how even short news stories can rewrite history.

Tens of thousands of supporters of an anti-U.S. Shiite cleric rallied Thursday at a main downtown square in Baghdad to protest the U.S. military presence and mark the sixth anniversary of the fall of the Iraqi capital to American forces.

(Shiite rally marks anniversary of fall of Baghdad, Boston.com, 04/09/09)

Predictably enough this is an AP story calling Moqtada Al Sadr “anti-U.S.” although that phrase is tossed around with abandon by plenty of other so-called news sources.

The reality is Sadr is very much a pro-Iraq nationalists with his own political agenda and as such is adamantly opposed to occupation. We just happen to be the occupiers. (And did I mention that Sadr was given a lot of quiet credit by the US military for helping quell the violence in Baghdad?)

There has never been any indication that Sadr is opposed to the United States. But it sure makes reporting much easier … cookie cutters do that sort of thing.

But that’s not where the history rewriting ends: we’re not at the end of the faux news story yet!

The protest against the U.S. presence contrasted with the jubilation of six years ago, when crowds of Iraqis cheered as American Marines hauled down Saddam’s statue marking the collapse of his regime.

(ibid)

Yes … the AP is talking about this crowd:



(Photo credit Information Clearing House)

History can only be rewritten if we allow it. If we maintain memories and records and pass them on, those, like the AP, who have their own special version of history to support will not win.