"Miners", not "men"

Submitted by Matt on Tue, 2010-04-06 17:43

By now many of you know about this story. Note that the men killed and trapped in the mine are miners, not men. Oh, they are both, yes. But in this article, they get referred to as miners, or a man speaking who is a miner gets referred to as such, 12 times in the article. "Man" or "men" is used only once, when the trapped miners (or men) are referred to on page 2. And as for the dead mine-explosion victims, well, they are referred to only as miners.

Keeping up? I hope so! This is the same kind of thing that was discussed here (the "bonus clip" points this out wonderfully). Men as a class of person have become such an unsympathetic group that when men are the victims of some kind of work or other tragedy, the press and others refer to them by their occupation, or relationship status, or something else. Anything but "man". "Man" is a dirty word used to refer, almost exclusively, to bad men: criminals, or men doing things others disapprove of in some way, etc. Good men are not men. They are husbands, fathers, miners, self-sacrificing heroes of some kind, ie, men giving of themselves to women and children or others yet even at the expense of their own lives, but yet rarely if ever referred to as MEN.

Well, that'd be a such dirty word to use on such nice... guys... now wouldn't it?

Like0 Dislike0

Comments

I noticed this yesterday on FOX News, but all the media does it. Journalism is a sexist and hateful institution, when it comes to these kind of identifications. Out of scores of mentions of the identities, the term men never once was used. It was so obviously prejudiced it was sickening.

Oh, but they can always say gunMAN, even when not sure of the sex of a shooter. I've heard them have to correct that prejudice on more than one occassion.

Like0 Dislike0
Submitted by MR on Tue, 2010-04-06 19:08

Just imagine the reaction if it were women down there because they were doing their job. The whole country would be in a panic and there would be massive calls for changes in saftey regulations to make sure it never happens again.

Not too long ago I remember a story on the job related "abuse" that nurses face , such as yelling and shoving, from patients. They said that some nurses just considered it a part of the job. That is when one of the high end guys from a nurse institution was quoted saying that it is totally unacceptable and that something needs to be done. I first considered... like what.

Then I thought about using a term like that in the police department. If ever used the emphasis is on allowing cops to make clean arrests and protecting their lives. Every policeman knows he is going to get yelled at or have to get physical. Hospitals, like police work are a place where you can't really turn people away, your dealing with people in a panic, and often times on drugs. The "abuse" is bound to happen; what else could they do, call the cops...

When 95% of work related deaths happen to men and there is little to no concerted effort to change that you can only assume people think men should be dying. I say stop taking all the risky jobs, start suing when something happens, and let women take some of the load then watch how quickly changes in regulations are made.

Like0 Dislike0
Submitted by fondueguy on Tue, 2010-04-06 22:00

One the one hand the liberal media does not recognize men when they sacrifice themselves as a group for some noble reason - as we see in all media coverage of this mining disaster.

On the other hand, traditional institutions recognize the disposability of men and do not speak out against it - as we see from this conservative organization (below). They do at least allow one miner to praise these men, many of whom have paid the ultimate price.

Name your poison. It seems male disposability is conditioned to be a man's lot in life, which ever way you turn.

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WU10D05&f=PG07J01
"'If I Make My Bed in the Depths, You Are There.' Both American and Chinese officials are racing against the clock in two catastrophic mining accidents, working desperately to find survivors. In West Virginia, 25 have already been presumed dead as rescuers frantically tried to drill ventilation holes. Please join us in praying for these families, as these small communities cling to their faith in these dark hours. "Every time you turn your lights on at home," said miner Kevin Lambert, "you should think about them guys." And pray for them too. Each day, men we don't know brave one of the deadliest jobs on earth so that you and I can have power. They deserve our support and appreciation for risking their lives in an often thankless--and fatal--line of work. " Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up." (Psalm 71:20)"

Like0 Dislike0
Submitted by MR on Wed, 2010-04-07 23:09