Distraction (an editorial)

[MA-Caver]

This is from a (local) college newspaper that I do not subscribe to, but one finds them nearly everywhere, particularly on the busses that run past the university.
It's a tad dated but I've been kinda busy and just now have the time to type it up... (canna find it on line). Trust me it's verbatium. I read it and liked it... it's strong and says what's needs to be said IMO.

The Daily Universe, September 27, 2005
Don't forget Iraq
Soldiers are still dying while we are distracted.
On Wendsday, all the major television networks broke away from their regular programming to show their viewers a plane waiting to land on malfunctioning landing gear. After four hours circling in the air, the plane landed, and due to the remarkable skill of the pilot and crew, all went well.
Meanwhile, another major news story went by without quite as much notice. Four U.S. soldiers were killed in Iraq, bringing the death toll associated with the war past 1,900.
One can't help but think of the adage; that a frog placed in a pan of scalding hot water will immediately jump, out but it will stay in a jar of water being gradually heated until it dies.
As a society we react to immediate mass destruction like the damage Katrina, Ophelia and Rita have done. Just the possibility that a plane might crash and kill the 145 people in side had people glued to the TV for four hours, on premier night no less.
Appropriately, news of Iraqi suicide bombings is in the newspapers almost every day, though it is seldomly run on the front-page anymore. Deaths of soldiers are reported as well, Every night, "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" on PBS presents the names and pictures of American casualities "as they become available."
But for now, the media is largely distracted, and it will continue to be with every new airport emergency that comes along. Though all of this is happening and should be reported, Americans need to remember that there is a war going on and soldiers are dying.
The death toll in Iraq is rising gradually. If the more than 1,900 soldiers that have died in Iraq had all died in one day or one week or even one month, the American public would've reacted in the same way they react to the storms ravaging the Gulf Coast. Maybe the solution wouldn't be to pull out of Iraq, but there would certainly be more discussion about what to do.
People aren't frogs, so maybe the United States will jump out of the steadily warming water in Iraq's pan before it is too late. The question is, how hot will the water get? The country must not get too distracted before the boiling point is reached.

It makes one wonder how can the daily death of American soldiers be given a back seat when some other sensationalized news event comes along. Probably to distract us from our pains that our young men (and women) are dying for a cause that we've long forgotten? Sounds familiar don't it.
"The War on Terror"... Bush did promise (threatened?) that it will take a long time. His goal to remove all terrorist I think it was originally. Now it's to help countries get back on their feet after pulling out the primary support they were used to (i.e. Iraq's Saddam). True he wasn't good for them as we were so apt to judge (for them). So we'll do this and then continue our hunt for Osama Bin Laden and his cronies... whom just by the way blew up Bali a couple of days ago. Hmm, we are going to look over there aren't we? Or are we just going to wage a little "police-action" over there as well?

Distraction... nice isn't it?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

The attention span of the average American is under 15 minutes. To many, Iraq is already forgotten, as is Afghanastan, which you seldom see mentioned anymore, yet we're still engaged there.

Right now, we have the fall out of several huricanes to think about, plus upcoming elections, plus gas prices, plus what our heating bills will be this winter, plus rising living expenses....

Hard to keep thinking about strangers on the otherside of the world.
Hard to fit it all in between comercial breaks and visits to the microwave.
Hard to remember really.
Mores the pity.

 

[Andrew Green]

Exactly, who cares if people are dieing in a war on the other side of the world.

Have you SEEN the price of gas, this is ridiculous, thats where our attention should be. Complaining about the price of gas, not the fact that there is some war going on halfway around the world. Stick to the important stuff.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Anyway, 1,900 isn't alot of people.

Or is it?
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27174

 

[Gemini]

I generally like to have the news on at work, but occasionally, I have to turn it off for a few days because I get so irritated by this. I have family in Iraq as do most of us, and their welfare is always on my mind. Just becuse it isn't the flavor of the hour doesn't mean we all forget about it. It's mind boggling that that could be "news" to anybody. Unfortunately, "the news" is business and at the end of the day, the almighty dollar ranks higher than any particular issue. Would it drive them into bankrupcy just to take a momemt from their "live exclusive" to update an issue from yesterday?

To answer the question, "how hot will the water get" we as a society seem to need our hiney's on fire before we re-address an old issue i guess.

Nice write up btw. Thanks for posting it.

 

[TonyM.]

(Says in best Yoda voice.) Cynical lot you are.

 

[Marginal]

Right now, we have the fall out of several huricanes to think about, plus upcoming elections, plus gas prices, plus what our heating bills will be this winter, plus rising living expenses....

Not to mention the runaway bride.