Are we as hypocritical as them? Consider the Simon Chapman story.....
jtgvbx | 18.11.2003 13:01
I am concerned that in our handling of the question "has Simon been framed" we are guilty of blind exaggeration of evidence to fit our preconceptions. Just exactly the same as the US and UK over Iraq.
This raises the question - does truth matter ? Does it exist ? Or are we still in the post-modern world of competing narratives and ideologies, floating free of any undelying reality ?
Can we build a better world out of our own particular brand of spin and hypocrisy, or is that just the other face of their crime ?
This raises the question - does truth matter ? Does it exist ? Or are we still in the post-modern world of competing narratives and ideologies, floating free of any undelying reality ?
Can we build a better world out of our own particular brand of spin and hypocrisy, or is that just the other face of their crime ?
Are we as bad as them?
Huge cries of "Iraq is threatening us-it has WMD's- here is our evidence." are followed by attempts to silence doubters, and then the new agenda - it doesn't matter whether it was true or not - they deserved it anyway.
We are disgusted at the hypocrisy, dishonesty and manipulation. We believe in the truth, regardless of its palatability.
OR DO WE ?
I observed the huge cries on Indymedia of unjust treatment of Simon Chapman (Thessalonika). I was offered "indisputable evidence" that he was framed - a video. More than willing to believe, I downloaded the highest-quality version. I studied it in detail, running it through again and again. I was not convinced. Bag colours were not as clearcut as described. Simons bag looked bi-colour, black from some viewpoints, blue from others. In later shots the bag being handled by police looked blue. It seemed to me that there was doubt, and that it was not impossible that the whole huge indymedia case for his innocence was being based on self-delusion, on selected viewing of evidence based on a prior bias towards what it needed to show. Exactly as for Iraq and its WMD's, for which the claimed indisputable evidence was flawed and inconclusive.
I wanted a better view of Simons bag - surely there should be a few stills ? I searched site after site. Not one was posted on line. Everyone raved about the absolutely convincing video. I was told that "stills" exist. They are "available". But , strangely, I must email and ask for them. What !!!!!
So I posted to Indymedia newswire that I didn't find the evidence as conclusive as I should.
Guess what. MY ARTICLE WAS HIDDEN. I can find no posting to the features list, as is normal, by the person who hid it. No discussion. Just disappeared. Thats not how its supposed to be done.
But before it disappeared, it received two comments.
Just like Bush and his cronies, I was told to wise up - it didn't matter if Simon was carrying Molotov cocktails or not - that was not the point. He had every right to do so. If we could get him off by claiming he was framed, that would be great - the truth was irrelevant.
The commentator said:
"Its not about guilt or innocence
We should be supporting the Thessaloniki prisoners regardless of whether they "did it" or not! It's basic solidarity with people fighting the same struggle for a better world. Sure, if they can get out of prison by showing that they were framed, that would be fantastic. But our support shouldn't rest on the state's definitions of "guilt" and "innocence"."
Then why is Indymedia, and the entire alternative internet, saturated with discussions and indignation in exactly these terms - "proof - he's been framed - he's innocent - free him..." ? Can we found a "better world" on our own hypocrisy ?
So there you have it.
The parallel is complete. "Shut up - WMD's or planted molotov cocktails, it's not the point - the truth doesn't matter - its just a front for an agenda we want to conceal".
Please don't misunderstand. I haven't concluded Simon was or wasn't framed. Just that the much-vaunted video evidence leaves room for doubt. And I can't find any other.
I'm not even saying whether possessing molotov cocktails in those circumstances is or is not a punishable crime.
I'm not even saying that this video evidence is critically important and deeply significant. It's you lot that are saying that.
I'm just saying that I object to the huge hypocrisy and media manipulation over the Iraq conflict.
And I fear I must object to whoever censored my querying of the evidence without even confessing to it on the list. And I object to the commenter who said the truth doesn't matter anyway. None of it huge, of course, but morally significant.
I FEAR WE HAVE SUNK TO THE SAME LEVEL AS THEM.
I expect this post will be hidden too.
