What is the role of the media in a democracy and for that matter, during an occupation?

Jared Hood
Branch of service: Army National Guard of the United States (ARNG)
Unit: 220th MP Co
Rank: Spc E-4
Home: Denver, Colorado
Served in: Fort Carson,Camp Navistar, Hurricane Katrina relief, Denver Colorado, Ft Bragg, Vilseck Germany

I am a 24 year old college student attending Metro state college of Denver pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Administration. I have been in the Army since 2003, first serving in a reserve MP detachment (5025th) out of Fort Carson, CO. Our mission was to train units preparing to deploy to Iraq in MP tasks and Internment operations. Taking part in this mission was really the beginning of my knowledge of the truth about this illegal war. Speaking to returning soldiers opened my eyes to the real meaning behind this war. At this time I started researching all of the facts information that lead to the war and I have not stopped researching and speaking out since. In February of 2005 I transfered to the 220th MP CO COARNG and have remained with this unit since. The 220th served in Iraq in 2004 and I have spoken to many soldiers about there experiences and have further strengthened my discontent with the war and this administration. On my spare time I enjoy arguing and debating politics, snowboarding, skateboarding and playing guitar. Two months ago I began my application for conscientious objection (1-0) Honorable Discharge for moral and ethical reasons. Although I have only two years remaining on my contract I cannot train and support a nation that condones illegal war.



http://www.ivaw.org/node/1628

What is the role of the media in a democracy and for that matter, during an occupation?
by Jared Hood | Tue, 09/04/2007 - 10:40pm

Recently I have been contemplating the question “What is the proper role of the media in a Democracy?” And with that, I came to the conclusion that I cannot properly define that role as I cannot define the meaning of Democracy. However, considering the premise of the media and the idea that American’s watch and read stories in which the media produces, it should come to mind that the role of said media should be reporting the truth. That which it’s readers and viewers alike can take and utilize critical thinking to objectively acknowledge. But this does not happen, nor has it ever. From the very beginning of print media, yellow journalism firmly fixed itself into a position in which it has remained since the 18th century. In modern terms, Americans are still looking to the media to report stories and provide information, only they still don’t consider one fact, the media does not report the truth. Is it possible for this to happen? Considering that each person has an individual bias based on their own values and ethics, it is nearly impossible to avoid bias in the media. However, what has come before us in late has taken a new mutated form, a form that positions itself consistently with the Governmental power in place within Washington.

An example is the complete manipulation that the media used to dupe the American people into invading Iraq during the post 9/11 buildup to mass slaughter and further disgusting excuse for “embedded” journalism once occupying said region. At no point did anyone within the staff’s of major media outlets challenge the Bush administrations outright boisterous claims that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and in Saddam’s supposed support for terrorism. Not withstanding, they ignored any evidence of the contrary and all “alternative” (Not backed by corporate dollars) news sources were silenced. Not even the touted liberal rag “New York Times” ran any major articles to point out this fallacy, instead opting to sell their souls for the social trend of patriotism and utter racism against the Arab world. Is this truth? Is this factual news? Well considering we’re nearly six years into the occupation of Iraq and we have spent over 600 billion dollars “fighting terrorism” and we still have not found a link to either of these claims, I would say hell no. This was a clear manipulation on behalf of the media meant to unflinchingly follow the Bush Propaganda for fear of critical reactions by their advertisers and by the American people. I mean, can you imagine the hate mail if they did report the truth? Every single suburban soccer mom would be lining up to write hate mail touting that CNN were supporters of terrorism and how they need to back Bush in killing Muslims; give me a break. Now they want to apologize for being wrong. How sweet and sensitive… They need to apologize for the over 600 thousand innocent Iraqi’s who lost their lives because these “media” outlets could not figure out how to use their brains.

Now we see a different mutant! The dreaded “embedded” as I like to call them. You know, the ones reporting from Iraq who wear their Eddie Bauer fleece and stand in front of some great symbol of the Arab world like a Mosque or temple. They go on to report “it was a bloody battle but the Coalition forces are showing the Iraqi people that freedom will prevail in this troubled region” or some filthy ethnocentric statement as such. They report this because if they actually reported the truth, the Department of Defense would tear apart their contract and boot them out of the country telling the reporter’s boss that they are not to send another “embedded” reporter to the country until they once again report the truth, or the truth according to Generals in Washington. Thus CNN and all would lose advertisement dollars and with it all of the big money there “embedded” reporters make. They are not exempt from the war profiteers. And I am exempt from all of the blind Americans that call this news.