Media Blackout on Iraqi casualties VS Tsunami victims

Americans (People) are basically kind and compassionate. The outpouring of aid to the Tsunami victims is a testament to that. As a people, we have been moved to action by the images of death and destruction.

Our government knows that about us. If we were allowed to see the destruction that we are creating in Iraq, our emotions would similarly propel us into action. The media not only downplays the dead...but downplays the injured as well.

The paragraphs below are only part of an interesting commentary.

Thanks for reading this!

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Disaster comes in many forms, be it natural or unnatural. And media sensationalism (in the battle for market shares) can sure keep you reeling. It's amazing how the media outlets decided to show the graphic loss of life from the killer tsunami waves - the bodies washed ashore, many bloated as they piled up in numbers that far outdistanced the ability of loved ones to identify and bury them. Yet televising dead American service-members arriving home at Dover Air Force Base in the dead of night, in neat flag-draped coffins, is still not allowed.

Who makes these decisions? Certainly not anyone with any shred of honor. But there it was in all its undaunted glory, in big screen, plasma screen and wide screen - media executives giving the thumbs-up to show bloated bodies, decomposing bodies, floating bodies and even bodies hanging in trees - on television, dumped squarely into my living room. Strange, isn't it, that they still refuse to televise one single American funeral at home honoring our heros who have died in the line of duty, while bravely serving their country in a time of war. What the hell is wrong with this picture?

The rest of this well-stated opinion can be found at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/05/01/05_blackout.html

Republicans will do anything to win an election!

I got this email from my sister today

Hi - Are you following the governor election in Washington state? The Republicans are now pushing for a new election.

I think the Democrats need to be hyper-vigilant in this "fight." The Republicans have demonstrated time and again they will stop at nothing nor hesitate at stooping as low as possible to get what they want. They're already starting with the propaganda ads a la "Swift Boat Veterans" to stir things up, claiming GIs did not get a chance to vote.

I think it's just a matter of time before Cheney (Carl Rove, et al.) steps in. In their ads, the Republicans are urging citizens to sign a petition to lobby for a new election. This is going way too far. Especially when everyone knows that if the election had come out in their favor, they would not be asking for a new election. Can you put something about this on your website? Thanks -