In an isolated rural province in Afghanistan, ten people were killed in a raid by American-led forces. The Afghan government, installed and sustained in power by the United States, said the victims were all civilians -- including eight schoolboys.
There was no international outcry about this incident; it barely garnered a few mentions in the global press. Even these were shunted aside after a NATO official denied the claims of the Afghan government and affirmed that all those killed in the raid were Evil-Doers. Local officials on the scene said otherwise. They said ten civilians had been killed. They said eight of the dead were children. But the NATO official said the Afghans were lying.
What an instructive contrast. In one story, a Detroit attack which did not happen and which killed no one shakes the entire world. In another, ten human beings, including eight children, were slaughtered in a sneak attack by night -- and the world scarcely notices.
From a friend:
I've been hosting my 48-year-old autistic younger sister for a holiday visit at least once a year. Just a year ago, so long as I was able to present identification, I was able to get clearance to go through security and meet her at the gate. It's not a difficult request, or even unreasonable, my sister has no focus or sense of direction and needs assistance.
This year, due to the Yemeni "incident", things changed dramatically. She flew in the day after Christmas, and despite all, I was denied access to the gate and had to allow Alaska Airlines help to wheel her out to where I waited. And now I am informed by Alaska Airlines that If I want to escort her to her gate on the day she departs, I will have to purchase at least a one-way ticket myself, which is the only action I can take in which I have rights to go through security. My mere status as family member, or as co-guardian, isn't enough to prove that I have no sinister intent. Only my willingness to purchase a ticket I have no need for proves that I have no destructive design, according to the company managers I spoke to.
