Philly contractor beheaded by Islamic militants

[CRB#33]

Originally posted by Deb in IA

What ever happened to ethics and responsibility in journalism? Both for this incident, as well as the continued publication of prison abuse photos? The whole world gets the point; further "new" photos only serves to antagonize enemy forces and place our many, many good and decent soldiers at risk.

Ethics have been replaced by the mighty dollar. Whatever sells. Whatever brings in the viewers, brings in the bucks. This country is run by the rich. It's getting very discouraging to watch what is happening to this country that I love.

The sickest thing in all this is that photos are being shown over and over because people are turning on the tv to see them. Over and over. Morbid and sick. Not me. I refuse to watch the news and have thrown the paper in the garbage except for the local news sections.

I actually thought it was all a doctored up sick joke in the beginning because I refused to listen or watch anything about it. It was on the Internet and from my children's teachers that I realized the whole thing was horribly true.

What in God's name were these soldiers thinking??? Did the photographer want them for an album? Did they not think this would get out???

I hope they are courtmarshalled and punished to the fullest extent.

 

[RitaZ.]

Originally posted by kpgclark
I know that the soldiers that did this are absolutely wrong for what they did to the prisoners, but I blame the media for publicizing those photos and causing this retaliation. That was wrong. It never should have been done. There should have been an internal investigation that was confidential. Those pictures should never have been let out to the public. This kind of retaliation was bound to happen. What is grim and gruesome is the fact that the media tried to make a buck (starting with 60 Minutes) by publicizing what happened. What is barbaric is that they had no forethought as to what the consequences of their actions or if they did, there was no concern for coalition workers and soldiers. Our people's blood is on the hands of the media.

I agree. What did they think would happen once those pictures were publicized? Sadly, we will be seeing a lot more of this from now on.

 

[Celluloidgal]

My heart grieves with this poor family. I can't imagine...

 

[RitaZ.]

I'd like to know how the photos were leaked!

I'd like to know that too. I think that "leaking" those photos was all politically motivated.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I know that the soldiers that did this are absolutely wrong for what they did to the prisoners, but I blame the media for publicizing those photos and causing this retaliation.

I hope 60 Minutes is pleased. I wonder if the media will give as much air time to this as they did the pictures of the Iraqi soldiers. Who's going to be the first to demand that there be an apology? Yeah. I'm not holding my breath. The hearings for the *torture* phots needs to be called off immediately. What a joke. I truly feel sickened right now.

Well blame the international media then not ours because this story was broke and the pics being shown internationally(especially in the Arab world) BEFORE they were ever shown here.

Hopefully our goverement will take the right steps to solve this problem and people like Senator McCain will keep speaking up because the day our goverment starts censoring things that are already in the International news would be frightening.

Blaming the media for the resultant backlash is, if you'll forgive me, ludicrous. The only people to blame for any backlash are the people who commited those crimes against those prisoners; the people who condoned it; and the people who were slow to stop it.

Plus I sure that the terrorists that killed him mearly used the abuse as an excuse to do so.

 

[tiggersmom2]

RitaZ.,

BINGO - I think you hit the nail on the head!

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'd like to know that too. I think that "leaking" those photos was all politically motivated.

BINGO - I think you hit the nail on the head

Do a google search for yourself, the photos were NOT a story broke by the US media.

I think it's sad that anyone whould use this poor mans death as a polictical tool and that includes blaming the other side for things they had no control over.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by palmtreegirl

I think it's sad that anyone whould use this poor mans death as a polictical tool and that includes blaming the other side for things they had no control over.

You mean like how John Kerry has used the photos against the President?

I'll bet that within 2 days, John Kerry will use this man's death to attack the President, unfortunately.

 

[tiggersmom2]

ITA beattyfamily,
Let's not forget that Senator McCain is calling for ALL the photos to be publicized. Please tell me HOW that is going to help our troops!?

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
You mean like how John Kerry has used the photos against the President?

I'll bet that within 2 days, John Kerry will use this man's death to attack the President, unfortunately.

You know what I was talking about people posting that the photos were released and the story was broken about the abuse as a political tool. AND since the story was broken internationally it isn't true.

