posted on July 1, 2005 09:13:09 AM new
Perhaps someone has posted this before and I missed it. It's written by a photojournalist who returned from Iraq after working on a story there for 10 months and about the five lessons she has learned.
Monday, May 9, 2005
Journalist urges Americans to search for truth, freedom
by Molly Bingham
Lesson One
Many journalists in Iraq could not, or would not, check their nationality or their own perspective at the door.
One of the hardest things about working on this story for me personally, and as a journalist, was to set my "American self" and perspective aside. It was an ongoing challenge to listen open-mindedly to a group of people whose foundation of belief is significantly different from mine, and one I found I often strongly disagreed with.
Lesson Two
Our behavior as journalists has taught us very little. Just as in the lead up to the war in Iraq, questioning our government's decisions and claims and what it seeks to achieve is criticized as unpatriotic.
Lesson Three:
To seek to understand and represent to an American audience the reasons behind the Iraqi opposition is practically treasonous.
Lesson Four:
The gatekeepers -- by which I mean the editors, publishers and business sides of the media -- don't want their paper or their outlet to reveal that compelling narrative of why anyone would oppose the presence of American troops on their soil. Why would anyone refuse democracy?
posted on July 1, 2005 01:17:12 PM new
Another great article, Kiara! It's so sad that governments and people feel better when things are all fluffed up. How can we ever change anything when we're not dealing with the facts? No wonder society keeps repeating the same things over and over and over...
posted on July 1, 2005 01:54:00 PM new
Kraft, society does seem to be repeating the same things over and over, maybe still truly believing that there are no consequences for mistakes that are sometimes made?
How can a good journalist let their own pre-conceived notions rule and still objectively report on any foreign country or its people without learning about their history or culture also and what better way than to live there too while they learn?
And it is comparable to going to war without knowing anything about the country you are invading and then expecting them to think and believe and act just as you had the notion they would, and that the citizens there desire everything that you do, and then being surprised to learn something different about them because they’re not quite the people you thought them to be.
(Like that would ever happen, eh?)
Ron and Linda_k, don’t you think the experience of learning about another culture would in some ways make you a bit more appreciative of your own as well as perhaps a bit more critical as there is good and bad in all?
posted on July 1, 2005 02:01:19 PM new
She was one of the journalists who was thrown in jail for a while....guess she got her 'take' from that angle too?
"As terrifying as that was to manage and work through, there was another fear that was just as bad. What if the American military or intelligence found out what we were working on? Would they tail us and round up the people we met? Would they kick down our door late one night, rifle through all our stuff and arrest us for "collaborating with the enemy?" Bear in mind that there are no real laws in Iraq. At the time that we were working, the American military was the law, and it seemed to me that they were pretty much making it up as they went along. I was pretty sure that if they wanted to "disappear" us, rough us up or even send us for an all expenses paid vacation in Guantánamo for suspected al-Qaida connections, they could do so with very little, or even no recourse on our part."
"I could go into a long litany of the ways in which the American military has treated journalists in Iraq. ***Recent actions indicate that the U.S. military will detain and/or kill any journalist who happens to be caught covering the Iraqi side of the militant resistance, and ***indeed a number of journalists have been killed by U.S. troops while working in Iraq***. This behavior at the moment seems to be limited to journalists who also happen to be Arabs, or Arab-looking, but that is only a tangential story to what I'm telling you about here.
---
So....we have another liberal who supports our troops too, huh? Yea....if they don't like them....they just kill them. She's just another nut case.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 1, 2005 04:28:53 PM new
I agree Kiara. Are we really at war with the people that do the fighting? People that will defend what little they have are being called insurgents and terrorists... not all but many. What would we be called if we were attacked and did the same thing? It's much easier to make it appear like a cops vs robbers thing so the stupid people of the world don't get too confused.
posted on July 1, 2005 04:36:09 PM new
See, imo, that's what's wrong with you liberals/peace-at-any-cost/anti-war groupies.
You can't tell the difference between the 'good guys and the bad guys' so you appear to act like we're all the same calibur of people. We're NOT....join the real world sometime rather than this FALSE utopia you wish for.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 1, 2005 05:41:57 PM newSee, imo, that's what's wrong with you liberals/peace-at-any-cost/anti-war groupies
Who are you referring to, Linda_k? Once again you are addressing and categorizing others into one small group or caliber that you've formed in your mind though very few of them even exist here in this forum.
