For those hijacking the Boston Thread about Iraq bomb blast please post here

skimpydoo

As Title says.

At least 31 people dead after bomb blast in Baghdad today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22149863

Temptamperu

Yeah but they are brown and different.

My name is URL

Any opinion yourself, OP?

Amirani

My name is URL wrote: »

Any opinion yourself, OP?

I'd hazard a guess that he's against the murdering of innocent civilians. Just a hunch though.

Super-Rush

My name is URL wrote: »

Any opinion yourself, OP?

It would certainly help alright.

skimpydoo

My name is URL wrote: »

Any opinion yourself, OP?

I think it's sad what happened in Iraq but it has been a war zone for around 10 years now so any bombings that happen there do not surprise me.

c_man

Very sad. On a side note, the Op in the other thread has just as much of an opinion outlined...

A Primal Nut

Unfortunately if it happens all the time in Iraq we can no longer put so much thought into every attack. The emphasis on what happens in Boston is nothing to do with sympathy, the colour of people's skin or anything else.

Its more the shock factor.

armchair fusilier

Comparing the media reaction to both events is valid, but using that as an excuse to adopt an overly cynical stance on the events in Boston isn't, imo.

Grudaire

Temptamperu wrote: »

Yeah but they are brown and different.

Cynical, but probably slightly true.

Boston is much closer to us spiritually (how many films are based in Iraq that you've watched?)

I think the attack in Boston makes us feel vulnerable, and is terrorism in that it affects us, and makes us feel scared.

In Iraq we can dismiss any suicide bombs because it is essentially infighting, they are unlikely to attack Ireland as a symbol of Western Imperialism.

My name is URL

armchair fusilier wrote: »

Comparing the media reaction to both events is valid, but using that as an excuse to adopt an overly cynical stance on the events in Boston isn't, imo.

That's a very balanced and well considered view

Scotty #

Ronan my point in posting the Iraq news link was to show things a little more in perspective. What happened in Boston was two very minor explosions. Smaller than Norway and Oklahoma bombs. Smaller than grenades I would say. Probably more people shot in Massachusetts every week over drug debts. I would guess almost certainly caused by INTERNAL (ie. American) political motivations. I'll be very surprised if they turn out to be al-Qa'ida. Bombs of this magnitude can be made by anyone with a bit of know how.

But yet the media goes absolutely hysterical. They'll analyse and repeat and analyse and repeat and repeat some more and blow it as big and sensational as they can. People on social sites including Boards.ie get all caught up in the hype and go hysterical too. I think it's shameful that people are so appalled and outraged by a bomb in America - but don't seem to bat an eye lid at far more devastating bombing happening every day of the week in other parts of the world. Just my 2 cents.

Matt Simis

Cliste wrote: »

I think the attack in Boston makes us feel vulnerable, and is terrorism in that it affects us, and makes us feel scared.

Exactly, from our "western" perspective, bombs going off in Iraq ("etc") is not terrorism, its some domestic problem there. Its not meant to be "terrorism" aimed at us and obviously it isnt interpreted by us as such. And therefore it doesnt impact or effectively "matter" to us, largely at all.

Emotionalise and be sad for the death of innocents for sure, but ultimately our lives will continue exactly the same while terror attacks in our "world" do affect us (or at least are designed to). Is it bad to differentiate..? Maybe, but its logical.

The "lets compare death tolls then feign outrage at lack of equivalent media coverage" however, I find illogical and distasteful.

sink

It's also the fact that socially and politically we're a lot closer to Boston than Baghdad. I've personally been to Boston, I have friends living there. There is a far greater chance of someone I know or even myself being caught up in such an event in a western city. Such events are also very uncommon in comparison to Iraq were it's is almost expected and this adds to the shock.

I have every sympathy for victims of violence all over the world, but my level of concern will multiply the closer to home it happens. That is only natural and anyone who doesn't feel the same is deluded or lying.

Grudaire

Matt Simis wrote: »

The "lets compare death tolls then feign outrage at lack of equivalent media coverage" however, I find illogical and distasteful.

In fact I would go as far to compare death tolls then feign even more outrage at lack of equivalent media coverage...

