In the midst of this all-out media and web blitz on the Gaza crisis, I'm feeling a bit confused. While my outrage at the tragic events is self-explanatory, I have an additional nagging feeling - a feeling that I'm being manipulated emotionally. And not just me, but the whole lot of us.
I'm incapable of putting into words the horror of what's going on in Gaza. It's truly maddening. But then again, how is the suffering there any more worthier of our attention than the horrors in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Congo, Darfur, and so on?
How come Al-Jazeera English is broadcasting non-stop from Israel, Palestine, and Egypt with what seems like their entire crew of reporters, while nary a whisper is coming from the other hot spots around the world? Even when the humanitarian crisis in DR Congo was the main news story, they only had one or two reporters assigned to it.
The same goes for CNN International and BBC News.
If it's a pro-Israel bias (which CNN and BBC may be accused of), then one would assume that less coverage of the one-sided affair would be better for the Israeli cause. Not really sure what their agenda is...
I'm actually more upset with the likes of Al-Jazeera. Are they giving it such serious airtime because it's the Holy Land? Or maybe because it's Jews massacring Muslims?
Don't get me wrong. I love Al-Jazeera English for the amazing coverage of stories that never get the light of day in the rest of the media world, especially their unparalleled reporting from South America and Africa.
I'm just not comfortable with the extreme media coverage being given to this issue. Something just doesn't feel natural. I feel like I'm being agitated and poked and prodded to become angry, hopeless, enraged, frustrated, heartbroken, helpless, maddened.
And my other beef is with us, for the gluttony in coverage has brought about a gluttony in reaction. Again, don't get me wrong - it's very heartening to see all these efforts taking place in support of Palestine - fundraising, protests, boycotts, etc. But doesn't it seem like we're simply pandering to the media and its high level of coverage? I feel we've become a Pavlovian people who upon hearing the ringing of the media's bell immediately begin salivating with cries of rage and calls to action.
Am I the only one thinking this?
WAW
3 days ago
24 comments:
No, I don't think you're alone.
Naeem
I think the coverage blitz is always asymmetrical when Israel is involved due to the likely reason that most of it is utter propaganda. Being propaganda, the need is for wide-spread acceptance of a single point-of-view: Israel is the victim. With reality so apparent that Israel is the bully, a LOT of anti-reality propaganda needs to be issued. The feelings you describe are exactly what is supposed to happen. For in most cases, people feeling those feelings end up unable to sort through them and therefore become inert; unable to act or even make reason of the contradictory bits that become a swirl of confusion. The easy answer becomes: Who knows what/who is right? That result is a victory for Zionism.
good point...
now i'm even more confused than before reading this post...
Saqib
Assalamu Alaikum,
Someone brought up a similar point on our local muslim email list and got eviscerated. I do think it's worthy of discussion, but I'm waiting until after this current crisis has abated, lest I also get ripped a new one.
It's an Arab issue and it concerns the Holy Land. I think that's why. Arabs automatically make it any Arab issue a Muslim issue .
But in the end of it, Israeli atrocities go on with the active help of the West (USA).
are you implying that the media coverage is a ploy to entice the muslims to do something drastic in retaliation? because thats what i think.
Sensationalist media...it's good for ratings...even Rupert Murdoch supported Obama because "Obama will sell more papers"...
Oh and the only reason I'm posting is because I wanted to publicly declare that my blog is NOT dead...I'm an artiste...and I am making a statement...it's not my fault that the unintelligent masses (which includes your big jolly head) cannot comprehend the genius of it...
No, you are not alone. I agree with everything you said
Naeem, don't be silly! OF COURSE you're not alone. What are you, an island?
Anyway, the human mind is very fickle. We forget easily, i.e. why we are insaan!
In any case, make duaa people!!! Send money [via readily approved charities of course], boycott, protest or whatever, but just don't ignore it as if it isn't happening. That's what happens when confusion takes over.