How can you possibly understand a whole other culture when you don't even take time to recognize the individuality of the few who post here?
posted on July 1, 2005 08:17:49 PM newHow can you possibly understand a whole other culture when you don't even take time to recognize the individuality of the few who post here?
VERY well said kiara...hoohaw, the fat's in the fire now!
____________________________________________
Fue por lana y salió trasquilado...
posted on July 1, 2005 09:47:24 PM new
lol kiara....now that's a silly question. I put you all in the same catagory(ies) because you're ALL liberals.
I have yet to see anyone state they see themselvs as a moderate democrat....other than DBL. I used to think fenix was too....then she identified herself as a liberal....so that changed that.
kiara, are you professing to be a moderate dem?
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 12:19:37 AM new
I don’t think it’s a silly question, Linda_k.
It’s unfair to constantly label others instead of treating them as individuals since life experience and personal beliefs makes each one of us a different character with our own ideas and opinions, none of us thinking the same.
You formed the wrong image of me the day I came forward and announced that I did not approve of President Bush going into Iraq, so you believed me to be an anti-war, peace at any cost, ultra-leftie, socialist, tag-along, flower child, groupie democrat which isn’t who I am. But now that’s the only way you can relate to me, no matter what I say.
It would be like me labelling you, constantly referring to you and forever thinking of you as a crazed Neocon who has a limited knowledge of world affairs, who craves a dictatorship under President Bush and appoves of war at any cost, who wants to rid the world of all liberals, Democrats, Canadians and Iraqis and then only responding to you or relating to you on my belief that you are truly that person when you’re not. Do you understand now?
posted on July 2, 2005 12:27:03 AM new
And you may not have noticed but I have never once said that you should change your feelings towards President Bush or your opinion on the war or whom you view as an enemy. I'm not asking that you do that, nor do I expect it of you.
posted on July 2, 2005 06:08:10 AM new
[i]"It would be like me labelling you, constantly referring to you and forever thinking of you as a crazed Neocon who has a limited knowledge of world affairs, who craves a dictatorship under President Bush and appoves of war at any cost, who wants to rid the world of all liberals, Democrats, Canadians and Iraqis and then only responding to you or relating to you on my belief that you are truly that person when you’re not"[/i}
She's not??? Look's like a fair description of linda to me.
posted on July 2, 2005 07:26:27 AM new
lol helen....at least you're laughing this morning. Nice change.
--------------
kiara - Political positions are just that....where one falls on the political scale from left to right. Has nothing to do with "knowing" the person as you continue to repeat all the time. ONLY has to do with their positions on the issues.
That's where I draw, and will continue to do so whether YOU like it or not, my OWN conclusions about the political leanings of others.
You continue to FALSLY make this area of disagreement between you and I, about our different positions on this President. IT'S NOT. Even if clinton were still President, I wouldn't like like, wouldn't agree with MOST of what you post here. You're a bleeding heart liberal whose political positions are about as far away from mine as they could possibly be. And that has NOTHING at all to do with THIS President.
Of course, you'll never be able to see that as your mind is obviously programmed to believe otherwise. But, that's YOUR problem....not mine.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 07:43:47 AM new
helen - If you have some DEEPSEATED need to write about me....go for it. Might be better if you get if off your chest - shouldn't bottle things up...it's not healthy. Even though that's not what the topic thread is about....you might consider venting your frustrations, your lack of control when others use and enjoy the practice of free speech that appears to upset you so much.
Hiding out from your company, huh? Do they know how FAR LEFT on the political scale you lean? LOL LOL LOL
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 07:52:19 AM new
While experience has proven that the lefties here don't answer questions directed to them.....I'll try once again.
Kiara [or any other person who considers themselves to be left of center].....do you agree with this statement ol' Molly wrote?
Since kiara presented her recommendations and since kiara appears to support what Molly has written, I'd like to know if you agree with her position on this statement:
"I could go into a long litany of the ways in which the American military has treated journalists in Iraq." ***"Recent actions indicate that the U.S. military will detain and/or kill any journalist who happens to be caught covering the Iraqi side of the militant resistance, and ***indeed a number of journalists have been killed by U.S. troops while working in Iraq***."
And, please, IF you do agree that our military IS/HAS done what she claims.....then maybe you can explain just how you can have the nerve to say you support our troops. How could you possibly support those who YOU believe actually murder journalists?
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 08:08:40 AM newYou're a bleeding heart liberal whose political positions are about as far away from mine as they could possibly be. And that has NOTHING at all to do with THIS President.
