# Note to the news media: It's not a fucking miracle (miner related) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355 "2006-01-04T05:49:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![melunz67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@melunz67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melunz67)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/21 "2006-01-04T08:18:49Z")
It appears as though it was some sort of miscommunication. Something about others overhearing a transmission and jumping the gun. The latest is that they suppose what the person heard was them confirming finding 12 of the miners, but that they were conducting vital sign checks. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/22 "2006-01-04T08:19:14Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Whoever fucked this story up is in for one hell of a pit thread pretty soon. I doubt they deserve a pit thread. I’m sure the entire rescue operation and media camp at the mine is one giant rumor mill. It’s not like 1 guy (probably) intentionally misinterpreted a report. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/23 "2006-01-04T08:21:49Z")
…first story on google news… [http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17728957-23109,00.html](http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17728957-23109,00.html) > [@](#): > > ONLY one of 13 coal miners trapped for underground following an explosion may have survived the disaster, CNN reported today, some three hours after it was announced that 12 were brought out alive ☹☹ ---
**Author:** ![melunz67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@melunz67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melunz67)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/24 "2006-01-04T08:27:14Z")
Respectfully…maybe we shouldn’t believe the first thing or everything we hear. > [@GIGObuster](#): > > ☹ > > Someone in FARK said it: > > “Dear News Organizations: Stop reporting every damn rumor you hear and DO YOUR JOB. People don’t need to be jerked around like this.” ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/25 "2006-01-04T10:38:20Z")
Crap. Good information late is 1000 times better than getting a “scoop” with bad information early. There is a good case for each country to have at least one, non-commercial, news outlet that doesn’t give a shit about being first but does give a shit about being right. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/26 "2006-01-04T10:43:22Z")
I can see the temptation to believe the best. The folks down in Tallmansville knew the odds of the miners’ survival better than most of us did, but these were their friends and family. While I might have pretty much given up hope last night, I would not have been able to bring myself to tell their families to. It sounds like someone overheard a phone call at the command center, possibly one referring to finding miners or checking for vital signs and was so relieved he or she assumed that we had another Quecreek Miracle ™ on our hands. They’ve got this story on the morning news now; there’s a lot of anger. I heard the news conference last night when the first body was found. Not long before CNN had the daughter of the pastor of the local church which was acting as a sort of base for the families. She said if they died, it was “God’s will”. Earlier in the evening, I heard an interview with a woman who was engaged to the miners. I’m a very devout Christian, but I’ll be honest with you. If I were in that woman’s shoes, I would be absolutely **furious** with God. As it happens, I’m very much in love with a man I hope to marry. While I don’t know if I’d lose my faith if he died suddenly because of stupidity, ignorance, or carelessness, and \*something \* caused those 208 safety violations last year, I would be angry at someone who told me it was “God’s will”, especially if they had the temerity to do so while I was aware they had a husband and children of their own. I’d be thinking, “It it’s God’s will, how come he didn’t take _your_ husband or old so-and-so, the meanest guy in town!” I’m glad one miner’s alive, if in critical condition. When I turned in last night, I wouldn’t have dared hope for even that. It could be a miracle; it could be dumb luck. I don’t have enough information to know what. If could even be a combination of luck, human determination and ingenuity and possibly even a bit of divine intervention, if he managed to find himself some sort of a pocket of non-lethal air, do all he could to conserve his oxygen, and hang on until he was rescued. On the other hand, that’s all completely baseless speculation on my part. All I know right now is 12 miners left their transport in the mine and only one is alive. I’d like to know why; no doubt more information will become available. It’s just a shame that what people desperately wanted to be a miracle has turned into a tragedy. CJ ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/27 "2006-01-04T11:59:08Z")
They showed the newspapers with the wrong headlines this morning on WPXI. Fucking media always going around reporting whatever rumor they hear instead of waiting to find out the real, confirmed information. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/28 "2006-01-04T12:50:46Z")
Actually, I stopped to pick up a paper on my way to work, since mine hadn’t been delivered yet. The _Tribune Review_, the local conservative rag owned by Richard Scaife still had the headline that 12 miners had been found alive. The _Post-Gazette_, the local liberal rag and the one I subscribe to had the headline “Joy to Horror: 12 Dead At Mine”. They’re also the paper I’ve been linking to in the MPSIMS thread on this subject. I don’t blame people for wanting to believe. I wanted to, too. I do blame them for raising false hopes. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/29 "2006-01-04T13:32:09Z")
The media was wrong for not verifying the facts before reporting it, but jeez…the governor (according to the family members) is the one who told them, even though I heard him deny it this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/30 "2006-01-04T13:39:38Z")
The word “miracle” is just part of the problem. Turning tragedy into entertainment is exploitive. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/31 "2006-01-04T13:43:09Z")
This thread title turned sadly, unfortunately ironic really quickly. It isn’t a miracle indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/32 "2006-01-04T13:50:14Z")
