This is infuriating

[Guest MikeSC]

June 3, 2004

Release Number: 04-06-09

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

COALITION SOLDIERS QUESTION NEWS MEDIA FOLLOWING ROADSIDE BOMB

 

MOSUL, Iraq - Coalition soldiers questioned two news media cameramen and a reporter after a roadside bomb exploded near a Coalition convoy two kilometers north of Mosul June 3.

 

The media, who were at the scene prior to the attack, told soldiers at the scene they had received a tip to be at that location prior to the attack and they had witnessed the explosion.

 

There was minimal damage to a Coalition vehicle, a cracked windshield, and no serious injuries.

 

3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division soldiers requested the media accompany them to a base camp in Mosul to answer questions as witnesses to the incident. The news media representatives left the base camp in the mid afternoon.

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/news_re...se=20040609.txt

The reporters KNEW of the attack --- and didn't alert a soul. They just decided to cover the story --- screw the deaths that their silence will create.

 

They are unbelievably evil people.

-=Mike

[Mole 0]

Wow, I have lost even more respect for the media.

 

Like I had much respect for them before.

[Guest Brian]

It doesn't say they knew there was going to be an attack.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

It doesn't say they knew there was going to be an attack.

They could still do well to use some common sense and think that, given the volatility of the location, they were being told to go to the scene because someone wanted media coverage of an attack or some other violent incident.

[Guest Brian]

Who knows what their source was? There are alot of factors that could have made the situation not as evident as we would have liked to look at it.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Where were the media people from?...

[Stephen Joseph 0]

Okay, so I'm a media guy

 

I get a random phone call telling me to be somewhere.

Now I don't know who called me,

but I know they wanted me along a roadside,

I know what's been going on.

 

Captain Obvious says BOMB.

[tommytomlin 0]

Blaming the 'media' is just as stupid as people who blame the 'left' or the 'right' or the 'police'. Every single one of those groups is comprised of millions of different people, all with different personalities, opinions and morals. You can't blame 'the media' for the actions of three people, just like you couldn't blame 'America' for the Abu Ghraib scandal.

[Stephen Joseph 0]

Okay, here's why.

 

So far Abu has been an isolated incident. Can't really think of another time where military peeps have been caught torturing others (unless you count g-bay but that hasnt exploded.

 

Media? Please. I was caught behind a tanker truck explosion in Atlanta once. What did I and others do who were fortunate enough to be far behind? We ran in a helped pull people away.

 

One ambulance got there with a fire truck, then the media showed up, the more emergency services. What did the media do? Reported it, nevermind the fact we were screaming at them to help us get everyone clear.

 

There. That's why I'm personally distrustful of the media.

[Guest MikeSC]

Blaming the 'media' is just as stupid as people who blame the 'left' or the 'right' or the 'police'. Every single one of those groups is comprised of millions of different people, all with different personalities, opinions and morals. You can't blame 'the media' for the actions of three people, just like you couldn't blame 'America' for the Abu Ghraib scandal.

Tommy, if this was isolated, you might have a point.

 

It's not. This is a rather pervasive mindset in the media.

 

Mike Wallace has said that if he learned of an ambush, he'd feel no higher duty to warn troops of it. He said he'd report it as just another story.

 

The media has mistaken objectivity for complicity in the attacks.

-=Mikw

[2GOLD 0]

Sadly, this is what the media is taught and it's the reason I don't want to be part of the news reporting industry

 

You are told to cover the story, not to become part of the story. This means, you just watch and observe. You don't help with the situation and you don't compromise a story for any reason.

 

The one thing my teacher told me that assured me I never wanted to be one of these people: "You must leave your conscience. If you have one, you better lose it or you'll never make it in news."

[Guest MikeSC]

Sadly, this is what the media is taught and it's the reason I don't want to be part of the news reporting industry

 

You are told to cover the story, not to become part of the story. This means, you just watch and observe. You don't help with the situation and you don't compromise a story for any reason.

 

The one thing my teacher told me that assured me I never wanted to be one of these people: "You must leave your conscience. If you have one, you better lose it or you'll never make it in news."

Which begs the question --- if they found out that FELLOW JOURNALISTS were to be ambushed, would they still not say a word?

 

If this is what journalists are taught, then the profession is an unspeakably evil one.

-=Mike

[Art Sandusky 0]

No, not evil, just way too competitive and motivated by their own interests. Stop tossing around such words.

[2GOLD 0]

Sadly, this is what the media is taught and it's the reason I don't want to be part of the news reporting industry

 

You are told to cover the story, not to become part of the story. This means, you just watch and observe. You don't help with the situation and you don't compromise a story for any reason.

