Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Kratzer on February 21, 2002, 04:14:20 PM
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http://www.msnbc.com/news/694028.asp?0na=x21017R3-
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Those bastards.
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brave warriors, killed reporter armed with pad & pencil
what did they mean to accomplish by taking that course of action?
freakin animals, need to be exterminated - every last one of them
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These diddlying animals seem to have a mission to see there god
jihad, whatever
It is our goal to make sure they make the meeting!
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But remember the jihadis aren't the bad guys, there are no bad guys and no good guys. It's all relative. Right......
I hope the news community learns a lesson here and doesn't let this innocent man's senseless murder become totally meaingless.
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In 2000, according to FBI records, over 13,000 people were murdered in the United States.
That's more than 35 people every single day. I imagine that most of them didn't have to travel half-way around the world to find someone willing to kill them.
Nor, will you find their pictures spattlered all over the national evening news.
Ya know... there is a reason why our government posts these warnings:
Pakistan - Consular Information Sheet
May 23, 2001
TRAVEL WARNING (Issued May 14, 2001): The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to evaluate carefully the implications for their security and safety before deciding to travel to Pakistan.
Information received by the U.S. Government suggests a continued need for vigilance on the part of American citizens resident in, or traveling through, Pakistan.
Given the presence of international terrorist Usama Bin Ladin in neighboring Afghanistan and the public sympathy and support for him in Pakistan, and the presence of indigenous terrorist groups in Pakistan, the Department urges all American citizens resident in, or traveling through, Pakistan to take appropriate steps to maintain their security awareness. Events in the Middle East have increased the possibility of violence...
Read the rest (http://travel.state.gov/pakistan.html) if you like.
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
In 2000, according to FBI records, over 13,000 people were murdered in the United States.
That's more than 35 people every single day.
Yeah. but since those didnt happen overseas...
He was a journalist, he knew he was in big danger. In that kind of profession, you have to weight in the risk and decide if the story is worth risking your life.
The idiotic shoe bomber was not a worthy story to die for.
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Sandman, I agree with you in principle (having this stuff thrown at me all day is why I no longer watch TV news), but I don't know if this is the place. Yes, this is being used to inflame sentiment and could turn into another political excuse, but the fact is that it is a tragedy, and hearing of it makes me sad, regardless of why I happened to hear it. There are millions of sick bastards and millions of innocent victims in the world. I happen to have heard about these ones.
Here's hoping that this isn't blown out of proportion to the degree it could be...
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Just brilliant. Handcuff him behind his back and put a bullet in his head. Brave Islamic Jihad. Holy Warriors. :rolleyes:
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I actually read that they did him with a knife, and that it wasn't pleasant.
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Ah yes, I see how there being murders in the US, and him being a reporter makes it OK for idiotss to slit his throat and film it :rolleyes:
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It's not my point to diminish Pearl or to infer that his family's sense of loss is somehow less than anyone else.
It's NOT okay to kill people. Its especially vicious to film it and send it home to the folks.
But... Pearl is no more important than those other 13,000 people. The only reason you see his story on television and the papers and hear it on the radio is because he's part of the media. The same media that has this silly notion that they can closely observe a conflict and not expect to be dragged into it, willing or not.
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I find this just as sad as when the US sent an rocket and killed those 3 afghanistan farmers because 1 of them was tall and could have been Bin Ladin.
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But... Pearl is no more important than those other 13,000 people. The only reason you see his story on television and the papers and hear it on the radio is because he's part of the media.
- Sandman
Wrong. The reason you see this story on tv, radio and the papers all over the world is because this particular kidnapping/murder was perpetrated by militant Islamic extremists who attempted to extort the United States of America, and shame and embarass the country of Pakistan.
In addition, the victim was murdered in a particularly henieous fashion, his throat cut and then he was decapitated. This outrage is compounded by the fact that the whole thing was video taped and sent to the media.
When you add the human drama of the victim's wife being 6 months pregnant, begging in broadcasts for her husband's life, its pretty obvious why this was reported so widely. It would have been the same if the victim had been an American restroom attendant.
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Maniac
I'm not 100% those three were not armed and dangerous and enemies of the US
I am 100% sure the reporter was not armed and meant no harm to those he sought to interview.
please BLOW IT OUT UR ASS!
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:rolleyes:
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Originally posted by Maniac
I find this just as sad as when the US sent an rocket and killed those 3 afghanistan farmers because 1 of them was tall and could have been Bin Ladin.
Who said they were farmers? Every report I've seen said they they found communications equipment with the "human remains" If it turns out that they were farmers then it was a sad mistake, but it is defenately diferent that kidnapping somebody and killing them "because they were not islamic and a jew" and video tape his killing WITH A KNIFE!
Apples and oranges my friend. The US will kill inocent people in this and that is regretable and sad. We will also go out of our way like no other nation in history to stop it from happening whenever possible, that's a fact. Why do you think they use million dollar bombs to destroy $5000 targets? Hell we have the power to level that whole region within 20 minutes or less, have we?
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Originally posted by Gunthr
- Sandman
Wrong. The reason you see this story on tv, radio and the papers all over the world is because this particular kidnapping/murder was perpetrated by militant Islamic extremists who attempted to extort the United States of America, and shame and embarass the country of Pakistan.
As if the U.S. government gives a wit about the life of one journalist who entered a dangerous country willingly. If the kidnappers actually believed that they could extort the U.S. with the life of one man, they deluded themselves. The U.S. media knows this already.