OP where were you for all the other suicide bombs in Iraq this month???

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/06/iraq-suicide-bomber-political-rally.html

:mad:

skimpydoo

Scotty # wrote: »

Ronan my point in posting the Iraq news link was to show things a little more in perspective. What happened in Boston was two very minor explosions. Smaller than Norway and Oklahoma bombs. Smaller than grenades I would say. Probably more people shot in Massachusetts every week over drug debts. I would guess almost certainly caused by INTERNAL (ie. American) political motivations. I'll be very surprised if they turn out to be al-Qa'ida. Bombs of this magnitude can be made by anyone with a bit of know how.

But yet the media goes absolutely hysterical. They'll analyse and repeat and analyse and repeat and repeat some more and blow it as big and sensational as they can. People on social sites including Boards.ie get all caught up in the hype and go hysterical too. I think it's shameful that people are so appalled and outraged by a bomb in America - but don't seem to bat an eye lid at far more devastating bombing happening every day of the week in other parts of the world. Just my 2 cents.

There is so much bombings etc in the Middle East at the moment that we are not shocked by it anymore. Another way to look at it is compare shootings in Ireland at the moment to 30 years ago. We have so many shootings now compared to 30 years ago that we are used to it kinda like how we feel about the bombings etc in the middle east.

skimpydoo

Cliste wrote: »

OP where were you for all the other suicide bombs in Iraq this month???

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/04/06/iraq-suicide-bomber-political-rally.html

:mad:

I only set up this thread tonight as the Boston thread was been hijacked and going of topic mentioning bombings in the Middle East.

Grudaire

Ronan Leonard wrote: »

I only set up this thread tonight as the Boston thread was been hijacked and going of topic mentioning bombings in the Middle East.

Don't worry it was only tounge in cheek

... although I was hoping we could do a full back comparison of things that we should really be getting outraged about - I'm talking every tit for tat murder in the last 50 years

Gatling

Bomb attack in Iraq pretty much daily stuff
Bomb and gun attack Mogadishu Somalia just after government was internationally recognised by the IMF
Bomb attack boston - I'd say home grown terrorist gun but not happy with new gun controls

Spanish Harlem

The people crying crocodile tears about dead Iraqis are such hypocrites.
They don't give a damn about bombs in Iraq, evidenced by the fact that they never mention it the 364 other days of the year. It simply serves as a useful stick to beat others with today, on the day of the Boston bombings, and to feel morally superior. Get off your high horse.

cristoir

We have more in common with the US and relate more to citizens of the US. Hence the media coverage. It's somewhat cruel considering we are all citizens of the world but if that was completely true we wouldn't report shootings in Ireland ahead of shootings elsewhere.

becost

The Iraq situation was a thousand times more shocking when it kicked off a decade ago but what's happening there now is almost commonplace.

Senna

Up until the 90's there was a murder/bombing nearly everyday on this Island, but it became the norm and although it was reported (just like the bombing in Iraq was) the public and media became used to it. If there is a murder today, its a front page story.
Northern Ireland was a war zone like Iraq is today

becost

Senna wrote: »

Up until the 90's there was a murder/bombing nearly everyday on this Island, but it became the norm and although it was reported (just like the bombing in Iraq was) the public and media became used to it. If there is a murder today, its a front page story.
Northern Ireland was a war zone like Iraq is today

Yeah, you become desensitized to ongoing conflicts.

mr_edge_to_you

I think what happened in Boston was a shocking despicable act but I find people's "online reaction" infuriating. My Facebook page is full pictures of candles and Boston and "remember the dead" etc. I find these public outpourings of grief over the top. That's what annoys me.

Ignore the Iraq bombings, how people died from gunshot wounds in Massachusetts yeasterday? How many people died in car crashes? I think the hype, shock factor, public displays of sympathy and media coverage are excessive for 3 deaths in one incident.

That is what i dont understand.

Cody Pomeray

I'm sick to death of this disproportionate coverage. It is all over the media.

This morning I turned on facebook to see a dumb "WE STAND BESIDE OUR AMERICAN ALLIES AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME" meme from the UK being shared and liked.

