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Boris Johnson, Tory MP for Henley, and editor of the Spectator magazine travelled to Liverpool today to apologise publicly for the hurt he caused to the city by criticising the over-sentimentality of the populace for the Kenneth Bigley murder in Iraq.
These events sadly demonstrate the manipulative nature of the media in the extreme.
In the first instance, whilst not belittling the effects Bigley's death had upon his famility, quite frankly, it is little to do with Liverpool at large, and little of their business to react in anger at Johnsons' comments upon this issue in particular. Bigley's loss is not their loss.
The Bigley event was cynically whipped up by the media, many 1000's of Iraqi's have been killed in the war. Innocent Palestinans and Israelis, amongst innumerable other conflicts and events, and its painful for anyone else's death to be so belittled whilst over emphasizing anothers, for purely national, political and media effect.
Indeed, such public emotion may well be attributed to the English psyche feeling guilty for the renowned 'stiff upper lip', or the dissolution of the family unit and community spirit which is virtually all but gone.
Johnson in his leader was spot on in this issue, and its sad the media have sought to crucify him, events would be far different if Bigley's death was a mere one line in the national press.
The country has indeed become over sentimental in outpouring of public mourning, as is exemplified in the show over Diana, and the hero worship lavished upon the athletes and rugby players.
A few carefully chosen words by our impartal broadcasters, and 1000s of people, eager to be likened to the public emotion shown in foreign countries, flock to try to get their animated faces on the television screen.
How easily the media manufactures our emotions and responses to such events, and how easily we allow them to.
These events sadly demonstrate the manipulative nature of the media in the extreme.
In the first instance, whilst not belittling the effects Bigley's death had upon his famility, quite frankly, it is little to do with Liverpool at large, and little of their business to react in anger at Johnsons' comments upon this issue in particular. Bigley's loss is not their loss.
The Bigley event was cynically whipped up by the media, many 1000's of Iraqi's have been killed in the war. Innocent Palestinans and Israelis, amongst innumerable other conflicts and events, and its painful for anyone else's death to be so belittled whilst over emphasizing anothers, for purely national, political and media effect.
Indeed, such public emotion may well be attributed to the English psyche feeling guilty for the renowned 'stiff upper lip', or the dissolution of the family unit and community spirit which is virtually all but gone.
Johnson in his leader was spot on in this issue, and its sad the media have sought to crucify him, events would be far different if Bigley's death was a mere one line in the national press.
The country has indeed become over sentimental in outpouring of public mourning, as is exemplified in the show over Diana, and the hero worship lavished upon the athletes and rugby players.
A few carefully chosen words by our impartal broadcasters, and 1000s of people, eager to be likened to the public emotion shown in foreign countries, flock to try to get their animated faces on the television screen.
How easily the media manufactures our emotions and responses to such events, and how easily we allow them to.
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