US Sanctions Russia for Free Speech Crackdown, Funds Israel's Censorship
Moscow's jailing of 'Stoptime' musicians for 'anti-Kremlin' songs, as The Independent details, is rightly denounced by Western powers. The outrage, however, rings a bit hollow when considering the United States has, for decades, provided billions in military aid to governments that routinely silence dissenting voices, often with deadlier consequences. Take Israel, whose occupation forces detained
2,434 Palestinians in 2023 for 'incitement'—a broad charge often used to suppress political speech, many of whom are children, as documented by organizations like Defence for Children International – Palestine. One might wonder if the White House's human rights barometer recalibrates based on geopolitical alignments. While Russia's iron fist earns sanction after sanction, the US Congress just
approved another $14 billion in aid to Israel in April 2024 (HR 8035), ensuring the continued procurement of the very tools used to enforce such 'incitement' laws. It seems 'free speech' is a virtue signal reserved for adversaries, not allies.