It's sickening. The media, although visibly dejected by the unremarkable numbers involved, are resorting to all sorts of emotive language like 'battlefield' and "the war zone mile".

And while you cannot blame the US media for donating so much time to this tragic story, strangely enough, it's the non US media which is just as hysterical.

I don't like to bring up the bombs in Somalia and Iraq yesterday, but it is an awkward reality.

In truth, most Irish people will not have known anyone in serious danger yesterday. We can try to explain away our interest in this story as cultural, racial or historic.

Either way, it comes down to a subjugation of importance of humanity and human life to whether the victims are the right nationality.

Amirani

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

In truth, most Irish people will not have known anyone in serious danger yesterday. We can try to explain away our interest in this story as cultural, racial or historic.

Either way, it comes down to a subjugation of importance of humanity and human life to whether the victims are the right nationality.

You don't think these are in any way valid? I've been to the U.S. about 5 times and know a lot of people who live there. I've never been to Iraq or Somalia.

The culture we live in is a lot more similar to that of the U.S. I watch American TV and movies, and listen to American music. I can't say the same about Iraq and Somalia.

It's also a much more rare that something like this happens in the U.S., hence the extra attention devoted to it.

I'm sure the media in other parts of Eastern Africa or the Middle-East are paying a lot of attention to these other bombings, likely because of the opposite of everything I've said above.

Cody Pomeray

NiallSparky wrote: »

You don't think these are in any way valid?

Personally, no.

I can see why people do. That's why I said they can be explained away.

However, even if you do try to explain this away it amounts to a justification of some human lives lost to terrorism being more important than other human lost to terrorism on the basis of nationality.

That's fine by a lot of people, maybe even most people. Grand so. I just think it's an observation that should at least get a mention.

Scotty #

NiallSparky wrote: »

...hence the extra attention devoted to it.

Extra attention is one thing - mass hysteria is another. There were 3 people killed ffs! There's been 3500 killed by guns just SO FAR this year in the states. 35,000+ killed on US roads last year... where's the hysteria over that? A little bit of perspective from the media is all I'm asking.

Amirani

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

However, even if you do try to explain this away it amounts to a justification of some human lives lost to terrorism being more important than other human lost to terrorism on the basis of nationality.

No it doesn't. That's not a fair inference to make.

Amirani

Scotty # wrote: »

Extra attention is one thing - mass hysteria is another. There were 3 people killed ffs! There's been 3500 killed by guns just SO FAR this year in the states. 35,000+ killed on US roads last year... where's the hysteria over that? A little bit of perspective from the media is all I'm asking.

I agree with this to a point. Some of the coverage and hysteria on social media is silly. It's undoubtedly a notable event though.

Cody Pomeray

NiallSparky wrote: »

No it doesn't. That's not a fair inference to make.

Yes it does. That is a fair inference to make.

Not sure that argument is going to get us anywhere. Why is it not a fair inference?

Amirani

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

Yes it does. That is a fair inference to make.

Not sure that argument is going to get us anywhere. Why is it not a fair inference?

9/11 got more media coverage than the London or Madrid bombings. Is it fair to assume then that people consider American lives more important than British or Spanish lives? No, scale and context are very important factors to take into account.

Same reason there would probably be more coverage of a pipe bomb explosion in Dublin than in Derry.

Cody Pomeray

NiallSparky wrote: »

9/11 got more media coverage than the London or Madrid bombings. Is it fair to assume then that people consider American lives more important than British or Spanish lives? No, scale and context are very important factors to take into account.

Eh, scale? 3 people have died. About 30 died in bomb attacks in Iraq and 30 more in Somalia on the same day.

What's the "context"?
These were Americans? These belonged to the same "kind of society" as ours? These people were civilised? I can't think of any context that doesn't subjugate the importance of the Somalis and Iraqis based around nationality.

Amirani

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

What's the "context"?
These were Americans? These belonged to the same "kind of society" as ours? These people were civilised? I can't think of any context that doesn't subjugate the importance of the Somalis and Iraqis based around nationality.

Perhaps the fact that there's many similar attacks in Iraq every year while it's extremely rare in the US? Can you not understand that?

I never said they were less important either.

