Thursday, March 06, 2008

One Approach

The level of discourse regarding our fellow human beings living in Gaza has me wondering when someone at NPR will casually mention "the Palestinian problem." Israeli Deputy Defense Minster's threat of a "shoah" didn't even merit a whimper on NPR. And then tonight Siegle interviewing the "king" of Jordan tosses this one out there:
"New numbers, new reports out today suggest that in Gaza social and economic conditions are now worse than they have been ever since 1967 and the Six Day War. What do you do about Gaza? Hamas is in control of Gaza. One approach seems to be ignore them or starve the territory so that Palestinians there will turn away from Hamas. What's your counsel?"
"Starve the territory so that Palestinians there will turn away from Hamas"! I swear to God he said that. Listen if you can bear. He just puts it out there like it was any old diplomatic tool of the trade (which it is for the US/EU/Israel). Incredible how such a brutal targeting of civilians is treated as normal. Just this morning Gradstein, referring to Gaza, said "the area is under an Israeli blockade, part of an effort to pressure Hamas."

The double standard is so starkly obvious that it leaves one breathless. Imagine if tonight's news about the gunman's attack on students in Jerusalem was described as a Palestinian's attempt to put pressure on the Israeli government. Or, if as in Gradstein's piece this morning, the victims of the shooting (intentionally targeted like the civilians in Gaza) were described as "caught in the crossfire."

(link to graphic)

3 comments:

Porter Melmoth said...

I confess, I switched off the interview the second after it came on. Blob Siegel's supremely egotistical bearing is simply unacceptable. I figured that it wouldn't be long before he would be referring to the people of Gaza in 'un-people' terms. Any more, I quickly relegate NPR to the same waste pile in which I file Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck and most of NPR in general: that of the boycott variety. As in: I don't even get started with them. As usual, NPR scores interviews with supposedly prestigious figures, only to be botched by NPR prejudice. As usual with such an NPR interview (had I heard it), I would be more preoccupied with the urgent need to sew Blob's pursed lips shut than I would be to dissect the aspects of such an interview intellectually, because said interview is such a vacuous waste of consideration, due to its self-serving agenda. Oh, I know, NPR just can't help itself, it's following such a lofty standard of journalism, it just can't help but touch all the right notes and do everything right.

Well, today, Blob, your CEO just decamped, and tomorrow you'll all get a talking-to regarding your leadership directions. Well, because you are doing everything right, there shouldn't be any problems looming, right?

Anonymous said...

Exactomundo, Port. Is El Blobbo the best they can do for an on-air personality? That voice alone is an irritant, let alone the poiiirteyyynt of his wooooyyyyrrrds.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

(note the new nick - bunny not registered o'er at ThinkProgress but he do wish to perpetuate the trend! hee hee hee!)

LJansen said...

Thanks for reminding me about the "cross-fire" remark by Gradstein. I had given her some points for crawling out of her hole long enough to notice that 120 Palestinians had been killed just prior to the yeshiva attack.