# CNN - you soulless douchecocks **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 7, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787 "2003-05-07T23:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/1 "2003-05-07T23:46:31Z")
[What a prick.](http://www.msnbc.com/news/900096.asp?0cl=cR) Damn. How some journalists look at themselves in the mirror escapes me. Geraldo being a fucking idiot in Afghanistan and in Iraq is one thing, but this level of intentionally withholding human rights violations is unreal. Evil is pervasive enough in the world, that it would be kept under an institutional carpet like this is just stunning after all the atrocities that’ve been commited in the world. I don’t think there’s anything anyone can do, but if anyone deserves to get stripped naked, slathered with bbq sauce and tied in a bag with rabid, crazed, starved wolverines - it’s the bastards responsible for this. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/2 "2003-05-07T23:52:19Z")
Hmmmmm, I wonder what Fox News knows. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/3 "2003-05-08T01:43:43Z")
:eek: My jaw literally dropped when I read this. There are no words to express how horrified I am. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/4 "2003-05-08T01:47:02Z")
There are two sides to every story. Eason Jordan’s (the chief news executive at CNN) statement about the decisions not to broadcast some of the gathered information in Iraq can be read [here](http://scriptingnews.userland.com/stories/storyReader%241991). The following is an excerpt from his statement to the New York Times. > [@](#): > > We also had to worry that our reporting might endanger Iraqis not on our payroll. I knew that CNN could not report that Saddam Hussein’s eldest son, Uday, told me in 1995 that he intended to assassinate two of his brothers-in-law who had defected and also the man giving them asylum, King Hussein of Jordan. If we had gone with the story, I was sure he would have responded by killing the Iraqi translator who was the only other participant in the meeting. After all, secret police thugs brutalized even senior officials of the Information Ministry, just to keep them in line (one such official has long been missing all his fingernails). > > Still, I felt I had a moral obligation to warn Jordan’s monarch, and I did so the next day. King Hussein dismissed the threat as a madman’s rant. A few months later Uday lured the brothers-in-law back to Baghdad; they were soon killed. **Sivaspacem** , it is always wise to reserve judgement when an inflamatory pseudo-journalist such as Joe Scarborough attacks anyone, especially when MSfuckingNBC has a _vested interest in the defamation of one of their chief competitors_. Besides, you can’t have it both ways. Geraldo was wrong because he did not withold information that would endanger others if aired. Now Mr Jordan was wrong because he did? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/5 "2003-05-08T02:12:22Z")
Did you not read the whole report? If it was that dangerous, then why not pull out? Why not warn the men privately? Holy fucking shit. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/6 "2003-05-08T02:53:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*Did you not read the whole report? > > If it was that dangerous, then why not pull out? > > Why not warn the men privately? > \*\* erm, he _did_ warn them. (or at least he warned the man who was giving them asylum). Did YOU read Mr. Jordan’s statement. Hell, I even quoted the part about the warning. Honestly, what good would the removal of CNN’s entire Baghdad bureau have accomplished? This isn’t a “if a tree falls in the forest” type of thing. Human rights violations would have continued. CNN chose to remain, gather information, air what it could, and quietly warn those who may be affected by what it couldn’t air. To act otherwise would be straying into Geraldo territory\*. These things are always tough calls, but life’s a bitch. This way they could at least do _some_ good. And **december** … I mean **Guin** , calling an op-ed piece a “report” is a bit of a stretch, don’t you think? \*If this mound of sand represents mount Ararat and these two sticks represent the Tigris and Euphrates, Geraldo territory can be found right about here _:: points ::_. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Grapist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Grapist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Grapist)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/7 "2003-05-08T03:06:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*:eek: > > My jaw literally dropped when I read this. There are no words to express how horrified I am. \*\* this post has been Graped by the Grapist! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/8 "2003-05-08T03:09:12Z")
Ooops-you’re right, it was an opinion piece-I didn’t look too closely. Sorry 'bout that. That being said, I still think it’s pretty damn disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/9 "2003-05-08T03:35:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > \*\*That being said, I still think it’s pretty damn disgusting. \*\* Fair enough, but I want to ask you a question. What _should_ a news organization do if put in that situation? If they air it, there will be recriminations against those they got the information from (interpreters, underlings, small government officials, etc) and the despot will likely cut off more of the already limited access he gives to the press. The news organization then won’t be able to find out anything that could help anyone, much less be able to quietly warn people targeted for assasination. So, to anyone who would criticize CNN over this, please answer the ethical dilemna. What should they have done? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/10 "2003-05-08T03:39:24Z")
They should have pulled out of their, and privately warned people, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/11 "2003-05-08T03:44:17Z")
But by pulling out, they would give Saddam an even greater ability to hide his crimes and would not be able to gather information that could be used against him. If we ever catch Hussein alive, don’t be suprised if his prosecutors call CNN employees to the stand. ---
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/12 "2003-05-08T03:58:04Z")
Geraldo tearfully receited the Lord’s Prayer, on the air, over the “hallowed ground” where US troops had fallen - when he was actually hundreds of miles away. Bringing him into this discussion would be horseshit, let’s not go there. As to what CNN should have done - made like a tree and gotten the fuck out of there. If you can’t report the truth, you shouldn’t be pretending too - that’s immoral. Because by keeping the whole bureau there you’re giving the regime legitmacy and a veneer or truth. Sending reporters in, like most news agencies did, is one thing. But keeping a whole bureau open and knowingly masking tortue in the process is utterly inexcusable. The case where they didn’t inform Saddam’s son-in-laws when they had defected seems pretty frickin’ inexcusable, but maybe they’re leaving out details which would explain that situation. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/13 "2003-05-08T04:05:18Z")
I am happy I am getting the Real Deal. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/14 "2003-05-08T04:38:24Z")
More of “The Real Deal” by Jack Scarborough: > [@](#): > > Thursday: Tackling public broadcasting > Joe tackles public broadcasting, asking why tax dollars are now funding a liberal agenda. On Scarborough Country at 10 p.m. ET. > > ‘The Real Deal’ on liberals’ love for Castro > Liberals have long been blinded by a strange sort of attraction to Communist dictators…going back nearly 100 years. If you want to know the latest chapter in that sorry saga, here’s ‘The Real Deal.’ I’m not sure, but I think I may be detecting a small slant in his perspective…chuckle. **sivispacem** , you bring up a good point about the possibility that leaving the bureau in Baghdad would give the regime an air of legitimacy. Weighing that against the loss of access is a tough one, and it is a question of access. The bureau allows them that increased access, nut it comes at a price. The regime only gives that access to the news organization to get the air of legitimacy. However, the duty of the press to observe is paramount. If put in a similar situation and the press pulls its infrastructure out, sources will be lost and we may _never_ know what evils occured. ---
**Author:** ![sivispacem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@sivispacem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sivispacem)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/15 "2003-05-08T04:59:55Z")
Knowing what was happening inside the regime as it was occuring didn’t seem to matter much of a lick to the world at large, we’d known that there were massive human rights violations for a long time, but stood by. The memories of the people who were tortured, and their familes, aren’t going anywhere - as we’re now learning. ---
**Author:** ![d\_redguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@d\_redguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d_redguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/16 "2003-05-08T05:30:27Z")
Reagrdless of anyone’s feelings about the OP (and I know this has been done to death), _Soulless Douchecocks_ makes for a pretty damn good band name. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-you-soulless-douchecocks/173787/17 "2003-05-08T12:09:20Z")
We’ve [already done this one in GD](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=176576). I sided with CNN on page 2.