AUTHOR: Sarah Cove TITLE: Saddam Hussein killed DATE: 12/29/2006 08:46:00 PM ----- BODY:

Saddam Hussein was executed at 7:05 pm PT. I have been watching this on MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News since then. And while there is rejoicing at this prospect among various individuals, and without ignoring the relief/emotions of those whose lives have been affected by Saddam Hussein, I am bothered, not so much by the event, but more by the coverage of it. The news is framing "Saddam Hussein" with too much simplicity. It does not discuss how we Americans are also culpable for his tyranny. In the late 50s/early 60s, the CIA (i.e. We) helped put Saddam in power. Qassim, the current ruler of the time, was anti-American and anti-corporatist. The first assassination attempt in 1959 was carried out by Saddam Hussein (supported by the CIA), and a CIA-led coup and assassination finally took out Qassim in 1963, putting Saddam's Ba'ath party in power. The news stations are only talking about the Saddam Hussein as if he was one man alone who came to power and ruled as an evil dictator. This is an immoral act of our media, which should exist to educate, unsettle, and shape our consciousness in a democratic and ethical fashion. They could be using this moment to help all of us Americans examine our involvement as a world power in various coups, assassinations, and dictatorships. Instead, they keep us tranquilized, let us continue to lead our unexamined lives, and allow us to remain criminally oblivious to the consequences of our actions as individuals and a nation. Update: On NPR's January 2 Democracy Now!, John Collins mentioned how CNN framed this event. This is the first time I had heard any conversation about the role of the mainstream media in the coverage of the event. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

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