The oppressive silence of the Western media
When so many young people are being murdered every day by the Islamic Republic regime in Iran, where is the Western world? It's not just the Western media that is the issue, but the oppressive silence of most Western media is important.
The events and people risking their lives for justice have created mixed feelings in the world. There is joy and motivation in their courage for change, and that motivation is freedom. Seeing them suppressed by a murderous regime is devastating and painful.
News agencies and governments have a duty to prioritize and be accountable for what is happening in Iran by any measure. It should be announced on the front page with a big headline, in the news of the whole world. In the past few days, half a million people around the world marched against the regime to show that they are in solidarity with the Iranian people. These Iranians living abroad could not be more proud of being Iranian. Did you notice it by turning on the TV news channel or searching the front pages of the newspaper? Did you see it in the statements of Western governments?
Hundreds of students from a top-tier university were besieged, killed, beaten, and arrested inside the university. Can you imagine if this had happened in the Western world, it wouldn't have been in the headlines and the topic of conversation?
The Canadian Prime Minister tweeted about some soft policy changes. The French President meets with the President. The US President is waiting to sign the nuclear deal. European leaders are talking about a few more small sanctions. Is this really the response governments are giving to these massive protests?
Is this neglect simply because Iran is in the Middle East? Are Iranians less important because of their different appearance, accent, and green skin tone? Or is it because keeping this regime in power and having perpetual hostility is beneficial to the West?
What is going on in the minds of Western and liberal leaders who talk about social justice? Are they completely silent about basic human rights in Iran?
But surely the West can do more. It’s not about intervention, it’s about attention. Attention that can support the people in Iran and suppress this regime. If it’s not yet time for governments, big corporations, and mainstream media in the West to stand up for human rights, then when is the time?
