For several years Dr. King and his work were lauded and praised to
the skies by the US corporate media, he was awarded a Nobel Prize, and
enjoyed friendly access to the White House. This was because US ruling
circles endorsed the dismantling of southern Jim Crow as necessary to
America’s image around the world and its conflict with the Soviet Union,
which was actively aiding liberation movements in Africa, Asia and
Latin America. But in April 1967 Dr. King directly, explicitly and
unmistakably confronted and denounced the current genocidal US war in
Vietnam, which would eventually kill 3 million Vietnamese.
King accurately predicted further US colonial wars in Asia, Africa
and the Americas in the coming decades, and observed that economic and
social justice inside the US were unobtainable amid the wars needed to
preserve US global empire. Instantly the entire apparatus of US media
turned upon him, and from one of the most admired Americans he became
one of the most despised. As Cornel West observes, most of the
institutions and people writing checks and commemorating his death this
week would not allow the Dr. King of his final year, or a Dr. King of
today at their podiums, their pulpits or on their airwaves.
-- Bruce A. Dixon, "Another MLK Anniversary, Another Gaza Massacre Ignored by the Black Political Class" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Truest statement of the week II
On March 30, 2018 the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) committed
cold-blooded murder in Gaza. Thousands of unarmed Palestinians marched
peacefully to protest the occupation and declare their right to return
to their homeland. The Great Return March was met with gunfire and 18 people died.
The killings were caught on camera but the response from the United States, its allies and their friends in corporate media reveal as much as any photography ever will. The massacre was either disappeared as if it never took place, or was described as a “clash.” The BBC, CNN, the New York Times and the rest of their cohort used this word which implies some equality in defense capability when one side, the one with the dead people, was completely unarmed.
The media covered up for Washington’s friends and politicians were silent. Bernie Sanders’ mealy mouthed response was one of the few to be heard. He called the shootings “tragic” and said that the IDF “over reacted.” Crediting him with these weasel words is damning with faint praise but this minimal response is not surprising given the degree of Israeli influence in American politics.
-- Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider: Israeli Meddling and Palestinian Death" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
The killings were caught on camera but the response from the United States, its allies and their friends in corporate media reveal as much as any photography ever will. The massacre was either disappeared as if it never took place, or was described as a “clash.” The BBC, CNN, the New York Times and the rest of their cohort used this word which implies some equality in defense capability when one side, the one with the dead people, was completely unarmed.
The media covered up for Washington’s friends and politicians were silent. Bernie Sanders’ mealy mouthed response was one of the few to be heard. He called the shootings “tragic” and said that the IDF “over reacted.” Crediting him with these weasel words is damning with faint praise but this minimal response is not surprising given the degree of Israeli influence in American politics.
-- Margaret Kimberley, "Freedom Rider: Israeli Meddling and Palestinian Death" (BLACK AGENDA REPORT).
A note to our readers
Hey --
We didn't make Sunday.
Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
And what did we come up with?
See you next week.
Peace,
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
We didn't make Sunday.
Let's thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:
The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen, Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.
And what did we come up with?
Bruce A. Dixon gets a truest.
As does Margaret Kimberley.
The Iraq War continues after 15 years and now they want to start a war with Syria?
Ava and C.I. take on KRYPTON and KILLING EVE.
This truly was the worst product we've ever taken into the test kitchen.
C.I. comes up with 10 reads for this new feature.
And I (Jim) come up with another ten.
Ty's corner. An e-mail shouldn't turn into a research project.
We had no idea.
We'll keep updating this list throughout the year.
What we listened to while writing.
A look at the week's best.
See you next week.
Peace,
-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.
Editorial: Let's all learn this time
The Iraq War continues. And despite this, the War Crazies in the US have the bloodlust again and want to destroy Syria.
The Iraq War continues. The biggest foreign policy disaster of the 21st century.
We've all learned enough -- or should have -- to be skeptical of 'claims' that have no support but are fear based.
We should all demand no further war on Syria until someone steps forward with actual proof. But, thing is, they will never have actual proof because it's highly unlikely Bashar Assad did this -- it doesn't pass the logic test.
Much more likely?
As Patrick Martin (WSWS) points out:
The US media has seized on the latest claims by CIA-backed groups of a poison gas attack on civilians to demand a further escalation of the US-led war for regime-change in Syria and an increased confrontation with Russia.
