West and selective perception
brian | 03.10.2008 15:22
POLITICS in general and global politics in particular is an art centred on perception and there is an inherent tendency for politicians to selectively perceive political developments on the basis of self-motivated interests.
West and selective perception
Reason Wafawarova – Opinion
POLITICS in general and global politics in particular is an art centred on perception and there is an inherent tendency for politicians to selectively perceive political developments on the basis of self-motivated interests.
This trend has notoriously gone on for a long time and even decent terms like democracy, humanitarianism and peace have not been spared the adulteration.
Equally, inherently evil terms like torture, terrorism, dictatorships and totalitarianism have also not been spared the bias.
The Western ruling elite prefer to call non-compliant political leaders from weaker countries everything else except anti-imperialists.
The preferred terms often include such awful and calamitous terms as dictator, tyrant, authoritarian, despot or anything that resembles Satan.
In May 1986, a freed Cuban prisoner by the name Armando Valladares published memoirs detailing his life in prison.
These memoirs immediately became a media sensation in the West, not because of the merit of their content but purely because the memoirs painted Commandant Fidel Castro in bad light.
It is like any Zimbabwean asylum seeker claiming that the rest of their family were cut to pieces by "Government militias" and they are the sole survivors with no known relative surviving.
The memoirs of this single man were taken as Bible truth and were described by the Washington Post as "the definitive account of the vast system of torture and prison by which Castro punishes and obliterates political opposition".
The New York Times called the memoirs "an inspiring and unforgettable account" of "the hell that was the Cuba that Valladares lived in".
Purely on the basis of the memoirs of one man Commandant Castro was factually labelled "a dictatorial goon".
So numerous were Commandant Castro’s alleged atrocities that the Washington Post concluded "only the most light-headed and cold-blooded Western intellectual will come to the tyrant’s defence".
The unchallenged and untested truth earned Valladares guest status at a White House ceremony to mark Human Rights Day in 1986.
Ronald Reagan emotionally praised this "brave and decent" man for his courage in enduring brutalities, horrors and sadism of this bloody ‘‘Cuban tyrant’’.
So touched was Reagan that he immediately appointed Valladares the US representative at the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Valladares returned the unmerited favour by shamelessly performing signal services in defence of the US-sponsored rightwing dictatorships in El Salvador and Guatemala.
etc
http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/130/ARTICLE/3457/2008-10-02.html
Reason Wafawarova – Opinion
POLITICS in general and global politics in particular is an art centred on perception and there is an inherent tendency for politicians to selectively perceive political developments on the basis of self-motivated interests.
This trend has notoriously gone on for a long time and even decent terms like democracy, humanitarianism and peace have not been spared the adulteration.
Equally, inherently evil terms like torture, terrorism, dictatorships and totalitarianism have also not been spared the bias.
The Western ruling elite prefer to call non-compliant political leaders from weaker countries everything else except anti-imperialists.
The preferred terms often include such awful and calamitous terms as dictator, tyrant, authoritarian, despot or anything that resembles Satan.
In May 1986, a freed Cuban prisoner by the name Armando Valladares published memoirs detailing his life in prison.
These memoirs immediately became a media sensation in the West, not because of the merit of their content but purely because the memoirs painted Commandant Fidel Castro in bad light.
It is like any Zimbabwean asylum seeker claiming that the rest of their family were cut to pieces by "Government militias" and they are the sole survivors with no known relative surviving.
The memoirs of this single man were taken as Bible truth and were described by the Washington Post as "the definitive account of the vast system of torture and prison by which Castro punishes and obliterates political opposition".
The New York Times called the memoirs "an inspiring and unforgettable account" of "the hell that was the Cuba that Valladares lived in".
Purely on the basis of the memoirs of one man Commandant Castro was factually labelled "a dictatorial goon".
So numerous were Commandant Castro’s alleged atrocities that the Washington Post concluded "only the most light-headed and cold-blooded Western intellectual will come to the tyrant’s defence".
The unchallenged and untested truth earned Valladares guest status at a White House ceremony to mark Human Rights Day in 1986.
Ronald Reagan emotionally praised this "brave and decent" man for his courage in enduring brutalities, horrors and sadism of this bloody ‘‘Cuban tyrant’’.
So touched was Reagan that he immediately appointed Valladares the US representative at the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Valladares returned the unmerited favour by shamelessly performing signal services in defence of the US-sponsored rightwing dictatorships in El Salvador and Guatemala.
etc
http://www.talkzimbabwe.com/news/130/ARTICLE/3457/2008-10-02.html
brian
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Repost
03.10.2008 16:29
Another repost. Great.
Few of those who read Indymedia would disagree with the assertion that the UK and US foreign policy has been inconsistent and often downright hypocrital over the last few decades. No alarms or surprises there.
But it seems a bit desperate to use that to support the suggestion that all Zimbabweans are lying if they say they have suffered violence or have seen family members killed.
I don't know the background to the Zimbabwean Guardian, which the above posting is copied and pasted from.
However, it the repost game is being played... there was an interesting piece about it on the website of a 24 hour radio station - which is probably in the pay of the evil Western imperialists, and so forth. But still, it made for interesting reading.
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18 May 2008
By Herald Ndlovu
Lawyer and journalist-wannabe Itayi Garande has within the space of 2 months turned a promising website 'The Zimbabwe Guardian' into a trash writing government mouthpiece.
It is not lost on many who know this slippery character that before the March 29 poll he for the want of a better word belonged to the world of the 'sane' and spoke against Mugabe's regime.
Under the cover of freedom of speech and covering alternative views Garande is now competing with the Herald to see who can lick Mugabe's dirty bum the cleanest.
Those who know Garande and his weekly contributions to SW Radio Africa's Reporters Forum programme will be shocked at his conversion to the Zanu PF religion.
Before the elections Garande slammed the scourge of violence, spoke passionately about how Mugabe rigged elections and even praised Morgan Tsvangirai for his courage in standing up to Mugabe.
Reading his articles now, one can see that he made a u-turn at exactly the time Zanu PF lost the elections and Bright Matonga (Deputy Information Minister and Garande's close friend) rose to prominence in the ministry.
It is also a public secret that Garande is friends with sports fitness 'guru' and Zanu PF activist Themba Mliswa and Minister Bright Matonga. He also speaks regularly with Mugabe spokesman George Charamba. Its also widely rumoured that Garande wants to open the Zimbabwe Guardian newspaper in Zimbabwe by the end of December.
It is not this writers intention to accuse on the basis of circumstancial evidence but it does look like Garande has offered his services to the Mugabe regime from the way he is constantly defending them. Whether he is being paid for it or he simply believes in the Zanu PF cause is subject to speculation and another matter all together.
Nehanda Radio: Zimbabwe's first 24 hour internet radio news channel.
Norville B