Coverage of Iraq’s Christians

Dear Editor, One again The Irish Catholic leads the field, this time in keeping attention focused on the plight of Christians in Iraq, ‘World is turning ‘blind eye’ to Iraq’s Christians (IC3/7/14).

It never fails to baffle me that the world’s press, in its drive to fill the 24-7 news agenda has not, even from the most cynical of reasons, latched on to the existential threat faced by the ever shrinking Christian community in Iraq (and other areas of the Middle East). It appears any focusing on religion is that of the religious extremism of the ISIS group, but only as an unavoidable side-bar for journalists now covering the group’s military successes. If this is not the case, why have news broadcasters displayed an ability to offer footage of the first apparent preaching of the ISIS leader in Mosul last weekend but cannot provide the same coverage, as The Irish Catholic did, to Christian leaders in Iraq pleading for assistance?

Perhaps the media is waiting for the slaughter to begin to satisfy the old journalistic rule that ‘if it bleeds, it leads’.

Yours etc.,

Pat Lawlor,

Drogheda,

Co. Louth.