We have abandoned our principles

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.