pro-troops != pro-war

Today, i received my first FAIR Media Action Item, asking me to write to the AP and express my anger over their conflation of pro-troops and pro-war issues. I have to say that i’m excited to write these letters, mostly because i feel like i’m back in school writing me 3 paragraph reflection on something that i’ve recently read. I get to try to be articulate and succinct and voice my opinion. And just like in school, no one will ever read anything that i’ve written.

Anyhow, after the whole freeping situation with the Dixie Chicks, i’m glad to be doing my part to voice my opinion against our dictator and the media that supports him. I also think that move-on’s media initiative is *fabulous* and everyone should sign up.

Oh, and if you’re really bored, i’ve included my never to be read email inside.

To whom it may concern:

Both in the AP and in other media sources, i’ve noticed a tendency to conflate issues of troop support and war support. Individuals join the military to support our freedoms and guarantee security. In doing so, they put themselves as the subjects to follow whatever orders their officers require of them, the whole way up the chain to our president. When those of us in the anti-war movement protest against our movement, we are not protesting against our soldiers or the values that they stand for. Those people are our sisters, our brothers, our children and our parents. What we object to is the authority that stands over their heads and puts their lives at risk for what we feel are unjust reasons. We support the troops; we do not support the war.

By conflating these issues, your coverage poorly addresses our issues and does not reflect the reasons why so many people are standing up to America’s government, not America itself (both here and abroad). Even the French still support our culture, our people living abroad and our values; they do not support our dictator.

I realize that the AP is in a bind: your reporting must live up the economical and political regulations that keep you alive. Yet, you have so much power to influence society, simply by portraying the different views that exist. To only operate from a pro-government stance is to remove yet another one of our freedoms: the freedom of speech.

Please stand up for those of us who are against the war, but love our troops. Please cover our story as well as the beurocratic one that is spoon-fed. This is what democracy looks like.

A concerned reader and protester,
danah boyd

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2 thoughts on “pro-troops != pro-war

  1. Zoe

    Hey,
    Im a highschool student in New Jersey. My friend gave me the link to your website. I have this project for history/Lit. Its a multi-genre project. I decided to use the topic of media in the war (when is it too much?) I was wondering if you knew of any helpful sites about the media. I looked at moveon.org which was intresting. If you have the chance please email me at Zoelyse46@aol.com

    thanks so much
    Zoe

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