US Media Makes Me Ill

Professor S · 05-06-2004, 12:47 PM

Let me say one thing before I go off on my rant: I think what happened to the Iraqi prisoners in Abu Graf (sp?) was wrong. Those that are responsible should be court marshalled and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Their actions hurt our world view in the eyes of Muslims and others and also are simply morally and legally wrong.

With that said, I think the rediculous amount of media attention that this has gotten is disgusting and COMPLETELY politically motivated. I'm watching a press conference going on right now and the absolute outrage and contempt of the media for the current administrion is quite obvious and even a little funny.

Where was this outrage when the US citizens, inculding one taken today, were taken hostage for trying to rebuild Iraq?

Where was this outrage when US workers were killed, burned and hung from a bridge?

Where was this outrage when the London Telegraph released the article proving that Saddam was DIRECTLY involved with training 9/11 terrorists?

Where was this outrage when the UN, including its leader Kofi Anan (sp?), became under investigation (and are basically guilty) for MASSIVE corruption involving the Oil for Food program involving *SHOCK* France, Russia and Germany among others?

There was no "outrage", and in fact the last two incedents were barely touched upon for more than one day, if at all.

AND YET WHEN IRAQI PRISONERS HAVE THEIR PICTURES TAKEN IN AWKWARD POSITIONS THE WHOLE WORLD COMES TO AN END. I'VE SEEN WORSE "TORTURE" AT A FRAT PARTY IN COLLEGE. PEOPLE ARE KILLED EVERY DAY IN THAT COUNTRY AND THE MEDIA GETS A BURR UP ITS ASS OVER SOME EMBARRASSING PHOTOS.

And the left love to talk about the "myth" of the liberal media... Give me a break.

Crash · 05-06-2004, 12:55 PM

glad someone said it, + rep

Jonbo298 · 05-06-2004, 02:04 PM

The story is recent. The media is milking it right now. Give it a few weeks and it'll probably be old news.

Typhoid · 05-06-2004, 02:47 PM

I've been saying thisngs like that all along...and i got -repped....

...but hay...+rep to you.

The Duggler · 05-06-2004, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Strangler

Where was this outrage when the US citizens, inculding one taken today, were taken hostage for trying to rebuild Iraq?

Where was this outrage when US workers were killed, burned and hung from a bridge?

Where was this outrage when the London Telegraph released the article proving that Saddam was DIRECTLY involved with training 9/11 terrorists?

Where was this outrage when the UN, including its leader Kofi Anan (sp?), became under investigation (and are basically guilty) for MASSIVE corruption involving the Oil for Food program involving *SHOCK* France, Russia and Germany among others?

Hehehe you're funny Strangler. Must I remind you that your country invaded them? Hence the outrages when your coutry **** up.

Yes it's wrong to be on the far left, but it's not better being on the far right like you.

Professor S · 05-06-2004, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitram

Hehehe you're funny Strangler. Must I remind you that your country invaded them? Hence the outrages when your coutry **** up.

Yes it's wrong to be on the far left, but it's not better being on the far right like you.

Yes, we invaded them and removed a regime that slaughtered 1.5 million of its own people, raped whomever they felt like and basically ran a country based on fear. Our citizens who are non-combatants are being taken hostage and killed and it gets cursory media attention. Meanwhile Iraqi PRISONERS or war and terrorism, not CITIZENS trying to WORK, are placed in embarrassing positions for photographs and the media is trying to make it into Watergate 2.

This is obvious, whether you are right or left, and EVERYONE should be outraged by it. Its about perspective, and how the media has completely LOST IT when it comes to the war with the upcoming election.

And please don't try and corner me into some political label, as I am anything but far right, and if you would pay attention to my political posts you would know this. My posts do lean right because the majority of liberal spin flying around these boards tends to be very misinformed and based on selective knowledge, but I have posted my considerable reservations about the Bush Presidency on more than one occasion.

MuGen · 05-06-2004, 04:24 PM

well said... +rep

The Duggler · 05-06-2004, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Strangler

Yes, we invaded them and removed a regime that slaughtered 1.5 million of its own people, raped whomever they felt like and basically ran a country based on fear

I admit that you are well informed on the subject Strangler, much more than me, but you still come off as a guy that only looks at one side of the story.

The 1.5 million people that he murdered. You`re talking about the Chiites right? The same Chiites that are rebelling on you right now? You see, that country is a mess anyways, it's devided by 3 major ethnicities that hate each other. How can you make it work? A brutal dictator might be the only solution.

And didn't the US encouraged the Chiite rebelion a few years ago? A factor that could have something to do in their massacre?

Jonbo298 · 05-06-2004, 05:04 PM

I thought it was spelled Shiite

Professor S · 05-06-2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nitram

I admit that you are well informed on the subject Strangler, much more than me, but you still come off as a guy that only looks at one side of the story.

