So, just looking for opinions/general discussion on this topic. It can get political, or it doesn't have to. I just want to toss this out and see where it goes. As you may it may not know, Brian Williams, the face if MSNBC, was caught out this week in a lie that he was telling for the last 12 years. He spun some fantastic tale about being on a helicopter that took fire and crashed somewhere over the Middle East. The narrative has everything you'd expect from a Tom Clancy novel, with close calls, men of valor, and a harrowing escape. Problem was, its all phony. True, Williams did go to the Middle East, but, the "chopper" he was on arrived at the crash scene williams described an hour AFTER it happened. He was never in danger. He never experienced ANY if the story he told us. When confronted with this, he said that he had the "fog of memory" to blame. Really? Fog of memory? Seems more like a lie to me. I screw up little details in life all the time because my memory isn't that good, but, telling people I was shot at and almost died when that never happened isn't a memory flaw. Its called stealing false glory. No wonder the service men and women finally blew the whistle on this guy. Turns out, he lied about hurricane Katrina too. He claimed to be stuck in a flooded hotel in the French quarter and was nearly taken out by gang riots, but a cop saved his life. He even said he saw bodies floating down the street. Turns out the French quarter wasn't flooded, and that story didn't Pan out either, but, I digress.... What should happen to Williams? I've Always believed MSNBC was more I to fiction than fact, and the fact they have a pathological liar as an anchor proves it. I think he should be removed, but, i doubt he will be. And, on a slightly related note...... And speaking of terrible memories, wasn't there a story about Hillary Clinton traveling to some hostile territory and taking sniper fire, which also turned out to be a lie? What is it with people lying about military stuff anyway? That seeks like one of the most disrespectful things you can do to your men and women of service. Anyhow, sorry if this is kind of rambly. I'm out of coffee today , so this is the best I can muster.
They probably do it so that people can feel pity on them, because they weren't loved. Or they want their "15 minutes of fame", or they're just attention seekers! Could it also be a mix of the 3?
I believe 90% of the places Hilary goes could be considered "hostile" towards her. Including parts of the White House.
Journalistic integrity is very important, and should be taken seriously. I mean, just look at "gamergate" after all (okay that is a horrible and untrue example, but I couldn't resist making a joke). I think regardless of your feelings about partisanship in cable news, it should go without saying that stories should not be fabricated, and those who do should be punished for it. Leave that type of thing for opinion talk shows. I think you are completely right Moose, it does discredit our military to create stories like this. As for Clinton, I am not really sure what she has to do with this, but for politicians they do this kind of thing frequently.
Well, If history tells us anything, lying about military service will land you a seat as Secretary of State. Its a solid political move. I say let him get beat up for a bit. Let the pundits have their words. Then watch his career take off. It worked for John Kerry I think its shameful and should land him in jail, but we know this is only going to help hiscareer.
Politicians lie. They do it for a living. Brian Williams is not a politician though. He is unscrupulous and opportunistic, yes. But he really is not made for the political job. I would like these people to get arrested (especially people who impersonate active duty and veterans, and other people who protest at military funerals), but I believe these are free speech protected. But what we can do as a society is shun the hell out of these scum. MSNBC should do right by relieving Williams of his anchor role.
actually stolen valor is in fact illegal and punishable. It's not protected speech. Lying about being shot at, and protesting at funerals however are protected speech.
A news broadcaster caught lying should be fired instantly. Anything he says now will be questionable, and the channel of ever taken seriously will lose all credibility keeping a proven liar as one of their spokesmen. People should be able to feel that they can trust the news and have it be credible. People should also check multiple versions of the news and make their own judgements, not assume one version is the truth.
Bump, support, and high five both. The only time I've ever hated KaW and players here was because of a FORMER mod who made up lies and slander about military and the PTSD issues that can occur from combat. People like that, no matter the role they have, should be called out strongly. It's disgusting and inhuman. Kudos and respect to all my brothers and sisters in the fight or that I was blessed to fight beside.
It'll get you elected President, too. "Ronaldus Magnus. The most beloved man in all of conservatism repeatedly confused (or "confused") scenes from his acting career with heroic battlefield moments...that he never participated in or witnessed. Reagan, for instance, is reported to have boasted to Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and Simon Wiesenthal of photographing concentration camps at the end of World War II. He even told Shamir he'd helped liberate Auschwitz. In his autobiography he wrote "by the time I got out of the Army Air Corps all I wanted to do--in common with several million other veterans--was to rest up, make love to my wife." But as Michael Schaller wrote in his book Reckoning with Reagan, "This obscured the fact that unlike most of the "several million other veterans," Reagan had left neither home nor wife while in military service." http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/top-mom ... ry-service
@ Moose Williams is the face of NBC, not MSNBC, and I love how you added in Hillary. Care to talk about lies, Republicans, and Fox News?