one of the things I practiced -- and taught my young reporters -- was 'ALLEGEDLY ALLEGEDLY ALLEGEDLY!!!!'
Until he'd been convicted the crimes were "alleged."
Even if the scumbag got caught five seconds after he pulled the trigger and was on 15 different video feeds he was still "the alleged shooter" who "allegedly capped the guy," with the gun he was "alleged to have in his possession."
There are actually good reasons for this, and not just avoiding getting sued.
I always took "innocent until proven guilty" seriously -- at least in print -- privately I might think the bastard should hang, but you wouldn't know if from the coverage.
One of those reasons is that the last thing I wanted was for the idiot to get off because my coverage had "prejudiced the jury pool" and was damn sure not going to hand that club to the defense.
I suspect that a fair few of those celebrating the death of Charlie would be horrified if they were actually at this event.
Sadly, our current terminally online culture renders death as an abstraction- the same thing we see on movies, tv, yootoob, and video games. Those aren't real, and thus it's hard to register that this is real. A real man is dead.
Likewise, our currently online culture pushes people into a sort of sociopathy, removing the humanity from those they disagree with. They can see that they are people, that those they know and like are people, but those they don't like or agree with aren't people. So, when it's an image on a screen, it's just a thing happening to a person shaped thing. Not the fact that a real man is dead.
But, if they were actually there and witnessing the actual event, that detached distance is gone. It's a person getting killed, not a thing, not an abstraction, not a personification of what you are supposed to hate. Just a human person, like you or me or someone you know.
Of course, those truly lost in the hate could still be there and celebrate this.
And Thomas a' Becket is now a Saint of both the Catholic and Anglican churches, Patron Saint of Plymouth, London and Exter College of Oxford, where as most people remember Henry II for Becket's murder.
Ian, Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem on the same subject of politicians inciting mobs.
"“Cleared”, honourable gentlemen! Be thankful it’s no more:—
The widow’s curse is on your house, the dead are at your door.
On you the shame of open shame, on you from North to South
The hand of every honest man flat-heeled across your mouth. "
https://www.kiplingsociety.co.uk/poem/poems_cleared.htm
Sadly, all of those 'news' outlets that lied about what Kirk was saying won't be punished.
one of the things I practiced -- and taught my young reporters -- was 'ALLEGEDLY ALLEGEDLY ALLEGEDLY!!!!'
Until he'd been convicted the crimes were "alleged."
Even if the scumbag got caught five seconds after he pulled the trigger and was on 15 different video feeds he was still "the alleged shooter" who "allegedly capped the guy," with the gun he was "alleged to have in his possession."
There are actually good reasons for this, and not just avoiding getting sued.
I always took "innocent until proven guilty" seriously -- at least in print -- privately I might think the bastard should hang, but you wouldn't know if from the coverage.
One of those reasons is that the last thing I wanted was for the idiot to get off because my coverage had "prejudiced the jury pool" and was damn sure not going to hand that club to the defense.
The trend I'm seeing is that Republicans are not getting the benefit of "Allegedly".
we haven't for a long time
Unfortunately they know all the tricks to avoid getting successfully sued for slander and defamation.
Yeah, well there's a new sheriff in town and I suspect a case could be made. It wouldn't be cheap, but it could be made and it could succeed.
Truth
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/the-media-very-rarely-lies
Oh the media lies all the time. That's why they have to print retractions.
On page 15. Two lines in the Lost & Found section.
I see that you and I had similar thoughts. I'd say something about great minds, but I think twisted might be a more appropriate designation.
I suspect that a fair few of those celebrating the death of Charlie would be horrified if they were actually at this event.
Sadly, our current terminally online culture renders death as an abstraction- the same thing we see on movies, tv, yootoob, and video games. Those aren't real, and thus it's hard to register that this is real. A real man is dead.
Likewise, our currently online culture pushes people into a sort of sociopathy, removing the humanity from those they disagree with. They can see that they are people, that those they know and like are people, but those they don't like or agree with aren't people. So, when it's an image on a screen, it's just a thing happening to a person shaped thing. Not the fact that a real man is dead.
But, if they were actually there and witnessing the actual event, that detached distance is gone. It's a person getting killed, not a thing, not an abstraction, not a personification of what you are supposed to hate. Just a human person, like you or me or someone you know.
Of course, those truly lost in the hate could still be there and celebrate this.
PDT has said he won't be looking for "unity" with the insane leftist. (ok ok that last part was mine)
And Thomas a' Becket is now a Saint of both the Catholic and Anglican churches, Patron Saint of Plymouth, London and Exter College of Oxford, where as most people remember Henry II for Becket's murder.