By Timothy V. Gatto
January 07, 2009 “Information Clearinghouse”
I was preparing for my radio show after watching CBS News with Katie Couric. I already knew that my show was to be about Gaza and the hostilities there. As I read the different stories I became increasingly angry. Why is half of the story always left out of the American Mainstream Media? If I were only getting my news from the MSM, I would believe that Hamas started everything by raining down missiles on hapless Israeli citizens. Is that what some of you reading this believe?
Let me set the record straight. The UN fact finding mission to Gaza has a different story. The people of Gaza (and not just Hamas) have been enduring a blockade on three sides and a navel blockade on their Mediterranean coast. This is a violation of International Law and a blockade is considered to be an act of war by International standards. This means that Israel has been effectively waging war against the Gaza Strip since last September when they were supposedly adhering to a six-month ceasefire. People in Gaza ran short of medical supplies, food and fuel. This was uncalled for and Israel was the prime aggressor. Every time the Security Council tried to deal with this problem the United States cast a veto on any sanctions against Israel.
The people of Israel need to rise up and change their government. The constant state of war that they wage against the Palestinian people is starting to grate on the nerves of those that know the truth. France and Germany have issued formal protests against Israel, but as long as the United States gives them Carte Blanc to wage a war of aggression and gives them billions in military aid every year, the Israelis turn a deaf ear on sanctions and protests. They march to the tune of a different drummer, the same drummer that played for the Nazis’ in WWII.
Americans must realize that our media is not telling the entire truth, not only about Israel and Gaza, but just about every international event. The media actually twists the truth to correlate with the State Department on foreign affairs. This gives the illusion that America is always on God’s side, and supports the “good fight”. Nothing could be further from the truth. The United States supports any country that can further their mindless wars against Islam and Arabs. When will this stop?
This situation will only correct itself when Americans are offered the truth when it comes to international events. We must demand that the networks and newspapers stop spreading government propaganda and start reporting the truth. Meanwhile if you really want the truth, start reading your news from the internet. This is the last bastion of truth that the people of America have. In every year that passes, our mainstream media becomes more and more like “The Ministry of Truth” in 1984. Those that get their news from the internet realize this and are not happy about it. It is so easily observed in conversations with those that get their news from the mainstream media. The difference in opinion between those that know the full story and those that prefer to “trust” the commercial media is like the difference between night and day. How long did it take to learn that Russia did not attack Georgia first, but that Georgia attacked Russian peacekeepers first with a rocket barrage? There are some Americans out there that STILL think the Russians started that little confrontation. This was a perfect example where the truth was abandoned for political gain. The President-elect and the Vice President-elect both warned about “Russian aggression” at the Democratic National Convention. Frankly, I don’t like to be taken for a sucker.
The American people have a choice. They can continue to ingest government propaganda until they don’t understand the difference between the reality and fiction, or they can demand that the media report the truth and not US Government “spin”.
Timgatto@hotmail.com –http://liberalpro.blogspot.com
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see
Dennis Kucinich and Eliot Engel: 2 congressman with very different views
Send a message to the new Congress asking for a ceasefire (action alert)
Jewish Peace News: Media and the war on Gaza
Dandelion Salad 
One possible solution might be a day or a week of boycotting all western news media (newspaper, radio, TV). A cry for fair, accurate, and unbiased reporting for the people…
Lou, only a day or a week? I NEVER turn on the TV and don’t buy any newspapers, rarely read mainstream/corporate media online only when someone else suggests a particular story. There are far too many other credible, reliable sources online for the news.
How do we change this situation? How can the media be persuaded back into a position of honesty, integrity and courage in fair and balanced reporting?
I have never been so appalled at the sorry state of western journalism as I am now. If I want to know anything about what is going on in the world, especially now with the horrific situation in Gaza, I have to go to foreign news outlets. The quality of reporting by American journalists is truly abysmal. They are biased, inaccurate, and fail to ask important questions and report pertinent facts. They are a disgrace, and yet the people watch these crappy news shows and read these sorry excuses for newspapers.
Points well taken; however, no effective solution is offer for changing the situation. Sure: get your news from the internet. That’s fine for a fewof us, but it ain’t going to happen for the great public.