Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Fairness in Media here? You tell me

I didn't want to blog this story about the Muslim man who beheaded his wife on February 12...but a realization I had seems to beg discussion:

What would our media have done had this been a Christian pastor beheading his wife? And why aren't they covering this story, a beheading of a wife, as they do other lesser stories? You tell me.
Are our newspapers owned by people we don't know about? Are there threats to our media buildings, the very cities they're in?

z

31 comments:

I.H.S. said...

Z, is it that the MSM can't allow themselves to have an air of anti-muslim go out?

Blessings.

Z said...

yup. The question is WHY NOT?

See you later!

Anonymous said...

I believe there is a whole array of issues here. Just to name some:

1. Cowardice
2. Political correctness
3. ACLU
4. Minimizing of a rapidly increasing problem
5. Appeasement
6. Multiculturalism
7. Shy away from confrontation
etc.

Similar cases have happened, for instance, in Germany. The press was full of them, the subject is discussed in public. Just last week, a Muslim man was put into lifelong prison because he committed an "honor killing" on his 16-year old sister. Huge publicity, very vivid public discussion, huge sentiment by the people against such behavior.

Sometimes it is good to look abroad, just to see what is coming up in your own country, and learn how to deal with it.

Mr.Z

To Be An American said...

You sound just like I do.

Great blog..

To Be An American said...

You sound just like I do.

Great blog..

highboy said...

We Christians don't behead our wives z. Who would we have in the kitchen cooking us and our children all of our meals while scrubbing the floor? The only way I'd behead my wife is if she had the audacity to ask for a pair of shoes. What does she need shoes in the kitchen for?

Ducky's here said...

It's on the front page at Huffingtonpost.

It's in the Boston Globe.

It was on network news last night.

Now just what do you want?

Ducky's here said...

"honor killing"

-----------------------

Thank you Mr. Z for stepping into the trap.

This had nothing of the identifying markers of an honor killing. Extended family wasn't involved, the woman had not left the home, it wasn't for a sexual transgression like adultery ...

in fact it was SPOUSAL ABUSE something that we find throughout the culture from left wing professors, to working class electricians, cops (VERY COMMON) and evangelical ministers.

So what you are upset about is not being able to set the agenda her and give the story the xenophobic spin you adore.

Come on, just how is this an honor killing, go ahead make my day.

Ducky's here said...

Just last week, a Muslim man was put into lifelong prison because he committed an "honor killing" on his 16-year old sister.

---------------------
So our justice system worked. What's your problem with that?

shoprat said...

It's beginning to get some attention, but not nearly what it would have gotten had the man been a Baptist or a Pentecostal. They were probably trying to find a way to avoid the Islam angle.

Mike said...

Ducky,

Mr. Z did not refer to this as an "honor killing". Re-read his comment.

He said similar cases have happened abroad, such as a recent "honor
killing". He referred to THAT case as an "honor killing", not this one. He just said they were similar.

It looks like YOU are giving Z's comments a spin so you can label him as a xenophobe.

Here's the problem, Ducky. Look abroad and you will see more and more countries instituting Islamic Law in exchange for a "ceasefire" with terrorists. Pakistan is a recent example. Is spousal abuse illegal under Islamic Law?

Are we going to be the next country to make that deal? Why not? According to the media, WE are the problem, not the Muslim terrorists (or "so-called" terrorists if you are Helen Thomas).

The problem isn't that it wasn't reported. It's that it is not reported with the same level of intensity and shame than if it involved a non-Muslim religion. It should be a HUGE story, since (militant) Muslims have become quite notorious for their use of beheading. But, I guess waterboarding is a much worse fate, and much more newsworthy, right?

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

And HOW was he portrayed in the Media, I would ask?

"MODERATE."

THIS at the hand of a MODERATE Muslim.

BZ

Z said...

Ducky..it's a WEEK OLD. Grow up.
Also, why can't you stay on track...we're talking about this case. The case where Muslims hoping to make Islam more normal in this country behead the other...good try on their part, eh? THAT is the point.
Odd...I think I prefer it HAD been called an HONOR KILLING .. at least HONOR KILLINGS have atrocious suggestions for killing in muslim HONOR..Beheading being one of them. Surely, this isn't what this Muslim American man thought was an AMERICAN way of killing, Ducky?

My point is one most of you see: It took a week to get in the mainstream media and it's barely there ...yet

Were this a Pentacostal or Episcopalian or Catholic ? HELL TO PAY. Greta and Nancy and Dan Abrams and Geraldo would be ALL OVER THIS THING....interviews with the nice salesman, interviews with the woman who'd sold brussel sprouts to the girl just before she was BEHEADED....

no holds barred.

Muslim? Not so much

Ducky's here said...

And why aren't they covering this story, a beheading of a wife, as they do other lesser stories?

--------------------

Did I misread that in your lead?

I simply replied that the story has been covered.

The question of whether it should be covered as domestic abuse like the two women who were stabbed to death in Boston yesterday by a boy friend and husband in separate incidents or whether the Muslim angle should be played up to satisfy the right.

As I say, if Mr. Z wishes to contend that this is anything like an honor killing and something other than domestic abuse then I'd love to joust.

True the details are grisly but is it responsible to sensationalize this any more than some standard spousal abuse case like a cop killing his wife because he was on a power high?

The responsible journalists won't sensationalize it.

Z said...

Wow, Ducky...it's beginning to sink in how MUCH you don't understand this situation. Americans don't generally BEHEAD, it's not something we do. Muslims BEHEAD because that's part of their punishment, it's called for, it's not disdained...
You say "The responsible journalists won't sensationalize it."
This doesn't need sensationalism, this is BEHEADING, that's pretty darned sensational in itself. That this is NOT showing up in the MSM news as it should and scaring and infuriating Americas is QUITE sensational.

