How the Western media distorts the news

Association

When the predominantly Catholic IRA (Irish Republican Army) was fighting for the freedom of Northern Ireland from largely Protestant Britain, they were just terrorists. Not Catholic Terrorists. Similarly, when the Jews were terrorising the British and the Arabs prior to the establishment of Israel, they too were also just terrorists and not Jewish Terrorists. Only the adherents were blamed, rather than implicitly condemning the entire religion by associating the word "Jewish" or "Catholic." This etiquette is rarely, if ever, adhered to when the scenario involves Muslims. Thus the struggle against imperial aggression (predominantly by the US and Israel) is termed as "Islamic Terrorism." It is no longer just terrorism.

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Further, every act is denied its political context. Thus Islam is tainted as being inherently violent. Hence, a Palestinian or an Iraqi resisting the occupation of their country is doing so, not because he feels occupied, dispossessed, and subjugated, but simply the hope of acquiring "72 virgins in paradise." If this were really the case then such behaviour would have been exhibited throughout the history of Islam across all Muslim communities. The armies of the US, Europe and Israel are usurping Muslims lands and resources with their cluster bombs, JDAMS and cruise missiles, yet these are portrayed as "peaceful missions." This is far from the truth, if we scrutinise the history and policies of these nations (US, Israel and Europe) we will find, that it is they that are acting in the norm with their oppressive neo-colonisation agenda.

The laws in the Islamic World, are often demonised, even though similar laws may also be present within Western societies. Capital punishment is an example of this duplicity, in Saudi Arabia it is a "barbaric Islamic Penal Code," but within the US, capital punishment is simply capital punishment. The intoxication of imperial and racist arrogance produces such overt, shameful, and hypocritical double standards.

The mass media has even attempted to attribute crimes to Islamic values and teachings by associating the word "Islam" and/or "Muslims" even though such crimes are diametrically opposed to Islam's teachings. As an example, crimes committed against women, be it in the form of a demanding marriage dowry from the bride's family, senseless beating of a wife by the husband, the throwing of acid in the faces of women, are all complete abominations of Islamic values and teachings. Recently in the UK a man murdered his liberal-minded daughter for allegedly not preserving her chastity. He was first projected as a Muslim, then as a Muslim Kurd. (Note: generally, the title 'Muslim' is almost never attributed to the Kurds, who are overwhelmingly Muslim, by the Western media). In the context of Iraq and Turkey, the Kurds are described ethnically devoid of their religious identity. Therefore, such dishonesty is astonishing considering the context of such crimes, which take place within a secular society, devoid of Islamic laws and values. These types of crimes are also found in many non-Islamic societies at a similar level, if not greater.

Manipulation of figures

The statistics are hidden if it is unfavourable to the society. Thus, giving the impression that unpleasant occurrences are still an exception rather then the norm. The epidemic rise in divorce rates, broken families, crime rates, illegitimate children, single parent families are issues, which are discussed in isolation. Similarly, the civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine are downplayed whilst we never tire of hearing about "the 3000 victims" of the World Trade Centre (a figure which incidentally is being constantly revised downwards). The "principle" being established is that the loss of any Western lives is totally unacceptable. In contrast, the victims of US/Israeli policy -- a figure that more often than not is very much larger in magnitude, is almost relegated to insignificance. Then comes the other trick of the trade -- percentages. A convenient tool to hide the actual scale of the crime. As many of the proponents of the war on terrorism are arguing that the percentage of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan is very low, when compared to previous wars in those countries. There is of course a great deal of difference between 5% of 500, or 5000. It seems that Western victims are portrayed as stories; the dead of others (non-Western) are viewed merely as statistics.

Distortion of history

At present an impression is being created that the Islamic world is inherently violent. Whilst the West is naturally peaceful (with its huge arsenal of lethal weapons and its economic and military expansionism, that has replaced hundreds of years of direct colonialism!). Please note that the two bloodiest wars in the 20th century started in Europe, not the Middle East. Historically, genocide was a key feature of Western conquest (see Aborigines, Native Americans etc.). Certain questions beg to be answered: Who has set the track record for creating and dropping nuclear weapons on civilians? Who has the track record for bombing civilians with chemical and biological weapons? Who has the track record for profiteering from the sale of lethal weapons, knowing that these horrendous weapons were being used primarily on civilians (Saddam Hussein's Iraq, being a prime example)? No such track record exists within 1500 years of Islamic civilisation. Yet it is the Islamic world that is somehow exceptionally violent. Another case in being is the recent trend of branding Muslims as "anti-Semites." This has reached epidemic proportions. It should be asked, was it Arabs that built the gas chambers, or instigated the Spanish Inquisition, or the pogroms? On the contrary, Jews lived in tranquillity alongside Muslims and Arabs for centuries. Franklin Graham (son of Billy), also an evangelist, wants Arabs and Muslims to accept the "right of the Jews over Palestine." Firstly, why should the Muslims accept the verdict of another religion? Secondly, isn't it ironic that whilst the US and Europe lectures the Islamic world on separating religion (read Islam) from politics, yet religion (here, read Christianity/Judaism) is used as the basis of supporting the claim of legitimacy for Israel? Lastly, if any other country based its legitimacy on religious texts, as have the Jews, these claims would have been derided at best.

Hence, by association, or manipulation of figures, or pure distortion of the facts, the Western mass media has changed the meaning of events and altered the perception of its viewers/readers. This is perpetrated against those whom it wishes to demonise, whilst favouring those whom it wishes to protect in line with preserving their interests.