Passings

Peter Jennings, a newscaster for ABC News, passed away from lung cancer at age 67. I really can't get worked up over his passing. His death is sad to those who knew him personally, and maybe to some of those who didn't.

But to watch the media falling over itself to honor his legacy and service to the profession is interesting. Did the media, or Hollywood, give nearly as much time to reporters who were murdered by Islamic terrorists Steven Vincent or Theo Van Gogh? These were people who were in the media and were murdered because of what they said. They exposed the cruel facts behind Islamic terrorism. Terrorists didn't like that, and murdered them because of. However, since Vincent and Van Gogh weren't talking heads before an ever-shrinking audience, their deaths aren't nearly as important as someone who read news off a teleprompter for the evening news.

Gotcha.

Meanwhile, the New York Times wonders why Americans don't know about the heroes from the Iraq and Afghan campaigns.

Their names are Sgt. First Class Paul R. Smith, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester and Sgt. Rafael Peralta. If you have never heard of them, even in a week when more than 20 marines were killed in Iraq by insurgents, that might be because the military, the White House and the culture at large have not publicized their actions with the zeal that was lavished on the heroes of World War I and World War II.

I wonder whether the New York Times ever read the blogosphere. In particular, those bloggers who cover primarily military isssues. My faithful readers know these bloggers - they're featured in my blogrolls. Captain's Quarters, Mudville Gazette, Unconsidered Trifles, The Donovan, Bubbleheads, and a host of others. Then, there are the bloggers with no military experience whose readings and interests cover military and political affairs, but recognize the sacrifices made on our behalf.

The New York Times would much rather cast about for negative stories about the military since those stories match their preconceived notions of the military, rather than challenge their preconceptions with a dose of hard reality, which is that our military is not only answering the call, but doing so in a manner that is often heroic. We ask much of our Armed Forces, and that calling is often met by those who value the freedom that many of us take for granted. Some make the supreme sacrifice - and do so to save the lives of comrades and those they have never even met.

It's about time the Times recognized that the military is full of people who are heroes.

The reason we do not hear about the heroes of the current conflicts is because the media would much rather that you didn't hear about them. The media has been so negative about the war in Iraq, and to a lesser extent the Afghan campaign, that even positive stories, like the rescue of Jessica Lynch, are spun in a negative manner. And chief among the media is the New York Times, which sets the tone for other media outlets by its choice of coverage.