Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up Essay

Submitted By aaguil47
Words: 1567
Pages: 7

Bad Reporting VS Government Cover-up

Upon the signing of the Constitution, the American people were given many rights and liberties. One of those rights is the right of freedom of speech. Americans tend to think that they also have the right to receive full, correct information from the media. Yet this idea has become seemingly absurd. Even Thomas Jefferson, one of the main contributors of the American Constitution and the third president of the United States once said, “The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.” This proves that even long ago the public had the understanding that the media readily edits the type, amount, and content of the “facts” they reveal. The series of events that the media reported during the terrorist attacks of September 11 2001, greatly demonstrate the media’s ability to edit and negotiate facts. Some of the main information that the media reported that day was about the hijacked airplanes. It all started at 8:00 am with American Airlines Flight 11 that was carrying 92 people, it departed from Boston and headed for Los Angeles. Just a few minutes after the plane departed, it was hijacked and subsequently redirected towards New York. At 8:14 am, Flight 175 from United Airlines also departed from Boston, but only carrying 65 people, and within five minutes the plane’s identification transponder had been shut off it was also being hijacked and turned away from Los Angeles and towards New York. Next, at 8:21 am, American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 64 people, took off from Washington and also was originally headed towards Los Angeles but was forced to change its course and was redirected toward New York too. Yet, it was not until 8:40 am, that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notifies the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) about the first “suspected” hijacking of American Flight 11. It took them an astounding 40 minutes to notify the proper authorities. Then at 8:41 am United Air Lines Flight 93, Boeing 757 with 44 people on board, it takes off from Newark with a destination of Los Angeles. It was not until 8:43 am that the FAA notified NORAD about the second “suspected” hijacking this time of United Flight 175. Sadly, at 8:46am, Flight 11 slams into the North Tower at the World Trade Center, between floors 93 and 99. The aircraft struck the north side of the tower. Continuing at 9:03am the South Tower at the World Trade Center was plunged into, from the south, by Flight 175. By this time, America was in complete devastation and a contributing factor was that there were many conflicting and confusing “Breaking News” reports being broadcasted. 9:24 am the FAA notified NORAD about another “suspected” hijacking of American Flight 77. Tragically, at 9:40 am American Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon. Next, United Flight 93 crashes in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 am after passengers rush the hijackers. South towers collapsed at 9:59 am followed by the North tower at 10:28 am. The collapses were massive, with tons of smoke and dust, and watched by an audience of millions. However, the information that the media reported that day was not exactly the whole story. Proven by a statement made by firefighter Louie Cacchioli, who was assigned to Engine 47 in Harlem, reported to the media that, “We were the first ones in the second tower after the plane struck... On the last trip up a bomb went off. We think there was bombs set in the building. (People Magazine, para.12)” Many of the first reports and the most of the people being interviewed on that day were all saying the same thing, that there were many explosions heard that sounded like bombs. There is even footage of the planes hitting the towers, in slow motion, showing evidence of visible explosions that happen before the planes even make contact with the towers. So what exactly are the reasons for trying to cover-up this information? A