We haven't had RESPONSIBLE journalists in years or we'd have had a better informed electorate this last election. The truth hasn't come out! Did you hear those who'd never learned about Ayers, for example, and how they voted not knowing that kind of close association with a terrorists? Had they at least HEARD about this in a responsible media, maybe we could have all been spared the coming destruction of this country, huh?

Tell me again; Do you not believe that, had a Christian or Jew BEHEADED HIS WIFE, the networks and cables and every big city paper MIGHT have covered it sooner than ours did? (I still haven't heard ONE mention on ANY TV venue, so....)

If it was an honor killing (and that's all it really COULD have been), then what? Do you protest?

If it is not, do you protest?

Is this sort of a term like HATE CRIME? HONOR killing...

who defines it, anyway.

Muslim men don't GET divorced, they divorce.....or they might behead. See Layla/Liz's blog...you could actually learn something and help wake Americans up to the kinds of horrors that Sharia Law enthuses over.

Papa Frank said...

Ducky -- there's a bit of a difference between simply killing someone and the hate and fanaticism it takes to BEHEAD someone. Heads are actually fairly secure and it takes a bit of either practice or special equipment or over the top violence to carry out this act. A beheading is not in the same category as spousal abuse or typical murder.

I.H.S. said...

You know what, Papa Frank, I forgot about that as well.

My new saying as of late is: 'You Can't Make This Stuff Up'

Blessings.

Thomas Lawrence said...

Three Ball Dead covered this yesterday.

Anonymous said...

Did someone here call this murder, spousal abuse? Gee, and all this time I thought spousal abuse would result in something less than death!

I would say that to behead someone involves torture. I won't paint a picture here, use your imagination.

This is the preferred method of killing for barbaric butchers whose religion permits it. Guess which one.

If we don't condemn it loudly and punish it with the death penalty for the perpetrator, we are saying "Oh well, this is a cultural thing".

In America? Beheadings? How primitive and barbaric are we, a civilized nation, willing to be as a society?

Because, make no mistake, if we choose to ignore this as the msm is doing, it will become another ritual included in multi-culturalism that while horrible, doesn't mean the religion itself doesn't have it's good points. Really? Oh I forgot, it's a religion of peace. Sure. Just accept it.

We could listen to the media go into a frenzy over the woman who had eight babies, for a week, but a beheading? Nah, it's a cultural thing. Besides we wouldn't want to make the Islamists mad.

Finally, what difference does it make what you call it, an honor killing, or a butchering of a woman. It's still a horrible way to die, and a barbaric practice by someone who thought it was justified because he OWNED his wife.

It was not spousal abuse Ducky, you dolt, don't minimize it.

Pris

Anonymous said...

I'll have to ditto Mr. Z's reasons for the MSM shying away from the story.

LA Sunset said...

Ducky's right folks. We shouldn't bring this up as a legitimate issue. Beheading is part of their culture and we must all strive to understand their culture, lest we be labeled a racist or a xenophobe. (And we wouldn't want this on our consciences, now would we?)

Z said...

"spousal abuse", imagine, Priscilla? Apparently, the poor woman was ON THE PHONE with her sister when he attacked her. This man is a brute...no matter WHAT religion he is.
That Islam doesn't condemn beheading is disgusting/ that Ducky and our media need to hide that fact is more disgusting.

LA Sunsett is right: besides,... "Maybe she deserved it.." Huh?
HOW REPULSIVe that ANYBODY would give anything like this less condemnation than it's had

Anonymous said...

Calling this spousal abuse is like saying Jim Jones slipped 900 people a "mickey" at Jonestown.

Average American said...

I don't really give a shit what they call the deed, it was horrific to say the least.

What DOES really piss me off though is this: Remember back to when John Travolta's son died. Remember how many times and for how long CNN made such a big deal about it. Remember how his family wanted some privacy, but they kept it alive? And so now, my question is this:

Which story should CNN have given the most air time to? Which story got WAY to much attention? Which story did they not even bother to run with?

See why SOME people say they distrust the MSM? You can replace "CNN" with many other TV networks.

Brooke said...

I would like to know where the MSM is on the FBI coming out against CAIR lately!

Z said...

All great points..
Average..SO TRUE. Travolta's in AGONY and there's the MSM.
This woman's BEHEADED and they're SLEEPING?

Good point, Brooke.

Folks, I think it's time to start wondering how much Arabs own of us...

kevin said...

Ducky, just how does a beheading get sensationalized?

That pretzel shape you mind has twisted itself into to avoid the patently obvious can't be healthy.

Ducky's here said...

Wow, Ducky...it's beginning to sink in how MUCH you don't understand this situation. Americans don't generally BEHEAD, it's not something we do.

------------------------

So what?

Is it much different than the guy in Ohio yesterday who strangled his wife and son?

Men kill their wives in all cultures. If you are going to get concerned with the method just so you can advance your Muslim paranoia, fine but the media is quite correct not to play along with the xenophobes to any serious degree.

Papa Frank said...

Ducky -- there's a bit of a difference between simply killing someone and the hate and fanaticism it takes to BEHEAD someone. Heads are actually fairly secure and it takes a bit of either practice or special equipment or over the top violence to carry out this act. A beheading is not in the same category as spousal abuse or typical murder.

Papa Frank said...

Of course you don't care how an unborn child gets killed either just that someone has the right to kill them. I guess we shouldn't even hope that you would see this situation for what it actually is.

Z said...

KEVIN! I'm still laughing!!