DebateGate

Hey, Henny, hope you and the fam are well!

Regarding bias and graphic images. 

If there were more graphic images on the news in regard to what was happening around the world, a lot of conservatives would be less inclined to support Bush's imperial invasions.

It's one thing for them to think that the US is going in to build schools and let people vote and purple fingers and all that.  It's quite another for them to see the realities of limbs in the streets and kids without arms and what the actual reality is.  It is my opinion that those who still support Bush's war of agression and choice think of the war in terms of how "good wars" are supposed to turn out.  They seem to think that all the realities are just the first few minutes of the "Saving Private Ryan" but they pass by quickly and then we get into how all the troops are Tom Hankses and their causes are just (even when they have absolutely no choice in the causes) and soon the smoke will clear and there'll be a new Jeffersonian Democracy in the middle east making things all-good for America.

That may not be how they think but their defences and actions indicate that is how they think.

Hey Brass, we're doing well. Hard to believe the boys will be 3 soon... it seems like just yesterday when they were born!!

I'm inclined to agree with you on this, which was where I was headed to begin with. But Prince brought up a good point about not seeing graphic images of Bosnia or Kosovo either, which were under Clinton. So then what's the reason?

I just think that perhaps the lack of graphic depictions of war in American media is a result of something besides political bias.

I read your most recent post on the topic, but jumping back one and regarding the quoted statement, what do you think the reason is?

Hey Henny.  I'm glad to see you about once more. How are things?

Anyway, I'm still unclear as to why not showing more of the violence of war in the news is a sign of right-wing bias. It is not as if we got full and uncensored coverage of the conflicts in Kosovo or Bosnia, which surely would have benefited the political right during Clinton's administration. I'm not trying to make a "Clinton did it too" argument. I just think that perhaps the lack of graphic depictions of war in American media is a result of something besides political bias.

Prince, things are good. How about you?

I see your point on that, and perhaps the news is just cleaned up. But I still think the reaction to seeing current wars on television, that are already in question in the States, versus Kosovo or Bosnia, which were largely uncontested, would cost the right a lot.

So, from that perspective, it would seem that bias here leans right.....IN COMPARISON. ...
Yet, in comparison to the foreign news you've described, it would be perceived as leaning right.  I suppose it's no shocker then when you have such international polls stating how negative they view America & Bush.  If only there were a Democrat in the WH, things would be all better       

Sirs, from this perspective, all of America leans right. 

As for a Democrat being in the WH making things better... piffle. Perhaps different foreign policy from any president at any time could make things better. And maybe that is in the works right now, but people are having "growing pains."

I thought I should mention that not everything is only critical of Bush. While inside Iraq there is an obvious... ummm... resistance to our forces and it may APPEAR that more troops are not wanted there, the countries bordering Iraq, in public opinion polls, would prefer Bush's agenda of sending in more troops to clean up the mess. Why? A sincere fear that the chaos is going to spill over the borders into other countries. So in that regard, you see "people" upset about some of the actions of the majority of Dems.

[Interesting. Could you provide examples or explain further?

Yes, and I should have done so to begin with. The news that I have been watching - CNN Europe, as well as other regional news - shows things that we would never see on our news, like an excess of dead and dying people. Or an image of a person being shot in the head by a soldier (anywhere, anytime - this is not just Iraq) and dropping to the ground. And not just quick glances at the scenes, but lingering ones. I think American news is cleaned up a bit - there would be quite a bit of outcry for various reasons. Or perhaps Americans don't want another reaction like the one after the Tet Offensive?

Another example, when Saddam Hussein was hanged, some of the cell phone images got out and were broadcast on the evening news. I mean of him literally hanging, not just of the noose being put around his neck.

I also have an Israeli friend (peace activist) who lives between Tel Aviv and Atlanta, and she does some work for CNN. One thing we see on the news (ALL news) on a daily basis is the demolition of Palestinian homes, as well as the Israeli peace activist groups who work to help rebuild their homes. She inquired in Atlanta about WHY Americans don't see this happening on CNN U.S., because, quite literally, it's an everyday thing. She was told that it is against FCC regulations to broadcast images of Palestinian home demolitions. (And no, I haven't done any research to verify this, all I can verify is what we see here compared and what you see there.)

Receiving regional satellite broadcasts is also very enlightening. There are 2 conflicting channels - one we just call "Hizbollah TV," which broadcasts anti-Israel, anti-Jew, pro-resistance all the time. The other is a right-wing Israeli channel which broadcasts anti-Muslim, anti-Qu'ran all the time. Freedom of the press in the most interesting manner, as both channels - both the Israeli and Hizbollah - are filled with horrible images and hate that are completely at odds with each other.

The news here is all the time anti-Bush, and quite often anti-American. People seem to be fascinated to see everything that is happening in the U.S., but only to complain about it. LOL.

Living here and watching these things has given me a different perspective and has made me a bit more patriotic, but I can't deny the culture shock of watching the world from a perspective other than an American one.