... in response to Pope overload, posted by Patrick on Apr 4, 2005

n/t

... in response to Pope overload, posted by Patrick on Apr 4, 2005

candidates on who's gonna be the next Pope!
 
Dionigi Tettamanzi (Italy) 11/4 4.3/1
Francis Arinze (Nigeria) 11/4 7.6/1
Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga (Honduras) 9/2 7.8/1
Joseph Ratzinger (Germany) 7 11.5/1
Claudio Hummes (Brazil) 9 8.8/1

... in response to Pope overload, posted by Patrick on Apr 4, 2005

I've tried reading Alexander Solzhenitsyn's Gulag Archipelago, but found it unbearable. I kept thinking I was going to put the book down and find out the story was only a warped science-fiction fantasy about a giant insane asylum; but it all really happened, and went on for seventy years, with the approval and apology of millions of Westerners even to this day. Even if driving a stake into the heart of communism and liberating over a dozen countries were this Pope's only accomplishment, he is worthy of the coverage.

... in response to Re: Re: Pope overload, posted by Pete E on Apr 5, 2005

Well, yes, I sure don't mean to slight Reagan-- I have a deep amiration for them both, and realize that they both played crucial parts in the nonviolent end of the USSR. But I just recently went through Reagan Overload, and this is the Pope's moment.

... in response to Pope overload, posted by Patrick on Apr 4, 2005

I know that this thread had more to do more with the sensationalism the media creates and such, but lets not let that have us forget the magnitude of what really transpired.

With that said.

I can agree that the television broadcast of the Pope is near death series was strong, but perhaps that was because we just got done with a what seemed to be a month of the Terry Schaivo case.  In my opinion that what was never supposed to be on television all day every day.  That was nothing but a diversion from the uhmmm "War on Iraq" and high gas prices.

Now back to the Pope.  I'm a catholic but I'm not a fanatic.  However, can anyone strongly disagree that the Pope is the most well known symbolic person on the face of the earth?  Yes I said the earth.  I'm 38 years old and for the most part he is the only Pope that I have really known.  When a Pope dies, it is major news and worthy of everyone’s attention because a person may only experience two or three in their lifetime.  Popes are not like Presidents that come and go every 4-8 years.  

Like I said I don't think they should have had the "pre death coverage" on Friday like they did.  But when he was dead, I do think that the news had a right and reason to have the coverage they had.   I mean, come on, they blistered us with BS about Reagan when he died, showing his dysfunctional family and claiming how great a president he was.  Why not give the Pope his props?  

We have to remember that in the US, we have new religion pop up every day.  However, in SA, and other places, Catholicism rules.  I doubt that anyone here or anyplace else can tell you the highest ranking official of any other religion.  

Again, I'm not a fanatic, but doe we really realize how big of an event this really was?  

... in response to why the cheap shot at Reagan though??, posted by Malandro on Apr 8, 2005

Malandro,

About the supposed future Clinton eulogies -- I hope you are wrong, but probably not.  Personally, I can't stand the guy, but I am a conservative, white Republican.  Having said that, every dead President gets some coverage.  I am old enough to remember the Kennedy assissination and funeral.  That was massive!  Other presidents have received some decent coverage by the media.  Even Nixon got by easier than I thought he would. I figured the media would crucify him, even at his funeral; but overall it wasn't bad.  But, Reagan was fantastic, and he deserved the great sendoff.  I voted for him twice and I am proud of it!

                         OkieMan

... in response to Re: Wait a minute please, posted by Pete E on Apr 5, 2005

Pete,

The reason for the rehash of the news is that they have nothing new to say, but are unwilling to let it go.  So, they do everything but tell you when the Vatican is doing their laundry!  Again, it's all about ratings, advertising dollars and who's news organization is # 1.  So, this will just have to wind itself down.

                              OkieMan