Sunday, December 28, 2008

'Sweeney podge' more important than Gaza massacre

Strictly Tess pregnant, Video Vixens and Babe Abbey. How British tabloids value the life of over 220 people.

We knew our tabloids are vulgar, but this? The same day Israel killed over 220 people in what has all the potential to ignite the most destructive start of 2009, the Daily Mail online edition looks as follows:

Main story: Thousands of players blocked from buying lottery tickets. To its right, three photos are offered the same relevance. 1) Strictly's Tess Daily is pregnant; 2) "How Claire Sweeney piled on two stone"; 3) Hundreds dead after Israel war planes bomb Gaza strip.

The Sun doesn't fare much better. Top stories: 'Tickly Tum Dancing', 'Sweeney Podge', 'Babe Abbey in Sizzling Underwear Snaps' as well as Arsene Wenger lashing out at Martin O'Neill.

The Express has no mention whatsoever except for the tiny caption Abbas condemns Israeli attacks tucked away amongst the 'breaking news'. Priority goes to Woolworths closing down, Sbragia named new Sunderland manager and, in case your brain is yet to register, 'Strictly Tess pregnant with second child'.

The Daily Star at least doesn't hold any pretence of righteousness. At least not as much as the other tabloids. However, the editorial line is quite clear: nevermind over 220 people annihilated in one go, GEMMA BARES ALL, CELEB BABES and VIDEO VIXENS are there to steal the limelight. And we thought we were repetitive.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree the British press has totally lost the plot. But:

What other country, when attacked in an unprovoked aggression across a recognized international frontier, is then put on a countdown clock by the world, given a limited time window in which to fight back, regardless of whether it has restored its own security?

What other country sustains 1,500 indiscriminate rocket attacks into its cities every one designed to kill, maim and terrorize civilians and is then vilified by the world when it tries to destroy the enemy's infrastructure and strongholds with precision-guided munitions that sometimes have the unintended but unavoidable consequence of collateral civilian death and suffering?

Madam Miaow said...

I noticed that, too, in my morning trawl of the media. But surprisingly, the Telegraph has been pretty good.

Patriot, you perceive current events through a fact filter.

More info not only at this website, but at mine, SU, the internet in general, and a swathe of mainstream press.

Anonymous said...

MM,
don't be patronising (typical leftie though, isnt it).

Your Socialist Unity never tells you about rockets dropping from the sky on a daily basis in southern Israel. You only know about it because yesterday's attack highlighted the situation.

Stan Moss said...

Patriot,
steady on. We have a moderation policy now.

Madam Miaow said...

Sorry, Patriot, I didn't mean to be patronising. What I wanted to do was express my heart-felt contempt for your igno-rants. Sorry if I failed to achieve the desired effect.

No, I didn't just hear about the continuing conflict yesterday. Some of us have been aware, f'rinstance, of the 2 year blockade which has deprived an entire population of food, fuel, medicine, printed materials, freedom of movement, etc, for um, 2 years. You may be interested to know, but not altogether surprised, that this has resulted in deaths.

We also know that since Israel supposedly withdrew from Gaza in 2005, 9 Israelis have been killed while 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces. (see Telegraph)

I decry the killings of any civilians. But Israel, while continuing to kill Palestinians, responds to counter-action in a totally disproportionate way.

As I said, more at mine which I don't want to repeat in full on somebody else's blog.

Anonymous said...

Madam Miaow,
I'm awfully sorry I don't possess the same intellectual capabilities as you and the rest of the lefties on this blog.

The point is that Hamas hide their weapons and themselves amongst civilians which inevitably leads to high casualties. You tell me. What is Israel supposed to do?

Next door there's an extremist pro-Iranian terrorist 'government' that simply wants Israel wiped out.

What would you do if your daughter was going to school everyday under the constant threat of rockets?

Do you honestly think a government would simply kill 2 or 3 hundred people facing international criticism just like that? Does it give you a vague idea of how exasperated the Israeli people feel?

Anonymous said...

thepatriot,
listen. Really, it's not difficult. There's a security problem in Israel. No-one is denying that.

But Gaza is basically treated as an open sky dump. People are trapped there. Basic services don't exist. And over a thousand people EACH YEAR are wiped out by Israel's top notch weaponry.

So you may worry about the daughter hopping to school, but entire towns in Gaza are raised to the ground every other week.

The Palestinians are slaughtered in such numbers that the international community doesn't even picture the daughter hopping to school that shatters our patriot's kind heart. You just get hundreds killed at a time, but because they're Arabs, it's fair game.