The Syrian government claims that one of its airbases, in Homs province, has already come under missile attack. While the Pentagon is denying that it has launched any strikes on Syria yet, the rhetoric of the Trump administration indicates that preparations are being made for stepped-up military operations.
As with previous allegations of chemical weapons’ use, the public is being inundated with unverified footage of suffering victims, while government officials and the corporate media, prior to any investigation and without any substantiation, declare the government of Bashar al-Assad and its Iranian and Russian allies to be guilty of a war crime.
Within minutes, the New York Times and the Washington Post dashed out breathless articles placing the blame for the alleged attack at the feet of the Syrian and Russian governments. The Guardian declared in an editorial that “Syria’s renewed use of chemical weapons against its own people at the weekend is shameless and barbaric.”
The current claims are no more credible than those that preceded them. The official narrative that Assad carried out a gas attack in Eastern Ghouta in 2013 was used to prepare a massive US air strike that was canceled at the last minute by the Obama administration—a retreat that earned Obama furious recriminations that continue to the present. Subsequent investigations proved that the attack was actually launched by US-backed “rebels” in conjunction with the Turkish government.
The alleged gas attack that was used in April 2017 to justify the major US cruise missile assault on a Syrian air base was similarly exposed to have resulted from an air strike on a “rebel” poison gas facility.
The previous pretexts for military escalation were staged by the CIA and its proxy forces in Syria. The latest provocation is no different.
xx
- My uncle Chris proudly served our country in Iraq and at home as law enforcement. He says NO to war in Syria #HandsOffSyria
Syria: If you liked the Iraq and Libya debacles but would have preferred less legal/strategic justification, and also you get a thrill from boldly ignoring hindsight, this war is for you!
The United States Government lied about:
-Vietnam
-Afghanistan
-Iraq
-Libya
Think twice before you start believing what Uncle Sam & his political Corporate swine are saying about Syria.
- A few thoughts before I cram to get work done tonight. 1. Skripal poisoning part of Syria false flag 2. One month ago French Government warned citizens to leave 3. Terrorists kidnap and kill hostages to make the case for war 4. Skripals are hostages of British government
US Says No Evidence Syria’s Assad Behind Chemical Attack; But Will Retaliate Regardless Of UN Decision
The Iraq War continues. The biggest foreign policy disaster of the 21st century.
We've all learned enough -- or should have -- to be skeptical of 'claims' that have no support but are fear based.
We should all demand no further war on Syria until someone steps forward with actual proof. But, thing is, they will never have actual proof because it's highly unlikely Bashar Assad did this -- it doesn't pass the logic test.
Much more likely?
As Patrick Martin (WSWS) points out:
The US media has seized on the latest claims by CIA-backed groups of a poison gas attack on civilians to demand a further escalation of the US-led war for regime-change in Syria and an increased confrontation with Russia.
The Syrian government claims that one of its airbases, in Homs province, has already come under missile attack. While the Pentagon is denying that it has launched any strikes on Syria yet, the rhetoric of the Trump administration indicates that preparations are being made for stepped-up military operations.
As with previous allegations of chemical weapons’ use, the public is being inundated with unverified footage of suffering victims, while government officials and the corporate media, prior to any investigation and without any substantiation, declare the government of Bashar al-Assad and its Iranian and Russian allies to be guilty of a war crime.
Within minutes, the New York Times and the Washington Post dashed out breathless articles placing the blame for the alleged attack at the feet of the Syrian and Russian governments. The Guardian declared in an editorial that “Syria’s renewed use of chemical weapons against its own people at the weekend is shameless and barbaric.”
The current claims are no more credible than those that preceded them. The official narrative that Assad carried out a gas attack in Eastern Ghouta in 2013 was used to prepare a massive US air strike that was canceled at the last minute by the Obama administration—a retreat that earned Obama furious recriminations that continue to the present. Subsequent investigations proved that the attack was actually launched by US-backed “rebels” in conjunction with the Turkish government.
The alleged gas attack that was used in April 2017 to justify the major US cruise missile assault on a Syrian air base was similarly exposed to have resulted from an air strike on a “rebel” poison gas facility.
The previous pretexts for military escalation were staged by the CIA and its proxy forces in Syria. The latest provocation is no different.
xx