To the editor:
Where does the Journal-World get off placing an article about troops being tortured, maimed and murdered on page 9A and several days later putting a story about troops being accused of rape on the front page? In my opinion, this is not just politically motivated, slanted journalism, it is shameful, disgraceful and unfair to our troops.
Kevin Stewart,
Lawrence
Comments
BrianR 10 years, 2 months ago
Yes, because everything that's important to YOU should be on the front page.
ASBESTOS 10 years, 2 months ago
Not very journalisticly fair and balanced. IF you want your FIrst Amendment rights to be backed, please concuct yourself as if the right and truth were truley important.
Strontius 10 years, 2 months ago
rightthinker,
I've never seen anyone post on the ljworld that could be described as on the "hard-left".
The hard-left would be communists and anarchists, of which there are very few in the U.S., let alone posting on these forums. So please try to keep things in perspective when you post. What would you actually do if you had to live in a place dominated by people actually on the radical or far left?
As far as the "liberal media elite", there's no such thing. A news company is not biased if they don't propagate your personal views, as many people seem to believe.
When Stephen Colbert gave that great tirade at the Whate House dinner, there was a media black-out over the issue. The only information came from blogs. Thank the stars for the internet's free flow of information.
Where were the so-called "liberal-elite media" there?
The answer of course is that it doesn't exist. It's a persecution fantasy and a sign of mental problems.
Strontius 10 years, 2 months ago
As far as this LTE is concerned, maybe raping a 14 year old girl is bigger news than U.S. troops being tortured and killed as they have been since the Iraq invasion?
It's simply a matter of news worthy material. People get tired of reading the same thing over and over again, and the newspapers try to respond to such things.
To think it has a political bias is just fantasy. The journal world, like every other news publication, is a business organization and is going to set up their newspaper to make the most money.
temperance 10 years, 2 months ago
Kevin Maybe the journalistic decision can be explained this way: we expect the Terrorist Enemies to rape, torture, and kill, and we don't expect that of our American troops. The first is part and parcel of the ugliness that is the Iraq civil war the other is front-page news. Many of us here feel that it's "shameful, disgraceful and unfair to our troops" to have them locked in an unending quagmire.
BrianR 10 years, 2 months ago
I believe the media is biased because the SuDoKu isn't on the front page.
erichaar 10 years, 2 months ago
Very good point. Kudos to the writer.
acg 10 years, 2 months ago
Strontius, welcome, and btw, don't pay any attention to rightthinker. He's notorious on the threads for being a mewling idiot with nothing productive to contribute at all. Lately, I've been referring to him as a pecker gnat. Just try this: swat, swat, shoo! and he'll eventually buzz away to someone else. :)
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
this lull is brought to you by F troop as they circle the wagons and call in the cavalry....
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
and while RT goes and spends some quality time with Jesus....
staff04 10 years, 2 months ago
Wasn't it the Administration that wanted to minimize the public's exposure to the loss of American life in this war? Sounds like the LJW is following that model in this case.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
Rightthinker - dude, you've been served!!!
craigers 10 years, 2 months ago
Defender, it happens when you vote somebody in office and then they get to decide when they get pay raises and how much. I think I would make myself rich too. :)
Uncle_Salty 10 years, 2 months ago
I think I ought to take this timeout to remind everyone that the US soldiers are accused of ALLEGEDLY raping this Iraqi girl and killing the whole family. No UCMJ Court Martial trial (yet), no conviction, not one person under oath has testified in public.
The soldiers may have already been convicted in the court of the LJW, the ___ (insert your choice of word- swear, liberal, conservative, etc.) media, and this exposure may have greatly influenced the public.
However...
Until a jury comes back with a VERDICT, or the accused PLEAS, nothing is final. I only hope that the whole truth gets the same media coverage as the ALLEGED facts presented thus far.
Speakout 10 years, 2 months ago
Nothing else to do today, Rightthinker?
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
RT - all you've proven today is that you are a jackass.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
and that you need Jesus
ksmoderate 10 years, 2 months ago
Just because someone holds the opinion that Bush, the Occupation, and the current congressional majority are a big steamy pile doesn't mean that person is a liberal (or far-left, socialist, Howard Dean supporter, etc.).
Defender is not a liberal, so quit calling him one.
This country would be far better served if its people stopped polarizing politics and looked toward the center.
Although I guess that would make these forums MUCH less fun to read!
opinion 10 years, 2 months ago
Will you trust this report on media bias?
