On Friday night Anderson Cooper did a scathing piece based on reports that Syria has killed 256 children during the uprisings. Many of these children’s “only crime was being at home,” Cooper said.
“So many children have died it risks becoming mundane.”
Do I need to remind readers how many children were killed in 22 days in Gaza– nearly 400.
Hillary Clinton lectured Myanmar earlier this month about political prisoners and the brutal oppression of ethnic minorities:
“There can be no true peace or justice until it is shared by everyone, in every part of this beautiful, diverse country. And while there has been some progress in political and social matters, particularly here in Rangoon, terrible violence continues elsewhere, especially in some of the ethnic nationality areas, which, in addition to the continuing conflicts, suffer from unacceptably high rates of poverty, disease and illiteracy…
“We want to see all political prisoners released.”
Do I need to remind readers of that 70-year-old professor whom the Israelis arrested last week– along with thousands of other political prisoners?
Dr Yousef Abdel Haq speaking at a rally not long before his arrest
On Friday, Obama spokesman Jay Carney said that all the administration cares about is democracy, around the world, but especially in the Middle East:
All we’re about here — and this — I mean, look at the Middle East, look at other parts of the world — is support for democracy and holding those who participate in the democratic process around the world to standards of action as opposed to rhetoric, which is that they have to support the democratic process, renounce violence, vow to protect minority rights, and then participate in elections, because we believe that democracy is a good thing.
Two weeks back NPR host Melissa Block sharply questioned a Bahrain government spokesperson about the country’s firing of tear gas canisters at close range to unarmed civilians.
our correspondent in Bahrain, Kelly McEvers, was in the town of A’ali and she was there when riot police attacked a group of unarmed civilians, actually fired tear gas into their home. I want to play the tape of what that sounded like.
(SOUNDBITE OF A TAPE)
(SOUNDBITE OF GUNFIRE)
KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: That’s right here, outside our door. Okay, now we’re hiding.
(SOUNDBITE OF GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Oh, my God.
MCEVERS: They’re shooting in the house.
BLOCK: Mr. Khalifa, why is that still happening in your country? Our correspondent, Kelly McEvers, was there with the people who were being tear-gassed inside their home. She said the canisters being fired at such close range that they were ripping holes into the walls of the house.
Can we expect outrage from NPR about the killing of Mustafa Tamimi?
Other countries are singled out for religious intolerance
Bibi backs plan to ban minaret loudspeakers
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-backs-law-to-ban-loudspeakers-at-mosques-1.400875
You don’t consider the deaths of dissenters and children within a nation, to be of different character than the deaths resulting from a state of active military confrontation between enemies?
“On Friday, Obama spokesman Jay Carney said that all the administration cares about is democracy, around the world, but especially in the Middle East”
I wish someday that at least one intrepid journalist could ask Jay Carney why his evil empire supports Saudi-Arabia and their royal mafia family, and their country where democracy is: the dêmos can come and see how your head is removed with a sword by Kratos if you disagree with the mafia.
I would say the double standard is in play well beyond Israel/Palestine…
Where were “the liberals” when East Timor was being destroyed? It’s sad man, no doubt….
Great post Phil. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Richard Engel etc never ever shine their spotlights on deaths of Palestinians, apartheid situation, peaceful Palestinian protest. Silent on these issues while promoting Libyan rebels blowing off weapons in the air