Perhaps that is the difference in our perceptions. I was not at sea but a lad of 19 years old. I watched the news as the task force left and hoped that all our guys would return unharmed. I have no desire to rerun the history or the military analysis, other than to say that the Sun ran with a crass jingoistic headline and within a few hours it was clear that hundreds of people had died. I accept that those involved would have a different perspective but all the other newspapers managed to report the facts without appealing to the "last refuge of a scoundrel" in such a cheap way. I have detested the paper ever since. I found it rather amusing that in the week when Murdoch really came a cropper and the NOTW was closed, private eye magazine used the headline to on its front cover
Firstly, you say "within a few hours it was clear that hundreds of people had died"- yes, and when it did become clear, the Sun changed the headline. Secondly, re: Private Eye Do you suppose that was "crassly insensitive" to the ordinary workers who lost their jobs?
I don't think we are ever going to agree on this one, Brecon. Yes the Sun changed the headline, but their first choice says all we need to know about their mentality. As for the Eye, it's a satirical rag and the target of their irony was clearly not the redundant workers. Sad though redundancy is, you can't compare it to drowning at sea.
True, but then again you can't compare a headline from an insensitive journalist with an invasion and occupation by a military junta. As for the original headline. I read it as a (jingoistic) celebration of the neutralising of a major enemy asset which was threatening the lives of many of our sailors. The fact that it was changed as soon as the toll was revealed suggests that revelling in enemy deaths was not on the agenda. I get your point, but I think the whole "Gotcha" thing has been overplayed..as has the Dalyell location/direction nonsense. Hillsborough now, that's different kettle of fish!
It's what my teenage children might say is a "bit random." Or not, as I don't really understand what teenagers are on about most of the time.
So then, I think we may have agreement here. The Sun is capable of the most despicable so-called journalism and manages to outrage a wide spectrum of decent people, of various philosophical viewpoints, on a wide range of issues. May I just add that it has been great to be able to debate this stuff with you in such a robust but respectful way.
Some despicable and outrageous journalism, maybe, but some cracking headlines! The sentiment is reciprocated,Channon PS remember "Stick it up your Junta" and "Up yours Delors"?
This thread seems to have gone off topic!. How these two headlines are viewed as distasteful is beyond me, one is during war and therefore anything goes, the other is a mocking headline that even Woy did not find really offensive! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Sun_(Gotcha).png http://www.theweek.co.uk/football/e...-hodgson-woy-row-fa-attacks-sun-over-headline