I don't Bush bash, never have. I'm not going to debate you about things that I didn't comment on in a thread about a different subject. You're going to have to sucker someone else into that because I don't play that game.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I just think the 'people' who killed this guy are just part of the slime garbage who act as religious, vengeful fanantics. And politicians and media alike use these things, anything, to further their causes and bottom lines.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

horribly tragic and disturbing. I hope for peace for that poor man's family.

However, I could never blame the media for the actions of the sub-human creatures that would punish this man in retaliation for acts he had no participation in.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by tiggersmom2
ITA beattyfamily,
Let's not forget that Senator McCain is calling for ALL the photos to be publicized. Please tell me HOW that is going to help our troops!?

I don't understand, how is reporting stories already in the international news hurting our troops? these things are already out there, I just don't understand your point? I would understand if these stories were being broke by the US media but they aren't.

Do I blame Bush for the abuse-NO WAY! But as the Commander and Chief of the armed forces it's his job to answer for them. Do I blame Rumsfeld? NO WAY! I think it's ridiculous to blame anyone else other then the people that commited the crimes and their officiers for not stopping it earlier.

 

[CRB#33]

There are several parties to blame.

And it starts with the "soldiers" who abused prisoners in the first place. They are no better than who they were abusing. Two wrongs NEVER make a right.

Then the media ran with it. International schminternational. Makes no difference. And all because people will watch and the media can make more money.

Then there are the Radical Islamics who will only claim the abuse as an excuse to behead this poor man. They were just waiting for one you know.

They never should have had this excuse to begin with.

And then of couse our wonderful government, democratic or republican, will use whatever means necessary to further their own agendas

 

[izzy]

Originally posted by Deb in IA



What ever happened to ethics and responsibility in journalism? Both for this incident, as well as the continued publication of prison abuse photos? The whole world gets the point; further "new" photos only serves to antagonize enemy forces and place our many, many good and decent soldiers at risk.

ITA, Deb!!! I don't think there is such a thing as ethics and responsibility in journalism anymore. "Freedom of the press" has just completely run amok. This is one reason why I mostly watch HGTV and TV Land anymore. A bunch people screaming over top of each other and hashing and rehashing things to death just drives me bonkers.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Well, lets not forget Daniel Pearl either. They did this to him too, without provocation remember.

It's just awful, feel so bad for the family and friends.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Originally posted by Dan Murphy
I just think the 'people' who killed this guy are just part of the slime garbage who act as religious, vengeful fanantics. And politicians and media alike use these things, anything, to further their causes and bottom lines.

Very true. It's sad that things like this poor mans death will be used as political tools in anyway and it will happen on all sides. I really wish things were done differently but then aagain I also really wish John McCain would run for President but that's not going to happen either.

 

[Grog]

I just think it is amazing that not too long ago the American public didn't even know that one of their presidents was in a wheelchair while in office!

The interesting thing is that the media of the 1930s and 40s DID know that Roosevelt was in a wheelchair and didn't make it public out of respect. I read a story once about Roosevelt being helped from his chair to the podium for a news conference. A young reporter started to take a picture of him, and the reporter next to him placed his hand in front of the lens and said something along the lines of "we don't do that".

The media today is a whole different animal. If it bleeds, it leads... and controversy sells. If this story hadn't broken internationally first, it would have broken over here eventually.

 

[C.Ann]

Lots of people and sources to blame, but the #1 spot for blame is the "soldiers" who were involved in the abuse (and photographing) of the Iraqi prisoners..

I wonder how many of them are "smiling" and giving the "thumbs up" signs now?

 

[LauraR]

Here's what I read in the Sunday edition of the Baltimore Sun, in an article about one of the soldiers accused of prisoner abuse at Abu Graib (Sgt. Chip Frederick): "Frederick's family tried to persuade the Army to discharge Frederick and take away his pension, arguing that his actions were the result of orders given by others. Frederick's uncle, Bill Lawson, a retired Air Force master sergeant, said in an interview last week that the family also sent letters for help to 17 members of Congress. When the Army refused and the members of Congress replied with form letters, Lawson contacted retired Col. David Hackworth, a syndicated columnist, who helped the family get in touch with Mary Mapes, a producer for "60 Minutes II", which broke the story. 'We gave the military the opportunity to have none of this come out, 'Lawson said. 'They could have avoided all of this.'

So, I guess that's who we have to thank for the photos coming out.