(Ir)religiosity

It’s been a while since I’ve done a blog series.  I don’t anticipate this being a long one, but it’s something that has been in the back of my mind for quite sometime.  So here goes.

It’s quite interesting — especially considering that this is an election year, and a presidential election at that — to periodically step back and take a look at the media coverage of the war in Iraq and other international news, specifically those dealing with violence and death. 

Take the typical evening newscast for example.  The majority of the coverage will undoubtedly be focused on the upcoming election, the two candidates (like there is ever only two), and why we as citizens should engage in divisive, polemical arguments for or against either one.  The rest of the coverage will more than likely speak to the plummeting economy, rising gas prices and the deteriorating environment with mention of a celebrity scandal or an isolated domestic act of violence. 

Currently there isn’t much variation to that formula.  Mention to the war in Iraq or any other international incident, especially acts of violence, by and large, aren’t covered; and when they are it’s only because American civilians were killed, injured, or in some way jeopardized. For instance, the other day the “headline” from Iraq was that four Americans had been killed in Sadr City as the result of a municipal building bombing.  However, the story last week that 51 people had been killed and 75 injured by a car bomb in Baghdad was virtually uncovered in the mainstream media.  Incidentally, none of the dead or injured were American.  Coincidence?  I think not. 

This is just one example among the countless incidents that happen daily.  Toward the end of last week, a typhoon hit the Philippines.  A ferry carrying more than 700 people sank along with several fishing vessels.  Most of those persons are still missing.  Granted this story is getting more coverage in online and print media, but has been virtually uncovered by the major networks.  We’re talking about close to 1000 people at least.  If that, or even the instance above with 51 people, had happened on “American soil” there’s not a doubt in my mind that it would be the major news story for at least the next year.  Remember Katrina? 

I think it’s safe to say there’s at least a bias here if not a blatant and intentional recurring tendency toward omission. 

Of course this is nothing new.  And I would venture to say it is a problem everywhere though I think it is safe to say the US — as with most things– is over the edge.  I suppose this phenomenon is to be the expected result of socially and geopolitically structured “nations” and “borders.” 

That being said, I think there is something to be noted about our tendency to ignore, suppress and altogether omit non-domestic acts of violence and murder in the US especially when it comes to the current war and occupation of Iraq.  In our collective mind, only Americans matter.  We don’t even officially count the number of Iraqis in the war because, let’s face it, they’re not human.  They are — to use the official DoD vernacular — collateral damage.  If that’s not dehumanizing then I don’t know what is.

But even in the case of the of Iraq our attention has dwindled.  One might get the impression from some of our news coverage that the war/occupation isn’t even going on.  We don’t hear about it that much.  I think that is deeply immoral.  Especially when innocents are being murdered in our name.

I wonder, why is this?  Why are we altogether indifferent?

I think there are several reasons for this. But –  this is already getting too long.  That will be for another post.