Blind to Injustice

Almost 11 years ago, the events now referred to as 9/11 shook America and most of the rest of the world.

(MANAMA, Bahrain) - Much of the public seems blind to the truth of major events and issues that have long needed to be addressed openly.

* The injustice of the occupation suffered by the Palestinians

* The doubts about the 9/11 commission findings

* The under-reporting of child sexual abuse

* The cover-up of Israel's attack on the USS Liberty

* The lies about who holds power in a democracy

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

Palestinians have been subjected to Israeli terrorism and colonial rule for more than six decades.

Israeli historian Ilan Pappe briefly describes what the victims suffer while the rulers rejoice:

"Beginning with the ethnic cleansing of 80 percent of Palestine in 1948, and Israel’s occupation of the remaining 20 percent of the land in 1967, Palestinians in Israel are now enclaved in mega-prisons, bantustans, and besieged cantons, and singled out through discriminatory policies."

Pappe reminds us that the peace process "has only increased the number of Israeli settlements in Palestine, from less than 10 percent of Palestine in 1936 to over 90 per cent of the country today."

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

Almost 11 years ago, the events now referred to as 9/11 shook America and most of the rest of the world. On November 27, 2002 the 9/11 Commission was set up.

When the commission's report was released in 2004 Richard Posner of the New York Times observed that "the commission's analysis and recommendations are unimpressive." Part of the delay was due to the administration’s hold on documents.

Since that time, organizations like 9/11 Truth.Org have amassed an incredible collection of evidence challenging both the media and the commission's reports.

Dozens of books, cover everything from tales of brave "first responder" to conspiracy theories and many unanswered questions like those posed by David Ray Griffin in The New Pearl Harbor.

None of the doubt and challenging questions posed by the books and alternative media has awakened the public enough to demand answers from the mainstream media. Meanwhile the media engages in repetitious trifling about presidential political candidates.

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

Sexual abuse of children has long been either unreported or under-reported. In a current trial in America, 15 years of child abuse went unreported until 2011.

Sandusky

A case now in America involves a former Penn State coaching assistant who faces charges that he sexually abused 10 boys over a 15-year period.

A number of people who worked with the coach revealed that they knew of instances of reported abuse. It took 15 years for the truth to see some daylight?

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

One of the most duplicitous acts is the pretence of patriotism when a country celebrates its servicemen while sacrificing them for political gain.

On Memorial Day, America pays tribute to those who serve in the military and honours those who lost their lives in combat.

In a criminal attack 45 years ago, Israeli planes and torpedoes attempted to destroy the USS Liberty murdering 34 of the sailors. Those serving on the ship attempted to get help but were denied it by President Lyndon Johnson and Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara.

It was “one of the classic all-American cover-ups,” said retired former Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Thomas Moorer.

Despite regular efforts to expose the truth on the internet, the mainstream media and the US government continue to refuse to expose the culprits.

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

One of the most disingenuous positions of most Westerners holds that the only legitimate form of government is democracy.

Chris Hayes, an MSNBC anchor, regularly spouts the line that democracy “forces those in power to listen to those without power”.

That statement is unadulterated rubbish. If there was any truth to the comment, it would apply equally to absolute monarchs who habitually listen to their subjects.

Hayes’s statement, however, is simply untrue as applied to democracy. In America, power rests in the hands of powerful corporations and lobbies who completely ignore those outside of their privileged circles.

Does anyone care? The blind wear blinders.

Throughout his life as an educator, Dr. Paul J. Balles, a retired American university professor and freelance writer, has lived and worked in the Middle East for 40 years - first as an English professor (Universities of Kuwait and Bahrain), and for the past ten years as a writer, editor and editorial consultant.

He’s a weekly Op-Ed columnist for the GULF DAILY NEWS . Dr. Balles is also Editorial Consultant for Red House Marketing and a regular contributor to Bahrain This Month. He writes a weekly op-ed column for Akbar Al Khaleej (Arabic). He has also edited seven websites, including bahrainthismonth.com, womenthismonth.com

Paul has had more than 350 articles published, focusing on companies, personality profiles, entrpreneurs, women achievers, journalists and the media, the Middle East, American politics, the Internet and the Web, consumer reports, Arabs, diplomats, dining out and travel. Paul's articles on Salem-News.com are frank and enlightening. We are very appreciative of the incredible writings Dr. Balles has generated for our readers over the years, and we are very pleased to list him among our most valued contributors.

Indulging the hard subjects that keep the world divided is our specialty at Salem-News.com, and with writers like Dr. Paul Balles on our team, we amplify our ability to meet challenges and someday, will see the effects of this exist in context with a more peaceful and generally successful world.

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