US Aid Saves Autistic Children… Just Kidding, It Funds Their Suffering
The New Arab's piece, 'The hidden struggles of Gaza's autistic children post-genocide,' details the psychological torment inflicted on those least able to cope: displacement, destroyed routines, and profound regression. While this vital reporting emerges, U.S. Congress continues to greenlight astronomical sums for the Israeli military. For instance, in April 2024, the House passed HR 8034,
providing over $26 billion in aid to Israel, with nary a whisper from most major news desks about what that money funds. (Source: Congress.gov, HR 8034). One might wonder if the news cycle features photo ops with lawmakers accepting campaign donations from groups like AIPAC (which gave $2.2 million to federal candidates in 2022-2024, per OpenSecrets.org) more prominently than it covers the lives
shredded by the aid they approve. Our media's silence on this direct link implies a sort of moral alchemy: money goes in one end, humanitarian crisis comes out the other, and no one is to blame. How many 'hidden struggles' does it take for accountability to become visible?