Other recent articles under: Japan Earthquake as of Mar 17, 2011
Topic: Japan Earthquake
Japanese Heroes
As the Japanese battle to save their nuclear reactors and save the population from harm, most of the American media...and the world media...fails to recognize their heroism by Walt Thiessen
(libertarian)
Thursday, March 17, 2011
What's the difference between a firefighter running into the twin towers in New York City and a nuclear engineer volunteering over and over again to put his life at risk in order to prevent meltdowns and save lives? There's no real difference. Both are heroes, but you wouldn't know it listening to the media.
Most of the same media who couldn't stop (and rightfully so) lauding the exploits of the brave emergency crews who did everything in their power to save lives on the 11th of September in 2001 are barely heard saying anything about the Japanese counterparts today. Many of the 9/11 heroes lost their lives in the process. So also the toll among Japan's nuclear workers will likely be very high. So why, then, are the exact same major American media not lauding the Japanese heroes anywhere near as much as they praised our own heroes 10 years ago?
However the events in Japan finally play out, I hope that their heroes end up getting the same levels of praise and respect that our heroes got.
It's worth noting that the praise on 9/11 wasn't limited to coming from the U.S. Praise was heaped on our heroes from around the world as well. We should expect nothing less in praise of the Japanese heroes, but will they get it? It's not looking good so far.
I've seen a few blog entries and heard an occasion mention on the major news channels about what they're doing on the other side of the world, but from where I sit, it's far too little. Most of the world are ringing their hands over whether nuclear power is too terrifying to use, egged on by the media who don't hesitate to play the fear to a fever pitch.
I couldn't help but notice last night on the network news channel I watched that while virtually every story was about the horrors of the earthquake, the tsunami, and the threat of meltdown, not once did they mention that TEPCO, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, was nearly done connecting a power line that would enable them to pour water on the exposed rods and thereby drastically reduce the crisis. Print media around the world reported on it, but American TV media acted as if nothing was happening. Even today, after the electrical cable was successfully connected and pumping resumed at the power plants, you wouldn't know it if you listened to the likes of Brian Williams or Katie Couric.
Has our culture become so fear-based, have our media become so fear-driven, that they can't even notice the good news when it's happening? Sure, pouring water on nuclear cores won't end the problem, but everyone knows it goes a long way toward solving the immediate problem.
And as for the Japanese heroes, I guess I'll have to be satisfied that at least a few of us here in America noticed. So from a few of us in the USA to the heroes of Japan: we salute your sacrifice!
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Posted By: Bill Gee
Date: March 18, 2011 08:39:31 AM
I don't know about the other major news channels, but NPR, the Associated Press and Reuters have already spoken quite elloquently about the bravery of the Japanese nuclear workers. This is why I try to avoid the other major news channels.
