this post was submitted on 26 Feb 2024

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A Boring Dystopia

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NPR is not sure why Aaron Bushnell set himself fire despite it being clearly mentioned in the video. Omit Gaza but mention the hostages taken by Hamas (lemmy.world)

submitted 8 months ago by Linkerbaan@lemmy.world to c/aboringdystopia@lemmy.world

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The article been changed after this went viral.

Screenshots of the original article:

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[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 116 points 8 months ago (5 children)

So you're upset because a reporter is checking their information rather than rushing to premature conclusions? The video was taken down by Twitch and could not be immediately verified. Now that it has, the article reads:

Leading up the incident, Bushnell said in the video that he "will no longer be complicit in genocide." Later, as he burned in front of the Israeli Embassy, Bushnell could be seen on the livestream yelling "Free Palestine!"

Waiting a few hours for reliable information is exactly what a good news agency should do. People demanding news that rushes to conclusions regardless of their information is what leads to misinformation.

[–] prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 6 points 8 months ago

Yeah I almost pulled off the road yesterday to comment on all the “you’ll never hear the media talk about this” as NPR ran a segment on the uncommitted vote for Michigan then went into a report about this incident. Clearly stating the why and intent and what they shouted during even.

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[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 69 points 8 months ago (14 children)

An earlier version of the sentence reads (bold mine):

As of Sunday afternoon, NPR was not able to independently verify the man's identity or motives.

Although there were indications that he was a US servicemember (he was wearing a uniform) and likely his identity - as you mentioned, he recorded the video - they were not verified at that time.

Once his Identity was verified, the reporter removed that part of the line. Once his motives were verified, she removed that part of the line as well. This is just how news reporting works.

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[–] OutOfMemory@sh.itjust.works 31 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I suspect "independently" is the critical word here. I guess they aren't willing to take the guy's word for it when he says it's because of Gaza. Probably a sound policy in general when suicide/mental health is in play. The followup investigation will have to determine if his competence was intact, at which point the motive will be "independently verified".

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 9 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Aaron Bushnell clearly said on video what his reasoning for his self immolation was. There is no possible doubt. He said he refused to be complicit in the Genocide in Gaza and was screaming Free Palestine while on fire.

Yet the NPR article made zero mention of Palestine, Gaza or Genocide but managed to cram in the israeli hostages. You can't make this up.

[–] STOMPYI@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

It's literally gaslighting by NPR. We can argue it's intentions but I have a word and it's gaslighting when you try and mess with reality on purpose. Thoughts?

[–] Haagel@lemmings.world 24 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I listen to NPR almost every day and I've never heard them shy away from objective reporting on Gaza. If anything they lean towards sympathy with Palestine.

I agree that the omission in this article is probably a technicality because there is only one source of information and that source died soon after setting himself on fire.

[–] SuckMyWang@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Possibly the reporter who wrote the article and editor sympathises with Israel rather than NPR as a whole. I strongly condemn Hamas and their actions but omitting what the man’s motives for self immolating were when he was very direct and clear about it being an extreme protest against his governments involvement in the genocide against the Palestinian people is fucked. Although it could also be because they don’t want other people to copy him kind of like when they report on mass shooters

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 22 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Except they did report on it. This is from an early version of the story before they had access to a verified video. This version of the story was only up a couple hours while they were working to verify the information they had.

That's it.

People are really working to make this something that it's not.

[–] awwwyissss@lemm.ee 1 points 8 months ago

Right or wrong, his protest is an excellent opportunity for propaganda.

[–] STOMPYI@lemmy.world -3 points 8 months ago

Well now you have heard them shy away. I'd let that story of yours rest now.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 15 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

One day later and the current version of the article does not use the word "Genocide" when quoting Aaron's motive, replacing it with "war".

NPR is very intentionally lying about the words used by Aaron Bushnell.

Only far down the article where they know most people will not read, do they actually quote what Aaron really said.

[–] papertowels@lemmy.one 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

For purposes of propaganda, is there any doubt what a man setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy is protesting? I don't think so. If npr had an agenda when it came to this story, why not....just not publish it?

