Watching the “living history” coverage of 9/11/01 on MSNBC, I am struck repeatedly by the language journalists used to describe the morning’s events. It was language of tragedy, to be sure…but it was also, even in the earliest hours of the post-9/11 world, the language of war. “This is nothing short of a declaration of war,” Brokaw flatly declared, shortly after the collapse of the towers.
In light of history—in which 9/11 did, not inevitably, but deliberately, lead to war—the language is striking. And a potent reminder of the grave consequences of journalism’s status as the first draft of history.
If the events of 9/11 werent a delcaration of war upon the United States, pray tell what the fuck is?
#1 Posted by Mike H, CJR on Fri 11 Sep 2009 at 12:10 PM
"This corn is well grown,
and Carthage must be destroyed."
Mike, who declared war on us on 9/11? Saudi Arabia?
It was a terrorist attack, not a declaration of war.
#2 Posted by Hardrada, CJR on Fri 11 Sep 2009 at 02:32 PM