Body counts
Mood: cynical
" When media report wars or disasters, why are death tolls announced before bodies are counted? And what does this do to our democracy? "
The numbers game: death, media and the public
Jean Seaton raises a very good point. I've noticed it myself - when a disaster strikes the body count is estimated at a very high number, to get our attention. For a start, how can they possibly know how many have died so soon. The trouble is, as the truth becomes apparent and an actual body count emerges, the erroneous estimate is still often quoted. Apparently it's not a disaster unless thousands died (but, of course, even more so if the victims are white).
Numbers are part of the lies. The numbers of dead of the 'enemy' or civilians of invaded countries is always grossly underestimated, while the patriotic soldiers' death numbers are overstated. No-one ever hears about the thousands (actually more like over a million) people who have died as a result of US sanctions on Iraq. What did that achieve exactly? And then to kick them when they're down and actually dare to claim they're planning a nuclear attack on the States. Oh please. They just want clean water and jobs and to live peacefully. Then fuckwit Bush decides to go in and kill off a few more (well big daddy did, didn't he). Well actually he didn't do anything - just sat back and played golf or whatever the fuck he does after he's made these outrageous decisions.
Been busy so haven't managed to catch up with any reading. I really wonder about these 'Islamic' attacks in Bali. Every attack has a motive - but we're not hearing about it. Perhaps they're orchestrated to justify Howard's crackdown on liberties in Australia. There's another fuckwit if ever there was one - a Bush asskisser like Blair.
