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AIBU?

To wonder why the media have to highlight that xxxx number of Britons are involved in a certain tragedy

33 replies

wrinklytum · 01/06/2009 20:03

I mean surely people are people,regardless of their nationality?It is tragic whether they are British or not.

(Am simultaneously mumsnetting and listening to radio news headlines.)

OP posts:

Report

ThePhantomPlopper · 01/06/2009 20:04

Isn't it so British people can check to see if their families are involved?

mrsmaidamess · 01/06/2009 20:05

Yes it's because we are British.

lollyheart · 01/06/2009 20:05

Are you talking about the missing plane?

Have they found it?

Ponders · 01/06/2009 20:06

No, I always think that too, wt - it's no less tragic if no Britons are involved.

They used to announce the deaths of serving military before their families had been informed but they have stopped doing that, thank god. This will be just as horrible for anybody who has family in that general area until the names have been released.

MmeLindt · 01/06/2009 20:06

I don't know but the Germans do this as well.

Wouldn't you have an idea that your family were involved whether they counted Brits or not?

MaureenMLove · 01/06/2009 20:06

I think some people are more likely to take notice of a tragic accident, if they know 'one of their own' is involved, iyswim.

FabulousBakerGirl · 01/06/2009 20:07

They aren't saying it isn't tragic because there are British people. I am sure in other countries they are reporting that there are x amount of that nationality in that country.

JustcallmeDog · 01/06/2009 20:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

MmeLindt · 01/06/2009 20:14

German tabloid reports a German Top Manager and a family of five from Stuttgart.

I suspect all countries report how many of their countrymen die when there is an accident somewhere.

Kimi · 01/06/2009 20:22

My guess would be so family's can check on Love ones, I should imagine that any plane going down with multi nationality passengers would get announced in what ever country's were relevant.
But it is soooo much easier to try and make it racist then think about why!!

ThePhantomPlopper · 01/06/2009 20:24

I was just watching CNN and they announced the American death toll first, they then put a phone number up (like the BBC did) so family and friends can get in touch.

pavlovthecat · 01/06/2009 20:25

what an odd thing to get worked up about? It is relevant, because we are british? It is letting us know some british people are missing...

yabu.

pavlovthecat · 01/06/2009 20:27

and on the bbc website, it is listed in number order, x number of this country, x number of that country, from highest to lowest, british missing it their appropriate little slot, its just letting us know information about things relevant to us.

pagwatch · 01/06/2009 20:32

I don't think it is racist. I am not sure the OP means that do they.

I find it a bit annoying too. 5live said during one bulletin that they were awaiting news of any Britons on board before adding that they hadn't found the farking plane yet.

But it is just human nature - we react more to those things which are literally closer.
It is like all those news reports where they interview some bloke who has been out all day when something happened a few roads away and he is really really shocked about 'gosh who would think, and just around the corner'.
Well actually these things always happen just around the corner from someone and that bloke was at work and about as involved as I am . But he will talk about that incident forever - because it was just around the corner.
its how we are. Its not a bad things usually when done with some regard for people not 'close'.

LovelyTinOfSpam · 01/06/2009 20:33

YANBU. WT I always notice that too. I think it very odd. My DH not so.

The biggest examples were when the tsunami happened, and they were saying things like "20,000 local people missing presumed dead, early reports say one british person may have been there".

Voltaire · 01/06/2009 20:37

Wrinklytum - Yes I thought the same thing. It's ridiculous. That plane crash is tragic, regardless of the nationality of those on board.

I saw a BBC headline a bit earlier that said (roughly): "Gordon Brown says there were probably Britons aboard AFXXX which was lost over the Atlantic" - you probably heard me tut.

barnsleybelle · 01/06/2009 20:46

yabu... of course people need to know if british passengers are on board so they can check for loved ones.

I'm sure each country who announced the news said the same thing re their own country.

Noone is saying that a british person is more important than anyone else, but of course it's relevant.

Voltaire · 01/06/2009 20:53

barnsleybelle - You have made me ROFL. QUite unintentionally I suspect.

barnsleybelle · 01/06/2009 20:56

voltaire... i have no idea what ROFL means.

TsarChasm · 01/06/2009 21:00

YABU.

It's relevant to British people hearing the news and might directly affect them. No reflection on whether it's more important or tragic. That's not how I interpret it anyway.

MmeLindt · 01/06/2009 21:00

Barnsley
If I knew my loved ones were flying today, from Rio to Paris, then I would not wait for the news report to tell me that there were Brits on board before getting worried.

I don't think there is any suggestion that it is racist. Just a bit strange.

ThePhantomPlopper · 01/06/2009 21:03

It's neither racist or strange.

It's the same the world over.

barnsleybelle · 01/06/2009 21:08

mme... i have not suggested it is racist, just that it's relevant.. ???

Ronaldinhio · 01/06/2009 21:11

shurley some pigs are more equal than others?

MmeLindt · 01/06/2009 21:13

No, Barnsely, it was Kimi that mentioned the racism thing. Sorry, did not mean to credit you with that.

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