a Someone should care, maybe not you....: Annoyed .comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Someone should care, maybe not you....

My thoughts on many things including the army, war, politics, the military corrections system, chaos, life, books, movies, and why there is no blue food. Feel free to comment on what I say. Feedback is nice.

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40+ year old former teacher, linguist, interrogator, soldier, and lastly convict. We all do stupid things every once and awhile. I am an economic conservative and a firm believer in civil rights. Starting a new life now and frankly not sure what I am going to be doing.

22 August 2005

Annoyed

Yesterday, while driving back from my sister's where I spent the weekend, I heard an ad on the radio that annoyed me. It is part of a series of Public Service Announcements (all of which annoy me) done by the Ad Council. I am sure you have heard or seen them (if you are in the US, the overseas readers are spared this) The gist of all of these ads is that "If you commit a GUN CRIME your family serves your sentence with you." fine, but you know what? That is true if you commit ANY CRIME! There isn't any special suffering for the families of those who commit gun crimes that the families of unarmed criminals don't also undergo. The same seperation, the lost chances, lost associations, the same rules in prison, visitation limits, everything. It is ALL the same.

It is a small thing but what can I say, it annoys me evrytime I see or hear it.

I note that the father of a Marine Lance Corporal who died in Iraq took the cross with his son's name on it from the display at "Camp Casey" because he felt the protest was dishonoring what his son died for. More power to him. I can respect what the protestors are doing, (as wrong as I feel it is) I just wish the press would give equal time to the parents of soldiers who died who support the war effort. Or even better, go and do real reporting from Iraq on something other than car bombs. Alot of good is being accomplished there but you couldn't tell it from what you see on CNN or FOX. (or read on many blogs)

6 Comments:

Blogger Miranda said...

Exmi: This is one of the reasons I think public broadcasting ought to be defunded. It's biased, usually useless and a waste of money.

Thanks for your post.

3:02 PM  
Blogger Jen said...

Its not that I dont feel a certain compassion for families who have to deal with a family member who goes to prison. But I would rather focus my engery on the victims and their families. And your right its all the same no matter what type of crime it is..end result is your locked up.

5:02 PM  
Blogger exMI said...

Ah, this is not Public Broadcasting, this is a public Service announcement that the commercial channels run becasue the Government says they have to support the public good or some such twaddle.

I actually quite enjoy most public broadcasting and listen to NPR almost everyday. Don't alwasy agree withte conclusions they reach but the info is till good.

6:01 PM  
Blogger The Zombieslayer said...

I'm so tired of that anti-gun crap. What's the difference between a gun crime and a crime done with anything else? Also, how come you can rob one guy with a gun and get 20 years, yet you rob a thousand with a pen, often destroying a hundred of those families, and you get a slap on the wrist?

8:11 PM  
Blogger Shawn said...

Or even better, go and do real reporting from Iraq on something other than car bombs. Alot of good is being accomplished there but you couldn't tell it from what you see on CNN or FOX. (or read on many blogs)

I would say that nearly all reporting is biased...but not toward the left or the right like most people assert. Sadly, reporting is generally biased toward following the herd.

Herd reporting is just plain lazy. But it's why you don't see different stories reported.

How come I never hear about the Iraqi who's trying to run a business? How come I don't hear about the soldier that makes some kids smile? Or the soldier who is learning to speak the language so he can communicate with the Iraqi people better? Why isn't there a story about whether oil production in Iraq is up or down?

There's no official press releases for these things...no official statements...it takes work to get these stories. Because of that, they don't get reported.

It's not only the fault of the reporters though. They have editors and producers who are taking the easy route too. And so it goes up the line. Meanwhile, CNN and FOX broadcast 24 hours a day and somehow manage to seldom break a story and the major newspapers somehow manage to report nearly the same things.

Great...now I'm worked up...but you got me thinking, so thanks.

8:44 PM  
Blogger exMI said...

Glad to hear that I got you thinking. I agree, it is easier to write stories that don't require the reporter to go out and find something new.
The other sad aspect is that blood sells more papers than shopkeepers opening new stores.

5:30 AM  

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