This book review was written by Eugene Kernes
“One of the hallmarks of Western
liberalism is an assumption, in hindsight, of virtuous resistance as the only
polite expectation of people on the receiving end of colonialism. While the terrible thing is happening – while
the land is still being stolen and the natives still being killed – any form of
opposition is terroristic and must be crushed for the sake of
civilization. But decades, centuries
later, when enough of the land has been stolen and enough of the natives
killed, it is safe enough to venerate resistance in hindsight.” – Omar El
Akkad, Chapter 1: Departure, Page 19-20
“There’s always been a contradiction at the heart of this
enterprise. In the modern, well-dressed
definition, adhered to in one form or another at almost every major newspaper,
the journalist cannot be an activist, must remain allegiant to a self-erasing
neutrality. Yet journalism at its core
is one of the most activist endeavors there is.
A reporter is supposed to agitate against power, against privilege. Against the slimy wall of press releases and
PR nothing-speak that has come to protect every major business and government
boardroom ever since Watergate. A
reporter is supposed to agitate against silence.” – Omar El Akkad, Chapter 2:
Witness, Page 37
“How long a society can function under such a journalistic
model before deteriorating into something unsalvageable is an open
question. But the entire notion of
reporter as referee/announcer/scorekeeper, even if it has any merit, requires
the game on the field to be played in accordance with some set of rules. It has no capacity to deal with players who
kneecap their opponents in the locker room, who have no interest in the rules
or even the game itself. Listing one
position and then the other and letting the reader make up their own mind fails
entirely in the face of plain bad faith.” – Omar El Akkad, Chapter Two: Witness,
Page 39
Is This An Overview?
To defend civilization, atrocious crimes are committed. Crimes of the uncivilized sort. As most people within a society are not
bloodthirsty, most people need special language to be used to prevent them from
becoming upset about the atrocities committed for their benefit. To protect people’s emotions, living has
become the aberration. The bloodthirsty
do not need such language. Acts that create
condition of having to choose leaders and groups based on the lowest benchmark,
of whom is less monstrous than the other monsters.
While land is being stolen and people are being killed, any
form of opposition becomes an act of terrorism.
Those resisting atrocities need to be crushed for civilization to
survive. After the terrible events have
happened, the prior resistance becomes virtuous. The resistance becomes venerated in
hindsight.
As all adults of the opposition become perceived as responsible for the
resistance, dead children become a method of justifying resistance. After a genocide, there is no controversy of
calling a genocide by what genocide is, a genocide. But during the genocide, there is controversy
as the resistance becomes considered terrorists who cannot be politically
defended. After the killings, people
will try to forget what happened as a form of psychological self-defense.
Journalists are caught in conflict of interest. Newspapers want neutral journalists, but
journalism is an active endeavor to agitate power. To agitate against silence. The incentives involved in presenting
information, prevents providing readers with different positions to make up
their own mind. Journalists need to make
an income, and therefor focus on what incites rage and fear as that draws
attention of readers to buy products from the advertisements provided in the
newspapers. Journalists cannot protect
laws, when various opponents of journalism do not care for rules or violence
against journalist.
Caveats?
This is a memoir, primarily about journalism. Meant more as a means to vent the frustration
of being an activist against various violence acts and the culture of
violence. Not meant to provide comprehensive
information on the various topics referenced.
