Re: [A-List] 'When will genocide end?'

["Anne Williamson" <annewilliamson@xxxxxxx>]

Tony -

Unlike Chris, I am not yet prepared to assume your excellent letter will not
be published.  As a regular reader of The Spectator, I can say I have read
many, many scathing letters of criticism that they have published, and
therefore I hope for the best.  I'll keep an eye out for yours, of course,
but please do keep us informed as to your letter's fate. -A.

----- Original Message -----
From: <bar@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "The A-List" <a-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2004 12:16 PM
Subject: Re: [A-List] 'When will genocide end?'


>
> Real good but I think you will have to post as a "they refused to post
> this".   But it should be published. Nobody else is saying this obious
> fact yet.
>
> Chris
>
> > ...Any bets on whether they'll publish it?
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: tony black
> > To: letters@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 2:40 PM
> > Subject: 'When will genocide end?'
> >
> >
> > To the editors:
> >
> > In last Saturday's edition the Spectator ran an editorial bemoaning the
> > seemingly endless procession of 'genocides' that have afflicted
> > (especially) the last hundred years or so of world history. This
> > world-weary sentiment clearly in response to the  recently publicized
> > human rights abuses committed in Iraq by American forces. When, it
asked,
> > will it all end?
> >
> > Let me proffer a partial answer by first reminding the Spectator that in
> > the weeks and months following 9/11 the Spec gave vent to such a
sustained
> > and grotesque outpouring of American jingoism, martial ardour and
> > patriotic mass hysteria as to (in conjunction with the corporate media
> > continent wide) create the very conditions for the prosecution of not
one,
> > but two illegal and immoral wars of aggression. Two lawless wars that
have
> > fostered, inevitably, two lawless and brutal occupations.
> >
> > And yet the media now feign both surprise (as they did following the
> > 'revelation' that Iraq harboured no WMD) and disgust at the results.
> >
> > It was representative then that the Spec at that time (Sept./01), having
> > published most of my previous article submissions, declined at this
> > 'sensitive' moment to print an essay I submitted critiquing not only the
> > mass hysteria they had created, but which also foreshadowed in almost
> > every particular the likely consequences of the opportunistic 'policies'
> > of Bush & Co. (i.e. the trashing of civil liberties, the attempt to cow
> > and suppress critics of economic 'globalization', the cynical use of
9/11
> > as a pretext for American military expansionism, the destabilization of
> > world security in a nuclear age etc.).
> >
> > It is further worthy of note that my friends and family were actually
> > frightened enough given the media-inspired climate of hysteria and
> > fear...not from foreign 'terrorists' mind you, but from state security
> > forces...to warn me against submitting the piece!
> >
> > As Hermann Goering once said,
> >
> > "Voice or  no voice, the people can always be brought to do the bidding
of
> > the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are
being
> > attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and
exposing
> > the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
> >
> > So when will it all end? Certainly not before the mainstream media, on
> > which the 'people' are supposed to depend for real information, are
> > transformed into institutions capable of delivering, on the fundamental
> > issues of the day, something other than mere state 'manufactured
consent'
> > and elitist propaganda.
> >
> > At the very least, not before that....
> >
> > Antony Black
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>