This is why I am not overly fond of journalists and journalism. The information presented seems to go by fads and not the communication of all the news.
Take the war for example, why do we have to have a daily death toll? Why can't we hear about what's been accomplished or what the next goal is? You know, looking forward instead of focusing on the negatives. (Regardless of how anyone feels about the war in itself). I am afraid of the negative impact of public opinion, that is fully exacerbated by the media everyday, on the returning soldiers. I was a just a kid when Viet Nam ended but I have worked with lots of Viet Nam vets and some of them are still troubled by that war and the negative aftermath.
What is most depressing is thinking of what life could have been like had the several presidents who oversaw Vietnam gone in to win. The template for all subsequent military actions would have been one of expected success, rather than expected (even desired) failure.
Because the respective administrations played politics, and micromanaged the efforts on the ground, and listened to the media and the critics, it overflowed to the veterans. Many of them wonder what they fought for. Well, in the end it seems they fought for politics instead of for liberty from the North Vietnamese.
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Date: 2005-08-09 02:31 pm (UTC)Take the war for example, why do we have to have a daily death toll? Why can't we hear about what's been accomplished or what the next goal is? You know, looking forward instead of focusing on the negatives. (Regardless of how anyone feels about the war in itself). I am afraid of the negative impact of public opinion, that is fully exacerbated by the media everyday, on the returning soldiers. I was a just a kid when Viet Nam ended but I have worked with lots of Viet Nam vets and some of them are still troubled by that war and the negative aftermath.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-08-09 03:25 pm (UTC)Because the respective administrations played politics, and micromanaged the efforts on the ground, and listened to the media and the critics, it overflowed to the veterans. Many of them wonder what they fought for. Well, in the end it seems they fought for politics instead of for liberty from the North Vietnamese.