the filmed beheading
of an American (white) journalist
who chose (and was paid) to venture
intrepidly into dangerous territory
to get good photographs
(of Jihadists ? of misery ? of corpses ? of destruction ?)
is much more terrible and reprehensible
than the unfilmed deaths of many thousands
of brown people (not mentioning the dogs)
killed in white men's murderous misdirection.
Have to agree that although his manner of death was appalling, I find it hard to have much sympathy for Western voyeurs who obviously get an ego boost out of being there. Excellent article on war journalism here: http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/kevin-myers/kevin-myers-much-war-journalism-is-like-pornography-it-uses-explicit-horror-for-the-titillation-of-the-readers-as-i-did-myself-from-beirut-26829199.html
ReplyDeleteBeheading has been one of the most common means of capital punishment. The most celebrated form takes its name from its proponent in Revolutionary France, the social reformer Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, who was, of course, not its inventor...
ReplyDeleteI am sure I'm not alone in saying that I myself would much prefer a spectacular beheading than the miserable deaths in hospital of my nearest kin, who were subjected to life-extending medical treatments which humiliated them, prolonged their suffering and made me an opponent of the pseudo-fluffy, financially and environmentally-expensive, technocratic, and almost obscene Western attitude to disease, suffering and death.
PS
ReplyDeleteI personally would rather be put to death - by hanging or beheading - than endure twenty years of prison. To me - and "miscarriages of justice" aside - imprisonment is much more barbaric (and pseudo-fluffy!) than capital punishment.
I think we just need to abandon cities:-) As the American hermit said, 'I was only ill when I came into contact with others'. (Paraphrasing). I know for a fact my health dramatically improved when I leave London.
ReplyDeleteReporter and US "NGO" affiliate Mr. Foley met a spectacular and untimely demise:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-26/wtf-white-house-statement-day-syria-airstrikes-edition