And Whose Fault Is That, Exactly?

Sometimes Frank Rich can be annoying, but maybe that's his point.  How often have you heard lately, Dear Gentle Reader(s),  something like The electorate doesn’t want to hear much anyway about a war it long ago soundly rejected?  Rich wrote that, and it's exasperating.

DGR(s), are we truly tired of hearing about this war?  Surely we want to know that our service men and women are doing their jobs, that our generals and civilian leaders are doing their jobs.  Surely the nation's good thoughts are bent towards the end of this military endeavor.  Does one suppose that there has been a poll asking about "too much" coverage?  How many letters to the editor has anyone seen protesting the "ink" given to the military effort?  Little to none.  Or none to none.

So, why, then, do Rich and others often speak of a lack of public interest?  Why does Rich write about the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America needing to protest the lack of press coverage?

We buy newspapers and tune in to electronic media because we want information.  If the war information is not on the front page or at the top of the news broadcast, how is that an indication of a lack of public interest?  It seems more like a decision on the parts of editors and publishers more so than on the part of the general public.

The media needs to examine its own attitude towards the Iraq and Afghanistan battle fronts.  Therein lies the true "war fatigue." 

Don't blame the public.

The public is able, though, to insist on more war coverage and more "front page" coverage at that.

Mr. Olberman ends his broadcast with something like "Day x since the declaration of Mission Accomplished."  (Roughly 30 days x 59 months)  Other members of the media should do no less.

Trust, but verify.

Technorati Tags: Frank Rich,Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America,Media Coverage

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