Da Shins Kelly

The media attention given to incidents in the West compared to the East is pretty skewed, to be honest. I think there should be a re-evaluation on that front, but it's unlikely.

Cody Pomeray

NiallSparky wrote: »

Perhaps the fact that there's many similar attacks in Iraq every year while it's extremely rare in the US? Can you not understand that?

There are very rarely explosions in Bolivia.
Do you think this would have made headlines if it had happened in Bolivia?

Can nobody seriously accept that US lives matter more to the media when there's an attack like this? Is this being contested?

Come off it guys. If people are going to come forwards with online tributes and facebook messages and sitting trance-like as Sky News pore over the details for the nth time, at least have the decency to admit the hypocrisy.

Da Shins Kelly

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

There are very rarely explosions in Bolivia.
Do you think this would have made headlines if it had happened in Bolivia?

Can nobody seriously accept that US lives matter more to the media when there's an attack like this? Is this being contested?

Come off it guys. If people are going to come forwards with online tributes and facebook messages and sitting trance-like as Sky News pore over the details for the nth time, at least have the decency to admit the hypocrisy.

I think it has something to do with America running a lot of the media outlets, so they can push these stories no end. Also, the way in which American culture is so aggressively exported leads to people elevating Americans to a more prominent position in their minds than people of other nationalities, I think. People are more familiar with American culture so they sympathize more with them than they do with the strange brown people who think differently to us. But it's a double standard for sure.

smurgen

Cody Pomeray wrote: »

There are very rarely explosions in Bolivia.
Do you think this would have made headlines if it had happened in Bolivia?

Can nobody seriously accept that US lives matter more to the media when there's an attack like this? Is this being contested?

Come off it guys. If people are going to come forwards with online tributes and facebook messages and sitting trance-like as Sky News pore over the details for the nth time, at least have the decency to admit the hypocrisy.

i looked at the daily mail website and the main page is totally dedicated to the boston bombing with graphic detail. there is not one mention on the whole site on the iraqi bombings. even if there was it would just say 30 day in busy market explosion or something like that with scant details.

The truth is the media want to personalise attacks on the west to build our anger while de-personalising attacks in other countries so we no longer care about the on going blood shed there. All attacks like the ones in Boston are equally repulsive no matter where they happen.

G Power

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

The people crying crocodile tears about dead Iraqis are such hypocrites.
They don't give a damn about bombs in Iraq, evidenced by the fact that they never mention it the 364 other days of the year. It simply serves as a useful stick to beat others with today, on the day of the Boston bombings, and to feel morally superior. Get off your high horse.

some of us are actually highlighting the death toll worldwide on a daily basis, as each day goes by more and more do so too

Cody Pomeray

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I think it has something to do with America running a lot of the media outlets, so they can push these stories no end. Also, the way in which American culture is so aggressively exported leads to people elevating Americans to a more prominent position in their minds than people of other nationalities, I think. People are more familiar with American culture so they sympathize more with them than they do with the strange brown people who think differently to us. But it's a double standard for sure.

Right, and I don't mean to demonize the people who are mourning what is a tragic, horrible event.

But we do need to reflect on why we are focusing on these and not the de-personalised attacks that Smurgen mentioned.

US media only have an audience insofar as we allow them one. Sitting on autopilot in front of the TV and slavishly responding to what these broadcasters deem relevant should not be an option for grown adults who believe in a broader level of human dignity.

Spanish Harlem

@ Cody Pomeray

Why don't you start new threads about dead Somalis if you feel so strongly about it? Stop expecting everybody else to do it. You'll need to create at least 5 every day though to keep up.

People in Ireland are more interested in reading about a terror attack in America. Deal with it. The media cater to this interest. Put a story about a bomb blast in Baghdad on the front cover (the 500th this year) and people won't buy it.

Cody Pomeray

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

@ Cody Pomeray

Why don't you start new threads about dead Somalis if you feel so strongly about it? Stop expecting everybody else to do it.

I'm not starting a thread on Somalis or Iraqis because I didn't start one on Boston, and I don't start a thread on everything I feel strongly about.

I think I've started a thread on 4 topics. I feel strongly about 400 topics, sometimes in one week alone.

