Dictionary of political correctness for reports from the Middle East

From: Andrew Johnson

Date: 2006-08-24 09:44:16

Dictionary of political correctness The Rules of Political Correctness
When it  comes to the Israeli-Arab conflict:  Rule # 1: In the Middle East, it is always the Arabs that attack first, and  it’s always Israel  that defends itself. This is called  “Retaliation”.   Rule # 2: The Arabs, whether Palestinians or Lebanese, are not allowed to kill Israelis. This is  called “Terrorism”Rule # 3: Israel has the right to kill Arab civilians. This is called “Self-Defense”,  or, these days, “Collateral Damage”.Rule # 4: When Israel kills too many civilians, the Western world calls for restraint. This is called the “Reaction of the International Community”. Rule # 5: Palestinians and Lebanese do not have the right to capture Israeli military personnel, not even a limited number, not even 1 or 2. This is called  “Kidnapping”. Rule # 6: Israel has the right to capture as many Palestinians as they want (Palestinians: around 10,000 to date, 300 of whom are children; Lebanese: 1,000s to  date, being held without trial). There is no limit; there is no need for proof of guilt or trial. This is called “War on Terrorism”. Rule # 7: When you say “Hezbollah”, always  be sure to add “supported by Syria and Iran”.  This is called: “Axis of Evil”Rule # 8: When you say “Israel”, never say “supported by the  USA, the UK and other European countries”, for people (God forbid) might believe this is not a balanced conflict. This is  called “Helping our Friends”.Rule # 9: When it comes to Israel, don’t mention the words “occupied territories”,  “UN resolutions”, or “Geneva Conventions”. This could distress the audience, and is called “Anti-Semitism”. Rule # 10: Israelis speak better English than Arabs.  This is why we let  them speak out as much as possible, so that they can explain rules 1 through 9. This is  called “Neutral Journalism”. Rule # 11: If you don’t agree with these rules or if  you favor the Arab side over the Israeli side, you must be a very dangerous anti-Semite. You may even have to make a  public apology if you express your honest opinion like Mel Gibson. This is called “Democracy”.  Please learn the proper terminology and use it appropriately to maintain your job; this is  called “Equal Opportunity Employment”.       

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