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664
staff04 10 years, 2 months ago
c-man-
Thank you for finally providing evidence to back your claims that doesn't come in the form of an overused, five year-old link and actually shows that you put some of your own thought into this.
acg 10 years, 2 months ago
ROFLMAO. $250k earning wife? You know he lives in a trailer park somewhere.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
both acts are just as equal news stories and the letter does bring up a very good post that you will all have loads of fun with all day. Let the games begin.... :)
Jamesaust 10 years, 2 months ago
Could it possibly be that two servicemen being killed is - quite unfortunately - a daily occurence and a travesty to their own families but civilian rape - that is child rape, multiple murders, child murders, body desecration, etc., etc. - endangers the lives of every American in the field and the whole of the U.S.'s national security interests in the region by further alienating an already hostile population?
I certainly hope the "page one" charges are untrue or can be mitigated. If true, however, I hope for the full punishment available by law, which I believe is a form of justice loudly supported by the right wing.
opinion 10 years, 2 months ago
Cognitive dissonance?
Media Bias Is Real, Finds UCLA Political Scientist
While the editorial page of The Wall Street Journal is conservative, the newspaper's news pages are liberal, even more liberal than The New York Times. The Drudge Report may have a right-wing reputation, but it leans left. Coverage by public television and radio is conservative compared to the rest of the mainstream media. Meanwhile, almost all major media outlets tilt to the left.
These are just a few of the surprising findings from a UCLA-led study, which is believed to be the first successful attempt at objectively quantifying bias in a range of media outlets and ranking them accordingly.
"I suspected that many media outlets would tilt to the left because surveys have shown that reporters tend to vote more Democrat than Republican," said Tim Groseclose, a UCLA political scientist and the study's lead author. "But I was surprised at just how pronounced the distinctions are."
see whole study:
http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
were are the head lines here in the usa when a 14 year old is raped?? you sure as heck do not see it on the front page every day for weeks.
ksmoderate 10 years, 2 months ago
It seems to me that since a majority of college faculty are left or left-leaning we can surmise that it is a GOOD thing to be left or left-leaning. After all, college faculty members are some of the most intelligent people in our country.
Intelligent = NOT conservative.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
hmm - I think his serious work is done in the bathroom
ksmoderate 10 years, 2 months ago
Wow. Let me get this straight.... If I call someone a bigot, that automatically makes me a bigot?
Care to chase your tail anymore?
abe_froman 10 years, 2 months ago
You know what gets me? How people make accusations about a media outlet having a liberal or conservative biased on the content of the newspaper or broadcast.
When deciding the content of a newspaper, a bunch of editors go into a room and read off the "headlines" of the stories up for grabs.
The editors are given the task of trying to balance out the front page with articles that can draw people into reading the paper. What makes the front page one day, could end up in Local & State the next day.
In terms of the decision to put the story about the soldiers being maimed, something else happened that day which the editors of the newspaper felt was of more interest or more worthy. It happens.
I'll tell you what doesn't come up during the meeting, political views. Those have to be left at the door when you walk into the office. And guess what? At a daily newspaper, you don't have time to sit around an plan out how to screw over the liberal or the conservatives.
I find few things more annoying than people commenting on how make assumptions about what happens at a newspaper office or any other office for that matter. It's completely lame to think you know how something works when you know nothing about it.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
oh does the posts always get off track?
BrianR 10 years, 2 months ago
1:00 pm - I like you better already. Have a brill w/e.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
I think the ljw spends to much time taking comments off of the posts that is what I think.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
wow..
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
sounds like a bunch of people need to step back and breath. sorrys looks like no sound involved
jayhawks71 10 years, 2 months ago
Hmmm which is newsworthy and unexpected behavior..... soldiers who have been, by their government, sent to invade a sovreign nation being killed or those same soldiers raping and killing innocent civilians.... hmmmm. Soldiers are held to a higher standard than insurgents, are they not? I believe most soldiers would agree and act in accordance with this higher standard. It is a few bad apples that make the bad name, but this should be on the front page, afterall, we indeed invaded a sovreign nation.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
once upon a time this was interesting, refering to the letter and the early posts but now it is battle of sides almost sound like people are running for office. I do not believe you are so please do not yell about that part but hello the letter, what about the letter?
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
just gonna play online poker, read you later.. have a good time in here
ASBESTOS 10 years, 2 months ago
???
anonimiss 10 years, 2 months ago
Headline placement in newspapers is largely due to the crowd the newspaper is going after. In Lawrence, that is liberals. Take a look at the differences in layout between the LJ World and the KC Star, the Topeka CJ, Manhattan, Salina, or Wichita. It is definately present and unfortunate. The unfortunate bias that rightthinker was talking about is the order in which facts are presented within the articles. Very seldom do local newspaper writers write about national events. The AP does that. The articles are bought and published, either word for word or slightly edited. Read one about Iraq. First few paragraphs, soldiers wounded or killed. Next few, who the soldiers were and where they were from. Next few, allegations against soldiers. Finally, the "oh, yeah, almost forgot" paragraph of 50-some Iraqis killed at markets, mosques, restaurants, etc. Both types of bias are present and are leaning to the left, but whereas the headline placement comes from a desire to sell newspapers, the fact placement comes from a liberal-slanting mass media.