People in Ireland are more interested in reading about a terror attack in America.

actually, that was exactly my point. I said:

even if you do try to explain this away it amounts to a justification of some human lives lost to terrorism being more important than other human lost to terrorism on the basis of nationality.

That's fine by a lot of people, maybe even most people. Grand so. I just think it's an observation that should at least get a mention.

Spanish Harlem

If you don't want to read about a terror attack in Boston, don't read about it. Simple as that.

This is what your little self-righteous whine boils down to tbh...

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1352/93/1352935564749.jpg

Jonny7

Scotty # wrote: »

Ronan my point in posting the Iraq news link was to show things a little more in perspective. What happened in Boston was two very minor explosions. Smaller than Norway and Oklahoma bombs. Smaller than grenades I would say. Probably more people shot in Massachusetts every week over drug debts. I would guess almost certainly caused by INTERNAL (ie. American) political motivations. I'll be very surprised if they turn out to be al-Qa'ida. Bombs of this magnitude can be made by anyone with a bit of know how.

But yet the media goes absolutely hysterical. They'll analyse and repeat and analyse and repeat and repeat some more and blow it as big and sensational as they can. People on social sites including Boards.ie get all caught up in the hype and go hysterical too. I think it's shameful that people are so appalled and outraged by a bomb in America - but don't seem to bat an eye lid at far more devastating bombing happening every day of the week in other parts of the world. Just my 2 cents.

It's us, we're the consumer.

Run two 24 hour European news agencies, one covering the Iraq bomb attack and the other the Boston attack - everyone will be watching the Boston attack because it's more "dramatic", because it's a country we identify with, because it's a unique occurence (in a morbid way bombs in Iraq happen very frequently) and because the world doesn't run on some sort of "fairness" system. An event that happens in prominent countries is much more "newsworthy" than something that happens in third world countries.

The only blame lies with ourselves.

I've been checking Iraqi and regional media (not the likes of Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, but smaller more local online news sites) and Boston barely gets a mention.

It's a downside of having free press.

Cody Pomeray

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

If you don't want to read about a terror attack in Boston, don't read about it. Simple as that.

I don't. I switch the channel when it comes on, because there's very little new information.

This thread is to partially to facilitate people who aren't interested in the disproportionate coverage shown to individuals of a certain 'right' nationality or identity relative to even larger scale terrorist destruction of human life elsewhere.

If you don't like that, don't read it.

My name is URL

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

If you don't want to read about a terror attack in Boston, don't read about it. Simple as that.

This is what your little self-righteous whine boils down to tbh...

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1352/93/1352935564749.jpg

You should take your own advice.. why are you posting here in this thread if you've no interest in the subject?

Da Shins Kelly

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

If you don't want to read about a terror attack in Boston, don't read about it. Simple as that.

This is what your little self-righteous whine boils down to tbh...

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1352/93/1352935564749.jpg

Discussing the differences in the media attention given to certain tragedies over others is a valid discussion.

Also, it's possible to be sad about more than one thing at a time. Just because someone's pointing out the obvious preference for West-centred stories in the media doesn't mean that they lack any sympathy for the people affected by what happened in Boston.

Scotty #

Spanish Harlem wrote: »

If you don't want to read about a terror attack in Boston, don't read about it. Simple as that.

This is what your little self-righteous whine boils down to tbh...

http://0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1352/93/1352935564749.jpg

That you in the pic by any chance?

You protested about this topic being discussed the in the Boston thread and now it has it's own thread you are here protesting it.

Jonny7

Also, not to come across as too crass

But this is simply a "protest thread"

Let's be frank, there has been little or no discussion of the multitudes of bombings across Iraq in the recent past

mr_edge_to_you

Jonny7 wrote: »

Let's be frank, there has been little or no discussion of the multitudes of bombings across Iraq in the recent past

Personally I really have little or no interest in Iraq and equally I have little or no interest in 3 unfortunate people who died in Boston.

I heard a lunch time news report and they were all talking about "remembering those who had died" before some of the major international marathons in signs of "solidarity and support". This is over the top stuff.

Mass media gives rise to mass hysteria.