Linda_k, it has EVERYTHING to do with this president because you falsely labelled me immediately after I said I didn't support Bush, BEFORE I even mentioned anything I believe in and I had never discussed politics here previous to that.
You just want to use a false image of me as someone to blame for your problems and rage against daily. You have labelled the Iraqi people responsible for 9/11 and now approve of using their country to fight your battles in and you want to do it for years to come if necessary, because you have a pre-conceived notion of all of them that you fly with daily also.
She's not??? Look's like a fair description of linda to me.
Helen, while it sounds like Linda_k would like to rid the world of ALL Canadians.... she would probably spare Kraft.
posted on July 2, 2005 08:20:33 AM new
ah kiara.....did my above questions escape your radar system?
Is there some reason you don't want to address the statement of the nut-case you wish us to believe, follow her suggestions?
See...the way I see it is that you post part of an article from a nut-case....you expect us to believe she's a 'normal thinking person' while she claims our troops are killing journalist.
WHO in their right mind would/could believe anything she says after she makes a FALSE statement like that? YOU
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 08:25:54 AM new
Sorry, Linda_k but you addressed me with a label again, which I resent.... besides, I was writing my opinion while you were raging at me so I didn’t see it.
You seem to have the warped vision that a person has to agree with EVERYTHING that a journalist or reporter writes, otherwise they can't comment on it. Or that they have to agree with EVERYTHING a leader does and says otherwise they can't support him. Or they have to believe in ALL of a country's decisions or policies otherwise they can't support it. Which explains why you would view me as an anti-war, peace at any cost, bleeding heart liberal, ultra-leftie, socialist, tag-along, flower child, groupie democrat which isn’t who I am. There is obviously very little middle ground that you tread on.
And while you’re ragging on me for not answering your questions quickly enough, perhaps trot your butt back to the SPEECH thread and answer the questions Fenix asked you yesterday?
posted on July 2, 2005 08:33:46 AM new
Linda_k trust me, I am not ranting so quit trying to project your feelings on to me.
I did answer.
You seem to have the warped vision that a person has to agree with EVERYTHING that a journalist or reporter writes, otherwise they can't comment on it.
posted on July 2, 2005 08:37:36 AM new
LOL.... no, kiara, that's NOT an answer from kiara. It doesn't let us know/become aware of just where KIARA stands on the subject.
But it is how you answer any questions you do....by totally avoiding answering them. That way you can and do, always say 'I never said that'....when in fact, you have implied you either did or didn't.
Come on kiara, a direct answer from kiara....
as the profe always asks....a simple yes or no will do
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 08:57:30 AM new
I don't know enough about that particular situation or the facts surrounding it to say a simple yes or no and I'm honest enough to admit it because I have never been a journalist in Iraq.
I don't believe EVERYTHING that any journalist reports just because I reference an article they wrote. In fact I started this thread with:
Perhaps someone has posted this before and I missed it. It's written by a photojournalist who returned from Iraq after working on a story there for 10 months and about the five lessons she has learned.
Nowhere did I say I believed everything she wrote..... you seem to want to jump to that assumption about me though, the same way you wildly assume everything else about me.
posted on July 2, 2005 08:57:37 AM new
LOL....typical....again kiara refuses to answer a direct question put to HER.
She complains she's not treated as an individual. Well. here she's being asked to give an individual answer and she won't. Sidesteps it completely.
She complains it's all because she doesn't support this President.
And here this question has nothing at all to do with this President.
She complains she's put in a 'group' with the label of liberal. But she refuses to answer questions....yet continues to support nut-cases who are obviously extremely misguided about the actions of our soldiers, who kiara SAYS she supports , she won't clear the issue up - nor is she willing to ACTUALLY stand up and say, "of course I don't believe that about our soldiers".
No....that would be to admit how she really thinks/feels and what position she actually holds.
No surprise here, sadly.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 09:06:02 AM new
LOL @ you seem to want to jump to that assumption about me though, the same way you wildly assume everything else about me.
No, kiara wrong again, that's why I was ASKING AND ASKING AND ASKING....but you wouldn't answer.
And basically while you wish to be considered/seen as an individual here...you continue along the path of 'riding the fence'. Still won't/can't make a decision of if you think they have/are or not. Which has always been your pattern.
So...to me and imo, you have doubts that they might have done as she claims. And imo, that's not supporting our troops kiara.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on July 2, 2005 09:23:33 AM new
I did answer but you're raging so far out of control that you can't even read what I said. It's pointless to discuss this further as your assumptions are already written in stone in your mind and there is no going back now.
