Two days ago Americans were locked onto their tv screens watching and rewatching the devastating news of another school shooting. As the 24/7 news crews found new and interesting ways to spin the same 10 minutes of horror, they quickly dubbed it the worst school 'massacre' in US history.
We are constantly bombarded by the question 'why?!' It seems we refuse to understand that ultimately the answer to this question is not going to make us feel better or even make sense. I mean honestly when was the last time you thought to yourself "I totally get why that wacko killed those people'?
Last night, the news was almost giddy with their latest coup. The extremely mentally disturbed mass murderer had taken a few minutes out of his attack to send a package off to NBC, knowing full well that NBC's desire to tantalize and out report their competitors would drive them to air this disgusting video and pictures that were included.
Instead of asking why this man went out and shot up the campus, which like the answer or not it's quite simple he was mentally imbalanced, and the warning signs were there and ignored, the real question is why has our news become little more than a technocolor tabloid.
I heard Brian Williams preface the airing of the tape with the fact that it was sent to further 'victimize' the victims and yet they aired the tape. So in the end NBC became a willing accomplice to Cho Seung-hui, by adding further injury to the greiving families. The tape revealed nothing we didn't already suspect about the man; but it spoke volumes about our media.
There was other terrible news yesterday of mass bombings in Iraq, but of course the 32 people killed at home took over the news. Is it because asking the question of 'why' to the man responsible for the carnage in Iraq is too difficult for our media or do they realize that George W. Bush will never fully explain his motives for sending all those lives in to harms way.
Chris Shaw with the BBC asks the question, and I would love to know your opinion.
Should killers be given airtime?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2061176,00.html
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Red Cross details 'unbearable suffering' of Iraqi civilians
Regardless of John McCain's assertion while walking through the heavily fortified neighborhood, flanked by a massive detail of soldiers and wearing a heavy flack jacket, that Iraq is not that bad we really need to not buy into that massive lie.
I'm posting the Red Cross story from the Guardian because we can't seem to get any of the US MSM to run these types of stories and we should be demanding change from them as well as the leadership of this country.
Ian Black,
Middle East editor
Thursday April 12, 2007
The Guardian
Iraqi civilians are experiencing "immense suffering" because of a "disastrous" security situation, deepening poverty and a worsening humanitarian crisis, according to a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The ICRC also sees no sign that the American-led security "surge" in Baghdad is bringing relief to the capital, while hospitals struggle to cope with mass casualties as malnutrition as well as power and water shortages become more frequent across the country.
"The suffering Iraqi men, women and children are enduring today is unbearable and unacceptable," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations for the organisation, said at the group's Geneva headquarters.
The report, Civilians without Protection, provides a grim snapshot of the situation in Iraq but will carry special weight thanks to the ICRC's reputation as the scrupulously neutral "silent service" of international humanitarian work. It maintains a presence in Baghdad despite the bombing of its offices in 2003, and works closely with the Iraqi Red Crescent.
The report says that more than 100,000 families have been forced to leave their homes in the past year because of the shootings, bombings, abductions, murders and military operations.
"Every day dozens of people are killed and many more wounded," it says. "The plight of Iraqi civilians is a daily reminder of the fact that there has long been a failure to respect their lives and dignity."
Saad, a humanitarian worker, is quoted as recalling the scene after a bomb blast: "I saw a four-year-old boy sitting beside his mother's body, which had been decapitated by the explosion. He was talking to her, asking her what had happened."
The report quotes a woman as saying: "If there's anything anybody could do that would really help us, it would be to help collect the bodies that line the streets in front of our homes every morning and that we find nobody dares touch or remove." It was "simply unbearable" to face them every morning on the way to school.
Medical services are in dire straits, with many health workers fleeing the country after the deaths or abductions of colleagues. At Baghdad's al-Kindi hospital only 40 of the 208 surgeons who used to work there are now still on duty.
I'm posting the Red Cross story from the Guardian because we can't seem to get any of the US MSM to run these types of stories and we should be demanding change from them as well as the leadership of this country.
Ian Black,
Middle East editor
Thursday April 12, 2007
The Guardian
Iraqi civilians are experiencing "immense suffering" because of a "disastrous" security situation, deepening poverty and a worsening humanitarian crisis, according to a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The ICRC also sees no sign that the American-led security "surge" in Baghdad is bringing relief to the capital, while hospitals struggle to cope with mass casualties as malnutrition as well as power and water shortages become more frequent across the country.
