Culture of Peace Suppressed?
an article by Joe

This past Friday (April 30th, 2004), ABC's newsmagazine show "Nightline" attempted something truly extraordinary. Instead of the normal broadcast, they presented the names and faces of each solider that has fallen so far in the U.S. siege and occupation of Iraq.

However, most Americans did not see the special. ABC affiliates around the country were forbidden to air it.

This is because they are owned by the Sinclair Broadcasting Group. According to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, Sinclair executives have contributed $136,000 to Republicans and the Bush administration over the past four years. And a statement issued by Sinclair explained that they were prohibiting the broadcast because it might "undermine the efforts of the United States in Iraq."

Relatives of the fallen men and women are bewildered at this attempt to forget their loved ones. The mother of a solider killed last summer explained that "By censoring Nightline they want to hide the toll the war on Iraq is having on thousands of soldiers and their families, like mine."

At the end of the tribute, which was aired on Times Square, Nightline host Ted Koppel commented on the controversy. Although he does not "oppose" the war, he said: "I am opposed to sustaining the illusion that war can be waged by the sacrifice of the few without burdening the rest of us in any way." Koppel also argued that journalists "have a responsibility in our business to keep reminding people of the cost of war."

I believe that, in order to build a culture of peace, we must honor and remember all the victims of war. And we must resist the efforts of those who wish to silence their voices. Just because a few multimillionaires have a stake in the spread of violence, oppression and exploitation does not mean that they have a right to stifle the growing sense of doubt about the invasion of Iraq. It is obvious to me that they are censoring Nightline because they are afraid of the culture of peace.

We must call for the truth to be heard!

More information can be found at the following web sites:

Military Families Speak Out

MoveOn.org Article

CNN Article

DISCUSSION

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How can we use this attempted censorship to promote culture of peace?


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Latest reader comment:

Just an update in case you haven't heard:

Mike Moore's newest film "Fahrenheit 9/11" just won the most prestigious film award in the world (the Palme d’Or). It's setting all kinds of records and critics are blown away.

The movie is still without a distributer in the U.S.

This report was posted on May 6, 2004. The moderator is Danny.

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