Oil much?
Our fearless instructor has framed his friend Jonathan Hiskes as an obsessor over nothing but oil. I'm sure it was for instructive purposes. Some "signs" Hiskes used include: offshore drilling, jobs, Palin, and Gulf Coast.
"Offshore drilling" is loaded. But in completely different ways depending on your context. If you've heard some statistics, you might think offshore drilling is barely harmful, and a great way to get oil from your own country. If you believe others, you snap in disgust, can't understand why some people think it's even an option, and vomit a bit in your mouth. Hiskes clearly belongs in the latter group. Yet again, my favorite problem comes up. Here we read three entire articles (1, 2, 3)... and no one has said anything about facts, only about the false realities that different political parties have constructed around a concept. FACTS, people! Why does the GOP think offshore drilling is ok? It must come from somewhere. Why would you as a democrat assume that it's awful? Quoted from a Republican and a Democrat, respectively, I've heard drilling as "only literally harming the tiny area over which the oil pump is placed; even environmentalists say it," and "devastating the entire ecosystem and watershed; all the environmentalists know it." In exchange for less reliance on our warring enemies? Will someone please convince me either way? With links to a pure scientific report? Who has done the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for these locations? Is a Democrat environmentalist doing one EIS, and a Republican environmentalist, another? Can we have one of those for our required readings in this class, or do they simply not exist? Are there any researchers in this entire world? Bueller?
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Hm! I shall counterframe your framing of my "framing" with my own frames! :) I don't believe I characterized Jonathan as an OONBO, but I do think that journalists on his beat are profoundly dedicated, which could perhaps shade into obsession, I suppose. More to the point, you get at some interesting issues about the marshaling of "fact" and the constraints of news production processes. I expect there is data on environmental impact, but it is pretty far from the headlines on my newsreader. Can you dig up an example of what you're talking about Cecile? If you do, keep track of how long it takes and how far you have to do. Interesting; thanks!