Israel has manipulated world opinion for so long, I think al-Jazeera thinks it is their responsibility to try to present the other side. Sometimes I do think they go a little overboard, letting the reporters present their opinions instead of just letting the people they are interviewing do it. But I am surprised that you are criticizing the English channel, which still has some regular programming and world news, as opposed to the Arabic channel, which is all Gaza, all the time these days.
As for why the BBC and other channels give it so much coverage, I think it is because it is such a long-standing problem that has the potential to spawn wider conflicts.
Perhaps with Al Jazeera English, you could also just say that it is a case of supply and demand. There are so many Palestinians all over the world that are anxious to know every detail of what is going on. I know everyone here in the West bank is finding it hard to tear themselves away from the TV these days.
Salaam,
Good post. I think AlJazeera does a pretty good job, I think they are the relatively few who are covering all hot spots. They also had a unique perspective to give because they are the only ones that have reporters in Gaza as Israel is blocking access to Gaza.
I think it has something also to do with the fact that Israel is such a major power, with the 4th largest army in the world and military industrial complex.
I too agree though that the human loss of all and the terrible conflicts going on in Darfur, Congo and other places need to be given more attention especially by Muslims aside from AlJazeera.
I don't think this is a manufactured or manipulated rage, I think this is true and honest. The disparity here in coverage and history is quite real and in that sense AlJazeera is a necessary corrective to the general bias of the news media that has existed for the longest.
Hmm...
-The Muslim Kid-
As one who has worked for an international humanitarian no un based agency and one who write about Darfur it does amaze - I wonder who picks which lives and suffering children are worthy of our time.
Salaam
I must say, I am very disappointed to read this post, Brother.
The situation in Gaza has wide ranch impact around the world, from the up-coming UN anti-racism conference and human rights, to the situation in Darfur (the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) headquarter lies in Tel Aviv), to the plundering in Congo (who do you think owns De Bears?).
I do want to write more, but don't have time to do it now
Salaam
as'salamu Aleikum all,
Very important!!
Click here
http://www.israel-stop.com/en
Check out FB. That's all there is on FB all the time. I dug out old posts and put them up again because I can't sleep in the nights thinking about Gaza ad that's all I was writing about.
@Steven, Not sure I agree with everything you said. So the over-coverage by Jazeera is designed to counter the pro-Israeli bias found in all the other media outlets?? Can't say I'm convinced that Jazeera's coverage is based on such petty reasoning.
@Rahma, not sure why such a view should lead to such denunciation. I say we challenge this perspective NOW. I find its best to point out a fault in the midst of it being enacted - if the person is willing to partake in serious self-reflection. Otherwise, the person will lash out like you experienced.
@Mezba, "It's an Arab issue and it concerns the Holy Land. I think that's why. Arabs automatically make it any Arab issue a Muslim issue."
If its the Arab part, then how come the Iraq war didn't get the same full-force reaction. It must be the fact that its Palestine.
@Anon, "are you implying that the media coverage is a ploy to entice the muslims to do something drastic in retaliation? because thats what i think."
No, I don't necessarily think Muslims are being goaded into some sort of illegal action. I think its like what MrEspy wrote - its a hyper-emotional issue which brings in ratings and viewers. However...
@MrEspy, "Sensationalist media...it's good for ratings...even Rupert Murdoch supported Obama because "Obama will sell more papers"..."
That logic may work with corporate media outlets like Fox, CNN, etc., but Jazeera is privately financed. They have no need to boost ratings for ad money.
@Ajnabiya, "As for why the BBC and other channels give it so much coverage, I think it is because it is such a long-standing problem that has the potential to spawn wider conflicts."
Valid point. But again, the conflicts in Africa have much greater human casualty totals than anything in the Mid-East.
"Perhaps with Al Jazeera English, you could also just say that it is a case of supply and demand. There are so many Palestinians all over the world that are anxious to know every detail of what is going on."
If that's the case, there are so many more Pakistanis around the world, so they should have even more coverage of Pakistan, no?
@MTAkbar, "They also had a unique perspective to give because they are the only ones that have reporters in Gaza as Israel is blocking access to Gaza."
