Seious Question

1

drmiler

on Aug 25, 2005

forum bump and grind.

2

Texas Wahine

on Aug 25, 2005

Most people know more names, usually those from places near where they live or ones whose stories stand out.

The local news ALWAYS carries detailed stories about fallen Soldiers, and the main steam media carries stories about Soldiers whose deaths are particularly heroic or tragic or bizarre.

Newspapers and news programs also run a "Faces of the Fallen" type feature from time to time with photos and names and sometimes details of their life and/or deaths.

If the only name someone knows is Casey Sheehan, then they have selective memory.

3

drmiler

on Aug 25, 2005

Most people know more names, usually those from places near where they live or ones whose stories stand out.

The local news ALWAYS carries detailed stories about fallen Soldiers, and the main steam media carries stories about Soldiers whose deaths are particularly heroic or tragic or bizarre.

Newspapers and news programs also run a "Faces of the Fallen" type feature from time to time with photos and names and sometimes details of their life and/or deaths.

If the only name someone knows is Casey Sheehan, then they have selective memory

No not selective memory at all. Will the San Diego Trbuine carry names of the dead from Pittsburgh? No! And why is it only if their deaths are particularly heroic or tragic or bizarre that they get mentioned? And that is the only time! I just did a ggogle search on this and found ONE MSM story on US military deaths in Iraq. And "that" story contained NO NAMES at all.

4

Evorg

on Aug 26, 2005

Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, but I don't know his mother's name.

5

Texas Wahine

on Aug 26, 2005

washingtonpost.com

cnn.com

cbsnews.com

Locally: honoluluadvertiser.com

I've also seen stories about fallen Soldiers, non local, on MSM.

I randomly googled Staff Sgt. Brian D. Bland, a 26 year old Marine from Wyoming who died in Iraq, leaving behind his wife and his mother. I found links to stories on cbsnews.com, cnn.com, honoluluadvertiser.com, abcnews.go.com, and honolulustarbulletin.com covering his life and death. I only went two pages in, so there may have been more.

And why is it only if their deaths are particularly heroic or tragic or bizarre that they get mentioned?

Because the news carries heroic, tragic, and bizarre happenings. Why isn't every kidnapping or spouse murder or drive by shooting carried by every major news outlet? That's just the way news works.

If you want your paper to carry the stories on every fallen service member, write in and tell them so. But be prepared for a lashing by conservatives who are sick of hearing bad news.

6

Manopeace

on Aug 26, 2005

Unfortunately I do not know any of the names of the US militarymen that have been killed, but I know scores of Israeli ones.
I cannot condemn the actions of Cindy Sheehan. She lost a son to something she apparently does not support. Thank God I do not know her feelings. Thank God I never lost a son to anything. I would never want to be in her situation...but I do feel for her. She made a contribution and has every right to act the way she has been.

7

drmiler

on Aug 26, 2005

ately I do not know any of the names of the US militarymen that have been killed, but I know scores of Israeli ones.
I cannot condemn the actions of Cindy Sheehan. She lost a son to something she apparently does not support. Thank God I do not know her feelings. Thank God I never lost a son to anything. I would never want to be in her situation...but I do feel for her. She made a contribution and has every right to act the way she has been.

Sorry mano but I can't agree with this. She has every right in the world to "say" what she does. After all, this is America. But to "act" the way she does? No. What do you think her son would be thinking of while watching someone else act the way she is? He'd probably be pretty upset.

8

drmiler

on Aug 26, 2005

washingtonpost.com

cnn.com

cbsnews.com

Okay Tex, I'll go along with your first 2. But not the CBS one. The CBS one makes no mention of anyone else name except one. The article talks about what the father has done.

9

Manopeace

on Aug 26, 2005

What do you think her son would be thinking of while watching someone else act the way she is? He'd probably be pretty upset.

Like I said, I was never in her situation so I don't know. I hope no one here has to attend the funeral of their child. It is not natural to me for the parent to outlive their child. I think this is the greatest pain anyone can experience in their life.
Her actions might be her way of dealing with that pain, I'm sorry but I cannot condemn her for it.

10

InfoGeek

on Aug 26, 2005

If I remember correctly one of the news shows spent a 1/2 hour or so just reading the names and caught flak for it.

Remember the uproar when they wanted to publish pictures of the flag draped coffins? or just broadcast them over the televsion coming in? The media is a bit skittish these days about anything that could offend certain people. Private Ryan and the FCC and all that.

Could you imaging the uproard from the governement if the New York Times decided to make a special page in their obituary section listing the obit of every service memeber killed inthe line of duty that week?

IG

11

drmiler

on Aug 26, 2005

Could you imaging the uproard from the governement if the New York Times decided to make a special page in their obituary section listing the obit of every service memeber killed inthe line of duty that week?

And the government complaining about it would be just as wrong. Flag draped coffins are NOT the same as saying someones name though.

12

InfoGeek

on Aug 26, 2005

Flag draped coffins are NOT the same as saying someones name though.

True, but I like the NYT idea though. A national newspaper. Avaliable almost anywhere, listing their names.

IG

13

HC1240

on Aug 26, 2005

If I remember correctly one of the news shows spent a 1/2 hour or so just reading the names and caught flak for it.

Wasn't that Nightline? From what I read, it didn't appear to me to be an attempt to honor the military (as they would have had you believe), but instead was an effort to undermine the war effort. They weren't intending to offer tribute to any of them individually, simply to read the names, one after the other, for the half-hour segment. They might have called it a "tribute", but it's sole purpose was to highlight only one aspect of the war effort, and in doing so, to influence public opinion about the ongoing war effort in Iraq. Don't remember Nightline ever offering to read, one after the other, the names of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks, do you? Of course, this is all only my take on it. As far as I know, Ted Koppel denies that he was trying to make any kind of political statement. I just don't happen to believe him.

14

drmiler

on Aug 26, 2005

Wasn't that Nightline? From what I read, it didn't appear to me to be an attempt to honor the military (as they would have had you believe), but instead was an effort to undermine the war effort. They weren't intending to offer tribute to any of them individually, simply to read the names, one after the other, for the half-hour segment. They might have called it a "tribute", but it's sole purpose was to highlight only one aspect of the war effort, and in doing so, to influence public opinion about the ongoing war effort in Iraq. Don't remember Nightline ever offering to read, one after the other, the names of private citizens killed in terrorist attacks, do you? Of course, this is all only my take on it. As far as I know, Ted Koppel denies that he was trying to make any kind of political statement. I just don't happen to believe him.

Me either! And thank you for that bit of intel.

15

Texas Wahine

on Aug 26, 2005

drmiler: Did you not see the interactive "Faces of the Fallen" on the CBS page? That's the reason why I included that link.

The media provides plenty of opportunities for us to acquaint ourselves with the men and women who have given their lives for our country, if we are willing to pay attention to it. Could there be more exposure? Sure.

The problem you're going to come up against is that there are many folks, particularly right-wingers, who are opposed to that kind of exposure for our fallen service members.

Any program or story detailing the life and/or death of a fallen service member will be criticized as being "negative" and "undermining the war effort".

The media also ran lists of names of people who were killed in the terrorist attacks.

It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type of situation.