Houla Massacre

Over the weekend a massive assault was launched on the town of Houla in Syria by a yet unidentified military group. The incident left 108 men, women, and children dead and 300 injured. The Syrian government has denied any involvement in the incident claiming it was the act of terrorists and that their forces would not fire on fire on civilians and that no tanks were sent to the area. The circumstances of massacre are yet unclear but the outrage has been felt across the globe.

Print: U.N. Security Council Issues Condemnation of Syria Attack (New York Times)

This article discusses the initial impact of the attack and the response of the Syrian Government. An in-depth discussion raises questions that were answered by the spokesman for the Syrian Foreign Ministry, Jihad Makdissi. According to the article, Makdissi claims that the government had no involvement in the attack. He further explains the army did not send tanks into Houla and that security forces did not leave their positions but had remained in a defensive posture. Instead, he said, hundreds of gunmen armed with machine guns, mortars and antitank missiles began attacking government positions in a skirmish that lasted much of the day and well into the night. Three soldiers were killed and 16 wounded, he said. I find this outlet interesting because you get a clear response from the Syrian government about their involvement as well as their side of the story.

Television News Cast: Syrian government denies involvement in recent massacre (Fox News)

This news cast aired on Fox’s America’s New HQ on May 27 discusses the events of the massacre at Houla. The two anchors briefly disclose what is happening then go to a correspondent in Jerusalem. The correspondent describes the event in more detail and the response of the Syrian government and its people on the matter. This outlet is informative because it comes from a reliable organized source that has lots of resources at its disposal. There are also many amateur videos and pictures used that show the event in real time.

Blog: Syria - The Houla Massacre (Brown Moses Blog)

This blog post is a huge collection of links to videos, news articles, images, and other media covering the Houla Massacre. There are detailed time updates as well as several short synopsis of the certain stories. This outlet is impressive because the work and dedication of the author really shows. The sheer amount of information is impressive and the dedication to find all of these links and update them in real time is admirable. While there is little input from the author himself his dedication to covering the event is outstanding.

Social Network: Al-Houla Massacre - Dozens of Children Murdered in Syria (Warning: EXTREMELY Graphic) (YouTube)

This video uploaded to YouTube depicts a scene where residents of Houla are praying and grieving over the corpses of children killed during the fighting. It is very graphic and a bit stomach churning. This is a cruel and powerful look at the aftermath of such a tragedy. This outlet is interesting because it gives an uncensored and horrifying look into the reality of the situation. There is no anchor or reporter interfering with the situation, just someone holding a camcorder.

Time Magazine Cover Controversy

Controversy has followed the unveiling of the respectable Time’s cover for the May issue of the magazine. The cover depicts 26-year-old Jamie Lynne Grumet breastfeeding her three-year-old son. The story is on “attachment parenting” which Time claims has been a growing parenting style that has been on the rise for the past 20 years. Many have criticized the cover saying that it is too risqué and something personal that should not be publicized. Other critics point out the long term repercussions the cover could have on the boy’s life. It has sparked discussion on proper parenting techniques across all media outlets.

Print: 'Time' breast-feeding cover heats up on social media

In this article the writer examines the fallout that the controversial cover of Time is having on social media. Everyone from celebrities to bloggers is up in arms making comments either defending or condemning the photo. The article also discusses the photographer’s thoughts and reasons behind taking the picture. This outlet is interesting because it posts specific “tweets” from several individuals. A nice mix of professionalism and free-thought.

Television News Cast: Time takes a look at attachment parenting and its father

This clip is from the MSNBC morning show Morning Joe where the hosts interview Time Magazines managing editor Rick Stengel about their new cover. They ask questions that might be more typical of an average American mom and debate the real question the magazine is asking. This outlet is insightful because it allows someone from the inside a chance to actively defend and explain this bizarre photo instead of static words on a page.

Blog: TIME Magazine’s Breast Feeding Cover ‘Is Outlandish And Disturbing,’ Says Conservative Group

This blog entry divulges more about the women on the cover (Jamie Lynne Grumet) and the reaction from certain right-wing parties. Grumet currently runs the blog I Am Not A Babysitter and is an advocate of attachment parenting. Dan Gainor of the Culture and Media Institute revealed his feelings by stating "Since TIME magazine has declined in both circulation and notoriety, it now tries to be offensive to get attention,”. 

Social Network: Time Facebook Discussion

On Time’s Facebook page, discussion has erupted. You can really see the split in the community through their debates (almost exclusively by women). At the time of this posting there are approximately 350 different comments concerning this topic. Instead of just filtered news posts or television scripts you can see the uncensored thoughts of many average people. Many people are very spirited in their discussion posting comments hundreds of words in length. Others post a simply “yah or nah” to express their thoughts. Either way we see a very interesting and pure discussion about a controversial topic.

Trayvon Martin Shooting

On February 26, 2012 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in a gated community in Florida. The nation is in an uproar as more and more information is being released and the trial develops.

Print: Murder charge is filed in killing of Trayvon Martin (L.A. Times)

This article was written by Richard Fausset and posted on April 11, 2012 on the Los Angeles Times online print website. It discloses that special Prosecutor Angela Corey has charged George Zimmerman with second-degree murder in the Trayvon Martin case. The article uses quotes from individuals closely tied the case such as Corey herself and members of the Martin family on their thoughts and feelings about the decision. The author seems to indicate that the arrest of Zimmerman has eased a tension throughout the nation and possibly prevented some violent acts of retaliation.

Television News Cast: Why is the Trayvon Martin Case important? (CBS)

This was a news cast of the Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer segment on CBS. During the segment the panelists discuss how the story first broke on the national level, what factors attributed to making it such an important topic, and what the recent developments in the case mean for those involved. This outlet is particularly interesting because you are able to hear many different opinions and possible outcomes from a diverse group of people.

Blog: Wagist - Dershowitz: Zimmerman Affidavit ‘Irresponsible And Unethical’

This is blog post by Dan Linehan that discusses Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz’s comments on the handling of the case by special Prosecutor Angela Corey. This outlet is very informative with the author’s personal opinion of Dershowitz’s response as well as a video of the interview, a short transcript of part of said interview, and a “crime scene map” clickable at the bottom.

Social Network: Justice for Trayvon Martin (Facebook)

This is a community page on Facebook dedicated to Trayvon Martin created by hip-hop entertainment website GlobalGrind. The page features links to various media outlets with stories regarding Trayvon Martin, pictures, videos, and updates about everything Trayvon. The page was created on March 15 and has been updated at least once a day since March 21. This outlet is very different from the others because it is very personal. It reaches and brings together many people who can connect to each other through their favorite social network. It is touching to see people so dedicated to such a cause.