Another Prisoner Beheaded in Iraq

[Lady Macaiodh]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]As some of you might have heard, American prisoner-of-war Paul Johnson was beheaded by Al-Queada in Iraq on Friday.

Then, on Monday, a South Korean prisoner was also beheaded, after publicly pleading for his life, because SK would not pull back troops from Iraq.

Needless to say, these acts were extremely barbaric. But what the media is talking about lately is: should these events get the media coverage that they are?

What is being shown is: Johnson blindfolded with a gun to his head; masked men making demands; the South Korean Man begging for his life; the SK man crying in front of multiple masked Al-Queadas; Johnson bound and gagged moments before death; graphic pictures of both men beheaded all over the internet.

The question is, should the media be allowing these images to be getting out? Aren't they giving the terroritsts exactly what they want in giving them this attention? Isn't this very intimidating to Americans? Or doesn't the media have the responsibility to report what's going on? Should there be a limit to what images are shown and how often?

What do you think? And have those of you in other countries seen this?[/COLOR]

[Heaven's Cloud]

[color=indigo]I honestly am quite disgusted with the graphic context that media has been displaying as of late. The media could relay the events in a much more tactful and humane way by simply stating what the terrorists demands were and that a person was beheaded because the demands were not met and discussing what a tragedy it is that another man was killed in such a barbaric fashion. I believe that the average person does not need to try hard to imagine the terror that one of these prisoners must have felt before they were murdered, therefore the media doesn't need to emphasize it by constantly playing the tapes of these incidents.

Imagine having been a friend or neighbor of Robert Johnson and flipping the channel to the news one night only to see him bound on his hands and knees with a gun to the back of his head and knowing that there is nothing you can do to help him. Imagine the horror of seeing someone that was so close to you in such a vulnerable position, and knowing that he [b]knows[/b] tomorrow he will be executed. It is hard enough to hear information like that but to see it, to view it and know that the rest of America is viewing it, must be unbearable.

the media has handled these events in a disgusting and hypocritical way. They show such brutal and horrifying images and then wish the families of the victims well. The following week they discuss the ethics of what they did all the while showing snippets of the same graphic horrors. It is not just the twenty-four hour news networks that are doing this either. There have been segments on the Today Show and Good Morning America, Ted Copple and Tom Brokaw have done similar editorial pieces. I understand the medias right to [b]report[/b] the news, it is necessary; but showing this footage is no different than showing a snuff film. [/color]

[BlueYoshi]

[color=teal]Of course the tabloids parading this kind of media is just as bad as the [i]murder[/i] itself; as Heaven's Cloud said, it must be awful to repeatedly witness the pain and suffering of someone you're close to, and it's certainly not an issue that has been deeply taken into consideration by the papers and news companies. Hell, to them these events must seem like gold mines, and that's what I find so irritating about it.

By merely broadcasting the executions of these so-called enemies of Islam the press are simply doing the dirty work for them; terrorists want you to know that they're in control, that's the main reason for their inhuman acts, and thanks to the them their message has been effectively distributed. If I was running a country the last thing I'd want is my people to see the death of a fellow citizen, especially in that manner, as both a means of maintaining stability among them and to restore lost fate relating to the well-being of the soldiers that were sent in.

I'm a Muslim myself, but don't practice the religion at all, I never have and I don't think I ever will. However, regardless of one's beliefs and morals, these chains of events have been insanely wrong, including the voyage of invading Iraq in the first place.[/color]

[Harry]

[QUOTE=Lady Macaiodh][COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]

The question is, should the media be allowing these images to be getting out? Aren't they giving the terroritsts exactly what they want in giving them this attention? Isn't this very intimidating to Americans? Or doesn't the media have the responsibility to report what's going on? Should there be a limit to what images are shown and how often?

What do you think? And have those of you in other countries seen this?[/COLOR][/QUOTE]
I don't Americans in general are being intimidated by these. I think it's just making them care less about the prisoners that were in the Abu Graib Prison (don't know if I spelled it right). I don't think it's a big problem if the media is showing them. With the internet these days even and infant can google these things and find all the pictures. No need to senselessly shelter ourselves.

[quote]Of course the tabloids parading this kind of media is just as bad as the murder itself[/quote]
No it isn't. I'm sure the family is horrified about what happened to their family member, but they did know the person was going into a country that is in shambles after a war and infested with militant muslim terrorists who aren't unfamiliar with beheading someone.

