Well recent events has undoubtedly changed mine and many others mind, but the first time ISIS was mentioned many people had the same
reaction, they felt like ISIS was nothing special. For as long as I can
remember there has always been some new or different terror organization that “is
a massive threat to America”. What’s even seems more mundane is the different terminology
and context words the media uses to describe extremist groups. The media tends
to also use words that either don’t have an extreme emotional tie or either
lumps in large groups of people (unfairly in my opinion). The media often used
the word insurgents instead of calling people “rebels”, I believe it’s because
many American’s have a somewhat positive connotation to the word rebel. The
media also uses wide based terms to describe sets of people while just giving
an elementary background of the conflict. For instance the media typically
either used the words extremists, militant group, or dictatorship to describe people
in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Gaza. For someone who does not research or
have a particular interest in conflicts in the Middle East the conflicts seem
to become extremely redundant and permanent.
I believe this phenomena with regarding media coverage of
the Middle East facilitated the lack of attention towards ISIS. It was not
until the beheading that public opinion drastically changed. One source found that, “While those surveyed
weren’t asked directly about that event, the poll found that 94% had heard news
of the two murders, a higher level of public attention than given to any of 22
news events the Journal/NBC News survey has tested since 2009,” the Wall
Street Journal reported. The beheading just did not raise public awareness but
also drastically changed public opinion. The Wall Street Journal has reported
that nearly two-thirds of respondents believe a fight with ISIS is a necessity and
only 13% said action wasn't in the national interest.
This is really alarming to me for the simple fact of how
violent ISIS is from any other group from the Middle East we have had a
conflict with. Obama said something very interesting in his speech to the
press, but got a lot of heat. He proclaimed that ISIS is not Muslim and I could
not agree more. ISIS has now killed more Muslims than Christians and are
operating with such extremism that Al-Qaeda broke ties with them. Isis goes
against some of the very core tenants of Islam. This makes me wonder if ISIS
never beheaded the American reporters that they still may have flown under the
radar of the average American still?
You pose a very interesting question. It is my opinion that without the multiple be-headings, ISIS would fly under the radar just like other groups of years past. It took a very tragic event to happen for the average citizen to take notice, and still there are those that pay little attention because it isn't happening in our backyard. ISIS is terrorist group like none other before it. They are ruthless to the core and their hate targets not only Americans, but also anyone who isn't like them. The media is helping establish their relevance and I wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteCarlton and Christopher, I agree with what each you have stated. I am also inclined to believe that the media's coverage of ISIS and the beheading is only promoting this organization and their vitriol.
ReplyDeleteI had never noticed the media using the word 'insurgents' so much! After reading this post, I realize how often it is used to describe groups. I agree with your thought process of Americans having a more positive connotation with the word 'rebel'. I think since we were the rebels during the Revolution, the media do not want to risk sounding sympathetic to their cause!
ReplyDeleteCarlton,
ReplyDeleteThis was a really interesting post. I found it so interesting that people weren't aware or supportive of standing up to ISIS before the beheadings, but then I remembered something I saw in our textbook. Graber wrote how politicians seek to define and project situations in the media(Graber, pg174), perhaps ISIS wasn't a big of a deal to them before the beheadings and now that they've got a reason to retaliate against them it has become a bigger deal? Just food for thought.