MSM v. USA

I can’t even turn on the news anymore. It’s repulsive, depressing, and downright reprehensible. The mainstream media has launched a full-frontal assault on the Bush Administration and the war on terror. Between television and print, both the Iraqi war and the Administration are under constant scrutiny and accusations. Everywhere the American public turns, someone’s pointing a finger.

In the news it’s undoubtedly the worst. There are the obvious basics like their constant focus on the bad parts of war and how nothing that is accomplished is being recognized. The Iraqi people have voted, women have gained rights, and free enterprise is surging in this once dictatorial state. People have the right to express their views and fear no repercussion. An Iraqi army and police force are learning strategies and life-saving techniques for any future problems. Instead, the MSM focuses on the American death toll just barely breaching 2000 and how insurgency is prominent in this purgatory-like state.

Now on my local news coverage, many of the stations are sending reporters to the front lines to "bring the war home." In other words, the MSM wants to dictate what we see AND hear, both about the war and from the perspective of the soldier. There is no doubt that the slant will be appalling. I can assure you that the MSM is going to show the bad: dead bodies, explosions, and gun fighting. While they could show the peaceful areas, citizen appreciation, or the lack of a tyrannical murderer.

Even Maxim, a magazine targeted towards men ages 18-55, is now telling tales of soldier misfortune. Maxim manages to hand pick the few soldiers that are struggling on their return home. Don’t get me wrong, I sympathize with all soldiers and the struggling reformation required after a tour, but not all soldiers require that. The majority turns out just fine, going back to their civil duties and families. Maxim manages to put a serious spin on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) implying that most soldiers struggle with post-war problems. I can personally attest for all the soldiers that I know that they are fine. They all performed exit interviews about the war and were deemed fine.

Now there is talk about a liberal slant to the movie Jarhead. This movie is about the first gulf war and happens to launch at the perfect time. With the present war protests on the rise, Sam Mendes (the director) sees his opportunity. By exploiting the bad parts of war including gruesome deaths and what appears to be ‘brainwashing,’ Mendes and his cohorts paint the most horrific picture of war. This and all other media outlets in turn push many over the metaphoric fence – creating more angst towards Operation Iraqi Freedom.