:: Wog Blog ::

:: WHAT AM I THINKING ABOUT? ::

:: Sunday 30 March 2003 ::

Synchronicity

Saw the Sunday show this morning, and read an intersting article in today's newspaper by Oz correspondent un the US Roger Franklin.

Franklin's thesis being that US news networks have been censoring shocking and awful images of the war and even of September 11, in some sort of misguided attempt to shield American viewers from horror and thereby reduce discomfort, when instead they should be showing the stuff so Americans can see the empty eyed fury of those their fighting against and thereby avoid getting bogged down in sympathy for hurt or injured kids - too much.

Interesting point. I am probably of Franklin's view. But whoa, if the networks really showed Al Jazeera all day, can you imagine the reaction Stateside, and even here in Oz, and for God's sake, in the Uk and Scotland?

Freakin' righteous fury. That would be the reaction.

Imagine seeing that gloating Iraqi jackass manhandling corpses, for example? Or yet another demonstration involving the burning of yet another American flag. And the screaming. And the chanting for Saddam. And against Bush.

It should come as no surprise that support for the war is on the rise the world over, (Yes. Nevermind the noisy demos. More people are sitting on their arses than going. Note the use of the term' hundreds' to describe the demo today in Moscow. Moscow. Hundreds. Nuff said.) as the demonstrations against it become tedious exercises in glossing over Saddam and focussing all on military action which does NOT involve the use of suicide bombers at checkpoints and hanging girlies til they die for simply waving at passing coalition troops. (No links. You know this stuff is all over the place.). Demonstrating to 'stop the racist' war and bring the troops home before we freakin' win. Zif. And burning flags, especially here in Oz. Puhlease.

Anyhoo, the Sunday piece about Muslims in Oz, is a minor example to test Franklin's thesis. This is the first in depth show I can recall, even since September 11 2001, which has actually gone out to listen to and have a chitter chat with Muslim leaders and folks and even ASIO in Oz. All about local Muslims and terrorist threats and the war and stuff.

And even the literate and moderate doctor Muslim fellow does not believe Muslims are responsible for September 11.

Wha'? You are a doctor?

See. My point is that you take a real risk showing footage of Muslims to non-Muslim viewers, even the most modest, moderate, erudite, learned Muslims. Cos they always end up saying something stupid about September 11. Always. Every. Single. Time.

And that is just gonna enrage the watchers.

That is it. If the networks screen a bunch of stuff about Iraqi Ba'ath bastards behaving just as disgracefully in war as they do in peace, and the networks screen stuff about how Egyptian demonstrations are getting more and more violent, and they show the Palestinians are squealing about sending suicide bombers to help Saddam, and they show Assad in Syria squealing and the Iranians too, all veiled threats of something, probably more suicide bombing, whatever, well, whatdyareckon's gonna happen?

Mid East Muslim stocks are gonna plummet is what.

And they are already low to bottomed out.

I reckon networks should screen a lot more material about the disgrace of behaviours that go on throughout the Mid East. And at home. But, hoo-eee, the fallout for those folks will be bad bad bad.

:: WB 12:23 am [link+] ::