[HOTpage2004]

Dont know why your making such a big deal about it. This is war right now, you dont expect everyone giving flowers to each other, do you? Anyways, we're all sinners, even Americans. America isnt number one, no one is. If your gonna be all disgusted with it and everything, dont bother listening to it on the news or nothin'. I guess, also, dont trust anyone either. Even in the United States, you dont wanna trust anyone anymore. As for all the stuff on the internet of the be-headings, I think it's ok, if thats how their gonna make themselves look like fools, let them do it. All it will show is that there trying to kill as many people as possible and we're trying to kill few. Another thing, how come there is never everyday news on what bad we're doing over there, we could be doing things to them that would make them wanna be-head. Americans have a history on being cruel and evil you know. Just as they we're in all the forgotton wars. Americans are happy they we're forgotton, but not everyone has forgot them.

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

Well, the media has always been and will remain to be sensationalist. They pick whatever stories they feel will get them attention. That's basically the motive.

As for what effect displaying the photos (or whatever) of POWs being beheaded has, well it's different for different people. Some are disgusted, some are scared, some are pissed off, etc. But one thing has been shown thoughout history -- uncalled-for barbarism can come back to bite those being barbaric. Look at the Nazis. Their occupation of Eastern Europe would've gone much more smoothly if they hadn'd decided to loot/pillage/rape/kill as they pleased. But they were animals, and ended up making neutrals enemies and their enemies fiercer. I can only hope these Islamic groups' actions will have the same effect.

[Harry]

[quote name='ScirosDarkblade']Look at the Nazis. Their occupation of Eastern Europe would've gone much more smoothly if they hadn'd decided to loot/pillage/rape/kill as they pleased. But they were animals, and ended up making neutrals enemies and their enemies fiercer. I can only hope these Islamic groups' actions will have the same effect.[/quote]
Care to explain this a little more? I've never heard of neutrals turning to enemies because of the pillaging of eastern europe.

[DeathBug]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]The beheadings are disgusting, and perfectly represent the types of animals we're dealing with. You do not negotiate with people as depraved as this; you emilinate them.

As for media reaction, here's my train of thought: the media has paraded the Abu Ghrad pictures for months now, showing the US military as perverts. Why should there be any problem about showing the kinds of monsters the al queda terrorists are?

We live in an image-dominated world; that's not necessarily bad, but it creates circumstances such as these. The military knew about and was already dealing with the Abu Ghrad perverts in january of this year. The story was already reported in january. Why was there such a fuss in April?

Because the pictures came out in April. And, even though everything that can be mined from this story has already been mined, the media continues to show those pictures. Why? Because pictures are powerful, and instil powerful emotions.

When I saw the actual pictures of Paul Johnson's decapitated corpse, I wasn't terrified; I was angry. I wanted the people responsible for such inhumanity captured. My resolve towards this cause was strengthened.

So, the media should be allowed to show these pictures to remind America of exactly what is going on. Despite President Bush's way-premature declaration, we are at war. And these are the animals we are at war against. You should not ignore reality.[/color][/size][/font]

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

[quote name='Harry']Care to explain this a little more? I've never heard of neutrals turning to enemies because of the pillaging of eastern europe.[/quote]

Common citizens. People don't go out of their way to fight an occupying force (seeing as it's a bit dangerous). If the occupying force is not doing much nasty stuff, then its occupation is more bearable. The Nazis were unbearable because they acted barbaric. It's part of the reason they lost the war, especially on the Russian front.

[Harry]

[quote name='ScirosDarkblade']Common citizens. People don't go out of their way to fight an occupying force (seeing as it's a bit dangerous). If the occupying force is not doing much nasty stuff, then its occupation is more bearable. The Nazis were unbearable because they acted barbaric. It's part of the reason they lost the war, especially on the Russian front.[/quote]
And where did you get this little theory?

[DeathBug]

[quote name='Harry']And where did you get this little theory?[/quote]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]No, he's right. In Russia, particullarly, the resistance actually helped turn the tide of the war, because the Axis powers had to send supplies and troops to quell the uprising, supplies that would otherwise have been used against the Allies.

Sadly, after surviving that, the Russian people were forced to live under stalin.[/color][/size][/font]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]Who is the media out for? Themselves.
Who does the media aim for? The public.
Therefore, who must have some interest in seeing this? The public.

I have no doubt that these images are highly traumatic for the victim's families. I don't know the opinion of most other people, but if you don't have any connection to the person, then it is merely something interesting. Maybe thats not the right word, but the shock factor isn't as extreme. Indeed, in my own little corner of the world, not too many people even consider the War On Terror in their daily lives.

Censorship is rampant now. I think those kind of images are perfectly acceptable. Be thankful you weren't able to see images of monks self-immolating during the Vietnam War.[/size]

[DeathBug]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1'] Be thankful you weren't able to see images of monks self-immolating during the Vietnam War.[/size][/quote]

[color=indigo][size=1][font=comic sans ms]Very unfortunatly, I did see a picture of that. It disturbs me to no end; I wouldn't recommened anyone else see them if they can avoid it.[/color][/size][/font]