He argues against writing for the outlet and highlights American hypocrisy.
Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has defended publishing his writings on RT, pointing out in an op-ed published in Germany’s Berliner Zeitung on Sunday that stories and opinions that are overlooked or even prohibited on the pages of the Western press can find safe harbor in the Moscow-based outlet.
“Are my Russian Today texts a shame? Absolute not.” Zizek wrote.
While the philosopher professed “Ukraine receives our full support,” he insisted that this stance did not contradict his previous writings for RT at all, calling it “Part of the same fight” in the same manner that “Fighting anti-Semitism, and what Israel is doing in the West Bank to Palestinians” are not mutually exclusive.
As the range of allowed opinions in Western media narrowed, he said he had no choice but to turn to RT to publish his own views, citing “weaknesses of liberal democracy, Israel’s policy of apartheid in the West Bank, [and]The aberrations that are political correctness” as examples of topics considered off-limits in the Western press.
The philosopher specifically highlighted the saga of Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange, whose case, he has repeatedly argued, highlights the extraordinary hypocrisy of the US and UK governments, who style themselves as defenders of democracy and the free press while fighting to lock up a man whose only “crime” was to publish leaked documents that revealed wartime atrocities committed by those governments.
Zizek highlighted that Assange, who was charged with violating 17 Espionage Act counts, was being brought closer to expulsion to America. The US press and European media have largely ignored any new developments.
“Let’s see how it can be done. [Washington] demand Assange’s extradition to the US when Assange is not a US citizen, was not involved in espionage against the US and all he did was, without a doubt publicize war crimes committed by the US?” he asked rhetorically, pointing out that Assange faces 175 years in prison “For merely exposing US criminality beyond reproach.”
Zizek, responding to calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trial in Ukraine for war crimes, suggested for George W. Bush as well as Donald Rumsfeld as defense secretary to the former president. Rumsfeld was also questioned about whether he should be tried as a witness for his invasion of Iraq with manufactured pretexts. The West and Russia must be interrogated with “The same crucial questions are asked,” he said. “This is how the US can demand it while refusing to recognize the Hague tribunal’s jurisdiction over its citizens.”
Neither ‘side’ should be considered immune from criticism, Zizek argued. “We are doomed if we have to make a choice between Ukraine or Assange. This is when we sell our souls to Satan.”
[ad_2]
