Media Lens: Immoral Milestones

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Wed, 29 Sep 2004 23:17:41 +1000

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Rapid Response Alert - Immoral Milestones

 

 

 

MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media

 

September 29, 2004

 

 

RAPID RESPONSE MEDIA ALERT: IMMORAL MILESTONES

 

The Guardian Responds To Blair's Speech

 

 

Tony Blair's speech yesterday to the Labour Party Conference in

Brighton was " low-key, conversational and reasoned " the Guardian

informs us (Leader, September 29, 2004). And his " long-awaited apology

on Iraq, as far as it went, was a rightly well-received milestone in

his fragile rehabilitation with his critics " .

 

How nice. No matter that Blair lied about intelligence on WMD, ignored

security warnings about unleashing more terrorist attacks, and

deceived Parliament and the country over the nonsensical " serious and

current threat " posed by a strangled Third World nation. No matter

that he launched an illegal and immoral invasion and occupation that

has led to tens of thousands of violent and cruel deaths, untold

misery, further destabilised the Middle East, weakened the UN, and

increased the threat to Britons everywhere.

 

Even a neutral, albeit myopic, critic might conclude that Blair's

political judgement on Iraq – resulting in disaster heaped on failure

heaped on disaster - was an appalling blunder, sufficient to demand

his resignation. A more rational and humane critic must go further:

Blair ought to be tried for war crimes.

 

As for The Guardian? Well, clearly, it would rather remain part of

some grotesque agreement between reasonable gentlemen of the

establishment.

It wouldn't do for the paper to be +too+ critical.

 

Tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of injured and

grieving – a vast illegal act of mass murder. But for our `liberal'

press a vague gesture in the direction of an apology is a " milestone "

in Blair's rehabilitation. This is, itself, a milestone in moral

depravity – urbane, well-heeled and well-spoken – of the most lethal

kind.

 

 

SUGGESTED ACTION

 

The goal of Media Lens is to promote rationality, compassion and

respect for others. In writing letters to journalists, we strongly

urge readers to maintain a polite, non-aggressive and non-abusive tone.

 

Write to the editors below and ask them why they are not calling for

Blair's resignation and trial for war crimes.

 

Write to Guardian editor, Alan Rusbridger:

Email: alan.rusbridger

 

Write to Seumas Milne, Guardian comments section editor:

Email: seumas.milne

 

Please also send all emails to us at Media Lens:

Email: editor

 

Visit the Media Lens website: http://www.medialens.org

 

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