"A huge lie repeated often enough is accepted as truth." — Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister PRIMER-Connecticut "Unanswered media bias and misinformation repeated often enough is accepted as truth." — PRIMER
"If we showed flexibility on these issues the peace agreement would have been signed a long time ago." — Palestinian Authority chair Mahmoud Abbas, October 15, 2010, explaining that it was his own intransigence on the core issues that was keeping the conflict alive.

About PRIMER-Connecticut

Promoting Responsibility in Middle East Reporting in Other States

Resources for Activists

PRIMER's Ten Points of Media Bias

PRIMER's Letter to the Editor Guidelines

Making Online Comments

Comment and Analysis

Newspaper Contact Information

Spokespersons

Trend Reports

Annual Media Reviews

Other PRIMER Activities

Alert PRIMER

Subscribe to PRIMER's Email Alerts

Joining PRIMER-Connecticut

Members

The PRIMER Blog

Let us at the very least get the correct information?

GS Don Morris, Ph.D.

Interesting how the media is slowly introducing us to the "humanitarian" side of Hezbollah. No I am not exaggerating, I have watched several reports in the last 4 days, here in Europe and the Middle East, that appear to be making the case for Hezbollah. They all begin with the same type of introduction, Hezbollah ,masked men brandishing firearms, shooting into the air and soon they transition into the "human side" of the organization Hezbollah.

What do we know today?

Most of you reading this piece already know these details. I do have some questions for you. Do not each of the government's parties represent the government's policies? If, as the Lebanese Prime Minister said recently, he and his cabinet knew nothing of Hezbollah's intentions and resultant war actions, what reasonable government would not expel this party? If the government feared expulsion, why did it not invoke any of several international laws and request for immediate international action against Hezbollah? Is it not fair to say that Lebanon must bear the full responsibility of all of its governmental parties and if you do not accept this? Why not? Do you think for a moment that the USA would accept the Republican Party bolting from the stated international policies of the USA and kidnaping two Canadian soldiers while firing hundreds of rockets onto the Canadian civilian population? Why does the international community not hold the attacker and attacker's suppliers, Iran and Syria, accountable? Why does the media gloss over these kinds of questions ?

Hezbollah has evolved from its first days and it has been very clever as it has mutated and now has not only a political wing, it has the all important social component necessary for a terrorist group to survive in today's world. They know that it takes more than a militia or even a military to win today. One must win the hearts,the minds and the very souls of the people you purport to defend. One must be able to recruit new members-everyone who belongs to some organization understands this fundamental need. It is equally imperative that you create a structure that invites, supports and nurtures members of all ages-this sustains a social group's stability and ability to grow. Finally, this entire structure must be grounded in a fundamental belief structure and this structure must be reinforced daily. So how did all of the preceding occur? Simple, with the help of outside financiers, Iran, the social structure has been put into place.

We know this:

There is no better way to enhance growth in an organization than by offering free medical life services as well as establish an economic structure that ensures money into the members' pockets. Hezbollah has done this for the Shia people of southern Lebanon what the government could not do. Yet, they knew that this was not enough to sustain its growth over a long period of time. What was the missing component for Hezbollah to retain its membership and actually put into motion membership growth across all demographics?

This we know:

If you control all forms of the media from newsprint to video to radio, you can control the minds, hearts, souls and spirit of a people. You do not concern yourself with honesty in reporting, actually this concept flies in the face of one's objectives-to create a large group of people who believe that everything western is evil (except the technology that helps get this message out) and that death for their cause is greater than life on this earth. Imagine the power of shaping opinions and then ensuring that consensus abounds with regards to implementation of policies. Imagine if you controlled everything your children were taught, were told? This is what happens in the schools run by Hezbollah-they are taught to hate and despise-imagine two generations raised with this model-now you can better understand what we face in Israel. If it is true that they have operatives around the world, then so do you have to be ready for their terror actions.

Finally, what do we think:

Japan, Germany and other countries had social systems designed to help the lives of their citizens. Did we excuse the militant actions when they attacked simply because, they really are more than a terrorist group? Any thoughtful, honest, caring person would agree that when a country is attacked by anyone who publicly declares it wants your demise, social programs or not, we shall return fire, we shall make you realize the huge mistake you just made. Until a group understands that they cannot win, that there is nothing in it for them by continuing to fight or until they are soundly beaten, war,death and destruction will not cease. In the history of the modern world, this is what changes a group's behavior. You want peace as much as we do-then have the courage and the wisdom to support us and/or do what we are willing to do-appeasement has NEVER produced long term results even though it makes many feel good. It is this action that actually contributes to many more dying than ever had to-time for many to step down from their ill-conceived plans of "peace".

End Note

1. Thanks to Wikipedia online-2006.



For more information about PRIMER-Connecticut, send email to info@primerct.org

Today is Friday, March 29, 2024. Printer Friendly Page