We all know about the irresponsible reporting and bias that many elements in the western media have against China, but when they start using mine disaster survivors to further their 'agenda', then it simply borders on the inhuman.
A few days ago, about 115 miners were rescued from a flooded mine in China's Shaanxi Province, in what is the latest in a string of disasters which have plagued China's mining industry in recent years.
However, the way in which the rescue was reported by some elements in the western media is quite interesting.
A rescue spokesman, Liu Dezheng, told reporters that, "A miracle has finally happened".
In what can only be construed as a naked display of the media's carelessness and even obscenity, many news websites and publications reprehensibly used the word 'Miracle' in the headline in single quotation marks. I wonder - are they effectively mocking or taunting the rescue effort, betraying a certain amount of skepticism in the process?
For example, some headlines:
Trapped Chinese miners freed in 'miracle' rescue (The Guardian)
China hails 'miracle' rescue of more than 100 trapped miners (The Guardian)
Chinese hail 'miracle' rescue of 115 miners (LA Times)
100-plus trapped miners freed in China 'miracle' (The Washington Post)
'Miracle' as more than 100 trapped Chinese miners are rescued (The Telegraph)
China ‘Miracle’: 115 Trapped Miners Rescued (TIME Magazine)
Many of the same publications, however, are not so 'careless' when it comes to reporting miracle rescues about other disasters around the world:
CANADA: Miracle in the Mine (TIME Magazine)
Haiti: A Miracle Rescue Keeps Unrealistic Hopes Alive (TIME Magazine)
Miracle survivor found as Haiti rescue teams ordered to stand down (The Guardian)
Haiti earthquake: miracle rescues and survivors' stories in pictures (The Telegraph)
Of course, I wouldn't put it past them to argue that since only one or two people were rescued in the Haiti rescue, it can be called a 'Miracle' (including quotes)!
As if this wasn't enough, some have even used the disaster and the subsequent rescue to carry out what can only be called as a stark display of irresponsibility and even inhumanity, calling the rescue effort 'a round-the-clock reality show'.
