Tuesday 19 January 2016

Not all cartoons are funny

and some can actually do harm. 
There were two particularly distasteful cartoons in our media yesterday. They were both in papers that are well known for their particular political leanings. Both cartoons were designed to undermine national security in the minds of readers.
I don't mind media outlets having a particular political bias. I expect it. It has always been that way. I do mind those outlets denying that they have any bias. That is wrong. 
I read a number of newspapers every day. I need to. I need to be informed about what the media is saying.  I don't of course read those papers from the first page to the last. I ignore the sports chat. I ignore the classifieds. I ignore the social chat. I only glance at some articles. I do read the editorials, the columnists, and items about news which are of concern to me. 
I also get news from a variety of other sources. It all helps me do my job. I know I have a bias or two or more of my own. We all do.  I have been accused of being everything from far left to far right - sometimes by people commenting on the same letter to the editor.  It is important for people to be able to say those things. 
When someone levels an accusation like that at me I get annoyed. Of course I do. I wouldn't be human if I didn't but I try not to make an instant and angry retort. I do try to go back and look at what I have said. Did I say that? If so, why? Could I have said something in a different way? Does that sentence suggest bias? 
People read different things into the same words but to suggest that bias does not exist is ridiculous. Bias isn't necessarily wrong. What is wrong is a failure to acknowledge it exists.
So, to the person who blocked me from commenting on a particular website for saying nothing more that the website and many other websites display some bias....may I suggest that perhaps your bias is showing?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I saw your comment on that site before it was removed. I thought it was very mild and not at all offensive. The writers there make all sorts of comments and plenty of comments about the bias in other places. It is a site known for left wing views. To suggest it wasn't biassed would be ridiculous.
Jane Wilson