Where was MSM coverage on Tear Drop Memorial?

Symbolism is often an empty gesture, especially spoken symbolism. The mainstream media (MSM) and our leaders are enamored with symbolic speech. Listen the next time there is a tragedy or terrorist attack somewhere in the world. Bombastic bloviation becomes the word of the day: "We condemn this devastation, tragedy, heinous attack on freedom, this cowardliness!" the leaders bellow. Meanwhile, little to nothing is done other than more rattling of their saber tongues. The futility of this breed of so-called "beau geste" is not the tragedy or suffering being spoken of but the words themselves. The word fades as quickly as an echo if action is not following.

Beaux gestes can come in the form of a memorial. Memorials are perpetual reminders to those impacted or remain that, as was coined of an iconic D-Day photo - "To Remember"- we will not forget. A symbol reaches across the language divide. Monuments are universal and often readily grasped by all peoples of all ages. If a picture is worth a thousand words then a symbol 10,000. A beau geste? Priceless.

This is where we drop the hammer on the "lack of awareness" about the Tear Drop and those responsible -- the MSM. Here are some observations from researching the Tear Drop Memorial.

Until just this late spring I'd had no idea that such a memorial existed. Despite many American Thinker writers and readers disdain for the MSM it's clear that many of us still keep an eye, critical, on their doings and reporting. I was paying attention in 2006 on the 5th anniversary of 9/11, both to print and broadcast media. I'm not oblivious. The Russian people's Tear Drop beau geste on our own soil escaped my awareness. When even "60 Minutes" Andy Rooney, a man whose finger is often on the national pulse, says, "The Teardrop Memorial has gone mostly unrecognized," then you know this is so. The Tear Drop Memorial just plain was not given national coverage.

Just after discovering that such a memorial existed, I was sent a link by another American Thinker reader to a web site that provided video of the memorial in Power Point (the music has since been removed). This presentation was the most touching introduction to the Tear Drop Memorial that I could imagine. It was accompanied by a composition of "Amazing Grace." Once informed I researched the memorial and read the comment strings on many sites. It was grossly evident that a large percentage of other citizens were equally unaware, both at the time of the anniversary and even still today.

In many forums that have nascently begun to mention the Tear Drop Memorial fellow Americans lament the lack, or even absence, of press regarding this tribute. They are agitated that they have not had any exposure to this human, touching gesture by the Russian people. For every one comment saying they knew of the memorial there were 50 that plead ignorance. One commenter replied that there had been some coverage in '06 (i.e. The New York Times, that bastion of journalistic integrity, as well as a few others). Someone responded, "Yes, but the memorial does not appear in volume. It definitely did not receive the national attention it merited". This is nailing the definition of beau geste -- "beautiful, noble gestures ... often futile". With our press it's no wonder The Tear Drop Memorial is the epitome of a beau geste.

And that's the crux of the issue -- we get months of coverage on the Obama's choice of pup. The MSM jumps on Carrie Prejean, who carefully and respectfully replied to a baited question about what constitutes "marriage" while participating in a national beauty pageant. We're force-fed a tsunami of Michael Jackson saturation at his passing. There was ample coverage of Obama's Beerfest '09 with Harvard Professor Skip "Cry Racism" Gates and Officer Crowley.

9/11 is the touchstone of our generation just as much as Pearl Harbor was for our grandparents. And yet there has not been a proportionate acknowledging of the beauty and appropriateness of this monumental symbol indicating fidelity with America and our loss of life and the struggle against terrorism. As a matter of fact, compared to the press the Tear Drop Memorial has ever received, our own squabbling, flailing efforts years later to even agree on an appropriate memorial to the 9/11 events, let alone actually constructing a symbol to those lost, is the equivalent of War and Peace. The shame.

We have not dealt with the aspects of integrity, and irony, in the offering of this memorial by a nation that has been our opponent for decades and has dogmas that are in conflict with those upon which America was founded. That's not for here. What is damning is that by the MSM not giving the memorial its due we have not even had a national discussion on the merits of the memorial or possible motives of its offering by the Russians.

There are articles that could be written about the injustice and unprofessionalism of the MSM on just this matter alone.

Let's leave it at this -- anecdotal as it may be, the matter at hand is a prototypical example of why traditional print and media news sources are losing broad influence. They are like salt that has lost its savor -- worthy to be cast underfoot and trodden upon. The MSM jettisoned integrity years ago when it transmogrified into a perversion of entertainment and activism. As a result the press has a blind spot the size of the Titanic and resembles a blind-leading-the-blind ditch party - the more the merrier!