As I pondered the question asked on talk shows and around the blogs: “Why didn’t he MSM show the beheading videos, but they showed this [Cho’s homegrown work]?”, this is what I believe is an underlying cultural current:

This video, horrific as it is, is yet another way to help describe how “bad” America is. The <a href=”http://amboytimes.typepad.com/the_amboy_times/2007/04/islam_beheading.html”>beheadings</a>, if shown, have the possibility of a backlash that would make the perpetrators look “bad” and then by derivation, America would look “good.” Can’t have that…

Disable reality for a moment and forget that Cho was raised in South Korea in the critical years of youth when personality is developed, according to he experts. Just pretend he has been affected by all that has been railed against in this nation for a few decades, it will make it easier to buy into the MSM’s subconscious efforts.

In addition to the above remarks, consider the trend we see of easily jumping all over the ones who don’t pose a threat. Cho is gone. If he feels bad about any of the spin on his legacy effort, well…he’s not going to shoot anyone else. On the other hand, some jihadi, or jihadi copycat, might show up at your car when you are leaving for the early morning broadcast and doa Nick Berg on you. There you have it: Only pick on the weak, or those who have shown they will not retaliate. Sort of a “Media Bullying” approach to journalism.

Consider how anything that makes the President, Cabinet officials, or any Republican look bad hits the streets right away. Anything that has the potential to make America look like a bunch of gun toting, hood wearing, bigoted, whacked out society is quickly streamed and rolled over and over and over. Where is the news of heroism, sacrifice, persistent effort (vice instant gratification) to accomplish something meaningful? Yes, little snippets pop up, but then are not crawling across the screen of your TV, nor mentioned every 30 minutes for a week. well, maybe if a 6 year old takes it upon them selves to walk their neighborhood and collect money to prevent Global “Climate Change,” then you will see that story over and over…because, you got it: America, by derivation of that type of story, is “bad.”

News: It’s about America’s inherent “badness.”

I think it is connected to this, but is not just about the specific movement discussed in that book.

Connected thought: Just where does the “Self-Esteem” movement come down on this issue? It certainly seems to be absent in telling us we have the right to feel good about ourselves…