Media Manipulation
In Northen Ireland, how you tell the story is critical. There’s always someone out there to offend, always some spin that can corrupt the story to suit the political advantage of whoever releases the piece.
But even I was surprised at a story I read recently in which a young burglar was given the softly-softly approach by the press, despite breaking into a family home and vandalising the house.
While the couple and their three-year-old son were out walking, this young hooligan broke into their cottage and went on a wrecking spree throughout the house, destroying furniture in the kitchen, living room and bedroom areas. No doubt looking for valuables to hock in order to fund an expensive drug habit.
However, the mainstream media are glossing over the damage done by this teenage vandal, excusing her - yes, HER - actions on the influence of the disadvantaged area she comes from. What about the trauma to the family? What about the damage she’s caused? No the true victims of this viscious burglary are the Three Bears.
I can’t believe the courts let Goldilocks away with this. Dammit.
Nice one, Levee. Sounds like the Victims Commissioner has her first three ‘clients’. BU.
Ordinary decent people are sick to the teeth with the do-gooder atitude from the courts. Goldilocks is no victim from a socio-economic underclass, if she was that would give creedense to each and every young person from working class area,s, Goldilocks is a victim make. The courts should give Goldilocks porrage and plenty of it.
Levee,
Do you have the link for the original story?
Parnell, I think you’ve a similar article over on El Blogador about loyalist paramilitaries getting off with all sorts.
This hooligan will no doubt be described as ‘under-privileged working class’- this is a fallacy on both counts:
1) by definition, there is no such thing as under-privileged- priveleges are a special advantages not automatically available to everyone. As the Economist Style Guide states: “Since a privilege is a special favour or advantage, it is by definition not something to which everyone is entitled. So underprivileged, by implying the right to privileges for all, is not just ugly jargon but also nonsense.”
2) She is not working class. People who have to go out and earn a living respectably do not engage in this kind of activity. She belongs to a division of society which thinks they have a right to take other people’s property, be supported entirely by other people’s hard-earned taxes, and only know the way to the Employment Centre to sign-on. People such as this have no right to be described as ‘working-class’.
Paul: Found the story on this reputable news site
Parnell: I hadn’t thought about the porridge angle - very good!
Levee,
Thanks,just checking its veracity.
I’m sick to death of the fairy tales pedalled by some elements in the NI media.