American Media on Crack
“Three months from now, I will pick up a gun and kill Arabs.” That phrase was quoted by an MSNBC correspondent during the nightly news. He had briefly interviewed a young Israeli woman in a night club the day before – approximately five days ago – and the two minute segment was aired on television. His question directed toward the woman was, “What is your reaction to the war between Israel and Lebanon?” She responded casually by saying that everyone is generally at ease but if the war worsened, she would join Israel’s so-called defense against terrorism.
Now, I have been used to the extremely biased nature of American media, but this is beyond normal. Most people in the United States look at the news as a legitimate source of information; whatever the announcer says must be true. But in this case, only one side has been in the spotlight and Lebanon and its people have not been represented and heard in any way. What is even more infuriating is that news reports appeal to the watchers’ emotions by only interviewing Israelis, concentrating on the family members of the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers; you see the father tearing up, the young bride speaking of her want of children, and so on. If I did not know about Lebanon’s situation, if I did not have friends currently in Lebanon, if I did not have access to other news featured on Middle Eastern, or rather, Arabic websites, I would have sympathized with the Israeli effort and I would have probably viewed Lebanon as the enemy as it is portrayed in American media.
I condemn Hezbollah for instigating Israel to launch their perfectly targeted attacks; after all, this was an opportunity for Israel. What people do not know here in the United States is that innocent Lebanese civilians are the ones who had this catastrophe fall onto their vulnerable laps and fragile homes. We are talking about women, children, the elderly and others who cannot defend themselves against the atrocious harm that is presently bombed their way in the most unjustified manner.
One may ask, “Why aren’t we hearing about this?” 'Firstly, owners of US media firms, who have business and economic interests, shape how the Middle East is portrayed in the media. Political elites in America, who also have corporate interests, are in the second rung; they have access and influence mainstream media. The third power is the Israeli government’s public relations campaign. It has image consultants for political and media campaigns in the United States. Israel is the client of many public relation firms such as Ruder Finn, Leyden Communications, WEILL Associates, NYPR, Morris Carrick & Guma, and Rubenstein’s. Nine Israeli consulates help implement these public relations campaigns by developing relationships with journalists and monitoring media action in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and D.C.
Countless private American organizations reiterate the official line and organize grassroots opposition to any coverage deemed unfavorable to Israel. The organizations include Americans for a Safe Israel, American Friends of Likud, Christian Coalition, Christian Broadcasting Network, American Jewish Congress, Christian Friends of Israel, American Israeli Friendship League, Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry Inc., Focus on Jerusalem, Jewish Voice Ministries, Intercessors for Israel, Jewish National Fund, Israel my Beloved, Labor Zionist Alliance, Jews for Jesus, Messianic Jewish Alliance of America, and the most powerful foreign lobby in Washington, AIPAC (American Israeli Public Affairs Committee).
On the other hand, there are progressive organizations that oppose Israel’s government policy. The organizations include American Arabs Anti-Discrimination Committee, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Churches for Middle East Peace, Not In My Name, Tikkun Community, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Global Exchange, Muslim Peace Forum, Jewish Friends of Palestine, American Muslims for Jerusalem, Peace Action, Seeds of Peace, Jewish Peace Fellowship, Foundation for Middle East Peace, Women in Black, United for Peace and Justice, Just Peace Technologies, Muslim Peace Fellowship, Jews Against the Occupation, and Americans for Peace Now. Unfortunately, these organizations and their work rarely make it through to mainstream media.
Media watchdog groups, who are on the lowest step, monitor and pressure journalists in media outlets when critical news of Israeli policy does surface. The groups are Anti-Defamation League, Palestinian Media Watch, Eye on the Port, Facts & Logic about the Middle East, Honest Reporting, and most importantly CAMERA (Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America).'*
What am I trying to say here? Basically, do not believe everything that is on the news. Or you know what, do your own research and sculpt your own opinion and forget the news altogether. I seriously cannot understand how reporters and journalists convey stories in the most prejudiced way possible. I know that they are under a strict contract and their lexicon is tweaked to satisfy the heads above, but I do wonder how they could sleep at night when they know about the realities of the situation.
PS's...
NOMO - Divisions
James Brown - I Got Ants in My Pants
Sarah MacLachlan - Home
*Source: Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land
at 12:52 AM
13 Comments
Well said Erz ..
In the past it was perceived that democrats kiss Israeli ass more than republicans, but during Bush's tenure, the christian/zionist far right has come out of the church and worked in politics. To the point they're dominating policy making.
they say "In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is king"...
well... but in the US they're not just "one eye-ed" they're blindfolded too!
our American/Israeli landlord once told us "they [americans] are more israeli than us [israelis]!" ...
what can I say more?!
you have no idea what i put up with on some boards i'm on
*just went/came back from the boards i was talking about*
here, check this out:
"Lebanon refuses to deal with Hamas? Ok, you have 14 days to deal with them, then we'll level your country. Syria, you too. Iran? Can't be soon enough.
