Most recently two people in our world were critically injured. One has died and the other remains in critical condition. Sincere sympathies to the family of Natasha Richardson. She was a movie actress who fell in a skiing accident, and well known in the international media. The fate of the other person - Tristan Anderson, an American who was shot by the Israeli army for his non-violent protest of the Israeli separation wall, remains uncertain. The reason I mention these sad incidents is this: while the international media covered Natasha Richardson day after day from the moment she was injured, the coverage of young Tristan's suffering and political stand goes on with virtually no coverage what so ever from the American media. WHY?
The " news" that we receive here in the United States from newspapers, television, and even the internet remains critically flawed. Its' selective coverage is embarrassing at best and detrimental to a society's mental and spiritual health. It reminds one of a futuristic novel in which the government/media control the information that people get to such an extent that creative, original thought has all but disappeared.
Our response to such biased reporting must be one of thoughtful questioning, and rigorous research into the reasons and effects. Further we must continually call for a change ( remember -the Yes , We Can slogan) in our media structure and funding sources. Who funds our major media outlets and what biases are being promoted through these corporations?
Life in Israel/Palestine is of utmost importance to us all. The suffering of the people there is something we should know a great deal about. Our media gets a failing grade on their reporting on real life there and especially on the life of Palestinians who have lived for so many years under the controlling occupation of the Israeli government/military.
We recently passed the 6th anniversary of the death of Rachel Corrie, a young American who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer as she tried to prevent it from demolishing a house in Gaza.
How much did we hear about this? Again, nothing. Why the silence. If she was a movie star or a prominent politician perhaps then we might begin to value her life, and her death. Enough.
However we can, let's do speak out and call for honesty and courage in the way we think about this world. It's risky and there will be plenty of opposition. So what!
Remembering Natasha, Tristian, and Rachel...
Stefan Andre
We are as the flute, and the music in us is from Thee; we are as the mountain and the echo in us is from Thee.
