Scandalous Scoundrel Media Big Lies
by Stephen Lendman
They proliferate daily. Shameless propaganda substitutes for hard truths.
it mocks legitimate journalism. It fronts for power. It does so reprehensibly. It betrays readers and viewers in the process.
It exceeds the worst of Cold War misinformation. It increases chances for global conflict. It drives things unconscionably toward it.
Sunshine is the best disinfectant. On May 4, RT International did responsible fact-checking. “MSM uncertain who is behind deadly Odessa blaze,” it said.
Hard evidence omits doubt. Video footage delivers clarity. Not according to scoundrel media liars. RT put it this way, saying:
“Despite clear evidence that the pro-Kiev radicals set Odessa’s House of Trade Unions ablaze on Friday killing dozens, the mainstream media (are) being ambiguous about the causes of the tragedy.”
Misinformation proliferates. Hard truths are buried. “(A)ssigning blame to those who actually set the building on fire” is ignored.
MSM sources were scandalously unreliable. They remain so. Kiev’s version of events was featured. Victims were blamed for neo-Nazi Right Sector crimes.
According to media scoundrels, “the House of Trade Unions just caught fire.” A sort of Immaculate Conception arson.
Ignited on its own without triggering. It just happened on its own.
No human involvement. No accelerant used. No truth claiming it.
On Saturday, Sky News said:
“At some stage yesterday – and it still unclear exactly how this started – but there were rival pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian protests here.”
“It led to fierce street clashes, which culminated in a huge fire in a building last night.”
According to Fox News:
“Violence is escalating in Ukraine. Police in normally calm Odessa say a clash between pro-Russians and government supporters led to a fire that killed at least 31 people.”
At around midday Saturday during lunch break, this writer heard Fox News blame Russian special forces.
Thousands of Eastern Ukrainians asked Putin for help. According to Fox News, they asked Kiev for protection against Russia.
Independent video footage clearly showed pro-Kiev extremists throwing Molotov cocktails into the Trade Unions House.
Odessa activists were trapped inside. Media scoundrel ambiguity buried truth. BBC notoriously fronts for power. Britain owns and operates it.
Propaganda substitutes for real news, information and analysis. It cited Kiev’s regional Interior Ministry misinformation. It did so like gospel.
The ministry “did not give details of how the blaze started,” it said. “(T)he exact sequence of events is still unclear,” it claimed.
It lied saying so. Doing so is official BBC policy.
Reuters maintained ambiguity. It said “a pro-Kiev march was ambushed, petrol bombs, stones, explosive devices were thrown, police soon lost control and the building was later set on fire.”
CNN long ago fell from grace. It matches the worst of Fox News. It lied claiming it’s “unclear exactly what may have caused” the Odessa blaze.
Belatedly when it was too late to matter, it suggested Kiev supporters’ responsibility.
Big Lies make headlines. Similar ones repeat. Belated hard truths aren’t reported.
Sometimes they’re buried after the fact in virtual print footnotes in print or on-air sound bites too insignificant to matter.
Doing so barely gets notice. Big Lies resonate beyond when reported. Readers and viewers are scandalously misinformed. Doing so is longstanding scoundrel media policy.
The New York Times notoriously fronts for power. It’s Ukraine articles, commentaries and editorials bury hard truths.
On May 3, It headlined “Ukraine Presses Pro-Russian Militants After Fighting Spreads to a Port City.”
It lied calling Eastern Ukrainian activists “militants.” Saying so equates them with combatants.
They’re ordinary people. They want their legitimate rights respected. They’re fighting for freedom. They deserve worldwide support.
Time rubbish denigrates them. A same day article headlined “Behind the Masks in Ukraine, Many Faces of Rebellion.”
It replicated its other article misinformation. It called a civilian self-defense leader a “shadowy paramilitary.”
It questioned his motives. They’re “murky,” it said. They’re crystal clear.
At stake is freedom or virtual slavery. If fighting for what’s right isn’t important, what is?
The Times ludicrously called Ukraine’s conflict “complex.” It’s Obama latest imperial adventure.
It’s a pretext for targeting Russia. It’s to eliminate a major rival. Don’t expect The Times to explain.
It fronts for what demands denunciation. It marches in lockstep with imperial lawlessness. It’s mindless of fundamental rights. Wealth, power and privilege alone matter.
A same day Times editorial headlined “President Obama and the World,” saying:
He’s “the kind of foreign policy president most Americans and their allies overseas respect.” Recent polls show “most Americans” reject his foreign policy.
They’re sick and tired of perpetual wars. They want them ended. They want domestic policies addressed. They want America out of Afghanistan. They want no US Ukraine involvement.
Times editors ludicrously called Obama “a transformational leader.” His so-called “new strategy for a new world” risks armageddon.
He deplores diplomacy. He craves conflict. He waged multiple direct and proxy wars since day one in office. They continue. He’s got more in mind.
“A lot is riding on (his) ability to lead,” said Times editors. They irresponsibly accused Putin of “gobbl(ing) up more of Ukraine.” Truth-telling isn’t their long suit.
London Guardian misreporting is scandalous. Irresponsible sources are cited. A neo-Nazi Right Sector thug was quoted saying:
“The(ir) aim is to completely clear Odessa” and other Eastern Ukrainian cities of pro-Russians. “They are all paid Russian separatists,” he said.
This and similar Big Lies repeat a malicious false narrative. Anti-Kiev activists are pro-Russian puppets, it’s claimed. They’re “militants.” They’re insurrectionists.They’re “terrorists.”
They’re ordinary people fighting for rights everyone deserves. Not according to scoundrel media liars.
Vilifying them continues daily. Illegitimate fascist putschists are supported. So is might over right.
Self-defense forces leader Denis Pushilin spoke publicly. He called Odessa’s massacre unimaginable “on our land, on Russian land.”
A man listening to him said Stalin should be resurrected to fight “Nazis.” He left no doubt which ones he meant.
They’re in Kiev. They infest Washington. One fascist regime supports another.
They threaten more than Ukraine. Europe is at risk. So is humanity if America’s rage for unchallenged global dominance isn’t stopped.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.
http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour