Osama Bin Laden: Dead or Alive

I find it interestingly scary that Osama Bin Laden is dead. I think it's one of those situations where it is hard to decided what you believe because the media has such a strong influence. In such a patriotic nation, the hegemonic norm would be to be rejoiceful of the capturing and death of a terrorist to America. There is supposed to be some type of relief. However, I do not fully get that feeling. The media tells us that he is dead (no longer an immediate threat). They could either be sending a sincere testimony to America, leaving us in relieve, or a manipulative fantasy to deceive us. This then points attention to the governmental control of the media. We like to think that we run our own lives and think for ourselves, but is that necessarily true. The media has a tremendous influence over us, and if the government has that much control over the media, how are we suppose to think. What exactly is the role of the media, the messages in the media, and us the viewer. What are we being 'sold'?