Ooooh, you got those liberals good…
3 Likes
The single biggest factor is whether there’s compelling video footage available or not. If there was so much as cell phone video of the abduction, CNN would have it on 24/7.
2 Likes
You mean like all that video of the plane disappearing?
2 Likes
How about a Kickstarter campaign to really really quickly place an ad in Soldier of Fortune, hire some mercs, hatch a secret plan, and rescue the girls?
Seriously. Other than sending in the Marines (which I’d support, although it poses some major difficulties, international law-wise) what are we supposed to do? This is a terrible situation. Tell me how to help and I will. But lay off the guilt stuff.
‘‘AMERICA!!!’’
4 Likes
Just this morning I was wondering the opposite… Of the thousands of child abductions and rapes and murders and disappearances that happen every day, why has this one attracted special care in Western media? Essentially, it’s gone viral, where so many other crimes have not. Likely factors include the young age and gender, and possible Muslim villains. I also suspect in this case ethnic background may work in their favor - I can easily imagine somebody from the local (Christian) community just a degree or two separated from a facebook-loving American megachurch.
The media language perplexes me though. “Stolen” rather than “kidnapped”?? And much of this morning’s news (outside of boingboing) was talking about the girls being used for “marriage” – it’s sex slavery and child rape.
1 Like
Does that mean Fox news is covering this nonstop?
There actually is a fair amount of oil under that dirt…
1 Like
I couldn’t believe that CNN was still covering that when I looked up at the
TV during lunch a couple of days ago…
2 Likes
could it be that this is under reported not [only] because of the race of the victims, but because of the ideology of the perpetrators?
1 Like
It has its merits. It’ll take time, but slowly ‘Big News’ is becoming irrelevant. It’ll be from the young online independents where we get our news, as is happening already.
Over 200 taken at once?
2 Likes
Thanks for telling us about this. I’ve figured it out. I will need the superpower of invulnerability. Then I can go over there and save them.
But they might overpower me… I’ll also need the power of teleportation once a day.
And I will need airfare there and back.
Something happening so far away, to people who you don’t know at all, is something you can decry and deplore rationally, but is very hard to maintain enough outrage about on a sustained basis when there’s so much outrage in your own backyard. It’s the monkeysphere thing.
The sinking ferry and MH370 are popular stories because people love a train wreck, and then you add that to a mystery… oooo. It’s not because they’re particularly personally concerned with the people who were on board the flight except as possible suspects.
Unfortunately this one is just too ‘normal’ for most people. I don’t think anyone would care if they were white natives either - the same thing happens all the time to Eastern Euro girls with the similar lack of concern. Now if they were visiting tourists, then it’s an outrage, because that could happen to someone you know.
1 Like
Nigeria is a sovereign, sort-of democratic country trying to develop from a post-colonial shitshow. It’s the most populous country in Africa (over half the population of the U.S. in a tenth of the area), has some of the biggest industries, and the government is already taking a strong line against Boko Haram. Unless we can tell Nigerian authorities where all the girls have been distributed and who masterminded the mass kidnapping, there isn’t really any more we can do.
They already have the guns, soldiers, and will to take action. What they need more of is civil society.
3 Likes
They were just talking about it on NPR when I was out-and-about for a bit this afternoon, so it is getting some airplay in the US – it just wont get the big media outlets interested until enough people change their facebook profile picture…
Spamming. But spammers deserve it. . . .(evil grin)
Re: Headline
People on this planet dont starve to death because there isnt enough food, they starve to death because they have no money. They have to compete with a cow for grain and the cow is worth more because people in western countries pay top dollar for beef. Extrapolate and you will find your answer.
Caring isnt nearly enough to change things.
Wait. . . there’s a new game called “sportsball”? I am so there!
Yup, it’s all about us and our politics. Wait, what girls?
Thankyou Xeni. Exactly right.
