Por Dr. Khaled Batarfi
Correo

In a classic George Orwell novel, a character explains to a commoner: Yes, we are all equals, but some are more equal than others.
True, since the beginning of time, the strong has managed to justify applying varying grades of justice to different levels of people. The class system was one way of making those on the top of the ladder above the law, and those directly below accountable only to their seniors. Even with the Common Law that applies to the rest of us, there are enough holes in the net — sometimes called exceptions — to let the sharks through and keep the little fish in.
The art of “framing” was invented to serve the elite and justify the unjustifiable. Smart people could always call things and actions in a way that make them either acceptable or abhorrent.
One of the classic products of this art is the different names we assign to resistant movements, like the American rebellion against British rule, the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire and the European resistance to the Nazi occupation. The very same people become terrorists to some and freedom fighters to others.
History is full of examples. Many regards Genghis Khan as a legend and others who look at the ways he ruled the world call him savage. The same could be said of other historical figures who caused far more death and destruction, like Mao and Stalin. Stalin caused the death of twenty million of his own people, and still many consider him the Man of Steel and the greatest leader in Russian history.
Today, double standards and framing cases are plenty. The Zionists and neocons, like the Nazis and Communists, are pretty good at it. Interestingly enough, they use similar terms and ways. The Final Solution that meant Holocaust to millions of innocent Jews is used today to justify raining death and destruction on millions of Palestinians. The theatrical, open-ended Cultural Revolution that killed millions of Chinese in the Maoist era equals the War on Terror that too has no clear definition, schedule or end results.
The invasion and occupation of Iraq was sold as a noble quest for bringing democracy to the Middle East. The world community seeks to get rid of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and allies of Al-Qaeda, they told us. Since the first pretexts turned out to be manufactured lies, Saddam became a new Hitler who, if left alone, would start World War III. The invasion was called the “War of Liberation.”
However, while the fight against the Russian invaders of Afghanistan was described as Islamic jihad, the Iraqi resistance to the “War of Liberation” is dismissed as naked terrorism. The Israeli wars on Lebanon and the Palestinians are acts of “self-defense”. However, if the victims fight back, in an organized fashion or individually, it is suicidal terror. America’s multi-billion dollar economic and military support to rich, powerful and destructive Israel that has surplus budget and one of the world’s highest GDP is regarded as right, moral and necessary. But the much smaller Iranian aid to Hezbollah is considered outrageous support for a terrorist organization.
A Pakistani nuclear bomb is called “Islamic”, and the “alleged” Iranian quest for nuclear power is regarded as a threat to world peace and security. In the meanwhile, the Indian bomb is not called Hindu, and Israel, which the world voted the greatest threat to peace, is not even mentioned as a nuclear state and its hundreds of nuclear heads have never been called “Jewish.”
Europe lived through a decade of religious wars. Ireland went through devastating decades of such a war. Yet, no one labeled a US-supported terrorist organization, like IRA, Christian. The same can be said of the many religious militias in the US, Europe, Israel and India. Not even one was described as fascist Christian, Jewish or Hindu, as Mr. Bush recently called ours.
When Western religious leaders, including presidential advisers, insult Islam, call for war on Muslims, and collect billions of dollars to help Christian revolts in Muslim countries, it is their constitutional right. But when Muslims contribute to Islamic charities and causes, and when some extremists in the Muslim world express their frustration, anger and desperation, it is terrorism support and hate speech.
Worse, we are all held responsible for what they say and collectively punished. Such double standard and selective application of justice give credence to our extremists’ claims of new crusades and Christian-Jewish conspiracy. Both sides respond with more extremist positions and actions. We need to end this vicious cycle, but who would take the first step? The better and wiser ones of course!

Vía: Arab News