http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...031103/us_nm/economy_housing_affordability_dc "While U.S. officials say the policy was created out of respect for relatives, others criticize the lack of media access, arguing its aim is to prevent the public from seeing large numbers of coffins that could turn public opinion against the war." The idea that this policy has anything to do with respect for the "trauma" of the soldiers' relatives is horseshiit. This is a naked move by the government to shape how the war is presented to the American public. And I love the journalistic gusto of this muckraker: "We were a bit surprised by the sudden ban (on covering coffins)," said Andy Eckardt, a producer based in Mainz for NBC who covered about five such transfers there in recent years. "But we follow the regulations. What can I do? It's the military. They own the base." Actually, this spinelessness is the real danger here. One would expect a democratic government to try stuff like this: of course they want to shape the coverage of the war! But we're supposed to have a free press calling these people out, challenging them on such things. When the rules were first created in 91, a group led by Harpers Mag actually did take the government to court to challenge the rules. Not only did the liberal press like NYT, WaPo, and all the major networks not JOIN the lawsuit, but they didn't even cover the fact that such a lawsuit existed.
More disturbing is the Ministry of Truth operation the Bushies have going. First they changed the White House website so that the POTUS was saying "major combat operations" when in real life he said "combat operations." Then they disappeared an old quote from USAID massively underestimating the reconstruction costs in Iraq. There are one or two others I've forgotten.
Just wondering why the link is to an article on home affordability? Is the government this quick to cover stuff up, even on Big Soccer???
The "home affordability" article was just FYI. But now I can't find the AP report from Yahoo that I meant to link, so here's one on the same issue: http://www.azstarnet.com/star/thu/31030THOMAS-HNS.html
Who, that guy that used to be the moderator of the Holland forum that would come in here and talk about how he wanted to kill Bush?
Why do (American) people want to see the coffins of American servicemen anyway? Is there some sort of morbid fascination with it? Is the media obligated to provide images of these coffins in order to allow the public to see "large numbers of coffins that could turn public opinion against the war"?
As an American I really don't want to see the coffins of American GIs. But I also don't want my government to tell me I can't see the coffins of GIs.
Bingo - if they are going to such elaborate efforts to prevent the coverage of solidiers who they already admit have died...what else are they covering up?
This statement would be hilarious if it wasn't so frightening. I mean, really, why do we need a free press at all? This administration has raised stonewalling and secrecy to a new black art form. Bush has held 10, count em 10, news conferences in three years. No president in the last 50 years has held fewer. Pathetic. His comment about "the filter" of the news is basically asking the US public to believe only what the white house says -- everything else is slanted against him. Contemptible, yet somehow sad. As mentioned above, the White House has manipulated its web site to prevent web engines from archiving portions of the White House website related to Iraq. And they have altered dated texts. (A big shout out to the Stalinists.) Not to mention the Cheney energy meeting notes (huh? whuh?), the lack of cooperation with the 9/11 commission (wheh? who?), the evidence on Iraq (oh, we left those at Tony Blair's house -- I'll get em later). It's like the Vinnie Barbarino administration. Now they have the gall to try block the most basic images of war, the return of this country's fallen soldiers. I may be as against this war as anyone can be, but I know some people who have been in this war and probably will be there again. And it's an insult to our intelligence, to our freedoms and to the families by claiming it's for their protection that they're manipulating and blocking basic news coverage. Disgusting.
Could this be the one you're talking about? http://www.defendamerica.mil/ This is my favorite article: http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/sss092203.html So, how about that semester abroad and forgetting to come back...
What statement, cj? It was a question. If you don't want to answer the question, then why bother quoting my post?