As for kidnapping in the middle-east... it's practically a business over there. A business that preys upon foreigners.
When you add the human drama of the victim's wife being 6 months pregnant, begging in broadcasts for her husband's life, its pretty obvious why this was reported so widely.
Exactly what do the networks expect to accomplish by doing this? To pressure the government into action? Or... does it simply keep the viewers next to their sets where they can view what Ralston Purina is trying to sell for their pet dog... or... "Stay tuned for the riveting pleas of Mrs. Pearl, but first this note from Maybelline."
:rolleyes:
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The newspapers said that they were farmers. The village wich they came from missed three farmers after that day.
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Originally posted by Maniac
The newspapers said that they were farmers. The village wich they came from missed three farmers after that day.
Very well may be, but I wonder if they were Taliban farmers. My point that I didn't mention :rolleyes: is that I trust my government (shudder) on this type of issue more than I trust anybody from Afganistan. You have to remember that 1/2 or more of the Taliban switched sides as soon as the bombs started dropping. How do we know the people in the village aren't all taliban supporters trying to spread disinformation? No way that I can ever know this 100% so I'm forced to do something unnatural to my nature, trust my government.
That's just me, I'm having problems trusting any information that comes from the region of my enemy......
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Sandman, I don't understand what point you are trying to make...
my impression is that in your eagerness to be contrary and insightfull sometimes you overlook some obvious things.
I responded to your comment:
But... Pearl is no more important than those other 13,000 people. The only reason you see his story on television and the papers and hear it on the radio is because he's part of the media.
I illustrated why you were wrong when you stated that this murder was being widely reported "only because he's part of the media".
Your subsequent comments in your reply trail off like red herrings.
I won't speculate as to what the murderers "actually believed."
Its immaterial whether or not kidnapping is "a business in Pakistan."
As to your retorical question "what do the networks expect to acomplish by doing this?" (ie, covering this newsworthy story) ... well, I don't know.
How about, to inform?
To sell papers, to sell ads?
Maybe they do it because covering news is what they do?
What difference does it make?
I'll tell you, I wouldn't have a problem with it if you were correct anyway - that is, if the only reason they covered the murder was because it was one of their own - so what? Why do you have a problem with this?
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Right back to the beginning Gunthr... the 13,000 trivial lives that weren't plastered all over the national news.
BTW... According to NPR, 37 journalists were murdered last year worldwide.
The rest... well... I admit... I'm off on a tangent trying to understand mass media motivation.
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What Maniac means to say, since he's implying equality between the two events, is that the killers mistook him for George Bush (I guess).
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Fair enough, Sandman.
I know you are being sarcastic when you say the other 13,000 lives are "trivial".
But becuase the Pearl story is important doesn't mean the others are trivial...
The fact that the Pearl kidnapping was found to be related to terrorist plans targeting the embassy in Karachi, Pakistan, shows just how newsworthy the story was, and still is.
Or should the Pearl case be reported on unless we give equal coverage to the other 13,000 murders that you say occurred in the US?
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Originally posted by Gunthr
I know you are being sarcastic when you say the other 13,000 lives are "trivial".
>SNIP<
Or should the Pearl case be reported on unless we give equal coverage to the other 13,000 murders that you say occurred in the US?
Yep... that was sarcasm.
FWIW, I'm not stating that the Pearl case should NOT be reported. I'm simply noting the disproportionate amount of coverage it's getting.
Oh... and yes, I'm often (or attempt to be) contrary and insightful for the sole purpose of being contrary and insightful. :)
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Hehe, Sandman, I think you're giving yourself too much credit when you say you are insightful.
Now I agree that you are contrary for the sole and express purpose of being so, but insightful is a stretch. :)
Cobra
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Gunthr said it... not me. :p
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I don't know, domestic hostage situations tend to get covered pretty broadly too. If the media knew about each of the 13,000 murders before they happened, and they were able to cover an effort on each and every one to prevent said murder, you might have a point. Any idea how many of those there were last year?
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I went digging in the FBI files for kidnapping statistics. Damn hard to come across.
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Personally, if you go to a warzone or any country with an atmosphere like Pakistan to seek out a story while your wife is pregnant, then I believe you have your priorities completely screwed up.
It's a sad story but I'm not shocked. Terrorists are nasty people. This kind of thing has been happening for years.
Weren't a couple of German reporters murdered by the Taliban before Christmas?
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This is hardly worthy of my comments.
Of course the deaths of others matter. But let's stick to the subject at hand eh?
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I agree with Dowding.
Its a really sad story, but many sad stories happen day by day in this mad world.
So its just another tragic event.
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Originally posted by Sandman_SBM
Yep... that was sarcasm.
FWIW, I'm not stating that the Pearl case should NOT be reported. I'm simply noting the disproportionate amount of coverage it's getting.
Oh... and yes, I'm often contrary and insightful for the sole purpose of being contrary and insightful. :)
The Pearl case is very noteworthy for the press, as it should be. It's like 3 brother's I know.
..I can beat on my brother, my other brother can beat on my brother...but if anyone else tries it, the 3 of us will kick your ass.
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did pearl figure these islamic militants were looking for 'just the right american jew' to give the story to?
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did pearl figure these islamic militants were looking for 'just the right american jew' to give the story to?
mrfish
Yeah, from a personal judgement standpoint he seemed to be out of touch with reality -- particularly for someone who was based out of the region. Journalism can be a very risky profession, but no story is too big to ignore some common sense.
Charon