True, and they may be trying to capitalize on that advantage by milking that special coverage.
"I don't think this is a manufactured or manipulated rage, I think this is true and honest."
Why is it true and honest? Based on basic moral values, no one life is more important than another. So what makes this tragedy more worthy of our rage than the one in Country XYZ, where more people are dying and suffering?
@Cooper, "I wonder who picks which lives and suffering children are worthy of our time."
Exactly!
@Gess, "I must say, I am very disappointed to read this post, Brother."
I would sincerely like to hear your perspective. You bring a very intelligent balance of emotions and logic to your posts, so I'm very interested in hearing your counter-opinion.
Achelois, "Check out FB. That's all there is on FB all the time."
Not sure what you're referring to?
Great post. You make a lot of sense. It would be nice if we had this kind of outrage for every injustice in the world including those in Africa.
FB = facebook
On facebook, there are groups, either supporting Israel or Gaza, all of them with thousands upon thousands of members.
I have also seen two types of "statuses" being donated.
Muslims' status:
Ryan reports 821 murdered by Israel in Gaza (more than 230 children & 100 women) & 3350 injured. Donate your status : http://apps.facebook.com/supportgaza/.
Jews' status:
QassamCount: 3 additional Hamas rockets hit Israel. Total today: 33. Total since the year 2000: 8706. Donate your status: http://qassamcount.com/fb.
There are also hundreds on both sides who have changed their profile picture to an Israeli flag or a Tzahal logo, while others have in bright letters "Support Gaza", and arabic slogans which I can only assume mean approximately the same.
I am an African and we have wars here in Africa, what is happening in Palastine is worst than our wars. We have a place to run to but they don't. I ask Allah to help the defenseless Palastinians. Oh, Allah protect them from the Israelis misiles, diseases; hypocrites, spies. Oh Allah help their wounded, detainees and captives. Oh, Allah make Shaheed those who died in the bombardment and killings. Oh, Allah provide them with provisions and make them patient. Oh, Allah protect the orphans and widows and make them straight on your path. Oh, Allah, We cannot help them but you can. Ameen
Naeem,
If you feel manipulated you can change the channel akhee or turn off the T.V. :-)
"Why is it true and honest? Based on basic moral values, no one life is more important than another. So what makes this tragedy more worthy of our rage than the one in Country XYZ, where more people are dying and suffering?"
Every human sufferring is worthy of our attention, anger and rage.
Of course one doesn't take precedence over the other and to be consistent with our principles we have to universally fight all oppression everywhere. "If one part of the Ummah hurts then the whole Ummah hurts."
However each conflict should be analyzed and judged on its history and that's when you will see why people are so emotional or vested in it while others I think are engaging in this conversation of feeling manipulated which might be a result of fatigue and exhaustion. (sorry for the run-on)
Manipulation entails that this rage is somehow inauthentic or co-erced and this is not the case. As Fanon wrote rage is one of the symptoms of colonization, and we are as much colonized as our brothers in Afghanistan, Iraq or Palestine - at least mentally.
The factors involved here are Colonialism, Imperialism and Genocide which makes it quite singular. DarFur is a Civil War of Muslims killing Muslims and doesn't deal with an outsider Colonizing. The Congo is also a Civil War in which Congolese are killing one another. The conflicts are relatively new in the conscious of most especially in the West where scant coverage is given to the reality of the situation on the ground. Again I have to give it up to AlJazeera for actually going beyond most any other news organization in covering this and I think this is the reason that for the most part they are quite different than other news sources.
I doubt in the end anyone will be pleased with any reporting or coverage and there will always be someone to criticize which is important but needs a dose of prespective as well. The Israel-Palestine conflict has taken an existential place in the narratives of the civilizations and is also seen as the root cause of many other conflicts and grievances.
As far as AlJazeera milking their coverage I dont see why not since they are the only ones in Gaza due to Israeli censorship and Media Blitzkreig.
-MT
And Kashmir too!
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