http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=65244&d=12&m=6&y=2005
Sunday, 12, June, 2005 (05, Jumada al-Ula, 1426)
Arab Media: Our Faith, Their Lies
Dr. Khaled Batarfi, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
When the "Voice of Arabs" radio told us triumphantly in the
1960s that Nasser's Egypt had the strongest army in the region and could throw
Israel in the sea if they choose to, we believed. When young, revolutionary,
the Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi promised to be the unifier of the Arab
world after the death of Nasser, we believed. When Baathists and Arab
nationalists carried the "One Arab nation with eternal message" slogan, we
believed.
Then came "Alnakbah" (the disaster) of June 5, 1967, when the
one army of Israel destroyed not only the "mighty" Egyptian Army but also the
Jordanian and Syrian. The Egyptian radio went on with the lies for days.
According to the famous anchor Ahmad Said and his colleagues, the Israeli Air
Force was losing tens of aircraft daily. This was when most Egyptian jet
fighters were destroyed on the ground as though they were sitting ducks. The
Egyptian media also claimed that American and British aircraft had joined the
Israelis. Needless to say, all were sheer lies.
Many of us knew better afterward. Still, too many continued
to believe, even today.
The Arab media kept telling us that all our troubles are due
to Zionist conspiracies. They explained to us that we had to prepare for the
liberation of Arab occupied lands. Sacrifices had to be made. Freedom,
democracy, economic prosperity, good education and all kind of luxuries had to
wait. Many believed. Many were skeptical. And as the wait got longer, the
prison larger, the civilization gap with the rest of the world wider, more
started to get skeptical. Resentment followed.
The new generation, born in a different world, was the most
restless. They want to live like their peers in other parts of the world.
Satellite TV, the Internet and other modern communication tools gave them an
open, unfiltered window. They could see that what they lack others take for
granted: Market-oriented training, secured, rewarding jobs, a wife and a home.
Some expects even more: Travel, entertainment and (why not?) a car. They resent
the military draft. They hate having to serve years in draconic conditions with
little or no pay. It feels worse when they see that the rich and powerful can
evade it.
The Arab conscious is getting more and more sophisticated and
wise. The state media is not. They still sell the same lies and try their best
to make us believe them. They want us to believe that some Arab leaders are
re-elected because their nations have no better men or women for the job. Arab
governments are doing like no other for their people. Our education is the
best. Our democratic system is the envy of the world. Security is great not
because most Arabs live under police regimes and emergency laws, but because of
our wise, strong and honest leaders.
Besides, who said we are poor? Look at Somalia and Liberia
and see how lucky we are! Better times are coming. We only need to be patient
and work with the government to fight corruption and build a better society.
Praise our leaders and pray for them to survive the challenges and win over the
enemies and live long enough to get us all into heaven on earth. So don't
listen to the lies our enemies are spreading. Accusation of corruption, lousy
management and nepotism are all baseless. Let's stand together united with our
leadership to prove to the envious world that we are truly one, united, strong
Arab family.
Then came the Internet and Satellite TV. Then came CNN, BBC
and Al-Jazeerah. Others followed and suddenly the truth can't hide behind the
smiley anchors' faces anymore. The public eye and mind went past the newsroom
curtain and the Dear Leader's portraits to rich sources of information and
explanations. So what the media answer would be?
Surprise, surprise! More lies, more going. No one believes?
Who cares! There is a whole industry of perception manufacturing. Where would
all these people go? How would this entire infrastructure be dismantled? Better
leave things as they are, hoping somebody, somewhere still have faith.
Meanwhile, the elite will continue to benefit, the flaws will
still be there, and the ship will go on sinking. The people's knowledge of the
truth will grow larger, their patience will get thinner, and the pot will be
more and more boiling. The inevitable big bang will happen ... soon enough.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppi-india.org
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