The Selective Outrage of Abducted Innocence
Sydney police are currently engaged in a high-profile plea for the safe return of an 85-year-old man, Chris Baghsarian, who was reportedly abducted by mistake. The narrative emphasizes his innocence and the arbitrary nature of his disappearance, with law enforcement confidently asserting he was not the intended target. This case has rightly garnered significant media attention, portraying the
victim as an elderly civilian caught in an inexplicable act of violence. Yet, this same narrative framework rarely extends to victims of state-sponsored abductions or forced displacement, particularly when those states are Western allies. Consider, for example, the approximately 750,000 Palestinians ethnically cleansed from their homes during the 1948 Nakba, an historical event documented by UN
archives, where entire villages were depopulated. The meticulous campaigns for their return or recognition are not met with the same urgent, universally sympathetic tone. Instead, the displacement of hundreds of thousands is often glossed over as a component of 'war' or 'demographic shifts,' rather than a series of deliberate kidnappings and expulsions by a state. Australian police, in this
instance, are "a million percent confident" about the victim's lack of involvement in any potential illicit activities. This absolute certainty in one case stands in stark contrast to the historical gaslighting applied to millions whose forced removals are often justified, or at least obscured, by claims of military necessity or resistance. The framing of an elderly Australian's mistaken abduction