 

The one thing my teacher told me that assured me I never wanted to be one of these people: "You must leave your conscience. If you have one, you better lose it or you'll never make it in news."

Which begs the question --- if they found out that FELLOW JOURNALISTS were to be ambushed, would they still not say a word?

 

If this is what journalists are taught, then the profession is an unspeakably evil one.

-=Mike

 

You are taught to not to compromise the story.

If someone is going to die, oh well it makes for a bigger story. It's really a rather cold hearted profession to be a part of.

 

If you can destroy someone for a story, you do it. You sell out your best friend for a award in that business.

 

The money is in news but to get that money, you have to sell your soul. The news media is run by the Devil and even he would shake his head at some of the things they do.

[Guest MikeSC]

No, not evil, just way too competitive and motivated by their own interests. Stop tossing around such words.

If you can stop somebody from getting killed --- and refuse to do so --- you are evil.

-=Mike

[Firestarter 0]

No, not evil, just way too competitive and motivated by their own interests. Stop tossing around such words.

Shut your fucking mouth. Letting innocent people die because you want higher ratings is evil. There's no other word for it.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It's very wrong, yes. Evil, no. You act as if I'm defending this. The only thing worse would have been if the reporters themselves had killed the soldiers, then there'd be cause for "evil" to be used.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

so.. getting a tip to be there = knowing an attack is going to happen..

 

hmm..

 

ok

 

MOSUL, Iraq - Coalition soldiers questioned two news media cameramen and a reporter after a roadside bomb exploded near a Coalition convoy two kilometers north of Mosul June 3.

(..)

There was minimal damage to a Coalition vehicle, a cracked windshield, and no serious injuries.

 

so.. where's the part of this article that goes into how the reporters decided to let people die and report it?

[Guest MikeSC]

so.. getting a tip to be there = knowing an attack is going to happen..

 

hmm..

 

ok

 

MOSUL, Iraq - Coalition soldiers questioned two news media cameramen and a reporter after a roadside bomb exploded near a Coalition convoy two kilometers north of Mosul June 3.

(..)

There was minimal damage to a Coalition vehicle, a cracked windshield, and no serious injuries.

 

so.. where's the part of this article that goes into how the reporters decided to let people die and report it?

Rob, because nobody dies doesn't excuse anything. People EASILY could have died.

 

There is NO excuse in NOT reporting a bomb threat to people.

 

Hell, I could easily see reporters letting their kids' school get bombed to not sacrifice the story. Hell, they'd HAVE to --- if they wish to remain consistent.

-=Mike

[Firestarter 0]

You're arguing semantics? Excuse me, I'm not trying to say you're defending this and I never thought you were, but we're talking about Americans watching other Americans getting killed, taking ghoulish pictures of the dead and dying and using them to fatten their wallets and gratify their egos, and you're arguing fucking semantics? I'm sorry, I didn't know the word "evil" was the moral equivalent of absolute zero in your book. For me, and I believe most other people, "evil" is a qualitative assessment, not a quantitative measure. So, in my opinion, inaction leading to death is pretty much the same as picking up a gun and shooting our fellow countrymen. Maybe that's -272.8º Celsius rather than -273º, but it's still pretty fucking cold. I don't give a shit if there's something colder. It's still pretty fucking cold.

[Art Sandusky 0]

It's also not obvious what was going to happen once they got there, although 99% of the time, given the area and events there, it will end up being something violent. They could have at least said something to the Coalition folks in the area before heading out.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

 

Do you have any sources that indicate that the tip was a bomb threat? or do you just wish to use the 'new math' and say "random tip = bomb threat"?

 

But, I guess the random media (which you and the two week old news release didn't identify) are just EEEEEVIL. Eh?

[Art Sandusky 0]

I'm sorry, I didn't know the word "evil" was the moral equivalent of absolute zero in your book.

It's fine, not many people do.

[Guest MikeSC]

 

Do you have any sources that indicate that the tip was a bomb threat? or do you just wish to use the 'new math' and say "random tip = bomb threat"?

 

But, I guess the random media (which you and the two week old news release didn't identify) are just EEEEEVIL. Eh?

Oh, I'm sorry, Rob --- I'm sure that it IS real hard to connect the dots when you're in an area where:

1) Bombs go off around coalition forces regularly and

2) You're told to be at a certain roadside location at a certain time

 

Truly, a MYSTERY for the ages.

 

I guess if I hear from the KKK that I should be outside a black man's house one night --- I'd be WAY off-base in assuming something bad might happen and that I should consider warning him and the police, right?

