Topic: Alledged prostitutes executed by alledged Taliban
Cueball
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4790
posted 15 July 2008 02:15 PM
[ 15 July 2008: Message edited by: Cueball ]
From: Out from under the bridge and out for a stroll | Registered: Dec 2003
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Cueball
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4790
posted 15 July 2008 02:30 PM
I think Ghislain raised an interesting point, however my question would be if it is incumbent upon the media to directly intervene in acts of violence committed in times of war, why did it take until now for Ghislane to raise the issue, since it has been the case that western journalist and commentators have been bligthly reporting the "facts" overtop of film footage of quite blatant abuses of the Geneva convention by the western powers for years now, without even so much as a peep of protest, in circumstances far less volatile than the wilds of Afghanistan. I just can't understand how Peter Mansbridge was not hoping up and down from his seat, actively denouncing war crimes, from the relative safety of his anchor desk while US forces pummeled Falujah back in 2004, when we were simultaneously trying Ex-Yugoslav Army officers in the Hague for doing the same to Sarajevo back in 1994.
Tried for murder for ordering an artillery barrage against an urban area.
Extreme Graphic Violence -- no charges
Its true, I find it ironic that Ghislain is demanding immediate active personal responsibility from journalists to "intervene" directly in the face of petty violence, when witnessing such from our "enemies", when large scale atrocity can be witnessed not only on the nightly news, but on the internet on a regular basis, while the ambivalent attitude of our journalists is accepted as an indicator of "objectivity".
From: Out from under the bridge and out for a stroll | Registered: Dec 2003
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Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560
posted 15 July 2008 02:45 PM
Actually, I agree with the jist of the point that reglafella made, even though he was kind of snarky when he made it.
Which is that I don't think journalists should feel like they have to intervene when they're reporting something like this. It's often already life-threatening enough just to videotape such an event. There would have been no way for the person videotaping it to have stopped it, and they would've gotten themselves killed too, most likely.
It's vitally important work for journalists to chronicle such things. It is up to politicians and people IN the country to stop such injustices when they occur. That is not the journalist's role when on duty.
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001
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Cueball
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4790
posted 15 July 2008 02:58 PM
I highly doubt is was AP footage anyway, it was likely footage taken by the people doing the execution, and then picked up somewhere. Bought.
From: Out from under the bridge and out for a stroll | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted 15 July 2008 02:15 PM
