Does the news seems to value American lives over Iraqui lives, or is it just me?

Question

It seems when I watch the news, people that are foreign die and they don't appear as valuable as when an American Dies. It's like Major News when 3 soldiers disappear. But 560 Iraquis died last week and there isn't much coverage at all. 35 Americans die at Vir. Tech and it's non stop coverage. 560 iraqis get no coverage. http://www.iraqbodycount.org/editorial/weekiniraq/

Answer 1

All humans have right to live in peace and prosper. However history is with might. Two millions Iraqi have been displaced. We cares. However, we have to change our mind set. Every death is loss to humanity. I have no answer to your question,

Answer 2

No, i dont think so. This is America so obviously we're going to focus on our own casualties more than Iraqis because it's more personal and people watching have more of a stake in it. If there's a shooting in your neighborhood you would probably want to hear about it more than a shooting on the other side of the country- that doesnt mean you value the victim's life any less. We also dont focus as much on British or Australian troops that die over there for the same reason, not because the news doesn't value their lives.
The missing soldiers story is getting so much attention because of the novelty of the situation, look at it compared to normal reports of American dead, using the same logic it would show that the media doesnt care about KIA, only MIA, which of course is not true.
As for the Virginia Tech shooting, that is somthing different altogether. Im sure you can see how that is more "newsworthy" and sensational than average war corrospondance (not that it is any more important), and it has gotten multiple times the coverage that any day that 35 U.S. troops are killed. Again using your logic this would mean that civillian lives are much more important than that of a soldier, and again I dont believe that is the case.
Also, there is plenty of coverage of foriegn dead which is why you can easily find the numbers of how many Iraqis were killed. The real problem is that the news doesnt distinguish between Iraqi Natl. Guard soldiers who died fighing on our side, civillians, and insurgants who were killed. Those that fight beside us certainly wouldnt want to be clumped together in death with our common enemy, and they are remembered by those of us who fought with them, just as we remember our own dead.

Answer 3

I don't honestly think American lives are more 'valuable' than Iraqui lives, everyone's life is valuable because everyone contributes to the world. However it's the old journalism maxim,if it bleeds , it leads.

And tallying the numbers of military dead is inportant because the Bush administration doesn't publicly acknowledge the deaths of service personnel in anyway. People need to know how many people are dying in personnel and in civilians no matter what their country of origin is.

I truthfully don't think Iraq will ever have the kind of ' democracy' western societies have because of their partisan radicalized religious differences and cultural differences. If you've never lived in a democratic state it will take hundreds of years to develop that kind of poltical philosophy, both parliament and congress and the senate are still working out the kinks and between Britain, the US and Canada we've been at it hundreds of years, so it's insane to expect the Iraquis will get it right in a few years.

Answer 4

American news covers the American deaths
British news covers the British deaths
Iraqi news covers Iraqi deaths
I was just thinking today what a tribute it is to the U.S.A. the value placed on a life.

Answer 5

To Americans, the death of 32 Americans in an American University IS MORE IMPORTANT than any number of dead foreigners in another country.

I fully expect Britons, Canadians, Germans, or citizens of any other country to feel the same way about their countrymen. It is called PATRIOTISM.

I find the fact that so many Americans seem to value lives lost in distant countries to be more newsworthy than tragedies on American soil to be disturbing.

Personally, I think the life of a single American service man is far more valuable than the lives of every Iraqi on the face of the earth. And I'd trade all of them to restore the lives of the American and Coalition troops who have died in the last 3 years.

If you are so deeply concerned about the people of other countries, I suggest you emigrate.

Answer 6

It's true. It's like if they show and talk about all the Iraqis that died their being traitors to the "American Cause" or something. It is really sad. So many Iraqis are dying. I wish they'd stop killing eachother.

Answer 7

Al Jazeera values Iraqi lives over the lives of Americans (as they should), but there is no excuse for the fact that "American" news organizations such as NBC seem to be doing likewise!

The American news networks (with the exception of the Fox News Channel) are run by left-wing, America hating scumbags who want America to lose the war in Iraq.

They call the terrorist scum who are killing our troops in Iraq "insurgents or militants".

They are not "insurgents or militants". They are terrorists, and they must be exterminated like the cockroaches they are!

Answer 8

yes
its the way they like to manipulate the people

for example

show a iraqi child who has died because he caught some stray bullets... then the soldier yelling "OOPS SORRY BOUT THAT -smile-"

okay that is a dramatization but... americans always stress AMERICAN stuff over everyone else

we think everyone is out to attack us. I dont. but... i guess that makes me a terrorist then. its amazing when i try to explain to people... NBODY WANTS TO ******* ATTACK YOU FOR GODS SAKE!!

so many foreigners i've met...
what do i tell them when i meet them? i dont say "wow my life is worth more then yours coz im from the united states where we think we own everything :)" no... i learn about them. i love other cultures. i cant stand the capitalist society we've become.....

I am not saying i wish i had lived in the soviet union but...
capitalisim may be better then certian implementations of socialism... but NOT AT THE EXPENCE OF LIFE..

do people in other countries know how many homeless americans there are? it is so sad :(...

by the way... WE dont even know how many homeless americans there are.... yes it is that bad.... can some foreign news service... any.. please discuss this? kthx :)

Answer 9

America has a right to preserve it's history, just as any other people records their history. Christianity would record everyone . but some do not recognize this, and so the arguements will continue and futile they are .

Answer 10

Considering we dont even hear about the Iraqi casuality numbers, its seems to me yes we do not value Iraqi lives. theyre just faces on the tv screen, their suffering doesnt equal our suffering. Its sad how the media shapes it that way, and their futile attempts to give a damn never really work, coz its not genuine.

To the person ABOVE ME, what rock did you crawl out of?

WHOEVER SAID THE MEDIA was liberal, can i ask you WHAT LIBERAL MEDIA?