"Overblown coverage of violent crime"

[Keiller TN]

This may be obvious to many of us, but I though World said it well: ". . . Time magazine reported that the number of Americans killed by guns fell almost 20 percent from 1993 to 1998, and the number of children killed by guns dropped 28 percent from 1994 to 1997. But a recent Time poll showed 70 percent of Americans feel violence in schools has increased. To explain the discrepancy, look no further than the package Time wrapped around these facts: photographs of grieving mothers who lost their children in shooting deaths. While no one favors random violence, school shootings have been a political and commercial bonanza for the corporate liberals running the television networks. At the same time that they feed a liberal hunger for gun legislation, they spike the ratings with sensationalistic interviews with terrified children and grieving mothers. The complete collision of the truth of declining violence and increasing media coverage doesn't seem to bother the media's professional instincts at all."
The rest of the article is at world magazine

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Alexander Solzhenitzyn:
"Freedom is given to the human conditionally, in the assumption of his constant religious responsibility."

[This message has been edited by Keiller TN (edited May 23, 2000).]

 

[andyb]

$$$$$$$$$ - recognition - career enhancement, et al. Shock therapy to gain attention - which gains viewers - which sells (whatever - products or prestige ... being first, etc.). Problem is - we've been treated to "shock" so much we've numbed down. We took Columbine as a real shock, but the copycats seem almost expected - and less "shocking". So they are always looking for the "shock that goes around the world". It won't stop until people quit listening and watching (between commercials of course). Have you noticed that commercials are now 33% of any "major" TV event? In two nights of the "Jesus" offering I timed three sequences 12 minutes movie, 6 minutes commercials. I've check a couple others - they ran closely the same. $$$$$!!!

Without "NEWS" they'd be looking for jobs and Mom's Apple Pie stories are hard to re-spin.

BTW - You see how the 1st Amendment protected smut/porn and other gross activities on TV - even scrambled? But the same people decry the 2nd AMENdment.

My 2 pennies.

Andy



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2nd AMENdment - "So Be It."

 

[Donny]

Another perspective to view this would be to look over our shoulders several decades. Look at the airline hijackings that became commonplace during the 70's. A first a shocking occurence. But then, an astounding thing occured. It started happening more frequently by everyone with a cause, or had a bitch to place with some government.
It got us what? Metal detectors at ALL airports, beffed up security on all levels of travel in that mode.

See any parallels between that process of making nations aware of someones complaints, and what's happening here with the school shooting/gun war. I think that the same thing is occuring, except this time, our schools are the battlefields, and our children are the pawns, not adult travelers, and or, international airlines.

There were hijackings/murders on ocean liners also (Achille Laurel). It matters little where the battle takes place to a person(s) who has a message to deliver.

The most effective place to wage war is in your enemies heart; their home, their lives. Destroy their lifestyle, and force them to succumb to your will, and you will have made them your slave. We're seeing this war being waged here, now, today.

What's the message they're trying to send us? Anybody have any ideas on that?

Best Regards,
Don

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The most foolish mistake we could make would be to allow the subjected people to carry arms;
History shows that all conquerers who have allowed their subjected people to carry arms have prepared their own fall.
Adolf Hitler


[This message has been edited by Donny (edited May 23, 2000).]