Thursday, April 23, 2009
Pirate errata: Correcting the record
History blogger and TigerHawk cousin GreemanTim calls out the press for erroneously reporting that the attack on the Maersk Alabama was the first by pirates against an American-flagged ship since the Jefferson administration, an error that I myself have repeated (at least in conversation). There have been others.
5 Comments:
By 
Viking Kaj, at
Thu Apr 23, 10:00:00 AM:
Does anybody remember the SS Mayaguez?
By Christopher Chambers, at
Thu Apr 23, 11:32:00 AM:
GreenmanTim is right. There were likely many more unreported cases in the last 230 years.
Of course, here's what I added, heh:
"Since the Confederate navy wasn't part of a legitmate government, in rebellion against the stars and stripes, then attacks on whalers and other merchant ships would count, eh? What's sauce for the goose is applesauce for the gander..."
Let the hypnotic denial and other stupid sh*t begin! LOL
By GreenmanTim, at
Thu Apr 23, 12:27:00 PM:
Crossposted from the comments on my site, regarding the CSN and charges of piracy:
"That was certainly a possibility for the CSS Shenandoah, which was still attacking the US Whaling fleet in the Arctic on June 27, 1865 when the captain elected to continue to take more prizes even after hearing of Lee's surrender. She was on her way to attack San Franscisco that August when she received further confirmation that the war had ended. Concerned that they were now a stateless vessel and liable to charges of piracy, they sailed around the horn and surrendered in Liverpool."
By 
, at
Thu Apr 23, 12:29:00 PM:
Expecting journalists to be accurate? How right-wing!
Decades ago I learned in 7th grade the six primary rules of journalism: "Who, what, where, how, why, when."
Today, that saying has been added to: "Well, so and so said it was so, so it must be so. No need for me to check." or, "Does this help get the message across?"
By Escort81, at
Thu Apr 23, 05:14:00 PM:
Any casual reader of boating or yachting magazines was aware of dozens of reported recent attacks (even in parts of the Caribbean) against smaller vessels. But don't bring a "Nine" on your next bareboat charter!
I was not aware of some of the attacks on the merchant ships mentioned in the link.
