Pirates Smuggle Somalia on to the Agenda

Dearest African S.,



As usual, you distort my words and take me wildly out of context. I've come to expect nothing less from such a salty sea dog as yourself. My point is not that I'm irritated about the world showing interest in Somalia. My point is that some reporters who shall remain unnamed seem to have been more excited about trumpeting the fact that they snagged not-very-exclusive interviews with the pirates than pointing out that the pirates are killing the Somali people.



With great admiration for your blog and your writing more generally,

Nick

I'm a journalist Nick - that's my job.



Your point, as I understood it, was that all the rest of us are missing the point by writing about the pirates rather than the food crisis... We shouldn't glorify a bunch of gangsters simply because they ride around in boats.



My point is that no-one cares about the food crisis. Meanwhile piracy occupies a unique position in the histories of many seafaring nations, produced a rich vein of literature and music, and - in your homeland - even a series of theme park rides. We all love a good pirate yarn. The responsible thing is not to get po-faced about declining journalistic standards, but use it to get people talking about the factors behind it.



With great appreciation for your willingness to take up cudgels and get a proper feud going

Rob

Po-faced! I've never been one to quibble over journalistic standards, unless they have to do with the senseless victimization of George Obama.



I don't object to journalists writing about the pirates. I have written about the pirates myself. And yes, it can be awfully difficult to get to the end of a story about Somalia's food crisis. In fact, we agree. I object, A. Safari, because people aren't writing about the factors behind the piracy or the fact that the pirates are partly responsible for the food crisis in Somalia. Reporters are not going terribly far beyond the "Hey! Pirates! Wacky!" line when this story gives them a great opportunity to do so. And then, of course, they crow and crow about their "exclusive" pirate interviews.



Incidentally, PotC is featured at every Disney park in the world. If the UK had a Disney park, PotC would be there too. In fact, I have no idea why the UK hasn't got a Disney park yet. Maybe it's still recovering from the Millennium Experience.



Finally, aside from "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum," name me one pirate song. Just one. Rich vein of literature, yes, but music?

I agree that the piracy-crisis should be used as an anchor to get people informed about the food-crisis. Let me add one thing to that: It's the pirates' activities, which partially prevent the World Food Programme from delievering food to those who starve in Somalia, since their ships cannot be considered safe anymore. At least that's what I heard some weeks ago.

Nick,

Barrett's Privateers (I'm currently listening to the original Stan Rogers version on the seminal Fogarty's Cove - hat tip to Toaf).