In closing
: Koppel’s closing words last night, thanks to Lost Remote.
Again, I take Koppel at his word that he is not trying to make a political statement.
But he cannot just ignore the history and meaning of the device he used; it is political. Whatever his intention, the act is political and a closing statement (especially a closing statement, rather than an introduction) doesn’t change that.
: To put this another way: The device presents those listed as victims. That is how the device has been used in print with the dead in Vietnam, from AIDS, from urban crime, 9/11 and other acts of terrorism, and so on. Victims.
And where there are victims, there is a wrong done to them — by man or nature.
But these are not victims. They are soldiers who went to do a job and did so valiently. But that is not how I saw them presented last night on Nightline. I did not see a tribute. I saw victims. And that is the problem I have with using that device now.
: UPDATE:” Jay Rosen says, of course, Koppel was making a political statement — and so what?
I agree with that… except.
Koppel says he wasn’t making a political statement. That’s what’s dishonest about it. He was making a political statement and that would be OK if he’d level with us about it.
He’s trying to be “political” and “objective” at the same time and that doesn’t work. It’s an on-off switch and he’s trying to put the switch in the middle. And it’s arcing.
