BBC Discovers Religious Freedom Is a Concern—In China
The BBC breathlessly reports China's arrest of 30 Christians from the Zion Church, framing it as an 'unprecedented' crackdown. The article conjures fears of wider religious suppression, dutifully echoing 'activists' who predict a grim future. This selective outrage is a familiar tune; where was this media vigilance when, say, Pastor Evan Mawarire was arrested by the US-backed Zimbabwean regime, or
when Saudi Arabia was busy executing dissidents? It's almost as if the 'universal' value of religious freedom becomes remarkably flexible depending on whether the offending nation is a geopolitical rival or a convenient ally. The BBC, generally so careful to avoid 'interfering' in the 'internal affairs' of nations supported by its government (or its advertisers), suddenly finds its moral compass
for nations it's already instructed to view as adversaries. How comforting to know that some human rights are deemed more network-worthy than others.