TO HONOR OR IGNORE

skippy the bush kangaroo

Heres a great post by Skippy on the Nightline story:
 
freedom of speech limits: you can't yell "dead american soldiers" in a crowded repubbb theater

in case you haven't heard, night line will be doing an amazing show tomorrow night. their program will consist entirely of the reading of names of the u.s. soldiers who have died in the iraq war.
in an email interview with al tompkins at poynter online, nightline exec. producer leroy sievers said:

"i hope that viewers will remember that behind the numbers of casualties, that each of the men and women who have been killed was an individual, with a name, a face, a family, and a life. it is too easy to not go beyond the numbers. ted and i were embedded with the 3rd i.d. and we got to know many of the soldiers as individuals. it is too easy to see the helmet, the flak vest, and the uniform, and forget that these are all individuals?
there is no political statement intended. this broadcast is intended to honor those who have been killed, period. ted addressed the casket issue last friday on 'nightline.' i think that is a separate issue. at his recent press conference, president bush talked about how important it is to honor the sacrifice that these men and women have made. that's all we're trying to do."

too bad over a quarter of the country will not be allowed to see it. the sinclair broadcast group, which owns affiliates in 39 markets, is ordering its stations not to run friday's episode of nightline. bloomberg:

"despite the denials by a spokeswoman for the show, the action appears to be motivated by a political agenda designed to undermine the efforts of the united states in iraq,'' the company said in a faxed statement. sinclair, which owns 62 u.s. television stations, said "abc is disguising political statements as news content."

apparently, according to the blogging of the president, the execs at sinclair broadcasting are big donors to awol and the rnc. what a surprise.