Instead they posted facts that they were able to verify, then updated the article as they were able to confirm more facts. Seems reasonable to me. Do you think not publishing assumptions as to why a man self immolated in protest in front of an Israeli embassy really convinced anyone this airman wasn't protesting isreali actions?

Is your issue the speed at which the reporting came through?

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Is there any doubt what a man setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy is protesting?

NPR sure thinks so.

why not…just not publish it?

Because that's too obvious. In the west newspapers lie by omission. So people still believe that they are "reading news" instead of getting brainwashed. And go on the internet to defend their amazing newspapers. They put important news on the back of the paper and frame it very vaguely when it's not convenient for our narratives.

Is your issue the speed at which the reporting came through?

My biggest issue is the mentions of Hamas hostages while not mentioning Palestine, Gaza or Genocide whatsoever.

NPR has zero issue not fact checking any IDF propaganda before publishing false rape accusations, but a first party source on video against israel suddenly has the "highest journalistic scrutiny".

[–] papertowels@lemmy.one 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

NPR sure thinks so.

You do understand the difference between reporting on understood facts and reporting on reasonable conclusions, right?

People can put one and one together to draw a conclusion, but it's actually a boon for journalists to independently verify what they report on. If you don't believe this, there are a number of conservative news outlets that may appeal to your need of reporting of unverified conclusions.

So here's my big issue with what you're saying.

When you say

My biggest issue is the mentions of Hamas hostages while not mentioning Palestine, Gaza or Genocide whatsoever.

I look and see that the article currently says:

Israel responded with a military assault on Gaza which, according the health ministry in the enclave, has killed over 29,000 people. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced and over 60% of housing has been damaged in Gaza, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"BUT INTERNET, THEY MODIFIED THE ARTICLE ONCE IT GOT POPULAR!" you'll say.

To which I refer you to the earlier archive.org snapshot of this very same article that mentions neither Hamas hostages nor Palestine/Gaza.

So it seems your beef is neither with the initial release of an article, nor the current state, but instead with a random snapshot of a developing story, which is simply silly. The initial article from archive.org does not have the issue you don't like, and any argument you have for "further modifications of the article having more weight" automatically apply to the current versions of the article that does talk about Gaza.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Then they "confirmed it was Aaron" and still made no mention of his motives. And they added a nice line about Hamas hostages. Really needed that. Then they got called out and actually included the quote.

Even current version of the article is propaganda. They claim they quote his social media but replace the word "Genocide" with 'War".

[–] papertowels@lemmy.one 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Then they addressed the very thing you have an issue with.

Do you not understand how developing stories are updated?

The current version cites his post to show that it was a protest against the Gaza war.

It is not quote of his post.

Look man, if you're going to look for every opportunity to victimize yourself, you do you.

The fact of the matter is the initial post did not have what you struggle with. The current version does not have what you struggle with.

You're trying to paint this as a propaganda piece by cherry picking a point in time that fits your argument, which, if you need to do, go for it. I just want you to recognize that's what you're doing.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

What? They are still twisting words to dance around the fact it is Genocide. And they are framing the personal opinion of Aaron as if he does not think it is Genocide.

And this is after supposedly carefully examining his "social media post" which uses the word Genocide not war

There only one cherry picking is you by saying "Oh look near the bottom of the article where the majority of readers already close the page do they mention Genocide"

[–] papertowels@lemmy.one -1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

There only one cherry picking is you by saying "Oh look near the bottom of the article where the majority of readers already close the page do they mention Genocide"

Jesus Christ.

Most of your arguments literally refer to a state of the article that does not exist anymore, and you're accusing me of cherry picking by referring to a part of the article that does?

This is some trump "NO PUPPET NO PUPPET YOURE THE PUPPET" shit right here lol.

You do you man. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. I hope you have a day as good or miserable as you want it to be.

[–] sgibson5150@kbin.social 7 points 8 months ago

That's NPR, always speaking truth to power. 🙄 https://www.npr.org/sections/publiceditor/2009/06/21/105657917/harsh-interrogation-techniques-or-torture

[–] FrankTheHealer@lemmy.world 0 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I feel like it's just bad journalism than boring dystopia tbh.

[–] friend_of_satan@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Government controlled and influenced media messaging was a primary theme in 1984, an iconic dystopian book.

[–] FrankTheHealer@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

That's a fair point.

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