PIMPS GET A BAD RAP

Cap'n Clueless has long been really really pissed at the French, and with good reason. One thing that was, relatively speaking, a mere annoyance, was the behavior of reporters for Paris Match, a popular French magazine. They observed, photographed and publicized an attack by people they described as "Iraqi guerrillas" on a DHL jet in flight using a shoulder launched SAM. That was in November, 2003 (see this post on Clueless).

Another Paris Match reporter recently found the post and decided to upbraid the Captain. DenBeste's response is a classic, and you should read the whole thing. For purposes of this post, it suffices to say that den Beste finishes with "Your magazine has the ethical standards of a pimp."

Frankly, I think the ethical standards of a pimp are far superior to those of reporters from a (nominally) allied country who support the other side in a war, or at least in this war.

Make no mistake, that's what they intended to do and that's what they were doing. Reporters cannot fail to know what the goals are of the people whose actions they are publicizing. Reporters cannot fail to know that cameras attract terrorists like honey attracts flies. Reporters cannot fail to know that the very fact of their presence will induce the acts that are being reported. Given that, and in light of the atrocities being perpetrated in Iraq by the "guerillas", why do they do it?

Because that's the easy way to make your reputation in that "profession".

Obviously, this does not apply to anywhere near all reporters. Just those who, for purposes of self aggrandizement, romanticize, glorify and publicize attempts to kill us and our friends.

Such as the Paris Match reporters in question. I think the ethical standards of such reporters are, on balance, lower than the ethical standards of those they support. And given a choice beween a pimp and a terrorist, I'll chose the pimp any day.