BBC Reports on Hurricane Katrina
On the BBC news site I have read that they have been “attacked” by Tony Blair for their reporting of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. It seems he feels that they were anti American in the way they told the story.
Is it right to tell the truth if it hurts? I don’t mean among friends or relatives but should reporters, well…. Report?
This seems to be the underlying question in the current debate between Tony Blair and the BBC. Are we in danger of saying that yes, they should report but only if their view and tone agrees with those of significant others? Mmmm. I find this worrying. Who gets to decide whose perspective is the “right” one? The reporters? The government? The people affected? How can we tell if we were told the truth at all?
It’s nice to know that God doesn’t change His views to suit politics and people. This makes him reliable and consistent regardless of the surrounding circumstances.
It seems that people now feel that truth is in need of a good spin doctor. Maybe we have got to the stage where how we feel about the news is of greater importance than the news itself.
The real news is that people were hurt, many died, and many more lost everything they owned. This to me is the truth. We watched helpless as days passed by and they continued to suffer. Perhaps all that could be done was done as speedily as it could be done. Perhaps not. I find these issues intriguing but not the most personally challenging.
For me the question must be what can I do, today, to help alleviate the suffering? How quick and concerned is my response? Even though I am not there, I am close enough to have heard and seen the tragedy and close enough to make some sacrifice to help in the recovery process. Be it a prayer or a donation, there must some thing each person can offer in response.
Whatever it is that you can do please do it now, and not just for this tragedy but for those to come too.