The Truth Sometimes Hurts
The British media are treating the terror attacks on
A good example of this inconsistency can be demonstrated by comparing the BBC's Question Time program aired the night before last —— the evening of the
Let's take a walk down memory lane and revisit the 9/11 episode. I'll never forget it. On that very day I started having severe doubts about the future viability of the so called 'special relationship' between the
The only American on the panel that night —— Phil Lader, former US ambassador to London —— was so berated, heckled, and verbally abused that one could have been forgiven for thinking that Americans had not been attacked, but were instead the villains of the piece. The rest of the panel appeared equally happy to pitch in on the side of the audience's hatred against the only American present.
Bear in mind —— I know I'm repeating myself —— that this was only two days after 9/11. It is pointless making the observation that the audience was a particularly heady mixture of British Muslims and hard left wingers, because they are, after all, just Brits, and if that's the kind of perception the BBC wishes to project, then we must all accept that this was an expression of British media opinion.
The primary logic behind this vitriolic scorn directed against Phil Lader was simple:
By the end of the show Phil Lader was in tears. Very few Americans would have seen this show. Perhaps BBC America will air the video on its
On the other hand, last night's BBC Question Time could not have been more different. Instead of the audience and panel berating the Spanish for having brought this terrible attack on themselves, it was all best wishes and tears. Not one member of the panel or audience attempted to justify the
However, the conversation quickly moved on to more important issues, such as the four British Muslims who had just returned from Guantanamo Bay (they call them 'heroes' over here) — not to mention the five 'lads' still held there 'illegally'. Of course, this topic erupted into the usual anti—American froth and tut—tut ting from the predictable audience response.
The only member of the panel who took a balanced view of the situation at
Is this just a problem with the BBC? Nope, I'm afraid not. Having read all the left wing newspapers this morning, I can confidently report to you that, unlike the Americans and 9/11, the Spanish did not deserve this terrorist attack, and there is not one article that attempts to justify the action of the terrorists, whoever they may be.
So, now you know. Tony Blair may be standing shoulder to shoulder with President Bush and committing British troops to the war on terror. But at least half the British population, their favourite newspapers, and the BBC, are clearly not onboard. The truth hurts, but it's time Americans knew what some —— to be fair —— of their so called 'allies' really think about the nation that saved Europe, first from the Nazis and then the communist threat.
That's all ancient history. There's so much ancient history here in
Michael Morris writes on United Kingdom media from London