"The suffering Iraqi men, women and children are enduring today is unbearable and unacceptable," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations for the organisation, said at the group's Geneva headquarters.
The report, Civilians without Protection, provides a grim snapshot of the situation in Iraq but will carry special weight thanks to the ICRC's reputation as the scrupulously neutral "silent service" of international humanitarian work. It maintains a presence in Baghdad despite the bombing of its offices in 2003, and works closely with the Iraqi Red Crescent.
The report says that more than 100,000 families have been forced to leave their homes in the past year because of the shootings, bombings, abductions, murders and military operations.
"Every day dozens of people are killed and many more wounded," it says. "The plight of Iraqi civilians is a daily reminder of the fact that there has long been a failure to respect their lives and dignity."
Saad, a humanitarian worker, is quoted as recalling the scene after a bomb blast: "I saw a four-year-old boy sitting beside his mother's body, which had been decapitated by the explosion. He was talking to her, asking her what had happened."
The report quotes a woman as saying: "If there's anything anybody could do that would really help us, it would be to help collect the bodies that line the streets in front of our homes every morning and that we find nobody dares touch or remove." It was "simply unbearable" to face them every morning on the way to school.
Medical services are in dire straits, with many health workers fleeing the country after the deaths or abductions of colleagues. At Baghdad's al-Kindi hospital only 40 of the 208 surgeons who used to work there are now still on duty.
US compensation payments to Iraqi civilians made public
How much value does the US Government assign to Iraqi civilians killed because of our deliberate actions in their country? According to the article posted today in the Guardian as well as the recently release report on the ACLU website, those killed at the hands of Americans are worth $7500.
According the the released report, "an Iraqi civilian said US forces opened fire with more than 100 rounds on his sleeping family, killing his mother, father and brother. Such was the firepower that 32 of the family's sheep were also killed. The army acknowledged responsibility and made two payments: a compensation payment of $11,200 and a $2,500 condolence payment."
Obviously among it's countless failings they also find it hard to say their sorry in a very meaningful way. It is beyond time we bring our soldiers home. The lives of Iraqi civilians depend on it.
According the the released report, "an Iraqi civilian said US forces opened fire with more than 100 rounds on his sleeping family, killing his mother, father and brother. Such was the firepower that 32 of the family's sheep were also killed. The army acknowledged responsibility and made two payments: a compensation payment of $11,200 and a $2,500 condolence payment."
Obviously among it's countless failings they also find it hard to say their sorry in a very meaningful way. It is beyond time we bring our soldiers home. The lives of Iraqi civilians depend on it.
Monday, April 09, 2007
The Gamble of Domestic Violence
Last week a woman was murdered at her work place, The University of Washington, by a man that had been stalking her for months. She did everything she was suppose to do to protect herself. Of course the restraining order is such a silly piece of paper as most police precincts in Washington state do little to enforce these orders. She notified her workplace of the problem, officials at the University of Washington were even aware of multiple threats made against her by this man and yet they turned a blind eye and never reported the threats to the police. Instead, they all stood stunned the day they found her and her stalker dead in one of the buildings on campus with much handwringing of how could this have happened.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. This state has a terrible track record of protecting women from domestic violence. It is so easy to blame the victim saying 'well she just went back'. It turns out that 9 out of 10 women that seek help from domestic violence shelters in Seattle are turned away. With 90% of the women left to figure out how to keep a roof over their heads and protect their children is it any wonder they stay put? Sometimes the lesser of two evils is the one you know
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/310640_focusdv.html
By MARCIA HELME guest columnist to the Seattle PI, published Monday, April 9, 2006
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. This state has a terrible track record of protecting women from domestic violence. It is so easy to blame the victim saying 'well she just went back'. It turns out that 9 out of 10 women that seek help from domestic violence shelters in Seattle are turned away. With 90% of the women left to figure out how to keep a roof over their heads and protect their children is it any wonder they stay put? Sometimes the lesser of two evils is the one you know
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/310640_focusdv.html
By MARCIA HELME guest columnist to the Seattle PI, published Monday, April 9, 2006
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