We sincerely hope those who read the North Kitsap Herald on a regular basis do not consider us part of the mass media machine and thereby guilty by association of the atrocities it perpetrates.

We’re not talking about the war in Iraq, we are simply talking about the coverage of the war in Iraq. When did death and destruction of others become a Nielsen rating consideration?

It seems like everywhere one looks, the war is there.

Not that updated information on how our brave men and women are faring as they walk, fly and drive into hostile territory isn’t newsworthy or important. We don’t feel it should be some form of entertainment, though.

When did the mainstream media take a turn for the worse?

Vietnam was the first real on-the-spot war coverage, in terms of TV coverage that is. And while the horrors of that “conflict” and its images still haunt many of us, no one seems to bat an eyelash when the latest battle hits the airwaves and things start being blown to hell.

Pretty soon television war will have the look of some bizarre video game, where a running body count is tallied in the bottom right corner.

When will we learn that each number is a human being?

Every time we get the Johnny-on-the-spot report that 16 Marines just died, it represents 16 men and women who aren’t coming home. Sixteen men and women who will never see their families again.

Instead, in many cases, the media simply cheapens their death and therefore their life by providing us a nameless statistic.

It’s disheartening.

Is it worth it?

Don’t get us wrong here, we support each and every one of our soldiers to the fullest. And if anything comes out of this war, may it be their safe return home — not as numbers, but as names and faces of our friends and neighbors.

We just feel the media should do some soul searching as the war progresses. Doubtful. Maybe after it ends? Doubtful as well.

So, war what is it good for? According to those TV gurus, entertainment.