Terrorism: The Media, Theories & Law Enforcement

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1) What role does the media play regarding who is deemed a terrorist? How have terrorists co-opted western media organizations?

The media (print, TV, internet, radio) bring information and ideas to the consumer, the end-user if you will of the discourse. In Sociology and the social sciences, discourse is the process by which new ideas are arrived at - truth is what becomes accepted, established and taken in by the majority. Take for example the idea that Sarah Palin is the 'small-town mom who did American women proud'. Where did this idea originate? Frome her campaign room, the think-tank of men & women who strategize the necessary image. Now, when they released this campaign, people talked about her, she was a media phenomenon overnight. It starts with her but the media spun the story - pro/against and end-users all over America read it in the papers, watched it on TV and heard it in the radio. In their homes they discussed it at the dinner table and at work & in social gatherings. Whatever they have arrived at becomes 'accepted truth'. For many republicans, they see it the campaign as truth, for many enlightened democrats, they dug deeper and discussed the image as a lie. Terrorism pre 9-11 was mostly associated to IRA bombings, Iran backed operations against Israel while the Al-Qaeda operations were concentrated in lesser known nations against American Missions there (i.e. Yemen). Terrorists were a minor player in the evil of the world with Hollywood vilifying the Russians & the Nazis (Indiana Jones, James Bond). When 9-11 happened, real-time the media was there, technology allowed for news & messy details of eye-witness testimonies on screen, in the web, on print, on air and the discourse that ultimately nailed the 'new ultimate villains of the world', the Al Qaeda terrorists was taken on by governments - the US, the UK, European, Middle Eastern, Asian & African Nations. While it is definitely true that the Al Qaeda's form of terrorism must not be allowed to harm innocents & citizens living out their lives as lawfully & as peacefully as they can, the terror of 9-11 and the news & media coverage it got raised the Al Qaeda to world-wide notoriety having been brought there by discourse through a well connected media. The media has the power to introduce ideas, including who is a terrorist and who is not and once a discourse starts, certain 'truths' are established in the minds of the end-user. Take for instance the idea that terrorists are 'middle Eastern & Muslim' - we now, sadly are suspicious when sharing a bus with middle-eastern looking males carrying non-descript backpacks when what seems to be a thousand-yard stare, especially after the bus & train bombs of London a few years ago. The media did not establish this stereotype but the visual & data detail of such events as covered by the media did. Terrorists know the power of the media, of 'spreading the word', just as Hollywood vilified the Nazis, the terrorists have now launched their own 'influence & image campaign' through the web & through Middle Eastern TV networks like Al-Jazeera. It's a war of influence & of discourse, and those who buy into terrorist propaganda links to terrorist ideas as 'truth'.

Word Count: 523
For more ideas, follow these links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4804328.stm ...