Sunday, March 16, 2014
Brian Turner and Yusef Komenyaka
Brian Turner and Yusef Komenyaka both write in a suspenseful way. In “What Every Soldier Should Know,” Turner is describing bits of information, which soldiers learn when they are abroad and in contact with civilians. Turner states “Inshallah means Allah be willing. Listen well when it is spoken.” Turner leaves the reader hanging and wanting to know why we should be listening when it is spoken. Later we find out that: “Men wearing vests rigged with explosives walk up, raise their arms and say Inshallah.” Komenyaka also writes in the suspenseful manner in “Camouflaging the Chimera.” At the end of the poem Komeyaka writes: “…we held our breath, ready to spring the L-shaped ambush, as a world revolved under each man’s eyelid.” Although Komenyaka does not end with the results of the soldiers waiting period for ambush, one is left imagining different scenarios. One of the major changes since the Vietnam War is the media coverage. During the Vietnam War reporters had access to the real images of the war. The images that were released into society had a major effect on the U.S. citizens. After seeing the live coverage, many citizens thought the war was unjust, and so many began to detest the war. Large demonstrations and protests were led throughout the United States in an effort to bring attention to the war. Today, media coverage on the war in the Middle East is very limited since most of it is censored. The media outlets do not give an accurate account of what is going on in the Middle East; instead they release stories that portray the U.S. involvement in the war as it is helping the people of the countries affected. My father was and still is an activist in our community. From the very beginning of the current war, my family attended peace protests and talks given by soldiers or parents of the soldiers, who had not returned. I remember one event where we were given pamphlets with very graphic images of the outcome of an operation vs. the pictures that had been released by the media outlets. I don’t know if these pictures were actually from the operation or if they had been photoshopped, but it leaves you thinking whether we are being informed on the current situation accurately.
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As you mentioned, censorship is something that we deal with today that we did not in the Vietnam War. This does seem to be highly suspicious in an age of technology and anti-censorship. It leads one to ask the question of why there is so much censorship on war in a generation that has become somewhat numb to blood and gore, that there must be something else hidden? Also, in a generation that is more tolerant of other races and religions? It is awfully convenient for every Muslim with a middle eastern name shown on television to be involved in "terrorist activity". I suggest it is not only censorship, but also media manipulation.
ReplyDeleteCitlali and Kim, in regard to media censorship, I'll play the devil's advocate (otherwise my comment would be really boring and generic), what if the media was doing the country a service by censoring the content it shows? I always point to the fact that not every military member is fit for combat, actually, it's becoming a more specialized field. War is a profession, and should be conducted and exposed only to professionals. You and I wouldn't claim to be experts in psychology or medicine, however, it seems like the common opinion is that everyone is an expert on war. If I was a husband or a father and my wife and children were suddenly exposed to graphic content from the current war on the news, I would be furious. There are things that happen in this world every day that are censored: child abuse, rape cases, executions, all of these are scenarios where the media censors the details- and rightfully so. Soldiers go through very specific training and today have the benefit of psychological care and evaluation, they are among the few who have been prepared for war, and even then, no amount of training fully prepares them. Should the civilian who has no experience, has no exposure, be exposed to horrible material? I don't think so... I wouldn't subject my family or loved ones to it, thus I cannot advocate for non-censorship. My question to the both of you is, what would you have the media do? Hypothetically speaking, would you want your children, your grandparents, your loved ones, exposed to graphic, depressing material every morning, afternoon, and evening? Our news service is 24 hours, and it's everywhere. On our phones, our computers, in the newspaper stands, on the televisions in restaurants and bars, on the radio- everywhere.
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