Each week, we cover the stories that are just left out of the US propaganda machine. News that the people in charge, the corporations and your government want to keep from the public eye.
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The NY Times:
"One dispiriting lesson from Chuck Hagel’s nomination for defense secretary is the extent to which the political space for discussing Israel forthrightly is shrinking. Republicans focused on Israel more than anything during his confirmation hearing, but they weren’t seeking to understand his views. All they cared about was bullying him into a rigid position on Israel policy. Enforcing that kind of orthodoxy is not in either America’s or Israel’s interest.
Brooklyn College is facing a similar trial for scheduling an event on Thursday night with two speakers who support an international boycott to force Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories. While this page has criticized Israeli settlements, we do not advocate a boycott. We do, however, strongly defend the decision by the college’s president, Karen Gould, to proceed with the event, despite withering criticism by opponents and threats by at least 10 City Council members to cut financing for the college. Such intimidation chills debate and makes a mockery of the ideals of academic freedom...
The sad truth is that there is more honest discussion about American-Israeli policy in Israel than in this country. Too often in the United States, supporting Israel has come to mean meeting narrow ideological litmus tests..."
->The NY Times made another breakthrough with this Opinion Page editorial. US policy towards Israel must be debated because we are a free society. Now if its news wasn't so blatantly pro-Israel.
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Global Research:
"The Israeli national water company Mekorot undermines Palestinians’ access to water, according to a new report commissioned by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The report finds that deep water drillings by Mekorot and the Israeli agri-industrial firm Mehadrin in the occupied Jordan Valley have caused the drying up of Palestinian wells and springs. About 80 percent of all water drilled in this area is consumed by Israel and its illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Mekorot took over responsibility for the West Bank’s water resources from the Israeli military in 1982. The new report documents a clear pattern of discrimination against Palestinians. Whereas Palestinians living in most of the West Bank face 'chronic shortages,' Israeli settlements enjoy a constant supply of water. Palestinians are prevented from using wastewater provided to Israeli settlements for irrigation and instead have to rely on more expensive water for that purpose. Furthermore, valves supplying Palestinians tend to be cut off when water shortages occur, yet no such restrictions are applied to the use of water by Israeli settlers."
-->The NY Times didn't think this story of Israel stealing Palestinian water was newsworthy. After all that talk about the need for a national discussion on Israeli policies.
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Common Dreams:
"While recent proposals from lawmakers and corporate CEO 'extremists' have put Social Security benefits on the chopping block, Americans are coming out in strong support of the vital program. They are saying: Preserve it. Fund it. Strengthen it. Raise our taxes for it. The results come from a survey released Thursday from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Academy of Social Insurance, and highlight the stark contrast between the support Americans have for the program and the austerity proposed as 'a minor tweak' that would cut needed benefits to millions.
Some of the findings from the survey: 82% agree it is critical to preserve Social Security for future generations even if it means increasing Social Security taxes paid by working Americans, and 87% want to preserve Social Security for future generations even if it means increasing taxes paid by wealthier Americans.
Nearly 3 in 4 Americans (72%) say they have a favorable view of Social Security, and a favorable view is shared across income brackets and ages. 84% believe current Social Security benefits do not provide enough income for retirees, 89% said Social Security benefits are more important than ever, and 75% said we should consider raising benefits.
'My Republican colleagues in Congress and some Democrats are attempting to use the deficit crisis as an excuse to cut Social Security benefits. That is wrong,' Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said on Thursday at news conference with a coalition of seniors, veterans and labor organizations in support of strong Social Security benefits."
-->Why is the only socialist in Congress the one supporting what the people so clearly want as far as Social Security? Why isn't The NY Times even reporting this story?
