The video chosen for the overview in this paper is called “Euromaidan/Kijow 2014”, it was posted on YouTube by a user under the nickname MrMitos1 in the end of February this year, which was the time when the whole world was discussing the events of Ukrainian revolution and the mass protest in the center of Kyiv on the Independence Square or Maidan. The video presents a selection of photographs taken during the most heated moments of the protest.
The photographs demonstrate various events and actions that took place on Maidan. The video is quite effective, as it employs powerful images and makes them produce the strongest effect on the audience. For the supporters of the protest this video would serve as a great motivation and a reminder of the “heroic” time and people. The video is accompanied by epic music designed to create a dramatic mood, evoke the viewer’s emotions and connect them to the images.
The events of revolution are shown in a one-sided manner. The protesters are portrayed as heroes, and the police and the government – as cruel tyrants. Images of priests participating in Maidan riots demonstrated that god is on the people’s side and images of police only show snipers, framing the police as coldblooded murderers. This propaganda is intended to make the viewers join the protest and rise against the “wrong” power.
The of the ideological similarities between a Palestinian Islamic organization called Hamas and Animal Liberation Front (ALF) is that both of these movements were created with a purpose to liberate. Hamas intended to free Palestine from its occupation by Israel and ALF’s main function is to liberate animals exploited and used by humans for scientific experiments and other cruel activities (Coronado, 2004).
Each of the two organizations functions in more than one country. Finally, the most obvious similarity is that both Animal Liberation Front and Hamas employ violence to achieve their goals. While Hamas uses suicide bombers and rocket attacks, ALF sets facilities on fire and commits acts of vandalism and private property violations. The difference between the organizations is that Hamas is considered to be a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union and ALF is often compared to a terrorist organization but is not officially designated as one.
The term “framing” generally has been used to represent the human need for understanding for the events that happen around, framing works through various sets of beliefs and perceptions and can be based on different ideologies and points of view. Framing is a flexible phenomenon, it can be used to educate and inform the society about various events, their development, causes and possible outcomes, but at the same time it can be employed to shape the public opinion in a certain way and orientate the masses towards certain beliefs. In the world of nowadays framing is widely used by the mass media.
Political framing is employed by the politicians in their public addresses and speeches, in their comments on various events and actions. Such important and global issue as terrorism is also widely framed in various ways. Framing happens when the mass media describe certain acts without naming the “good” and “bad” sides directly, but making it very clear for the viewers who should be held responsible for the violence and damage. This is done in order to create a stronger influence on the masses and make them believe that the media did not put the thoughts in their heads; it makes people feel like they figured out the situations on their own. Framings makes the viewers confident about the ideas it carries, this is why it is so effective.
Spectacle is basically the mass media of the society and everything that comes from it. In the computerized, digitalized and virtualized world of nowadays no popular event or object can exist without a mass media campaign, which serves as an advertisement and promotion at the same time. Terrorism works through recruiting more and more people and constantly gaining new supporters and followers.
Terrorism is well known only because terrorist acts are so widely broadcasted through the media such as newspapers, radio, television and the internet. The influence of terrorism would be hundreds of times smaller if it was not so widely promoted by the mass media. Spectacle is the main tool of terrorism. Its activists are perfectly aware that without the publicity they are powerless. This is why when they want to create a demonstration, they film their actions and have them broadcast.
The events on 9/11 increased the public interest towards terrorism massively. Ever since that time the media never let go of it, and Bush’s famous expression “war on terrorism” combined with constant framing, propaganda and the products of Hollywood heightened the fear of foreign threat in the United States. Terrorism is in constant need of a spectacle and as long as it can get the attention of the masses, the global paranoia about the threat that is “always there” exists.
Reference List
Coronado, R. (2004). Editorial. Bite Back Magazine, 7, 1.
MrMitos1. (2014). Euromaidan/KijĂłw 2014. Web.