May 13, 2004
Warning
There's nothing fluffy or funny about this post. If you want happy - come back tomorrow.
I don't pretend to know everything or anything really for that matter. I don't know what to say right now, but I have to say something. I haven't really thought this out so I am sure it is fraught with contradiction...
I watched the video. You know which one I am talking about. The Nick Berg video. I don't know why I watched it - I wish I hadn't - but I did.
I'm ill.
I won't link to it - it's gruesome and graphic and horrific, but if you have to see it, I'll only email you a link. I understand. I watched it too remember.
I've read across a dozen blogs that there should be moral outrage. That we should go kick some terrorist ass. That now we should step it up and kill all those mother fuckers before they kill us. AND that the anti-bush people slash media are hiding this video from the public. If only the public could see it, primetime live, then everyone would feel the same sense of outrage and revenge. The key word here being revenge. I suspect that a lot of these people also proclaimed to support Bush's banning of any media coverage of returning caskets out of respect for the privacy of the family...
Two words. Bull shit.
Yes, I am outraged. No this should not be shown on national television. I've never seen anything so horrific. But is the public being shielded by a liberal media?
No. We, as a civilized society, do not show real people being really murdered on television. Generally speaking.. never mind, you know what I am saying... I have my issues with media. And I suspect that there is contradiction in what I get angry about. Photo's of our fallen soldiers flag draped caskets - yes - that is allowing our nation to grieve and honor our sevice members. A human being (American or not) being brutally beheaded? No. We just don't watch that. Or at least not in that last 100 years.
Should we go kick some terrorist ass? Isn't that what we've supposedly been trying to do? What do you suggest we do next? Kill everyone and let God sort 'em out? I think that's what some folks are doing.
Here's where I stand. Right or wrong in your mind. You know why Nick Berg was beheaded? Because we are at war. Because the Bush administration fails to recognize that they have failed. Because a couple of cowboys (and cowgirl) decided to have some so-called fun - or horseplay*. Well it wasn't just a couple - prisoner abuse is happening all over and ya know what? These cowboys have just painted a big bulls eye on every single American Soldiers back. No, every Americans back. We are all at risk now. Welcome to reality. What happened to Nick Berg could happen to any of us.
It makes me sick. What I saw has only hardened my resolve to get the fuck rid of fucking GW. He's going to get us all killed - one way or another - with this goddamn holy war he's waging.
We. Are. So. Screwed.
My heart goes out to Nick Bergs family. No one should have to go through having their son/daughter/father/mother/brother/sister brutally and publically murdered - for the whole world to see.
I am so, so very sorry.
* "A military official who has seen the photos said that one depicts soldiers sodomizing prisoners with chemical lights and another depicts sex between two U.S. soldiers. The official could not confirm a CNN report that said a video exists that shows guards fondling and kissing a female detainee. "They apparently show some fooling around and some horseplay. There are some that show detainee abuse," the official said. He added that of the more than 1,200 images being reviewed by Pentagon investigators, fewer than 400 are "bad.""
Posted by MJ at May 13, 2004 11:24 PMEveryone that watched the video that I talked to - said they wished they had not. I do not intend to watch it.
Left to their own devices - the Arabs would be at war with and killing each other. Instead, we are now their enemy.
I was conflicted about going to war - We knew what Hitler was doing and stayed out for too long, as a result millions died - that was wrong. Should we have allowed Hussein to continue along the same path? Knowing now that GW lied about Iraq - we should not have, but then had we not, who knows what Hussein would be doing now - I might say we should have.
Right now the military has not been given an objective - just politically run skirmishes like Viet Nam. Dump the measured response and unclear objective - that is a sure fire meat grinder. We need a clear objective, we need to hit harder and heavier. There will be civilian and military casualties on both sides, but it will be over quicker and with less casualties overall. We need to finish the job.
Posted by: Keith at May 14, 2004 06:35 AMi didn't watch it. my 20-year-old sister watched it and came to me, in tears, for advice on how to get it out of her head. i told her that it was good that she watched it, that it helps her to understand what kind of people WE are up against in this so-called "war on terrorism". she asked if he was a soldier. i said no. she lost it. you know, i watched the video too now, and i have to say that i'm glad you were able to put into words my own thoughts. thank you for that.
Posted by: Jenna at May 14, 2004 07:10 AMThank you so much for posting this. I didn't watch the video, but I've been feeling the same way since the story broke on Nick Berg's death. I've just been too chicken to write about it, I guess, but now I'll probably follow up this post on my own blog.
Posted by: mediocre law student at May 14, 2004 07:34 AMI (unhappily) watched it. And I agree that, thanks to Bush and Co., we are all a lot less safe in this fragile world.
Very well put, MJ.
TEX
Posted by: TEX at May 14, 2004 07:58 AMI haven't watched. I won't. I know I couldn't handle it.
Nick Berg's death hit pretty close to home. He was an alum of the Study Abroad program of the School for International Training (one of the educational arms of my employer, World Learning).
He spent a semester living in Uganda studying the political, social and economic development of the country. He was a person who believed in investing of yourself if you want to see positive change in this world.
It is tragic, and a little ironic, that someone with such commitment had his ended so early and so awfully.
The one thing I am holding onto is that Nick Berg was not the only such person in this world. I am blessed to work in an environment where I get meet thousands of people who spend their time on this planet of ours working out ways to make the placer a little nicer for the rest of us.
Posted by: Cyndi at May 14, 2004 09:02 AMI won't watch it. On Blogdex yesterday I clicked on a Matt Drudge link, where I saw a still image from the video for only a second...and that was more than enough.
I'm thrilled you wrote this. We have to write down our disgust for these actions and why we think these actions are happening, and you're right on with BushCo's failure to understand their failure. Our country is a mess right now, and I, for one, am completely ashamed.
Posted by: Allison at May 14, 2004 12:15 PMI struggle with this one. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I did watch some of the video. But I couldn't stomach the whole thing. It moved me to tears in a way that I could never articulate. The thing that I wish is that viewing this thing could be less exploitive and more of a learning experience -- we're so desensitized to violence and war that we have no idea what it really means to witness such an inhuman and horrific act. That's where the utter lack of humanity and respect for life and compassion and decency in this video would illustrate for people what we've REALLY gotten ourselves into. Unfortunately there is no healthy way to go about communicating that message. There's no balance here. In order to demonstrate the horror we have to exploit the act and the death of this man and that cannot happen. And, I also fear the opposite reaction. Those people that are so blinded by their fanaticism will only see this video as further justification for violence and agressive tactics. It's an intolerable and shattering situation all around. And I'm offended at how little the Bush administration has acknowledged it.
MJ your post was really moving. Thank you for encouraging this necessary dialogue.
Posted by: mopsa at May 14, 2004 12:53 PMI love this post. You hit it on the spot so well. I too don't want to see the video, I can conjure enough images in my head to make it real enough and still be sadden with the whole thing. I feel for the family, they did not deserve this, no one deserved to die in this silly game called a war.
Posted by: Susan at May 14, 2004 04:46 PMThanks everyone. I don't think I'm all that articulate when it comes to political matters. Honestly? This guy put it all down much better than I ever could have...
Amen brother.
Posted by: MJ at May 14, 2004 11:00 PMi watched it after reading some blogs, right and left wing. i am kicking myself now. i can't get the images out of my head, then again, i deserved that.
your post speaks volumes.
peace.
my son told us this morning that he downloaded it and watched it.
he is 16. i am not sure how i feel about.
he has the maturity and poise to handle it. but why should he have to.
