Bob,
Of course, we would like all countries to have a free press. And, in fact,
often there is better coverage of certain news in other countries' media
than our's. There has been some good coverage on items on RT and, as you
say, on Al Jazeera, although I think Al Jazeera English was better than Al
Jazeera America which has tailored some of its coverage to satisfy American
advertisers. But I was referring to the fact that countries are different
from each other with different cultural traditions and different political
systems. And the countries in the Mid East have been affected by western
colonialism since world war 1 when oil became important to the West. Many
have been run by dictators who are backed by western nations. Look at a
country like Egypt. We are supporting its authoritarian government which has
imprisoned journalists. Our own country is trying to silence WikiLeaks
because its on line journalism makes information public that our government
wants kept secret. I think of those people in Yemen whom we have been
killing, or those in Libya whose country we destroyed or the Iraqis, etc.
Given our country's relation to them, it would be difficult for the average
Mid Easterner to feel sympathetic toward the people injured or killed in
Boston who are an insignificant number to those in their countries for whose
deaths, injuries, and displacements, our country is responsible.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 10:55 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Today's Civilian Victims in Yemen Will Be
Ignored Because US and Its Allies Are Responsible
Hi Miriam,
I'd say that it makes good sense to hold all nations, including ourselves,
to the standard of a free press. Any country that does not have a truly free
press, including the US, is in dire need of major changes.
Incidentally, some of the best coverage of world news can be found on Al
Jazira America. I sure do hope that the same broadcasts are available in the
Middle East.
Bob Hachey
Bob Hachey
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Miriam Vieni
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 9:29 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Today's Civilian Victims in Yemen Will Be
Ignored Because US and Its Allies Are Responsible
I'm not sure that's relevant. It's the US which presents itself as the
cradle of freedom and democracy which we want to export to the rest of the
world and it is the US that claims to have a free press which accurately
reports world events. Other than Israel, no other country in the US claims
that image for itself. The Mid East has been divided up by western countries
for a few centuries. Like most of the world, it has been dessamated by
Colonialism. It makes no sense to hold our victims to our standards.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Tuesday, July 07, 2015 12:01 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Today's Civilian Victims in Yemen Will Be
Ignored Because US and Its Allies Are Responsible
Hi Miriam,
Yes, it is disgusting how the American Wall Stream media ignores the
bombings and killings such as those described in Greenwald's article. But, I
wonder how deaths here are covered in the Middle East. For instance, how
much do those living in the Middle East know about the Boston Marathon
bombing of 2013?
Bob Hachey
