BREAKING NEWS

Have our ever growing appetite for news finally driven news media off its brink?

Is it solely their responsibility for what had happened?

  With the world in shock and mourn over such a shocking massacre in Norway, which left 76 dead, one often misses the story behind the story which essentially had been how the media had been reacting to this incident. At first glance, they seem to be business as usual. However, many news channels and print media had spread the assumption that this was the work of Muslim extremists linked to Al Qaeda, only to find themselves reeling with the great error and shock upon the realization that it was a Christian extremist, Anders Breivik, who had been the mastermind behind the attacks, there was an unseen reflection among many, had our media gone too far with their stereotypical view about Muslims today?

 

  It is not exaggerated to say the least that many people today have a “fear” of Muslims. The 9-ll incident in America, the London Underground Bombings in 2004, and many more terrorist acts by Muslim Extremists had made the world almost had a “Muslim-Phobia”, to say the least. However, there are more people responsible for such a discriminatory act in the media today, for without our needs, the media will not cater.

 

  The media today had become a 24-hour network. All over the world, news channels have became quick-paced as the world is suddenly connected so quickly with so much news flooding in. Thus, as the news keep on coming, it is inevitable that news channels take the quickest and easiest way out. The first news that appear, the first information and expert they can find, they will say it out. This is why all over the world, from CNN to the Wall Street Journal, it is a vicious cycle. For when news start rushing in, news outlets turn to their inferences for answers and jump at the first information they get, for example, in the video from the unknown source at the New York Times, and get in so-called experts to discuss about this, only to get their greatest embarrassment when they were proven wrong later. For news outlets have to provide news first-hand, they will undeniably have to go to such drastic measures and assumptions, which breaks their ethics, which is the nee to be secular and providing honest information, for the news media’s influence is great and widespread, and their actions could very well affect many people’s opinions of Muslims irreversibly. Thus, even when they realized the truth, when many news channels and newspapers quietly changed their terms from Muslim “terrorists” to Christian “extremists”, instead of publicly apologizing they had indirectly implied their racism and dishonesty, and they should reflect on why they had became so desperate.

  However, it brings us to the next question too. If the media have to have a responsibility, do we, the viewers too need to foot the bill? For we as viewers had demanded news first-hand with our voracious appetite for news today, which had driven news media to get news first hand, without checking its sources. We want juicy news and we want to know more, thus the need to get interesting tidbits of information arises, like the Muslims bombing Norway, and the subsequent false truths that many proclaimed experts called by the news channels said later. Our decreasing attention span and our inability had made the news channel do so, for they cater to us, and if we not approve of their actions, will they do so? Thus, we as viewers have a huge role as an incentive for the news media.

    The introduction of many new ways to get information, Social Media, the internet, live conversations and discussions had made our information first hand, but not necessarily accurate. In this case, the New York Times wrote about a source from a forum, claimed that a unknown Muslim extremist group did it, causing a domino effect. It had become harder to decipher which is true and what is not in the media today, due to the many sources of information. However, then the media and we viewers do have to take the initiative to verify and confirm these before disseminating it others.

   With that, it can be concluded that the reasons for the stereotypical event that had happened in the news media. As Europe, especially Norway reflects on what had gone wrong and goes into mourn, we too as viewers and the news media have to evaluate ourselves and reflect on our actions, so as not to cause unnecessary allegations and discrimination to others in future.

Is War A Necessary Evil?[Edited]

  

  War is evil. Its cruelty, harm and damage caused incomprehensible and appalling. However, despite knowing that, despite the great efforts of many humans to prevent it, wars continue to erupt in the world in the modern age, such as the Iraq and Afghanistan War. The evolvement of dangerous weapons and larger global consequences of war had made humans question, is war necessary?

    There is no denial that war is evil. It brings about large amounts of deaths, destruction and suffering. Humans had thought of many ways to prevent war in this day and age, such as international co-operation and peace talks. However, they have their flaws and thus, war it is still needed in this world for it is still the only way to defend a countries’ interests and dealing with uncooperative and oppressive countries.

  Countries inevitably have to protect their own self-interests, at the end of the day. Thus, going to war for self-defence will happen simply because at the end of the day, there will be unreasonable countries like North Korea which will attack other countries and refuse to settle the matter in a cool manner. This could be well seen from North Korea sinking the South Korean navy ship, The ROKS Cheonan , and the subsequent bombing of South Korean Yeonpyeong Island, provoking retaliation from the South. Tensions still remain high between the two countries, with not only South Korea but also America too threatening to fight back on any further provocation, which clearly shows that without a clear stance that their country is powerful and fighting back, a country will be unable to guarantee its self-interests and will be at the mercy of the enemy. Thus, in such cases, a country has to resort to force to ensure the safety and prosperity of their own nation.

  Also, military intervention is needed when a country is being brutally oppressed but their leaders. In the Middle East and Africa, many countries that have oppressive regimes are facing protests and revolutions, which had sparked a violent response from the government. A stark example will be the situation in Libya, where a revolution had evolved into a civil war between the rebels and Colonel Gadaffi’s army. This had led to the international community intervening as Gadaffi had been cruelly oppressing his people with military power, causing a humans’ right issue. With no compromise for negotiation, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) had intervened, with the aerial bombing of Libya’s army’s facilities to prevent them from harming civilians. For others have a responsibility to intervene, when seeing such cruelty happening, which leads to such cases today.

    While the ideas of peace talks and international agreements may sound great, it requires for amicable leaders and countries, which is an almost utopian notion in a far too realistic political environment. The six-party talks for the Nuclear disbarment of North Korea had broken down, another oppressive regime, Syria, had refused to budge from its position of oppressing its civilians despite facing great outcry, criticisms and possible sanctions from other countries. These situations clearly show that the reason why peaceful measures fail to prevent war is most importantly, the refusal of illogical and unreasonable leaders to settle for things the way they are, which then requires force to prevent them from posing danger. Even so, there could still be a glimmer of light on the horizon. North Korea and South Korea did solve their tension peacefully at the end by South Korea not attacking back again. This proves that with more cool and reasonable minds, peace is still attainable.

  To conclude, war is a necessary evil for there are still situations when people and countries are suffering or are being threatened that calls for war. However, we must always remember that war is essentially evil and we must do all we can, no matter what to maintain peace.