We have abandoned our principles
by Joseph Clifford
Why are the American people now
against the idea of Liberty and Freedom for all? When did we
abandon the principles found in the Declaration of
Independence? When did we renounce the beliefs of Thomas
Jefferson and stop believing that “freedom is a God given right”
for all
men?
The American media has presented a one
sided point of view with respect to the ongoing developments in the
Middle East, and this has resulted in the American people abandoning
principles we claim to be most dear.
One
country has invaded another and has brutally ruled for the past 35
years. This nation has defied international law in its invasion and
occupation. It has been condemned by the world for its invasion and
its illegal occupation but this is conveniently ignored by the
American media. During the past 35 years this nation has been
condemned by the nations of the world on at least 70 occasions and
has also been condemned by international human rights groups for its
brutal repression of a freedom seeking people, but the media chooses
not to report this to the American public. Israel is a nuclear
equipped nation and has one of the most powerful armed forces in the
history of the world with one of the highest living standards in the
world, and has chosen to invade and occupy a nation of poverty
stricken people who have no armed force with which to defend them.
The indigent people have had to fight a most sophisticated military
force with sticks and stones. The media has chosen to present the
indigent people struggling for their freedom as the aggressor, and
the powerful brutal oppressor as the victim.
The killing of innocent people is rampant but the media presents
only one side and never chooses to report that the Palestinian death
rate is about 600% higher than the Israeli death rate. The media
seems to suggest the loss of Palestinian women and children is far
less serious than the loss of Israeli women and children, an
attitude which smacks smacks of racism. Chris Hedges a New York
Times correspondent said: “ But I'd never seen soldiers bait or
taunt kids like this and then shoot them for sport as he
described the IDF tactics in a Harper’s article entitled “ A Gaza
Diary”. Naturally the media ignored Hedges’ comments. The media has chosen to preoccupy
itself with “suicide bombers” while ignoring the slaughter of
innocent Palestinians with tanks, bulldozers, F-16, Apache and Cobra
helicopters. Recently Israel invaded Jenin and refused to allow the
world to watch as purported War Crimes were being committed. The
American media ran away to hide while the slaughter took place and
800 Palestinian families’ cinder block homes were leveled by Israeli
bulldozers.
Special
UN envoy Terje Roed Larson visited Jenin and said; “This is
horrifying beyond belief” and called it “a blot that will forever
live on the history of the state of Israel”. Naturally the media
ignored his comments and stuck their heads in the sand. Now Israel
is refusing to allow a UN inspection team to determine if any “War
crimes” were committed. Meanwhile the US is preparing to again bomb
and invade Iraq because they will not let a UN weapons inspection
team into their country.
The
entire civilized world has recognized that occupied people have a
“right to resist” an illegal occupation, a fact that the media has
chosen to ignore. Instead our media presents resisters as
“Terrorists”. Using their logic Patrick Henry, George Washington,
Nathan Hale, the Minutemen, and the French Resistance, would all be
evil terrorists by the media’s standards. Yasser Arafat is
presented as a “Terrorist” but the media never reports that Mr.
Sharon has been forbidden from ever holding the position of Defense
Minister in Israel for his role in the Massacre at the refugee camps
Sabra and Shatilla. The media also chooses to ignore the fact that
Mr. Sharon is facing indictment in Belgium as a “war criminal”. He
will undoubtedly be acquitted as three of the eye witnesses have met
with mysterious and violent deaths during the last several months.
Meanwhile around the world the media has presented a more balanced
picture and therefore a much more informed public. It is no wonder
that American sentiment for the occupying nation is not reflected by
the international community.
It is
very evident that the American media has taken sides, and in
presenting its one sided view has forsaken everything that we as
Americans hold dear. The media has sold its soul; but even worse it
has convinced the American people to renounce the soul of the
American Experiment.
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