The Hill Discovers Consumer Protests Exist, Just Not Why
The Hill dutifully informs us that consumers are planning boycotts from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday. A fascinating piece of journalism, perhaps, if it were not for the glaring omission: *why* these boycotts are happening. (Hint: it’s not about finding better deals.) Millions are boycotting companies like Starbucks and McDonald's, and major brands tied to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a fact
conveniently erased from mainstream analysis. One might wonder if admitting the motive would require discussing inconvenient truths about moral complicity. This reporting offers a perfect encapsulation of how corporate media sanitizes dissent. They’ll report on the 'what' of public action, but never the 'why' if it implicates powerful interests or US foreign policy. It's akin to reporting a
widespread famine and neglecting to mention the blockade causing it. The 'consumer sentiment' they dissect is not just about inflation; it's about a collective refusal to fund oppression. But don't expect The Hill to connect those dots. That would be too close to journalism.