I heard the mother of one of the helicopter pilots yesterday, and I was glad when she told the interviewer that although technology is a great thing, they need to realize that there are parents, spouses and others who love all those military personnel that can't tear themselves away and are in a constant state of emotional turmoil wondering, "Is my boy/girl one of those casualties?"
My heart just breaks every time I see or hear those family members who have lost someone in battle. And though I know for certain that the media's concerned with the story and nothing else, I also know that there are bound to be some survivors who will WANT to be interviewed, perhaps as a part of their grieving process, as it gives them a chance not only to eulogize their lost loved one, but as a way to reach out to all the other survivors and share their loss too.
If people want to be left alone they should be; if they feel a need to go public with their grief, I have no problem with the media bringing it to a wide audience as long as they do it in a sensitive and respectful way. I think it serves to show that our warriors are human beings, and not just faceless "troops." Every one we lose deserves to be honored and mourned not only by those who knew him/her personally, but by those whose way of life s/he died defending.
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