There were once underground newspapers, the alternative media that most people ignored, or weren't even aware of. Those are gone … today, we have "the social" to serve that purpose.
Eleven years ago, in 2014, Israel invaded Gaza in a major war that resulted in the deaths of 73 Israelis (mostly soldiers) and 2,251 Palestinians (mostly civilians). The invasion resulted in "unprecedented" destruction, damaging 25% of homes in Gaza city. (2014 Gaza War)
The Israeli attack on Gaza in 2014 provided a very good example of how mainstream media propaganda divides Americans.
On the one hand, in 2014 we heard non-stop propaganda (the western mainstream media) claiming Israel's military was "defending" Israel from rockets fired from Gaza, while the social media portrayed a completely different reality, in which the Israelis killed some 2,000 civilians, indiscriminately, hundreds of them children, while those Hamas rocket attacks had killed, on average, fewer than 3 people in each of the preceding ten years (which was true). [source].
"Disproportionate response" doesn't come close to describing what happened in Gaza, eleven years ago. It was an obscenity; it was a crime against humanity. And it's happening again. Now.
Deaths preceding the current Israeli invasion of Gaza.
67,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed since.
It was eleven years ago that I remember being surprised by the attitudes of people my own age (I was 57) who used television as the main source for "news" and largely believed the propaganda. It was a stark contrast to the young people I knew (from my workplace) who looked beyond those lies and judged the facts from reporters on the scene, from victims and witnesses and graphic videos of the Israeli rocket attacks, reported directly through the social media; images and video that obviously gave the lie to mainstream media reports. And, in polls, it was young Americans, those aged 18-29, who rejected the false narrative of Israeli "defense".
There were once underground newspapers, the alternative media that most people ignored, or weren't even aware of. Those are gone … today, we have the "social media" platforms to serve that purpose. Use them.
Eleven years ago, I found it thoroughly gratifying, not just to see Israel exposed for what it is, but to see the social media eclipse the mainstream media in that conflict. Nothing has changed in eleven years; except that I no longer have any optimism for the future.
Oh, we're fucked, alright. Wanna tell me that I'm wrong? Don't waste your time. Instead, why not turn off that tv and start clearing away the cobwebs of deception?
Charles
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