minimum of 70 percent of Iraqi's are glad that America is there? Is he going to show that Iraqi's are now allowed to have air-conditioning, previously reserved for only the regime's elites?
Those are some of the positive things that we have accomplished in this short time. What about all that the terrible and horrific things that we did away with?
Is Ted Koeppel going to show pictures of the 300 mass graves created by Saddam Hussein that Iraqi's will no longer have to fear winding up in? Is he going to show the torture rooms where women were raped women and children were quartered as a matter of government policy, rooms that now sit in disuse?
Will he read off the names of the 16,000 people who died annually at the hands of Saddam's brutal regime? (not including the 300, 000 Kurds gassed at once) Is he going to show the anguish of families who had brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and fathers disappear out of the blue never to be seen again?
How about the fact that you couldn't even laugh at a joke about Saddam in your own home because the homes were bugged, and if you were caught laughing at what the government thought was inappropriate, your penalty was death without trial?
Obviously, Ted Koeppel's reading is spin. Should we honor each and every life that was lost in the course of this war? Definitely. Is our country, especially the families of those in the military making large and considerable sacrifices? Without question.
In the proper forum, at an appropriate time, e.g. Memorial day, would it be right for us to list the names of American soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and to make a point to remember and honor them? Of course.
But that's not what Ted Koeppel and his journalistic peers were doing. They were asking the public to evaluate the cost of the war, without telling the public what it was getting in exchange for the price. They were giving half the story. They often do.
C.S. Lewis said that if you want the right answer, you have to ask the right question. Ted Koeppel and Brian Lehrer (sorry, Brian) asked the wrong question. They showed the consequence of war without showing what caused it. When they tell the rest of the story, I'll support a reading of the names.
Oh, and by the way, is Ted Koeppel going to interview Americans who had a member of their family die in Iraq and who believe in the war and believe that their son or daughter or brother or husband died for a just and right cause? They exist you know.
Is he going to interview those who completed their requisite duty in Iraq and re-enlisted to return to service because they believe in what America is trying to do in Iraq? Maybe Ted Koeppel should read the names of American fallen soldiers and then explain how these brave and valiant men and women died for the security of our country and to provide others with the same freedoms that we take for granted in this country. He can point out that many of the soldiers who died or were wounded, and their families are illustrations of the honor, valor and integrity held by those who understand that liberty comes at a cost.....and is worth it.
On the last NightLine show, Ted Koeppel spent the whole half hour show listing the names of American soldiers who died in the Iraqi war. I could not believe the number of TV and radio shows that discussed this at length without any cognizance of what was wrong with it or why many of us considered it political spin. The general media is so biased that they weren't even to the point where they could defend a negative portrayal of the war; rather they think a one-sided view is objective, and they can't even see the other side.
Brian Lehrer of NPR, who, although liberal himself, usually does a good job of putting his own personal political views aside in an attempt to have rational discussion and look at both sides of an issue, ran a whole show asking the same question repeatedly: What is wrong with listing all the names of the dead soldiers? Shouldn't the public know what the cost of the war is in real terms? Is it worth having these men (and women) die?
However, listing the names of dead soldiers is more than information; it is political spin. Why? Because it is ONE-SIDED! If you want to know is "it" worth it, you have to know what "it" is!
Is Ted Koeppel also going to show the good things that are coming from the war? Is he going to show that schools and hospitals are up and running at a very high percent, is he going to show that little girls are now getting educated and that children are not being taught to hate America?
Is he going to show that for the first time in 30 years Iraqi's have a choice of newspapers and news sources without government concealment of information? Is he going to show how the free market there is allowing many families to start their own small businesses, many of which are prospering despite the current instability of their country?
Is he going to show the polls that show a minimum of 70 percent of Iraqi's are glad that America is there? Is he going to show that Iraqi's are now allowed to have air-conditioning, previously reserved for only the regime's elites?
Those are some of the positive things that we have accomplished in this short time. What about all that the terrible and horrific things that we did away with?
Is Ted Koeppel going to show pictures of the 300 mass graves created by Saddam Hussein that Iraqi's will no longer have to fear winding up in? Is he going to show the torture rooms where women were raped women and children were quartered as a matter of government policy, rooms that now sit in disuse?
Will he read off the names of the 16,000 people who died annually at the hands of Saddam's brutal regime? (not including the 300, 000 Kurds gassed at once) Is he going to show the anguish of families who had brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and fathers disappear out of the blue never to be seen again?
How about the fact that you couldn't even laugh at a joke about Saddam in your own home because the homes were bugged, and if you were caught laughing at what the government thought was inappropriate, your penalty was death without trial?
Obviously, Ted Koeppel's reading is spin. Should we honor each and every life that was lost in the course of this war? Definitely. Is our country, especially the families of those in the military making large and considerable sacrifices? Without question.
In the proper forum, at an appropriate time, e.g. Memorial day, would it be right for us to list the names of American soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and to make a point to remember and honor them? Of course.
But that's not what Ted Koeppel and his journalistic peers were doing. They were asking the public to evaluate the cost of the war, without telling the public what it was getting in exchange for the price. They were giving half the story. They often do.
C.S. Lewis said that if you want the right answer, you have to ask the right question. Ted Koeppel and Brian Lehrer (sorry, Brian) asked the wrong question. They showed the consequence of war without showing what caused it. When they tell the rest of the story, I'll support a reading of the names.
Oh, and by the way, is Ted Koeppel going to interview Americans who had a member of their family die in Iraq and who believe in the war and believe that their son or daughter or brother or husband died for a just and right cause? They exist you know.
Is he going to interview those who completed their requisite duty in Iraq and re-enlisted to return to service because they believe in what America is trying to do in Iraq? Maybe Ted Koeppel should read the names of American fallen soldiers and then explain how these brave and valiant men and women died for the security of our country and to provide others with the same freedoms that we take for granted in this country. He can point out that many of the soldiers who died or were wounded, and their families are illustrations of the honor, valor and integrity held by those who understand that liberty comes at a cost.....and is worth it.
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