A chara, - In taking on The Irish Times for alleged bias in respect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (May 5th), Pat O'Sullivan simply confounds the problem of how conflicts around the world are generally presented by the mainstream media. In O'Sullivan's critique, no distinction is made between the politics and policies of governments and those of the people.
To conflate the politics of the Sharon government with those of the Israeli people is not only a misconception but also denies a voice to the many Israelis who have consistently opposed those policies. Similar misrepresentation of the conflict in Iraq, which constructs the problem in terms of the US and its allies, goes some way towards fuelling the growing anti-Americanism around the globe.
Again, the politics of a right-wing government are conflated with the wishes of the American people. Opposition politics are rarely addressed by the mainstream media unless these politics spill onto our streets and especially so if violence is involved.
Finally, Mr O'Sullivan should take some time to reflect on the values and meaning of the term democracy, which all too often tends to operate to disguise, silence or co-opt the voices of resistance. - Is mise, etc.,
MÁIRE NI LORCÁIN, Golden, Co Tipperary.