Knesset's heavy handedness Democracies don't Shutter newspapers

 

The Israeli government is moving to shut down the county's major advertising-supported newspaper, Israel HaYom (Israel Today).

Despite its name, it has no connection to Gannett's Today newspapers in the U.S.

All newspapers are, of course, paid for by advertising. Israel HaYom is distributed free, gratis, six days-a-week. There are other free-circulation papers in Israel, but only Israel HaYom is published 6 days a week, and the law being pushed in the Knesset - Israel's parliament - is aimed at only the newspaper with BOTH (a) free distribution and (b) published 6 days-a-week.

I don't know if another paper is behind the push to put Israel HaYom out of business - that's one of the stories I read in the email media. It really doesn't matter.

It is sufficient that Israel's politicians are even considering the proposal that causes me to question "democracy" in Israel.

This is not the first time the Israeli government has shut down free expression.

Although I am a solid Beginite, Menachem Begin while Prime Minister, did one unpardonable act: he forced Nekui Rosh (Brain Wash) off the television. He was too thin skinned to accept the caustic humor Nekui Rosh applied to all politicians. America's Laugh-in and later Saturday Night Live were/are akin to Nekui Rosh.

Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin
Warriors turned peacemakers

But he never shut down a tv station or a newspaper, despite the fact that at the time, almost all Hebrew
language newspapers were party tools.

Israel HaYom is a right-of-center publication. It's online edition at /www.israelhayom.com/ provides a sampling of its political position.

Israel HaYom, unlike most free distribution papers in the U.S. is a true newspaper. Free papers in the U.S. generally are "shoppers" containing more than 70% advertising; most "news" is nothing more than puff pieces for the advertisers. (My qualifications of writing this opinion: I was a newspaper printer, reporter, and editor for many years. I see Israel HaYom's printed edition when I visit kin in Israel.)

If shutting down Israel HaYom is Israeli democracy in action, "democracy" - such as it is in Israel - is about to disappear.

Egypt is NOT America

Egypt is not the first Muslim country to try democracy.

Algeria had its own free elections a number of years ago and the Islamists won, as they did in Egypt.

As happened in Egypt, the army overturned the election and kept power.

Algeria remained in the so-called West’s camp.

I don’t recall anyone in America complaining about the Algerian army takeover at the time (although I am certain, in hindsight, there were those on the left who gnashed their teeth over this).

There is a thin line between “democracy” and “mobocracy,” a/k/a anarchy.

The U.S. has had its problems with democracy. It still has problems with democracy. Not everyone views it the same way.

Unlike Egypt, democracy in the U.S. is nothing new. We have ways – “democratic” ways – to resolve most of our differences. Granted, we have had our share of anarchists and other crazies, but in the grand scheme of things, their presence is minute, miniscule.

Then again, we’ve had more than 200 years of practice.

Algeria and Egypt lack that experience.

America had what seemed in the early years unlimited resources. This is not true of Algeria and Egypt. Neither country has a bright future for its young people. Where the young lack hope, anarchy rears its ugly head. Here, the KKK, the Nation of Islam, and the Black Panthers come to mind. (When seniors have no hope, the Gray Panthers find support.)

Anyone who thinks Egypt will, overnight, become a U.S.-style democracy is dreaming.

It won’t even become a pseudo English-style democracy such as it sees in its neighbor.

As in Russia, democracy doesn’t come easily. Unlike Russia, the Muslims don’t have to migrate from a socialist state to a capitalist nation, but they do need to learn to think and they need to be able to express what they think – peacefully, logically, and with the realization that not everyone will agree.

There is no democracy in the army. Armies don’t, can’t, work that way. None-the-less, armies can guarantee that democracies can develop in cultures that want democracy.

Cuba, a small island south of Florida, is a place where democracy has been forced down the locals throats on more than one occasion. On each occasion, Cubans have reverted to dictatorships. Cubans in Cuba – versus Cubans in Florida – don’t want democracy. It’s a mentality issue.

Egypt’s military has long ruled the country. Since Anwar Sadat, the army’s rule has been beneficial to Israel and, generally, for the West. Having rule by the military is the “norm” in Egypt and Algeria; it is part and parcel of the populace’s mentality.

Peoples who allow dictators and armies to rule them have a “Let George do it” mentality; socialist or near socialist. The way the Muslim Brotherhood managed to gain popular support was by providing more and better social services than the army.

From this scrivener’s perspective, the Egyptian army’s resumption of control is a good thing. The army is the only force large enough and disciplined enough to maintain a semblance of order in the country.

As for Israel and the U.S.: Stay out of Egyptian politics.

Israel might work with Egypt’s army to clear the Sinai of terrorists, but other than that it is well advised to deal with its own domestic problems – there are many.

Military control is not necessarily a bad thing. In Egypt and in Algeria, it may be the only thing if any measure of domestic tranquility is to be achieved and sustained.