anonimiss 10 years, 2 months ago
And the liberal-leaning professors are the ones teaching and molding the next generation of journalists. They are being taught to write about what's important to them, not being taught objectivity. Hundreds of articles get churned out about Tom Delay, Rush Limbaugh, Rove, and other victims of the press. Yet Cynthia McKinney, William Jefferson, John Murtha, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and others are guilty of comparible offenses of lying and hiding the truth, and crimes committed while in office without anything in the press about them. This is yet another way the press is being slanted. Choosing what is news and what is not. Setting the agenda.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
RT & CONman - you guys sound gay. Not that theres anything wrong with that.
bisky1 10 years, 2 months ago
rightthinker @7:24-thats the deal and they just refuse to see it they need to get over bill clinton and the 2000 election
anonimiss 10 years, 2 months ago
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jul... What's missing: Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, is funded by Iran, Lebanon was targeted only after terrorists struck from Lebanon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezbollah
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jul... What's missing: Saudi Arabia also faulted Hezbollah for initiating the war. Israel mentioned that Lebanon failed to meet a UN resolution requiring that it get control over the terrorists. The UN security council heard the cease-fire requests formally, and also chose to take no action. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/14/AR2006071401785.html
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jul... What's missing: India, US, UK, EU, and others claim the rebels as a terrorist organization. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_tigers
There's more out there.
Christine Pennewell Davis 10 years, 2 months ago
world going to he** and you guys are still on about this my my
sweetpeagj 10 years, 2 months ago
I have been trying to read all the posts and catch up with all that has been said. Anyway, in the same article that states these young soldiers raped and killed it does state that the investigating group over there found that American soldiers were no way involved with this. I understand that AFTER this soldier was discharged and sent home it CAME OUT in counseling by another soldier that this happened. How do we know that he isn't looking for a way out also? How can this be shown to not have involved soldiers by the investigating team at the time of the crime then three months later it was soldiers who did it? I have a hard time believing the comments that neighbors were too scared to come forward after witnessing this when it is our soldiers who are being bombed and killed almost daily by extremists there. The entire article does portray the devastating mental and emotional effects this is having on our children over there. They are sent to one of the most dangerous areas and asked to behave like tried and true soldiers. I know, I know, they all went through basic training and some type of specialization training then these same 18, 19 year olds, less than a year after enlisting, are sent to a horrible area where people kill themselves and anyone they can take with them as an act of religious belief. I know that there is no way that I could handle the stress of seeing my squad members getting bombed or blown up even if I had ten years of service and I am 37. If this was actually done by these soldiers then they do need to pay the penalty for it and I am sure they will IF it is proven this time that they were involved. I am not sure how this turned into a huge political discussion or name calling in some instances when it is about a child getting raped and family being murdered allegedly by our troops.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
W snorted lots of nose candy and recently admitted to smoking pot. AND he's having an affair with Condi.
But what makes W is a true scumbag is his disregard for the consequences of his actions, and his lack of empathy with the suffering of others. This is best exemplified by the Iran war. God knows what his motivation was for starting it besides to make up for his daddy's failure to get Saddam the first time around, or that he had a council of Neo-Con fascists eager to use the US military for their own nefarious goals. So he's committed our entire country to a war that we can never win and he doesn't care how many lives are shattered in the process. I could never live with that on my conscience. But then I don't he think he has one.
One more thing...
Laura killed a classmate with her car in 1963.
What a fine first family!!!
your turn F troop... too bad I won't bother to read your pathetically lame responses.
mooseamoose 10 years, 2 months ago
wow - I wonder if that foreshadowing...
I should've said W 's Iraq wa, not Iran
but if we invade Iran that wouldn't suprise me at all. Too bad we have pushed ourselves to the limit in Iraq over NOTHING.
Iran represents a real threat to the world. Ironic, huh?
cloudshaman 10 years, 2 months ago
Wow - dude you are a fascist. Heil!!
Lepanto1571 10 years, 2 months ago
swbsow:
"I would say that those in the Middle East have had their way of life threatened far more than anything you & I could imagine."
In this agree, but it's due to a superior idea of arms that is unique to the West [and yes, two huge oceans that are formidable obstacles-but less so today, of course]. It has ensured relative peace for us, which as Will Durant argues: "freed [us] from toil [so that we may enjoy] the leisure and luxury of thought."
The priviledge one enjoys in America today to be "threatened less," was not purchased at low cost nor without considerable effort. I, for one, am thankful for the good fortune to live in a region of relative peace.
swbsow: "My way of life has been far more threatened by my own government under the guise that I'm being protected."
Regarding government intrusion and meddling in things they have no legitimate interest in, I most certainly agree with you!
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