-=Mike

...Replace the word "soldiers" with "their own children". If they'd act DIFFERENTLY, then what they're doing is evil.

[2GOLD 0]

I guess if I hear from the KKK that I should be outside a black man's house one night --- I'd be WAY off-base in assuming something bad might happen and that I should consider warning him and the police, right?

-=Mike

 

What Mike? Maybe the KKK is organizing a peace summit and they want to hold it in that man's front yard. You never know. Or maybe, they are giving him an award and making him an honorary Klansman.

 

You gotta quit jumping to conclusions about things like this. It's not healthy.

[Guest MikeSC]

I guess if I hear from the KKK that I should be outside a black man's house one night --- I'd be WAY off-base in assuming something bad might happen and that I should consider warning him and the police, right?

        -=Mike

 

What Mike? Maybe the KKK is organizing a peace summit and they want to hold it in that man's front yard. You never know. Or maybe, they are giving him an award and making him an honorary Klansman.

 

You gotta quit jumping to conclusions about things like this. It's not healthy.

I know. Damn me and my prejudiced views based solely on recent precedent.

-=Mike

[Vyce 0]

 

Do you have any sources that indicate that the tip was a bomb threat? or do you just wish to use the 'new math' and say "random tip = bomb threat"?

 

But, I guess the random media (which you and the two week old news release didn't identify) are just EEEEEVIL. Eh?

Oh, I'm sorry, Rob --- I'm sure that it IS real hard to connect the dots when you're in an area where:

1) Bombs go off around coalition forces regularly and

2) You're told to be at a certain roadside location at a certain time

 

Truly, a MYSTERY for the ages.

.

Ah, yes indeed!

 

The mystery of Kaspar Hauser pales in comparison.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Oh, I'm sorry, Rob --- I'm sure that it IS real hard to connect the dots when you're in an area where:

1) Bombs go off around coalition forces regularly and

2) You're told to be at a certain roadside location at a certain time

 

Truly, a MYSTERY for the ages.

 

Yeah, so, can you tell us who gave these tips, or what company the media worked for?

 

and I guess it's good for the core of this forum that you didn't find this infuriating news earlier, or else there'd be a meltdown, I suspect.

 

I guess if I hear from the KKK that I should be outside a black man's house one night --- I'd be WAY off-base in assuming something bad might happen and that I should consider warning him and the police, right?

 

 

Yeah, there's a reason to be suspicious. But, you know that free media, always for the devil and all that.

 

Replace the word "soldiers" with "their own children". If they'd act DIFFERENTLY, then what they're doing is evil.

 

Care to mention any media outlets that would send reporters to cover a story that their kids are involved in?

[Guest MikeSC]

Oh, I'm sorry, Rob --- I'm sure that it IS real hard to connect the dots when you're in an area where:

1) Bombs go off around coalition forces regularly and

2) You're told to be at a certain roadside location at a certain time

 

Truly, a MYSTERY for the ages.

Yeah, so, can you tell us who gave these tips, or what company the media worked for?

It doesn't MATTER who gave the tips. They SHOULD have alerted SOMEBODY that they got it.

and I guess it's good for the core of this forum that you didn't find this infuriating news earlier, or else there'd be a meltdown, I suspect.

That was the weakest attempt at sarcasm I've seen since hunger's banishment. Congrats.

I guess if I hear from the KKK that I should be outside a black man's house one night --- I'd be WAY off-base in assuming something bad might happen and that I should consider warning him and the police, right?

 

 

Yeah, there's a reason to be suspicious. But, you know that free media, always for the devil and all that.

Whoa --- if I followed a REPORTER'S creed, I WOULDN'T alert a soul. Wouldn't want to become part of the story.

Replace the word "soldiers" with "their own children". If they'd act DIFFERENTLY, then what they're doing is evil.

 

Care to mention any media outlets that would send reporters to cover a story that their kids are involved in?

Hear that sound?

 

It's the point buzzing over your head.

-=Mike

[tommytomlin 0]

But for every instance of 'the media' not wanting to get involved and putting somebody in harm's way, there's just as many instances of 'the media' GETTING involved for a good reason. Like the reporter from The Australian, who flew that armless kid out of Baghdad when nobody else cared. Or the dozens of reporters and cameramen who, during the bushfires in Canberra in 2003, put their own lives on the line to help save families and houses.

 

Yes, there is a kind of unwritten law that journalists try and remove themselves from the story, but most members of 'the media' know the difference between right and wrong. Just because these tools didn't isn't proof of a general lack of morals in 'the media'. It's proof of a lack of morals in the three tools that let it happen.