Media simplistically portrays war as good versus evil The morning of September 11, 2001 will be a common memory for many around the world. This morning the peace was threatened by terrorism on US soil and the US declared war in defense of the peace. Most of the television, print, and Internet media coverage of these events has centered around an argument between good and evil. In this article I will address the ways in which hegemonic and counter-hegemonic forms of media have contributed to the discussion of good versus evil in war. The portrayal of good (us) versus evil (them) in the media has justified war in the real world. name of peace. The first glimpse of good versus evil in the United States came with televised statements from the leaders of this war. From this the American public has ascertained that the wicked are led by Osama bin Laden who promised that "America will not live in peace"1² sitting on a rock outside a cave. In turn, the good guys are led by President George W. Bush who, from his leather chair in the White House, declared: "We are at war with terrorism." war. President Bush extended this belief by reminding the American public that, “If you are not with us, you are against us.”32 This statement called upon all of America to join the war on terrorism; Bush's comment implied that opponents were the enemy. As one of the most accessible forms of information, television has become the most powerful form of social pedagogy. With few exceptions, television has managed to perpetuate and legitimize a hegemonic mentality of good versus evil, in which “we” are good and “they” are bad. It could be argued that few possess sufficient media literacy skills to deconstruct the dominant messages disseminated by most television networks. On the contrary, the Internet and print media have, on several occasions, provided alternative counter-hegemonic readings of the events of 9/11. You can still visit mainstream websites like NBC, ABC, FOX, and CNN to view hegemonic references of good versus evil. A series of mouse clicks can take a Web surfer from photos of candlelight vigils and Twin Towers donation centers to sites where one can watch Powell and Bush, sing calypso, about the death of Osama Bin Laden, and play games of an interactive torture game. about the leader of evil4.