I would like to make a broad point, though. A culture that is overwhelmingly Christian will generally be very comfortable describing events like this with an overtly religious tone. The First Amendment explicitly protects those who wish to do so, and that does include the media. Those who are offended by such language aren’t afforded any protection from it, only the right of rebuttal. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/33 "2006-01-04T13:59:29Z")
Just before I went to bed last night, initial reports were that only one miner survived. Then I heard one miner died, the other 12 survived and that it was a “miracle.” I went to bed. I wake up this morning and now only one miner survived again. The sarcastic part of my brain just won’t keep quiet. I’m picturing the devil in the mine shaft poking those poor miners with a pitchfork, screaming, “Where’s your God NOW???” Fucking miracle, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/34 "2006-01-04T14:02:06Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > The First Amendment explicitly protects those who wish to do so, and that does include the media. Those who are offended by such language aren’t afforded any protection from it, only the right of rebuttal. Did anybody even remotely imply otherwise? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/35 "2006-01-04T14:12:11Z")
Well, yeah. From the OP: > [@](#): > > I know a lot of the townfolk are using this kind of religious language as well. Well fuck them too. If Jesus saved these guys then why didn’t he save the guy that died? Hmm? Was he not a good enough person? Did his family not pray hard enough? If anything you should be pissed at God for not stopping the explosion in the fisrt place. > > The rescuers are the real heroes here. Jesus had fuck all to do with it. A huge chunk of the First Amendment concerns freedom of religion. And I’d just as soon leave alone religious people who are grieving, not tell them to fuck off. Just me, though, and my live and let live attitude. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/36 "2006-01-04T14:26:52Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > QUIT FUCKING SAYING IT’S A MIRACLE! > > That’s bullshit. That cheapens the efforts of the survivors, it diminishes the heroism of the rescuers and most of all, it pisses on the body of the guy that didn’t make it. There was nothing supernatural involved here. Quit trying to insert magic where it doesn’t belong. These guys were saved by HUMAN EFFORT, their own and their rescuers’. Give credit where credit is due. > > I know a lot of the townfolk are using this kind of religious language as well. Well fuck them too. If Jesus saved these guys then why didn’t he save the guy that died? Hmm? Was he not a good enough person? Did his family not pray hard enough? If anything you should be pissed at God for not stopping the explosion in the fisrt place. > > The rescuers are the real heroes here. Jesus had fuck all to do with it. Assume for the moment that we still believe the miners were rescued. **Diogenes the Cynic** you really need to settle down. You’ve got such a hardon for religion that you see it even where it doesn’t exist. Your faith in a nation wide Christian conspiracy having infiltrated the media is reminiscent of the McCarthy era and belief that communists were embedded in all the major institutions of American life. I’ll let you in on a little secret. There is more than one meaning for the word “miracle”. Let me cite one definition from the primary authority on word definitions in America, [Merriam Webster](http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/miracle) > [@](#): > > 2 : an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment Had the rescue been successful I’m sure you would agree that it would have been an “outstanding accomplishment”. So you may choose to believe that the media is corrupted by religious people or you may choose to believe that a successful rescue would have been an outstanding accmplishment. I do think you would agree with me that it is ironic that a successful rescue by the families gets attributed to God, while the trajedy gets attributed to mine management ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/37 "2006-01-04T14:33:45Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > I would like to make a broad point, though. > > A culture that is overwhelmingly Christian will generally be very comfortable describing events like this with an overtly religious tone. > > The First Amendment explicitly protects those who wish to do so, and that does include the media. Those who are offended by such language aren’t afforded any protection from it, only the right of rebuttal. Where does the comfort factor come in when nearly all of them turned up dead? If I believed in a higher power that answers prayers, I’d be pissed off and bummed out. Certainly not comforted. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/38 "2006-01-04T14:44:39Z")
This quote is freaky. [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/04/mine.explosion.wed/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/04/mine.explosion.wed/index.html) > [@](#): > > Casto said the tragedy has shaken the faith of some in the community. “We have got some of us … saying… that we don’t even know if there is a Lord anymore,” she said. “We had a miracle, and it was taken away from us.” ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/39 "2006-01-04T15:01:10Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > A huge chunk of the First Amendment concerns freedom of religion. No part of the OP was suggesting they don’t have the right to freedom of religion, and in fact is solidly under the “right of rebuttal” you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355/40 "2006-01-04T15:22:08Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > This quote is freaky. > > [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/04/mine.explosion.wed/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/04/mine.explosion.wed/index.html) When a whole town’s faith turns out to be insufficient to bring about a miracle, it’s not surprising that this could cause some people to question their belief in God. It is difficult to accept a tragedy as being a part of God’s will when that tragedy happens to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/note-to-the-news-media-its-not-a-fucking-miracle-miner-related/338355.md?page=3)