Our mendacious media

Is a lie by omission still truly a lie?

This may not be too important in the greater scheme of things, but I just have to say it - I am so sick and tired of how the media twists news stories so that we don't get the whole picture, and by doing so change, or at least try to change, our perception of reality. Because when you don't get all the facts, situation can't be seen for what they are.

Like this story. Swedish citizen seeks asylum in Denmark. Illustrated by two pictures obviously picked to be 'as Swedish as possible' ... ie to get the reader thinking of ethnic Swedes, real Swedes. In which case this story is pretty absurd, right? Swede seeking asylum in Denmark - that just sounds like one of the Swedish jokes that were so common when I was growing up (you don't seem to hear them these days, but maybe I just don't pay attention in the right places). My first thought was that he was one of these crazies who get in the media just because they do something totally out there and nuts ... like that couple who refused to work and just lived on welfare because they 'didn't enjoy working'. Now those were real Swedes. :-D Whatever happened to them? Anyway.

Of course, if you read the actual article, this story isn't about a Swede seeking asylum anywhere at all. The person in question has been a Swedish citizen since 1998. Ie, he is not Swedish, and never will be Swedish. Now he is seeking asylum in Denmark because he 'can't stand Swedes'. Shouldn't the headline actually have read Racist seeks asylum in Denmark?

He can't stand Swedes, but I guess he's managed to put up with their welfare system for over a decade. >:-(