Comments on: Miners’ Families Given False Hope Before Told of Tragedy

By: Who Can Really Say?

Who Can Really Say? — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 02:31:23 +0000

Sunday School

There are two contrasting bits in the news over the last few days. Yesterday, via James Joyner, I found this: Also, I canât let the Boston Heraldâs awful (and in retrospect, horribly inappropriate) headline go without comment. Now that we...

By: The Florida Masochist

The Florida Masochist — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 22:03:18 +0000

Tragedy at Sago- Lets pray instead of blame

Alot of people made mistakes in regards to Sago, I suggest what I said in this post's title. Let's just pray for everyone involved.

By: the forester

the forester — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 21:38:54 +0000

I don't blame Hatfield -- he made a responsible decision. He saw the damage that misinformation had caused, and decided he would not let further misinformation cause further damage until he had something in hand that was validated. Three hours was unfortunate, but the roller coaster ride would have been far bumpier, with many more ups and downs, if the families had been dragged along on every scrap of (mis)information that came through. What disgusts me in the whole situation is how the media is trying to stoke the flames of controversy. In case you're interested, I blogged about it here. Count 'em up: in one CNN article, 27 paragraphs for the miscommunication, versus only 8 for the rescue efforts plus deaths plus sole survivor's status.

By: B. Minich, PI

B. Minich, PI — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 19:31:59 +0000

Another thing I read is that people in rural areas tend to distrust the media. They made the point that they never let any media in the church, nor at the rescue site. How on earth was the media supposed to know anything different than the miners had been rescued when the only sources they had were the ringing church bells and passers-by?

I do think they should have worded things more carefully until they had the final word, though, but the Governor of the state had made a statement. Usually, that's among the best info you can get in these situations.

By: Steven Plunk

Steven Plunk — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 16:13:11 +0000

You can certainly tell the serious thinkers from the children.

I hold the media culpable in this debacle. Rather than seek the facts the various "journalists" joined in the celebration. A happy ending was needed for Geraldo, Rita, Anderson, and even Cooper. When even a whiff of a good story came around they all jumped on it without doing their job. Why didn't they ask the families about the source of information? Why didn't they explain the need for verification?

The Mining company could have done a better job but it was busy trying to get the job done of rescue or recovery. Whoever started the rumor is more to blame than the mining company for not stopping it.

By: Herb

Herb — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 15:41:44 +0000

Bryan:

I totally agree with you. That partisan comment was uncalled for and shameful. To associate this tragedy with anything political is the lowest of the low in comments I have ever read.

By: bryan

bryan — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 15:36:19 +0000

This almost as shameless as the Pentagonâs lies about and exploitation of Pat Tillman.

That comment is the most pathetic thing I've read in 3 years in the blogosphere.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 15:24:02 +0000

BM: I'd argue that, the moment they found out that the families had been erroneously told that the miners were alive, they should have let them know otherwise. I'm not expecting the company to have correctly forecast the future, merely to let them know that they didn't know.

By: B. Minich, PI

B. Minich, PI — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 15:07:37 +0000

My question is when did the mining company know they were dead? That's when they should have told the families, and it may not have been confirmed until 3 hours after the report about the miners being alived "leaked". I find that hard to believe, though.

By: nifoask

nifoask — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 13:33:07 +0000

This almost as shameless as the Pentagon's lies about and exploitation of Pat Tillman.

By: Politechnical

Politechnical — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 12:45:17 +0000

“Miracle” in the Mine

By now it’s clear that a very sad mining accident in West Virginia has been compounded by heartless communication. As I retired for bed, I heard the news that 12 miners, trapped since Monday, had been found alive by rescuers, deep in the Sago mi...