BBC Will Not Show Documentary of Victoria Cross Hero
Just when I think the media can’t get any worse it does:
Amid the deaths and the grim daily struggle bravely borne by Britain’s forces in southern Iraq, one tale of heroism stands out.
Private Johnson Beharry’s courage in rescuing an ambushed foot patrol then, in a second act, saving his vehicle’s crew despite his own terrible injuries earned him a Victoria Cross.
For the BBC, however, his story is “too positive” about the conflict.
The corporation has cancelled the commission for a 90-minute drama about Britain’s youngest surviving Victoria Cross hero because it feared it would alienate members of the audience opposed to the war in Iraq.
Unbelievable. Here is more on the reason given for cancelling the documentary:
“It began to have second thoughts last year as the war in Iraq deteriorated. It felt it couldn’t show anything with a degree of positivity about the conflict.
“It needed to tell stories about Iraq which reflected the fact that some members of the audience didn’t approve of what was going on. Obviously a story about Johnson Beharry could never do that. You couldn’t have a scene where he suddenly turned around and denounced the war because he just wouldn’t do that.
“The film is now on hold and it will only make it to the screen if another broadcaster picks it up.”
Then at the same time you have the British sailors and marines selling their stories about being held hostage in Iran. The lone female hostage who was paraded around on Iranian TV selling out her country, is reported to be making $240,000 dollars from selling her story, yet the Victoria Cross awardee can’t even get his story told.
HT: Milblogs
For the BBC, however, his story is “too positive†about the conflict.
In that the BBC refuses to elaborate on why they dropped the story, we can't really know for sure that is the reason. But then again, it *is* the BBC.
Judging by past history I'm pretty certain that, that is the reason.
"Europeans and more and more Americans believe they can live in a world with all the benefits of global prosperity and none of the messy obligations necessary to maintain it. And so they cruise around war zones like floating NGOs. Iran called their bluff, and televised it to the world. In the end, every great power is as great as its credibility, and the only consolation after these last two weeks is that Britain doesn't have much more left to lose."
© Mark Steyn, 2007
Very good quote Michael. Thanks for sharing.