I want RT back!

[xoggoth]

I assume that you have listened to or read Putin's ramblings about the cause of and the justification for the war, reported verbatim by various sources?

I've seen a lot of it, the bloke is a liar for the most part, but possible I suppose that may be a little bit of truth in there, about how the Ukrainian government has treated citizens who support a union with Russia for example. Impossible to find any unbiased news on that now the current situation has flooded Google.

Thinking about it a bit more, I don't think that even those in favour of free speech should support RT being available. After all, free speech means that all sides can express a view, and a state-controlled media outlet that is allowed to express only one viewpoint is not compatible with that. If it was part of an independent Russian press that was allowed to reflect various views, as Western press was allowed to on our various wars in Iraq etc, it would be different. Shutting it down until Putin stops controlling it is the right thing to do.

[GJABS]

I can still see rt.com. Apparently Ukraine has postponed the evacuation of Mariupol. Meanwhile the Western press says that Russia continues to bomb Mariupol, preventing evacuation. One side is lying.

At the moment the https://www.bbc.com/news headline is "Thousands trapped as Russia ignores ceasefire - Ukraine"
whereas the corresponding headline on https://www.rt.com/russia/551295-mar...uation-halted/ (thanks Nord VPN to India) is: "Ukraine ‘postpones’ civilian evacuation from besieged Mariupol - Officials accuse Russia of violating the temporary ceasefire"

Both are stating the same facts, just with a large bias. The BBC one tells the story from the perspective of the trapped people from WITHIN Ukraine, whereas RT suggests looking AT Ukraine from outside.
So I wouldn't say either side are exactly lying though.

[OwlHoot]

At the moment the https://www.bbc.com/news headline is "Thousands trapped as Russia ignores ceasefire - Ukraine"
whereas the corresponding headline on https://www.rt.com/russia/551295-mar...uation-halted/ (thanks Nord VPN to India) is: "Ukraine ‘postpones’ civilian evacuation from besieged Mariupol - Officials accuse Russia of violating the temporary ceasefire"

Both are stating the same facts, just with a large bias. The BBC one tells the story from the perspective of the trapped people from WITHIN Ukraine, whereas RT suggests looking AT Ukraine from outside.
So I wouldn't say either side are exactly lying though.

The big problem with bien pensant outlets like the BBC is not that they lie necessarily but what they omit or tuck away in obscurity, and that is anything counter to their narrative.

[NotAllThere]

The big problem with bien pensant outlets like the BBC is not that they lie necessarily but what they omit or tuck away in obscurity, and that is anything counter to their narrative.

And what narrative is that? What narrative would you prefer?

[malvolio]

And what narrative is that? What narrative would you prefer?

Their "narrative" is to be neutral, balanced and demonstrably offering both sides of the argument. Snag is, they are basing one side on deliberately inaccurate sources.

[NotAllThere]

Your original quote could have come directly from the Kremlin. Anyway, I've FTFY.

The big problem with bien pensant outlets like the BBC RT is not that they lie necessarily but what they omit or tuck away in obscurity, and that is anything counter to their narrative.

Like the fact that Russia violated the cease fire preventing evacuees from leaving, thus necessitating a postponement?

[xoggoth]

Yeh, I know it's the DM, but inneresting article by Hitchens here:

I know that Ukraine's current government, now treated as if it was almost holy, was brought into being by a mob putsch openly backed by the USA in 2014.

I know that the much-admired President Zelensky in February 2021 closed down three opposition TV stations on the grounds of 'national security'. They went dark that night. I know that the opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk was put under house arrest last year on a charge of treason. Isn't this the sort of thing Putin does?

I know that Ukraine's army has used severe force against Russian civilians in the Don Basin since 2014. The Russians have done dreadful things there, too, but there are plenty of people who will tell you that. The point is that this is not a contest of saints versus sinners, or of Mordor versus the Shire.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...hypocrisy.html

[Paddy]

Yeh, I know it's the DM, but inneresting article by Hitchens here:



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...hypocrisy.html

Two wrongs don't make a right.
Putin does not care a f**k about Russians in the Ukraine, he just wants Ukraine as part of greater Russia.
Ukraine is the frontline for Europe and NATO, if Ukraine falls next could be the Baltic States or Romania.

BTW: In Bulgaria the government started refurbishing nuclear bunkers and public shelters. There will be a public database for find the nearest shelter.

Putin is unpredictable.

[Fraidycat]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600

Elon Musk said his SpaceX Starlink internet service would only block Russian news outlets “at gunpoint”

Musk claimed in a Twitter post that Starlink had “been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources.”

“We will not do so unless at gunpoint,” he pledged. “Sorry to be a free speech absolutist.”

After one person criticized Musk and accused Russian media outlets of being “propaganda,” he responded, “All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.”

[NotAllThere]

“All news sources are partially propaganda, some more than others.”

This idea is an old propaganda trick to fool the hard of thinking into believing all news sources have some value. Especially the one which is promoting this idea.

Anyway, you can still access rt.com if you need your regular diet of lies, half-truths and misleading arguments.