No one would deny Jacqui Janes' fury & grief over the death of her son in Afghanistan; her wider point regarding both the shortage of equipment & the long-term mission in Afganistan are unarguable (http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/10/transcript-jacqui-janes-gordon-brown ). However, her grief & understandable rage have been manipulated by The Sun. The rag that spewed its repellent lies about Hillsborough now wishes to trade on her anguish in a sickening attempt to boost its flagging circulation.
Steve Bell gets it spot-on in today's Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/cartoon/2009/nov/10/steve-bell-gordon-brown-sun ).
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I don't know how I'd feel if I'd just lost my son - grim beyond words, I imagine.
But I'm absolutely certain that, no matter how deep my despair, at no point would my thoughts turn towards The Sun
The trouble with all this grief incontinence is that everyone is milking it. Once upon a time, a soldier's death would involve a visit from the Colonel. Then the PM joined in with a typed letter of condolence. But that's no longer good enough - too impersonal. The PM/President must show he really, truly cares. And so it has to be hand-signed; and now, hand-written. It can only be a matter of time before a personal visit is required - with a dutiful sob to camera.
Meanwhile the mother milks it. No more a dignified grieving. Off to the Sun we go, waving the shroud and shrieking. A nice little earner somewhere here.
And the Sun, or the Mail, or any other poisonous rag with an agenda to push and grief to exploit - as you rightly say, 'junk journalism' of the most primitive kind.
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