Here is a link to my original (now hidden) posting.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/280618.html
Why not really examine the video carefully for yourself ? Or do you too, like President Bush, think that actually facts are irrelevant, mere pawns in the welter of conflicting ideologies?
If I have got this wrong, and my post was hidden because its title was not very clear, then I apologise. This much clearer posting can stand in its place.
The issue remains - if we allow expediency to blind our judgement then we are as guilty as those we oppose.
Huge cries of "Iraq is threatening us-it has WMD's- here is our evidence." are followed by attempts to silence doubters, and then the new agenda - it doesn't matter whether it was true or not - they deserved it anyway.
We are disgusted at the hypocrisy, dishonesty and manipulation. We believe in the truth, regardless of its palatability.
OR DO WE ?
I observed the huge cries on Indymedia of unjust treatment of Simon Chapman (Thessalonika). I was offered "indisputable evidence" that he was framed - a video. More than willing to believe, I downloaded the highest-quality version. I studied it in detail, running it through again and again. I was not convinced. Bag colours were not as clearcut as described. Simons bag looked bi-colour, black from some viewpoints, blue from others. In later shots the bag being handled by police looked blue. It seemed to me that there was doubt, and that it was not impossible that the whole huge indymedia case for his innocence was being based on self-delusion, on selected viewing of evidence based on a prior bias towards what it needed to show. Exactly as for Iraq and its WMD's, for which the claimed indisputable evidence was flawed and inconclusive.
I wanted a better view of Simons bag - surely there should be a few stills ? I searched site after site. Not one was posted on line. Everyone raved about the absolutely convincing video. I was told that "stills" exist. They are "available". But , strangely, I must email and ask for them. What !!!!!
So I posted to Indymedia newswire that I didn't find the evidence as conclusive as I should.
Guess what. MY ARTICLE WAS HIDDEN. I can find no posting to the features list, as is normal, by the person who hid it. No discussion. Just disappeared. Thats not how its supposed to be done.
But before it disappeared, it received two comments.
Just like Bush and his cronies, I was told to wise up - it didn't matter if Simon was carrying Molotov cocktails or not - that was not the point. He had every right to do so. If we could get him off by claiming he was framed, that would be great - the truth was irrelevant.
The commentator said:
"Its not about guilt or innocence
We should be supporting the Thessaloniki prisoners regardless of whether they "did it" or not! It's basic solidarity with people fighting the same struggle for a better world. Sure, if they can get out of prison by showing that they were framed, that would be fantastic. But our support shouldn't rest on the state's definitions of "guilt" and "innocence"."
Then why is Indymedia, and the entire alternative internet, saturated with discussions and indignation in exactly these terms - "proof - he's been framed - he's innocent - free him..." ? Can we found a "better world" on our own hypocrisy ?
So there you have it.
The parallel is complete. "Shut up - WMD's or planted molotov cocktails, it's not the point - the truth doesn't matter - its just a front for an agenda we want to conceal".
Please don't misunderstand. I haven't concluded Simon was or wasn't framed. Just that the much-vaunted video evidence leaves room for doubt. And I can't find any other.
I'm not even saying whether possessing molotov cocktails in those circumstances is or is not a punishable crime.
I'm not even saying that this video evidence is critically important and deeply significant. It's you lot that are saying that.
I'm just saying that I object to the huge hypocrisy and media manipulation over the Iraq conflict.
And I fear I must object to whoever censored my querying of the evidence without even confessing to it on the list. And I object to the commenter who said the truth doesn't matter anyway. None of it huge, of course, but morally significant.
I FEAR WE HAVE SUNK TO THE SAME LEVEL AS THEM.
I expect this post will be hidden too.
Here is a link to my original (now hidden) posting.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/280618.html Why not really examine the video carefully for yourself ? Or do you too, like President Bush, think that actually facts are irrelevant, mere pawns in the welter of conflicting ideologies?
If I have got this wrong, and my post was hidden because its title was not very clear, then I apologise. This much clearer posting can stand in its place.
The issue remains - if we allow expediency to blind our judgement then we are as guilty as those we oppose.
jtgvbx
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