If my neighbour spends his days making insane threats to kill me and my family while at the same time cooking up mustard gas in his back yard still to do the deed, I'm gonna kill him first.
What the hell ever happened to the neutron bomb. Cure the problem, leave the oil for the sane earthlings."
lebanon and HAMAS .. ? yeah, okay.. i gave up on that thread right there, and to think none of the idiots corrected him for the next 3 pages disappointed me
btw, the guy i copied from is a 45yr old who's very very well off, (these are from car boards)
and the sheer ignorance (as well as arrogance) of their responses is no way near how shallow some 'summing up 31yrs of history into a phrase' responses i have gotten with my friends/acquaintances (with whom i disagree)
i wrote a post last week and gave out this video
it touches on EXACTLY your point.. EXACTLY, and i was VERY impressed with who the speakers were
pretty astonishing really, but then again.. it was always like this
can you say: henry kissinger?
ps: i disagree with ur sentiment towards 7izballah but at least we can agree on something
pss: if uve already watched the vid, plz give impressions
410 to 8. That's how the U.S. House of Representatives voted in support of ISRAEL's aggression on Lebanon. You couldn't get the Democrats and the Republicans agreeing this way on any domestic issue. 'Nuff said.
whats new?
Well said Erzulie. Israel has been working on controling the States's media for more than 20 years now, and it is now in control of what many say is the fourth legislative power in the States - the media. Israel's dedicated efforts and hard work for itself paid off well.
say hello to the village idiot
just saw your source while i was trying to come back to the comment section ..
enty allah yhadach khaasheta way under there :\
still doesnt change anything though
many americans r ignorant.. thats why..
I see somebody was taking notes while watching the the video :p
But seriously...thanks for the links cuz that wasn't possible by simply watching the vid LOL :)
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First off, well said erzulie. You make a very good point. I am constantly shocked by the mindless babbling I hear and see on american television. The american media is biased and US-Centric.
As for Doc Lost> It would be unfair to generalize and just say americans are ignorant. They are the way they are due to a powerful force which keeps them in the dark. That force being the media.
All that being said, we're not so great over here on this side of the pond either. I heard on Sawa where they were reporting on the situation in Lebanon and kept going on and on about the Israeli attacks without ever mentioning or criticizing the Hizb-allah attacks which started it all. YEs, the Israeli attacks are disproportionate and way out of line, but Arab media shouldn't send the message that we, the Arab People, condone the Hizb Allah attacks. That will only serve to exacerbate the problem...
These attacks have nothing to do with missing soldiers or religion.
These attacks, on both sides, are an illustration of power.
Jandeef: Yup...and in the end, it's all about the money and nothing else...
iDip: Haha :P Yeah well, that's the way it is unfortunately...
Temi: I don't think age i.e. being old has anything to do with knowing what's what. And yes, I do not think that Hizbollah, in this particular situation, acted in a responsible and civil manner. Their little abduction that was obviously not thought through may have sparked something far more serious than what we might imagine now...unfortunately...
Harry: Well, the US is Israel's mommy and daddy. I am not surprised that this was the turn out of it all...
error: Heh, yeah...
Hazolat: Yup, and no offense to the PR people out there but you can dress it up to look like news and that's the dangerous part...You can work a PR campaign to be slick, sly, and amazingly underhanded i.e. Israel's motto
Temi: Change anything though? About your first comment you mean?
Dr.Lost: I would rather describe them as naive. For me, ignorance has many forms, and although I hate to generalize, if we were to call Americans ignorant I am sure it is not rooted in evil ignorance as opposed to, for instance, unknowledgable ignorance. Hope that makes sense :)
fwai7: Well, nothing is perfect. In one sense, I cannot blame ALL correspondents for going with the media-flow so to speak because one may have his/her career shot to shit if they mention the truth about the controversial goings-on i.e. revealing the hidden agenda.
fallen: Heh, I'm all about the notes. And thanks Temi for the video :)
Krispy: I agree with everything you said. About Dr.Lost, that's taken care of :P Just like everything else, I do not think any news report is 100% accurate or fair. I did not see Sawa's report but I also did not know that they condoned Hizbollah. I think reports should be completely objective and never influential even in the most subtle and implicit sense. I know a few people that shook their fists in the air in support of Hizbollah, saying that they liberated Lebanon from Israel's past attempts but I know for sure that they do not see how this militant group is being completely irresponsible in their actions which fall upon the citizens and their beloved country.
Gradualism: Well, it's unfortunate that the media is the middleman, esp. because there's an ulterior motive behind that "Real News"
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