Tuesday, March 25, 2003

 

Recent Thoughts...

~* Bush has asked for $75 billion to pay for the war...and that's just for the first 30 days! The stock market posted great gains last week, when it appeared it would be a short war. This week it appears that the Iraqis are fighting back and U.S. involvement will not be so swift...and the market reflected it's opinion of that by dropping like a stone.

~* Leslie mentioned the reporting style of "imbedding" reporters with the troops, which I believe was used heavily during the Vietnam conflict, WW2, and probably as far back as the Civil War. The difference today of course, is the instant communication factor. In the 60's we would get evening wrap-ups containing battle footage, government claims of victories and daily body counts so high that it made us numb to the fact that they were representing human lives. The uncensored footage brought it into our homes and helped shape a negative public opinion. While the reporting now may be more instantaneous, perhaps it's that very reason that demands more censorship of sensitive material. But I also believe that censorship is used to control public opinion now. They may be traveling with the troops, but they must conform to allowable transmissions in order to continue that relationship, or risk being accused of hurting the war effort! If and when footage of American troops dying are sent back, I suspect that network will be accused of "hurting the moral" of America and the families that have someone serving overseas. By this time our government has learned the value of controling the media and will discourage the type of "free-form" reporting that helped stop the "nastiness" in Vietnam.

~*With your gracious indulgence, I'd like to end with a small dissertation on civil dissobedience as it concerns the situation we face today. The blocking of streets and small businesses here in Santa Rosa will not only have no effect on stopping the war, it actually sways "undecideds"(if there really can BE such a person) to the opposing view. However...the pro Bush-people response of... "HEY...don't you know that people DIED so that you can protest war?"... is most ridiculous! They gave their lives to preserve our right to protest...so we shouldn't do it? It seems to me that would be more of a reason TO protest! People died for your right to do that very thing! We owe it to them to practice expressing our opinions as our conscious dictates! I thank you.......

~the Brahma~

posted by ~Brahma 2:04 AM