Posted on 05/25/2005 7:38:50 AM PDT by Jenya
'Nightline' to Repeat Names of War Dead
NEW YORK (AP) - ABC's "Nightline," which ignited a brief political battle last year with its decision to read the names of Americans killed in Iraq, will do so again this year.
Ted Koppel's news program will pay tribute to the more than 900 U.S. servicemembers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past year in a special Memorial Day broadcast Monday at 11:35 p.m., ABC said Tuesday.
"Nightline" will show photographs of each of the war dead as their names are read.
When "Nightline" devoted a 40-minute edition to reading the names of 721 Iraq war dead during an election year last year, the Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group decided not to air it on its seven ABC stations.
Sinclair said the show appeared to be an anti-war message, an assertion ABC denied.
"Too often we simply report casualties in terms of numbers," said Tom Bettag, "Nightline" executive producer. "'The Fallen' is our way of reminding viewers, regardless of their feelings about the war, that the men and women who have given their lives in our behalf are individuals with names and faces."
Sinclair said the show appeared to be an anti-war message, an assertion ABC denied.
Depends on what else is said or implied.
" Pay Tribute................" Huh???????????????
What a joke. Ted Koppel is a leftist scumbag
Is that show still on?
I'm sure Nightline has nothing but the most noble of reasons for doing this. < /sarc>
When will Ted read the name of Mary Jo Kopechne? How about the 17 people killed by Newsweek's lies? How about Terri Schiavo?
Or maybe he should read the names of all the women that Bill Clinton harassed or assaulted?
And Ted, how many beavers/woodchucks needlessly had to die in order for you to have that rug on your head?
ROFL!
That's the funniest thing I've read in a long while.
The fact that they can read the names over such a short period of time is a testament to the success of our military in these operations.
Of course, they don't have that in mind.
The families should sue.
Nightline? Nothing going on there. Get it off the air. It's a waste of broadcast time. Retire Kopple too.
I don't know what this is such a big deal....please someone explain. We all know people died...
Some of us have considered that point without your help. Thanks.
As Billthedrill remarked, on “Media Want More Photos of Dead GIs,”
.
Underlying all these people's comments is a condescension so ingrained that they don't even notice it anymore.
If a reading of the names of the fallen were to be done respectfully toward the fallen and toward the convictions which led them to go into harm's way it would be an excellent thing.OTOH this is establishment journalism we're talking about - so that is scarcely the way to bet. The original program last year was suspiciously freighted with downside potential for the candidacy of George W. Bush. And thus it was, importantly, freighted with a desire to second-guess the decisions of the slain to support the Iraq War with their lives.
If that tendency is manifested on Memorial Day it would constitute a gross breach of manners toward the survivors of the fallen - both toward their family and their toward comrades. It would also subvert the ability of the military to recruit, which would make it the other side of the coin of Newsweek's infamous promotion of hostility toward the US military. To do that in the name of patriotism would be to engage in Benedict Arnold patriotism.
Suppression of video of the approximately 200 American civilian office workers falling from the Towers on 9/11 was our way of trying to downplay the horror and preventing a united America from taking appropriate action against the perpetrators.
What's the deal? Do they think if they don't read the names that we can forget those who died? That is an insult. I think of them daily and pray for their families. I don't need Ted Koppel to dramatize the situation.
I saw the original show. I didn't see anything wrong with it. It was very respectful. All the show did was present pictures of the fallen soldiers and read their names. I felt that it honored their memory and I think this is how most family members would see it, though I can't speak for them. There were a surprising number of soldiers in their fifties among the fallen.
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