Samantha Caulder

Assignment 6

The Year of the Shark and Other Fairy Tales the News Groups Told Me

It is impossible to tell what would really be the greatest story to be followed by news groups in any year where there is little of earth shattering news; the indications are that many of the old standbys would dominate the news. It seemed that terror seemed to dominate the news before and after 9/11. During the news cycles during the year 2001, the same recurring themes seemed to dominate, just as they did in the decade before, with less hand wringing and feigned outrage over the antics of a Democratic administration that was in power before 2001. The bombings in Israel by Palestinian suicide bombers and the export of terror by the Taliban and the continued death of dictators with an ax to grind with the United States, such as Kim Jung Il of North Korea, Muoammar Kadhafi in Libya, Sadaam Hussein in Iraq and Mamoud Achmedinijhad in Iran and the world at large would have still been the top stories of the news groups (The Arizona Republic, 2009). The domestic terrorism would have been more palpable, such as the mailing of anthrax that was sent in five letters and the execution of Timothy McVeigh. There should have less been made over the President lying about having sex with an intern, the more immediate concern of having the ability to take Osama Bin Laden out of commission and letting him escape would have been a more creditable idea, though it provided less human interest than the most powerful man in the world finding ways to dally with someone of no particular interest. While there was a change in the White House, the top stories would have been based on the political ideology of the press, which is decidedly left. The belief of the people of the United States that political mistakes would be made, were simply forced by the vision of the press, as seen through the bias of the tainted illuminati of the press corps. Nothing new would have happened there, so the press would still do as it always did and seek targets that might be a little right of center and paint them with disgusting stories of sordid affairs, sexual misconduct and insensitivity to the problems caused by humans being human. The press circus seems to always focus on the mundane and the sexual preferences of politicians rather than the ideas that might make a difference in the way we would live in the future. A decade after the Monika Lewinsky scandal, there was no real damage done, however 9/11 was tied directly to Osama Bin Laden, who was let go. While it seems cynical to determine that the press is really of no consequence in seeking truth, it is always the harbinger of the sensational rather than the necessary. Looking at the political year 2004, there were several stories that never made the headlines of having something done about them. They splashed there quickly and quietly died away as quickly as they came to the forefront. The mismanagement and corruption of the United Nations is legendary, but since Kofi Annon was the Secretary General, there was no real probe into the corruption he fostered and kept going through nepotism and failure to be truthful (Fox News, Dec. 30, 2004). This could have been a bigger story, but since the press is ensconced in the belief that the United Nations can solve all the world’s ills, they would have probably let this idea die. However one of the old standbys for the press, global warming, would have perhaps been tied into shark attacks and other maladies of the natural world. The press never tires of telling us how unfeeling and selfish we are as a nation and that our sense of guilt should let us become a ‘green’ society with complete equality of income and importance and self worth, which would bring in the utopia that the press feels should come out of the ashes of a capitalistic society. The overlooked topics of the year 2012 that should have given us all pause were the fact that so many ‘elected’ leaders throughout the world seemed to have taken on dictatorial powers, such as Kim Jong Un in North Korea, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Mohammed Morsi in Egypt, and Mamoud Achmedinijhad in Iran (Johnson, B., 2012). It would seem as if either the world has given in to dictators and allowed them free reign or the elections were tainted to start with. Much has been made of the election misgivings of Bush beating Gore, but the possibility of shenanigans going on in the last election are just as incomplete as the observations made when President Kennedy technically stole that election. It is possible within the margin of error that ballot box stuffing went on in the old Chicago style, just as it did to get President Kennedy elected, the only difference may have been that the election was not dependent upon just one city. Perhaps the press view of the election is jaded, as the press got the results it wanted. The big stories and scandals may be out there, but those who would not want their fears validated and their views repudiated only scoff at it. It is apparent that Bengazi and the killing of four Americans will be swept under the rug and is also another scandal that will never see the light of day in a big manner and will not have a recently elected president of the press’ party be investigated as it was against one who was not of their party in Richard Nixon. While no politician should get away with dirty or underhanded deals, it should be more of a fair approach and the press should see the possibility that the one they backed may be every bit as corrupt and dangerous in the job as one they disliked. The only thing that might have topped any list might be the possibility that the Mayans could have been right (Rosenthal, A, Dec. 3, 2012).

Works cited

The Arizona Republic. (Dec. 18, 2009). Top 10 Stories of 2001. Retrieved on Dec. 3, 2012 from http://www.azcentral.com/review/2009/news/articles/2009/12/18/20091218news01decad e.html

Fox News. (Dec 30, 2004). Rewind 2004: the Year’s Top News Stories. Retrieved on Dec. 3, 2012 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C142600%2C00.html

Johnson, Bridget. (2012). Top 10 Stories to Watch in 2012. Retrieved on Dec. 3, 2012 from http://worldnews.about.com/od/topstories/tp/Top-10-Stories-To-Watch-In-2012.htm

Rosenthal, Alex (Dec. 3, 2012). Professor explains 2012 Mayan doomsday prophecy. Retrieved on Dec. 3, 2012 from http://www.usforacle.com/professor-explains-2012-mayan-doomsday-prophecy-1.2799841#.UL0sc2f5Xlc