David, Goliath redux
Mary Madigan
David's Medienkritik fought the Leftist German mass media – and he won.
In a Der Stern article about Giuliana Sgrena titled Fire and Bullets Rained Down on Us the word "murdered" (ermordeten) was used to describe the alleged actions taken by US soldiers.
In the article, you write that Nicola Calipari, the Italian intelligence agent who was tragically killed in Iraq, was “murdered”. By using the word “murdered” you are clearly labeling the US soldiers involved in the shooting as murderers. And when you state that Mr. Calipari was “murdered”, you are also implicitly stating that he was intentionally targeted for death by American soldiers, although there is presently absolutely no evidence that would support such a claim. In fact, both the US and Italian governments strongly reject all implications that the death of Mr. Calipari was in any way intentional and both governments agree that his death was the result of a tragic accident and NOT the result of murder.David also described Stern’s habit of "exploitation of German anti-American sentiment for profit" and produced examples of anti-Americanism in der Stern (which are pretty shocking). He signed the letter with his name and a link to his blog.
Der Stern’s response was an apology and a change of the text. Murdered was changed to “killed” (getöteten).
Hooray David. Letters to the editor, even to a virulently anti-American publication like Der Stern*, can have an effect.
* Der Stern is published by Gruner + Jahr AG & Co., which also publishes Family Circle" and "Fast Company” in the United States. (info thanks to commenter Pogue)
