Anyway, today’s verdict at The Hague was historic. Heads of state don’t get convicted of war crimes. They die waiting for trial like Slobodan Milosevic. Or they just hop around the globe until people get tired of chasing them. Taylor’s conviction was the first since World War II. It was a really big deal.
So it makes perfect sense that when I watched the news tonight on NBC and ABC, they didn’t say a word about it. Not one word. Instead, they both made time for this:
Yes, all of the internets are lit up in mass controversy over whether or not these people were total ass hats because they didn’t give a crying 2-year-old a baseball. And I suspect the morning talkshows will be all a flutter as well.
So proud of my fellow journalists for helping Americans keep their eyes on the ball. . .
Tammy Soong is a writer, wife, and mom from Reno, Nevada. She takes an absurd amount of pain medication, but not enough to have actually named her children "Newt" and "Elfie." She spends most days stressing out over clutter, writing stuff for this place, and working on podcasts with her gal pals, the Blogging Betties.
I think that a big part of it is that people in this country can relate to the crying kid, but have absolutely no comprehension of the atrocities of war crimes. We are very good at turning a blind eye in this country to the horrors that take place around the world, sheltered in our little bubble with our first world problems. I took a class on international war tribunals in law school, and was MORE appalled by the situations that have never even warranted attention from nations like ours, let alone prosecution. I'd guess that the majority of Americans don't even know what The Hague is. They don't know, and they quite honestly don't care. Willed ignorance allows "us" to live our lives. Now, get that actual news off my TV….and don't you dare interfere with my reality shows…..
It's sad, but it's systemic here. I don't even usually bother writing about things like this because the audience is so small. Sigh.
My recent post The last thing I need right now…
Exactly. And I understand that it's easier to be in the bubble and argue about "our" issues. Otherwise, the world just seems crushing. Which is probably why we do it (giving us the benefit of the doubt).
Two is a good time to start learning that you cannot have whatever you want. This doesn't mean I LIKE that we cannot have whatever we want (me, at least) but I call people who give in to whatever their kids want "job security" since I teach at-risk high school kids who want a diploma for showing up two days out of five….. and the disgusting things done to "them foreigners" don't seem to shake Americans as they should. Thanks for pointing this out!
I guess this actually makes me feel better about not watching the news,as there are so many times I am not missing anything important…and if something is important it finds its way to me soon enough! Interesting thought you've presented!
My recent post W is for We
I have a feeling that your job is going to be secure for a very, very long time.
I have truly mixed feeling about keeping up with the news. Sometimes it feels like a responsibility I can't give up. Other times, it just feels futile and silly. Anyway, like you said, hopefully the really important stuff makes its way to us somehow.