Quote:
Originally posted by sugar and spice
...people of our generation are just not as prepared for soldiers' deaths as they were in previous generations...I also think part of the problem is due to the current administration's stance on what images of the war are being shown to the country. We aren't supposed to see pictures of caskets, of violence, et cetera. That wasn't the case with Vietnam. I think many people -- and I am including myself in this -- just take the lack of violence being shown as a lack of violent acts happening, which is certainly not the case. I know I have had friends in Iraq and I have friends that are there now, and I certainly don't worry that their lives are/were in danger, when chances are that that was not the case at all.
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Aside from the fact that I am not understanding what you are saying, however during Vietnam, the only violent battle that I remember seeing on national television was the Battle of Tet. The via sattellite didn't start really until the late 1970's...
What we see on TV are pictures coming off from Al Jeezera [sp?] and other foreign networks. Then the media, like CNN, chooses to broadcast them to the public accordingly. Most of the times, they do not show us the whole picture. If you go to foreign newsources, you see a different side. Probably most of it is propaganda, too. But, some of it is legit.
Also, I remember that after Vietnam, no longer would there be a censorship in the numbers of American troops that were killed in battles, which was a problem in Vietnam. The presidential admin at that time NEVER listed the number of troops killed in battle and it was censored by government regulators--like the FCC. In fact, it was an offshoot from both WWII and Korean War that they only post the positive information... Technology changed all that...
That is what the protestors of Vietnam fought at that time. They wanted the government and the media to come clean as to what is going on in that area.
So pretty much, what we see on TV today is a "policy" of them coming clean if troops have been killed. Now, how one media outlet presents vs. another may be up for debate. But, the reason why they are telling how many troops have died today is from the debacle in Vietnam...
If OUR government wanted to suppress the media directly, they can put a gag-order on the outlets... It will be pricey to do that with those outlets that don't play ball and side with the President's agenda--believe me it is in Karl Rove's purview to slice and dice it that way... But, I doubt they will do that because there are some benefits for "information leaks" and "chatter"...
As far as funky picture control--like seeing US flag draped caskets--good luck stopping that. Because folk here do like to hack and take pictures from their cellphone and post them internet wide so fast... Besides, new biz is about who gets the scoop first isn't it?
Dude who got the London bombings on the Tube with cellphone got pizzaid, didn't he...
So right now, Mrs. Sheehan has the pulse of the old foggy Vietnam protesters on crack ready to go. Her camps can push them into an effect or bolster the ratings of the President as to why we should be in Iraq...
It's all a matter of Spin... Moves...
Meanwhile, the most top rated story that was put on the 3rd page of my newspaper was the fact the China and Russia are doing a combine military exercises about 200 miles from Taiwan on the Chinese-Russian border... Because, they say, they are fighting against terrorism... No to say, the Chinese and Russians don't need to fight against terrorism... But apparently, the Chinese are looking to buy some nice bombers with nuclear tipped cruise missiles from the Russians--I think Tu-22M's or something like that...
Things that make you go Hmmmmm???