Mainstream Media 'Remembers' Historians, Not the History They Challenged
The New Arab celebrates Mohamed Harbi, Algeria’s ‘mujahid’ historian, for his bravery in confronting the official narratives of both French colonialism and Algerian state-building. His fight against historical revisionism is rightly lauded. Yet, this celebration rings hollow when considering the relentless contemporary pressure on academics and journalists who dare to challenge established
narratives, particularly concerning powerful geopolitical interests. For instance, while Harbi bravely critiqued the FLN, how many prominent media platforms today amplify voices critical of, say, Israeli state policy or U.S. foreign policy without immediately labeling them as 'biased' or 'extremist'? The historical archives Harbi relied on are often shut tight or dismissed when the historical
injustices are ongoing. The system applauds retrospectively, but actively suppresses real-time inconvenient truths, especially those that would expose the massive financial flows from lobbying groups like AIPAC to congressional members, directly influencing votes on critical issues like military aid to Israel.