French Protests Continue

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Grojlach: Sorry, wasn't meant in any mean-spirited way

I knew you didn't mean it in a mean way.

[ 03-23-2003, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

[Melusine]

Well, I don't think it's at all necessary to require us all to have several independent sources of every snippet of information we post. I mean, most of what we're talking about here is, to some extent, speculation. It's also logical that some news items are just broadcast for propaganda, for instance to heighten the chance that Iraqi soldiers will surrender peacefully.
But I do think that when for instance you post something from a less known, unreliable, biased or prejudiced source, you should expect to be called on it if the bias or mistake becomes apparent.

[Lanesra]

Originally posted by Davros: I have been to the Burger Kink on the Champs Elysees - I have memories of the rest room there - not fond ones mind you .

You've been to Burger kink!!?, whilst What you do in your private life is up to you, I find these specialist clubs quite sleazy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Reeka]

Originally posted by Melusine: Well, I don't think it's at all necessary to require us all to have several independent sources of every snippet of information we post. I mean, most of what we're talking about here is, to some extent, speculation. It's also logical that some news items are just broadcast for propaganda, for instance to heighten the chance that Iraqi soldiers will surrender peacefully. But I do think that when for instance you post something from a less known, unreliable, biased or prejudiced source, you should expect to be called on it if the bias or mistake becomes apparent.

I heard this on FOX news which is a major news source in the US. I suppose we should have pre-approved lists of acceptable new sources. Would you like to suggest any?

[Melusine]

Originally posted by Lanesra: You've been to Burger kink!!?, whilst What you do in your private life is up to you, I find these specialist clubs quite sleazy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ack!! Bad visualisation, bad visualisation... must... stop.... argh! [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Edit to reply to Reeka's post:

I heard this on FOX news which is a major news source in the US. I suppose we should have pre-approved lists of acceptable new sources. Would you like to suggest any?

Uh, no. It is not my idea that we should pre-approve news sources and like I said, I don't think we should require news to be confirmed by different sources.
Just that we keep in mind news reports can be biased and/or adapted for strategic or propagandistic reasons.

[ 03-23-2003, 05:32 PM: Message edited by: Melusine ]

[Grojlach]

Originally posted by Reeka: Groj: I DID NOT deliberately misquote or get into hyperbole on the MacDonald's issue. The news report that I initially heard when I posted stated that it was "destroyed." And I stand by the fact the French have been the most outspokenly critical ofall of our allies. If you think the story was blown out of proportion, then your gripe is with the news media and not with me. Or maybe we should have a rule in this forum and you should not post anything unless you have had it verified by three or more independent sources.

Okies, sorry for addressing you directly then about this case; but if the media in your country really uses this way to bring the news, I'm not even surprised anymore why the problems between France and the US has dropped from a political to a personal ("freedom fries") level among some Americans.

And for the record, I find the "where's my gun, ma, I'll teach those Frenchies statement," highly insulting and, I would think, beneath you, Groj.

Like I said in my previous post, offending anyone with that remark wasn't my intention; if it's really that offensive, I'm truely sorry for making it in the first place. It wasn't meant as a personal attack of any kind directed at you or anyone else here at IW, more of a poor attempt at using witty sarcasm to criticise those Americans who'd actually dislike (sometimes even hate) France and all of its inhabitants because of the way some of the US media has portrayed them since the French Government's persistent disagreement with the US in the UN over the Iraqi matter - the fact that a political problem stooped to the level of a personal one ("freedom fries", incidents like this one, many below the waist remarks in France's direction I've read on several message boards) is something which is completely beyond me and is literally causing a lot of sadness and frustration within me. Sorry if I indirectly vented my dismay over all of this in that one remark (and I regret using a lightheartedly meant stereotype for that ), it was directed at no one around here at IW in particular; it wasn't even meant to be offensive in the first place, and once again my excuses if it was.

[ 03-23-2003, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Grojlach ]

[Davros]

Originally posted by Reeka: I heard this on FOX news which is a major news source in the US. I suppose we should have pre-approved lists of acceptable new sources. Would you like to suggest any?

No, I don't think a pre-approved list is necessary, but FOX is garnering a reputation for being one of the least objective, and more inflammatory sources of information on this topic at the moment. I'm not saying don't watch FOX - I still do occasionaly for a laugh, but you might want to factor in that it is being less objective than other stations. This is not just a FOX issue - it is being consistently demonstrated across all the Rupert Murdoch controlled media.

[Ronn_Bman]

Let's all take a step back and remember we are not journalists. We are all sharing information we've heard or seen. Sometimes it's easy to post a link and share the exact story, but sometimes we can not relate it exactly as it was reported because we saw it "live". We aren't reporters, and we aren't perfect.

I don't think Reeka meant to spread any rumors, or exaggerate the story, and I don't think she was being anti-French. She reported a McDonald's was destroyed in the wake of a Peace Protest in France. She didn't mention the protests anywhere else, but here at IW we aren't required to qualify everything we post.

The truth was that the McDonald's was damaged. It wasn't destroyed, but it wasn't left unmolested either. We can all agree that extremists are idiots no matter which side of an issue they are on. The people who damaged the McDonald's were extremists, but they weren't indicative of the entire movement or of the French people.

If we have news which corrects or disputes something listed, lets just post it and discuss it without blaming the original story or the original poster. We are all in here to learn... about the situation... and about each other.

[img]graemlins/cheers.gif[/img]

[Reeka]

Well, that may be the case where you live, Davros, but here FOX is not a joke. BUT, for the record, I am watching CNN even though I think they tend to sensationalize things.

I well bear in mind what you said, Mel, however, I was not in a position at the time to pack my bags and head to Paris to check-out the condition of the MacDonald's so I took the report at face value.

For furture reference, Groj, that sterotype of a red-neck American goes over about as well as would me commenting on your Durch-boy hair-cut, wooden shoes and enquiring how your finger is holding up being stuck in dyke all day. Not my opinion mind you, but just for the sake of an illustration.

[ 03-23-2003, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: Reeka ]

[Reeka]

Thanks, Ronn, for that post. I think anyone who knows me knows that I am decidedly not anti-French. I love the country, the people, speak the language. And you are right---I am certainly not a journalist.