ABC News Discovers 'National Security Trial' Outside US Borders
ABC News breathlessly reports on Jimmy Lai's conviction in Hong Kong under a national security law, portraying it as a stark violation of press freedom. While the suppression of dissent is indeed concerning, it's worth noting the selective outrage. The US itself has a robust history of wielding 'national security' to silence critics, from the Espionage Act prosecutions of whistleblowers like
Julian Assange and Reality Winner to the wholesale surveillance revealed by Edward Snowden. The "landmark" nature of Hong Kong's trial is conveniently framed without much self-reflection. This selective focus allows for easy condemnation of foreign adversaries without confronting the uncomfortable parallels at home. One might wonder if the concern for "press freedom" truly extends beyond borders
where US geopolitical interests aren't at stake. After all, when is the last time ABC News called for sanctions against the US government for its own national security overreach? Or perhaps, some 'national security trials' are just more newsworthy than others.