I often only post one side of the story because the other side has numerous defenders here. There is no need.

Quote:

The 1.5 million people that he murdered. You`re talking about the Chiites right? The same Chiites that are rebelling on you right now?

Not just the Shiites were killed, anyone presenting a perceived threat was killed. Example: On the fifth day of Saddam's rule he aired a nationally broadcasted meeting of all the countries leaders. While smoking a cigar Saddam's right hand man read off a random list of names of "traitors" who were ushered out of the building, never to be seen again. They were killed so that Saddam could send a message: Anyone can be killed at any time.

One of his generals disagreed with him once (the name escapes me) and was imprisoned. The general's wife begged for his release and Saddam agreed. Saddam sent the general back to his wife... chopped into several pieces in a sack.

5,000 Kurds were slaughtered so that Saddam could test chemical weapons.

Rape camps were set up and the military could just pick out women they found attractive, accuse them with some bogus charge, and then send them to the camps to be toys for the boys.

Etc. etc. etc.

Quote:

You see, that country is a mess anyways, it's devided by 3 major ethnicities that hate each other. How can you make it work? A brutal dictator might be the only solution.

That comment is ignorant, simplistic and borderline racist and I really don't think I need to explain why.

Quote:

And didn't the US encouraged the Chiite rebelion a few years ago? A factor that could have something to do in their massacre?

While I don't agree with what the US did to encourage the rebellion, are you really implyin that its the US's fault there have been 400,000 bodies found in mass graves in Iraq so far? If thats the case, is there ANYTHING that isn't the US's fault in the world? If we don't do anything, we are criticized (see North Korea), and if we actually try and do something, we get it even worse. Such is the life of the world's most powerful nation. Nationalistic penis envy can be a terrible thing.

Typhoid · 05-06-2004, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Strangler

They were killed so that Saddam could send a message: Anyone can be killed at any time.

He wasnt trying to say that anyone can be killed at anytime. He might have been making a statement against traitors, or Martyrs. ( im not standing up for him to get it straight, because i dont believe in his killing people to test weapons and whatnot)

In the U.S., if you are a traitor or a Martyr, you might not get killed, but the punishment is a long jail sentance. Different countries have different ways of doing things.

ex. In the U.S. you get the death penalty for killing someone...."a life for a life"
But in Canada you get a life sentance...and i dont mean life sentance as in 20 years...i mean until the day you die. This is a way harsher and more civilized way of acting in this case..but thats just my opinion..

And please do explain why this is a racist remark...because i dont see it as racist, its the truth. Because you said it was racist...and i dont see how...

Quote:

You see, that country is a mess anyways, it's devided by 3 major ethnicities that hate each other. How can you make it work? A brutal dictator might be the only solution.

GameMaster · 05-06-2004, 06:44 PM

You shouldn't let yourself get ill over the U.S. media. You just need to remember that it's a job like any other that people do to put food on their tables. Invest your time in something else like solving a math problem that hasn't been solved yet, or dedicate your mind to an area of science that needs more attention.

Typhoid · 05-06-2004, 06:46 PM

Ok then, as the Math whiz you are GM....whats the square root of 1,000,000? That should keep you busy for a while...heh heh heh...

TheGame · 05-06-2004, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Typhoid

Ok then, as the Math whiz you are GM....whats the square root of 1,000,000? That should keep you busy for a while...heh heh heh...

Next time try giving him a hard problem... if you think that is hard well,

Professor S · 05-06-2004, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GameMaster

You shouldn't let yourself get ill over the U.S. media. You just need to remember that it's a job like any other that people do to put food on their tables. Invest your time in something else like solving a math problem that hasn't been solved yet, or dedicate your mind to an area of science that needs more attention.

I would if the media wasn't constantly shaping the opinions of the general population. The media is a very powerful tool, and should be debinked on a regular basis.

Typhoid, Saddam wasn't making a statement against traitors. I have studied this event and have seen the footage of him laughing while smoking a cigar while the names were read. Bath (sp?) Party loyalists were named as well as memebers of other parties. His statement was that he will control you and do what he wants under penalty of death.

And the comment was borderline racist because saying that arabs can't accept democracy and stop fighting one another is the same as saying all blacks like fried chicken and all italians are connected to the mob. It is a gross generalization and an ignorant one at that. Tens of thousands of arabs have left their homelands yearning to get away from the totalitarian regimes that they lived under for years and have managed to live peacefully with not only other muslim sects but Christians as well.

You have to remember that there has never been a true democracy in the Middle East... NEVER. We can't expect people to just sit up and say "Hey! That sounds great! Lets do it even though we have no idea what that is!". You have to expect a good amount of xenophobia, especially in the beginning. Change is frightening.

*realizes he went off on a tangent*

Sorry about that,