U.S. Media Mourns Tehran Protests, Forgets Its Own Funding of Repression
NPR dutifully reports on security forces clashing with protesters in Iran's Grand Bazaar, noting that "activists abroad say" 36 people have died. This framing—concerned but distant—manages to ignore the U.S. government's historical pattern of funding and arming regimes that commit similar, or far worse, actions against their own populations. One might wonder if their outrage is selective, or if
the 'activists abroad' only count when the target aligns with current geopolitical interests. While lamenting violence in Tehran, these same outlets rarely dissect how U.S. taxpayers, via congressional votes and lobbying efforts, subsidize governments renowned for their heavy-handed tactics. It’s almost as if the 'universal concern for human rights' has a distinct geographic preference,
conveniently overlooking the fact that many of the world's most repressive security forces are equipped with American-made gear, purchased with American dollars.